The University Student Appeals Office is recruiting undergraduate students (including JD, MD, and DVM students) to volunteer as members of the University Appeals Committee (UAC) and the University Appeals Tribunal (UAT). Student representatives are appointed by the SU and should represent as many different disciplines as possible at the University.

Role Description:

As an UAC or UAT panel member, you will hear undergraduate student appeals relating to academic assessments, academic progression, and academic and non-academic misconduct. The term for these positions is 1 year (renewable). Please note that all volunteers must be in good academic standing and an enrolled student for their term.

Panel Members involvement contributes to a fair and just setting through which student appellants and faculty respondents are given an opportunity to state their cases. For some Panel Members, is also helpful for providing relevant work and life experience along with a range of transferable skills and a wide network of colleagues. With exposure to the appeal process, Panel Members can provide feedback to improve the student experience.

Panel Members involvement contributes to a fair and just setting through which student appellants and faculty respondents are given an opportunity to state their cases on a particular matter. This opportunity will provide you with experience in quasi-judicial decision making, introduce you to concepts such as procedural fairness, and decision making with administrative law principals. With exposure to the appeal process, Panel Members can provide feedback to improve the student experience.

The ideal appointee would:

  • Have ability during business hours during July and August to attend appeal hearings
  • Once assigned to an appeal, needs to be able to respond to SAO requests/correspondence within 48 hours
  • Interest in learning more about institutional policies and regulation
  • Feel comfortable with making tough but just decisions
  • A commitment to fairness, impartiality, and equality
  • Strong reasoning skills and decision-making experience
  • Ability to keep an open mind while hearing all sides of an argument
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Reliable
  • A willingness and ability to take advice where appropriate

Commitment:

This will involve an orientation meeting 2.5hrs (virtual) during mid-June and depending on your availability. For appeal hearings, we will poll members for their availability and on average they may be asked to participate, with two other panel members, in one to two appeal hearings per year. Appeal hearings involve time to review the appeal file (~2-3hrs), a 1hr pre-meet before the hearing (virtual), and a 3-4hr student appeal hearing (in person).

For more information, please visit the University Student Appeals Office website here to learn more about the policy and procedures that are used to govern appeals, specifically, the Student Misconduct and Academic Appeals Policy, the UAC Procedure and the UAT Procedure.

How to Apply:

Please complete the application form and submit it via email alongside a Confirmation of Registration letter to SU Policy Analyst, colson.buchanan@ucalgary.ca by 4:00 PM Friday, April 14, 2023.