Academic Policies

CIRHR as a whole has no single, fixed method of evaluating the work of its students. Most courses have formal final examinations; a few do not. Others have take-home or classroom tests. In almost all courses, the final mark is determined on the basis of term papers, or some other kind of written work, and some form of examination. In lecture-tutorial courses, or in seminars, the final mark may be partially based upon student participation in group discussions. In every course, the requirements and the method of evaluation are made clear in the classroom at the beginning of term.

Students should make sure that they understand well in advance what the requirements are in any course they are taking. If they have doubts they should approach the instructor directly. Individual instructors do not have the authority to grant any extensions past the dates stipulated by the Faculty of Arts and Science deadline for submission of course work. Individual instructors also do not have the authority to reschedule or waive final faculty examinations. For details please consult the section on Rules and Regulations in calendar. In cases of misunderstandings and problems which cannot be handled directly between the student and instructor, the Program Office should be consulted.

The CHRM Program Office considers petitions to have regulations waived or varied, if a student presents compelling reasons; however, students must convince the CHRM Program Office that they have acted responsibly and with good judgement in observing the University regulations. If students have failed to observe deadlines, to heed warnings or to organize their academic priorities accordingly, or if they have been negligent about their responsibilities, then special consideration may not be warranted. The petition process is not a means to salvage courses and the academic record, after the fact. The CHRM Petitions Committee routinely denies petitions that in its view do not present a valid reason for an exemption from the regulations.

Students are encouraged to seek counselling and, if necessary, to initiate a petition through the CHRM Program Office. We are not responsible for incorrect forms being submitted to offices other than the CHRM Program Office.

Petitions Form for HR Certificate Students (PDF)

Deadline to File Petitions 

Term work: The last day of the examination period.
Examinations: Within one week of the end of the examination period;
Withdrawal: Fall/Winter Session courses: the following 15 November
Withdrawal: Summer Session courses: the following 28/29 February

All supporting documentation must be submitted within three weeks of the date of initiating the petition. Late petitions and petitions with late documentation will not be considered.

Documentation in Support of Petitions

The Program Office seeks documentation that provides pertinent evidence for decisions determining whether or not an exception should be made to regulations that are designed to ensure equitable treatment for all students.

Medical Documentation

Students must submit an Absence Declaration on ACORN in support of a request for an exemption from University regulations, if illness is being used as the reason for the request. The claim of illness, however, is not sufficient grounds in itself to guarantee approval of the request. If you are submitting a petition due to health-related issues, you can submit a medical report or letter from a licensed practitioner in the region you are living in. If the reason for your petition is related to a disability, health concern or injury for which you are registered with Accessibility Services, you should submit a letter from your accessibility advisor.

Please visit these FAQs about how to submit an Absence Declaration on ACORN:
https://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/covid19-artsci-student-faqs#fall-absence-declaration-accordion-1

Petitions Regarding Term Work

Matters concerning term work normally fall within the authority of the instructor. Students unable to comply with given deadlines must contact their instructor prior to the deadline if an extension to the deadline is requested. All term work must be submitted by the last day of classes, unless an earlier date has been specified. Instructors may grant extensions beyond their own deadlines or beyond the last day of classes up to the last day of the examination period provided that a student presents reasons of illness, etc., with appropriate documentation. Extensions beyond the last day of the examination period interfere with the Faculty’s schedule for the submission of final grades and must therefore be approved by petition. These petitions for an extension of time for term work must be initiated by the last day of the relevant examination period. Late requests will not be accepted. Students must file the petition with the Program Office after consultation with the instructor regarding a suitable extension date. The Petitions Committee consults the department concerned for information about the status of the course work, and the steps, if any, that must be taken to complete the course. Students seeking an extension of time for term work are expected to continue their course work while they await a decision. They will not be granted additional time after the petition decision has been issued.

Petitions Regarding Examinations

Petitions regarding final examinations must be submitted within five days after the end of the examination period. Late requests will not be accepted. Petitions based on travel, employment, or personal plans will not be considered.

Students are expected to write examinations as scheduled. Only in cases of documented debilitating illness or legitimate conflict should a student request a deferral of a final examination. Students who are too ill and/or incapacitated at the time of the examinations should petition to defer the examination they are unable to attend due to their medical condition. Requests to write exams at an earlier time/date will not be considered. 

A deferred special examination at a subsequent examination period or the regular offering of the examination when next taught may be granted at the discretion of the Faculty. The UofT Verification of Illness or Injury from must be provided to corroborate the illness. Students with chronic illnesses must provide medical documentation for the specific date on which the illness was acute. Students must submit a petition to the Program Office within one week of the end of the examination period. There is a fee of $70.00 per deferred examination (maximum $140.00). In the petition decision students are notified of the examination period in which the deferred examination will take place, and if the examination will be a regular or special examination. They must register and pay the fee by a given deadline, in order that arrangements can be made, an examination requested, etc. The Faculty will notify those who do not register by the deadline that they have lost their privilege of a deferred examination and will revert the grade to one that includes a “0” for the final examination. No further consideration will be given. The Faculty posts personal deferred examination schedules online for students who have paid the deferred examination fee, as soon after the regular examinations have been scheduled as possible. Those who do not pay the deferred examination fee lose the privilege of a deferred examination and their grade reverts to one that includes a “0”  for the final examination. 

Deferred Examination Periods

• April/May Final Examination Period
  Deferred Examination: June examination period, if course is offered in Summer Session May to June; August examination period for all others
   
• June Final Examination Period
  Deferred Examination: August examination period, if course offered in Summer Session May/July - August; December examination period, if course is offered in Fall Session; August examination period for all others
   
• August Final Examination Period
  Deferred Examination: December examination period
   
• December Final Examination Period
  Deferred Examination: April/May examination period, if course offered in Winter Session; Reading Week for all others

Students who must write a deferred examination in a course that serves as a prerequisite for subsequent courses may enrol in those courses with the approval of the department concerned and provided that the term mark in the prerequisite (deferred) course is at least 60%.

Notes 

Students who are granted DEFERRED STANDING (i.e., a grade of “SDF”, for an extension of time for term work or for a deferred examination) or permission to rewrite an examination and who have earned a Cumulative Grade Point Average of less than 1.50 may not be permitted to enrol in further courses until the outstanding course work has been completed and final cumulative and sessional GPAs and status for the session have been assessed.

If students decide to write an examination which does not go well, they MAY NOT PETITION FOR A REWRITE. Post hoc arguments claiming an inability to function at full potential or to exhibit full knowledge of the subject matter will not be accepted as grounds for consideration of a petition concerning performance on an examination. Furthermore, students who choose to write an examination against medical recommendation should do so knowing that they will not be given consideration after the examination has been written. Students must not only take responsibility for making appropriate judgements about their fitness to attend examinations, but also must accept the outcome of their choices.

Students who miss a deferred examination receive a grade of “0” for the examination in the calculation of the final grade. If the Program Office accepts the student’s reasons for missing a deferred examination as legitimate, a further deferred examination may be permitted; however, the “SDF” notation will be replaced by the original grade. Students are charged a further fee for each subsequent deferred examination. Note that in such situations of further deferrals the Petitions Committee on Standing regularly prohibits registration in further sessions until the outstanding course work has been completed.