University Policies Update: February 2026

1. Procurement Card Policy

 The Procurement Card policy ensures university-issued Procurement Cards (credit cards) are distributed, used, and managed in alignment with internal financial governance procedures, appropriate risk mitigation, and the university’s legislative requirements to comply with the governing directives and legislation applicable to broader public sector institutions.

Key Changes to the Procurement Card policy include:

1. Clarification of applicable legislation (e.g. the Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive);
2. Clarification of the term Department Head for the purpose of the policy;
3. Revision of the prohibited transaction types to:
   • Add other controlled substances (in addition to Alcohol);
   • Clarify and update restrictions regarding research and laboratory related purchases;
   • Remove the restriction on printing and copying services, as it no longer applies;
   • Clarify the restriction on salary and salary-related charges to include payments to individuals (e.g. Independent Contractors) to better reflect the intention to ensure the university is fully capturing requirements to issue a T4A; and
   • Clarify the restriction on any purchases where any conflict of interest exists for the Cardholder;

4. For cards issued to faculty, requiring that the default FOAPAL be the Internally Restricted Research fund (IRR).
5. For cards issued to student staff (e.g. Research Assistants), require that the card be suspended at the end of each summer term unless a new application is received.
6. Clearly state that Cardholders who do not maintain their responsibilities under the policy may have their card suspended, which is already current practice, and that repeat suspensions may result in revocation of the card;
7. Include notifying Procurement Services of any changes to the Cardholder’s status in the responsibilities of both the Funding Source Owner (new) and the supervisor (current); and
8. Other minor clarifications in keeping with the spirit and intention of the existing policy.

2. Student Parental Leave Policy

 The purpose of the Student Parental Leave Policy is to establish a clear and consistent process for students who require official recognition of a parental leave from their academic program. While informal absences are governed by existing academic regulations, this Policy provides a formal mechanism for documenting approved parental leave in situations where students may need official acknowledgement for academic, legal, employment, or immigration requirements.

The Policy ensures that students taking parental leave are treated equitably, supported appropriately, and able to maintain access to designated University services during their approved absence.

3. Student Accounts with an Outstanding Balance Policy

This policy sets out how the university manages overdue or delinquent student account balances. Students are required to keep their accounts in good standing, and unpaid fees after published deadlines may result in late charges, interest, restricted access to grades or official documents, registration holds, or collection action.

The policy applies to all students, programs, levels of study, and campus locations and supports consistent enforcement of penalties in line with the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security’s tuition fee framework.

Updates to the policy include its name change from “Debit Balance” to “Outstanding Balance” because a student who registers prior to the tuition due date has a debit balance, but their balance is not yet outstanding. Reference to Student Accounts Receivable has been removed to stay consistent with other Financial Services policies that do not specifically reference the unit within Financial Services. In the “Purpose” section, a reference to the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence, and Security’s Tuition Fee Framework has been added. The framework contains a section on Tuition Fee Billing (including a reference to deadlines and late fees/interest) that the University must adhere to.

In the “Procedure” section:

1. Indicates that fees are charged to the student account upon registration, whereas previously the policy stated fees are “due and payable” upon registration (fees are not actually due until the payment deadline).
2. Added a phrase explaining that OSAP students with a deferral will not be charged interest.
3. Removed reference to the deregistration process as that process was eliminated in fall 2025.
4. Removed the specific late fee amount and interest rate since both numbers are subject to annual review.
5. Moved the reference to the third-party collection agencies from the “Roles and Responsibilities” section to the “Procedure” section and added that delinquent accounts may be reported to the credit bureau.
6. Re-wrote the delinquent accounts sections to more specifically described the current procedure being implemented by Student Accounts.
7. Added a section for “Policy Exceptions” to indicate students are able to submit an appeal for review by the Financial Registration Appeals Committee (FRAC).

4. Space Booking and Use Policy

The purpose of the Space Booking and Use Policy is to ensure that University space is used efficiently, responsibly, and in ways consistent with its values, priorities, the heath and safety and well-being of the community as well as legal obligations. This Policy ensures that space bookings or space use do not impact the normal operations of the University particularly academic activities such as lectures, seminars and work groups related to teaching.

Updates to the policy include updating the name of the policy, consolidating the Galleria Space Booking policy into this policy, clarified scope and definitions, provided a clear differentiation of internal and external users, strengthened governance and approval authorities, consolidated and strengthened restrictions on camping, structures, fundraising, food and beverage and noise, Refined fee structure and financial accountability, and expanded the roles and responsibilities section. Overall, the revisions do not materially expand the scope of the Policy but improve clarity, enforceability, and operational consistency.

5. Repeal of Galleria Space Booking Policy

The Galleria Space Booking Policy has been repealed and the standards, procedures and expectations have been fully incorporated into the revised Space Booking and Use Policy. This consolidation reduces redundancy, improves clarity and supports a more consistent and equitable booking experience for students and student groups.

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