What does PASL mean for me as a student? 

Central to the Policy on Assessment of Student Learning (PASL) is the idea that assessment should support student learning. This means that assessment should be used to help further your understanding of course content, and assess how effectively your learning of knowledge, skills, and values fulfills the course learning outcomes, rather than how you measure up against your peers.

PASL takes a less exam-centric approach to assessment. This means you could be assigned different kinds of assessment tasks that support the learning outcomes of the course.

PASL specifies that your instructors must clearly communicate their expectations to you about what you need to do to succeed at the assessment tasks. You can also expect to learn more about the details of how assignments will be assessed, which promotes equity, fairness, and consistency.

The Policy also includes some flexibility for instructors to make changes to assessment tasks, offer a choice of alternative tasks, and provide for reasonable accommodation of student needs.

Underpinning PASL is a University-wide commitment to align assessment practices with healthy teaching and learning environments that are key to your well-being and academic success. 
 
Unlike USAP (the current University Student Assessment Policy), PASL has a clear process for contesting assessment practices that do not respect the Policy. PASL outlines who to contact, how and when to do so, and when you can expect an answer.

Coming soon! Once we move closer to the Policy implementation date, we’ll be sharing more information on your rights and responsibilities under PASL. 

Related resources

• Student Wellness Hub

  Wellness is a central tenet of PASL.
  
  Learn more about wellness and find resources to support your physical and mental well-being at the Student Wellness Hub.

• Charter of Students’ Rights 

  Do you know your rights as a McGill student?
  
  Delve into the details of the Charter of Students’ Rights | Charte des droits de l’étudiant. 

• Academic integrity

  Integrity and honesty in assessments are key to upholding high academic standards.
  
  Learn more about academic integrity and find resources to help you avoid dishonest work.

• Office of the Dean of Students 

  The Office of the Dean of Students plays a central role in upholding student rights and responsibilities and can facilitate solutions to problems and/or refer students to support services.

• Ombudsperson

  If you have questions about a particular situation or think a policy may have been applied unfairly, contact the Ombudsperson for confidential and impartial dispute resolution services.

• Student Grievance Procedures

  If you believe that your rights have been infringed upon, you may apply to the Senate Committee on Student Grievances.
  See the Code of Student Grievance Procedures | Code de procédure pour le règlement des griefs étudiants