PEI

UPEI Student Union investigation was flawed, 3rd-party investigator finds

An independent investigation into how a harassment complaint was handled by the UPEI Student Union flagged some deficiencies.

Union says it 'will ensure harassment complaints will be addressed in a more effective manner'

Seven recommendations to prevent similar issues in the future have been made. (Brittany Spencer/CBC)

An independent investigation into how a harassment complaint was handled by the UPEI Student Union flagged some deficiencies.

A former member of the student union executive complained in March, about how a formal complaint of harassment was handled by the student union in the fall of 2017.

CBC does not know the nature of the allegation. 

A third party investigator — HR Atlantic — found the student union's policies for human resource complaints and procedures do not meet best practices or minimum standards for anti-harassment workplace policies.

And in part, because of that, the internal investigation by the student union, into the harassment complaint, was flawed. 

In a statement the UPEI Student Union wrote that it "regrets any negative impact that may have come" to any party during the internal investigation and subsequent events.

"The student union is committed to adopting recommendations which will ensure harassment complaints will be addressed in a more effective manner by the organization in the future," the statement reads.

Seven recommendations to prevent similar issues in the future have been made, including forming a committee to bring the union's zero-tolerance policy in line with current best practices before September. 

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