Clan soar past Falcons

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January 31, 2014

In a conference where first-and sixth-place are separated by only three wins, there’s hardly a sure thing among the women’s basketball teams in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC). But as the season progresses, the Simon Fraser Clan are looking more and more like just that with their latest triumph being a 77–68 win over the Seattle Pacific Falcons — their fourth straight.

It was a game of ebbs and flows that, as the team’s traded baskets over the first seven possessions, started off as a shootout. SFU took an early 8–6 lead, but things quieted down quickly, and the game was tied at just 11 apiece midway through the first.

As she’s done so often this season, junior captain Erin Chambers spurred on the Clan attack from all over the court — in the paint and from three-point range. Solid defence from Meg Wilson helped, as SFU began to pull ahead and went into halftime with a narrow 34–29 lead.

In the second half, SFU began to run away with the game.

Junior guard Katie Lowen caught fire, hitting three straight triples to increase SFU’s lead to double digits. The Clan got a scare when Chambers left the game with an apparent dislocated finger, but even in her absence, the Clan kept their heads above water.

“When Erin got hurt, we took a deep breath and we had to re-gather ourselves,” said Lowen. “We did a good job staying composed.”

Chambers would return, and finished with 20 on the night, though the night really belonged to Lowen, who scored 23, and went 5-for-8 from beyond the arc.

Her offensive outburst helped push the Clan lead to as much as 19, but the Falcons rallied in the final three minutes to make the final score much more respectable. There was one major factor in the game’s outcome: while SFU shot 41 per cent from three-point range, the visitors went 0–11 from downtown.

“We just hit a lot of shots at a crucial time to put it away,” said head coach Bruce Langford after the contest.

It was a statement win over a bitter rival, and a team that had the same record as the Clan entering the game. SFU’s record is bumped up to 7–3, which puts them in a tie for second in the GNAC, while SPU falls to 6–4, a full game behind the Clan.

Entering the thick of the latter half of their schedule, SFU needs all the separation they can get in one of the NCAA Div. II’s tightest conferences.

SFU Surrey student shortlisted for national award

By

EIC

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January 31, 2014

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A SFU Surrey student has been shortlisted for a national award as a result of his advocacy for democratic participation in his community.

Selected from over 200 applicants, Japreet Lehal is among 13 fellow Canadians shortlisted for the Everyday Political Citizen award. Sponsored by Samara, a charitable organization that encourages Canadians to get involved with politics, the Everyday Political Citizen contest looks to reward one adult and one minor for their democratic advocacy.

“It is a great honour for me to be recognized for my contributions, alongside many other talented individuals,” Lehal told The Peak. “As one who has always been passionate about human rights and raising my voice on important social issues, I feel very humbled to have been named a finalist.”

Samara was inspired to sponsor this award after their national research initiative, Democracy Reports, revealed that Canadians feel there is a lack of positive political role models. The report also showed that while 55 per cent of Canadians have volunteered in their communities in the past year, only 10 per cent have volunteered on a political campaign in the last five years.

To respond to this show of political disengagement, Samara decided to launch the Everyday Political Citizen project to showcase “a more human side to politics and [provide] role models for those who are considering engaging politically themselves.”

Lehal’s fellow nominees represent the diversity of political engagement across Canada and include the co-founder of Canadian Electoral Alliance, a Victoria city councillor, and a PEI historian and expert advocate.

“How and why someone gets involved shouldn’t be a state secret — it should be a state celebration.”

– Rick Mercer, comedian and jury member

At SFU, Lehal is involved as a senator as well as a member of the board of directors for SFU’s community trust, of which he is the youngest member. Over the past few years, Lehal has helped organize two walk and run fundraisers for the Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation and has set up petitions against the Quebec Soccer Federation’s turban ban and the Charter of Quebec Values

Not only is Lehal deeply involved in his community, he chooses to share his experiences as a monthly Youth Voice columnist for the Peace Arch News, which is also published in the Surrey Leader. His columns have covered a myriad of topics, ranging from voting and civic engagement, volunteering, social responsibility, child poverty, gender-based abortions, eating disorders, action against flavoured tobacco, and similar issues that affect youth which Lehal feels need greater awareness.

Lehal said, “Being involved in the community as a newspaper columnist, I have strived to use dialogue to advocate for positive change and make a difference.”

Winners will receive a tablet stocked with Canadian books and music as well as a chat with juror and Canadian comedian Rick Mercer.

Mercer commented on his participation for the Samara website, saying, “I’ve ranted a lot about youth voter turnout and garnered some attention just because I lead a public life. There are so many people who keep our democracy moving in private and never get recognized. How and why someone gets involved shouldn’t be a state secret — it should be a state celebration.”

Winners of the Everyday Political Citizen will be announced on Feb 3.; you can see the results online at http://everydaypoliticalcitizen.tumblr.com/.

Clan drop heartbreaker to UAA

By

EIC

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January 30, 2014

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To say it’s been a frustrating season for SFU men’s basketball team would be quite the understatement. Sitting at just 1–8 in the GNAC entering Thursday night’s matchup against the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves, the Clan had experienced plenty of frustration already, but a 65–64 loss at home was the toughest moment yet.

It was one of SFU’s best games of the season. The Clan shot 49 per cent from the field, and 39 per cent from three-point range, and played well defensively, holding UAA to just 35 per cent shooting from the field and 29 per cent beyond the arc. Four Clan players hit double digit scoring, led by Justin Cole’s 18, and SFU led by as many as 16 points. But with the game on the line in the dying seconds, the Burnaby boys couldn’t pull through.

With the visitors up by one with just under two minutes to go, Cole capped off his scoring with a layup to put his Clan up one, 64–63. SFU almost held the Seawolves off the board over the final 1:44, but UAA would tally a late layup with just four seconds left.

SFU’s Sango Niang’s buzzer beater attempt fell short, just as his team did, for the ninth time this season against GNAC competition.

“We played a really good game. We thought we had the win until the very end and it came down to who wanted it more in those seconds,” said senior forward Ibrahim Appiah, who finished with 11 points.

“It was a tough ball game and it just got away from us.”

With just eight games remaining and a record of 1–9 in the GNAC, the postseason isn’t likely to be in the cards for the Clan (though they are not yet mathematically eliminated), but they aren’t throwing in the towel.

The Clan have come close on a number of occasions, and the heartbreaker of a loss to UAA is just the latest example.

“We have some very good things to take away. We know that we can win games,” said Appiah. It’s just a matter of putting it all together, though it may already be too late.

Poli-Talks

By

EIC

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January 28, 2014

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It’s that time of year again when SFU’s student population is tasked with electing graduate and undergraduate students to the Board of Governors, the Senate, and the Senate Graduate Studies Committee. All elected students will serve from June 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015.

Voting will be open from Feb. 3 to 5, and students will be given access via their SFU emails.

Here is a quick look at the candidates’ profiles and platforms, all of which were submitted to The Peak by the candidates themselves.

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Board of Governors

There is to be one graduate and one undergraduate student elected to the Board of Governors, a body responsible for business decisions concerning university property, revenue and policies.

Graduate candidates:

Name: Ehsan Jozaghi

Year and major: PhD Candidate (2nd year), Criminology

Platform:

Jozaghi has served in numerous leadership positions during his undergraduate and graduate years. For example, he has been elected co-president of SFU’s Golden Key Chapter. He has volunteered at a needle depot that distributes harm reduction supplies in the Downtown Eastside and has also been a volunteer at MOSAIC Settlement Services for Refugees and Immigrants as a computer instructor. Jozaghi has served in the Canadian Army reserve and currently volunteers for the Vancouver Food Bank Society.

Jozaghi has been elected to SFU’s Senate twice and plans to bring his experience to advocate for more funding for students. He will fight, on your behalf, for more funding through scholarships, fellowships and bursaries as well as for the implementation of lower tuition fees. Jozaghi supports smaller class sizes and more funding for TAs and TMs; he also supports a better transit system through the implementation of a gondola to SFU.

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Name: Jesse Taylor

Year and Major: PhD Candidate (4th year), Biological Sciences

Platform:

Hello! My name is Jesse Taylor, I am a PhD Candidate in Biological Sciences, and I am running for the graduate student position on the Board of Governors at SFU. My decision to run in this election was a culmination of my passion for student governance, previous board experience, and a desire to give back to SFU for all the opportunities it has given me. I have volunteered with several associations around campus which have all provided excellent opportunities to learn about issues facing the SFU community.

If elected I hope to get the chance to address some of these issues including: availability of student housing, rising tuition rates, student space on Surrey and Vancouver campuses, and student engagement at the university level, to mention just a few.

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Undergraduate candidates:

Name: Deven Azevedo

Year and Major: 1st year, Environmental Science

Platform:

My primary goal, if elected to the Board of Governors, will be to push the board to live up to SFU’s proclaimed vision of pursuing “ecological, social and economic sustainability through its programs and operations.” I will do this through advocating for greater transparency in SFU’s investments, a review of the risk of SFU’s investments in fossil fuel companies, and the creation of a mechanism by which students can better attain the ear of the board.

I believe my two years of experience on two Township of Langley Advisory Committees, as well as having led and overseen a community garden project with a budget of over $45 000, gives me the necessary knowledge and understanding of committees and finances to implement these actions with the Board of Governors.

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Name: Billy Fang

Year and Major: 1st year, Engineering Science

Platform:

I am a first year student majoring in engineering science, with ambition to obtain a doctoral degree in the future. If elected, my goals of the office include advocating for increased student participation in university development plans and Senate decisions, and in regards of fraternity/sorority recognition and constructive connections between these organizations and the community. I will also focus on reducing locker theft and increasing public awareness concerning the risk of theft at SFU.   My academic foundation is solid, so is my enthusiasm for this university.

I am interested to serve the Senate as I bring a combination of enthusiasm to build our community and the ability coordinate with other facilities and departments. I hope it is clear that our current objective is to let the senate recognize our concern and utilize the resources we have, efficiently, to meet SFU students’ interests. Thank you.

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Name: Sarah-Sophia Flodr

Year and Major: 4th year, Business and Politics

Platform:

My name is Sarah-Sophia Flodr and I am an undergraduate student in the Faculty of Arts at SFU. I am interested in joining the Board of Governors as well as in rejoining the SFU Senate because I enjoy representing my fellow students. I have been studying at SFU for about four years and I believe I have a clear understanding of what the student environment and experience here are like.

I am confident that I am a perfect candidate because of my many different roles and involvements at SFU that I experienced throughout the last three years. As a student, teaching assistant, club president and current undergraduate student senator, I understand the important values for a better university on behalf of you. Moreover, I know that my devotion, dedication, as well as my positive attitude make me a perfect candidate and most importantly because it would be my honour to represent you in the decision making processes of the Board of Governors and SFU Senate!

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Name: Clayton Gray

Year and Major: 3rd/4th year, Criminology

Platform:

In the Government Letter of Expectations (2013), between the Ministry of Advanced Education and SFU, the university and the government mutually agreed to, “Work in partnership with Aboriginal communities, organizations and institutes to implement the Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education and Training Policy Framework and Action Plan for the purpose of increasing the participation and success of Aboriginal learners.” If elected to the Board of Governors, I will use my experience as an Aboriginal learner to aid the university achieving its vision, outlined in the Aboriginal Strategic Plan, to be “the leading ‘engaged’ university in Canada, defined by its dynamic integration of innovative education, cutting edge research, and far- reaching community engagement.” By voting for me, you can show the university that we support the advancement and restoration of Aboriginal Canada.

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Name: Cody Wicks

Year and Major: Biology and MBB

Platform:

There are three main reasons why I am running for Senate and Board of Governors at SFU.

Firstly, I believe in standing up for the students. With government funding failing to keep up, and corporations strengthening their grasp, we need strong voices for our rights. As a student, if you have an issue that is important to you, I want to be in your corner.

Secondly, and getting more specific, we want mandatory corporate grants and profit sharing. Students struggle to pay for school, yet they support corporations on campus and should be supported in turn. Will it take a boycott to make them listen?

Thirdly, we need conditions at SFU that foster student motivation, passion, and curiosity in our studies. From my surveys, there is nothing worse for this than having to take a course you don’t want or need. Every 24-30 credits, we deserve a free course challenge.

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Senate

The Senate is responsible for the academic governance of the university, meaning all matters excluded from the purview of the Board of Governors. These include teaching and research, with a specific focus on the development of new initiatives, the formation of priorities, and the consideration and approval of policies.

Of the 31 applicants for Senate positions, sixteen of them will be elected, with at least one student elected from each faculty and at least three undergraduate and three graduate students elected.

It should be noted that in accordance with the requirement that at least one student be elected from each faculty, Ting Liu (education) and Amelia Huang (environment) were elected by acclamation as the only candidates from their respective faculties. This leaves 14 positions for which to elect student representatives.

Graduate candidates:

Name: Ehsan Jozaghi

As a candidate for Board of Governors, Senate, and Senate Graduate Studies Committee, Jozaghi’s platform can be read above.

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Name: Jayme Lewthwaite

Year and Major: Biology

Platform: I have worked extensively with the university administration during my undergraduate degree at uOttawa, and I learned a lot about how universities function. This experience has taught me that although the decisions made by these governing bodies seem far-removed and bureaucratic from the outside, that student involvement in these committees is crucial in order to improve the student experience. I have experienced a wide spectra of dynamics in committees, from healthy to less healthy, which has opened my eyes to the importance of cooperation and compromise in these group settings.

I believe in fostering a respectful relationship with the university in order to effect positive change, while simultaneously defending the unique interests of both science students and graduate students. I think that I have the open-mindedness and critical thinking skills to prepare me for these positions.

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Name: Ting (Emma) Liu

Year and Major: Education

Platform:

Majoring in education for the past six years provides me much professional knowledge in the academic decision making process. My enthusiasm in academia is reflected in my publication experiences. The study experience in Malaysia enables my familiarity with working in a multicultural environment. Therefore, the position in the Senate or the Senate Graduate Studies Committee could give me a perfect chance to gain more insight on how the academic related decisions are made and to know more about the working protocol in SFU.

The diligent and responsible working behaviours make me become a suitable candidate for the position in Senate or the Senate Graduate Studies Committee. At the same time, my merits in logical and critical thinking skills help me to propose as well as to evaluate ideas from different perspectives. As a graduate student, I can speak for the students and know the actual need and want of them.

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Name: Jasneet Singh Sabharwal

Year and Major: 1st year Masters, Computing Science

Platform:

I have been part of SFU since September 2013. When I found out that I had been accepted to SFU, I started a group for all incoming grad students that helped everyone feel more comfortable at the university even before we all arrived in Canada. As an elected member of Senate, I hope to foster a better relationship between all students and SFU. Also, I would like to give a boost to inter-disciplinary research and I would try to improve funding opportunities for students.

I’m here to be the voice that speaks for you when no one else will. It is easy to feel overwhelmed as to who you can turn to when you are plagued with academic uncertainties and I will be your student voice on Senate because I’m committed to you and to SFU.

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Name: Paul Yoon

Year and Major: Mechatronic Systems Engineering

Platform:

As a member of the SFU Senate and Senate Graduate Studies Committee, I will actively work with the students to help develop and review upcoming university programs and policies. With my five years of academic excellence and community leadership at SFU, I will closely collaborate with the students to identify the important needs and clearly present them in the governing board.

During my undergraduate study, I have participated as a SFU student ambassador (Gold Level) in SFU student-focused events (Open House and Orientation) to present SFU’s unique community to public. In September 2013, I successfully led a small group of first-year SFU students as an orientation leader to introduce the campus life of SFU and important academic services.

With the above skills and experience, I look forward to working with the SFU governing community to assist with important matters related to teaching and research of SFU.

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Undergraduate candidates:

Name: Darwin Binesh

Year and Major: 3rd year, History

Platform:

I have been very active in the community for all three years I have been at this university. I am in several clubs, a member of many DSU’s, and the president of the Society of Arts and Social Sciences, the largest student union in the university. I feel that this role in representing students has prepared me well for Senate, as I would now take my role of representing arts students to a higher level, which is the university as a whole.

Meeting, interacting and working with students has taught me a lot, including the power of a political voice but, most importantly, it has shown me the issues students face beyond my own. Different students face different problems, have diverse concerns, and as a senator I would communicate with these students and connect those voices, opinions, and suggestions to the university. Thank you for reading. Best regards.

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Name: Chardaye Bueckert

Year and major: 4th year, Political Science

Platform:

It is vital that we have strong student representatives on the SFU Senate because it makes academic decisions that affect our education. I am a qualified candidate given my three years in student government. I am the former president of the society of arts and social sciences and I currently serve as the SFSS external relations officer. My accomplishments include playing a leadership role in the creation of the SFSS Emergency Food Bank Program and actively working to improve transit to all SFU campuses.

As an SFU student senator, I will make it easy for students to connect with the Senate by reinstituting the ‘’Coffee with a Senator’’ event. I will also work to create a bursary for part-time students, ensuring that all SFU students have access to needs-based funding.

I am qualified and have achievable goals that will improve your SFU experience. Vote Chardaye Bueckert for SFU Senate.

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Name: Brandon Chapman

Year and Major: 4th year, Business

Platform:

I am currently sitting on the registrar’s search committee as we actively seek to replace Kate Ross, have worked with the university on the SFSS 2013 Fall Kickoff Concert and instigated an SFU Service Learning Program in Residence with staff. I also sit on the Build SFU building committee and attended a student union building tour in the US where I had the opportunity to see how other universities make decisions.

All this experience and the relationships that I currently have with university administration make me the right person to represent you on Senate. I want to do everything I can to make SFU the best place it can be. If you have any questions about my past experience or my goals if elected, please email me at [email protected].

Thanks for the opportunity. For more information on my work experience, please visit my LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonchapman99

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Name: Nicholas Chapman

Year and Major: 3rd year, BPK

Platform:

If I am elected to Senate, I will continue to work hard in order to re-evaluate and calibrate the student experience at SFU by creating and supporting student lead initiatives that fuel and ignite the overall achievement of the students. Life is all about balance; it is just a matter of patiently zeroing in.

We must not criticize, condemn, or complain about what once was. All we have to do is enjoy and utilize the change and opportunity available to us now.

My previous experience with SFU’s academics, Build SFU and the SFSS has taught me that the students CAN be and ARE the difference. It has also taught me the importance of balance in order to maintain a stable psyche. All it takes is motivation, a plan, and when needed, a great team.

Thank for your consideration, I will show through my actions that this opportunity will not be undermined.

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Name: Dion Chong

Year and Major: 2nd year, International Studies

Platform:

In my time at SFU, I have witnessed an unfortunate reduction in funding and engagement opportunities from a university that prides itself in this pursuit. As a senator, I plan to critically review our programme and research opportunities to ensure that SFU continues to provide for highly tailored hands-on degrees that this university is famous for. Beyond concluding agreements for new exchange destinations, I will push for an expansion of the dual degree offering, which has been halted and even rolled back in recent years. I will also continue efforts to expand breadth designation across more courses, encouraging students to explore SFU’s diverse offerings within the parameters of their degree.

I believe that my professional background in student and non-profit governance and advocacy will allow me to bring greater diversity of perspective to the Senate and I look forward to working with fellow senators to achieve these goals.

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Name: Colin Chu

Year and Major: 1st year, Health Science

Platform:

I will work towards implementing lecture recordings; seek investments in study spaces and improving campus technology. Furthermore, other projects include limiting popular courses to students who need it as a prerequisite, and reinventing the course selection program with a work list to make course planning easier. Experience-wise, I have represented on both small and large scale populations. This is varied from representing 200 students as a Grade 12 student representative, and the Templeton Secondary School representative at the Vancouver District Student’s Council, representing the entire student body of Templeton of over 1300 students with decisions that affect over 40,000 students.

I have also been in positions of leadership, which include having a voice in affecting the public educational systems in Vancouver. We prevented the transition from a term system to a semester and came up with an alternative hybrid system which students of every preference can agree on unanimously.

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Name: Shirin Escarcha

Year and Major: 3rd year, Communications

Platform:

Since my first day in 2011, I’ve searched for opportunities of leadership to help the development of the community through various means — including mentorship programs and working in residence — and have gained a greater understanding of the composite of students who create SFU.

On their behalf, I hope to bring forth collective student administrative matters to discussion in the Senate to build a stronger SFU! I will also raise awareness about the purpose of the Senate and actively provide my faculty with opportunities to share any concerns they may have.

My past and present experiences and involvement support the importance of utilizing all resources (including the Senate) to recognize what SFU can do to enhance one’s university journey in a holistic sense — socially, and as importantly, academically. Let me help you! If you have any further questions about my involvement or goals if elected, please contact me at [email protected].

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Name: Billy Fang

As a candidate for Board of Governors and Senate, Fang’s platform can be read above.

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Name: Kayode Fatoba

Year and major: 4th year, Health Sciences and International Studies

Platform:

From first hand experience I have understood the difficulties associated with not only transitioning from high school into the university environment, but also the search associated with finding one’s path within our jungle. This is a 14-representative governance position that is specifically geared towards representing the student body with the Simon Fraser Administration.

To me this means the ability to create a transparent flow of information between us and those involved in the bureaucratic governance of our university to keep the students up to date about important changes: from software transitioning like WebCT to Canvas to top-down integration of learning outcomes in numerous curriculum, which has an effect on student experience at SFU entirely. So my goal is simple, get students aware and involved.

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Name: Sarah-Sophia Flodr

As a candidate for Board of Governors and Senate, Flodr’s platform can be read above.

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Name: Clayton Gray

As a candidate for Board of Governors and Senate, Gray’s platform can be read above.

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Name: Trevor Honey

Year and Major: 1st year, History

Platform:

As a member of the Senate at SFU, my goal is to actively invite feedback from students about Senate decisions and academic policy. I will try to facilitate dialogue between faculties in which to better present enrolment options that allow students to be better prepared for workforce needs.

A key issue that I wish to tackle if I am elected as well is to ensure recognition of courses from other post-secondary institutions to act as full credit towards degrees from SFU in keeping with Canadian guidelines on this subject. This will allow students seeking to switch from colleges and universities to continue studies at SFU and not have to redo their completed courses.

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Name: Amelia Huang

Amelia Huang has yet to submit a platform to The Peak.

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Name: Tony Lee

Tony Lee has yet to submit a platform to The Peak.

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Name: Zied Masmoudi
Year and Major: 4th year, Political Economy
Platform:

I am aware of issues that we all face such as access to student loans, transit passes and the rising cost of tuition. My intention is to pay close attention to student concerns so that I can best represent them and be their voice at the university level.

Throughout my experience at SFU, I have always been an active member of the community. My involvement experience includes leading roles in several clubs and student organizations. I am currently the speaker in council for SASS, the faculty student union that represents more than 40 per cent of the student population at SFU. In addition, I serve as the undergraduate students representative at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Curriculum Committee.

I aspire to take an active role in positive change and make significant contributions to the university Senate and to expand my reach from my faculty to the entire university.

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Name: Munatsi Mavhima

Year and Major: 3rd year, Political Science

Platform:

The Senate is a guardian of all academic issues and advisor to the Board of Governors; I feel I would bring an analytical, rational, international view to such collaboration. As an international student, I am well versed with the problems facing this segment of the undergraduate student population. The issue of rising tuition fees, bookstore prices and course selection, are all hopefully things that will come before the Senate.

I am a political science major and I feel this position would not only help me understand the school’s administrative processes, but also the greater political processes I hope to one day contribute towards. This practical experience is of great value in addition to what I have studied. I am involved with a few organizations on campus including The Peak newspaper, the African Students’ Association and the Global Political Awareness Club. With this level of interest and enthusiasm, I hope to contribute to school policy.

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Name: Gloria Mellesmoen

Year and Major: 3rd year, Linguistics and English

Platform:

I believe that my strongest asset as a representative is that I’m not a politician at heart. I aspire to teach preschool and I care more about Netflix than networking, neither of which benefit from my involvement in student governance. I can’t give you a concise list of goals and a set idea of what I want to change. Instead, I offer a promise that I will always fight for the things that matter to students. I am approachable, honest, and passionate. I truly care about ensuring that the student voice is heard in the important decisions that will affect us and those who follow.

I am putting my name forward for Senate because I believe in the importance of student representation and I have experience sitting on university committees, such as the Excellence in Teaching Awards and the Dean Search Committees for Education and Environment.

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Name: Rasmeet Mohar

Year and Major: 3rd year, Political Science

Platform:

As a third year student that has experienced not only the benefits of being a part of our amazing university but the struggles too, I want to ensure that students are easily able to access all the tools they may possibly need for success. For instance I wish to bring attention to the need for an expansion of research work and volunteer opportunities in the university beyond the Science faculties – so that even an Arts student is able to have practical applications of their education. However, I will not only be focusing on my own ideas. I will be the voice of reason. Someone that you can trust to have an understanding of the varied interests across faculties and who can apply a common SFU student’s interests to whatever conditions the Senate encounters. I run to stand not above you as a representative, but rather to stand among you.

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Name: Arjan Mundy

Year and Major: 3rd year, Communication

Platform:

The opportunities to contribute to SFU are endless; however none provide me with possibilities as unique as being a part of the Senate. Being in charge of essentially all matters pertaining to academic governance at SFU could give members of the Senate the chance to improve the lack of visibility some departments struggle with. My personal priorities revolve around the Communication department, and I believe that if given the opportunity to showcase some of the research and innovation the Communication department exhibits I could leave the department with much more recognition than it currently has.

If anybody has any questions about my personal qualifications, or my platform, or anything really, feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 604-812-1582.

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Name: Dimitri Ossinsky

Year and Major: 1st year, Political Science

Platform:

I am running for the SFU Senate because I want to give more students a voice in student government. The senate needs to be a more accessible institution so students feel like they can make changes in the school. If elected I will be available to all students and clubs to address different issues relating to them. I have previous political experience working in the Coquitlam City Council. As I have talked to SFU students, issues relating to transit, class access and sizes, and the location of microwaves across campus have been the most frequently mentioned and are issues I will address if elected.

You can find out more about me and my platform at https://www.facebook.com/dimitriossinsky.

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Name: Nimisha Parekh

Year and Major: 4th year, Business Administration

Platform:
Having been on the Senate previously, I am well aware of the procedures and decision-making involved in this position. My respectful nature and strong listening skills will allow me to effectively comprehend and fulfill the students’ needs and interests to the best of my ability.

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Name: Athina Pilarinos

Year and Major: 3rd year, Sociology

Platform:

If elected Senate, I will push for public student forums each month for SFU students. As well, I will ensure evidence-based policy decisions are made, and the lack of follow through by university administration is addressed. I will push for the adoption of the living wage policy at SFU, as well as other policies that seek out the equality of SFU staff and students, and will introduce proposals for initiatives that will help move SFU to the forefront of the research community.

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Name: Saumya Sangal

Year and Major: 4th year, Electronics Engineering

Platform:

The position of undergraduate senator entails the responsibility of good governance and fair representation — keeping this in mind I have been serving on five senate committees over the past year. My priorities are student awareness, affordable education and enriching the student experience at SFU.

My foremost agenda is to increase student participation and raise awareness on how each student can affect and have an impact on the political and social culture at SFU. I would like to liven up the SFU community by making available the necessary funds to expand and promote extra-curricular activities as well as increase funding to scholarships and awards. I plan to increase the availability of a large number of introductory courses which are difficult to enroll into. Finally, students should have access to a larger selection of food joints on campus.

Overall I am completely committed and dedicated to bring good and honest representation to each student at SFU.

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Name: Madelaine Simpkin

Year and Major: 4th year, GSWS

Platform:

Madelaine Simpkin is a 4th year student majoring in gender, sexuality and women’s studies and minoring in business. Madelaine is the president of Students Offering Support SFU, a committee member on the Undergraduate Board of Student Discipline and a committee member of Young Women Civic Leaders. Madelaine is an advocate for women in leadership and will use her time on the Senate to represent the diverse work from her department, GSWS, as well as issues impacting women on campus.

As a young mother who came back to school after six years in the workforce, she deeply understands the issues young women confront early on in their careers. She looks forward to supporting policies and programs at SFU that will assist women in overcoming these barriers to become leaders in the workforce and decrease the existing wage gap between women and men.

__________

Name: Barbara Szymczyk

Year and Major: 3rd year, Business

Platform:

I plan to bridge the gap between students and the Senate by consistently being open to communication with the student body. I will advocate for the financial interests of students to be considered in all decisions. I am approachable, committed, and looking to aid students in getting engaged with governance.

__________

Name: Cody Wicks

As a candidate for Board of Governors and Senate, Wicks’ platform can be read above.

__________

Senate Graduate Studies Committee

Four graduate students (two regular, two alternate) are to be elected by graduate students to serve on the Senate Graduate Studies Committee, which meets monthly to discuss issues and pass motions relevant to graduate students.

Name: Ehsan Jozaghi

As a candidate for Board of Governors, Senate and Senate Graduate Studies Committee, Jozaghi’s platform can be read above.

__________

Name: Jayme Lewthwaite

As a candidate for Senate and Senate Graduate Studies Committee, Lewthwaite’s platform can be read above.

__________

Name: Ting (Emma) Liu

As a candidate for Senate and Senate Graduate Studies Committee, Liu’s platform can be read above.

__________

Name: Jasneet Singh Sabharwal

As a candidate for Senate and Senate Graduate Studies Committee, Singh Sabharwal’s platform can be read above.

__________

Name: Paul Yoon

As a candidate for Senate and Senate Graduate Studies Committee, Yoon’s platform can be read above.

Vexations: sugarcoated delights

By

Peak Web

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January 27, 2014

0

Hiding just around the corner of Main Street on East Georgia is a proverbial playground made of paper, courtesy of Montréal’s Séripop (Yannick Desranleau and Chloe Lum). Having seen their work in the past, I quickly made my way to Access Gallery — like a fat kid going to the Smarties factory — knowing my satisfaction would be guaranteed with Vexations.

Even from the rainy sidewalk, the window space seemed full of eye-candy. Two large accumulations of paper are given impossible weight through the use of a simple hanging device made of hardware store pulleys, netting and yellow nylon rope. Lum and Desranleau have pushed to the limit the art of silkscreening by creating precarious installations that question the printed page.

Folding, crumpling, crushing, pasting and layering: no creative stone is left unturned.

Where most conventional print shows would have single framed pieces lined up side by side to be viewed individually, here the very material specificity of paper is being explored. Folding, crumpling, crushing, pasting and layering: no creative stone is left unturned. Even the boyish pleasure of chewing up spitballs and tossing them on the wall is evoked by one of the various installations, to grand effect.

In another instance, the window space is defined from the main gallery by a wall made from paper admitting black on black pinstripes. This massive patchwork sheet then makes its way to the ground, where it coats the floor, as wallpaper would in a typical room.

As you’ve probably guessed by now, a Séripop show is anything but ordinary; it is no surprise that sitting on the somewhat tattered paper flooring is a larger than life, folded up piece that recalls the paper fans so often crafted out of brochures and scraps of paper when the summer heat wave settles in.

And ironically enough, the dark sheet then bumps up again, settling on two larger masses that are blowing air: inflatable baubles of bold contrasting colours.

The use of both colour and form mould the gallery space into a battlefield where entropy and utopian architecture duke it out. This conflict is less a war than a healthy snowball fight between friends, as the monochromatic earth-toned sheets seem to get along with the acidic neon constructions that bolster the eye out of apathy, despite their formal differences.

Other sheets are pasted on the wall over and over again, in different patterns and colours, with the last of these rippling under the pressures of accumulation. They sag and distort, demonstrating the limits of their flexibility, and calling us to doubt the structure of the gallery itself.

Lively and somewhat apocalyptic all at once, Vexations is a paperwork jungle gym.

Séripop: Vexations will be presented until March 8 at Access Gallery, 222 East Georgia St.

International students face significant fee increases

By

EIC

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January 27, 2014

3

International students, who already pay two to three times the tuition paid by local students, are going to see their tuition rise by a third over the next three years.

As approved by the SFU board of governors in the 2013/2014 Operating Budget and Financial Plan, over the next three years, undergraduate international students’ tuition fees will be raised by ten per cent each year — eight per cent more than Canadian and resident undergraduate tuition fees, which are increasing by the two per cent maximum allowed by BC government policy.

“I recognise that the university is between a rock and a hard place,” Julia Lane, coordinating and external relations officer for the Graduate Student Society, told The Peak. “Expenses are increasing all the time, space is not getting any bigger.”

Chardaye Bueckert, external relations officer for the SFSS, agreed with Lane, listing a number of expenses the university has to face: deferred maintenance, professors’ annual raises, increased operating costs, and inflation. “When you don’t receive any increased funding, it puts financial pressure on [the university].”

The issue comes from the stagnation of government funding and lack of financial support for post-secondary institutions. As explained by the administration in its operating budget and financial plan for the current academic year, “SFU has undertaken a number of cost savings initiatives over the last few years and these have largely been exhausted.” At the same time, “strong enrolment — particularly international enrolments — has helped to alleviate some of the financial pressures experienced in the past.”

A primary source of income for SFU, funding from BC’s government represents just less than half of its revenue ($218 million this year) with student fees almost matching that amount ($210 million). On the provincial government’s part, the foreseeable future for post-secondary funding looks grim: “For this upcoming year, there is going to be no increased funding for SFU, and then over the next two years there is going to be [an estimated 2.2] million dollars in cuts,” Bueckert said.

At the same time, the federal government recently set an objective to double the number of international students and researchers in Canada to 450,000 by 2022. According to British Columbia’s International Education Strategy, there were 28,000 international students attending public post-secondary institutions in BC in 2012. The government aims to add 14,000 to this number by 2016.

Despite the allocation of 25 per cent of international students’ extra tuition increase to improve international student support, it is yet unclear whether the raise in fees will hinder international enrolment.

Indeed, there is a risk that a specific population of international students is going to be hit very hard. Christa Ovenell told us that issues of cost will impact some students and their decision to choose Vancouver.

Ovenell, director and principal of Fraser International College (FIC), which offers international students a smoother path to entering SFU, added, “I do think that Vancouver and British Columbia will continue to be appealing to foreign students,” mentioning Vancouver’s healthy lifestyle and many outdoors activities, such as skiing, hiking, or going to the beaches.

According to Bueckert, the SFSS is opposed to differential fees, which only exist at the undergraduate level. “We went out in the summer to talk to the minister of advanced education, in conjunction with other student societies, and we did talk about tuition fees,” said Bueckert.

She continued, “We plan to go back over February, when the legislature starts to sit again, and we’d like to meet with the advanced education minister and MLAs,” adding that she was hoping to bring up the issue of international student tuition fees.

The SFSS is currently planning lobbying missions in addition to several sessions in Convocation Mall throughout the semester. “We plan to give information to students on various things we are working on: deferred maintenance, transit, and we hope to raise awareness about tuition increases . . . It is really hard to budget if you don’t know about those increases, so we need to educate students about that,” Bueckert said.

A plea for responsible journalism

By

EIC

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January 27, 2014

0

Earlier this month, Grantland published a feature profile of Dr. Essay Anne Vanderbilt, the reclusive and eccentric scientist behind a scientifically advanced golf putter named the Oracle GXI. At least, that’s how the story begins — by the end of the article, Vanderbilt has committed suicide and been outed as a trans woman, all in the name of a good story.

To be clear, it is a good story; I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t. Caleb Hannan, the writer behind it, is clearly talented. His 8000 word piece is packed with unexpected twists and turns, including the revelation that most of Vanderbilt’s professional credentials were elaborate fabrications. Hannan digs deep into Vanderbilt’s past, uncovering a series of lies and deceits that make for what might be the most engaging article ever written about golf putters.

But Hannan and Grantland made the mistake of publishing an article that values storytelling over ethics — Vanderbilt is never considered as anything more than a weirdo and a con artist, and her ultimate suicide is treated as the climax of an elaborate fiction rather than the actual death of a human being.

Hannan calls it “an odd experience” to be writing a eulogy for a woman who by all accounts hated him, but he never considers the privilege he has in presenting the story from his point of view. His is the last word on Dr. V’s story; we’ll never hear her side of it.

Most of the controversy surrounding the article revolves around Hannan’s discovery that Vanderbilt is a trans woman; he describes a chill running up his spine upon learning this fact, and proceeds to treat the revelation as further evidence of Vanderbilt’s deceptive nature. Delving deeper into Vanderbilt’s past as Stephen, Hannan refers to her as “a troubled man who had invented a new life for himself.”

To publicly out Vanderbilt as trans on an international news platform is one thing; to refer to her by a male pronoun in any context is not only ignorant, but belittling to her identity as a trans woman. Hannan even outed Vanderbilt to one of her investors before her death, a move that would more accurately be described as witch hunting than journalism. He may not have been aware of the gravity of his actions, but that’s hardly an adequate excuse.

Vanderbilt’s suicide is treated as the climax of an elaborate fiction rather than the death of a human being.

Grantland’s editor in chief, Bill Simmons, recently published a 3000 word mea culpa explaining the editorial process behind the piece, apologizing both to his readers and to Hannan. He admitted that no trans people were consulted before running the piece, and admits that Grantland “made an indefensible mistake” in publishing the article.

Many have gone so far as to argue that Hannan murdered Vanderbilt, which is an indefensible accusation — it’s ludicrous to assume that the writer’s article was the sole factor, or even a contributing factor, in Dr. V’s suicide. But this doesn’t absolve Hannan of his guilt.

As an editor, I understand the challenges that come with working on a story like this one, but Hannan, along with Grantland’s editorial staff, had every opportunity to question whether the article was an acceptable one to publish. It wasn’t.

Journalists should do more than tell stories; they have a moral responsibility to treat their subjects with even-handedness and respect, and to tell their stories with that same level of respect. Hannan’s piece may be good writing, but it’s bad journalism — as soon as we begin to value stories above people, we lose touch with the world we’re attempting to reflect.

Spring concert in bloom

By

EIC

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January 27, 2014

0

At the SFSS board of directors meeting on Jan. 20, the board voted to approve a budget for a spring concert.

As recommended by Financial and Administrative Services Committee (FASC) on Jan. 15, the board voted to reallocate the remaining amount from special events (e.g. the fall concert) towards the 2014 spring concert. The budget for the spring concert is approximately $39,000.

“We’ve got a really strong team,” said business representative, Brandon Chapman, who brought the motion to board. “We’ve done a lot of our homework in terms of making this thing realistic and achievable.”

Buzz around a potential second concert was generated during Burnaby Clubs Days, as the SFSS volunteers handed out flyers gauging interest, asking, “Do you want a part two?” As it turns out, FASC had already approved a budget for a spring concert that morning.

Chapman reported to the board that many students expressed interest in another concert at Clubs Days, signing the SFSS sheets for more information. He also described to the board the changes that the events committee had in mind for a spring concert, which included new areas for potential revenue. Chapman said the hope is to cover some of the costs of the fall kickoff concert, and at worst break even.

“Our goal is to have a beer garden this time around. Upon conversations with the university, this is achievable, and this will help offset some of our costs,” Chapman said.

However, not everyone was as optimistic as Chapman concerning the finances of the project. External relations officer, Chardaye Bueckert, expressed her reservations about committing the rest of the special events/large scale line item budget — totalling $39,214 — to a spring concert.

Bueckert reported that out of the 1800 people that are estimated to have attended the fall concert, only 977 tickets had been documented as sold. “Regarding the ticket revenue, in the tracking sheet there was $20,367 accounted for.” Bueckert told the board. “According to the financial ledger, the actual ticket revenue was $33,844.10. That means that we have $13,477.10 in ticket revenue which we don’t have a tracking sheet that corresponds to. So that’s obviously a pretty large concern.”

Bueckert was also hesitant to acknowledge the potential for breaking even. “Regarding the projected revenue for this concert, the fall concert was actually projected to have a $6000 revenue. So I’m wondering if there’s anything we can speak to in our plans to avoid that shortfall again.”

She continued, “If you have a loss of approximately $24,000 plus that $6,000 projected revenue, that means we’re actually off from the fall concert about $30,000 in our numbers.”

Board members also discussed the genre of music to be played but seemed split between hosting another electronic dance music concert and featuring a different style of music.

“Down the road it is something that we’ve talked about, in terms of varying up the genres of music, and I really want to see that as well,” Chapman said. “This time around, we are trying to reduce costs and not change too much about this at first. When you’re dealing with a conservative university who is not used to seeing these events run successfully, you don’t want to make too many changes at once, so the main change we’re trying to make for this event is to add a beer garden.”

To mitigate costs, Chapman also suggested hiring domestic headliners instead of the international artists who played at the fall concert.

In summary, Chapman said, “The kickoff concert was a very successful event, and . . . as a service organization, a not for profit here to serve our students, making money is not the goal of these events.”

After almost an hour of discussion, the motion was passed by a vote of seven to three. Bueckert and Clay Gray, at-large representative, asked that their opposition be noted in the minutes.

The SFSS is currently in discussions with the administration surrounding a date for the concert, but students can tentatively expect to party on Apr. 4 or 5.

How to Reform The Peak

By

EIC

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January 27, 2014

7

The Peak, as we never tire of reminding you, was founded in 1965. Specifically, the first proper issue — which ran under the banner “Name Your Student Newspaper,” offering a case of beer to the person with the best suggestion — was published on October 13 of that year.

It should surprise no one that SFU’s campus life and student organizations were dominated by leftist political sentiment in those days. The first issue’s editorial, for instance, clearly considered the decision to accept advertising dollars to be the most controversial aspect of the paper’s founding. That editorial also included a quote that’s more relevant to the modern Peak: “It would be desirable that as many students as possible be given an opportunity to work on the paper.”

That’s still true today, and though I love The Peak and think it’s done great things recently, I can’t ignore that we face some fairly serious problems. Our publisher, the Peak Publications Society, is an independent non-profit whose most basic rules are laid down in a constitution.

The bulk of the most important problems can be traced back to that document, which was written before the Internet existed and seems to be designed more to safeguard the paper’s left-wing bonafides than to create an accountable and effective organization.

I am currently the society’s business manager, but I’ve previously been a volunteer, a board of directors member, and an editor, and I’ve been intimately familiar with this organization for more than five years. I’ve spent a couple of months hashing out how we can change the constitution to make The Peak more accountable, and to set it up for success in the future. My suggestions include some very radical departures from the status quo.

I’ve written this article because every fee-paying student at SFU is a member of the Peak Publications Society, and you deserve to know why I’m seeking the changes that I’ve chosen. In addition to this article, I wholeheartedly encourage all SFU students to head to the-peak.ca/constitution, where you will find the full text of the current and proposed constitutions, explanations of the changes, and venues to criticize and discuss the draft.

The Big Goals

Despite the slurs I’m casually directing at the political left, today’s Peak, like every other student group I’m aware of, is a deeply conservative organization. I mean this in terms of the deference they display to established power structures, and their intense resistance to change. This is a key difference between boomers and millennials — for the children of the sixties who founded this paper, challenging authority was an end unto itself, but today’s young people are too fearful of making the wrong decision to commit to large changes.

That’s a bad attitude to have, especially in disciplines like publishing that are in a state of particular turmoil. The first goal that I had in mind when writing the draft constitution was creating easy avenues to change. The current constitution mandates a lot of stagnant structures, and the fact that the day-to-day operational rules at The Peak are based more on oral traditions than written policy makes it tough to break with precedent.

“It would be desirable that as many students as possible be given an opportunity to work on the paper.”

Anyone that has kept track of our web site for the past five years will agree that The Peak needs to be capable of changing faster than it does.

The other priority that influenced this draft was the creation of meaningful accountability. That A-word has been reduced to a meaningless cliché by generations of lackluster student politicians, but it’s nevertheless a very important principle that is sorely lacking in today’s Peak, mostly because of the design of the constitution.

The draft emphasizes mechanisms to hold people accountable for the quality of their work, which is in opposition to the current system and its emphasis on complete freedom and independence for each editor.

A Return to Heirarchy

Even though the founders of The Peak were a bunch of dirty hippies, they understood that leadership is a desirable trait: that’s why we have a surviving photo of Sam Steenhuus, the first editor-in-chief, glowering at the camera over his sub-culturally mandated facial hair. Something terrible happened to the political left between his tenure and that of the architects of the current constitution, and his role was eliminated in the name of “structurelessness.”

Power in The Peak is concentrated in a body called the Peak Collective, which is comprised of the current editors and recent regular contributors. The two key powers of this body are the ability to set editorial policy and the right to vote in editor elections, which select the entire editorial staff once per semester.

As the name implies, Collective has no leader, and it elects editors that answer to no one except their voters. The current constitution even prevents the board from firing editors for anything short of theft; the only other methods of disciplining underperforming editors are defeating them in elections or holding a recall vote (which, to my knowledge, has never happened).

Like most damaging ideas, a “non-hierarchical decision making structure” such as this sounds great in theory. In practice, however, there is no such thing as a non-hierarchical organization of humans: there are only organizations where the hierarchy is explicit, and those where the hierarchy is hidden.

As no less a progressive authority than Jo Freeman has pointed out, even if an organization such as the Occupy movement or SFU’s own Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group (SFPIRG) deny that they are governed by hierarchies, it’s clear that some members have informal leadership roles: their opinions are listened to more than others, and they are generally deferred to.

If power-holders can deny that there is any power structure to dominate, they can maintain power much more easily than people whose jobs are created by written rules, and who can be influenced or removed through written procedures.

For this reason, one of the key changes in the draft constitution is the resurrection of the editor-in-chief. While we have exploited loopholes in the constitution in order to have a coordinating editor for the past two years, their powers don’t go far enough. The draft empowers the EIC to alter editorial policies, approve or spike all content, distribute formal warnings to editors, fire editors if warnings accumulate, and to investigate and respond to complaints.

They’ll also keep track of the paper’s circulation, sit on the board of directors, hold a veto over changes to the editorial structure, and sit on the committee that hires editors. This position will be able to define a clear vision for the publication and make sweeping changes, and since they will still be elected by Collective, that vision will be open for criticism ahead of time.

Less Voting, More Democracy

The editor-in-chief is the only editorial position that will be elected under the new system, since the current editor elections are not meaningful tools of accountability. Sitting editors dominate all Peak elections because they are all friends and usually vote as a bloc; while volunteers might outnumber them, they usually defer to their own editors.

As a result, in the 150 or 250 individual editor elections that have occurred in the five years I’ve been watching, only once has an incumbent run for re-election and lost. Widespread understanding of this problem has bred apathy: not a single current editor at The Peak faced a challenger for their job this semester.

The new constitution establishes hiring panels staffed by one former editor, one member of the board of directors, and the editor-in-chief. This panel will have the opportunity to administer tests and perform detailed interviews. This is a clear improvement over elections in which everybody simply votes for the incumbent editor, or the person who has been around long enough to “deserve it.”

This system will especially benefit newcomers. Currently, editors are able to stick around for as long as they want, and they’ve taken advantage: three-year terms at The Peak are not unheard of. Hiring panels will have the resources and authority to decide to give someone new a chance, and newcomers who are especially well-suited to the job will be able to compete on equal footing with incumbents and heirs apparent, rather than relying on the chance that they will arrive just as an editor decides to leave.

The Membership Problem

The single part of the new constitution I’m most undecided on is how to deal with membership. Currently, every fee-paying student at SFU is a member of the Peak Publications Society; this system appeals to me politically, as it encourages everyone to feel they have a stake.

The problem is that our bylaws decree that all changes to the constitution require a vote of at least five per cent of the membership, which last semester was 1,504 people. I hardly need to explain the likelihood of that happening at our famous “commuter campus.”

We all have the opportunity to make The Peak the best student newspaper it can be.

I consider The Gateway, the University of Alberta’s student newspaper, to be the finest example of good governance at a Canadian student newspaper. Membership in their organization is restricted to directors, editors, and recent contributors who opt in; with this small pool of people, bylaws can be passed at a meeting of 30 per cent of members by a 75 per cent supermajority vote.

The goal of making The Peak easier to change would be served by such a rule, but I am very hesitant to remove people from our membership. On this issue, I would very much appreciate some debate.

So, what now?

These are just a couple of the major changes and their justifications in a very wide-ranging project. In a perfect world, everybody who has read this article this far will proceed at least to a brief summary of my proposed changes and leave their thoughts.

The Peak Publications Society will be holding a Special General Meeting in the Convocation Mall on February 25, where the final draft of the new constitution will come up for voting. If everyone who reads this brings 10 friends, we should easily surpass our 1,504-member target. In the more realistic case that we miss that goal, we will vote anyway in order to demonstrate the will of the membership, and we will seek other avenues for change, possibly including a referendum.

Replacing a constitution is a big job, and an important one. While I’ve done most of the heavy lifting so far, it would be profoundly wrong of me to insist on all of my ideas without considering the contributions of other members. Expressions of support are welcomed, but dissent is urgently needed.

We all have the opportunity to make The Peak the best student newspaper it can be. This constitution is intended to stand for decades, and if you see a problem with what’s being proposed, now is the time to speak up.

University Briefs

By

EIC

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January 27, 2014

0

God, dead at UofM?

St. John’s College, affiliate of University of Manitoba, made the decision last year to temporarily shut down its theology department. Dropping numbers in theology students and church attendees forced the Anglican college to declare the faculty unsustainable.

Now, the entire faculty is going to be reviewed and potentially renewed. St. John’s alum, Donald McKenzie, who doubles as a priest at St. Phillips Anglican Church is a part of the renewal initiative. He says, “We just don’t have the people going through the program at the moment to run it in the way we have [in the past]. The program needs to be looked at and revamped, revitalized.”

With files from The Manitoban

Puff, puff, you shall not pass

UBC’s Hempology 101 club was recently suspended from their SUB for creating a pseudo vaporizer lounge in a space they had booked. While there will be no legal repercussions, the club is prohibited from reserving private space in the building for the remainder of the semester.

Student administrative commission vice-chair Nina Scott says that despite this unfortunate mistake, “We’re happy to work more closely with them … and help them make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.” The club’s cannabis convention will go ahead in March as planned, suspension aside.

With files from The Ubyssey

York makes controversial religious accommodation

York University is under scrutiny for standing by a decision to grant a student’s request not to work with women for religious reasons. The request was first made to the student’s professor, J. Paul Grayson, who refused to allow him to work in a group without women.

The university administration’s compliance with this request has generated an outcry of support for the professor, based on the belief that this compliance challenges the school’s gender equality. As reported in Excalibur, affiliate of Feminist Action at York, Danielle Carter, says this action clearly shows that “women’s rights are not a priority at York.”

With files from Excalibur