College Policies

Governance and Leadership: Compliance with Legislative Statutes and Regulations (Policy Code and Number G-02)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): President

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Introduction

Alexander College complies with all legislative statutes and regulations relevant to Colleg operations.

Human Rights

The College abides by the Human Rights Code (BC) and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Authorization as a Designated Learning Institution

Alexander College is authorized by Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s International Student Program (ISP) as a Designated Learning Institution. To apply for (or extend) study permits on or after June 1, 2014, students require a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) or Confirmation of Enrolment letter (COE) from a designated learning institution. Alexander College’s DLI# is O19347185182.

Additional information about these new regulations and a list of Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) list of Designated Learning Institutions is available at the following link: www.cic.gc.ca/english/study

Degree Authorization Act

Alexander College is governed by the Degree Authorization Act, available at the following link:
www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca.
Additional information on the authorization process for private degree-granting institutions is available here:
www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training 

Governance and Leadership: Mission, Core Themes, and General Educational Goals (Policy Code and Number G-03)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): President

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Introduction

This policy is intended to provide the College community with a shared sense of purpose. It describes Alexander College’s mission, core themes, and general educational goals.

Mission

Alexander College strives for excellence in higher education for students from many cultural backgrounds and language abilities by providing internationally recognized university transfer courses and degree programs, individual support services, and campus activities to foster local and global community engagement.

Core Themes

• Provide a supportive learning environment for students with many cultural backgrounds and language abilities.
• Offer internationally recognized university transfer courses and degree programs.
• Support individual growth and development through academic achievement and community engagement, preparing students for future studies and careers.

General Education Goals

Communication

The ability to read, write, speak, listen, and use non-verbal skills effectively with different audiences.

Upon graduation, students will demonstrate the ability to:

• Use appropriate methods to communicate (written and oral) based on audience and purpose.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of communication of both self and others.
• Use English in a style and tone appropriate to academic discourse.
• Present ideas in an organized framework.
• Develop ideas using concrete reasoning and clear explanation.
• Understand and interpret complex material.
• Recognize the role of culture in communication.

Critical Thinking

The ability to think using analysis, synthesis, evaluation, problem-solving, judgment, and the creative process.

Upon graduation, students will demonstrate the ability to:

• Identify and summarize problems in clear and concise terms.
• Think critically and creatively.
• Formulate and re-evaluate positions based on available evidence.
• Ask appropriate questions that challenge assumptions and conventional wisdom.
• Integrate ideas and values from different disciplines and contexts.
• Recognize own biases.
• Recognize that cultural perspectives influence perception and judgment.
• Weigh evidence and draw reasonable conclusions.
• Solve problems.

Personal Growth and Responsibility

The ability to understand and manage self, to function effectively in social, cultural, and professional environments; the ability to recognize ethical and moral issues that may arise from scientific and technological developments or that may be inferred from aesthetic and humanistic works.

Upon graduation, students will demonstrate the ability to:

• Make commitments that reflect ethical and informed decision-making.
• Assume responsibility for own actions.
• Plan and pursue their own learning.
• Set, articulate, and pursue realistic individual goals for education, work, and leisure.
• Respect personal and cultural differences.
• Contribute effectively as a team member.
• Interact effectively in diverse professional environments.
• Respect the environment.
• Respect the impact of arts and humanities on culture.

Technology and Quantitative Literacy

The ability to locate, understand, evaluate, and synthesize information and data in a technological and data-driven society and to use logic and mathematics to deal effectively with problems and issues.

Upon graduation, students will demonstrate the ability to:

• Use technology to access information for professional and personal needs.
• Use technology to obtain information and draw conclusions in a variety of disciplines.
• Create and interpret mathematical functions, models, graphs, and use numerical methods to draw logical inferences.
• Use empirical evidence and logical argument to reach conclusions.
• Reason by deduction, induction, and analogy.
• Distinguish between causal and correlational relationships.

Appreciation of the Arts, Culture, and Humanities

The ability to recognize, appreciate, encourage, and contribute to human society.

Upon graduation, students will demonstrate the ability to:

• Be aware of cultural diversity and its contribution to society.
• Develop and appreciate aesthetic sensibilities.
• Be aware of belief systems and religion and understand how they contribute to society.
• Examine their own culture, society, and nationality from perspectives acquired through understanding other cultures and nations, including their language, literature, art, history, and geography.

Information Literacy

The ability to recognize the need for information, and the ability to locate, evaluate, and use it effectively.

Upon graduation, students will demonstrate the ability to:

• Determine the nature and extent of information needed.
• Locate information effectively and efficiently.
• Critically evaluate information and its sources.
• Use information effectively and persuasively.
• Handle information in an ethical and legal manner.

Scientific Reasoning and Literacy

The ability to apply the basic principles of science and methods of scientific inquiry.

Upon graduation, students will demonstrate the ability to:

• Define major concepts, principles, and fundamental theories in at least one area of science.
• Describe methods of inquiry that lead to scientific knowledge.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of evidence and the methods of acquiring and testing scientific evidence.
• Acquire data through controlled experiments or rigorous observation.
• Formulate a hypothesis, given a simple problem or question, and then design a valid experiment to test it.

Board of Governors Terms of Reference (Policy Code and Number G-04)

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Policy Manager(s): President

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Summary

Alexander College has a number of committees with interlocking structures and functions that are responsible for completing tasks, making decisions, and generally overseeing the academic work of the College. The Board of Governors is the chief governing committee of the College. Responsibility for governing the College is assigned to the board by the owners of the College.

Membership

• The Board of Governors consists of the president and members appointed by the owner; a representative may be appointed by the Alexander College Student Association.
• The owner of the College appoints from five to ten members to the board who serve at the pleasure of the owner. No more than fifty percent of board members may have a direct financial interest in the College.
• The student community may elect a representative to the board for a term of one year. The student’s participation in some discussions and decisions may be limited by the board majority, at its discretion.
• All members of the board are full voting members.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develops and approves overall policy of the College, informed by the president and other sources; and gives direction to the president.
• Approves academic programs and ensures that periodic reviews and formal assessments are conducted as needed and at least every five years.
• Receives from the president complaints and/or concerns from students or staff that have not been satisfactorily resolved and provides direction for resolving these complaints and/or concerns.
• Ensures, to the best of their ability, that the College complies with all legal requirements and always exercises high moral and ethical standards.

Duty to Avoid Conflict of Interest

Board members shall avoid all conflicts of interest. These may include ethical, legal, financial, professional, academic, or other conflicts of interest.

President and Senior Administrative Team (Policy Code and Number G-05)

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Policy Manager(s): President

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Introduction

Administrators at Alexander College work in close collaboration to fulfill their respective responsibilities. This policy outlines the primary duties of most members of the administrative team.

Senior Administrators

• President

The owners have delegated governance authority to the College board, which selects and appoints a president for the College. The president is the chief executive officer of the College and operates the College according to the directives of the board. The duties and conduct of the president are explained in greater detail in the College Constitution.

• Provost

The provost is the chief academic officer of Alexander College, providing primary administrative leadership, direction, and, under the president, is responsible for the creation and implementation of the academic priorities for the College and for advising on allocation of resources that will support those priorities.

• Vice-President Academic

The vice-president academic assists the president in the conduct of all academic matters, devoting attention primarily to curricular and academic policies of the College. This includes faculty relations, promotion recommendations, replacements and assignments, student affairs, the library, and any examination and evaluation of the academic progress and standing of the College. The vice-president academic shall also advise the board on academic matters and shall accept and discharge such additional duties as the president or the board designate.

• Vice-President Academic Affairs

The vice-president academic affairs shapes the intellectual culture of the College by building a community of teaching and learning, providing the organizational and financial structure to support that community, and by collaborating with the president and other members of the leadership team at the College to advance institution-wide goals.

The vice-president academic affairs is responsible for academic strategic planning, academic budget planning and management, overall assessment of student achievement and institutional performance, approval of new faculty, and professional growth for faculty and administrators in the Academic Division. The vice-president academic affairs is responsible for overseeing curricula, enforcing academic standards, and maintaining academic records.

• Vice-President Operations

The vice-president operations is the chief business officer of the College and has supervisory responsibility for enrolment, financial services, human resources, auxiliary services, physical plant services, and the financial aid program. The vice-president operations shall have primary responsibility for the direction and administration of the admission efforts and the enrolment of new students. Duties include program planning and market research.

Executive Committee Terms of Reference (Policy Code and Number G-06)

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Policy Manager(s): President

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Introduction

The Executive Committee is responsible for business planning and overseeing the operation of the College. It monitors the business feasibility of all operational matters, including academic plans and decisions.

Membership

The Executive Committee consists of the president, provost, and vice-presidents.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Executive Committee meets as needed to oversee the continued operation of the College. It monitors programs to ensure the availability of resources and the efficient and effective administration of the College. The Executive Committee also makes recommendations to the president and to the Alexander College Board of Governors.

Curriculum Committee Terms of Reference (Policy Code and Number G-09)

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Policy Manager(s): Associate dean & Registrar

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Introduction

The Curriculum Committee helps to ensure that Alexander College’s curriculum is academically sound, consistent with provincial guidelines and standards for post-secondary institutions, responsive to changing social conditions, and aligned with the college’s mission, goals, and educational commitments to students.

Membership

• Committee Members
• Vice-president operations
• Dean of arts and sciences
• Associate dean of arts and sciences (committee co-chair)
• Registrar (committee co-chair)
• Department heads
• Department coordinators

The vice-president operations, dean, associate dean, and registrar comprise an oversight group that ensures curriculum initiatives align with institutional strategic planning. The oversight group provides annual direction to the Curriculum Committee.

Advisors

Committee advisors (e.g., representatives from various college departments and/or external experts) may be invited to specific meetings and participate in some activities.

Duties and Tasks

Under the guidance of the oversight group, the Curriculum Committee primarily facilitates the development of new programs, disciplines, and courses.

Procedures

Procedural details that apply to the Curriculum Committee are outlined in the Development of New Programs and Courses policy and in the Curriculum Committee Operations Manual.

Meetings

Normally, the Curriculum Committee meets once every 4-6 weeks.

Program Review (Policy Code and Number G-13)

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Policy Manager(s): Provost & Dean

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Introduction

As part of its commitment to provide effective educational programs, the College fosters an environment that supports constructive evaluation and continuous improvement. The main purpose of all program review activities is to verify the appropriateness and effectiveness of Alexander College programs, including curriculum, policies, and procedures. Review activities may result in recommendations about improving any aspect of programming or any aspect of the evaluation process itself. Program review is a vital means of quality assurance and assists the College with educational planning. Program review includes consideration of faculty professional development needs and faculty input.

Program review activities occur on the following three timelines:

1. End-of-Term Reviews
2. Annual Reviews
3. In-Depth Program Reviews

End-of-Term Reviews

• Course Archives

The dean of arts and sciences maintains a course archive folder for every course section taught by the College. These archives are updated at the end of every term that the course is taught, with the following information:

• the dates, times, and room number of the section offered.
• the name of the instructor.
• the Course Syllabi.
• all Course Exams.
• a summary of student feedback from the relevant Student Course Evaluation form.
• a list of students with grades for each assessment and final grades.
• any other information or reports that may be relevant to a particular iteration of the course, including observations from department heads, SASC members, and the instructor.
• Department Head Term Reports

At the end of each semester, department heads use the course archiving process and additional institutional research data to prepare term reports that address multiple aspects of programming in their departments.

• Standing Academic Standards Committee (SASC) Term Reports

Similarly, at the end of each semester, SASC members use the course archiving process and additional institutional research data to prepare term reports that address multiple aspects of programming in the departments they advise.

• Faculty Course Assessment Reports

On an as-needed basis, in consultation with department heads, continuing- and limited-term faculty may also conduct Faculty Course Assessment Reports and Deep Faculty Course Assessment Reports.

• Dean and Provost

After reviewing course archives, department head term reports, SASC term reports, and faculty course assessments, the provost and dean of arts and science may make recommendations to the Education Committee.

Annual Course and Program Review

• DQAB Annual Reports

In July of every year, the College prepares an Annual Report for DQAB, to fulfill requirements established by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training. The purpose of the Annual Report is to ensure the accountability of institutions that have obtained consent under the Degree Authorization Act (the Act). This report includes a consideration of factors related to programming, such as student support, faculty complements, and academic policies.

• Department Head Annual Reports

In October of every year, department heads use the course archiving process and additional institutional research data to prepare annual reports that address multiple aspects of programming in their departments during the previous academic year.

• Standing Academic Standards Committee (SASC) Annual Reports

In October of every year, SASC members use the course archiving process and additional institutional research data to prepare annual reports that address multiple aspects of programming during the previous academic year.

• Dean and Provost

After reviewing annual reporting materials, the provost and dean of arts and science may make recommendations to the Education Committee.

In-Depth, Five-Year Program Review

In-depth program reviews may be conducted at any time but are normally undertaken to prepare for five-year reporting requirements established by the Ministry of Advanced Education. In-depth program reviews are overseen by the provost and by the dean of arts and science. In-depth program reviews are ultimately submitted to DQAB and consist of the following processes and information.

• Self-Study

An in-depth review begins with the preparation of a Self-Study. Program Self-Studies are comprehensive documents that require input from managers throughout the institution. Self-Studies consider the following:

• Admission requirements: an explanation and rationale for program admission requirements.
• Course requirements: an explanation and rationale for the requirements for each course, highlighting any special requirements.
• Transferability: an annotated list of articulation agreements.
• Student course selection: samples of student course selection, illustrating the most chosen programs and the range of course choices available to students.
• Instructors: a list of instructors hired in the last five years indicating their qualifications, courses taught, and all assessment information available. Also included are comments on the success and availability of instructors in each subject area, differential salaries, mobility, staffing projections, and any other relevant information. In compiling instructor information for their area, department heads invite feedback from instructors themselves.
• Administrative Staff: a list of administrative staff members with their positions, qualifications, and effectiveness.
• Facilities space: a diagram and list of classrooms, laboratories, student study and meeting areas, with surface area and comments concerning the amount of use each location receives. Comments and recommendations for improvements to the use of space are included.
• Equipment: a list of all instructional and non-instructional A/V, computer, and laboratory equipment available in the College.
• Library: a full description of the library mission, holdings by subject area, space, staff, facilities, and equipment. Comments and recommendations for improvements to the library are included.

College-Appointed External Reviewer

The next stage of an in-depth review involves the selection of an external reviewer (or an external review panel). College-facilitated external reviews provide an independent, comprehensive assessment of the Self-Study and all other relevant college documents, including the Academic Calendar. The work of the external reviewer (or review panel) culminates in a report. The institution then prepares a summary and response to the external review. Responses are prepared by the relevant program unit and by the dean or provost. The institutional summary and responses are made available on the College website.

Preparation of Documents for the Degree Quality Assurance Board (DQAB)

The in-depth program review process culminates in material that is submitted to the Degree Quality Assurance Board, including a program review (or application for renewed consent) and an organizational review where required. Program reviews are uploaded to the Post-Secondary Institutional Proposal System (PSIPS) for provincial consideration. Following DQAB guidelines, Alexander College provides a summary of (and response to) DQAB panel reviews for each program.

Green Committee Terms of Reference (Policy Code and Number G-14)

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Policy Manager(s): Provost and Director of student affairs

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Introduction

The Alexander College Green Committee is a group of staff, faculty, and students who work together to increase environmental awareness at Alexander College while creating events and leading initiatives in order to decrease our environmental impact.

Alexander College Sustainability Mission Statement

Alexander College strives for sustainability through education, community engagement, and modeling waste reduction best practices. We aim to produce environmentally responsible global citizens and contribute to the overall health of the communities in which we live.

Core Themes and Objectives

Education

• Increase student, staff, and faculty awareness of the importance of implementing sustainable practices in the school environment and beyond.
• Serve as a resource on recycling and waste management questions, energy and water conservation, environmentally preferable purchasing, and other initiatives.

Sustainability

• Collect, measure, and report on AC’s environmental performance in order to initiate alternatives to existing practices that will positively affect the environment.
• Foster individual growth and development by supporting each student’s academic achievement and involvement in the community life of the College.
• Institute energy and water conservation strategies, as well as environmentally friendly purchasing strategies, including a preference for reusable and compostable materials.
• Promote AC as an environmentally conscious institution and cultivate sustainable habits that have widespread effects for the community.

Waste Management

• Improve the effectiveness and accessibility of AC’s waste management system by implementing multi-waste sorting bins in common areas and classrooms.
• Communicate and model best practices for sorting and disposing of waste, recycling, and compost.
• Increase and promote recycling and composting while contributing to a larger regional waste diversion goal.

Community Engagement

• Create and facilitate frequent green events, including beach and park clean-ups, gardening events, and lunch-and-learn sessions.
• Create and promote ongoing volunteer and educational opportunities for all members of the AC community to take part in eco-friendly initiatives and events.

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Admission Requirements (Policy Code and Number A-01)

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Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Introduction

Alexander College provides admission to educational programs for the greatest range of students possible. Where appropriate, however, access to programs and courses is restricted to students who satisfy established admission criteria at both general and program-specific levels.

General Admission Requirements

• Completion of Secondary Education (12 years, or equivalent) or mature student admission
• Academic and/or GPA requirements specific to individual programs, if applicable
• Demonstrated proficiency in the English language
• Canadian Citizenship or legal authorization to study in Canada (e.g., permanent residency or study permit)
• Minimum age of 16 years, as of the first day of classes

Program-Specific Admission Requirements English as an Additional Language

Entry from Grade 12:

• BC secondary program (Grade 12) or equivalent, the A.B.E. (Adult Basic Education) Program, or G.E.D. (General Educational Development) Testing Program, or mature student status
• Evidence of English proficiency

University Transfer:

• At least 9 transferable post-secondary credits, with a cumulative GPA of 1.50 or higher. University transfer applicants with cumulative GPA’s below 1.50 may be admitted provisionally.
• Evidence of English proficiency

English for Academic Purposes

Entry from Grade 12:

• BC secondary program (Grade 12) or equivalent, the A.B.E. (Adult Basic Education) Program, or G.E.D. (General Educational Development) Testing Program, or mature student status
• BC English 12 (grade of C or higher)

University Transfer:

• At least 9 transferable post-secondary credits, with a cumulative GPA of 1.50 or higher. University transfer applicants with cumulative GPA’s below 1.50 may be admitted provisionally.
• BC ENGL 12 with a minimum grade of C, or equivalent

University Transfer & Associate of Arts Degree Programs (all concentrations)

Entry from Grade 12:

• BC secondary program (Grade 12) or equivalent, the A.B.E. (Adult Basic Education) Program, or G.E.D. (General Educational Development) Testing Program, or mature student status
• BC ENGL 12 with a minimum grade of C, or equivalent

University Transfer:

• At least 9 transferable post-secondary credits, with a cumulative GPA of 1.50 or higher. University transfer applicants with cumulative GPA’s below 1.50 may be admitted provisionally.
• BC ENGL 12 with a minimum grade of C, English 099 with a minimum grade of C, or equivalent.

Associate of Science Degree Program

Entry from Grade 12:

• Graduation from 12-year compulsory education, or mature student (aged 19+) status
• Demonstrated English proficiency
• Two of: Biology 12, Chemistry 12, Physics 12, Geography 12, Geology 12 (or equivalents)
• Mathematics 12, grade of ‘B’ or higher (or calculus-based equivalent)

University Transfer:

• At least 9 transferable post-secondary credits, with a cumulative GPA of 1.50 or higher. University transfer applicants with cumulative GPA’s below 1.50 may be admitted provisionally
• Demonstrated English proficiency
• At least 6 credits first-year biological or physical sciences (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, Geology)
• 3 credits first-year mathematics (e.g., Pre-calculus, Calculus), with a grade of ‘C’ or higher

English is the language of instruction at Alexander College, and successful study depends heavily upon fluency in the English language. Students who do not meet the English Language Proficiency requirement for admission to their program may apply to the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Program.

Admission GPA Requirement

A minimum cumulative GPA of 1.50 (on a 4.33 scale) is required for regular admission, calculated on the applicants most recently completed academic history.

English Proficiency Requirement

Applicants who do not meet this requirement may be admitted conditionally (see Provisional Admission). Provisional Admission is intended to allow students with a demonstrated history of academic difficulty or who have been required to withdraw from another institution to be admitted to the College.

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Application for Admission (Policy Code and Number A-02)

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Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Online Application for Admission

Each new student is assigned an Education Advisor at the application phase of their studies. Education Advisors at Alexander College are responsible for answering general questions, providing personalized support, and ensuring that each student has a direct contact and connection to the College. Applications for Admission are received electronically, and can be completed online at https://myac.alexandercollege.ca/online-application

Application Deadlines

Evaluation of an application begins when the Application for Admission form and all required supporting documentation have been submitted. Programs at Alexander College are considered to have open enrolment, and applications for admission are accepted until the add/drop/change deadline in a given semester, as space allows. Applicants should be aware that some courses can fill quickly. New students are encouraged to register early in order to have the greatest selection of courses.

Processing Times

Alexander College strives to evaluate all Applications for Admission within 3-5 business days.

Academic Disclosure

All applicants are required to submit a satisfactory amount of academic history, so that Admissions can make a reasonable determination for admissibility. Failure to disclose academic history may result in one or more of the following:

• Denial of the Application for Admission or dismissal from the institution
• Change of academic standing (e.g., academic probation)
• Denial of transfer credit for coursework completed prior to admission

Applicants with questions about disclosure of academic history are encouraged to inquire with Admissions prior to submitting their Application for Admission.

Academic Documents

Students are responsible for submitting original academic documents (e.g., transcripts, language test scores, etc.) with their application for admission, or later. Students may present official documents in person or arrange to have their official documents sent directly to the College by their previous institution(s). Original academic documentation that is not in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation bearing the declaration or stamp of a registered/licensed English translator.

Retention of Documents

Documents submitted in support of applications become the property of the College and will not be returned to the student. International documentation, as deemed irreplaceable by the Office of the Registrar, may be returned to a student on submission of a “Return of Irreplaceable Documentation” request form within two years of their last term of study. Student records inactive for two years are digitally archived and all physical file documents destroyed. Note: Documentation deemed evidence in a case of misconduct will not be returned to the student under any circumstance.

Application with Unofficial Documentation

Alexander College is committed to providing students with an opportunity to be successful in their academic studies. Full academic disclosure is a requirement of admission, and it is the responsibility of the student to provide a complete and official record of their educational history. Alexander College allows for the Admissions process to be completed based on unofficial or photocopied academic documentation (e.g., transcripts, test results, etc.). Applications are not considered complete, however, until all official copies of necessary supporting documentation have been provided.

• Documents submitted in support of applications become the property of the College and will not be returned to the student.
• All official/original transcripts, certificates, and language test results must be provided to the College before a student is eligible to order an official transcript or graduation documents.
• International documentation, as deemed irreplaceable by the Office of the Registrar, may be returned to a student on submission of a “Return of Irreplaceable Documentation” request form. If approved to be returned, the documents will be verified by an authorized officer and made available for pick up from the reception desk after two business days. Please note that domestic documentation will not be returned under any circumstance.
• All student file documents are digitally archived and securely destroyed two years from the last enrolled term. Physical documentation cannot be stored indefinitely and therefore it is the responsibility of the student to be aware of the disposition schedule and ensure that any irreplaceable documents are requested to be returned in a timely manner.

Applicant Declaration

By signing and applying to Alexander College, students acknowledge and are thereafter bound by the established terms and conditions:

• Information disclosed with an application, including academic history and all other supporting documentation, must be true and complete.
• Evidence of falsified information or documents will result in permanent cancellation of an application and/or permanent dismissal from the College.
• Alexander College is committed to using personal information in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). Personal information within an application may be used solely for the purposes of providing academic and student support services.
• Alexander College is authorized to use Personal Education Numbers (PENs) to conduct research and statistical analysis relating to student mobility and academic success in accordance with section 170.1 of the School Act.
• Alexander College may verify the information submitted within application, and the authenticity of all supporting documentation.
• It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of and to comply with the policy and procedures of Alexander College.
• The Registrar may share information with other post-secondary institutions if an applicant or student is found to have misrepresented information or falsified documents.

Documentation Requirements

All applicants are required to submit a satisfactory amount of academic history, so that the Admissions Office can make a reasonable determination for admissibility. All documents above may be submitted in copy form at the time of application; however, a Registrar hold will be applied to the student file until required official documentation has been presented to Admissions. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their official documents at the time of application. All application documents that are not in the English language must be accompanied by an English translation made by a licensed translator. Further information on admissions procedures and requirements is provided on the College website.

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Admissions Categories and Special Considerations (Policy Code and Number A-03)

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Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Office of the Registrar

The Office of the Registrar is one of the main points of contact between students and the College administration. The Office of the Registrar administers policy and procedure, and oversees many areas of the College administration, including admissions, course registration, registrar services, financial aid, transfer credit, grades, performance standards, academic records, and more.

Student Selection

Alexander College reserves the right to deny admission based on overall academic record and to limit enrolment by selecting those who will be admitted from among qualified applicants.

Admission GPA Requirement

A minimum cumulative GPA of 1.50 (on a 4.33 scale) is required for regular admission, calculated on the applicants most recently completed academic history. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may be admitted conditionally (see Provisional Admission). Provisional Admission is intended to allow students with a demonstrated history of academic difficulty or who have been required to withdraw from another institution to be admitted to the College.

Provisional Admission

Provisional Admission is intended to allow students with a demonstrated history of academic difficulty or who have been required to withdraw from another institution to be admitted to the College.

Provisional Admission is applicable to applicants who have a demonstrated history of academic difficulty. This applies to students who meet all other admission requirements but who present a cumulative post-secondary academic GPA below 1.50 and/or have been required to withdraw or are suspended from another institution. Applicants are required to sign a letter of acknowledgement prior to course registration and may be issued an official Letter of Acceptance for a maximum study period of one (1) year. Students admitted to the College on provisional admission and who receive a GPA greater than 1.50 after their first semester will be granted regular admission and continue under normal admission policy Students who receive a GPA lower than 1.50 after their first semester will normally be suspended from the College.

Admission Categories

International and Domestic Students who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or Convention refugees are classified as domestic students. Students who are dependents of diplomats or have their own diplomat status may also be classified as domestic students after presenting the necessary documentation. All other students are classified as international students.

Minor Student Admission

Applicants who are 18 years of age or under, and who have not graduated from high school, may be admitted in the category of Minor Student. Minor students are eligible to enrol in non-credit coursework only. Applicants under 16 years of age are not admissible.

Mature Student Admission

Applicants who are 19 years of age or older, as of the first day of classes in each term, may be admitted in the category of Mature Student. Mature students are exempt from the requirement to have completed secondary education, if they meet all other requirements and can provide academic transcripts for the highest level of education completed and have met the requirements for English language proficiency. Students must provide evidence that they have an opportunity to be successful at the College.

Regular Admission

Applicants that have graduated from high school and provided a full academic history, with an application GPA of 1.50 or greater, may be admitted in the category of Regular Admission.

Provisional Admission

Provisional Admission is intended to allow students with a demonstrated history of academic difficulty or who have been required to withdraw from another institution to be admitted to the College.

Concurrent Admission

BC secondary school students demonstrating outstanding academic and non-academic performance may apply to participate in the Concurrent Studies Program (CSP) through our sister school, Alexander Academy. The program provides an opportunity for selected students to earn post-secondary credit while in their senior year (grade 12) of secondary school.

Special Considerations Admission Appeals

Requests to exempt an applicant from an admissions policy or decision may be submitted by completing an Admissions and Registration Request form to the Registrar. Supporting evidence (medical notes, course outlines, etc.) must be attached.

Applicants with Disabilities

Academically qualified applicants who have physical, sensory, or specific learning disabilities are encouraged to apply. We will ensure that applicants are not denied admission as a result of a disability that does not reasonably impact the ability of the student to achieve success in post-secondary study and that can be accommodated by the College.

Limits to Accommodation

Notwithstanding our policy to accommodate the individual and special needs of students, requirements for accommodation may arise that exceed the capacity of the College to respond. For example, a student might require equipment or infrastructure alterations that the College cannot afford. A student might present a personality or behavioral issue that, in the judgment of the registrar presents a potential danger to that student or to other students, and/or cannot be managed with the resources available to the College.

In cases where requirements for accommodation exceed the ability of the College to provide accommodation, the student will not be permitted to enroll in the College. If the student is already enrolled, enrollment for the current term will be withdrawn. If the student has paid fees to the College, these fees will be refunded according to the refund policy. In addition, the College will seek to find and will attempt to provide information concerning agencies and places where the student may find appropriate accommodation.

Domestic High School Graduation and Equivalencies Completion of Secondary Education

Applicants must successfully complete a nationally regulated secondary education program (12 years) and are required to submit transcripts showing the most recent two years of senior education (normally grades 10-12).

General Education Diploma (G.E.D.) taken within Canada

Minimum of 5 GED examination subjects, with a minimum score of 450 in each subject area and an averaged battery score of at least 450. General Education Diploma (G.E.D.) taken outside of Canada. Minimum of 4 GED examination subjects, with a minimum score of 145 in each subject area and an overall cumulative score of at least 580)

International High School Graduation and Equivalencies

Some international senior secondary courses may be used to meet program requirements/course prerequisites. For detailed information, by country, please visit: alexandercollege.ca/admissions

Advanced Placement (AP)

The Advanced Placement (AP) program is an enriched secondary school program offered at high schools around the world by the College board apstudent.collegeboard.or With appropriate grades, completion of AP courses in grade 12 provides students with the opportunity to earn advanced credit towards their undergraduate degree.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma

IB program coursework can be presented by students from any country, most commonly the UK, US, and India. Subjects completed with high scores are often eligible for credit at the university level. Students need to accumulate 24 points in order to gain an IB Diploma. One exception to the rule is for students who score a two or less on a Higher-Level exam. If this is the case, then the total marks a student must accumulate increases to 28.

British Patterned/Cambridge Education System (GSCE/IGSE/GCE)

Minimum of 5 GCSE/IGCSE O-level academic subjects, with a minimum accepted grade of E or higher. Students successfully completing courses with good grades at the GCE (A or A/S) level may be awarded advanced standing or transfer credit on a case-by-case basis.

Advanced Standing

Some advanced standing programs allow students to undertake post-secondary level studies while completing secondary school. With appropriate grades, these courses may be eligible for credit at the university level.

Advanced Placement (AP)

An Advanced Placement (AP) course with an articulated equivalent in the BC Transfer Guide (via triangulation to Alexander College) may be eligible for transfer credit with a grade of 4 or higher (out of 5). A grade of ‘3’ is accepted for the purpose of placement/prerequisite only.

AP ENGLISH

AP MATHEMATICS

AP SCIENCE

AP equivalencies can be found in the British Columbia Council of Admissions and Transfer’s AP Guide:
http://www.bctransferguide.ca/search/ap
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma

An International Baccalaureate (IB) course with an articulated equivalent in the BC Transfer Guide (via triangulation to Alexander College) may be eligible for transfer credit with a grade of 5 or higher (out of 7).

Note on IB Mathematics:

To be granted credit, the course must be the standard/compulsory “Mathematics” course, (Mathematics HL, SL, Further, Methods, or Studies not accepted – – students must provide course outlines.
IB equivalencies can be found in the British Columbia Council of Admissions and Transfer’s IB Guide: http://www.bctransferguide.ca/search/ib

English Proficiency Requirements

English is the language of instruction at Alexander College, and successful study depends heavily upon fluency in the English language.
All applicants to Alexander College are expected to be proficient in the English language and may satisfy the English proficiency requirement with a final grade of B or higher in BC English 12, or an accepted equivalent (as indicated below).

BRITISH COLUMBIA ENGLISH 12

OTHER CANADIAN PROVINCES

OTHER CANADIAN PROVINCES

Note: Essential (E) and Technical & Professional (T) coursework cannot be used to meet the English language proficiency requirement.

Canadian Certified Offshore Schools

With a valid graduation certificate issued by the Canadian province, offshore school coursework will be assessed according to the standards for the issuing province.

English 12 Equivalent from Designated English-Speaking Countries

A senior secondary English language course taken outside of Canada may be deemed equivalent to “English Language Arts 12” for the purpose of meeting the English Language proficiency requirement, provided that the medium of instruction was English and the course is completed in one of the countries listed below.

CAMBRIDGE GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION (GCSE) ORDINARY-LEVEL ENGLISH

Students who complete GCE ‘A’ or ‘A/S’ level English with a final grade of B or higher may be eligible for advanced standing or credit, at the discretion of the Registrar.

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE

Must be a ‘Language A’ course (evaluation by the English department will be required for all other course types).

ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP)

Post-Secondary English Equivalent from Designated English-Speaking Countries

Applicants holding a 3 or 4-year baccalaureate degree taken outside of Canada may be considered to have met the English language proficiency requirement for direct entry (no further English language testing required), provided that the medium of instruction for all components of the degree program was English, and all years of studies for the program were completed in one of the countries listed below.

BCCAT articulated post-secondary English

A first-year level English course taken at another BCCAT member institution may be used to meet first-year English prerequisites, provided that the course has been articulated in the BC Transfer Guide or has been previously transferred via internal evaluation. If an equivalent cannot be found in the BC Transfer Guide, the course may be evaluated similarly to a transfer credit request. The student will be expected to provide course outlines and the course will be evaluated by the responsible faculty chair.

BC articulated English for Academic Purposes (EAP)

The Articulation Guide for English as a Second Language Programs in the British Columbia Post- Secondary Transfer System is published by the BC Ministry of Advanced Education and is updated semi-annually.

Courses are listed by equivalency level using the numerals I-IV. These levels correspond to Alexander College EASL 068-089 levels, and EAP levels 098-099, as follows:

For example, a student successfully completing a level II course would be considered to have passed EASL 088 and EASL 089 (formerly ENGL 097) and be placed in ENGL 098.

Students who do not meet the English Language Proficiency requirement for admission to their program may apply to the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Program.

Validity of Standardized English Test Results

All standardized tests used for English level placement (IELTS, TOEFL, etc.) are valid for a period of two years from the date of sitting.

Please note that only TOEFL test results that include a photo will be accepted.

TOEFL unofficial score reports printed from the online portal are not acceptable.

ESL University Pathways

Alexander College maintains university pathways from several partner institutions offering English-as-a-Second Language (EASL), English Language Learning (ELL), and BC English 10-12 coursework. Final grades for courses completed at an ESL partner are considered as valid for a period two years after completion.

ALEXANDER ACADEMY

EC CANADA

INLINGUA

INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE ACADEMY OF CANADA (ILAC)

INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE SCHOOLS OF CANADA

KAPLAN

ST. GEORGE INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE

Alexander College English Placement Test (EPT)

Students who choose to enroll in Alexander College without documentation of English proficiency are required to complete the English Placement Test (EPT). The result of this assessment will determine whether a student possesses adequate English language and writing skills for direct entry to university-level studies. Placement test results are valid for a period of two years from the date of sitting.

If the result of the EPT indicates that a student is not prepared for university-level study in the English language, he or she may alternately be admitted to the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program. The EAP program is a full-time, integrated, intensive English and academic skills program designed to prepare students for College and university studies in the English language.

Applicants whose EPT results indicate insufficient literacy in the English language are not admissible to the College. If an admitted student is unable to commence studies due to the result of their EPT, they may defer the commencement of their studies. A student may rewrite the EPT once per semester (see policy: Placement Test Rewrites).

Note: Alexander College does not accept internal English placement or assessment tests written at other institutions.

Math Placement Requirements

Mathematics proficiency is not an admission requirement, however all math courses have at least one math prerequisite which can be satisfied through one of the following equivalencies:

BC PRINCIPLES OF MATHEMATICS, PRE-CALCULUS, OR CALCULUS

OTHER CANADIAN PROVINCE, MATH 12 EQUIVALENT

Canadian Certified Offshore Schools Math 12

With a valid graduation certificate issued by a Canadian province, offshore school coursework will be assessed according to the grade scale of the issuing province (if the province does not use a grade scale, use the BC scale).

International Math 12 Equivalent (selected examples)

GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION (GCSE) ORDINARY-LEVEL MATHEMATICS

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB)

Must be the standard/compulsory ‘Mathematics’ course, Mathematics HL, SL, Further, Methods, or Studies will require students to submit course outlines for evaluation.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

BCCAT articulated post-secondary Mathematics

A first-year level Mathematics course taken at another BCCAT member institution may be used to meet course prerequisites, provided that the course has been articulated in the BC Transfer Guide or has been previously transferred via internal evaluation. If an equivalent cannot be found in the BC Transfer Guide, the course may be evaluated similarly to a transfer credit request. The student will be expected to provide course outlines and the course will be evaluated by the responsible faculty chair.

Alexander College Math Placement Test (MPT)

Students who do not meet the requirements for direct entry to university-level math (Pre-Calculus or Calculus) are placed into MATH 099. Alternately, the student may elect to take a Math Placement Test (MPT).

Placement test results are valid for a period of two years from the date of sitting. A student may rewrite the MPT once per term (see policy: Placement Test Rewrites).

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Assessment Testing (Policy Code and Number A-04)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Placement Testing

Placement testing in English and Mathematics is available to students who are unable to meet admission and/or course requirements based on their previous educational history.

English Placement Test (EPT)

Students who choose to enroll in Alexander College without documentation of English proficiency are required to complete the English Placement Test (EPT). The result of this assessment will determine whether a student possesses adequate English language and writing skills for direct entry to university-level studies. Placement test results are valid for a period of two years from the date of sitting.

If the result of the EPT indicates that a student is not prepared for university-level study in the English language, he or she may alternately be admitted to the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program. The EAP program is a full-time, integrated, intensive English and academic skills program designed to prepare students for College and university studies in the English language.

Applicants whose EPT results indicate insufficient literacy in the English language are not admissible to the College. If an admitted student is unable to commence studies due to the result of their EPT, they may defer the commencement of their studies. A student may rewrite the EPT once per semester (see policy: Placement Test Rewrites).

Note: Alexander College does not accept internal English placement or assessment tests written at other institutions.

Math Placement Test (MPT)

Applicants to the College who have not completed BC Mathematics 12 (or equivalent) with a minimum grade of C+ are automatically placed in MATH 099.

Students who do not meet the math requirement and wish to enroll in a first-year mathematics course are required to complete the Math Placement Test (MPT). The result of this assessment will determine whether a student possesses adequate Mathematics skills for direct entry to university-level Mathematics (calculus). Placement test results are valid for a period of two years from the date of sitting. A student may rewrite the MPT once per semester (see policy: Placement Test Rewrites).

Overview

Mathematics is a science which investigates deductively (and inductively) the conclusions implicit in the elementary conceptions of spatial and numerical relations, and which includes as its main division’s geometry, arithmetic, and algebra.

Alexander College’s Mathematics Placement Test (MPT) is designed to test equivalent knowledge of the BC Grade 11 &12 Mathematics curricula (Foundations of Mathematics and Pre-Calculus 11 & 12), which is required for success in university level Mathematics.

The MPT will include questions related to selected BC Math 11 & 12 topics, and may include:

• Number, Exponents and Radicals
• Variables, Equations and Inequality
• Geometry
• Functions and their Graphs
• Trigonometry

Placement Test Rewrites

Students who have previously completed an English or Math Placement test may sit for a rewrite once per term.
In order to rewrite a placement test, the following criteria must be observed by the student:

• A Placement Test form must be completed by the Office of the Registrar, and a non- refundable fee of $50.00 paid at the Student Financial Services Office. The receipt for this fee must be attached to the Placement Test form.
• A placement test rewrite must be written in between semesters. This period begins the day after the last class of the current term, and up to 3pm of the last day of the add/drop period for the subsequent term.
• A placement test rewrite can be written during a term so long as the student is not currently enrolled in classes for which the test has any direct bearing. E.g.: A student is not currently taking an EAP course.
• No student can write more than one (1) Test (initial placement or rewrite) in a term.
• If a student writes an English or Math placement test rewrite outside this period, for any reason other than those stipulated above, the mark of the placement test rewrite will remain with the Placement Testing Officer until the criterion above are met.

The Placement Testing officer will submit the result to the Office of the Registrar, who will make the necessary notation in the student’s file and provide a copy to the student’s Education Advisor.

No-Show Policy

The speaking component of the English Placement Test (EPT) is structured in a way that allows no more than 6 students to be tested per testing period. In order to enforce this limit in the least disruptive way to our students, an online placement test booking system has been created.

Students who miss two or more appointments will be blocked from booking further appointments until they have paid a non-refundable $50.00 no-show fee and submitted their receipt to the Office of the Registrar or Placement Test Officer.

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Student Records (Policy Code and Number A-05)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Records Management

The following is an abridged version of the College’s Records Management policy.

The registrar supervises the records management program at the College, and provides direction concerning records creation, retention and disposal, storage, and standardized filing. The registrar assists staff and students with access and privacy issues specifically related to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). The registrar maintains an official academic record for all students attending Alexander College, which includes personal student information. Access to student records and information is administered by the Office of the Registrar.

Retention of Records

All records created or received by Alexander College are considered property of the College, including records pertaining to or supplied by a student, records related to operation and administration of the College, and records containing information concerning employees or students.

Students wishing to retain irreplaceable application documents (i.e., official transcripts, graduation certificates, etc.) should consult the Office of the Registrar to request that their original documentation be verified by appropriate staff members and returned.

All official/original transcripts, certificates, and language test results must be provided before a student is eligible to order official transcripts from Alexander College.

Records Disposition

Each department routinely complies with the College’s Records Retention and Disposition Guidelines. Departments prepare Record Retention and Disposition schedules based on the College’s guidelines and submit these schedules to the registrar. No records may be destroyed without an approved disposition. Once approved, record destruction is done in a timely manner. Transitory records are destroyed when no longer needed.

Destruction of records must be carried out under controlled and confidential conditions, and in such a matter as to preclude resurrection of any data.

Transcript Maintenance Plan

The following in an abridged version of the College’s Transcript Maintenance Plan.

As a measure of academic achievement, transcripts are an important record of student accomplishment. Students have a right to recognition of their credentials, and the College has a corresponding responsibility to ensure that students have permanent access to their academic record. The transcript is a trusted document, and every effort must be made to avoid undermining that trust.

Alexander College ensures that student data integrity is constantly maintained and that student transcripts are available to students for at least 55 years from the time they graduate.

Alternate Records Keeper

The following in an abridged version of the College’s Alternate Records Keeper policy.

Alexander College has an agreement with Corpus Christi College whereby CCC acts at Alternate Records Keeper, as described by the Ministry of Advanced Education through the Degree Quality Assessment Board, for Alexander College. This agreement is reviewed every five years.

Records Management Audit

The registrar conducts an annual audit to ensure that all areas comply with the records management policy. The audit review includes:

• Identification and transfer of inactive records to designated storage areas.
• Adherence with retention and disposal guidelines.
• Protection of permanently valuable records.
• Access practices, with particular emphasis on privacy provisions of FOIP legislation.
• Handling of formal requests received under FIPPA.

Access to Records and Document Ordering

Students may order official documents via the My Documents section of their MyAC student portal.

Note: Students who last attended prior to 2011 may contact the Office of the Registrar to set up a MyAC account or may request a paper-based ‘Document Order Form’ available from the Office of the Registrar.

Unofficial Transcript

Unofficial transcripts are used for student advising purposes only. Students may print their own unofficial transcript from the My Grades section of their MyAC student portal and must not be mailed directly from the College to other institutions, agencies, or companies.

Official Transcript

Official transcripts contain the students’ academic history at the College in its entirety and are equipped with several security features to prevent duplication. Transcripts are not issued to students under Financial or Registrar’s Hold. Third-party requests require a signed authorization letter from the student.

Official transcripts are to be distributed in sealed envelopes with a security stamp across the seal to ensure the integrity of the document. Official transcripts are intended to be sent directly from the sending to receiving institution, and many institutions will not consider a transcript to be official if it has been handled by the student or if the seal is broken. Alexander College recognizes the need for students to be mobile within the BC Transfer system and does allow students to pick up their official documents.

Confirmation of Enrolment Letter (COE)

A COE is an official document confirming student registration for a current term.

Confirmation of Graduation Letter

A Confirmation of Graduation letter is an official document confirming a student’s graduation details.

Holds and Flags

Holds and flags may be placed on a student record by the Office of the Registrar.

Registrar Hold

Under certain circumstances, there is a need to put a “hold” on a student record for academic or non-academic reasons over and above those triggering a Financial Hold.

The registrar determines the necessity and terms of a Registrar Hold on a student file. Another executive administrator (e.g., provost, vice-president, registrar, dean, director) may request a registrar’s hold to be applied, however the application of the hold remains at the discretion of the Registrar. The registrar, or their designate, adds the Registrar Hold flag on the student’s file in the database, includes the rationale and terms of the Hold on the student’s file, and advises the student of the specific actions necessary to remove the hold, including deadlines (if applicable).

The Registrar Hold functions by blocking the student from registering for courses, changing course registration, from ordering transcripts, and from receiving graduation documentation.

The Registrar Hold is removed when the outstanding issue has been resolved in accordance with any conditions established at the outset of the hold. Only one of the above staff members may remove a Registrar Hold.

Financial Hold

A student may be placed on financial hold as result of outstanding indebtedness to the College (e.g., unpaid tuition fees, library fines, etc.). The Director of Finance, or their designate, determines the necessity and terms of a Financial Hold on a student file. Another executive administrator (e.g., provost, vice-president, registrar, dean, director) may request a Financial Hold to be applied, however the application of the hold remains at the discretion of the Director of Finance.

The Financial Hold functions by blocking the student from registering for courses, changing course registration, from ordering transcripts, and from receiving graduation documentation.

The financial hold is be removed when the outstanding balance is paid in full. Interest may be charged on outstanding amounts that are past due.

Minor-Student Flag

The Minor Student flag is applied automatically if the student is under the age of 19 years, as of the first day of the admitted intake term and is not yet graduated from high school. The Minor Student flag is automatically removed once the student reaches the age of 19 years, or when the student presents proof of high school graduation.

The Minor Student flag functions by restricting the type of courses that the student can register in. Minor students are only eligible to register for non-credit courses (e.g., EASL, EAP, MATH 099).

Academic Warning Flag

The Academic Warning flag indicates that a student’s GPA has fallen below 1.50. Refer to Academic Standing policy.

An Academic Warning flag does not appear on the student’s official transcript, nor does it restrict registration activity.

Academic Probation Flag

The Academic Probation flag indicates that a student’s GPA has repeatedly fallen below 1.50. Refer to Academic Standing policy. An Academic Probation flag does not appear on the student’s official transcript; however, it does function by restricting registration activity. A student on Academic Probation may register for a maximum of 10 credits.

Suspension Flag

The Academic Suspension flag can indicate one (or BOTH) of the following conditions:

Suspension (Regular, Academic)

Indicates that a student’s GPA has repeatedly fallen below 1.50. An Academic Suspension flag does not appear on the student’s official transcript; however, it does function by restricting registration activity. A student on Academic Suspension is only eligible to register for University Preparation (UPRE 099), provided they have not taken it previously.

Suspension (Misconduct)

Indicates that a student has been placed on suspension due to academic (or non-academic) misconduct (e.g. plagiarism). Students who are suspended for misconduct are suspended for a specific period only, as indicated in the “Applicability” field. An Academic Suspension flag does not appear on the student’s official transcript; however, it does function by restricting registration activity.

Change of Legal Name

Students who have changed their legal name are required to provide a supporting legal document in order to update their student record. This must be an original document, not a photocopy. This original document will be verified by the Office of the Registrar staff, photocopied, and promptly returned to the student.

Acceptable supporting documentation must be one of the following:

• Change of Name certificate
• Birth certificate
• Passport
• Marriage certificate
• Divorce certificate

Corrections of Personal Information

If a student can demonstrate that an error was made in the entry of their legal name at the time of admission (e.g., a typo), the Officer may make the correction without the need to follow the formal name change procedure.

Preferred Name

Students may prefer to be called by a name that is different from their legal name, for example an ‘English’ name, or nickname. In some instances, a student may prefer to be addressed by a different name due to a difference between their biological sex and gender identity. Regardless of the reason, students are entitled to add a preferred name to their personal profile. If a student has entered a preferred name, they should always be addressed by that name when meeting with staff or being addressed in class. The preferred name is displayed at the top of the student record in brackets.

While a student may be addressed by their preferred name in informal settings, only the legal name of the student will appear on official school records, class lists, transcripts, letters, graduation documents, etc.

The Registrar reserves the right to remove a preferred name entered by the student if the name is offensive or contains profanity.

Change of Program

Students may request to change their program of study at any time during the academic year, subject to availability and provided they meet the requirements of the program requested. General and specific program requirements are available in the Alexander College Academic Calendar.

Change of Status

Students who have changed their citizenship or immigration status are required to provide a copy of a supporting legal document to update their student record.
Acceptable supporting documentation must be one of the following:

• Passport
• Citizenship card
• Permanent Resident card (or valid landing paper)
• Study permit

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (Policy Code and Number A-06)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Protection of Privacy

Alexander College manages a great deal of information that requires special care and is committed to using the personal information we collect in accordance with FIPPA. College records are created and maintained to ensure appropriate documentation of operating activities, and to meet operational, legal, regulatory, and fiscal requirements and in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) in order to protect personal information.
Under the guidance of the registrar, Alexander College maintains systematic control of important records from their creation or receipt, through processing, distribution, organization, storage, and retrieval, to their ultimate disposition. It is the responsibility of the registrar to ensure that student records are kept according to the following principles:

• Accuracy: as far as possible the data is correct and free from error.
• Confidentiality: generally, all information is freely available. However, information about individuals is restricted. It is used within the College only for its intended purpose. Students may access their own records, but access by others is restricted.
• Parsimony: only information needed for the operation of the College is kept.
• Security: provisions are made to protect student data from loss caused by emergencies or unforeseen circumstances.

Collection, Use, and Disclosure of Personal Information

The College collects and records personal information as needed for the proper administration of the College and its programs, or as required by government. The College uses personal information only for the purpose for which it was obtained or compiled, or for a consistent purpose, where the individual has identified that information and consented to its use.
The College discloses personal information to third parties only under specific conditions.

Disclosure of Information

External requests for information are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Parents, Spouse, Guardians

Personal information and academic records are released to parents, spouses, or guardians only with written approval from the student. Urgent requests for student information based upon an apparent emergency are directed to the Registrar.

Government Agencies

Properly identified representatives of federal, provincial, or local government agencies, (e.g. the Ministry of Advanced Education, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada).

Other Individuals or Organizations

Requests from other individuals or entities require written consent from the student.

Access to Information

Alexander College affirms the importance of conducting its operations as far as possible in ways that are open to public scrutiny. However, the College is committed to the protection of privacy and personal information of individuals who work and study at the College and is governed by the following basic principles:

• Information contained in college records is available to members of the College community. Exemptions from this general principle are limited and as specific as possible.
• Information concerning individuals is available only for the approved purpose for which it was collected, and otherwise only to the individual concerned.
• A system for the resolution of disputes within the College community concerning access to information and privacy protection matters is provided.

Access Right

The College grants faculty, staff, and students at the College access to college records, subject to the terms and conditions of these Guidelines and other applicable college policies, unless the College considers, upon reasonable grounds, that the request for access is frivolous or vexatious, or is exempt.

Exemptions from Access Right

In addition to those records that are not to be disclosed under College policies and guidelines, the College may refuse access to certain records where disclosure could be prejudicial to either the College or a member of the College. The following information is normally exempt:

• Information submitted in confidence, or assumed to be in confidence, such as a letter of reference.
• Where disclosure would constitute an unwarranted invasion of another individual’s personal privacy.
• Evaluative or opinion materials compiled for determining eligibility, suitability, or qualification for admission, scholarship, bursary, or loan adjudication, awards, employment, transfer, or promotion.
• Where disclosure could reveal the identity of a source of information, and where the source may reasonably have expected that his or her identity would remain confidential.
• Where medical or health-related information might reasonably be expected to prejudice the mental or physical state of the individual.

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Annual and Term Scheduling (Policy Code and Number A-07)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Scheduling

The registrar annually establishes and publishes key dates for the instructional year. The College instructional year begins on the first day of September. This date is the effective start date of the College’s academic year and any student services or student instructional related policy and procedure implementation.

The instructional year is divided into three regular and one intensive terms:

The start and end dates for courses and programs within the instructional year are determined by the number of hours or weeks required to complete the course or program with due consideration to maintaining transfer and accreditation status with appropriate external educational institutions and approving bodies. In addition, dates are chosen in consideration of the appropriate completion dates needed to permit transfer to and from other institutions. College instructional dates are published in one or more of the following: The Academic Calendar, the website.

The registrar ensures that the published dates within the instructional year include:

• The start and end dates of each term of study.
• The last date to add, drop or change status of courses and programs.
• The last date to withdraw from a course or program without academic penalty.
• The last date to receive a refund.
• The start and end dates for the formal exam period for courses or programs that use a formal exam.
• Statutory and institutional holidays.

In preparing the instructional year calendar, the registrar and president consider:

• The need for students to have appropriate reading breaks.
• The need for faculty to have adequate time to submit grades at the completion of a term of study before the next term of study begins.
• The length of time to add, drop or change courses or programs is about 10% of the term of study.
• The length of time to drop a course or program and receive a refund matches the period to add, drop or change courses.
• The length of time to withdraw from courses or programs without academic penalty is approximately 60% of the term of study.

ANNUAL COLLEGE CLOSURES/HOLIDAYS

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Course Registration (Policy Code and Number A-08)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Course Registration

All admitted students have access to the student portal ‘My AC.’ Students may log in by using their application or student ID number as the username, and their surname (in lower case letters) as the password.

Within the student homepage, students can view their current courses, or access the registration section by clicking the ‘Course Registration’ tab on the top of the student homepage. On the registration page, students will be able to view the courses which they are eligible to take. By scrolling over the course, they wish to take, they will be able to view the course details, such as instructor name and class times, and whether the course is available for registration or waiting list. If the student wishes to register for the course, they may click “Add” to add the course, or to waitlist, as appropriate.

Students may print a tuition fee invoice and detailed schedule of registered courses from the “Semester Registration” tab of their My AC account.

English and Academic Prerequisites

All courses at Alexander College have English level prerequisites. EAP English levels 097, 098, and 099 have been applied as prerequisites for all academic courses. Other prerequisites may be met by either completing transferable courses at other BCCAT member institutions, which are entered into the student database at the time of admission, or by successfully completing a prerequisite course at the College.

Students are not permitted to take or retake courses once they have passed a course for which it is a prerequisite. For example, ECON 103 cannot be retaken after completing ECON 210 because ECON 103 is a prerequisite for ECON 210.

If the student has not completed (e.g., failed or withdrawn) from a course, they are considered to have not completed it and may therefore go back and retake the prerequisite course. For example, a student who has failed MATH 104 may retake MATH 100 (see Course Repeats policy).

Co-Requisites

Some courses (namely Physics) allow a course and one or more of its prerequisites to be taken concurrently. In the event of concurrent course registration, students should be aware that withdrawal or failing of the prerequisite course will result in a deferred grade in the primary course.

Students may request to register for a course and its prerequisite concurrently by completing a policy request form in the Office of the Registrar. Permission to take a course and its prerequisite concurrently may be granted only in exceptional circumstances and to a student with a strong record of academic success.

Co-Requisites

Some courses (namely Physics) allow a course and one or more of its prerequisites to be taken concurrently. In the event of concurrent course registration, students should be aware that withdrawal or failing of the prerequisite course will result in a deferred grade in the primary course.

Students may request to register for a course and its prerequisite concurrently by completing a policy request form in the Office of the Registrar. Permission to take a course and its prerequisite concurrently may be granted only in exceptional circumstances and to a student with a strong record of academic success.

Passing Mark/Level Progression

The passing mark for all credit-based courses is 50% (D). A grade of D may not always meet a prerequisite requirement to progress to the next level of a subject.

The passing mark for all non-credit courses (e.g., EASL 068-089, ENGL 098-099, MATH 099, UPRE 099), is 60% (C).

Prior to 2014

A student must pass (achieve at least a C (60%)) a particular skill set course (RW or LS) before progressing to the next level of the same skill set course. If a student fails only one skill set course (e.g., ENGL 096 LS) at a particular level, the student may retake the failed skill set course while simultaneously progressing to the next level of the passed skills set. For instance, if a student passed ENGL 096 RW but failed ENGL 096 LS, that student may progress to ENGL 097 RW and retake ENGL 096 LS in the subsequent term.

A student must pass both skills set courses at the EASL 088/089 level before progressing to ENGL 098.

Registration Restriction on Introductory Modern Languages

Introductory-level language courses (e.g., FREN 100, FREN 101) are intended for beginner language learners. Students are not permitted to enrol in beginner language courses if they have previously completed grades 11 or 12 study of the language (e.g., FREN 11, SPAN 12), studied in a high school language immersion program of the same language (e.g., French immersion), or are fluent or first-language speakers of the language.

Concurrent Course Registration

Students may request to register for a course and its prerequisite concurrently by completing a policy request form in the Office of the Registrar. Permission to take a course and its prerequisite concurrently may be granted only in exceptional circumstances and to a student with a strong record of academic success.

Registration with a Course-In-Progress at Another Institution

Alexander College is committed to providing students with an opportunity to be successful in their academic studies. In order to provide students with an opportunity to select courses while completing an eligible prerequisite at another institution, the College allows for registration based on a prerequisite course (or courses) that are currently being taken at another BC post- secondary institution and are transferable to an equivalent course at Alexander.

A transcript indicating the final grade(s) of the in-progress course(s) must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar prior to the first day of classes in each term. If the student is unable to provide the final grade, or receives a failing grade for the course, he/she is expected to drop the course(s). If the final grade is not provided to the Office of the registrar prior to the first day of classes, the student will be automatically withdrawn from the course(s) without further notice.

If the course(s) are dropped prior to the end of the regular registration period, the student will receive a 100% refund. If the course(s) are dropped during the late registration period or are dropped by the College prior to the first day of term, the student will receive a 75% refund, per the College’s refund policy.

Course Overloads

Students in good academic standing are permitted to register for a maximum of 6 courses in the fall and winter terms, 5 courses in the spring term, and 3 courses in the summer term. If a student wishes to register in additional courses in each term, s/he may submit a petition to the registrar by completing an Admissions and Registration Appeal. Considerations for approval include the student’s past academic performance and attendance record.

Course Audit

Audited courses are defined as those which are taken on a non- credit basis and for which no grade will be assigned. Students are generally expected to participate fully and to complete all coursework and exams. Fees for audit courses are the same as for credit courses.

Students who meet the course requirements may register to audit a course, or request to change their course status from credit to audit, after the first day of classes and until the course add/drop/change deadline. Students may request to audit a course by completing the Course Audit request form available online or from the Office of the Registrar and must obtain the written approval of the Registrar. There is no limit to the number of courses which may be audited in one semester. Students may not change their course status from audit to credit at any time after registration and may not challenge a previously audited course.

As with credit courses, students who are auditing a course are required to maintain a rate of class attendance greater than 70%. An attendance rate less than 70% will result in withdrawal from the course, and a notation of ‘W’ on the student’s permanent record. Successful completion of the course will result in the notation of ‘AUD’ on the student’s permanent record.

Reserved Course Seats

Course seats are for most courses are unreserved, however all course seats for ENGL 100 are reserved for full-time students at Alexander College, on a first-come-first-served basis.

Repeated Courses

Students may attempt courses in any order provided they meet course requirements.

Unless otherwise noted in a course listing, students may attempt any single course a maximum of two times. In exceptional circumstances, permission to attempt a course for a third or subsequent time may be requested through the process of appeal to the Registrar. An attempt is considered any undertaking of a course for which a final letter grade has been assigned, including a ‘W’ for course withdrawal.

When a course has been successfully repeated, only the higher grade is used in the calculation of grade point average.

Waiting Lists

Each course has been established with a maximum number of available course seats. The number of available course seats varies by course and is determined by either established teacher/student ratios or by classroom size.

When registration for a course has reached its maximum, subsequent registration is assigned to a waiting list. The waiting list is ordered in priority sequence by the time and date of waiting list selection. The place, or priority number, of the student is listed in the Course Registration section of My AC as a ratio of priority number/total list number, for example 2/8  Student is 2nd of 8 total students on the waiting list for the course.

Regular Registration Period

If a course seat becomes available, an option to ‘accept’ or ‘decline’ the available course seat appears beside the course name in the Course Registration section of My AC. It is the responsibility of the student to check their status in My AC regularly, as course seats can become available at any time.

Once a course seat becomes available, the option to accept or decline remains active for a period of 24 hours.

• If the student accepts the course seat, the course tuition fee must be paid within 5 business days. When there are fewer than 5 business days remaining in the regular registration period, payment must be received by 4:00pm on the first business day of the following week.
• If the student does not accept the course seat within 24 hours or accepts the course seat but does not pay the tuition fee prior to the payment deadline, the course is dropped.

Late Registration Period

If a course seat becomes available, the option to ‘accept’ or ‘decline’ the available seat appears beside the course name in the Course Registration section of My AC. It is the responsibility of the student to check their status in My AC regularly, as course seats can become available at any time. Once a course seat becomes available, the option to accept or decline remains active for a period of 24 hours.

• If the student accepts the course seat, the course tuition fee must be paid within 1 business day. On the last day of Late Registration, payment is due before 4pm on that date.
• If the student does not accept the course seat within 24 hours or accepts the course seat but does not pay the tuition fee prior to the payment deadline, the course is dropped.
• Waiting lists for all courses are cleared and closed at 4:00PM on the Wednesday before classes begin. Thereafter, any available seats may be obtained on a first-come-first-served basis, up to the add/drop deadline.

Full-time and Part-Time Enrolment Status

Full-time status requires one of the following:

Fall, Winter, Spring Terms

One of:

• 3 or more university transfer level courses
• ENGL 098 plus one university transfer level course
• ENGL 099 plus one university transfer level course
• UPRE 099 only
• EASL 068/069, EASL 078/079, EASL 088/089 only

Note: At both the ENGL 098 and ENGL 099 levels, students are encouraged to practically apply their language skills in an academic course. Although there is a difference in the number of course hours (ENGL 098 is 15 hours per week, while ENGL 099 is 10 hours per week), both course combinations sufficiently provide the baseline of required hours for what is considered full-time.

Summer Intensive Term

One of:

• 2 or more university transfer level courses

UPRE and EAP are not offered during the summer term due to the shortened term length.

Regularly Scheduled Break – Summer Intensive

Students may take the Summer Intensive (July – August) term off as a study break. While there are a small number of condensed classes offered during the summer months, the Summer Intensive (July – August) is not considered a regular term for the purposes of study permit or work permit eligibility provided that the student is enrolled, full-time, in both the term prior to the break and the term following the break.

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Calculation

University Transfer and Associate Degree Programs

FTE stands for full-time equivalent. This calculation is used for reporting purposes and may differ from definitions of full-time/part-time enrolment status. Full time equivalent (FTE) means 5 courses or 15 credits in a term. A student taking 3 courses would be 3/5 FTE. However, since we have quite a few 4-credit courses, credit hours rather than number of courses are used to calculate. A student taking a 4-credit course and two 3-credit courses would be taking 10 credits or 10/15 FTE.

English for Academic Purposes

A student enrolled in EASL 068/069, EASL 078/079, EASL 088/089 only are classified as full-time (they are not permitted to take any other courses), so these courses count as 15 credits in the FTE calculation. ENGL 098 is calculated or weighted as 9 credits for the purpose of FTE calculation only, and ENGL 099 is calculated or weighted as 6 credits for the purpose of FTE calculation only.

Calculating Course/Program Hours

Each course has an established number of hours per week, in according with the Standing Academic Standards Committee approved curriculum guide.

WINTER AND FALL TERMS:

Spring Term:

Note: class hours are different from credit hours. Class hours in the Spring term should be calculated as follows:

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Tuition and Fees (Policy Code and Number A-09)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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General Payment and Registration

1. All students must register during the designated registration period and pay all applicable fees prior to the published deadlines.
2. A non-refundable application fee of $200.00 must be submitted with each Application for Admission.
3. A Financial Hold is applied to student accounts in arrears (due to unpaid tuition fees, student association fees, Library fines, returned personal cheques, or any other recognized overdue payments).
4. Funds deposited as credit to a student account may be used to pay for tuition and supplemental fees only.
5. Students with unpaid tuition balances are contacted by phone, email, and letter mail and must submit payment in full within 10 business days from the date of the notice. Failure to submit payment in full may result in the student being dropped from the course(s) without further notice.
6. All fees paid are non-transferrable.
7. All fees are subject to change.

Regular Registration

(From the opening of registration until three Fridays before the start of classes)

• For courses registered during the priority registration dates in each registration period, tuition fee payment is due in full within 10 business days.
• For courses registered after the priority registration period and before the end of the regular registration period, tuition fee payment is due in full within 5 business days.
• When there are less than 5 business days remaining in the regular registration period, payment must be received by 4:00pm on the first business day of the following week.

Late Registration

(The Monday, 2 calendar weeks before the semester start date until the add/drop/change deadline in each semester)

• Tuition fee payment is due in full within 1 business day of course registration.
• On the last day of Late Registration, payment is due before 4pm on that date. Courses not paid by the end of the business day on the add/drop/change deadline are dropped.

Domestic Tuition Fees

• The following fees are in Canadian Dollars (CAD).
• The following fees apply to Canadian citizens, Permanent Residents, and Convention Refugees.
• All fees are subject to change without notice.

The following fees are in effect from Fall 2023, onward:

International Tuition Fees

• The following fees are in Canadian Dollars (CAD).
• All fees are subject to change without notice.

The following fees are in effect from Fall 2023, onward:

Tuition Deposit (International Students)

Upon admission, overseas international applicants who do not already possess a study permit, or who need to extend an existing study permit, are required to deposit tuition fees in advance of course registration. The amount of the required deposit (also referred to as a ‘tuition prepayment’) is normally equal to the tuition fee amount for 15 credits (5 x 3-credit university-level courses).

Applicants depositing an amount equal to 15 credits or greater, prior to or during their first enrolled term, will be issued a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for a maximum of 2 years. Applicants depositing amounts equal to less than 15 credits will be issued a LOA for a decreased study period length, as follows:

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has sole authority for determining the length of a study permit’s validity, and may, at their discretion, issue a study permit for a greater or lesser length of time than what is indicated on the LOA.

Supplemental Fees

Supplemental fees support the development and enhancement of the college’s co-curricular programs and services. Supplemental fees provide funding for specialized programs, extracurricular activities, and enhanced services that go beyond the core curriculum. These opportunities can help students develop new skills, explore their interests, and foster a well-rounded education. 100% of supplemental fees paid by students go toward the specified programming.

Supplemental fees are assessed for all students registered in a given term, as follows:

1. The following fees are in Canadian Dollars (CAD).
2. The following fees are mandatory for all registered students in a term.
3. The following fees are refundable if the student drops the course(s) prior to the first day of term.
4. All fees are subject to change without notice.

The following fees are in effect from Fall 2023

Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms

Summer Intensive

Student Association and Activities Fee

This fee contributes to the operational costs of the Alexander College Student Association (ACSA).

Student Life and Recreation Fee

This fee contributes to the operational costs of non-academic events and activities, clubs, and athletics.

Educational Resources and Technology Fee

This fee contributes to the operational costs of academic activities including field trips, as well as enhancements to educational resources such as Library and technical support.

Laboratory (Lab) Fee

This fund contributes to the operational costs of the science lab(s) and use of equipment and materials. The Laboratory fee is assessed for all students registered for a lab-science course (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Physics) on a per course, per term basis.

ACADEMIC PROCESS FEES

NON-ACADEMIC PROCESS FEES

Tuition Tax Receipts

T2202 Tuition and Enrolment Certificate – This certificate is issued to a student who was enrolled during the calendar year in a qualifying educational program or a specified educational program at a post-secondary institution, such as a college or university, or at an institution certified by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).

Tuition fees paid in respect of the calendar year to any one institution have to be more than $100. Fees paid to an institution certified by ESDC or to a post-secondary educational institution in Canada for courses that are not at a post-secondary school level, have to be for courses taken to get or improve skills in an occupation, and the student has to be 16 years of age or older before the end of the year.

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Tuition Refunds(Policy Code and Number A-10)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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General Rules (All Students)

• Refunds are granted only for courses officially dropped prior to the published deadline, based on the date the courses are dropped.
• For courses which are dropped or swapped for a course of lesser value during the regular registration period, an administrative fee of $50 per course will be applied. The administrative fees are applicable regardless of whether the funds are returned to the student or retained in the student account as tuition credit.
• Refund requests are processed within 4-6 weeks, after all required supporting documentation has been submitted.
• Refunds are issued in the name of the student unless an alternate request is submitted by the student in writing. Refund cheques may be picked up at the Student Financial Services Office.
• All refunds which are requested by wire transfer are subject to an administrative fee of $100. Banks may charge additional transaction fees.
• Refunds for non-school fees deposited by mistake are subject to an administrative fee of $50 for refund by cheque or $100 by wire transfer.
• Students who have been issued Official school letters (Official Letter of Acceptance, Confirmation of Enrolment Letter, Continuing Studies Status Letter, etc.) are not eligible for a tuition refund, even if the original document is returned to the College. Deposited fees (i.e., tuition credit) can only be deferred up to the program end date or date of completion indicated on the official letter. After this date, any unused funds revert to the College.
• Fees transferred from another institution are non- refundable.

International Students
Overseas International Students (not yet arrived in Canada)

International students who have been issued an Official Letter of Acceptance from Alexander College are not eligible for a refund unless the student is unable to register due to refusal of an initial Study Permit from Citizenship and Immigration Canada. If a new international student is refused an initial study permit, the prepayment amount is 100% refundable, less the application Fee of $200 and administrative fees of $300.

Temporary Amendment (Fall 2020): For students who are permitted to register while under Restoration status, but later receive study permit denial, the total refundable amount will also be less any portion of the prepayment amount which has been applied to term tuition and fees (if applicable), subject to the Course Drop/Withdrawal Policy.

The student is responsible for notifying the College of their study permit refusal, via the procedure outlined below, prior to the add/drop deadline in each term. If written notice is received after this deadline, any refund given will be subject to the Course Drop/Withdrawal Policy.

Procedure: the student must submit the following:

• Refusal of Study Permit form.
• Refusal letter, issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The date of the refusal letter must be after the issue date of the most recent Letter of Acceptance.
• Bank Information Request form (if requesting a refund by wire transfer).
• Letter of Authorization from the student (if the account is not in the name of the student).

Local International and Returning Students (study permit extensions)

Local international or returning students who have been issued an Official Letter of Acceptance or Confirmation of Enrolment letter from Alexander College are not eligible for a refund unless the student is unable to continue their studies due to refusal of a study permit extension from Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

If a student is refused a study permit extension, and is not registered for courses, any remaining balance is 100% refundable, less the $200 application fee and administrative fees of $300, if applicable.

Procedure: the student must submit the following:

• Refusal of Study Permit form.
• Refusal letter, issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The date of the refusal letter must be after the issue date of the most recent Letter of Acceptance or Confirmation of Enrolment Letter.
• Bank Information Request form (if requesting a refund by wire transfer).
• Letter of Authorization from the student (if the account is not in the name of the student).

If the student is registered for courses, the student is responsible for notifying the College, via the procedure outlined below, prior to the end of the Regular Registration period in each term. If this notification is not received during the Regular Registration period, the refund amount is based on the Course Drop/Withdrawal policy.

Procedure: the student must submit the following:

• Request to Drop a Course form.
• Refusal letter, issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The date of the refusal letter must be after the issue date of the most recent Letter of Acceptance or Confirmation of Enrolment Letter.
• Bank Information Request form (if requesting a refund by wire transfer).
• Letter of Authorization from the student (if the account is not in the name of the student).

Tuition Refund for Course Drop/Withdrawal

All tuition refunds require written notice of drop/withdrawal (Request to Drop a Course form). See Course Drops and Withdrawals policy (A-14). Written notification must be received by the College before the published deadlines, as follows:

Before the First Day of Term

• 100% refund up to the last day of the Regular Registration period.
• 75% refund during the Late Registration period, up to the term start date (from the Monday, 2 calendar weeks before the term start date until the business day before the term start date).

After the First Day of Term

• 50% prior to 4pm on the first Wednesday of the first week of the term.
• 30% after 4pm on the first Wednesday of the first week and prior to the end of the first week of the term.
• No refund is issued for course withdrawals after 4:00pm at the end of week 1.

Tuition Refund for Withdrawal on Medical/Compassionate Grounds

Students who withdraw from courses after the end of week 1 are not normally eligible for a tuition refund. However, on exceptional medical or compassionate grounds, students may appeal the refund policy. A Refund Appeal form must be submitted to the Student Financial Services Office, along with supporting documentation.

Note:

• Financial hardship does not qualify as a suitable rationale for an appeal of the refund policy.
• Student who has been issued official letters are ineligible for a refund.
• Submission of a Refund Appeal does not guarantee that a tuition fee refund will be granted.
• The decision of the Financial Services Office is final.

Tuition Refund for Requirement to Discontinue Studies

If a student is required to discontinue studies due to expulsion, 50% of any remaining credit balance is refunded to the student or other individual (with written consent from the student).

Exception: The student is not eligible for a refund of any amount if the remaining credit balance is left over from a total amount deposited for an official Letter of Acceptance (LOA) or Confirmation of Enrolment issued to the student.

Tuition Refund for Unclaimed Funds

Students who discontinue studies are expected to claim refundable funds within 24 months of discontinuation. Funds that are unclaimed by the end of 24 months will revert to the College.

 

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Third Party Funding (Policy Code and Number A-11)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Passport to Education

The Passport to Education Program recognizes and rewards student achievement in Grades 10 to 12 in a broad range of academic and non-academic areas according to guidelines set out by the Ministry of Education. The intent of the program is to motivate all students to study consistently during the years leading to graduation, and to encourage secondary school students to pursue further education through post-secondary institutions and job-training programs. Passport awards are used to further students’ post-secondary education and job training.

Redemption

Booklets (stamps) cannot be split up for redemption. The entire award will be redeemed when sent in. To redeem their accumulated stamps (Passport award), students must be registered, attending, and paying tuition in a program at an accredited and designated (approved for Canada Student Loans in BC) post-secondary institution. A qualifying educational program or course should last at least three consecutive weeks and requires a student to spend no less than 10 hours per week on courses or work in the program. A one-day course is not an acceptable program. If a student attends an accredited and designated post-secondary institution in British Columbia, the passport award can be applied directly to the student’s tuition fees by the student giving it to the institution upon registration. The Ministry will then pay the institution and the institution will put the monies towards the student’s outstanding tuition.

If a student has already paid all their tuition and/or is attending an accredited, designated post-secondary institution outside British Columbia, they should send a completed Redemption Form (from the website), the Passport to Education booklet (with stamps affixed), SIN, proof of registration at the PSI, proof of tuition fees paid (or a large portion paid). The tuition fees paid should be as close to matching the amount (or over) of the full Passport award. A current address to mail the cheque should be supplied for the Ministry to pay the student directly.

Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP)

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) provides financial assistance to First Nations students who are enrolled in eligible post-secondary programs. Students awarded PSSSP funding are required to submit a Letter of Support issued by their band office prior to the date that tuition fees are due.

For more information about the program and eligibility requirements, visit: www.sac-isc.gc.ca

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Financial Aid (Policy Code and Number A-12)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Student Loans (StudentAid BC)

Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada are eligible to apply for educational funding from the province of British Columbia through StudentAid BC.

For more information about student loans through StudentAid BC, visit: www.studentaidbc.ca

Eligibility Requirements

• Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person status
• Canadian social insurance number that does not start with the number 0 or 8 (these numbers are not eligible for funding)
• Resident of British Columbia
• Enrolled in an eligible program of study *Eligible programs at Alexander College are Associate of Arts degree, Associate of Arts (Business) degree, and Associate of Science degree.
• Demonstrate financial need
• In Good Academic Standing

Split Enrolment

A student may apply to combine their studies at two eligible institutions by completing a Split Enrolment form from the Office of the Registrar. When applying for financial aid with split enrolment, the student will need to identify which institution is their ‘home institution’ and which is their ‘visiting institution.’ The home institution is the institution in which the student has been or is currently enrolled in the most courses, or where the student is completing a degree. The visiting institution is typically where a student is completing a few courses which they intend to transfer back to the home institution upon completion.

An authorized signature is required by the Financial Aid administrators of both institutions.

Deadline for Application:

In order to ensure funding will arrive in time for the beginning of the semester, applications for financial aid should be submitted at least one month prior to the start of classes. All applications must be submitted no later than 6 weeks prior to the term end date.

Apply online at www.studentaidbc.ca

School and Program Codes

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Student Medical Insurance (Policy Code and Number A-13)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Medical Insurance

Medical insurance coverage is mandatory for all residents of British Columbia. The College provides information and assistance by helping students to secure access to provincial healthcare or by connecting students with a suitable insurance provider.

Proof of medical insurance coverage is mandatory for all students prior to course registration and must be maintained while attending the College. All students are expected to maintain valid medical insurance for the duration of their studies.

The College is not liable for any medical or dental expenses. Students from outside British Columbia, particularly international students, must obtain Visitors to Canada medical insurance to provide them with coverage for the first 90 days upon arrival in Canada. This 90-day waiting period is required by the BC government in order to process the student’s application for BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) and is governed by the BC MSP Act. The BC MSP card becomes effective 90 days after your arrival in BC and the temporary Visitors to Canada medical insurance expires accordingly. Students from other Canadian provinces must also obtain BC MSP and should check with their respective provincial medical services plan to verify what coverage would apply until they receive their new BC MSP card.

Medical insurance information, assistance, and application forms are available to be picked up from the Office of the Registrar at either campus.

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Course Drops and Withdrawals (Policy Code and Number A-14)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Introduction

Officially dropping or withdrawing from a course requires that the student completes the appropriate online process by the deadlines specified by the College. These dates are available on the College website and in the Academic Calendar. Non-attendance does not constitute dropping or withdrawing from a course.

Applicable refund policies are addressed in the Tuition Refunds policy (A-10).

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Student Attendance and Lateness (Policy Code and Number A-15)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Student Affairs, Registrar, and Dean

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Introduction

This policy addresses student attendance as both an academic matter and as a consideration related to international student study permit compliance. Lateness is also addressed.

Attendance as an Academic Matter

EAL, EAP, and UPRE Courses

Standardized attendance requirements apply to all courses offered by the English as an Additional Language (EAL), English for Academic Purposes (EAP), and University Preparation (UPRE) programs:

• The attendance requirement for EAL and EAP courses is 75%.
• The attendance requirement for UPRE is 80%.

Students who do not meet the EAL, EAP, and UPRE minimum attendance requirements cannot write the final exam.

Undergraduate-Level Courses

In all undergraduate-level courses, instructors may individually set an attendance requirement that does not exceed 70%. Failure to meet the attendance requirement in an undergraduate-level course may have various consequences determined by the instructor, including not being allowed to write a final exam.

Distinction between Attendance and Participation Marks

Regardless of program or course, any marks assigned for participation do not include attendance.

Accommodation, Enforcement, and Appeal

The attendance requirements outlined above are mandatory unless Alexander College grants a formal Accommodation during the first three weeks of a term under policy S-06.

Additional exceptions may only be made through the formal appeal process, which is also coordinated through the Student Advocacy unit. Difficult cases are referred to the Director of Student Affairs for a final determination.

Attendance and Study Permits

Academic considerations aside, international students on a study permit are required by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to maintain regular and continuous attendance. The Office of the Registrar is required by IRCC and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to report on the status of individual international student attendance on both an ad hoc and quarterly basis. Accordingly, all instructors (except those teaching asynchronous online courses) are required to keep daily class attendance records even if attendance is not an academic criterion in their course.

Student Lateness

Alexander College expects all students to be punctual when attending classes. Late policies for individual courses are determined by instructors.

Inability to Attend Class

Students who are unable to attend class, for whatever reason, should notify their instructor(s) as soon as possible.

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Grading (Policy Code and Number A-16)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar and Dean

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Grading System

Alexander College’s Grading System is based on a percentage grade for most courses with some courses issuing separate theory and practical marks for a single course. Course passing grades vary, and courses may be assigned a standing code instead of a percentage grade. Following are the approved grades and standing codes for Alexander College effective September 2006.

Withdrawn Late Withdrawal Course has been repeated, and appears elsewhere on the transcript Audit Did not write the final exam Required to discontinue Course in progress Deferred

Reporting of Grades

It is the responsibility of instructors to inform students of their ongoing progress in a course by entering unofficial marks for various graded components of a course (e.g., quizzes, tests, assignments, examinations, papers, etc.) using Canvas LMS. Instructors may post class marks for graded components of a course using lists showing student numbers in numeric order; however, student names must not be shown. If instructors intend to post marks in this manner, they must ensure that all students are advised prior to any grades being posted. Students may request that their grades not be posted, in which case the instructor must exclude the student from the posting.
All marks displayed within Canvas LMS or elsewhere (e.g., marks posted in the classroom) are to be considered informal and unofficial. Marks and/or grades are not official or permanent until they appear on the student’s permanent academic record (i.e., official transcript).

SUBMISSION OF FINAL GRADES

Grading Deadlines

Final grades are due to be submitted by faculty, using My AC, according to the timelines specified in the table above. The due date may be adjusted at the discretion of the Registrar under certain conditions, for example statuary holidays.

The deadline to submit final grades, the procedure for submission, and the unlock code, are emailed to faculty by the Registrar at the start of the last week of classes.

Review of Final Grades

The College Registrar is the authority responsible for ensuring that the College’s grading policies and procedures are consistently adhered to. Following the final examination for a course, final grades are to be submitted by faculty via the My AC system, through which they are transmitted for review by the responsible department head prior to submission to the Registrar for final approval.

If there are any errors detected in the data entry, the Registrar will make the necessary correction(s), in consultation with the dean, department head and instructor. If there is a red flag detected in the instructor’s grading practices, the Registrar will decide whether to release the grades to students, or to withhold the grades pending further investigation.

The latter is standard practice, as the timeline to process all class grades is short. Whether the grades are released to students or withheld pending investigation, the Registrar will notify the appropriate department head by email (copy to Dean, Associate Dean) to inform them of the situation. It is then the responsibility of the department head, under the guidance of the Dean’s Office, to investigate further or work with the instructor on future grading practices.

In the rare event of a grading anomaly or discrepancy, the Registrar may withhold the grades and initiate a review of grading practices in consultation with the appropriate department head and the dean. Once all final grades for a course are satisfactorily reviewed by the responsible department head and the registrar, they are published to the student’s permanent record.

Late Grade Submissions

Despite our best efforts to enforce timely grade submission by faculty, it is not uncommon for one or more faculty to be late in submitting their final grades. It is the registrar’s responsibility to keep tabs on the submission of grades, and to proactively send reminders to any faculty who have not yet submitted grades one or two days ahead of the deadline.

The final grade submission interface My AC closes automatically according to the deadline set by the registrar in the system (normally 4:00pm on the specified deadline). If an instructor has not submitted their grades by the due date (precisely), they will be unable to enter their grades using My AC and will instead need to email their grade sheet to the registrar for manual entry. This is an intentional set up, to keep the number of late submissions to a minimum. The registrar will also email a firmly worded reminder to any late faculty, with copy to the dean and department Head.

On rare occasion, an instructor may experience an unforeseen circumstance (e.g., serious illness, injury, etc.) that prevents them from submitting their final grades by the due date. It is the instructor’s responsibility to notify their department head and the registrar as soon as possible, so that they can work out a resolution before the grades roll date. Normally, the resolution of such occurrences require that the registrar enter a grade of DE for the whole class, in order to perform the grades roll. The true final grades can then be updated once the instructor is able.

Grade Changes

Grades may be changed upon the instructor’s request, or as the result of a deferred or conflict exam. The registrar has discretionary authority over grade change requests and may request the rationale for the change from the instructor to ensure that the grades are not being changed due to entry or calculation error, and not as the result of grade bargaining by students.

Grade change requests are to be emailed to the registrar (registrar@alexandercollege.ca) by the instructor, along with the student’s name, ID number, course code, and final percentage score. The registrar will then make the requested change in My AC and reply to the instructor to confirm. It is the responsibility of the instructor to communicate about grade changes with their students.

The registrar is the only individual authorized to edit final grades at Alexander College.

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Articulation (Policy Code and Number A-17)

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Policy Manager(s): Registrar and Dean

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Articulation

Alexander College is a participant in the BC Transfer System, and regularly undergoes the process of articulation and articulation updates through BCCAT’s Transfer Credit Evaluation System (TCS).
Articulation of our courses with other colleges and universities is important and we take our responsibilities to BCCAT, to other colleges and universities, and to our students very seriously. As a small private institution, we cannot be expected to engage in articulation activities in the same way as a large public institution would. Our policy on articulation is guided by the following considerations:

1. We must maintain credibility with the major research universities. If we were to grant credit for a course that none of these universities recognize, it would bring the quality of our degree into question.
2. Alexander College is too small for us to set our own standards. We look to the major public institutions to establish what should be taught in the various courses. Triangulation is an essential tool for ensuring that the content of our courses meets the accepted standards.
3. In cases where we do not have the requisite experts on staff (instructors or members of SASC), decisions about articulation are made by the Registrar and the Dean. We do not grant transfer credit for courses where we have neither comparable courses nor expertise suitable for assessing such courses.

As a Sending Institution

We strive to align our courses with the expectations of the five research universities in BC: UBC, SFU, UVic, UNBC, and TRU. We are required by Ministry of Advanced Education policy to articulate every course we offer with at least one of these institutions. We realize, however, that processing an articulation request consumes a considerable amount of the receiving institution’s resources; therefore, we are parsimonious about such requests. Our priority is to request a direct credit articulation from each of the four major institutions. If a direct credit equivalent does not exist, we seek unassigned credit in an appropriate university department. Achieving this goal may sometimes require slight modifications to our courses.

Our second priority is to establish course articulations with other institutions with which we exchange the most students. We normally do not seek articulation with institutions with which we have a very low rate of student exchange. Students with successfully completed courses taken for credit at another BCCAT member institution can apply for an assessment and credit is awarded whenever possible.

As a Receiving Institution

All our courses have been designed to be articulated directly with an equivalent course at one or more of the four major institutions. When an articulation request is accepted by a major institution, we automatically recognize the reciprocal articulation, accepting their course as equivalent to ours.

When we receive an articulation request from another BCCAT member institution, we first perform a search using the BC Transfer Guide to determine if the course in question and our own course are both equivalent to a third course at one or more of the four major universities; a process called ‘triangulation.’ If a determination of equivalency can be estimated using the triangulation method this does not guarantee that an articulation agreement will be made but does change the onus from looking for reasons to approve the request to reasons for rejecting it.

To process an articulation request, we require a course outline that has been issued by the sending institution and represents the standard curriculum of the course. A course outline created and used by a single instructor is not normally accepted for consideration. We use the term Curriculum Guide or Official Course Outline to describe this document. If we find acceptable reason to approve, and no good reasons to disapprove articulation of a course, the request is then sent to the appropriate division coordinator for further review. The coordinator may choose to seek advice from regular or sessional instructors within the division. After careful consideration, the coordinator makes a recommendation with written comments.

Evaluating an articulation request requires a considerable expenditure of staff resources. While we recognize the value of this activity, we must restrict the number of requests we are able to evaluate to those from institutions with which we exchange the most students. We normally do not accept articulation requests from institutions with which we have a very low rate of student exchange.

Admissions, Registration, and Records: Transfer Credit (Policy Code and Number A-18)

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Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Transfer Credit

Alexander College participates fully in the BC Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) system for articulation of courses among institutions in British Columbia. It is our policy to compare our courses to the courses of other participating institutions and to recognize course to course equivalencies where appropriate.
Policy on credit transfer includes the following specifications:

Individual Student Requests

Individual students who apply for transfer credit will have their prior courses individually assessed. All credentials issued by BCCAT member institutions receive generous consideration. Credentials issued by non-BCCAT member institutions within Canada are also considered, provided that the institution is authorized to grant degrees. The same process of assessment outlined above is employed. In addition, careful records are kept documenting the outcome of each request and ensure that similar requests are treated in the same manner.

Limitations on Quantity of Transferred Credit

Alexander College participates fully in the BC Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) system for articulation of courses among institutions in British Columbia. It is our policy to compare our courses to the courses of other participating institutions and to recognize course to course equivalencies where appropriate.
Unless otherwise noted, external credit granted may not exceed one half of the total credit required for the program. For example, 60 credits are required for completion of the Associate of Arts degree and therefore a maximum of 30 credits can be presented for transfer into the program.

International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES)

All students applying for transfer of credit taken outside of Canada must first obtain a comprehensive report from the International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES). ICES is an external service which authenticates academic credentials and provides a report on how the credentials are comparable within the BC education system.

International Credit Transfer

For courses completed in Canada, students may apply to transfer a maximum of ten subjects per request. For courses completed outside of Canada, students may apply to transfer a maximum of five subjects per request. Additional requests may be considered after the previous request has been completed.
To ensure that the program learning outcomes are met, a maximum of 25% international transfer credit may be applied to an Associate degree. Effective Winter 2017 term, onward.

International Course Evaluation Fee

A course evaluation fee of $50 is charged for the service of international course evaluation by Alexander College. The fee for this service is charged per international course submitted for evaluation, is non-transferable and non-refundable. Payment of the fee does not guarantee that transfer credit will be granted. It is the responsibility of the student to select which courses to submit for evaluation based on applicability to a degree program, and to ensure that course outlines contain the required information.

Unassigned Credit

Assigned credit is given for a course that matches (with 75% correspondence or greater) a specific Alexander College course.
Unassigned credit is given for a course accepted as fulfilling a requirement but not matching a specific Alexander College course. Arts electives, including fine arts, are assigned to either Humanities (HUMN) or Social Sciences (SOSC).
In order to ensure that the program learning outcomes are met, a maximum of 25% unassigned credit may be applied toward an Associate degree.

Applicability

Credit transfer cannot be used as a substitute for meeting all the credential requirements. For example, obtaining a total of 60 credits does not eliminate the requirement to complete a laboratory science course.
Each course accepted for transfer credit must satisfy at least one requirement for the credential.

Level of Study

AC will only accept undergraduate courses for credit transfer and prerequisites to a maximum of a 200-level credit at AC. Graduate courses may be considered for exemptions to this policy (via application to the Associate Registrar), so long as the courses adhere to the College’s credit transfer guidelines and do not interfere with the student’s ability to attempt further courses at the College.

Minimum Grade

Courses accepted for credit or prerequisite must have been completed with a grade of at least D (GP 1.0).

Stale Dating

Credit is not normally given for courses completed more than 10 years in the past. A decision to not accept a course for credit can be appealed to the Registrar who will consult appropriate experts (instructors or SASC members) for a decision.

Disclosure of Post-Secondary Studies

Unless they are disclosed at the time of admission, post- secondary courses completed prior to the date of admission to Alexander College are not eligible for transfer credit, however, may be used to satisfy course prerequisites.

BCCAT-Transferable Courses

Transferability of courses with the BC Post-Secondary Transfer System is determined by articulation agreements between member institutions. Course transferability is viewable online using the BC Transfer Guide. Students who wish to transfer credit from another BCCAT member institution are required to submit the following:

• Completed Transfer Credit Request Form
• Official transcript

Where BCCAT articulations exist, transfer credit requests will normally be completed within 2-4 weeks from the date that all documentation was submitted. It is responsibility of the student to ensure that credit transfer/course evaluation requests are submitted at least 4 weeks prior to the posted registration deadline.
When an equivalent course cannot be found using the BC Transfer Guide, Admissions Officers may refer to the credit transfer folder on the Admissions server. This folder contains records of courses previously reviewed and approved by the Registrar on a case-by-case basis. If an equivalent course cannot be found using these two sources, the procedure for non-BCCAT transferable courses (below) will apply.

Non-BCCAT Transferable Courses Completed within Canada

Students who wish their courses to be evaluated for transfer credit consideration are required to submit the following:

• Completed Transfer Credit Request Form
• Official transcript
• Course outline (also called course syllabus) for each requested course. Course outlines may be printed (hard copy) or emailed (soft copy) in a secure format (e. g .pdf)
  At a minimum, the course outline must contain all the following information:

   

  • Name of institution or official stamp
  • Name/course code/title and program year of the course
  • Number of course hours (e.g., number of hours per week x number of weeks) Minimum of 40 hours per term for non-lab course/minimum of 60 hours for lab course
  • Grading system used, including passing mark
  • Learning outcomes and/or topics covered
  • Learning resources (textbooks and other resources) Currency of text may be a factor in the acceptance or rejection of a course in certain subject areas, at the discretion of the evaluator
  • Any transcripts or course outlines not in the English language must be accompanied by an original translation by a licensed translator. College staff are not authorized to translate documents

Once provided, the course outline and official transcript will be submitted to a subject area specialist/faculty member or to the Dean for review. The Dean may also refer evaluation to the SASC member responsible for the subject area.
Where transfer credit is approved, the Admissions Officer will input the details into the student database and check off any prerequisites satisfied. A transfer articulation letter is created by the Admission Officer, approved by the Registrar, and placed into the student file. An additional copy may also be made available for pick up by the student.
Course evaluation requests will normally be completed within 6-8 weeks from the date that all documentation was submitted. It is responsibility of the student to ensure that credit transfer/course evaluation requests are submitted at least 8 weeks prior to the posted registration deadline.

Non-BCCAT Transferable Courses Completed outside of Canada

Students who wish their courses to be evaluated for transfer credit consideration are required to submit the following:

Course evaluation requests will normally be completed within 6-8 weeks from the date that all documentation was submitted. It is responsibility of the student to ensure that credit transfer/course evaluation requests are submitted at least 8 weeks prior to the posted registration deadline.
International students who transfer credit from outside of Canada are cautioned that using international transfer credit to fulfill Associate degree requirements may impact eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit or may result in a permit being issued for a shorter than expected duration.

1. Completed Transfer Credit Request Form
2. Prepare the following documentation:
   • International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES) Comprehensive Report
   • Completed Application for Transfer of Credit (International) form
   • Official transcript
   • Course outline (also called a syllabus) for each requested course. Course outlines must be emailed (soft copy) in a secure file format (e.g., pdf)
3. Submit your application documents in person to the Office of the Registrar at Burnaby Campus, or by email to: transfercredit@alexandercollege.ca. Please note that an Officer will only verify that all required documents are present but will not review the documentation until the evaluation fee has been paid. If all required documents are present, an Officer will sign the form, and instruct you to submit payment of the course evaluation fee.
4. After the form has been signed by the Office of the Registrar, submit the form to the Student Financial Services Office and pay the course evaluation fee. Return a copy of the payment receipt in person to the Office of the Registrar, or by email to: transfercredit@alexandercollege.ca
5. Wait for processing. You will be contacted by email if more information or documentation is required. If you are unable to provide the requested additional information within 90 days of the original request submission date, evaluation of the associated course will be cancelled without refund.

Academic Standing (Policy Code and Number A-19)

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Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Academic Standing and Performance

Academic standing is recalculated four times per year, following the release of final grades at the end of each term.

Provisional Admission

Applicants to the College who provide academic transcripts indicating poor academic performance, according to the College’s 1.50 minimum academic standard, will be admitted on Provisional Admission. These students are admissible to the College on Academic Probation and are subject to the conditions and restrictions of Academic Probation (see below).

Good Academic Standing

A student is in good academic standing when their term GPA is above or equal to a minimum of 1.50 and they are not under Academic Alert, Probation, or Suspension.

Academic Warning

A student is considered to be on Academic Warning if their term GPA is below a minimum of 1.50 with fewer than 15 credits attempted.

At the end of the Fall, Winter, and Spring terms, academic standing is calculated. All students who have a term or cumulative GPA of less than 1.50 are placed on Academic Warning.

Academic Probation

Academic Probation is a caution to students indicating that their continuation at the College is in jeopardy.
Students are placed on Academic Probation for three principal reasons:

• Grades. Students’ term GPA must not drop below 1.50.
• Academic Misconduct. Students must avoid academic misconduct such as cheating or plagiarism.
• Provisional Admission. Students who are admitted under our Provisional Admission policy start their studies on Academic Probation.

Students are not subject to probation until they have completed at least 15 credits of academic coursework. Where a course has been repeated, the higher grade is used.

Academic Probation is lifted, and the student is returned to good academic standing when the student has successfully completed the subsequent term with a term GPA of at least 1.50. A student on probation may not attempt more than 10 credits in a single term.

Academic Suspension

A student who meets the requirements for Academic Probation who is already on Academic Probation is normally suspended.

Students on Academic Suspension may be reinstated in good academic standing one of two ways:

1. Successful completion of UPRE 099 – University Preparation

• Students who only take and pass UPRE are readmitted in good academic standing.
• Students who fail UPRE continue on Academic Suspension.

2. Successful completion , with a minimum term GPA of 1.50 or higher, of 9 or more credits of
transferrable coursework taken at another BCCAT member institution within a single academic term. This term of studies must be a term subsequent to the last term of study taken at Alexander College. Students presenting such records will be reinstated in good standing.

Performance Following Reinstatement

Students who are reinstated to the College are readmitted in good academic standing. If the term GPA in the subsequent term is below 1.50, the student will be placed on Academic probation for the following semester without the accumulation of 15 academic credits.

Academic Recognition (Policy Code and Number A-20)

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Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Academic Recognition

Students are expected to maintain acceptable standards of academic performance, and a student whose academic performance is of a superior standing will be recognized:

Honour Roll

Students who achieve a semester GPA of 3.50 to 3.99 in a minimum of 12 credits are placed on the Honour Roll.

Dean’s List

Students who achieve a semester GPA of 4.00 or higher in a minimum of 12 credits are placed on the Dean’s List.

Graduation and Conferral of Credentials (Policy Code and Number A-21)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Graduation

Graduation refers to the process by which a student is conferred a credential upon completion of a program of study. When a student has completed, or is about to complete, their final term of the program of study, they are eligible to apply for graduation. Regardless of whether a student plans to attend the convocation ceremony, they must apply for graduation in order to receive a credential.

Students who wish to apply for graduation will contact our Graduation unit to book an appointment to check requirements and prepare the Application for Graduation package. The graduation unit can be reached at graduation@alexandercollege.ca

Applications for Graduation are submitted by the Graduation Officer to the Registrar for final approval. Credentials are issued to graduation by the Student Records unit of the Office of the Registrar.

For more information, visit: alexandercollege.ca/registration/graduation

Minimum CGPA Requirement for Graduation

To be eligible for graduation in an Associate Degree program, students must complete all program requirements with a minimum cumulative program grade point average of 2.0 (equivalent to a ‘C’ average).

Name on Credential

The name printed on the degree will be the legal name of the graduate, as recorded in Alexander College’s central student information system, My AC. The name will appear in the form

of First name Last name. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the spelling of their name is accurate in the student portal prior to applying for graduation. If the legal name of the graduate has changed, a Change of Name request form must be submitted, along with supporting documentation, to the Office of the Registrar prior to graduation.

Requesting a Duplicate/Replacement Degree Parchment

Some graduates require an additional degree parchment due to request by an employer, if the original degree parchment has been lost or damaged, or if their legal name has changed. Graduates may order a duplicate or replacement degree parchment from their MyAC account (‘My Documents’ page). Student’s graduating prior to 2011 can order a duplicate parchment by completing a paper-based order form, available upon request.

The cost per degree parchment is $25, and the processing time is approximately 2 weeks. All subsequent printings of a degree include a small notation of ‘duplicate or replacement document,’ in parenthesis.

NON-ACADEMIC PROCESS FEES

Posthumous Credential

Introduction

The passing of a student prior to completion of their credential is a sombre event, and the utmost care must be taken to honor the deceased and provide the family with an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of their loved one.

In times of mourning, it is helpful for the family and administrators to have clear guidance on how to deal with practical matters, such as the academic record.

Procedure

On notification of death, in accordance with policy A-23 Death of a Student, the Registrar will perform an assessment of the student’s academic record to determine if the student may be eligible to be awarded a posthumous credential.

To be considered eligible for a posthumous credential, the deceased must have met the following minimum requirements:

• Have been actively enrolled at the time of death, or within the preceding 12 months from last day of the final term of study
• Have met the residency requirement, and completed at least 75% of their program of study
• Have been in good standing (i.e., not required to discontinue) and made satisfactory academic progress such that eventual completion of the credential was expected

If the deceased is eligible to be awarded a posthumous credential, the registrar will communicate with the next of kin to offer the credential and explain how it might be received, with sensitivity to their wishes. If the next of kin wishes to receive the posthumous credential, the Registrar prepares the records and documentation, then informs the Director of Student Affairs, who commences communication with the next of kin regarding the convocation ceremony.

With respect to the convocation ceremony, the family of the deceased is invited to attend the next scheduled ceremony, and given the option to identify one or two family members to cross the stage and receive the credential on behalf of the graduate. The family member(s) will symbolically carry the regalia of the student over their arm, and receive the credential on their behalf.

A notation indicating that the credential has been issued posthumously is included on the transcript and convocation program, but does not appear on the credential parchment.

*A posthumous credential may also be awarded to a student with a terminal illness according to the same criteria and procedure, if the student is unable to complete their studies and death is expected to occur imminently. Where possible, and in accordance with the wishes of the student and their family, a private ceremony may be arranged on campus, in the student’s home or hospital room. The credential may be presented to the student by any senior administrator known to the student (if possible) in full regalia.

Rescinding of Credential
Introduction

Alexander College reserves the right to rescind a credential if an individual is subsequently found to have obtained the credential by dishonest or fraudulent means. This may include, but is not limited to, evidence of plagiarism, impersonation, falsified admission documentation, etc.

Procedure

The procedure for rescinding a credential is as follows:

The recommendation to rescind a credential is made by the registrar, who coordinates with the director of student affairs to arrange a disciplinary hearing. The hearing is presided over by the registrar and attended by the president and/or provost and the director of student affairs. The student has the right to be represented by council at the hearing. If the student does not attend the hearing, is unable to disprove the evidence and/or presents no new information pertinent to the case, the hearing is adjourned.

Subsequently, the registrar, president/provost, and director of student affairs deliberate about revocation of any course grades obtained by fraudulent means, as well as the rescinding of the credential. If a motion to rescind the credential is carried, the credential is voided immediately.

The registrar notifies the student of the decision to revoke course grades and/or to rescind the credential and is provides instructions for surrender of the physical documentation, including the credential parchment, which must be made within 10 business days.
The registrar places a notation indicating that a credential has been rescinded on the student’s transcript. The registrar may also notify external bodies that the credential has been rescinded, including but not limited to, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), etc.

Records Management and Disposition (Policy Code and Number A-22)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Records Management

Alexander College maintains systematic control of important records from their creation or receipt, through processing, distribution, organization, storage, and retrieval, to their ultimate disposition.

College records are created and maintained to ensure appropriate documentation of operating activities, and to meet operational, legal, regulatory, and fiscal requirements and in accordance with the Personal Information Privacy Act (PIPA) to provide public access to information and to protect personal information.

It is the responsibility of the College Registrar to ensure that student records are kept according to the following general principles:

• Accuracy – As far as possible, all data is correct and free from error
• Confidentiality – Generally, all information is freely available. However, information about individuals is restricted. It is used within the College only for its intended purpose. Students may access their own records, but access by others is restricted.
• Parsimony – Only information that is needed for the operation of the College is kept.
• Security – Provisions are made to protect data from loss caused by emergency or unforeseen circumstances.

Scope and Applicability

All records created or retrieved by Alexander College are considered College property, including records related to the operation and administration of the College and records containing information concerning individual faculty, staff, and students.

Student Records

The student’s physical record may include any or all the following:

• Application form
• Correspondence concerning admission
• Conditional letter of acceptance/offer of admission letter
• Course change request forms
• Registration forms
• Letters of permission
• Withdrawal forms
• Appeal documentation
• Official grades, marks, and changes
• Documents related to the basis of admission (i.e., standardized test results, transcripts, etc.)
• Documentation of disciplinary measures
• Other information deemed appropriate by the Registrar

The Student’s Electronic Record

The student electronic file is the primary student record. Information contained in this record is described in detail in Appendix B.

Records Management Life Cycle

Alexander College manages records throughout their life cycle, including the following phases:

Creation/Collection

• Each administrative unit of the College creates, receives, uses, and maintains records that relate to the administration or operation of the College. These records are the property of the College.
• Personal information is collected only when necessary for operating an approved program or activity or is required under a statute or regulation of BC or Canada.
• Where possible, all records are dated when created or received.

Maintenance and Use

• The College maintains its records with sufficient security to protect privacy and confidentiality, and permit disclosure or prevention of disclosure of records and information where appropriate.

Records Retention and Disposition

• Each department routinely complies with the College’s Records Retention and Disposition Guidelines. See Forms and Documents.
• Departments prepare Record and Retention Disposition schedules based on the College’s guidelines and submit these schedules to the information and privacy advisor (the Registrar). No records may be destroyed without an approved disposition. Once approved, record destruction is done in a timely manner. Transitory records are destroyed when no longer needed.
• Destruction of records must be carried out under controlled and confidential conditions, and in such a manner as to preclude resurrection of any data.

Access to Information

Alexander College affirms the importance of conducting its operations as far as possible in ways that are open to public scrutiny. However, the College is committed to the protection of privacy and personal information of individuals who work and study at the College, and is governed by the following basic principles:

• Information contained in college records is available to members of the College community. Exemptions from this general principle are limited and as specific as possible.
• Information concerning individuals is available only for the approved purpose for which it was collected, and otherwise only to the individual concerned.
• A system for the resolution of disputes within the College community concerning access to information and privacy protection matters is provided.

Access Right

The College grants faculty, staff, and students at the College access to college records, subject to the terms and conditions of these guidelines and other applicable college policies, unless the College considers, upon reasonable grounds, that the request for access is frivolous or vexatious, or is exempt.

Implementing Access Right

The right of access is normally implemented by making available, upon written request, a photocopy or other reproduction of the record in question. Providing records may be subject to prior payment of applicable fees.

Where a request for access pertains to a record containing material that is exempt from the general right of access together with material that is not exempt, the College shall make reasonable efforts to separate and disclose the non-exempt material.

Exemptions from the Access Right

In addition to those records that are not to be disclosed under college policies and guidelines, the College may refuse access to certain records where disclosure could be prejudicial to either the College or a member of the College. The following information is normally exempt:

• Information submitted in confidence, or assumed to be in confidence, such as a letter of reference.
• Where disclosure would constitute an unwarranted invasion of another individual’s personal privacy.
• Evaluative or opinion materials compiled for determining eligibility, suitability, or qualification for admission, scholarship, bursary, or loan adjudication, awards, employment, transfer, or promotion.
• Where disclosure could reveal the identity of a course of information, and where the course may reasonably have expected that his or her identity would remain confidential.
• Where medical or health-related information might reasonably be expected to prejudice the mental or physical state of the individual.

Protection of Privacy: Collection, Use, and Disclosure of Personal Information

• The College collects and records personal information as needed for the proper administration of the College and its programs, or as required by the government. The College uses personal information only the purpose for which it was obtained or compiled, or for a consistent purpose, where the individual has identified that information and consented to its use.
• The College discloses personal information to third parties only under specific conditions, described below under Access to confidential records and information.

Correction Rights

• Every individual has the right to request correction of the personal information where the individual believes there is an been an error or omission. The College attaches a notice of objection to the data if a correction was requested by not made.

Records Management Audit

The Registrar conducts an annual audit to ensure that all areas comply with the Records Management policy.
The audit review includes:

• Identification and transfer of inactive records to designated storage areas.
• Adherence with retention and disposal guidelines.
• Protection of permanently valuable records.
• Access practices, with particular emphasis on privacy provisions of FOIP legislation.
• Handling of formal requests received under FOIP.

Access to Confidential Student Records and Information

Alexander College collects and maintains student information, and this information is maintained in a confidential manner in accordance with B.C.’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

This policy provides general guidelines for access to confidential student information and recommendations for the protection and security of personal and other sensitive records and information regarding students.

Student Information and Records

The Registrar maintains an official academic record for all students attending Alexander College, which includes personal student information. Access to student records and information is administered by the Office of the Registrar.

Access to Confidential Student Records and Information

All requests for confidential student record information are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The information is normally disclosed as follows:

Student Access

Students have the right to inspect their personal information records. Proper identification is required. A written request may be required for clarity or where the request is considered non-routine.

Students are normally not permitted to handle or examine original documents. Copies of 10 pages or less are provided free of charge. A charge may be made for copies above this amount.

Conditions such as outstanding financial obligations to the institution, failure to return library books or materials, violations of non-academic regulations, or non-payment of the Emergency Student Loan Fund will normally result in withholding official academic records such as transcript, diploma, or certificate from a student.

Office of the Registrar Personnel

Personnel within the Office of the Registrar are custodians of student records and normally have full access to all student information; however, access is restricted to the information necessary for the performance of the duties of the employee. Non-authorized use or disclosure of student information is considered a serious offense and grounds for dismissal.

Education and Academic Advisors

Personnel within Education Advising and Academic Advising have access to the student’s academic record (i.e., transcript) including the address and telephone number, for the students that they advise.

Other Staff of the College

Faculty and administrative staff of the College who require information to serve the interest of a student may be permitted limited access to student records.

College executive officers have access to student records, including address and telephone.
Course instructors have access to student information directly related to their course(s), e.g. previously assigned marks or prerequisite requirements

External Access

In accordance with Canadian Privacy laws, the College does not release student information to anyone other than the enrolled student without the student’s signed consent. Staff of the College are prohibited from sharing student information to the extent that they may not acknowledge whether an individual is enrolled at the College, or provide any information whatsoever, without the written consent of the student.

Parents, Spouse, Guardians

Personal information or academic records are released to parents, spouse, or guardians only with written approval from the student. Urgent requests for student information based on an apparent emergency are directed to the Registrar, or in their absence, an appropriate College official.

Written Consent

• To give consent to a parent, guardian, or agency to request information, order or pick up documents on an ongoing basis, a student must complete a “Consent to Release Student Information” form, available from the Office of the Registrar. This information is recorded in the student file within the student database, and the original form is placed into the physical student file.
• To give consent to a parent, guardian, agency, or other individual to request information, order or pick up documents on a single occasion, a student is required to complete a “Consent for Third Party Order or Pick Up” form, available from the Office of the Registrar.

Government Agencies

Properly identified representatives from federal, provincial or local government agencies, (e.g. the Ministry of Advanced Education, Statistics Canada, HRDC, IRCC or CBSA may be given the following information if expressly requested:

• Verification of date of birth and citizenship.
• Enrolment data: program, level, dates.
• Mailing address, telephone numbers.
• Name and address of parent or guardian.
• Diploma or certificate earned.
• Other information approved by the president.

Requests for other information require written approval from the student.

Other Individuals or Organizations

Requests from other individuals or organizations require written approval from the student.

Transcript Maintenance Plan

As a measure of academic achievement, transcripts are an important record of student accomplishment. Students have a right to recognition of their credentials, and the College has a corresponding responsibility to ensure that students have permanent access to their academic record. The transcript is a trusted document, and every effort must be made to avoid undermining that trust.

Alexander College ensures that student data integrity is constantly maintained and that student transcripts are available to students for at least 55 years from the time they graduate. College records are backed-up at an off-site and secure location at least weekly.

College records are maintained in a My AC system developed specifically for use by Alexander College. Student transcripts are also maintained as image data and backed up at a remote site at least weekly.

Transcript Information

All credentials are displayed on a single transcript, which reflects the entire academic experience of the student at Alexander College. The academic record is complete and historically accurate; notes and accomplishments are added, but changes are not made retroactively.
Transcript information includes the following:

Student information

• The student’s name, contact information and student ID number.

Basis of Admission

• The qualifications that form the basis for the student’s admission to the institution.
• Information about any credits transferred, entrance examinations and prior learning assessment used for admission or advanced placement.
• The name(s) of any other post-secondary institution(s) attended by the student, and the dates of attendance.
• The name and completion date of any degree, diploma or certificate earned by the student before registering at the institution.

Academic History

• The dates of the student’s admission and completion or withdrawal from his/her program(s) of study.
• The date(s) of each academic semester or term during which the student studied at the institution.
• A list of all courses completed, in progress or withdrawn from at the institution.
• A list of credits and grades earned by the student.
• The student’s grade point average per academic term and overall.
• A notation of academic suspension, dismissal, or probation if any of these actions has been taken against the student.
• Academic awards or honors given to the student.
• The name of any degree earned by the student and the date the degree was granted by institution.

Institutional Information

• The institution’s name, location, and address.
• The institution’s grading key.
• The name and authorized signature of the registrar or similar official.
• The institution’s seal.
• The date on which new information was last added.
• The date the transcript was issued to the student or other body.

This information is kept, archived, and protected for at least 55 years from the time a student graduates.

Obtaining a Transcript

Students have access to their own records and may view or print their unofficial record using My AC.

Official transcripts can be obtained only through an application by the student to the Office of the Registrar, and requires payment of a transcript fee, as set by the Operations Committee. Official transcripts contain all the required information and are printed on security paper to prevent alteration. This paper contains several security features to prevent duplication or alteration. On application, the student may direct that his or her transcript be picked up at the College or mailed to a specified location. A note on the transcript indicates whether it was delivered to the student. Official transcripts are always provided in a sealed envelope.

Alternate Records Keeper

Alexander College maintains an association with an Alternate Records Keeper. Alexander College apprises the Alternate Records Keeper of any significant change in operations that may affect their responsibility.

If Alexander College becomes unable to provide transcripts to students, Alexander College will immediately notify the Ministry of Advanced Education and inform the Alternate Records Keeper. The Alternate Records Keeper will assume responsibility for issuing transcripts to Alexander College students. At this time, Alexander College will provide the following items to the Alternate Records Keeper:

• The College’s Official Seal.
• The College’s remaining supply of special transcript paper and instructions and materials necessary for obtaining additional paper for transcript production.
• A letter from the Registrar of Alexander College authorizing the Alternate Records Keeper to produce transcripts for all students at Alexander College.
• All other information, materials, and direction that may be necessary to enable the Alternate Records Keeper to accept responsibility to produce Alexander College transcripts.

If the Alternate Records Keeper becomes unwilling or unable to act as Alternate Records Keeper for Alexander College, Alexander College will immediately notify the Ministry of Advanced Education and seek a replacement Alternate Records Keeper.

Alternate Records Keeper

Corpus Christi College
5935 Iona Drive
Vancouver, B.C.
V6T 1J7

Telephone: (604) 822-6862
Fax: (604) 822-4659
Website: http://www.corpuschristi.ca/
Contact Person: Gabriel Pillay, Director of Student Services & Registrar (gpillay@corpuschristi.ca)

Electronic Records Backup

Alexander College has an agreement with Corpus Christi College whereby CCC acts at Alternate Records Keeper, as described by the Ministry of Advanced Education through the Degree Quality Assessment Board, for Alexander College. This agreement is reviewed every five years.

Permanent Student Records are backed up with the Alternate Records Keeper for the purpose of storage and security in the unlikely event that Alexander College becomes unable to operate due to a major disruption in operation and/or services. Alexander College entrusts Corpus Christi College, located in Vancouver, to act as Alternate Records Keeper.

The electronic record data is copied and submitted to the Alternate Records Keeper by the Registrar approximately four weeks following each of the three major terms, Fall, Winter, and Spring (excluding summer term).
This electronic student record data includes:

• Exported Permanent Student Records (transcripts)
• Exported Student List
• Letter of Instruction
• Copy of Transcript Back

Records Retention and Disposal Guidelines

The retention and archival of all records are the responsibility of the Registrar, who may delegate responsibility for receiving, creating, maintaining, archiving, and/or destroying records to suitable College officials.

Not all records are treated in the same way. The following table describes how the different types of records are handled. The following codes are used:

Retention

Retention is the period that a record is maintained in active status. This period may be required by statute or recommended according to standard business practices. The following codes are used to indicate retention status.

Board of Governors Records

Administrative Committees Records

ADMINISTRATION

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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING LIBRARY AND MEDIA SERVICES

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MARKETING

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OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR

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FINANCIAL SERVICES

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HUMAN RESOURCES

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STUDENT ACADEMIC RECORD FIELDS AND TRANSCRIPT INFORMATION

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The student record contains a Program record for each program in which the student registers

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The student record contains a record of each course in which the student registers.

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EXTERNAL LEARNING RECOGNIZED

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GRADUATION RECORD

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TRANSCRIPT ISSUANCE RECORD

Secure Destruction of Records

In accordance with Alexander College’s Records Management Policy, physical student files and documents (e.g., student file documents, unclaimed documents, etc.) are archived or destroyed after a predetermined period of inactivity (see “Records Retention and Disposal Guidelines” for the complete list of document retention periods and procedures).

Physical records which are eligible for disposal, according to the Guidelines, are to be securely destroyed with no possibility of resurrection.

Each department at Alexander College handles its own records disposal procedures independently, and the Office of the Registrar organizes its own shredding service approximately once every 2-3 months or when the volume of material begins to exceed our capacity to store it. We do not normally allow other departments to add their own shredding, unless agreed do by special request.

We maintain an account with Super Save shredding, which has an on-site shredding truck in the Burnaby area on Fridays only. The service is booked by the registrar or designate and is prepaid by company credit card on the account. The registrar appoints a team member to be responsible for overseeing the process on the day of the service.

Death of a Student (Policy Code and Number A-23)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Registrar

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Introduction

In the tragic event of the death of an actively enrolled student, Alexander College will:

• Respond to the tragedy in an appropriately compassionate and sensitive manner;
• Ensure administrative procedures are carried out as carefully, efficiently, and unobtrusively as possible;
• Ensure all appropriate departments are notified and instructed to enact established procedures.

Any information regarding the death of a student actively enrolled within the previous 12 months must be immediately reported to the College’s Registrar. The registrar will be the main point of contact with the deceased student’s next of kin or executor, in accordance with BC law, and is responsible for coordinating the actions of the Response Team and preparing a package of information for the next of kin.

Response Team:

• Registrar (lead)
• Provost and/or president
• Dean of arts and sciences
• Vice-president of operations
• Director of student affairs
• Wellness counselor
• Director of campus operations
• Director of finance
• Human resources manager

Roles and Responsibilities
Registrar

• Confirms the death via documentation (Certificate of Death or confirmation letter issued by the BC Coroners Services) and establishes next of kin. Next of kin is determined in accordance with British Columbia law: www2.gov.bc.ca
• Confirms the full name, student ID, and enrolment details of the deceased.
• Prepares a Deceased Student Notification (see form “Deceased Student Notification”) and copies it to the response team, instructing each to initiate their respective roles and responsibilities, as follows:

The president or provost will:

• Prepare a written letter of condolences for the next of kin.
• Handle public relations in the event that a statement is requested by media.

The vice-president of operations:

• If the deceased was an international student, the vice-president of operations communicates with the assigned Enrolment Advisor, and discusses any special considerations related to the student’s homestay, agency, or other special circumstances.

The Registrar will:

• Communicate with the family/next of kin to determine their wishes (e.g., posthumous credentials, financials, privacy of information, etc.).
• Withdraw the student from registered courses, make the appropriate notations on the student record, notify the instructor(s) (if applicable).
• Ensure that all records pertaining to the death are included with the student file.
• Determine whether the student received financial aid through StudentAid BC. If the student received Financial Aid, provide the appropriate forms and assist the next of kin to notify StudentAid BC.
• Determine whether the student may be eligible for a posthumous credential, and if so, include this information in communication with next of kin.

Director of student affairs

• Determines what needs may arise among the student body as a result of the death, most importantly Health and Wellness Services.
• May task the Student Association or Health and Wellness team to organize an honorary event or activity on campus, make a donation in the name of the student to a registered charity, etc.

Health and Wellness Counselor

• If the student had been actively attending class(es) at the time of their passing, the counsellor may visit the student’s class(es) to share news of the student’s passing and offer bereavement services to the instructor/classmates, in accordance with privacy law and the wishes of the next of kin as communicated by the registrar. If the next of kin does not wish for news of the student’s passing to be shared with classmates, the health and wellness counselor may alternatively consider promoting general counseling services in the classroom, on–campus, and/or on social media.

The director of finance will:

• Balance any fees outstanding to $0. Any outstanding supplemental fees (e.g., library fines, or other) will be nullified.
• Fully refund any remaining tuition credit on the student account. Student Financial Services will make a refund to the payment method on file, or arrange a wire/bank transfer to the next of kin. Alternatively, a bank draft may be issued to the next of kin (or executor), made payable to the “Estate of (student name).”

The director of campus operations will:

• Determine if the deceased was assigned a locker on campus. If so, the contents are to be made available to the next of kin.

The Human resources manager will:

• Determine whether the student had been employed by the College as student worker. If the student had been employed by the College during the previous three fiscal years, Human Resources prepares income-related documents for the next of kin (e.g., T4A and/or T2202A).

Once all personnel/departments have enacted their respective responsibilities, each is required to respond by the specified deadline and include any requested information and/or documentation (e.g., tax forms, banking information forms, etc.).

The registrar compiles all the information, forms, etc., along with a letter detailing written instructions, and sends these to the next of kin by email and letter mail.

Governance and Leadership: Compliance with Legislative Statutes and Regulations (Policy Code and Number G-02)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of student affairs, registrar, dean, associate dean

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Student Responsibility

It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the policies, procedures, and deadlines which are in effect at Alexander College. This information is printed in the Calendar and other publications. Questions regarding these matters may be directed to the student’s Education Advisor, or to the Office of the Registrar.

For all matters, it is considered sufficient notice by the College to mail information to a student’s address as recorded in the student information system.

It is also the student’s responsibility to attend classes regularly, to keep work up-to-date, and to complete assignments as required. Final grades are based largely on complete assignments, test, and class participation.

Students should ensure that they are available during the entire time set aside at the end of the term for formal examinations. Instructors are not obliged to schedule an alternate examination time to accommodate the student.

Student Appeals and Requests for Exam Deferral (Policy Code and Number S-02)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of student affairs, registrar

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Introduction

Alexander College explicitly incorporates the principles of natural justice in all student appeal policies and procedures. These principles safeguard fundamental rules of due process and fairness, including adequate notice, the right to be heard, and unbiased treatment. Appeal policies and procedures are printed in the College calendar and available on the College website, informing students how to deal with situations that appear unjust.

Academic Alert Appeals

See the Academic Alerts policy (S-10).

Admissions, Records, and Registration Appeals

Decisions regarding eligibility for admission and course registration, eligibility to order official documents, or to have irreplaceable documents returned are based on college policy and regulations. In the event of extenuating circumstances, a student may submit a request for policy exemption to the Registrar.

Procedure

Students who wish to appeal an admissions, records, or registration policy or procedure may do so by completing an Admissions, Records, and Registration Appeal form. The form must be accompanied by evidence (e.g., medical documents, travel itinerary, etc.). The Admissions, Records, and Registration Appeal form is available on the College website.

Exam Deferral Requests

Students may submit a formal request to defer the date of a midterm or final examination when circumstances beyond their control prevent them from attending at the scheduled exam time. The request must be in writing and must be approved by Student Advocacy.

Requests are granted only in exceptional circumstances, such as a death in the family or a medical emergency. Any requests arising from poor planning or inconvenience, such as booking a flight before the exam schedule is published or conflict with another activity, will not be approved.

The forms for requesting a Midterm Exam Deferral and Final Exam Deferral Form are available on the College website.

Student Procedure

• Complete the appropriate request form, also available from the reception desk or Student Advocacy.
• Attach documentation to provide evidence of the exam conflict.
• Attach a photocopy of the $150.00 exam deferral fee receipt. This fee is used to cover the expense of requiring an instructor to generate and grade new exam content, invigilation of the rescheduled exam, and associated administrative costs in processing the request.
• Submit the form, receipt, and supporting documents to the Student Advocacy Office.

Students are contacted about the outcome of their request once the information is assessed, and a decision is made by administration. Where requests are approved, students are given the time, date, and location of the rescheduled exam.

Grade Appeals

Students have the right to appeal grades for individual assessments while a course is in progress and to appeal the final grade for a course by requesting review of specific assessments.

Grounds for Denying or Proceeding with a Grade Appeal

Typically, a request for appeal may be denied on the following grounds:

• The appeal form is submitted past the deadline.
• The appeal form is incomplete (missing course information and/or supporting documents).
• The appeal is filed for an invalid reason.

Typically, an appeal may be pursued on the following grounds:

• The instructor did not follow the College policy, procedures, and/or timelines relating to the assignment of grades.
• The instructor did not follow the grading outline in the approved Course Syllabus distributed to students. Students must be notified in writing of any changes of substance and relevance to the Course Syllabus.
• The instructor did not provide fair treatment in relation to other students.

Grade Appeal Process

Step 1: Before pursuing the formal appeal process, all reasonable steps should be taken by the student to resolve a grade dispute by communicating with the instructor in a timely manner. Students are also advised to contact Student Advocacy for advice.

Step 2: If the concern remains unresolved and the student chooses to proceed with a grade appeal, they complete the Grade Appeal Form available on the College website or from Student Advocacy. The completed form must be submitted to Student Advocacy within 30 calendar days of grade availability. The form must be accompanied by:

• Supporting documents including evidence to support grounds for appeal.
• Receipt of a $50.00 fee payable at the front desk.

Step 3: A Student Advocacy Officer considers whether there are grounds for appeal. Where it is determined that the grounds for appeal are not met, the student is normally informed within 5 days from the date of appeal.

Where it is determined that the grounds for appeal are met, the review process is normally completed within 20 business days from the date of appeal:

• The Student Advocacy Officer requests any additional, relevant material from the student, instructor, or other parties, including all related assessment guidelines.
• The Student Advocacy Officer consults with the appropriate department head (when available) on selection of an alternate Alexander College instructor within the same subject area.
• Considering all relevant material, the alternate instructor independently re-grades the student’s assignment or exam. An original grade may be raised, lowered, or remain the same. When advisable, the department head and/or dean’s Office is consulted to make a final determination.
• The Student Advocacy Officer then communicates the result to the student, the original instructor, and the department Head. The registrar’s Office is also notified if a final grade is affected.

The grade appeal process outlined here is final.

Late Withdrawal Appeals

Late Withdrawal may be granted only in unusual circumstances beyond the student’s control (e.g., severe illness

Student Awards (Policy Code and Number S-03)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of student affairs

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Introduction

Alexander College acknowledges and celebrates the academic achievements of its students. This policy describes College awards and related procedures.

Academic Scholarships

In order to better recognize academic excellence within each subject area in each major term (Fall, Winter, Spring), Alexander College has established a set of Academic Scholarships to be awarded to the strongest students within each discipline.

Scholarships are awarded each major term and are each worth $1250 CAD (to be reduced to $1200 CAD starting 2022). The scholarships will be in the form of a tuition credit unless the student has no upcoming tuition payments; in such cases, the student will be provided with a cheque for the scholarship amount.

Subject Rotations

Fall term (award given in Winter):

• Norman Swartz Philosophy Scholarship
• English Scholarship
• Biology Scholarship
• Asian Studies Scholarship
• Computing Science Scholarship
• Film Studies Scholarship

Winter term (award given in Spring):

• Commerce Scholarship
• History Scholarship
• Chemistry Scholarship
• EAP Scholarship
• Psychology Scholarship
• Communications Scholarship (starting Winter 2022)

Spring term (award given in Fall):

• Physics scholarship
• Sociology Scholarship
• Peter Kennedy Economics Scholarship
• Math Scholarship
• French Scholarship

Process Followed by the Student Affairs Division

1. Dates are established for the upcoming semester:
   • First announcement via email at the beginning of the semester
   • Reminder email at the midterm point in the semester
   • Final reminder email sent prior to final exams
   • Last day to submit nominations (10 days after final exams)
   • Shortlist of nominees sent to selection committees (10 days after d.)
   • Selection committees meet and select scholarship recipient (up to 2 weeks after e.)
   • Winners announced publicly (approx. 10 days after f.)
2. The Web and Online Team are contacted to create a poster for the scholarships available in each semester. Once created, the poster on the Alexander College website page is updated.
3. The first Academic Scholarships are emailed to relevant department heads, who are asked to distribute them to instructors.
4. The poster is included with this email. The second email is sent to department heads at the midterm point in the semester.
5. The final reminder email is sent to department heads with the template on how to submit a nomination.
6. After the deadline has passed, nominations are screened to verify CGPA and ensure nominees meet credit requirements. Student Services checks for any duplications.
7. Department heads are sent a shortlist of eligible nominees with the date to have it returned by.
8. Selection committees will meet to discuss shortlist and department heads respond with their three ranked choices for the scholarship award.
9. Notification is provided to Department Heads, Dean, Student Financial Services Office, and Director of Student Affairs of the academic scholarship.
10. Recipients of the award winners are contacted via email using the academic scholarship template.
• Include the Scholarship Claim form for students is included. Student Financial Services Office and Web team are bcc’d so they can follow up with of the Scholarship winners.

Timeline

The Dean’s List and Honour Roll recipients are evaluated based on the three major terms: Fall, Winter, and Spring of each year. Recipients are notified by email of their award in the following term, after the one they were evaluated and selected for.

Dean’s List Qualifications

Selection to the Dean’s List is based upon achievement of a 4.00 or higher GPA after completion of a minimum of 12 credits in the term being evaluated.

Honour Roll Qualifications

Selection to the Honour Roll is based upon achievement of a 3.50 to 3.99 GPA after completion of a minimum of 12 credits in the term being evaluated.

Recipients List

Selection to the Honour Roll is based upon achievement of a 3.50 to 3.99 GPA after completion of a minimum of 12 credits in the term being evaluated.

Procedure

1. To access and download the Dean’s List and Honour Roll recipients list, students must log
2. After logging in, students proceed to the left hand-side of the page and click on ‘Academic Awards’ located below ‘My Profile’.
3. On the right hand-side, select the ‘term’ and ‘Dean’s List’ or ‘Honour Roll’. Once you’ve selected the list you want, click to download the Excel file. It will contain recipient information for your review.
4. Log into the AC Web Canva account. The certificate templates for both Dean’s List and Honour Roll are in Canva, under the Student Services folder. Using the Excel list, enter the recipients legal name on the corresponding certificate.
5. Download files from Canvas and upload to the Dean’s List and Honour Roll Student Services SharePoint Folder.
6. Once you have made all the certificates and printed them all out. Then you must send them directly to the Registrar to have them signed and sent back to you.
7. Once the certificates are signed, contact all the recipients individually using the email templates provided.
8. For online terms, attach the recipient’s certificate to the email.

Student ID Cards (Policy Code and Number S-04)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of student affairs and Registrar

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Introduction

Students must have a verified photo in their My AC profile to be eligible to write final exams. Physical ID cards are only required for in-person final exams and borrowing physical library materials. Students who are currently registered for the current term and who do not have a photo in their My AC profile need to fulfil the assignments in the AC Photo ID Canvas Course. Students receive their ID cards from the library.

Lost or Stolen Cards

Lost or Stolen Cards should be reported to the library. To obtain a new card a $25 replacement fee must be paid at the bookstore. Students must present the receipt at the library along with an approved form of government ID such as a Passport, BC identification Card/BC Drivers License with a photo, or Permanent Residency Card.

Replacement Cards

Replacement cards are issued at a cost of $25, tax included. To obtain a replacement card students must pay the fee at the bookstore and present the receipt at the library along with an approved form of government ID such as a Passport, BC identification Card/BC Drivers License with a photo, or Permanent Residency Card.

Expired Cards

Enrolled students can request a new student ID if their old ID has expired. Reprints for expired cards are issued for free. To obtain a replacement for an expired card students must present their expired card to the library. Students are unable to write exams with an expired card.

Examination Scheduling, Rules, and Conflicts (Policy Code and Number S-05)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of student affairs

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Introduction

Examinations are intended to measure each student’s individual knowledge and competence on a particular body of instructional material. For this policy, the term “exam” is used to identify instructor-developed mid-term and final examinations used for student assessment in College courses. This excludes informal classroom testing and externally developed tests regulated by agencies related to vocational programs.

Scheduling

For every credit course offered, the Student Affairs Division schedules final exams in the examination period at the end of each semester. All mid-term and final course exams are:

• Of a rigor, quality, and content appropriate to the level of the course and program.
• Invigilated by the instructor or designated College staff member.
• Prepared at least two weeks in advance.
• Under circumstances detailed in the SASC Handbook, exams may be reviewed by the appropriate SASC.
• Developed, distributed, scheduled, invigilated, and stored according to established procedures.

A comprehensive and consistently updated list of all exam policies and procedures can be found in the Alexander College Canvas Invigilation Training course.

Examination Rules (in person examinations)

Students must complete their exam using only their own knowledge and ability, and the materials specifically allowed for use during the exam.

All Instructors are expected to invigilate their own exam. If a class is large, it will be split for a final exam; an invigilator will be provided for the second classroom.

Invigilators are persons that supervise the exam process. It is their task to ensure that the rules are followed and that all students complete the exam in the required manner. If they observe any infraction of the rules, it is their responsibility to halt the exam for the student or students guilty of the infraction. Students are advised to avoid even the appearance of behavior that is not permitted.

If there is any missing information on an exam, an invigilator will attempt to contact the instructor. If the instructor cannot be reached at the time, an invigilator will decide on behalf of the instructor.

Instructors and invigilators may answer procedural or clarification questions during the exam.

There are ten general exam rules which are clearly posted around each campus prior to the exam period and are included on the exam schedule. These rules should be included in Course Syllabi for quick reference and referred to several times throughout the term:

1. Alexander College student ID is required to write all exams. Other ID will not be accepted.
2. No student entry after 30 minutes; nor are students are not permitted to leave the exam room for the first 30 minutes.
3. No bathroom breaks. If students leave the room during the exam, their exam will be over.
4. No cell phones or electronic devices in pockets (possession is considered cheating).
5. No jackets, hats, bags or watches. All student possessions must be placed at the front of the room.
6. Only writing supplies, approved calculators, student card and a beverage allowed on the desk. No pencil cases.
7. No sharing calculators or writing supplies.
8. Possession or use of information or materials not authorized by the instructor is cheating.
9. No talking or other communication except quiet communication with the invigilator or instructor.
10. No looking at other student’s exams – students have a responsibility not to cheat and not to appear to be cheating.

Examination Rules for Virtual Classrooms (COVID 19)

For exams conducted in virtual classrooms:

1. No student entry after 30 minutes and no leaving the exam room for the first 30 minutes.
2. Students must log in by the set examination time (rooms will be open 10 minutes prior to the start of the exam).
3. When the instructor calls “time,” students must stop writing and submit your exam.
4. Students must log out once their exam has been submitted.
5. No bathroom breaks. If students leave the room during the exam, their exam will be over.
6. Students must only use instructor-approved materials during their exams: no online searching or using other devices, books, etc. to cheat during a final exam.
7. Possession or use of unapproved information or materials not authorized by the instructor is cheating.
8. Students must not talk, text, or other communicate with anyone other than their instructor during the exam.
9. Students must always leave their camera on, be fully visible from the chest up, and be audible to the instructor
10. Only the student taking the exam may be present in the room.
11. It is students’ responsibility not to appear to be cheating.
12. Exams will be recorded as necessary to enforce this policy.
13. College Intellectual Property rules apply to the contents of this exam.
14. It is unlawful to copy, share, or otherwise distribute any part of the exam without permission from the College administration or the instructor.

Examination Time Conflicts

The Student Affairs Division resolves any exam scheduling conflicts by making alternative arrangements with instructors in cases where a student has overlapping exams (i.e., a scheduled exam conflicts with another scheduled exam), or has more than two exams scheduled in one day. Students are responsible for identifying an exam conflict, and for reporting the conflict at least two calendar weeks before the scheduled exams. Alternate arrangements can be made for the student to write an examination at a different time or date.

Examination Deferral

See Student Appeals and Request for Exam Deferral policy (S-02).

Oral Re-Examinations

For information on oral re-examination, see the Academic Alerts policy (S-10).

Accommodation for Disabilities (Policy Code and Number S-06)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of student affairs

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Introduction

The College recognizes its moral and legal duty to provide academic accommodation to students with a disability. The goal of academic accommodation is to remove barriers to learning, enabling students to access College services, programs, and facilities, and to welcome all students as participating members of the College community.

Academic accommodation supports fair and consistent treatment of all students, including students with a disability, in accordance with their distinct needs, and in a manner consistent with academic policies and principles of natural justice.

The College provides academic accommodation to students with disabilities in accordance with the Human Rights Code (BC) and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Provision of academic accommodation shall not lower the academic standards of the College and does not exempt the student from evaluation or from the need to meet essential learning outcomes.

Students who have a disability or medical/psychological concern (e.g., a chronic illness) that may affect their attendance or participation in class must establish their need for accommodation with the Director of Student Affairs by the end of the third week of the term. If the student does not notify the administration in time, accommodations may not be granted for the student during that term.

Each student applying for accommodation will be considered individually, on a case-by-case basis, with respect and confidentiality. Instructors will make provisions as mutually agreed upon by themselves and the student.

Examples of Accommodations offered by Alexander College include but are in no way limited to:

• Providing a note taker in class
• Allowing for extra time on exams, tests, and quizzes
• Providing adaptive technologies to help you in class (for hearing, vision, mobility, etc.)
• Offering 1:1 tutoring services
• Ensuring exemption from formal attendance requirements / tardiness
• Providing a separate, isolated location for the purpose of examination

Student Bereavement (S-07)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of student affairs

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Introduction

Alexander College acknowledges that losing a family member or close relative can impact a student emotionally and affect their academic standing. To promote student well-being, the College has developed the Bereavement Policy to grant emergency leave immediately following the death of a close relation. The intention of this policy is to allow time for students to deal with their grief and bereavement and/or attend funeral services. This policy is enacted using the Bereavement Leave Request Form, which can be accessed by students through the College website or at the front desk.

Definitions:

1. Bereavement leave – a short, planned absence from classes and academic responsibility.
2. Group work – when an assignment in a course involves the bereaved student and at least one other student in the course.
3. Missed academic work – assignments, quizzes or tests/exams that the student would otherwise be responsible for if not using the Bereavement Policy.
4. Significant relationships can include:
   • spouse/domestic partner/significant other
   • parents/step-parents or legal guardians
   • children
   • siblings
   • roommate (with evidence of relationship)
   • grandparents
   • legal in-laws
   • aunts/uncles/cousins

If a student loses a family member or friend not covered in this policy, the Bereavement Policy may be considered on a case-by-case basis by the director of student affairs. Consideration for bereavement leave may also be given if a family member is terminally ill or in palliative care. These instances will also be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Notification

Students using the Bereavement Policy must notify the director of student affairs in writing, using the Bereavement Request Form to inform them that they will be requesting a leave. Notification must be made within one week of the death occurring (at the onset of the mourning period). Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.

The director of student affairs or the health and wellness counsellor, if applicable, will provide a written notice to the student’s instructors, regarding the student using the Bereavement Policy. The notice will remind instructors that it is the student’s right to make up missed work.If the student is involved in group work/projects, the instructor will inform at least one group member that the student is taking an approved bereavement leave.

General Terms and Conditions

With the appropriate notification as described above, students who choose to use the Bereavement Policy will be permitted up to 3 – 5 consecutive days of absence from class (not including weekends or holidays). The length of time granted may be dependent on the nature of the course and based on the number of classes per term.

Travel days for attending funeral services or spending time with family may be granted with proof from the student that travel has been booked (i.e., an airline ticket in the student’s name). Students may have up to four more calendar days allowed for international travel. If more than four travel days are needed, this can be addressed on a case-by-case basis with the director of student affairs, where applicable.

Faculty and staff should be sensitive to and accommodate the needs of the bereaved students. Students who miss days of school due to using the Bereavement Policy should be given the opportunity to make up any missed assignments/tests/exams and other required work from their instructors. Work assigned during that absence should not be subjected to grade penalties, given that they are completed in a reasonable amount of time, and all efforts should be made to accommodate extensions for assignments in progress (i.e., research/term papers and essays).

The student is responsible for communicating with the instructor to make arrangements to complete coursework, including tests and exams.

Proof of Death

Students using the Bereavement Policy must produce proof regarding the death of their loved one. Proof must be submitted to the Director of Student Affairs within 2 weeks (14 calendar days) of submitting their Bereavement Request Form. Failure to provide proof will result in unexcused absences. Providing false documents or misleading information is treated as Academic Dishonesty, which will be dealt with seriously by the College.

Documentation of death includes:

• An obituary notice online or from a newspaper
• A copy of death certificate (with legal translations if required)
• Program from funeral/services
• Signed letter from funeral home

If any clarification is required between instructors and students in relation to the Bereavement Policy, the Director of Student Affairs will be responsible for handling student appeals and/or adjudicating the situation.

The College recognizes that grief impacts every student uniquely, and that some students may require more time to attend to their emotional health than the Bereavement Policy allows. Students should use their discretion about how to best address their academics through course drops or withdrawals. Counselling services are also available through the College for any student experiencing grief.

Student Misconduct (Policy Code and Number S-08)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of student affairs

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Introduction

Alexander College endeavors to identify and deal appropriately with all forms of student misconduct.

Academic Misconduct

Academic misconduct, such as plagiarism, cheating, and misrepresentation, normally results in academic discipline ranging from a reprimand or assigning a failing mark to suspension or expulsion. See the Student Academic Integrity policy (S-08) for definitions of academic misconduct.

Non-Academic Misconduct

Non-academic misconduct, such as interfering with instruction or damaging property is normally dealt with as a restitution issue but can also result in suspension or expulsion. Some examples of non-academic misconduct include:

• Disrupting instructional activities either in person or online, including making it difficult to proceed with scheduled lectures, seminars, etc., and with examinations and tests.
• Damaging, removing, or making unauthorized use of College property, or the personal property of faculty, staff, students, or others at the College. Without restricting the generality of the meaning of ‘property’, it includes information, however it be recorded or stored.
• Communicating inappropriately in person or online, by email or otherwise with staff, students or faculty, including (but not limited to) grade bargaining, refusal to abide by College administrative decisions and / or any other persistent communication when asked to desist.
• Injuring or harassing a person in person or online, or damaging property in any way that demonstrates or results from hate, prejudice, or bias against an individual or group based on race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, gender, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, or any other similar factor.
• Assaulting individuals in person or online, including conduct which leads to the physical or emotional injury of faculty, staff, students, or others at the College, or which threatens the physical or emotional well-being of faculty, staff, students, or others at the College.
• Smoking, consuming alcohol, drugs, or any prohibited substance while on school property, or counselling others to do so.
• Committing any act contrary to the laws of British Columbia and/or Canada.

Related Principles

Students have a responsibility to avoid all forms of misconduct and to avoid the appearance of misconduct. For example, a student who exposes an exam paper for another to view may claim the act was accidental; yet, depending on the circumstances, this claim may not be accepted as proof of innocence.

The Office of Student Advocacy will ensure that no student is treated unfairly, while further ensuring that all forms of misconduct are dealt with appropriately. If a student is accused of either academic or non-academic (behavioural) misconduct, he or she will also have the right to appeal through a form that may be obtained from reception at both campuses.

Ignorance of misconduct policy or the appropriate standard of conduct is not accepted as a defense. The standards of evidence and proof of misconduct are determined by the Vice- president, Academic. An opportunity for appeal of disciplinary measures arising from misconduct is provided.

Disciplinary Measures

Disciplinary measures that may be imposed, singly or in combination, for academic misconduct or for non-academic misconduct include the following:

• A letter of reprimand.
• Restitution in the case of damage to, or removal or unauthorized use of, property.
• A notation of discipline on the student’s record.
• A failing grade or mark of zero in the course.
• Suspension or cancellation of any scholarships, bursaries, or prizes.
• Suspension from the College for a specified or indefinite period.
• Revocation of a degree or other academic credentials dishonestly or improperly obtained.
• Expulsion from the College.

In general, a student who cheats on an assignment or test will be given a grade of zero for that assignment or test. The instructor may allow the student to make up the work.

All work submitted by students (including essays, examinations, tests, reports, presentations, problem sets, and tutorial assignments) may be reviewed by the College for authenticity and originality. By submitting work, students consent to their work undergoing such review and being retained in a database for comparison with other work submitted by students. The results of such review may be used in any College investigation or disciplinary proceedings.

The laying of criminal charges, or the commencement of civil proceedings, does not preclude the College from commencing disciplinary proceedings or taking disciplinary measures against a student who has committed academic or non-academic misconduct.

See the Academic Alerts policy (S-12) for a description of procedural details associated with penalties for academic misconduct.

Student Academic Integrity (Policy Code and Number S-09)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of student affairs, Dean, and Associate Dean

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Introduction

As acknowledged in Alexander College’s policy on Academic Integrity throughout the Institution (P-01), the College is responsible for developing awareness among students, instructors, and staff of the need for the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and responsibility. The Student Academic Integrity policy, presented here, is intended to provide additional information for students who are newcomers to post-secondary academia. This policy defines prohibited conduct such as plagiarism, cheating, and contract cheating.

Guiding Principles

The concept of academic integrity involves relying on one’s own work for academic success and progress, in accordance with College policies and procedures. All suspected contraventions of academic integrity will be investigated. There are two general ways to demonstrate a lack of academic integrity: plagiarism and cheating. Disciplinary action may vary depending on the situation.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism occurs when an individual submits or presents the work of another person as his or her own. Scholarship quite properly rests upon examining and referring to the thoughts and writings of others. However, when excerpts are used in paragraphs or essays, the author must be acknowledged in the text, through footnotes, in endnotes, or in other accepted forms of academic citation.

Where collaborative work is permitted by the instructor, students must ensure that they comply with the instructor’s requirements for such collaboration. Students are responsible for ensuring that any work submitted does not constitute plagiarism. Students who are in any doubt as to what constitutes plagiarism should consult their instructor before handing in any assignments.

Examples of plagiarism include but are not limited to:

• Using another person’s words, ideas, theories, charts, photographs, etc. without citing them.
• Using any statistics, facts, opinions, or research without citing them.
• Incorrectly paraphrasing another person’s ideas.
• Incorrectly quoting another person’s words.
• Changing data or research or in any way misrepresenting research.
• Failure to properly use in-text citations and an MLA/APA citation style.
• Submitting any work that was done by another person (this includes papermills, cutting and pasting, unethical tutoring, etc.)
• Re-submitting work done previously or for another course, etc.

Cheating

Cheating includes, but is not limited to, falsifying any material that is subject to academic evaluation; having in an exam any materials other than those permitted by the examiner; and using unauthorized means to complete an examination or receiving unauthorized assistance. Cheating also involves:

• submitting the same, or substantially the same, essay, presentation, or assignment more than once (regardless of institution) unless prior approval has been obtained from the instructor(s) to whom the assignment is submitted.
• impersonating a candidate an examination or other evaluation or profiting from the results of such impersonation.
• Submitting false records or information or failing to provide correct and complete information when required.
• In all cases, facilitating academic misconduct by others, directly or indirectly, is also regarded as academic misconduct.

Contract Cheating and the Use of Tutors

Contract cheating “occurs when a third party makes a contribution to the work of the student, such that there is reasonable doubt as to whose work the assessment represents” (Draper & Newton, 2017, p.1):

• “Assessment” refers to term papers, projects, exams, quizzes, or any other assignment set by your instructor to evaluate (assess) your progress in their course.
• “Third party” refers to non-AC tutors, tutoring services offered online, translation, paraphrasing and summary apps, friends, former students, etc. who have not been authorized by Alexander College to provide tutoring assistance to our students. Students should be aware that unauthorized tutors tend to “over tutor” students, who can lead to an Academic Alert, suspension, or permanent expulsion from the College. There have also been reports of blackmailing by some bad operators in the tutoring market.

In general, a student who cheats on an assignment or test will be given a grade of zero for that assignment or test. The instructor may allow the student to make up the work.

Third party tutors are prohibited at Alexander College. The Writing & Learning Centre specialists and the Write Away service tutors are the only authorised tutors for all AC courses. Use of outside tutors, without the consent of an Alexander College instructor will result in an Academic Alert. It may also lead to suspension or permanent expulsion from the College.

Forms of advertising that promote contract cheating will be regarded as communication that disrupts the normal functions of the College and will be removed where possible.

If students are encountering difficulties in their courses, they should consult with their instructors during office hours, the Writing and Learning Centre, and/or the library for assistance.

Process and Penalties

Cheating and plagiarism are forms of academic misconduct. The Alexander College policy on Student Misconduct (S-09) outlines disciplinary measures generally associated with academic misconduct such as cheating and plagiarism. Meanwhile, the Academic Alerts policy (S-10) outlines procedural details.

Academic Alerts (Policy Code and Number S-10)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of student affairs

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Introduction

The disciplinary measures assigned for academic misconduct such as plagiarism and cheating are managed and conveyed through an academic alert system. This system is designed to allow Alexander College students to learn from their mistakes and therefore reflects our values as an educational institution: first and foremost, we strive to give students an opportunity to develop academically, professionally, and personally. At the same time, we realize that accountability promotes growth. The academic alert system embodies the principles of natural justice and progressive discipline.

First Academic Alert

Students who receive their first academic alert are given a chance to learn from their mistakes. They are required to attend a remediation workshop scheduled by the Writing and Learning Centre by a specified deadline. If they do not attend the remediation workshop, they will be suspended for one full semester, which means they cannot register or take courses.

If students disagree with an Academic Alert, they have the right to file an appeal with Student Advocacy. They state their justification and provide evidence to prove they should not be charged with the Academic Alert. Paperwork is submitted to the campus where they are taking the course.

Second Academic Alert

Students who receive a Second Academic Alert for academic misconduct will be given 10 calendar days to respond to the alert or file an appeal. After the deadline, if they do not appeal or if their appeal is unsuccessful, they will be officially suspended for one full semester.

Third Academic Alert

Students who receive a third Academic Alert will be given 10 calendar days to respond to the alert or to file an appeal. After the deadline, if they do not appeal or if their appeal is unsuccessful, they will be expelled from the College. In these cases, students will be contacted by the Director of Student Affairs regarding the expulsion.

Type II Academic Alerts

Type II Academic Alerts for relatively minor academic offences. Type II Academic Alerts are assigned by the Writing and Learning Centre Supervisor after careful examination of the evidence and discussion with Director of Student Affairs and/or the instructor.

Type II Academic Alerts are not entered onto a student’s record and do not affect a student’s academic standing. In general, Type II Alerts are accompanied by a requirement to attend a remediation workshop. However, if a student does not attend the required workshop, Type II Alerts will revert to the standard academic alerts described above, which carry penalties that may include suspension and expulsion.

Academic Alert Rubric

The Academic Alert Rubric describes different academic alert scenarios, including suggested actions, evidence, and outcomes. Although each alert is processed in a case-by-case basis, faculty and administrative staff are encouraged to use this rubric as a guide to maintain consistency throughout the institution. It is a living document, and an updated version is released at the beginning of each term.

Remediation Workshops

Remediation workshops are facilitated by the academic integrity officer, under the supervision of the WLC coordinator and the WLC manager. Students who miss a Remediation Workshop are placed on a Registrar’s Hold which is removed once the workshop has been completed.

Oral Re-Examination

Instructors who suspect their students of cheating in assignments and exams, specifically in cases when students demonstrate higher results in final exams in comparison to previously submitted work in the course, should schedule a follow up oral assessment with their students prior to issuing an academic alert.

Students who cannot orally replicate their written answers in a competent manner are determined to have committed an academic misconduct infraction and instructors should then file an academic alert.

Instructors may also issue an academic alert to students who do not respond to a request for a follow-up oral assessment or who do not appear for an oral re-examination. If a student files an academic appeal, the instructor will be required to assist Student Advocacy by scheduling and conducting the oral assessment.

Honourable Conduct Pledges and Quizzes (Policy Code and Number S-11)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of student affairs, Dean, and Associate Dean

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Introduction

Alexander College has an array of readily available policies that address the necessity for students to behave in honourable and ethical ways. See, for example, the Student Responsibility policy (S-01). The Honourable Conduct Pledges and Quizzes policy (S-11) acknowledges that instructors may proactively require students to demonstrate an understanding of honourable conduct.

Principles of Honourable Conduct

Students at Alexander College are members of an academic community that is expected to behave in a manner that commands the respect and trust of instructors, peers, and the College. The behavioural principles of honourable conduct include but are not limited to:

• Adhering to academic honesty
• Acting in a manner that supports a positive learning environment for all
• Respecting the rights, feelings, and personal or academic property of others
• Developing an understanding of other cultures, perspectives, and beliefs
• Using College resources for appropriate research or study
• Collaborating in approved study groups
• Presenting true and official
• Telling the truth

Instructors may expect students to demonstrate their understanding of these principles by completing a related quiz or by signing a related pledge.

Student Support Services (Policy Code and Number S-12)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of student affairs

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Introduction

The Student Affairs Division at Alexander College strives to holistically enable and empower students through equitable access to educational resources and services, supporting students in personal and professional development while maintaining an inclusive and positive environment. Our core themes are:

• Student empowerment and success
• Inclusivity and accessibility
• Community building and outreach
• Engagement and citizenship

Accordingly, Alexander College students can access a variety of free support services.

Writing and Learning Centre

As an integral part of the Student Affairs Division, the Writing and Learning Centre (WLC) provides academic support services for both students and faculty at Alexander College. WLC services include free, ethical, in-person tutoring for all subject areas, campus-wide workshops, in-class workshops, in-house, and online resources to facilitate student success.

The Writing and Learning Centre consists of Subject Area Specialists and a Coordinator working under the supervision of the WLC Manager. Tutoring is available for all courses offered by the College. The WLC Manager reports to the Director of Student Affairs.

The Writing and Learning Centre works closely with instructors and librarians to ensure students understand all class material and the academic integrity policies of the College. Subject areas include:

• Mathematics, Science, and Computer Science
• Economics and Commerce
• Humanities and Social Sciences
• French and Spanish

Student Advocacy

Student Advocacy at Alexander College is designed to uphold and enforce the various policies and processes in place at the College as they relate to students and to advocate for students when they need help.

This means, in broad terms, assisting students encountering a barrier to their studies by reviewing exceptional circumstances at the level of the individual – this may arise in terms of appeals, accommodations, accessibility, complaints, and various other student interactions across departments within Alexander.

In upholding policy, Student Advocacy is also the touchstone for student conduct, both behavioural and Academic, and through the Director of Student Advocacy coordinates, when necessary, suspensions and expulsions to that end.

Health and Wellness

Alexander College students are eligible for up to 10 free, on-site, Health and Wellness Counseling sessions each academic year. These sessions are designed to provide students with a safe, supportive, and confidential space in which to discuss issues that may be causing distress and personal struggle.

Some examples of common issues that are discussed with a Health and Wellness Counselor include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Relationships
• Stress
• Loneliness
• Substance misuse
• Adjustment to new surroundings

In addition, the college provides workshops on topics such as stress management, body image, and healthy relationships. As well as providing referrals to off-campus resources for ongoing services.

Alexander College’s Registered Clinical Counselor provides Health and Wellness Counseling services at both campus locations.

Student Engagement

The Student Engagement unit plays a vital role in creating and overseeing various events and opportunities designed to support the student population. This may include social, cultural, or academic support initiatives that are designed to increase the students’ possibility of success.

Career Advising

Career Services at Alexander College helps students succeed at work during their time at Alexander College and beyond. This unit provides workshops and programs, offers in-person support, and provides online resources to help students navigate their career.

• Resume and cover letter writing
• Networking
• Career exploration
• Work search strategies
• Interview tips and mock (practice) interviews
• LinkedIn
• Professional school application

All appointments are confidential. Students can work with us for one session or over multiple conversations if needed.

Student Life

The Student Life unit provides students with the opportunity to experience Canadian culture, the diverse cultures of other students, and opportunities to socialize and relax. The unit offers a variety of activities and clubs, such as the Alexander College Student Association (ACSA) meetings, a gaming club, a basketball team, health and wellness workshops, and more.

Library

See policy S-15.

Student Events (Policy Code and Number S-13)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Student Affairs and Director of Campus Operations

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Introduction

This policy provides detailed procedures for offering extra-curricular events hosted by Alexander College’s Student Affairs Division.

Liability Waiver Forms

Where possible, for any events that involve physical and/or strenuous activity and which may result in bodily injury, Alexander College provides comprehensive liability insurance for the purpose of student safety. In rare exceptions when comprehensive liability insurance is not procured by the institution, a waiver form must be signed. Events that are less active (e.g., movie nights) will not require the signing of a waiver form. The following is a breakdown of the procedures regarding Student Affairs events.

Procedures

1. The Student Life Officer will conduct a risk assessment for any special activity, including consideration of:
   • Experience/ability level of the students against the conditions – necessity for special
   • Instruction as part of or prior to the activity, special clothing requirements etc.
   • Weather conditions
   • Means of transportation
   • Adequate supervision
   • Accessibility to emergency personnel and facilities
   • Risk prevention/reduction
2. An Extra-Curricular Event Authorization Form and Risk Assessment Checklist must be submitted to the Director of Student Affairs for approval.
3. Event leaders must inform students well in advance of the conditions for Category 1 and 2 events:
   • Event leaders will fully advise participating students of special requirements for the trip: e.g., proof of current BC medical coverage, special equipment needed, attire, medical alert advisories, environmental hazards, etc.
   • Event leaders will also advise students of any potential risks and the rules of conduct expected of each participant.
   • Students attending Category 2 events are required to read and sign both the Student Guide to Extra-Curricular Events and the designated waiver form.
   • It is incumbent upon trip leaders to review the waiver form in detail with the students and to discuss the Student Guide to Extra-Curricular Events.
4. Event leaders will prepare a list of all participants and a contact number for each:
   • Category 1 leaders will keep the list, with the signed student waiver forms, on file.
   • Category 2 leaders will submit a copy of the list, with the signed student waiver forms, to a director.
   • For Categories 1 and 2, there must be 1 leader per 12 participants.
5. Students must complete the Participation in Event Category 1 – Student Waiver of Liability form (Appendix C) or Participation in Event Category 2 – Student Waiver of Liability form (Appendix D). Students going on Category 2 events must also sign the Student Guide to Extra-Curricular Events Form.
6. If there is an indication of an injury on the trip, a full incident report must be documented and sent to the Director of Student Affairs and the Director of Campus Operations.

Supplementary Information

During college-sponsored events, each student participant is expected to comply with all applicable policies, and each Alexander College event leader is expected to comply with all applicable duties and responsibilities. All participants must also obey all applicable provisions of the law of the state and nation in which the event’s activities take place. All participants are individually responsible for their personal conduct while on the event, and the College has no obligation to intercede or undertake to protect them from the legal consequences of violations of law for which they may be responsible. Specifically:

• The organizer designated to oversee an event has the responsibility to enforce compliance with College policies by all persons participating in the event.
• No person shall be permitted to participate in an event unless a “Field Trip Waiver Form” is properly completed and signed.
• The organizer is responsible for the vehicles used during an event from the time at which possession of the vehicle is taken.
• Only a licensed adult (i.e., age 18 years or older) who has been authorized by the organizer may operate a motor vehicle, to transport persons on an event.
• The organizer of the event must obtain assurance, prior to the commencement of the event, that any vehicle not owned by the College and used on the field trip will be covered throughout the period of the event by a motor vehicle liability insurance.
• Each person participating during an event in any capacity (e.g., faculty, staff, or student) should be covered by insurance for medical and hospital costs arising from any accident occurring while on the event. Enrollment in BC MSP or private insurance will satisfy this requirement. Persons not included in these insurance programs and who do not already carry equivalent private hospital/medical insurance should obtain appropriate short-term insurance.
• Funds administered by the College or ACSA may not be used to supply alcoholic beverages to persons participating on an event.
• While using any vehicle for event purposes, and during “working hours” (i.e., those hours designated by the organizer as time to be spent on College-sponsored activities within the purpose of the event), drinking of alcoholic beverages by any participant on an event is forbidden.
• No narcotics, illegal drugs, or other controlled substances may be in the possession of, or used by, any person engaged in the event except for purposes specifically permitted by the Province of British Columbia.
• No person engaged in the event or activities may possess or use any kind of firearm for any purpose.

Alexander College Student Association (Policy Code and Number S-14)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Student Affairs

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Introduction

The Alexander College Student Association (ACSA) is a group of students united by a desire to make a positive and substantial difference in the lives of other students at Alexander College. ACSA provides its members with regular and dynamic opportunities to get involved in event planning, budgeting, acquisition of resources for the student body, creating activities that help students positively engage with life in Canada, and helping their fellow students make new friends, create new connections, and generally enhance the student experience at Alexander College.

ACSA Meetings

ACSA must hold regular meetings to keep members thoroughly informed about upcoming events. This will help in creating dedication towards properly serving the student body.

ACSA Meeting Policy

• The Association shall meet at four times per month from September through April, and twice per month from May through August.
• Meetings of the Association shall be open to all College members.
• Meetings of the Association shall pertain predominantly to issues surrounding ongoing governance of the student body, budgeting considerations, and planning for events and student needs.

ACSA Meeting Procedure

1. Meetings of the Association shall be scheduled by the president upon the request of three or more members of the association.
2. Lunch is provided for elected and registered ACSA members (30 minutes prior to the official start of the meeting).
3. During the meeting, the ACSA Secretary (or an available member when the Secretary is not present) must record the minutes of the meeting. Once the meeting is finished, the Secretary must save the minutes on a dedicated ACSA computer and send out the minutes to the rest of the executive members.
4. The meeting will start off with a recap of the events from the previous week, plus progress reports from those members responsible for leading upcoming events.
5. Once the recap is done, introductions of the upcoming events will be presented. Events, activities, and initiatives must receive a majority vote to be confirmed.
6. Executives must confirm which ACSA member will be responsible for leading the approved event/activity/initiative.
7. All student club leaders are also encouraged to join the ACSA meeting to report any news or updates that their club may have.

Decisions

In the event of unresolved decisions even after voting, the final decision will be made by a special “tie-breaking” group which consists of an odd number of senior ACSA members to make the final decision.

ACSA Budget

Summary

The ACSA budget is accumulated through the Student Association fees. Each student pays a set amount (e.g., $20 per semester) which goes into a total budget known as the “ACSA Budget” for each term. The Association takes responsibility for managing these funds responsibly on behalf of the entire student body on a term-by-term basis.

Policy

1. Use of the budget must coincide with the ACSA’s stated purpose: to provide the greatest number of students with numerous opportunities to be more actively involved within the school community.
2. ACSA funds are most used to subsidize events, student clubs, food for events, prizes, etc.
3. ACSA funds must first be approved by the Student Life Officer as a means of ensuring that funds are used in accordance with stated policy.
4. ACSA is responsible for monitoring and recording use of the budget and must provide a summary of expenditures to the Student Life Officer at the end of each term.

Procedure

1. Any initiative or event which involves a budget request must be proposed to, and approved by ACSA.
2. Budget requests must involve a clear rationale for the initiative or event and must include a clear breakdown of anticipated expenses.
3. Once approved, the ‘event leader’ may retrieve the money with the assistance of SSS staff or appointed ACSA member via petty cash; or may spend the money out of their own pockets first, and then ask for reimbursement from SSS staff or appointed ACSA member.
4. Should the event leader expect to incur expenses greater than those initially allotted, the leader must present his/her additional budget request at the subsequent ACSA meeting prior to any additional purchase being made.
5. Any unapproved expenses incurred by ACSA members will NOT be reimbursed by the ACSA budget.
6. The SSS staff may, at any time, present a budget request to ACSA for a student event or initiative that he/she is planning. Approval of this type of budget request is subject to the same budget procedure as stated above.
7. Only 1 representative can be assigned per campus to work with the bookstore to deal with the budget.

Payment of Items/Events

There are 2 forms of payment/money retrieval methods that can be done when paying items for an event. Note: The following conditions assume that event funds have been pre-approved by ACSA.

1. The individual can pay and be reimbursed for everything upfront, keep the receipt, and bring it back to the bookstore for reimbursement.
2. Petty cash – With approval from the bookstore, a small amount of cash can be quickly borrowed to purchase an item. The receipt and change must then be returned to the bookstore.

*Only approved ACSA members, Student Life Officer, Student Success Officer, and Student Events Ambassador may be able to use these methods.

Spending Budget Per Event

Each event is allowed to have a budget of $30 per student to a maximum of $400. This rule is exempt when, either ACSA, a student, club leader or member, Student Life Officer has brought forth a proposal to the ACSA meeting and has requested to increase the budget due to student interest and demand. ACSA then will review the proposal and vote on whether to allow the individual access to a higher budget.

For example, if an event were to have 7 students attending, then the maximum that can be spent and reimbursed for that event is $210 (30

Depending on the event, sometimes staff and faculty members may be encouraged to join. This means that some staff members may also benefit from the partial or full subsidy of that specific event. Otherwise, if students do not agree, then the participating staff member(s) will need to pay for themselves. This is to be established during budgetary discussions at ACSA.

Spending Budget Per Project

Each project is allowed to have a budget of $200. This rule is exempt when, either ACSA, a student, club leader or member, Student Life Officer has brought forth a proposal to the ACSA meeting and has requested to increase the budget due to the fact they need more budget for their specific cause. ACSA then will review the project proposal and vote on whether to allow the individual access to a higher budget.

Depending on the project, sometimes staff and faculty members might have a specific project in mind that needs student funding. The same procedure applies to them (see stated rule above). Otherwise, if ACSA does not agree, then the specific project will not get student funding. This is to be established during budgetary discussions at ACSA.

Alexander College Student Association (ACSA) Elections Process

The Alexander College Student Association, hereby known as “ACSA,” holds elections each year in early September to elect a new group of students to lead ACSA. This new group of students will assume leadership of ACSA for 8 months during the Fall and Winter semesters. ACSA represents and advocates for the interests of students at Alexander College. Any current Alexander College student is a member of the ACSA and can attend meetings or vote in elections. The Student Life Officers oversee all ACSA related activity and if necessary, have the authority to overrule ACSA decisions.

Teams

Individuals do run for a specific position but within teams that are formed, and the student body votes on the team they choose as their new ACSA Executives. A team is defined as having at least 6 positions, President, Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer, Marketing and Events Manager and Newsletter Editor. There is a 7th position called the Student Refugee Program (SRP) Manager, but this position is filled by the Alexander College Student Refugee Program Local Committee. All ACSA Executive positions are paid. All other students are welcome to attend meetings and support the ACSA Executives.

Diversity Statement

In ideal conditions, the ACSA Executive Committee should be representative of the diverse cultures that make up the Alexander College student body.

Executive Positions

• President
• Vice-president
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Marketing and Events Manager
• Newsletter Editor
• Student Refugee Program (SRP) Manager – position is filled by the Alexander College Student Refugee Program Local Committee

Nomination Process

1. Student teams of six fill out an application form and submit it to the Student Life Unit either in person or via email: studentlife@alexandercollege.ca.
2. If the application is approved, the team members will be interviewed.
3. Once the team passes the interview, then they are approved to move on to the campaign.

Election Processes

Timeline

1. Notice of Election

   Notice of election will be posted on all forms of Alexander College communication: website, Facebook page, Instagram, Student Life boards, and college televisions.

2. Team Interviews

   During the interview, all candidates will thoroughly review this Elections Manual and sign an agreement stating that they have read and understood the Elections Manual.

3. Campaigning Period
4. Voting period

Campaigning Requirements

• All campaign material (posters, flyers, social media posts, and events) must be approved by the Student Life Unit and written in English before it is posted or sent out.
• Campaigning material cannot be offensive or discriminatory. The Student Life Unit has the right to decline or remove any campaign material that is considered inappropriate.
• Posters must be either 8.5”x11” or 10”x17” and are to be posted only on the designated elections poster boards during the Fall term.
• Social media posts and events must be in English and approved by the Student Life Unit.
• Any forms of campaigning must not be considered ‘spamming’.
• All candidates are required to submit their platforms to the Student Life Unit by the end of the day on October 1st to be posted near polling stations on voting day.

Campaigning Restrictions

• Candidates are not allowed to campaign before or after the campaigning period.
• Physical or emotional attacks against other candidates will not be tolerated and will result in the immediate removal of the candidates from the ticket.
• Candidates are prohibited from using any form of third-party endorsement and/or funding (staff, faculty, non-profit organizations, etc.).

Disputes

If candidates have any questions or concerns during the elections process, please bring it to the attention of the Student Life Unit.

Budget

Each campaigning team will be allocated a budget of $200 from the ACSA funds to be used to help in their campaigning. Every item shall be tracked, and once $200 has been used, they may not be allowed to use their own money. Receipts must be collected and handed into the Student Life Unit on the last campaigning date, which is October 1st.

Voting Period

During the voting period, active campaigning is prohibited. Teams may not physically or verbally force any students to vote for them. Students must be able to freely vote of their own accord. Failure to comply will result in a penalty determined by the Student Life Unit, based on the severity of the offense.

Polling stations are available at all campuses during the voting period and will include platforms of each team. Current registered students must present their student identification cards (ID Cards) to a member of the Student Life Unit or an approved assistant to receive a ballot for voting. Ballots will be counted by the Student Life Unit. Assistance from Student Workers is allowed as long as they are not running for Office themselves or currently an ACSA council member and are supervised at all times by the Student Life Unit. The team who receives the most votes win. The winning team will be announced publicly within 2 business days of when the ballots are counted.

Penalties

Complaints can be submitted to the Student Life Unit if a candidate has violated election regulations. Failure to abide by the above rules will result in one of three consequences and will be decided by the Student Life Unit.

• Disciplinary meeting
• Penalty – Depending on severity
• Disqualification – Repeated offenses or if the violation is severe.

Candidates who receive a penalty are given an opportunity to dispute but must provide tangible evidence to support their claim.

Library (Policy Code and Number S-15)

College-Protected Document: Changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Student Affairs

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Introduction

The Alexander College Library plays a key role in achieving the educational directives of the College by serving as an information centre in which students engage in academic, cultural, and social activities. Day-to-day operations and policy management are directly overseen by the Librarians. The Librarians report to and receive approval for large scale projects from the Director of Student Affairs.

Mission

The library provides the highest level of resources (whether traditional or digital) and instructional services so students and faculty can perform research, study, and surf the web with confidence. Services are thus patron-oriented and are under constant re-evaluation to ensure they are up-to-date and responsive. In this way, staff and students can get the most out of the resources available to them.

To fulfill its role in supporting the College’s educational mission, AC Library is committed to maintaining an environment conducive to study and research. To ensure a quiet, pleasant, safe, clean, and respectful atmosphere for all users, the library has established the following policies regarding the use of its facilities and collections. Policies shall apply to all users, regardless of their affiliation with the College.

Patron Conduct Policy

Alexander College Library strives to achieve the educational directives of the College by providing an environment that is productive and conducive to individual and group learning. The following policies are in place to ensure that the library environment facilitates learning and collaboration.

Behaviour in the Library

Students must be mindful of their behavior and how their behavior can affect other students. Library staff have a right to ask students to leave the library at any time.

Disruptive Behavior

Complaints of disruptive behavior will be taken seriously, and the offending library user may be asked to leave. Behavior that interferes with appropriate use, or interrupts the learning process for other patrons, exhibits a disregard for the dignity of others, and will not be tolerated. Excessive noise, altercations, theft, vandalism, inappropriate sexual behavior, and harassment of any kind are strictly forbidden.

Food and Drink

• Drinks (e.g., water, tea) in covered or spill-proof containers are permitted.
• Food is not permitted in the library.
• Recycle paper, plastic, and metal products—zero waste zone!
• Dispose waste in the appropriate bins.
• Library staff determine which food and drink are acceptable.

Noise

• Quiet conversation is permitted in the library; loud conversations, offensive languages are not permitted. Be aware of your surroundings and respectful of others in the library.

Mobile Phones

• Mobile phones to be set to silent or vibrate. Please do not have conversations on speaker phone while in the library. Phone conversations longer than one minute to be taken outside the library.

Library Materials Policy

It is the responsibility of AC students, faculty, and staff to ensure proper use of library materials including books, films, AV equipment, etc. Users are asked to return un-shelved items to library staff if they do not know or remember where an item is shelved.

Borrowing

AC students, faculty, and staff are permitted to borrow physical library materials such as:

• Books,
• DVDs,
• Laptops,
• and more.

All library users are required to provide their ID card when withdrawing books from the library. Photo ID with student number is also acceptable. All users are responsible for all items on their library account. It is the user’s responsibility to check due dates.

Loan Periods

All library users are responsible for returning all items borrowed from the library on time and in good condition. The due date will either be communicated orally or when possible, a date stamp will be used. Students are allowed to renew books up to 2 times; however, if the book is recalled, the student must return the book on its original due date.

* Students will not be permitted to borrow 3- or 4-hour items (such as textbooks, AV equipment, or laptops) as of 10min before closing

A.C. LIBRARY POLICY FOR “3 HOUR LOAN/Course Reserve” TEXTBOOKS:

Alexander College Library has a collection of the textbooks used in all the courses offered at AC. These textbooks are on designated shelves at both libraries. They are available to all AC students free of charge.

• A valid Alexander College student ID must be presented in order to borrow any library materials.
• Course reserves must be returned within 3 HOURS.
• The textbook must stay in the library for at least 15 minutes before the borrower can take out the book again.
• Keep in mind that even if the item is borrowed 30 minutes before the library is closed, the item is still due at closing time and cannot be taken home for the night.
• Students will not be permitted to borrow 3-hour items (such as textbooks, calculators, or phone chargers) as of 10 min before closing.
• Failure to return an item on time will result in a $2/hr fine with a max of $20 per item.

A.C. LIBRARY POLICY FOR “7 DAY LOAN/Previous Edition” TEXTBOOKS:

Alexander College Library has a collection of previous edition course textbooks on designated shelves at both libraries. They are available to all AC students free of charge.

• A valid Alexander College student ID must be presented in order to borrow any library materials.
• Previous edition textbooks must be returned in 7 CALENDAR DAYS. The weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, are included in the 7-day period.
• To allow maximum accessibility for our library materials, we will not be renewing “7 Day Loan” textbooks. The text must stay in the library for at least 24 hours before the borrower can take out the book again.
• Failure to return an item on time will result in a $2/day fine with a maximum of $20 per item.

The purpose of Alexander College’s loan policies is to ensure maximum accessibility and sharing of library collections by all who need them.

Holds & Recalls

AC Library users can place holds on items that are not currently on the shelves. To do this, library users will need to go to the catalogue and search for the item and select “place hold”. To complete the request, users will need to sign into their library account which is student number and last name (same login as databases). When a user places a hold on an item that is already checked out by another user it is called a ‘recall’. Items that have been recalled cannot be renewed as someone else is waiting for the item.

Renewals

A renewal is when a library user has an item out on their account but would like to have the item past its original due date. Renewals are permitted when there is no one else officially waiting (on hold) for the item(s). Students can renew their items in person, by email (library@alexandercollege.ca), or by phone (604-435-5815).

Late Policy

All library items must be returned to the library on time. Any items that are late will result in suspension of borrowing privileges until all late items are returned to the library. Unreturned overdue items may also result in other College services and privileges being revoked, based on administrative discretion. Students who have any monetary fines on their account must settle the balance before graduation (will not be able to order graduation documents or alumni card). All items must be returned either to a library staff member directly or to the library return book bin at the circulation desk.

Computer Use Policy

Please be advised that by using AC Library computers and laptops, you are agreeing to adhere to the following AC library computer policies:

• Priority will be given to AC students who wish to use the computers for academic purposes.
• Files stored on library computers can be accessed by other students and will be erased when computers restart.
• The library is not responsible for any unsaved work; it is the student’s responsibility to ensure they have backed up their work (either through e-mail or a USB).
• Students must not violate the privacy of others.
• Students accessing any inappropriate material will immediately be asked to leave the library and be reported to the Director to have their computer privileges revoked.
• Access to the computing system will be given to students according to academic or operational need and may be revoked at the discretion of College administration.

It is expected that users will not engage in activities harmful to the computing system, such as:

• Creating or propagating viruses
• Disrupting services
• Damaging files
• Illegally downloading material
• Intentionally damaging equipment, software, or data belonging to the College

Violations of AC’s Computer Use policy may result in disciplinary actions including, but not limited to:

• Suspending the user from access to the computing system
• Prohibiting the user from further use of the computing system
• Suspending or expelling students
• Applying other College disciplinary procedures

AC Laptop Borrowing Policy

• 4-hour loan period
• Students cannot place a hold or renew laptops
• Students must be currently enrolled to borrow
• To borrow, students must have a valid Student ID card
• Students must fill out a form before borrowing, indicating they have read and understood laptop lending policies
• Laptops are available on a first-come, first-served basis
• Laptops can be borrowed up to 1 hour before closing, but no later
• All files will be deleted when the laptop is returned
• Students can only borrow 1 laptop on their account at a time
• Borrowers should report any difficulty with equipment to the library immediately
• Overdue laptops fees will be charged to students, regardless of if it is a first-time fine
• If a laptop is damaged, lost, or stolen the student can be charged the full cost of the laptop as well as any overdue fees
• Laptops carry a $20 hourly fine, with a max of $100
• Laptop charger fees will be $2/hr with a max of $20
• Laptops must be returned to a staff member at the library desk
• The following will not be accepted as a reason for disputing a fine on your account:
• Ignorance of library borrowing policies or AC Computer Use policies
• Forgetting due date
• Not receiving an overdue notice
• Borrowed the item for another person
• Item returned late by another person
• Not returning item because you were away from campus
• Library was closed

Study Room Policy

• Students must have the room booked before entering
• (For questions – please check in with library staff at the circulation desk).
• Only 4 students are allowed in the room at one time for a maximum of 2 hours.
• Cleaning supplies will be provided in each room, users are asked to clean tables, chairs, white boards, and doorknobs before leaving. Each booking will have an extra 15min after the reserved time for cleaning.
• Students are expected to adhere to AC’s mask policy when using study rooms.
• The door must be always unlocked.
• No extra chairs or tables may be brought into the room. Chairs and tables do not leave the room.
• Students must leave the room clean and ready for the next student’s use.
• If you are 15 minutes late to your booked time, your booking may be given to a different group.
• If there is no one in the room for longer than 15 minutes, we will assume you are finished with the room and will give it to the next booked group.
• No sleeping/napping in the study room.
• No food or drink in the study room.

Faculty/Staff Meeting Room Bookings

The new Burnaby Campus Library has 2 rooms with priority booking for AC Faculty and Staff for meetings and office hours.

• Rooms must be booked in advanced and may be cancelled or rescheduled for accommodations purposes.
• Bookings are for a maximum of 2hrs per slot and available times are shown on the calendar.

One-on-one Research Appointments

Library research appointments are for research help ONLY (locating articles, using keywords, searching databases, etc.). Library staff will not provide editing, grammar, or citation help.

2 “no-shows” will result in the student account being suspended for 1 week.

Staff and Faculty ID Card Policy

Staff and faculty can obtain their college photo IDs from the Library. Staff and faculty will be required to supply their college fob key card for the card to be printed. College fobs are provided by Campus Facilities. Library staff may require some information from staff or faculty in order to verify identity (e.g., department name, position title). Staff cards are required for staff to borrow Library materials.

Course Reserves

All Alexander College Instructors can place materials on Reserve in the library. To submit a course reserve request, please email library@alexandercollege.ca with the title of the item, course number and section, as well as length of the loan. Items may be placed on 3-hr, 3-day, or 7-day loan. Please note that course reserves are first come first serve basis.

Film Reserves

If you are planning on showing a film in your class from the library, please send us an email with the title of the film and date you wish to show it so we can try to put it aside for you. Please note film reserves are first come first serve.

Item Requests & Course Budgets

The library welcomes recommendations for additional resources for the library collection to support courses offered at Alexander College, if needed. Each faculty member has a budget per course taught for supplementary materials. For further information please contact library@alexandercollege.ca.

Copyright Policy

AC adheres to Fair Dealing as outlined in the Canadian Copyright Act. Faculty must ensure that they are providing access to course readings ethically and legally. Links should not be provided to content that is obviously not shared legally or ethically. Students should not share or post course readings outside of Canvas without permission. For further questions related to copyright, please contact the library (library@alexandercollege.ca).

Alexander College students, staff, and faculty are creators and consumers of intellectual content. The College adheres to Fair Dealing guidelines as outlined in the Canadian Copyright Act. Each member of the College is responsible for ensuring they follow the policies and standards outlined by the Act.

Copyright refers to “the sole right to produce or reproduce the work or any substantial part thereof in any material form whatever, to perform the work or any substantial part thereof in public or, if the work is unpublished, to publish the work or any substantial part thereof” (Copyright Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. C-42, 3). Infringing copyright refers to “for any person to do, without the consent of the owner of the copyright, anything that by this Act only the owner of the copyright has the right to do” (Copyright Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. C-42, 27).

In some instances, we can use other people’s work without having to obtain copyright permission – this is called Fair Dealing. Fair Dealing includes uses for:

• Research & private study
• Education
• Parody or satire
• Criticism or review (requires mention of the source and author of work)
• News reporting (requires mention of the source and author of work)

The Supreme Court of Canada has stated that decisions on whether copying a work is considered “fair” must also take into consideration the following factors:

• The character of the proposed copying – does it include single or multiple copies, and is the copy destroyed after its intended use?
• The amount of the dealing, including the proportion of the proposed copy and the importance of the excerpt copied in relation to the entire work
• Alternatives to copying the work, and whether a non-copyrighted equivalent is available
• The nature of the work itself – is it published or unpublished?
• The effect that copying the work will have – will the excerpt compete in the commercial market with the original work?

Instructors & Staff

Alexander College instructors are responsible for abiding by Canada’s Copyright Act, and the College’s copyright policies. Under Fair Dealing, instructors are allowed to copy or distribute a short excerpt, or a copyright protected work for the purposes of research, private study, education, parody, satire, criticism, review, or news reporting. These excerpts can be part of class handouts, email messages, posts in Canvas, part of a classroom presentation or lecture, or as part of a course pack sold through the AC Bookstore.

Please note that copying multiple short excerpts from the same copyright protected work, with the intention of reproducing amounts beyond the fair dealing limits, is prohibited. A short excerpt is defined as:

• Up to 10% of a copyright-protected work (including a literary work, musical score, sound recording, and an audiovisual work)
• One chapter from a book
• A single article from a periodical
• An entire artistic work (including a painting, print, photograph, diagram, drawing, map, chart, and plan) from a copyright-protected work containing other artistic works
• An entire newspaper article or page
• An entire single poem or musical score from a copyright-protected work containing other poems or musical scores
• An entire entry from an encyclopedia, annotated bibliography, dictionary, or similar reference work provided that in each case, no more of the work is copied than is required to achieve the allowable purpose. (Ryerson University Library, 2013)

Audiovisual Materials

The changes to copyright in the recent Copyright Modernization Act now allow instructors to show DVDs and television programs in the classroom and for educational purposes without the previously required licenses, though application for private institutions remains restricted by licensing. DVDs must be purchased copies, and they cannot be home-recorded, burnt, or rented video recordings.

Most major studios are already licensed through a public performance rights subscription. The licenses are with the two leading Canadian PPR licensing agencies, Audio Cine Films (ACF) and Criterion Pictures. Each agency represents several studios, and their license is a “blanket license” covering all or almost all films produced by the studio.

Between them the two agencies cover almost all the major US and Canadian studios and production companies, and many independent producers and foreign films. If you would like to show a video in the classroom, please consult the librarian at either campus to ensure the appropriate licensing is in place to support your instruction.

Please do not attempt to download or digitize any streaming content (such as YouTube videos) without consultation with the library. Requests of this nature will be handled on a case-by-case basis to ensure copyright is not violated.

YouTube videos (and other online videos) can be streamed and shown in classrooms as long as there is no explicit information on the video demanding copyright protection. If the video has been posted by the copyright owner (i.e., has not been reposted through a secondary YouTube member) and has no warnings to the contrary, instructors are allowed to play these streaming videos live in their classrooms. Please do not play or link to any material that you know, or suspect, has been illegally posted to a streaming site.

Canada’s updated Copyright Act can be found here. For more information or for clarification, please visit the librarians at either campus.

Content for Asynchronous Courses – Audiovisual Content

AC Policy for films, documentaries, and other audiovisual content that are permitted to be used for asynchronous courses are only those that can be accessed from AC Library databases (e.g., Kanopy, NFB Campus) or those that are available as public domain.

AC Library cannot digitize materials for streaming that are commercially available on streaming sites or have licensing restrictions. Content that is not permitted or is an infringement of copyright is not acceptable course material.

Content for Asynchronous Courses – Course Readings, etc.

AC Policy for course readings and other materials that are permitted to be used for asynchronous courses must be available through AC databases, available as Open Educational Resources, Open Access, or Public Domain works.

Students

For students, copyright is important when writing papers, making presentations, and accessing course readings. Students at Alexander College are subject to adhere to Canada’s Copyright Act and the College’s Copyright Policies when completing coursework or assignments including papers, projects, and presentations. Students will be subject to Fair Dealing exceptions when using copyright protected work in their assignments.

Students should note that instructors own copyright over their teaching materials (presentations, slides, exams, lectures and lecture notes), and students cannot copy these works without the instructor’s permission, unless under a Fair Dealing exception as outlined in the Copyright Act.

Students should also note that they own copyright for the materials they create while at AC. As such, student presentations, projects, and assignments cannot be copied without the student’s permission.

AC Students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with a high level of academic integrity. This means that students are expected to avoid plagiarism by citing their sources. Students can learn more about how to properly cite their sources from AC’s Writing and Learning Centre.

Course Archives

At the end of each semester library staff are responsible for gathering all relevant archive materials and assembling them with the instructor-submitted archives packages. This should be completed within two weeks of the last day of the finals from that semester.

This process is dependent on the instructors submitting their course packages on time. Faculty will be given permission to the subject folder for their discipline and will have to upload all relevant materials (syllabus, assignments, exams, detailed grade breakdown) to their course folders. AC Lib staff will compile documents into one pdf to create a digital archive. AC Lib staff are also responsible for printing physical back-ups of complete archives for offsite storage.

All Course Archives must be submitted by faculty by 4 pm of the first Friday of the next semester. Any outstanding CA must be reported as soon as possible to the Associate Dean, who will follow up with the delinquent instructors immediately.

Course archives will be submitted electronically by instructors via SharePoint. Instructors have access to their own personal course folder, where they can submit the required documents. If instructors have not submitted their course documents on time or have documents missing, they should be contacted via e-mail, and e-mails should be cc’d to coursearchives@alexandercollege.ca.

Unreturned Work and Exam Viewing:

At the end of each semester, library staff are responsible for gathering all unreturned work, and storing this coursework in the AC storage room. Faculty are expected to hand in their unreturned work to the library at the end of the semester. All unreturned student work for the past calendar year must stay in on-site storage, for ease of access. At the end of each semester, Library staff will contact Facilities, and ask that any materials older than 1 calendar year be moved to the secure shredding room or shredded on site.

In order to view exams or unreturned work, students fill out an exam viewing request. Students will have 7 days when to view their exam. If they do not appear within the 7 days, they must fill out another request. Students have 30 days to appeal their exams after the exam date.

Note that when students are viewing the exam, they must present their student ID to a Library Staff member. Library Staff hold on to this ID until the student has finished viewing the exam. Students cannot have bags or backpacks, any writing materials, phones, or computers when viewing the exam. Students are not allowed to view exams 30 minutes before opening or 30 minutes prior to closing. Students viewing exams should be always in sight of Library Staff members.

Students who wish to appeal their grade are given their printed Exam Viewing request email, with the “Exam notified” and “Exam viewed” sections filled out.

Unreturned work, like exams, must stay at the library unless a staff member requests the exam for the appeal process. Exams are never handed over to students to take home. To appeal an exam, students will bring the printed request email to the Front Desk, where they ask for a grade appeal form.

If a staff member requests to take the exam as part of the appeal process, Library staff are to track this by printing off another exam viewing request email for that student and recording the name of the staff member the exam was given to and when it was handed to them.

Faculty Qualifications (Policy Code and Number: I-01)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Dean, Associate Dean, Director of Human Resources

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Introduction

The requirements for education, experience, skills and abilities among university-transfer instructors and English-as-an-Additional Language (EAL) instructors are described below.

University-Transfer Instructors:

Appropriate qualifications in the functional area taught; normally a master’s degree or doctorate in the subject area in which they are contracted to teach.

Ideally instructors will have two years teaching experience.

Preference is generally given to those who have teaching experience teaching the same or similar courses at another post secondary institution.

English-as-an-Additional-Language Instructors:

• ENGL 068 Foundations, ENGL 078 Beginner, ENGL 088 Intermediate: TESL Certification, Bachelor’s Degree
• ENGL 098 Lower-Advanced, ENGL 099 Advanced: TESOL Certification, Master’s Degree

Hiring Process and Proof of Education

The hiring process for all faculty is merit-based, and is conducted by an appropriately qualified interview panel, which will typically consist of the relevant department head and a Standing Academic Standards Committee representative (for university-transfer disciplines only). To ensure institutional due diligence, as part of the faculty hiring process, all faculty are required to submit proof of their post-secondary credentials for inclusion in Human Resources files.

Academic Freedom (Policy Code and Number I-03)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

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Related Forms and Documents

Instructors have freedom to choose the content and methods of instruction used in the courses they teach within certain limits.

Most courses offered by Alexander College are articulated, many through BCCAT, with corresponding courses at other colleges and universities.

Many courses are arranged in a structure so that the knowledge gained in one course is expected to have been mastered as prerequisite to subsequent courses. We must respect these agreements and arrangements by ensuring that course content is presented within the guidelines specified in our official Curriculum Guides.

Similarly, while instructors may choose among various methods of delivering instruction, they must also accept responsibility for using state-of-the-art methods.

Faculty Duties and Responsibilities (Policy Code and Number I-04)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Dean and Associate Dean

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Introduction

Reporting to a Department Head or designated supervisor, instructors apply their expertise to develop and deliver courses/programs so that students learn and reach their academic goals. Instructors actively participate in departmental meetings and activities, in student recruitment for their courses/program, and support the general development of students and the College.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Teaching Responsibilities

Instructors are normally engaged to teach specific courses. Their teaching responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Preparing a course syllabus using the approved Course Syllabus templates.
• Adhering to LMS requirements established by the Deans’ Office.
• Attending classes at specified hours, teaching the approved AC curriculum, and managing all student activities.
• Providing weekly office hours for student consultation.
• Providing students with advance notice of learning outcomes and activities and carrying out these plans during each class meeting.
• Preparing midterm reports.
• Preparing final examination material, administering, and marking final exams, maintaining records, and reporting the final grade of each student to the College.
• Keeping track of and reporting student attendance as required by College policy.
• Maintaining a college e-mail address available to administrative staff and students, and responding to staff and student messages in a timely manner (student contact information is not for personal use).

Ethical Responsibilities

Instructors’ ethical responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Observe high ethical standards and fair practices, including observation of all College academic policy and the conflict-of-interest policy.
• Conduct themselves in a professional manner commensurate to their role as an employee, and representative, of the College in all situations related to their work as an instructor.
• Ensure that each student in their class can participate in instructional activities, learn the required material, and be assessed in a fair and accurate manner.
• Provide as much notice as possible of foreseen absences and assist the College in arranging for a substitute teacher or alternate activities for students.
• Make effective use of and care for all College property including library materials, AV equipment, and photocopiers.
• Assist the College in improving the quality of its courses and programs by recommending and providing documentation on changes they feel are necessary to improve the course(s) they teach. At the request of the College, they provide copies of all materials used in courses, including course syllabi, assignments, labs, handouts, and examinations.

Departmental and Administrative Responsibilities

Instructors’ departmental and administrative responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Attend regular department meetings as organized by the Department Head.
• Participate in faculty professional development days to the best of their ability.
• Rely on well-developed computer skills including keyboarding, and a working knowledge of internet and e-mail, word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software.
• Meet critical reporting deadlines (all semester deadlines are posted at least one month prior to the start of each term in the Dean’s Office).
• Take reporting deadlines into account when planning class activities and assessment schedule.
• Post final grades in the Student Information System (SIS) and enter DE for students with deferrals.
• Email deferred grades directly to the Registrar.
• Submit course archives by the designated date and time according to Library instructions.

The Full Scope of Instructional Duties and Responsibilities

The full scope of instructional duties and responsibilities is outlined in the Faculty Handbook. Instructors are expected to be attentive to ongoing updates provided by Department Heads and by various divisions within the College, including Student Affairs, the Registrar’s Office, and Campus Operations.

Faculty Evaluation (Policy Code and Number: I-05)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Dean and Associate Dean of Arts and Science

Related Forms and Documents: Form A Peer Mentoring Visit; Form B Classroom Observation; Form C Faculty Self-Evaluation

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Introduction

To ensure the quality of Alexander College’s programs and courses, faculty members are evaluated on a regular and continuous basis, and by several different mechanisms. For detailed procedures, see the current version of the Faculty Handbook.

Student Evaluations

Student Evaluations are distributed at the end of every course, providing students with an opportunity to anonymously comment on the instructor’s effectiveness, course content, and college facilities.

Formal Classroom Observations

Instructors are required to undergo Formal Classroom Observations throughout their employment at the college, according to the schedule described in the table above. Formal Classroom Observations are conducted by department heads or by members of the Standing Academic Standards Committee.

Informal Classroom Observations

The College encourages Informal Classroom Observations by peers. Such visits are conducted by a colleague of the faculty member’s choice and serve as formative experiences that encourage reflective teaching and professional discussion. Faculty members are not required to record or submit any sort of formal record of peer-to-peer evaluations but are asked to record the timing of such visits in their Self-Evaluation documents.

Self-Evaluation

All Faculty members must conduct an annual Self-Evaluation. See the Faculty Handbook for details.

Dean’s Office Report

The Dean’s Office will produce a Dean’s Office Report for all Limited-Term and Continuing-Term instructors as part of the comprehensive instructor evaluation process. Such reports will be produced every second Spring Semester for Limited-Term instructors and every third Spring Semester for Continuing-Term instructors.

At the request of either the Dean or the faculty member, the two will meet to discuss the results of the report. Both parties will sign the finalized document, which will then be forwarded to the provost and to HR.

Professional Development (Policy Code and Number I-07)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Associate Dean

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Introduction

Alexander College encourages all faculty to continue to develop their pedagogical practices as professional instructors and, where appropriate, to seek out further professional development in their fields of expertise. Opportunities for both in-house and external professional development are open to all faculty, depending on their type of faculty appointment.

Policy and Procedure

Expenses must be related to professional development activities that enhance the knowledge, performance, or career progression of Alexander College faculty. The funds may not be accessed for any other purposes.

General Requirements

• Professional development must be related to improving teaching or disciplinary expertise and thereby be relevant to Alexander College needs.
• Instructors will not be granted any service hours for attending their professional development.
• Applications will be considered on a first come first serve basis.
• Only Limited-Term and Continuing-Term Faculty are eligible for external professional development.
• Sessional Instructors who have been with the College for at least one term are eligible to apply for QM courses.

Small Pro-D Grants:

• All Limited-Term and Continuing-Term faculty may apply for a small Pro-D grant that is renewable every academic year.
• The standard amount for small grants is set by the Faculty Professional Development Committee in consultation with the Executive Committee.
• The funding is applicable to self-directed professional development, including QM courses.
• However, small grants do not cover funding for any professional memberships or courses taken to obtain a degree.
• Applications for small grants may be dispersed throughout an academic year provided the applicant has not exceeded the designated total amount.
• Funds that are not used during a funding period are not accumulated and transferred to the next funding period.
• Approval of small grants is made by the Associate Dean.
• Applications that exceed the amount set for small grants will be considered large grants.

Large Pro-D Grants

• There are two options for “Large Grants:”
• Limited-Term and Continuing-Term Faculty may apply for one, standard, large Pro-D grant every two academic years.
• The standard amount for large grants is set by the Faculty Professional Development Committee in consultation with the Executive Committee.
• In exceptional cases, once every three years, Limited-Term and Continuing-Term faculty may apply for an amount that exceeds standard large grants. The maximum amount of additional funding is determined by the Faculty Professional Development Committee in consultation with the Executive Committee.
• Applications for large grants may be dispersed throughout two or three year periods provided the applicant does not exceed the total designated amounts.
• Funds that are not used during a specified funding period are not accumulated and transferred to the next funding period.
• Approval of large grants is made by the Faculty Professional Development Committee.

Additional Information on Small and Large Grants

In any one academic year, small and large grants may not overlap.

The self-directed professional development that is supported by small and large grants does not count toward faculty service hours.

Applicant Responsibilities

Faculty who have received small or large grants for self-directed professional development are obligated to prepare a related workshop for their department or to participate as a guest speaker at an Alexander College Professional Development Day after their self-directed professional development activity is completed. For additional details, see Faculty Professional Development Guidelines in the Deans’ Office LMS course.

Quality Matters

QM® provides AC instructors with access to tools, information, services, and resources that are specifically related to achieving quality in online learning and course design.

QM courses are open to any faculty member who has taught for a minimum of one term at the College.

Instructors interested in taking the DYOC (Design Your Online Course) QM online course, should confirm their eligibility with their department head. Further information on QM applications is available in the Dean’s Office Canvas shell.

In-House Professional Development Days

At least twice during each academic year, a full-day workshop is scheduled to provide faculty and academic administrators an opportunity to discuss topics related to teaching, general education, curricular design, and other relevant issues. Suggestions for PD Day topics or speakers should be directed to department heads or the Associate Dean. Normally, a third annual PD day is primarily devoted to department meetings and the discussion of discipline-specific matters.

Faculty Service Hours (Policy Code and Number: I-09)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Dean and Associate Dean

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Introduction

As part of their obligations to the College, Limited-Term (LT) and Continuing-Term (CT) faculty are required to contribute to the College community through service hours. LT and CT faculty may fulfill their College service hours in several different ways, including but not limited to:

• Evaluation and Assessment of courses and programs
• Peer observation
• Curriculum development or updates
• Participation in College Committees
• Chaperoning or developing student programming in conjunction with the Student Affairs division
• Institutional research / self studies
• Various working groups
• Student advising (non-academic)
• Representing the College at discipline Articulation meetings with BCCAT.
• Other institutional projects as assigned by the Provost, Dean’s Office, or upper administration.

Instructors may contact their department head or the Dean’s Office for further information.

Archival History

Prior to the creation of the July 2022 Alexander College Policy Manual, information on faculty service hours was located in the Faculty Handbook.

Evaluating Students (Policy Code and Number: I-10)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Dean, Associate Dean, Registrar, Director of Student Affairs

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Introduction

This policy focuses on instructional assessment and evaluation. Alexander College students are evaluated in a fair and equitable manner that is clearly articulated and complies with the current Curriculum Guides and Course Syllabi.

Specifically, evaluation criteria, assignment due dates, grading scales, policies regarding penalties and allowances (e.g., assignment extensions), and other relevant information are outlined to students at the beginning of a course in a Course Syllabus. Each student has the right to a written (paper or electronic) Syllabus at the beginning of the course, which states:

• The objectives and the content of the course, including learning outcomes and material to be covered.
• Required textbooks and/or lab materials/supplies.
• Expectations regarding attendance.
• All methods of evaluation used, including learning activities such as assignments, quizzes, exams, and presentations.
• The weighting of each learning activity.
• Due dates where available (final exam dates are announced later in the semester).
• Penalties for late work.
• Textbooks and supplies.
• Situations and activities that require verification of student identity.

A Syllabus cannot be altered after the first week of classes without the unanimous consent of the class and instructor.

Assessment and Evaluation

Alexander College faculty observe the following assessment and evaluation practices:

• Assessment rubrics are normally presented to students in advance to facilitate transparency and consistency.
• Grading is to an institutional standard and based on the attainment of learning outcomes. Grades are not curved.
• Learning outcomes are provided in Course Syllabi for all courses offered at Alexander College. Student evaluation is based on the stated learning outcomes.
• Instructors observe institutional timelines for evaluations, including Midterm Performance Reports and final grades.
• A minimum of 30% of term marks are posted in the Learning Management System gradebook prior to the start of the midterm reporting period.
• Final exams or cumulative projects do not exceed 35% of the total course mark. It is recommended that final exams not exceed 30% of the total course mark.
• Student performance is based on multiple assessments throughout the duration of a course, including lower stakes assessments designed to help students build academic skills.
• Participation marks are based on an objective assessment of measurable performance and are not assigned for attendance.

Midterm Performance Report

A Midterm Performance Report is intended to inform students and instructors about potential student failure. It is due within a specified time each semester. Details are outlined for instructors in the Dean’s Office Learning Management course.

Final Exams

Final examinations measure each student’s individual knowledge and competence. Department Heads monitor the rigour, quality, and content of final exams created by new sessional instructors.

• Instructors are expected to prepare at least two versions of a final exam to diminish the opportunity for students to view another’s work.
• Final exams are not written during the last week of classes, except in the case of EAP/EASL courses.

Oral Re-Examination

Refer to the Academic Alert policy (S-10) for the use of oral re-examination in suspected instances of cheating on assignments or exams.

Exam Deferrals

Refer to the Student Appeals and Requests for Exam Deferral policy (S-02) for information on exam deferrals.

Grade Systems

Refer to the Grading policy (A-14) for a description of Alexander College’s grading systems.

Submission of Final Grades

Refer to the Grading policy (A-14) for information on submitting final grades.

Instructional Materials as Intellectual Property (Policy Code and Number I-11)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Dean, Associate Dean, and Director of Human Resources

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Introduction

Alexander College retains the copyright over instructional materials created for the College use using College resources, such as:

• When the College commissions and pays for instructional material to be developed by an instructor or a group of instructors.
• When instructional materials are developed based upon earlier work done by other instructors, consultants, or proprietary materials purchased by the College.

When an instructor independently develops materials, the instructor retains the full copyright. Instructors hold the copyright to all teaching materials (e.g., lecture notes, power point slides, texts, tests, and videos) they independently develop for use in teaching courses at Alexander College Where materials are owned by an instructor or a third party, then the user of the materials must ensure that the College has a right of use before using the materials at the College.

After the instructor stops teaching the course, the College can continue to use the materials, modify them, extend them, incorporate them into other instructional materials, and such similar uses for the normal activities of the College. The College will not sell or trade or otherwise profit from the transmission to any third party of any materials that are clearly owned by someone else, except with the express permission and agreement of the owner.

If an instructor creates or modifies any materials for the purpose of teaching at the College in a manner that results in the College owning the copyright of the materials, then the College grants the instructor a perpetual right of use of those materials.

The foregoing is the normal position of the College, but other agreements can be made. Any agreement contrary to the above policy must be described in a written contract and signed by a senior representative of the College.

Instructional Support Centre (Policy Code and Number: I-12)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Dean and Associate Dean

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Introduction

The Instructional Support Centre (ISC) supports in-house professional development, including workshops and seminars. Through a collegial approach, the Instructional Support Centre is intended to function as an active, well-used, and well-respected educational hub for all Alexander College instructors.

Mission Statement

The Instructional Support Centre at Alexander College works collaboratively with faculty to provide an empowering and supportive instructional environment by offering opportunities for academic discourse, consultations, professional development, and general instructional support.

Vision Statement

The Instructional Support Centre aims to facilitate faculty growth and development, inside and outside of the classroom, by acknowledging and sharing their instructors’ academic prowess while providing expertise and guidance.

Core Themes

• Provide resources and support services to aide in course delivery.
• Offer delivery method and resource use consultations.
• Support individual growth and development through workshops, courses, seminars, and mentoring programs.
• Coordinate events where instructors can engage in academic discourse on a variety of topics.

Guest Speakers (Policy Code and Number I-14)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Dean and Associate Dean

Related Forms and Documents: Form A Guest Speaker Pre-Approval; Form B Guest Speaker Invoice

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Introduction

This policy provides guidance for faculty who wish to have guest speakers in their classes. Guest speaker arrangements for events such as faculty professional development days or convocation are not addressed here. A classroom guest speaker remuneration is a pre-established amount paid to a person with expertise in a particular field to give a lecture for Alexander College.

The payee has no appointment with the College and is engaged for his or her expertise on a particular topic (rather than as a substitute for a regular instructor). All faculty can facilitate several guest lectures per academic year.

Payments are made directly to the speaker and are up to an amount determined by the deans’ office (inclusive of all applicable taxes) in consultation with other members of the administrative team. Faculty require pre-approval to make use of this fund. Upon completion of the event, the faculty member and department head facilitate submission of an invoice to the College.

It is the guest speaker’s responsibility to report and remit the proper taxes to Canada Revenue Agency. Alexander College and its associates have no responsibility or liability for any related taxes assigned by the Canada Revenue Agency. Transportation and accommodation costs for domestic and international travel are not covered. However, nominal coverage of parking fees may be acceptable.

Content and material presented by the guest speaker may only be recorded and shared with the presenter’s explicit, written consent prior to the guest lecture. It is the guest speaker’s responsibility to abide by copyright laws; the College will not be responsible for any copyright violations.

Procedure

Faculty submit a Guest Speaker Pre-Approval Form to their department head a minimum of two weeks prior to the event. When considering requests, department heads will abide by current fees provided by the Deans’ Office.

Upon receiving signed approval from their department head, faculty confirm event details with the guest speaker. After completion of the event, faculty submit the completed Guest Speaker Invoice Form to their department head for further processing. Finance will mail a cheque to the guest speaker.

Emergency Planning (Policy Code and Number C-01)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Campus Operations

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Purpose

The purpose of the Alexander College Emergency Plan is to provide a framework for planning for, responding to, and recovering from an emergency at Alexander College. The Emergency Plan sets out guiding principles that will need to be applied with flexibility to the circumstances of a particular emergency. Specific procedures are primarily housed in the Campus Operations Manual and may be amended by the director of campus operations as needed. For access to the Campus Operations Manual, please consult the director of campus operations.

Priorities

In any emergency, Alexander College priorities are to:

• Provide for health and safety of all responders
• Save lives
• Reduce suffering
• Protect public health
• Protect College property
• Restore College operations
• Protect the environment
• Reduce economic & social losses

Program Structure and Management

The Health, Safety and Risk Management Committee is responsible for coordinating the systems and processes for mitigating against, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies at Alexander College. The committee is comprised of the following staff:

• Occupational Health and Safety Committee chairs: director of campus operations, science faculty member, science lab technician, custodian, health and wellness counselor, and human resources representative.
• Occupational Health and Safety Committee members: director of campus operations, science faculty member, science lab technician, custodian, health and wellness counselor, and human resources representative.

Emergency Plan

The Plan provides for central responsibility for responding to all levels of emergencies from simple to complex. It is based on the British Columbia Emergency Management Response System (BCERMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS) and has been written to interface with the City of Burnaby’s (Vancouver’s) Emergency Plan.

Concept of Response and Operations

When an event occurs, Campus Security, Managers, and Directors (i.e., Alexander College’s emergency first responders) make the initial evaluation. For related procedures, see the Campus Operations Manual.

Campus Emergency and Evacuation Guidelines

The type and urgency of the emergency situations directly affect how people will leave their building or area of campus. These are covered by the Evacuation Plans. In situations requiring immediate action, public safety responders (police, fire, ambulance) can also initiate an evacuation.

Off-campus Assistance and Mutual Aid

Alexander College may not have all the resources to effectively handle all potential emergencies. In certain circumstances, Alexander College will request outside assistance from 911 and/or the City of Burnaby or Vancouver, and the property management if applicable.

Role of Employees and Students

All employees and students at Alexander College are expected to comply with the general safety requirements and emergency procedures, including evacuation procedures, of Alexander College.

Amendments

This plan is a living document that will require amendment on a regular basis. Procedural amendments will be incorporated into the manual on an annual basis. The Emergency Planner will maintain a master record of amendments. Amendments will be controlled by showing the revision date contained in the footer of any revised page. Amendments will be distributed to everyone holding an authorized copy of the Emergency Plan.

Inspection of the Campus (C-02)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Campus Operations

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Purpose

Both the Vancouver and Burnaby campuses are to be inspected regularly to ensure that all building and fire codes are being followed and that Alexander College is providing a safe environment for all students and staff. See the Campus Operations Manual for related procedures.

Emergency Planning (Policy Code and Number C-01)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Campus Operations

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Purpose

To have all students working with hazardous products or working in the science lab be familiar with safety precautions and protocols. Since most students who attend Alexander College are in the entry-level stage of science, they are generally unfamiliar with labeling, precautionary measures, first aid and spill cleanup of hazardous materials. Quizzes help to enforce these important concepts and help to prepare students to become safety conscious.

Guidelines for Instructors

All instructors teaching in the science labs must develop a safety quiz that includes all safety protocols and procedures that will be used in that semester. Safety study materials and a brief lecture outlining the importance of safety in the laboratory are compulsory. Due to the large discrepancy between science courses, different quizzes will be made which are specific to course material. All quizzes will test the general safety protocols which are to be always followed when in the lab. Items that should be tested in the safety quiz include:

• understanding Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) symbols
• reading Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
• location of all first aid equipment and exits
• general safety protocols in the lab specific safety protocols on chemicals that will be used in subsequent labs proper scientific techniques when dealing with hazardous substances

The Department Head of Math and Science will have copies of lab safety quizzes to provide guidance to new instructors. Students who do not pass the safety quiz will not be allowed to participate in lab activities.

Chemical Safety Sheets (Policy Code and Number C-04)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Campus Operations

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Purpose

The law states that it is necessary to have Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) available to all individuals who are using hazardous materials. MSDS sheets provide a wealth of information on things such as:

• All chemical nomenclature
• Chemical properties
• WHMIS symbols and descriptions
• Ingredients
• First aid measures
• Handling and storage
• Toxicological and ecological information
• Other special information

Through teaching and testing, students will become more familiar with safety protocols and understand how to use and research chemicals that are unknown to them. The sheets also provide the rest of the campus with information on chemicals that are in the building, helping those individuals who are uncertain with the chemicals to familiarize themselves with them.

Guidelines

Health and Safety Committee officers, lab instructors, and the director of campus operations are all responsible for making, maintaining, and updating all databases on campus. Copies of the MSDS sheets should be in all areas where chemicals can be found with at least one hardcopy version in the lab. Due to the large amount of paper needed to produce hardcopies, electronic copies will be used at the front desk and in the preparation room.

Chemical Spill Sheets (Policy Code and Number C-05)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Campus Operations

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Purpose

Chemical spills are a serious matter and must be handled with care. Only those qualified to cleanup a spill should attempt to perform one. The main purpose of the sheets is to collect data on how chemical spills are handled. Sheets document what was spilled and how it was cleaned. Data collected can show if safety procedures in the lab are being followed and improvements that need to be made to ensure the safety and security of the staff, students, school, and environment.

Guidelines

In the event of a spill of a hazardous material, any individual in the area should tell the instructor immediately. Related procedures are described in the Campus Operations Manual. If spills become commonplace in the lab, the facilities manager is responsible for contacting the rest of the health and safety committee as well as the lab instructor to implement a program that enforces organization and preventative measures in the lab.

Suspicious Activities Reporting and Security (Policy Code and Number C-07)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Campus Operations

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Purpose

Suspicious activities are those that pose a threat to the students, staff, or campus. All suspicious activities should be recorded in order to find problem areas and to come up with specific resolutions. Since most suspicious activities are unprecedented events, it is important that they are all documented and reviewed by management staff. It is a priority for Alexander College to ensure the security of all individuals on campus.

Guidelines

All staff should be informed to report all suspicious activities. For detailed procedures, see the Campus Operations Manual.

Cleanliness and Maintenance (Policy Code and Number C-11)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Campus Operations

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Introduction

This policy details considerations related to campus cleanliness and maintenance.

Janitorial Duties

The janitor on-duty has an important role in maintaining a clean and healthy working environment for all staff and students. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the janitor is completing all tasks whether they are daily, weekly, or monthly. Checklists are to be completed by the janitor and reviewed by the facilities manager followed by a walkthrough of the campus with the janitor each week. Standards are kept very high and should be enforced by the facilities manager. See the Campus Operations Manual for procedural details.

IT Request Form

Facilities and IT Request forms will be kept at the reception area, or in the College’s files, and are available to all employees to request or report on something that they feel are needed to be addressed in terms of facilities or IT throughout the campus. See the Campus Operations Manual for related procedural details.

Storage

Storage space must be handled as efficiently as possible. Organization of the storage room is necessary for all staff members to navigate through it quickly and easily. A storage inventory list simply states what items and in what quantity can be found in the designated storage areas. See the Campus Operations Manual for related procedural details.

Air Conditioning, Air Quality and Heating

To promote cleaner indoor air quality and prevent bacterial attack on HVAC systems, the air conditioning and quality of air should constantly be monitored. To ensure adequate temperature control and maximum efficiency of heating units, heaters are also subject to inspection and maintenance. See the Campus Operations Manual for related procedural details.

Lighting

Lights at the campus are kept on for long periods of time and tend to burn out at a fast rate. Turn off lights when the rooms are not in use. ACB campus lights have motion sensors and turn off automatically. Every room in the building must be properly lit for safety and due to fire regulations.

Toxic Waste Management

Our Chemistry and Biology Laboratory at the Vancouver Campus will be dealing with first- and second-year major’s courses that will involve the use of chemicals that are either considered to be biohazards or are toxic to the environment and therefore, cannot be flushed down the sink. Proper removal of these substances by a professional removal service is required. See the Campus Operations Manual for related procedural details.

Pest Management

Encountering pests is inevitable, especially considering campus locations lie within the heart of urban centers. In order to maintain a healthy working environment for all students and staff, pests are to be removed professionally and in a humane manner. This includes mice, ants, flies, etc.

Use of College Resources (Policy Code and Number C-12)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Campus Operations and Director of Human Resources

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Introduction

The College Acceptable Use Policy establishes guidelines for the use of college resources and is particularly concerned with proper use of electronic hardware (including computers, projectors, photocopiers), the College network and access system (including internet access, uploading, downloading, and e-mail), and software. An employee who becomes aware that college resources or facilities are being used inappropriately must immediately notify a College administrator. Violations of this policy can result in penalties ranging from suspension of privileges, suspension or expulsion from the College, disciplinary action, or legal action from the College or an outside party.

Staff members are not prohibited from using college resources for personal use but are expected to do so in a reasonable and responsible manner. For example, it is acceptable to use the telephone to make a personal appointment, but not for an extended personal chat. It is acceptable to use a College pen, but not to use the College as a source of computer paper for home use.

Use of Supplies

The College maintains a stock of various supplies ranging from paper, pens, and markers to coffee, plates, and cups. They must not be used for personal reasons.

Use of Equipment

The College maintains a variety of equipment, ranging from computers, photocopiers, and projectors, to microscopes, tables, and desks. Employees are asked to protect all equipment from abuse, misuse, or theft.

Use of Software

Employees must ensure that all software is used for the purpose intended, and not used for unrelated operations. Employees must avoid the introduction of unapproved software or malware that could damage or compromise college equipment or the network.

Use of the Network

Alexander College maintains a connection to the Internet, online storage, and database systems, and supports several software programs for accessing the network (including e-mail programs and browsers). These facilities are provided for staff, students, and instructors for legitimate use in the normal business of the College. This includes limited personal use.

Here are some examples of inappropriate uses:

• Using the network for any illegal activity, including violation of copyright or other contracts, or transmitting any material in violation of any provincial or federal law.
• Unauthorized downloading of software.
• Using the network for private financial or commercial gain.
• Hacking or gaining unauthorized access to files, resources, or entities.
• Harassing or invading the privacy of individuals, including the unauthorized disclosure, dissemination, or use of information about anyone that is of a personal nature including video or pictures, without permission or authorization.
• Using another user’s account or password.
• Posting material authored or created by another without his/her consent.
• Stealing data, equipment, or intellectual property.
• Using the network for commercial or private advertising, including solicitation or promotion of religious, and/or political activity.
• Vandalizing, degrading, or disrupting data, equipment, software, or system performance.
• Accessing, possessing, submitting, posting, publishing, or displaying any defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially offensive, harassing, or illegal material.

Use of College Data

The College maintains many databases and data sets in a variety of forms and on several computers and data storage devices. A significant portion of this data (such as student marks, employee personnel information, and college financial information) is confidential. In many cases there is a law prohibiting the use of this data for any purpose other than its intended use. The College further restricts data distribution business, personnel, or other reasons.

Network and Communication Etiquette

When using the College network, faculty and staff must consider the way they represent or portray the College. Employees are expected to adhere to generally accepted rules of network etiquette. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Be polite, refraining from all forms of verbal abuse in messages to others.
• Use appropriate language, avoid swearing or vulgar language.
• Do not share personal information, including addresses, email addresses, or telephone numbers, of students or colleagues without express permission from that person.
• Avoid access to inappropriate material. If an employee becomes aware of questionable or inappropriate material on the network, he or she must avoid accessing that material.
• E-mail, text, or any documents sent or received on the network should not be private. Management reserves the right to access an employee’s electronic history.
• Do not use the network in any way that would disrupt its use by others.
• Any communications or information transmitted or stored on the College network may be claimed as property of the College.

Responsibility for Personal Property (Policy Code and Number C-13)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Campus Operations and Director of Human Resources

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The College is not responsible for damage or loss of personal property on or off campus, whether it is used on behalf of the institution. Theft or damage to any College property must be reported immediately to the Operations Manager or to another director.

Use of College Resources (Policy Code and Number C-12)

College-Protected Document: changes to be initiated by policy manager(s)

Policy Manager(s): Director of Campus Operations and Director of Human Resources

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The College is not responsible for any non-work-related injuries that may occur at home. It is the responsibility of staff and faculty to ensure that they follow safe work practices. If a work-related accident or injury occurs while the staff or faculty member is in a temporary WFH arrangement, it is the employee’s responsibility to immediately report the incident to their Supervisor/Department Head.

The following list includes, but is not limited to, guidelines to execute a self-assessment of the WFH workspace to ensure safe work practice:

• Develop protocols for evacuating from the home or temporary workplace in cases of emergency
• Ensure smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are in working condition
• Ensure cables and cords are in good condition to prevent any tripping and electrocution hazards
• Have a fully equipped first aid kit at home or at the temporary workplace
• Consider use of ergonomic equipment (If an employee is to consider the use of ergonomic equipment, purchasing of such equipment may be covered by the College).

Academic Integrity throughout the College (Policy Code and Number P-01)

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Policy Manager(s): Human Resources Manager

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Introduction

Alexander College is responsible for developing awareness among students, instructors, and staff involved in teaching and scholarly activities of the need for the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and responsibility. The College expects that instructors will:

• Evaluate the work of students in a fair manner.
• Give appropriate recognition, including authorship, to those who have made an intellectual contribution to the contents of presentations or publications, and only those people.
• Obtain the permission of the author before using new information, concepts or data originally obtained through access to confidential manuscripts.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of college instructors to continue to learn about their areas of expertise, and to provide their students with high-quality learning opportunities. In this context, it is the responsibility of all instructors, administrators, staff, and students to encourage an environment of academic acceptance and trust: where ideas are welcome regardless of any quality of the originator such as race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age; and where ideas can be expressed and examined without fear of reprisal other than the give and take of honest debate.

All participants, but particularly instructors, have a responsibility to avoid such techniques as ad hominem comments, an overbearing attitude, denigration, or ridicule in their discussions. All have a further responsibility to defend the right of others to express their ideas and opinions without physical or moral censure. And all have the responsibility to use accepted ethical standards in the expression of ideas, avoiding proselytizing and propaganda.

Complaint Resolution (Policy Code and Number P-11)

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Policy Manager(s): Human Resources Manager

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Introduction

Alexander College is committed to dealing with complaints, grievances, and/or disputes in accordance with the principles of natural justice, in a manner that is fair, reasonable, and effective.

Individuals have a right to:

• Fair and expeditious resolution of disputes with reasonable deadlines.
• Know and understand the charges or complaints made against them.
• Be heard in response to any charges or complaints made against them before any disciplinary action is taken.

The College has an obligation to:

• Deal with complaints or grievances according to clear and reasonable deadlines.
• Establish and operate according to administrative processes that deal with disputes fairly and expeditiously.
• Provide information about policies and procedures for dispute resolution.
• Ensure that charges or complaints that cannot be informally resolved are stated clearly and in writing.
• Ensure that an administrative person or persons are responsible for dealing with complaints and to whom complaints may be directed.
• Ensure that there is a provision for a final internal review by a person, or body of persons, not involved in the dispute in any way.

Procedure

If a College employee has a complaint or grievance concerning work, including complaints of bullying, harassment, or discrimination, they are encouraged to resolve the issue through informal discussion with their Supervisor. Complaints or grievances must be reported as soon as possible after experiencing or witnessing an incident. This allows the complaint or grievance to be investigated and addressed promptly. In all cases, initial attempts at resolution should be made as close to the source of the difficulty as possible. If the problem remains unresolved, a more formal process may be engaged, as follows:

1. The employee expresses the complaint in writing and brings it to their Supervisor for discussion. While this discussion is normally held in private, the employee and the College may each ask Human Resources or a third party to attend. If the Supervisor can resolve the complaint, the matter is considered resolved. If not, the Supervisor or complainant completes a Complaint Resolution Form documenting the complaint and the nature of possible resolutions. The complainant may prepare additional information which the Supervisor attaches to the Form. Both the complainant and the Supervisor sign and date the Form attesting that it is accurate, fair, and complete.
2. The Supervisor forwards the Form, along with all relevant documentation to Human Resources. Human Resources takes steps to resolve the complaint by meeting with the complainant, holding a meeting of the individuals involved, or commencing an investigation.
3. Once a Complaint Resolution Form has been completed, all documentation of the entire complaint resolution process is kept in the College’s administrative files.
4. The Human Resources department is responsible for ensuring workplace investigation procedures are followed. Workers are expected to cooperate with investigators and provide any details of incidents they have experienced or witnessed. The Human Resources department will conduct investigations and provide a written report with conclusions to the Executive Team.
5. Upon receiving the written report with conclusions, the Executive Team will determine appropriate steps to resolve or address the complaint, including any appropriate corrective action, and, where appropriate, will take steps to prevent future incidents of bullying, harassment, or discrimination.

These reporting procedures are reviewed annually.

Employees with Disabilities (Policy Code and Number P-12)

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Policy Manager(s): Human Resources Manager

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The College does not discriminate and provides reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. The employee must provide the College with advance notice of a disability and provide any necessary verification of a disability-related need for accommodation.

Solicitation (Policy Code and Number P-13)

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Policy Manager(s): Director of Campus Operations and Human Resources Manager

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The College does not normally permit any activity by employees on college premises that is not required as a part of the employee’s work for the College. Employees must not solicit, canvas, or promote activities unrelated to college operations, or distribute literature or attempt to sell goods to other employees without specific permission from a college administrator.

Smoking (Policy Code and Number P-14)

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For the purpose of this policy, the term “Smoking” refers to all substances that create smoke or vapour, such as tobacco, marijuana, and vaping substances. Smoking is always prohibited in all College buildings. This prohibition includes both public spaces and private offices, both during and after working hours.

According to the BC smoking bylaw, smoking is permitted outside buildings if the smoker is 6 meters or more from the entrance or opening into a building; however, Alexander College requires that students and employees of the college smoke stand further than 6 meters in order to ensure the smoke does not enter the college doors or cause a nuisance to neighboring units in the building. When asked by Alexander College staff, student and employee smokers must leave the property line or cross the street while smoking. If students and employees do not comply with Alexander College’s rules on smoking, consequences will apply which may lead to permanent removal from the college.

Managers and Directors, or other persons in authority, are responsible for enforcing the College’s smoking policy for:

1. All people inside the campus
2. Students and employees on the building property outside the campus

Appropriate Conduct (Policy Code and Number P-15)

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Policy Manager(s): Human Resources Manager

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Employees at Alexander College are expected to conduct themselves in an ethical and professional manner, respect the rights and feelings of others, show courtesy to one another, and work as a team. Any type of harassment or disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated in the College’s working environment. Alexander College strives for a comfortable, friendly, team atmosphere for its employees and therefore expects its employees to respect the rights and feelings of others and to refrain from inappropriate behavior while engaged in work-related activity.

Listed below are some of the types of behavior and conduct the College considers inappropriate. This list contains examples and is not exhaustive:

• Falsifying employment or other College records;
• Violating the College’s nondiscrimination and/or sexual harassment policies;
• Establishing a pattern of excessive absenteeism or tardiness;
• Reporting to work intoxicated or under the influence of non-prescribed drugs;
• Illegally manufacturing, possessing, using, selling, distributing, or transporting drugs;
• Engaging in excessive or unauthorized use of College property or supplies, for personal purposes;
• Using alcoholic beverages on College property or while engaged in College business, except where authorized;
• Fighting, or using obscene, abusive, or threatening language or gestures;
• Stealing property from coworkers, students, or the College;
• Bringing weapons to the College or possessing any while on College business;
• Disregarding safety or security regulations;
• Engaging in insubordination;
• Failing to maintain the confidentiality of College or student information; and
• Violating the College’s Acceptable Usage Policy.

Conflict of Interest (Policy Code and Number P-17)

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Policy Manager(s): Human Resources Manager

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College employees must act ethically and with integrity. Among these obligations, employees must avoid ethical, legal, financial, or other conflicts of interest.

Conflict of Interest has the effect or intention of advancing one’s own interest or the interests of others in a way detrimental to the interests or integrity of the College. Conflicts of Interest and the appearance of such conflicts must be avoided.

Some conflicts of interest can be avoided through disclosure. Some require both disclosure and prior approval.

In these cases, disclosure must be made, and approval received before commencement of the activity. And finally, some conflicts may arise which are prohibited. Members are expected to conduct themselves with the highest ethical standards and are responsible for seeking guidance from the appropriate source before embarking on activities that might be questionable.

This policy is meant to protect both the individual and the College. Administrators and persons charged with significant responsibility will take immediate and appropriate action when they become aware of violations of this policy or its procedures.

Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination (Policy Code and Number P-20)

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Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination Policy

Bullying and Harassment include any inappropriate conduct or comment by an employee towards anyone that the employee knows or reasonably ought to know would cause that person to be humiliated or intimidated. Examples of conduct or comments that might constitute bullying and harassment include verbal aggression or insults, calling someone derogatory names, vandalizing personal belongings, and spreading malicious rumours.

It does not include reasonable action taken by a supervisor relating to the management and direction of workers or the place of employment. Discrimination includes the unusual treatment of any person due to any prejudice regarding any personal quality such as race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, political belief, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, or age.

Alexander College does not tolerate conduct that may constitute bullying, harassment, or discrimination by any employee. All employees have the right to work in an environment free from this type of activity. Any employee found to be engaged in the conduct of bullying, harassment, or discrimination will be subject to discipline and possible termination of employment.

Employees, especially management and supervisory employees, must be sensitive to acts of conduct that may be considered offensive by fellow employees or students and must refrain from engaging in such conduct.

Any employee, instructor, or student who feels that they have been bullied, harassed, or discriminated against must report their concerns to Human Resources and to their immediate supervisor, or their supervisor’s supervisor if necessary, and initiate our Complaint Resolution process.

Any employee, instructor, or student who experiences adverse effects from being bullied, harassed, or discriminated against is encouraged to reach out to the College’s internal health and wellness counsellor or to seek medical attention from a doctor.

This policy is reviewed annually.

Communication (Policy Code and Number P-21)

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Staff and Faculty are expected to use Office 365, Zoom, Blue Jeans, or any other online platform approved by the College to check-in with their Supervisor/Department Head and department members during their work hours. Work hours are as described in the employee’s contract or course schedule, and the employee is expected to be online and available to work during their specified shift hours unless otherwise approved by their Supervisor/Department Head.

Employees are expected to:

• Use teleconferencing applications such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Blue Jeans, or any other online platform approved by the College, to hold and attend virtual meetings as necessary.
• Report any malfunctioning equipment as soon as possible to their Supervisor/Department Head and the IT Department.
• Continue to report all planned and unplanned absences, including but not limited to appointments, vacation, sick days, to their Supervisor/Department Head and the Human Resources Department.
• Be polite and always use appropriate language.

Sexual Violence (Policy Number P-22)

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Policy Manager(s): Human Resources Manager

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Introduction

Alexander College strives to provide a safe and secure learning environment for our students, staff, and faculty. As such, the College does not tolerate any form of sexual misconduct and commits to follow up on all reported incidents.

Principles

The policy is guided by the following principles:

• Alexander College seeks to prevent sexual misconduct and to respond effectively and in a timely manner when incidents do occur.
• Alexander College endeavors to ensure victims/survivors are supported and treated with compassion; have access to safety planning; academic, work-related, and other accommodations; and on and off-campus confidential support services.
• Alexander College respects the privacy and procedural fairness rights of victims/survivors and alleged perpetrators.

Scope and Application

The policy is consistent with the requirements set out in the Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy Act for public institutions, and with the Private Training Regulations for private institutions. The policy addresses sexual misconduct involving students, as required by the Act, in addition to the broader campus community, and is applicable to on-campus and off-campus events and online spaces.

Definitions

Sexual Misconduct is a broad term that can include sexual assault, sexual violence, sexual harassment, stalking, sexual exploitation, indecent exposure, voyeurism, the distribution of a sexually explicit photograph or video of a person without their consent, the attempt to commit an act of sexual misconduct, and the threat to commit an act of sexual misconduct.

Sexual Assault

Any form of sexual contact that occurs without consent. Sexual assault includes any form of sexual contact where consent has not been given (e.g., non-consensual touching that is sexual in nature, forced vaginal or anal penetration). Sexual assault can be committed by an intimate partner, someone known to the victim/survivor (sometimes called “acquaintance rape” or “date rape”), or a stranger.

Sexual Harassment

Refers to unwanted communications or actions that are sexual in nature and are offensive, intimidating, or humiliating. It can take many forms, including verbal, written, or visual. Sexual harassment includes unwanted touching, offensive jokes, sexual requests, and verbal abuse. Sexual harassment is a type of sexual discrimination and falls under the Human Rights law. (Ending Violence Association of BC, Campus Sexual Violence: Guidelines for a Comprehensive Response, May 2016).

Stalking

Also called criminal harassment, occurs when one person is followed, watched, communicated with, or subjected to any form of behavior from another person such that they begin to fear for their safety or for the safety of those known to them. Stalking/criminal harassment often involves repeated conduct over a period between the perpetrator and the victim. (British Columbia Ministry of Justice, Help Starts Here. Information on Stalking (Criminal Harassment), November 2012).

Consent

Ending Violence Association of BC defines consent as “An agreement to engage in a sexual activity. It must be fully voluntary, clearly communicated, and ongoing. All sexual activities that are engaged in must be consented to: if there is consent given for a particular sexual activity, this consent does not automatically extend to other sexual activities. Consent can be withdrawn at any time, including during a sexual activity that had previously been consented to.” (Ending Violence Association of BC, Campus Sexual Violence: Guidelines for a Comprehensive Response, May 2016).

Members of the Campus Community

Means students, staff, faculty, administration, board members, contract staff, visitors, and others when on college property.

Disclosure/Complaint

Refers to when the victim/survivor discloses/chooses to tell someone at the post-secondary institution of an incident of sexual misconduct. It does not have to lead to a report unless there is imminent risk of harm to others or is required by law.

Report

Is a formal notification of an incident of sexual misconduct to someone at the post-secondary institution or the police, accompanied by a request for action. A report can be made by anyone, including, but not limited to, the victim/survivor.

Responding to Disclosures/Complaints and Reports of Sexual Misconduct

Alexander College will act in accordance with the principles of procedural fairness in dealing with allegations of sexual misconduct, and is therefore committed to:

• Treating Members of the Campus Community who disclose or report sexual misconduct with compassion, dignity, and respect in an empathetic and non-judgmental manner.
• Taking immediate action by those with authority to act (Administration, Counselling Services, etc.).
• Taking reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the campus community when the College has been made aware of an incident.

Disclosures/Complaints of Sexual Misconduct

Alexander College recognizes that a disclosure/complaint is different than a report, and that a person may choose to disclose sexual misconduct without making a formal report. In these circumstances, a disclosure/complaint may not result in a report being made and, therefore, may not initiate a formal process. Alexander College will endeavor to make appropriate supports, including accommodations, available based on a disclosure/complaint.

Reports of Sexual Misconduct

Reports of sexual misconduct may be filed by any Member of the Campus Community and are investigated on an individual basis. As such, the investigation process may vary in relation to the nature of the disclosure, complaint, or report (for example, whether there has also been a report to law enforcement). Individuals who report have the right to withdraw the report, although the College may continue the investigation depending on the circumstances. The College also encourages those who have knowledge of or who have witnessed incidents of sexual misconduct to report immediately.

Alexander College commits to treating all parties involved in sexual misconduct reports with dignity and respect and acknowledges the rights of the alleged perpetrators. The College is dedicated to fair investigative and adjudicative processes. Therefore, the alleged perpetrator will be provided:

• Reasonable notice and full details of the allegations against them.
• The opportunity to respond to the allegations.

While the alleged perpetrator must be provided procedural fairness, the College considers the circumstances and safety of the victim or survivor while making the perpetrator aware of the disclosure, complaint, or report. It considers that intervention could result in further harm; particularly when no police report is filed.

Prohibited Relationships with Students (Policy Number P-23)

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Policy Manager(s): Human Resources Manager

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Introduction

Alexander College seeks to create a safe, healthy, and productive learning environment for all students.

There exists an inherent power imbalance between employees of the College and College students who are almost exclusively international students. As a consequence of this power imbalance, there are issues, concerns and risks that arise if employees engage in romantic, sexual, or other inappropriate personal relationships with current students. To protect against those issues, concerns and risks, College employees are prohibited from engaging in romantic, sexual, or inappropriate personal relationships with current students.

The College may make exceptions to this prohibition in special circumstances where the personal relationship between the employee and the current student is not inappropriate and does not raise issues, concerns or risks, for example where the spouse of a College employee registers as a student at the College and the employee is not involved and has no influence over their spouse’s studies.

Should a College employee be uncertain as to whether a personal relationship they have or are considering having with a current student is appropriate, or should a College employee wish to seek an exemption from this prohibition, they must disclose the relationship or potential relationship to Human Resources as soon as possible, for Human Resource’s consideration.