Because of the severe cuts in government funding over the last 13 years, U of T has reduced staffing levels and down-loaded administrative tasks to departments: this can be handy or hellish, depending on how much your department knows and is able to help. Students at U of T must take every precaution to ensure that their funding is in place, that their fees invoices are correct, that all forms and letters are in place. Please don't take anything for granted.
Over the years, we have discovered that many appeals launched by students revolve around the question of information - either the contradictory nature of it or the fact that it is not available. SGS requires departments to provide certain kinds of information to their PhD students. All departments have guidelines to follow.

GSU Appeal Help

At U of T, departments, faculty and administrators have a lot of discretion in conducting their (and by extension your) affairs. This includes the way in which appeals are conducted. SGS is working on a School-wide appeals process. Rules may vary from department to department and it may be difficult to discover what these rules are. There are definite do's and don'ts in terms of how you should go about making an appeal. A call to us can help you avoid sticky situations. We get many of these calls and have acquired a lot of information about how different departments handle appeals, and about what works for students and what doesn't.

If you are experiencing academic difficulties and are considering making an appeal, we suggest that you contact the GSU staff (contact info below) for advice and information about your rights. Any information you give will be kept in strict confidence. We can also refer you to other people at U of T who can support you through the appeals process. You can contact us anonymously if you wish.

Contacts:
Charlotte Reeve, GSU Fieldworker: 978-8464 or charlotte.reeve@utoronto.ca
Rose DaCosta, GSU Resource Co-ordinator: 978-2391 or rose.dacosta@utoronto.ca

When Things Go Wrong…

You must begin the appeal process at U of T by appealing to the likely source of the problem itself: your instructor or supervisor. This is not so troublesome if the problem is minor. If relations have disintegrated or collapsed, however, you will simply have to grit your teeth and go elsewhere for counseling, assistance and perspective. Call us for help.

There are 2 kinds of appeals, academic & procedural. Is your problem academic (a paper deadline missed or an exam result) or procedural, for example, needing to switch supervisors mid-project? For the most part, these steps apply to both.

The Chain of Command:

1. Your instructor or supervisor
2. The graduate coordinator or departmental chair
3. The departmental appeals committee. Most departments have or should have appeal committees. Some departments keep this fact a deep, dark secret. Some have appeals committees but don't know it.
4. The Associate Dean of your Division
5. School of Graduate Studies Appeals Committee

If possible, try to resolve any difficulty at the departmental level. This is theoretically the "informal" level. Nonetheless, please DOCUMENT. Save Your E-mails! Don't hesitate to consult us if you are in doubt about the procedures or the quality of information you are receiving.

You may need to go the "formal" route in which case you may need to talk to the Ombudsperson or a lawyer. Most students consult both the GSU and the Ombudsperson because these offices fill different needs and have slightly different perspectives. It is up to each student to decide what they need from an appeal and what they are prepared to do to get it.

Ten crucial points to keep in mind:

1. Document. This means everything - e-mails, phone calls, memos, letters, conversations in the hallway...
2. Set up a chronology of events.
3. If you think you'll need a witness, get one. Consider getting a lawyer, especially if you think you will fail at the departmental level.
4. Try a group action if appropriate. Notify your course union & the GSU. You may not be the only student in this predicament.
5. Check info you're getting from the administration with the GSU & with the Ombudsperson.
6. Remember the Ombudsperson, Mary Ward, 978-4874.
7. Follow up on phone calls, reassurances, and promises made to you. Verify!! Busy departmental staff need you to remind them!
8. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE.
9. Do not take anything for granted.
10. Most important: Give the alleged offending party room to save face when/if he or she recants or attempts redress. The high road offers some wonderful scenery. Please remember that the GSU staff provides confidential advice and assistance. Contact us first.

SGS Appeals Committee

The Appeals Committee is housed in the School of Graduate Studies. The committee is composed of faculty members from all divisions at U of T; there is one graduate student representative on this committee. You would be prudent to have legal counsel at this level of appeal. The Committee can only deal with academic appeals.

Plagiarism

This is such a serious offense that the Dean of SGS himself deals with the charges. When you write an academic paper, please remember ALWAYS to provide references and quotation marks. One's no good without the other. Read the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters.

Preventive Medicine

It is obviously preferable for you to resolve your problem(s) quickly. Read the Policies in the SGS Calendar. Check the Chain of Command. The appeals procedure is NOT quick. Try to forestall a formal appeal, if possible. In order to avoid lengthy and enervating delays, remember: KEEP YOUR SUPERVISOR INFORMED!! For example, if you are having health problems, are running out of money, will be away, require an extension, or need a letter from him or her by a certain date, please give your department plenty of notice, talk to the grad coordinator, see your supervisor. Don't assume anything, least of all that an overworked faculty member will remember what's going on in your life after being told only once.