VIU Student Pulse News: November 18

From tips on managing stress, to COVID policies and procedures, to  career fair and updated library hours, to supports to help you as we enter the busiest time of the semester, please take a moment to read this issue of the Student Pulse. As always, please reply to this email with any questions you have that aren’t answered here! We are happy to answer them.

Need to know

Speed Networking Events

Are you interested in getting to know students from your faculty and making meaningful connections across all the VIU campuses? Register today for a speed networking event on November 19 and December 11. Sign up using the Eventbrite link or register through the Co-curricular Involvement App. 

VIU’s Draft Strategic Plan is Ready for Your Input! 

Join the conversation about the future of VIU! Using the Ethelo online engagement platform, you can read, review, make comments, rate and see other’s comments on VIU’s draft strategic plan. Participate from now until November 27, 2020. Visit A Different Kind of University to get started.

An Update on Convocation 2021 

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, VIU has decided to combine the January and June 2021 convocation ceremonies. As was the case for the celebration event organized in September, VIU will celebrate the achievements of graduates in June 2021 with a ceremony that meets the public health regulations. Read more in this letter by Dr. Deb Saucier, VIU President and Vice-Chancellor. Stay tuned for more updates.

Stress Management 101 

As exam season is right around the corner, VIU’s Success Coach Sharon Kelly has some advice to keep you focused and performing well. Check out her tips on the VIU Blog.

Dinner for Four Specials from VIU Food Services 

VIU Food Services presents the best-value dinner in town! Order a restaurant-quality dinner for four for $35 (tax included). Order each week on Tuesdays, for pick-up on Fridays. New meal deals are announced weekly on the VIU Food Services homepage.

Connect

Student-created Colouring Books

Looking for a cool Christmas gift? Creature Feature was conceptualized, sketched, illustrated and named by second-year Graphic Design students at VIU. Visit the Creature Feature website to pre-order today.

Indigenous Speakers Series 

VIU’s sixth annual Indigenous Speakers Series features Jesse Wente, an Anishinaabe writer, broadcaster, speaker and arts leader. Wente, who is best known for his 24 years as a columnist for CBC Radio’s Metro Morning, will speak on “A Story of Joy: Reducing the Harm so We Can Heal.” Tune in on Wednesday, November 25 at 6:30 pm. Register for this FREE event by going to Zoom webinar.

Let’s Talk About Healthy Masculinity 

Want to have an open discussion about our reality and our experience about being a “man” and how you feel you can and can’t behave, as well as how the media affects your sexual relationships? Join the Counselling team for three one-hour sessions – November 27, December 4 and December 11. Learn more and sign up on the VIU events page.

Health Research Funding 

Applications are now available for the 2021 Scholar & Research Trainee competitions! These programs support BC’s next generation of health researchers to advance science, address health research priorities and improve the health of British Columbians.

Participate in REIMAGINE NANAIMO

What do you want to change about Nanaimo and what do you want to stay the same? The City of Nanaimo wants to hear from VIU students in its ambitious visioning process called REIMAGINE NANAIMO. Stay tuned to the Co-Curricular Record App from November 16 – 22 for the chance to win some awesome prizes. More info.

Survey for Mothers

VIU researchers Dr. Sylvie Lafreniere and Dr. Gillian Anderson want to hear from mothers living in the mid-Vancouver Island area about the impacts of COVID-19 on mothers’ experiences of caregiving. Learn more or take the survey here. 

Supports and services

Nanaimo Library Open 24-7

A reminder that the Nanaimo campus library’s third and fourth floors are now open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to meet all your late-night study needs. Need a computer on campus? Drop by the Commons or check out the lab on the library’s fifth floor (open Monday – Friday, 9 am – 3:45 pm). Don’t forget your mask and your VIU ID card to gain access to the building.

Help with Choosing Your Major/Minor 

Haven’t chosen a Major or Minor area of study yet in your Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science program? Not even sure what that is? Talk to an Educational Advisor and let them help you clarify this. They have daily Zoom drop in hours where you can meet with an Advisor one on one.

Writing Centre

Need some help with writing those final term papers? The Writing Centre is staffed by professors in academic programs at VIU who can help you formulate your ideas and organize your written (and other) work to represent those ideas as effectively as possible. Students can make two 25-minute virtual appointments per week. Choose The Writing Centre on the log-in page and whether you want to do Video Chat (real-time discussion) or E-tutoring (tutor writes comments on your uploaded document).

International Academic Support

IAS tutors are English for Academic Purposes instructors in the Faculty of International Education. They help international and non-native speakers improve their academic writing, reading, listening and speaking. Choose International Academic Support on the log-in page and whether you want to do Video Chat (real-time discussion) or E-tutoring (tutor writes comments on your uploaded document).

Women’s Circles

The ‘s’uluq’wa Community Cousins Aboriginal mentorship program is hosting women’s circles, open to all VIU students who identify as female. Join the cousins once a month to get together virtually and chat in a safe space. Meeting dates: Thursday, October 22, Thursday, November 19 and Thursday, December 17 from 4-6 pm. Zoom details: Meeting ID: 690 0210 4988, Password: 076034.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

November is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. To learn more or reach out for support, visit Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Last Chance: Register for the Beyond 2020 Career Fair

The Island’s largest virtual career fair takes place tomorrow. Register for FREE by end of day TODAY to connect with 100+ employers. 

COVID-19 updates

Mariners Athletics and Recreation Activities Postponed

In response to the rising COVID-19 numbers in our region and across BC, Mariners Athletics and Recreation has made the difficult decision to suspend all activity for two weeks starting November 17, 2020. Facility operators will continue to watch the Public Health Office guidelines as related to our region and assess the safety of reopening on November 30, 2020.

Corrected Information on Covid-19 Testing Site

We have updated information regarding the COVID-19 testing site that is being constructed at VIU’s Nanaimo campus. The site will be for COVID-19 testing ONLY at this time, and the date on which will become operational has not yet been determined. Please read more here. 

What Happens When a Community Members is Diagnosed with COVID-19

With the recent increase in COVID-19 cases on the Island, we wanted to remind you of the process if a member of the VIU community is diagnosed with COVID-19. Read more about it in our FAQs on VIU’s 2020-21 Academic Year.

Important Reminder: Updated Mask Guidelines for VIU Facilties

To follow BC Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry's new expectations regarding the use of non-medical masks, we have updated VIU's mask-wearing guidelines. 

Campus events

Stay on top of what's happening at VIU by checking our Campus Events website.