Campus Housing Community Standards Policy

Ref. No.	Executive sponsor	Policy steward	Approval authority	First approved	Last reviewed	Effective date	Next review
33.11	Vice President, Campus and Communities	Director, Student Awards and Experience	Executive Council	Jul. 20, 2021		Sept. 1, 2021	Sept 2022

Purpose
1. The Campus Housing Community Standards have been designed to reflect the College’s commitment to building and maintaining Respectful Communities where campus housing students and staff can expect to:
  1. Study, sleep and learn without unreasonable disruption by other students and guests.
  2. Engage in positive community and personal interactions without fear of harassment, bullying, discrimination, sexual violence, hazing or threats of violence of any kind.
  3. Be treated in a manner that promotes civility, respect, and accountability.
2. The purpose of the Campus Housing Community Standards policy is to set out the community standards (or rules) that governs the expectations and requirements of behaviour in campus housing, and the surrounding College property.

Scope
1. The Campus Housing Community Standards Policy applies to all students and student-staff living in a campus housing location and their guests.
2. For those guests who are affiliated with the College, the Student Code of Conduct Policy and any/all other college policies deemed appropriate, will be employed in instances of concerning behaviour.
3. The standards and expectations outlined in the policy applies to conduct, including in-person or online, which originates in on-campus housing buildings and physical spaces adjacent to campus housing.
4. Additionally, this policy extends to conduct:
  1. Occurring on any property or locations related to, or being used for, Campus Housing programs, events, or activities, including any location where a student is attending or participating in a College sponsored activity or event specifically for students living on campus.
  2. Which violates civil or criminal laws, where such laws do not adequately protect the College’s interests.

Definitions

Term	Definition
Civility	Behaviours that are courteous and polite. Civility and respect are based on showing esteem, care and consideration for others and acknowledging their dignity.
Fact Finding	A range of activities that may be used to gain understanding of a concern or conflict. A review of the situation occurs to determine the most appropriate policy and process application. The range of activities may include but is not limited to; a fact-finding inquiry, a more detailed investigation or a blend of resolution options, such as information gathering and mediation. The College determines the extent of the fact-finding process upon assessment of the concern.
Guest	A student or non-student who has not been assigned a NSCC Campus Housing space/room and does not have a signed Campus Housing Agreement.
Host	A student who has received and/or entertained guests in their personal campus housing space or common area.
Interim Measure	Temporary safety or other measures instituted to address risk in urgent circumstances.
NSCC Community	NSCC Community member under this policy includes, but is not limited to the following: a. Employee: any person who is employed by NSCC or provides services to NSCC under an employment contract. b. Student: anyone applying to or registered in NSCC programs or otherwise participating in NSCC courses, programs, events, and activities. c. Volunteer: any person performing work for NSCC in an unpaid capacity. d. Contractor: any individual or company (and its employees) who provides services to NSCC under a service contract (i.e., a non-employee-employer relationship) e. NSCC Community Member: any person working in collaboration with NSCC for a business or academic purpose or an external community member, including all graduates and alumni of NSCC. f. NSCC Board of Governors: the governing body of the College
Principle of Natural Justice	Requires that a person receive a fair and unbiased hearing before a decision is made that will negatively affect them. The three main requirements of natural justice that must be met include adequate notice, fair hearing and no bias.
Restorative Practice	Restorative practices are used to foster a respectful learning and working environment by strengthening relationships between people and the community they share. Restorative practices include processes to proactively build relationships and a sense of community to help prevent conflict and concerns. Restorative practices are also used to respond to conflict and concerns by seeking to repair harm and restore the relationships and community affected.
Student	Anyone who is registered or enrolled in a course or program at the College.
Student Occupant	A student living in campus housing who has accepted and signed a Campus Housing Agreement.
Student-Staff	Any student-staff member of the NSCC Campus Housing team with defined responsibilities in on-campus housing.

Policy
1. Policy Framework
  The Campus Housing Community Standards Policy is part of a suite of College policies and procedures that are in place to ensure that the College Community has a shared understanding of the standards of behaviour required of students living on campus and their guests, and of the types of behaviours that are expected as well as those that are unacceptable.
2. Student Occupant Responsibilities
  The Campus Housing Community Standards reflect the values of the College and the culture that the College seeks to promote within its campus housing community. Student occupants are responsible for:
  1. Reading, understanding and complying with the expectations and standards outlined in the NSCC Living on Campus Guide.
  2. Reading, understanding and complying with this and all other college conduct policies.
  3. Ensuring their guests adhere to the Campus Housing Community Standards policy.
3. Addressing Concerns
  1. Approach
    1. The College’s intention is to utilize restorative practice in its approach and outcomes, as appropriate. The purpose of a restorative approach is to build a healthy campus housing environment by improving and restoring relationships between people and the community. The goal of the procedures, using this restorative lens and principles of natural justice, is to respond to concerning behaviour with educational, remedial, and other sanctions that promote accountability and community safety.
    2. The Campus Housing Community Standards Policy will work in conjunction with other College policies to address NSCC students alleged to be involved in a violation of this policy. In cases where a student occupant may be subject to civil or criminal proceedings, or it appears that the concern is outside the scope of this policy or is more appropriately dealt with under another policy, Act or procedure, the College reserves the right to determine the approach to deal with the concern or refer it to the appropriate forum.
    3. The Campus Principal or Manager of Student Services and/or their designate may act unilaterally in situations when:
      1. There is a potential threat to the safety of any member of the Campus Housing Community, including to a student occupant engaged in concerning behaviour, and/or
      2. When the continued presence of a student occupant constitutes a significant disruption to the Campus Housing or broader College Community
        
        In these situations, the student occupant in question will be not be permitted to reside in Campus Housing, pending the conclusion of fact finding and a final decision.
  2. Sanctions
    Where student behaviour and actions are contrary to the standards set out in this Policy, the Campus Housing Community Standards Procedures document will provide a mechanism for interventions and the imposing of sanctions to further support these goals.
4. Appeals
  In accordance with the principles of natural justice, all student occupants have the right to engage in a fair process and appeal any decision based on the grounds of procedural irregularity or the provision of new evidence not available at the time to the decision maker.

Policy Supports

Procedures
33.02 Campus Housing Community Standards Procedure
Related Policies
34.01 Academic Accommodations Policy
31.01 Academic Integrity Policy
63.01 Technology Resources – Acceptable Use Policy and Procedures
71.01 Use of Copyright Materials Policy
52.11 Email Policy
73.01 Occupational Health and Safety Policy
41.01 Respectful Community Policy
42.31 Safe Disclosure Policy
73.11 Smoke Free Policy
54.01 Social Media Policy
32.01 Student Appeals Policy
33.01 Student Community Standards
39.01 Sexual Violence Policy
73.21 Violence Prevention Policy (login required)

Related Acts
Nova Scotia Human Rights Act
Criminal Code of Canada
Nova Scotia Residential Tenancies Act

Support Documents
NSCC Living in Campus Housing Guide