Off-Campus Activity Policy

This Off-Campus Activity Policy (the “Policy”) serves to ensure a consistent set of standards are upheld to govern accessible, relevant and valuable student experiences related to Off-Campus Activities sanctioned by Cambrian College (the “College”). It also ensures due diligence of the College in identifying and managing the risks inherent in all Off-Campus Activities while protecting the safety of all Participants.

This Policy applies to all Off-Campus Activities for students provided by the College.

Examples of activities covered by this policy include, but are not limited to:

• Field trips, whether occurring during or outside regularly scheduled class time;
• Travel to attend a conference, festival, competition, and other academic meetings; and
• Travel to attend team sports and related off-campus athletic activities and physical education.

This Policy does not cover activities over which the College exercises no control and for which it can take no responsibility.

Examples of activities not covered by this Policy include, but are not limited to:

• Learning activities such as clinical, co-op or other types of placements that are an integral part of the course curriculum;
• Activities sponsored or organized by student clubs or associations affiliated with the Cambrian Student Council, except when such activities are formally sponsored by, or are organized with, the direct participation of the College;
• Activities organized by third parties and advertised at the College; this also includes any Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) events.
• Activities organized solely by a student or group of students;
• Out-of-province or out-of-country travel activities.

Critical Incident:  means an injury of a serious nature that,

1. places life in jeopardy,
2. produces unconsciousness,
3. results in substantial loss of blood,
4. involves the fracture of a leg or arm but not a finger or toe (note that fracture of multiple fingers or toes does qualify as a critical injury)
5. involves the amputation of a leg, arm, hand or foot but not a finger or toe, (note, the amputation of multiple fingers or toes does qualify as a critical injury)
6. consists of burns to a major portion of the body, or
7. causes the loss of sight in an eye. (Ontario Health and Safety Act, R.O. 1990, Regulation 834)

Off-Campus Activity:  means any activity approved by the College as a sanctioned component of a program and undertaken by staff and students at a location not owned, managed, or controlled by the College. These activities must be for educational, research or other purposes supportive of the College mandate.

Participant: means any individual, including staff, students, and authorized volunteers, taking part in an Off-Campus Activity.

1. General
   1. Off-Campus Activities are an important component of the educational process and are supported and encouraged by the College.
   2. All requests to conduct an Off-Campus Activity must be submitted to the administrator responsible for the program and be approved before any financial commitment, including introducing any fee not included in program tuition, is made and any student is recruited.
   3. All Off-Campus Activities shall have an assigned staff supervisor or leader who shall be responsible for leading the activity and for enforcing safety procedures and Cambrian policies.
   4. If an evaluative component is assigned to a particular Off-Campus Activity, the staff supervisor or leader should ensure that an alternative method of evaluation is provided should a Participant not be able to join the activity for legitimate reasons (e.g. cost, accessibility, illness) as determined by the staff supervisor or leader or Dean.
2. Risk and Safety Assessment and Planning
   1. The College recognizes, that although Off-Campus Activities increase the value of the learning experience, these might present unique risks and/or hazards to Participants.
   2. The College and its members have a shared responsibility in assessing and appropriately addressing safety issues concerning Off-Campus Activities.
   3. The safety of all Participants in any College Off-Campus Activity must be taken into account when the activity is being designed and planned.
   4. Staff members responsible for planning and leading the Off-Campus Activity must conduct an appropriate risk management assessment and put in place measures to ensure the safety and accessibility for all Participants.
   5. All Participants must be notified of the specific objectives and expected outcomes for the particular activity prior to the Off-Campus Activity taking place.
   6. All Participants involved in an Off-Campus Activity must be advised of the known and reasonably foreseeable risks inherent in the activity.
      1. They must formally acknowledge that they consent to the assumption of these risks.
   7. The College shall, at its discretion, require consent forms, proof of insurance and other information for Off-Campus Activities in order to facilitate travel arrangements, communications, contingency/emergency plans and ensure risks are mitigated to the extent possible.
   8. If a Critical Incident occurs during an Off-Campus Activity that affects the health and safety of Participants, it will be responded to in accordance with Cambrian’s Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedure,
   9. Whenever possible, Participants in Off-Campus Activities should not work or engage in the activity alone.
3. Transportation
   1. If travel arrangements are provided by, or on behalf of, the College, all Participants must utilize them.
      1. Participants not willing to use College arranged or provided transportation must sign a waiver form to that affect.
   2. Off-Campus Activities should begin and end on campus.
   3. There may be instances where transportation is not provided by the College.
      1. In these instances, Participants are responsible for their own transportation to, and from, the site of the Off-Campus Activity.
      2. Participants must also ensure that they have adequate insurance coverage.
4. Conduct
   1. Participants are expected to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and in accordance with both the College’s Code of Conduct and the Student Rights and Responsibilities Policies.
   2. If a Participant negatively impacts on the participation of others, the leader of the Off-Campus Activity has the right to have the individual cease all related activity.
   3. In rare cases, the leader may also send the Participant home or back to the College if feasible, and at the Participant’s own expense.

Senior Team is responsible for:

• Ensuring college-wide quality assurance and application of this Policy.

Vice President Academic is responsible for:

• Ensuring the development, review and availability of this Policy.

Dean/Chair/Director is responsible for:

• Ensuring faculty/staff familiarize themselves with, and adhere to, the requirements of this Policy.
• Assessing and approving requests for Off-Campus Activities.
• Conveying issues to the Vice President Academic regarding the requirements of this Policy.
• Ensuring the safety of staff and student Participants in Off-Campus Activities.

Staff/Faculty are responsible for:

• Familiarizing themselves, and complying, with the requirements of this Policy and any associated procedures.
• Effectively planning the Off-Campus Activity, ensuring appropriate risk assessment and mitigation factors have been considered and addressed.
• Communicating all requirements of the Off-Campus Activity to the Participants.
• Ensuring all Participants complete the necessary and appropriate forms.
• Leading and managing the Off-Campus Activity in such a manner that protects the safety of all Participants.

Students are responsible for:

• Familiarizing themselves with the requirements of this Policy.
• Complying with the requirements of this Policy.
• Notifying faculty or the College of any circumstances or accommodations that may impact their participation in the Off-Campus Activity.