Courage to Act: A Starter Kit for Student Conduct Offices

Responding to non-academic misconduct at post-secondary institutions can be complex, especially in the context of addressing sexual and gender-based violence. 

 Administering complaints processes by conducting investigations and adjudicating cases of gender-based violence in ways that are trauma-informed, procedurally fair, and reduce harm is critical. It requires understanding and applying foundational standards when implementing institutional policies and procedures, careful and appropriate risk assessment practices, and a trauma-informed, accountability-focused approach to working with respondents or persons who have caused harm. A key part of this work is recognizing the need for meaningful accountability options beyond institutional complaints processes. 

Recognizing these tensions and complexities, Possibility Seeds compiled the following tools and toolkits to support those working on student conduct in cases of gender-based violence.  

  • Creating a Bill of Rights for Complainants and Respondents During an Adjudication Process. This tool offers step-by-step instructions towards developing a bill of rights for all those that are a party to a PSI’s GBV policy. It recognizes that when individuals partake in a process or procedure, they should be guaranteed fundamental rights to protect all individuals involved in the process, but also the community it serves and the system that administers such processes and procedures.

These resources were compiled from Courage to Act’s 70 cutting-edge, evidence-based tools and toolkits to help address and prevent gender-based violence at PSIs across Canada, all freely available for download on the Possibility Seeds site. They will be valuable to those seeking to address and respond to campus GBV and represent the start of a meaningful conversation. We encourage readers to seek training, education, and professional development opportunities in relevant areas to enhance their knowledge and sustained engagement with this work.