The University of Canterbury (UC) is a community of people committed to creating a campus culture of belonging, understanding, inclusiveness and caring. Ākonga Tū, Ākonga Ora.
As a student you will try new things, make mistakes and learn from them, but you still have a responsibility to keep yourself and others safe and not bring UC into disrepute. Behaviours that put you or others at serious risk can impact on your enrolment at UC, your career and subsequent employment opportunities.
Upon enrolment at UC, all students undertake to comply with the University’s regulations and policies.
All UC students and staff can be assured that without exception the University will not tolerate harassment or racism of any kind. We support institutions, policies and practices that protect and promote individuals on the basis of who they are and what they do, not on the basis of the colour of their skin, their sexuality, religious beliefs or who their parents were.
Responsibilities Statement
The Responsibilities Statement aligns with UC's Student Code of Conduct. It hightlights the partnership between UC and students to provide a safe learning, living and working environment.
As a UC student it is your responsibility:
To be self-motivated and actively contribute to personal learning
- to complete course work to the best of your ability
- to honestly engage in your course work
- to understand that academic dishonesty including plagiarism and cheating has serious consequences
To respect the rights of others in your community
People at UC actively contribute towards making their community a better place. Uncontrolled and inconsiderate parties, fires, vandalism, theft, damage to your own or neighbouring properties and broken glass on the roadside are both illegal and a safety hazard. Activities that negatively impact on your community are not acceptable.
To contribute to a safe and healthy learning environment
You have a responsibility to not be involved in harassment, bullying, racism, abuse, discrimination or violence in any form (this includes inappropriate gestures or comments, whether face-to-face or online). You are responsible for your own health and safety on campus, and you have responsibilites towards those around you as well, including:
- complying with the University's health and safety requirements
- taking care that your words or actions do not adversely affect the health and safety of any other people
Any activity that jeopardises others' wellbeing or safety, or encourages law-breaking, is taken seriously.
If you experience or witness any harassment, bullying, racism, abuse, discrimination or violence, we encourage you to seek support and/or report it if you comfortable to do so.
Expectations
Students are expected to
Each student at UC has a set of responsibilities that include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Be fully acquainted and compliant with the published regulations and policies of the University (eg, the Campus Drug and Alcohol Policy and Harassment Policy) and comply with New Zealand law.
- Provide information to the University that is accurate and not misleading.
- Behave in a manner that does not bring the University into disrepute.
- Respect the rights and property of others both on and off campus.
- Ensure their own health and safety and that of those around them.
- Seek to positively engage with the University and the wider community.
- Actively contribute to their learning by attending classes, meeting their obligations and course requirements.
Students can expect UC to
- treat people in a respectful and equitable manner
- provide a high quality learning environment, facilities and services including libraries, online resources and IT services
- have policies and regulations that are accessible
- manage personal information appropriately
- take grievances and breaches of discipline seriously and equitably, and follow a clear and transparent process
- provide students with timely, regular and constructive feedback on their academic process
- ensure reasonable access to services that support student learning and their wellbeing
- meet the requirements set out under The Education (Pastoral Code of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021.
How to raise a concern
We want our students to feel welcome and safe at UC and encourage you to seek support about anything that may be troubling you. Find out how to raise a concern, complaint, or grievance, or contact the Student Care team or UCSA for advice about your options and University processes.
Available support
Tiaki Paenga | Security
Tel: 03 369 2888
Emergency tel:
0800 823 637
security@canterbury.ac.nz
UCSA Advocacy & Welfare
Tel: 03 369 0555
help@ucsa.org.nz
Atawhai Ākonga | Student Care
Support for domestic and international students
Support for sexual harm
Tel: 03 369 3388
studentcare@canterbury.ac.nz
Te Whare Hauora | UC Health Centre
Tel: 03 369 4444
healthcentre@canterbury.ac.nz
Pacific Development Team
Tel: 03 369 1445
pasifika@canterbury.ac.nz
Rainbow Advisor
Tel: 03 369 1445
rainbow@canterbury.ac.nz
UC Māori
Tel: 03 369 1445
ucmaori@canterbury.ac.nz
Te Ratonga Whaikaha | Student Accessibility Service
Tel: 03 369 3334
sas@canterbury.ac.nz
Te Pātaka | Student Services Hub
Levels 2 & 3
Puaka-James Hight Central Library
Complaints through UC
We want you to feel safe and confident to speak up and to be heard. There are both formal and informal ways to do this.
For information on the formal complaints process, please see: raise a concern
For information on informal anonymous reporting, please see: reporting an issue
Complaints through the NZQA
The New Zealand government has a particular set of expectations and standards in place for universities, which are outlined in The Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021. If you are at any stage unhappy with a university process or decision, it is important for you follow University processes and talk with the Student Care team or UCSA first. If, after following those processes, you are still unhappy, you can pursue an external complaint through NZQA.
Useful links
- UC disciplinary processes
- Academic misconduct regulations
- Behavioural misconduct regulations
- Sexual harassment and sexual assault