Student rights and responsibilities

Participation and contribution

  • To be treated with mutual respect and fairly from instructors, staff and students with ethical behaviour
  • To be provided the same opportunity as your peers
  • To share thoughts and values benefiting the NS community
  • To feel comfortable to work collaboratively with your peers

Safety

  • To feel safe on NS property regardless of ethnicity, Inuit ancestry, sexual orientation, beliefs, etc.
  • To bring your concerns forward without fear of punishment
  • To have your rights protected
  • To have NS staff committed to maintaining student confidentiality (personal information is not shared without consent)
  • To learn in a safe environment free from harassment, intimidation, discrimination or assault

Support

  • To receive academic guidance when needed for the benefit of students
  • To receive personal guidance from the appropriate NS staff members
  • To receive academic support for students who have a learning disability and need extra time with guidance fromAlgonquin college guidelines

Student academic responsibilities

Participation in student life

  • To complete and hand in homework when they are due.
  • To communicate to NS staff if additional accommodations are needed to complete assignments.
  • Responsible for attending every class and keeping an average attendance of at least 80% over each semester (with exceptions*).
  • To act accordingly during academic events off-campus and any college sanction event (orientation, harris week, performances, public events outside of NS).
  • To report any harassment, abuse or misconduct experienced or witnessed involving students or NS employees or anyone involved with the NS community.
  • To respect the rights of others to participate by refraining from actions that threaten or disrupt the academic, intellectual, cultural and social life of the NS community.
  • If you are sick for more than 3 days in a row, you are required to submit a doctor’s note to NS.For absences related to your mental health, we require a note from our NS social worker.

*Exceptions include sickness, medical appointments, tragedy, academic and professional opportunities (pre-approved by the Executive Director).

  • Bereavement leave will be assessed on a case by case basis with the Executive Director.
  • Students who miss class time for any of the above reasons are still responsible for missed class material and must complete all assignments, exams, etc.(extensions will be considered on a case by case basis with your instructor)

Freedom of discussion

  • To listen, observe and respect the participation and dialogue of others regardless of beliefs, values etc.
  • To listen, observe and respect the participation of others in activities without harassment, discrimination or acts of violence.
  • To consider and respect the perspectives of others even if they don't agree.
  • To contribute to a learning, work and living college environment by respect diversity, opportunity and inclusivity are valued

Respecting property

  • Responsibility to behave in a way that does not harm or threaten another person's physical or mental well being.
  • Respect property of others including the property of NS and does not interfere with their learning (breaking laptop, notes, etc).
  • Responsibility to respect the privacy and personal information of others.
  • To treat others with respect and refrain from acts of harassment, intimidation, discrimination or assault.
  • To maintain a healthy learning environment

Accountability

  • To prioritize academic studies, which includes handing in assignments on time and prioritizing attendance(avoid travelling during weekdays, exam times and the last three weeks of each semester).
  • To balance academic and personal life in a constructive way (arranging medical appointments, personal appointments).
  • To communicate efficiently with instructors regarding missing assignments, late assignments, any future travel, medical appointments, sports tournaments and more that may interfere with learning and class time
  • To communicate with instructors if you will be late to class.
  • To ensure there are no phone and laptop distractions within the classroom.

Cleanliness

  • Responsibility to keep Nunavut Sivuniksavut clean, including all classrooms, common spaces, hallways, elevator, stairwells, and exterior doors and parking lot.

Student misconduct

Nunavut Sivuniksavut offers crisis intervention counselling services full-time on property and offers part-time one-on-one therapeutic professional sessions. Issues outside of NS staff’s student support sope of practice will be referred to other professionals and practitioners.

Category 1

Disruption of student life

  • Damaging others property that will interfere with their learning, including laptops, notebooks, phones, etc.
  • Disrupting the class
  • Disrespecting the instructors or students time while teaching
  • Inviting strangers into NS
  • Leaving the doors open

Plagiarism (using someone else’s work as your own)

  • Plagiarising for the benefit of assignments
  • Abusing copyright materials
  • Copying another student's work for the benefit of your work
  • Using other sources instead of writing your own work

Verbal misconduct

  • Harassment, bullying, intimidation towards anyone in the NS community

Misuse of NS facilities, equipment, materials or services.

  • Intentional destruction of NS property.
  • Misuse of NS equipment and material, including the shop, sewing room, musical instruments, technology equipment, and furniture.

Late penalty

  • Frequent late and/or assignments without consulting your instructor.
  • Frequent absence or late attendance (10 minutes) for class or any other NS events including group meetings and performances.

Category 2

Acts of violence

  • Causing harm to another student, staff or NS member
  • Putting someone in direct danger
  • Verbal and/or Physical abuse towards others
  • Assault with weapon with the purpose of harming others
  • Sexual assault

Destruction of property

  • Intentionally causing damage on NS property

Social media misuse and abuse

  • Using any social media including facebook, tiktok, snapchat, instagram or any other social media platform to bully, harass, intimidate, outcast and/or belittle others in the NS community
  • Posting photos or videos of others without their permission

Misconduct in relation to the use of alcohol and/or drugs on property

  • Coming to NS intoxicated from any substances
  • Smoking and vaping within 9 metres to the building entrances
  • Having chewing tobacco on NS property
  • Selling or buying any substances on NS property
  • Having cannabis or alcohol on NS property
  • Having any illegal substances on NS property

Appeal process

Students have the right to appeal in writing in formal letter format. Appeal letters must be sent via email, addressed and sent to the Executive Director: executivedirector@nsstaff.ca

Step one: Know your time limit - An appeal must be submitted within 72 business hours of a decision being made on an incident(s).

Step two: Know why you are appealing? - you can appeal a decision based on 3 reasons:

  1. Bias - You believe the decision-maker was biased towards you when making the decision
  2. Procedural Fairness- You believe the decision-maker didn’t follow procedures based on the NS Code of Conduct and NS Residence Code of Conduct.
  3. New information - You have new information that was not included in the original decision

Step three: Wait for a response - a response can be expected within 5 business days from the Executive Director.

Procedures in response to misconduct

Nunavut Sivuniksavut understands one of the unique values we strive for is building relationships. All student misconduct will be reviewed case-by-case to ensure NS provides the proper support for our students and their current life situations.

Who will review misconduct?

NS Staff, Executive Director and any outside members needed including but not limited to the Police, at discretion of the NS staff and the Executive Director.

Level 1

  • Verbal and Written Warning
  • Restorative Measures/Aaqigiarutiksat
  • Temporary Dismissal

Level 2

  • Loss of Privileges
  • Behavioural Contract
  • Probation

Level 3

  • Interim Suspension
  • Re-entry Plan
  • Expulsion