Detailed information on investigations can be found on the Reporting to the College page. There is some additional important information regarding respondents specifically, including:
Your Rights
In any student conduct or sexual violence and misconduct investigation, students have the right to:
- know the allegation made against them
- have an opportunity to respond and be heard before a decision is made
- appeal a disciplinary decision that is made against them
- have a representative support person during the investigation process
- have a support person during the investigation process
Support Person
Students may bring a support person who is a member of the college community to any investigation meeting or interview. A person who is not a member of the college community (including family) may not attend this meeting without the prior consent of the investigator. Support persons may attend, but do not participate in or provide comments during the meeting.
If you would like a support person from the Langara campus to join you, you can consider the following:
Investigation
If the complaint against you is serious or if the complainant requests it, a formal investigation into the complaint may take place. If an investigation is to take place, you will be contacted by the investigator to meet and provide information about the allegation. While you are not obligated to participate in the investigation, the College will decide whether you violated the Sexualized Violence Response Policy and impose sanctions, if appropriate, based on the investigation outcome. Both the complainant (the person who has reported an act of sexual violence) and the respondent (the person alleged to have committed an act of sexual violence) will receive a summary of the investigation report.
Interim measures
While an investigation is taking place, the College may arrange or implement measures that are necessary and appropriate to keep the parties safe and treated with respect. Interim measures may include, but are not limited to:
- Alteration of the academic schedule of any student involved in a complaint of sexual violence or misconduct;
- No-contact undertakings or no-contact directives between the parties;
- Temporary, non -disciplinary leave of absence for the student alleged to have engaged in sexual violence or misconduct; and
- Any other interim restrictions deemed appropriate by the College.
College Responses/ Sanctions
Students who are found responsible for violating the Sexualized Violence Response Policy will be subject to sanctions. Sanctions are consequences imposed on an individual and include a range of actions or interventions suitable to the situation and may include suspension from the College. Examples of sanctions can be found on the Standards of Student Conduct website.
Appeal
Students who wish to appeal a sanction other than suspension imposed under the Sexualized Violence Response Policy can submit an Application to Appeal to the Office of the Dean of Student Services within 14 days of receiving the decision. Please contact studentconduct@langara.ca for the Application to Appeal.
For appeals of a suspension decision, a student may submit an Application to Appeal to the Chair of the Board of Governors. The Board will only consider appeals that relate to matters of procedural fairness. The Board will not conduct an investigation or review the determination of fact.
More information about appeals can be found on pages 10-11 of Policy B3009 Procedures for Students (PDF).