Senate Standing Committee on Appeals

Background

KPU is required to create appeal mechanisms for a variety of student-related matters. The Senate Standing Committee on Appeals (SSCA) is the body created, through KPU’s governance processes, to hear appeals referred to it through policy.

Mandate

The Senate Standing Committee on Appeals will:

• Be responsible for hearing student appeals on matters as determined through policy.
• Make recommendations to Senate or the Board of Governors as to any appeal matter or procedure that falls within its mandate.
• Provide recommendations to the Provost and Vice-President, Academic or President on systemic challenges or on policy revisions.

Members must agree to participate in regular training to fully understand the processes of administrative tribunals and the principles of procedural fairness.

Hearing Panels

• A hearing panel will be created to hear each appeal.
• Hearing panels will be drawn from the SSCA membership and will consist of one representative from each membership group provided the member does not come from the same Faculty as the appellant.
• The Provost and Vice-President, Academic or designate will chair.
• Membership on a hearing panel may need to be adjusted because of availability or possible conflicts of interest.
• The Chair will only vote in the instance of a tie.

Reporting

• The Committee will report to Senate and the Board regarding its regular business once a year in April.
• The report will include the number and type of appeals heard and recommendations regarding policy or systemic concerns.

The membership and mandate for such a committee must be broadly constituted to ensure that possible conflicts of interest are avoided when hearing student appeals.

• Provost and Vice-President, Academic or designate (Chair)
• Two faculty members, one each from two different Faculties appointed by Senate
• Two deans appointed by the Provost and Vice-President, Academic
• Two students, each from a different Faculty,
  • one of whom shall be a student senator appointed by Senate, and
  • one appointed by the Provost and Vice-President Academic.
• Two support staff appointed by Senate

Location: : MS Teams Online

Time: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.