Advice Academic Appeals This information is accurate as of March 2016
1
Academic Appeals This information sheet is for all taught undergraduate and postgraduate students This summary is intended as an outline only, and should be read in conjunction with the University Academic appeals policies • http://www.gold.ac.uk/governance/generalregulations/ academicappeals/ • http://www.gold.ac.uk/governance/appealsandcomplaints/ studentappeals/appealsguidance/
Who can make an Appeal? If something has affected your performance and you have not achieved the mark you expected, you may be able to appeal. An appeal will not be considered if you are questioning academic judgement i.e. if you disagree with the mark you have been awarded. Appeals must be submitted within 21-days of the date of your transcript. If your appeal is late, you will need to provide evidence that you were medically unable to engage with the appeal procedure within the 21-day timeframe. In the period between 1st – 21st July, the Advice Service will host individual appointments dedicated specifically to appeals. They will last 40 minutes each and take place in the afternoon. They will be allocated on the same day, on a first-come first-served basis. To book an appointment, contact the Student’s Union reception from 9 am. Give them a call as early as possible to check if there are slots available.
http://www.goldsmithssu.org/advice
This information is accurate as of June 2016
2 What grounds can you appeal on?
• Extenuating circumstances that you were unaware of at the time therefore unable to disclose • If the college made a mistake which is known as administrative error or procedural irregularity •
If there is evidence of prejudice or bias against you
Academic Appreals Procedure There are various stages with fixed times – appeals will not be considered if the timescales are not met so bear this in mind when considering submitting an appeal. Stage 1 – Preliminary discussion This stage is not mandatory, but it can be a good idea to speak to someone to request clarification before putting in a formal appeal. Stage 2 – Appeal You must complete the online appeal form and attach any pertinent evidence within 21 days of receiving your transcript (published online on My Goldsmiths), or it is unlikely to be considered later than this apart from in very special circumstances. You can access the online form from here: http://www.gold.ac.uk/governance/appealsandcomplaints/ studentappeals/ The Appeals Team will write back to you within five working days to inform you whether your appeal is valid. If an appeal is not upheld, or you are unhappy with the result of your appeal, you can proceed to the next stage.
http://www.goldsmithssu.org/advice
This information is accurate as of June 2016
3 Stage 3 – Review This is the final internal stage and it must be lodged within 1 month of receiving the outcome of Stage 2. There are narrower grounds to appeal at this stage, which are: • Procedural irregularities at Stage 2 • Fresh evidence which was not available has come to light • The outcome was not reasonable At this stage, if relevant, a Hearing may be convened. A member of the SU can accompany you to your hearing to support you, so please feel welcome to get in touch. You should be informed of the outcome of Stage 3 within 21 days of submitting and, as with the previous stage, notified of any delay.
Pursuing your case further
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome at stage 3, you would need to go to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), an independent body set up to review student complaints: http://www.oiahe.org.uk/
How the SU Advice Service can support you: For help and advice at all stages of the process, email advice@goldsmithsu.org
Contact Us
Visit us on the Goldsmiths Students’ Union website and click on Advice or contact us via e-mail: advice@goldsmithssu.org. http://www.goldsmithssu.org/advice
This information is accurate as of June 2016