Feb 9, 2017

Vancouver BC – Langara College is pleased to announce that it has instituted a College-wide sexual violence and misconduct policy (policy B3009). The stand-alone policy was developed through a working committee of students, faculty, and employees, and was officially approved by Langara College President Lane Trotter on January 24, 2017.

This important new policy addresses sexual assault, sexual harassment, misconduct, and other preventable episodes requiring a response. The policy also outlines a variety of procedures and provides a comprehensive list of services and supports that are accessible to victims and survivors. It was developed in accordance with Bill 23 – the Sexual Violence and Misconduct Act – legislated in April 2016 by the BC provincial government, that requires all post-secondary institutions establish and implement a sexual misconduct policy.

“Langara is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for all individuals who are connected to our campus, and this policy is the next step in ensuring that we continue to offer a holistic vision of services to our community,” says Langara College President Lane Trotter. “Congratulations to the working committee for their efforts on this policy, which will keep our campus safe and our students supported,” he added.

The policy was created after extensive consultation with key stakeholder groups, including the Langara Faculty Association, the Langara Board of Governors, the Dean & Division Chairs Committee, the College’s Education Council, CUPE, and the Langara Administrator’s Group. Student feedback – provided online and via confidential discussion groups and questionnaires – was critical to the development of the policy’s key components.


“Students are, and always will be, the focus of policy development here at Langara,” says Clayton Munro, Langara’s Dean of Student Services and Registrar. “We want our students to be able to concentrate on their education, confident in the knowledge that we have the right support systems in place for them.”

“As a student member of the committee I am proud of the policy we have built. Throughout the process I felt my voice as a student was heard, respected, and prioritized, and I believe this is reflected in the final product. It has been a rewarding and empowering experience for me.  I hope this is seen as a positive first step towards building the kind of environment we all want to work and study in,” added Peace and Conflict Studies student Janine Sicotte.

Building on the successful completion of the policy, the College will now begin developing a strategy to foster awareness of the policy, inform the community about incident reporting procedures, and provide education and training opportunities.

Media Contact
Deborah Schratter
Communications Officer
Langara College
dschratter@langara.ca