Service standards

Expect the best

Athabasca University recognizes that students need efficient academic and administrative service. To ensure that learners receive the attention needed to succeed, we have developed a comprehensive set of service level standards.

These standards are provided by Athabasca University to:

  • determine if the service standard is being met;
  • determine who to contact for follow-up; and
  • determine when to involve the Ombuds Office.

Have more questions? Ask AU!

If you have any questions, we encourage you to use Ask AU, our online self-help resource available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you’re still unable to find answers, you can use Ask AU to submit a service request – simply follow the prompts on the website.



General information service standards

Service Standard Contact (if standard not met)
Response to voicemail 1 business day

Information Centre

Phone:
Canada/U.S.: 1-800-788-9041
International: 780-675-6100

Response to email 2 business days
Telephone response time 3 minutes during working hours
General inquiry processing 2 business days
Resolution or referral of problem/query Immediately during working hours

Faculty of Business online student support

Service Standard Contact (if standard not met)
Student Support Centre – acknowledge, resolve, refer query 1 business day

Manager of Student Support Services,
Faculty of Business

Email: business-support@athabascau.ca

Faculty of Graduate Studies

Description of table contents
Service Standard Contact (if standard not met)
Response to voicemail 2 business days For graduate award-related inquiries, contact fgsawards@athabascau.ca. For all other inquiries, contact fgs@athabascau.ca
Response to email 2 business days
Acknowledgement of Dissertation/Thesis Submission 2 business days

Administrative service standards

General

Service Standard Contact (if standard not met)
Response to voicemail 1 business day

Office of the Registrar

Phone:
Canada/US: 1-800-788-9041
International: 780-675-6100

Please ask to speak with the coordinator responsible for the requested service.

Email: registrar@athabascau.ca

Response to email 1 business day
Transfer credit query 1 business day
Service Paper submitted Web submitted
Admission, new 10 – 15 business days Immediate
Admission, change 10 – 15 business days Immediate
Admission, program change 10 – 15 business days Immediate
Appeal, general 5 business days n/a
Appeal to Student Appeals Committee Up to 30 days n/a
Transfer credit evaluation 8 weeks from receipt of all documents n/a
Course registration 10 – 15 business days Immediate
Challenge for credit registration 5 business days 5 business days
Letter of permission 5 business days n/a
Exam request 5 business days 5 business days
Course extension 10 – 15 business days Immediate
Course withdrawal 10 – 15 business days Immediate
Student Financial Aid processing 5 business days n/a
Transcript request 4 weeks 1 business day
Letter of certification 5 business days n/a
Course outline/syllabus Available on website; 5 business days otherwise

Library services standards

Service Standard Contact (if standard not met)
Response to voicemail 1 business day

Library Information Desk

Phone:
Toll-free: 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6254
International: 780-675-6254

Email: library@athabascau.ca

Response to email 1 business day
Information desk response 1 business day
Library materials* 1 business day
Borrowing period 4 weeks
Information search 2 business days
Process interlibrary loan (ILL) 3 business days

Interlibrary Loans Supervisor

Phone:
Toll-free: 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6251
International: 780-675-6251

Redistribution of ILL material to student Varies with lender

* International students should expect to use library materials that are already in digital format, such as online journals, databases, and web resources.


Ombuds Office services

Service Standard Contact (if standard not met)
Ombuds response 1 business day

Ombuds Office

Phone:
Toll-free: 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6199
International: 780-675-6199

Email: ombuds@athabascau.ca

Ombuds resolution Variable; subject to inquiry investigation

Learning resources service standards

General

Service Standard Contact (if standard not met)
Response to voicemail 1 business day

Distributor/warehouse supervisor

Phone:
Toll-free: 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6362
International: 780-675-6362

Email: cmat@athabascau.ca

Response to email 1 business day
Learning resources inquiry 1 business day
Learning resources replacement
- North America 5 business days
- International up to 2 months
Process return
- North America
- International

5 business days
1 month
Student waiting for course materials Maximum of 1 month

Learner support services

Service Standard Contact (if standard not met)
Advising
Acknowledge voicemail and email
3 business days

Coordinator, Advising Services

Phone:
Toll-free: 1-800-788-9041
International: 403-298-5201

Email: advising@athabascau.ca

Advising appointment
program planning tools
Within 1 business week
Counselling
Acknowledge voicemail and email
1 business day

Coordinator, Counselling Services

Phone:
Toll-free: 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6723
International: 780-675-6723

Email: counselling@athabascau.ca

Counselling appointment (urgent) Immediate on a business day
Counselling appointment
(general)
Within 1 business week
Accessibility Services
Response to voicemail
2 business days

Professional Services Coordinator,
Accessibility Services

Phone:
Toll-free: 1-800-788-9041 ext. 2548

Email: asd@athabascau.ca

Response to email 3 business days
Response to general inquiries 5 business days

Undergraduate academic support standards

Service Standard Contact (if standard not met)

Initial contact by individualized-study tutor or academic expert

Within 2 weeks of start date

Learning Services Tutorial

Phone:
Toll Free: 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6196
International: 780-675-6196

Email: tutserv@athabascau.ca

Response to voice mail by individualized-study tutor or academic expert

2 business days

Response to email by individualized study tutor or academic expert

2 business days

Acknowledgement of receipt of emailed assignment

2 business days

Acknowledgement of receipt of assignment via regular mail

2 business days from receipt

Marking of electronically submitted assignment (when single sent)

7-8 business days from date assignment uploaded to course website or sent by email

Note: Additional assignments submitted during the initial marking period will be considered to be multiple assignments and the multiple assignment service standard shall apply.

Marking of electronically submitted assignments
(when multiple sent)

5 additional business days for each remaining assignment

Marking of assignments mailed by post

5 business days from receipt by marker, this does not include the time it takes assignment to arrive by post mail/courier

Note: Additional assignments submitted during the initial marking period will be considered to be multiple assignments and the multiple assignment service standard shall apply.

 

Electronically submitted exams for marking

7-10 business days from write date

Exam marking for paper based exams

5 business days from receipt by marker, this does not include the time it takes exam to arrive by postal mail/courier

Assignment/exam remarked by different tutor

10 business days

Academic appeal (in writing)

- North America

1 month

- International

2 months

Do not send assignments by any method that requires a signature of acceptance by a tutor (e.g. courier), as this will delay response time.

Please Note: although the university is open 12 months of the year, tutors and academic experts/markers are entitled to vacation time. Should your academic expert/marker be away, an alternate academic expert/marker will available to support you. Tutors, on the other hand, may be away and not available to provide tutorial support for up to 9 business days. For any tutor leave of 10 or more business days, an alternate tutor will be available to support you. Please be advised that service standards may be extended by 5 business days.

Updated November 15, 2024 by Digital & Web Operations (web_services@athabascau.ca)