Admission Decision Dispute Resolution and Appeal Procedure

Approver:: Academic Coordinating Committee
Policy Owner:: Vice-President, Academic
Policy Lead(s):: Executive Director, Registrarial Services
Effective date:: 2010-09-01
Date of last approval:: 2020-01-13

Procedure Statement

Conestoga recognizes that disputes regarding an admission decision may occur between applicants and the Conestoga community. Conestoga has established procedures to deal with student disputes in an effective, timely, fair and impartial manner.

This procedure defines how applicants can appeal an admission decision in the event that the dispute is not resolved informally.

Procedure Scope

This procedure applies to all post‐secondary program applicants, office of the registrar and academic teams of Conestoga.

Applicants may dispute a decision to deny admission.

Definitions

Conestoga College maintains a glossary of terms specific to the institution. The terms in use for this document are defined below.

Academic Strength

Calculated by averaging the submitted grades of required subjects. The minimum academic strength may vary from year to year or program intake.

If more than one grade is received for a required subject, the highest grade will be used in the calculation. Some programs may apply a weighting to specific subjects in the calculation of academic strength.
Ten (10) additional marks are added to each Advanced level, OAC, U, U/C, and post-secondary course used in the calculation of academic strength.
Co-op courses do not meet admission requirements and are not used in the calculation of academic strength.

Academic Team

Includes the Deans, Chairs, Program Coordinators, and Faculty who are responsible for academic content and delivery. 

Advanced Standing

The granting of a specified block of credit for the completion of a group of courses typically based on the completion of an approved credential or full program, from Conestoga or another institution. These will be noted on the Official Transcript with an ‘EX.’

Non‐Direct Applicant

An applicant not enrolled in high school credit courses through day school, night school, summer school, adult education, continuing education, or correspondence at the time of application.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLAR)

A process that involves the evaluation and recognition of informal and non-formal learning acquired through employment, volunteer work, military training, hobbies, reading and other significant life experiences.

School

Conestoga is organized into a number of schools, e.g., School of Business

Secondary School Applicant

An applicant taking one or more high school level course(s) through day school, night school, summer school, adult education, continuing education or correspondence.

Responsibilities

Applicants:

Retain and provide, in the event of an appeal, all relevant documentation that has been returned to them;
Initiate informal process in accordance with Step 1;
In the event of a formal appeal, provide required documentation in accordance with Step 2.1 of this procedure.

Academic Team:

Provide the Registrar’s Office with the tool and scoring template that will be used to calculate the ranking based on academic strength and the supplementary criteria in advance of the admission cycle;
Score all questionnaires, portfolios, and other forms of evaluation and return evaluated materials where appropriate;
Participate in the inquiry conducted by the Director, Registrarial Services in accordance with this procedure;
Discharge their respective responsibilities fairly and according to established time frames.

Associate Registrar ‐ Admissions:

Participate in the inquiry conducted by the Executive Director, Registrarial Services in accordance with Step 1 of this procedure;
Discharge their respective responsibilities fairly and according to established time frames.

Office of Registrar:

Make Appeal Request Forms available to students;
Discharge their respective responsibilities fairly and according to established time frames;
Facilitate orientation for members of the appeal panel;
Ensure that the policy and procedures are published;
Administer pre‐hearing matters in accordance with the guidelines;
Act in an advisory role to Faculty members, Academic Chairs, Vice‐Presidents, Executive Deans/Deans and members of the appeal panel;
Retain appeal documentation as required.

Procedure

Informal Process – Step 1

An applicant who is seeking a review of an admission decision is expected to discuss their concerns with the Associate Registrar – Admissions within 5 (five) working days ofthe date of the decision.
The applicant shall provide a well‐documented statement of the issues and the outcomethey desire. The Associate Registrar – Admissions shall respond to the student within five (5) working days of receipt of the concern unless an extension has been mutually agreed to by both parties.

Formal Appeal – Step 2

An applicant who is not satisfied with the outcome reached in Step 1, or a response was not provided may request a formal appeal by submitting an Appeal Request Form.
The criteria for a formal appeal are that the timelines for a response were not adhered to and/or new and significant evidence/information which was not considered oravailable during the informal process.
The applicant’s submission of a request for a formal appeal must include a letter setting out the reason(s) why they disagree with the decision by the Associate Registrar –Admissions in Step 1 of the process. All documentation provided and received by the applicant must be submitted with the appeal request to the registrar. No additional documentation will be accepted during the formal process.
The Executive Director, Registrarial Services review the request, and within ten (10) working days of receipt of the applicant’s request, inform the applicant in writing whether or not Conestoga intends to proceed with an appeal hearing. If the request is denied, written reasons are to be given.
The Registrar's Office will convene an appeal hearing within fifteen (15) working days of notifyingthe applicant of the intent to proceed. The appeal will be heard by a panel and composed of three persons chosen by the Registrar's Office as follows:
1. Faculty member of the program (not previously involved in the matter)
2. a Faculty member (neither from the program or school) or counsellor;
3. academic administrator
  1. The hearing will be chaired by the Executive Director, Registrarial Services
Submissions for the appeal hearing will be provided by the Executive Director, Registrarial Servicesto all parties at least one (1) working day prior to the meeting. If the applicant desires an external adviser to attend the appeal hearing, the Executive Director, Registrarial Services must be notified at least three (3) working days prior to the meeting. The external adviser will not have formal status nor be allowed to make any presentation. The applicant’s attendance at the hearing in person is not required. However, they may make an oral presentation in addition to their written submission.
At the appeal hearing both the applicant and a representative of the program may present oral arguments in support of their respective positions. After the presentation of arguments, the panel will meet to consider the facts and to render a decision. The decision will include a written explanation of the reasons for the decision and will be given to the applicant, Vice‐President Academic, Executive Dean, Academic Chair and Associate Registrar–Admissions.
The decision of the panel is final and binding.
Should the panel find in favour of the applicant, and the pertinent program no longer has seats available, alternatives will be investigated. Under no circumstances will the findings of the panel disadvantage a student already admitted to Conestoga.
Within five (5) working days of the hearing, the chair will communicate the decision in writing to the applicant, Vice‐President Academic, Executive Dean, and/or Academic Chair of the program and the Associate Registrar – Admissions.
All documents used by the panel will be delivered to the Office of the Registrar.
The panel may also make recommendations regarding changes to the policies and procedures of Conestoga/school/program.

Protection from Reprisals

Conestoga prohibits reprisals or threats of reprisal against applicants or Conestoga personnel who have raised matters of concern under this procedure. Individuals who violate these provisions shall be subject to discipline or other corrective action.

Relevant Legislation and Related Documents

Revision Log

Date	Details
2009-12-07	Academic Forum
2010-04-01	Policies and Procedures Committee
2010-04-14	Academic Coordination Committee
2019-12-11	Academic Forum
2020-01-13	Academic Coordinating Committee