Board Shorts

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January 27, 2014

Spring Advocacy budget increased

As recommended by Financial and Administrative Services Committee (FASC), board voted to approve a $7000 increase to the budget for Advocacy, a committee that addresses “issues of concern to students,” for Spring 2014 campaigns and events.

Brandon Chapman, business representative, raised concerns as to what the funds would be used for, speaking in particular to the previously launched Tap SFU campaign and a proposed three-day trip to Victoria.

Chardaye Bueckert, external relations officer and Advocacy committee member, outlined that the funds would be used for tax clinics, a trip to Victoria in February for members to “engage in interactive dialogue with elected officials,” four outreach days where Advocacy would offer free food to students, and production of live videos of Advocacy workshops.

Bueckert explained that Advocacy decided to suspend the Tap SFU campaign because it had diverged from what the committee had originally approved.

Build SFU appoints representative for engineer selection

It was brought up at board last Monday that, as Build SFU moves into the design and development phase of the SUB project, there is a need for representatives from SFU Facilities Services to work alongside the Build SFU general manager in selecting mechanical, structural, and electrical engineers for the project.

It was recommended at the building committee meeting in Dec. that a student board member serve as a representative on the committee. Brandon Chapman, business representative and Build SFU committee member, was appointed upon recommendation by Marc Fontaine, Build SFU general manager.

Concern was raised by at-large representative Clay Gray as to whether or not the committee would be better served by a board member who is an engineering student, indicating Moe Kopahi or Raham SaberiNiaki. SaberiNiaki responded, “In terms of the education that we get here from the engineering department being relevant to the project, [it is] not at all.”

Men’s hockey moves into first place

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EIC

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January 27, 2014

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The Simon Fraser University men’s hockey team captured sole position of first place in the BCIHL with wins over the Trinity Western Spartans and bitter rivals Selkirk Saints.

Each victory, especially the nail biter against Selkirk, gave SFU the inside track on home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs as the season begins to head down the final stretch.

Before the marquee matchup against the Saints, SFU had a tough matchup with TWU. After their hot start to the season, TWU has hit a bit of a rough patch, seeing their lead atop of the league vanish into a fourth place seed. Simon Fraser did not take their opponent lightly as they staved off a furious Spartan rally to win 5–2.

Simon Fraser got off to a perfect start, as 35 seconds into the contest Trent Murdoch gave the visiting Clan a 1–0 lead on a wraparound attempt. The Clan continued to pepper TWU goaltender Silas Matthys’ net for 12 shots in the first, but were unable to add another goal.

The Clan’s furious offensive pace and control of the puck paid off with two second period goals from Jared Eng and Aaron Enns, giving the Clan a commanding 3–0 lead.

SFU was heading towards a decisive victory when TWU’s Jamey Kreller and Brett Wur both scored just 3:17 into the third period. However, SFU didn’t panic and elevated their play, potting two more insurance goals late in the frame in order to set up a game for first place with Selkirk on Saturday evening.

Continuous back and forth action was the theme of the game against Selkirk, as the BCIHL’s top two teams displayed all kinds of skill. The period was not SFU’s most cohesive effort, as sloppy play in their defensive zone led to Stefan Gonzales and Logan Proulx finding the back of the net giving the visiting Saints a 2–0 lead.

Head coach Mark Coletta finally woke his team up in the first intermission as from the second period on, SFU controlled the play. Nick Sandor finally put his team on the board, finishing a two-on-one rush with Jono Ceci. Defenceman Eng then joined a rush, was given a partial break, and finished the play with a smooth forehand-to-backhand goal, tying the affair at two.

SFU eventually took a 3–2 lead late in the third after Sandor found Trevor Milner all alone in front. Despite being outplayed in the final two periods, the Saints showed their championship mettle as Proulx roofed his second of the night, with only 2:06 left, to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Although playing much of the extra frame in the opposition’s own end, SFU could not beat Saints’ netminder Chris Hurry, which meant the game would be decided by a shootout. Milner scored the winning tally in the shootout and Clan goaltender Andrew Parent only surrendered one goal to give the home side the victory and, for the time being, top spot in the BCIHL.

SFU hits the road for three straight away games which will test their spot at the top of the standings, a test the Burnaby side should be well prepared for.

Questionable Information: The Beatles

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EIC

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January 27, 2014

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Beatles manager, Brian Epstein, originally suggested that the band get “broom-top” haircuts.

Woohoo, boohoo

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EIC

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January 27, 2014

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Woohoo: ant bravery

For a species that populates more than a quarter of a region’s animal biomass, it’s surprising how often ants are overlooked by human beings. It’s even more surprising when you realise just how badass these tiny creatures are, especially when it comes to defending what is theirs.

Take the Southeast Asian species of the Camponotus ant, for example. These ants are so committed to protecting their colonies that they would rather explode in the face of the enemy than be conquered. That’s right, these ants are living grenades who, when confronted by enemies, are able to contract their abdominal muscles and explode at will.

This is not the only instance of kamikazee-like behaviour: sterile workers, in turn, flood enemy colony entrances and drop bits of gravel into the hole. Although the structure is bound to collapse, these ants trade their lives for those of their enemies — an adaptation for which Darwin would award them medals of bravery.

Boohoo: ant slavery

While you can argue that ants are the bees knees when it comes to battle, some species of ants tend to use this strength for evil rather than good. A prime example is the Polyergus, or Amazon ant, whose one adapted function is simple: the destruction of enemy ant colonies and capture of ant slaves.

These ants idle about all day, burnishing their armour and commanding their slave ants around until it’s finally time to conduct a raid. At this point, the ants charge out of their hill, wielding their sabre-like mandibles, slaughtering enemy ants and seizing the cocooned ant babies.

Captured babies are returned to the nest where they are raised by the adult ant slaves. The worst part? These ant babies will never know the difference; ignorant and alone, this slave life will be their existence. No matter how successful or impressive, baby-stealing ant juggernauts are definitely not brave warriors in my book.

West Side Story goes west

By

Peak Web

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January 27, 2014

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Jarrad Biron Green is living a childhood dream. West Side Story has been his favourite musical since he was in the fifth grade, and now he is playing the lead role of Tony in the show’s North American tour.

“It was insane to get the call for this; I have to pinch myself sometimes,” he said. “Sometimes I get caught up in the moment and then I stop and think: I’m actually on the West Side Story tour.”

This is Green’s first professional job, but he is more than qualified for the part. He first played the role of Tony in a high school production, and then again as a student at NYU in one of the largest productions the school had seen.

The North American tour is a recreation of the Broadway revival version of the show, with some modifications: there is more Spanish used in the words and lyrics, as well as a bolder, contemporary representation of violence and sexuality. Green thinks that the addition of more Spanish works well and equalizes the playing field for the gangs: “It’s had mixed results, but I think it’s more believable.”

The cast of this production is also young, especially in comparison to the film version, which Green said gives people the wrong idea about how old the characters are supposed to be. “The cast we have is more suitable, and we can connect with the audience better,” he said.

“The show asks, ‘how can love survive in a world of bigotry, violence, and hate?’ That message stays with you.”

Jarrad Biron Green

Relating to Tony comes easily to Green. “Tony is very similar to me at this stage of my life. He’s 18 or 19, and I’m 21, so we’re close in age. He wants to become more mature and leaves the gangs behind, gets a job, and finds his purpose in Maria. I’m kind of going through that since this is my first big professional job, figuring out the purpose of my life.”

Performing in Vancouver and other Canadian cities on this tour marks another first: “I’ve been to Canada once when I was young with my parents, but I couldn’t even tell you where it was.” He’s looking forward to visiting Vancouver. “I’m a big fan of the hockey community,” he said.

West Side Story has thrilled audiences since its debut in 1957, which Green thinks is because of the conflict between the Jets and the Sharks and the fact that it’s based on Shakespeare’s classic story, Romeo and Juliet. “The show asks, ‘how can love survive in a world of bigotry, violence, and hate?’ That message stays with you,” said Green. “At the end of the show there is a little bit of hope that there can be some change,” which is why, Green says, audiences find this show so powerful.

Although the show deals with themes from Romeo and Juliet, Green explained that “the music and dance adds so much more to the piece.” Of Jerome Robbins’ choreography, Green says “[It] is still pleasant to watch, but there is something more feeding the moves.”

Apart from enjoying performing a coveted role in a world-renowned musical, Green is having fun experiencing so many new cities on this tour and said that he usually has time during the day to explore. He’s soaking it all in, enjoying every minute of his first professional tour, and says, “It’s been a blast so far.”

West Side Story is presented by Broadway Across Canada Feb 4–9 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. For more information visit vancouver.broadway.com.

Canadians should have the right to die

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EIC

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January 27, 2014

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In Canada, like in every other country in the world, people die. To die is a perfectly natural thing, yet assisting someone’s suicide to help them end their own suffering is a criminal act.

The Criminal Code of Canada currently states that, “Every one who (a) counsels a person to commit suicide, or (b) aids or abets a person to commit suicide, whether suicide ensues or not, is guilty of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment […].”

This includes doctors and physicians who are there to treat patients who may suffer from any number of both terminal and painful long-term diseases. These people, whose job is to assuage the suffering of their patients, are prohibited from assisting them with the one thing they often want most: an end to their suffering.

Assisted suicide can be the most compassionate way to help the incurably suffering. Canadians need to question the laws that forbid it.

When people approach the subject of assisted suicide, they do so because they feel they have no other option — people who are elderly, frail, and in constant pain, or people with debilitating diseases that chain them to a body no longer willing to respond to their pleas of movement or painlessness. These are the people who ask their doctors for assistance, the ones whom doctors have to refuse or face legal repercussions.

People with extreme physical disabilities turn to assisted suicide to die before their bodies become prisons.

Like any major legal proceedings, there is much hesitation and concern over what a change in law might look like. Many worry that enacting a law such as this would lead to the elderly or the sick being taken advantage of or coerced into ending their lives against their wishes.

But Canada is far from the first country to deal with this issue; other countries operate with legal assisted suicide, including Switzerland, Luxembourg, and The Netherlands, and some American states allow it including Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and Montana.

There have been multiple court cases in Canada in which people with extreme physical disabilities have petitioned the court to either change or lift the law so that they may be allowed to die with the assistance they require. These people do not proceed into this lightly, but rather turn to it as a way to die on their own terms, before their bodies become prisons.

This month, the Supreme Court of Canada has said it will hear an appeal by the BC Civil Liberties Association seeking to change the law, so that “seriously and incurably ill, mentally competent adults have the right to receive medical assistance to hasten death under specific safeguards.”

The last very public challenge to this law came in 1993 when Sue Rodriguez fought for the right of assistance in ending her battle with ALS. A widely criticized decision came on Sept. 30 of the same year when she lost 5-4 in the Supreme Court of Canada.

With the vote so close twenty years ago in the last big debate over this issue, is it not time to revisit it? As a nation, our belief systems, and our treatment of our more vulnerable citizens, has since greatly progressed. This law should also change with the times. It is time to let all Canadians have the right to die with the same dignity and respect any one of us would desire.

Clan race to GNAC bests

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EIC

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January 27, 2014

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It was a day of personal and conference bests for the Clan at the indoor track and field season-opener last Saturday at the University of Washington Indoor Preview.

Against competition from both NCAA Div. I and II, senior star Sarah Sawatzky led the way for the Clan establishing a Div. II-leading time in the 800m race, at 2:09.42. It was a precedent her teammates would match.

Her sixth-overall finish also earned her Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Red Lion Track Athlete of the Week honours.

Sawatzky’s fellow senior, Kirsten Allen, would lead the GNAC racers in the mile while setting a personal best with a time of 5:03.97. Meanwhile, sophomore Emma Chadsey dropped 28 seconds off her previous time in the 3000m and finished in 10:17.24 — times that would qualify both athletes for the GNAC meet later in the season.

On the field, junior Robyn Broomfield led the GNAC in the triple jump with a 11.18m leap, while freshman teammate Ella Brown, making her Clan debut, finished second with a 11.13m jump.

It was another freshman who led the way for the men’s side. Oliver Jorgensen ran the 3000m in 8:32.84, while senior James Young wasn’t far behind finishing in 8:36.58. Both will race for the Clan in the conference meet.

Long jumper Jerry He led the Clan on the field with a 6.60m jump, good for third in the GNAC, and good enough to qualify him for the conference meet as well.

The Clan aren’t back in action until January 31 at the University of Washington Invitational, but their impressive start to the season — full of signs of improvement already — bodes well for the rest of the young season.

Clan crush Crusaders for first GNAC win

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EIC

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January 23, 2014

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After seven straight conference losses to start the season, the SFU’s men’s basketball team is finally in the win column. A dominant, 98–73 road outing against the Northwest Nazarene University Crusaders was the Clan’s first victory against Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) competition this season, and their first of 2014.

The Crusaders are ranked second-last in the GNAC, tied with three other teams at 3–4 entering the contest, ahead of only the previously 0–7 Clan. Despite having the worst scoring offense in the GNAC, NNU is much stingier on defense; the Crusaders averaged only 76.9 points per game.

But the Clan, who average about that number on offence (76.3 points per game), shot 67 per cent from the field — and 68 per cent from beyond the arc — to break through that defence.

Sango Niang and Justin Cole, two newcomers to Burnaby Mountain, drained 24 and 28 points, respectively, and led the way for SFU. They had help, too — Dillon Hamilton and Taylor Dunn both hit double digits with 14 and 12 points apiece. It was by far SFU’s best offensive showing against a GNAC opponent.

The Crusaders are no offensive juggernaut themselves — they actually scored above their 69.7 point per game average — but outplayed the Clan on the boards, out-rebounding SFU 30–25. With SFU dropping shots all night, though, NNU’s comparatively poor 46 per cent shooting wasn’t nearly enough, even if they were getting more second-shot opportunities than the Burnaby boys.

“We were due for a good shooting night,” said head coach James Blake after the contest. “I’m proud of how we shared the ball and made the extra pass.

“I’m excited about how well we learned from a hard week of practice and some constructive criticism last week,” he added.

It was SFU’s best game of the season, and shows just what this team can do when all their star power gets hot at once. With the win, the Clan are still six games below .500, but for all the struggles the team has had this year, a win is welcome. The games are only going to get tougher; the Clan will have to keep the hot hand, and keep learning, if they want the wins to continue.

Going the distance

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EIC

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January 23, 2014

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Simon Fraser University’s women’s basketball team beat the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks 75–73 on Thursday night at SFU’s West Gym, but going by their respective records, SFU should’ve won the game handily. Yet barely five minutes in, the previously 2–5 Nanooks looked like the better team, and looked like they might run away with the contest building a 19–3 lead over the 4–3 Clan early in the contest.

Kia van Laare opened the scoring for the home side, but sloppy turnovers and poor shooting allowed the visitors to go on a 19–1 run.

“We weren’t ready,” said senior guard Marie-Line Petit post-game. “Like [head coach Bruce] Langford says, it looked like we were in la-la land.

“But when we get some stops on defense, and when we stop turning the ball over, we can do good things.”

Better ball control and tighter defense helped the Clan rack up nine straight points of their own, highlighted by a three from captain Erin Chambers and a coast-to-coast layup from Wilson that left one Nanook defender looking silly. Both players were just getting started.

The Clan continued to creep back into it, trailing by just six at the half, 35–29, setting up one of the best halves of basketball so far this season.

The two teams traded baskets to start the half; five minutes into the second, the Nanooks lead grew slightly to 44–37, but seven straight from SFU would tie the game at 44 — the first tie since the opening minutes.

Neither SFU nor UAF could get on any real run, with neither team’s lead growing larger than four points after the Clan tied the game — but it was Chambers and Wilson who gave the home team more than one chance to win.

Chambers, who poured in another casual 30 points, was fouled on a layup with 40 seconds to go, and hit the free throw to complete the three-point play to put her team up three. But on their next possession, the Nanooks hit a shot from downtown to tie it.

With under 30 seconds to play after UAF tied it, SFU had the last shot, but Wilson, who had a double-double with 10 assists and a career-high 24 points, was fouled as she took it.

She hit both shots, the Nanooks Hail Mary fell well short, and the Clan won, just barely, to improve their conference record to 5–3.

The narrow victory over a now 2–6 squad shows the incredible parity in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

“There’s a one-game difference in the records between first place and sixth,” explains Petit. “Every game is a battle for a playoff spot,” she said, and this one went the full 12 rounds.

Budget approved for spring concert

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EIC

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January 20, 2014

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At the SFSS board of directors meeting this morning, Jan. 20, the board voted to approve a budget for a Spring concert.

As recommended by Financial and Administrative Services Committee last Wednesday, 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.

The motion was discussed for close to one hour as board members brought up their concerns regarding a potential beer garden, security, ticket sales discrepancies from the Fall concert, expense and finances, and the genre of music to be played.

In the end, the motion was passed by a vote of seven to three. At-large representative, Clay J. Gray, and external relations officer, Chardaye Bueckert, asked that their opposition be noted in the minutes.

As it stands, students can expect a party sometime in early April before exams.

This story has been updated. Go to Spring Concert in Bloom for more information.