You’re in a bar after promising not to spend another Friday night drinking and watching Doctor Who. You spot someone eyeing you from across the bar, you sidle up to them and ask them a question, the first question, the oldest in the universe. Hidden in plain sight: Hey baby, what’s your sign?
Spotlight on GSS elections
Elections for the Graduate Student Society (GSS) are just around the corner. The positions up for election, which will take place online from March 22 to March 29, are the coordinating and elections officer (CERO), the academic and internal relations officer (AIRO), and the operations and finance officer (OFO). However, since there was only one candidate running for the AIRO, Logan Ansell has won by acclamation.
Julia Lane, Maryam Dehghani Estarki, and Ikechukwu Udevi-Aruevoru are the candiates for the position of CERO. In her platform, Lane shows her history of involvement in the GSS by emphasizing that she is the current AIRO and previously served on three of its committees: social, environmental, and social justice, as well as collective advocacy and campaigns. According to her, such experience has increased her awareness of current challenges, including the expansion of graduate student space at all SFU campuses, cooperation with the SFSS, and the proposed creation of a provincial scholarship for master’s students.
Franclin Verla, a candidate running for OFO, is currently pursuing his master’s degree in risk management. He emphasizes his previous work as a financial analyst, which he believes will serve him well when managing the budget of the Graduate Student Society. He pledges that, upon election to this position, a thorough spending review will be conducted and that any improvements to ensure the efficient use of financial resources will be made accordingly.
Zest Zhang is also running for the position of OFO. He believes that international students should have a greater say as the number of international students is increasing and pledges to represent their interests.
Dissatisfaction in rez highest among international students
Lack of “diverse interactions“ with other residence students, despite increase of international students over the past six years
For the past six years, SFU’s residence management has been collecting survey data on student satisfaction in residences on the Burnaby campus. They’ve been using the Educational Benchmark Institute (EBI) standards, which collects data every two years.
Now that three sets of surveys have been completed, the data is reaching the point at which it can be put together to determine if there are any existing trends in attitudes towards residence.
At this juncture, the statistics themselves remain unavailable to the public. However, sources working with the data have suggested some of the potential implications.
Perhaps the most notable are the alleged responses indicating that dissatisfaction with both the campus and residence is highest with international students. Both the Fraser International College (FIC) students living in SFU residence, as well as registered SFU international students living on campus were surveyed, and were categorized accordingly.
However, sources indicate that although the dissatisfaction seems higher for the FIC students, the trend of the relative international student dissatisfaction remains true for SFU students as well.
This is particularly notable on two fronts, the first being the rising proportion of SFU residence students coming from abroad.
Although 2006 was reported to have seen a spike in rez students from the Fraser Valley, the subsequent years are reported to have seen a drop in such numbers, as international students coming from numerous foreign communities have replaced them.
Further adding to the issue is the fact that diverse interactions have been reported to have been on the decline over the past six years, despite the increase in international students. “This really confused us,” said Chris Rogerson, associate director of residence life, at a student services ‘Lunch and Learn’ last Tuesday. “Our international population was going up, our number of FIC students was going up, but our diverse interactions were going down.”
However, Rogerson continued to attribute the drop to the nature of the Louis Riel building, which contains apartment style housing for grad students and families, an environment in which residents are reportedly more inclined to “stay to yourself, and do your own thing.”
Currently, sources could not yet indicate the time at which the full data set will be released to the public. However, the presentation of much of the information to student services staff last week would suggest that the time at which more conclusive answers become available may be approaching.
Woodward’s vibrant arts community
Social cohesion continues to thrive among the fine arts departments despite geographical separation from the main campus
At the beginning of the semester, after finding herself alone in Woodwards’ Audain Gallery, Daryn Wright wrote an article for The Peak “Ghost Town: SFU’s absent arts community”, January 23, which came to the conclusion that SFU had art, but lacked a community to enjoy it.
Wright was perhaps too quick in her assessment. What she missed was that the Audain functions as more than just a gallery. Had she picked up a brochure or looked on the website, Mapping the Future, the exhibit at the time, also included over a dozen community events held right in Audain spanning over the course of the exhibit’s residence. Events included workshops on Japanese brush painting, panel discussions, and a collaborative performance with Red Diva projects, all of which were free to participate in.
The Audain Gallery is a place where various communities witness and collaborate on a variety of engaging and pertinent issues, and community shouldn’t necessarily have to be limited to students. On that note, however, there are many students who are invested in SFU’s arts. So Crazy it Just Might Work, a student-run exhibition with artwork that engages visitors in themes of utopia and dystopia, and attracted over 150 visitors on its opening night, most of whom were students. One attendee even commented that this number was an improvement over the previous year’s turnout.
Vanessa Wong, one of the student artists at So Crazy, said that most people came to the galleries at their own leisure, but in the same breath emphasized that many people turn up to the community events. “That’s where everybody is!”
Many visual art students agreed with Wright that the move of the arts faculties from the Burnaby campus to Woodward’s has caused a spatial void, but what the latest exhibition hopes to achieve is attract students from other campuses as well. Student art used to be located at a campus offshoot along the industrial border of Gastown, and its recent move to the more central location reflects an increased effort to display student art in a more professional environment that is more accessible to both students and the public.
Much else is being done to increase visibility for arts at SFU, with building an online presence a priority, according to Audain curator Sabine Bitter, though she also noted that past gallery events were very successful with people from the neighbourhood as well as faculty and students. Yi Xin Tong, a fourth-year visual arts student, also suggested that using online sources such as email would be ideal for students to keep informed with upcoming events at Woodward’s.
SFU’s arts community is more than just the campus’ students. It also includes families, friends, and people from the DTES community of Vancouver. As Tong puts it, “Community shouldn’t be limited to just the campus but should encompass everyone.”
That being said, it’s a little surprising how low student involvement is to begin with. One the major student gripes is that they’re always broke, yet free events are held on campus all the time, some of which even include refreshments, from screenings of film festival award winners to workshops.
Visual arts student Andrea Creamer, whose work is also included in the show, was confident in the draw of the show. “The pieces in here are engaging, people will want to come.”
So Crazy It Just Might Work runs until March 24 at the Audain Gallery. Gallery hours are 12:00 to 6:00 p.m., Tuesdays to Saturdays.
Good to Know!: March 19th
By Brad McLeod
A 42-year-old man in Vernon, British Columbia has stumped the scientific community by growing a full beard made of bees.
Tom Johnson, a school teacher, claims his bee beard only started to grow three months ago when he started using a new honey-based aftershave. “I woke up one morning and my face had broken out in hives,” Johnson explained, “and a week later my face was covered in tiny insects”.
After a visit to his dermatologist, Johnson was sent to various specialists in the field who could not explain his condition. “The bees seem to only grow on his face”, said Professor Bill Burnham, an expert in hair growth. “We’ve checked extensively and there are no bees in any other normal hair-growing areas.”
When asked how the problem could be solved, Burnham had no immediate solution. “I’m trying to develop a special razor for bee beards but the process is moving very slowly and he’s going to have to live with it for a while”.
Living with a beard of bees has been not easy task for Johnson, who says his personal and professional life is in shambles. “I can’t teach anymore because of kids allergies to bees, my wife won’t sleep in the same room as me because of the buzzing, and everywhere I grow I’m treated like some sort of attention-grabbing freak.”
Johnson says his life has been turned upside down by his bees. “I can’t go to grocery markets, restaurants … anywhere that doesn’t allow bees, which turns out to be a lot of places. I never asked for any of this, I just want my old beard back.”
World of News!: March 19th
Several reports are coming out of the Shell building in residence regarding the sighting of the rare and elusive seventh year student, a creature whose existence has long been speculated by prominent anthropology majors.
The last sighting of the mythical creature was in 2009, when a christian club spotted a shadowy figure in a bath-robe hunched over one of the sandwich trays. However this was never substantiated.
More recently, what was thought to be a seventh year’s nest was discovered in the basement of McTaggart-Cowan Hall. Tucked away in a storage closet, custodial workers found thesis drafts, shredded Mr. Noodle packages and SFU rec tags dating back 2004.
Administrators advised any students who spot the haggard creature to avoid any confrontation and immediately book an appointment to declare their major.
SFSS debates bring out few candidiates, crowds
By David Dyck
SUB discussion dominates discussion at both Surrey and Burnaby
Last week’s SFSS general election debates took place amongst little fanfare, as hopeful candidates faced off at Burnaby’s atrium cafeteria on Monday, and Surrey’s mezzanine on Tuesday. Both executive and at at-large and faculty representative debates were done back-to-back.
Only four of the six executive positions were contested. At Monday’s debate in Burnaby, Craig Pavelich of the Renew SFU slate, running for the internal relations officer, and current president Jeff McCann, running for university relations officer, were not in attendance. Of the 16 at-large and faculty representative positions, only the at-large and science representative positions are contested. Only six of the 16 candidates for non-executive positions participated.
The Burnaby debate, which was moderated by Independent Electoral Commission chief commissioner Ali Godson, gave the attending candidates the opportunity to present their platforms, and field questions from their opponents or the audience. After the first executive portion of the debate was over, however, half of the audience left, leaving just over 20 participants. The lack of candidates made for a much less intense debate than that which had characterized previous years. There was even less participation in the Surrey debate on Tuesday, with only nine contestants out of 29 participating.
A recurring theme in the debate was the issue of the potential student union building, a proposal that is being spearheaded by the current McCann administration.
All four external relations officer candidates were present for the Burnaby debate. Three of the four candidates, Wilson, Larsen, and Hankinson, came out in favour of Build SFU, identifying student space as an issue that this program is seeking to tackle.
The SUB issue also came up in the presidential debate, particularly between current member services officer Lorenz Yeung and Renew SFU candidate Ashleigh Kolla. Kolla asked Yeung about the referendum question of the levy to fund the SUB, claiming that there was a lack of student consultation prior to the election, and questioning the board’s trustworthiness in light of last year’s lockout. Yeung responded that he agreed that the board was not qualified to address all of the stakeholders, but that consultations would occur for three years before construction begins, under supervision of a project manager. Addressing the lockout, Yeung responded that all legal processes were followed. Kolla admitted that a student union building is needed, but said that the process in and of itself should be one that brings students together.
The issue of student space evoked the most passionate response of either debate from Kevin So. So was the only one of three science faculty candidates who participated in the science faculty representative debate in Surrey. He argued vehemently for the necessity of a games room for science students while waiting for a Build SFU’s SUB project to finish. “Vote for Kevin and I’ll make sure to get that room. If I have to pay for it I’ll do it, if I have do die for it, I’ll do it. I need this room, we all need this room, and I will make it happen no matter what,” said So in his closing statement.
Album review: Tiger Talk
Yukon Blonde’s acclaimed sound has jetpacked them across the border, and they’ve stopped only to fuel up on new tracks
Tiger Talk won’t contain any major surprises for those who have listened to the band’s previous work, but sometimes building on what you know is a better choice than starting something new, and Yukon Blonde’s second release marks an evolution to a more complex sound from their tried and true combination of energy and electric guitars.
The additional harmonies and further integration of acoustic stylings gives the listener a sense that the new tracks are more carefully planned out than their previous work. However, that fact may seem less surprising when you consider that their self-titled first album was recorded live-to-tape.
Cohesiveness lends itself to this more thought-out album, reflected heavily in “My Girl” and “Radio”, where the last few seconds of one carrying into the other. This also contributes to the continued theme of evolution, with each track seeming to build on the previous.
The lyrics of the album, though not usually particularly deep, lend themselves well to the music, as the vocals blend well with the instrumentals, while not being swallowed by them. The music is certainly catchy, and that seems to be what Yukon Blonde is going for, as they pull that feat off magnificently. The band has managed to make music that, makes you just want to be a part of it, whether that means belting along to the chorus of “Oregon Shores”, or dancing to the myriad of energetic songs.
All in all, Tiger Talk shows a band that knows where they’re going, and with it’s energy and dynamics, its music that demands attention. This isn’t music that you’ll be listening to while studying, but you will find few albums finer for when you’re in the mood to move.
Tiger Talk will be released March 20, and is currently streaming on Paste Magazine.
Pitcher-perfect week for Lukawesky
It was a good week for Cara Lukawesky. In a three day span, the star pitcher for the Clan softball team set a career-high in strikeouts with 10, pitched her first career no-hitter, and earned GNAC pitcher of the week for the second time this season. An impressive series of accomplishments at any time, but after a sub-par week from her beforehand, the feats were all the more welcomed.
The festivities began with a 9–2 victory over Northwest Nazarene University, the first of four straight meetings between the Clan and the Crusaders. Lukawesky went the distance in the matchup, though she did get off to a shaky start. After giving up two runs in the first inning, it looked like the losses from the week prior might have continued to mount. Instead, Lukawesky turned her performance — and the game — around quickly. She shut out NNU the rest of the game, striking out eight Crusaders over the next six innings. She had plenty of run support, but her stellar pitching didn’t require much help from her teammates.
“Cara got off to a rough start but she settled down and turned in a great performance,” said head coach Mike Renney. “Northwest Nazarene is a tough and scrappy team that wouldn’t go away,” he continued, but Lukawesky’s performance in the first contest of the four-game series was almost enough in itself.
Lukawesky would take the field again in the team’s third consecutive matchup, after number-two pitcher Kelsie Hawkins pitched a complete game herself in a 2–0 win in the second game of the series. Not to be outdone by her teammate’s shutout game, the Clan ace improved on her 10-strikeout performance by throwing the first no-hitter of her career. She pitched seven strikeouts in the Clan’s 6–0 win, her eighth win of the season. Again, six runs from the offense will keep a team in almost any game, but Lukawesky’s pitching didn’t require much help on the scoreboard. Over her 14 innings in the two games she played, Lukawesky allowed just four hits while striking out 17 Crusader batters.
Her hitless game set the tone for the Clan’s next game, as the team took the fourth contest 7–1, sweeping the series on the back of incredible pitching from both Lukawesky and Hawkins.
“I think any team in the conference would like to get two pitching performances like we got,” said Renney. And as brilliant as she was, Lukawesky wasn’t about to take much credit whatsoever.
“The team played great today,” she said. “My catcher [Brittany Ribeiro] called a great game and I was hitting my spots. The no-hitter was really just a combination of Brittany calling a great game and the defense playing well behind me.”
Despite her humility, she was named the GNAC pitcher of the week for the second time this season, while her no-hitter was the first seven-inning no-hitter in the GNAC since 2005. As hard as she tries to deflect the praise, it’s hard to deny her incredible play when there’s plenty of evidence to back it up.
And of course, it helps when the offense outscores the opposition 24–3 over four games.
After dropping three of their previous four, the quick and impressive turnaround from the Clan is a promising indication of the character the squad preached before the season. With a series of tough matchups ahead, the Clan look to be back on track, thanks in large part to the stellar play of their ace pitcher.
