The Office of the Ombudsperson

• Confidentiality: To protect the privacy of all individuals who seek the services of the Office.  Information will only be shared with consent of the individual or as required by law.

• Independence: To operate independently from all academic, administrative, and student government structures to ensure unbiased guidance. To ensure that the Ombudsperson holds no other position that could compromise independence and exercise discretion based on best practices and administrative fairness.

• Impartiality: To consider all information objectively, avoiding conflict of interest, ensuring fair consideration of perspectives.

• Accessibility and Inclusivity: To provide services that are approachable, culturally safe, and responsive to the diverse experiences and needs of our students.

The Office works with:

• Current SFU students.
• Former students, to the extent that they raise student-related concerns within 12 months following their last enrollment date.
• At the discretion of the Office, applicants to the University with student-related concerns.
• Faculty and staff seeking guidance on navigating student-related matters in relation to procedural information and guidance.

The Office does not address:

• Matters more than 12 months old from formerly enrolled students. For enrolled students, matters more than 12 months will be considered at the discretion of the Ombudsperson.
• Personal or legal matters unrelated to SFU policies or student concerns.
• Matters covered by collective agreements, formal legal proceedings, or external jurisdictions.

To fulfill the role, the Ombudsperson may request and access information relevant to a case, including records and correspondence, from University offices or individuals exercising authority.

Access to such information will be in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FIPPA) and SFU’s policies and procedures regarding access to information, and only for the purposes consistent with the Ombudsperson mandate.

The Ombudsperson treats all information shared as private and confidential. The Office will not release your personal information without your explicit consent, except where required by law, where there is an imminent risk of serious harm, or where non-identifying information is used for education, consultation, reporting, or systemic review. You may refuse or withdraw your consent at any time by notifying the Office in writing or by email. Any information collected will be used solely for the purpose for which it was obtained.

To ensure accurate and responsible case management, the Ombudsperson maintains suitable records of complaints, findings, and recommendations. These records are kept securely for a minimum of two years and one day after a case is deemed complete by the Ombudsperson, after which they are confidentially destroyed. The duty to protect confidentiality extends indefinitely after contact with the Office ends.

The Office operates in compliance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and all applicable University privacy policies. The Ombudsperson may consult with the University Counsel when required on matters of disclosure or legal obligations.

The Ombudsperson maintains the right to decline or withdraw from a case, in full or in part, in situations where:

• Intervention would be inappropriate;
• The complaint is frivolous, vexatious, or retaliatory; or
• The function of the Office is being abused.

The Ombudsperson also seeks to avoid involvement where there may be a conflict of interest.

If a case is refused or withdrawn, the student may request a written explanation of the reasons.

Reach out if your concern is University and student-related and you:

• Are involved in a conflict and seek informal resolution options;
• Are unsure which University policy, procedure, or regulation apply to your academic or student life situation;
• Believe a policy, procedure, or decision has been applied unfairly or inconsistently;
• Have a complaint about the application of a University policy or service; and
• Believe there are systemic barriers or patterns of unfair treatment affecting students.
• Want guidance on how to raise a concern within University processes

Within its mandate, the Office can:

• Listen and help clarify the underlying issues of a University-related problem or concern.
• Identify and explain relevant university policies, procedures, and rights.
• Provide tools and strategies for navigating University processes.
• Suggest constructive, informal options for resolving issues.
• Review decisions or processes to ensure they comply with procedural fairness
• Refer you to appropriate offices or resources.
• With your permission, facilitate or mediate discussions if other informal options are exhausted.
• Recommend policy or procedural changes where systemic issues are identified based on trends or patterns observed in student cases.

The Office may assist with concerns such as:

• Academic appeals, grading disputes, and course requirements.
• Academic integrity or non-academic misconduct processes.
• Conflicts with instructors, supervisors, or peers.
• Unfair treatment or abuse of power.
• Guidance on formal complaint or appeal procedures.

To maintain independence and scope, the Office does not:

• Overturn or change decisions or compel the University to act.
• Circumvent established policies or procedures.
• Provide legal advice or counselling services.
• Intervene in matters outside the University’s jurisdiction or unrelated to SFU’s policies, procedures, or operations.
• Advocate for an individual case.
• Address matters covered by collective agreements or external legal proceedings.
• Proceed with cases that are frivolous, vexatious, or an abuse of the Office’s functions.

Beyond individual cases, the Ombudsperson:

• Identifies and reports patters or complaints and systemic issues that affect students.
• Recommends policy or procedural changes to improve fairness and accessibility.
• Develops, facilitates and participates in education and outreach activities on procedural fairness and conflict resolution as they related to University policies, procedures, and practices.

*For further support please visit https://www.sfu.ca/sfu-community/community-supports.html.

If a member of the University community believes that the Ombudsperson has violated the Terms of Reference of the Office in relation to a matter in which they were involved, they may submit a written complaint to the Chair of the Ombudsperson Advisory Committee.

The Chair will convene the Advisory Committee to review the concern. The Committee is composed of representatives from the SFSS, GSS, the Registrar’s Office, the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and Staff and Faculty.

Committee Chair: Margarita Fullerton, University Secretary
Email: margarita_fullerton@sfu.ca

Fairness (Administrative Fairness):
Application of well-recognized principles of procedural fairness and effective public administration, including appropriate authority, clear and accessible policies, consistent standards, and timely complaint resolution.

Natural Justice (Procedural Fairness):
Ensures affected parties receive notice, understand the case under review, have opportunity to respond, and that decision-makers are unbiased.

Member of the University Community:
Any student, employee, or volunteer studying or working at SFU, including faculty, temporary or sessional instructors, and volunteer members of University bodies.

Student:
Currently enrolled graduate and undergraduate students or students with a granted leave of absence and, at the discretion of the Office, applicants.