UVic news and events

University of Victoria President David Turpin announced on May 15 that he will step down from his position at the end of June next year.

The University of Victoria, through the Gustavson School of Business, has signed agreements to work with the new government of the Republic of Tunisia to help develop its administrative capacity and to promote academic collaboration and exchange.

Bloodybelly comb jellies, sea pigs, deep sea spiders—real images and video of these and over 125 other little-known inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean can now be viewed on an iPad. The Marine Life Field Guide, published by the University of Victoria’s NEPTUNE Canada, is the first interactive visual reference to species of the deep sea for tablet computers.

The famed Lafayette String Quartet will put a classical touch on the UVic Alumni Association’s annual general meeting on May 29.

University of Victoria political scientist and privacy expert Dr. Colin Bennett has found Canada’s federal political parties are collecting and managing vast amounts of sensitive personal information on Canadians, yet are largely unregulated by privacy protection laws.

The first step of UVic's expanded consultation for the new Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities (CARSA) and related parkade began earlier this year and UVic is now moving into Step 5 of the process after receiving community input at a second set of open houses in April and May. UVic is anticipating its updated application will be submitted to the District of Saanich in early June.

Two UVic undergraduate history students will be in Northwest Europe May 25 to June 10 in time for the 68th anniversary of D-Day. They are two of only a dozen students across Canada selected for the annual Canadian Battlefields Foundation study tour. The duo has personal connections to the history of the First and Second World Wars.

Is centralized heating an effective way for BC communities to reduce greenhouse gases? DE systems can reduce carbon and save money – but only if re-regulated. A new white paper from the UVic-led Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions outlines an economic regulatory framework.

Local literary luminary and alumna Esi Edugyan has taken home the BC Book Prizes fiction award. The UVic writing department led the way for this year's nominations, with instructor Steven Price and alumnus DW Wilson nominated for fiction, adjunct prof Patrick Lane for poetry and former instructor Pamela Porter for children's literature.