All UFV campuses are CLOSED and all classes – face-to-face and virtual/online – are CANCELLED for today, Tuesday, Nov. 16. All activities and events scheduled for today are also cancelled.
UFV is taking this step due to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding yesterday’s flood, road closures, power outages and the resulting impact and damage from the severe weather event of the past two days.
Exams scheduled for today are postponed and will be rescheduled.
For more information on rescheduled learning activity, students should check with faculty through Blackboard (or the usual method of communication with faculty) as well as monitoring your UFV student email for further information. Faculty, further communication and direction will be provided today.
UFV buildings will not be open. The UFV Campus Connector shuttle bus will not be operating.
Please stay safe and check ufv.ca for more information and updates throughout the day.
With the highway remaining closed, next update on drive bc not until 4pm tomorrow do you anticipate another closure for tomorrow? Have heard the highway could be closed for days @ this point. All of yarrow on evacuation.
Thanks Jennifer. Yes we are evaluating conditions for tomorrow. We will likely update this evening and at the latest tomorrow morning at 6 am.
Evaluating what conditions? The fact that castle fun park is almost completely submerged? I really hope the school does not encourage anyone to commute in these conditions… That would be heavy endangerment. Students typically drive older vehicles that cannot compete. Let alone, we can’t just replace a vehicle because it happens to intake water. I’d push to argue the fact that students budget for travel, especially with the sky high gas prices right now. I prepare to drive the distance I have always driven, not a detour route taking twice the mileage and time. Please look into how many students commute from Langley/Surrey and even beyond. It would be completely irresponsible to open the school tomorrow. I don’t even know how this is still being considered, it should be finalized already.
Thanks Gabriela – I agree.
I appreciate your opinion about safety. We never encourage anyone to commute if they do not think it is safe to do so. We are acting with compassion for our community and with safety as our top priority. Please check UFV.ca for updates regarding tomorrow.
Some of us have clinical in the mornings and need to leave our homes at 6. Is it possible for the update to be earlier in the morning if we do not receive one tonight?
Hi Serena, 6 am is usually the earliest but also watch for an update tonight on UFV.ca.
I am wondering if or what UFV will be doing about the students and faculty who are in emergency situations and have had to evacuate or have been helping with evacuations. I understand that no one can do anything about the conditions and that there are only 3 weeks of the semester left but I can imagine there is a large majority of students and faculty who are unable to even focus or prioritize school, when surviving has had to take a top priority. My heart breaks for everyone in BC at the moment. The stress and shock of this all has rocked the entire lower mainland and I can imagine will impede on interpersonal priorities such as education.
Hi Kyra. Thank you for your compassionate message. Yes. As this disaster unfolds UFV is very sympathetic to the plight of those impacted by the flood. This is partially why we closed for today and are evaluating carefully our actions within a multitude of factors as they unfold. We will always defer to safety over an agenda or educational timetable, and at the same time, we have to respect and know the right time to provide educational continuity for those who are able, and who want to continue. This is early in this disaster and we will move forward cautiously and with consideration. Stay safe.