Having adequate processes in place for the reconsideration of decisions is imperative for public bodies when handling complaints.

Hilary, who lives with dyslexia, was completing her Master of Arts degree at Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) in Halifax. With help from MSVU’s Accessibility Office, she had applied for aid under the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities (CSG-PDSE) program for ten hours of tutoring services per week for the summer semester.

StudentAid BC approved two of the ten hours requested based on the fact that Hilary was not enrolled full-time; she was only taking one course. Through MSVU’s Accessibility Office, Hilary asked StudentAid to reconsider. StudentAid asked for additional information to verify Hilary’s course load and MSVU certified, in writing, that she was enrolled in the full-time, year-long thesis portion of her graduate degree which was equivalent to a 100% course load.

StudentAid declined to alter their original decision.

We investigated whether StudentAid followed a reasonable procedure in determining Hilary’s eligibility for aid. As part of our investigation, we reviewed StudentAid’s graduate degree policies and procedures, correspondence and asked StudentAid how they accommodate students with disabilities.

Hilary’s eligibility and StudentAid’s decision was based on whether she was enrolled full or part-time but StudentAid had based their decision on the fact that Hilary was enrolled in a single course. There was no policy or other written guidance to assist in determining eligibility for graduate students working on their theses. Rather, staff were to refer to the StudentAid Disability Program User Guide which stated entitlement was based on two hours per course or otherwise recommended by a student’s Accessibility Coordinator. StudentAid denied Hilary’s request despite written confirmation of her full course load, a decision not aligned with the Program User Guide.

We asked StudentAid to again reconsider Hilary’s request taking into consideration that the thesis portion of a graduate degree was the equivalent of a full-time course load and that MSVU’s Accessibility Office had assessed Hilary’s tutoring need at ten hours per week. StudentAid accepted our recommendation and Hilary received the ten hours per week of tutoring services funding.