The complaint: Nolan contacted our office with concerns about the Counselling Psychology Program at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Midway through the semester, UBC removed him from the practicum. UBC initially told Nolan that his practicum was paused. It later told him that he would need to redo the practicum entirely in a later semester. Nolan was concerned that the decision and the reasons for it were unclear and unfair. He shared that this experience negatively impacted his well-being and his education.

What we did: We investigated to see whether UBC acted fairly when it removed Nolan from the practicum. UBC didn’t provide Nolan with any warning that it was considering removing him from the practicum. It also provided conflicting information about how he could resolve the issues that were arising throughout the practicum. When UBC decided to remove Nolan, it did not clearly explain its decision or provide any reasons for it. We were concerned that the process UBC followed was unfair.

How we helped: UBC was responsive to our concerns. It apologized to Nolan, acknowledged its mistakes and refunded his tuition fees for the practicum. UBC agreed to work with the faculty members involved in practicums to ensure they understand their duty to be fair. It also updated its student and faculty handbook to make sure all parties understand what the university may do when a student is not meeting expectations during their practicum.
We are optimistic that these changes will improve the experiences of students in practicums at UBC.

Why it matters: Nolan’s education was delayed due to unclear and unfair processes. Ensuring that all members of a public organization understand what is expected of them is key to fair service delivery.