A breach of standards occurs when a student fails to follow the established rules or guidelines set by the NSCC Campus Housing Community Standards.

This can include behaviors that negatively impact other students, staff, or the overall community, such as disruptive actions, breaches of safety protocols, or failure to respect the rights of others. When such a breach happens, the Campus Housing staff will categorize the breach based on its severity and impact, considering factors like how the behavior affected the community and whether the student has had prior interventions.

Once a breach is identified, the staff will document the incident and review it in detail. Depending on the situation, interim measures, like alcohol consumption bans, might be put in place to ensure a safe and respectful environment while the case is reviewed.

After fact finding, the Coordinator of Campus Housing will classify the breach on a scale of Level 1 – 3 and initiate the appropriate follow-up process. The follow up may involve discussions, corrective actions, or decisions about further interventions.

Possible outcomes from a breach of standards include:

• Letter of Warning
• Apology
• Community Impact Conversation
• Educational Assignment
• Fines
• Bonds
• Removal/restriction of privileges/access
• Behavioural/probationary contracts
• Reassignment of campus housing space (relocation)
• Termination of campus housing Agreement

All outcomes listed in the Campus Housing Community Standards policy including Termination of campus housing Agreement are considered as options. The outcomes are based on various factors that are assessed based on individual situation and severity of community impact.

Students will have the opportunity to respond to the situation and are given the right to have support through the process. If the outcome is unfavorable, students can appeal the decision under specific conditions, such as new evidence or procedural issues.

Standard of Proof

When determining whether a student is responsible or not responsible for a breach of community standards, the level of proof required is different from what is needed in a criminal case. In a criminal case, proof must be established beyond a reasonable doubt. In the case of community standard breaches, the standard is based on a “preponderance of evidence,” or a balance of probabilities.

The preponderance of evidence or balance of probabilities means that the decision is based on whether the evidence shows it is more likely than not that the breach occurred. To put it simply, the question is: would a reasonable person, after reviewing all the available information, come to the same conclusion as the staff member who is reviewing the case? If the answer is yes, then the student may be found responsible for the breach of community standards.