Processes

The Office of Appeals, Discipline and Faculty Grievances (ADFG) is responsible for the neutral administration of several quasi-judicial processes at the University of Toronto.  You will find a list of our processes below, along with a brief description of each process. Read the description of each process to determine which process applies to your situation, and then click on the process in the drop-down menu on the left, to obtain more detailed information. Please note that our Office is usually not involved in earlier steps of a process.  

Please note that not all procedures or practices related to the various processes are included in formal, written rules or guidelines. Some, for example, may be found on our website, explained in a template, or relayed to the parties through direct communication. 

In this process, the Academic Appeals Committee (AAC) will hear and dispose of appeals from decisions made by faculties, colleges, or school councils (or committees thereof) in the application of academic regulations and requirements.  The AAC will not hear any appeal unless all appeal processes available within the faculty, college, or school council (or committee thereof) are exhausted. The AAC will not hear appeals from admissions decisions. For more information on this process click here.

In this process, the University Tribunal will hear and dispose of charges of academic misconduct laid by the Provost against students, graduates or faculty members under the University’s Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters. Examples of academic misconduct could include plagiarism, forged academic records or use of an unauthorized aid. For more information on this process click here. 

In this process, the Discipline Appeals Board will hear and dispose of appeals from decisions of the University Tribunal in the application of the University’s Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters. For more information on this process click here.

This process involves allegations of non-academic misconduct against a student under the University’s Code of Student Conduct, or the Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment. Examples of non-academic misconduct could include harassment, stalking, stealing or damaging property. This process may also involve the imposition of interim conditions and/or interim measures upon a student pursuant to the provisions of the Code of Student Conduct. For more information on this process click here. 

In this process, the Discipline Appeals Board will hear and dispose of appeals from decisions made under the University’s Code of Student Conduct, including decisions to impose interim conditions or measures. For more information on this process click here.

This process involves complaints of sexual violence and sexual harassment against members of the University community, including (but not limited to) students, academic staff, librarians and administrative staff.  The ADFG Office only supports the processes that deal with allegations against students.  The process is largely governed by the University’s Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment.  Please also see Policy and Procedures: Sexual Harassment. For more information on the process click here.

In this process, the Senior Chair (or delegate), or the Associate Chair (or delegate) of the Discipline Appeals Board of the University Tribunal, will hear and dispose of an appeal by a student from a decision of the Provost to place the student on a mandated Supportive Leave under the Supportive Leaves Policy. For more information on this process click here.

In this process, the Complaint and Resolution Council for Student Societies (CRCSS) responds to complaints that cannot be resolved at the student society level. The role of the ADFG Office is to facilitate the nomination process for the Chair of the CRCSS. For more information on this process click here.

In this process, the Advancement Review Panel (ARP) will review a decision made by a division not to advance a Sessional Lecturer to the status of Sessional Lecturer II or III, or a decision by a Writing Centre not to advance a Writing Instructor to the status of Writing Instructor 2. For more information on this process click here.

In this process, the Academic Clinical Tribunal adjudicates allegations of breaches of academic freedom in the clinical setting. This process is governed by the Policy for Clinical Faculty and the Procedures Manual for the Policy for Clinical (MD) Faculty. For more information on this process click here.

In this process, the Clinical Faculty Grievance Review Panel will consider cases where there are allegations of a breach of policy or procedure made against a University official appointed under the Policy on Appointment of Academic Administrators acting in his or her University capacity. For more information on this process click here.

In this process, the University Tenure Appeal Committee will hear an appeal by a faculty member from a decision to deny the faculty member tenure. For more information on this process click here.

In this process, the Grievance Review Panel will adjudicate complaints of faculty members and librarians arising from the interpretation, application or alleged violation of an established or recognized policy, practice or procedure of the University of Toronto, with some exceptions.  This process is governed by the Memorandum of Agreement between the Governing Council of the University of Toronto and the University of Toronto Faculty Association. For more information on this process click here.

In this process, the Workload Adjudicator will consider complaints made by members of the University of Toronto Faculty Association regarding workload assignments.  This process is governed by the Workload Policy and Procedures for Faculty and Librarians and the relevant Unit Workload Policy. For more information on this process click here.