VIU Student Pulse News: October 26, 2022

Fall has finally arrived on Vancouver Island. Yes, this means rain, but it also means Halloween, and there’s a lot going on at VIU. Read on to join in all the spooky fun!
 
Also in this issue: new resources you should check out in the library, scholarship deadline reminders and ways to participate in WorldVIU Days, happening October 31 to November 4.

Need to know

Westwood Lake Witch Paddle 🧙‍♀️

The VIU Students’ Union is hosting their second Westwood Lake Witch Paddle on Saturday, October 29. VIU students, employees and Nanaimo community members are invited to bring their paddle board or kayak, life jacket and witch/Halloween costume to join us in a spooky paddle on the lake. Kids are also invited to participate in a treasure hunt along the main Westwood trail. We’ll have treats, music, a bouncy castle, food trucks and more.

Fun@VIU Halloween social 🎃

Join the Fun@VIU crew on Thursday, October 27 from 5 to 7 pm in the Upper Cafeteria for a Halloween-themed social. Socialize with fellow VIU students, munch on some delicious treats and take some awesome selfies in the photo booth. 

VIUSU Pub Halloween costume party 👻

After the Fun@VIU social on October 27, head down to the pub at 9 pm for a party featuring a DJ, costume contest, fun games, spooky drink specials and more. 

VIU Spidey 🕸🕷

VIU Spidey is back for the third year in a row! Head down to Facilities Services (Building 120) on the Nanaimo campus. Spidey is hanging from the outside of the building that faces Parking Lot S. Snap a selfie and post online with #VIUSpidey – tag @VIUniversity and we’ll reshare with the whole community.

Connect

WorldVIU Days 🌍

From October 31 to November 4, explore how culture influences the way we make sense of the world. The purpose of the week is to:

• Raise awareness and build appreciation for the cultural diversity on campus.
• Celebrate culture and recognize the richness that diverse perspectives bring to our campus and community.

Check out the full schedule.

Take our survey: how does VIU compare? 📱

How does VIU measure up to other comparable institutions? As part of the VIU Brand Refresh project engagement, please complete this 2-3 minute survey to share your knowledge and perceptions.

Meet VIU’s new student blogger 😊✏️

Samantha Allan has joined the Communications and External Affairs team this semester to write for the VIU Blog. Samantha is a first-generation learner of Indigenous and British ancestry with home roots across the province of BC. She is currently a Bachelor of Business Administration, major in Management student at VIU and her long-term goal is to work in law and economic development.

Read the Navigator Student Press 💻

Are you looking for a unique student view on VIU and community news? Visit The Navigator Student Press, VIU’s fully student-run online news magazine. Read, watch and listen to the stories that matter to you as students. 

KAIROS Blanket Exercise

The KAIROS Blanket Exercise is a facilitated, two-hour, interactive exercise. The exercise uses blankets to represent the lands of what is now called Canada, and the distinct cultures and nations that live on those lands to this day. The exercise is facilitated by a narrator who walks the participants through the history of treaty-making, colonization and resistance that resulted in the nation we today call Canada. The exercise takes place Thursday, November 3 from 11 am to 1 pm in Building 305, room 507 on the Nanaimo campus. Participants must register on Eventbrite.

Student Conference Funding 💰

Did you know you can apply for funding to go to a conference? Applications will reopen on November 1, 2022. Next deadline: January 20, 2023, for conferences between September 1, 2022, and April 30, 2023. If you have any questions, please contact Vanessa.Moraes@viu.ca. 

Talking about consent workshop ❗️

November is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Help raise awareness about this critical issue by joining the conversation about understanding and respecting consent. The workshop will be presented by Sexual Health Educator Kerri Isham on Thursday, November 17, from 4:30 to 6 pm. For more details, stay tuned to theVIU Thrive homepage and social media channels. 

Semélshun Aboriginal Graduation Recognition Ceremony 🥳

Are you an Indigenous student scheduled to finish your program by January? Contact Indigenous@viu.ca by November 4 to register to attend Semélshun Aboriginal Graduation Recognition Ceremony, which will be held Monday, December 12 from 11 am to 12:30 pm in the Malaspina Theatre on the Nanaimo campus. 

VIU and the Sustainable Development Goals 

In 2018, VIU’s Office of the President asked the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute (MABRRI) to study how VIU was meeting the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The Vancouver Island University and the SDGs video series shows the great work VIU is doing in alignment with the SDGs.

Supports & services

New research & media resources in the library 🎥

Check out these new resources as part of VIU library’s collections! In need of data for your research? Statista provides easy-to-access data from thousands of sources on topics related to business, media, public policy, health and others. Don’t have any plans this Halloween? Settle in and watch a horror flick throughAudio Cine Films, with more than 1,000 streamable movies from studios including Walt Disney, Touchstone, Pixar, Sony, Columbia and more! Contact us with any questions.

Building skills outside the classroom

It’s that time of year where you may be looking for ways to get involved around campus. VIU student blogger Samantha Allan has some suggestions to help you find your fit. 

Get your VIU questions answered ❓

Have questions about university regulations, learning supports, campus services and registration services? Check out the Resources for Students tab on your student record or connect with a friendly advisor in Building 200 by in-person or Zoom drop-in, phone or email.  

Resumé/cover letter writing course 📄

A new version of the resumé/cover letter self-directed course will now be available to all students, faculty and staff in Discover on VIULearn. If you have questions about your resumé and cover letter, please visit the VIU Career Studiolocated in Building 255, Room 204!  

Need some help with your writing? ✏️

The Writing Centre is staffed by VIU faculty tutors interested in talking about any aspect of your writing, whether it’s clear writing, thesis statements, citations and documentation, grammar or organizing an argument. International Academic Support (IAS) is a team of English for Academic Purposes tutors who help international and English as a second language students improve their academic English skills as they work through degree, diploma and certificate programs.  

Naloxone Training - Cowichan campus & Cowichan Trades Centre 💉

The HealthyU Cowichan nurses will teach you how to recognize an overdose and how to respond with your free Naloxone kit. In only 45 minutes you can learn to save a life. Dates, times and info for both The Cowichan Trades Centre and Cowichan campus can be found on the VIU Cowichan events calendar page. 

Report an accessibility issue 

The Universal Access Team is committed to reducing barriers on campus! If you notice an access issue on campus, please let us know by filling out this online form or using the VIU Safety App. When you click on “Accessibility Information” you will find the “report an access issue” button. 

Arts & Humanities building number 

The Arts & Humanities Building (a.k.a. the “English Building”), which had double building numbers of 340/345, is now simplified to Building 345. This is part of the new campus wayfinding signage system that VIU is implementing based on the input from a campus-wide consultation last year. Learn more about the building renumbering project.

VIU Off-Campus Housing 🏠

Did you know VIU has an office that can help you with information and support with tenancy issues? Common problems include: 

• rent and deposit disputes 
• loss of quiet enjoyment 
• (overnight) guests 
• property maintenance 
• pest infestations (e.g. cockroaches, bedbugs, mice) 

We’re also here to help with house hunting and temporary accommodation. VisitOff-Campus Housing, email housing@viu.ca or book a meeting. 

How do I tailor my resumé to a specific job? 

Want to increase your chances of getting called for an interview? Tailoring your resumé to the job description is a good tactic. Career Services Officer Paula Deering shares some tips on the #VIUBlog.

CareerVIU job postings 

Thousands of local employers are always looking for talented future leaders like you. Many of these employers post their jobs on CareerVIU. Access CareerVIU now and check back regularly for new part-time and full-time, on-campus and off-campus, as well as volunteer and paid opportunities.  

SafeTALK Workshop 

At the SafeTALK workshop, you’ll learn how to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, engaging someone and connecting them to an intervention resource for further support. It takes place Wednesday, November 2, 9 am to 1 pm, at the VIU Nanaimo Campus in Building 305/Room 507. Register via Eventbrite.

Mark your calendar

Deadline to apply for VIU Bursaries: October 30 💰

#DYK that the deadline to apply for VIU bursaries is midnight on October 30? There are hundreds of financial awards available at VIU for almost every program, as well as several general ones. To apply for all of them, all you have to do is fill out your Scholarship, Award and Bursary Profile.

Last week to submit your REACH Award application! 🥇

Are you doing (or planning to start) a super cool project that will increase our knowledge and pique our curiosity? Consider applying for a REACH Award! Deadline: October 31, 2022. If you have any questions, please contact Vanessa.Moraes@viu.ca.

Cyber Security Awareness Month 💻

Cyber Security Awareness Month is coming to an end. Do you have what it takes to ruin a cyber criminal’s day? Cyber security is a team game, together we can fight phishing! Don’t forget, the Cyber Month '22 Challenge is now open. You could win a prize and bragging rights, details at Cyber Security Awareness Month.

Gustafson poet

Renowned poet, writer and anti-racism activist M. NourbeSe Philip is VIU’s 2022-23 Ralph Gustafson Distinguished Poet. She’ll deliver her talk, “What Happens to Poetry When” on Thursday, October 27 from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Nanaimo campus in Building 355, Room 203, followed by a catered reception. The lecture is free to attend, free parking in Lot N. There will be a reading and Q&A for students on October 26 from 10 to 11:30 am in Building 355, Room 211.  

A Good Person

VIU’s Theatre Department presents A Good Person by Ross Desprez, from October 27 to November 5 at the Malaspina Theatre (Building 310) at the Nanaimo campus. The play runs on October 27, 28 and 29 and November 3, 4 and 5 at 7:30 pm. There is a matinee on November 3 at 10 am. Tickets are $10 and are available on EventBrite.

Portal’s Portfolio Series

Poet Charlie Petch is reading from their work Why I was Late, a decades-long trans, personal coming of age story that finds heroes in unexpected places during Portal’s Portfolio Series. Charlie reads their work at the Nanaimo campus on October 31 at 10 am in the Royal Arbutus Room. And on November 1 from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Black Rabbit Kitchen, 321 Selby Street.

COVID updates

COVID-19 and prevention measures at VIU 😷

COVID-19 is still prevalent in BC. Review VIU’s Communicable Diseases Plan and personal measures you can take to help prevent the spread of COVID on ourupdates and info page.

Deals

Did you know that as a VIU student you have access to exclusive discounts in your community and across the province? Download the Deals App, administered by the VIUSU and the BC Federation of Students, to learn more. Today’s featured businesses:

• UBREAKIFIX: 10% off services.
• Kind Community Yoga: Pay what you can for a 75-minute yoga class.

Campus events

Stay on top of what's happening at VIU. Find ways to get involved: 

• Campus Events website
• Co-curricular involvement app
• VIU Students' Union app