Code of Conduct Annex I Procedures for Students

1. Reporting

Emergencies requiring immediate intervention:

• Contact 9-1-1
• Vanier College Security
  • White intercoms located throughout the campus
  • In person at Operation Center located in Main Building F-230-231
  • Phone: (514) 744-7500 (extension 7575) — 24/7
  • Email: security@vaniercollege.qc.ca

Vanier College Whistleblower Policy:

• Email Student Services Code of Conduct Office at conduct@vaniercollege.qc.ca
• In person at Student Services C203 – Code of Conduct Office Services

Please note: Anonymous reporting may limit the College’s response and intervention.

1.1 A complaint/allegation can be registered by any community member regarding a student. The alleged behaviour must have taken place while the respondent is a student.

1.2 The Student Code of Conduct Office shall receive a report, concern, or complaint that provides information and details of the alleged violation.

2. Interim Measures

2.1 The College may take immediate action if the suspected violation includes a risk to the personal safety or security of another student or individual, or if the College believes that the student’s behaviour may impair its operations.

2.2 College authorities may, if justified by the circumstances, temporarily suspend or limit that student’s right of access to the College, or revoke privileges, until a decision regarding that student has been taken.

2.3 The College shall inform the student in writing, via Mio or registered mail, of the reasons for the interim measures and detailing the conditions of these interim measures.

3. Investigation and Resolution

3.1 A fact-finding, information-gathering process will commence with all involved parties.

Please note:

• Investigation of a complaint may require the disclosure of the identity of the Complainant to third parties, including witnesses.
• Anonymous reporting may limit the College’s response and intervention.

3.2 The Respondent will be invited to a meeting via phone, online, or in person if deemed necessary. After being informed of the alleged prohibited conduct, the Respondent will be asked to provide a verbal and/or written response to the Investigating Social Service Officer. Should an individual refuse to provide a statement or participate in an investigation, the investigation and outcome(s) will be based on the available information. Refusal to cooperate with an investigation can result in sanctions.

3.3 Students are required to attend all meetings scheduled by College officials in the application of this Policy. If the student does not attend scheduled meetings nor submit a written response after having been given a reasonable opportunity to do so, the Policy will be administered without such a response or meeting.

3.4 Students may also be subject to a response/intervention until such time that they attend a scheduled meeting. Students requiring accommodation for a meeting with a Social Service Officer (such as an aide, an Access Advisor, or interpreter) can be accommodated, provided this need is communicated to the Social Service Officer in advance.

3.5 Investigations may not be conducted or may be deferred under the following circumstances:

• Informal resolutions pathways are fitting and have not yet been attempted;
• Lack of clarity about the nature of the complaint;
• Concern for the safety, well-being, employment or academic status of the parties involved;
• Criminal proceedings;
• Or if the complaint appears to be unclear, unfounded, vexatious, or made in bad faith.

4. Decision Making and Resolutions

4.1 If the Student Code of Conduct Social Service Officer assigned to the investigation concludes that there has been no misconduct, they will notify all parties and there will be no further proceedings.

4.2 Whenever appropriate, the College encourages informal resolution of minor misconduct.

4.3 At this stage, if the incident/concern is amenable to an Informal Resolution, the Social Service Officer will communicate the outcome to all parties.

4.4 And, if applicable, written notice of the behavioural expectations as well as any sanctions to the Respondent.

4.5 Decisions on whether a student has engaged in prohibited conduct will be based upon a review of information and facts provided by the parties involved, gathered by the Social Service Officer and assessed on the standard of balance of probabilities.

4.6 The Respondent will have the right to respond to the allegations of misconduct, in writing, or via a meeting, if summoned, with the Social Service Officer. Should a student be found responsible for engaging in prohibited conduct, the Social Service Officer from the Office of the Code of Conduct will determine and administer the sanction(s) for violation(s) of the Policy.

A number of factors can contribute to the decision to impose one or multiple sanctions:

• severity of behaviour
• acceptance of responsibility
• willingness to restore the relationship or situation
• mitigating factors
• cumulative or repeated behaviour

4.7 In cases where a student has repeatedly breached the Code of Conduct, or has committed serious offence(s), the Social Service Officer shall forward a report of the investigation’s conclusions to the Director of Student Services or Delegate. The Director of Student Services or delegate shall review the investigative report and render a decision on the sanction(s)/outcome.

5. Interventions – Sanctions

Any student who contravenes a provision herein is liable to sanctions proportionate to the gravity of the act. College authorities reserve the right to contact police authorities when deemed necessary.

Immediate removal from the premises:

College employees may ask Security Services to immediately remove a student who threatens or causes harm to the College Community, where that harm requires immediate intervention due to its nature or gravity. College employees should not attempt to remove students by themselves.

Referral to Services:

The Social Service Officer may determine that a student would benefit from supports offered through Student Services, and may include in their sanctions, a referral to meet with a professional to help ensure positive personal growth of the student.

Support Agreement:

A student may enter into agreement for a care plan to receive support.

Verbal Warning:

In some instances, a verbal warning may be given to a student who has breached the Code of Conduct to ensure their understanding of the policy.

Discipline Contract:

A student sanctioned through a discipline contract will have conditions and restrictions imposed to them in writing. Further sanctions can be imposed if the conditions and restrictions laid out in the disciplinary probation contract are not respected.

Financial Restitution:

College authorities may require reimbursement for damage to or misappropriation of property. Reimbursement may take the form of appropriate service or other compensation.

Community Service:

A student who breaches the Code of Conduct may be mandated to complete a specific number of community service hours. The intent within such measures is to afford a learning opportunity to the student regarding their actions and the needs of others within the community. The selected service will be done with consideration to the student’s abilities and limitations.

Loss of Privileges:

A student who breaches the Code of Conduct may be sanctioned through a loss of privileges. This could include being removed from certain volunteer groups or programs, having their access to certain parts of the College and campus restricted, not being permitted to be involved with certain activities, as well as others.

In School Suspension:

A student is required to remain at the Office of Student Services, or another part of the College if directed, for a certain period of time over a certain period of days. The intent of the in-school suspension is to remove a student temporarily from other aspects of Vanier College life while still allowing the student to attend their classes. Any student who does not abide by the parameters set out in their in-school suspension will be immediately issued an out of school suspension and will only be allowed to return to campus upon meeting with the Social Service Officer and / or the Director of Student Services.

Interim Measures:

May be issued in order to fully conduct an inquiry into an alleged violation of Code of Conduct by a student. College authorities may, if justified by the circumstances, temporarily suspend or limit that student’s right of access to the College, or revoke privileges, until a decision regarding that student has been taken. A letter will be issued to the student detailing the conditions of these interim measures. If a suspension is to be imposed, this sanction must not exceed ten (10) school days.

Out of School Suspension:

During this time, a student is not permitted to attend classes, be present on the Vanier College campus or attend any Vanier College function or activity.

A suspension letter will be issued to the student detailing the conditions of their suspension.

If a student is issued an out of school suspension, the Student Code of Conduct Office will inform relevant College parties. The student is responsible for informing their teacher(s), coach(es), tutor(s)/tutee(s), or other of their absence from classes/practices/engagements.

Such a suspension may not exceed 3 weeks.

Expulsion:

Where required due to the gravity of an offence or offences, or recidivism of offences, The Director of Student Services may expel a student from the college and may, provisionally or permanently, prohibit the student from accessing college premises.

A suspension that exceeds three weeks is considered an expulsion.

6. Appeals Process

A student who is subject to a sanction, other than immediate removal from the premises, may initiate the Appeals process.

Grounds for appeal:

1. Procedural Fairness has been compromised in that a substantial procedural error has been made or a bias present in the process
2. New evidence is available that is likely to change the outcome; or
3. The sanction(s) imposed is disproportionate to or inconsistent with the nature of the offence.

In order to have a sanction reviewed, the following steps must be taken:

1. The student must file a written request for review with the Office of the Director General of the College within five (5) business days from the time the sanction is imposed.
2. The request must provide the reasons, which, according to the student, justify the appeal to cancel or modify the sanction that was imposed.

Should the Director General ask to meet with the student, the student may be accompanied by a person designated by the student association or a member of the Vanier Community. No one else accompanying the student for the hearing will have standing in the meeting.

The Director General shall render a decision on the request for review within two (2) business days of its reception. The Director General may uphold, nullify, or modify the sanction. This decision is final and without appeal.

A student may seek out the support of the Student Advocate, available through Student Services.