About - Policies

Privacy Policy

Under the Personal Information Act students are entitled to access their student file. The personal information collected will only be used for the purpose for which it was originally collected or for a use consistent... with that purpose, unless the student consents to other use. I hereby consent to the sharing of my enrolment and/or reporting information between Victoria College of Art and Citizenship and Immigration Canada, as necessary for the purposes of the international Student Program, in accordance with applicable provincial privacy legislation. This contract is legally binding when signed by the student and accepted by the institution.

read more

Tuition Payment Policy

        (Non-Tuition) Mandatory full-time student fee ($200 per term).
        (Non-Tuition) Mandatory part-time contract student fee ($100 per term).
        
Personal payments: tuition and fees must be paid by... the start of the program.
Payment plans are accepted with administration approval.
Payment for programs can be made by cheque, cash, or E-Transfer. 
Receipts will be given for all payments.


Diplomas/Certificates are issued once all tuition has been paid. Tax receipts are issued for tuition costs.

read more

Tuition Refund Policy

1. If the Victoria College of Art receives tuition from the student, or a person on behalf of the student, the institution will refund the student, or the person who paid on behalf of... the student, the tuition that was paid in relation to the program in which the student is enrolled if:

a) the institution receives a notice of withdrawal from the student no later than seven days after the effective contract date and before the contract start date;

b) the student, or the student's parent or legal guardian, signs the student enrolment contract seven days or less before the contract start date and the institution receives a notice of withdrawal from the student between the date the student, or the student's parent or legal guardian, signed the student enrolment contract and the contract start date; or

c) the student does not attend a work experience component and the institution does not provide all of the hours of instruction of the work experience component within 30 days of the contract end date.

2. The Victoria College of Art will refund the tuition for the program and all related fees paid by the student or a person on behalf of the  student enrolled in the program if the student is enrolled in the program without having met the admission requirements and did not misrepresent his or her knowledge or skills when applying for admission.

3. If a student does not attend any of the first 30% of the hours of instruction to be provided during the contract term, the Victoria College of Art may retain up to 50% of the tuition paid under the student enrolment contract unless the program is provided solely through distance education.

4. Unless the program is provided solely through distance education, if the Victoria College of Art receives a notice of withdrawal from a student:

a) more than seven days after the effective contract date and

i. at least 30 days before the contract start date, the institution may retain up to 10% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract, to a maximum of $1,000.

ii. less than 30 days before the contract start date, the institution may retain up to 20% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract, to a maximum of $1,300.

b) after the contract start date

i. but before 10% of the hours of instruction to be provided during the contract term have been provided, the institution may retain up to 30% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract.
ii. and after 10% but before 30% of the hours of instruction to be provided during the contract term have been provided, the institution may retain up to 50% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract.

5. Unless the program is provided solely through distance education, if the Victoria College of Art provides a notice of dismissal to a student and the date the institution delivers the notice to the student is:

a) before 10% of the hours of instruction to be provided during the contract term have been provided, the institution may retain up to 30% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract.

b) after 10% but before 30% of the hours of instruction to be provided during the contract term have been provided, the institution may retain up to 50% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract.

6. If the institution provides the program solely through distance education and the institution receives a student's notice of withdrawal or the institution delivers a notice of dismissal to the student and:

a) the student has completed and received an evaluation of his or her performance for up to 30% of the hours of instruction to be provided during the contract term, the institution may retain up to 30% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract, or

b) the student has completed and received an evaluation of his or her performance for more than 30% but less than 50% of the program,the institution may retain up to 50% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract.

7. The Victoria College of Art will refund fees charged for course materials paid for but not received if the student provides a notice of withdrawal to the institution or the institution provides a notice of dismissal to the student.

8. Refunds required under this policy will be paid to the student, or a person who paid the tuition or fees on behalf of the student, within 30 days:

a) of the date the Victoria College of Art receives a student's notice of withdrawal,

b) of the date the Victoria College of Art provides a notice of dismissal to the student,

c) of the date that the registrar provides notice to the Victoria College of Art that the institution is not complying with section 1 c) or 2 of this policy, or

d) after the first 30% of the hours of instruction if section 3 of this policy applies.

9. If an international student delivers a copy of a refusal of a study permit to the Victoria College of Art, sections 1(a), 1(b), 4, 7, and 8 of this policy apply as if the copy of the refusal were a notice of a withdrawal, unless:

a) the international student requests an additional letter of acceptance for the same program that was the subject of the refusal of a study permit,

b) or the program is provided solely through distance education.

read more

Attendance Policy

All full-time programs require a minimum of 20 hours or more of attendance per week. Students are expected to attend and be punctual for all classes. If students are absent, they are to advise their... instructor on or before the day of absence, stating the reason and duration of the absence. If absent for more than 3 consecutive days, a doctor's note must be provided. Class attendance is taken daily. At the completion of the course, the student's individual attendance is recorded on final reports. A student's continued eligibility for financial assistance depends on their maintaining regular attendance and participation in their studies. Designated institutions are required to identify and report students who fail to meet Student Aid BC attendance criteria. It is the student's responsibility to familiarize themselves with this critera.

read more

Dismissal Policy

If students act in contravention to the instructions of staff, rules, regulations or policies, VCA reserves the right to suspend or dismiss them. A student may also be dismissed due to poor attendance. VCA will... provide a written notice to the student advising that the student has been dismissed from the program. Dismissal is deemed to be effective from the date it is delivered.

read more

Dispute Resolution Policy

Victoria College of Art (VCA) provides an opportunity for students to resolve disputes of a serious nature in a fair, reasonable and equitable manner. This policy governs complaints from students respecting VCA and any... aspect of its operations. Students will not be subject to any form of retaliation as a result of filing a complaint.
When a concern arises, the student should first attempt to address the concern with the individual most directly involved. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome at this level, the student must put their concern in writing and deliver it to the Administration within one week of this dispute. The dispute must be delivered to either President Peter Such or Vice-President Nancy Ruffolo, who can both be reached at either nancyruffolo@vca.ca or info@vca.ca. Administration will arrange to meet with the student to discuss the concern and desired resolution as soon as possible but within five school days of receiving the student's written concern, if circumstances permit. Following the meeting with the student, the Administration will conduct whatever enquiries and/or investigations are necessary and appropriate to determine whether the student's concerns are substantiated in whole or in part. Written reasons for the determination will be provided to the student within 30 days after the date on which the complaint was made. If the student is dissatisfied with the result of the President or Vice-President's written report and feels that they have been misled by the Institution, the student may file a complaint with the Private Training Institutions Branch. The student making the complaint may be represented by an agent or a lawyer.

read more

Student Conduct Policy

Victoria College of Art deems it necessary to protect the safety and integrity of the learning environment of the college. Students who violate the rights of others are subject to disciplinary action which can... range from a warning to dismissal from the program. VCA will not condone or tolerate any discrimination or harrassing behaviour that undermines the dignity and self-esteem of the individual. The college considers harrassment and/or discrimination by any student or staff member to be a serious breach of human rights which requires immediate resolution. Unwelcome sexual oriented conduct which may be verbal, physical or by innuendo is considered sexual harrassment and is subject to disciplinary action. Personal harrassment is defined as unwelcome remarks, behaviours or communications directed toward an individual or group of individuals and has the effect or purpose of seriously abusing, threatening, demeaning or intimidating the individual or group of individuals.

read more

Withdrawal Policy

Students who wish to withdraw from a program will be required to provide their dated withdrawal notice in writing to administration. Depending on the circumstances and the details given in the student's written notice, the... student will be contacted by administration within 2 days to discuss the student's reasons for withdrawal, should the student wish to do so. Any fee adjustments or refunds will be forthcoming according to VCA's Refund Policy. Thus, designated one-month stepping-stone modules-such as drawing, design, painting, etc.-may be completed by the student before withdrawal from our certificate or diploma programs. In this case students will be given credit for these completed modules as separate subject areas on student transcripts. However, these completed modules represent only a portion of the total program leading to other modules necessary to fulfill program requirements for the term. Student records will show the withdrawal status as follows: Withdrawn (W) - issued to all withdrawing students whether eligible for a refund or not.

read more

Grade Regulations Policy

Grade Appeal Policy

1. If a student is dissatisfied with a grade received and can provide evidence that a higher grade is warranted he/she should discuss with his/her instructor. The instructor will reconsider the grade and, if warranted, assign a different grade.
2. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of his/her appeal to the instructor, he/she should submit a written appeal to the Senior Educational Administrator.
3. The Senior Educational Administrator will obtain a copy of the assignment/test in question from the instructor and will have another instructor re-assess the test.
4. If the student achieves a higher grade on re-assessment, the higher grade will be assigned to the student. If the student achieves a lower grade on re-assessment, the original grade will be retained.
5. The grade will be considered final and cannot be appealed. The decisions on the grade appeal will be provided to students within 30 school days of Victoria College of Art's receipt of the written appeal.

Grades Regulations Policy Jan 2021

1. Once a course is completed, the instructor will give a final grade based on assignments, class attendance and participation. The mid-term report (mid-course report) to the student will give a written assessment of student progress, possibly listing the assignments given by this point. Students will be given notice (mid-course) as to whether they have a chance to complete the course or not.
2. There will be no extension for handing in assignments beyond the due date or the last class of the course. Only exception would be extenuating circumstances that will be determined by both the instructor and the administration. As indicated in the PTIB manual, instructors do not have any responsibility to students beyond the end date of the term or course.
3. In the case of incomplete (formally “INC”) course work by the end of the course, the instructor has three options:

1. Written notice must be given to admin that the student is withdrawing from the course.
2. Student can receive a grade based on what the instructor has received by the end of the course.
3. If no course work has been received from the student and there was no official written withdrawal sent to administration, then the instructor will give the student an “F” for “Failed” which will appear on the transcript. NOTE: With the “W” or “F” on the transcript, the student will not receive credit or course hours. If it is determined that the course is a required course in the program, it will be necessary for the student to repeat the course at another time.

Attendance:

Because Student Aid and PTIB require the student to be at least 80% in attendance, the student will need to attend the course at least 10 of the 12 classes. If this is not possible, due... to illness or any other serious absence beyond the control of the student, then administration and the instructor will assess the situation to make sure the student can complete assignments to receive a grade, course credit and instructional hours .

read more

Online Delivery and Recorded Classes:

With respects to the new online program delivery on Zoom, the instructor will keep a recorded class session that might be available to the student, at the instructor’s discretion. Most instructor’s lectures... are copy-righted and thus restricted from distribution to third parties. Because 80% course attendance is required to receive the necessary number of hours , students cannot substitute reviewing the recorded class sessions for actual in-class attendance.

read more

Exceptions are as follows:

1. New students starting the course late (first two classes missed) due to late enrolment.
2. Students making changes to their course schedules at the beginning of the term
3. Students with Illness or any other legitimate excuse accepted by the instructor

Beyond the first two classes, the student will wait to enroll in the course at another time.

Sexual Misconduct Policy

The Victoria College of Art is committed to the prevention of and appropriate response to sexual misconduct. The college does not tolerate any form of sexual misconduct, and pledges to support victims/survivors and ensure... that they are treated with compassion. This policy applies to our entire community, including students, staff, faculty, administrators, contractors, volunteers, and visitors.

Sexual misconduct refers to a spectrum of non-consensual sexual contact and behaviour including the following:

• sexual assault;
• sexual exploitation;
• sexual harassment;
• stalking;
• indecent exposure;
• voyeurism;
• the distribution of a sexually explicit photograph or video of a person to one or more persons other than the person in the photograph or video without the consent of the person in the photograph or video and with the intent to distress the person in the photograph or video;
• the attempt to commit an act of sexual misconduct; and
• the threat to commit an act of sexual misconduct.

Complaints vs Reports

A Complaint of sexual misconduct is different than a Report of sexual misconduct. A person may choose to disclose or complain of sexual misconduct without making a formal report.  A Report is a formal notification of an incident of sexual misconduct to someone at the institution accompanied by a request for action.

A student making a Complaint will be provided with resolution options and, if appropriate, accommodation, and will not be required or pressured to make a Report.

Procedures for Complaints

The process for making a Complaint about sexual misconduct involving a student is as follows:

The administration at the Victoria College of Art take all complaints about sexual misconduct very seriously, and treat the details shared with utmost confidence. In the case of an incident of sexual misconduct, the person who wishes to file a complaint can do so by emailing info@vca.ca or by calling (250) 598-5422. The Vice-President of the college will be the primary contact for the report. The secondary contact is the Executive Administrator, who can also be reached at info@vca.ca.

The process for responding to a Complaint of sexual misconduct involving a student is as follows: 

The college will swiftly take action, and work with the victim/survivor to fully understand the situation. The institution will take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the campus and the college community. 

Procedures for making a report:

1. The process for making a Report of sexual misconduct involving a student is as follows:

In the case that a member of the college community wishes to file a formal report, they are asked to, in writing, detail the experience with as much detail as they are comfortable with, and then outline a request for action. In the case of an incident of sexual misconduct, the person who wishes to file a report can do so by emailing info@vca.ca . The VCA Vice-President will be the primary contact for the report. Otherwise,  the secondary administration contact can also be reached at info@vca.ca.

2. The process for responding to a Report of sexual misconduct involving a student is as follows:

The staff at VCA pledge to do everything in their power to mitigate harm and make sure that claims will be fully investigated. During this time, all parties involved will be treated with dignity and respect, and there will be special care taken to ensure that the victim/survivor is feeling as safe as possible with all of the proceedings. After receiving the report, the administration team at VCA will review the report as quickly as possible, and ensure that a response is formulated in a timely manner. 

It is contrary to this policy for an institution to retaliate, engage in reprisals or threaten to retaliate in relation to a Complaint or a Report.

Any processes undertaken pursuant to this policy will be based on the principles of administrative fairness. All parties involved will be treated with dignity and respect. 

All information related to a Complaint or Report is confidential and will not be shared without the written consent of the parties, subject to the following exceptions:

• If an individual is at imminent risk of severe or life-threatening self-harm.
• If an individual is at imminent risk of harming another.
• There are reasonable grounds to believe that others in the institutional community may be at significant risk of harm based on the information provided.
• Where reporting is required by law. 
• Where it is necessary to ensure procedural fairness in an investigation or other response to a Complaint or Report.  

read more

Respectful and Fair Treatment of Students

While on VCA’s premises or in the course of activities or events hosted by the college the following activities are prohibited:

• As a joy-oriented community, the Victoria College of Art will not... allow any incidents of bullying, harassment, or discrimination on the basis of gender, sexuality, race, ability, etc.

This policy extends to the college’s students, staff, and faculty.

If under any circumstances, a prohibited activity occurs, the following outlines the process for addressing the activity:

• If you feel that you have been subjected to harassment, bullying or discrimination; bring the matter to the attention of the person responsible for the conduct.
• If you do not feel comfortable approaching the person responsible, or doing so did not solve the problem, discuss the matter with the Office Administrator, who will take immediate action to resolve the problem (See our Dispute Resolution Policy).

Student Statement of Rights

The Victoria College of Art is certified with the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training. 

Before you enrol at a certified private training institution, you should be aware of your rights and responsibilities. 

You have the right to be treated fairly and respectfully by the institution. 

You have the right to a student enrolment contract that includes the following information:

• amount of tuition and any additional fee for your program 
• refund policy
• if your program includes a work experience, the requirements to participate in the work experience and the geographic area where it will be provided 
• whether the program was approved by PTIB or does not require approval.

Make sure you read the contract before signing.  The institution must provide you with a signed copy.  

You have the right to access the institution’s dispute resolution process and to be protected against retaliation for making a complaint. 

You have the right to make a claim to PTIB for a tuition refund if:

• your institution ceased to hold a certificate before you completed an approved program
• you were misled about a significant aspect of your approved program.

You must file the claim within one year of completing, being dismissed or withdrawing from your program. 

For more information about PTIB and how to be an informed student, go to: http://www.privatetraininginstitutions.gov.bc.ca/students/be-an-informed-student. 

read more

PRIVATE TRAINING INSTITUTIONS BRANCH

Please be advised that under section 61 of the Private Training Act, the Registrar is authorized to collect, use, and disclose personal information in accordance with the Registrar's regulatory duties under that... Act. Accordingly, this institution is authorized to disclose your personal information to the Registrar for regulatory purposes.

Tel. (604) 569-033 or 1-800-661-7441

read more