CDI College terminates concussed student for 5 absences

A student at the Career Development Institute Collegein Edmontonsays she's worried she may have to pay a $20,000 tuition a second time after a head injury caused her to miss classes.

Abby Carrothersstartedthedental assisting programin March, and was set to graduate the 11-month program by next February.

But when she missed classes due to a concussion, she was terminatedfrom the program.

Carrothers said in order to complete her courses, she was told by the campus director she needed to re-enrol in theprogram and pay another $20,000 in tuition fees.

In a statement emailed to CBC News on Thursday,CDI College saidit is "currently working with this student to seek a mutually-agreed upon resolution, with the goal of the student successfully completing with no financial penalty."

"As with any college, we are restricted from sharing specifics about our students due to privacy considerations," the statement reads.

'Her recovery will take weeks'

Carrotherssaid she got a concussion while tubing with her family onAug. 4.

"It was a freak accident. We just happened to hit a low kind of wave and I got chucked off of it, and I literally toppled over. I remember smacking my head to the side," she said.

"I don't remember how I got out of the water.I don't remember how I got back to the campsite."

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Carrothers said she stayed home and didn't go to schoolfor three days, fromAug. 5 to Aug. 7. She went to see her doctor and got a note, which says she suffered a concussion.

Carrothers said she returned to school on Thursday, Aug. 8,but left earlybecause of a headache.

A day later,Carrothers got another doctor's note.

"[She needs] a very slow and gradual return to her regular activities, including school," the note reads."It is likely that her recovery will take weeks."

Carrothers sent the note to her instructor, who sent a text telling her to take care of herself.

Allowable days of missed classes

Carrothers said she met with TiffaneyBodnariuk, the campus director for CDI College Edmonton City Centre onAug. 15.

Bodnariuk told Carrothers she couldstay in the programas long as she gota doctor's note saying she couldattend class,Carrotherssaid.

So, she got a thirddoctor's note.

"She is able to attend her courses as her symptoms allow," it reads."Shouldthe symptoms flare, she should rest/take a break/go home as she sees fit."

After submitting the thirdnote, Carrotherssaid she got an email from Bodnariuk. It said that because thedoctor's note does not state she's cleared to be in class full-time,the school has to move forward with her termination.

Bodnariuk's email saysCarrotherssurpassed the allowable days of missed classes and because she's unable to stay in class forfull days, the school can't allow her to continue her studies.

Policy in student handbook

Before starting classes, Carrothers signed the college's student handbook for the dental assisting program.

In it, the attendance policy saysstudents who are absent for three days will be placed on probation and be required to attend an interview with the department head or campus director.

"If a student is unable to attend class for five consecutive days, regardless of the reason for the absence, he/she will be terminated from the dental assisting program," the policy states.

Carrotherssaid she was never put on probation. She said she was told that in order to complete her studies, she has to restart theprogram because none of her courses are transferable.

"They said'no, your courses are not transferable.' I'm like, what do you mean they're not transferable?I'd be going to the same schoolwith the same class, with the same teachers," she said.

Re-enrolling would require another $20,000 in tuition fees.

"I don't want to have to pay for it again. I don't want to have to do the workloadover again. I worked so hard. Those are my marks. I earned them,"Carrotherssaid.

"I understood their handbook and that's why I was proactive with this atthe start. And if they had a problem with it, they should have told me."

Duty to accommodate

Linda McKay-Panos, executive director of the Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre, said according to the Alberta Human Rights Act,all private colleges have a duty to accommodate students with disabilities up to the point of "undue hardship."

"There certainly are examples of cases where a head injury was considered a temporary disability," McKay-Panos said.

"Undue hardship ... are things like the accommodation is not feasible,it might be expensive, it might interfere with the rights of other students."

Nancy Henderson, executive director of the Alberta Human Rights Commission, said generally, private institutions have the same duties aspublic institutions to accommodate students with disabilities,which can include students with medical conditions.

Henderson said, the point of making accommodations is to "to address the barriers that individuals may experience from having equal rights in their educational experience."

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Private colleges in Alberta are regulated under the Private Vocational Training Act, which requires them to have an attendance policyand an internal complaints resolution policy and process.

Carrotherssaid she contactedthe college's compliance and campus support team. In a confidential letter she shared withCBC News, the compliance branch said the dismissal is being upheld.

In an emailed statement, Advanced Education spokesperson Laurie Chandler said after going through the school's internal complaint process, students canconnect with the province's private career college branch.

"Advanced Education conducts compliance reviews at private institutions on an ongoing basis to examine compliance with the requirements of thePrivate Vocational Training Actand regulation," Chandler wrote.

In regards to Carrothers' case, Chandler said"the department will consider this experienceas we continue to work with the college on ongoing compliance matters."

Carrotherssaid she has connected with a lawyer, who will contact the college on Monday.