By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

VIU cancels classes, offers support services after student passes away

Nov 5, 2018 | 1:47 PM

NANAIMO — Vancouver Island University cancelled classes Monday afternoon and offered support to students and staff after a medical emergency at the Nanaimo campus.

Multiple emergency services responded to an area near the school’s library around 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 5 after an incident involving one person. The university confirmed a student fell from the library and passed away. It said no other details will be released for privacy reasons.

Al Cumbers, VIU’s associate vice-president of facilities and ancillary services, told NanaimoNewsNOW there was nothing suspicious or criminal about the incident and there was no threat to anyone else on campus at any time.

Cumbers said the library will remain closed until further notice and all classes for Monday afternoon and evening were cancelled. He said students are still welcome on campus and school officials were arranging a variety of support services.

“Our focus right now is providing support for the VIU community,” Cumbers said, adding classes would resume as normal Tuesday morning.

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The BC Coroners Service confirmed to NanaimoNewsNOW it sent a coroner to the scene.

“Please take care of yourselves and check in with each other,” the VIU Students’ Union posted in a tweet directing people to counselling services.

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