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SCARY STORIES: Vampire spotted at the Bennett Library

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A man wearing all black grins at the camera. He is sitting next to a pile of books at the library.
PHOTO: Elliott Marquis / The Peak

By: Gurnoor Jhajj, SFU Student and Mason Mattu, Humour Editor

It all went down before a history midterm, on the sixth floor of the library. I was going over my notes, double-fisting two coffees and an energy drink, when I felt a cold gust of wind . . . sending shivers down my spine.

I looked around for the source of the gust, given the window in front of me was closed. As I went back to my work, I saw someone move from the corner of my eye. When I looked up, I saw him. A tall, pale figure wearing what looked like a blood-stained SFU hoodie gliding between the aisles of encyclopedias. When I blinked . . .  poof, he was gone. Nobody else seemed to notice. Everybody was just so focused on their work, hunched over their laptops, as if a snarky reminder for me to un-fix my posture (got to fit in!). 

I didn’t get a good look, but maybe he was hot. Perhaps it was Edward Cullen himself! Yes, that’s probably it. I had literally nothing better to do than find out (I’m not pathetic, I swear!!!!). Determined, I slowly rose from my seat and walked towards the bookshelves. Each step felt heavy. Maybe it was the caffeine or the fact I was obsessed with a certain cold and charming vampire, but I swear I saw someone. As I tiptoed, I almost tripped over a student retrieving books from the last shelf. I muttered an apology and walked straight ahead. Edward was definitely somewhere here. 

Then I made eye contact with the librarians. Two of them sat at the reference desk, eyeing me like hawks. “Looking for anything specific?” one asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Uh, I’m looking for love with a blood-drinking, pleasure-enticing vampire,” I said, my eyes still darting around for him. “Try the self-help section. Or the ‘students who waste my time with fairytale garbage’ section. Over there,” she said with a slight scowl. “If you need more help, ask a friend. This isn’t my job.”

I nodded quietly, knowing I had no friends, and mumbled a thank-you before continuing to circle the shelves. I walked past Shakespeare, Poe, and Austen, thinking about Edward, or something vampire-like, gliding down the aisles and into my heart. I just wanted him to sweep me off my feet . . . or nibble at my jugular. Is that too much for a girl to ask?

Suddenly, I heard a faint whisper. A strong smell of garlic bread filled my senses. I think vampires like garlic? Or don’t they? Girl, I didn’t even pass tenth-grade biology . . . Was he here? Was this it? Finally, I turned the corner, expecting to catch Edward. I stumbled into him. Or rather, it . . . A cardboard cutout of a first-year student proudly posing with SFU president Joy Johnson on Welcome Day. I blinked, embarrassed and emotionally torn. First, Joy took away the pianos I used to play romantic music for myself on, and now she’s taken away my love????????? The gust, the smell, the shadow — all just a cardboard cutout. It’s like she’s playing MIND GAMES on me. Huh, great! (I’m never living this down).

So, is there a vampire at SFU? Yes. Definitely. 1000%, girlfriend. It is my most esteemed opinion that Edward Cullen wanted me to find the cardboard cut-out instead of him that day. Why else would there be a tangy garlic smell in the air? Eddie knows that dating a mortal like me would result in so much backlash from his family. We’re forbidden lovers. I’ll catch my new boyfriend next time!

 

 

BEEDIE BRO: Ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and great investment opportunities

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A student wearing business attire sitting next to a Beedie School of Business sign, contemplating.
PHOTO: Audrey Safikhani / The Peak

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, Entrepreneur 

Yes, I still go trick-or-treating, just not for the candy. 

What a lot of people without the Beedie mindset don’t realize is that Halloween is the perfect networking opportunity. See, while everyone else is going door to door picking up sweet treats and playing make-believe, I’m out there hustling and grinding.

For anyone else looking to make some money moves this All Hallows’ Eve, read on to see my foolproof plan.*

You’re familiar with the show Shark Tank, right? Think about trick-or-treating as a similar sort of investment opportunity. See, Halloween is the one night of the year when you know people will be at home, answering their door. Why not take advantage? Every October 31, I put on my “costume” (fanciest suit), head to the richest neighbourhood I can find, and start knocking. Consider it like Trickle-Down Treatonomics. 

Here are a couple of my most successful product pitches from the past few years going door-to-door. 

The Tishirt

Ever have that sudden urge to sneeze, only there’s not a single tissue in sight? Well, picture this: a discreet pocket sewn onto the inside of your shirt, specially designed to hold your napkins, serviettes, handkerchiefs, etc. The moment your nose tingles, you just reach in and pull one out . . . and voilà! Your friends will see and will be begging to know how you just sneezed so chill and nonchalantly. Snot’s snot a problem with The Tishirt.™

This one was a huge hit. And by that, I mean one kind investor gave me $11 to leave their property and never come back. Turns out the live snot demo wasn’t as appreciated as I’d hoped. C’mon, that’s just good marketing! Plus, that $11 paid for three more boxes of tissues (I’m using that premium good stuff). 

The Pet Translator

Have you ever wished you could know what your dog, cat, bird, or fish was saying? Same. That is, until I invented The Pet Translator. Basically, this machine uses state-of-the-art technology and groundbreaking artificial intelligence to translate whatever your pet has to say into your preferred language. As it turns out, my pet worm has a lot more going on in his life than I realized. His mortgage is due, and group wiggling and squirming is postponed for the third time this week.

This one also drew lots of investors. While a few did decide to point out that my invention resembled nothing but a paper towel tube wrapped in pipe cleaners with a spork taped on one end, that’s simply the price you have to pay when you’re single-handedly pushing scientific progress forward. In total, I made $4 and a half-eaten KitKat bar in exchange for -2% equity in my company. (I was banned from the neighbourhood for breaking into a house to speak with a pet lizard, and the authorities confiscated my invention prototype.)

The Alphabike

Whoever said we don’t need to reinvent the wheel clearly didn’t have a passion for innovation. Picture this: A bike that types when pedalled. Simply complete a one-wheel rotation for the letter A, two for B, and so on. Now you can enjoy a nice afternoon ride and knock out your emails, all at the same time. With a miniature computer attached to the handlebars, you can see what you’re writing in real time. When traffic gets busy, the technology will automatically power off, allowing you to focus on the road. (Seriously, please don’t get in an accident; I can’t afford any more lawsuits.) For emojis, simply pedal backwards.

To be honest, I’m still working on tapping into the right consumer base for this one. Apparently, for many people, the whole point of a bike ride is to leave the emails at home and relax? Let me be clear, emails are not the only function of the alphabike. We’re actually working on a new design rollout that lets you scroll, online gamble, and more. Once I corner the market on the iPhone gaming cyclist enthusiast hybrids, this thing is going to be doing numbers, so I suggest buying in now while you still can.

For anyone out there tired of simply hauling candy in a pillowcase, try looking for investments this Halloween. Trust me, you probably won’t regret it.

*Results may vary.

SFU considers leaving the NCAA

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The SFU track and a corner of the stadium are pictured on a sunny day. A couple of people are walking around the track and standing on the field, and many trees fill the background.
PHOTO: Ali Imran / The Peak

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer

Today, SFU stands as the only non-American institution in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), while most Canadian schools compete in U Sports, the country’s national sports governing body. Soon, however, that could change.

On September 17, the university announced it had commissioned a report “on the impacts of joining U Sports and/or other Canadian competitive frameworks.” Bob Copeland, senior vice-president of McLaren Global Sport Solutions Inc., was selected to conduct the review. Copeland, who previously investigated potential paths forward for SFU’s late football team, will provide an analysis in mid-November.

The Peak reached out to SFU for more information, but was unable to schedule an interview. “This is a complex situation,” the school wrote in a press release. “The SFU executive will make their decision aligned with SFU values and based on what is best for the university. They will consider many factors, including the independent consultant’s report, non-sport-related impacts of competing in the US, feedback from student-athletes, and financial implications, among others.” The Peak also contacted provost and vice-president academic Dilson Rassier, the spokesperson for the media release, but did not hear back by the publication deadline.

Jordan Thorsen, president of SFU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), corresponded with The Peak for more information. SAAC “bridges the gap between administrative personnel and the student-athlete body at SFU.”

“Student-athletes have been given the opportunity to share their thoughts with the independent consultant via survey. The executive committee of the SAAC has met with the consultant to voice our opinions as well,” Thorsen explained. 

However, “there has not been any direct engagement by the university administration with student-athletes on this issue. Neither the president nor vice-president academic have invited SAAC to any discussions prior to the hiring of the consultant,” he said.

“Our poll of student-athletes has shown a unanimous desire to remain an NCAA affiliate. As such, the SAAC believes that SFU should remain in the NCAA,” Thorsen wrote. “We understand that the consultant is being tasked to assess the issue holistically, but if the university was serious about understanding the student’s position, surely, they should have spoken to us directly.”

Should the university elect to leave the NCAA, current opportunities for SFU varsity student-athletes may become limited. “Canadian collegiate athletic frameworks do not support many of our current programs, such as softball, golf, certain styles of wrestling, and nearly 60% of our NCAA-sanctioned track events,” Thorsen said. “SFU is able to field competitive sports programs largely because of the appeal of the NCAA framework. Take this away, and our potential to recruit high-level athletes is reduced immensely.”

Regarding why SFU may leave the NCAA, ​​“as we understand, the biggest reason for considering a switch is sustainability,” Thorsen explained. “The main point of friction in terms of sustainability seems to be the uncertainty attached to the cost of currency exchange rates associated with operating an athletic program in the US,” he added.

“Athletics isn’t the only department or faculty that has or does business down south. The entire university, since its inception in 1965, has and continues to travel and do business, research, and engage with others throughout the world,” said Thorsen. “The uncertainty of currency rates have always been a part of the vice-president finance’s operations and budgets.”

As reported by The Province, “According to SFU sources, there are concerns there about things like rules being brought into the NCAA to limit the participation of transgender athletes.” In February, the NCAA announced a new policy in line with the Trump administration’s executive order, which allows only athletes assigned female at birth to compete in women’s sports. In March, SFU Queer Collective created a petition and sent a letter to the university to reconsider its NCAA membership in response to this policy. President Joy Johnson responded, “The changes to NCAA policy are in conflict with our values at SFU, and we are concerned about the impact on student-athletes and our broader community, as well as possible conflicts with BC and Canadian legislation.” 

“We want to be part of the world’s most pre-eminent collegiate sports program. We also want to get a globally recognized, Canadian education. SFU is the only university in the world that can offer such an experience.”

— Jordan Thorsen, SFU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president

“We choose the NCAA. We hope the university does too.”

 

 

Writing stories since 1965 — The Peak turns 60!

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10 of The Peak’s 1966 staff face the camera and point to a long horizontal sign they captured from their rival, The Ubyssey (UBC’s student paper). The photo is black and white, and the students appear to have their office space set up outside near the stairs leading up to SFU Burnaby’s Main Mall.
PHOTO: Lloyd Popoff / The Peak’s 1966 staff point to the sign they captured from their rival, The Ubyssey (UBC’s student paper). From left to right: Alan Bell, Rick McGrath, Cilla Bachop, Stuart Clugston, unknown, Lorne Mallin, unknown, Rick Bauder, Mike Campbell, Stewart Gold

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer

The year 1965 saw the development of the modern Canadian flag, the first spacewalk, Malcolm X’s assassination, and other notable events. It was amid the backdrop of these events that The Peak, SFU’s independent student newspaper, was born. 60 years later, The Peak continues to publish issues weekly. 

To celebrate this anniversary, the paper contacted editors from The Peak’s founding era as well as more recent times to explore how the publication has changed, and what impact its work has had on those involved.

The publication as it exists today is the result of the dissolution of two preceding rival papers, The Tartan and S. F. View. In his essay shared with The Peak titled “Peak Beginnings,” founding member Rick McGrath explained the series of events that led to its creation. The story involves former student Don Pulsford, who recruited McGrath and others to start SFView in an effort to take down The Tartan.

Dubbed “SFU’s surprisingly instant student newspaper,” The Tartan was founded by Lorne Mallin, who transferred from UBC in hopes of starting a paper where he could be editor. To some students’ displeasure, Lorne was running the publication in an “autocratic” fashion, according to McGrath. In the end, S. F. View was successful — both papers dissolved and staff from each respective publication agreed to merge into one. On October 20, 1965, The Peak published its first issue.

“The Peak office was basically our campus hangout,” said Rick McGrath, founding member and also the first sports editor for the paper. “It was great because I got access to a typewriter for essays,” he added. “Every week, there was a big story. There was so much happening on campus at that time.”

“It was chaotic, wonderful, and endlessly ongoing.” — Rick McGrath, founding member of The Peak

“Everything was sort of being figured out and argued about and demonstrated against.”

In an essay shared with The Peak, McGrath recalled that in 1965, students gathered to protest SFU’s decision to provide Shell Canada with the rights to a campus gas station “in return for financing the new men’s residence.” The following years brought more student activism, including the 1968 student occupation of an administration building, which resulted in 114 arrests.

While still at SFU, McGrath “edited Canadian University Press news releases” before landing a job at The Georgia Straight after his time at The Peak. He then went on to work for the now-defunct publications Terminal City Express and Richmond Review, eventually becoming assistant editor. McGrath’s career path ultimately led him to advertising, where he co-founded his own company (McGrath Dunn Advertising) in 1978.

The Peak’s role in reporting on social issues has extended beyond campus through the years as well. Former editor-in-chief Kelly Chia explained what working at the publication from 2019 to 2024 meant to her. “At The Peak, something we were keenly aware of is that objective news reporting necessarily has to include the communities we cover in an equitable way, especially if they’ve had damaging narratives surrounding them perpetuated by news media,” Chia wrote. 

“2020 was a year where we had a lot of responsibility as a platform to educate readers on how BIPOC are overpoliced and discriminated against, and to proactively reach out to work in collaboration with BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ writers, leaders, creatives,” she said. The Peak also reached out to Ian Rocksborough-Smith, features editor in 2002 and 2003, for insight into the publication’s middle years, but could not interview him by the publication deadline. The Peak also reached out to Gabrielle McLaren, who served as editor-in-chief from 2021 to 2020, but did not receive a response by the publication deadline.

These “damaging narratives” are “something I’ve experienced personally when wrapping my own mind on the sharp rise of anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020 as a Malaysian-Chinese citizen, a piece I wrote with other members of the Asian diaspora in response to news coverage around the Atlanta shooting in 2021,” she explained.

Chia also discussed the impact the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic had on the publication. “We shifted wholly to online production of the paper,” she said. “A lot of news interviews and events were done online. Often these events were transcribed online on Zoom, so that made it easier for news writers to transcribe for their pieces.”

“As students ourselves trying to adapt to this period of isolation, I think we tried to connect with each other as best as we could,” Chia added. She explained how, when she was a staff writer, then Editor-in-Chief Marco Ovies “would do weekly movie nights remotely, which was a nice way to connect.”

Shifting to online “also made it a lot easier for our news writers and the student community to join in for SFSS meetings, which were also held remotely,” Chia said. “We found it easier to have writers cover SFSS meetings and agendas, given their mixed schedules. I think in general we also were able to document more student engagement,” she said, giving the example of students joining an SFSS meeting over Zoom “to express their dissent and concern to the councillors directly” about a policy.

Here’s to 60 years of The Peak, and more to come!

Those interested in browsing past articles can do so through The Peak’s archives

Senate Spotlight: SFU’s new academic plan passed and School of Medicine opens for applications

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This is an illustration of a figure with short black hair, a blue shirt, and a black tie standing behind a podium that has a microphone.
ILLUSTRATION: Abigail Streifel / The Peak

By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer

On October 6, the SFU Senate reviewed the final version of the 2025–30 academic plan and discussed the new School of Medicine. Reports from the chair and committees were also heard. The Peak attended the open meeting for more information. 

Searching for funding

SFU president Joy Johnson informed the Senate of her interactions with senior levels of government since the Senate last met in September. She had gone to Ottawa along with members of the federal government to propose funding for the university. Johnson said that the university was hopeful the government would allocate more funds for higher education through revisions in the federal defence budget.

Johnson also said she would meet with the Provincial Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, Jessie Sunner, in a separate visit to Victoria mid-October. The provincial government had informed Johnson of an upcoming provincial review of post-secondary education to find more sustainable options for the sector.

Reports from committees

A motion to amend guidelines “for students and instructors in the event of a labour dispute” was discussed, facing some controversy. The proposal addresses the responsibilities placed on both students and educators in the event of a strike, recognizing the rights of students and faculty who would not cross a picket line. 

Students must complete course requirements or notify a professor of an academic concession if they cannot complete their work. Instructors, on the other hand, must notify the dean of their respective departments of their decision not to cross the picket line. 

Senator Colin Percival stated that the motion was introduced to the Senate with outdated documents, which was acknowledged by president Johnson. Regardless, the motion was passed by the Senate. 

Review of the final 2025–30 academic plan 

The revised 2025–30 academic plan was also discussed. Johnson highlighted this would be the final iteration presented to the Senate. Since the last Senate meeting in September, several changes have been made to the academic plan. Revenue projections were increased as the university received its provincial money allocation. However, the plan now indicates that faculty growth would slow during the 2025–30 academic period, from an expected 5% growth to 2–5%.

The focus area of the academic plan relating to decolonization was also revised following feedback, now defining the practice as an “agenda that seeks to redress historical and current practices that have had deleterious effects on Indigenous Peoples.” This includes a push for scholarly work with Indigenous Peoples.

Many senators expressed their concerns. Some said the plan did not focus enough on academic excellence and support for faculty members. These senators pointed out that the faculty members were facing new challenges in the education sector, such as artificial intelligence and increasing job insecurity, especially for TAs. Thus, questions arose about whether the plan had adequately planned for new challenges.

Following further discussions on other subjects, the academic plan was put to a vote and passed. 

Updates on the School of Medicine 

David Price, the dean of the School of Medicine, informed the Senate that the School of Medicine had received accreditation from the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools. This allowed the faculty to open a website for students to apply, which started on October 14. 

Price said that the medical school’s proposed facility plan and curriculum were rigorously tested during the application process. Regarding the curriculum itself, Price stated that it was developed with local and international experts in the field. 

The report drew criticism from senators throughout the meeting. One area of contention was the school’s faculty plan. The plan would see 30–40 full-time faculty members appointed via the executive committee of the Board of Governors. Some senators were opposed to the executive committee being able to appoint faculty, stating it was the traditional realm of the Senate. 

Senators expressed feeling sidelined about the progress of the Senate, especially regarding how admissions were handled at the new medical school. Senator Lucas Herrenbrueck denounced the university’s “utter lack of transparency.”  

The dean responded to the criticisms with concern, saying the senators’ line of questioning was “going down a bit of a slippery slope.” He pointed out that much of the information surrounding the medical school was confidential to prevent prospective students from “gaming the system.” Other members of the panel presenting the progress of the medical school questioned the degree of freedom that SFU senators had in asking questions about a project like the new medical school.

Senator Colin Percival proposed a closed, moderated meeting to discuss more of the sensitive specifics of the medical school; however, the motion was not carried after a vot

Indian Student Federation’s Diwali brings students and families together

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A young man is smiling, raising both of his hands up in the air. He seems to be lifted up by the crowd around him, who are also dancing. The setting is a banquet hall, and a TV in the background has a bright gold sign displayed on it, though the words are illegible.
PHOTO: Courtesy of @isf_sfu / Instagram

By: Ashima Shukla, Staff Writer

On October 10, SFU’s Indian Student Federation (ISF) hosted a Diwali celebration at Crown Palace Banquet Hall in Surrey. The event, held in collaboration with the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS), featured live dance performances, Indian cuisine, and a dance floor for guests to enjoy. The celebration was open to all, with the ISF inviting guests to come dressed in their best traditional attire.

Diwali, often referred to as “the festival of lights,” is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India and across the global Indian diaspora. Although interpretations and customs vary regionally, it typically represents the triumph of light over darkness. In parts of northern India, it is associated with the return of Lord Rama to the holy city of Ayodhya following exile. In other regions, the festival commemorates other deities, like Goddess Lakshmi or Lord Krishna’s defeat of the demon Narakasura. 

The ISF’s program featured student-driven performances, including one of SFU’s Bollywood dance teams. The Peak was unable to attend, but Mohammed Aqeeb, the co-president of the ISF, told The Peak, “India is known for dance and music, right? We want to give students the opportunity to show their talent.” SFU Hindu Yuva was also contacted for comments, but did not respond by the publication deadline. 

The music selections spanned Bollywood, Punjabi, English, and South Indian songs, reflecting the ISF’s goal of creating an inclusive night for everyone. “Our DJs have been a very strong pillar [for the ISF’s Diwali events] because they read the crowd. They see the crowd going down [and] they immediately know how to hype it up. I don’t know how they do it, but they do have a magic in them,” Aqeeb shared.

The menu featured separate vegetarian and meat Indian dishes to account for various religious or personal preferences, including butter chicken, paneer curry, butter and garlic naan, and gulab jamun for dessert. The venue also provided complimentary chai, having created a lasting partnership with the ISF over the last few years. 

Organizing an event of this magnitude required the ISF’s team to coordinate with the SFSS in booking the venue, selecting performers, and contacting vendors. According to Aqeeb, the SFSS’ support extended from finances and resources to their expertise, “especially how big-scale events work. Considering we’ve been having Diwali (events) for seven years now, SFSS’ support, their vendor contacts,” have been especially useful. With their ongoing support, the ISF aims to make their next events stronger. 

In diaspora settings, Diwali often serves as a cultural anchor. As Aqeeb shared, “I’m a Muslim, right? But growing up, I’ve celebrated every Diwali. We would be giving sweets to our friends and families, and cousins would come home. 

“I see Diwali as more than a religious festival. And that’s what Diwali also stands for, is to bring people and community together,” he continued. For the ISF, this inclusiveness is important, as they have previously partnered with the Bangladesh Students’ Alliance and invited Pakistani students to attend the celebrations. 

Aqeeb’s involvement with the event is also informed by his journey of assimilating into life in Canada. As of 2024, Indian students make up 16.2% of the international undergraduate student population at SFU. Having joined the ISF as a member when he first arrived at SFU, Aqeeb found a “home away from home,” and he hopes Diwali celebrations can be one such event for other students. 

When asked what he hopes attendees will take away from this event, he smiled and said, “Honestly, just happiness and a whole lot of memories.

“We want people to come and have a great time, to not worry about being away from home.”

— Mohammed Aqeeb, co-president of SFU’s Indian Student Federation

“In fact, I want them to call their parents and say, like, oh, yeah, I had a better Diwali here.”

There aren’t enough healthy food options at SFU

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A photo of the newly opened Triple O’s on the Burnaby campus, in Mackenzie Cafe. There is a person walking in front of the restaurant, but they are blurry due to their movement.
PHOTO: Elliott Marquis / The Peak

By: Heidi Kwok, Staff Writer

First, the 24/7 UpMeals SmartVending machine at West Mall Centre disappeared without a warning. Then, the Subway at Mackenzie Cafe was quietly torn down. Jugo Juice was next on the chopping board, having been boarded up over the summer for “routine maintenance.” For some reason, I believed their deception. It’s just a temporary inconvenience, right? But when the fall term commenced, and I rushed there after a long day of classes for my weekly indulgence — an overpriced peanut butter and chocolate smoothie — I was met with a sight that felt like a slap to the face. There, perched mockingly over the corpse of my beloved juice shop, stood CRUST N CRUNCH.

While some people might appreciate the convenience of a pizza slice, the AQ’s brand new pizza place, along with Triple O’s replacement of Subway, underscores the gradual decline of somewhat healthy on-campus dining options in favour of fast-food chains that mainly serve ultra-processed and greasy, deep-fried foods. SFU has consistently chosen to prioritize profitable partnerships with mega-franchises — framed under the guise of convenience and brand familiarity — at the expense of community health.

This is unfair to students, faculty, and staff, who should have access to on-campus meals that are not only healthy and nourishing but also affordable and culturally relevant. 

With healthy food becoming increasingly out of reach, this shift carries extremely harmful consequences. This is demonstrated by a 2025 study from McMaster University, which found a stronger correlation between the regular consumption of ultra-processed foods and cardiometabolic illnesses, including increased risk of hypertension. 

The disappearance of healthy dining options also highlights the broader issue of healthy eating being treated as a luxury — normalizing the stereotype of the “starving university student” who relies solely on a diet of ramen and cheap fast food. However, behind this trend is a financially constrained student who’s struggling to feed themselves properly, and the university is actively perpetuating that struggle. What kind of dystopia do we live in when students and campus community members must sacrifice food and healthy eating to afford rent, monthly expenses, and tuition?

Student hunger and broader food insecurity — difficulty accessing food often due to financial constraints — are on the rise across Canada, and SFU must take more practical action to address this growing crisis. A model worth emulating is UBC Sprouts, a volunteer-run café at UBC that offers organic, plant-based meals on a pay-what-you-can basis, ensuring affordable options for the campus community without compromising on quality. Like many others who pack homemade meals due to a lack of nourishing and affordable food options, I think I echo their sentiment when I urge SFU to prioritize the well-being of its community over profits. We need more easily accessible, healthy food options on campus!

Burnaby Mountain is inaccessible, and that has to change

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a photo of an out of order elevator on SFU’s Burnaby campus. The image shows a flight of stairs by the elevator. While the elevator itself is not visible due to a makeshift yellow, caution partition wall.
PHOTO: Jamal Allad / The Peak

By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer

Getting to the Burnaby campus is a pain in the ass; there I said it! The commute to the Burnaby campus has often been the topic of conversation among SFU students. Most of us have either expressed our frustration or heard someone express their frustration with the dreaded commute. The Burnaby campus’ location, with its poor connectivity to the rest of the transit network, makes it difficult for all students to access, but perhaps, we don’t know the half of it. For SFU’s disabled community, their ability to get to campus is only one aspect of university life that is impacted. Indeed, it is only one of many examples of how, at this university, numerous services are stuck behind barriers, with little explanation on how to break through them. For example, the university has yet to implement regular recording of all lectures to make classes more accessible — even though there has been a demand, by the students, to do so. At its core, SFU’s Burnaby campus remains inaccessible, both in terms of how to get to it and how it is navigated. As such, we must collectively push the university to enact policies that actually xmake campus an easier place to get to and thrive in.

The commute to campus is worsened by the fact that the community has limited options. Burnaby Mountain is served by only four bus routes: the R5, 143, 144, and 145. This clearly is not enough routes for a university of nearly 40,000 students, not counting the many thousands of staff, faculty, and residents who call the mountain their workplace or home. For students with accessibility needs, having limited, crowded, and infrequent public transit options limits their chances of getting to campus — and in other cases makes their path to campus more painful. This often forces them to seek alternative methods of transport, but in the case of the Burnaby campus, that will not help them much. 

This is because there are not many alternatives to access the mountain. Those who use motor vehicles face a constricted road infrastructure. The roads coming up from Gaglardi Way and Burnaby Mountain Parkway funnel into a single interchange, which has seen countless traffic incidents. Once on the mountain, finding a parking spot is often difficult. This is compounded by how expensive it is to park once you do get a spot. If someone experiences mobility or other health issues, the stress of spending more time finding a parking spot, along with the walk to class, will further complicate their day.  

Alternative public transit solutions, such as the Burnaby Mountain Gondola, have been stuck behind public consultation and red tape for years, which have put the project on an uncertain timeline. These circumstances, arguably, place people with accessibility needs in limbo as they face limited and crowded conditions to try to get to the mountain.

We have all been in the position on campus where we scramble to find a way to get home when snow falls on the Burnaby campus. Because when it does hit, the whole campus shuts down, and so does transit. Some students may even contemplate walking down the mountain to try and escape, but for those with accessibility issues that option is not on the table. 

Furthermore, even if people with accessibility needs manage to come up and down Burnaby Mountain, they may still face issues on campus. The snow hampers the ability to get across the campus, but this is not limited to the snow season, it is also seen throughout the school year. As is the case with construction in general, the changes around the physical layout of the campus would add more issues. People with accessibility needs have to face increasingly ageing campus infrastructure, such as broken elevators, and automated doors that are often malfunctioning for months at a time. Infrastructure obstacles often force people into difficult situations, where they have to brave up stairs or other difficult physical obstacles to move around campus. But why should they? Everyone deserves the ability to move freely around SFU’s campus with their accessibility needs met. 

It is clear that if SFU wants to meet its commitments to students with disabilities, it must take steps to make Burnaby Mountain more accessible. Some steps the university could do is to lobby harder for alternative transit options like the Burnaby Gondola to be actually built. As well as provide more frequent and far reaching accessibility shuttles, to make it easier for people to move through the campus — as has been adopted by other universities. 

The university should always strive to be a space where students do not always have to worry about the circumstances that hinder their learning and keep them from being active members of the SFU community.

As an SFU student, I believe that all of our community members deserve an accessible campus.

 

Finding beauty in ordinary nature

By
Peak Web
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an image of a foggy road. The perspective of the image is from the sidewalk. There are leafless trees on either side of the road. The atmosphere is moody.
PHOTO: Andréas Brun / Unsplash

By: Zainab Salam, Opinions Editor

Driving up Burnaby Mountain the other day, I was engulfed by a sense of awe at the scenery that surrounded me. The sight of the yellowing leaves dotted with raindrops that sparkled like tiny jewels. And the alluring sheen cast by the fog made the world quiet for a while. It made me think of the everyday beauty that is taken for granted, due to our busy schedules. Some days, even our limited attentional abilities can’t take us away from marvelling at nature’s insistence on being noticed, even in its softest of forms. 

The fog seemed to wrap everything in a gentle embrace, softening the edges of the world and painting it with a serene, almost magical light. The rain brought out the colours of the trees. Calling on the brightness of the gloominess of a rainy and foggy day. 

The mist and drizzle brought the world to life, inviting me to slow down and feel contentment at its delicate and fleeting beauty. 

Taking a gap year is punk as hell

By
Peak Web
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0
a poster on a street wall that states: “Freedom from the constraints of society.” There is an image of a black and white cat in the corner of the poster.
PHOTO: Marija Zaric / unsplash

By: Noeka Nimmervoll, Staff Writer

Who here wants to be in university right now? For those who don’t, why are you here? I don’t intend to bash higher education or those who choose it as a pursuit — in fact, I’m in great favour of getting a degree. I’ll just point out that, perhaps, you followed the path of least resistance after high school: going straight into university. It’s a common pathway, but I wonder if you’ve ever considered what’s outside of school and working towards your future — taking a gap year, for example. A gap year is vague in definition, but generally entails time away from school — whether that looks like travelling to castles in Edinburgh off your savings, working a customer service job in your hometown, or babysitting during the week and learning how to skateboard in your time off. Why would you do that, you might ask, when there’s so much work to be done, and time always seems to be slipping away? 

Gap years are one way to explore the inner workings of yourself. Without the structure of classes, you are pushed to learn about your motivations for getting out of bed in the morning. What do you like to eat when you have time to cook? Where do you want to travel in your life? What kind of lifestyle would fulfill you? These are all interesting, introspective questions that may only be answered honestly in the space that a gap year provides.

I view taking a gap year as a radical and brave act in today’s employment market. It’s hard to get a job right now, especially an entry-level one. The required years of experience seem to keep increasing for every position. In this light, taking time away from school for no reason other than personal fulfillment and enrichment is a powerful move that can only be characterized as punk. 

While the idea of punk may evoke visual imagery of piercings, studs, and mohawks, true punk is a mentality. It’s the radical expression of self: where the world expects you to suck it up and build your future, you sit down and figure out what you want first. Patti Smith says, “To me, punk rock is the freedom to create, freedom to be successful, freedom to not be successful, freedom to be who you are. It’s freedom.” Kurt Cobain shared the sentiment that punk is about being true to your beliefs and your values, and doing things your way. You can do it too. 

Punk trends generally challenge the mainstream — and right now, the mainstream is hustle culture. People shamelessly promote overworking, often exhausting, lifestyles to get to the other side of the (capitalist) rainbow. I see no clearer objection to this exhausting social messaging than to take a gap year. Sharing with other people, yeah, I’m just figuring it out right now, is a fierce move against the grain. Beyond that, it’s a powerful commitment to self-discovery. If that’s something you want, I say go for it.

Take that gap year. I dare you to question yourself!

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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us:
[email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024