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Student Rights & Responsibilities Office

UFV/Student Rights & Responsibilities Office/Safe Student Community/Disruptive behaviours/Safe Student Learning Community Policy

Safe Student Learning Community Policy

UFV’s Policy 204 - Safe Student Learning Community applies to the behaviour of all UFV students. It supports the UFV community in responding to behaviour that may impact safety or the ability to learn and thrive together in a respectful way. This policy guides how UFV addresses student behaviour concerns by offering a range of educational and restorative responses. These may include support services, opportunities to repair harm, and outcomes appropriate to the nature and severity of the behaviour.

If you are looking for support for something you experienced, please know that there are resources available on campus, including Counselling, the Student Support Centre, and Student Wellness. If you need immediate support, please call or text the Crisis Helpline at 9-8-8.

Our Approach

All students are important members of the UFV community. Our approach to non-academic student conduct focuses on fairness, education, and support.

When you engage with the Student Rights & Responsibilities Office (SRRO), you can expect:

  • Administrative and procedural fairness – A range of rights and procedures that aim to ensure the process is consistent and fair to everyone involved.
  • Student-centered practices – Every student has the opportunity to share their perspective and be informed of their options.
  • Culturally responsive support – We recognize that students come from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. We aim to consider individual experiences, family expectations, and cultural values in all interactions.
  • Inclusive decision-making – Decisions are made by asking, “Is it more likely than not that this happened?” This means something doesn’t have to be 100% proven, just more likely to be true than not.

What to Expect from a Conduct Process

When a complaint is submitted under,Policy 204 – Safe Student Learning Community, here’s what you can expect:

1. Complaint is Reviewed

  • Complaints may be submitted by students, faculty, or staff (including campus security).

File a Complaint Here

  • The SRRO will assess whether the reported behaviour potentially violates UFV’s Policy 204.
  • If the concern falls outside the policy’s scope, the file may be closed. We may still offer support or referrals.

2. Student Support and Check-In

      • Whether you are submitting or named in a complaint, a Student Support Navigator (SSN) from the Student Support Centre will be assigned to you.
      • We encourage you to meet with the SSN to ask questions, receive emotional support, and understand the SRRO process.

3. Options for resolution

Our goal is to provide students with choices. We offer two main pathways for resolution:

  • Alternative Resolution Process: A collaborative, non-punitive process focused on learning and harm repair. Options may include educational reflection, restorative dialogue, or (See our Student Conduct Procedures for more details on these options).
    Whenever appropriate, we aim to resolve incidents through Alternative Resolution to support growth, accountability, and relationship repair.
  • Investigation Process: When there is more serious harm to the UFV community, an investigation may be initiated. This involves evidence gathering, interviews, and a final decision by a designated decision-maker.

In either pathway, support is always available throughout.

Student Conduct Procedures – Please review this document for a comprehensive overview of our procedures.

Resources

For a detailed understanding of the policy procedures, please review the documents below:

Your Rights and Support Options

We are committed to creating a safe, equitable, and inclusive environment throughout the student conduct process.

  • You have the right to bring a support person to meetings (if they are not involved in the incident). They may support you but not speak on your behalf.
  • You will be informed of the process and can ask questions and share your perspective.
  • You can access culturally responsive services. The SRRO and SSC staff are trained to consider your identity and background.
  • Confidentiality is maintained in accordance with BC’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Frequently Asked Questions

You’re likely hearing from us because we have been made aware of a situation that involves you. This could mean several different things: 

  • You may have been named as a witness to a situation that we’re investigating.
  • A fellow student or faculty member may have reported your behaviour as conflicting with UFV’s Policy 204 - Safe Student Learning Community.
  • We may have received a UFV Campus Security report that you were named in. We want to reach out to you to discuss the concern or offer support

Attendance is not mandatory. However, if you choose not to attend, the SRRO may proceed with resolving the matter without your input, and outcomes or sanctions may still be applied. To view a list of potential outcomes, including restorative and educational measures, please see Section 8: Sanctioning Options in Policy 204 - Safe Student Learning Community

Attending a meeting gives you the opportunity to share your perspective and actively participate in the process. Meetings are scheduled based on your availability and should not interfere with your ability to attend class. Appointments can be held in person, over the phone, or online, depending on the nature of the matter and your preference.

If there are any factors affecting your ability to meet that haven’t been addressed here, please reach out to our office. We’re happy to work with you to remove any barriers to participation.

The SRRO is in the S building, 3rd floor, room 3127 on the Abbotsford campus. We do meetings in-person and virtually depending on your preference. We can also meet at the Chilliwack or Mission campus upon request.  

If you are the Complainant (the person who submitted the complaint), the SRRO will contact you to confirm we’ve received your complaint. You’ll be offered a meeting with a Student Support Navigator (SSN), who works independently from the SRRO. They can help you process your experience, answer questions about the student conduct process, and discuss your support needs.

If you choose to move forward, the SSN can help you book a meeting with the SRRO to explore next steps. During that meeting, we’ll review available resolution options, explain your rights, and determine how you’d like to proceed.

If you are the Respondent (the person named in a complaint), the SRRO will contact you to inform you of the reported concern and invite you to a meeting to discuss the matter. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions, share your perspective, and better understand the conduct process.

You will also be offered a meeting with a Student Support Navigator (SSN), who works separately from the SRRO and can provide support, answer your questions, and help you navigate the process. Depending on the nature of the concern and your response, we may move forward with outcomes and explore appropriate resolution options.

Meetings typically include a SRRO Specialist, the student, and the student’s support person (if requested). We’ll let you know ahead of time who will be attending the meeting.

We approach each situation as a learning opportunity. We recognize that people make mistakes and have bad days. If you are found responsible, we will determine sanctions and/or restorative measures in accordance with the circumstances of the incident, the severity of the behaviour, and the effects on the UFV community. For a non-exhaustive list of possible sanctions and restorative measures, you can review the Policy 204 - Safe Student Learning Community

Still have questions? Please email us at SRRO@ufv.ca and we’ll respond within two business days or visit us during drop-in hours in S building, 3rd floor, room 3127 on the Abbotsford campus.