student rights and responsibilities

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STUDENT RECORDS
Each student at St. Mary's University College has a confidential student record containing financial and academic information about that student.

Change of Name or Address
If there is a change in pertinent information, such as name, address, or telephone number, a student must submit a Change of Information form. St. Mary's University College is not responsible for failing to contact a student if that student has neglected to inform the University College of a change of information.

Confidentiality
St. Mary's University College is subject to the provisions of the Personal Information Privacy Act (Alberta). No personal information about a student may be given to any organization or person, including a parent or spouse, without the written authorization of that student.

Student Access
Students can access their up-to-date financial and academic information through their secure access to my.StMU. If students choose to access information at the Enrolment Services Office, a student identification card will be required to access this information. Students who wish to view their complete student file may submit an Access to Information form to the University College Privacy Officer.

These forms are available at the Enrolment Services Office. Access to a student's record will be given in the presence of a University College staff member and the student may request corrections to any part of the record believed to be incorrect. Correction requests will be handled in accordance with the provisions of the Personal Information Privacy Act.

STUDENT IDENTIFICATION CARDS [back to top]
Student identification cards bear a picture of the student and confirm that an individual is a current St. Mary's University College student. The photo will also be housed in the St. Mary’s Student Information System and will be available to faculty members and staff for the purpose of verification of identity. Issuance of a replacement card will be subject to a replacement fee of $5 and a $107 U-Pass replacement fee for full-time students.

The student identification card is required to borrow books from the St. Mary's University College library and to access the University of Calgary and Ambrose University College libraries. University College staff and faculty also have the right to ask to see the student identification card of anyone on campus, particularly for the purpose of issuing cheques and documentation or for writing an examination.

STUDENT ORIENTATION back to top]
Enrolment Services, along with the St. Mary's University College Students' Association, holds a new student orientation at the start of each term. The purpose of orientation is to familiarize students with the campus, to give them the opportunity to meet peers and faculty, and to participate in sessions to support their post-secondary academic endeavours. All new students are required to attend.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT [back to top]
In the earliest medieval liberal arts universities, students had influence over the governance and programs of the university. Continuing in this tradition, the administration of St. Mary's University College values the input it receives from its students.

All students are automatically members of the Students’ Association of St. Mary’s University College, an autonomous body governed by its own constitution and bylaws. Students are invited to become active in the Students’ Association by running for positions on the Students' Legislative Council (SLC), which represents the student body to the faculty and administration, or by volunteering to help with SLC-sponsored events both on and off campus. The SLC includes the following positions: President, VP External, VP Internal, VP Events, VP Finance, and three to ten Student Representatives.

The SLC is actively involved in campus life. The President of the SLC serves on the University College's Board of Governors and two representatives sit on the University College’s Academic Council. SLC members are invited to attend other committee meetings as required.

In addition to committee work, the SLC is responsible for providing leadership to the student body, for facilitating social events, for fostering a sense of community among students, and for listening to students' concerns and reflecting them to the University College. The SLC is assisted in its endeavours by a faculty liaison appointed by the University College President.

Clubs [back to top]
University clubs may be established by members of the Students' Association to promote and develop the interests and skills of St. Mary's University College students. Current clubs include the Debate Club, the History Club, the Drama Club and the Literary Guild. For information on establishing a university club, please refer to the Students’ Association of St. Mary’s University College Bylaws. For information on current clubs, please contact a member of the SLC.

STUDENT RIGHTS [back to top]
Course Outlines
At the beginning of a course, students have the right to a written course outline that states the objectives and content of the course, the grading structure, and the instructor's expectations regarding attendance, evaluation and major assignments.

Course/Instructor Evaluations [back to top]
Course/instructor evaluations are distributed to all students near the end of each term. Students have the opportunity to share their comments through this feedback. Evaluations are strictly confidential and anonymous.

Other student surveys may also be conducted at the University College in order to gain information for academic and student services planning purposes.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES [back to top]
Class Attendance
Students are expected to attend all classes and laboratories for which they are registered. Unexcused absence may result in loss of marks or in additional assignments being required. Unexcused absences may also lead to a penalty on the final grade. If a student has been absent without permission or legitimate cause for more than one-quarter of the classes, an instructor may bar the student from writing the final examination in any course. Specific regulations regarding attendance in individual courses will be announced in the course syllabus by the faculty member concerned. In cases where students have missed the first three consecutive meetings of a course without prior approval from the instructor, the instructor has the right to drop them from the course list, particularly if there is a waitlist for the course.

Because of the incremental nature of knowledge, missed laboratory sessions may create a hazardous situation. Students who are judged to have missed an unacceptable number of laboratory sessions in a course will be required to withdraw from that course. In cases involving critical course content, a single missed session may be judged as unacceptable.

CAMPUS INTEGRITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS [back to top]
St. Mary’s University College is committed to a campus free of discrimination and is dedicated to the highest standards of human equality and academic freedom. The University College endorses these standards at every level of the institution and in all aspects of student, faculty and staff life while individuals or groups are acting in a capacity defined by their relationship with the University College.

Achievement of an environment free of discrimination requires the cooperation and dedication of all members of the University College community. Expression of this commitment can take many forms, including participating in healthy debate and discussion, behaving in a manner that recognizes, values and nurtures the diversity of the University College community, and offering support to those who are subjected to discrimination. Members of the University College community who are aware of acts of discrimination are encouraged to take appropriate steps to stop the discriminatory behaviour.

Human rights law has defined discrimination as the wrongful exercise of power, authority or control over others, whether intended or not, based on the following grounds: physical and mental disability, gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, ethnic origin, citizenship, religious beliefs, age, marital status, family status, socio-economic status or source of income.

The St. Mary's University Campus Integrity and Human Rights Policy may be viewed here.

The Campus Integrity and Human Rights Coordinator will confidentially hear complaints and work to address any alleged discrimination, identify and review informal and formal options available for resolving complaints, and encourage informal resolution of complaints whenever appropriate. If you feel your integrity and/or human rights or those of another person have been violated in any way or if you would like information regarding the Campus Integrity and Human Rights Policy and Procedures, please contact the Campus Integrity and Human Rights Coordinator, Dr. Jo Ann Telfer, Rm. A114, (403) 254-3772, campusintegrity@stmu.ab.ca.

CAMPUS BEHAVIOUR [back to top]
St. Mary's University College is committed to a safe, healthy, productive work and learning environment that respects the inherent dignity of each member of this scholarly community. Incidents that threaten this environment such as acts of harassment, aggression, hazing, assault (sexual, verbal and physical), bullying, theft or other inappropriate behaviour must be reported to the Vice-President Academic and Dean. People who violate these regulations may be subject to discipline, academic suspensions, team suspension, report to Calgary Police Service and possible expulsion from the University College.

Smoking
St. Mary's University College is a non-smoking environment. Smoking is prohibited in all buildings and allowed only in designated outside locations.

Alcohol and Drugs
Alcohol may be consumed on the University College premises only at licensed events sponsored by the Students’ Association or the University College. These events are governed by the St. Mary’s University College Alcohol Use Policy.

People who arrive at the University College with alcohol and/or drugs in their possession, under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs or selling alcohol and/or drugs will be reported to the Vice-President Academic and Dean. Individuals who violate these regulations may be subject to discipline, academic suspension, team suspension, report to Calgary Police Service and possible expulsion from the University College.

ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATION [back to top]
St. Mary’s University College recognizes its moral and legal duty to provide academic accommodation. The University College must remove barriers and provide opportunities to students with disabilities, enabling them to access University College services, programs and facilities, and to be welcomed as participating members of the University College community.

The University College’s goal is to ensure fair and consistent treatment of all students, including students with disabilities, in accordance with their distinct needs and in a manner consistent with academic principles. The inclusion and integration of students with disabilities into the student body ultimately enriches everyone’s experience and benefits the wider community.

To be eligible to receive academic accommodation, students must self-identify and provide appropriate documentation of their disability. The University College does not provide or assume the cost of diagnostic services. Documentation acceptable to the University College must be obtained from a licensed professional such as a medical doctor, psychologist, special education personnel or other health professional who has specific training, expertise and experience diagnosing conditions for which accommodation is being requested. Documentation should include test results, a formal diagnosis, detailed explanation of the functional impact of the disability and recommendations for appropriate accommodation. A diagnosis alone is not sufficient to support a request for an accommodation.

New students are encouraged to self-identify at the time of admission in order to allow for arrangement of accommodation. Returning students requesting continued accommodation are required to contact the Registrar before the commencement of each term. Students who become disabled either permanently or temporarily, and students with disabilities whose health status changes significantly during their time at the University College, should contact the Registrar as soon as possible.

Requests for academic accommodation will be reviewed by an accommodations specialist in the Enrolment Services Office and decisions for appropriate accommodation will be reviewed with each student. Academic accommodation may include, for example, extended time for examinations, a quiet room for examinations, use of a learning strategist or access to adaptive technologies. Students will be emailed their official accommodation letter and documentation papers. This letter asks students to discuss their learning situations with each instructor from whom they are seeking accommodation and to obtain approval signatures. Signed documentation is then returned to the Enrolment Services Office.

Accommodations for in-class tests, quizzes and examinations will be arranged between the instructor and the student with assistance from the Registrar where necessary. Final examination accommodations will be coordinated by the Registrar, in communication with the instructor and the student.

All information obtained by the Registrar will be treated as confidential. Personal documentation held by the Enrolment Services Office will be destroyed five years after a student’s last registration.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY [back to top]
Academic honesty is the cornerstone of the development and acquisition of knowledge and St. Mary's University College insists on academic honesty in scholarship. Knowledge is cumulative, growing on the basis of previous knowledge, so we are all beholden to others for their contributions. In the course of scholarship, these contributions are reflected upon, critically analyzed and used as the foundation for further knowledge. Scholarship and academic honesty demand that these contributions be acknowledged and not passed off as products of one's own thought. Two major categories of academic dishonesty are plagiarism and cheating.

Plagiarism [back to top]
Plagiarism is a very serious academic offence that involves presenting work in a course as if it were the result of one's own study and investigation when, in fact, it is the work of someone else. Plagiarism takes place when:

• an essay or other work is copied from another source and submitted as one's own;
  
• parts of a work, including words, ideas, images or data, are taken from a source without acknowledgement of the originator;
  
• work presented for one course is also submitted for another course without prior agreement of the instructors involved;
  
• another person prepares the work that is submitted as one's own;
  
• substantial editorial or compositional assistance from another person is received on work that is submitted as one's own.

Cheating [back to top]
Cheating is also a very serious offence. Cheating on examinations, assignments and/or labs may take a number of forms, including:

• tampering or attempting to tamper with examination scripts, class work, grades or class records;
  
• obtaining unauthorized assistance from anyone during the course of an examination;
  
• impersonating another student during examinations;
  
• falsifying or fabricating laboratory reports;
  
• communicating with other students during an examination;
  
• bringing unauthorized written material or electronic devices to an examination;
  
• possessing, distributing, or attempting to possess or distribute unauthorized material in respect to examinations;
  
• attempting to read the examination papers of other students;
  
• deliberately exposing one's own examination papers to another student.

Penalties for Academic Dishonesty [back to top]
Penalties for a first occurrence of academic dishonesty may include a failing grade on the examination, assignment and/or lab and/or a failing grade in the course as determined by the course instructor. The instructor will immediately send a letter stating the particulars of the offence to the Vice-President Academic and Dean and it will be placed in the student's permanent file. In the event of a subsequent occurrence of academic dishonesty, in any course during the student’s academic tenure at St. Mary’s, the Vice-President Academic and Dean will decide on appropriate disciplinary action, which may include possible expulsion from St. Mary’s University College. If a student is expelled, the reason for expulsion will be stated on the student's permanent academic record. All correspondence regarding acts of academic dishonesty by a student will be copied to the student.

Academic Dishonesty Appeals [back to top]
A student found guilty of academic dishonesty may appeal the finding that an offence has been committed, the penalty imposed, or both. The appeal of the student may be based either on the validity of the offence, or the severity of the penalty imposed, or both.

The student may appeal the decision of the instructor in writing to the Registrar within 10 days of the decision of the instructor. The appeal letter must state the decision being appealed, the grounds for appeal and the remedy sought by the student.

The Registrar will request a meeting of an Academic Dishonesty Appeals Committee to hear the appeal. The committee will give the appellant, the instructor and any others involved five days written notice of the hearing date. After the hearing, the Registrar will notify the student and the Vice-President Academic and Dean in writing of the committee's decision.

ACADEMIC REGULATION APPEALS [back to top]
Decisions resulting from the application of academic regulations, such as an admission decision or academic probation status, may be appealed to Academic Council. Decisions may be appealed only on the following grounds:

• alleged bias,
• alleged unfair procedures,
• substantial new evidence that could not be presented at the time of the decision, or
• where the original decision was in response to an unusual situation for which criteria are ambiguous.

The appeal must be made in writing and submitted to the chair of Academic Council within 30 days of the date of the decision, outlining and, where possible, substantiating the grounds for the appeal. Academic Council will consider the appeal within 30 days. The decisions of Academic Council are final.