Appeals Policy
MedLabTech Academy Academic Appeals Policy
1. Purpose
This policy provides guidelines concerning promoting fairness and consistency in academic decisions affecting MedLabTech Academy students. This policy outlines the standardized procedures for the appellant to challenge an academic decision and ensure reasonable and impartial treatment of student concerns related to academic decisions.
This policy provides students with a respectful and consistent process to review academic decisions as defined in the policy, where there is a perception of unfair treatment, which impacts the student’s academic standing or progress.
This policy applies to all students and other workers involved in MedLabTech Academy's academic activities.
“Academic Activities” means all activities which fulfill requirements for courses. These activities include both graded and ungraded exercises, including but not limited to self-checks, tests, midterm and final term exams.
“Academic Appeal” means the process by which a student may challenge an academic decision they received.
“Academic Appeals Committee” means a group of designated students, faculty members, staff and academic administrators who listen to, analyze and decide the outcome of an academic appeal hearing.
“Academic Appeals Committee Chair” means an administrator designated by the president of the Academy to facilitate and oversee academic appeal hearings. (Also referred to as ‘Chair’).
“Academic Appeal Hearing” means a confidential meeting in which the appellant and respondent take turns explaining their case and providing evidence to the Academic Appeals committee to support or deny the grounds for academic appeal (also called ‘Hearing’).
“Academic Decision” means a determination made by a MedLabTech Academy faculty/employee acting by academic policies and procedures, which can include a breach of academic integrity, final course grade, probationary or withdrawal decision, and a Prior Learning decision.
“Academic Manager” means a managerial employee who performs administrative duties overseeing academic activities in each Department, typically the president. The Academic Manager may assign part or all responsibilities for discharging the duties of this policy to an alternative administrator or designate (e.g., Program Manager) as required.
“Appellant” means the student requesting the Academic Appeal (also called ‘Student’).
“Balance of Probabilities” means the standard of proof applied to all assessments of allegations, assertions, and perceptions within the appeal process. Under this standard of proof, proving something on a balance of probabilities means that, given the review of evidence, it is more likely than not to have happened/occurred.
“Burden of Proof” means the Appellant demonstrates, on a balance of probabilities, that it is more likely than not that the decision relating to the academic decision is incorrect, more specifically, that the current academic decision should be changed.
“Chair” See the definition of ‘Academic Appeals Committee Chair’ above.
“Grounds for Academic Appeal” means the reason(s) used to challenge an academic decision the student believes to be unfair or unreasonable.
“Hearing” See the definition of ‘Academic Appeal Hearing’ above.
“Respondent” means the faculty member responding to an Academic Appeal.
“Student” means any person or persons enrolled or in the process of enrolling in a course or program for part-time or full-time study (also referred to as ‘Appellant’).
“Support Person” means a person in an appeal meeting for moral and emotional support. The support person is not an advocate, a representative, or a speaker on behalf of the student but can be a friend, mentor, or family member who is not involved in the matter. The support person is required to maintain confidentiality. Formal legal representation is not permitted during the Appeal Hearing.
“Working Days” means the formal business hours of MedLabTech Academy, which are Monday to Friday, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, statutory holidays, or any other day MedLabTech Academy has publicly acknowledged that it is closed.
4.1 Students shall be assessed consistently and impartially by faculty per the stated evaluation criteria noted in the published course outline.
4.2 Grades are presumed accurate and appropriate. It is a student’s responsibility to demonstrate otherwise.
4.3 The Academic Appeal process shall be phased and expeditiously administered using prescribed timelines with opportunities for resolution. Resolutions are based on the values of inclusion, accountability, and compassion, as well as the understanding that everyone is an equal member of the Academy community and has a contribution to make to the greater good; this approach enables those who have been harmed to convey the impact of the harm to those responsible and for those responsible to acknowledge this impact and take steps toward resolution.
4.4 This policy does not address student concerns in instances where a more appropriate Academy policy or procedure, grievance, or appeal process exists, including but not limited to discrimination and harassment, sexual violence, and student conduct.
4.5 It is a student’s responsibility to initiate each step in the Academic Appeal process and demonstrate, in detail, the rationale for the appeal based solely on the acceptable grounds outlined in item 6.2.
4.6 All academic appeals shall be considered individually. A separate Academic Appeal must be completed for each academic decision being appealed.
4.7 Students may not appeal decisions where additional punitive sanctions have not been applied (i.e. Grade reduction, remediation only, etc.). Students must wait until after receiving their formal written notice of a decision concerning an academic decision to submit an appeal.
4.8 Students will engage in the Academic Appeals process in good faith and can do so without fear of retaliation, sanction, or reprisal. Student complaints deemed false, frivolous, vexatious, or made in bad faith will be addressed through the Student Behaviour policy.
4.9 Faculty will engage in the Academic Appeal process in good faith, without fear of retaliation or reprisal, and see the process through to completion. Time will be acknowledged per the Collective Agreement. The Academic Manager (or designate) will identify an alternate representative if the faculty cannot participate.
4.10 Notice of Confidentiality - The Academy acknowledges the confidential nature of the appeals process and only shares information regarding individual appeals with those necessary to support the process.
5. Accountability and Compliance
5.1 Accountability Framework
Approved.
5.2 Compliance
With guidance, the administration’s office is responsible for monitoring compliance with this policy and updating it every five years or as required earlier.
6.1 Academic Appeals Type
Students may initiate an Academic Appeal about the following types of academic decisions:
- A breach of academic integrity
- A final course grade.
- A probationary or withdrawal status decision
Should a student wish to appeal multiple decisions, each request will constitute an individual and separate academic appeal.
6.2 Grounds for Academic Appeal
Grounds for academic appeals do not include disagreement with an academic decision. The appeal must be based on one or more of the following grounds:
- Accommodation
- Course Management
- Extenuating Circumstances
- Illness or Disability
- Merit of Work
- Personal Bias or Unfair Treatment
- Policy Violation
When indicating the Grounds for Appeal, the student must be able to provide a specific, evidence-based explanation of how the academic decision was not appropriately applied. Specific details on grounds for an appeal can be found in Attachment 4.
6.3 Appeal Outcomes
The following are possible outcomes of the appeal process:
- The academic decision is upheld.
- The academic decision is adjusted (i.e. increase or decrease in severity).
- The academic decision is revoked.
- The academic decision is modified (i.e. remediation is assigned, an additional assignment is given, etc.)
6.4 Record Retention and Storage
All Academic Appeal requests, documentation and decisions will be retained in a centralized database under the administration office’s supervision for seven (7) years from the decision date. All records will be handled with confidentiality and in alignment with FIPPA and PHIPA guidelines.
6.5 Roles and Responsibilities
- It is integral to the teaching and learning process that all students at the Academy receive feedback concerning their academic standing and are entitled to review an academic decision in the manner specified in this policy, using a fair and consistent process that respects the dignity of all parties involved. There will be no negative implications for students exercising their right to appeal an academic decision.
- Faculty members and administrative personnel involved in any stage of an appeals process must discharge their respective responsibilities fairly, respectfully and within established time frames. Wherever possible, the goal is to address these matters promptly to ensure that the student can continue their studies program without negative implications.
- Before initiating the formal Academic Appeal process, the faculty member and the student are expected to meet and work together informally to resolve the issue wherever possible.
7.1 Revision Date
November 2028
7.2 Responsibility
The administrative office will initiate the review of this policy every five years or earlier when required.
Appendix A - Academic Appeal Procedure
Students have a right to appeal decisions or punitive sanctions related to an academic decision. Academic decisions which include mandatory remediation with no additional punitive sanctions are not subject to appeal. Students are expected to continue participating in and completing all academic activities while proceedings are underway.
1. Academic Appeal
1.1 To initiate an academic appeal, the student must declare their request for review of a documented academic decision by completing the academic appeal form, identifying specific grounds for appeal, and identifying associated evidence to support the appeal. This must be submitted within five 5) working days of receipt of the academic decision.
1.2 The administrative office will receive the Academic Appeal submission, and a copy will then be delivered to the student, the faculty, and the administrative office. The submission will serve as an official notice of intent to appeal.
1.3 Upon submission, the administrative office will review the request based on the grounds for appeal, the merit of the appeal, and the evidence provided to determine if the academic decision was applied with fairness and equity.
1.4 The role of the Administrative Office is to adjudicate on a balance of probability whether the academic decision was applied fairly and consistently. To achieve this goal, the administrative office shall review all relevant documentation.
1.5 If additional information is required, the administrative office may convene a meeting with the student and faculty member. The meeting shall be conducted courteously and respectfully, allowing all parties to present their understanding of the situation.
1.6 Upon reviewing the evidence and any related documentation, the administrative office will render a decision to the student in writing within seven (7) working days of receiving the submission. The outcomes could include:
- The academic decision is upheld.
- The academic decision is adjusted (i.e. increase or decrease in severity).
- The academic decision is revoked.
- The academic decision is modified (i.e. remediation is assigned, an additional assignment is given, etc.)
Any change in grade must meet the criteria outlined in this policy.
2. Procedural Appeal
2.1 If the student, the faculty member or the Administrative office responsible for course delivery believes that the meeting of the Academic Appeals Committee was not conducted in a manner consistent with this policy, they can submit a letter to the Registrar documenting the concerns and requesting a procedural review of the meeting. This request must be made within three (3) working days of receipt of written notification of the Academic Appeal Committee’s decision.
The Registrar (or designate) will identify an independent Academy mediator within three (3) working days to determine the merits of the potential challenge and decide if an investigation is warranted based on criteria established in this policy.
2.2 If the Academy mediator decides that procedure has been followed, no investigation will follow, and the student will be notified of the decision within five (5) working days. The mediator’s decision is final and binding, and the Academy will consider the academic appeal complete according to Academy policy.
2.3 If the Academy mediator decides that the procedure may not have been followed, the student will be notified of the decision within five (5) working days. The president academic will investigate the conduct of the meeting and complete the investigation within five (5) working days of receipt of the mediator's decision. If no procedural flaws are found, the original decision of the Academic Appeal Committee will be upheld as final and binding, and the Academy will consider the academic appeal complete according to Academy policy.
