August 15, 2024 - 3:30pm
Dear VIU community,
Today, the Supreme Court of B.C. granted Vancouver Island University an injunction to remove the encampment on our Nanaimo campus quad. The Court’s order mandates that the encampment be removed by 9:30 am on Sunday, August 18th. You can find the court order here.
We sincerely hope those in the encampment comply with the court order and vacate the quad before the court-imposed deadline. We have requested the RCMP’s assistance to support VIU’s enforcement of the order if participants remain after the court-ordered timeframe.
VIU remains dedicated to maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for all members of our community. While we respect and support the right to peaceful protest and diverse viewpoints, today’s court order ensures that the campus quad is returned to the entire community and prevents any individual group from occupying a shared space for extended periods of time to promote a single perspective.
We recognize that this situation has been challenging and emotional for many. We are committed to supporting our students and employees through this period and welcome constructive and respectful dialogue on all community issues.
If you need support, please reach out. Supports for students, including counselling, wellness, and information for students in distress, can be found on the VIU Counselling website. Students with questions are encouraged to contact officeofVPStudents@viu.ca.
Support, counselling, and wellness information for employees can be found on our Employee and Family Assistance Program homepage.
We will continue to update our campus community accordingly. Thank you for your ongoing support and patience.
Tags: Announcements
