Information for Parents, Guardians & Supporters of Residents

There are many ways for your student to get involved while living in Residence and there is always something for them to do.

Encourage your student to take a look at our events calendar to see which events interest them – attending an event is a great way for your student to meet new people and make new friends. They are also a great way for your student to connect with Residence Staff on a regular basis.

If your student is a keen leader, encourage them to take a look at our Residence Council pages. Our Residence Council serves as the voice of the Residence population and is a great way for your student to build employability skills and gain volunteering hours.

Residence Life is the department responsible for enhancing the student experience for residents. The department is focused on helping facilitate a safe and fun experience living in Residence while also connecting students to the Algonquin College Community.

The team includes Resident Advisors (RAs – Students Leaders), one Community Advisor (CA), three Residence Life Coordinators (RLC), one Residence Community Standards Coordinator (RCSC), one Residence Services Lead (RSL) and one Residence Life Manager (RLM).

If you wish to learn more about residence life feel free to email us at residencelife@algonquinresidence.ca

If your resident is 18 years of age or older, we can’t even confirm if the student lives in the building due to the Freedom of Information Act. We can provide information for residents 17 and under.

If your concern is a non-emergency, a Residence staff member will contact the resident directly and notify them that you attempted to reach them.

If your concern is an emergency or safety issue, please contact Algonquin College Security Services at 613-727-4723 ext. 5010. Security Services can do a Wellness Check for your student.

If your resident is 18 years of age or older, we cannot release information without their consent due to the Freedom of Information Act. If your resident is 17 years of age or younger, we can release information to a parent or guardian without written consent.

If your resident is 18 years or older, have them ask the Front Desk for their Residence Life Coordinator’s (RLC) email. The RLC will provide the resident with a Release of Information Form. If your resident fills out the form, lists your name, and gives the form back to the RLC, then we can release information to you about your resident.

Most conflicts occur due to miscommunication via text or a lack of communication about the issue. Encourage your resident to talk face to face with their roommate calmly. If that does not work, get your resident to ask the Front Desk to connect them with a Residence Staff Member for additional support.

Your resident can also take a look at the Roommate Guide page for support.

Direct your resident to their Resident Advisor (RA) who lives on their floor, or their Residence Life Coordinator (RLC) for on-campus referrals. If they aren’t sure who to contact, they can stop by Front Desk and ask!

Our Health & Wellness Page contains information about some on-campus and off-campus resources which are available.

The RCLS is a guideline for students to adhere to while living in residence. It ensures a safe, clean, and peaceful home so that students can focus on their studies.

We have a section on our website dedicated to the Residence Community Living Standards. We encourage every resident to read and understand their rights and responsibilities as a community member.

To read the Residence policies on alcohol, smoking and cannabis, please refer to page 6 of the RCLS.

All cannabis products must be stored in a scent-free container and all paraphernalia must remain clean and odorless.

Residents must be of legal age in Ontario to posses cannabis and to posses or consume alcohol.

If your resident goes to the hospital or leaves the residence in police custody, the emergency contacts(s) on file are notified by Residence Management. If your resident is 18 years or older, the manager cannot disclose what incident occurred but will inform you which hospital your student was taken to.

Residence Management recognizes that having limited information is stressful. If we are able to at the time, we encourage the resident to contact their emergency contact directly as soon as possible.

Here are some of the most useful resources that are available to your student. Take a look at the Student Support Services website for more information about all of the services available at Algonquin College.

Our community is comprised of individuals with varying levels of life experience, interpersonal skills, and resilience.  Rest assured, Residence is a supervised community and we are here to support your student.

Whether your student encounters a roommate issue or a particular challenge or hardship, highly trained professional staff are always available for guidance, resolution, and referral. 

An important piece of delivering the most appropriate support is to hear from the student themselves.  We encourage students to exercise self-advocacy from a place of fostering personal growth and success, which we kindly ask for your support in that endeavour. 

Should an occurrence arise, you are welcome to contact us.  Please know your insight and feedback is important to us.  We ask that you allow us to proceed with your student in a safe and confidential manner, which may mean your own exclusion from the process.   Your student is our client, and we must act with care, comfort, and consent.   Further, we are guided by privacy laws that set limits on information exchange and require the student’s authorization to release information. 

Here are a few examples of privacy protected processes, where only the student is privy to participation;

• Application Information; admissions, acceptances, contact information, assignments, accounts, withdrawals/cancellation.
• Incident reporting: first-hand knowledge of events is necessary to document occurrences
• Statement of Appeal: to request exemption or review of policy and procedure.
• Special accommodation request: specific request related to Residence accommodation, i.e., medical, accessibility.
• Roommate Mediation: exploration, investigation, mediation, referral and support.
• Forms: administrative process that require information, preferences and consent from the student.

We are practiced hands when navigating the nuances of student communal living.  Remember, we also have an obligation to all students in the same way we commit to assisting your student.  You know what they say, ‘there are always two sides to a story’.  We understand that you may feel the need to become involved, but we have a duty to maintain student privacy with the utmost diligence.  We are pleased to know the student is well supported at home. 

Our best advise is to check-in with your student regularly and be that sounding board they need as obstacles arise, and be sure to send them our way to allow for that personal growth and success to thrive.