If you want to file a Level 1 Appeal, you must notify your professor and Associate Dean, in writing:
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Notice must be given within 5 business days of receiving your final grade.
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Notice must be given in writing (by email) to both your professor and your program’s Associate Dean. Note: If you do not know who your Associate Dean is, contact the receptionist for your department and request their name and email.
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Completed appeal forms must be provided within 5 business days of giving notice of your intention to appeal. Note: You will need to attach your Level One Appeal Form to the email, or alternatively, make two paper copies and drop them off at your department reception. Address one copy to the professor, and one copy to the Associate Dean.
Tips for filling out your level one appeal form:
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This form follows you throughout the Appeal process. If your documentation is well written, it will show you care about your marks.
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Avoid wording that suggests incompetence, lack of knowledge of subject matter, or anything aggressive.
Note: These may hinder you when you are trying to come to a resolution with your professor in the initial stages.
How do I fill out the forms?
First, fill out the form with your name, Student number, Course name, course number, program name. Then, you will be asked to answer the following questions.
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Q1: “What outcome are you expecting as the result of this review?”
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This is where you need to state your proposed outcome. Be concise and specific. This could look something like:
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“I respectfully request that my mark on Quiz #3 be adjusted to 7 out of 10 (70%) to account for the grading discrepancies indicated in this appeal. This would bring my final grade in this course to 80%.”
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“I respectfully request that my mark on Assignment #1 be adjusted to 96% to account for the discrepancies raised in this appeal. That would bring my final grade in this course to 75%.”
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Q2: “Please explain why you believe your final grade in the above course should be reviewed, and why your expectations about a change in grade are reasonable.”
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This will be the body of your appeal.
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Your appeal must be based in FACT.
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Cite course materials such as textbook pages, course lectures, slide shows or other learning materials to support your argument and articulate the reason you believe your grade should be adjusted.
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Be thorough in this step as you will be limited to the materials you can submit throughout the rest of the process.
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Number your paragraphs for easy reference.
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Q3: “Please state clearly the evidence you are bringing forward to support this grade appeal. Use additional pages if necessary and attach any relevant documentation.”
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This is where you will list the materials you are citing in your appeal, such as lecture slides, textbooks, etc.
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The materials should support the reasons for your appeal.
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Any materials should be either photocopied, scanned, printed, or electronically attached to your appeal.
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When copying excerpts from textbooks, photocopy both the cover page of the textbook, and the page from the text you are specifically referencing.
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List the quiz, test or assignment you disagree with, even if your professor has retained it.
Your next step: an initial meeting
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Once you’ve submitted your notice of appeal and your completed Appeal Form, your next step is to meet with the Professor for informal discussions to resolve the issue.
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The Policy states this should be scheduled within 5 business days from providing your completed forms. While the request for the meeting should be sent within 5 business days, the date of the meeting may have some minor flexibility if either party is able to meet.
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The goal of this meeting is to come to a resolution in a RESPECTFUL AND COURTEOUS way.
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Bring a copy of the Level 1 Appeal Form to the meeting, as you will need to fill out on the form the outcome of the meeting. Both parties must agree to the outcome of the meeting.
Not satisfied with outcome of the meeting?
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If so, you may request an optional session with a college-appointed Mediator. If you choose to meet with a Mediator, this must take place within (you guessed it…) 5 business days!
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If you are still disappointed in the results of the mediation and you still believe you are owed more credit for your work, there is one final stage left (Level 2).
Final steps in the level 1 process
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The outcome is recorded on the Level 1 Form, and the student and faculty member will retain a copy of the completed Level 1 form. The student is responsible for forwarding the original to the Office of the Registrar.
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If the issue is not resolved, the student may progress to the level 2 Academic Appeal process.