The Graduate Department Academic Appeals Committee is a committee established under the authority of the Graduate Chair. This Committee constitutes part of the overall academic appeals procedures available to graduate students within the University of Toronto. (See SGS Calendar for an overview and timeline of the overall graduate appeals process.)

Within the overall academic appeals procedure, the Graduate Department Academic Appeals Committee has a high level of discipline-specific academic expertise to judge the academic matters in an appeal. Therefore, this Committee plays a crucial role in the overall appeals procedure. This Committee may consider only academic matters. Decisions related to admission or non-academic matters (for example, fees) are not to be considered by the Committee. Appeals related to failure of a final Ph.D. oral examination or related to termination of registration in a program should be made directly to the SGS Graduate Academic Appeals Board. Appeals related to courses taken outside the student’s home department shall be conducted in the department in which the course was offered.

The Committee does not render decisions but rather makes recommendations to the Chair of the Department.

Appeals Process

Graduate students may dispute substantive or procedural academic matters, including grades, evaluation of comprehensive examinations and other program requirements, decisions about the student’s continuation in any program, or concerning any other decision with respect to the application of academic regulations and requirements to a student. Students must first attempt to resolve the matter with the instructor or other person whose ruling is in question.

Should the matter not be resolved and should the student wish to pursue it, the student must discuss the matter with the Graduate Coordinator or Associate Chair of the Department.

The student must file an appeal to the Committee within eight weeks after date of the decision being appealed. (See SGS Calendar for overview and timeline of overall graduate appeals process.)

The student files an appeal by submitting a Notice of Appeal to the Chair of the Graduate Department Academic Appeals Committee or to the Chair of the Department.

For more details on the appeals process, consult the Graduate Department Academic Appeals Committee page on the SGS site.

Current Graduate Department Academic Appeals Committee membership.