Teaching Assistant Toolkit

Graduate teaching assistants (TA), graduate teaching fellows (TF), graduate research assistants (RA), as well as JD and MD teaching assistants are represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC 901).

On the PSAC 901 website, you can find a copy of the Collective Agreement that governs TA, TF, and RA labour. Familiarize yourself with your rights, and know that you can contact the Union if you need any support: PSAC Collective Agreement

Queen’s University is committed to maintaining a positive learning, living, and working environment in which harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence will not be tolerated.  

In this section we will introduce you to a university policy that you should be familiar with in your role as a Teaching Assistant employed by Queen’s University: the Policy on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence Involving Students. We encourage you to read the policy to understand all the relevant terms, responsibilities, and processes. Below we have included some information relevant to the TA role and some links to where you can find additional information and training.  

Policy on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence Involving Students

Policy on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence Involving Students

Terms and Definitions  

Consent  

Means an active, direct, voluntary and conscious choice and agreement to engage in sexual activity. For additional clarity:  

1. A person who is incapacitated due to the consumption of drugs or alcohol or due to some other reason cannot give consent; 
2. A person who has been threatened or coerced into engaging in sexual activity is not consenting to it; 
3. The fact that consent was given in the past to a sexual, dating, or intimate partner does not mean that consent can be assumed to be given for any future sexual activity;  
4. Consent may be compromised where individuals are in a position of power, trust or authority over the person whose consent is required; 
5. Consent, once given, is revocable, at any time; 
6. Consent cannot be given on behalf of another person, and 
7. Consent is active and not passive or silent. 

Sexual Assault  

Means any form of sexual contact without consent. Sexual assault includes unwanted kissing, fondling, touching, oral or anal sex, vaginal intercourse or other forms of penetration, or any unwanted acts of a sexual nature that is imposed by one person onto another without consent. 

Sexual Harassment 

Means a course of vexatious comment, conduct and/or communication of a sexual nature or based on sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or gender expression that is known, or ought to have been known to be unwelcome. Depending on the circumstances, one incident could be significant or substantial enough to be considered sexual harassment. Sexual harassment includes but is not limited to:  

1. Unwanted sexual solicitations, attention, advances, or comments and gestures (including songs and chants); 
2. The display of sexually suggestive pictures, posters, objects or graffiti; 
3. The implied or express promise of benefits or advancement in return for sexual favours; 
4. Threats of reprisals for rejecting unwanted solicitations or advances; 
5. Engaging in conduct or making comments that creates a poisoned environment to individuals of a specific sex, sexual identity, gender identity or gender expression; 
6. Non-consensual posting of pictures, aggressive comments and slurs of a sexual nature on any form of social media or other electronic media; 
7. Physical contact of a sexual nature (including sexual assault); and 
8. Sexual conduct that interferes with an individual’s dignity or privacy such as voyeurism and exhibitionism. 

Sexual Violence 

Means any sexual act or act targeting a person’s sexuality, gender identity or gender expression, whether the act is physical or psychological in nature, that is committed, threatened or attempted against a person without the person’s consent, and includes things such as: sexual assault; sexual harassment; stalking; indecent exposure; voyeurism; and, sexual exploitation. 

Rights and Responsibilities (under the new Sexual Violence Policy as an Employee of the university) 

Any student affected by sexual violence may make a disclosure.  

As per Queen’s Policy on Sexual Violence Involving Queen’s University Students (section 10.7):  

All employees who are not health care providers who receive a disclosure from a student shall:  

1. Inform the student about the Policy on Sexual Violence Involving Queen’s University Students and of the support services that are available to them. A list of support resources can be found on the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response website.  
2. Explain the limits of confidentiality to the student, as outlined in Section 8: Confidentiality, of the Policy on Sexual Violence Involving Queen’s University Students:
   
   a. In some cases, confidentiality may not be maintained where information needs to be shared in order to address a risk to the health and safety of members of the university community or where employees are obligated by law to share the information. If the information received by the university suggests any of the circumstances outlined below, the university may not be able to maintain confidentiality:
   • There is reasonable grounds to believe that an individual is at risk of self-harm. 
   • There are reasonable grounds to believe that an individual may pose a threat or risk to a student who has made a disclosure or submitted a complaint about sexual violence.
   • There are reasonable grounds to believe that an individual may pose a threat or risk to members of the university community. 
   • A Residence Don receives information about a sexual violence incident that took place in a university residence. 
   • Where an investigation or report to authorities is required by law. 
   • Information is required for the investigation of a complain, a police investigation, or for litigation purposes.
3. ​​​​​​​Emphasize that they are here to help, and part of that help means connecting them with the SVPRC, who can provide professional support and advice on options moving forward. It is up to the student if identifying information, such as their name and contact information, is shared with the SVPRC.
4. For situations where there is an urgent personal safety concern or immediate risk/threat to the student or members of the university community, the employee must contact CSES or 911. 
5. Notify the SVPRC that a disclosure has been made via secure electronic means as approved by Queen’s Information Security Officer. Employees shall only share the date of the disclosure and advice if information about this Policy and available supports has been provided to the student. All initial responses from the SVPRC to an employee with respect to a notification shall be by way of Queen’s email. 
6. There the name and contact information has been provided by the student, the SVPRC will reach out to the student to offer support. The purpose of the response from the SVPRC is to provide information regarding available supports and resources. It is the choice of the student whether or not to access support services or resources. 
7. Where the student’s contact information was not provided, the SVPRC shall contact the employee who made the notification by Queen’s email to provide the same information on supports and resources that would have been provided directly to the student. The employee who made the notification will then provide the information on supports and resources to the student through the student’s preferred method of contact.  

Where to Learn More?  

Training Resources 

It Takes All of Us is an online learning program developed by KnowledgeOne and the Queen’s Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Service. The employee version includes additional content related to faculty and staff concerns including roles and responsibilities when interacting with students.  

Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Services can hold workshops, and can connect you with provincial online training modules regarding sexual violence, and guides about sexual violence policies and procedures at Queen’s.  

• Responding to Student Disclosures of Sexual Violence: A Guide for Faculty, Staff, and Teaching Assistant (PDF).  

Additional Resources and Information: 

• Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Coordinator 
• Student Wellness Services 
• University Chaplain 
• University Ombudsperson 
• Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre 
• Sexual Assault Centre Kingston 
• Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Program Kingston Health Sciences Centre: Kingston General Hospital 
• Campus Security and Emergency Services 
• Kingston Police, 24/7

Queen’s University is committed to maintaining a positive learning, living, and working environment in which harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence will not be tolerated.  

In this section we will introduce you to a university policy that you should be familiar with in your role as a Teaching Assistant employed by Queen’s University: theHarassment and Discrimination Prevention Response Policy. We encourage you to read the policy to understand all the relevant terms, responsibilities, and processes. Below we have included some information relevant to the TA role and some links to where you can find additional information and training.   

Harassment and Discrimination Prevention and Response Policy

Harassment and Discrimination Prevention and Response Policy 

Rights and Responsibilities (under the Harassment and Discrimination Prevention Response Policy at the university) 

According to Section 6.2 Employees, students, volunteers, and visitors to University Property in the Harassment and Discrimination Prevention and Response Policy:  

1. Any employee, students, volunteers and visitors must not engage in harassment, discrimination, or reprisal. 
2. Employees, students, volunteers and visitors are encouraged to use the Reporting Procedure to report incidents of harassment, discrimination, or reprisal when they witness such incidents. 
3. Employees and volunteers shall, and students and visitors are expected to, participate in any investigation or inquiry commenced under the Complaint Procedure or the Reporting Procedure.