Discipline in University Residences, General Principles Regarding [April 18, 1985]

University of Toronto Governing Council

General Principles Regarding Discipline in University Residences

April 18, 1985

To request an official copy of this policy, contact:

The Office of the Governing Council
Room 106, Simcoe Hall 27 King’s College Circle University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario
M5S 1A1

Phone: 416-978-6576
Fax: 416-978-8182
E-mail: governing.council@utoronto.ca
Website: http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/

General Principles Regarding Discipline in University Residences

  1. Residences exist to contribute to the achievement of the University’s educational goals by providing a living environment for students which is conducive to study and to personal growth and development. Individual residences develop their own philosophies and lifestyles within the context of this overall purpose.
  2.  The University has a responsibility to regulate the behaviour of students living in its residences to the extent necessary to preserve good order and protect the overall interests of each residence community, the safety, rights and property of individuals, and the property of the University.
  3. Responsibility and authority for the regulation of student behaviour in residences should be assigned to the council of the college, faculty or school administering the residence, and in the case of Devonshire House, to the Devonshire Advisory Committee. Each council may and should establish policies and procedures for the exercise of this authority that suit local conditions, including, as necessary, the delegation of powers to other bodies or specific officials. Any such policies and procedures must be consistent with the general principles outlined in this document.
  4. Student residents should play a major part in the development of policies and procedures for discipline in residences.
  5. Whenever possible and appropriate, reason and moral suasion should be used to resolve issues of individual behaviour before resort is made to formal disciplinary procedures.
  6. Authority over student resident behaviour includes behaviour on residence premises, and elsewhere when such behaviour has direct implications for the proper functioning of the residence.
  7. It is intended that procedures be as informal as possible. Nevertheless, the principles of natural justice apply to the exercise of disciplinary powers over student residents. These principles should be taken to include reasonable notice--written in other than minor matters--of the nature and source of a charge, an opportunity to hear and answer any evidence used to substantiate the charge, an opportunity to submit evidence and arguments, and the right to a decision on the merits of the case by a disinterested person or persons.
  8. Disciplinary policies and procedures should include a provision for the appeal of disciplinary actions by the students affected to an individual or body not involved in the original decision.
  9. Residence disciplinary policies need not include an exhaustive list of offences. However, such policies should make clear to students the areas of behaviour in which standards exist in sufficient detail that, with the exercise of reason and common sense, students are aware of their obligations and responsibilities, and of their rights. A description of the procedure a student resident should follow to make a complaint regarding a violation of his or her rights should also be included. Disciplinary policies should be communicated to students in writing at the time they are admitted to residence.
  10. Penalties may include fines, orders of restitution, suspension from the residence, suspension of privileges that do not involve a removal from residence, and expulsion from residence. The suspension or removal of academic privileges should not be among the penalties imposed for breaches of residence discipline.
  11. Behaviour which constitutes a breach of the Criminal Code or other statute may be the subject of action both under a residence discipline policy and in the courts.
  12. Records should be kept of any formal warnings given to, or any disciplinary actions taken against, students with respect to conduct in residence. However, such records should not become a part of a student’s academic record, nor appear in any form on a transcript.