Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities updated to reflect changing needs

Image shows a group of students standing in front of the Life Sciences Building located on the Keele Campus

The Office of Student Community Relations (OSCR) has updated the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities to better support and serve York University community members learning, working, and living on and off campus.

An important document, the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities is updated every five years to adapt to changing community needs and to align with prevailing University policies and guidelines. Changes are made after extensive consultation with students, staff and faculty to help ensure that the code affirms values of equity and respect.

The code is a set of identified values that the York University community is expected to uphold in their daily interactions, behaviours and overall conduct. The code upholds a philosophy and practice that is intended to balance a set of principles: support, accountability and education. The code also educates the community about non-academic behavioural standards at York and promotes accountability, ensuring that the York community upholds the dignity of individuals and groups and the enjoyment of their rights.

The recent additions to the code include:

  • the use of gender-neutral pronouns for a broader scope of representation;
  • expanded definitions to improve clarity;
  • improvements to procedural fairness guidelines;
  • the addition of York’s postering guidelines;
  • the inclusion of language around conduct during off-campus experiential education opportunities and University-related issues/events; and
  • the disruption of academic evaluation (as per Senate Policy on Academic Honesty).

There were also updates surrounding complaints, including:

  • an extension to the definition of who can file a complaint;
  • the timeline to amend a complaint;
  • changes regarding safety concerns; and
  • an emphasis on informal resolution as the preferred approach when resolving complaints.

To see the changes to the code, visit the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities web page. York community members are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the code to better support themselves and each other.

Learn more about the Office of Student Community Relations on the OSCR website.