Policies

For more details on using a specific service, please refer to the service’s individual webpage. Specific appointment booking parameters may vary for each service.

If you have questions about our policies or would like to request an accommodation, please contact learning.hub@ubc.ca.

Hub-wide Policies

Late appointments

To maximize our resources, if you are more than five minutes late for your appointment, you may forfeit that time if there are students on the waiting list or drop-ins.

Missed appointments

Please show respect for your peers by following the cancellation policy for each service. Multiple missed appointments may result in your account being disabled until we can make sure you know how to attend your appointments.

You cancel your appointments by logging into QReserve and selecting your appointment (instructions for cancelling available in our QReserve guide). If you cannot cancel via QReserve, please let us know prior to the start of your session at learning.hub@ubc.ca.

If you are unsure why your appointment was marked as missed, check that you have reserved the correct appointment type. Appointment type is indicated beside each resource’s (i.e. tutor, consultant) name and in their descriptions on QReserve.

• If you booked an in-person appointment, you must arrive on time in LIB237 (enter through the west Library entrance across from Fipke and up to the second floor and through the doors, or through the elevator. Look for the blue Student Learning Hub signs).
• If you booked an online/virtual appointment, you must arrive on time to the Zoom meeting. Zoom links are sent via email to the email registered to QReserve (you can check your email notification settings on QReserve by going to Profile).

Additional Appointments

We encourage students to take time after their session to reflect on what was discussed and work on any next steps the consultant/tutor has recommended before they book a follow up appointment. We also aim to ensure all students may fairly access support throughout the term. Thus, additional appointments are limited by the following parameters:

• Learning Strategist reservations are limited to 1 hour of appointments per week
• Subject Tutor reservations are limited to 1 hour of appointments per tutor per week
• Writing & Language consultant reservations are limited to 1 appointment per consultant per day

Accommodations may be requested (learning.hub@ubc.ca) and are granted at the discretion of Hub staff. 

Group projects

Due to space constraints, in-person appointments are, at this time, for one-on-one support only. We kindly request that students (2-4 people) working on a group project book an online appointment if they want to meet as a group. Alternatively, each group member can book an individual session for feedback on their specific contributions to the project. Sections written/completed by absent group members will not be considered during the appointment. If appointment availability allows, group members are welcome to book with the same consultant for each individual appointment.

Discussing marks

Student Learning Hub consultants will not provide advice about a mark that an assignment might achieve. They will also not discuss a mark that an assignment previously received.

Test preparation or take-home exams

While consultants can provide general tips regarding test preparation, it is not possible for a consultant/tutor to provide any other type of exam preparation support. If the professor wishes to grant special permission for this kind of support, please have them contact us at learning.hub@ubc.ca.

Academic Integrity

According to UBC’s statement on Academic Honesty and Standards, “Academic honesty is essential to the continued functioning of the University of British Columbia as an institution of higher learning and research” and as such, all UBC students “are expected to behave as honest and responsible members of an academic community” (Okanagan Academic Calendar). Accordingly, all students using Hub services and Hub tutors are obligated to adhere to the “applicable standards for academic honesty” and be aware that UBC’s standards may differ from those of other institutions.

If you have “any doubt as to the standard of academic honesty in a particular course or assignment,” you must consult with your instructor as soon as possible, because “in no case should a student submit an assignment if the student is not clear on the relevant standard of academic honesty” (Okanagan Academic Calendar).

Respectful environment

Everyone is expected to be aware of and conduct themselves according to all campus-wide policies that apply to them, including but not limited to the University’s Statement on Respectful Environment and Student Code of Conduct. Disrespectful behaviour will not be tolerated and  the Hub can revoke access to services at its discretion for those who do adhere to these expectations.

Writing & Language Consultation Policies

Editing and proofreading essays

Because, according to standards of academic integrity, a student’s work must be their own, writing consultants will not edit, proofread, or write on a student’s work.

Instead, consultants will assist students with the following:

• understanding an assignment,
• developing a draft,
• clarifying an argument,
• strategies for organizing materials,
• presentation strategies,
• understanding editing techniques and effective sentence structures,
• and building beneficial writing habits.

Discussing marks

Student Learning Hub consultants will not provide advice about a mark that an assignment might achieve. They will also not discuss a mark that an assignment previously received.

Citation support

As our Library already provides expert citation support at the service desk at the front of the library as well as online, writing consultants will not review/edit citations or reference pages during consultations. Consultants can provide advice on when you may require a citation and how to effectively integrate sources.

If you would like support with avoiding plagiarism or have questions about maintaining academic integrity, please contact aim.ok@ubc.ca to request a meeting an AIM consultant (also bookable through QReserve).

Additional Meetings

We encourage students to take time after their meeting to reflect on what was discussed and work on any next steps the consultant has recommended before they book a follow-up appointment. We also aim to ensure all students may fairly access support throughout the term. Thus, reservations with writing and language consultants are limited to 1 appointment per consultant per day. Accommodations may be requested (learning.hub@ubc.ca) and are granted at the discretion of Hub staff. 

Résumé support

Because Career Services in the Advising & Involvement Centre provide expert support for writing resumes and work-related cover letters, the Hub will not review these documents. This will help ensure that Hub appointments can focus on supporting the academic needs of students.