In July 2024, I was appointed Special Advisor to the Provost on Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside students, staff, faculty, researchers, community partners, and individuals with lived and living experience of the toxic drug crisis. Their insights have been essential in shaping our approach and ensuring that our response is grounded in both evidence and compassion.
Our campus community has responded to the tragic passing of Sidney McIntyre-Starko with a commitment to learning how we can improve our processes, practices and policies to prevent future overdose deaths, grounded in principles of care, community-building, compassion, and evidence-based action. The commitments we shared last June provide a strong foundation for the work ahead and have informed the work of the Campus Overdose Prevention and Response Committee. Using a health promotion framework, and informed by consultations with students, staff, researchers, and multiple campus partners, our committee seeks to embed overdose prevention and harm reduction across all areas of campus life in a coordinated way.
This is truly a collective and whole campus effort. The following activities, either completed or underway, represent our collective efforts over the past nine months. These efforts will be further articulated in my final report to the Provost and will be used to shape the university’s long-term plan:
- Convened a cross-campus committee, including student leaders, to lead, implement, track, and evaluate this work
- Established a research panel to inform best practices
- Held ongoing student engagement sessions, including through the Student Assembly
- Updated emergency protocols to ensure 9-1-1 is the first step in any crisis, with new signage and guidance
- Promoted harm reduction messaging through peer networks and digital tools
- Initiated policy reviews to ensure our policies align with a harm reduction orientation
- Expanded naloxone and AED access in various campus areas
- Delivered training to Campus Security, Residence staff, and student leaders on overdose response
- Embedded harm reduction education in orientation, residence life, and campus tours
- Shared key resources such as Toward the Heart and awareness of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act
- Partnered with emergency services to improve location-sharing capabilities on campus
- Identified and are pursuing new funding opportunities to support long-term sustainability
- Initiated a new emergency contact protocol to improve response coordination and ensure timely communication with designated contacts in the event of an overdose or crisis
- Participated in the Canadian Postsecondary Education Alcohol and Drug Use Survey (CPADS) to better understand substance use among students at Uvic
These actions represent meaningful, immediate steps that align with the BC Post-Secondary Guidelines (August 2024), which guide institutions in improving awareness, reducing stigma, and ensuring rapid emergency response.
It is clear our university is committed and actively working towards immediate steps to support response strategies. The committee continues to gather insights that are shaping the next phase of our work. We are focused on finalizing UVic’s Overdose Prevention & Response Plan, which will define UVic’s ongoing strategy and serve as a tool for progress tracking and continued commitment to this important work. The plan will outline clear short- and long-term goals. It will also serve as a critical tool for guiding ongoing conversations about harm reduction, wellness, and safety across our campus.
This interim report reflects meaningful progress, and the work is ongoing. I am grateful to the committee members and the many students, staff, faculty, and partners who are helping lead this change. Your insights, dedication, and advocacy are shaping UVic’s path forward.
We welcome insights from all members of the UVic community as we continue to shape this important work together.
With gratitude,
Dr. Jennifer White
Special Advisor to the Provost on Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction
Contact: [email protected]
Overdose Prevention and Response Committee representatives include: Student Affairs, Student Development & Success, Wellness Recreation & Athletics, Indigenous Academic and Community Engagement, Campus Security, Vice-President Finance and Operations Office, University Communication & Marketing, Community & Government Relations, Labour Relations & HR, University Victoria Student Society, Graduate Student Society
