The Martlet

In the July 20 board meeting, directors passed a motion to expand hormone replacement therapy coverage under the UVSS Health Care Plan and delayed a motion to reestablish the University Relations Committee At its July 20 meeting, the UVSS Board of Directors spent much of the evening discussing motions to lobby for expanded hormone replacement therapy coverage under the UVSS Health Care Plan and include the issue in future advocacy efforts, re-establish the University Relations Committee, and...

In the July 13 board meeting directors filled a committee vacancy, approved monetary transfers between UVSS accounts, ratified and funded clubs, and more. In the July 15 UVSS Board of Directors Meeting, a committee vacancy was filled, transfers of funds were approved, and funding and ratification were approved for numerous clubs and course unions. The meeting began with a land acknowledgement given by Cecilia Bulbrook, representative for the Gender Empowerment Centre (GEM).

New school will combine current programs into one major, offering students ‘more options and fluidity’ Photo via the University of Victoria. This fall, UVic’s Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology (BCMB) will become the School of Molecular Life Sciences (MLSC), combining their current two undergraduate programs in biochemistry and microbiology into one molecular life sciences major.

De Vries will be running against fellow councillor Karen Harper and Save Our Saanich candidate Rishi Sharma in upcoming local general election Photo courtesy of Zac de Vries. Zac de Vries is a UVic alum and current two-term District of Saanich councillor — the municipality in which most of UVic resides. De Vries graduated from UVic in 2017 with a double major in political science and geography, and ran for council the year after. He has now served as a councillor for eight years.

The sociologist was appointed to the Officer level, in recognition of “achievement and merit of a high degree,” which has led to policy change in Canada. Photo courtesy of Cecilia Benoit. UVic scientist and Professor Emerita of Sociology, Dr. Cecilia Benoit, was named an Officer of the Order of Canada last month for her research on sex work, maternal care, and health equity, which has informed policy change in Canada.

At July 6 Saanich council meeting, three motions resulting from SYC work unanimously passed Photo courtesy of Teale Phelps Bondaroff. During the July 6 District of Saanich Council meeting, the Student Youth Council (SYC) — a community-led pilot project aimed at helping Saanich youth learn about and participate in local government — turned in their 2025–2026 end-of-term report, which proposes a permanent youth advisory committee.

Phelps Bondaroff launches re-election campaign, touting focus on housing, transportation, healthcare, and community-building. District of Saanich Councillor Teale Phelps Bondaroff kicked off his campaign for re-election to Saanich council and election to the CRD with a launch party at Rutledge Park on July 11, featuring button making and a book swap.

Graphic courtesy of the Native Students Union. Working within the limits of academia while also attempting to transcend them is a common experience for Indigenous students, and it is a fight. According to the Institutional Planning & Analysis office at UVic, the UVic Indigenous student population sits at just under 1 600 students which is approximately 7 per cent of the general 22 000 students attending this institution. 7 per cent… that’s not even double digits.

World renowned chamber musicians will gather in Victoria from July 24 to Aug. 9, for the Victoria Summer Music Festival’s 30th anniversary. Photo by Robert Dettling. Despite a year of heartbreaking festival cancellations — including Rifflandia, which has no plans to return, and FernFest, which only managed a reduced one-day event after receiving last-minute funding — one local tradition has persisted.

Losing Myself to New Projects From Cate Kennan and seventhirtyatmorning: An Offbeat by CFUV Review ‘Shadows’ by Cate Kennan via bandcamp.com. I’ve been indulging in the seductive slowness of a summer evening. In nights where all there is to do is watch the colour fade out of the sky and feel the heat fade out of the air. Often, during these nights, I search for its perfect pairing. What drink best complements the dusty grey sky with its faint lingering tendrils of day?