U of T Engineering Undergraduate FAQs

For the 2020 Winter Term only, U of T Engineering undergraduates had the option of choosing how their grades were recorded on their transcripts, which included percent (%) grades (per normal) or they could opt for the Credit / No Credit (CR/NCR) option after seeing their final grades.

If you have concerns about your Fall Term courses, term work or grades, we encourage you to connect with your Academic Advisor to discuss any issues.

The Faculty’s Examinations Committee understands that remote learning due to COVID-19 has presented a challenging learning environment for many students. As such, in consultation with the Engineering Society and U of T Engineering undergraduates, the Examinations Committee has made some changes to the Faculty’s late withdrawal (LWD) without supporting documentation policy (Academic Regulations, section VIII, subsection 8) for the current term.

LWD Policy Updates  

The Faculty’s existing policy on late withdrawal (LWD) from a course without documentation applies to students who wish to withdraw from courses after the withdrawal deadline (November 9, 2020), but prior to the last day of classes. Traditionally, upper-year U of T Engineering students are only permitted to use the LWD option for electives and there are specific rules regarding the use of the LWD option for first-year students.

For the 2020 Fall Term, the Examinations Committee is permitting U of T Engineering undergraduates (years 1 through 4) to use the late withdrawal option (LWD)* for electives and core courses (to a maximum of 1.0 credits). The deadline to select the LWD option has been extended to January 15, 2021. The deadline will be extended by the Committee on Examinations for courses where final grades are not released by at least one week prior to the LWD deadline.

*The last date to cancel or withdraw from a course with no academic penalty may not always coincide with the last date a student is eligible to receive a refund. The refund schedule and deadlines are posted at studentaccount.utoronto.ca. If you have questions or concerns about how selecting the LWD option will affect your academic status, academic progression, full- or part-time status, or financial obligations (i.e. OSAP, grants, etc.), please consult your Academic Advisor.

LWD Notation on Transcript

If a student chooses the late withdrawal (LWD) option for a course, a notation of “LWD” will appear on the student’s transcript in place of the earned grade and no credit will be retained for the course.

LWD & Scholarships & Dean’s Honours List

Students considering selecting the LWD option should be aware of existing policies around late withdrawal (Academic Regulations section V) as they still apply.

For example, if a student reduces their academic load to less than a full load as defined by the student’s year and program of study, the change may make the student ineligible for certain scholarships and the Dean’s Honours List. Full-time students must retain at least 2.0 credits (four half-courses) to be eligible for the Dean’s Honours list.

LWD & Academic Progression & Course Prerequisites

If a student is considering selecting the LWD option for a core course or elective, they should consult their Academic Advisor to ensure they are aware of the potential impact on their academic progression. 

LWD & Graduation with Honours & High Honour Status

Selecting the LWD option will not negatively affect a student’s ability to pass a term with honours or graduate with honours, if otherwise applicable.

LWD Deadlines

The 2020 Fall Term deadline to select LWD for core courses and electives is now January 15, 2021.

LWD & Final Summative Assessments

Students who select the LWD option before the deadline are not required to write the final summative assessments for those courses.

2020 Fall Term Course Drop Deadlines

November 9, 2020, was the last day a U of T Engineering undergraduate could drop 2020 Fall Term Engineering or Arts & Science courses, or withdraw from the term without academic penalty.

The Difference in Transcript Notations for Dropped Courses Versus LWD Courses 

If you dropped a course or the term in advance of or on the November 9, 2020, deadline, the affected course or term was completely removed from your transcript. If a student does not drop a course and later selects the LWD option, the course will have an “LWD” notation on a student’s transcript instead of the earned grade.

How Late Withdrawal (LWD) or Dropping a Course Affects OSAP Funding or Re-Assessment

If a student received OSAP funding for full-time studies for the full academic year (Fall and Winter terms combined), provided the student remains enrolled as a full-time student (minimum of 1.5 credits per term or 1.0 if a student is registered with a permanent disability) and there is no adjustment to the student’s fees, there will be no impact to the student’s OSAP funding if they select the LWD option.

A student must pass a minimum of 3.0 credits or 2.0 if registered with a permanent disability to avoid OSAP academic probation or restrictions. If a student has received OSAP funding for full-time studies for one term only, they must pass a minimum of 1.5 credits or 1.0 if registered with a permanent disability to avoid OSAP academic probation or restrictions.

Have questions related to OSAP? Email awards@engineering.utoronto.ca.

Have a question? Let Us Help! 

Please review all the information above carefully. If you have any questions or concerns, we encourage you to reach out to the Office of the Registrar or your Academic Advisor.

LWD Form

If you plan to use the late withdrawal option, the form is located on the LWD page on the undergraduate site and must be submitted to your academic advisor by January 15, 2021.

 

 

If you drop a course or the term in advance of or on the November 9, 2020, deadline, the affected course or term will be completely removed from your transcript. If a student does not drop a course and later selects the LWD option, the course will have an “LWD” notation on a student’s transcript instead of the earned grade.

The last date to cancel or withdraw from a course with no academic penalty may not always coincide with the last date a student is eligible to receive a refund. The refund schedule and deadlines are posted at studentaccount.utoronto.ca.

If a student received OSAP funding for full-time studies for the full academic year (Fall and Winter terms combined), provided the student remains enrolled as a full-time student (minimum of 1.5 credits per term or 1.0 if a student is registered with a permanent disability) and there is no adjustment to the student’s fees, there will be no impact to the student’s OSAP funding if they select the LWD option.

A student must pass a minimum of 3.0 credits or 2.0 if registered with a permanent disability to avoid OSAP academic probation or restrictions. If a student has received OSAP funding for full-time studies for one term only, they must pass a minimum of 1.5 credits or 1.0 if registered with a permanent disability to avoid OSAP academic probation or restrictions.

Have questions related to OSAP? Email awards@engineering.utoronto.ca.

The Faculty’s remote access guarantee for the 2020 Fall Term and 2021 Winter Term will allow every one of our students to complete all academic requirements remotely, including final assessments or exams.

The remote access guarantee means that for those who cannot be in Toronto, or choose to stay home, you will be able to continue your programs uninterrupted. Students will not be required to attend classes, labs or tutorials in person during the 2020 Fall Term or 2021 Winter Term.

You still need to register with Accommodated Testing Services (ATS) for each assessment or exam. You will find details for all assessments or exams in the syllabus for each course. We recommend registering for all of your term tests as soon as possible so that you don’t miss registration deadlines throughout the term. The deadline to register is 14 days before each assessment or exam.

For each of your bookings, ATS will contact your instructor or department administrator to get the details of the assessment.

Please note that in order to implement your accommodations online, they will be shared on a need-to-know basis. They may be shared with your instructor and/or department administrator, depending on your department’s processes and the platform being used. If you have questions or concerns about who your accommodations will be shared with, please contact ATS.

Once your accommodations have been implemented, you will receive a confirmation email from ATS. ATS will aim to notify you a minimum of two business days prior to your assessment, however there may be delays depending on when they hear back from your instructor/faculty.

Visit Accessibility Service’s website for more information and regular updates. If you have any questions regarding whether or not you need to re-register with Accessibility Services for the upcoming academic year, or if you're already auto-registered, we encourage you to contact them directly to confirm.

Source: Accessibility Services COVID-19 FAQs

 

The preliminary 2020 Fall Term final summative assessment schedule is available on the undergraduate site; your instructor will communicate any changes or updates to your final summative assessment details to you by November 2, 2020.

The standard final summative assessment length, unless otherwise specified by an instructor, is 2.5 hours, plus a 30-minute submission time. Instructors will offer time-based final summative assessments (i.e. 2.5 hours, plus 30-minute submission time) or an alternate format (example: submission deadline for a 2.5-hour exam in a 24-hour window of time, etc.).

Students are responsible for knowing the details of their final summative assessments, as provided by their instructors. If, by November 3, 2020, you have not received your summative final assessment details from an instructor (i.e. format, date and time, permitted aids, required hardware/software), please contact them directly.

As always, you are expected to adhere to the Faculty’s Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters. Your instructors may ask you to sign mandatory pledges to that effect and have you submit them along with your final summative assessments.

Additionally, unless otherwise stated by your instructor, all internet forums and other forums of communication are prohibited during the writing of your final summative assessments.

Please review the information below regarding time zone conflicts, schedule conflicts and religious observance conflicts.

            Time Zone Conflict

A student may submit a final summative assessment time zone conflict if a time-based final summative assessment is scheduled between 12:00 a.m. (midnight) – 6 a.m. local time for the student. An example of a time zone conflict is when the final summative assessment is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m. (EST), but this coincides with 2:00 a.m. local time for the student.

Final summative assessment time zone conflicts must be submitted to the Faculty through the term-work petition system, which is located in the Engineering Portal; do not complete a final exam petition for time zone conflicts. Time zone conflict petitions must be submitted by November 9, 2020. Time zone conflict petitions submitted after this deadline may not be accepted.

Instructors will provide accommodations for approved petitions. Those accommodations may include, but are not limited to, rescheduling the final summative assessment for a student, offering the final summative assessment in a different but comparable format, or asking the Committee on Examinations to grant a student a deferred final summative assessment for February 2021. Decisions will be communicated to students by November 30, 2020.

The Faculty reserves the right to request supporting documentation to support time zone conflicts.

            Schedule Conflict

Two final summative assessments scheduled to start and finish during any six-hour window or three final summative assessments scheduled to start and finish during any 24-hour period will be considered a schedule conflict. If you have a final summative assessment schedule conflict that you wish to petition, you must contact your Academic Advisor by November 20, 2020. Petitions submitted after this deadline may not be accepted.

            Religious Accommodation 

The Faculty remains committed to accommodating students who have direct religious conflicts with planned final summative assessments. If a direct conflict exists between the time that a final summative assessment must be completed and a student’s religious commitment, the student must contact the Registrar’s Office (exams@engineering.utoronto.ca) by November 20, 2020. In cases where there is a reasonable, conflict-free time frame to complete the requirements of the final summative assessment (e.g., approximately three hours), special accommodations will not be required. Requests for accommodations submitted after the deadline of November 20, 2020 may not be accepted.

            Accommodations for Final Summative Assessment Conflicts

Instructors are encouraged to discuss potential accommodations with affected students, but ultimately the instructor has the discretion to choose the accommodation. Accommodations may include but are not limited to:

• Offering a different time slot for the timed assessment.
• Creating an equivalent substitute assessment (e.g., oral exam, take-home exam).
• Requesting that the Examinations Committee assign a deferred exam for the student (typically offered during the following term).

For the 2020 Fall Term, U of T Engineering students who are absent from class (including final summative assessments) for any reason (e.g., COVID-19, other illness or injury) and require consideration for missed academic work must report their absences through the University’s online absence declaration tool. The declaration tool is available in ACORN under the Profile and Settings menu. Engineering students must also complete a term-work petition for missed term work or a final exam petition for missed final summative assessments.

U of T has temporarily suspended the need for doctor’s notes or medical certificates for any medical-related absence from academic participation at the University. Documentation, however, is required for absences related to other (non-medical) reasons; strong documentation typically results in a stronger petition. 

Students are not encouraged to write a final summative assessment if they feel their performance will be severely affected by illness. The Examinations Committee is less likely to grant a petition after the student has attempted the final summative assessment.

If you experience internet or computer issues, please collect as much documentation as possible regarding the issue and submit this documentation with your petition. Some examples of possible documentation include:

• Taking a picture with a cellphone or camera or taking a screenshot of the issue on your computer. The photo should be time-stamped if possible.
• Report from an outage website, the government, electric utility, your internet service provider, or other sources to confirm internet disruption or power failure.
• Obtaining a letter confirming the outage (e.g., from your internet provider, building manager, etc.).

If a petition is approved, the Examinations Committee will assign an accommodation after consulting with the course instructor. Due to the Faculty’s remote access guarantee for the current academic year, most courses do not have closely supervised work, and, as a result, assessed grades will not always be possible. Deferred final summative assessments will be employed when necessary.