Resolution Guide for Students & Community Members
The Advisory Committee on Equity and Diversity has recommended the following steps to facilitate effective resolution of issues within the Department of Theatre.
Issues arising between students or between students and faculty/staff members can be approached using these steps as a guide. These recommendations have been suggested to assist community members in resolving conflicts using informal methods within the department, but these steps can build toward a formal process as is necessary. The Faculty of Fine Arts has its own recommendations.
Steps to the resolution guide
Sit down and document your experience; take detailed notes with quotes, dates and times regarding the incidents in question. This can help both to process your experience, and also to clarify what the offense was exactly. This is helpful later for institutional processes, but it can also clarify miscommunications. Whatever you write down is great; it doesn’t have to follow a specific format.
This step is optional: you can skip it and proceed to step 1, or use it as a point of reflection on whether to take next steps.
Contact the instructor or director (if the conflict is with a student or staff member on an outcome or in a class).
If you are not comfortable dealing directly with them or you do so and the problem continues, go on to step 3.
Reach out to the EDIA Committee’s CAST Student Delegates to receive support and discuss options (writetoedia@gmail.com). These representatives are available to help with steps below. Please allow 72 hours for a reply. Depending on the nature of the issue, CAST may support you in reaching out to the CSU Advocacy Office.
If you are not comfortable dealing directly with them or you do so and the problem continues, go on to step 4.
Depending on the nature of the issue, and advice from CAST, reach out to the relevant area coordinator, or the faculty chair of the EDIA committee. This offers the potential opportunity to clarify the context of the issue, and to have your concerns heard by the faculty community. These faculty can help determine next viable steps for the issue.
If you are not comfortable dealing directly with them or you do so and the problem continues, we would recommend you return briefly to step 0, and gather your documentation and thoughts before going on to step 5.
Reach out to the Chair of the Department. Having your notes from step 0 will help determine whether the process advances as a formal or informal complaint. But at this point, please revisit those notes with the Code of Rights and Responsibilities in mind (look at Section V for violations). Administrators that can assist in the filing of a formal complaint need clear facts and data to be able to do this. Please note that formal complaints cannot be registered from anonymous feedback. If an informal process is still viable, the chair will also facilitate that dialogue. You are welcome to invite CAST delegates to join you in this meeting for support.
If you are not comfortable dealing directly with them or you do so and the problem continues, go on to step 6.
Anyone who you feel comfortable with in this process can help connect you with the University Ombuds Office: http://concordia.ca/ombuds or the Office of Rights and Responsibilities: http://concordia.ca/rights. The University has a Conduct Hub with recommendations. Depending on the nature of the issue, you may choose to consult the appropriate office on your own.
About the Advisory Committee on Equity & Diversity
The Committee is composed of faculty and students, including the Department Chair and Area Coordinators, and is tasked with addressing issues of equity and diversity including, but not limited to, gender, sexuality, race, class, ability, and age.
Students may contact the Committee's student delegates at any time with questions about these guidelines or for assistance in resolving specific issues with the utmost confidentiality.
More University resources
At any time, University members (students, faculty, or staff) may also consult the Ombuds Office or the Office of Rights and Responsibilities.
- The Ombuds Office assists with the informal resolution of complaints related to the application of policies, rules, and procedures at Concordia.
- The Office of Rights and Responsibilities assists in addressing behavioural incidents and conflicts on campus as described in the Code of Rights and Responsibilities.