Appeals and exceptions

Description

Withdrawing from a course can affect whether you meet all your program requirements. Learn more about withdrawing from a course and consider the consequences carefully.

Important dates

You must submit your request to withdraw from a course as soon as possible, once you have identified the exceptional situation prompting the request.

Note: Processing times for these requests can be lengthy (a term or longer). You should not expect to receive a decision within 15 days.

How to make a request

We recommend that you meet with a member of the Academic Office (Undergraduate Studies) team, who can help you determine if you can appeal or benefit from an exception. Contact the office by joining the office virtual line or sending an Academic Office request.

It is important to consult the Financial Aid and Awards Office if you have received government funding (e.g. OSAP). Your request could impact your funding (past and future).

Prepare a letter of request that explains your reasons for the retroactive withdrawal. See our sample appeal letter to make sure you include all relevant details.

Retroactive withdrawal usually applies to all courses you take in a given term. If you’re asking to withdraw from just some courses, you must provide a detailed explanation why your other courses should be kept on your transcript. Doing well in some courses but not in others is not a valid reason. Explain why your extenuating circumstances affected some courses but not others.

If you were withdrawn from a program or the Faculty and the reason for your retroactive withdrawal request is to reintegrate the program or Faculty, you must appeal the mandatory withdrawal. Any retroactive course withdrawal request will be processed as part of the mandatory withdrawal appeal. See “Appealing a mandatory withdrawal from the program or Faculty” below.

We strongly encourage you to consult the Student Rights Centre for guidance, including reviewing your letter. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Create your UOSU profile.
2. Go to "Student Rights Centre" at the top left and select “Submit a new request.”
3. Submit your case.

Obtain the necessary documentation to support the request. Letters submitted without any supporting documents are not considered.

If you want to support your appeal or request with documentation from your health-care professional, complete the student medical certificate form as per above. We may refuse supporting medical documents that have not been faxed directly from your health-care professional.

(Supporting documents may be verified, even if there is no reason to doubt their authenticity. Discovery of a forged or altered supporting document will lead to in an allegation of academic misconduct and can result in a sanction of suspension or expulsion.)

As part of your request, you must also include all course outlines for any course taken during the term in which you are asking to withdraw from one or more courses. If you do not have these course outlines, you can obtain them directly from the department offering the course. A fee may apply.

Complete the Appeal request form and submit it. All documentation should be submitted in PDF format. 

Description

You may be required to withdraw from your academic program in a variety of situations. See section B-6.3 of Academic Regulation B-6 — Academic Standing, Probation and Mandatory Withdrawal for Undergraduate Programs.

Note: Following the fall academic standing evaluation, if you are required to withdraw from the Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing or the Honours Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, your enrolment in practicum/clinical courses and their corequisites for the winter term is also cancelled.

Important dates

You must submit your appeal in writing within 10 working days of the date you receive your mandatory withdrawal notification.

How to appeal

We recommend that you meet with a member of the Academic Office (Undergraduate Studies) team, who can help you determine if you can appeal or benefit from an exception. Contact the office by joining the office virtual line or sending an Academic Office request.

Prepare a letter of request that explains your reasons for the appeal. See our sample appeal letter to make sure you include all relevant details. Your letter should also include a detailed plan for success. Explain what strategies and resources you will use if your appeal is approved and you are allowed to reintegrate into your program.

We strongly encourage you to consult the Student Rights Centre for guidance, including reviewing your letter. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Create your UOSU profile.
2. Go to "Student Rights Centre" at the top left and select “Submit a new request.”
3. Submit your case.

Obtain the necessary documentation to support the request. Letters submitted without any supporting documents are not considered.

If you want to support your appeal or request with documentation from your health-care professional, complete the student medical certificate form as per above. We may refuse supporting medical documents that have not been faxed directly from your health-care professional.

(Supporting documents may be verified, even if there is no reason to doubt their authenticity. Discovery of a forged or altered supporting document will lead to in an allegation of academic misconduct and can result in a sanction of suspension or expulsion.)

Complete the Appeal request form and submit it. All documentation should be submitted in PDF format. 

You have the right to see, on request after grading, all documents used to determine your grade. See Academic Regulation A-9 — Revision of Grades and Appeal for important dates and an explanation of the procedure. Errors in the application of grading criteria are the only acceptable grounds for granting a review. (For any other type of complaint regarding an evaluation or grade received, see “Other types of appeal.”)

Submit your request for a grade review in writing to the assistant director responsible for undergraduate studies of the school offering the course in question. Your request must include:

• the course title, course syllabus, grade assigned and name of the professor who assigned it
• the detailed grounds for the appeal
• the assignment or test corrected by the professor, if applicable, and other relevant documents

For Nursing, fill out this form.

For the other Schools, you must send an email:

• [email protected] (School of Human Kinetics)
• [email protected] (Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences)
• [email protected] (School of Nutrition)

The following policy applies to courses offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Midterm and final exams must be written at their originally scheduled time.

When circumstances make this impossible, you might need to withdraw from the course and repeat it when your circumstances have resolved. When circumstances make it impossible to withdraw before the deadline, you might be eligible for retroactive withdrawal from your course. Learn how to request retroactive course withdrawal by viewing the section above titled: "Requesting retroactive withdrawal from a course (with or without financial credit)"

In some truly exceptional cases, the Faculty of Health Sciences will allow you to defer an evaluation. This might mean transferring the weight of a missed midterm onto the final exam (when the final exam is cumulative), or being allowed to write a different exam that the Faculty will administer.

To request a deferred evaluation, fill out the Declaration of Absence from an Examination. Note: There is a non-refundable fee for submitting this form.

In Faculty of Health Sciences courses, deferred evaluations are only approved in very specific circumstances:

• when the circumstance causing you to miss your exam is severe and unanticipated (for example, a serious short-term illness, a critical injury or death of a family member)

and

• if you have not deferred any exam since starting your program

Warning: You should not request a deferred exam if you have already deferred an exam in any course at any time. Your request will most likely be refused, and the administrative fee will not be refunded.

Requests to defer exams will also be refusedin the following (non-exhaustive) circumstances:

• minor illness that does not require convalescence (e.g., a cold, a headache)
• feeling underprepared to write the exam
• a heavy course load or exam schedule
• a circumstance that interferes with your ability to study but not the exam itself (e.g., a minor accident several days before the exam)

Important: When completing the declaration of absence form, provide an explanation for your absence in the “additional comments” field. Simply selecting “short-term illness” or “exceptional personal circumstance” from the dropdown menu is not sufficient. Explain why your illness or circumstance made it impossible to write your exam. Keep in mind that submitting a false or misleading declaration of absence is academic misconduct.

Be ready for your exams

To be as prepared as possible for your midterm and final exams, and to maximize your chances of success, start preparing early. This will mitigate the impact of an unexpected circumstance that makes it harder to study at the last minute.

Whenever you are struggling with your course material, reach out to your professors, the Faculty of Health Sciences Mentoring Centre and/or any of the many study groups available within the Faculty.

For guidance on your course sequence, advice on how many courses to take in each term and all other questions on academic progression, make an appointment with an academic adviser.

Notes:

¹ This policy does not apply to students with a registered academic accommodation for a fluctuating condition that can reasonably be expected to interfere with exam attendance. If this is your situation, work with your learning specialist to ensure you are receiving all possible supports that will maximize your ability to write your exams on time. If you cannot attend a specific exam, a meeting with a vice-dean might be required to review your situation and determine an individualized accommodation plan.

² Nursing students: Do not submit a declaration of absence for any uOttawa NSG course, or for any course offered at Algonquin College. Instead, follow the guidelines on deferring nursing exams.

For upcoming evaluations

If you feel that your academic accommodations are being disregarded for an upcoming evaluation, send an email as soon as possible to [email protected] so that we can try to resolve the situation.

For evaluations that have already occurred

If you feel that your academic accommodations were disregarded for an evaluation that has already occurred, we recommend that you first meet with a member of the Academic Accommodations Service, who can help you determine if you have reasonable grounds to appeal.

Prepare a letter of appeal that explains the situation, including details about the accommodations you were entitled to but did not receive.

We strongly encourage you to consult the Student Rights Centre for guidance, including reviewing your letter. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Create your UOSU profile.
2. Go to “Student Rights Centre” at the top left and select “Submit a new request.”
3. Submit your case.

Obtain the necessary documentation to support your appeal. Required documents include your letter of confirmed accommodations, all relevant correspondence with your course professor, and the course outline.

Complete the Appeal request form and submit it. All documentation should be submitted in PDF format.

*Please note that the Faculty of Health Sciences does not review complaints related to harassment or discrimination. These are received by the Human Rights Office. Find out more about the Human Rights Office complaint process and how to file a complaint.

To submit any other type of appeal, including for a situation affecting your experience in a course or practical education placement, or your progression through your program:

Prepare a letter of appeal that explains the situation. Be specific about the remedy you are seeking.

We strongly encourage you to consult the Student Rights Centre for guidance, including reviewing your letter. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Create your UOSU profile.
2. Go to “Student Rights Centre” at the top left and select “Submit a new request.”
3. Submit your case.

Obtain the necessary documentation to support the request. Letters submitted without any supporting documents are not considered.

If you want to support your appeal or request with documentation from your health-care professional, complete the student medical certificate form as per above. We may refuse supporting medical documents that have not been faxed directly from your health-care professional.

(Supporting documents may be verified, even if there is no reason to doubt their authenticity. Discovery of a forged or altered supporting document will lead to in an allegation of academic misconduct and can result in a sanction of suspension or expulsion.)

Description

See section C 3.2 of Academic Regulation C-3 on graduate enrolment and leaves of absence.

Important dates

You must submit your request in advance of the applicable dates in the Important academic dates and deadlines calendar for enrolment and tuition fee payment of the term for which you’re requesting the leave of absence.

We recommend that you meet with a member of the Academic Office (Graduate Studies) team, who can help you determine if you can appeal or benefit from an exception. Contact the office by joining the office virtual line or sending an Academic Office request.

How to make the request

Complete your leave of absence request using the uoZone portal. Be sure to attach the letter of request (see our sample appeal letter) and documentation supporting your request. Letters submitted without any supporting documents are not considered.

Description

Withdrawing from a course can affect whether you meet all your program requirements. Learn more about withdrawing from a course and consider the consequences carefully.

Important dates

You must submit your request to withdraw from a course as soon as possible, once you have identified the exceptional situation prompting the request.

Note: Processing times for these requests can be lengthy (a term or longer). You should not expect to receive a decision within 15 days.

How to make a request

We recommend that you meet with a member of the Academic Office (Graduate Studies) team, who can help you determine if you can appeal or benefit from an exception. Contact the office by joining the office virtual line or sending an Academic Office request.

Prepare a letter of request that explains your reasons for the retroactive withdrawal. See our sample appeal letter to make sure you include all relevant details.

Retroactive withdrawal usually applies to all courses you take in a given term. If you’re asking to withdraw from just some courses, you must provide a detailed explanation why your other courses should be kept on your transcript. Doing well in some courses but not in others isn’t a valid reason. Explain why your extenuating circumstances affected some courses but not others.

If you were withdrawn from a program or the Faculty and the reason for your retroactive withdrawal request is to reintegrate into the program or Faculty, you must appeal the mandatory withdrawal. Any retroactive course withdrawal request will be processed as part of the mandatory withdrawal appeal. See the next section, “Appealing a mandatory withdrawal from the program or Faculty.”

Obtain the necessary documentation to support the request. Letters submitted without any supporting documents are not considered.

If you want to support your appeal or request with documentation from your health-care professional, complete the student medical certificate form as per above. We may refuse supporting medical documents that have not been faxed directly from your health-care professional.

(Supporting documents may be verified, even if there is no reason to doubt their authenticity. Discovery of a forged or altered supporting document will lead to in an allegation of academic misconduct and can result in a sanction of suspension or expulsion.)

As part of your request, you must also include all course outlines for any course taken during the term in which you are asking to withdraw from one or more courses. If you do not have these course outlines, you can obtain them directly from the department offering the course. A fee may apply.

At any point during this process, you can consult the Office of the Ombudsperson or your student union (GSAÉD) for guidance, including reviewing your letter.

Complete the Appeal request form and submit it. All documentation should be submitted in PDF format. 

Description

You can be required to withdraw from your academic program in a variety of situations. See  Academic Regulation C-4 — Academic Standing for Graduate Studies as well as  Academic Regulation C-7 — Theses.

Important dates

You must submit your appeal in writing within 10 working days of receiving the withdrawal notification.

How to make an appeal

We recommend that you meet with a member of the Academic Office (Graduate Studies) team, who can help you determine if you can appeal or benefit from an exception. Contact the office by joining the office virtual line or sending an Academic Office request.

Prepare a letter that explains the reason for the appeal; refer to our sample appeal letter to ensure you include all relevant details. Your letter should also include a detailed plan for success. Explain what strategies and resources you will use if your appeal is approved and you are allowed to reintegrate into your program.

At any point during this process, you can consult the Office of the Ombudsperson or your representing student union (GSAÉD) for guidance, including reviewing your letter.

Obtain the necessary documentation to support the request. Letters submitted without any supporting documents are not considered.

If you want to support your appeal or request with documentation from your health-care professional, complete the student medical certificate form as per above. We may refuse supporting medical documents that have not been faxed directly from your health-care professional.

(Supporting documents may be verified, even if there is no reason to doubt their authenticity. Discovery of a forged or altered supporting document will lead to in an allegation of academic misconduct and can result in a sanction of suspension or expulsion.)

Complete the Appeal request form and submit it. All documentation should be submitted in PDF format. 

You have the right to see, on request after grading, all documents used to establish your grade. See Academic Regulation A-9 — Revision of Grades and Appeal for important dates and an explanation of the procedure. Errors in the application of grading criteria are the only acceptable grounds for granting a review. (For any other type of complaint regarding an evaluation or grade received, see “Other types of appeal.”)

Submit your request for a grade review in writing to the assistant director responsible for graduate studies of the school offering the course in question. Your request must include:

• the course title, course syllabus, grade assigned and name of the professor who assigned it
• the detailed grounds for the appeal
• the assignment or test corrected by the professor, if applicable, and other relevant documents

Here are the email addresses:

• [email protected] (School of Nursing)
• [email protected] (School of Human Kinetics)
• [email protected] (Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences)
• [email protected] (School of Nutrition Sciences)
• [email protected] (School of Rehabilitation Sciences)

For upcoming evaluations

If you feel that your academic accommodations are being disregarded for an upcoming evaluation, send an email as soon as possible to [email protected] so that we can try to resolve the situation.

For evaluations that have already occurred

If you feel that your academic accommodations were disregarded for an evaluation that has already occurred, we recommend that you first meet with a member of the Academic Accommodations Service, who can help you determine if you have reasonable grounds to appeal.

Prepare a letter of appeal that explains the situation, including details about the accommodations you were entitled to but did not receive.

We strongly encourage you to consult the Student Rights Centre for guidance, including reviewing your letter. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Create your UOSU profile.
2. Go to “Student Rights Centre” at the top left and select “Submit a new request.”
3. Submit your case.

Obtain the necessary documentation to support your appeal. Required documents include your letter of confirmed accommodations, all relevant correspondence with your course professor, and the course outline.

Complete the Appeal request form and submit it. All documentation should be submitted in PDF format.

*Please note that the Faculty of Health Sciences does not review complaints related to harassment or discrimination. These are received by the Human Rights Office. Find out more about the Human Rights Office complaint process and how to file a complaint.

To submit any other type of appeal, including for a situation affecting your experience in a course or practical education placement, or your progression through your program:

Prepare a letter of appeal that explains the situation. Be specific about the remedy you are seeking.

We strongly encourage you to consult the Student Rights Centre for guidance, including reviewing your letter. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Create your UOSU profile.
2. Go to “Student Rights Centre” at the top left and select “Submit a new request.”
3. Submit your case.

Obtain the necessary documentation to support the request. Letters submitted without any supporting documents are not considered.

If you want to support your appeal or request with documentation from your health-care professional, complete the student medical certificate form as per above. We may refuse supporting medical documents that have not been faxed directly from your health-care professional.

(Supporting documents may be verified, even if there is no reason to doubt their authenticity. Discovery of a forged or altered supporting document will lead to in an allegation of academic misconduct and can result in a sanction of suspension or expulsion.)