ASPIRE Appeal process

The arrangements as set out below as to how the ASPIRE appeals process may be implemented were agreed by the ASPIRE board. 

1. A school/institution can appeal against a decision relating to their submission for an ASPIRE award. The school/institution will have 30 days to appeal after the receipt of their submission decision. The school must provide evidence or documentation as to why they feel the review process was flawed.
2. Request for an appeal will be reviewed by the ASPIRE Executive Committee and a decision taken as to whether the appeal should proceed. The basis for this will relate to how the submission was handled rather than a question as to the judgment of the review panel.
3. If the appeal is to proceed the ASPIRE Executive Committee will recommend to the Board the appointment of a three-member appeal panel. The ASPIRE Appeal Panel will include:
   1. ASPIRE Board Chair or Chair elect
   2. Panel chair not related to the appeal
   3. One other person who has experience with the ASPIRE review process
4. The Appeal Panel is provided with documentation relating to the appeal. This includes:

a. Communications relating to the request for the appeal

b. Published criteria relating to the theme and associated documentation

c. The school’s application including the appendices

d. Assessments and ratings by individual review team members, the initial review team report and the final panel recommendation (from Panel Chair) including the feedback letter and review report sent to the school/institution

e. Correspondence relating to the review including verbal communications

5. The Appeal Panel review the documentation and forward their recommendation to the ASPIRE Executive Committee.

6. The ASPIRE Executive Committee forward their recommendation relating to the appeal to the ASPIRE Board

7. ASPIRE Board ratify or amend the recommendation decision of the ASPIRE Executive Committee

8. The ASPIRE Administrator communicates the final appeal decision to the school/institution

9.  The decision made by the ASPIRE Board is deemed final and no further appeal is supported.