Approved by: Executive Committee
Effective Date – June 1990
Replaces – n/a
Introduction
Each student registered at Cambrian College is a member of the Cambrian College community. As a member of this community, each student is entitled to expect certain rights to be recognized by the College community and, in the same way, the College community is entitled to expect responsible behaviour from the individual student. This document is by no means a contractual agreement or lawfully binding contract between the college and its students. It is intended to reflect the college’s intention to respect the rights of students and to require students to observe the rights and regulations set out by the College.
This document applies to all Cambrian students on any owned or leased campus of Cambrian College.
Nothing in this document affects:
- the rights and duties of individuals under the general laws of Canada, Ontario and any local government having jurisdiction; and
- the relationship between sponsored students and the agency sponsoring, such students.
This document is based on the following premise: The College maintains that all students are adults and, therefore, accountable for their behaviour.
Responsibilities
Fundamental Responsibilities
- The official registration forms must be completed and fees paid in accordance with College regulations before an applicant can be considered as a student.
- The College maintains that students are responsible members of the College community and are fully accountable for their actions while at the College.
- Students must respect the rights of other members of the community to a safe and pleasant environment and, therefore, must refrain from any conduct which is a nuisance. It is also expected that students will take reasonable care of any College property or facilities and will leave such property or facilities in a state in which they can be enjoyed and used by other members of the College community. Any abuse of these areas will not be tolerated and may result in the loss of their use.
- Students must obtain the approval of the College before soliciting money on College property for any purpose. Approval must also be obtained if an individual or student group wants to solicit money for College events off College property. (See student policy on fundraising.)
- Students require approval of the Student Activities Department Manager or designate when sponsoring a student related event.
- Students must obtain College approval before posting any poster on any College surface. (See student policy on posting.)
- Cambrian College has designated non-smoking areas throughout the College. Students must respect these areas. (See policy on smoking.)
Academic Responsibilities
- Students are expected to:
8.01 Acquaint themselves with the procedures to be followed to register for and change/withdraw from a course and/or program.8.02 Arrive to class on time and remain for the duration of scheduled classes and activities.
8.03 Respect the faculty member’s right to formulate and enforce attendance policies.
8.04 Respect the faculty member’s right to determine course content, methodology and evaluation within the guidelines set by the academic department.
8.05 Respect the faculty member’s right to set deadlines for assigned work, to expect assignments to be submitted at the time specified, and to establish penalties for failure to comply with deadlines. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all assignments are given directly to the teacher unless it has been specified otherwise in a particular instance.
8.06 Respect the faculty member’s right to expect assignments to be neatly presented (typed or handwritten) with the appropriate identification (name, student number, course title).
8.07 Submit work that is their own. It is the student’s obligation to know what plagiarism and other forms of cheating are and their consequences. (See Cheating Policy.)
8.08 Bring instances of cheating to the attention of the appropriate faculty member.
8.09 Write tests and final examinations at the times scheduled by the teacher or the College.
8.10 Assume responsibility for classes missed. Teachers are not obliged to provide for missed tests, laboratories or examinations, and students must be prepared to forfeit marks allocated to such work during their absence.
8.11 Respect the faculty member’s right to expect decorum and appropriate classroom deportment by all students. Should a student be disruptive and/or disrespectful, the teacher has the right to take action to exclude the disruptive student from any learning activities.
8.12 Be responsible for keeping all quizzes, tests, papers, essays or other assignments returned to them in the event of a grade review. In fact, students should always keep a photocopy of work submitted as a protection against loss.
8.13 Wait at least 15 minutes for a teacher to arrive, unless they have been notified otherwise in a specific instance.
8.14 Become familiar with the rules and policies of the College as spelled out in the College calendar, Students’ Rights and Responsibilities. These documents and other Cambrian policies can be obtained from the student government office, the library or student services and chairmen’s offices.
8.15 Fulfil the requirements of the agency sponsoring their studies.
Rights
Fundamental Rights
- Every student has a right to equitable treatment by the College. This right must not be impaired by discrimination based on race, colour, ethnic or national origin, marital status, religion, creed, political conviction, language, sex, sexual orientation, social condition, age, personal handicap or the use of any means to palliate such as handicap.
- Students have the right to:
2.01 Express themselves, either individually or as a group, on any subject without hindrance and to publish and distribute opinion on College property, either personally or through the campus media, provided that these rights are exercised reasonably and in good taste, with due regard for others and in accordance with the general law (including the laws of defamation).2.02 Organize and take part in orderly and peaceful assemblies provided that such assemblies do not interfere with the regular activities of the College or any member of the College community.
2.03 Form, join and take part in any lawful group or organization for intellectual, religious, social, economic, political, cultural or recreational purposes (in accordance with 2.0 above).
2.04 Use facilities designated by the College as available for student use and agree to abide by the regulations of the College in regard to such use.
- Students have the right to:
3.01 Have published and made available on request the rules and regulations of the College affecting students.3.02 Enquire into and be informed honestly and fully about the reason for such rules and regulations.
3.03 Make representations to the appropriate authority (Vice President, Student Services) of the College for changes in such rules and regulations.
3.04 To make, without fear of reprisal, a reasonable complaint or petition to the appropriate authority (Vice President, Student Services) of the College.
- Students have the right to a learning environment which is safe.
- Every student has the right to be free from any and all harassment. (See sexual harassment policy.)
Academic Rights
- Every student has the right to a quality education; the College makes every reasonable effort to maintain the quality of education it dispenses.
- Students have the right to know the course content and regulations/procedures prior to the beginning of the semester and to be assured that the course will not be substantially changed after registration.
- Students have the right to information concerning program and graduation requirements, academic regulations and admissions. This information should include, where appropriate:
- Pre-requisites for courses
- Course Descriptions
- Course Availability
- The method of evaluation
- Timetables
- Costs
- Students have the right to be given a written course outline at the beginning of each course which states the objectives of the course, the teaching methods, the evaluation system, including penalties, and the schedule for assignments, tests and examinations.
- Students have the right to know the College’s definitions of cheating and plagiarism and the consequences of their detection. (See Cheating Policy.)
- Students have the right to expect that adequate measures will be taken by the faculty member to ensure that cheating during testing does not occur.
- Students have the right to know what is expected with regard to class attendance and punctuality.
- Students have the right to receive instruction for the number of hours specified on their timetables for the duration of the semester.
- Students have the right to be notified of class cancellation as soon as possible. It is the responsibility of the teacher or department to post all cancellations and to make certain that all students have been notified.
- Students have the right to expect that classes will start and end on time.
- Students have the right to a notice in writing of any rule changes with regard to classroom procedures. The course outline is a binding document. Consensus should be obtained between the student and the faculty member if any changes are to be made to the outline once classes are in session.
- Students have the right to expect the teacher to grade and return enough material to evaluate their progress in the course by one week prior to the official course withdrawal deadline.
- Students have the right to have their grades viewed as confidential. They should be assured that grades will not be posted by name or be given out over the telephone without written permission. They have the right to have all papers, class tests, quizzes and examinations returned individually to them. These items must not be left in unsupervised areas such as halls or outer offices.
- Students have the right to see and review all graded work with the teacher. Students will be notified on the length of time that graded work will be kept by the faculty member in question.
- Students own any original work they have produced (e.g. their own work or ideas). Students may expect their work to be returned promptly, except in cases where cheating may be involved. The departments may retain actual test questions, examinations and quizzes, and need not supply copies to the students.
- Students have the right to view any official record that exists in their files in the College.
