I have been accused of sexual violence. What do I do?
If you have been accused of violating Langara’s Sexualized Violence Response Policy, there are campus services available to provide you with emotional support and help you understand your rights during any investigation and adjudication processes. Both complainants and respondents will be treated with respect and have access to student support services.

In this context, a complainant is a term for the person who has reported an act of sexual violence. A respondent is a term for the person alleged to have committed an act of sexual violence.

I have a friend who was accused of violating the policy.
Listen to their concerns. Take some time to educate yourself about the policy and procedures so you can help your friend understand the College’s role in responding to complaints. If you are willing, offer to help your friend get information from campus resources. Offer to go with your friends or join them in meetings if they need your support.

Try not to make judgmental statements about your friend or the complainant. Also, be careful not to speak about the incident to others as it may jeopardize a fair investigation for both parties. Your role is to support your friend emotionally and be by their side during the process.

A full list of student services available to support respondents can be found on the On-Campus Supports page. It can be helpful to note that the following student services are best served to support respondents through an investigation or alternate resolution process:

Langara Counselling
Students can call to make an appointment or drop in. Counselling staff can provide emotional support, safety planning, requests for academic accommodation, referrals and guidance. If you are in a crisis, please go directly to the Counselling Department and alert the receptionist that you need to see a Counselling immediately.
counselling@langara.ca
604.323.5221
B111, Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm

Langara Students’ Union
The Langara Student’s Union (LSU) has an Ombudsperson who can give you basic information and attend meetings with you as a support person. Drop by the LSU office or call them at 604.324.3881 and ask to speak with the Ombudsperson.

Office of Student Conduct, Accountability and Support (SCAS)

The Student Case Coordinator is available by appointment, to assist any student who is accused of a violation of the Sexualized Violence Response Policy. The Coordinator can:

  • Help you understand your rights.
  • Explain and help you navigate the investigation and adjudication processes.
  • Provide information regarding an alternate resolution process.
  • Refer you to campus and community resources.

It is important to know that the Student Case Coordinator is not a lawyer and cannot give you legal advice nor are they required to maintain confidentiality.

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).