Residence Policies and Conflict Resolution

All residence policies are outlined in the Residence Policies Handbook. This Handbook can be found on eRezLife under Resources.  

As members of a community, we believe managing conflict is an excellent way for students to learn about themselves and how to get along with other people who may not have the same ideals or beliefs.  

The preferred resolution approach is restorative and educational, where all parties work together to find a pathway forward. By taking a restorative approach to conflict resolution, we work towards identifying, resolving, and building community support for those who experienced harm, as well as ensuring accountability and care for those that have caused harm.  

The general process that students should follow when conflict occurs:  

1. Independent Resolution: Students should speak with each other about the conflict and try and find a resolution on their own in a calm, respectful manner. If the student needs ideas about how to do this or how to start the conversation, they are encouraged to speak with their Residence Don. 
2. Residence Don Assistance: If the students are unable to come to a resolution on their own, their Residence Don can act as a mediator. As a mediator, they will act as a neutral third party and assist you in the process of finding a mutually agreeable resolution to the conflict. 
3. Residence and Community Life Mediation: If the conflict cannot be resolved with the assistance of the Residence Don, students are encouraged to use a Residence and Community Life staff member as a mediator. If the conflict cannot be resolved between all parties, a resolution will be implemented by the Residence & Community Life staff member, and that decision shall be final. 

Don’t Know Where to Start? 

If you are experiencing conflict and do not know where to start, reach out to the Residence and Community Life team at sjuresid@uwaterloo.ca. We will help you navigate the situation and explore options.  

An incident report is submitted for a variety of reasons, including potential policy violations and wellness concerns. Incident reports are created by Residence Dons and Residence and Community Life staff and are documented in a secure database. Incident reports include individual names involved, names of witnesses, and details of the incident. It is then submitted to Residence and Community Life staff for review and is handled confidentially. 

A Residence and Community Life staff member will review the incident report and determine next steps, if required, based on the details of the report.  

Generally, we start with a conversation. We meet with different people involved in the incident to gather more information to help us understand what happened, who was impacted, and how harm can be repaired. These meetings are mandatory to attend.  

From there, if a policy violation is identified, the staff member will determine whether the person is Responsible or Not Responsible for the alleged violation. If the person is found Responsible, the staff member will determine whether a sanction is appropriate. An Alternative Resolution Pathway may also be considered when appropriate. 

If no policy violation is identified, but conflict between students continues or there is a well-being concern, an Alternative Resolution Pathway may be used to support those involved. 

Our work is focused on ensuring we are meeting the needs of the individual while at the same time meeting the needs of the community. Sanctions are determined with consideration given to the nature and severity of the incident, a student’s prior conduct record, the impact of the incident and outcome on the community, the level to which the student was involved, and the extent to which the student accepts responsibility. Sanctions are designed to help students learn from their mistakes and to restore harm caused to the community.  

Sanctions include, but are not limited to:  

• Letter of warning 
• Educational assignment 
• Community resolution 
• Restitution invoice 
• Guest restriction 
• Building restriction 
• Behavioral agreement 
• Suspension  
• Termination of residence contract 

You can learn more about the types of sanctions in the Residence Policies Handbook.  

Alternative Resolution Pathways address concerns, conflicts, or behaviours through a collaborative and educational approach. Alternative Resolution Pathways focus on accountability, repairing harm, and resolving concerns while considering the needs of those involved.  

This may include wellness conversations, which provide an opportunity to check in with students, better understand what may be contributing to a concern, connect students with appropriate supports, and identify strategies for moving forward. 

Alternative Resolution Pathways may be used instead of, or alongside, formal sanctions when appropriate, with the goal of supporting student growth while maintaining a safe and respectful community. 

Students are eligible to bring a support person to a mandatory meeting with Residence and Community Life staff. A support person does not have a participatory role in the meeting. The role of a support person is to support the emotional needs of the student. 

Sanctions are issued using the standard of proof known as balance of probabilities. Sanctions are made at the end of a review when the Residence and Community Life team concluded the incident report is more likely to be true than not based on all the facts presented at that time.  

If a student believes a sanction was imposed unfairly, with prejudice, and/or in a manner that is not in accordance with the Residence Contract or applicable legislation, they have the opportunity to appeal the sanction. Filing an appeal does not defer the sanction under appeal.  

Please review the Residence Handbook carefully to learn more about the appeals process. 

There are several resources you can reach out to, depending on the type of concern you have about the behaviour. 

• For non-urgent concerns related to a residence student’s well-being, conduct, or potential policy violations, contact the Residence and Community Life team at sjuresid@uwaterloo.ca or speak to your Residence Don. 
• For urgent residence supports after-hours, contact the On-Call Residence Duty Don.  
• For urgent and emergency concerns, contact Special Constable Service at 519-888-4911 or call 911.  

Other campus resources:  

• Office of the Ombudsperson 
• Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office 
• Conflict Management Office 

If you are unsure where to start, reach out to the Residence and Community Life team at sjuresid@uwaterloo.ca to explore options.