Modifications Guidance + Support

Relevant policies

  • Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Policy
  • Discrimination and Harassment Policy
  • Academic Integrity Policy
  • Accommodations Policy

Capitalized terms below are defined in policy.

The university may be able to provide Modifications for Disclosers who have been subjected to various forms of interpersonal harm, including Sexual or Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), Discrimination or Harassment, where the harm results in a barrier to participating in their University activities. Because every situation is different, Modifications will rarely look the same for different Disclosers and are provided on a case-by-case basis. Modifications can be provided by anyone within their area of authority.

To ensure consistency and proper application, this Guide sets out:

  • Guiding principles to consider when providing Modifications
  • The purpose of Modifications
  • General examples
  • Limitations
  • Guidance about when Reasonable Accommodations to account for protected grounds may be necessary

Academic, workplace or residence Modifications are intended to mitigate immediate and short-term effects of an experience of interpersonal harm on the Discloser’s ability to access and participate in the Working and Learning Environment. Modifications may be available upon a Disclosure of an experience of SGBV, Discrimination or Harassment.

Note: Those seeking conditions or restrictions to be applied to the subject of the disclosure should refer to the Interim Measures Examples and Support guide.

Guiding principles

Modifications are intended to be:

  • short term/temporary adjustments
  • measures to mitigate current impacts of the harm, regardless of when the incident(s) occurred
  • the least disruptive to achieve the desired purpose(s) (see “Purpose” below)
  • Trauma-Informed and Discloser-centred (i.e. a Discloser requests and/or is consulted on, given full information about, and consents to any Modifications)
  • for Students, aligned with academic regulations as listed in the University Calendar
  • used as standalone or in combination with other Corrective Actions, such as Interim Measures, Non-Disciplinary Accountability Options (NDAOs), a Complaint, and/or personal or other supports

Purpose

The purpose of Modifications is:

  • to prevent further unwanted contact with the subject of the Disclosure
  • to reduce, to the extent possible, the negative impacts of harm on the ability of the person harmed to participate in the Working and Learning Environment

Examples

Examples of Modifications include, but are not limited to:

  • Exam deferral or extension on an assignment, with new timeline specified (i.e. an excused absence from term work)
  • Alternate readings where the assigned reading has triggered a Discloser
  • Transferring to a different section of a course
  • Moving residence room or building, or release from residence contract without penalty
  • Temporary adjustments to work location, supervision, modality or hours
  • In extreme circumstances, a period of leave from academic program or work without penalty

Limits

Modifications

  • are not intended to be or take the place of long-term Accommodations (see “Accommodations” section below)
  • may not infringe on any other individual’s rights or access to the Working and Learning Environment
  • may not violate Academic Integrity or provide unfair academic advantage, and may not have the effect of: 
    • waiving an academic requirement 
    • receiving credit for work not completed
    • receiving passing grades for courses in which learning objectives are not met 
  • may not infringe on a course instructor’s academic freedom, for example, manner of assessment
  • may not disrupt the normal operations of the workplace and will be subject to any applicable collective agreement

Accommodations

Where the impacts of the harm persist or require more assistance than the limited and short-term Modifications are able to provide, the Discloser should explore longer term Accommodations in accordance with the AccommodatIon Policy. To explore or request Accommodations, students should contact the Academic Success Centre, and staff should contact their supervisor or HR Partner.