VIU student newsletter: October 16 edition
It’s that time of the semester – you're in the thick of assignments and end-of-semester projects are looming. You’re also trying to gain a few more experiences to add to your resume or help you narrow down your major. When you’re crunched for time, what opportunities should you say yes to and what should you pass on? Digital Media Studies student Becky Duarte did some research and shares what she’s learned in her latest VIU Blog article.
Also in this issue:
- Voting on campus
- Reminder: earthquake and evacuation drill
- Spooky fun around campus
Need to know
After hours library access 📚
After hours card access at the Nanaimo campus library was not working as it should have been last weekend. The service provider and manufacturer are working hard to resolve the malfunction and we apologize for the inconvenience. If your ID card does not work to open the doors, please call Campus Security at 250.740.6512. Signs with this phone number are posted on the library doors as well.
The Great ShakeOut ⚠️
A reminder that this Thursday, October 17, VIU is participating in The Great British Columbia ShakeOut. Earthquake preparation is important for everyone in our region, a seismically active zone. Taking place from 9:45 to 10:05 am, the drill includes a test of all VIU emergency mass notification systems. If you’re at one of VIU’s campuses at this time, you’ll be asked to participate in an earthquake drill followed by an evacuation drill. If you live in the Regional District of Nanaimo, we also highly recommend signing up for the Voyent Alert emergency call alert system. Learn more.
Election polling stations on campus ☑️
The next provincial election is on October 19, 2024. Elections BC will run polling stations at VIU’s Nanaimo campus in the upper cafeteria (Building 300) on the following dates:
- October 16, advanced voting, 8 am to 8 pm
- October 19, general voting, 1 to 6 pm
Learn about voting guidelines.
Budget survey and feedback session
A reminder to fill out the budget survey to have your say on what VIU is prioritizing in the coming fiscal year. You can also attend an info session tomorrow (October 17) in Building 305, Room 507. There are two different time options: 10:30 to 11:30 am and 12 to 1 pm.
Student shoutout
Kudos to our VIU Fest volunteers
A huge thank you to all student volunteers who made VIU Fest the amazing event it was on October 5. We could not have done the event without you! Thank you for your enthusiastic sharing of knowledge with the thousands of community members who came to learn something new and see what’s going on at the Nanaimo campus.
Connect
Westwood Lake Witch Paddle 🧙
Join the VIU Students’ Union on October 27 from 11 am to 2 pm at Westwood Lake’s second beach area. Bring your paddleboard or kayak, life jacket and costume. Kids scavenger hunt, prizes, food trucks, live DJ, bouncy castle, face painting, mini pumpkin painting and other fun activities mean this is an event for the whole family.
Soup and Bannock Lunch and Learn
VIU Elder-in-Residence C-tasi:a – Geraldine Manson is presenting at the next Soup and Bannock Lunch and Learn on October 23. Her presentation is Sharing importance of who we are: Protocols and the importance of them. The presentation is from noon to 1 pm in Shq’apthut (Building 170), with soup served at 11:30 am. C’tasi:a is a respected Snuneymuxw Elder and Traditional Knowledge Keeper. She is also the author of Snuneymuxw History Written in Places and Spaces.
VIU Mariners soccer ⚽
The push for the playoffs is on! Catch the final VIU Mariners soccer home games of the 2024 season as we battle Capilano University on Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20 at Q'unq'inuqwstuxw Stadium (right beside VIU). Games go at 12:30 pm and 3 pm both days and admission is free. Graduating VIU student-athletes will be recognized between Sunday’s games.
VIU Mariners basketball home openers ⛹️♀️
The VIU Gym is about to heat up with the return of Mariners varsity basketball! Cheer on the 2024-25 women’s and men’s varsity squads for the first time this season as they battle the Okanagan College Coyotes. Get together for a VIUSU Tailgate Party outside of the gym before the games on Friday, October 18 (games start at 5 and 7 pm, tailgate party starts at 3 pm) and head back for the rematches on Saturday, October 19 at 11 am and 1 pm. Free admission for VIU students.
Road trips and local hikes 🥾
Join the VIU International team on exciting adventures to the most scenic and awe-inspiring locations on the Island. Learn more. Upcoming trips:
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October 26: Victoria day trip
Culture Couch 🛋️
The Culture Couch is a place to engage in cross-cultural understanding and learning. The couch symbolizes the casual, comfortable nature of this student-led initiative. Each session is uniquely crafted by student volunteers who take on the role of hosts and share aspects of their culture with their peers. Tuesdays from 5 to 6 pm in Building 255, first floor learning commons. Upcoming sessions:
- October 22: Turkey
- October 29: Halloween
Stitch N’ Bitch: spooky edition 👻
Embrace the Halloween spirit while showcasing your crafty skills with this VIUSU event that aims to provide a safe space for women, non-binary students and allies to spill and share the tea while doing arts and crafts. October 20, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the VIUSU office (Building 193).
Halloween at the Campus Pub 🎃
Join the VIU Students’ Union for live entertainment by DJ Kurtis Johnstone, as well as games, activities and drink specials on October 31, 9 pm to midnight.
Pre-Halloween dodgeball tournament
Get your costumes on and get ready to dodge – and laugh! Our annual dodgeball tournament takes place at the VIU Gym on the evening of Wednesday, October 30. Plenty of prizes, including best dressed team, are up for grabs. Teams must be co-ed, have a minimum of six players and be registered ahead of the event, so sign up on the Athletics & Recreation website today.
Our Town 🎭
VIU’s Theatre department presents Our Town, from October 31 to November 9, 7:30 pm. Tickets are $11.30 on Showpass or $10, plus tax, at the door. VIU students can attend for free by using the promo code, VIU, at checkout.
Climate change symposium 🌏
Explore how people can take personal and collective action to help prevent extreme climate impacts during A Citizen’s Guide to Climate Success: A Climate Change Symposium. The symposium is October 26, from 9 am to 1 pm at the Nanaimo campus, Building 355, Room 203. It is free to attend and presented by Awareness of Climate Change through Education and Research. Attendees are asked to please register on Eventbrite in advance.
Gustafson poet reading 🗣️
Join Lisa Robertson, VIU’s Ralph Gustafson Distinguished Poet for 2024-25, at a reading and student Q&A on October 23, from 11:30 am to 1 pm in the Malaspina Theatre lobby (Building 310). Robertson’s Gustafson lecture is on October 24 from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Nanaimo campus Building 355, Room 203. Free to attend followed by a catered reception and book signing in Room 211. A community reading is on October 23 at The Green Olive, 155 Skinner St, at 7:30 pm.
Scarecrow Spectacular 🍂
Experience the beauty of fall at VIU’s Milner Gardens & Woodland during the second annual Scarecrow Spectacular. The event runs from October 25 to 27 from 11 am to 3 pm, with viewing until 3:30 pm. Admission is $10 for adults and $6 for youth. Children, Milner Garden’s members and VIU students (with VIU student ID) are admitted for free. Learn more.
Club Fair 🎪
Connect with nearly 40 student clubs and see what they have planned this year. Wednesday, October 23, from 10 am to 1 pm in the Malaspina Theatre (Building 310).
Indigenous Sharing Circles 🗣️
VIUSU Indigenous Students Rep Leah Vaisanen is hosting a series of sharing circles for communication, sharing, connection and crafting. Snacks provided. Open to all Indigenous students. The events are all in the VIUSU clubhouse in Building 193, Room 217 from 4 to 6 pm on October 29, November 19 and December 3.
Indigenous Crafting Series
Learn about traditional Indigenous crafts and get a chance to try your hand at them on October 15 and November 19 in Shq’apthut, 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Snacks and refreshments provided. Facilitated by Daisy Elliot and hosted by VIUSU.
Positive Space Alliance Socials 🌈
VIU’s Positive Space Alliance socials are back! Join us for a fun, inclusive space open to everyone of any sexual orientation and gender identity. Come play games or just hang out and meet some new friends. The Positive Space socials take place every other Wednesday from 12 to 1 pm in Building 250, Room 402. The next one is October 23.
Supports & services
Free gym memberships at VIU 🏋️♀️
Looking to work out, blow off some stress and feel great? All VIU students are eligible for a free gym membership at the VIU Gymnasium (Building 190). Visit the Gym’s front desk to register and take advantage of our workout facilities and weight room. Follow @viugym on Instagram and find gym hours on the VIU Athletics and Recreation website.
VIU library help
Looking to take your research assignments to the next level? Come find us! From narrowing down your topic to finding the best resources, we’re here to help get you started. Don’t forget to check out our study skills display at the Nanaimo campus library or online here.
You can also visit our special display featuring works from past VIU Gustafson poets, including this year's distinguished poet, Lisa Robertson.
Shape VIU’s future by sharing your stories
Share what you like about VIU and how you feel these experiences can help shape the future of the institution during the Provost’s Circle roundtable discussions. Sessions are continuing until December 10. We ask that you only register for one session to allow as many people as possible to take part. Register for a session.
Meet the staff in Shq'apthut
Shq'apthut: A Gathering Place is a home away from home for Indigenous learners, a place to make connections with other students, Elders-in-Residence and get information about resources and services that can help you along your educational path. Learn more about the services offered here and the people - Kerry, Brittany, Lyn and Heather - who are there to help you.
BC Law admissions info session
Are you looking to pursue your law degree in BC? Join this information session on October 22 to learn about BC Law admissions from the University of Victoria, University of British Columbia and Thompson River University. The 1.5-hour session will include a panel discussion, question and answer period and a breakout session. Register today to book your spot!
Designated smoking areas
Smoking is prohibited within and around all VIU buildings and across our campus grounds. To accommodate smoking tobacco and vaping needs while on campus, VIU allows smoking in designated smoking areas only. Some of these areas are seasonal and are only open November 1 to April 30 and closed May 1 to October 31 to prevent forest fires. Designated areas can be found on the VIU campus map.
Wellness Peers ☕
Need a little canine therapy, or to chat with another student who gets what being a student can be like? You can visit the Wellness Lounge at the Nanaimo campus library for free tea and hot chocolate, fidgets, adult colouring, friendly chats with the wellness peers and cuddles with therapy dogs. Available Tuesdays to Thursdays. Learn about fall hours.
Give a Meal food security initiative
Students in need can request $20 deposits placed on their Student ID cards to spend on food at VIU cafeterias. How it works:
- Email giveameal@viu.ca to request a deposit.
- Visit the cafeteria in person to load your card for the first time.
- Use your ID card to pay at the upper or lower cafeteria with no restrictions on food choices. You choose how you want to spend it, making dollars stretch out longer if you opt for lower-value items.
- Maximum of three deposits per request, maximum two requests per semester.
Other food security initiatives
- The VIUSU Breakfast Bar is available 9:30 am to 3:30 pm in Building 193 (your VIU Students’ Union building).
- You can order low-cost fruits and veggies through the Good Food Box initiative, available at VIUSU headquarters on Thursdays. Order now.
- Loaves and Fishes runs Free Food Markets.
- Enjoy a free meal and a movie on October 22, 11:30 am to 1 pm in Building 355, Room 211. Initiative by Lauren Touchant, Jocelyne Praud, Leah Vaisanen (VIUSU Indigenous Students Representative) and the Political Studies Students’ Association.
Naloxone and harm reduction training
VIUSU has partnered with AVI Nanaimo to offer free naloxone and harm reduction training. This is your chance to gain essential skills and potentially save a life.
- Monday, October 21 (full – join waitlist)
- Wednesday, November 20 (full – join waitlist)
Student Spa Clinic
Exciting news! VIU’s Esthetics and Spa Therapy program has relocated to the Nanaimo campus and is now sharing Building 164 with the Hairdressing program. The Student Spa Clinic offers students the chance to refine their skills and will be open to clients until November 1, and every Friday starting November 8. Find relaxation and support student success by booking an appointment today at 250.740.6115.
How to respond to an overdose
If someone is having an overdose, call 911 right away. Your positive action could save a life. The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act protects people who call 911 about overdoses. After calling 911, call Campus Security at 250.740.6512, then follow the SAVE-ME steps on the BC government’s Respond to Overdose website. There are naloxone cabinets co-located with AED (automated external defibrillator) machines across the Nanaimo campus (select “First Aid” on the interactive campus map for locations).
Rental property maintenance and pests
Dripping pipes, creeping fungus and biting bed bugs? Not everyone’s favourite topics but the cooler months can bring unwelcome guests. Avoid problems, know what to look out for and what to do if your bedsheets start hopping. Your landlord will deal with most maintenance and pest issues. But did you know you may need to pay some of the costs if you delay telling them? Visit the Off-Campus Housing homepage, contact Off-Campus Housing or book a meeting
VIUSU Grants
The VIUSU Grant Program provides financial support for student activities such as conference hosting or participation, student club events and academic activities. Learn more.
REACH Award
Are you working on an independent project under the mentorship of a VIU faculty member or do you have a great idea to develop one? The REACH Award provides students with a stipend to support their projects. Check the eligibility criteria. The deadline for applications is October 31. Questions? Please connect with Vanessa.Moraes@viu.ca
Fall research funding workshops
Join the Student Research Engagement Coordinator during workshops this fall to get help with the application process for the following funding opportunities: REACH Awards (October 16), and Canada Graduate Scholarship – Master’s Program (November 4). Register.
Undergraduate research grants 💰
The Social Sciences Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research offers undergraduate research grants of up to $400 for students presenting their research at national or international, discipline-specific meeting (in person or virtually) during the 2024-25 academic year. Deadlines: October 31 for fall and April 20, 2025, for spring 2025. More info here.
Entrepreneurship training
VIU has partnered with several organizations to enable its students, staff and community to access applied entrepreneurship programming for free. Trailblazing is a six-week entrepreneurship education program offered by the University of Lethbridge. Learn about Trailblazing. Connect with Daniela Fisher if you are interested by emailing Daniela.Fischer@viu.ca. L2M Discover is designed to inspire and guide individuals in exploring entrepreneurial pathways and research commercialization. Learn about L2M Discover.
Mark your calendar
Bursary deadline: October 30
Complete your online scholarship, award and bursary profile from within your student record, under the finance tab, to apply for the upcoming bursaries. Deadline is midnight, October 30. Learn more.
Apply to be a member of two new committees at VIU by October 23
VIU is establishing a Responsible Investment and Sourcing Committee (RISC) and a Protest Activity and Security Relations Committee (PASR). RISC will provide guidance on strategies that align VIU’s practices with our commitment to environmental stewardship, social equity, and responsible resource management. PASR will focus on creating a framework that aligns our approach to protest activities with our core values of understanding, connection, and commitment. If you're interested, please submit a short (500 word maximum) expression of interest to James.Bowen@viusu.ca.
Stay in the know
Stay on top of what's happening at VIU. Find ways to get involved:
Check out the VIU Safety App 🤳
One of the easiest ways to find out what’s happening on campus during an emergency or snow closure is through VIU’s Safety App. Download the app (it’s free!) and be sure to enable push notifications. If anything is happening on campus relating to safety, health or emergencies that you need to know about, you will get an automatic notification. Watch the VIU Safety App informational video.
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