THE SHERIDAN COLLEGE INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED LEARNING
ACADEMIC APPEALS AND CONSIDERATION PROCEDURE
Date of Approval:
Sheridan Senate – September 26, 2013
Board of Governors – October 23, 2013
Effective Date:
September 2, 2014
Mandatory Review
Date:
September 2, 2017
Approved By:
Office of the Provost and
VPA
1. Purpose
This document sets out Sheridan’s procedure on the academic appeals process for Sheridan
students.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all Sheridan full and part-time students and does not cover appeals
alleging discriminatory bias based on the prohibited grounds outlined in Sheridan’s Harassment
and Discrimination Policy. For further information or to make an appeal, please refer to the
Sheridan Harassment and Discrimination Policy and /or contact the Manager, Equity and
Human Rights Services at x2229. The steps, outlined in the Academic Appeals and
Consideration Procedure, apply only to final grade decisions and academic decisions. For
example, Admission Appeals are processed through the Admission Policy and appeals related
to Language Assessment Placement are handled through a separate process. In most cases,
non-academic misconduct will be dealt with under the Student Code of Conduct, but a decisionmaker dealing with an appeal under this Policy has the jurisdiction to deal with any nonacademic misconduct which is related to the matter under appeal.
3. Definitions
Mark
A mark is awarded for each individual assessment within the course; each mark
contributes to the final grade.
Final Grade
A final grade is awarded upon completion of the course.
Final Grade Appeal
A grade appeal is a request that a final grade be reviewed or changed based on
evidence supplied by the student. This includes requests from students who were unable
Revised: April 2015 LD
to withdraw without academic penalty from the course by the drop deadline. Appeals of both
failing and passing final grades will be considered. A grade appeal may result in the final
grade being increased, decreased or unchanged.
Academic Decision
An academic decision is a decision made by the College acting in accordance with
academic policies and procedures. Examples of decisions that may be appealed include but
are not limited to:


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
Sanctions for a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy
Progression or graduation decisions
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) decisions
Advanced Standing decisions
Level 1 Academic Appeal
A Level 1 academic appeal is the first step in the appeal process.
Level 2 Academic Appeal
A Level 2 academic appeal is the last stage of the appeal process and may be used by students
who wish to appeal a Level 1 academic appeal decision.
Sheridan Appeal Committee
The Sheridan Appeal Committee is a standing committee of the Sheridan Senate. The
committee has two functions:
1. To determine whether the student has established grounds for a Level 2 academic
appeal
2. To hear and decide Level 2 academic appeals
The decision of the committee is final and binding.
Enrolment Eligibility
Subject to the exceptions set out below, academic progression will not be affected when a
student is involved in an academic appeal. Enrolment restrictions, pre-requisites and/or corequisites, will be waived until the appeal is resolved, subject to the appeal being submitted ontime.
In the following circumstances, a student is not permitted to progress pending an appeal where
a passing and/or requisite grade has not yet been obtained:
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Co-op/Internship Students - special permission determined jointly between the Director
of Career Education and the student’s Academic Faculty is required to proceed in a work
term.
Field Placement/Practicum Students - special permission from the Associate
Dean/designate in consultation with the student’s Academic Faculty is required to
proceed.
Apprenticeship – MTCU Apprenticeship policy requirements must be met such that prior
to commencing an apprenticeship, a passing grade in all required courses must be
obtained on the Registered Student Record.
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
Any program wherein external accreditation and/or legislation/regulation require prerequisites to be completed in order to progress.
In addition, in the event of an appeal by a student who is subject to an interim or final decision
prohibiting the student from attending on campus or restricting his/her access to campus, that
decision will prevail over the general provisions of this Policy, and nothing in this Policy relieves
the student from the obligation to comply with the decision prohibiting or restricting his/her
access to campus (ie under the Student Code of Conduct, security, court decision).
Decisions That Are Not Appealable
Decisions that are not appealable include but are not limited to:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Marks given for an individual assessment within a course (assignment/quiz/test marks)
Grade point average (GPA) requirements for graduation
Maximum course attempts
Incomplete grades
Examples of What Types of Resolutions May be Proposed to Resolve a Mark Concern
In the event of a mark concern for an individual assessment within a course, students may
request the following remedies or solutions be considered at the discretion of the faculty (this is
not an exhaustive list but instead should be used as a guide for students and faculty when
attempting to resolve a dispute):
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Informal discussion to clarify any questions about the mark
Recalculation of the mark by the faculty
Extension on course work with/without late penalty
Rewrite/resubmit course work with/without late penalty
Completion of a supplementary assignment or project
Reassessment/reread of course work by the faculty
Reassessment/reread of course work by another faculty in the same Academic Faculty*
In situations where exceptional circumstances exist and are documented, a student may
request to:
 Defer a test or exam
 Withdraw without academic penalty
 Receive an Incomplete or Aegrotat standing
If a student feels their concern remains unresolved or has not been satisfactorily resolved, they
may informally consult their Associate Dean or designate for advice and assistance. Students
speaking with their Associate Dean should be prepared to discuss the following:
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The evidence they have to support increasing a mark
The exchange with their faculty including why a resolution could not be reached
The resolution they are seeking
* This resolution is rare & should only be proposed after other remedies have been explored
including a reassessment/reread of course work by the original faculty. If a reassessment/reread
of course work by another faculty is merited, the following process should be followed:
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1. Student will resubmit the original course work with a written explanation as to why
he/she believes the work deserves a higher grade to their faculty. If possible, an
ungraded copy of the original should also be submitted.
2. Faculty will submit the student’s original course work, explanation & the grading rubric
for the assessment in question to their Program Coordinator.
3. Program Coordinator will give all documents (grading notations and student identifiers
removed) to an impartial faculty member who will not consult with the original faculty.
4. The impartial faculty member will reassess/reread the course work with feedback and
provide the Program Coordinator of the outcome.
5. Program Coordinator will advise the student & faculty via Sheridan email of the outcome
of the reassessment/reread.
The timeline of the reassessment/reread process is 15 business days from when the original
course work and explanation was provided by the student to the faculty.
Criteria for Late Appeals
Appeals submitted beyond the timelines* as stipulated by the Academic Appeals Policy will only
be heard at the discretion of the Associate Dean. Mitigating circumstances that may warrant the
appeal being heard include:
1. An illness and/or personal situation, supported by appropriate documentation, that has
reasonably impacted the student’s ability to submit the appeal within the established
timelines
2. Grade related information that was not available to reasonably allow for the submission
of the appeal within the established timelines
*From the day official grades are posted, the students have five days to contact faculty member
and three days to submit an appeal. From the day the student is notified of an academic
decision, the student has five days to submit an appeal.
4. Procedure
Students considering an appeal should review this information carefully and is encouraged to
meet with a Student Advisor in Student Advisement before proceeding with an appeal.
It is the student’s responsibility to:
 Use their Sheridan email account for all appeal communications. Any other email
address will disqualify the appeal.
 Retain all correspondence with faculty, administrators and staff
 Retain copies of all documentation relating to the appeal
ACADEMIC APPEAL PROCESS CHART (Abbreviated):
The process charts below exclusively focuses on the actions taken by the student who is
appealing. Refer to the section ACADEMIC APPEAL PROCESS (Complete) for a full
description of the two levels of appeal including actions taken by faculty, administrators, staff &
the Sheridan Appeal Committee.
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LEVEL 1 ACADEMIC APPEAL PROCESS
The College endeavours to resolve the appeal within the student’s Academic Faculty.
FINAL GRADE DECISION
STEP1: Student receives a final grade.
ACADEMIC DECISION
STEP 1: Student receives an academic decision.
STEP 2: Student contacts the faculty who
assigned the grade to attempt to resolve the
grade dispute informally; contact must be made
within five business days of notification of the
grade.
STEP 3: If no resolution is reached, the student
meets with a Student Advisor in Student
Advisement to learn about the appeal process.
STEP 2: Student meets with a Student Advisor in
Student Advisement to learn about the appeal
process.
STEP 3: Student submits a Level 1 Academic
Appeal Form to the Office of the Registrar; online
submission must be made within five business
days of notification of the academic decision being
appealed.
STEP 4: Student will receive a decision on his/her
appeal from his/her Associate Dean or designate:
 If the decision maker has all the information
required, a decision will be rendered within
three business days of form submission
 If more information is required, the decision
maker will contact the student & faculty to set
up a meeting within five business days of
form’s submission; a decision will be rendered
within three business days of the meeting.
 The student may request a meeting with the
decision maker to discuss the outcome of the
appeal. The meeting must occur within three
business days of notification of the decision.
STEP 4: Student submits a Level 1 Academic
Appeal Form to the Office of the Registrar; online
submission must be made within three business
days of contact with the faculty.
STEP 5: Student will receive a decision on their
appeal from their Associate Dean or designate:
 If the decision maker has all the information
required, a decision will be rendered within
three business days of form submission.
 If more information is required, the decision
maker will contact the student & faculty to set
up a meeting within five business days of
form’s submission; a decision will be rendered
within three business days of the meeting.
 The student may request a meeting with the
decision maker to discuss the outcome of the
appeal. The meeting must occur within three
business days of notification of the decision.
LEVEL 2 ACADEMIC APPEAL PROCESS
An impartial panel selected from the Sheridan Appeal Committee will resolve the
appeal.
STEP 1: For students who wish to appeal a Level 1 decision, it is mandatory that they meet with a
Student Advisor in Student Advisement to learn about the Level 2 appeal process.
STEP 2: Student submits a Level 2 Academic Appeal Form to the Office of the Registrar; online
submission must be made within five business days of notification of Level 1 appeal decision
STEP 3: Student will be notified if their appeal will be heard by the Sheridan Appeal Committee or has
been dismissed:
 If the appeal will be heard, student will be notified of the date, time and location of the panel
hearing.
 If dismissed, student will receive written notification from the Committee.
STEP 4: Student will receive copies of all material submitted by all parties pertaining to the appeal;
materials will be provided two business days prior to the panel hearing.
STEP 5: Student attends panel hearing.
STEP 6: Student will receive written notification of the decision from the Committee; a decision will be
rendered within two business days of the panel hearing.
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ACADEMIC APPEAL PROCESS (Complete):
Level 1 Academic Appeal Process – Final Grades in a Course
Students who wish to appeal a final grade must first consult with the faculty to discuss the issue.
The student is responsible for contacting the faculty within five business days of his/her grades
being posted online. The faculty is responsible for responding to the student within three
business days of his/her request and, if deemed necessary, setting up a time to discuss the final
grade within that time period.
If the student does not receive a response or is unsatisfied with the outcome of the discussion,
the student is encouraged to meet with a Student Advisor in Student Advisement. Student
Advisors educate students about the appeal process. The student submits a Level 1 Academic
Appeal Form accompanied by all pertinent documentation online to the Office of the Registrar
via email to academicappeals@sheridancollege.ca within three business days of the request for
response or outcome of the discussion. Please include the text ‘Appeals Level 1’ followed by the
campus in the subject line of the email. The Office of the Registrar will confirm whether the
student’s enrolment is impacted and will immediately forward the application to the appropriate
Associate Dean or designate. In exceptional circumstances, where the responsible Associate
Dean’s previous involvement in the matter being appealed places them in a conflict of interest,
resulting in them not being impartial in the appeal decision, the Associate Dean shall recuse
themselves and refer the appeal to another Associate Dean or the Dean within the Faculty.
Within three business days of submission of the Level 1 Academic Appeal Form, the student’s
Associate Dean or designate will review the appeal for the purpose of determining if he/she has
sufficient information to decide the appeal, and then determine what pathways the Associate
Dean or designate must follow if he/she finds he/she has sufficient information (while deciding
the appeal within three days), or if he/she finds he/she does not have sufficient information
(he/she will convene a meeting).
Upon request, it is the responsibility of the faculty to provide to the course outline and/or the
grading rubric and/or the original graded student assignment in question and/or the student’s
grade breakdown and/or any correspondence to the Associate Dean or designate.
Based on the information presented in the application, any supplementary information provided
and/or based on the meeting, the Associate Dean or designate will make a decision on the
appeal and will advise the student and the faculty of his/her decision by Sheridan email within
three business days. The decision with the rationale for the decision will be documented on the
Level 1 Academic Appeal Form. The completed form and all supplementary information must
be emailed to the Office of the Registrar Record Specialist who initiated the appeal on behalf of
the student. All documentation will be retained for one year. The student may request to meet
with the Associate Dean or designate to discuss the decision of the appeal. The meeting must
take place within three business days of notification of the decision.
In extenuating circumstances, a Level 1 appeal may be filed past the deadline described above,
provided that the student can provide a satisfactory explanation and/or supporting
documentation for the delay in filing the appeal. These appeals must be filed with the Faculty
Office and not to the email address academicappeals@sheridancollege.ca. Only late appeals
forwarded to the Office of the Registrar by the Faculty Office will be processed. Please refer to
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the section Criteria for Late Appeal found earlier in this document for a list of possible conditions
to file a late appeal.
A student who is dissatisfied with the decision of the Associate Dean or designate may formally
appeal to the Sheridan Appeal Committee. In order to proceed to a Level 2 appeal, at least one
of the following three grounds must be met:
1. A significant procedural error has occurred in the first level of appeal.
2. Compelling new evidence is available that could potentially influence the appeal and
that could not reasonably have been obtained during the first level of appeal.
3. Sanctions imposed are unreasonable or substantially disproportionate to the
circumstance or offence.
If the appeal results in a change to a final grade, the Associate Dean or designate will complete
a Grade Change Form and forward it to the Office of the Registrar for processing. Every attempt
will be made to process grade changes within 10 business days of the appeal decision; it is the
students’ responsibility to follow-up with the Associate Dean if his/her grade is not updated. If
the appeal results in the grade remaining the same, the student will be removed from any
course(s) in which they do not meet prerequisites and/or co-requisites by the Office of the
Registrar.
Level 1 Academic Appeal Process – Academic Decisions
Students who wish to appeal an academic decision are encouraged to meet with a Student
Advisor in Student Advisement. Student Advisors educate students about the appeal process.
The student submits a Level 1 Academic Appeal Form accompanied by all pertinent
documentation online to the Office of the Registrar via email at
academicappeals@sheridancollege.ca within five business days of receipt of the decision.
Please include the text ‘Appeals Level 1’ followed by the campus in the subject line of the email.
The Office of the Registrar will confirm whether the student’s enrolment is impacted and will
immediately forward the application to the appropriate Associate Dean or designate. An
Associate Dean who has participated in the policy decision being appealed will remove
his/herself from the process.
Within three business days of receiving the form, the student’s Associate Dean or designate will
review the appeal for the purpose of determining if he/she has sufficient information to decide
the appeal, and then determine what pathways the Associate Dean must follow if he/she finds
he/she has sufficient information (while deciding on the appeal within three days), or if he/she
finds he/she does not have sufficient information (he/she will convene a meeting).
Based on the information presented in the application, any supplementary information provided
and/or based on the meeting, the Associate Dean or designate will make a decision on the
appeal and will advise the student of his/her decision by Sheridan email within three business
days. The decision with the rationale for the decision will be documented on the Level 1
Academic Appeal Form. The completed form and all supplementary information must be
emailed to the Office of the Registrar Record Specialist who initiated the appeal on behalf of the
student. All documentation will be retained for one year. The student may request to meet with
the Associate Dean or designate to discuss the decision of the appeal. The meeting must take
place within three business days of notification of the decision.
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In extenuating circumstances, a Level 1 appeal may be filed past the deadline described above,
provided that the student can provide a satisfactory explanation and/or supporting
documentation for the delay in filing the appeal. These appeals must be filed with the Faculty
Office and not to the email address academicappeals@sheridancollege.ca. Only late appeals
forwarded to the Office of the Registrar by the Faculty Office will be processed. Please refer to
the section Criteria for Appeal found earlier in this document for a list of possible conditions to
file a late appeal.
A student who is dissatisfied with the decision of the Associate Dean or designate may formally
appeal to the Sheridan Appeal Committee. In order to proceed to a Level 2 appeal, at least one
of the following three grounds must be met:
1. A significant procedural error has occurred in the first level of appeal.
2. Compelling new evidence is available that could potentially influence the appeal and
that could not reasonably have been obtained during the first level of appeal.
3. Sanctions imposed are unreasonable or substantially disproportionate to the
circumstance or offence.
If the appeal results in a change to a student’s record, the Associate Dean or designate will
complete the appropriate paperwork and forward it to the Office of the Registrar for processing.
Every attempt will be made to process changes within 10 business days of the appeal decision;
it is the students’ responsibility to follow-up with the Associate Dean if their record is not
updated.
If the original decision stands, the student will be removed from any course(s) in which they
should not be registered.
Level 2 Academic Appeal Process
For students who wish to appeal a Level 1 decision, it is mandatory that they meet with a
Student Advisor in Student Advisement to learn about the Level 2 appeal process. Students
who proceed may submit a Level 2 Academic Appeal Form accompanied by all pertinent
documentation online to the Office of the Registrar via email at
academicappeals@sheridancollege.ca within five business days of receipt of the Associate
Deans or designates decision. Please include the text ‘Appeals Level 2’ followed by the campus
in the subject line of the email. The Office of the Registrar will only process those appeals where
the student has met with Student Advisement. The Office of the Registrar will confirm whether
the student’s enrolment is impacted and will immediately forward the application, along with the
Level 1 Academic Appeal Form, to the Chair of the Academic Appeals Committee. Based on the
established grounds and time limits, the committee will decide if the appeal will be heard or
dismissed.
If the appeal is dismissed, the student will receive written notification from the Committee within
five business days. The decision with the rationale for the decision will be documented on the
Level 2 Academic Appeal Form. The completed form and all supplementary information must
be emailed to the Office of the Registrar Record Specialist who initiated the appeal on behalf of
the student.
If the appeal proceeds, the Committee will convene a panel during the last week of the first
month of the semester or as needed. The student will receive written notification from the
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Committee within five business days notifying him/her that the appeal will proceed. The panel
will be made up of five individuals selected from Sheridan’s Appeal Committee. Members of the
panel will not have had any previous involvement in the appeal process or be from the
Academic Faculty of any of the parties involved in the appeal. The panel will review the
documentation and supplementary information as provided in the Level 1 Academic Appeal. It is
the responsibility of the panel to meet, review, hear and make a decision on the appeal in a
timely manner.
The panel will notify the student, and any faculty, administrators and/or staff involved in the
appeal of the date, time and location of the hearing at least five business days prior. In the
absence of evidence satisfactory to the panel establishing that a party is unable to attend, the
hearing will proceed even if any of the parties choose not to attend. The student will have the
opportunity to bring witnesses or someone for support to the hearing. Academic Faculty may
also request the attendance of witnesses at the meeting. Both parties are responsible for
submitting a list to the Chair of the Committee at least three business days prior to the hearing.
Two business days prior to the hearing, the Chair will circulate copies of all material submitted
to all parties involved.
Each party will present his/her case (including any witnesses), starting with the student. The
panel may ask questions during the presentations. After hearing both sides, the panel may
query either party to clarify any points in question. Once the panel has obtained all necessary
information to make a decision, the parties will be dismissed.
Within two business days of the meeting, the student and all affected parties will receive written
notification of the decision of the panel as documented on the Level 2 Academic Appeal Form.
The decision will be based on a majority vote. The decision with the rationale for the decision
will be documented on the Level 2 Academic Appeal Form. The completed form and all
supplementary information must be emailed to the Office of the Registrar Record Specialist who
initiated the appeal on behalf of the student. Any supplementary information should also be
forwarded. All documentation is to be retained for six years.
The panel’s decision is final and binding.
5. Related Documentation (Procedures/Additional Policies/Forms)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Level 1 Academic Appeal Form
Level 2 Academic Appeal Form
Academic Appeals and Consideration Policy
Academic Integrity Policy
Academic Standing Policy
Advanced Standing Policy
Graduation Policy
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) Policy
Second Credential Policy
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