KEY DATES
Monday, Jan 30: Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey launches
Tuesday, January 31 - Last day to opt out of NISU Health & Dental Benefits for 2023 Winter term
Tuesday, January 31 – Deadline to apply for MSYL Student Leadership Program (more information below)
Wednesday, Feb 1 - Supporting Survivors Workshop, online via zoom, email studentlife@nic.bc.ca to register
Thursday, Feb 2 – NISU Lunch, Comox Valley campus, Tyee Hall, student lounge, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Saturday, Feb 4 - Comox Valley Curling Icebreaker Welcome League, learn how to curl, drop-in
Monday to Sunday, Feb 6 – 12 – Go By Bike Week, register for the NIC team today!
EVENTS & INITIATIVES
Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey
On January 30, 2023, the Office of Institutional Research & Planning will issue emails to ~2259 credit students active in the Winter 2023 term, inviting them to participate in the Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey. The emails will be sent FROM InstitutionalResearch@nic.bc.ca, TO the students’ nic.bc.ca addresses, and will contain a survey link unique to each student. The email signature will be Craig Whitton, Director, Student Affairs. The survey will be open from Monday, January 30, through Wednesday, February 22, 2023.
Comox Valley Curling Centre Drop-in program - try curling, no strings attached!
Comox Valley Curling Centre have announced their new Icebreaker Welcome League! For a purple bill you can get a safety orientation and quick introduction to curling, and get into a fun mini game! The Icebreaker Welcome program runs from 3:00 to 4:30 pm on Saturday Jan 28, Feb 4, 11, 25. Come to any or all the sessions. All curling equipment is provided; you will need to wear clean indoor-specific footwear (runners & gym shoes= yes, street shoes= no) and clean stretchable debris free clothing to participate. Space is limited to the first 48 people for each session. You can drop in between 2:30 and 3:00 pm on each of the days, or to reserve a spot you can register and pay here:
February 4: https://comoxvalleycurling.com/.../icebreaker-welcome-feb-4
February 11: https://comoxvalleycurling.com/.../icebreaker-welcome-feb-11
February 25: https://comoxvalleycurling.com/.../icebreaker-welcome-feb-25
NISU Lunch, Comox Valley campus
Come and join NISU and fellow students for a free lunch!
Thursday, Feb 2, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm at the Comox Valley campus, Tyee Hall, Student Lounge
Everyone is welcome, gluten-free and vegetarian options available
For more information contact: theoffice@nisu.ca
Online Workshop Students Supporting Students: Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence
NIC has joined Selkirk College and College of the Rockies to offer a series of FREE Students Supporting Students Training Workshops
Date: Feb 1, 2023
Time: 10 am - 12 pm
Location: Online via Zoom.
Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence is a workshop for all members of the campus community: students, faculty, administrators, and staff. This training helps learners respond supportively and effectively to disclosures of sexual violence. It includes a discussion of available supports and resources, the differences between disclosing and reporting, and opportunities to practice skills for responding to disclosures. Uses the Listen, Believe, Support model. Registration closes 9 am on the Tuesday before the workshop.
Email studentlife@nic.bc.ca to register. Registration closes Jan 31, 2023 at 9 am.
Foundry Social Club
The Foundry in Courtenay is starting a social club for youth ages 17 – 24 for people looking to meet people. Come hang out. Free for all. Drop in for board games, trivia, crafts, and snacks.
Every Friday, 3 – 5 pm, Foundry in Courtenay, 575 10th Street. Ph: 250-338-734.
Winter Clothing Drive
Free winter clothing is still available to students in need until the end of January. Winter clothing has been generously donated by NIC employees and is available at the Campbell River Commons and Comox Valley Student Lounge. Please help yourself if you need warm winter clothing.
Leadership Program for Student Leaders & Business Leaders
MSYL is a FREE 10-month virtual leadership development program that brings together youth and business leaders to develop their inclusive leadership skills. MSYL is an opportunity for intergenerational learning with a focus on highlighting the wisdom of youth leaders and removing barriers to youth leadership.
This program is open to 10-14 youth leaders who self-identify as girls, women, transgender, and non-binary people. The estimated time commitment for this program is 2-3 hours per week. The interactive online workshops scheduled between February and April will take place Thursdays from 6 pm – 8 pm. For more info, email Ashley Milbury (Youth Programs Manager, ashleym@minervabc.ca) or Vibhuti Wadhwa (Youth Programs Coordinator, vibhuti@minervabc.ca). Applications are now open on our website: https://minervabc.ca/msyl/. The deadline to apply is January 31, 2023.
Winter GoByBike Week at NIC, Feb 6 – 12
We encourage British Columbians to ride their bike as much as possible between February 6 - 12, 2023. Ride on the trails, for fun, for exercise, to relieve stress, to clear your mind, to get groceries, or to meet up for a coffee … no matter the reason, just ride your bike!
Register for Winter GoByBike Week. If you have an account, log into your account, and you are registered. If you are NEW to the movement, create a new account and you are good to roll! Registration is FREE!
Check out some WINTER RIDING RESOURCES and make sure to log all your kilometers biked during Winter GoByBike Week to be entered into a prize draw for great prizes. Stay tuned for information about upcoming WINTER CYCLING WEBINARS to help get you - and your bike - prepared for winter riding.
NIC Academic Quality Enhancement Working Group
The Academic Quality Enhancement Working Group provides feedback, direction, advice, and assistance on the updating of existing academic policies, processes, and actions related to ensuring ongoing quality academic programming. If you are a full-time student and interested in contributing to this important working group, please email studentlife@nic.bc.ca.
Booking appointments with Advisors and Navigators: the process is changing
In mid-February, access points to the ‘Book an Advising Appointment’ page will be removed from the NIC website, with the exception of one button on the Indigenous Navigators page. NIC will replace the current public-facing access to the booking system with an email and phone number that will connect students with ESRs.
To book an appointment with an Advisor, students can make an appointment from their mynic portal.
RECIPE IDEAS
We want to hear from you!
What’s your favourite comfort meal for those chilly winter nights? Please send us your recipe ideas including ingredients and cooking method, and you may be published in an upcoming newsletter! Prizes available! 😊
CAMPUS & COMMUNITY SUPPORTS
Contact NIC’s Early Assist earlyassist@nic.bc.ca for personal or academic campus and community supports.
For emergencies call 911 or the Vancouver Island Crisis Line at 1-888-494-3888. You can also visit Here2Talk.
NIC Support services include: emergency financial aid, Indigenous supports, counselling, disability services and much more.
Library & Learning Commons (www.library.nic.bc.ca)
Come down to the LLC to find your perfect spot, borrow a laptop, print, or just say hi!
Academic Supports at LLC:
• Research Support: Learn to build effective search strategies, choose and evaluate resources, cite and avoid plagiarism.
• Writing Support: Work one-on-one with NIC faculty to develop your writing skills and receive feedback on your writing assignments.
• Math Support: Spend time working on all levels of math problems with support from NIC math faculty.
• Peer Tutoring: Discover new approaches to studying and learning from highly trained NIC peer tutors.
• Student Technical Services: Helping students understand and utilize technologies to support their studies.
GRATEFUL & THANKFUL
Has an NIC instructor or staff member made a difference in your life as a student? If you’d like to recognize someone’s expertise, support, or kindness that contributed to your success, please fill out our recognition form. We will send the nominee an anonymous thank you on your behalf including your comment(s).
Please keep in touch by email studentlife@nic.bc.ca or Student Life Facebook or Student Life Instagram page. We welcome your feedback!
Cheers,
Lela Kulesh, Rachel Birch, Mez Jiwaji - your Student Life team
