Prince George, B.C. – This is an important week at the University of Northern BC.  It’s Respect Week 2014.

Student Life Coordinator Lisa Scheck says “it’s been done every year for the past three years.  It’s about raising awareness about different groups.  So every day this week we have a different theme.  Monday was about Respecting Mental Health and our wellness centre had some displays on reducing the stigma around mental illness.  Tuesday is about respecting Culture and Faith.  We’ve partnered with the Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society and our chaplaincy here on campus to provide some booths and information on culture and faith.”

Wednesday is a big one, Anti-bullying Day.  “Of course we’re encouraging people to wear their pink shirts and we’re going to do a large campus photo.  Also our local union here at the university is going to have a display on harassment in the workplace.  And Student Life is going to be hosting a table on cyber-bullying.  They’ve got a short survey that people can take and the results will be flashed up on a screen right away.  And our peer support group on campus is going to be doing something around building you confidence.”

“Thursday we’re doing Respecting Gender and Sexuality and Friday is Respecting Disability.  So the great thing about this event is we’re bringing a lot of departments on campus together to raise some awareness about each of these issues.”

Asked what the student population might take from the week’s activities Scheck says “I think it’s just hoped that the students will have a better understanding of the various groups on campus and that we should be respecting everybody.”