What happens when students lose trust in their university’s administration? It seems Vancouver Island University (VIU) may be at risk of finding out.

On October 26, 2026, VIU Students’ Union (VIUSU) filed a Notice of Civil Claim against VIU in the BC Supreme Court.

After 16 years of VIUSU and VIU jointly supporting the Student Refugee Program (SRP)  run by the World University Service of Canada (WUSC), VIU has pulled out of its commitment to help fund students during their VIU academic journey.

VIUSU claims that more than a decade and a half of consistent conduct on VIU’s part to support the refugee program constitutes an enforceable agreement, and that backing out without discussion or sufficient notice is a breach of contract.

VIUSU Chairperson, Brandi Klee, shares that usually, VIUSU covers 60 percent of the Student Refugee Program, and VIU covers approximately 40 percent, which translates to about $45k annually.

“Earlier this year, VIU unilaterally withdrew its funding commitments. This decision affects students already enrolled at VIU and the 2026/27 cohort,” Klee shares.

Now, VIUSU is left to pick up the pieces of the Student Refugee Program that VIU has neglected.

Klee shares that the Students’ Union Board of Directors has committed to supporting the students currently in the program. “That means full financial support in their first year, followed by stipends in their second, third and fourth years,” Klee says.

“VIUSU is funding the students in the program in full. VIU is funding nothing.”

But without university support, the program’s future is at risk, as the union may not be able to bear the extra costs indefinitely. 

In the past, supporting the Student Refugee Program was a foundational way for VIU to publicly demonstrate its commitment to one of its own vision statements: to “value human diversity in all its dimensions and … [maintain] service environments which are equitable, diverse and inclusive.”

On the university website, VIU describes the WUSC Local Committee as “working towards a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable world,” listing the program as one way VIU is working towards achieving the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations.

So, I have to wonder: why did VIU apparently decide that now is the time to back out of such an impactful commitment?

As a student myself, I have seen and experienced VIU’s financial struggles over the past few years. Programs were cut, class options dramatically decreased, and student resources grew more expensive.

At first glance, I may have viewed VIU’s apparent withdrawal of the Student Refugee Program as just one more financial cut, though one that could look particularly bad PR-wise.

But VIU’s current approved budget for this year projects a $1 million surplus; last year the university reported a surplus of $5.3 million. Interim President Dr. Dennis Johnson says the university is “no longer playing defense,” and is now “investing in what comes next.”

Despite VIU’s public statements that its finances are stabilizing, the university withdrew from WUSC—a program that has helped more than 30 students from countries like South Sudan and Syria to study at the university and build their lives in Canada.

To pay out their commitment for this year, and to cover future stipends to all students currently in the program would cost $75k, VIUSU reports.

But the union, graduated students of the program, as well as a large part of the public, want VIU to do more than simply follow through with a promise—they want VIU to commit to continual support of the Student Refugee Program.

Nyagua Goch is a recent graduate of VIU with a degree in finance. She joined the Student Refugee Program after leaving her home country, South Sudan, due to escalating conflict.

“My experience with the Student Refugee Program has been life-changing. It gave me the opportunity and financial support to complete my degree at VIU and build a future in Canada,” Goch shares. 

WUSC supported her beyond finances—the local committee helped as she settled into Nanaimo and connected her with people who made her feel welcome and supported. 

“Those relationships gave me a sense of belonging and helped me see Canada as home,” she says.

Goch shares how grateful she is to VIU, WUSC, and all those who supported her and showed her kindness during her journey. 

“I hope VIU continues its support so other refugee students, who have the ability and determination to succeed but face barriers beyond their control, can have the same opportunity I received.”

Rahman Onitolo, an international VIU student in his last year of the Visual Arts program, shares his concerns with VIU’s decision. When he arrived at VIU, he met his first friend in a geography course—a classmate who came to the university through WUSC’s Student Refugee Program.

“It meant so much to me at the time. He was also a person of colour, the only one I met throughout my first-year classes. He’s from Kenya, and we still talk and hang out to this day, over five years later,” Onitolo says.

If the Student Refugee Program is not supported in the future, Onitolo believes it would change the climate of VIU.

“To think that kind of friendship won’t be possible for other international students, especially those from places experiencing war or conflict, is beyond me and appalling for a school like VIU,” Onitolo shares.

Additionally, continually cutting programs “will only keep tanking [VIU’s] relationship with students,” he says.

Mic Dean, a fourth-year graphic design student, believes VIU should uphold their commitment. “It’s very sh**ty that VIU decides that they can just break a promise like it doesn’t matter at all,” he says. 

“Most refugees come to Canada with pretty much a blank slate, and one of the ways to better their chances of finding a good job as a refugee is showing you have a degree,” Dean explains. “The program (WUSC) helps them not go in blind or without resources, so they don’t have to feel like they are alone.”

“It is important for not just the school, but other students as well, to help each other out, and having a direct way to do that is helpful,” Dean says.

Sara Bollinger, an alumni of VIU, was the co-chair of the VIU WUSC Local Committee from 2022–23. She is currently pursuing a PhD with research on Canadian resettlement organizations, a path inspired by her time with WUSC.

“WUSC, through the Student Refugee Program, is the only resettlement organization in Canada that combines refugee settlement with education, leading to long-term community integration and skill bonding for sponsored students,” Bollinger says.

Providing insights into how the committee functions, Bollinger describes how the WUSC signs an agreement with the Government of Canada as part of the sponsorship process, which holds it accountable as a refugee sponsor.

“The university has committed to providing funds on behalf of the WUSC committee to uphold these obligations,” Bollinger says.

“By withdrawing this funding, not only are they breaking this agreement, but they are also risking the livelihoods of the students that rely on this funding.”

WUSC is an advocacy group that supports displaced students—they also host campus and community events to raise awareness about refugee issues. WUSC provides a welcoming space on campus where diverse perspectives and experiences are shared, encouraging people to critically engage with .

The WUSC local committee is a place for local, international, and SRP students to come together and support each other, Bollinger explains—something at risk if VIU withdraws their continual support.

“[Cuts to WUSC funding] is an important issue that affects not just the WUSC committee and the sponsored students, but everyone in the community.”

When I reached out to VIU for a statement, they said that they are aware of the legal claim filed by VIUSU but would not comment further because it is an active legal matter.

While VIU may not be ready to begin a dialogue at this time, the Nanaimo community is making their stance clear.

At the time of writing this article, 564 people have emailed the administration through the VIUSU’s “Keep the Promise” campaign, asking VIU to honour its commitment and reverse its decision to withdraw from the WUSC program.

VIU has spent years telling students—and the public—that equity, diversity and inclusion are institutional values, not just slogans. The Student Refugee Program is one of the clearest ways to put those values into practice.

With a projected surplus and a stated desire to invest in students, the university now has the chance to prove that commitment still means something.

VIU can still choose to be the institution its vision statement aims for.

Until we have transparency about why VIU pulled funding and an update on the future of the program, students must keep asking the hard questions and hold the administration to the vision it has set for itself.

A university is not only judged by its stated values, but by who it protects and supports when doing so becomes inconvenient.

“It is clear that the interim president and the university are more concerned with the bottom line than with the expressed interest and needs of its students,” Bollinger says.  

“The university has a duty of care towards its students, which needs to be upheld.”

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