Update for the start of term

Dear students,

Happy New Year! We hope you had a safe and healthy December break.

As you begin spring term courses online, know that we are working closely with the Provincial Health Officer for a return to in-person instruction, programming and activities on Jan. 24.

Recognizing the unique nature of this start to term, the university Senate, at their Jan. 7 meeting, extended the last day to drop a course with a 100% reduction of fees to Jan. 30, 2022. As well, the application of overdue tuition service fees will be delayed until Feb. 15. This gives you more time to see how the term is unfolding before making final decisions about your current courses, without academic or financial penalty.

The last day for graduate students to register in a personal leave in second term has also been moved to Jan. 30. These dates will be updated in the Academic Calendar as soon as possible.

Safety on campus

Your safety is our highest priority. UVic continues to follow the latest guidance of BC’s Provincial Health Officer with respect to COVID-19 health and safety requirements on campus. We have many health and safety measures in place, including mask requirements, enhanced cleaning, and improved ventilation. The PHO has consistently expressed confidence in the core layers of protection that are in place on BC campuses. Last week, we strengthened these core layers of protection with new measures, including more stringent mask requirements in classrooms, study spaces, libraries, labs, housing, and more. We will continue to implement new measures as needed.

Thank you, as always, for following health and safety guidelines and helping to keep our community safe.

Preparing for absences

Public health officials have advised everyone in BC to prepare for larger numbers of absences in all settings as the highly transmissible Omicron variant spreads. We have encouraged instructors to be flexible and have implemented measures to help, including waiving the medical note requirement for student absences, and adding basic lecture capture technology in most classrooms to support short-term absences. Your instructor may also choose to offer some elements of your in-person class in a remote format throughout the spring term.

Make sure you know what to do if you have to miss class.

Academic resources

We strongly encourage you to connect with an academic adviser if you’re considering changes to your courses or program. They can help you understand your program requirements and make decisions in order to meet your academic goals.

If you’re unsure about what to expect or need a little support in preparing for online course delivery, the resources on Learn Anywhere can help.

Student life & activities

We are committed to creating a transformational student experience at UVic and continue to develop and implement programs that support a meaningful and engaging student experience.

Campus services and facilities are open in-person this term, including housing, food outlets, libraries, Office of the Registrar and more. It is likely some student services will also be offered online to ensure service continuity and to accommodate absences and illness. We’ll share more information as soon as it develops. A unit’s website is the best place to find up-to-date service delivery hours and information.

Health & wellness

SupportConnect is available 24/7 for free, confidential mental health support for UVic students. The Student Wellness Centre is also open for in-person appointments.

The following athletics and recreation facilities and programs are open:

• Squash
• McKinnon pool
• Ice rink
• Climbing centre
• Intramural league play for individual or team sports
• Club programs
• Drop-in activity where participants compete individually against each other
• Adult indoor sport or recreation programs that do not exceed 50% of space occupancy

Due to public health orders, the CARSA Fitness Weight Centre and McKinnon weight rooms, fitness and dance classes, and sports tournaments are closed until Jan. 19.

See the Vikes Active Living website for up-to-date information.

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Thank you for your flexibility and understanding as we continue to navigate these changing pandemic conditions. We wish you all the best for the spring term.