There are many reasons that you might be faced with disciplinary procedures at your university or college, late submission of assignments being one of them. Whatever the reason is, however, if there are extenuating circumstances that you feel have not been taken into consideration, there is always the possibility to launch an appeal.
Failing an assignment because of a late submission can be one of the most difficult things a student has to deal with. Not only can it mean repeating a whole academic year or even in some cases expulsion from university, but also, the fact that you have completed the work and you know it's not even going to be graded can be particularly hard to bear. There are, however, a wide range of reasons why you may have had no choice but to submit your coursework after the deadline and in most cases, you will have a number of opportunities to appeal against the university's decision to discipline you.
Challenging the university's decision
Most decisions that a university, college or any other institute of higher education makes are open to appeal by the student involved. Most universities have their own formal procedures in place, which must be followed strictly by both student and institution to ensure that all students receive equal and fair treatment
In the vast majority of cases, the student is required to begin the appeal by making a written submission of their case. After which, the university will study all the evidence that has been gathered and reach a decision as to whether or not their decision to discipline should be changed.
Appearing before an Appeal Panel
You may also be required to appear in front of an Appeal Panel, where you will be asked to present your case in person. In many cases, if you require support at this point, you will be permitted to appear at the hearing with legal representation.
Generally speaking, appeals will be considered when late submissions were the result of circumstances which are deemed to have been wholly beyond the control of the student. Regardless of the specifics of these circumstances, they must always be supported with relevant evidence. To give one example, if your late submission was the result of serious illness, then you will be expected to produce a letter from your GP or hospital confirming that this was indeed the case.
You will also be expected to launch your appeal within a specific timeframe which you will find in your university's official appeal guidelines. Therefore, it is your responsibility to adhere to official policy and to present your evidence in as thorough and professional a manner as possible.
At Match Solicitors, we have a team of dedicated higher education specialists who help with hundreds of student appeals each year. Give us a call today and we can go over the details of your case with you and advise you as to your best next step.
