Purpose and Scope

The Academic Calendar is the official record of academic programs and university-wide academic policies as reviewed and approved by Senate and its relevant committees, necessary for the University to fulfill its academic role and mission.

By the act of registration each student becomes bound by the policies of Western University. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the policies, general information and specific requirements contained in the Calendar and in information provided by their Faculty, School or Affiliated University College.

Authorities

Under the University of Western Ontario Act, responsibility for academic governance is vested in the Senate. Senate has the final authority to approve new programs, program or module changes, and new and revised academic policies on the recommendation of the Senate Committee on Academic Programs and Awards (SCAPA).

The University Secretary may provide direction about which calendar matters require Senate approval and which matters may be approved by the Registrar or by another authority.

The Registrar may make editorial changes to the Academic Calendar.

The administrative Academic Calendar Review Committee is responsible to oversee the structure and organization of the Academic Calendar, review content at least annually, mediate disputes and provide recommendations to Registrar for changes related to the Academic Calendar’s organization and structure as necessary.

Content of the Academic Calendar

The Academic Calendar will include, but is not limited to:

    • Sessional dates
    • University-wide academic policies and regulations, including university admission requirements
    • University-wide non-academic policies relevant to students, including Code of Student Conduct
    • Description of all undergraduate/professional academic programs and modules, including:

        o Specific admission requirements and procedures
        o Specific progression and graduation requirements
        o Listing of academic courses

    • General information for students on matters within the purview of Senate, approved by the relevant Senate Committee and/or Senate
    • General information for students approved by the Registrar

Program-specific academic information is not part of the Academic Calendar and falls outside of Senate’s purview. This information may be posted on the academic units’ websites.

Responsibility to Publish

• The Office of the Registrar hosts the official version of the Academic Calendar electronically on the University’s website. The Office of the Registrar is responsible for the organization and design of the Academic Calendar and may make formatting changes as necessary in consultation with the University Secretary.
• The Office of the Registrar will take reasonable steps to ensure accuracy of the Academic Calendar and will archive the Calendars electronically.

Amendments to the Academic Calendar

The content of the Academic Calendar is established and subsequently amended after Senate’s or its relevant committees’ approval of curriculum or policy changes.

Changes to policies, programs, modules or courses must be made according to the Procedures.

Graduate Programs and Regulations

The list of graduate programs and regulations pertaining to graduate students are managed by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and posted on the University’s website.

 

 

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Academic Files

The University maintains a record of a student's academic progress throughout his or her career at Western. This record provides information for academic counselling purposes and serves as the basis for producing grade reports and student transcripts. The following is a description of the kinds of information held by the University and the information that is provided on grade reports and transcripts.

Academic files
The Registrar's Office keeps an electronic file of all information relating to a student's academic progress. This includes a student's:

• basis of admission
• address
• some biographic information (e.g., date of birth) that is collected and reported for Statistics Canada
• for students admitted directly from secondary school, the record of the Grade 12 courses, as well as marks submitted in support of their application for admission
  registration history and status
• courses attempted and grades achieved
• Special Permissions granted
• all information relating to Advanced Standing and courses taken on Letters of Permission
• information on seals on academic records because of non-payment of fees, library fines, etc.

The academic file is a confidential internal document that is available only to individuals authorised to view the files. These include members of the Registrar's Office, Academic Counselling Offices and Dean's Offices, Department Chairs, Undergraduate Coordinators, and counselling assistants.

There are other electronic files/databases on students, including:

• scholarship/bursary data
• fee payment information
• the Alumni database which includes information on degrees attained as well as the address of parents.

In addition to these electronic records, the Academic Counselling Office of a student's Faculty may keep a file containing written documents relating to a student's academic progress. These may include:

• Special Permission forms
• Special Examination Forms
• medical documents
• correspondence
• notes of interviews that students may have had with Academic Counsellors.

These files are also confidential internal documents that are available only to the student's Dean and Academic Counselling Office.

A student who has been found guilty of a scholastic offence may also have an offence record that is kept separate from the academic file. (See section on Scholastic Offences.)

Grade Reports
Students are able to access their grades at the end of each academic term through their Student Center (student.uwo.ca). Courses attempted, the grades achieved, comments concerning a student's eligibility for a requested program, progression and graduation eligibility, and averages where appropriate, are reported to the student. This information is confidential and may only be accessed by entering their Western user ID and password.

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Co-Curricular Record

Western’s Co-Curricular Record is a collaboration between Western University and its Affiliated Colleges – Brescia University College, King’s University College and Huron University College. It is a record of a student’s engagement and leadership involvement during their time at Western.

The Co-Curricular Record is separate from the Academic Record and it lists activities such as participation in student life programs, leadership development, community service learning, and involvement activities that contribute to the student’s experience. The Co-Curricular Record chronicles a student’s non-academic engagement across core areas, such as career preparation, communication, diversity, engaging the arts, global awareness, leadership, social responsibility, etc.

The Co-curricular Record supports students in:

• Learning more about the out-of-classroom activities available at Western
• Reflecting on and identifying key learning outcomes gained through their various activities
• Preparing a personalized document of their key activities that is validated by staff and faculty members
• Adapting their records for specific audiences (e.g. job interview, graduate school application)
• Articulating their co-curricular experience to employers, admission panels, etc.

For more information please visit: http://myexperience.uwo.ca/

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Academic Transcripts

A transcript is a copy of a student's permanent academic record at this University, duly certified by the Registrar and bearing the embossed seal of the University. A transcript is privileged information and is available only upon the written or online request and payment of the fee in effect at the time by the student. For current fees and processing times check the website of the Office of the Registrar: http://www.registrar.uwo.ca/

A transcript is required as one of the supporting documents for application to another university, graduate schools, fellowship and scholarship applications; and is commonly required by prospective employers.

The transcript is a record of a student's academic progress. It contains the following information:

1. A listing of all courses attempted and the grades achieved, including courses from which a student has withdrawn without academic penalty.
2. A statement of the degree attained, including the area of concentration or Honours discipline and date of graduation.
3. Comments relating to a student's academic progress. These may include statements about a student's standing in a program or that the student was required to withdraw from the University or was placed on academic probation (e.g. for failing to meet progression requirements).
4. A listing of all undergraduate scholarships, awards, prizes, fellowships and medals awarded by the University to the student during the student’s academic career at the University. [Note: This information is only available from May 1, 2000.]
5. A listing of selected National and Provincial graduate scholarships awarded to the student during the student’s graduate career at the University. The listing of scholarships that are eligible to appear on transcripts is determined by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. [Note: This scholarship information is available only for graduate students from September 1, 2008.]
6. A listing of selected honours (i.e. Dean's Honour List, Global and Intercultural Engagement Honour - see http://international.uwo.ca/).

Note that a transcript reflects the current status of a student's record at the time it is issued. Students should ensure that any changes to the transcript (e.g., from an INC to a final grade) are recorded before ordering a transcript.

Students who have pursued more than one academic career (e.g., Graduate, Undergraduate, Professional, Education) at Western may request, in writing, a partial transcript. The partial transcript will display only those grades obtained during the specified academic career and will be identified as the transcript for that academic career (e.g., Graduate Transcript).

Transcripts can be ordered online through the Student Center (student.uwo.ca) or by using the order form available from Student Central, RM 1120 Western Student Services building or from https://registrar.uwo.ca/services/transcripts.html. Official transcripts are mailed by the Registrar's Office to institutions designated by the student. The cost for transcripts can be found at https://registrar.uwo.ca/services/transcripts.html

* All transcript transactions in Student Central require valid identification.

Class Average, Class Size on Transcripts
Senate approved that the class (i.e., section) average be added to the transcript (assessing failures as 40), and, that for passing grades, the class size (i.e., section) be added to the transcript (including failures in enrollment).

[Secretarial Note: Although the original proposed implementation date was January 1, 2001, Western in fact implemented class size and average on the transcript in April 2002. Senate was informed that the class average and class size would be on the transcript for courses in the fall/winter 2000 term and onward. Any undergraduate courses on the student’s transcript prior to fall/winter 2000 will only show the mark achieved.]

Transcript Notations:
At its meeting of April 16, 2010, Senate approved the following:

• that transcript notations for suspension and expulsion differentiate between Scholastic Discipline and Code of Student Conduct offences.
• that the notation for suspensions be removed from the transcript when the student graduates or five years after the last registration.
• that the notation for expulsions be permanent unless a petition to the President for its removal is approved. The petition to remove an expulsion notation from the transcript may be made no sooner than five years after the offence. Removal of the expulsion notation from the transcript would not overturn the expulsion decision; the expulsion from the University would remain in effect.
  
  

Secretariat Note: See also the policies on Scholastic Discipline for Graduate and Undergraduate Students:
http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_grad.pdf
http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf
and the Code of Student Conduct:
http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/board/code.pdf

Areas of Concentration in Law (To be on Transcripts)
Areas of Concentration are available in Business Law, Criminal Law, Information and Technology Law, and Taxation. All Area of Concentration programs require a student to complete a research paper in the pertinent area. The Area of Concentration research paper must meet the criteria of the Faculty's writing requirement necessary for graduation, and may be used to fulfil that requirement. Students who complete an area of concentration within the JD program will have a notation, e.g., "Area of Concentration: Business Law,” included on their transcripts.

Students who fulfill the requirements of more than one Area of Concentration shall have a notation for all such successfully completed concentrations included on their transcripts.

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Recording Students' Names

In order to maintain the integrity of the University’s student records, each student is required to provide either on application for admission or on personal data forms required for registration, his/her complete legal name. Any requests to change a student’s name by means of alteration, deletion, substitution or addition, must meet the criteria outlined below.

Printing Students' Name on Degree Diplomas
Students’ names (first, middle and last names) as confirmed during the application to graduate process, will be printed on Degree Diplomas in capital letters. Students wishing to include lower case letters or accents in their names must follow the “Request to Change Students’ Names on Degree Diplomas ” policy below.

Requests to Change Students’ Names on Academic Records and Transcripts
Students who wish to change their name used for official registration purposes are required to provide acceptable documentation and photo identification reflecting the change. 

Requests to Change Students’ Names on Degree Diplomas
Students who wish to include a variation of their complete name for the purpose of their printed degree are required to put this request in writing to the Office of the Registrar.  The name variation for the printed degree will be retained as part of the student's permanent record and displayed on official transcripts with the degree conferral information*. To maintain data integrity, name change requests will not be accepted by email or through third parties without written authorization by the student.   

The following are examples of acceptable requests for student name changes without documentation:

Change	Example
Truncation of names	Alexander to A.
Diminutives of names	James to Jim
Variation in the order of names	Surname/Given name
Use of religious names	Addition of Mohammad
Removal of middle names	Jane Ann Smith to Jane Smith
Using both capital and lower case letters	MACKENZIE to MacKENZIE MCKENNA to McKENNA VON KUSTER to Von KUSTER
Addition of accents	NOELLE to NOËLLE FRANCOIS to FRANÇOIS
Use of previously approved Preferred/Chosen first name	See “Request to Change Students’ Preferred/Chosen First Name” policy

*Requests to include accents will NOT be included on official transcripts or displayed as part of the student’s centrally maintained academic record

Request to Change Students’ Preferred/Chosen First Name
A student’s preferred/chosen first name is typically the first name that they commonly go by, and differs from their legal first name. Western University requires that individuals use their legal name on all legal records and official documents. However, Western University also recognizes that, as an inclusive community, many of its members use first names other than their legal first names to identify themselves. The University acknowledges that a preferred/chosen first name can and should be used wherever possible in the course of University business and education.

Preferred/Chosen First Name is supported in the systems identified through the Office of the Registrar.

Academic Handbook, General Policy, Academic Records and Student Transcripts

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See Affiliation Agreements.

Academic Handbook, General Policy, Affiliation Agreements

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Policy Category: Financial
Subject: Student Scholarships, Awards and Prizes
Approving Authority: Senate and Board of Governors
Responsible Officer: Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
Responsible Office: Office of the Registrar, School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Related Procedures: Scholarships, Awards and Prizes – Procedures
Related University Policies:
Effective Date: September 26, 2017
Supersedes: July 1, 2008; April 27, 2011; January 29, 2015; January 28, 2016
_____________________________________

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to define:

• the types of awards for undergraduate and graduate students
• the responsibilities and accountabilities associated with establishing new scholarships, awards, bursaries and prizes
• the responsibilities and accountabilities associated with revising the terms of existing scholarships, awards, bursaries and prizes

II. DEFINITIONS

1.00 Types of Awards for Undergraduate Students

Scholarship: A monetary award having a fixed minimum value, based on general academic excellence (normally a minimum "A" (80%) average), or on excellence in a specific subject or group of subjects, and in some cases also on non-academic criteria.

Award: A monetary payment given on the basis of a combination of academic and non-academic criteria. Normally, a minimum "B" (70%) average is required for undergraduate students.

Bursary: A monetary award/payment based primarily on demonstrated financial need.

Prize: A monetary award or non-monetary award (or a combination of both), normally $500 or more, based on general academic excellence or on proficiency in a specific area of study or competition.

External Award: An award given to a student of the University by an external agency. Normally the University's role or responsibility is only to advertise the existence of the award to the University Community, however, in some cases: 1) pre-screening of applications is done by the University and/or 2) records of award recipients may be maintained.


2.00 Types of Awards for Graduate Students

Scholarship/Award: A monetary payment having a fixed value, based on general academic excellence, or on excellence in a specific subject or group of subjects, and in some cases also on non-academic criteria.

Bursary: A monetary payment given to a graduate student to assist them in pursuing their education based on demonstrated financial need.

III. POLICY

In accordance with provisions of The University of Western Ontario Act and Senate and Board Committees’ Terms of Reference, new scholarships, awards, bursaries and prizes are approved by the Senate Committee on Scholarships and Awards (SCAPA) on behalf of Senate, and by the Property and Finance Committee on behalf of the Board.

A donor or a representative of the donor may not be involved in the selection of an individual for an award, scholarship or prize that has been funded by the donor.

However, consideration will be given to donor or donor representative involvement in the selection process for awards or scholarships connected to offers of internships, co-op or other types of employment, in recognition of the importance of facilitating employment opportunities for students.

Donor or donor representative involvement will be dependant on the intent of the donor, details of the gift and award or scholarship, and the employment opportunity. A donor or donor representative will be provided only with student information that is necessary for the selection of the applicant, will agree to maintain Western’s privacy policy, will represent a minority position on the selection committee, and will be at an arm’s length relationship with all applicants considered by the selection committee.

Amendments to the terms (changes in value, number, effective date or discontinuation) of existing scholarships, awards, bursaries and prizes are within the authority of the administration to approve. If the proposed amendments would change the original intent of the award or substantially change the terms, these will be considered under the approval process established for new scholarships, awards and prizes. The University Secretary, or designate, will determine if this is warranted for any of the proposed amendments.

Academic Handbook, Scholarships and Awards, Approval Process for Scholarships, Awards and Prizes

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POLICIES GOVERNING ATHLETIC FINANCIAL AWARDS (AFA)

1. The University of Western Ontario Athletic Financial Awards program will accord with the applicable policies of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), Ontario University Athletic (OUA) and with Senate policy.

2. AFAs are open to undergraduate and graduate student athletes registered at Western or at an Affiliated University College.

3. Types of AFA

1. Entering AFA: Awarded to first-year students or transfer students in their first year of enrolment at Western or an Affiliated University College. Tenable for one year.
2. Continuing AFA: Awarded to first-year students or transfer students in their first year of enrolment at Western or an Affiliated University College. Tenable for up to four years, subject to maintenance of eligibility requirements.
3. Returning AFA: Awarded to students in their second or higher year of enrolment at Western or an Affiliated University College. Tenable for one year; renewable for additional years subject to maintenance of eligibility requirements. Renewed amounts may vary from year to year.

4. Eligibility

1. Entering AFA: Minimum final admission average of 80%, including prerequisite courses; competing in CIS or OUA.
2. Non-entering AFA: In each year subsequent to the first year in which the student is registered, he/she must have a minimum average of 70% in at least 3.0 courses in the preceding year (September to August) and continued participation in the CIS or OUA.
   
   Note: Graduate students must meet the entering thresholds as outlined above. To retain a Continuing AFA or to be eligible for a Returning AFA, a graduate student must be in “good standing” as determined by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

5. Value
$1000, $2000, $3000, $4000, and $4500. No student may receive more than a total of $4500 in AFA funding in any academic year. Value of award determined by the Western Athletic Financial Awards Committee.

6. Allocation Process

1. A Western Athletic Financial Awards Committee (WAFAC) will be established to allocate the awards. The Committee’s membership will be as follows:
     - Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences (Chair)
     - Director of the School of Kinesiology
     - The two Senate-elected members of the Western Sports Advisory Council
     - Associate Dean – Programs, Faculty of Health Sciences
     - Director of Sport and Recreational Services (non-voting)
     - Registrar (non-voting)
     - Director of Admissions (non-voting)
2. Written recommendations for allocation will be made by the Intercollegiate Athletics Head Coaches (using the Western Athletic Financial Award Nomination Form) and the recommendations will be presented to the Committee by the Director of Sport and Recreation Services.
3. Allocation of awards will be based on the following criteria:
   
   • Student meeting the approved academic threshold for eligibility.
   • Head Coach’s written recommendation/assessment (see Western Athletic Financial Award Nomination Form) in each of the following categories:
     • athletic performance/potential (i.e., coach’s assessment of the student’s athletic abilities, honours and awards earned) [60% weighting]
     • team/campus leadership performance/potential [20% weighting]
   • academic performance/potential [20% weighting]
     - For awards with a financial-need component, financial-need assessment will be dealt with through the regular Student Financial Aid policies and procedures.
4. In making the awards, the Committee is responsible for ensuring that recipients of the awards are in compliance with CIS regulations and that CIS and OAC regulations are followed with respect to the allocations.
5. The Committee is responsible for ensuring the equitable allocation of the awards with respect to men’s and women’s athletic teams.
6. Coaches and Committee members must declare any actual or perceived conflict of interest and must remove themselves from the allocation process. Conflict of interest may include, but is not limited to: family relationships, other personal relationships and relationships of a financial or commercial nature which may give rise to the apprehension of bias. If it is unclear whether a conflict of interest exists, the Committee will make the determination and its decision shall be final.

7. Gender Equity
The Committee will ensure that equal dollar amounts are allocated to men’s and women’s athletic teams.

8. Injury Policy
A student athlete in receipt of an Entering or Returning AFA who becomes injured during the course of a season will continue to receive his/her award for the balance of the award term. A student athlete in receipt of a Continuing AFA who becomes injured during the course of a season will continue to receive the award for the balance of the award term, provided that he/she continues in an approved program of rehabilitation/training.

9. Appeal Process
Decisions with respect to Entering AFAs are not appealable. With respect to Continuing or Returning AFAs, student athletes may appeal a decision of the Western Athletic Financial Awards Committee by submitting a written appeal to the Committee within eight weeks of the announcement of the awards. The merits of an appeal will be measured against the allocation criteria.

The Associate Dean – Programs of the home faculty or Affiliated University College of the student athlete and the Chair of the Senate Committee on Academic Policy and Awards (or designate) will be added to the membership of the Western Athletic Financial Awards Committee as full voting members for the purposes of hearing and adjudicating an appeal.

10. Annual Report to SCAPA
Because of the unique nature of these awards, Western Athletic Financial Awards Committee (WAFAC) will report annually through the Faculty of Health Sciences to SCAPA on the allocation of the awards.

Academic Handbook, Scholarships and Awards, Athletic Financial Awards

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Undergraduate Courses

No later than the first day of class in the term a course is given, Faculties, Departments, Schools or Programs (hereafter called “Academic Units”) must post on the appropriate website a course outline for each course offered. With the exception of courses taught by Distance Studies (WebCT), this outline also must be available electronically and/or in hard copy form at the first meeting of the course.

In order to allow students to make informed decisions on their course selection and the scheduling of their studies, each course outline must include the following information or direct students to an appropriate course Web site where these details are available:

1. Course Information
This includes the course name and number, and the location and days and hours that the course is scheduled (including lecture, laboratory and tutorial hours).

A) Prerequisite checking - the student’s responsibility
If applicable, a list of the prerequisites for the course and the following notation regarding the Senate regulation with respect to the student’s responsibility for ensuring that course prerequisites have been completed successfully or special permission from the Dean obtained:

“Unless you have either the requisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enroll in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record.  This decision may not be appealed.  You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.”

2. Instructor Information
Full name, title and appropriate contact information of the instructor and, if the course is taught by more than one instructor, the name of the person responsible for the course [course coordinator].
 
3. Course Syllabus
A description of the objectives and content of the course, which shall include a statement of what is expected of the student by way of preparation, tests, exercises, essays, laboratory reports, etc. (hereafter called "assignments"), and any specific requirements for attendance and participation.

4. Course Materials
A description of the materials that are required (or recommended) for the course, including text books, supplemental information, notes, manuals, laboratory or safety materials, and any specific electronic devices.

5. Methods of Evaluation
A statement of the methods by which student performance will be evaluated and the weight of each, including an exact timetable and schedule of assignments, is required. When exact dates cannot be supplied, a tentative schedule must be issued, with an exact schedule to follow as soon as possible.  This regulation does not preclude the administration of surprise assignments and quizzes, as long as the total number, approximate frequency, and value of such assignments are specified in the course outline.

Any course-specific conditions that are required to pass the course must be outlined.  Conditions might include (i) minimum attendance at lectures, tutorials or laboratories, (ii) minimum overall grade on laboratory, tutorial or essay components of the methods of evaluation, or (iii) minimum required grades on a final exam, to name a few.
 
A clear indication of how non-illness absences from midterms, tutorials, laboratory experiments, or late essays or assignments, will be dealt with must be provided. The course outline must direct the student to the Policy on Academic Consideration for Student Absences –Undergraduate Students First Entry ProgramsPolicy on Accommodation for Illness (https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic_Consideration_for_absences.pdf) 

Course instructors who wish to change the evaluation procedure shown in the course outline must receive prior approval to do so from the dean of the faculty concerned.

6. Additional Statements

Statement on Use of Electronic Devices
A clear statement of what electronic devices will or will not be allowed during tests and examinations.

Statement on Use of Personal Response Systems (“Clickers”)
If Personal Response Systems (“Clickers”) are used in the course, a reference to the Guidelines for their use (Guidelines are shown below). Instructors are to communicate clearly to students information on how clickers are used including: how the student’s privacy will be protected, how clickers may be used by the instructor for data gathering and for evaluating the student, and why they cannot be used by anyone but the student (since the students involved in misuse of a clicker may be charged with a scholastic offence).

Statement on Academic Offences
The statement: “Scholastic offences are taken seriously and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following website: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf.”

Additionally,
A) If written work will be assigned in the course and plagiarism-checking software might be used, the following statement to this effect must be included in the course outline:

 “All required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism detection software under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism.  All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between The University of Western Ontario and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com).”

B) If computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be given, and software might be used to check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating, the following statement must be added to course outlines:

“Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams may be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.”

Support Services
The websites for Registrarial Services (http://www.registrar.uwo.ca), and the same for affiliated university colleges when appropriate, and any appropriate Student Support Services (including the services provided by the USC listed here: http://westernusc.ca/services/) and the Student Development Services, should be provided for easy access.

All course outlines should contain the following statement: “Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Mental Health@Western https://www.uwo.ca/health/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.”  

Retention of Electronic Version of Course Outlines (Syllabi)
At the same time that course outlines/syllabi are posted on the appropriate website, each Department must forward an electronic version of items 1-5 of each course outline (syllabus) to the Office of the Dean of the Faculty or College. By the fourth week after the start of term, the Dean’s Office will forward all of the collected outlines to Registrarial Services, where they will be maintained in electronic form in the faculty/staff extranet for a minimum of ten years after the completion of the course. (Final retention periods and disposition will be determined by the relevant records retention and disposition schedule approved by the President's Advisory Committee on University Records and Archives).

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Graduate Courses

Course Outlines for Graduate Courses

As soon as possible and in any case no later than two weeks prior to the course’s start, Faculties, Departments, Schools or Programs (hereafter called “Academic Units”) must post on the appropriate Web site a course outline for each course offered. At the start of each course this outline also must be available electronically and/or in hard copy form.

In order to allow students to make informed decisions on their course selection and the scheduling of their studies, each course outline must include the following information or direct students to an appropriate course website where these details are available:

1. Course Information This includes the course name and number, and the location and days and hours that the course is scheduled (including all required components of the class: lectures, seminars, colloquia, labs, etc).

2. Instructor Information Full name, title and appropriate contact information of the instructor and, if the course is taught by more than one instructor, the name of the person responsible for the course [course coordinator].

3. Course Description A description of the objectives and content of the course, which shall include a statement of what is expected of the student by way of preparation, tests, exercises, essays, laboratory reports, etc. (hereafter called "assignments"), and any specific requirements for attendance and participation.

4. Course Materials A description of the materials that are required (or recommended) for the course, including textbooks, supplemental information, notes, manuals, laboratory or safety materials, and any specific electronic devices.

5. Methods of Evaluation A statement of the methods by which student performance will be evaluated and the weight of each, including an exact timetable and schedule of assignments. When exact dates cannot be supplied, a tentative schedule must be issued with an exact schedule to follow as soon as possible. This regulation does not preclude the administration of surprise assignments and quizzes, as long as the total number, approximate frequency, and value of such assignments are specified in the course outline.

Any course-specific conditions that are required to pass the course must be outlined. For example, conditions might include (i) minimum attendance at lectures or laboratories, (ii) minimum overall grade on laboratory or essay components of the methods of evaluation, or (iii) minimum required grades on a final exam.

Course instructors who wish to change the evaluation procedure shown in the course outline must receive prior approval to do so from the graduate chair of the program concerned.

6. Statement on Academic Offences The statement: “Scholastic offences are taken seriously and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following website: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_grad.pdf

Additionally,
A) If written work will be assigned in the course and plagiarism-checking software might be used, the following statement to this effect must be included in the course outline:

“All required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism-detection software under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between The University of Western Ontario and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com).”

B) If computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be given, and software might be used to check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating, the following statement must be added to course outlines: "Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams may be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.”

Retention of Electronic Version of Course Outlines (Syllabi)
At the same time that course outlines/syllabi are posted on the appropriate Web site, each program must forward an electronic version of items 1-5 of each course outline to the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS). By the fourth week after the start of term, SGPS will forward all of the collected outlines to Registrarial Services, where they will be maintained in electronic form in the faculty/staff extranet for a minimum of ten years after the completion of the course. (Final retention periods and disposition will be determined by the relevant records retention and disposition schedule approved by the President's Advisory Committee.)

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Guidelines on the Use of Personal Response Systems ("Clickers")

Guidelines for Instructors on the Use of Personal Response Systems ("Clickers")
Personal Response Systems (“clickers”) may be used in some classes.  If used, instructors should contact the Classroom Management Group (CMG) unit in the Department of Institutional Planning and Budgeting well in advance of delivery of the course. Information is at the following website: https://wts.uwo.ca/ctg/classrooms/index.html

If clickers are to be used by an instructor, it is the responsibility of the instructor to:

1. give students thorough instructions on how to use the devices,
2. indicate to students by what means they can confirm that the clicker is functional
3. explain how the devices will be used in service of the educational objectives of the course,
4. explain how tasks done by the students using the device are evaluated for their mark in the course,
5. clarify that students’ privacy will be protected with respect to data gathered from the responses,
6. confirm for students that data gathered using the devices will not be used for research purposes without the express written permission of the student,
7. include the Guidelines for Students on the Use of Personal Response Systems in their course outlines.

Guidelines for Students on the Use of Personal Response Systems ("Clickers")
Personal Response Systems (“clickers”) may be used in some classes.  If clickers are to be used in a class, it is the responsibility of the student to ensure that the device is activated and functional.  Students must see their instructor if they have any concerns about whether the clicker is malfunctioning.

Students must use only their own clicker. If clicker records are used to compute a portion of the course grade:

• the use of somebody else’s clicker in class constitutes a scholastic offence,
• the possession of a clicker belonging to another student will be interpreted as an attempt to commit a scholastic offence.

 

Academic Handbook, Examinations, Course Outlines

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Eligibility and Tenability of Scholarships, Awards and Medals

Scholarships, Awards and Prizes - Definitions and Approval Process

See also the MAPP 2.10 - Policy and Procedure on Scholarships, Awards and Prizes http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/policies_procedures/section2/mapp210.pdf 

Eligibility and Tenability of Scholarships, Awards and Medals
Eligibility and tenability of all scholarships and awards granted by The University of Western Ontario are reserved for students registered at the Constituent University only, unless the provisions of a particular scholarship or award state otherwise. Eligibility for medals cannot be extended to graduating students of the Affiliated Colleges.

If a student is found responsible for misconduct under the Code of Student Conduct, or commits a scholastic offence as defined by the Scholastic Discipline (Undergraduate/Graduate) policy, he/she may become ineligible for consideration or continuation of University awards, prizes, or scholarships at the discretion of the Dean or designate of the student’s home faculty

Awards Scholarships, Awards, Medals and Prizes in the Case of Exact Ties
Scholarships, awards, medals or prizes may not be split, i.e., awarded to multiple recipients. Awards may not be granted “in name only.”

Prizes and Awards Payment - Registration Requirement
Students receiving an award or prize should receive payment regardless of future enrolment of the recipient.

Payment of University-Administered Scholarships and Awards
Any Western administered scholarship/award/prize will be automatically applied to the recipient's tuition account. Credit balances will be issued in the form a cheque by October 31st and mailed to the sessional address.

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Withdrawal or Reduced Course Load After Receiving University-Administered Scholarships and Awards

Scholarship/Award recipients who withdraw or reduce their course load to less than 3.5 courses after registration shall be entitled to the prorated value of the scholarship/award only for the number of weeks attended full-time in the academic term. The number of weeks will be calculated using the date of course change or withdrawal.

Policy on Scholarships - Industry Internship Programs
Students are not permitted to receive scholarships in the academic year in which they participate in an Industry Internship Program. Students who qualify to retain a continuing scholarship in the academic year in which they participate in an Industry Internship Program are not permitted to receive the scholarship while participating in the Industry Internship Program, but are permitted to defer receipt of the continuing scholarship for one year.

Scholarships and Prizes - Medicine
The following was approved for the preamble to Medicine's Scholarships and Prize list:

"Recommendations to the Council of the Faculty concerning the assigning of academic awards will be made by the appropriate Teaching Committees, who may at their discretion recommend reversion of some awards. The possibility of reversion will not apply to competitive essay prizes and certain other prizes awarded by selection. The University reserves the right to modify or cancel Scholarship offerings after the date of printing of this publication."

Continuing Scholarships - Retention Requirements in Medicine
Students in the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program are required to achieve a passing grade (without benefit of supplemental examinations) in all courses of the academic year to be eligible for awards in that year.

Scholar's Electives Program - Eligiblity for Scholarships, Award and Prizes
Students in a Scholar's electives program may compete for "In-Course" awards/scholarships/prizes.

Dentistry - Eligibility for Scholarships and Prizes
Students in Dentistry are required to achieve a passing grade (without benefit of supplemental examination(s)) in all courses of the academic year to be eligible for awards in that year.

Eligibility for Scholarships for Students in Combined Honours Programs
Students in Combined Honours programs are eligible for scholarships unless departments request that the conditions of the scholarship be changed.

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Eligibility Requirements for OSOTF Awards

(The criteria for OSOTF Awards is the same as that of OTSS (Ontario Trust for Student Support) awards).

Following are the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) residency guidelines which also apply to students receiving Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund (OSOTF)-funded student awards:

To be eligible for Ontario Student Loan funding, a student and/or his/her family must meet one of the following criteria:

• student has lived in Ontario for at least twelve months in a row up to the beginning of his/her full-time post- secondary studies
• student's spouse has lived in Ontario for at least twelve months in a row up to the beginning of student's current period of studies, and student's spouse was not enrolled in full-time post -secondary studies during this twelve month period
• student(s) parent(s), step parent(s), legal guardian(s) or official sponsor(s) have lived (or maintained the family home) in Ontario for at least twelve months in a row up to the beginning of the student's current period of studies

Students living abroad are considered to be residents of Ontario if they (or in the case of single dependent students, their parents) last lived in Ontario for at least twelve consecutive months before going abroad.

Single dependent students whose parents are separated or divorced, will be considered to be residents of Ontario if Ontario is the province of residence of the parent with whom the student normally resides.

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Scholarship Appeals

Students whose overall average during the academic year (September - April) falls within 2% of the normal minimum standard for retaining a Continuing Scholarship may appeal in writing to the Office of their Dean outlining the basis of the appeal and any special circumstances which warrant consideration.

While individual faculties may create committees to review appeals, the decision regarding eligibility to retain the scholarship will be the responsibility of the Dean of the Faculty.

Students requesting an appeal to retain their Continuing Scholarship must do so within six weeks from the date of the notification.

Academic Handbook, Scholarships and Awards, General Policy on Scholarships, Awards, Prizes

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Structure of the Academic Year [Effective January 1, 2021 until August 31, 2021]

This policy is in effect as of January 1, 2021, and remains in place until August 31, 2021. After this date, the previous version, Last Revised 2020 04, will again become approved Senate policy.

Hours of Instruction

The hours of instruction at Western University will be:

8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friday

As a subcategory of the above, the hours of instruction for first-entry undergraduate programs at Western University will be:

8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday

Notes:

• Exceptions, for sound academic reasons, may be made for make-up classes with the consent of the Dean of the Faculty.
• Classes during the 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. time period are scheduled only at the request of the department.
• Evening classes begin at 6:30 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. start time is possible only in exceptional cases with the approval of the Dean)
• Graduate and second-entry professional programs and scholar’s elective programming may have classes that deviate from this schedule from time to time based on the needs of the instructor or students.
• Class lectures, laboratories, tutorials, clinics and seminars always finish 10 minutes before the end times that appear in the Master Timetable, e.g., the timetable may indicate that a class begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 9:30 a.m. but, in fact, the class will end at 9:20 a.m. to allow students 10 minutes to get to the next class.

Guidelines For the Structure of the Academic Year
The following Guidelines apply only to those faculties, schools and colleges which operate on a 26-week teaching term, i.e., they do not apply to the Faculties of Education, Graduate Studies, Law, the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry or the Richard Ivey School of Business.

1. Scheduling the Start Date of Classes and Length of the First and Second Terms

• Classes in the first term will begin on the Thursday following Labour Day.
• Classes in the second term will begin on January 11, 2021.
• The last day of registration for either the Fall or Winter term will be seven days from and including the start date of the session (excluding weekends).
  Each term will be twelve weeks in length, comprising at least 60 "lecture days."
• The first day of classes in the fall term in all teaching divisions should not be scheduled on the first or second day of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish new year) or on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), unless the cancellation of classes on those days results in a term of less than 60 “lecture days.” In that case, classes will proceed as usual.

2. Scheduling Study Days and Examinations

• There will be one study day on April 13, 2021 between the completion of lectures and the first scheduled final examination.
• The final day of examinations will be no later than December 22 in the first term and April 30 in the second term.
• The final examination period will be at least 12 days in the first term and at least 17 days in the second term.
• No examinations are to be scheduled on Good Friday or Easter Sunday.
• No examinations are to be scheduled on the first two days of Passover unless the avoidance of those dates would extend the final examination period beyond the end of April. In years where examinations are scheduled on the first two days of Passover, affected students are required to request accommodation and arrange with their instructor(s) and/or Dean for an alternative examination.

3. Scheduling Spring and Fall Reading Week

• A Spring Reading Week will be scheduled to begin as of 6:00 p.m. on the Friday prior to the third Monday in February and end at midnight on the subsequent Sunday.
• A Fall Reading Week will be scheduled to begin at on the third Monday after Thanksgiving and end at midnight on the subsequent Sunday.

a) No lectures, tutorials, labs or other regularly scheduled course-related academic activities may be held during either Reading Week.
b) No undergraduate evaluations may be scheduled or have a deadline during either Reading Week. This includes essays, quizzes, tests, examinations, lab reports, or evaluations of any other kind.
c) Learning activities such as field work, experiential learning, and clinical placements that are an integral part of the course, and for practical purposes (e.g. travel abroad) must take place during one of the Reading Weeks may be exempt from the restrictions outlined in points a) or b) upon approval of the Dean.

4. Scheduling Convocation Ceremonies

• The in absentia February Convocation will be scheduled for the last Friday in February.
• June Convocation ceremonies will be scheduled from Monday to Friday in the second and third full week in June.
• October Convocation ceremonies will normally be scheduled on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the first full week following Thanksgiving. 

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Structure of the Academic Year

Hours of Instruction

The hours of instruction at Western University will be:

8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friday

As a subcategory of the above, the hours of instruction for first-entry undergraduate programs at Western University will be:

8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday

Notes:

• Exceptions, for sound academic reasons, may be made for make-up classes with the consent of the Dean of the Faculty.
• Classes during the 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. time period are scheduled only at the request of the department.
• Evening classes begin at 6:30 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. start time is possible only in exceptional cases with the approval of the Dean)
• Graduate and second-entry professional programs and scholar’s elective programming may have classes that deviate from this schedule from time to time based on the needs of the instructor or students.
• Class lectures, laboratories, tutorials, clinics and seminars always finish 10 minutes before the end times that appear in the Master Timetable, e.g., the timetable may indicate that a class begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 9:30 a.m. but, in fact, the class will end at 9:20 a.m. to allow students 10 minutes to get to the next class.

Guidelines For the Structure of the Academic Year
The following Guidelines apply only to those faculties, schools and colleges which operate on a 26-week teaching term, i.e., they do not apply to the Faculties of Education, Graduate Studies, Law, the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry or the Richard Ivey School of Business.

1. Scheduling the Start Date of Classes and Length of the First and Second Terms

• Classes in the first term will begin on the Thursday following Labour Day.
• Classes in the second term will begin on the first Monday following January 2.  Second term classes will begin no earlier than twelve days following the last day of the mid-year examination period.
• The last day of registration for either the Fall or Winter term will be seven days from and including the start date of the session (excluding weekends).
  Each term will be twelve weeks in length, comprising at least 60 "lecture days."
• The first day of classes in the fall term in all teaching divisions should not be scheduled on the first or second day of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish new year) or on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), unless the cancellation of classes on those days results in a term of less than 60 “lecture days.” In that case, classes will proceed as usual.

2. Scheduling Study Days and Examinations

• There will be at least one study day (including Saturdays and Sundays) between the completion of lectures and the first scheduled final examination.
• The final day of examinations will be no later than December 22 in the first term and April 30 in the second term.
• The final examination period will be at least 12 days in the first term and at least 17 days in the second term.
• No examinations are to be scheduled on Good Friday or Easter Sunday.
• No examinations are to be scheduled on the first two days of Passover unless the avoidance of those dates would extend the final examination period beyond the end of April. In years where examinations are scheduled on the first two days of Passover, affected students are required to request accommodation and arrange with their instructor(s) and/or Dean for an alternative examination.

3. Scheduling Spring and Fall Reading Week

• A Spring Reading Week will be scheduled to begin as of 6:00 p.m. on the Friday prior to the third Monday in February and end at midnight on the subsequent Sunday.
• A Fall Reading Week will be scheduled to begin at on the third Monday after Thanksgiving and end at midnight on the subsequent Sunday.

a) No lectures, tutorials, labs or other regularly scheduled course-related academic activities may be held during either Reading Week.
b) No undergraduate evaluations may be scheduled or have a deadline during either Reading Week. This includes essays, quizzes, tests, examinations, lab reports, or evaluations of any other kind.
c) Learning activities such as field work, experiential learning, and clinical placements that are an integral part of the course, and for practical purposes (e.g. travel abroad) must take place during one of the Reading Weeks may be exempt from the restrictions outlined in points a) or b) upon approval of the Dean.

4. Scheduling Convocation Ceremonies

• The in absentia February Convocation will be scheduled for the last Friday in February.
• June Convocation ceremonies will be scheduled from Monday to Friday in the second and third full week in June.
• October Convocation ceremonies will normally be scheduled on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the first full week following Thanksgiving. 

 

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Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day Policy

That two minutes of silence be observed on November 11 at 11:00 a.m. throughout the University and that, where this is not possible, two minutes of silence be observed between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.

That students be permitted to be absent from class to attend a Remembrance Day Service, provided the instructor is informed in advance of the intended absence.

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Organization of the Academic Year: Dentistry

Guidelines for the Organization of the Academic Year: Dentistry

Dentistry has adopted a two-term curriculum with an examination week(s) at the end of each term as follows:

• For I, II and III year, a fall term shall comprise 14 weeks of classes plus a one week examination period* and a winter term would comprise 16 weeks of classes plus a three week examination period.
• For IV year, a fall term shall comprise 15 weeks of classes and a winter term would comprise 16 weeks of classes with final examinations interspersed in weeks 9 and 10 of that term.

The fall term, including the examination week, shall not extend beyond December 22 in any year.

The winter term shall begin on the Monday of the first full week in January.

No lectures, seminars, laboratory or clinical sessions shall be scheduled for Years I, II and III during the examination week(s).

Term tests which are not mid-terms are to be scheduled at times normally assigned to a course for lectures, seminars and/or laboratories but not within two weeks of the examination week(s).

A conference or study week shall be scheduled to coincide with the Reading Week of the Faculty of Medicine.

* During this examination period, only mid-term and/or final written and/or practical examinations will be held.

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Guidelines for the Structure of Spring/Summer Sessions

1. Spring/Summer Sessions The Spring/Summer Session shall be comprised of three periods:
    • Twelve-week period - May to August (Summer Evening and Spring/Summer Distance Studies)
    • Six-week period - May to June (Intersession)
    • Six-week period - July to August (Summer Day)
2. The last day of online registration for Summer Evening and Spring/Summer Distance Studies, Intersession and Summer Day will be two days before the start of classes.
3. Scheduling of classes will be within the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 9:40 p.m. for the May/June period and 8:00 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. for the July/August period, and between the hours of 5:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. for the May to August period. No classes will be held on statutory holidays.
4. A first-term full (1.0) or half (0.5) course (comprising twelve or six weeks for Summer Evening and Spring/Summer Distance Studies and six weeks for Intersession and Summer Day) will begin:
    • for Summer Evening and Spring/Summer Distance Studies, on the first Monday in May after May 2
    • for Intersession, on the Monday following the first day of Summer Evening
    • for Summer Day, on the first Monday in July after Canada Day.
5. A second-term half (0.5) course for Summer Evening and Spring/Summer Distance Studies will begin six weeks after the start of the Summer Evening and Spring/Summer Distance Studies Session.
6. There will be two study days for Summer Evening, Summer Day and Distance Studies courses between the end of classes and the examination period (including weekends). For Intersession, there will be two study days.
7. Examinations for Summer Evening, Intersession and Summer Day will be held over two days and for Distance Studies, over four days, with the exception of the School of Nursing's Accelerated Year 4 program.

Trois-Pistoles Sessional Dates
As a guideline, the Trois-Pistoles Intersession start and end dates will coincide with those of Campus and Off-Campus Intersession (starting the second week of May), with both the add and drop deadlines set as the third day of the session. The Summer Day Session will commence two weeks following the end of Intersession, and both the add and drop deadlines will be set as the third day. The sessions will begin on Mondays in order to ensure weekend arrivals of students and to facilitate orientation in Trois-Pistoles.

 

Academic Handbook, General Policy, Structure of the Academic Year 

 

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