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Department of Italian Studies | University of Toronto

Statement of the Faculty Appeal Procedure

The Provostial policy that established the graduate funding guarantee at University of Toronto has been implemented through the development of policy by the School of Graduate Studies1 and by the Faculty of Arts & Science.2 Within Faculty documents, there is a linear reporting structure that implicitly forms the basis for communication if a graduate student wishes to voice a complaint regarding the operation of the funding guarantee in his/her case.
The following three step process is proposed to make that structure explicit.

  1. If a graduate student believes that in her/his case the funding package has not been provided in a manner that is consistent with Faculty guidelines, and if informal discussion with the relevant departmental administrator(s) has not resolved the matter, the student should inform the chair of the graduate unit in writing, providing copies of any relevant correspondence and other documents. The chair will respond in a timely fashion, in writing, normally within two weeks.
  2. If a resolution is not reached, the complainant may write to the Arts & Science Vice-Dean, Graduate Education and Research, providing a copy of the written complaint, the documentation, and the graduate chair’s response. The Vice-Dean will investigate the complaint and recommend a resolution to the parties, in writing, normally within two weeks.
  3. If the matter remains unresolved, the complainant may write to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science, who takes final responsibility for the management of the guaranteed funding program.

    Graduate students should be informed of this process by the graduate unit.

The proposed complaint resolution mechanism will address only graduate funding matters in the Faculty of Arts and Science. It is not meant to replace or complicate possible appeals of substantive or procedural academic matters that are within the purview of the academic appeals process within the School of Graduate Studies.

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1 See the Graduate Calendar, Section 4, Financial Support and Exchange Programs
2 Faculty documents include:
Principles for Graduate Enrolment Planning and Funding in the Faculty of Arts and Science (19 January 2001)
Guidelines for Graduate Funding and Enrolment Management in the Faculty of Arts and Science (8 November 2002)

Graduate Handbook