Student Advocacy Support

Student Advocacy Support

For the majority of our student-members, their time at OC is supportive, empowering, and an enjoyable experience. However, sometimes members run into issues and need to submit a complaint or concern to the institution.

Through OCSU Student Advocate Support, we are able to guide members in a confidential, informative, and safe environment to discuss complaints, disputes, or other conflicts with Okanagan College administration or faculty. We can also provide support and assistance with interpretation of Okanagan College policies and procedures.

An OCSU Student Advocate can help students develop strategies and options for resolving your concerns, as well as provide information to you regarding policies and procedures, and addressing fairness issues at OC.

A Student Advocate is available to attend meetings with the student to help facilitate communication and problem solving processes and is also available to attend formal appeals with students.

Services Provided

An OCSU Student Advocate will provide the following informal assistance to members:

  • Listen to student concerns and assess the situation presented;

  • Answer questions or help find others who can;

  • Provide information on college policies and procedures, as well as related student rights and responsibilities;

  • Assist students in gathering information about their case;

  • Discuss possible courses of action, including steps to resolve problems informally;

  • Assist students in filing appeals;

  • Assist students in preparing for conversations with supervisors, instructors or administrators, or for formal hearings;

  • Participate in meetings between students and College officials as a witness; and,

  • Refer students to service departments, or external agencies, for assistance and/or advice.

The Student Advocate will not:

  • Offer counselling; or

  • Act as a legal or other representative for students.

  • The Student Advocate cannot guarantee desired results for students

The following operating principles shall be applied by the Student Advocate service:

  • Confidentiality – the Students’ Union will maintain the confidentiality of information provided unless directed otherwise by the student providing the information. This confidentiality enables students to discuss matters with their student advocate and receive advice without taking action. Confidentiality will be deemed void if a student makes comments about doing harm to themselves or others, or if a student speaks to the advocate about a criminal act. Your student advocate is neither a lawyer nor medical professional, and there is no legal privilege attached to communications between students and the Advocate.   

  • Independence – The Students’ Union operates independently from Okanagan College and is responsible to students who are Students’ Union members. OCSU Student Advocates act independently of Okanagan College and remain independent of any work undertaken by the Students’ Union in providing general advocacy and representation of the student body to Okanagan College.

  • Avoiding Conflicts of Interest – The Student Advocate will seek to avoid conflicts of interest between their work in the role of Student Advocate and other duties they perform for the Students’ Union, and with respect to their working relationships with members of the campus community. 

  • Operations – The Student Advocate’s work shall be delegated to a staff person of the Students’ Union and be part of that staff person’s job description.

  • No Duty to Assist – The Student Advocate shall review each request for assistance and shall, at their sole discretion, determine whether the Student Advocate service shall be provided to the requesting student based on the merits of the case and the structures under which Okanagan College processes student complaints and appeals. The Students’ Union does not have a legal duty to represent a member regardless of their circumstances.

  • Zero Tolerance for Abusive Behavior – The Students’ Union has zero tolerance for abusive, harassing or bullying behavior and any student acting in such a manner with the Student Advocate shall be immediately released from the service.

Other Resources

OC Student Complaint and Concern Policies and Procedures can be found here

Self-Advocacting Tips

If you are looking to manage a complaint or concern with an instructor or OC employee independently we’ve put some tips and best practices together for you! Remember, you can ask for help at any point in the complaint process.


First, you can find the student complaint policy and forms here

  • You are expected to be respectful, and it is expected that you will be treated with respect as well

  • It is prohibited for OC employees or instructors to retaliate against you if you make a complaint-it cannot affect your academic standing or study permit if you are an international student. 

  • Complaints that are determined to be frivolous, vindictive, or petty may not be accepted 

  • OC encourages students to resolve complaints informally before submitting a formal complaint or concern- do this if you feel that it is safe to do so

  • Supply evidence If you have it. All parties involved need to be able to reference applicable policies, procedures, or syllabi to know if a violation has occurred 

  • You can ask for academic accommodations if you need them while going through a complaint such as an exam deferral, an extension on an assignment, withdrawal from a class, relocation of studies to another campus or from home, etc.

  • You can appeal a decision through the appeal process. This is done by appealing to one of the Vice President’s offices. For academic appeals, reach out to the Provosts’ Office, Non Academic appeals, contact the VP Enrolment & College Relations Office. 

  • You are allowed to bring an advocate or support person to any complaint or appeal meetings. You can also ‘cc that person on any communication emails and request they be included in responses to you. 

  • You can ask your Students’ Union for a Student Advocate at any point in the complaint process by reaching out to us. See the Advocate Request form on this page. 

A note about submitting a complaint about KSS students:

OCSU continues to receive feedback and complaints from our members about the influx of KSS students on the Kelowna campus, and the disruptive behaviour some of them continue to engage in. We recently spoke to OC Leadership about this, and other student issues. 

If you would like to submit a complaint about KSS students, we recommend you contact OCSU via info@ocsu.ca and OC’s Dean of Students, James Coble via JCoble@okanagan.bc.ca. If the concern is about an immediate health and safety risk, please contact campus security: 250-317-2435