Student Rights and Responsibilities
Kwantlen Polytechnic University is a learning community committed to providing a safe and civil environment which is respectful of the rights, responsibilities, well-being and dignity of all its members. As a member of the Kwantlen community students can expect to be a part of a respectful, engaging, collaborative, creative and innovative environment. Kwantlen's culture is based on critical inquiry, collegial debate, knowledge generation, freedom of expression, diversity and environmental stewardship and sustainability.
Kwantlen has established policies and procedures to ensure that all members of the University community may benefit from the promotion of its core values. The University upholds and will take reasonable steps to ensure that students, as members of the University community, are aware of their rights and responsibilities, as follows:
Student Rights
- Every student has a right to pursue their education in an environment that is safe, secure and conducive to learning. Students have a right not to be subjected to harassment, sexual harassment, bullying or discrimination, indignity, injury or violence.
- Students have the right to free inquiry, expression, belief, political association and assembly, provided they do not interfere with the rights of others, with the effective operation of the University or violate other University policies and procedures.
- Every student has a right to due process and procedural fairness in any investigation of allegedly improper student conduct or alleged violations of Policy.
- Every student has a right to a protection of privacy consistent with University Policy and existing privacy legislation.
- Students have the right to be informed of the content and requirements of their courses and programs.
- Students have the right to reasonable and legitimate access to the University's buildings and facilities.
- Students have the right to reasonable access to statements of policies, procedures and guidelines of the University and student organizations.
- Students have the right to form clubs and committees through the Student Association and to associate with other organizations to promote common interests.
- Students have a right to a responsible student press independent of university structure.
Student Responsibilities
Along with rights come certain responsibilities. Academic and nonacademic integrity are inherent in student responsibilities.
- Students at Kwantlen are expected to act consistently with the values of the University community (http://www.kwantlen.ca/mission/mission-mandate.html) and to obey local, provincial and federal laws.
- Every student is responsible for abiding by all Kwantlen policies. Kwantlen policies can be found at http://www.kwantlen.ca/policies.
- Students are responsible for exercising their freedoms with honesty, integrity, and respect for the principles of justice, equality and human rights.
- Every student is responsible for contributing to making Kwantlen community safe, respectful and inclusive. Students must refrain from conduct that threatens or endangers the health, safety, well-being or dignity of any person.
- Students are expected to be individually responsible for their actions whether acting individually or in a group. Students are considered by the University to have an obligation to make legal and responsible decisions concerning their conduct and to model and convey the University's expectations of conduct to their guests.
- Every student is responsible to resolve academic and personal problems by communicating with the appropriate University personnel.
- Every student is responsible to keep the University informed of their current mailing address and any change of name.
- Every student is responsible to observe and obey all health and safety procedures outlined for classrooms, laboratories, field trips and practicums.
- Students are responsible to become familiar with course outlines, content, evaluation methods, timelines and methodology.
- Students are responsible for reading their e-mail as directed to their University-assigned e-mail account and for responsible use of technology. Students are reminded that images, postings, dialogues, and information about themselves or others posted on the internet (e.g. on social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook) are public information. While University officials do not actively monitor these sites, content that is brought to the attention of the University which describes or documents behaviour that reasonably suggests breach of University policy (i.e. Conduct, Human Rights, Information and Educational Technology Usage, Violence in the Workplace ) is subject to further investigation. The University reserves the right to appropriately respond to these incidents, which may include disciplinary action.
The Office of Student Risk and Judicial Affairs can assist students with issues arising out of Student's Rights and Responsibilities. The Office of Student Risk and Judicial Affairs can be reached at 604.599-2950.
