UVIC STUDENTS’ SOCIETY ENDORSES STUDENT WALKOUT FOR CLIMATE

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

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

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