(un)changing restrictions, upcoming sAGM, cool new student opportunities
And other things that you should be in the know about: A Seagull Weekly Roundup
Welcome to a Seagull roundup, where you get in the know about what’s happening in the UVic community and more.1
In this email, you are getting our regular coverage from the Daily Drip summed up and a bit of everything else that we didn’t write a full article on! If you haven’t already subscribed, click on the button to get this in your inbox. We truly appreciate every person who reads this, even if you’re reading this with a scowl.
Some restrictions are being lifted tomorrow. But you still can’t drink water in McPherson.
Our health overlord/provincial health officer Bonnie Henry will be easing (some) restrictions tomorrow. Given how politicized the pandemic has become,2 I have no freaking idea what is going on anymore. But hey, soon you’ll be able to get blasted drunk at Sticky’s and dance with strangers again!
So what’s changing at UVic? Answer: Not much.
The latest UVic email blast by Kane Kilbey and Susan Lewis - the two are in charge of the UVic COVID-19 transition team - said that “the requirement for students to wear a mask in the classroom, including the temporary restriction on consuming food and beverages in the classroom, will continue at this time.” Further changes will be ‘reviewed’ in March and April.
You’d think this would mean that we would get to drink water in the library again, no? But the COVID-19 guidelines on UVic’s website remain unchanged.
But hey: Buh-bye, CARSA bookings!
The same email claims that UVic will soon be recieving enough test kits to test everyone on campus from the province.3 My opinion? Too little and too late, given that B.C. has basically gave up on testing in January and has a poor track record in distributing rapid tests.
The contentious UVSS sAGM is happening tomorrow.
Contentious is the word that I would use to describe the UVSS Semi-Annual General Meeting happening tomorrow. The UVSS lead director positions remain half-staffed, but the B.C. societies act and its own constituition is moving them along to one of their more important meetings.
The long and short of it: disgruntled UVSS outsiders are bringing a bunch of proposal to for students to vote on. The most contentious of these - which the UVSS board has been explicitly campaigning against - regard the previously deemed invalid motion that sought to change the structure of the board. (We wrote about it here: What actually happened at the AGM, anyway?)
The UVSS, which has long been dominated by social science students, doesn’t seem to be super in favour of this. Understandably so, since the rhetoric surrounding this motion has been one mainly of animosity and disgruntlement. Abdul Abuelazm, an influential member of the Engineering Students Society, is bringing this motion up to the sAGM floor again. This time, he’s doing it by the books. But will it pass? Find out tomorrow!
Other things that are probably important too: People are trying to create a Humanities PDU.4 The UVSS is pushing for the International Student Director to be a paid position. People are probably going to be angry about the reallocated PIRG money (totalling around 252k, not 300k as rumors like to put it) and make a fuss about it.
I pity the Martlet writer that has to cover the sAGM and write something that doesn’t piss 30 people off. Me? I’ll be eating ramen in Vancouver and looking at memes on /r/uvic.
Now, on to some truly good news!
50 First-year students will get research opportunies in new, REAL UVic initiative
The Research-enriched Applied Learning (REAL) internships are PAID research experiences for first-years that will be supported by a faculty member. Yes, this will be a real (heh) research initiative that actually benefits undergraduate students! Holy shit, UVic did something cool. Damn, I’m proud of you guys.
Internship awards are $7,500 for three months (12 weeks) of full-time internship. The first cohort begins in May 2022. You have to be a first year student,5 be going back to UVic for your second year, and to have found a faculty supervisor, but that’s about it. Here’s the breakdown of how the 50 internships will be distributed.6 Oh, and 20 percent of the awards are allocated towards students from equity-deserving groups.
Civil Engineering professor Laura Minet is already seeking a first-year that would conduct research on possible topics such as everyday exposure to air pollution, and the influence of cruise ships and seaplanes on air quality.7
Nomination submissions are due February 28.
Graduate students across Canada can now get library books mailed to them.
For students living in Canada but outside of the Greater Victoria area, you can now get print books mailed to you from the library for free! Here’s how to do it:
• Go to the record of the book you need in the UVic Libraries Catalogue;
• From the blue Actions bar on the right hand side, choose Re:Quest;
• Fill out the form, including mailing address and course number, and make sure you check the box that indicates you are living outside of the Greater Victoria area.
Return postage will be included, and requests are said to be processed within four business days. Isn’t that nifty?
Miscellaneous!
Controversy at the theatre🎭: The Waste Land by T.S. Elliot is beginning its run on February 18. I’ve recieved an anonymous tip - confirmed with an off the record conversation - that certain scenes in the play were contentious amongst students.8 (The film has a content advisory warning that it includes stylized scenes of sexual assault and violence.)
Some of us may have donated to the freedom convoy🚚: A graphic circulated first on the /r/UBC subreddit has made its way to the Seagull. It’s claiming that two people with Uvic email addresses have donated to the freedom convoy that’s currently changing our democracy. The Seagull is currently investigating this.9
UVic is doing institutional planning 📝: Student engagement is low on this, but it seems like Kevin Hall is a many of many plans. The Seagull snuck into the faculty and staff only town hall and wrote about it.
Two more UVSS student directors have stepped out 😬: Ashley Bihis is now the new SOCC representative. Sid Pathak is taking a 'leave of absence.' That makes a total of five directors that are no longer active on the board this year. This is the same amount of board members that resigned from 2020-21 UVSS board.
That’s all folks! Thanks for reading to the end. We love to hear from you, and you can do that here: uvicseagull[at]protonmail[dot]com. Subscribe! Share! Send us hate mail (or don’t)!
xoxo,
The Seagull
A disclaimer, should you choose to read further. This is a completely biased, probably inaccurate account of what is going on at university, and should only be read for infotainment purposes. That said, we do try our best to tell stories that are currently being obfuscated, hidden, and ignored around the Ring road and beyond.
And always has been.
Each kit has five tests.
Disclosure: Samuel Holland is an infrequent contributor to the Seagull. Like I said, this is a biased account. I don’t pretend to be impartial. Channel the spirit of an anti-vaxxer: do your own research and come up with your own conclusions.
Interestingly, this also includes third-year Business students.
something something faculty representation.
You’d have to be an Engineering student to apply for this, obviously. But I’m sure there are other cool opportunities being circulated around different departments!
That’s all I can say without being sued. Feel free to reach out if you have any additional knowledge on this matter.
If you know anyone who has donated to the convoy and they want to share their story, please get in touch!