Archive for category: Media News

UVIC STUDENTS’ SOCIETY ENDORSES STUDENT WALKOUT FOR CLIMATE

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

25 SEPTEMBER 2019

UVIC STUDENTS’ SOCIETY ENDORSES STUDENT WALKOUT FOR CLIMATE

Students at UVic to join September 27th Global Climate Strike.

Victoria, BC – The UVic Students’ Society (UVSS) Board of Directors unanimously voted in favour of endorsing the UVic Student Walkout to join the Global Climate Strike at 11am on Friday, September 27th.

The strike is organized  by the leaders of the UVSS’s Divest UVic campaign following a week of action on campus, titled “Divestfest.” This  week of events coincides with the Global Week of Climate Action and targets the removal of UVic’s nearly $40 million investment in fossil fuels.

Students at UVic join increasing global demands for action on climate change. UVic has ignored calls to divest from fossil fuels from students, staff, and alumni since 2013. This mass student walkout will demonstrate to the University that students will not stand idly by as they profit from the destruction of the  planet. “It is socially and fiscally irresponsible for UVic to maintain nearly $40 million invested in fossil fuels,” says Juliet Watts, UVSS Director of Campaigns and Community Relations.

The week features  a protest at the UVic Board of Governors meeting and a panel on Indigenous Law on Tuesday afternoon, an Environmental Fair on Wednesday afternoon, and a community picnic on Thursday. “This week has given us an opportunity to put into action the values that students across the globe are standing up for, and make it clear that these values are present here on campus,” adds Shay lynn Sampson, UVSS Director of Events.

Students are encouraged to walk out of classes on Friday September 27th at 11am, meet outside the Student Union Building (SUB), and travel downtown together for the Global Climate Strike at the Legislature.

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The University of Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS) was established in 1964 and represents the 18,000 undergraduate students at the University of Victoria.

MEDIA INQUIRIES
Contact: Juliet Watts, Director of Campaigns and Community Relations
Phone: 250-317-4722
Email: campaigns@uvss.ca

UVIC STUDENTS’ SOCIETY STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE UNIST’OT’EN

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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

21 JUNE 2019

UVIC STUDENTS’ SOCIETY STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE UNIST’OT’EN

Elected student leaders at the University of Victoria join international call for solidarity with the Unist’ot’en

Victoria, BC –  At a June 17 meeting of the UVSS Board of Directors, elected student leaders voted unanimously to take a public stance in solidarity with the Unist’ot’en. They join a chorus of over 1,000 First Nations, academic and union leaders, musicians, and environmental organizations.

The UVic Students’ Society (UVSS) has pledged to take concrete steps to challenge colonialism and racism, and raise awareness of social and environmental justice.

“Canadians need to educate themselves, and we all need to do our part in order to make reconciliation a reality. The Coastal GasLink (CGL) pipeline is a violation of the principles of reconciliation and decolonization the federal government claims to espouse.” says Shay lynn Sampson, UVSS Director of Events.

This declaration comes in the wake of a public call to action by the Unist’ot’en. Many Indigenous nations never surrendered their land to the Canadian government, which was affirmed in the landmark 1997 Delgamuukw-Gisday’wa Supreme Court of Canada case that recognized and affirmed Wet’suwet’en sovereignty.

The BC Supreme Court is deliberating on a current injunction that would either allow CGL to continue with construction, or uphold Indigenous sovereignty.

“In order to live up to the promise of reconciliation, Canadians must recognize the legacy of colonialism and continued violence against Indigenous peoples. The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls makes clear that ‘man camps,’ such as the proposed Coastal GasLink work site, increase violence against Indigenous women and girls,” says Victoria Eaton, UVSS Director of Student Affairs.

For more information on how to support the Unist’ot’en and their call to action, please reference their website (http://unistoten.camp/whatsnext/). Students interested in learning more about UVSS decolonization are encouraged to attend the upcoming Board meeting on July 8, 2019.

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The University of Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS) was established in 1964 and represents the 18,000+ undergraduate students at the University of Victoria.

MEDIA INQUIRIES

Contact: Shay lynn Sampson (she/her), UVSS Director of Events

Phone: 250-721-8369 | Email: events@uvss.ca

 

A statement regarding TERFs

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It has come to the attention of the UVSS Board of Directors that in recent weeks, trans-exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs) have been targeting and harassing members of our community. Such behaviors must not be tolerated on our campus, and in society as a whole.

The Board of Directors condemns the horrid actions of the TERFs. Discrimination toward members of traditionally marginalized groups and harassment, in general, are never acceptable. It is important that we stand behind our members, and that we do our best to ensure that the Student Union Building and our Campus as a whole are safe for our members and for all members of the University community.

We hope that those negatively affected by the actions of TERFs benefit from the knowledge that the UVSS completely supports them and that we will do all that we can to ensure their safety and comfort.

Sincerely,

The UVSS Executive Team

UVic students commend BC Government for lowering interest rates on student loans

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Victoria – Students across BC celebrated a huge win yesterday when Finance Minister Michael de Jong announced in the budget speech that the BC Government will lower the interest rate on student loans. Effective August 1, 2017, the interest rate on student loans will be reduced from prime plus 2.5% to prime only. Years of coordinated lobbying efforts by BC’s post-secondary students has resulted in a win that improves affordability for students.

“UVic students applaud the BC Government for reducing student loan interest and the burden of student debt,” said UVSS Director of Campaigns and Community Relations Maxwell Nicholson. “Working with other student unions across BC to make the student voice heard can pay huge dividends.”

A recent survey of students at 10 post-secondary institutions across BC conducted by Insights West in collaboration with the Alma Mater Society shows that 38% of students have taken out student loans. These students leave school with an average student loan burden of just over $27,000. Reducing the interest rate on these loans makes it easier for students to transition from university to their careers, allowing graduates to save and invest without the burden of high interest rates.

“While students at UVic are excited by the reduction in interest rates, there are still many student issues that were not addressed in the 2017 BC Budget,” said Nicholson. “There is a pressing need for access to affordable on-campus housing, core-funding increases for essential support services, and a comprehensive needs-based grants program.”

In the run up to the May 2017 provincial election, the UVSS will continue to work with other student unions in BC to advocate for post-secondary issues and to encourage youth voter participation. The UVSS will be launching the Count On Our Vote campaign in the coming weeks.

The University of Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS) was established in 1964 and represents the 18,000 undergraduate students at the University of Victoria.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Maxwell Nicholson
UVSS Director of Campaigns & Community Relations
campaigns@uvss.ca, 250-721-8366

Media Advisory – September 26, 2016

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UVic students set to host counsellor, educator, and artist Farrah Khan as a part of Sexualized Violence Awareness Month

Victoria – This Wednesday, the UVic Students’ Society (UVSS), Anti-Violence Project (AVP), and UVic will be co-hosting “We Begin By Listening” – a keynote presentation by Farrah Khan. Khan is nationally recognized counsellor, educator and artist with over 16 years of experience addressing gender-based violence.

Who:    Farrah Khan, Ann-Bernice Thomas, and Jeremy Loveday

What:   “We Begin By Listening” keynote presentation on sexualized violence

When:  Wednesday September 28, 2016. 6:30pm.

Where: UVic Farquhar Auditorium

This keynote presentation is a part of Sexualized Violence Awareness Month and the Let’s Get Consensualcampaign. Join us as we work towards making our campus free of harm and shifting our culture to one of consent.

More info:

Web:
https://www.antiviolenceproject.org/svaw/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/690871104412689/
https://www.facebook.com/getconsent

The University of Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS) was established in 1964 and represents the 17,000 undergraduate students at the University of Victoria. Let’s Get Consensual is a campaign against the prevalence of rape culture and sexualized violence on campuses organized by AVP, UVSS, UVic, and partner organizations across British Columbia.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Maxwell Nicholson
UVSS Director of Campaigns & Community Relations
campaigns@uvss.ca, 250-721-8366

Free textbook adopted by Earth & Ocean Sciences course at UVic

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Free textbook adopted by Earth & Ocean Sciences course at UVic
Students continue to advocate for more open educational resources

Victoria – As the UVic Students’ Society gets set to launch its textbook affordability campaign ‘TextbookBroke’ in September, some faculty at UVic are already moving forward to adopt free textbooks for their courses. Earth and Ocean Sciences 120 recently switched from a printed textbook worth $123.50 to a free online textbook offered through BCcampus’ Open Textbook Project.

“The adoption of Open Education Resources (OER) is a great step forward for students at UVic,” said UVSS Director of Campaigns Maxwell Nicholson.  “If more colleges and universities throw their weight behind the BC Open Textbook Project and we see wider adoption, this has the potential to make education more affordable for students who are burdened by high debt, expensive course materials, and an extremely tight rental market.“

Textbook affordability has reached a crisis point. Prices have risen three times the rate of inflation since 1970. Textbooks can be up to 50% of the total cost of a university course. For students in EOS 120, the BC Open textbook could collectively save them up to $12,473.50 a year. Students at SImon Fraser and UBC have already seen many open textbook adoptions at their campuses and they are actively pushing for more.

“I’ve heard stories of first year students choosing courses based on how expensive the textbook is, or whether they will really need it for the course,” said UVic Earth and Ocean Sciences professor Lucinda Leonard. “We’d like to remove any obstacle to students being introduced to earth, ocean & atmospheric sciences.”

Over the coming year, the UVSS will continue to advocate for the adoption of more free open textbooks at UVic through ‘TextbookBroke’, a campaign run in partnership with the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) and the Alma Mater Society of UBC (AMS).

The University of Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS) was established in 1964 and represents the 17,000 undergraduate students at the University of Victoria.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Maxwell Nicholson
UVSS Director of Campaigns & Community Relations
campaigns@uvss.ca, 250-721-8366

JOINT PUBLIC STATEMENT TO UVSS MEMBERS

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Last week, a matter came to the attention of the UVSS Elections Office and the University of Victoria Students’ Society (“UVSS”) that we would like to address in the following joint statement.

An unknown individual, likely through the use of an online simulator, fabricated a conversation on Facebook. The forged conversation purported to be between an unnamed student and a UVSS board member candidate. The Martlet reports that an unnamed student provided the Martlet with the screenshots on February 29 at 2:31am.

A professional graphic designer has conducted an analysis of the screenshots and has stated with full confidence that the screenshots were faked. According to the Martlet, the individual was unable and/or refused to provide proof that the screenshots were authentic and has also since deleted the Facebook account they used to correspond with the Martlet.

The UVSS and the UVSS Elections Office are concerned for the integrity of the elections process. Forged communications go beyond any definition of acceptable conduct during student elections, and elections in general. Such an act goes against the Electoral Policy Manual, specifically 5.8.4 Defamation, and 5.8.5 Libel, which are both listed as disqualifiable offences.

Statements by UVSS Directors and Officers, in some circumstances, may create liability for the UVSS. Misstatements wrongly attributed to a candidate can have a detrimental and long-lasting effect on a candidate’s future career opportunities and reputation.

UVSS elections are structured to be a positive experience for all candidates and to provide an opportunity to participate in our campus community. No candidate’s future career should be placed in jeopardy because of their involvement with the elections process. The UVSS Elections Office and the University of Victoria Students’ Society strongly condemns fraudulent attacks on any candidate made on a demonstrably fraudulent premise.

We hope that no further acts of this kind are perpetrated against any candidate during future elections, and we will continue to stand for fair, open, impartial, inclusive, and democratic student elections at the University of Victoria.

Sincerely,

Emma Hamill – Chief Electoral Officer, UVSS Elections
Solenn Madevon – Electoral Committee Chair, UVSS Board of Directors

UVic and Camosun students deliver thousands of postcards to VRTC and BC Transit asking for expanded late-night bus service

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Victoria – Today UVic and Camosun students delivered 2,200 postcards to the Victoria Regional Transit Commission (VRTC) calling on the Commission and BC Transit to expand late-night bus service.

“Since the Transit Commission launched a limited late-night bus service six years ago, this program has seen enormous success and has experienced a large spike in ridership,” said UVSS Director of External Relations Kenya Rogers. “Although public transit users are very positive about this service, it doesn’t go far enough and the time has come to expand the service to meet demand. That’s why students are asking for one more day and one more hour.”

Late-night bus service is an affordable mode of transportation that increases safety, especially for women, and it decreases instances of drunk driving. Programs like this are good not only for those who want to enjoy an evening downtown, but are also good for those who work downtown and need to get home after a long night at work. Students are asking for asking for late-night transit to start on Thursdays and have the last buses leave at 2:30am.

“With the consistent government funding cuts to post-secondary education, almost all students will have to find part-time employment in order to pay tuition and basic living costs at some point during their program. But many of the industries student find part-time work in have shifts that end after the last available bus service, like serving and bartending,” said CCSS External Executive Andrea Eggenberger. “When students have to put two or more hours of paid work towards a taxi, they require several more shifts a week just to make ends meet. At this point, students have little or no time to study, and education has simply become unaffordable.”

Students are major stakeholders in Greater Victoria’s public transit system. The UVic and Camosun student societies represent over 36,000 student members – the largest ridership demographic and stakeholder in the Capital Region. Through the U-PASS (Universal Bus Pass), UVic and Camosun students contribute $5.4 million to public transit annually, which brings millions of stable, dedicated dollars every year to BC Transit’s budget.

MORE INFO:

Check out our videos of students reading out postcards at the UVic Transit Exchange!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA_HbSaV1Os

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0tZ2qaYHag

https://www.facebook.com/maketransitwork/?ref=hl

The University of Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS) and the Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) represent 36,000 undergraduate students in Victoria, BC. Together, along with Unifor 333 (Greater Victoria Bus Drivers Union), they are founding members of The Make Transit Work Coalition.

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PUBLIC STATEMENT TO UVSS MEMBERS – Financial Error: Course Union Council Funding

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In regards to many questions and concerns that have been raised by our members about the overturn in funding for the Undergraduates of Political Science (UPS) and their upcoming conference “Discourses on Sovereignty: Land, Borders and Bodies” the Board of Directors would like to issue this statement to explain our actions.

On October 7, the UPS requested $6000 for their conference on Sovereignty: Land, Borders and Bodies through Course Union Council. According to Course Union Council Policy, any amount over $2000 must also get the approval of the Board of Directors. While this is explicit in our policy, the UVSS Director of Student Affairs issued a cheque prior to Board approval in order to allow UPS to meet their deadline. The UVSS General Manager signed an agreement with the hotel on behalf of the UPS after the approval from Course Union Council. 

When the Board of Directors asked for more information before approving the conference, a stop payment was issued on the cheque. But, the contract with the hotel had already been signed. We have since reimbursed the President of the UPS for the cost originally associated with the hotel booking.

The UVSS takes full responsibility for the mistakes we made in this process and for breaching our financial policy. The cheque should not have been issued until it was approved by the Board of Directors. While we did try to accommodate the UPS’ time sensitive request, policy was not followed and for that we must be accountable. We also want to let our members know what we plan to do in the future to ensure that mistakes like this do not happen again.

Moving forward, there are a number of actions that we are going to take. We are in the process of revisiting how we can accommodate event organizers on tight timelines while ensuring Board oversight. As a part of this, we will update our policy to require board minutes (draft or approved) to be attached to cheque requisitions for Academic Grants over $2,000. We will also conduct a thorough review and update of our Finance & Operations Policy, specifically our financial controls, and will complete this work by the end of the 2015-2016 board term.

We as a Board hold ourselves accountable for our actions. We apologize to the Undergraduates of Political Science and to our members for this financial error.

In community,
The UVSS Board of Directors.

If you have any questions or concerns please send them to UVSS Director of Student Affairs Kaylee Szakacs at affairs@uvss.ca