Why did BCIT post an important notice on YouTube today?

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      It's billed as an "Important Notice to Students, Faculty & Staff" on what's probably the world's most popular video-streaming site.

      The message from Bill Dow, BCIT associate vice president of student services, declares that management takes "all allegations that our policies have been breached very seriously".

      It came after BCIT became "aware of allegations that a BCIT student’s off-campus activities may have violated BCIT’s policies".

      Dow summarizes by encouraging students, faculty or staff with concerns about safety or security to contact 604-451-6856. Alternatively, they can leave a voice tip at 604-454-2222. Reports can also be filed confidentially online at www.bcit.ca/safety.

      No information is provided about the nature of the allegations, prompting a guessing game among some journalists. If you were given multiple-choice test to explain why the video was created, what would be your first choice?

      a) BCIT officials are traumatized by recent news reports of a voyeur on campus. They're particularly concerned that this information was not communicated promptly to students, so they want to make amends.

      b) BCIT officials fear that some crafty class-action lawyer will file a lawsuit against the institution. The action would be based on news reports of a voyeur on campus not being communicated promptly. And these officials want to demonstrate they're being proactive before papers are filed in a court registry.

      c) BCIT officials are scared shitless that the premier's office will issue orders to the board's government appointees to crack down on senior staff over the voyeur controversy. After all, BCIT's Burnaby campus is in the provincial constituency of Burnaby North. The B.C. Liberals desperately want to retain this seat in the 2017 election.

      d) BCIT officials are terrified that an intrepid student journalist might dig up a connection between the campus voyeur and someone in BCIT's management ranks. So it's a smart strategy to make a pre-emptive strike on YouTube.

      e) BCIT officials privately worry that investigative reporter Bob Mackin is going to carpet bomb their offices with freedom-of-information requests demanding to know who knew about the voyeur and when. And putting out the video in advance will make their public response available on any TV newscast that decides to report whatever Mackin digs up.

      f) BCIT officials want to assure any prospective donors that they take criminal activity very seriously. It's a hypercompetitive race for gifts among B.C.'s postsecondary institutions. That's because the B.C. Liberal government has been stingy in recent years with its operating grants. It doesn't help raise money if there's a perception that campus sex crimes aren't a high priority.

      g) Some outside public-relations expert in private practice recommended this action.

      h) Peter Fassbender or Andrew Wilkinson got on the phone to BCIT's president and ordered this video to be made. Moreover, the instructions called for someone in management to use a TelePrompter when reading the message written by the government's public-affairs bureau.

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