FAQ

If you feel unsafe or require immediate attention, contact Safety and Security for support on campus. If you are off campus, contact emergency services by calling 911.

• Conestoga offers counselling, peer support and medical care to assist students with mental health and wellness.
• For after-hours mental health support, please contact Good2Talk - a free 24-hour service for Ontario post-secondary students.
• If you are in crisis on campus, contact Safety and Security for support. If you are in crisis off campus, contact emergency services by calling 911.

If you have experienced or witnessed sexual or gender-based violence and would like to discuss supports available both on and off campus, please contact the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Coordinator. They can answer questions regarding sexual assault and sexual violence policies and procedures, including your reporting options.

College students, employees and members of the public may submit reports on behalf of themselves or someone else.

If a concern continues, escalates, or informal resolution is not appropriate, you may decide to make a report to the SRRO. You can make a verbal report by contacting us or use the Report form to report an incident in& writing. We will respond within two business days to arrange a time to discuss the incident and gather more information. 

If you have received notice from the SRRO or Safety and Security of a report regarding your conduct, it is important to understand how the process works. Refer to the information on formal resolution and the Student Rights and Responsibilities Procedure (pdf). Contact us with any questions.

Each program area has a Student Success Advisor (SSA) who is available to help you address academic issues and connect you to services. If you are unsure who your SSA is, complete the self-referral form to ask for help. 

For details on individual services and other important academic contacts, refer to your program handbook found under the More info tab on your full-time program page.        

• Follow the Academic Dispute Resolution and Appeal Procedure (pdf). Speak with the faculty first about your concern. If your concern is still unresolved, contact the program chair to review the decision and determine the next step.
• If you need help navigating this process:
  • contact your program area's Student Success Advisor (SSA). If you are unsure who your SSA is, complete the self-referral form to ask for help, or
  • contact Conestoga Students Inc., your official student association, for help with this process and third party advocacy support.
• Learn how to avoid and understand future academic warnings and offences through the Academic Integrity website.
  

• If you disagree with a decision or sanction assessed under the Student Rights and Responsibilities Policy that does not affect your academic status at the college, you may submit a Challenge Form (pdf) to the Associate Vice-President of Student Affairs for review.
• Appropriate grounds for submitting a challenge are personal bias/unfair treatment or new information/extenuating circumstances. Students must attach all relevant documents to support their request when they submit the form.
  
• If you disagree with a decision or sanction assessed under the Student Rights and Responsibilities Policy that does affect your academic status at the college, submit a formal appeal as outlined in Step 4 of the Academic Dispute and Appeal Resolution Procedure (pdf).
  

It is important to understand that expectations for confidentiality depend on why you are engaging with our office.       

Concerns       

If you reach out to our office with a concern, your conversation with the SRRO is confidential unless we have reason to believe that you are at risk of harming yourself or someone else, or if you disclose that another person is at similar risk. Excluding situations of imminent risk or harm, we will not advance your concerns without your permission.

Violations

If we reach out to you because your conduct was reported to our office, we may disclose status reports, outcomes, and other relevant information to involved parties such as the violation reporter and any impacted areas of the college.

All records are filed in a secure electronic database. Managing these records is the responsibility of the SRRO under the direction of the Associate Vice-President, Student Affairs.       

Access to these records is restricted to appropriate college staff as per the requirements and principles in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). Exceptions are records under statutes that expressly state that they prevail over FIPPA.       

We accept anonymous reports, but anonymity can limit our ability to review or address your concerns. If you do not want to disclose your identity, we will not be able to report back to you about the status or outcome of your concerns.       

To submit an anonymous report, you can contact us from an unknown phone number or email address without disclosing your name. We will be launching a new reporting system soon which will accept anonymous report submissions directly into our database.       

If you would like your concerns or identity to remain anonymous after contacting our office, please let us know to discuss options with you.       

SRRO decisions and sanctions do not form part of a student's academic record except in cases of long-term suspension or discontinuance from the college.