An update from your executive - VIU Leadership Failing Students

VIU Leadership Failing Students

VIU students, faculty, and staff are demanding change. VIUSU and the VIU Faculty Association (VIUFA), have both taken action against the administration’s failures.

• VIUSU has called for President Deborah Saucier’s removal due to financial mismanagement, delays in key projects like student housing, and cuts to essential student services like library access.

• VIUFA passed a non-confidence motion with 86% support, citing rising administrative salaries while faculty positions are cut and student services decline.

Recent Media Coverage:

• Nanaimo News Bulletin: VIU students, faculty, and staff call for leadership change

• Chek News: “It’s come to this” Students call for resignation of VIU president

• Times Colonist: VIU president under fire over university's handling of budget woes

• My Cowichan Valley Now: VIU to assess community concerns in wake of leadership non-confidence vote 

Prior to this, as previously reported, the VIUSU executive team had been attempting good-faith engagement with the VP of Students, Carolyn Russell. Meetings were scheduled based on student priorities, but the VP repeatedly rescheduled, canceled, and disregarded these priorities without consultation. It became clear that other key stakeholders had been directed not to meet with VIUSU unless the VP was present, preventing meaningful student advocacy.

The VP has since claimed she has been trying to meet with the executive but has not acknowledged the pattern of bad-faith engagement. A clear example of this was when she postponed a scheduled meeting on library hours, only to later reduce library hours without notice or consultation. The change was not even communicated to the campus community—students only discovered it by trying to access the library after 11 p.m.

Rather than continue engaging in bad-faith meetings, the VIUSU executive stepped back to reassess how to effectively push for real change.

The We Matter Here Campaign: Fighting for Student Services

On March 6, VIUSU launched the We Matter Here campaign to demand:

• Transparency and accountability from university leadership

• Real student representation in decision-making

• Sustainable student services that meet student needs

The first focus of this campaign is reinstating 24/7 library access. VIU cut overnight hours, making it harder for students balancing work, family, and academics to access a safe, quiet study space.

• Over 1,000 students, faculty, and staff have signed VIUSU’s petition calling for full 24/7 library access.

• VIU extended library hours to 1 a.m. during exams—but this was done without student consultation and is not enough.

• We’re demanding full reinstatement of 24/7 library access, not a short-term fix.

Sign the petition and get involved: https://wematterhere.viusu.ca/

VIU is Linking Parking Fines to Student Accounts

Starting Fall 2025, VIU will link unpaid parking fines to student accounts, preventing students from accessing academic records or even graduating if they can’t pay.

What we know so far:

• The cost of parking tickets has increased dramatically in recent months.

• There is no clear appeals process or financial assistance for students who cannot afford to pay.

This raises serious concerns:

• How will this impact students already struggling financially?

• Will students be prevented from graduating over a parking ticket?

• Why is VIU making it harder for students instead of listening to student concerns?

VIUSU is monitoring this and pushing for answers. Stay tuned for updates.

The Fight Isn’t Over

Students, faculty, and staff are standing together for change at VIU. VIUSU will keep pushing for transparency, accountability, and the student services we deserve.