News

A promotional image for an AUSU Student Update that has a picture in the background of a woman working on a laptop, covered by a transparent white text box. The text box includes the AUSU logo and navy blue, royal blue, and black text.

Tutor and Academic Expert Response Times and Grading Standards

The Athabasca University Students’ Union (AUSU) is aware of numerous student concerns regarding the consistency and reliability of tutor and academic expert response times and grading standards at Athabasca University (AU). After speaking with the AU Deans, the AUSU Council wants students to be informed about AU service standards and how to address delays.

What are AU Service Standards?

Students can find all the university’s service standards here on the AU website. You have to scroll a bit to find the standards for undergraduate student response times and grading. 

Please note: none of the AU faculties, with the exception of the Faculty of Science and Technology, have a system for tracking tutor response times. 

Below are some service standard highlights related to tutor and academic expert response times and grading.

General

  • Your tutor or academic expert should make initial contact with you within 2 weeks of your start date.
  • Your tutor or academic expert should respond to your voicemail or email within 2 business days.

Electronic Submissions

  • Your tutor or academic expert should mark an electronically submitted assignment within 7-8 business days from submission. If you submit multiple assignments at once, allow 5 additional business days for each remaining assignment.
  • Your tutor or academic expert should mark an electronically submitted exam within 7-10 business days.

Mail Submissions

  • Your tutor or academic expert should mark an assignment or exam mailed by post within 5 business days from receipt by the marker. This does not include the time it takes to arrive by post.

How Do Students Address A Delay?

The AUSU Council wants you to know how to respond if your tutor or academic expert fails to meet the standard response times set by AU.

The first and most important step is to contact your course coordinator. This is the only way AU Deans will receive your concerns.

You can also share your concerns with the AUSU Council, who advocate tirelessly on your behalf to the university. Please reach out to us anytime at ausu@ausu.org for support.

We hope this information is helpful and wish you the best of luck with your studies!