Academic Appeals Overview

The Subcommittee considers appeals against decisions of the Decanal Committee on Petitions with respect to petitions from undergraduate students relating to exemption from the application of academic regulations. The Decanal Committee on Petitions must hear all cases (petitions) before they can be appealed to the Subcommittee. An appeal to the Subcommittee must be filed within 90 calendar days of the decision of the Decanal Committee on Petitions. Where this deadline falls on a day when the University is closed, the deadline shall be deemed to fall on the next regular business day of the University. The Subcommittee’s decision is final within UTSC, but it may be appealed within 90 days of its decision to the Academic Appeals Committee of the Governing Council.

An appeal to the SAA must be filed within 90 calendar days of the decision of the DAC. Where this deadline falls on a day when the University is closed, the deadline shall be deemed to fall on the next regular business day of the University. The Subcommittee’s decision is final within UTSC, but it may be appealed within 90 days of its decision to the Appeals Committee of the Governing Council.

When you appear at the SAA, it is your first opportunity to present your case in person.  The Chair will ask you to present the basis of your appeal, which is your opportunity to explain the circumstances that have resulted in your inability to meet UTSC academic regulations.  Remember that you bear the onus of proof.  As such, supporting documentation from credible sources strengthens your case.  When you have finished speaking, the Chair will invite members of the subcommittee to ask you questions.  They could, for example, ask you to provide more detail on certain points you made in your presentation.

Yes - You are entitled to appear with or without legal counsel or another representative.   Please note that your personal and confidential information will be discussed at the hearing and that any representative you bring with you will hear that information.

Following the hearing, committee members will deliberate and make a decision on your case.   A formal letter stating the SAA’s decision will be both emailed to your University of Toronto email address and a hardcopy mailed to the address you have provided.

Members of the Subcommittee Academic Appeals will receive all case-related documents, which you provided in support of your petition - your academic transcript and all material you provided previously to the Office of the Registrar and for consideration by the Dean’s Advisory Committee.  You may also choose to put forward any evidence that is material to the matter, including detailed medical evidence if you wish.  Members of the SAA need to be able to make an assessment with respect to your capacity and they need evidence that is sufficient to support the decision that they make. Please note that any and all documentation that you provide will be treated with the utmost attention to your privacy and all case related documents that members receive are shredded immediately following the hearing.

The Subcommittee is chaired by a teaching staff member who is appointed by the Vice-Principal Academic & Dean (VPA&D) from the members of the Subcommittee on Academic Appeals. Each hearing panel is comprised of up to seven members (including the Chair). Panel members are drawn by the Secretary from a pool of 17 teaching staff members (one appointed by each department and academic centre) and four undergraduate students. The teaching staff members of the panel are drawn with due consideration to continuity, discipline relevance and quorum needs. Student members are approved by the Subcommittee on the recommendation of the Chair.

When possible, no panel member should belong to the same department as the appellant. In addition, the Secretary and representatives from the UTSC Decanal Committee on Petitions and/or the Office of the Registrar shall attend hearings in a non-voting capacity.

The VPA&D appoints a member of the administrative staff from the Office of the VPA&D to the Subcommittee as Secretary.

• After you receive a notice of appeal email from the Secretary of the SAA, confirm your attendance at the hearing by emailing nisha.panchal@utoronto.ca.

• Notify the SAA secretary (contact above) if you are planning to appear with legal counsel and/or another representative. 

• Submit any additional documentation as appropriate.  You are welcome to provide any documentation, even if not previously submitted to DAC, if you feel that it may strengthen your case (see FAQ #6).

• Submit an optional statement, prepared by you or your counsel/representative that describes the remedy sought (e.g., lift of a suspension, deferred exam, etc.,); the grounds for your appeal (e.g., medical, financial, compassionate); and a brief description of the background to the appeal (i.e., in your own words describe what happened).

If you are unable to attend the meeting due to unforeseen circumstances, such as illness, immediately contact our office via phone or email as listed above.  You must provide medical or other supporting documentation within 72 hours of the meeting to justify the rescheduling of your hearing.  Information on medical documentation may be obtained at the following link:  http://www.illnessverification.utoronto.ca/. 

Graduate students academic appeals will follow the procedures of the School of Graduate Studies.

A decision of the Subcommittee on Academic Appeals may be subsequently appealed to the Academic