Policy Page

Northeastern University encourages and expects all members of the community to conduct themselves according to the highest ethical standards. All of our endeavors – including research, academic, business, athletic, community relations and student affairs – must be grounded in ethical principles, conducted according to the utmost standards of integrity, and carried out in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and university policies. All university-wide policies, except for campus-specific policies, can be found on the university policy webpage.

Toronto-specific campus policies and relevant resources will be accessible through this webpage. Toronto-based students and employees must comply with Toronto policies in addition to applicable university-wide policies. Toronto-specific policies, reflecting distinctions in Canadian and provincial legal requirements, are identified by “CAN” at the end of the policy name. Any copies (print or online) of policies that are inconsistent with the official versions posted on this webpage should be disregarded.

Individual colleges and departments may have distinct practices, standards, or guidelines, all of which must be consistent with university policies. Compliance with university policies is a condition of employment and enrollment at the university. Please check back often to review current, new, or updated policies and to access helpful guidance or information.

If you need more information, please contact: [email protected]

Toronto Student Complaint Procedure

Northeastern University maintains several mechanisms for ensuring that student concerns or complaints are addressed in a timely, efficient, and equitable manner:

As an additional alternative, a student may make a complaint directly to the Toronto based administration using the Toronto Student Complaint Procedure, which is as follows:

  • Complaints must be in writing, and must be directed to the Director of Student Services (Stephanie Cochrane at [email protected]), who will decide whether to dismiss the complaint or make a recommendation as to any further action in relation to the complaint.In the case of an academic or classroom instruction or evaluation related complaint, the student’s Academic Advisor will be informed and the student will be directed to file a written complaint according to the relevant college-specific procedure (see above).
    • In the case of a report of harassment or discrimination, the student will be directed to file a complaint through the Office for University Equity and Compliance (see above). The Director of Student Services can also file the complaint on the student’s behalf (see above).
    • In the case of a report of student misconduct, the incident will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution (OSCCR) on the student’s behalf.
    • For other matters, the complaint will be reviewed by the Director of Student Services.
  • The review process will include, at a minimum:
    • The student making the complaint will be provided an opportunity to make oral submissions,
    • The student will be allowed to have a person present with the student at all stages of the proceedings, and
    • The person present with the student will be allowed to make submissions on the student’s behalf.
    • Copies of the relevant documents (e.g. complaint, party submissions, and decisions) will be maintained on file with the appropriate office. Typically, verbal discussions or hearings are not recorded.
    • A decision will generally be made by the institution within 30 days of the complaint being submitted, however an additional 15, 30, or 45 days may be allowed if circumstances warrant (and written notice is provided to the parties).
    • The decision of the institution will be in writing
  • The procedure for reviewing a decision is either:
    • Follow the process outlined in the relevant policy, or if not covered by a relevant policy,
    • Make a written appeal to the Regional CEO and Dean Northeastern University – Toronto within 15 days of receiving a decision. The Regional CEO and Dean will review the record, and make a decision on the appeal within 30 days.  An appeal to the Regional CEO and Dean is not available if an alternative appeal route is provided or utilized by the student.