B. Appealing a Disposition from McGill Principles of Practice, Behaviour and Ethical Conduct for Teacher Candidates

Note: Requests for appeal of a Disposition from McGill Principles of Practice, Behaviour and Ethical Conduct for Teacher Candidates are normally addressed by the Student Affairs Committee

Preamble: A teacher candidate may appeal the disposition rendered by the Disciplinary Officer by submitting an official request for appeal to the Associate Dean, Academic Programs for possible consideration at the Student Affairs Committee. A teacher candidate must submit such request within five (5) days of notification of the disposition.

Stage One: Submission of relevant documentation

The request for appeal should include:

1. Send their request by email to isa.education [at] mcgill.ca with the following information in the subject line: AppealofDisposition_Firstname_Lastname_McGillID
2. Address the appeal to the Associate Dean, Academic Programs
3. Provide a one-page personal statement that provides clear and compelling reasons for their appeal and that clearly addresses the reason(s) that may warrant a different outcome. Whenever possible, the request should include concrete evidence.
4. Include one letter of reference supporting the claims made in the personal statement. Ideally the letter of reference should be submitted by someone with first-hand knowledge of the events leading to the original disposition.
5. Optional: Include supporting documents (e.g. evidence of work completed as specified in the outcome letter sent by the ISA Director, etc.)

The Associate Dean, Academic Programs will review the request for appeal. If they determine that the appeal is justified, the Associate Dean, Academic Programs may convene the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) to:

1. Review the letter of request and supporting documentation submitted by the teacher candidate;
2. Examine the evidence that led to the disposition, including but not limited to:
   1. Salient findings from relevant reports
   2. Description of all action taken by the Discipline Officer;
   3. Teacher candidate’s reflections;
   4. Other pertinent information.

                             Please note: An administrator from the ISA prepares all items.

Stage Two: Procedures for Meeting with the Teacher Candidate and Other Involved Parties

The meeting of the Student Affairs Committee may be convened and the date and time communicated to the teacher candidate. Teacher candidates are not required to present their case in person; however, they are invited to do so by the Student Affairs Committee. In the interests of universal design and accessibility for all teacher candidates, alternative options include:

1. Submit the evidence to the Student Affairs Committee in writing only (teacher candidate is not present);
2. Have a McGill advocate present the case (teacher candidate is present). Teacher candidates are permitted to bring an advocate.
3. Please note: (i) In the event that neither the teacher candidate nor an advocate is present at the time of the meeting, the SAC will render a decision based on the existing evidence; (ii) Third parties are not normally permitted to attend SAC hearings.

Please note:

As per the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures, an advocate must be a member of the University community…who has agreed to act in an advisory capacity and who may accompany a student …to any hearing, summary hearing, or interview; advisors are not paid for their services). It is recommended to select an advocate from McGill’s Legal Information Clinic.

The ISA Administrator will be responsible for gathering all documentation relevant to the case from the teacher candidate and the Discipline Officer. The teacher candidate may provide the ISA with copies of additional relevant documentation no less than 14 days prior to the date of the Student Affairs Committee meeting. Please note: any additional documentation will not be accepted after this submission date. The teacher candidate will receive a copy of all relevant documents no less than 7 days prior to the date of the Student Affairs Committee meeting. It is the responsibility of the teacher candidate to share relevant documentation with their advocate in a timely manner.

To provide adequate time for the Student Affairs Committee to review the case, all relevant documentation will be provided to members of the committee no less than seven (7) days prior to the date of the Student Affairs Committee meeting. All information should remain confidential. To ensure the greatest degree of fairness, Student Affairs Committee members should refrain from speaking to one another about the case prior to the hearing. An administrative member from the ISA will record minutes of the meetings then forwards the minutes to the Associate Dean, Academic Programs within one week of the Student Affairs Committee meeting.