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Housing Procedure - Newfoundland and Labrador
Definitions
Academic Year (Housing Policy) — UGME - A 52-week period commencing August of one year and finishing August of the subsequent year.PGME - A 52-week period commencing July 1 and finishing June 30. On occasion, a Learner may be out-of-phase and have a starting date other than July 1.
Disability (Persons with a disability) — Persons with a disability is defined as persons who have a long-term or recurring physical, mental, sensory or intellectual impairment and/or who experience barriers to participation due to the design of social or built environments that do not reflect diverse abilities. In line with the Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Act, 2010, disability means one or more of the following conditions:
- degree of physical disability;
- cognitive delay or a developmental disability;
- learning disability, or
- a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or language; and/or mental health condition, illness or disorder.
Distributed Academic Program Administrator (APA) — Memorial staff member that works with DME to provide administrative support to Learners and distributed faculty in regions throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.
Distributed Medical Education (DME) — A unit within the Faculty of Medicine responsible for overseeing the development and coordination of the distributed education activities for Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) and Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) distributed training sites.
Family — For the purpose of this policy, family is defined as a Learner’s Spouse or Common-Law Partner and/or children/dependents.
Home-base — Home-base is the community where a Learner spends the majority of their core rotations in a given academic year. Home-base is determined by the community where a Learner spends six months or greater completing core rotations in a single academic year, where housing is not provided for the Learner by DME. At times, when a Learner spends less than six (6) months in one location, their home-base is determined by the location where they spend the majority of their time. This definition applies to all Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada residency programs, College of Family Physicians of Canada residency program and undergraduate Learners. Home-base is determined at the start of an academic year, based on core rotations in assigned templates. While DME determines the location of home-base for a Learner, it is made in consultation with the Learners academic unit. Home-base can change between academic years. Changes to home-base within an academic year is considered under extenuating circumstances and as capacity permits.
Learner(s) (Housing Policy) — Individual enrolled in the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) program or a Faculty of Medicine residency program at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Memorial Leased Housing Unit — Housing provided to a Learner that is leased by Memorial University (Memorial).
Memorial-Affiliated Learning Site — Teaching sites that have established Memorandums of Understanding (MOU's) with Memorial and provide Learners with medical education learning opportunities.
Private Housing — Housing that is not leased by Memorial.
Rotation — The training period in one discipline with a specified timeline that has a set of learning objectives to be successfully completed.
Procedure
A.0 Assigning and Requesting Housing
A.1. Before the start of the academic year, the respective undergraduate, postgraduate or discipline office creates the master schedule, indicating the training location, dates and specifies the Learner’s home-base. Template changes will be permitted as per occupancy and capacity.
A.2. The appropriate office sends the Distributed Academic Program Administrators (APA’s) the master regional training schedule for the academic year.
A.3. The Distributed APA contacts each Learner in their region to ask if they require housing for the clinical placement.
A.3.1. Distributed APA’s copy the housing coordinator and the discipline APA on communication with Learners, when deemed necessary.
A.4. If the Learner requires housing, rotation details and contact information will be confirmed through One45. If the Distributed APA requires additional information, they will email the Learner. Examples of required information may include, but are not limited to:
A.4.1. Name;
A.4.2. Email address;
A.4.3. Emergency contact phone number;
A.4.4. Rotation details;
A.4.5. Community;
A.4.6. Arrival date and departure date;
A.4.7. Housing required (yes or no);
A.4.8. Pet-friendly housing requested (yes or no);
A.4.9. Type of housing (single or family);
A.4.9.1. Family housing requests will be directed to the housing coordinator.
A.4.10. Any other information pertinent to their requests.
A.5. Learners assigned to Memorial Leased Housing Unit or housing set up by DME, will receive an email from the Distributed APA no later than two (2) weeks prior to the start of their clinical placement. This will include the housing confirmation and information regarding housing location, rules and regulations, contact information, key location and any other pertinent information as deemed necessary.
A.5.1. The Distributed APA will follow-up with the Learner if confirmation is not received.
A.6. Prior to the start of their stay, the Learner completes and submits a copy of the FoM Learner Housing Agreement (Appendix A).
A.6.1 Learners will be required to submit a new Learner Housing Agreement each academic year. Once completed, the Learner Housing Agreement will be applied to all stays in that academic year.
A.7. The respective Undergraduate, Postgraduate or Discipline offices report changes (i.e., vacation leave, bereavement leave) to the Learner’s rotation schedule immediately to the Distributed APA and the housing coordinator so bookings can be revised.
A.8. Requests for and changes to housing arrangements, outside the normal process, will be reviewed by the DME Housing Advisory Committee (see Appendix F). On a case-by-case basis, housing assignment issues or concerns, outside of the appeals process, will be addressed by the DME Housing Advisory Committee.
A.9. Learners are encouraged to complete and submit a Housing Feedback Survey and/or Community Feedback Survey via One45.
B.0 Private Housing
B.1. In situations where a Learner is to pay upfront for private housing that will be reimbursed by DME, the following process will apply:
B.1.1. Learner seeks approval for their chosen housing at least one (1) month before the start of the clinical placement and prior to any expenses being paid by the Learner. The housing coordinator collects the following information from the Learner:
B.1.1.1. Landlord contact information including phone and email address;
B.1.1.1.1. This information may be used for verification purposes.
B.1.1.2. rental cost;
B.1.1.3. address; and
B.1.1.4. arrival and departure dates.
B.2. Learners will receive an electronic notification of final approval from the Housing Coordinator and the Learner will then make final arrangements with the Landlord including pick-up of keys and information on house rules.
B.3. All rental costs will be paid upfront by the Learner, and original rental receipts (signed by the Landlord) are to be submitted to DME for allowable reimbursement. Receipts will indicate payment made by the Learner to the Landlord, including the Landlord’s signature or electronic signature.
C.0. Appeals Process
C.1. Learners who wish to contest a DME housing decision or sanction will submit an appeal request, in writing, to the appropriate Associate Dean outlining their concerns within ten (10) working days after the completion of their clinical placement.
C.1.1. PGME Learners submit an appeal request to the Associate Dean, UGME.
C.1.2. UGME Learners submit an appeal request to the Associate Dean, PGME.
C.1.3. Learners who wish to contest a decision from the Blundon Centre must abide by the Memorial Accessibility for Students with Disabilities Policy and related procedures.
C.2. The appropriate Associate Dean convenes a meeting of the appropriate Appeals Panel (Appendix E) to consider the appeal as soon as possible.
C.2.1. All relevant documentation is compiled and circulated to the panel members for review.
C.3. The appeal panel has the authority to:
C.3.1. uphold the original decision or sanction of DME; or
C.3.2. grant the request of the Learner with or without modifications.
C.4. The decision of the appeals panel is conveyed in writing to the Learner within fifteen (15) working days of the appeals panel meeting. The decision of the appeal panel is final.
D.0.Procedure for requesting Family Housing
D.1. To request family housing a signed form is to be submitted to the housing coordinator at least eight (8) weeks in advance. The form is to be signed by the program director or phase Lead (or delegate).
E.0. Procedure for extenuating circumstances
E.1. If DME is required to make a last-minute change to a Learner’s housing, due to no fault of the Learner, the housing coordinator will work with individuals on a case-by-case basis to find an alternate housing arrangement.
E.2. In these situations, Learners are not permitted to secure their own housing without the approval of the housing coordinator.
F.0. Procedure for arrival
F.1. Learners are provided with check-in instructions to be completed upon arrival.
F.2. When arriving to a Memorial Leased Housing Unit, Learners are expected to complete a general inspection report bringing forward any issues with respect to cleanliness or broken/missing items to the immediate attention of the Distributed APA.
G.0.Procedure for vacating housing
G.1. Upon vacating housing, Learners are to complete the Memorial Leased Housing Unit Departure Checklist (Appendix B) or the departing checklist provided by the Landlord.
G.2. Any keys will be returned to the identified drop-off location.
Related Links
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (ATIPPA)
Accessibility for Students with Disabilities Policy