Awards Policy

Vancouver Community College (VCC; the College) offers a variety of awards, scholarships, bursaries, prizes and medals that recognize academic achievement, student leadership and other qualities or criteria as defined by individual awards.

This policy establishes institutional practices regarding financial awards, medals and non-monetary presentations to students who demonstrate high achievement or financial need.

This Policy applies to all student awards offered by Vancouver Community College. This policy does not cover in-class or departmental prizes given to students in class for specific accomplishments related to a course or set of courses.

1. The total value of awards disbursed each fiscal year will be determined by the funds made available through the VCC Foundation.


2. Award eligibility and selection criteria will not include any condition defined as discriminatory under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms or the British Columbia Human Rights Code, except when the award or the condition, at the time of establishment, can be reasonably viewed as intended for the benefit of the members of a disadvantaged group.  An award accepted under this provision will be reviewed each year by the College Foundation (and donor, if applicable) to determine whether the restriction can be dispensed with as a result of the position of disadvantage having been eliminated.


3. The College will apply consistent processes for establishing awards, accepting nominations and selecting award recipients.

Award

A generic term that describes an item of monetary or other value that may be presented to a person or persons based upon specific criteria and issued through the Financial Aid and Awards Office.

Bursary

A monetary award allocated to a student on the basis of proven financial need. Bursaries may include other qualifying criteria such as academic performance and community/leadership contributions.

Donor

A person or organization that makes a contribution to the College.

Financial Aid and Awards Office

The office responsible for coordinating information from departments related to specific awards as well as issuing cheques for award recipients.

Full Course Load

Defined using the same criteria that students must meet for student loan eligibility. Generally, this equates to 9 credits per term. Students with disabilities who have been identified as such may be considered full time students at a reduced course load. Determinations will be made through the Financial Aid and Awards Office.

Good Standing

A VCC student who is in full compliance with the College's student policies on academic and non-academic conduct and who is not under penalty for academic or non-academic misconduct.

Governor General's Bronze Medal

Awarded to the student who achieves the highest overall average upon graduation from a minimum two year, full time diploma level program.

Leadership Award

An award based on satisfactory or superior academic achievement as well as a demonstrated commitment to community or leadership skills within one or several spheres of society.

Lieutenant Governor's Silver Medal

Awarded to a graduate who has completed a certificate program one year or less in the previous fiscal year, on the basis of superior academic achievement and community contribution.

Prize

Acknowledgement, which may be monetary or an object, given to a student in class or on a department basis, for a specific type of accomplishment (e.g., the highest score on an essay) related to a course or set of courses. Departments should establish clear guidelines for the disbursement of prizes.

Scholarship

An award given to a student based on superior academic achievement in a course, a combination of courses or a program. Scholarships may be based solely on academic performance or on a combination of academic achievement and additional criteria, other than financial need.

Student Awards Committee

The College committee that manages for all aspects of students awards and medals. The committee is made up of members of the VCC Foundation, Marketing, Financial Aid and Awards Office, and the Office of the Registrar.

VCC Foundation

The fund raising arm of VCC which works to stimulate financial support for the students and programs at the College. The VCC Foundation administers funds provided to the College for student awards as well as maintaining relationships with our Donors.

• Personal Information Form (available from Registrar's Office)

• Academic Integrity (325)
• Grading, Progression and Withdrawal (411)
• Granting of Credentials (412)
• Standards of Employee Conduct & Conflict of Interest (202)
• Student Non-Academic Conduct (324)

• Human Rights Code, RSBC 1996, c 210


• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, SC 2001, c 27