The University of Victoria is committed to promoting critical academic discourse while providing a respectful and productive learning environment. All members of the university community have the right to experience, and the responsibility to help create, such an environment.
For your online course you will work together with other online learners and your instructor to build a respectful and collaborative learning environment that promotes thoughtful discussion.
This involves respecting the rights and opinions of your classmates. Your online class should be a safe place for people of all races, genders, sexes, ages, sexual orientations, religions, disabilities, and socio-economic statuses. Offensive, aggressive, derogatory or sarcastic comments, or remarks, as well as personal attacks, will not be tolerated. At times your ideas, opinions, and beliefs may be challenged, but they will always be heard respectfully.
As the course develops, forums can become quite social — it is a great place to ask questions, give your opinion, tell jokes, share experiences, and discuss things that excite or trouble you. However, just as your instructor in a classroom would ask you not to talk in class, conversations should remain course related and conversations that are unrelated to the course content can take place outside the unit forums.
Equity and Human Rights
Within the program, and at the University of Victoria at large, we strive for equity, diversity and inclusion. While it may go without saying, respect is foundational to maintaining a healthy online community. Discrimination and/or harassment of any form will not be tolerated in the program.
Please visit the UVic Equity & Human Rights (EQHR) website for the full policy and information on additional initiatives for building an equitable and inclusive campus.
Confidentiality and copyright
In some cases, students and the course instructor may discuss examples that reflect an actual situation, institution, or community. In order to create an environment where we can all feel free to discuss and learn from situational issues, we ask that everyone respect the confidential nature of the institutions and communities being discussed. When submitting materials in writing, you may wish to alter the names and circumstances slightly to avoid any perception of impropriety.
While the site is password protected, note that email and discussion groups are never entirely confidential and are subject to freedom of information and privacy legislation. Your use of these communication tools should reflect the public nature of the media.
We ask that you respect the copyright of any and all course materials and note that these are circulated and shared for the purposes of this course only. Further reproduction is strictly prohibited.