Alpha has policies to ensure health, safety and fairness to all students, staff and faculty, and Alpha’s successful operation as an educational institution.
Policy Statement
It is expected that all members of the St. Lawrence College and Alpha College community respect the personal dignity, worth and rights of others who study, work and live within it while having a shared commitment to the goals of education. That commitment is expressed in the Alpha College policies and course outlines, and in specific regulations such as those for residences. In addition, the commitment includes, but is not limited to, rights and responsibilities set out in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Ontario Human Rights Code, and in federal, provincial and municipal legislation. It is expected that while students are attending Alpha College they will, both on campus and while in the community, conduct themselves in a manner, which demonstrates:
Alpha College will not tolerate behavior that is illegal, harmful or threatening to others or that is disruptive, offensive, abusive, intimidating or that vandalizes the Alpha College property.
Rights and Responsibilities
All students who enroll at St. Lawrence College at Alpha College become members of the Alpha College community. These rights and responsibilities outlined apply equally while attending classes at Alpha College or at any other location of SLC including the online environment or engaging in any SLC and Alpha College sponsored activities. Alpha College expects that students will make themselves aware and conform to the policies and procedures already in place. These rights and responsibilities reflect the Alpha College’s commitment to quality education and to ensuring the fair and equitable treatment while recognizing the needs for responsible and appropriate behaviour by the students.
Alpha College is committed to providing an environment which will foster dignity and respect for one another. All students have a responsibility to be aware of policies and codes that guide expectations of conduct in the various environments where students engage in college related activity. Under this Code of Conduct, students have a responsibility to maintain this environment, and can also exercise their rights under this Code.
Conduct of Students
It is assumed that each student comes to Alpha College with serious intent; therefore rules and regulations concerning conduct and discipline are held to a minimum. However, in the interest of the serious majority, Alpha College must reserve the right to discipline any student for conduct incompatible with the Alpha College policy. As part of the preparation for his/her chosen occupation, each student is expected to conduct him/herself as he/she would in an occupational environment. Behaviour which insults the personal dignity of others is prohibited.
Students under this policy have certain responsibilities to:
If a student violates the Code of Conduct, there may be sanctions applied as a result of an action taken. If the misconduct is minor, the sanctions applied will be minor as well. The decisions to apply a minor sanction will rest with the person working within the area. For example, if a student is disrupting a class, a professor may choose to remove that student from the class. Major sanctions will be applied if the actions are more serious. In this case, sanctions can be imposed by the Principal when necessary. (Note: this does not restrict the person confronted with the action to take immediate steps to remove a person who may be threatening to others, or who pose a threat to others. Sanctions or actions for student of concern may vary based on the recommendations by the Threat Assessment Team and may not be deemed punitive.
Criminal Offenses
Criminal offenses committed on the Alpha College or SLC premises against persons or property, and reported to Alpha College , will be addressed according to the law. When a student is involved in criminal activity, Alpha College will notify the Principal and the Director. It will be determined if the matter may be independently subject to the Alpha College discipline under this code, notwithstanding, and in addition to, possible criminal charges.
Major Misconduct
Conduct which is threatening, aggressive, unsafe and/or violent.
Minor Misconduct
Conduct which is disruptive to the spirit of the Code.
Examples of Minor Sanctions:
Examples of Major Sanctions:
Academic honesty and integrity are highly valued at Alpha College . It is an essential component for students as both learners and potential members of their chosen occupations. Therefore, any violation of academic honesty throughout the student’s program of study will be seriously considered and fully investigated. Academic Dishonesty is a type of cheating occurring in the academic field and includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Alpha College considers any such academic dishonesty to be a serious offense and the following disciplinary actions will be taken. In the event of academic work being involved, the corresponding action below will occur.
Offense | Disciplinary Action |
First | Failure for the piece of work involved |
Second | Failure for the course involved |
Third | Student is to be suspended for up to 2 years |
(updated June 29th, 2023)
Sexual violence: A broad term that describes any violence, physical or psychological, carried out through sexual means or by targeting sexuality. This violence takes different forms including sexual abuse and sexual assault.
Sexual assault: A criminal offence under the Criminal Code of Canada. Sexual assault is any type of unwanted sexual act done by one person to another that violates the sexual integrity of the victim and involves a range of behaviours from any unwanted touching to penetration. Sexual assault is characterized by a broad range of behaviours that involve the use of force, threats, or control towards a person, which makes that person feel uncomfortable, distressed, frightened, threatened, or that is carried out in circumstances in which the person has not freely agreed, consented to, or is incapable of consenting to.
Consent: The voluntary and explicit agreement to engage in the sexual activity in question. It is the act of willingly agreeing to engage in specific sexual behaviour, and requires that a person is able to freely choose between two options: yes and no. This means that there must be an understandable exchange of affirmative words which indicates a willingness to participate in mutually agreed upon sexual activity. It is also imperative that everyone understands the following:
It is the responsibility of the initiator of sexual activity to ensure clear and affirmative responses are communicated at all stages of sexual engagement. It is also the initiator’s responsibility to
know if the person they are engaging with sexually is a minor.
Note: For information purposes only, the Criminal Code defines “consent” as follows:
Consent: The voluntary agreement to engage in the sexual activity in question. No consent is obtained, where
Other Relevant Terms
Acquaintance sexual assault: Sexual contact that is forced, manipulated, or coerced by a partner, friend or acquaintance.
Age of consent for sexual activity: The age at which a person can legally consent to sexual activity. In Canada, children under 12 can never legally consent to sexual acts. Sixteen is the legal age of consent for sexual acts. There are variations on the age of consent for adolescents who are close in age between the ages of 12 and 16. Twelve and 13 year-olds can consent to have sex with other youth who are less than 2 years older than themselves. Youth who are 14 and 15 years old may consent to sexual involvement that is mutual with a person who is less than 5 years older. Youths 16 and 17 years old may legally consent to sexual acts with someone who is not in a position of trust or authority.
Coercion: In the context of sexual violence, coercion is unreasonable and persistent pressure for sexual activity. Coercion is the use of emotional manipulation, blackmail, threats to family or friends, or the promise of rewards or special treatment, to persuade someone to do something they do not wish to do, such as being sexual or performing particular sexual acts.
Drug-facilitated sexual assault: The use of alcohol and/or drugs (prescription or nonprescription) by a perpetrator to control, overpower or subdue a victim for purposes of sexual assault.
Stalking: A form of criminal harassment prohibited by the Criminal Code of Canada. It involves behaviours that occur on more than one occasion and which collectively instill fear in the victim or threaten the victim/target’s safety or mental health. Stalking can also include threats of harm to the target’s friends and/or family. These behaviours include, but are not limited to non-consensual communications (face to face, phone, email, social media); threatening or obscene gestures; surveillance; sending unsolicited gifts; “creeping” via social media/cyberstalking; and uttering threats.
Survivor: Some who have experienced sexual violence may choose to identify as a survivor. Individuals might be more familiar with the term “victim”. We use the term “survivor” throughout this policy where relevant because some who have experienced sexual assault believe they have overcome the violent experience and do not wish to identify with the victimization. It is the prerogative of the person who has experienced these circumstances to determine how they wish to identify.
Disclosure: Refers to any member of the College Community sharing information about an incident of Sexual Violence. Survivors are encouraged to disclose to Security, Student Services Manager or Human Resources Manager who will provide information on options following a Disclosure and coordinate supports, such as Academic Accommodations and Adjustments. A Disclosure does not automatically initiate a Formal Report for Investigation.
Complainant: An individual who has experienced Sexual Violence, has Disclosed an experience of Sexual Violence, or identifies as a Survivor. A Complainant may be an individual who discloses for support or resources, and/or who may wish to initiate a Formal Report for investigation.
Respondent: A person who is alleged to have engaged in activities that violate this Policy and for whom an incident has been asserted against. The use of this term does not imply pre-determination that the Respondent is responsible for a violation of this Policy.
Formal Report: A Disclosure made by a Survivor that includes the explicit request to advance and initiate a formal investigation through the Security Manager, Student Services Manager or Human Resources Manager.
All members of Alpha College community have a right to a work and study in an environment that is free from any form of sexual violence. This document sets out our policy and response protocol to sexual violence and ensures that those who experience sexual violence are believed and their rights respected, that the College has a process of investigation that protects the rights of individuals and holds individuals who have committed an act of sexual violence accountable. This policy is binding on all students, staff, faculty and contractors at Alpha College.
Sexual violence is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We are committed to challenging and preventing sexual violence and creating a safe space for anyone in our College community who has experienced sexual violence. The College is expected to be a safe and positive space where members of the College community feel able to work, learn and express themselves in an environment free from sexual violence. All reported incidents of sexual violence will be investigated to the best of the administration’s ability and in a manner that ensures due process. It is this policy’s intention to make individuals feel comfortable about making a report in good faith about sexual violence that they have experienced or witnessed. We recognize that sexual violence can occur between individuals regardless of sexual orientation, gender, and gender identity or relationship status as articulated in the Ontario Human Rights Code. We also recognize that individuals who have experienced sexual violence may experience emotional, academic or other difficulties. We are committed to:
3.1. Assisting those who have experienced sexual violence by providing choices, including detailed information and support, such as provision of and/or referral to counselling and medical care, information about legal options, and appropriate academic and other accommodation;
3.2. Ensuring that those who disclose that they have been sexually assaulted are believed, and that their right to dignity and respect is protected throughout the process of disclosure, investigation and institutional response;
3.3. Addressing harmful attitudes and behaviours (e.g. adhering to myths of sexual violence that reinforce that the person who experienced sexual violence is somehow to blame for what happened);
3.4. Treating individuals who disclose sexual violence with compassion recognizing that they are the final decision-makers about their own best interests;
3.5. Ensuring that on-campus (internal) investigation procedures are available in the case of sexual violence, even when the individual chooses not to make a report to the police;
3.6. Engaging in appropriate procedures for investigation and adjudication of a complaint which are in accordance with College policies, standards, and applicable collective agreements, that ensure fairness and due process;
3.7. Ensuring coordination and communication among the various departments who are most likely to be involved in the response to sexual violence on campus;
For Students:
Security Manager:
Joel Rampersad – j.rampersad@slc-alpha.ca
Student Services Manager (TBA)
Student Counselor:
Prakash Parajuli – p.parajuli@slc-alpha.ca
For Staff:
Security Manager:
Joel Rampersad – j.rampersad@slc-alpha.ca
Human Resources Manager:
Daniel Shackleton – d.shackleton@slc-alpha.ca
3.8. Engaging in public education and prevention activities;
3.9. providing information to the College community about our sexual violence policies and protocol;
3.10. Providing appropriate education and training to the College community about responding to the disclosure of sexual violence;
3.11. Contributing to the creation of a campus atmosphere in which sexual violence is not tolerated; and,
3.12. Monitoring and updating our policies and protocols to ensure that they remain effective and in line with other existing policies and best practices.
4.1. Staff and Faculty of the College community should immediately report sexual violence incidents they witness or have knowledge of, or where they reason to believe that sexual violence has occurred or may occur. Students who have experienced sexual violence are encouraged to come forward to report to Security as soon as they are able to do so, however disclosure is voluntary.
4.2. Persons in a position of authority, including persons directing the activities of others, shall take immediate action to respond to or to prevent sexual violence from occurring.
4.3. Where the College becomes aware of incidents of sexual violence by a member of the College community or against a member of the College community, which occur on or off College property and that pose a risk to the safety of members of the College community, the College shall take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the College community.
4.4. If students, in good faith, report an incident of, or make a complaint about, sexual violence, they will not be subject to discipline or sanctions for violations of the College’s Student Code of Conduct relating to drug or alcohol use at the time the alleged sexual violence occurred;
4.5. Students who disclose their experience of sexual violence through reporting an incident of, making a complaint about, or accessing supports and services for sexual violence, will not be asked irrelevant questions during the investigation process by the private career college’s staff or investigators, including irrelevant questions relating to the student’s sexual expression or past sexual history.
4.6. Students are not required to report an incident of or make a complaint about sexual violence in order to obtain supports and services.
A complaint of sexual assault or any other kind of sexual violence can be filed under this Policy by any member of the College community. The College will seek to achieve procedural fairness in dealing with all complaints. As such, no sanction and/or disciplinary action will be taken against a person or group without their knowledge where there is an alleged breach of this Policy. Respondents will be given reasonable notice, with full detail of the allegations and provided with an opportunity to answer to the allegations made against them.
While everyone on campus has a role to play in responding to incidents of sexual
violence, some campus members will have specific responsibilities which might include:
measures to reduce sexual violence on campus, and to collaborate with local police
where appropriate.
with safety planning and make referrals to other services, including medical services;
have been affected by or who have experienced sexual violence, e.g. extensions on
assignments, continuing studies from home, and withdrawal from courses;
employees, assist with workplace accommodations or referrals to Employee and
Family Assistance Program.
5.1. Investigation Procedure
Campus Security is responsible for taking the initial complaint under this policy. It will be the role of the Campus Security staff to ensure the immediate safety of the complainant and then complete a full incident report, which is directed to the Security Supervisor and to the Student Services Manager.
The Student Services Manager (for student complaints) or the HR Director (for employee complaints) is responsible for:
The Security Supervisor, or their internal or external designate, is responsible for:
Post Investigation Assessment – Preparing findings
The Official receiving the report is responsible for:
5.2. Right to Withdraw a Complaint
A complainant has the right to withdraw a complaint at any stage of the process. However, the College may continue to act on the issue identified in the complaint in order to comply with its obligation under this Policy and/or its legal obligations.
5.3. Protection from Reprisals, Retaliation or Threats:
It is contrary to this Policy for anyone to retaliate, engage in reprisals or threaten to retaliate against a complainant or other individual for:
Anyone engaged in such conduct may be subject to sanctions and/or discipline.
5.4. Unsubstantiated or Vexatious Complaints
If a person, in good faith, discloses or files a sexual violence complaint that is not supported by evidence gathered during an investigation, that complaint will be dismissed. Disclosures or complaints that are found following investigation to be frivolous, vexatious or bad faith complaints, that is, made to purposely annoy, embarrass or harm the respondent may result in sanctions and/or discipline against the complainant.
Confidentiality is particularly important to those who have disclosed sexual violence. The confidentiality of all persons involved in a report of sexual violence must be strictly observed, and the College does its best to respect the confidentiality of all persons, including the complainant, respondent, and witnesses. However, confidentiality cannot be assured in the following circumstances:
In such circumstances, information would only be shared with necessary services to prevent harm, and the name of the survivor would not be released to the public. Where the College becomes aware of an allegation of sexual violence by a member of the
College community against another member of the College community, the College may also have an obligation to take steps to ensure that the matter is dealt with in order to comply with the College’s legal obligation and/or its policies to investigate such allegations. In such cases, certain College administrators will be informed about the reported incident on a “need to know” and confidential basis, but not necessarily of the identities of the persons involved.
In compliance with the recently passed Strengthening Postsecondary Institutions and Students Act, 2022 we have strengthened our policy to address instances of faculty or staff sexual misconduct toward students.
1. Introduction
i. At Alpha College, referred hereafter as ‘the College’, the safety, comfort, and continued success of the student is of the utmost priority. The College recognizes that part of ensuring student success means not only providing high-quality education and instruction, but also outlining a procedure wherein students may make complaints to the College in situations that have left them concerned. Included in this policy is the procedure for how student complaints are to be made to, and handled by the College. In addition to this policy, the College suggests that students who have any concerns consider bringing said concerns informally to a College employee on the basis that smaller concerns can be handled swiftly and amicably.
2. Preamble
i. In the event that a student has been unable to resolve their complaint informally and wishes to submit a formal complaint they must submit a Student Complaint form to one of our Student Services Officers. This form is available at the Front Desk (Student Services) and on the College website
ii. The Officer who receives the completed complaint form will send it to the Complaints Resolution Committee, referred hereafter as ‘The Committee’, who will begin their investigation of the complaint. The committee is composed by the following members of the management team: academic manager and student services manager.
3. Commitments
i. During the complaint process the student, or a person designated by the student on their behalf, reserves the opportunity to make statements and submissions orally.
a. If the student designates a person to make submissions on their behalf, the designated person has the right to be present during all interactions during the complaint process.
ii. Complaints that are received will be physically retained by the college in student records and a summary of the complaint, any submissions filed, and decisions relating to the complaint will be stored electronically in the College’s student database.
iii. Upon request, the student will receive a copy of their initial complaint, any submissions filed, and the final decision.
iv. The College is committed to reaching a decision in the complaint process within 15 business days upon receiving the initial complaint in writing.
v. The College will retain records including the initial complaint, any submissions filed, and the final decision on-site for a minimum of three years from the date of the final decision. The College retains these records for every student complaint.
4. Complaint Process
i. Upon receiving a complaint in writing, the Committee will engage with the concerned student and enter into the formal complaint process.
ii. At their discretion the Committee upon receiving the complaint may designate a College employee as an Advisor to investigate and engage with the student for the purposes of gathering information and filing submissions. If no Advisor is designated then the Committee will solely engage in this step. This step in the process is necessary in order to fully understand the scope of the student’s concern and what options are available towards reaching a satisfactory resolution.
iii. Upon obtaining enough information such that the Committee can make a reasonable and informed conclusion, the Committee will make their decision and have it delivered to the student in writing, along with the reasoning for said decision within 15 working days of receiving the complaint
iv. Prior to the decision being delivered to the student, the decision will be reviewed by another Senior Staff of Alpha College to ensure that the decision is reasonable, unbiased, and free of malice.
5. Appeal
i. In the event that the student is dissatisfied with the decision made by the Committee, he/she may appeal in writing to the Executive Team of the College within five days of receiving notification of the formal decision.
There are three primary grounds under which a Respondent may request an appeal, namely:
• There has been a clear failure of due process in consideration of the complaint, which the Complainant can define and provide evidence.
• The decision was unreasonable or substantially disproportionate to the circumstances.
• New material evidence or facts become available, which the Complainant could not reasonably have provided earlier, and which may be sufficient to alter a decision. In these cases, the Executive Team is obliged to consider the validity and admissibility of the new information/facts.
The Complainant should set out their concerns clearly and succinctly and provide evidence in support, where possible. The Complainant must also explain how the response received by the Committee falls within one of the grounds set out above and outline the remedy sought.
ii. The Executive Team will review the decision, and respond within ten days of receiving the appeal deciding to:
Uphold the original decision by the committee
Propose an amicable settlement between the complainant and the department/staff concerned.
Uphold or partially uphold the complaint and to recommend appropriate steps to be taken by the manager responsible in order to address the issue and avoid similar problems moving forward
iii. The complainant and Complaints Resolution Committee are advised in writing of the Executive Team’s decision.
The written decision of the Executive team is final and binding, superseded only in such cases where the Minister’s Binding Policy Directive, section R, applies.
Any assignment, quiz or exam submitted late will be marked as 0%. This policy may be overruled by your instructor’s class lateness policy, in which case the assignment, quiz or exam would be penalized according to their late policy.
Any missed assignment, quiz, exam, presentation or other assessment that was missed will be marked as 0%. If you were unable to complete your assignment, quiz, exam, presentation or other assessment due to a personal or medical emergency, documentation (i.e. doctor’s note, hospital discharge report, etc.) must be provided within 10 days of the missed assessment, and approved by the Alpha Academic Team.
Credits you have earned at another Ontario Public College (https://www.ontariocolleges.
In order for a course to be eligible to transfer, it must meet the following criteria:
A. The course must be at least 80% transferrable based on its learning outcomes. This will be assessed and approved by Alpha’s Academic Team.
B. Your grade in the course must be 60% or above for Undergraduate studies, or above 67% for Postgraduate studies.
C. The course must have been passed within the last 24 months.
D. The student must apply 10 days prior to the start of the term.
For each course that meets the above criteria, you must submit the following to academicmanagement@slc-
You must also include the following documents:
A. The course outlines/syllabi of each course from the college you are transferring the credits from. Those can generally be found on your college e-portal, website or by request.
B. Your official transcript from the college you are transferring the credit from.
We are proud to offer students convenient class timetables, often leaving several days available for other personal & professional engagements. We cannot adjust student timetables once they have been issued. If you have a scheduling conflict with a prior engagement (such as work) you must make the adjustment through your employer.
Students of Alpha College need to remain in good academic standing in order to maintain their enrollment status. In order to remain in good academic standing, students need to maintain a semester GPA of 1.51 or above. Students who fail to meet this requirement will be required to meet with an academic advisor and sign a learning contract. Should the student improve their semester GPA to 1.51 or above in their next academic semester, their good academic standing is restored. However, should the student fail to improve their semester GPA to 1.51 or above in their next academic semester, they will be suspended from full-time and part-time studies for 8 months (2 academic semesters).
Student GPAs are automatically calculated and made available on unofficial transcripts, which can be found on e-learning 2-4 weeks after each term.
If you would like to calculate your own GPA please use the following resource: https://gradecalc.
Reminder: Monday, October 9th, is the Thanks Giving Holiday and Alpha College will be closed.