Academic Rights

The AUS advocates for Arts students facing violations to their academic rights. We have information below concerning your academic rights and about the complaints process. To learn more, you can visit SSMU Student Rights or consult McGill policies such as the University Student Assessment Policy (USAP) and Charter of Students’ Rights.

When you feel like your academic rights have been violated, the first place you should bring it is to the attention of the TA and/or professor if you feel comfortable. 

If the issue is not resolved with your TA and/or professor, or if you are uncomfortable speaking with them, email your situation to the academic rights complaints email: academiccomplaints@ausmcgill.com. We are here to support you and protect your academic rights. 

The AUS will assess the violation of your rights, and will report it to the Arts Associate Dean of Student Affairs. If you have any questions about the process don’t hesitate to contact the academic complaints email!

Common Academic Rights Violations

Right to Fair Assessments

The evaluation of a students performance in a course shall be fair and reasonable and shall reflect the content of the course (Article 3.1.1 USAP)

Review of Assessments

Every Student has a right to consult any written Assessment for which they have received a mark and a right to receive an explanation of this Assessment from the Instructor/Examiner.  (Article 3.6.1 of the USAP)

Assessments Missed During Add/Drop Period

During add/drop, you cannot lose marks for any assessments that you missed before you were registered in a course (Article 3.1.5 USAP)

Assignments and Exam Weighting

Final Exams cannot be worth more than 75% or less than 25% of a course grade unless a student has chosen for it to be that way. Should written examinations in a regularly scheduled Course contribute 50% or more to the Course grade, one of the examinations shall be held during the final examination period. (Article 6.1.4 of the USAP)

Assessments at the End of the Semester

No assessments are allowed in the last 14 days of class except if they are: (1) part of a pattern of regular in-term assessments in the course and it is worth less than 10% of the final grade, (2) an oral exam in a language course, or (3) an assessment assigned according to the syllabus (Article 7.1.2 USAP)

Re-read by Third Party

Every student can ask for an impartial and competent reread of any written assessment, and, where warranted, a regrade – however, this may include a revision of the grade up or down. (Article 3.7.1 of the USAP)

Language of Assessment

Students shall be permitted to use either English or French in completing any form of Assessment other than: (i) In-class oral presentations; and (ii) Assessments in Courses in which acquiring proficiency in a language is one of the objectives, where the Assessments shall be in the language of the Course. (Article 3.3.1 USAP)

Exam conflicts

An official exam conflict occurs when a student has: 
  • Two exams at the same time 
  • Three exams in one day
  • Three consecutive exams in 24 hours 
  • Four exams in two days 
  • Five exams in three days 
  • If the conflict occurs due to students registering for classes with normal lecture times overlapping they must rectify the situation themselves 
  • (Article 2.1.4 USAP)

Notification of Form of Assessment (Syllabus) and Changes

The following should be provided during the first week of class 

  • Number, nature and forms of assessments 
  • Weighting of each assessment 
  • Prerequisites 
  • Course outline that must include relevant information on course topics, require readings and office hours 
  • Outlines and syllabi can be changed only in the event of extraordinary circumstances beyond the university’s control 
  • (Article 3.2 USAP and 10.2 of the charter)