Resolution Processes

Community Resolutions

Community resolutions are a restorative practice. They are a conversation with a staff member that includes one, some or all of the student(s) who are impacting the community.
The goals of a community resolution are for the responsible student(s) to be able to identify and take responsibility for their behaviour and how it affects their community and to commit to repairing the impact and/or changing their behaviour in residence moving forward
After the community resolution conversation, the staff member will email all participants to confirm the agreement made. Staff members will require student IDs of participants to ensure correct email addresses are used.

Incident Reports

Incident reports document incidents that occur in residence including emergencies like first aid, fire alarms or urgent maintenance issues. They are also used when an incident is not resolved using a community resolution.

Incident reports may require further follow up from staff, who will meet with the affected resident(s) at a later date. Behaviour documented in incident reports can be resolved through: a) restorative practices, as a breach of the Residence Agreement or b) through the Student Conduct Policy. The criteria to decide which process to use is outlined in the Residence Community Standards Policy.

EXAMPLE INCIDENT REPORT PROCESS

Residents often ask what might happen if they were to fail to uphold their responsibilities or infringe on the rights of other residents, this is an example of possible steps in a process.

1. Documenting the incident

At the time of the incident, a staff member will document what happened and the student IDs of those involved an/or present.

2. Scheduling a meeting

An email will be sent requesting for you to schedule a meeting to discuss what happened. If you don’t get an invite but have concerns, email reslife@ualberta.ca.

If there are no meeting times available before the deadline in the email, ask the staff member if another date and/or time can be accommodated. Please be flexible when looking for alternative meeting times, as will the staff member.

You will receive a Google Calendar invite with either a meeting location or a virtual meeting link. If the meeting is in-person, show up a few minutes early. If the meeting is virtual, make sure you have headphones and a device with a working camera.

You can prepare for the meeting by reflecting on what happened, your part in the situation and if things could have been done differently. You may also write down any questions you may have.

If you have reservations about the meeting, or at any time feel uncomfortable, you can tell the staff member so that they can accommodate you as best they can.

3. Meeting

At the meeting, you will share your perspective of the incident, discuss the impacts on the community and discuss actions for rebuilding a sense of community. These conversations will result in an agreement for immediate and future behaviour that resolves the issue and is expected to be upheld by all parties.
Meetings are confidential – information is only shared with staff who need to know as part of our processes. For example, your RA will not know about the content of a meeting unless you inform them.

4. Follow up

Following the meeting, the staff member will email the resolution agreement and a meeting summary to all students involved. If the student understands the impact of their behaviours and is willing to change them, the matter is usually considered closed. However, if the student continues the harmful behaviour, further follow up may occur.
The staff member may follow up further to offer you support and resources for topics including academics, finances and mental wellness or if any minor injuries or maintenance issues occurred during the incident.

Common concerns

Will I get evicted?

Residence Services does not terminate a Residence Agreement (your lease) lightly. In cases where there is a concern for the safety of the community, a significant breach or multiple and continued breaches of the Residence Agreement, we may choose to end your contract. It is very rare for an initial meeting to result in an eviction.

If you feel anxious about the possibility of eviction, please do not hesitate to reach out to the staff who sent the email or to reslife@ualberta.ca about your concern.

Will this meeting go on my academic record?

Residence Services documents behaviour that impacts the community and how we resolve those concerns. However, this information is not placed on your academic record or available to your parents or professors. We follow university policy on preservation of records.

What if I don’t want to meet with a staff member?

Residence staff know how uncomfortable it can be to talk about a mistake you made and owning up to the impact on others. We encourage students to meet with staff to allow us to hear your perspective and participate in our process toward a resolution. In situations where residents choose not to meet with staff when requested, a decision will be made without the information you would have provided, including deciding if you are responsible for a violation and the outcome decided (consequences).

ASSESSMENT AND CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT

Residents who have participated in the Residence Community Standards process receive an anonymous survey to provide feedback on their experience. Residence Services always strives for a fair and just process and this survey allows us to assess policies and processes as well as identify areas for improvement.

The survey link is sent via email to all students involved as responsible parties. If you have been part of a process and have not received a survey link, email reslife@ualberta.ca or the professional staff member who you met with.

Please note this survey is not a request for reconsideration.