Student Health & Equity

This page is intended to be a resource to assist students in maintaining their emotional and physical well-being during their studies at the Faculty of Law. If you do find yourself experiencing illness, a family emergency or other difficulty, please make an appointment to discuss it with the Associate Dean as soon as possible. This is particularly important where the difficulties you are experiencing have the potential to affect, or are affecting, your academic performance. The Associate Dean will make every effort to keep students' concerns confidential.

ILLNESS AND PERSONAL CRISIS

If you fall ill or suffer a family or other personal affliction during the academic year, the Faculty of Law has procedures in place to provide academic support. Students who need an extension to a deadline for an assignment during the term, due to illness, family emergency or other reasons, should contact their professor directly to discuss the situation. The Associate Dean need not be consulted in such cases unless either the student or the instructor chooses to do so or unless an extension beyond the end of the term is required. Students who are unable to write or finish an exam, or are unable to perform to their level of ability due to illness or personal affliction, may be entitled to write Special or Deferred Examinations. If you feel you may need to write a Special Exam, please contact the Associate Dean as soon as possible to discuss your situation and make arrangements. Documentation to support requests for extensions of deadlines or Special and Deferred examinations will be required, as appropriate. For information and regulations regarding Special Examinations, please see Exams.

COUNSELLING AND HEALTH SERVICES

Counselling: The University provides counselling services to students, including personal and academic counselling. Counsellors offer professional, confidential help to UVic students and the services are free. Students facing any kind of personal problem that is interfering with their performance while at UVic are encouraged to make use of these services. Counselling specifically for Aboriginal students, staff, and faculty, and for international students is also provided. Counselling Services is located on the second floor of the University Centre, Room B270. Their hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., telephone: 250-721-8341.

Health Services: The University has a drop-in clinic that provides students with various kinds of medical treatment and advice. Please visit the Health Services website for more information on the services offered. Health Services is located in the Petersen Health Centre on the East side of the UVic Campus, near Sinclair Road.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Resource Centre for Students with a Disability (RCSD) is located in the Campus Services Building. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., telephone 250-472-4947.

DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT POLICIES

The University of Victoria's Discrimination and Harassment Policies apply to the Faculty of Law. The University and the Faculty of Law are committed to providing an environment that affirms and promotes the dignity of human beings of diverse backgrounds and needs. Students who feel they have been discriminated against or harassed should contact the UVic Office for the Prevention of Discrimination and Harassment. They may also consult the Associate Dean regarding such matters. Click here to read the University's Discrimination and Harassment Policy.

UVic's Equity and Human Rights (EQHR) Office is located in the C Wing of the Sedgewick Building, Room C115. Telephone 250-721-8488.

ACCOMMODATION FOR RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES

Accommodation for Religious Observances Policy: The Faculty and the University recognizes its obligations to make reasonable accommodation for students whose observance of holy days might conflict with the academic requirements of a course or program. Under this policy, students are permitted to absent themselves from classes for religious or spiritual observance without penalty and accommodative steps may be taken as appropriate. Students who plan to be absent from classes for religious or spiritual observance are encouraged to contact the Associate Dean or their instructors in advance of their absence to discuss possible accommodative measures. This could include, for example, making arrangements to audio-tape missed classes. Where religious observance will conflict with a compulsory course event or examination, students should consult with the Associate Dean or the instructor about accommodative measures as soon as the conflict becomes apparent. For example, in some cases, deferred examinations or extended deadlines for assignments may be appropriate measures of accommodation. Students who have questions or concerns about the religious observance policy or its application to their circumstances should contact the Associate Dean to discuss them.

OTHER RESOURCES

The following is a list of other campus resources that may assist Faculty of Law students. Please visit or call the service you are interested in for more information.

Child Care Services: Child Care Services offers full-time and part-time care options for children from infancy to 12 years of age. Service are available to children of students, staff and faculty, however child care spaces are limited. Telephone 250-721-8500.

Family Centre: The Family Centre is an inclusive family resource centre located in the Student Family Housing complex supporting a diverse student family community living both on and off campus. Telephone 250-472-4062.

Interfaith Chapel: UVic's Interfaith Chapel provides the campus community with a peaceful and scenic location for religious services, personal meditations, and special ceremonies such as weddings and memorials.

Multifaith Services: The Interfaith Chapel is used by the chaplains of Multifaith Services to administer to the needs of the university community. Chaplains offer information and perspectives from diverse religious traditions to assist students, faculty and staff in exploring their spirituality. Members from the Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Wiccan faith communities are available to offer their services.

EQUITY POLICIES

The Faculty of Law has, over time, adopted a number of equity policies that supplement those of the University of Victoria. In April 2008, the five existing equity policies were consolidated into one document - The Faculty of Law Equity Policy - which consolidates, revises and replaces those pre-existing policies.

The UVic Law Consilated Equity Policy is here:

UVic Law Consolidated Equity Policy

Copies of the previous policies are linked below, for reference only.