Policy on premature termination of a field placement

1 - Circumstances that may lead to premature termination of a field placement

By engaging in a field placement, the three parties involved - the student, the placement organization (represented by the supervisor) and the School of Social Work - agree to assume the responsibilities incumbent upon them, as identified in the placement contract. Some difficulties that could call into question the continuation of the field placement, may however arise during the field placement. The following are some reasons that could justify the termination of a field placement before the completion date provided in the contract:

• Due to a significant and unforeseen change within the placement organization (layoffs, staff transfers, cancellation of certain services or programs, etc.), the organization is no longer able to provide an environment conducive to the achievement of the student's learning objectives.
• Certain factors associated with the placement organization constitute significant barriers to the student's learning or well-being (health issues, conflicts of interest, ethical dilemmas, inappropriate behavior, or harassment by key individuals within the organization).
• The student requests to end the field placement either becauseof a significant change in the direction of the desired learning objectives or for personal reasons (e.g., personal difficulties revived by the problems encountered in the middle of the field placement).
• The placement organization decides to terminate the field placement because of significant concerns related to behavior, professional judgment, or serious misconduct on the part of the student.

2 - Procedures to be followed in the event of difficultires in the field placement 

2.1 When significant difficulties that may lead to the termination of a field placement arise, one of the parties concerned shall notify the Field Liaison Professor. If necessary, the latter organizes a meeting with all those involved, to clarify the nature of the concerns and discuss possible solutions. Such a meeting must take place before terminating a field placement. Some measures could be put in place to facilitate the student's learning or to provide a closer framework. For example:

1. Making changes to the learning contract, taking into account certain changes within the organization since the initial negociation of the contract or changes in the student's learning objectives;
2. Suggesting changes to the procedures established for supervision or for the evaluation of objectives (e.g., requiring the student to prepare more adequately for supervision, by establishing very clearly the quantity and nature of material to be submitted to the field placement supervisor);
3. Requiring an extension of the time provided for the field placement.

2.2 If the difficulties cannot be resolved, or if an alternative action plan cannot be put in place at this meeting, the Field Liaison professor will ask either the placement organization or the student (depending on the nature of the difficulty) to send them a letter indicating the intention to end the field placement and the reasons for the decision.

2.3 In certain circumstances where it is determined that the placement organization is not able to meet the commitments made or to meet the objectives developed in the student's learning contract, steps could be taken to try to negotiate another field placement, while taking into account the activities and hours already completed. This only applies when the request to negotiate another field placement is made before the deadline to drop a course.

• However, the School cannot guarantee that in all circumstances another field placement can be negotiated within the parameters set by the academic calendar. Unpredictable deadlines and the availability of a placement organization may affect the search for a new field placement. It may be impossible to find another field placement before the end of the term. Please note that delays may result in the extension of the field placement beyond the prescribed end date or the impossibility of continuing the field placement in the designated quarter. 

2.4 When the placement organization decides to terminate the field placement due to ethical concerns, behaviour or practices deemed unacceptable, the following measures could be considered:

1. If the request to terminate the field placement occurs after the deadline for the abandonment of courses, the student may receive the INC grade (which is equivalent to failure);
2. The School of Social Work could, considering the academic calendar and depending on the circumstances and the nature of the problem, consider the possibility of finding another placement organization, while specifying specific conditions attached to the success of this field placement. The Field Placement Coordinator may ask the student to write a paper related to ethics, behaviors or practices that have been deemed unacceptable by the placement organization, as well as the means used by the student to make necessary changes.
3. The School of Social Work may require the student to withdraw from the field placement to re-enroll in the next term in which the course is offered, while specifying specific conditions for successful completion of this next field placement;
4. In exceptional circumstances related to the reasons for not completing the field placement mentioned by the placement organization, the School of Social Work may recommend to the Faculty of Social Sciences that the student be removed from the program.

In accordance with the section entitled “Revision of marks for practicum or practical training” in Academic Regulation A-9 - Revision of marks and appeals, a student who has failed a practicum and contests the result obtained may, after discussing the matter with the professor supervising the practicum, request a revision of marks within ten (10) working days of receiving the mark at the end of the practicum. If the student remains dissatisfied, he or she may submit a written request for a grade review to the department head.

In light of all the documents received, the director of the academic unit, or his or her delegate, communicates his or her decision to the student, professor and supervisors concerned, and informs the faculty as soon as possible.

A student may appeal the academic unit's grade review decision to the Senate Appeals Committee.

When such an appeal is filed, the committee invites the academic unit to provide all relevant documents and comments.

See the procedure for appealing to the Senate Appeals Committee.