I’m sharing my story here because I’m at a loss. After years of being a student at SFU, I’ve been permanently suspended by the VPSI (Vice-Provost, Students and International) under circumstances that feel incredibly unfair.
The Background
While finishing my first Bachelor’s degree, I had some conflict with the Co-op staff. However, I wanted to move forward, and during COVID, I decided to return to SFU as a second-degree student. Because everything was online, I sought guidance on how to enroll.
The Timeline of Events
- The Enrollment Error: The Director of Student Services & Registrar Resources (SSRR) at the time told me not to contact professors until I was officially enrolled. I followed this advice, but I wasn't manually enrolled until two weeks after the semester started.
- The Academic Impact: These were 400-level CMPT (Computing Science) courses. Missing the first two weeks of high-level lectures made it impossible to catch up. Despite my best efforts, I failed the courses.
- The Ombudsperson’s Advice: I met with the Ombudsperson to resolve this. She told me that the late enrollment wasn't the SSRR’s "mistake," but advised me to apply for a Withdrawal Under Extenuating Circumstances (WE).
- The Appeal: I followed her direction and submitted my WE application, explicitly stating that I had been instructed by staff not to contact professors, which led to the late start.
The Fallout
Shortly after, a hold appeared on my goSFU account. When I asked the Ombudsperson to investigate, she claimed the Registrar’s Office didn't know why it was there and referred me back to SSRR.
I eventually filed a FIPPA (Freedom of Information) request to find out what was happening. The documents revealed that the then-VPSI had made the decision to permanently bar me from studying at SFU.
My Current Situation
I believe my WE appeal was forwarded to the VPSI, who may have misunderstood my explanation as "hostility" or "misconduct" rather than me simply following the instructions I was given by the university's own staff.
As an international student at the time, those two failed courses cost me $7,000, and more importantly, they caused permanent damage to my academic record. I followed every official channel—SSRR, the Ombudsperson, and the Senate appeals—and yet I’ve been silenced and suspended without a clear explanation or a path to resolution.
I am incredibly depressed and feel that I’ve wasted years of my life and thousands of dollars just to be treated this way. Has anyone else dealt with the VPSI office or a "permanent hold" that no one seems to want to take responsibility for? Any advice on next steps would be appreciated.