Appeals Procedure

Academic Standing and contract requirements – January 2017

Academic Standing requirements of the College: To be in good standing and register in the Winter semester, students must have met the conditions of their particular program.

Students who signed a success contract in the Fall semester must meet the conditions below:

• Students who have passed all of their courses will be permitted to register unconditionally for the Winter 2017 semester.
• Students who have not passed all of their courses and have not met the other terms of their contract will not be allowed to register in a program for one semester.
• Students who have passed more than 50% of their classes and have met the other terms of their contract will be allowed to register for the Winter 2017 semester but will remain under contract.

Students who were re-admitted on appeal and signed a contract in Fall 2016:

• Students who have passed all of their courses will be permitted to register unconditionally for the Winter 2017 semester.
• Students who have met the other terms of their contract, and have passed all but one course, will be allowed to register but will remain under contract.
• Students who have not met the terms of their contract and have failed any of their courses will not be permitted to register in a program for one year.

For the purposes of this policy, courses with the following remarks do not count as courses passed or failed: EQ, SU, DI, “authorized absence” (IN).

GUIDELINES FOR THE APPEALS PROCEDURE TO THE ACADEMIC STANDING APPEALS COMMITTEE

Notice of Expulsion

If you are expelled from the College as a result of your performance during the Fall semester, you will be notified by letter of your expulsion in early January. A list of expelled students will be posted on the Registrar’s Office bulletin board as of 3:00 p.m. on January 5, 2017.

Academic Standing Appeal: Steps to Follow

A student who is expelled (denied permission to register) has the right to appeal to the Academic Standing Appeals Committee. (NOTE: Expelled students can register in Springboard to a DCS (DEC) (08125) in Continuing Education without going through the appeals process.)

Before making the decision to appeal you should consider carefully the reasons for your poor performance. As well, you should consider alternatives to returning to school, some of which are outlined on pages 3 and 4. Should you wish to make an appeal, these are the steps to follow:

1. Complete the Request for Appeals Form and return it to the Registrar’s Office no later than the deadline date indicated on the form (Wednesday, January 11, 2017).
2. Submit relevant documents if your failures are in part due to “circumstances beyond your control” and these circumstances can be documented. Examples of some relevant documents are:
   • Doctor’s letter attesting to lengthy illness – this kind of letter should indicate the dates and nature of the problem as well as the duration, and the degree of the illness or the problem, and the degree to which the problem interfered with your studies.
   • Letter from a professional (e.g. psychologist, social worker, counselor) testifying to a serious family problem or an emotional or psychological difficulty – if you sought help on a continuing basis at the College in previous semesters, indicate whom you saw – an academic adviser or counselor or learning centre professional, etc.
   • Death certificate or death notice in the case of the death of a close family member.

Make sure that your request shows that you have given a lot of thought to the reasons for your past failures. You should also indicate what steps you plan to take to make the next semester a success and the extent to which the circumstances which contributed to your poor performance have been resolved.

Your letter will be read carefully, and you may be invited to appear before the Academic Standing Appeals Committee. The committee will usually decide on the basis of your letter, and any other relevant information, whether to grant you permission to register, and under what conditions.

Requests for appeal may not be considered from:

• A student submitting a late request.
• A student submitting an incomplete request.
• A student who was previously re-admitted via appeal.

Academic Standing Appeals Committee

All the information you provide in your letter is considered confidential. The committee’s task is to assess how likely you are to succeed in the next semester if you are permitted to register.

The Decision of the Appeals Committee

The committee has considerable discretion in making its decisions. The committee’s decision is FINAL. It can uphold the decision to deny a student permission to register at the College. The committee may also insist on a program change or change a student’s course load if re-admission is granted.

You will be sent a letter informing you of the decision. If, as a result of the decision, you are eligible to register in day classes, you will be contacted at the phone number on your record.

Continuing Education

If the Review Committee grants you permission to register in Continuing Education at Dawson, or if you choose not to appeal your expulsion and to register in Continuing Education, you will only be permitted to register as a student in Springboard to a DCS (i.e., you cannot register in a program).

Options for the Student Denied Permission to Register

You cannot return to Dawson for the Winter semester, but you have alternatives.

1. • Take courses elsewhere next semester:If you plan to re-apply to Dawson after a semester or a year (depending on your particular situation – see page 1), you will be expected to significantly upgrade your academic record before re-applying. (Grades of 75% in four college courses would be an example of significant improvement.) Continued failures, even in high school or non-credit courses, will make it impossible for you to return to day studies at Dawson.
   • Adult education: It is possible to take high school level courses at an adult education centre. You may wish to consider this in order to improve basic skills. English courses are strongly recommended. You may also want to make up courses in Math, Sciences or French.
   • Private schools: There are many private schools offering programs in computers, secretarial skills, etc. These are usually expensive and courses followed do not always count for CEGEP credits. Lists of schools may be found in the Yellow Pages or the Gazette Education Supplement. Choose carefully and make sure you are getting what you pay for.
   • Interest courses: You may wish to take non-credit interest courses through Adult Education or a community centre. Taking these courses could help you to decide what your interests are and help in planning future studies.

   In addition to courses, you might also:

2. Consider working. A student often fails because he/she tries to work too many hours and study at the same time. Take the opportunity this year to work full time. Save enough money to study full time – without the need to work at the same time. Use work to get some experience; find out more about yourself and the rest of the world. References from jobs might help in your re-admission.To look for work:
   • Call the Dawson College Employment Centre at 514-931-8731, extension 1184, Room 4E.2-2.
   • Meet with a counselor for advice on job hunting, resumes, job interviews – 514-931 8731, extension 1206, Room 2D.2.
3. If you can’t find full-time employment work consider volunteer work. The worst thing you could do this year is to do nothing. Paying jobs can be difficult to find, but there is always a need for volunteers at hospitals, community organizations, etc. Volunteer work can give you an opportunity to gain experience that could lead to paid employment. It can also help you to explore possible career areas. Again, references and gained experience will help in re admission. For more information phone the Volunteer Bureau of Montreal, 514-842 3351.

If you decide to re-apply to Dawson keep the following points in mind:

• If you signed a success contract in Fall 2016 (due to failures in the preceding semester) and have been expelled, you may re-apply for full-time studies for Fall 2017 (deadline is March 1, 2017) provided you have upgraded your studies.
• If you were re-admitted on appeal for Fall 2016, and were on probation, but have been expelled, you may re-apply for full-time studies for Winter 2018 (deadline is November 1, 2017) provided you have upgraded your studies.
• You must include marks for all courses you have taken. You will be expected to demonstrate your ability to succeed at college level courses.
• You should choose your program of studies carefully – it would help to meet with an academic adviser, 514-931-8731, extension 1176, Room 2D.4.
• Write a letter telling us what you have been doing and why you think you will be more successful this time.
• You should get letters of reference if you worked or served as a volunteer.

REMEMBER RE-ADMISSION IS NOT GUARANTEED. THE APPEALS COMMITTEE MUST BE CONVINCED THAT YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL SHOULD YOU RETURN TO SCHOOL.