Legal scholars at UVic urge the university to implement a vaccine mandate as soon as possible

VICTORIA – Yesterday, 23 faculty members from the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Law issued a letter to UVic’s President, Provost, and Chair of the Board of Governors calling on the Administration to “quickly implement a vaccine mandate that applies to all students, faculty, staff, and visitors to campus.”

The group of legal scholars argue that:

• The University of Victoria has the authority to go beyond the minimum safety standards set by the Provincial Health Officer to address the risks posed by Covid-19 on campus; and
• The government has identified no legal basis for assuming jurisdiction over on-campus health and safety matters, and no legal basis for prohibiting the University from adopting a vaccine mandate; and
• In the absence of a prohibition that has an identified source in law, the legal obligation of the University is to act in the best interests of the University by adopting a set of health measures that will advance the purposes of the University for the fall 2021 term and beyond.

For the letter in its entirety, please click here.

See media contacts below for letter signatories who are available for comment.

The UVic Faculty Association (UVICFA) is the exclusive bargaining agent for Faculty and Librarians at the University of Victoria, representing approximately 850 members. We promote the welfare of our Members at the University of Victoria, and further the cause of higher education by upholding the principles of academic freedom, tenure, equity, and human rights within the University.

We acknowledge with respect and gratitude that our work takes place on the unceded and unsurrendered territories of the Lekwungen and WSANEC peoples.

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Media Contacts:
Andrew Newcombe, Associate Dean, UVic Law
Kathryn Chan, Professor, UVic Law

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