consolidated resource plan

Consolidated Resource Plan2021-22

Vancouver Island University2021-22 Consolidated Resource Plan

Table of ContentsExecutive Summary 1

2021-2026 Strategic Plan People, Place, Potential 2

Post-Secondary Trends After the Pandemic 4

Faculties and Campuses 7

Student Demographics 9

Academic Planning 12

Research Initiatives 14

Student Affairs Engagement, Support and Wellbeing 17

Indigenous Education and Engagement 18

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 20

People Plan Overview 21

Community and Regional Partners 22

Marketing and Communications 23

Budget Overview 24

Capital Planning 34

Risk Assestment and Mitigation 37

Appendix 1 - Budget by Groupings 39

Appendix 2 44

1 Consolidated Resource Plan 2021-22

Executive SummaryVancouver Island University (VIU), like most other post-secondary institutions across Canada, was immediately impacted when the pandemic was declared in March 2020. Classrooms emptied, many ancillary services across our campuses paused, the majority of employees moved to working from home, and we pivoted mainly online for our learning and work environments, largely virtually. Although there were slight decreases in domestic enrolments; international enrolment declined significantly, largely due to travel restrictions and student study visa document processing delays. These ongoing challenges have presented opportunities and new ideas. These learnings will be factored into the many planning exercises that are ongoing at VIU, as we move towards our future state post-pandemic.

Throughout 2020, thousands from VIU’s community of learners, alumni, employees, and community joined conversations about our university’s strengths and their vision for its future. The new strategic plan for VIU, People, Place, Potential, builds on those strengths. It sets out six commitments for the next five years that will centre our ongoing work to build transformational learning experiences for our learners and communities alike. In this new plan, we signal where we will focus and grow to welcome even more learners to VIU and make an even bigger difference in our communities. Similarly, we will continue to make changes to our practices and processes to ensure sustainability and to enhance transparency at the University.

As we continue to navigate through these uncertain times, taking an integrated approach to financial planning was paramount. In preparing the 2021-22 Budget, major changes were made to the financial planning process. Enrolment forecasting was instituted as the foundation for developing the tuition and revenue forecast. In addition, we transitioned from a rollover budget to a new model that aligns with zero based budgeting. Actual expenditure trends, from the previous year, current year and planned activities, are used as the basis to build out the expenditure budgets for the various areas. Having a solid budgeting foundation to guide decision making, resource allocation, and innovation will lead to building a more financially sustainable University.

In November of 2020, VIU developed a framework for its Future State, post-pandemic planning, and a gradual return to campus. The Future State Framework envisioned the potential for implementation of modes of delivery that were different from pre-COVID delivery and was developed at a time when information on vaccination was not available. The plan for return to campus has evolved such that we will return to campus in Fall 2021 and will manage COVID through health and safety protocols. The future state planning will be folded into the new Educational Plan, which is a key foundational support for the Strategic Plan, and is the guiding document for academic, vocational, trades, and developmental education programming.

The pandemic continues to impact the University financially, and both the 2020-21 forecast and 2021-22 budget are deficits. The Ministry of Advanced Education & Skills Training (AEST) has given approval for these two years of deficit. In the coming months we will develop a recovery plan, that will ultimately bring VIU back to a balanced budget position in the future.

Consolidated Resource Plan 2021-22 2

2021-2026 Strategic PlanPeople, Place, Potential

Vision, Ambition, ValuesIn April 2021, the Board of Governors of VIU will be asked to approve the following Strategic Plan1. The plan builds on our history, and advances a long-term vision, a declaration of our daily ambition, and a statement of the values that drive our actions. The Strategic Plan spans the period of 2021 to 2026. The following is the text that will be presented to the Board.

VisionWelcoming People, Honouring Place, Building Potential.

Ambition Every day, we welcome, support, and inspire all those who study and work at VIU. In our research and through our partnerships, we seek to understand the rich diversity of our region and to encourage the well-being of our communities. We are dedicated to helping our learners and our communities embrace their potential. We believe that everyone matters here.

Values

• Understanding. We seek to understand the diversity of thought, identity, and experience of everyone at VIU, and to bring that openness of mind and that curiosity of spirit to all that we do.

• Connection. We believe in the power of personal connection and kindness in building experiences that matter.

• Commitment. We are motivated by a deep commitment and pride in the growth of our learners, our employees, and our communities.

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1 The Board is scheduled to engage in the first reading of the Strategic Plan in April, 2021 with final approval at their May meeting.


CommitmentsThis new strategic plan builds on our vision, ambition, and values and makes six bold commitments for the next five years.

People. Over the next five years, we will:

1. Welcome a larger and more diverse population of learners. We know that university education transforms learners and their communities, and that access to university opens doors to a better future for all. We remain committed to deepening access and so seek to be home to a greater diversity of learners from our region, our country, and around the world.

2. Become a more inclusive and healthier place for work and study. We believe that well-being in all its aspects depends on how we treat each other. We will therefore prioritize our work to advance equity, celebrate diversity, and practice inclusion, and we will do more to promote better mental health and more work, study, and life balance for all our learners and employees.

Place. Over the next five years, we will:

3. Grow to be the region’s hub for research and expertise. Our communities are active in solving the social, economic, and environmental challenges of our region and VIU wants to be the partner of choice in supporting that crucial work. We seek to become the community’s first point of call for research and expertise to address the issues that matter most to them.

4. Build stronger partnerships with Indigenous communities. VIU is committed to building on its partnerships with the Indigenous communities of this region. We will do more to honour Indigenous students, employees, and communities; deepen our understanding of Indigenous knowledges; and work with Indigenous people to co-create programming that better serves the priorities of their communities.

Potential. Over the next five years, we will:

5. Become a leader in learning for new generations. VIU has built recognized expertise in building the potential of learners who face myriad obstacles to education. We will therefore become a leader in Canada in the research, development, and sharing of pedagogies for success. Building on that expertise, we will continue to adapt our learning methods – delivery formats, course design, academic support and more – so that all VIU students benefit.

6. Expand life-enriching and career-building experiences. We believe that education doesn’t just happen in the classroom; learning comes most powerfully through real-life experiences. We will therefore provide more opportunities for life-enriching and career-building opportunities such as co-ops, work placements, and internships, and will continue to develop our suite of up-skilling and re-skilling programs for learners throughout their careers.


Post-Secondary TrendsAfter the Pandemic In mid-November 2020, Universities Canada produced a report identifying trends about the future of higher education in Canada. The report aimed to help to drive insight into how Canadian higher education could recover and rebuild from the pandemic. The report contained scenarios about the future of teaching and learning; the role of universities in advancing the economic and social recovery of their communities and the country; the role of universities in addressing social justice issues; and the potential for a new approach to international higher education. Excerpts from the report are highlighted in the sections below2.

Teaching and learningPrior to the pandemic, Canadian universities were using increasingly sophisticated and engaging pedagogy to deliver high-quality virtual content. However, university leaders recognized that the move to a hybrid or virtual model was challenging and the pace of adoption of these technologies in the classroom was slow. However, the changes required to adapt to the pandemic has resulted in a new flexibility and spirit of accommodation in the academy, making a profound change possible.

The increased use of virtual learning has driven some universities to think more deeply about re-invention of undergraduate education, and to commit to its continuing improvement—in the classroom and beyond. Virtual learning platforms are being extended to co-op programs and internships; and critical student services such as mental health support, student orientation programs, academic assistance and student advising are being provided virtually. These changes are leading many university leaders to envision a “porous learning environment” on campus, with fewer large lectures but instead students and faculty coming together to solve problems or develop new ideas, processes and inventions. When coupled with a new respect for the work of teaching and learning units on campus, information technology practitioners, and instructional design staff, it appears that universities may be on the verge of a pedagogical sea change.

Many students, too, are benefiting from the switch to online learning. A virtual asynchronous model works particularly well for some students; especially those who work part-time, balance child care responsibilities with their studies, or who normally must commute long-distances to campus. This more personalized learning approach and its desirability, will mean that universities may need to remain more flexible, and to think differently about their “product”.

However, in a large country such as Canada, uneven access to technology, including computers and broadband, remains a significant issue, particularly in remote and rural areas. These issues are concentrated for those students who tend to be under-represented at university, such as students in lower-income families. Further, there is growing concern about the negative impact of the pandemic on mental health of faculty, staff and students, given the increasing workload, change, and uncertainty the virus has brought in its wake. There is growing awareness of the need to find funding and new approaches to respond to infrastructure, social and mental-health challenges, all of which have been significantly heightened by the pandemic.

2 Canada’s Universities – Beyond the Pandemic – A report to Universities Canada – Christine Tausig Ford Higher Thinking Strategies Limited – November 19, 2020


Economic and social recoveryCanada is home to one of the most educated populations in the world, a differentiator that will become more important as the 21st century progresses. The financial and social impacts of Covid-19 highlight the central role that universities could and should play in Canada’s economic, social and cultural recovery. Universities and their alumna are agents of change, creating a more equitable and sustainable future that can proactively respond to these challenges. We know that topics such as public health, cybersecurity, climate change and the integration of environmental, social and governance standards with these questions, will increasingly become tied to the prosperity and well-being of Canadians.

Canada’s universities will need to demonstrate that they are nimble, resilient, agile and ready to respond proactively to the needs of Canadians. Siloes between disciplines and programming choices will need to become more fluid, shifting courses, programs, and research to areas of greatest need. To succeed, universities will need to collaborate more and share infrastructure, both of which paradoxically come with a requirement for more funding, not less. For instance, traditional university campuses were purpose built, often 20 or more years ago, and do not lend themselves easily to reinvention. Further, the multifaceted nature of these problems will require a refocussing of efforts to include areas beyond Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines and embrace funding for research in humanities and the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums. (GLAM) sector. The recent success with rapid development of COVID vaccines and subsequent concerns about their safety and reluctance to take the vaccine are potent examples of the need to diversify research efforts.

Universities will have to demonstrate that they are willing partners in tackling these existential questions. Seeking solutions to enormous challenges will require optimism and “immense collaboration” among universities, business and governments. If institutions are to thrive in a new post-pandemic reality, revisiting revenue opportunities will be critical. Some universities are considering: commercializing educational resources or intellectual property; moving to a 12 month term so that the campus and faculty are fully utilized and students could take their studies in a less concentrated format or for those in the right locations, selling campus land, or becoming land developers, themselves. However, in Canada, the majority of research and development investments have been from public coffers. Enhanced investment from the private sector also will be required to allow universities to respond to emergent questions, enabling Canada to remain globally competitive.

We know that the future of work will need different types of skills. Universities must focus their efforts on not only ensuring domestic undergraduates and graduate students are ready for the workforce and economy of tomorrow, but in educating our graduates that they have been equipped with the tools that they will need to adapt and evolve with the workforce. To date, much attention has been paid to how formal and informal faculty mentoring, on-campus extracurricular experiences, work-integrated learning, and informal networks among peers play a key role in ensuring students are prepared for the labour market. But increasingly, universities must also play a role in ensuring that their students understand that they are entering an age of the lifelong student. Universities shift the onus from the model of passive vessel (the learner) to one where the university partners with the student, where both invest in and engage with each other over a career.

This lifetime investment may be through the development of short-term certificates and courses, often referred to as microcredentials, which are valued for upskilling and re-skilling. Microcredentials can be offered in a range of areas, and interest is growing in specific fields that will be needed in our changing economy: cybersecurity, health informatics, entrepreneurship, green technologies, and data analytics, to name a few. But universities can and should do more, beginning with the consideration of consider new models of partnership with learners, and interesting ideas include next-skill recommendation engines, discounts for alumni, among others.


Social JusticeCovid-19 has aimed a greater spotlight on social justice issues in Canada and worldwide. Even with financial challenges and pandemic disruption, universities must lead change to increase participation and representation by equity-seeking groups. Canadian universities have renewed and deepened their commitment to issues such as reconciliation, equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism actions on campus declaring that the need for action on their campuses, in their communities, across the country and around the world.

Other challengesUniversity funding for operational costs, research, and infrastructure have been exacerbated by the pandemic. For most institutions, the growing share of university revenue is from tuition and other fees, as provincial funding, as a share of total funding, has continued to fall. Tuition, largely from international student enrolments, has made up the funding gap.

It is tempting to believe that the value of international enrolments is, therefore, primarily financial; a statement that is patently untrue. International students and faculty bring valuable new perspectives to Canadian universities, enriching the student experience for domestic students and their home communities. Further, these same students are a means for Canada to attract highly-skilled talent, and when they return home, contribute to Canada’s “soft power” around the world. This is why university leaders are calling for a greater emphasis on international linkages and collaboration in research, learning, and global partnerships as a transformative force for higher education in Canada.

In the end, the role of universities on the international stage may well be one of the most important ways that universities will “build back better” in the face of the pandemic. Universities are finding new approaches to collaboration in their teaching, creating joint online content, linking classrooms around the globe, and “team teaching” virtually. There is full recognition of the need for global collaboration to solve the big challenges of our time, such as climate change, developing therapeutics for the next pandemic, or in making our societies more just, democratic and inclusive.


Faculties and Campuses

FacultiesAcademic and Career PreparationThe Faculty of Academic and Career Preparation’s goal is to facilitate the needs of learners who may need to upgrade or obtain credentials to achieve their goals. The Faculty offers certificates, non-credit courses, and high-school upgrading courses to students who need fundamental skills or who need additional courses to enter programs for upskilling or reskilling.

Arts and HumanitiesThe Faculty of Arts and Humanities goal is to foster the development of diverse types of knowledge, creative expression, and communication skills. The Faculty offers more than 25 majors, minors and honours programs.

EducationThe Faculty of Education develops educators that are well positioned to create leading edge educational programs and are well prepared for the future. The Faculty offers teacher education programs, graduate diploma programs, and master’s programs.

Health and Human ServicesThe Faculty of Health and Human Services goal is to provide high quality undergraduate and graduate education for those who are just entering the post-secondary environment and to health and human services professionals and their allied counterparts who are already working. The Faculty offers diplomas, certificates, a bachelor degree and a graduate diploma.

ManagementThe Faculty of Management’s goal is to enable learners to gain the knowledge and skills that they will need to build a successful and rewarding career in management. The Faculty offers numerous diplomas, certificates, bachelor degrees, and graduate diplomas, graduate certificates, and a master of business administration.

Science and TechnologyThe Faculty of Science and Technology’s goal is to combine high quality science and technology education with high impact practices in every program to enhance their student’s marketable skills. The Faculty offers a wide range of programs, including certificates, two year diplomas, four year degrees, as well as transfer programs to other institutions and study abroad opportunities.

Social SciencesThe Faculty of Social Sciences’ goal is to shape students thinking, promoting the seeing, analyzing, and appreciating the complexity in people and circumstances. The Faculty offers certificates, diplomas and bachelor degrees, as well as masters degrees.

Trades and Applied TechnologyThe Faculty of Trades and Applied Technology delivers trades programs that prepare students for entry-level and apprenticeship positions in a variety of skilled occupations. Programs include certificates, diplomas and apprenticeship training.

International Education The Faculty of International Education and its functions are currently under review. The historic goal of the Faculty was to integrate our international efforts into the fabric of the university. As proposed, academic offerings, which include English and high school programming, will be moved to cognate Faculties. Student-focused service aspects of international education will be rehoused in a Department of International Education or relocated with cognate service departments. It is expected that this review and reorganization will be largely completed within the next 18 months.


CampusesNanaimo CampusNanaimo Campus – is located in Nanaimo, and is the largest campus with the greatest variety of programming. It is located on the unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation, and is comprised of 37.2 hectares (92 acres), with 42 institutional buildings that are used for programming, student supports, administration, and ancillary services. In addition, the campus has 10 student housing buildings.

Cowichan CampusCowichan Campus – is in Duncan, and is located on the unceded territory of Cowichan Tribes and offers a broad range of programs and student services. VIU also operates the Cowichan Trades Centre, at a site near the main Cowichan Campus.

Powell River CampusPowell River Campus – is located in Powell River, and is proud of its partnership with Tla’amin First Nation. The Powell River Campus offers a range of programs that include, Career and Academic preparation, Community Education and Training, Trades, Elder College, Health and Human Service that lead to certificates, diplomas and degrees.

Parksville-Qualicum CentreParksville-Qualicum Centre – is located at the Parksville Civic & Technology Centre and is on the unceded territory of the Snaw-naw-as First Nation. A range of programs can be accessed at the Centre, including the rich offerings of Elder College programs.

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Student Demographics

*Fiscal Year 2020/21 is incomplete

**Includes both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous students.


Count of Unique Credentials Awarded by Fiscal Year(Major and Minors are not included in these counts,General Program credentials are counted only once)



Students may be enrolled in more than one faculty or credential type, but the overall totals are distinct/unique.

The Multiple faculty includes programs such as the BA, exploratory studies, and Prior learning assessment.

The Provost faculty includes general interest and recreation activity like Elder College, Professional Development and Training activity, internships and extended research.


Academic Planning VIU’s updated Academic Plan: Access to Excellence has guided the integrated planning since 2016. With the development and approval of the new Strategic Plan: People, Place, Potential, VIU will engage in developing a new and foundational Educational Plan to accompany the strategic plan. This planning will be undertaken in the 2021/22 budget year. The objectives of the Academic Plan are either complete or have become an ongoing component of our work at the university.

In November of 2020, VIU developed a framework for Future State, post-pandemic planning, and a gradual return to campus. The Future State Framework envisioned the potential for implementation of modes of delivery that were different from pre-COVID delivery and was developed at a time when information on vaccination was not available. The plan for return to campus has evolved such that we will return to campus in Fall 2021 and will manage COVID through health and safety protocols. The future state planning will be folded into the development of the new Educational Plan as a foundation for the academic, vocational, trades, and developmental education programming that is part of VIU’s access mandate. It is worthwhile to review the factors contributing to the evolution of this plan.

Pre-COVID at VIUPrior to March 15, 2020 VIU delivered educational programming primarily face to face on three campus locations. Approximately 65% of programming was face to face. Approximately 3% of programming was “online” or “blended”. Approximately 1% of programming occurred in community, primarily in partnership with Indigenous communities, and was/is largely contract funded programming. The remainder included field schools and practicum placements in community. Based on timetabling data, the on-campus presence of students was highest Tuesday to Thursday on all campuses, with some under-enrollment of classes. Dual Credit students from local high schools represented about 3-4% of our student population, primarily in Trades. The Library Commons (3rd floor) at Nanaimo was open 24/7. At Cowichan students with specific swipe card access could enter the building for study or lab practice.

Current Delivery at VIUVIU entered the 3rd term of alternative delivery in January 2021 in a state of relative stasis – with approximately 65% of our courses delivered using online methods; 5% using blended methods combining face to face and online; and 11% as fully face to face. Faculty and students now have a practical understanding of how this works (or not) both on an individual level and collectively across the program learning outcomes. Our 4th term of alternative delivery in May 2021 will continue with the same general approach. Deans will continue to create efficiencies by combining sections across campuses and enrolling students from multiple campus locations.

There has been an increase in dual credit enrolment interest because of online delivery; we have students from approximately 10 school districts on the mid Island enrolled in both trades and academic programming. Safe study spaces have been created our smaller campuses along with several building on Nanaimo campus, including the ongoing Library Commons spaces that have now been expanded to the 4th floor. Cowichan Campus continues to be open for limited hours through card access, primarily to facilitate student access to technology. Powell River Campus is open with limited hours based on staffing availability.


Future State at VIUFaculty and departments have embraced alternative delivery methods, investing time and energy into quality learning experiences over the last year, with increased interest in learning to adapt our modes of delivery and thereby enhance student access. Student surveys help to refine our understanding of what students want and find useful. VIU surveyed student reaction to the alternative delivery methods of the last year in May of 2020 and again in March of 2021. In addition, VIU participated in comprehensive surveys led by Academica to assess the reaction of potential students and enrolled students. The results provide insight into the student experience.

Listening carefully to student feedback regarding the last year, programs and departments are planning for a return to campus that is different from pre-COVID. Many programs will return to face-to-face classes with the use of COVID safety protocols. This return will be guided by both our learnings over the last year and the student feedback. Responding to these results and considering the requirements of the disciplines, some programs will use blended methods to support enhanced student access to their curriculum. Other programs will develop and pilot a new way of delivering their program that relies on digital (online) methods and will review the effectiveness of this new approach and adjust through our Program Review, Quality Assurance processes as mandated by the Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB).

Summative Program AssessmentIn addition to regular formative program review processes and guided by Policy 31.15 Educational Quality Assurance, VIU engages in a Summative Program Assessment (SPA) once every five years. The most recent SPA began in the fall of 2020. “The objectives of this quality assurance procedure [summative program assessment] are to ensure that all educational programs at Vancouver Island University are demonstrating institutional outcomes (outputs/key performance indicators) that are consistent with VIU’s mission and mandate. As far as possible, every instructional program leading to an officially recognized Vancouver Island University credential will be included in the summative assessment process. The Summative Program Assessment (SPA) process is undertaken on a five-year cyclical basis. Deans, in consultation with program faculty, prepare Summative Program Assessment reports for each department or program and provide recommendations to the Provost identifying programs that are to be enhanced, maintained, or reviewed. The Provost reviews the decanal recommendations and makes recommendations to the Planning and Priorities Committee for consideration, followed by a recommendation to Senate for final approval.” (Procedure 31.15)

Recommendations will go to Senate from the 2020 Summative Program Assessment in June 2021. Decisions that come from this review will be incorporated into the new Educational Foundation Plan and into the budgeting process for 22/23 and thereafter. These decisions will facilitate identifying the priorities for educational programming as we go forward.


Research InitiativesThe Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity (SRCA) Office aims to create a conducive environment for faculty and students to create new knowledge, innovative applications, scholarly and creative works. 2021-22 marks the final year of the 5 year strategic research plan. This year will focus on measuring the impact of the strategies in our existing plan and on developing a new foundation plan that enables VIU to continue to grow its research enterprise.

The research strengths and priorities at VIU include:

VIU’s strategy aims to build capacity by 1. cultivating talent in our students and faculty,

2. collaborating and building clusters,

3. creating knowledge, applications, and works,

4. communicating research into the public realm where it can have impact and

5. celebrating excellence.


Some examples of initiatives underway at VIU over the 2021-22 year include:

Cultivating talentA new researcher development program is nearing completion and will promote research training opportunities for students and faculty. This program incorporates modules that will build the core competencies that individuals need to be successful at all stages of the research process. This new program will be launched in the spring of 2021 in a virtual format. Students will be able to obtain co-curricular credit for completion of the modules and an incentive program is being developed to recognize faculty participation. We anticipate that as this program evolves, VIU will emerge as a recognized leader among the regional universities in cultivating research talent.

VIU is home to four Canada Research Chairs, two BC Regional Innovation Chairs and one Health Professional Investigator (funded by the Michael Smith Foundation). As at most other universities in Canada, these faculty have protected time for research to pursue 5-year innovative research programs that align with VIU’s research strengths. We are hopeful that the past 3 years of growth in funding from Canada’s Tri-Agencies will result in VIU receiving another Canada Research Chair allocation in 2021. Additionally, we are submitting a Health Scholar Award to the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research and we continue to seek external funding to grow our complement of research and innovation chairs.

Collaborate and build clustersKey to our long-term success is our ability to bring together like minded researchers and community partners to collaborate and create clusters. In 2021-22, VIU will be in a position to better support our research centres and institutes and SRCA will support existing research entities to create 3-5 year plans. These plans will enable centres and institutes to promote their knowledge and expertise to external partners and strengthen VIU’s overall competitiveness in securing grant funding.

A few examples of research collaborations that are in growth stages include:

Roots to Thrive (RTT) – Communities of Practice (CoP) with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAT)Dr. Shannon Dames is currently leading, via her Michael Smith Health Professional Investigator Award and funding from the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR), the creation of a highly innovative, multi-stakeholder program that aims to help health-care providers suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or treatment-resistant mental health issues related to depression. Dr. Dames is working with a multi-disciplinary team of health professionals, including the BC SUPPORT Unit Vancouver Island Centre, an initiative that supports patient-oriented research in the region, researchers from VIU, the University of Victoria (UVic), the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Numinus Wellness Inc. to develop a publicly offered platform that combines resilience development programming with Ketamine-assisted therapy that is the first of its kind in Canada.

Seafood Innovation CentreThe marine fisheries, aquaculture and seafood sectors are important contributors to the provincial economy and are the foundation for many coastal communities. Supported with funding from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, VIU launched a B.C. Food Hub called the Seafood Innovation Center (SIC) in March 2021. The SIC will work with the local business and aquaculture community to support the equipment, research and services that they need for enhanced seafood processing in the province. The SIC will help the industry grow and create more productive, competitive, and innovative companies leading to increased gross domestic product and higher value jobs and will improve companies’ ability to compete in export markets. Situated at the Deep Bay Field Marine Station, the SIC will enable VIU to continue to grow its reputation in research and development in the region for the seafood sector and will leverage the research of Drs. T. Green (Canada Research Chair in Shellfish Genomics), S. Russell and D. Baker.


The Regional Initiatives FundThe Regional Initiatives Fund (RIF) was a bold experiment undertaken in partnership between Vancouver Island University (VIU), the Province of British Columbia, and the Real Estate Foundation of BC. The goal of the RIF was to enable community-university collaboration on community-based applied research in areas that directly responded to community priorities. The RIF supported communities in the region to collaborate with VIU faculty to undertake projects through meaningful student involvement. And since the fund was announced in March 2017, over 51 applied research projects have been undertaken involving the training of 380 VIU students and 118 community partners leveraging $2,434,496 in cash and in-kind funding. Projects range from evaluating the economic impact of the local artisan economy, exploring the potential of biodiesel, supporting the development of community, tourism and open space plans, and monitoring changes in fish habitat and air quality and more.

This research has enabled a wide range of community entities to benefit from the funding, expertise and labour available at VIU. The insights gained have provided our partners opportunities to make informed decisions on a number of pressing social, economic and environmental issues in our region. Our faculty have built capacity in community engaged and applied research, forged new relationships within the region and mentored students in meaningful research training opportunities. They have also benefitted by having an opportunity to manage larger pots of funding thereby increasing their competitiveness for external grants. Our students have had valuable exposure to real-life problems faced by organizations in the region and have worked alongside them to co-create knowledge to address them. They have also benefitted from valuable mentorship by faculty members leading the work.

The model was celebrated with community partners and funders at the VIU Collaborative Applied Research Engagement Symposium (CARES) in February 2021. VIU will seek additional funding to ensure that the model can continue to provide community partners with opportunities to access VIU expertise.

118 community

partners51 projects

380 students

$2.4 million leveraged in

funding

Regional Initiatives Fund Performance Metrics 2017-2021


Student AffairsEngagement, Support and Wellbeing Maintaining connection and building community for our VIU students remained a priority, and in fact, was elevated over this past year. With the increased impact on student wellbeing caused by the pandemic, VIU quickly shifted the focus to remote counselling and support services, innovative virtual events for students to build relationships with each other, recreation programming that encouraged physical activity and wellness, and creative peer-mentoring models that would remain sustainable in a virtual learning environment. Highlights of the events are included in Appendix 2.

Mental health and wellness of our students has always been top priority. As the shift to online learning happened, VIU quickly supported the professional development of the VIU Counselling team. This training was specific to building skill and competence in providing counselling and interventions in a virtual and remote environment. With the flexible work from home environment and a strategic focus on expanded hours of service, students from across all time-zones were able to access individual counselling. In addition, the focus shifted to further developing the peer model to increase student connection. A couple of examples of the peer-supported team models are included in Appendix 2.

Direct job loss and/or loss of employment of a family member(s), due to the pandemic, directly impacted the lives of many VIU students. The Student Financial Aid office experienced a significant increase in requests and with the allocation of additional personnel from within Student Affairs, extended hours of service delivery and with the efforts of a very committed team, the needs of students were met.

Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries disbursed

• 2019/2020 - 4155 individual student; $3,911, 836

• 2020/2021 (Apr1/2020 to Feb28/21) – 4466 students; $4,247,797

Another way in which VIU supported students and their financial situation was by remaining committed to on campus student employment.

Student Employment

• Work–op positions 2019/2020 – 273 positions

• Non-Work op (Department funded) – 277 positions

As demonstrated, VIU remained, and continues to remain, committed to the success and wellness of our students, despite challenging conditions. Moving to an online learning environment expedited the growth and capacity of Student Affairs to extend service delivery hours and provide students with various options of connecting and engaging with each other and the University. Moving forward many of the successes experienced over the last year will remain a part of the menu of services and supports VIU provides.


Indigenous Education and EngagementVIU has received Aboriginal Service Plan (ASP) funding since 2009; through the relationships developed with that programming, VIU has partnered with Indigenous communities to deliver important in community programming, in areas such as language revitalization and adult upgrading courses. ASP funding supports some of our Elders in Residence Program, which offers important supports and cultural teaching for our campus-based students. ASP funding continues to contribute to a deeper level of community engagement and scholarship at VIU, offering creative opportunities that extend our capacity to enhance Indigenous student access, transition, and inclusion opportunities. The annualized approach to funding has been challenging and has added uncertainty to partnership(s) in future years, ASP funding has allowed us to grow and receive additional donations through foundation funding for the following areas:

Relational Land Based Learning (RLBL)As of March 2021, VIU was confirmed as an approved service provider. Although we anticipate that we will be able to partner with the various Indigenous partners that we have engaged with in the past to deliver RLBL programming, we would expect to at minimum to submit for Indigenous Ecotourism Training and Steward Technician Training, and possibly Aboriginal Construction Training and Early Childhood Education & Care depending on the timelines of the Request for Proposal (RFP). We are unsure of whether it will allow for multi-year deliveries or time to deliver multiple programs. The following RLBL programs are currently being delivered:

• Ecotourism scheduled to finish by September 2021

• Early Childhood Education by August 2021

• Stewardship Technician Training Program (STTP) with Coastal First Nation will end by October 2021

• Nanwakolas-STTP and Kyuquot-Aboriginal Construction Program will end in April 2021

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‘Su’luqu’a’ Community Cousins ProgramThis program is funded through donations from the Royal Bank of Canada and the Peter Cundil Foundation. There are 35 students who have participated in the Cousins training program. The Cousins lead regular on-line thuy thuts (fixing up on check-ins), and participate in women’s and men’s circle. The Cousins also plan other student support activities, such as the annual celebration of learning that took place in February of 2021. These activities encourage Indigenous students to continue their programming at a time that is traditionally difficult. In 2021, VIU hired a new program coordinator for the Cowichan campus and is engaged in the planning of the 10-year anniversary of the Cousins Program in 2022. Community Cousins will run the Indigenous Summer Program, Thuy’she’num Tu Smun’eem: Building a Foundation for our Youth in 2021, which is anticipated to be a hybrid (digital and in person) camp for high school youth. At present, the majority of activities will be online, but we anticipate bringing students together to connect face to face every few weeks once public health orders allow.

EleVThe EleV scholarship program is supported by our learning partner, the Mastercard Foundation. In 2021, EleV supported 75 returning students and 88 new students with funding to support their attendance at VIU, and will continue in 2022. Features of EleV include wraparound supports, such as the Indigenous Education and Employment Navigators, other tangibles and intangibles (food, supplies, wellness supports, etc.). The pilot EleV Community Internship programs, which has supported 18 students to work in communities each summer since 2019. The internships are expected to continue in summer 2021.

Further in 2020, the EleV program began providing “top-up matches” for students in Relational Land-Based Learning (RLBL) programs by paying students’ living allowances; this model will continue and potentially increase as we head into Phase II (starting July 2023). The Mastercard Foundation remains committed to supporting the current structure and current students until they complete their programs. There is also support for smaller Nations who may not be able to participate in bigger initiatives like the Relational Land-Based cohorts.


Equity, Diversity and InclusionVIU is deeply committed to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) - a commitment that has historic roots and continues to deepen and expand, finding expression in the values that lie at the heart of our vision for our community. These values guide us as we seek to create a unique learning and working environment that is more accessible, more inclusive, more collaborative and more deeply rooted in community.

During 2019 and 2020, with support from a Tri-Agency EDI Capacity Building Grant, VIU embarked upon a process of community consultation and action planning, beginning with VIU’s first EDI survey. This survey gathered information about our community’s experience of EDI across our campuses. Currently, we are moving from a consultation phase to evidence-based action planning, guided by principles of transparency, accountability, and intentionality, and focusing on:

• Institutional systems and policies;

• Education and awareness-building across the community;

• Recruitment, promotion, and retention; and

• The lived experience of all our campus community members.

This work currently includes initiatives to enhance: the diversity of recruits; to develop anti-racism and other educational tools to combat bias; and to improve opportunities for community involvement and feedback.

As part of VIU’s efforts to advance equity, celebrate diversity, and practice inclusion, VIU has launched a series of anti-racism workshops. This training is designed to encourage participants to shift from being bystanders to becoming anti-racist allies.

In addition to our internal EDI initiatives, VIU is also a signatory to the Federal “Dimensions Charter,” and a member of the Dimensions Pilot Program - a cohort of 17 Canadian post-secondary institutions who have committed to sharing education, resources and tools to enhance progress in advancing EDI.

Recently, VIU invited members of the Alliance of Canadian Comprehensive Research Universities (“ACCRU”) to participate in a two-day EDI Symposium. Symposium participants’ explored and collaborated on best practices for EDI action planning, culminating in the creation of a community of practice and shared online resources.

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People Plan OverviewVIU People Plan – You Matter Here After a year of extensive engagement, VIU’s human resources foundational plan, known as the VIU People Plan, was announced in the fall of 2019. The People Plan’s Invitations for Action create space for employees to propose and put in place initiatives to address the five invitations to action:

• Cultivating a healthy workplace culture

• Fostering diversity, fairness, truth and reconciliation

• Support transformational leadership and professional development

• Encourage employee well-being

• Advance operational effectiveness and innovation

In addition to employee-level engagement, the People Plan identifies commitments to leadership training, systems upgrades for efficiencies, recognition programs and health and well-being activities, and more. The launch of some initiatives has been affected by pandemic restrictions and the financial impact of COVID-19. As VIU moves into year 2 of the 3-year People Plan, with the recovery from the pandemic, efforts will be redoubled to fulfill the commitments and aspirations of the plan.

One of the commitments in the VIU People Plan is the instigation of regular employee engagement surveys. The initial survey was slated for Fall 2020 but was delayed due to the pandemic. VIU will be launching the survey in the fall of 2021. The survey results will provide valuable employee feedback and data on their employee experience, and it will benchmark and monitor employee attitudes and engagement with the organization, leadership, and their own roles. This will assist in ensuring a healthy and “engaged” work environment, in order to enable and empower employees to share ideas openly for ongoing improvements and will foster a strong, inclusive and engaged team.

Other key HR initiatives for 21/22 will be the full activation of the terms of the three new Collective Agreements (BCGEU, CUPE and VIUFA), along with the service improvements that were achieved through the recent bargain. HR will further deploy the newly adopted Human Resources Information System, along with the recently built enhancements, reporting capacity and increased work efficiencies. Additional employee professional development and mental health supports are key efforts in VIU’s support of its employees.

These and other initiatives will assist VIU in supporting its employees as we recover from the impact of COVID-19. In response to the pandemic and the significant reduction in on-campus activity, there were several key impacts on VIU’s employees. Most employees shifted to a Working from Home model for the balance of the pandemic. Supporting a remote workforce and managing remote teams effectively was a key theme for VIU managers through the year. VIU also implemented a series of layoffs, primarily in July and August of 2020. These job losses were unavoidable given the lack of work resulting from the pandemic. Since the beginning of this crisis, VIU’s Human Resources and Student Service areas have focused on providing continued and critical mental health supports for both employees and students.


Community and Regional Partners VIU prides itself on the depth and breadth of its connections to its neighbouring communities. Every faculty and department has meaningful partnerships on a host of initiatives: continuing education, work placements, social services, economic development, theatre, music, the arts, and more. Further, VIU’s Strategic Plan commits us to become the community’s first point of call for research and expertise to address the issues that matter most to them.

Going forward, Community Partnerships will enhance its support of community engagement. We will convene conversations across VIU to coordinate efforts, gather data, and identify new opportunities for working with community members. We will support the work of our colleagues in building community connections, and we will put community members in touch with our colleagues across the University. We support and empower our communities to reach out to VIU enhancing student work integrated opportunities, community-based research opportunities, and increase opportunities for university-community engagements.

Community Partnerships will prioritize fundraising initiatives to support community research, student access, enhance experiential learning opportunities and continue to encourage learners of tomorrow to save for education through Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) and Canada Learning Bond outreach.

The Community Partnership Office will work across VIU to champion our strong value-based culture and will continue to be responsive, relevant and innovative to support our learners and our communities to embrace their potential.

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Marketing and CommunicationsThe Marketing and Communications Departments are made up of individuals who focus on different aspects of VIU’s responsibilities related to marketing, communications and public engagement.

Marketing is responsible for the design and implementation of a variety of in-bound and out-bound marketing initiatives, including content and design for the website; print and digital ads that promote the broader University (posters, banners, website ads, social media ads, etc.); materials that are used for recruitment purposes (View Book, stickers, posters, banners, etc.); social media activities (images, commentary and data monitoring – in collaboration with Communications); design of all University branded materials (VIU’s magazine, Scholarly Activity Report, Institutional Report, and others); and all market-driven elements.

Communications is responsible for all media relations, including issues management and media training for VIU personnel. The Department publishes stories that highlight students, faculty, and university accomplishments; creates content for the VIU Magazine, Institutional Reports and social media in a way that positions VIU as an institution of choice. It is also responsible for communications with internal stakeholders on all important VIU matters; plans and executes public events that showcase VIU’s strengths; assists with content writing for the website; and ensures that the Welcome Centre staff provide top quality customer service on internal and external inquires related to the University.

The past year has been a year of transition for both teams with focus of transitioning to our shift in online activities and the development and execution of a COVID-19 Marketing Response Strategy. The shift included the retooling of our messaging and restarting of our recruitment campaigns, including increasing our digital presence on several different platforms. Our social media presence and online events both locally and internationally will help us maintain our bonds with our prospective students.


Budget OverviewUncertain and unpredictable times have necessitated VIU to take an integrated approach to financial planning, particularly budgeting. Data driven decision making provides a solid foundation for resource allocation and innovation, and will ultimately lead to a more financially sustainable University. Thus, a complete overhaul of the financial planning processes were undertaken.

In preparing the 2021-22 Budget, enrolment forecasting was implemented, a significant change to the financial planning process. This was done in conjunction with Deans, the Office of University Planning and Finance Departments, and was the basis of the build for the tuition and revenue forecast. Unlike previous years, the new model distributes tuition revenue to Faculties/areas where the programs are delivered. This provides a better picture of the relationship between the enrolment/tuition forecast and the related expenditures.

Moreover, the new model transitioned from a rollover, incremental budget to one more consistent with zero based budgeting. Actual expenditure trends, from the previous year, current year, and planned activities are used as the basis to build out the expense budgets for the various areas. Workforce plans for the areas are developed collaboratively and are based on revenue trends, activities needed to support students, faculty and staff and the operational needs of the university. Multiple refinements are made throughout the process to get to a final budget. The result is a transparent budgeting process, where budget holders have a clear understanding of their revenue targets and of the expenditures that they are accountable for.

Enrolment forecasts and financial results will be closely monitored throughout the year. Quarterly enrolment forecasting will take place in Q1 and Q2 as we don’t have stable numbers until near the start of Q3. When enrolment trends change over the year, adjustments can be made accordingly, both to revenue and expenditures. Budget holders will be provided with variance analyses as the year unfolds.

This transition to a new form of financial planning has taken a major effort, both technically (moving the budget to an excel platform) and process wise. However, the new budget model and subsequent variance analyses, that will take place throughout the year, will provide decision makers with better data to make informed decisions.

Refinements will be made to the budget model as we move into year two of this process. However, the transition to the new budget model is substantially complete.


Budget Planning CycleThe diagram below illustrates the budget planning cycle used in developing the annual budget.


Budget Process The flow diagram below demonstrates the collaborative process, with many touch points for budget holders to provide input and feedback.


Enrolment and Tuition ForecastThe enrolment forecast is a key driver in the development of the budget. The assumptions and methodology used in the creation of the 2021-22 enrolment and tuition forecast is outlined in the sections below.

Assumptions for 2021-22 budget development (completed by the start of Q1, 2021)

• Assumed hybrid program delivery model.

• Each registration is counted in the fiscal year that the course stable date occurs.

• Headcount is used for Trades and Applied Technology rather than registrations.

• Tuition revenue is recognized evenly for the length of the course.

Methodology

• For the 2021-22 Budget, Deans were provided with an excel extract of 2019-20 student registration data at the course level.

• 2019-20 was the last full year of data available and was considered the BASELINE.

Deans submitted estimated international and domestic student registration numbers at the course level for 2021-22.

The associated tuition budget was extrapolated from the student registration estimates based on the tuition rates for the courses.

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2021-22 Enrolment Forecast and Tuition Forecast Compared to FY2019-20 Baseline and 2020-21 Q3 Forecast


Budget Assumptions and MethodologyThe assumptions and methodology used in the creation of the 2021-22 budget is outlined in the sections below.

Revenue

• Domestic and International tuition is distributed to the Faculties where the programs are delivered.

• ESL revenue remains in International Education.

• Domestic and International tuition and mandatory fees increase 2%.

• Operating grant remains centrally held except for Industry Training Authority grant and the Adult Basic Education replacement grant.

• Allocated to Trades and Academic and Career Preparation.

• Operating grant remains flat except for lift to cover mandated collective bargaining increases.

Expenses

• Workforce plans are based on enrolment forecast and return to campus projections.

• Expenditures are budgeted in the area where the activity occurs.

• Vacant positions are filled effective April 1, 2021.

• International agent commissions are reduced due to lower international student enrolment.

• Agent commissions are captured in International Education and are not redistributed.

• Inter-fund transfers are eliminated with the intention of recognizing expenses associated with the transfer within the cost centre(s) where the expenses are incurred.

• With the exception of research.

• Central Service Department Overhead charges have not been allocated to Departments.

• The technology budget includes costs associated with a technology refresh/leasing program model.

• Partial transition of AURORA costs (the program to transition from bespoke legacy enterprise systems to modern and flexible cloud based enterprise systems) from capital projects to operational funding, based on the financial module implementation scheduled to go live summer 2021.

• Encumbrances (that primarily occurred in faculties) have been eliminated and all costs have been captured in the respective departments.

• Salaries have been budgeted at actual cost.

• Contingency of $1.0 million has been built in.


2021-22 Consolidated Statement of Operations Budget Based on the enrolment forecast and budget assumptions, the Statement of Operations below compares the 2021/22 budget, to the 2020/21 financial forecast/budget and prior year actuals. The 2021-22 budget is a deficit budget. The Ministry of Advanced Education & Skills Training (AEST) has given deficit approval for 2020/21 and budget year 2021/22. The consolidated statement includes the VIU high schools, but does not include other associated entities, for example the VIU Foundation. See Appendix 1 for budget information by department groupings.

** Other revenue includes: Specials events, vendeing machine, summer camp, entry/registration,services revenue and miscellaneous related to off grant


Revenue and Expenditures


Multi-Year Operations ForecastA multi-year financial forecast has been prepared and summarized below. The forecast is based on a gradual increase in domestic and international student enrolments. The budget is based on a return in 2022/23 to the pre-pandemic enrolments levels of 2019/20 and anticipates a return to a balanced budget.


Multi-Year Statement of Financial Position Based on the Multi-Year Operations forecast the Statement of Financial Position is highlighted in the table below.

Multi-Year Accumulated Surplus (Deficit)The accumulated surplus (deficit) represents the net recognized economic resources (all assets and liabilities) from all of the years of University operations, and is based upon the assumptions made in the multi-year forecast.


Multi-year CashflowThe table below illustrates the impact of the multi-year financial forecast on the cash position of the University.


Capital PlanningFunding for capital requests/projects comes from two main sources, AEST and VIU internal capital generated from operations.

AEST Routine Capital. AEST provides funding envelopes, for what is classified as major routine capital, minor routine capital, and carbon neutral capital programs. Under the routine capital program, funding is made available for priority projects that address maintenance and rehabilitation, along with upgrades and renovations. Factors to consider when determining institutional project priorities under this funding envelope are:

• Asset Quality: Improves the Facility Condition Index (FCI), reduces life safety and occupational health risk (core buildings an site infrastructure)

• Cost Effectiveness: Funding contributions from the institution and partners, operational/program cost reductions

• Innovation: Demonstrates sustainable solutions and collaboration

• Strategic Alignment: Aligns with government and institution’s priorities

• Quality Education: Improves learning outcomes, access and utilization rates

• Greenhouse gas emissions and energy reduction: Reduces emissions and energy usage

It is expected that projects funded through AEST routine capital will be cost shared with the institution. The formula requires that VIU contribute 10% of the overall capital project cost funding.

The Ministry has provided a funding envelope for 2020/21, as well as notional funding envelopes for fiscal 2021/22 - 2022/23 to enable longer term planning for current and upcoming Routine Capital projects. The funding allocation is as follows:


Five-Year Capital Plan (2021/22 to 2025/26)Each year, AEST requests Five-Year Capital Plan submissions from all public post-secondary institutions. The Ministry uses the plan submissions to develop capital priorities for future consideration should government funding become available.

AEST Five-Year Capital Plan SubmissionThe five-year capital plan submission (below) was made in 2020 and listed the top University priorities at that time. The next submission will be made in June/July 2021 and some of the priorities may change. In the next five-year plan, VIU will include a request to find a permanent location for the Cowichan Trades Centre in Duncan, which is currently operating in a substandard location that has a lease that will expire in 2023.


Internal CapitalThree major capital projects for the coming year include the continuation of the AURORA project (outlined below), the implementation of a new financial information system, and a technology refresh/lifecycle program, called Project Nelvana.

Project AURORALimitations with the University’s legacy enterprise systems and associated business processes supporting Finance, Human Resources & Payroll, the Student System, and a variety of related business processes and applications reached a point whereby they became a barrier to the University meeting its strategic initiatives, which was the rationale for launching Project AURORA. This project started in 2017, with the Human Resources & Payroll modules going live in January 2020, and Finance slated to go live in summer 2021. The vendor is still developing the Student System; thus the go live date is uncertain at present.

The Finance module is the most complex module implementation of the AURORA project to date, and there is the need to ensure that there will be a seamless cutover with our legacy systems, to support live-time operational requirements. The target go live date of summer 2021 for the Finance module provides the time needed for training and the completion of any process re-engineering required to accommodate the new system. The project team works closely with many functional areas, ensuring that the process transformation efforts are aligned with the requirements of the new Financial Information System.

In late spring 2020, ongoing delays in the vendor’s ability to deliver required and critical student system functionality prompted a review of the AURORA student module product. As such, core configuration work on the new student module has been paused, until the vendor demonstrate that the product can fulfill VIU’s operational requirements, thereby reaching a state for successful implementation.

In response, we have made good progress on critical remediation work to our current Student Records System (SRS). We are well positioned to optimize the functionality of SRS, until such time as the AURORA student workstream can be restarted with confidence that the promised product will meet our requirements.

Project NelvanaFor the past 3 years, VIU has been addressing the underlying and foundational IT requirements, including the installation of modern digital and server infrastructure, along with fostering IT’s evolution and skills development (Project Borealis). Project Nelvana builds on these successes by introducing a complete technology refresh program focussed on end user experience and technology. Project Nelvana also includes attention to improved IT processes and further evolution of the skills matrix of the IT department,.

In 2021, 50% of all of the University’s computers are beyond expected usable life; that is they are 5+ years old. As such, they are unable to support current cloud-based software or online work, are off-warranty, and unable to be repaired due to obsolesce. Project Nelvana introduces a technology refresh/lifecycle program that will utilize a centralized leasing model that will introduce computer management tools and processes. As such, technology will be refreshed on a scheduled basis with more efficient onboarding and off boarding processes. This will to improve response time for hardware and software needs and provide more flexibility in computer usage. This program will encompass both students and employees end user devices (e.g. laptops, desktops, tablets, student computer labs, learning commons and all centrally managed end-point systems) that access the educational and administrative systems at VIU. These critical improvements are needed to support the hybrid learning models, along with the needs related to Digital Research initiatives, key aspects of our legislated mandate.

Project Nelvana will also enable a mobile faculty/staff reality. By delivering laptops and Microsoft (MS) 365 cloud tools, faculty will be able to access an anywhere environment. This enhanced flexibility will allow for enhanced productivity and satisfaction among our employees; as well as reducing inefficiencies that are introduced by the use (and downtime) associated with antiquated technology. Further, Project Nelvana is a centralized model and will eliminate the current inefficiencies of a decentralized and deregulated purchasing model, allowing for greater cost savings through mass purchases.


Risk Assessment and MitigationThe plan for return to campus has evolved and we will return to campus in Fall 2021. COVID will be managed through health and safety protocols. Given our current environment with COVID-19 still dictating most of our decisions in the day-to-day, short term and medium term periods, this is our immediate focus in terms of risk management.

Assessment Academic

• Academic quality – risk that with the transition back to campus for fall 2021, the delivery of education is not consistent and accessible to all students.

• Academic continuity – risk that we cannot provide academic continuity for various COVID related scenarios.

Operations

• Regulations and Safety Protocols - risk that safety regulations and protocol requirements with a return to campus activities for fall 2021 are not clearly and timely developed and communicated by the appropriate authorities.

• Regulations and Safety Protocols – risk that interpretation and implementation of new safety regulation and protocol requirements are not clearly and timely laid out by VIU to employees and students.

• Technology – risk that technology/class room standards are not sufficient, impacting the quality of academic delivery.

• Student Services and Ancillary Services – risk that student services and ancillary services are not sufficient and/or safely provided for the increased return of students to campus (student housing, bookstore, cafeteria, student services, gymnasium etc.)

• Continuity of operations – risk that we cannot provide operational continuity for various COVID related scenarios.

• Congregation of Students – risk that limiting/control of congregation of students in spaces is ineffective.

Student/employee

• Student/employee behaviour – risk that students/employees don’t follow the safety protocols leading to increased risk of transmission.

• Student/employee perception and expectations – risk that students/employees do not feel safe returning to campus and defer, or students/employees expect that campus is fully 100% back to pre-COVID operations and act/behave accordingly.

• Vaccination risk – risk that the majority (herd immunity) are not vaccinated to make the VIU community safer.

• Mental health – risk of increased anxiety and mental health issues with major changes that have occurred and are occurring related to academics, social changes, health & safety.


Financial

• Budget – risk that we do not have the budget for unforeseen items as we transition to a return to campus activities for fall 2021 – a return to campus may require additional budget expenditures to ensure a safe and quality return (improved ventilation, improved IT/AV equipment in classrooms etc.).

• Competition – risk that students choose different options, if more fulsome return to campus is offered by other universities.

• Enrolment targets – risk that domestic and international enrolment is lower than forecasted.

Mitigation The Future State Transition and Support Team (FSTST) and the Academic Continuity Committee (ACC) are managing the risks identified above. The FSTST is looking at these risks from an operational, safety and student service perspective. The ACC is looking at these risks from an academic/educational delivery perspective. There is sufficient cross membership with both these teams to ensure that all risks are managed effectively.

Enrolment forecasts and financial results will be closely monitored throughout the year. Quarterly enrolment forecasting will take place in Q1, Q2 and Q3. Should enrolment or operational trends change through the course of the year, adjustments will be made accordingly, both to revenue and expenditures. Budget holders will be provided with variance analyses as the year unfolds.


Appendix 1

Budget by Groupings

Budget Groupings

*International Education is no longer catergorized with the Faculties due to the change in revenue distribution methodology


Consolidate Grouping Summary The budget breakdown per grouping is exhibited in the table below and is followed by financial information for each individual grouping, compared to prior year and budget.

Faculties

** Tuition revenue and student fees variance reflects the tuition distribution to faculties in the 21-22 budget


Academic Support

** Tuition revenue and student fees variance reflects the tuition distribution to faculties in the 21-22 budget


Institutional Support


Institutional + Other Consolidated Entities + Capital


Appendix 2

Student Affairs – Engagement, Support and Wellbeing Maintaining connection and building community for our VIU students remained a priority, and in fact, was elevated over the past year. Highlight of the events include:

Peer-Supported Learning (PSL)Transitioned completely online; the program hired 24 student leaders and supported over 49 sections of courses for the Fall 2020 semester. In August, PSL presented Study Tips and Tricks at the ROCKVIU, with a turnout of over 200 participants. The leaders also presented PSL at the Connect Fair to over 50 attendees

Deemed as leaders by their peers, the PSL leaders will be presenting their processes and findings, virtually, at the 2021 International Forum for Peer Learning, organized by Lund University in Sweden.

Office of Co-Curricular Learning and Engagement Hosted well over 60 events throughout the year that included innovative VIU Virtual Escape Rooms aimed at new students and included essential VIU information, Fireside Chats to create connections (approximately 200 students attended each Chat), Faculty Block Parties

• VIU implemented a new Co-Curricular Involvement App with great success and further reach then first anticipated in its’ inaugural year. There are close to 2000 active students using the app on a regular basis.

• Approximate total comments from student participants: 15,000

• Rewards Program: Student attending or participating in virtual events. Total number of tracked “hours” of student participation, Fall 2020: 1,736 hours and counting. Over 400 students are now actively participating in the rewards program.

• Over 3000 connections have been made through the app

• Continued growth -Launching new feature, “Success Network” where students will have the emails of their faculty, advisor, counsellor and/or residence community leader at their fingertips.

Athletics and Recreation

• Summer Camps

• Successful CampVIU and Mariners in Training Summer programs during the early stages of the pandemic – leadership training, sport specific and day camp programming (492 participants across camp programs under COVID restrictions and adhering to all PHO’s)

• Active@Home social media series 2266 engagements & 42297 people reached

• Student Programs (all adhering to Provincial Health Officer (PHO): Major pivot, safety planning and facility re-organization to safely re-introduce the following student programs:

• Weight Room access

• Intramural sports– volleyball, pickleball, basketball, dodgeball

• Residence only gym times

• Outdoor recreation programs – hiking, kayaking, skiing, snowshoeing

• Fitness Video Bank


• Athletics

• Virtual Awards video presentation – April 2020

• Student-athletes were able to train all year long under PHO’s

• Academic achievements

• 5 student-athletes achieved a 4.3 GPA Average overall team GPA, 3.4

• Student Athletes in the community

• Men’s Basketball – CIBC Run for the Cure: Team Challenge Award - October 2020

• Danielle Groenendijk – Self initiated fundraiser for Parkinson’s Disease in honour of her grandfather. Over $10K raised and over 250km run in one month - Jan-Feb 2021

• Women’s Soccer Q&A for International Women’s Day – March 2021

• Meet the Champions – Q&A with Mariners Women’s Volleyball Team – April 2020

• 3 former Mariner female athletes selected to the CCAA Female Apprentice Coach Program

Centre for Experiential Learning (Work Integrated Learning)VIU partnered with Royal Roads University, Camosun College, and NIC to host the very first Vancouver Island multi-institutional Virtual Career and Connections Fair, Beyond 2020, held on November19, 2020 – and it was a fantastic success! We had 84 organizations participate, 203 Company Representatives, 1252 students registered, and 1899 completed audio/text chats between organizations and students

• MBA Fireside Chats Based on the success of the Fall 2020 Fireside Chat in October where we had over 90 student participants and panelists from Nike, Island Savings, Snuneymuxw First Nation and more, we are hosting several additional Fireside Chats this Spring as an opportunity for VIU students to hear from MBA Alumni who will share:

• How they learned, networked and secured an internship/employment during COVID-19

• How their industry/company/role changed due to COVID-19

• Their advice for effectively networking/working virtually

Mental Health and Wellness of our students has always been a top priority. A couple of examples of the peer-supported team models are as follows:

• Talk to Me Program

• The Talk to Me program is a student led program designed to create connections among VIU students, to increase students’ sense of belonging, and to decrease feelings of loneliness. Over the past year, The Talk to Me team has hosted virtual events and offered support and resources to students.

• Student Wellness Promoters

• VIU’s team of Student Wellness Promoters have been working hard all year to promote student mental health and wellness through engaging activities and campaigns. Some of these initiatives have included: a digital survival kit for students during exams, care-packages for students in the library during exam period, a #Pay It Forward campaign, wellness posts on social media, and many more.

consolidated resource plan

Documents