Renewed strategic plan approved
UVic’s renewed strategic plan, A Vision for the Future–Building on Excellence, has received the approval of the university’s governing bodies. The University Senate endorsed the plan at its Jan. 6 meeting, and the University of Victoria Board of Governors approved it on Jan. 31. The new plan, which will guide the institution’s evolution for the coming years, resulted from an extensive consultation process that took place throughout 2011 involving the campus and external communities.
January break-in and theft of personal information
It’s been weeks since a break-in at the University of Victoria’s Administration Services Building resulted in the theft of personal information of current and former UVic employees, but the impact is still being felt on campus.
Change starts here: UVic and the United Way
Thank you, UVic community! The final fundraising tally for the 2011 UVic United Way campaign came in at $271,165, with a cool $36,641 raised at on-campus events from July through December. The campaign also welcomed 62 new donors.
New fund greenlights innovative campus sustainability projects
Sometimes simple ideas have big payoffs. The first two projects to receive funding from the University of Victoria's new Revolving Sustainability Fund will save the university enough energy and water, in less than five years, to pay for themselves in reduced utility costs.
Last chance to submit your Great Moment
There are only a few days left to submit your Great Moment in advance of UVic’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Anniversary organizers encourage you to send in your special memory about a UVic event, achievement or campus development online by Jan. 20 to the Great Moments website at www.uvic.ca/anniversary/moments/index.php.
Copyright procedures to change in 2012
The University of Victoria will be opting out of the Access Copyright (AC) Interim Tariff at the end of August 2012, raising to 35 the number of universities represented by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) that have opted out. Had UVic stayed in the Agreement, the proposed tariff would have resulted in an increase in the university’s annual royalty payments to Access Copyright from $60,000 to $700,000.
UVic gets great grades again
UVic retained second place among comprehensive universities in the 2011 Maclean’s ranking of Canadian universities. UVic was first in the proportion of its full-time professors who have won major awards and ranked second for its level of funding from federal medical and science granting agencies. UVic also scored well for its amount of total research dollars and the percentage of its budget dedicated to student scholarships and bursaries. UVic also scored well in the 2012 Globe and Mail’s “Canadian University Report” on undergraduate student satisfaction. UVic received an overall B+ from its students. More: http://bit.ly/sPNOZ7
Peer Helping Program: Creating connections for 25 years
This year, UVic’s Peer Helping Program is celebrating its 25th year of transforming lives. Both within the program and through campus outreach initiatives, volunteer peer helpers create safe spaces for their peers to share their experiences and seek support. But most importantly, the program is about making connections.
President Turpin announces priorities for 2011/12
In October, President David Turpin used the first University Senate meeting of the academic year to report to senators the key priorities he presented to the Board of Governors for the 2011/2012 year. He underscored the Senate's leadership role in maintaining UVic’s support for excellence in education, research and service to the community and to the university’s commitment to providing its students with an excellent educational experience.
United Way campaign rolling toward goal
"How many more times around Ring Road?" UVic United Way campaign committee members Charles McQuade, Sarah Smith, James Burrough, Teresa Rush and Marlene Bergstrom revved up the 2011 campaign as they pushed a hollowed-out VW Bug around Ring Road during the Bug Push, held on Sept. 16. Organized by the Engineering Students' Society, the first special event of the fall campaign brought in $2,250 in pledges while student, staff and community teams kept the Bug in motion for 12 hours straight.

