‘Mickey Mouse’ certificate complaint dismissed

An ex-Douglas College student’s court case against the New Westminster school over what she said was misleading information about the certificate she was promised has been dismissed.

The lawsuit was filed by Agnes Tong in New Westminster small-claims court, complaining an Aboriginal studies course got her a “Mickey Mouse” sheet of paper instead of the “completion certificate” she was promised.

The complaint was without merit.

After more than a day hearing of evidence from both sides, the judge dismissed the claim.

“The complaint was without merit,” said college spokesman Dave Taylor. “The judge agreed.”

He also said the students earned a certificate, not a credential for completing the part-time courses in the Aboriginal stream of the Child, Family and Community Standards program. That is made “very clear” to enrolling students, he said.

“We’ve never had an issue with this before,” he said.

He said the college needed to protect the integrity of its credential degrees by issuing certificates only for diploma or degree courses.

Tong said she and the other 19 students in her class were offered an official “completion certificate,” and she sued to have the certificate issued or to have her $1,732 tuition returned plus damages.

Tong, a B.C. lawyer, said she is exploring her options to appeal the decision.