Policies

DISCLAIMER

Content

We reserve the right not to be responsible for the topicality, correctness, completeness or quality of the information provided. Liability claims regarding damage caused by the use of any information provided, including any kind of information which is incomplete or incorrect, will therefore be rejected. All offers are not-binding and without obligation. Parts of the pages or the complete publication including all offers and information might be extended, changed or partly or completely deleted by us without separate announcement.

Referrals & Links

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Legal Validity of this Disclaimer

This disclaimer is to be regarded as part of the internet publication from which you were referred. If sections or individual terms of this statement are not legal or correct, the content or validity of the other parts remains uninfluenced by this fact.

Limitation of Liability

Neither Vancouver Art Therapy Institute, nor any of its partners, employees, agents or representatives will be liable to you, or to any other party for any damages of any kind including, without limitation, special, consequential, indirect or incidental damages, lost profits, business interruption or other damages which in any way arise, either directly or indirectly, from your use of this website or the content.

Dispute Resolution

All VATI Programs

This policy governs complaints from students respecting the Vancouver Art Therapy Institute and any aspect of its operations. Student will not be subject to any form of retaliation as a result of filing a complaint.
All student complaints must be made in writing.
The student must provide the written complaint to the Executive Director who is responsible for making determinations in respect of complaints. If the Executive Director is absent or is named in a complaint, the student must provide the complaint to the Director of Art Therapy Programs.
The process by which the student complaint will be handled is as follows:

Art Therapy and Expressive Arts Therapy Programs

When informal discussions to resolve disagreements between a student and faculty and/or administration prove ineffective, procedures to investigate allegations of misconduct and/or unfairness will take a formal process as follows:

FIRST STEP: DISPUTE RESOLUTION REVIEW COMMITTEE
(a) Student complaint must be made in writing.

(b) Once a letter has been received, a Dispute Resolution Committee will be established to address either academic or administrative matters. This committee will be made up of three faculty members who are unrelated to the issue and will be appointed by the Executive Director, Tatjana Jansen (director@vati.bc.ca). If the contested matter directly involves the Executive Director, Tatjana Jansen (director@vati.bc.ca), the Director of Art Therapy Programs, Laura Worrall (laura@vati.bc.ca), will act in place of the Executive Director in the above mentioned steps. The decisions, recommendations, and/or penalties imposed will be reported to either of the Directors a week after the appointment.

(c) The Director will send a Letter of Notification to the student advising them of the outcome as well as the procedure to appeal (no longer than 30 days from the original date of complaint). If the contested matter directly involves the Executive Director, Tatjana Jansen (director@vati.bc.ca), the Director of Art Therapy Programs, Laura Worrall (laura@vati.bc.ca), will act in place of the Executive Director in the above mentioned steps.

SECOND STEP: APPEALS COMMITTEE
(a) If the decision in the Letter of Notification is subject to reconsideration, the student may request a reconsideration (appeal) to the Board of Directors Chair, Carla Dresser (carladresser@hotmail.com) within 30 days.

(b) The VATI Board of Directors will serve as the Appeals Committee. The student has the right to be present, and present evidence during the discussion stage of the Appeal Committee meeting. The student making the complaint may be represented by an agent or a lawyer.

(c) Within 30 days of the Appeals Committee meeting, a decision will be made confirming, rescinding, or modifying the penalty under appeal. This decision will be made in writing. A Letter of Notification will be sent to the student by registered mail. A copy will also be kept in the student’s file. The decision by the Appeals Committee will be final and binding upon VATI and the student. Further appeal shall be allowed only on procedural grounds, or if significant new evidence comes to light.

(d) No fees will be imposed in relation to any complaint process.The written reasons will advise a student, that if the student is dissatisfied with the determination, and has been misled by the institution regarding any significant aspect of that program, the student may file a complaint with the PTIRU (Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit). Complaints must be filed with within one year of the date a student completes, is dismissed from, or withdraws from the program.

Privacy Policy

PRIVACY STATEMENT

We respect the privacy of every individual who visits our website. We take great measures to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of any personal information on this site.

Refund Policy

This institution is certified by the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU). Certified institutions must comply with regulatory requirements relating to, among other things, student enrolment contracts, tuition refunds and instructor qualifications. For more information about PTIB, go to www.privatetraininginstitutions.gov.bc.ca

In compliance with the standards set by the PTIRU, and following their established refund policy, this policy must be posted on our website. Outlined below is the VATI refund policy in its entirety.

Circumstances when Refund Payable	Amount of Refund
Before the program start date, the institution receives a notice of withdrawal (applies to all students):
No later than seven days after the student signed the enrolment contract, and Before the program start date.	100% tuition and all related fees, other than application fee. Related fees include: administrative fees, application fees, assessment fees, and fees charged for textbooks or other course materials.
At least 30 days before the later of: a) The program start date in the most recent Letter of Acceptance (international students), or b) The program start date in the enrolment contract.	The institution may retain up to 10% of tuition, to a maximum of $1,000 The institution must refund fees paid for course materials if not provided to the student.
More than seven days after the student and institution signed the enrolment contract, and Less than 30 days before the later of: a) The program start date in the most recent Letter of Acceptance (international students) b) The program start date in the enrolment contract.	The institution may retain up to 20% of tuition, to a maximum of $1,300. The institution must refund fees paid for course materials if not provided to the student.
After the program start date, the institution provides a notice of dismissal or receives a notice of withdrawal (applies to all students, except those enrolled in a program delivered solely by distance education):
After the program start date, and up to and including 10% of instruction hours have been provided.	The institution may retain up to 30% of tuition. The institution must refund fees paid for course materials if not provided to the student.
After the program start date, and after more than 10%, but before 30% of instruction hours, have been provided.	The institution may retain up to 50% of tuition. The institution must refund fees paid for course materials if not provided to the student.
The student does not attend the program – “no-show” (applies to all students except those enrolled in a program delivered solely by distance education):
The student does not attend the first 30% of the program.	The institution may retain up to 50% of the tuition. The institution must refund fees paid for course materials if not provided to the student.
The institution receives a refusal of study permit (applies to international students requiring a study permit):
Before 30% of instruction hours would have been provided, had the student started the program on the later of the following: a) The program start date in the most recent Letter of Acceptance b) The program start date in the enrolment contract The student has not requested additional Letter(s) of Acceptance.	100% tuition and all related fees, other than application fee.
After the program start date, the student withdraws or is dismissed (applies to students enrolled in a program delivered solely by distance education):
The student completed up to 30% of the program.	The institution may retain up to 30% of the tuition. The institution must refund fees paid for course materials if not provided to the student.
The student completed more than 30% but less than 50% of the program (based on evaluation provided to the student).	The institution may retain up to 50% of the tuition. The institution must refund fees paid for course materials if not provided to the student.
The student enrolled in a program without having met the admission requirements for the program:
If the student did not misrepresent the student’s knowledge or skills when applying for admission and the registrar orders the institution to refund tuition and fees.	100% tuition and all related fees, including application fees.
The institution does not provide a work experience:
The institution fails to provide the work experience within 30 days of the contract end date, unless the registrar determines the institution was prevented from doing so by circumstances beyond its control.	100% tuition and all related fees, including application fees.
The institution must pay the tuition or fee refund within 30 days after receiving notice of withdrawal or refusal of study permit; providing a notice of dismissal, or the date on which the first 30% of the hours of instruction are provided (no-show).

Sexual Misconduct Policy

The Vancouver Art Therapy Institute is committed to the prevention of and appropriate response to sexual misconduct.
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.

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.
The process for making a complaint about sexual misconduct involving a student is as follows. The complaint should be directed to:

Tatjana Jansen, Executive Director (director@vati.bc.ca), unless absent and/or named in the complaint. If this is the case, then direct the complaint to:
Laura Worrall, Director of Distance Programs (aura@vati.bc.ca)

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

The school will acknowledge the receipt of the complaint within 14 days.

Tatjana Jansen (Executive Director) or Laura Worrall (Director of Distance Programs) will engage in a confidential discussion regarding the complainant’s options, and provide the complainant with information and guidance regarding:

Whether the behaviour(s) in question may fall within the definition(s) of sexual misconduct under this policy.
Possible procedures and options available to the complainant under this policy.
Where a complainant wishes to pursue a formal complaint, what steps need to be taken next.
Available support for the complainant through VATI and outside of the school.

The process for making a report of sexual misconduct involving a student is as follows:

The complainant will be asked to provide a written statement and request for action. The report will need to include the name, title, and contact information of either Tatjana Jansen (see above – #5) . The alternate contact, Laura Worrall, will receive the report in the case where Tatjana Jansen is absent and/or named in the report.

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

The institution will review the report within a two-week time period and confirm next steps in writing.

Disciplinary actions for sexual misconduct student-to-student may include, but are not limited to:

Warning or reprimand.
Referral to counselling services.
Restricted/no access to certain classes or to the individual who made the report.
Suspension/expulsion from specific classes and/or from the school.

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.

This institution is certified by the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU). Certified institutions must comply with regulatory requirements, including the requirement to have a Sexual Misconduct policy. For more information about PTIRU, go to www.privatetraininginstitutions.gov.bc.ca.