UBC sex assault reports differ from police statistics

In a response to a CBC News survey, UBC stated that 16 students had reported a sexual assault between 2009 and 2013, a number which heavily contrasts with data from the RCMP detachment, which showed over 70 sexual assault reports.

UBC vice president of students says the school needs to be focused on making sure students get the help they need.

“I think what’s most important, not about the report itself or about the number that’s published, but that UBC as a campus culture [. . .] holds a space where the intention of care and inclusion are very much present,” she said.

With files from CBC News

Cristiano Ronaldo studies offered at UBCO

The University of British Columbia Okanagan is currently offering a fourth-year sociology course studying Portugese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo’s impact on social and cultural trends.

“What makes Ronaldo so special is his football skill and his football prowess,” sociology professor Luis Aguiar said. “But what also makes him special is that he has visibility beyond football world. He has cultural appeal.”

The course will not focus on Ronaldo’s celebrity status, but rather on the player’s reputation to examine how social phenomenon is used to construct identity and nationality.

With files from UBC News and CBS Sports

McGill students and faculty call for divestment

Both faculty members and students at McGill University are calling on the board of directors to divest its endowment fund from fossil fuel companies, with an urgent focus on companies concerning the Canadian oil sands.

“McGill’s students are asking the university to take a leadership position in the transition to more sustainable energy practices,” said Darin Barney, Canada Research Chair in Technology and Citizenship at McGill.

Beginning in the fall of 2012, the petition for divestment has over 1,500 signatures from students, staff, alumni, and faculty, along with endorsements from three major student associations.

With files from Global News