Compiled & Written By Tanny Marks

Photo by Sebastian Pichler on Unsplash

VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE

ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE

Annual Report 2017

1 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

THE OFFICE IN 2017

In its 7th year, the Vancouver Community College (VCC; College) Arbiter of

Student Issues (ASI) Office saw a variety of activity and increased

engagement with the College at large. The Office, akin to an Ombuds Office,

remained a neutral and impartial party in all student centred complaints,

advocating only for systemic change and procedural fairness. Individual

student advocacy remained the province of the Students’ Union of

Vancouver Community College (SUVCC). The ASI, as in previous years,

fielded student complaints and provided consultation to non-student

constituents around issues where students were at the centre. The ASI

continued to have the ability to investigate such issues if/when required,

and to canvass informal and formal conflict resolution processes to resolve

disputes or concerns.

In 2017 the ASI saw a steep increase in work devoted to systemic barriers

with heightened engagement in policy work, committee work and

interdepartmental collaboration. The Office was leveraged frequently to

weigh-in with recommendations on multiple College processes and

protocols affecting student rights and obligations ensuring procedural

fairness.

ASI ALLIGNMENT WITH VCC As outlined in the VCC Integrated College Plan 2017 – 2018 (ICP), VCC’s Vision, Values and Key Success Drivers all provided a sound and rich environment that enabled the Office to fully discharge its mandate in 2017.

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VCC VISION “VCC – The first choice for innovative, experiential learning for life” (page 16, ICP).

In 2017 the ASI was creative in its servicing; provided very practical support to students and the College; and was enabled to educate stakeholders around procedural fairness and natural justice.

VCC VALUES (page 17, ICP)

Student Success: The ASI helped to address student complaints, thereby helping to remove barriers to educational success.

Excellence: The ASI supported the College in redressing student harm, improving on systems & processes and leading best practices to strengthen the application of fairness in all transactions with students.

Diversity: The ASI has always thrived on diverse points of views, bridging disagreements and contributing to an accessible inclusive learning environment that respects differences.

Stewardship: The ASI was committed to proper use of public monies in discharging its mandate and continually looked for ways to improve efficiency and deliver on projects that assisted the Office and the College at large to maintain public confidence in the institution.

VCC KEY SUCCESS DRIVERS (page 18, ICP)

Educational Quality: The ASI persisted in building on its previous work in addressing fairness gaps in education.

Operational Excellence & Financial Stability and Sustainability: The ASI operated without support staff and with very low overhead costs; deployed a variety of ‘self-help’ materials, ‘how to’ guides and Power Point kit materials developed and maintained for students and College personnel; and provided information and advice to the College supporting the mitigation of financial risk around student issues.

Reputation Management & Business Development: The Office, by its very nature, mitigated VCC’s social risk, helping to preserve its reputation as a fair place to learn.

OPPERATONS

One person office

Open 21 hours per week/three days per week

Seated at the Broadway Campus. Servicing the three VCC Campuses: Downtown, Broadway, Annacis Island

Annacis Island Campus (AIC) servicing, having been

an issue in the past, was targeted for a Student

Development pilot servicing project in which the ASI

is taking part. The pilot, slated to end in July 2018,

has the ASI occupying office hours and providing

orientation to services one day per month in person

at AIC. The pilot aims to surface best and most

efficient deployment of student services resources for

AIC students, including those of the ASI, responding

to actual need. 2018 will result in a fleshed-out and

ongoing servicing plan for these students.

Dedicated Downtown Campus ASI office space

was also explored in 2017, hopefully to be

finalized in 2018. To this end, the ASI was

interviewed by VCC’s hired space consultants

and was able to provide a fulsome account of

office space needs to properly support students

confidentially.

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REPORTING STRUCTURE

The ASI is a VCC employee. The Office remained in the same student services

division of the College in 2017. However, the division was retitled “Student

Development” and a Dean of Student Development was acquired replacing

the position of Director of Student Services. The ASI thus reported to the new

Dean, Student Development in 2017. The Arbiter of Student Issues continued

to be a College Administrator, sitting at the ‘Student Development’

Department Head table along with the Department Heads of Counselling;

Disability Services; Interpreting Services (for American Sign Language);

Assessments; Manager of Student Services, Student Services Reception and

Program Advising. The ASI thus continued to have access to the College-wide

meetings of the Deans, Directors and Department Heads.

With a refreshed understanding of student development theory infused into

student servicing, the ASI’s enduring placement in the ‘Student Development’

portfolio continued to enhance ASI work where truly complex student profiles

benefited enormously from the immediate collaboration available in Student

Development thereby strengthening the Office’s effectiveness and creating a

better student experience.

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Photo by Michael Longmire on Unsplash

The Office continued to be funded exclusively

by the College in 2017.

OFFICE RESTRUCTURE

2017 saw a broad discussion among the VCC Executive Branch about potential

ASI Office restructure. The ASI along with all other Administrators at the

College engaged in an extensive ‘position questionnaire’ that was reviewed by

an outside agency. The Dean of Student Development conducted extensive

research and stakeholder consultation both inside and outside the institution

on effectiveness of the ASI, merit of the Office for the institution and its

students and parity with other Ombuds Offices in the post-secondary sector.

The move to restructure the Office took place in 2017, with intention to close

down the ASI Office and re-emerge it as the ‘Ombuds’ Office amongst a new

funding model in 2018 with VCC and the SUVCC sharing costs of the Office.

Photo by Fleur Treurniet on Unsplash

FUNDING

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As the ASI is neutral & impartial,

strategizing around a student’s

case is left to the student’s SUVCC

advocate.

ASI

MA

ND

ATE

As at its inception, the ASI continued its ‘ombuds’

role at VCC with enhanced mandate allowing the

Office to serve a complex, diverse and multifaceted

College student body.

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RANGE OF ASI ASSISTANCE

PATHWAYS TO FORMAL/INFORMAL

RESOLUTION

COACHING/SOBER SECOND LOOK

DEFINING ISSUES RELATIVE TO VCC

POLICY

INFORMATION & REFERRAL to OTHER

SERVICES

MEETING FACILITATION

INTERVENTIONS: FACT FINDING

RECOMMENDATIONS

Photo by Mike

Wilson on Unsplas

h

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MARKETING ACTIVITY

Typical marketing activities (Office collateral i.e., pamphlets; ASI presence on internal & external College website; facilitated stakeholder and student referrals; class presentations; Office information in various College division informational materials, calendars and department student handbooks; promotion of ASI services to various divisional personnel; collaborative meetings with Students’ Union of Vancouver Community College; presence at Student ‘Welcome Carnivals’ etc.) remained the same in 2017. The ASI develops and maintains all promotional/informational materials/collateral in collaboration with VCC Marketing. As in previous years, in 2017 the ASI continued to send welcome messages to personnel newly appointed to portfolios in order to orient key decision-making stakeholders to the Office’s mandate. This is a first step to

establishing a working relationship with these newcomers; increases collaboration in resolving systemic issues; and provides an opening to discuss matters of procedural fairness with the individual and the teams they lead. The ASI similarly continued to practice appreciation and recognition of colleague and College accomplishments. Emphasising the College’s strengths is the corollary to pointing-out weaknesses and is as important to building fairness and equity into College processes as is providing recommendations on gaps. In 2017, the ASI Annual Report for 2016 was published on both the internal and external VCC website pages of the ASI.

New activity included:

Direct marketing of ASI services at Annacis Island (to faculty, staff and students);

Enhanced VCC Policy section on the ASI MyVCC website page;

ASI services promotional segment filmed through the VCC Centre for Instructional Design for deployment during faculty training and onboarding;

Presentation to all Student Development Department Heads on ASI Services, including development of Power Point kit about ASI services; and

Discussion about an overall Student Services survey with VCC Institutional Research including survey of ASI services and collaboration on how to make the survey accessible for students with disabilities.

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NEW INTERNAL WEBSITE TOOL: EQUITY GLOSSARY OF TERMS FROM THE 519 AGENCY

The internal ASI MyVCC website page continues to provide students and employees with self-help tools and references to other internal and external resources.

Notably, the ASI began taking part in the larger Student Development (SD) division’s environmental scan of SD marketing needs and strategies. Once existing and needed marketing materials/outlets have been identified, the ASI alongside other SD departments will benefit from renewed efforts to properly market the Office. VCC Marketing also engaged in a collaborative marketing conversation with all SD areas (including the ASI) around VCC marketing needs and strategies afoot. A highlight of the needs going forward is new signage for the Office (that may incorporate specific ASI branding components colour, etc. into the VCC brand) at all campuses once office space is decided and secured for all campuses

outside the ASI’s home campus at Broadway. Alongside this conversation, renewed discussion around best ways to orient new students to student services was begun including talk about a fulsome onboarding program for new students that could include structured orientation to VCC services. A ‘University 101’ type of program could reduce the inefficiency of student services marketing, (including that of the ASI Office). Providing one-off orientation services to new students in response to specific program requests could thus be minimised. And catering to all 128 College programs through an onboarding program would provide consistency and reach not presently available.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

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INV

ENTO

RY

Leaflet/Brochure (student as target)

Business Cards

One pager ASI services (Employee Focussed)

Student Complaint Worksheet

Student Self Help Guide

“Jeopardy” Game – Electronic

Annual Report

ASI page on external & internal College websites

Listing in the College Program Calendar

Listing in the VCC International Student Handbook

Power Point Kits

Listing in VCC Viewbook

Centre for Instructional Design Video for faculty orientation

Participation in student Welcome Carnivals

WIS

HT

LIST

Move away from ASI services tagged as 'conflict resolution' and move towards 'fairness & dispute resolution' branding

More robust external VCC ASI webpage

Universal design of materials- (brailled; American Sign Language signed; etc.)

Presence at the Annacis Island Campus

ASI Signage for Offices (Broadway/Downtown)

ASI listed on all College Directories

ASI Posters throughout Campus

Policy Flow-Charts

“Fairness Matters”/”Got Fairness” Buttons/Magnets

ASI Phone App.

ASI information on VCC electronic monitors

Part of HR employee orientation guide

ASI information in VCC Continuing Studies Catalogue

Cross linkage of ASI services to other internal student services web pages

Listing on Student Development Check-list pad of paper provided throughout the College

ASI orientation for onboarding new employees

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SOURCES OF REFERRAL

All stakeholder groups including faculty, staff, administrators, the

students’ union and students referred students to the ASI in 2017.

There were, in addition, a number of repeat student self-referrals.

In 2017 the ASI received referrals from all schools/centres at VCC

except the School of Instructor Education. The School of Health

Sciences, as in previous years, remained the lead referee. While no

referrals in 2016 came from the Centre for Continuing Studies, 2017

saw referrals from that area and a renewed resurgence of consults

to multiple units under that umbrella.

REFERRALS BY SCHOOL/PROGRAM/DEAN School of Health Sciences

School of Arts & Sciences

School of Hospitality, Food Studies & AppliedBusiness

School of Trades, Technology & Design

Centre for Continuing StudiesEnglish as an Additional Language

Basic Education

Dean, Health Sciences

Bachelor of Science, Nursing

Practical Nursing

OPTA

HUC

Music

Dean, Hospitality, Food Studies & Applied Business

Hospitality Management

Fashion

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COUNSELLING

DISABILITY SERVICES

STUDENT SERVICES RECEPTION

CONTINUTING STUDIES

REGISTRARIAL UNIT

INDIGENOUS EDUCATION & COMMUNITY

ENGAGEMENT

STUDENTS' UNION OF VCC

MANAGER OF STUDENT SERVICES (Conduct Portfolio)

EDUCATION ADVISING

REFERRALS FROM

STUDENT SERVICES

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Policy Highlights for the ASI Office in 2017:

Appeal/Complaint Decision Letter Template: Collaboration & Development with the Chair, Appeals Oversight Committee to Education Council.

Education Council Policy Committee Liaising to Student Development Departments: seeking feedback, noting policy changes, providing a bridge to Education Council Policy Committee for comments & concerns, etc.

Comment to Education Council Policy Committee on new Terms of Reference.

School of Health Sciences Retention Committee: continued updating of list of systemic issues. Supplementary list specific to nursing issues developed and delivered at special ‘nursing specific’ issues meeting. Provision of committee overview with potential new member outlining merits, debriefing candidate’s potential contribution of relevant expertise.

Equity Glossary of Terms from The 519 Agency added to ASI internal VCC webpage and circulated among relevant college actors.

Recanvassing of issues surrounding underage students on campus. Collaboration and pooling of information among ASI, Dean, Student Development, Director of Safety, Security & Risk Management and Manager of Student Services. Forwarding of a 2014 ASI briefing re Underage Student Administration in a Post-Secondary Environment originally produced for Education Council Policy Committee.

Policy Engagement

2017 was marked with increased engagement in policy work for the ASI. The

ASI provided consultation and advice on matters of substantive and procedural

fairness for policy through ‘voice no vote’ standing member of various

committees; through community comment on policies, procedures and

protocols; via individual consultations about specific policy, procedure or

protocol issues; and by providing recommendations to departments on their

internal practices, protocols and department handbooks.

POLICY

Systemic Barriers

Policy

Com-plaints

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POLICY: KEY PURPOSES

Providing direction on how to solve individual student complaints;

Instituting measures to address systemic issues;

Setting a culture of fairness, transparency, consistency, timeliness, accountability, and reasonability;

Mitigating risk to the institution.

Flagging miscategorised policies on College website and thereby supporting ASI efforts to educate faculty around the policy’s appropriate use. For example, ensuring that the Requirements for Student Attendance & Participation Policy is properly viewed and administered as an academic performance/grading issue and not as a conduct issue. Helping to temper the misuse of this policy as basis for disciplinary measures instituted against students who are unsuccessful in meeting attendance and participation standards for their course/program.

Support for a new Registration Policy that will ensure that students meet progression

thresholds as they move through their courses/program. Clear and sustainable

requirements for demonstrable progress in a course or program ensures that

students make informed and realistic choices about their academic goals.

2017 POLICY WORK

Sexual Violence & Misconduct

Education Services Renewal

Requirements for Student Attendance and Participation

Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition

Student Appeal to the College Board

Policy Development and Maintenance

Registration

Selection of Library Materials

Interpreting Services—Terms of Use Protocol Changes

Suspension and/or Discontinuance of Programs

Program Review & Renewal

Student Code of Conduct (Non-Educational Matters)

Appeal of Final Grade Policy

Appeal of Final Grade Policy workshops for staff, faculty and administrators, supported by Vice President Academic, Students & Research.

Appeal of Final Grade Policy

presentation to VP Academic,

Students & Research team (Deans &

Directors & Registrar).

Contribution to drafting of Student Appeal of Final Grade Request Form.

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Committee Work Highlights

ASI VCC Committee Activity

Member - Education Council Policy Committee

Member - Student Services Administrator Policy Group

Member - Positive Space Committee

Member - Employee Engagement Strategy Committee

Member - Gender Based Violence Prevention & Protection Committee

Member - Health Sciences Retention Committee

Member - Advisory Committee on Instruction of Students with

Disabilities (ACISD)

Member - Education Council, Appeals Oversight Committee

Member - Tribunal Training Sub-Committee to Appeals Oversight Committee Member - Prevention of Bullying Strategy Working Group

Gender Based Violence Prevention & Protection

The ASI continued its membership on the VCC Gender Based Violence Prevention & Protection Committee. Pursuant to provincial legislation in 2016, the Committee continued work on a policy to address sexual violence and misconduct on campus with the ASI providing commentary on the new policy which saw publication in May of 2017. VCC continued to use a trauma informed survivor centred approach to developing the policy. The differentiation between a survivor’s choice to disclose and/or report an assault was of primary focus and central to the policy development in line with legislation, theory and paradigm shift in the community and the approach being used in most other public post-secondary institutions.

The ASI continued to import feedback and work completed under the Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW) Campus Allied Response Effort (CARE) project at VCC to the committee.

Being a member of external associations and alliances (i.e., Student Conduct Administrators Roundtable (SCAR), Association of Canadian College & University Ombudspersons (ACCUO), Canadian Association of College & University Student Services (CACUSS) ) and having connected with external community members (i.e., WAVAW, West Coast Leaf), the ASI was well placed to provide information to the Committee on movement, best practices, support panels/groups, activity and professional development opportunities developing in this area within other institutions and organizations.

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Tribunal Training

In 2017, the ASI and the Appeals Oversight Committee to

Education Council put in a concerted effort towards

systemizing training for participants who sit on tribunal panels

in judgement of student complaints or appeals. While the ASI

has been providing individualized and small group training in

this area for a number of years, the Office was able to

collaborate closely with the Chair of the Appeals Oversight

Committee to Education Council to devise and deliver the first

College branded in-person training for an extensive group of

stakeholders; offering participants thereafter the opportunity

to sit on a tribunal panelist roster for future hearings

participation. The College had in the past brought in the

British Columbia Council of Administrative Tribunals to provide

training in this area. The opportunity to now attenuate

training to VCC’s unique needs was invaluable.

The training provided the ASI an excellent opportunity to

impart the concepts of Procedural Fairness & Natural Justice

and to elaborate on their constituent precepts attenuated for

post-secondary use (notice; disclosure; opportunity to present

one’s case; opportunity to respond; duty to consider all

evidence; right to an advocate; legitimate expectations; right

to an impartial decision maker free from bias; panel

independence; right to reasons; delay, etc.). The use of the

previous year’s acquired Canadian Association of College and

University Student Services (CACUSS) Monograph on

Procedural Fairness (by Lynn M. Smith, Ph.D. and Brandy

Usick, M.Ed., ©2016) was instrumental in the training.

The intention is to subsequently design the training to be

available online in addition to the in-person delivery to

enhance options for future participants’ learning styles.

Working Out Systemic Issues

& Safeguarding Fairness

TRIBUNAL OBSERVER

POLICY "NO VOTE"

POLICY "VOICE"

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

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On an as needed basis, the ASI continued to deliver on-

demand abridged training for panelists (VCC employees and

students alike) hearing specific cases including drafting of fact

patterns to support concept learning; relevant policy review;

understanding panelist mandate; adjudication of grounds; and

concepts of procedural fairness and substantive new

information. Upon request, the ASI also provided feedback

to Tribunal Chairs subsequent to the conclusion of a Tribunal.

The work around developing an anti-bullying protocol begun

in 2015 and continued in 2016 was concluded in 2017. An

anti-bullying protocol was developed to assist faculty, staff

and administrators in meeting student concerns over being

bullied at the College. The effort was a culmination of a multi-

stakeholder working group including the ASI, the Manager of

Student Services Office (student conduct portfolio),

Counselling; Interpreting Services; Human Resources; Faculty;

Safety and Security; and Indigenous Education & Community

Engagement and initial participation from the Students’ Union

of Vancouver Community College. The protocol/practical

approach to responding to student complaints of bullying and

personal harassment was developed and circulated to the

College at large via the VCC internal employee newsletter and

posted on the ASI’s internal VCC webpage. The protocol is not

a policy. Rather, it is a best practices tool intended to provide

a structural approach for personnel who receive reports of

bullying from students without diminishing any formal and

binding College instruments or authorities. [See Appendix ‘A’]

Bullying

Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash

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INTERNAL COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITY

Disability Issues

A number of outstanding issues

surrounding students with disabilities

(SWD) were reviewed in 2017, with the

ASI being asked to consult on multiple

sub-topics.

Late Requests for Accommodations

SWD being admitted and registered in

advance of having their

accommodations put in place has

created many barriers for SWD who

have not taken into consideration the

time and documentation required to

have accommodations structured.

SWD, naturally focussed on the

‘academic’ issues related to their entry

into a course/program, have thus been

met with the realization that without

properly structured accommodations,

their ability to succeed is truly

hampered. While any requirement for

SWD to demonstrate that their

accommodations have been put into

place prior to their acceptance into a

program is not enforceable, the issue is

becoming unsustainable for both the

SWD and the institution. As such, the

ASI and a representative group of

stakeholders, spearheaded by the

Dean, Student Development and fully

informed by Disability Services, came

together to discuss best practices and

better processes to close the gap and

provide SWD with realistic

expectations around accommodations.

Duty to Accommodate SWD

2017 saw a discussion to revive the

Duty to Accommodate Presentation

jointly delivered between the ASI and

Disability Services in 2013. The

presentation was short lived in 2013,

but saw renewed engagement around

its delivery in 2017. The presentation

was curated to focus solely on the legal

duty to accommodate SWD and rolled-

out by the ASI late in 2017 to VCC’s

Executive Branch, Deans, Directors and

other key College stakeholders. Having

been well received by the VCC

Executive, the presentation was slated

for more fulsome roll-out in 2018 to

the various schools and divisions of the

College.

The presentation saw integral

collaboration among Interpreting

Services, Disability Services and the ASI

in providing lived examples of VCC

situations illustrating the

consequences of both success and

failure in properly accommodating

SWD at VCC.

The intention is for Disability Services

to roll-out a second phase of this topic

on the heels of this first phase, the

Photo by Doug Maloney on Unsplash

18 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

second phase focussing on the actual

accommodation process at the College.

With a foundational knowledge of the

legal requirements of the College to

accommodate SWD coupled with a more

intimate understanding of how the

accommodation is actually devised at VCC,

we hope to dispel myths associated with

accommodations and to support better

processes and collaboration within the

College towards accommodating SWD.

Pursuant to an articulated systemic barrier

brought forward to the ASI around

accommodating SWD in a particular

department, the ASI was invited by the

relevant department head to speak with

the department’s faculty on the issue. The

ASI collaborated with Disability Services

and Interpreting Services to provide a

focussed co-developed and delivered

presentation on the duty to accommodate

and engage in established college disability

processes to the department faculty to

bolster understanding and employment of

the College set process.

Spearheaded by one of the Counsellors,

the ASI also responded to a request to

present on the ‘duty to inquire’ about a

student’s disability to Education Advising

at the College, often the first point of

contact for prospective students and an

excellent opportunity for VCC to initiate

discussions around an individual’s

disability needs.

The ASI additionally presented on the Duty

to Accommodate and the Duty to Inquire,

and other General Human Rights Issues to

the Language Instruction for Newcomers

to Canada Program (LINC) faculty.

Finally, the ASI was asked to sit-in on initial

discussions among VCC’s Partnership &

Development Office, Dean, Student

Development, Disability Services and the

Open Door Group employment services to

explore employment/training

accommodations and supports for SWD

available through Open Door Group.

Roles, Rights & Responsibilities: Students & Faculty

In 2017, the ASI was invited along with the

Manager of Student Services to present to

the Practical Nursing Faculty during their

professional development day on a variety

of issues. The ASI provided a briefing on

the impact of student rights on Practical

Nursing Program curriculum and the

teaching of the profession. The discussion

focussed on navigating student rights

amidst meeting curriculum and

professional standards, canvassing in

particular: human rights; the duty of care;

privacy rights; procedural fairness

concerns; and the concept of competing

rights.

Alongside the Manager of Student

Services, the ASI was also asked to

provide conflict resolution intervention for

a particular cohort/class conflict where the

class was deeply divided over an issue

surrounding academic integrity.

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

19 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

The ASI & Manager of Student Services

additionally collaborated by leading an in-

service discussion with the English as an

Additional Language (EAL) Department on

classroom management of complex

student profiles; the intersection between

conduct issues, cultural diversity and

disability; and student and faculty rights,

roles and responsibilities.

The ASI was invited to facilitate conflict

resolution between department faculty

and students in two particular cases in

2017, addressing issues of trust and

confidence going forward and providing

tailored action plans to faculty and

department heads involved. The ASI

collaborated with an academic

department on delivering a mini-

intervention re student rights, roles and

responsibilities, zeroing in on the students’

right to provide critical instructor feedback

without fear of reprisal.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing -

Indigenous Cohort Planning

The ASI was invited to collaborate on

VCC’s first Bachelor of Science in Nursing

(BsN) Indigenous Cohort at the Broadway

Campus. The ASI provided potential best

practices to support a successful

experience for the students including:

recommendations on instituting an ‘early

alert’ system for students at risk (i.e.,

potentially offering scheduled team

meetings for students with VCC’s

Indigenous Education & Community

Engagement Department (IECE) and BsN

Department where issues can be pro-

actively surfaced together –(wrap around

approach) ); setting time aside for one or

two ‘point person’ counsellors from VCC to

meet with students and brainstorm

potential challenges, needs, resources

during orientation –(relational approach);

having students start a journal first

capturing any of their fears, concerns,

triggers before training starts and have

students continue journaling to reflect and

‘check’ those fears, concerns, triggers etc.

as they move through training; providing

advanced training to faculty and staff by

IECE around Indigenous history,

intergenerational trauma, etc.; carving-out

scenario based training using Indigenous

Community examples/stories/histories—

connecting training directly to student

cultural identity and Indigenizing any other

training if possible; and reviewing past

contracted training with our Indigenous

Communities to canvass issues and devise

safeguards against potential repeating of

any past patterns (if applicable). While

not every recommendation was adopted,

the opportunity for the ASI to comment

was invaluable to the Office in exercising

its mandate as ‘change agent’ and to learn

from other stakeholders, most importantly

IECE, best practices that can be imported

into the ASI’s own work with Indigenous

Students.

The ASI was also provided the opportunity

to engage in an exercise at one of the

standard College-wide Deans, Directors

and Department Head meetings on how

best to indigenize curriculum at VCC. The

BsN Department Head Suzanne Touahria

presented on the process undertaken by

her department with the BsN Indigenous

Cohort and how to incorporate Indigenous

education and content into a curriculum.

The ASI continued to gain a better

understanding of Indigenous Student

servicing, often having very collaborative

discussions with a variety of stakeholders

especially those in the Student

Development team and IECE.

Deployed Wraparound Approach

2017 saw a fulsome wraparound approach

taken to work with a particular at-risk

20 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

student. The ASI collaborated with IECE,

Disability Services, the Manager of Student

Services, the Academic Department

Instructor and Department Head and the

Student and their external service provider

to carve-out a return to programming

action plan, outlining each stakeholder’s

(including the student’s) roles and

responsibilities in making the student’s

comeback a success. This approach is

meant to support retention of very

complex student cases where multiple

student barriers necessitate an integrated

collaborative approach to support the

student.

As in previous years, the ASI provided a

wide range of consultations and briefings

to both the academic and services sides of

the house at VCC in 2017. Topics included:

College Strategic Planning

As part of the Student Development Team, the ASI provided feedback to the VP, Academic, Students & Research on student services’

priorities for the coming year’s VCC Academic Plan

Institutional Learning Outcomes

Summary of ASI contribution activity to the 2017/18 VCC Integrated College Plan for VCC’s first quarter

Human Rights & Duty to Accommodate

Disability Services’ ‘Faculty Dos & Don’ts’ list around teaching Students with Disabilities (SWD)

Religious accommodations

Disability disclosure on College forms

Clinical site placement re disability issues

Equitable and consistent use of student services resources and the appropriate deployment of disability services resources (i.e., for internal vs. external (the public) stakeholder/ Duty to accommodate general public vs. specific student

Accommodating/adapting core requirements of a program

Reduced course loads for SWD vis à vis student College employment requirements of full-course loads

Universal Washrooms access for SWD

Competing rights

Human Rights issues

Bullying

Duty to accommodate SWD - general

Accessibility of campus washrooms

Universal Washrooms

Disability disclosure

Duty to accommodate requirements vs. simple provision of services to SWD

Duty to accommodate vs. language/cultural accommodation of Deaf & Hard of Hearing Students

Appropriate deployment/use of Deaf American Sign-Language Interpreters Interpreting Services Request Guidelines

Ramifications of SWD to terminate their funded classroom assistant allocation of responsibility and duty to continue accommodating

Classroom accommodation of SWD technology vs. risk/safety of space

Disability classroom assistant role

Duty to accommodate visually impaired student employee

Potential for imbedding ‘duty to accommodate’ training in teacher education programming at VCC

PROVISION OF CONSULTATIONS TO STAKEHOLDERS

21 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

Ethics

Professional ethics

Conflict of interest

Roles and boundaries

Language Rights

English language proficiency requirements for a program

Rights of students to conduct themselves in any language preferred vs. right to demand language of instruction be used for in-class academic activity

Academic Integrity

Plagiarism

Educational Conduct Issues/ Appeals/Policy

Academic Misconduct

Student Conduct

Student conduct

Incoming marijuana legislation impact on campus

Student Conduct Policy

Disruptive student behaviour

Policy

Appeals to Education Council/Policy

Records Retention

Policy navigation for personnel

Liability Waivers

Dispute Resolution

Conflict resolution

Student complaint process

Binding nature of classroom agreements

Implications of student signatures, or lack thereof, on academic documentation

Student Grievance Policy

Student complaints vs instructors

Developmental Issues

Pre-educational issues/programming

Post-Secondary Case Management Models

Learning Commons

Academic Issues

Issues around Professional behaviour, Attendance, Completion of prep work interplay with curriculum requirements

Issuing comportment letters (professional behaviour standards)

Attendance requirements in an adult environment –needing to be rationally connected to curriculum

Program/curriculum implementation

Heavy Mechanical Technology Diploma Program

Attendance & Participation vs. Conduct Issues

Administration of Incomplete Course Work contracts

Flexible Admissions Policy

Admissions Policy

Transportation Trades Sampler Citation Programming

Academic Integrity vs. Academic Performance (grades)

Refraining from conflating Professional/Academic Standards with Student Conduct Standards Student Conduct Standards to be addressed separately from Academic/Professional issues

Gender-Based Violence

Sexual Violence Processes/Procedures

Sexual Violence & Misconduct Policy

22 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

DOCUMENT COLLABORATION

Appeals Oversight Committee to Education Council Tribunal Decision Letter Template

Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) and 3D Building Information Modelling (BIM) Department Handbook

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program Flow Chart for BSN Students: Failure to Reinsertion/Progressions Algorithm

Health Unit Coordinator Progression/Supplemental Opportunity Memo Template

Health Care Assistant Program Course Failure Appeal/Progressions/Reinsertion Letter Template

Medical Device Reprocessing Technician Program Addition of Attendance Requirement in Program Content Guide

Health Unit Coordinator Department Handbook Section: “ Standards For Written Assignments and Written & Oral Communication”

Briefing Note: To Dean, Student Development Parameters of Duty to Accommodate vs. Language Accommodation for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Students

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Program Student Intake & Accommodations Referral Flow Chart for Students

Health Sciences Retention Committee Systemic Issues List

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program Preceptorship Evaluation Tool

23 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

COLLABORATION WITH EXTERNAL POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS & OTHER ORGANISATIONS &

STAKEHOLDERS RE STUDENT ISSUES

EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER Association of Canadian College & University Ombudspersons (ACCUO)

BC Region of Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons (BC ACCUO)

Camosun College, Manager, Education Policy

BC Student Conduct Administrators Round Table (SCAR)

Students Union of Vancouver Community College (SUVCC)

Lawyer/Mediator Looking To Provide Service To Post-Secondary Sector In Mediation And Conflict Management

University Of Victoria Master Of Public Administration Student

Open Door Group Employment Services

BCIT Annacis Island Campus Program Assistant Motive Power, School of Transportation

SUBJECT MATTER Sexual Violence Policies Sharing Student Information: Procedural

Fairness/Bias/Privacy & Confidentiality

Harassment in Higher Education Student Employment/Training Accommodations and Supports For SWD

Records Retention

Student Servicing at Remote/Satellite Campuses

Procedural Fairness Bias

Date of Ombuds Office Creation

Definitions Around Equity Concepts

Broaching Issues with VCC Board of Governors

Access to Student Conduct Complaints/Reports

Sexual Assault Investigation et al Training Opportunities

Case Management Model Gathering Student Feedback for Policy Development

Academic Misconduct Appeals/Adjudication

Community Resources

Governance Structures Re Approval Process for Non-Academic Conduct Policies

Appeals of Academic Matters and Procedures for Appeals on Non-Academic Discipline

Freedom of Expression and Institutional Reputational Harm

Eliciting Student Feedback on Policy Harassment in Higher Education Institutions

Tribunal Training Post-Secondary Education Dispute Landscape

Fairness & Equity During Student Practicum Placements: Best Practice for Professional Program Practicum Assessment

24 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

EDUCATION & AWARENESS BUILDING

Education and awareness building continued to be the necessary companion activities required to bolster policy in dealing with both individual and systemic issues. Upholding natural justice and procedural & substantive fairness in all College interactions is essential for creating and maintaining a just environment in which to learn.

ASI Workshops & Orientation Sessions

entations sssSessions

ORIENTATION ON ASI SERVICES TO STUDENTS & FACULTY/STAFF/ADMINISTRATORS STUDENTS PERSONNEL

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program

VCC Faculty Association - Executives

Health Care Assistant Program English as an Additional Language Faculty

Practical Nursing Program Student Development Leadership Team

American Sign Language & Deaf Studies Program

Practical Nursing Faculty

Heavy Duty/Commercial Transport

Photo by Clever Visuals on Unsplash

25 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

WORKSHOPS/PRESENTATIONS

TOPIC COLLABORATION & CO-PRESENTATION

STUDENTS PERSONNEL

Human Rights/Bullying: Attendance at student ‘graduation’ day

------------------------------------- Heavy Duty/ Commercial Transport

-------------------------------------

Human Rights ------------------------------------- Health Care Assistant

-----------------------

Nursing Curriculum: Impact of Student Rights on the Teaching of the Profession Navigating Student Rights Amidst Meeting Curriculum & Professional Standards (Human Rights/Duty of Care/Privacy Rights/Procedural Fairness)

------------------------------------- -------------------- Practical Nursing

Duty to Accommodate Co-Presented by ASI & Interpreting Services & Disability Services

-------------------- Deaf & Hard of Hearing (DHH)

Duty to Accommodate Joint Collaboration Among ASI & Interpreting Services & Disability Services

-------------------- Senior Leadership Team/Deans & Directors/Other Key College Stakeholders

Duty to Accommodate/Duty to Inquire/General Human Rights Issues

------------------------------------- -------------------- Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) Faculty

Duty to Accommodate ------------------------------------- -------------------- School of Instructor Education (SIE) - Instructor

Classroom Management re Complex Student Profiles; Intersection Between Conduct and Accommodating Students with Disabilities; Student/Faculty Rights & Roles & Responsibilities

Co-Presented by ASI & Manager of Student Services

-------------------- English as an Additional Language (EAL)Department

Duty to Accommodate/Inquire ------------------------------------- ------------------- Education Advisors & Counsellor

Appeal of Final Grade Policy ------------------------------------- VP, Academic, Students & Research team (Deans, Directors, Registrar)

Appeal of Final Grade Policy ------------------------------------- -------------------- Faculty, Staff, Administrators

26 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

TRAINING

Offered Through/At VCC External to VCC

Education Council Planning Day – Policy Breakout Session [Nov.24, 2017.] Lexis-Nexis Quicklaw Core [VCC Training. Provided by Kristina Oldenburg , VCC Library: February 7, 2017.] Respectful Workplace – Leader Training Module [VCC Online Training. Delivered through VCC Human Resources: February 8, 2017.] Communication Workshop: Dealing Directly with Workplace Dysfunction – for leaders [Workshop. Facilitated by Marli Rusen. Organized by VCC: March 2, 2017.] Millennium Fast Administrative Support Tools (FAST) [Training. Facilitated by Jose Arellano, Manager Financial Reporting 2, VCC Financial Services. September 14, 2017.] Student Developmental Barriers for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing [Briefing. Provided by Susan Dahlgren, Counsellor, VCC Disability Services and Nigel Scott, Department Head, VCC Interpreting Services. September 28, 2017.]

“Students with Episodic Disabilities in Canada: What you need to know!” [Webinar. Presented by Wendy Porch, Manager, Episodic Disabilities, Realize and Tammy C. Yates, Executive Director, Realize. Put on by Realize: March 30, 2017.]

“Victim-Centred Restorative Justice Practice” [Webinar. Presented by Alan Edwards, Policy Centre for Victim Issues. Put on by the Canadian Department of Justice WebEx, A Victim-Centred Approach to Restorative Justice: November 23, 2017.]

“Implementing the new CACUSS Competencies within the Community of Practice for Accessibility & Inclusion” [Webinar. Presented by Patty Hambler and Janet Mee (UBC), and Tracey Mason-Innes (SFU). Put on by the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (CACUSS): January 26, 2017.]

CONFERENCES

Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons (ACCUO) British Columbia Regional Meeting [VCC: November 30, 2017.]

ASI PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Staying current on best practices, emerging issues in the post-secondary landscape, new approaches, legislation, case law and social

trends is imperative to the ASI’s work both at the individual student level, and ensuring organizationally that the College continues to

strengthen its processes and protocols by filtering all of its work and decision making through a procedural fairness and natural justice

lens.

27 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

STATISTICS

2017 STAFF CONSULTS ABOUT SPECIFIC STUDENT

GENERAL STAFF BRIEFINGS/CONSULTS ON STUDENT RELATED COLLEGE ISSUES/POLICY/FAIRNESS/ETC.

78 90

2017 TOTALS RELATIVE TO 2016

STUDENT CONTACTS 52 44

STUDENT INTAKES/CASES 85 64

STUDENT FOLLOW-UP CONFERENCES

112 135

Student complaints manifested themselves as Individual Student Complaints or Groups of Students consisting of two or more students. [Note: each individual student is counted in the tally.] The ASI tracked:

Student Contacts: Students who connected with the Office but did not pursue their issue further through the Office;

Student Intakes/Cases: Students with whom the ASI completed one or more intake(s) including students who accessed the Office for more than one case; and

Student Follow-Up Conferences: Number of follow-up meetings and/or calls conducted with or on behalf of the student.

The Office provided consults to VCC personnel (faculty,

staff, administrators) about specific students independent

of those provided to students.

These meetings typically happen in advance of a

student booking an appointment with the ASI.

These meetings also occur as part of the

investigation, resolution, or advancement of a

student situation brought forward by a staff

member to the ASI vs. by the student to the ASI.

Sometimes, the two streams will intersect.

However, Office consults are provided to the

specific client (personnel OR student) and

appropriate confidentiality measures are

deployed in each circumstance.

The ASI also provided briefings on issues not related to a

specific student but within the ASI’s scope and mandate.

These briefings provide opportunities to shore up

procedural fairness within the institution.

The ASI received student interest from

4 of the Schools at VCC and from VCC’s

Centre for Continuing Studies.

SCHOOLS 2017

Arts & Sciences 22

Health Sciences 49

Hospitality, Food Studies & Applied Business

6

Trades, Technology & Design

4

Instructor Education 0

Centre for Continuing Studies

4

28 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

TYPE OF RESOLUTION SOUGHT OR OPEN TO

2017 Relative to 2016

Formal 32 18

ADR 18 12

Both 31 30

N/A 4 4

CAMPUS 2017

Broadway 70

Downtown 14

Annacis Island 1

DISTRIBUTION OF CASES OVER PROGRAMS

Adult Basic Education Office Administration Certificate Bachelor of Science in Nursing Baking & Pastry Arts

Medical Office Assistant Culinary Arts Deaf & Hard of Hearing Interior Design Certificate

ESL Pathways Fashion Design Health Unit Clerk Hair Design

Health Care Assistant LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada)

Hospitality Management Practical Nursing/Access to Practical Nursing

Automotive Collision Repair Medical Laboratory Assistant University Transfer --General College & Career Access

Heavy Duty/Commercial Transport Music Creative Writing Civil/Structural Technician Certificate

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Occupational/Physical Therapist Assistant Diploma

Students most often access the Office to trigger a

Formal Resolution, but are often open to

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Ultimate

resolutions are not tracked by the Office as it has no

ability to compel the final decision maker to report

back to the Office on resolutions. The ASI thus

tracks the student’s initial interest in either a formal

or informal resolution, or both (including decisions

to start ‘informal’ and progress to ‘formal’ arenas

should ADR not culminate in resolution).

In 2017 Broadway Campus students continued to outpace access to

the ASI over students enrolled at our Downtown and Annacis Island

Campuses. While Annacis Island Campus students’ access of the

Office continued to lag, as outlined above, the ASI along with allied

student services embarked on a pilot offering of on-site office

hours at Annacis. The pilot will provide some needed insight into

how to better serve our remote Annacis Island Campus students.

Distribution of Cases Throughout Programs. Note

that, to preserve privacy, the number of cases per

program is not identified.

29 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

TYPE OF ISSUE 2017 Relative to 2016

Final Grade Appeals 23 29

'Incomplete' Contract 0 0

Grievance/Complaint 60 41

Human Rights/Bullying 30 21

Duty To Accommodate 6 8

Student Conduct (self) 3 4

Student Conduct (Other) 2 3

Student Educational Conduct 4 1

Appeal To Education Council 0 1

Appeal to the Board 0 1

FOIPPA 3 4

Required to Withdraw 3 3

Refund 11 6

Funding Appeal 3 3

Admissions/Insertions 2 0

Gender Based Violence 2 2

Safety & Security 1 2

Withdrawal 1 N/A

OTHER 9 9

EVALUATIONS RETURNED

2017 2016 2015 2014

12 4 7 11

As part of the Office’s quality assurance, the ASI continued to

circulate student evaluations of ASI services in 2017. In an effort

to be more pro-active in soliciting evaluations from students in

2017, the ASI routinely handed out evaluations upon intake for

students to take away and potentially fill-out/submit at a later

date. While the number of returned evaluations fell far behind

student intake numbers, the provision of the evaluations during

intake meetings did stimulate an increase in returned

evaluations relative to 2016 and 2015 but not when compared

to 2014. The vast majority signaled satisfaction with the ASI

Service. However, the extreme small sampling cannot provide

any substantive understanding of students’ satisfaction of the

service.

Students often present with multiple types of issues.

The ASI assists the student in defining/categorizing each

item in order to support action planning around each.

Issues most often surface as breaches in due

process/natural justice/ procedural fairness or

bias/prejudice/discrimination, though some issues are

rooted elsewhere.

30 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

TRENDS & CHALLENGES & COMPLETIONS

2017 in Review Tribunal Training: As outlined above, 2017 saw the first coordinated in-house delivery of Tribunal Panelist Training at the College. The training focussed in particular on precepts of procedural fairness. The ASI is confident that such opportunities will work to shore up systemic barriers at the College, infusing a better understanding of the responsibilities associated with decision making around student issues; instituting better practice and developing a culture of substantiating decisions with appropriate rationales. ACCUO BC Regional Meeting: The ASI was fortunate to host the 2017 Association of Canadian College & University Ombudspersons’ BC Regional Meeting in 2017. A highlight of the meeting was a briefing by VCC’s Dean, Health Sciences/Chair of the Appeals Oversight Committee to Education Council on tribunal training of faculty, staff and administrators in supporting procedural fairness in student issues adjudication.

Funding: There was a concerted effort to review funding to increase ASI Office hours in 2017 spearheaded by the new Dean, Student Development. An extensive internal and external stakeholder consultation validated the Office’s services as instrumental to

31 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

the student body and College as a whole and the need to potentially shift the model of the Office to a stand-alone unit jointly funded through the College and the SUVCC. An additional partner in funding (the SUVCC) in turn would allow additional hours of servicing and increased capacity. The College and SUVCC chose to canvass for new leadership for the new stand-alone office and began its hiring campaign for this re-emerged office in 2017. The move will work to alleviate the capacity issues the ASI has struggled with since its inception of March 2011. School of Health Sciences: Service requests from the School of Health Sciences continued to outpace all other Schools as in previous years. The School of Health Sciences continued to be a model School for addressing fairness of process and natural justice issues. The Dean of Health Science’s high level of engagement with the Office remained an exemplary model of leadership engagement with the Office. Multiple Campus Coverage: The ASI began to provide more access to service at both the VCC Downtown and Annacis Island Campuses in 2017. This was a vast improvement over previous years. As outlined above, 2018 will look to provide even more access to the ASI by those campus’ students.

2016 Goals Achieved in 2017

Leadership and Senior Leadership Teams Access: 2017 saw continued increase in access to VCC Administrators and Senior VCC Administrators compared to 2016 and previous years. The ASI was invited to present on the ‘new’ Appeal of Final Grade Policy to the VP, Academic, Students and Research team (Deans, Directors, Registrar). The ASI also presented on the Duty to Accommodate Students with Disabilities in the post-secondary sector to the leadership and senior leadership teams. This demonstrates continued increased engagement by these two groups. The Office additionally collaborated more fully with the Registrar, especially on Appeal of Final Grade policy issues and student progression requirements. And the ASI continued to engage more fully with the VP, Academic, Students and Research in 2017. Pointed engagement and support from the Dean, Student Development was a major contributor to the Office’s increased profile within the College in 2017. In 2018 the ASI will continue to work with the Dean, Student Development to identify additional opportunities for the Office to work more closely with these groups, especially in an effort to make the Office as accessible as possible to Administrators and Senior Administrators to consult on complex student cases and ongoing systemic issues at the College.

32 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

2016 Goals Yet to be Achieved

ASI Data-Base: The ASI Office is still without an electronic database to better capture case notes, statistics, and run reports on trends. The

issue remains lack of funding. The Office continued to struggle in 2017 with how to capture metrics without a data-base. Metrics continued to be tabulated by hand through use of an Excel spreadsheet. With the advent of the new Dean, Student Development, the conversation on appropriate case management software was reignited. Discussions in 2017 began on the potential use of the College’s student enrolment and management system (BANNER) as a potential instrument for all of student services’ use, including the ASI. Investigations into the case management abilities of BANNER and its ability to ensure student privacy and confidentiality for ASI use exclusively will be undertaken more fully in 2018. The ASI has looked into potential data-bases available on the market for the Office’s use and will continue to a) measure the efficacy and utility of these against BANNER and b) to advocate for a proper data-base for the Office. While a data-base would not eliminate the consumption of time required to capture metrics for the Office, it would improve efficiency of the task considerably and would allow for tracking and reporting out on systemic barriers more fully.

BC Disability Servnet Forum: As in 2016, the ASI could not dedicate time to re-explore the appropriateness for the ASI to access the BC Disability Servnet Forum for individuals working in post-secondary disability services in 2016.

Office Terms of Reference: As in 2016, the ASI was unable to complete the creation of ASI ‘Terms of Reference’ in 2017. Additionally, the intention to re-emerge the ASI office as VCC’s Ombuds Office signaled a need to hold off on framing out a terms of reference until the move to an Ombuds Office was completed. The potential increase in office hours and finalized decision on the structure of the office in 2018 will provide a better opportunity to frame Office terms of reference.

ASI Workshops on Roles/Rights/Responsibilities: In 2017 the Office was unable to institute workshops on rights, roles and responsibilities targeting both student and non-student audiences, either on its own or in conjunction with other VCC departments/academic units. Capacity issues remained the reason.

33 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017

LOOKING FORWARD2018

2018 will look to continue increasing student access to the Office at all

campuses. Increased Office hours, reliant primarily on funding, will

continue to be explored in order to alleviate capacity issues. The Office

will look to collaborating on creating online modules for Tribunal

Training. The ASI will also explore collaboration with Interpreting

Services to improve and adapt Office resources for our Deaf & Hard of

Hearing students.

The ASI looks forward to improving the Office working hand in hand with

all VCC stakeholders, pooling creativity and ideas to promote fairness and

equity at the College and strengthening the College overall.

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Photo by Diz Play on Unsplash

Photo by Gwen Weustink on Unsplash

Photo by Mike Petrucci on Unsplash

34

VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017 Appendix ‘A’

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VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017 Appendix ‘A’

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VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017 Appendix ‘A’

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VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017 Appendix ‘A’

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VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017 Appendix ‘A’

39

VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017 Appendix ‘A’

40

VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017 Appendix ‘B’

41

VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017 Appendix ‘C’

42 VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARBITER OF STUDENT ISSUES OFFICE| Annual Report: 2017 Appendix ‘D’

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