Appealing to the Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee
2. Before you appeal
You must follow protocol before appealing to the Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee (SAAAC).
It is your responsibility to read the:
- Academic Administrative Appeals by Students Policy
- Student Grievance Resolution Policy
- Student Grievance Resolution Procedure
- Student Grievance Resolution Guideline.
These will help you to determine whether an appeal to the SAAAC is appropriate or if you should submit your complaint or appeal elsewhere.
Please pay careful attention to the Student Grievance Resolution Procedure, which explains how to escalate a complaint.
Whenever possible, you should attempt to have your complaint resolved by someone who is closer to the complaint (e.g. someone in your school or faculty), before escalating it higher.
Appeals to the SAAAC are only possible once you have explored and exhausted all avenues for appeal within your school and faculty.
Ideally, a complaint should proceed as follows:
Academic standing and Progression Improvement Plan
- Decision-maker - Associate Dean (Academic) in your faculty
- Lodge your appeal to - Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee.
Assessment
The SAAAC considers assessment matters such as re-marks. In the case of a re-mark appeal, you would be expected to:
- Before appealing - seek feedback from your course coordinator and formally apply for a re-mark.
- If you want to appeal the re-mark: Lodge your appeal to - Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee.
Please note that there are very limited circumstances when you can appeal to the SAAAC for matters relating to assessment results (e.g. exam results or assignment marks).
These circumstances are outlined in the Academic Administrative Appeals by Students Policy.
The SAAAC does not re-mark work or make any judgements about the academic merit of any work.
The SAAAC will only consider whether your appeal meets the conditions outlined in the policy.
Assessment, Higher Degree by Research students
Decision-maker - Thesis examiners (or other relevant parties)
- Before appealing, meet with your supervisors. If you choose to proceed,
- Lodge your first appeal to - Dean of the Graduate School. If you are dissatisfied,
- Lodge your second appeal to - Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee.
Please note that there are very limited circumstances when you can appeal to the SAAAC for matters relating to assessment results (e.g. thesis examination).
These circumstances are outlined in the Academic Administrative Appeals by Students Policy.
The SAAAC does not re-mark work or make any judgements about the academic merit of any work.
The SAAAC will only consider whether your appeal meets the conditions outlined in the policy.
Admission to a program not governed by the Admissions and Enrolments Policy
- Decision-maker - Associate Dean (Academic) in the relevant faculty, or the relevant Head of School (refer to the program rules for the decision-maker).
- Lodge your appeal to - Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee.
Please note that there are very limited circumstances when you can appeal to the SAAAC for matters relating to entry to a program not governed by the Admissions and Enrolments Policy.
These grounds are outlined in the Academic Administrative Appeals by Students Policy.
Decisions made by an Executive Dean (or their nominee) directly affecting the student appealing
- Decision-maker - Executive Dean in your faculty
- Lodge your appeal to - Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee.
Decisions made by the Dean of the Graduate School (or their nominee) relating to the administration of HDR programs
- Decision-maker - Dean of the Graduate School
- Lodge your appeal to - Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee.
Decision not to award an OS-HELP loan
- Decision-maker - Director, UQ Advantage Office
- Lodge your appeal to - Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee
Decision to cancel a Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship, Excellence Scholarship or Merit Scholarship
- Decision-maker - Chair, Scholarship Show Cause Committee
- Lodge your appeal to - Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee.