Institutional Policy
Accommodation Policy
Community Wellness Foundations Certificate — Older Adult Focus
Effective Date: Upon Institutional Certification
This policy is provided to every student before the program start date and is available in the Student Handbook and on the institutional Learning Management System (Tutor LMS).
1. Purpose and Commitment
Seaside Coast College is committed to providing students with equitable access to its program. In accordance with the British Columbia Human Rights Code, the institution provides reasonable accommodation to students, up to the point of undue hardship, so that students are not disadvantaged on the basis of a characteristic protected by the Code.
2. Scope
This policy applies to students and applicants who require accommodation in connection with admission to, participation in, or assessment within the program. Grounds for accommodation include those protected under the British Columbia Human Rights Code, such as physical or mental disability, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, family status, and age.
3. What May Be Accommodated
Accommodation may be appropriate for, among other things:
- a physical, mental-health, or learning disability;
- a temporary medical condition or injury;
- religious observance; and
- family-status or other needs protected under the British Columbia Human Rights Code.
4. Requesting an Accommodation
A student who needs an accommodation should contact the Senior Educational Administrator at lynth@seasidecoastcollege.com as early as possible. The institution may ask for documentation from a qualified professional that is reasonably necessary to understand the student’s needs and identify appropriate measures. The institution requests only the information needed to arrange the accommodation, not a full diagnosis.
5. Providing Accommodation
The institution works with the student to identify reasonable measures through a cooperative process. Because the program is delivered through synchronous distance education, accommodations may include, for example, additional time on assessments, alternative assessment formats, materials in accessible formats, reasonable flexibility with scheduling or attendance where consistent with the Student Attendance Policy, and compatibility with assistive technology. The institution and the student each participate in good faith in arranging and adjusting accommodations.
6. Limits of Accommodation
Accommodation adjusts how a student demonstrates learning; it does not lower the program’s academic standards or remove the essential requirements and learning outcomes of the program. The institution’s duty to accommodate extends to the point of undue hardship, taking into account factors such as cost, health, and safety. Where a requested measure is not reasonable, the institution works with the student to identify an appropriate alternative.
7. Confidentiality
Information provided in support of an accommodation is treated as confidential and is handled in accordance with the institution’s Privacy and Records Policy. It is shared only with those who need it to arrange or deliver the accommodation.
8. If a Student Disagrees
A student who disagrees with an accommodation decision may raise the matter through the institution’s Dispute Resolution Policy. Where the person who made the decision is also the person who would normally review the matter, the review is conducted by the Independent Reviewer, a qualified representative who was not involved in the original decision, to ensure impartiality.
9. Records
Records related to accommodation requests and arrangements are maintained as part of the institution’s student records and are retained in accordance with the institution’s Privacy and Records Policy, which provides for retention of Class A student records for at least eight years.
10. Related Policies
This policy operates alongside the institution’s Student Attendance Policy, Respectful and Fair Treatment of Students Policy, Sexual Misconduct Policy, Privacy and Records Policy, and Dispute Resolution Policy.
11. Contact and Approval
Seaside Coast College · 3514 Fairmont Road, North Vancouver, BC V7R 2W9
Email: lynth@seasidecoastcollege.com · Website: seasidecoastcollege.com
Approved by: Senior Educational Administrator · Review cycle: Annual