ABM College is committed to providing a safe environment for everyone. Please read the full policy outlined below.
The Policy applies to all members of ABM College community including students, staff, faculty, administrators, contract service providers, contractors, officers, directors and individuals who are directly connected to any of ABM College initiatives, volunteers and visitors.
The Policy applies to complaints of sexual violence or sexual harassment that have occurred on ABM College campus or at a ABM College event and involve members of the career college community as defined in paragraph one, the Policy Application.
All members of ABM College community have a right to study and work in an environment free of sexual violence and sexual harassment.
This document sets out our policy on sexual violence and sexual harassment, defines the prohibited behaviours, and outlines our investigative processes for sexual violence and sexual harassment.
ABM College is committed to providing members of our career college community an educational environment free from sexual violence and sexual harassment and treating those individuals who report incidents of sexual violence or sexual harassment with dignity and respect.
To that end ABM College will educate and train faculty, staff and students about this Policy and how to identify situations that involve, or could progress into sexual violence or sexual harassment and how to reduce these forms of prohibited behaviours.
Where a complaint has been made, under this Policy, of sexual violence or sexual harassment ABM College will take all reasonable steps to investigate it, including as follows:
(a) responding promptly to any complaint and providing reasonable updates to the complainant and the respondent about the status of the investigation;
(b) assisting those who have experienced sexual violence or sexual harassment in obtaining counselling and medical care;
(c) providing those who have experienced sexual violence or sexual harassment with appropriate academic and other accommodation;
(d) providing those who have experienced sexual violence or sexual harassment with information about reporting options; and
(e) providing on-campus investigation procedures for sexual violence and sexual harassment complaints.
This Policy prohibits sexual misconduct, which includes sexual violence and sexual harassment.
Sexual Violence, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes:
(a) sexual assault which is any type of an unwanted sex act done by one person to another, without that person’s consent, that violates the sexual integrity of an individual ranging from unwanted touching to penetration;
(b) any violence, physical or psychological, carried out through sexual means or by targeting sexuality, including sexual abuse; and
(c) criminal harassment (including stalking and cyber bullying).
Sexual Harassment, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes:
(a) Any course of vexatious comment or conduct of a sexual nature that is known or ought reasonably to have been known to be unwelcome, including:
(b) offensive jokes or comments of a sexual nature;
(c) displaying of pornographic or sexist pictures or materials, including online;
(d) suggestive or offensive remarks;
(e) unwelcome language related to gender;
(f) remarks, jokes, innuendos, propositions, or taunting about a person’s body, attire, sex or sexual orientation;
(g) leering or inappropriate staring ;
(h) bragging about sexual prowess;
(i) physical contact such as touching, patting, or pinching, with an underlying sexual connotation; and
(j) sexual solicitation or advance made by a person in a position to confer, grant or deny a benefit or advancement to the person where the person making the solicitation or advance knows or ought reasonably to know that it is unwelcome.
All members of our career college community will take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual violence on our career college campus or events and report immediately to the ABM College if they are subject to, witness or have knowledge of sexual violence, or have reason to believe that sexual violence has occurred or may occur.
To the extent it is possible, ABM College will attempt to keep all information disclosed confidential except in those circumstances it believes an individual is at imminent risk of self-harm, or of harming another, or there are reasonable grounds to believe that others in the our career community are at risk.
ABM College recognizes the right of the complainant to determine whether her or his complaint will be dealt with by the police and/or ABM College. However, in certain circumstances, ABM College may be required by law or its internal policies to initiate an internal investigation and/or inform police without the complainant’s consent, if it believes the safety of members of its career college community is at risk
A complaint of sexual violence may be filed under this Policy, by any member of our career college community, to the ABM College in writing.
Upon a complaint of alleged sexual violence being made the ABM College will initiate an investigation, including as follows:
(a) determining whether the incident should be referred immediately to police;
(b) meeting with the complainant to determine the date and time of the incident, the persons involved, the names of any person who witnessed the incident and a complete description of what occurred;
(c) interviewing the complainant, any person involved in the incident and any identified witnesses;
(d) interviewing any other person who may have knowledge of incidents related to the complaint or any other similar incidents;
(e) informing the respondent of the complaint, providing details of the allegations and giving the respondent an opportunity to respond to those allegations;
(f) providing reasonable updates to the complainant and the respondent about the status of the investigation; and
(g) determining what disciplinary action, if any, should be taken.
All members of our career college community will take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment on our career college campus or events and report immediately to the ABM College if they are subject to, witness or have knowledge of sexual harassment, or have reason to believe that sexual harassment has occurred or may occur.
To the extent it is possible, ABM College will attempt to keep all information disclosed confidential except in those circumstances it believes an individual is at imminent risk of self-harm, or of harming another, or there are reasonable grounds to believe that others in our career community are at risk.
If the complainant decides not to lay a formal complaint, ABM College may in certain circumstances, be required by law or its internal policies to initiate an internal investigation if it believes the safety of members of its career college community is at risk.
If a member of our career college community believes she/he has been sexually harassed by a member of our career college community, she/he may confront the harasser personally or in writing pointing out the unwelcome behaviour and requesting that it stop; or report the complaint to ABM College in writing.
Upon a complaint of alleged sexual harassment being made to any of ABM College Designates. ABM College designates will initiate an investigation, including as follows:
(a) meeting with the complainant to determine the date and time of the incident, the persons involved, the names of any person who witnessed the incident and a complete description of what occurred;
(b) interviewing the complainant, any person involved in the incident and any identified witnesses;
(c) interviewing any other person who may have knowledge of incidents related to the complaint or any other similar incidents;
(d) informing the respondent of the complaint, providing details of the allegations and giving the individual an opportunity to respond to those allegations;
(e) providing reasonable updates to the complainant and the respondent about the status of the investigation; and
(f) determining what disciplinary action, if any, should be taken.
If it is determined by ABM College that a member of our career college community has been involved in sexual violence or sexual harassment of a member of our career college community, immediate disciplinary or corrective action will be taken up to and including termination of employment or expulsion of a student.
In cases where criminal proceedings are initiated, ABM College will assist police agencies, lawyers, insurance companies, and courts to the fullest extent.
Where criminal and/or civil proceedings are commenced in respect of allegations of sexual violence or sexual harassment, ABM College may conduct its own independent investigation and make its own determination in accordance with its own policies and procedures.
Making False Statements
It is a violation of this Policy for anyone to knowingly make a false complaint of sexual violence or sexual harassment or to provide false information about a complaint. Individuals who violate this Policy are subject to disciplinary and / or corrective action, up to and including termination of employment or expulsion.
It is a violation of this Policy to retaliate or threaten to retaliate against a complainant, acting in good faith, who has brought forward a complaint of sexual violence or sexual harassment, provided information related to a complaint, or otherwise been involved in the complaint investigation process.
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The policy of ABM College is to provide fair treatment of its students and its employees. The College understands that despite the best intentions of all involved, occasional conflicts or disputes may arise. The College takes an open and collaborative approach when dealing with student concerns and disputes. Disputes may be in regards to grades, attendance, instructor conduct, and any other circumstances involving ABM College or its employees.
The College will do its best to understand the complaint and work to resolve the issue in a timely manner. Lodging a complaint will have no adverse consequences on the status of the complainant in their program of study. We will attempt to resolve complaints informally wherever possible, but formal resolution processes are required to satisfactorily resolve more serious issues.
The following series of escalating processes should be followed by Students in order to provide a satisfactory resolution to their complaint or dispute.
Inside D2L Account, select ‘Complaint Form’ located in the top part of the screen
Website via internet browser: https://tinyurl.com/ABMcomplaints
Email to: complaints@abmcollege.com
OR
After the Student Complaint Officer receives a complaint, they will contact the student to acknowledge receipt within one (1) business day. Upon reviewing the complaint, the Student Complaint Officer will work to fix the problem. Depending on the severity, they may involve additional member(s) of ABM College staff and management. Within ten (10) business days the student will be notified of a resolution, or a meeting will be arranged with the Student Complaint Officer.
The student may be accompanied by an advocate of their choice at all stages of the complaint process and this person may make oral submissions on behalf of the student. Besides communication through email and phone, it may be required for the student to attend a meeting in-person or via web conferencing (such as Zoom or Bongo).
In cases where a meet is necessary, an Administrator will review the complaint and any other relevant information before rendering a decision. The decision will be communicated to the student in writing within twenty-one (21) business days following the meeting and will contain the reasons for the decision.
Should the student not be satisfied with the decision rendered by the Administrator, the student may appeal the decision and refer the complaint to the management committee of ABM College for review. The committee is to be comprised of at least three (3) members:
The results of the appeal will be communicated to the student in writing within fourteen (14) business days, and the decision of the management committee is final. ABM College will maintain a record of all student complaints logged at their campus for a period of three (3) years from the date of the decision. This record will include a copy of the written student complaint, any submissions filed, and the written decision(s).
To file a specific complaint, please use one of the above methods rather than phoning the reception desk. For any questions (non-complaints), you may contact us via email at: inquiries@abmcollege.com
Lodging a complaint will have no adverse consequences on the status of the complainant in their program of study. The only exception are cases in which the complainant is proven to have provided false claims in order to maliciously cause hardships or to garner personal benefits.
Resolutions vary based on the nature of the complaint or dispute, and the decisions of the authorities involved.
"I recommend ABM College to almost everyone I meet; great opportunity, friendly staff, I feel valued, appreciated, acknowledged and rewarded, which keeps me motivated mentally and physically. The administration, faculty and staff are truly dedicated and committed to the school community as a whole.”
I loved every minute of going to ABM College, I felt they prepared me so well for my course and for whats to come after I graduated. I could not be happier with my education and now my successful career as a Health Care Aide. - Kelly Reis
True to their slogan "Education that gets you hired".
I very much recommend this school - the staff and teachers were awesome and very friendly. Proud ABM College graduate!
Studying at ABM College was a big jumpstart on my entire career, I was working in an oil and gas company for almost 11 years and when the economy crashed, I went to ABM College and enrolled in the Health Care Aide certificate. A week after I graduated, I applied and got the job I am at now. Most of my co-workers are from ABM College so I highly recommend it.
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