Beta College of Business and Technology is committed to maintaining an ethical, transparent and accountable educational environment. The College has zero tolerance for fraud, attempted fraud, bribery, corruption, financial misconduct, falsification of records, misuse of college systems, retaliation, evidence tampering or deliberate circumvention of academic, admissions, financial, privacy or regulatory controls.
The College has established a Fraud and Investigation Office to receive reports, assess concerns, investigate suspected misconduct and recommend corrective and preventive measures.
This policy applies to all:
- Students and applicants
- Employees and instructors
- Directors and officers
- Contractors and consultants
- Recruitment representatives and agents
- Vendors and service providers
- Volunteers and visitors
- Other persons using College facilities, funds, records, credentials or technology systems
It applies to conduct occurring on campus, online, through BETA Hive or other College platforms, during placements or College events, and through third parties acting for or with the College.
Reportable concerns may include:
- False, altered or misleading admissions documents
- Misrepresentation during student recruitment or enrollment
- OSAP or other financial-aid fraud
- Falsification of attendance, academic or completion records
- Student impersonation or unauthorized assistance
- Transcript, credential or assessment fraud
- Bribery, kickbacks or requests for improper payments or favours
- Undisclosed conflicts of interest
- Tuition, refund, payroll, expense, invoice or procurement fraud
- Theft or misuse of college funds, property or information
- Unauthorized access to BETA Hive or other College systems
- Credential sharing, account misuse or manipulation of electronic records
- Privacy or data misuse connected with suspected fraud
- Destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence
- Retaliation against a person who reports or assists with an investigation
- Knowingly concealing suspected fraud or obstructing an investigation
An unsuccessful attempt to commit fraud may still be investigated and addressed under this policy.
Anyone who becomes aware of suspected fraud or related misconduct is encouraged to report it promptly.
Email: reportfraud@mybeta.ca
Telephone: +1 905-497-9999
When submitting a report, please provide as much information as possible, including:
- What occurred and how you became aware of it
- Names and roles of the persons involved
- Relevant dates, locations, programs or departments
- Affected funds, records, accounts or systems
- Names of potential witnesses
- Available documents, emails, screenshots or other evidence
- Any immediate risk to people, College funds, information or evidence
- Any concern about retaliation
Please provide copies of relevant materials and retain the originals. Do not unlawfully access accounts, record conversations, remove documents, confront the person involved or conduct your own investigation.
For emergencies or immediate threats to personal safety, call 911 before contacting the College.
Reports may be submitted anonymously. However, anonymous reports may be more difficult to investigate, particularly when additional information or clarification is required.
Individuals making an anonymous report are encouraged to provide sufficient details and, where possible, a safe method through which the Fraud and Investigation Office may request additional information.
The Fraud and Investigation Office will:
- Record and acknowledge the report where contact information is available.
- Assess immediate safety, financial, privacy, cybersecurity and evidence-preservation risks.
- Review whether the matter falls within this policy or another mandatory College procedure.
- Screen the matter for conflicts of interest and assign an impartial investigator.
- Conduct a preliminary assessment to determine whether a formal investigation is required.
- Preserve and collect relevant evidence through lawful and authorized methods.
- Provide affected persons with a fair opportunity to respond to material allegations.
- Prepare findings using the balance-of-probabilities standard for internal administrative matters.
- Refer findings to an authorized and impartial decision-maker.
- Recommend corrective action, control improvements, training or external reporting where appropriate.
Investigations will be conducted as promptly as reasonably possible. Complex matters or investigations involving external authorities may require additional time.
The Fraud and Investigation Office conducts administrative fact-finding. It is not a police service or court and does not determine criminal guilt.
An allegation is not proof of wrongdoing. The College will conduct investigations objectively, impartially and proportionately.
Before an adverse internal finding is made, the person whose conduct is under investigation will ordinarily receive meaningful notice of the material allegations and a reasonable opportunity to respond, subject to lawful measures required to protect safety, privacy, evidence or legal rights.
Possible internal findings may include:
- Substantiated
- Partially substantiated
- Unsubstantiated
- Inconclusive
An unsubstantiated report is not, by itself, considered false or malicious.
Reports and investigation information will be handled on a restricted, need-to-know basis. The College will take reasonable steps to protect the identity of reporters, witnesses and other affected individuals.
However, the College cannot guarantee absolute confidentiality or anonymity. Information may need to be disclosed where reasonably necessary for:
- Procedural fairness
- Safety or evidence preservation
- Legal or privacy advice
- Disciplinary or corrective action
- Insurance or regulatory requirements
- Reporting to funding authorities, law enforcement or other lawful bodies
The College will collect, use, retain and disclose only the information reasonably required for an authorized purpose and will apply appropriate safeguards to investigation records.
Beta College prohibits retaliation against anyone who:
- Makes a good-faith report
- Requests advice about suspected misconduct
- Preserves or provides evidence
- Participates honestly in an investigation
- Refuses to participate in suspected wrongdoing
- Makes a lawful disclosure to an authorized body
Retaliation may include threats, intimidation, harassment, dismissal, discipline, academic penalties, adverse scheduling, exclusion, reputational harm, interference with services or any other disadvantage connected with a good-faith report or investigation.
Suspected retaliation should be reported immediately to:
reportfraud@mybeta.ca
+1 905-497-9999
Retaliation may result in separate academic, employment, contractual, civil or other action.
A person will not be penalized for making a report honestly and in good faith, even if the concern is ultimately not substantiated.
Knowingly submitting false information, fabricating evidence or making a malicious report may constitute misconduct and may result in appropriate action.
Where misconduct is substantiated, the College may take action consistent with applicable law, contracts and College policies, including:
- Strengthening or correcting internal controls
- Additional supervision, monitoring or training
- Correction of academic, attendance, financial or administrative records
- Recovery of funds or property
- Suspension or restriction of access
- Academic or employment discipline
- Termination of employment or contract
- Expulsion or withdrawal, where permitted
- Notification of insurers, funding authorities or regulators
- Referral to law enforcement or other lawful authorities
Any disciplinary or contractual decision will be made separately from the investigation and will follow the applicable College process.
Using the College’s fraud-reporting process does not prevent any person from contacting:
- Police or emergency services
- The Superintendent of Career Colleges
- The Ontario Student Assistance Program
- The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
- Legal counsel
- A union or professional representative
- Another regulator, funding authority or lawful body
Student complaints falling under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005 will continue to be handled through the College’s prescribed Student Complaint Procedure. Other matters may also be referred to the applicable academic, privacy, cybersecurity, human resources, accessibility or sexual violence process.
Beta College supports fraud prevention through:
- Segregation of duties and independent approvals
- Identity and document verification
- Role-based system access
- Financial reconciliations and audit trails
- Attendance and academic-integrity controls
- Vendor and recruitment-agent due diligence
- Conflict-of-interest declarations
- Cybersecurity monitoring and access controls
- Staff and faculty training
- Periodic fraud-risk assessments
- Corrective-action tracking and control testing
The College reviews this policy periodically and following material incidents, legal changes or identified control weaknesses.
