Student Services
Student Services
Who can access the Student Support Centre? Do students need to be referred?
All UFV students can access support from the Student Support Centre.
You can access support when your professor or a UFV staff member refers you, or you can refer yourself.
Can students refer other students?
Students cannot make a referral to the Student Support Centre for other students.
If you are concerned about a fellow student's immediate safety, call 911 and campus security.
If there are no safety concerns but more support is needed, encourage the other student to self-refer.
If you need resources about how to support another person, you can submit a self-referral.
How is the Student Support Centre different from other campus resources that offer similar services, such as Counselling, the Wellness Centre or Advising?
The Student Support Coordinators are not counsellors or advisors. Instead of offering specific mental health support or academic advice, a Student Support Coordinator can help with a wide variety of challenges that come up during a student’s time at university.
We can provide information about resources on campus or in the community that may be useful to you and help problem-solve barriers to getting support. Support can mean a lot of things and may mean accessing multiple services and navigating multiple policies. Student Support Coordinators can help you understand your options and help you make the next step in your unique support plan, including connecting to various UFV departments and Services.
Does a referral to the Student Support Centre (SSC) mean that the student is in trouble?
Being referred to the Student Support Centre does not mean students are in trouble. It means the person who referred is concerned and wants to help the student get connected to resources that may be helpful.
Is a meeting with a Student Support Coordinator confidential?
Meetings with a Student Support Coordinator are not confidential, but they are private. As much as possible, conversations between the Student Support Coordinator and the student are kept between them.
In some situations, information may be shared with relevant UFV parties for student support and safety as
allowed by the privacy act (cite act). Information will never be shared with people outside of UFV, including parents, unless the student gives permission.
Will accessing the Student Support Centre be on a student’s academic record?
No. Meetings with the Student Support Centre, just like other UFV departments, are not part of a student’s academic record.
Notes related to a meeting with a Student Support Coordinator are kept in a private student support case file that is only accessed by the Student Support Team. Information about a meeting will not be shared with the person who made the referral without the student’s permission.
Can a student drop in to the SSC or is an appointment necessary?
Student Support Coordinators are not available for drop-in meetings but are often available to provide support two to three business days after a student submits a self-referral.
Students looking for drop-in support can visit the Wellness Centre.
If a student is referred to the Student Support Centre, do they have to meet with a Student Support Coordinator?
No. All meetings are optional, and participation is voluntary.
What if I'm a student with a concern about a faculty or staff member? Where could I report that?
We recommend submitting a Self-Referral to the Student Support Centre. A Student Support Coordinator can help you understand the next steps which might include:
Will the student know who referred them and why?
Students will receive an initial outreach from a Student Support Coordinator which will include the name of the person who referred them.
We encourage all staff and faculty to inform students they are submitting a referral to make sure that the student is aware of their concern and understands the referral is not punitive.