Canadian Institute of Floral Design

Student Complaint Policy & Procedure

Canadian Institute of Floral Design is committed to the prompt and equitable resolution of student conflict issues to the satisfaction of both the student and the Canadian Institute of Floral Design. The Student Complaint Procedure is designed to provide students with both an informal and formal process whereby a student may request the review and resolution of a concern. If satisfactory resolution has not been reached by way of the daily problem-solving activities between staff and students which, in most cases, result in immediate resolution, the student has the right to present his/her case and be accompanied, at all times during the process, by an individual of his/her choice. In addition, the student can ask the individual who accompanies him/her to present the case on his/her behalf.

CIFD aims to: 

Develop a culture that views grievances as an opportunity to improve the organization and how it works;

Set in place a grievance handling system that is client focused and helps CIFD prevent grievances from recurring;

Ensure that any grievances are resolved promptly, objectively and with sensitivity and in complete confidentiality;

Ensure that the views of each complaint and respondent are respected and that any party to a grievance is not discriminated against or victimized;

Ensure that there is a consistent response to grievances.

This Complaint Policy is designed to ensure that CIFD responds effectively to individual cases of dissatisfaction.

Before an issue becomes a formal grievance:

Students are encouraged to address any concerns immediately; please do not let a minor problem develop into a major one. Should you have any problems or concerns during your training period, we encourage you to discuss them promptly with the staff member directly involved. Should the resolution to your issue require further involvement, a meeting will be arranged as per the formal complaint procedure or review process.

Grievance handling process for students:

1. In the case where a student is unable to achieve a satisfactory resolution using the informal direct discussion approach recommended above, the student can request that a more formal complaint procedure be launched. To do so, a student must complete and sign an original Student Complaint Form, recording his/her concern and documenting the student's desired resolution. The student must submit the original form and one signed copy to the Administration Desk or a Teaching Assistant at Canadian Institute of Floral Design, who will co-sign the forms in Part A, return the original to the student and keep the copy in the student’s academic file.

2. The Director at Canadian Institute of Floral Design will arrange to meet with the student within two working days of the date of the written complaint. If, as a result of that meeting, the student and the Director decide to implement a mutually agreed to complaint resolution plan, then that decision, the reason for the decision, and a description of the resolution plan must be recorded by the Director in Part B on the student’s original complaint form. The original form must be co-signed by the student and the staff member in sub-section i) of Part B of the form. The original must be returned to the student and a copy must be filed in the student’s academic file.

3. If the student and the Director reach a mutually agreed to resolution in step 2 above then the plan must be implemented and the Director must follow up to ensure the resolution plan satisfactorily resolves the concern. Upon mutually satisfactory resolution of the student concern, the Director will meet briefly with the student to close the concern and record in Part B of the original Student Complaint Form a confirmation that the concern has been satisfactorily resolved. The student and the Director will sign the declaration at the bottom of Part B. The original form will be given back to the student and a copy will be filed in the student’s academic file. A second copy will be filed in the Campus Student Complaint Binder and kept for 3 years.

Review Process:

1. Where a student concern has arisen that could not be resolved to the student’s satisfaction, through the formal procedure outlined above, the student may initiate an appeal. The student must complete and sign Part C (Request for a Review) of the original Student Complaint Form setting out the reasons why the formal procedure resolution was unsatisfactory. The student will again keep the original form and a copy will be submitted to the college Director Donald P. Waltho.

2. The College Director will form a Student Complaint Committee to investigate the student's concern and meet with the student within two (2) working days of the request for a review to discuss resolution.  

3. The College Director will report to the student by completing and signing Part D of the Student Complaint form within five (5) days of the conclusion of its resolution investigation process. The written report will include a summary of the investigation findings and the complaint resolution decision including the reasons for arriving at that decision.

4. The student will be given the original signed copy of the student complaint form. A copy of the student complaint form will be retained in the student's academic file and a second copy will be placed in the Campus Student Complaint Binder, where it will remain for a minimum period of three (3) years.

5. The Campus Director, will maintain this binder on site for possible annual inspection.

6. If the student is not satisfied with the college's decision after the review process, he/she can file a complaint with the Superintendent of private career colleges, provided the student is attending a program approved under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005.