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“My Octopus Teacher” is a timely reminder of humanity

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Filmmaker Craig Foster’s bond with an octopus is thought-provoking. Photo courtesy of Netflix

By: Tiffany Chang, Peak Associate

I have always found nature documentaries quite fascinating. From seeing how animals survive in their natural habitats to seismic environmental changes, they provide viewers with insightful information about the planet we live on. The Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher (2020) does this and more.

My Octopus Teacher tells the incredible story of a filmmaker who strikes an unlikely friendship with an octopus while staying in South Africa. Aside from this, what makes the documentary stand out is that it demonstrates how observing other living beings can change your perspective on life itself. Living in an unprecedented COVID-19 era, this changing of perspective has become more prevalent now than ever because we’re taking time to appreciate the important things in our lives, especially our health and well-being, and that of our loved ones too. 

This article sheds light on the documentary’s most profound moments, showcasing its overarching theme regarding life appreciation and preservation. 

05:00: Craig Foster describes a difficult time in his life, when he felt burnt out while working on a film. It took a toll on him, to the extent that he completely lost interest in the filmmaking process. I think viewers can relate to the high-stress levels Foster describes.

09:51: We are shown close-ups of beautiful sea creatures. Being amongst them drastically improves Foster’s mental state. Here, seeing a colourful underwater landscape full of activity, yet peaceful at the same time, the viewers understand how and why he is reinvigorated and ready to rediscover his passion for filming. 

14:39: When encountering an intriguing female octopus who initially is afraid of him, Foster establishes a goal to visit her den every day, because he has an inkling that he is destined to understand more about her. This goal marks the beginning of a routine that, unbeknownst to him, has potential to lead to an extraordinary feat.  

18:58: After 26 days, the octopus willingly comes into physical contact with Foster, indicating how consistency and optimism can go a long way in achieving a goal.

30:15: She grabs onto his hand and holds on. This trust develops into a full-fledged friendship. The octopus is then shown following Foster as he swims, enjoying his company. She even, at certain points, cuddles up to him.  

43:43: The octopus is attacked by sharks. This anguishes Foster. Although she survives, her being attacked makes him think about mortality and his family. Foster’s reflection implies that he’s gained a new outlook on life: it should be lived to the fullest.

47:26: Meeting this octopus has altered Foster’s relationships with people. He comes to the realization that humans are more similar to wildlife than we imagine, like when he notices the octopus having child-like fun playing with a school of fish, finding joy amidst enduring an overall tough existence.

1:21:15: Following her death, Foster tells viewers that as you spend time in the wild, you understand the importance each life form, large and small, holds. As he makes this statement, the film plays footage showing various aquatic animals navigating inevitable challenges presented by mother nature. Foster forms an even closer bond with the underwater world and is seen handling other species, such as squid. As a viewer, this evokes a stronger sense of connection to the sea creatures. 

1:22:43: As the documentary concludes, Foster reflects on his special experience with the octopus and months spent conducting thorough explorations in the deep waters. Foster’s work shows that our diversity of species is what makes earth a thriving, stunning, and amazingly dynamic planet. All organisms play their distinct part in the world, so we should appreciate and cherish their place in it. 

My Octopus Teacher has this calming effect that I have never come across before when watching a nature documentary. I felt so relaxed as I watched it and was touched by Craig Foster’s dedication to the octopus as well as his desire to understand her kind. If you’re looking for a uniquely entertaining, but also eye-opening film to watch, I highly recommend My Octopus Teacher.

POV: You’re a pen left in Images Theatre since March 2020

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ILLUSTRATION: Shaheen Virk / The Peak

By: Kyla Dowling, Staff Writer

DAY 1 – March 17, 2020 

It’s nearly 8:30 a.m., which means it’s time for class. I’ve been laying on the ground of Images Theatre since 7:21 p.m. yesterday, when Annie had a meltdown upon finding out about a paper she had due and carelessly dropped me on the floor. No one’s been in here since, but I’m sure no student in their right mind would leave me on the ground. I’m a retractable pen with a gel grip, for God’s sake. I’m purple. There’s no way a student wouldn’t snatch me off the ground, precariously balancing their Starbucks cup (even though Renaissance is right there), their iPad, and the notebook they barely use because of said iPad — no, that iPad doesn’t make me self-conscious and feel kind of obsolete. Shut up. 

Half of these kids have been surviving using a single mechanical pencil for in-class essays all semester. And even if no one puts me to good use, I’m sure Annie will come back for me. I’ve been with her since high school. I helped write bad poetry, goddammit.

So I wait. And wait. And wait. And yet, somehow, no students enter. Maybe class was cancelled, I think, but no one comes in for the whole day. 

DAY 2 

Images Theatre is still as empty as the heads of every SFU student.

DAY 3 

Hey, maybe SFU implemented another reading week so students can relax for once!

. . . Wait, that implies that SFU cares about students’ mental health. Never mind.

DAY 5 

It’s Saturday. It’s Saturday, and yet not a single student has snuck into Images Theatre with popcorn and a bottle of wine to watch Mamma Mia and Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!. Something has to be wrong. Who in their right mind would deny the serotonin that ABBA brings? And on a big screen, no less? 

DAY 53

At least this means I don’t have to listen to that one World War II-obsessed white guy play devil’s advocate. 

DAY 98

I fear I will never hear Pierce Brosnan’s horrible singing voice as Dad #3 in Mamma Mia again. 

DAY 140

One of the rats came up from downtown RCB. He was chattering on about “Tick Tock” and “representation” and being the rat of everyone’s dreams. “Viva the ratvolution,” I said, just in case the rats had overthrown the humans and needed use for a pen.

DAY 176

People used to chew on the end of me. They’d pretend it was because they were focusing, but really they just had an oral fixation.

I miss Freud lectures.

DAY 298

I don’t know who I am anymore. I think I might be a human writing a narrative about a pen. 

DAY 369

The door opened. 

A faint amount of light from the hallway came streaming in, illuminating the dust that had settled on top of me. Finally. After all this time, I would be saved. The humans had survived the ratvolution and were coming back to classes. I didn’t know what I was excited for more: to take mediocre notes on sex scenes in cinema (what the fuck is Communication) or to be neatly put away in a pencil holder in someone’s concrete dorm room. For the first time in a long time, I felt hope. 

I was greeted not by someone, but something. It somehow had even darker eyebags than the students at this school, but with the added touch of fur. Scuttling toward me, it picked me up in its little gremlin hands. The feeling of being touched for the first time in a year was astonishing. I was equally repulsed and horny. 

The being gripped my gel handle tight and raised me from perdition, bringing me into the hallway of RCB and into a humanless world.

Businesses should be open later during the pandemic

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Getting coffee for late-night studying would be a lot easier. ILLUSTRATION: Maple Sukontasukkul / The Peak

by Jacob Mattie, SFU Student

To promote staying home and social distancing, many businesses are now open for a fraction of the time they were pre-pandemic. From restaurants and retail to SFU Burnaby’s very own Renaissance Coffee, hours of operation have been shortened. While this may seem like an apt adjustment — especially in light of decreased foot traffic — this solution is flawed. To promote COVID-19-friendly practices, businesses should keep their doors open later. 

Being open for shorter amounts of time can certainly reduce the chance of transmitting disease. However, it condenses customers into a smaller time frame which increases in-store traffic density, working against social distancing measures. If customers visit a store over a shorter time period, this is, in essence, equivalent to more people in closer proximity to one another. Even with in-store distancing guidelines and maximum capacities, the dangers of having more people in one area remains. It is safer to space people out over time, rather than distance. 

In addition to helping with social distancing, staying open later helps business owners compete with omnipresent online retailers such as Amazon or Walmart. Online sales have increased significantly over lockdown, and smaller businesses have struggled to adapt to this new commercial landscape. The learning curve and costs associated with setting up and maintaining a website are, in themselves, a challenge. Even the most tech-savvy businesses struggle to compete with the advertising, cheap shipping, and warehouse capacities of other large online retailers. 

Additionally, paying just one full-time staff member at BC’s minimum wage is in excess of $2,200 monthly — comparable to Vancouver’s retail rent prices. It may seem to businesses that cutting back on hours of operation is a good way to float through the pandemic. For some places like restaurants and cafes with low-margins and no genuine capacity to operate later, this may be true. But as lockdown measures will inevitably continue for a while longer, businesses need something that will not only sustain them until they can return to full capacity, but will keep them relevant. By staying open later, businesses that are able to make these changes can make the most of the rent that they’re already paying for, and adapt to the different schedules that asynchronous classes and working from home have allowed.

Lockdown has opened up an assortment of viable time schedules for people. Sleep at 6 p.m. and wake up at 2 a.m.? This is the new normal for some. We can exchange a.m. and p.m. tags freely and remain entirely plausible. By limiting their hours, many businesses lock out potential late-night shoppers, which could funnel sales directly to their online competitors. 

Rather than defaulting to shorter business hours, businesses would find that the world has not stopped. Even under the most stringent lockdown measures, people still need to go out on occasion — whether for groceries or last-minute purchases that cannot wait for shipping. By staying open later, businesses could adapt to their customers’ changing schedules, and while it may not return things to ‘normal,’ it might build something pretty close.

Need to Know, Need to Go: March 8–14

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Illustration of a blue calendar, with "Need to Know, Need to Go" written on top
Arts & Culture events to catch around the city. Image courtesy of Brianna Quan

By: Gurleen Aujla, SFU Student

KDocsFF 2021: Resistance. Freedom. Justice | March 12–21 | $5 per film | Online

KDocsFF 2021 harnesses the power between documentary film and activism. As “Metro Vancouver’s premier social justice film festival,” they will be showcasing 15 award-winning documentaries alongside keynote speakers, panel discussions, and more. The films in KDocsFF’s lineup provide insight into many current world issues and offer critical commentary about topics such as democracy and racial injustice. To learn more about the films or to view the trailers, visit their website. Tickets can be purchased through the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) website. 

VIWFF: Resilience. Challenge. Change | Now until March 14 | $5 per film| Online 

The Vancouver International Women in Film Festival is an annual film festival focused on highlighting the complex ways in which women demonstrate resilience and inspiration in face of everyday and systemic challenges. It is produced by WIFTV, a non-profit organization dedicated to challenging gender and equity disparities in the media industry. This year’s virtual festival will showcase the work of Black, Indigenous, women of colour, non-binary, and trans women creatives. Tickets will be available for purchase online through VIFF Connect. Additional free programming is available through the VIWFF website. 

New West Craft Exhibition | Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until March 31 | FREE Admission | The Gallery at Queen’s Park

Interested in supporting local artisans? Head to The Gallery at Queen’s Park for a market of handmade goods, ranging from pottery to glasswork to textiles, and more. The New West Craft vendors include Clarissa Banos, Glasea, Dana Keli Ceramics, Chroma Nostaa, and Indiarts Collective. 

Data breach exposes SFU users’ personally identifiable information

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PHOTO: Gudrun Wai-Gunnarsson / The Peak

Written by: Jaymee Salisi, News Writer

On February 3, 2021, there was an eight-minute data breach from an SFU server. IT services discovered the attack two days later and blocked external access to the server immediately.

Faculty, staff, and students were informed on February 16. They were assured that banking details, social insurance numbers, and passwords were not exposed during the breach. Exposed information that could be personally identifiable consisted of student/employee numbers and academic standing data.

Data elements such as date of birth may have been exposed, and a quarter of the information exposed had name identifiers. This poses a “low probability of being exploited,” Chief Information Officer Mark Roman told The Peak in an interview. “It looks like all they wanted to do was really get money from a ransom attack,” rather than to exploit data. Individuals whose data had been exposed were advised to monitor their personal accounts for unusual activity.

The breached server was undergoing system security improvements at the time of its exposure, said Roman. However, most of the breached information was unclear to external attackers through encryption and was located on a local server that did not permit access to further information. Roman added that SFU’s online security is constructed in a way that does not allow external users to infiltrate multiple servers.

Moving forward, Roman explained that IT services will be implementing multi-factor authentication — a system that verifies a user’s identity by presenting two or more pieces of evidence during the log-in process. Faculty and staff will be required to use this authentication method by May 2021 followed by all students in the fall. 

SFU’s Virtual Private Network (VPN) is also recommended for faculty and staff to use to secure private access to the university’s data when working remotely. This service ensures safety for users while connected to unsecured networks.

Ideally, SFU would have preferred to notify people immediately upon discovery of the data breach, said Roman. However, the wide variety of information on SFU’s servers made the process “way more complicated.” 

Roman emphasized that up to 30 people on the university’s IT team spent 10 days trying to decipher data elements that were personally identifiable and who to notify. 

Individuals may log into the university’s cybersecurity site using an SFU computing ID or contact IT services at [email protected] to check if their information was exposed in the data breach.

Monday Music: Five Songs to Warm You Up After That Cold Snap

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"Monday Music" in giant yellow block letters with a red background
Monday Music: your weekly themed playlist. Image courtesy of The Peak.

By: Alex Masse, Staff Writer

After a brief but intense snowfall, we’re back to our trademark Vancouver rain. That said, spring is just around the corner. Why not get a head start on warming up with this mini playlist? Whether you’re braving the cold or won’t leave your blankets, here are some songs to keep you warm and get your feet tapping. 

  1. “fall4u!” By Ambynt 
Image courtesy of EAT WORMS C.C.

Floaty, dreamy, and fresh, Ambynt’s tunes are the best kind of music for an easy stroll, or just puttering around your house, doing some pre-spring cleaning (I’m not the only one who does that, right?). “fall4u!” is short, but sweet; the song is guaranteed to make you smile and get you all warm and fuzzy, with its affectionate lyrics and bouncy instrumentals. Also, it’s part of a newly-released album, and pretty much every track is bound to put a bit of pep in your step. 

2. “Mellow Out” by in the blue shirt

Image courtesy of Trekkie Trax

A bouncy, energetic track made of chopped-up vocal snippets, this is a longtime favourite of mine. I can’t explain why, but it gets me in the mood for racing around my neighbourhood with a skip in my step. It’s like the auditory equivalent of a sugar rush, and will definitely get you fired up. I could easily listen to this for at least an hour straight. 

3. “Make Light” by Passion Pit 

Image courtesy of Frenchkiss Records

This is a song that feels like letting go; and honestly, what more do we need right now? We’re over halfway through the semester, approaching a full year of online learning, and just as the weather was turning, we got hit with a cold snap. This is the kind of song for when you’re past exhausted, but keep going anyway. It’s the kind to scream out your window at 3 a.m., because you need some kind of outlet or you’re going to lose it. Lead vocalist Michael Angelakos just hits differently, especially in the chorus: “So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh / Just to prove I’m alive, and it’s alright / Cause tonight there’s a way I’ll make light / Of my treacherous life.” Me too, buddy. 

4. “Immaterial” by SOPHIE

Image courtesy of MSMSMSM INC / Future Classic

Last month, music lost a true pioneer and icon following the death of this creative in a tragic accident. That said, SOPHIE’s music is still something magical to experience. I can’t recommend it enough, especially “Immaterial,” which is such a bright, euphoric track. It never fails to give me goosebumps, and as the days get longer, I continuously find myself coming back to it. It’s joyous, it’s existential, and like every track she made, it’s truly one of a kind. 

5. “And the Tiger Roared” by Tikkle Me 

Image courtesy of A West Side Fabrication

Tikkle Me is one of those bands I feel so lucky to have stumbled upon. One of their songs, “Blow My Brains Out,” went semi-viral on Tiktok a while back, and it’s great that more people are learning about them. “And the Tiger Roared” has a catchy, floaty beat — the kind that feels retro and fresh at the same time — and the lead vocalist has such a unique, pleasant voice to listen to. Add on some tender, lovestruck lyrics and you’ve got yourself a gem. 

Your weekly SFU Horoscopes: March 8–14

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An illustration of a girl with long flowing hair. Astrological signs and stars shine around her.
ILLUSTRATION: Marissa Ouyang / The Peak

By: Alex Masse, Staff Writer

ARIES: You know how they say “March enters like a lion and leaves like a lamb?” No? Good. Forget it. You’re no lamb, you’re a ram. Start acting like it. Go find a Dodge Ram and yell at the owner for having such a big truck in the city.

TAURUS: Listen, I’m not saying you should drop out and practice witchcraft in the nearest bog, but I will say that you’d look really nice draped in moss. And don’t mind Shrek over there, he’s just checking to make sure you’re listening to our Horoscope advice.

GEMINI: I’m seeing an attractive but troubled stranger in your future. Just across the street. On a bus. Oh, the bus is zooming right by. Oh, they’re gone. Sorry, bud. Did I get your hopes up? Maybe next time. 

CANCER: You know, I think crying on public transit has done you at least a little bit of good. You’ve got the “attractive if troubled stranger” vibe down. Folks like Gemini are totally looking at you wistfully, imagining your beautifully distressed mind, even if you’re just losing it over a video of a cat being reunited with its mom. 

LEO: Have you considered how good you’d look in a scarf? Like, really. They’re a great accessory, they really tie an outfit together, and they can protect your neck. From what, you ask? Well, the cold, obviously. And other, hungrier things. So yeah. Scarves. 

VIRGO: Virgo, store your energy. Spring cleaning is just around the corner, and we all know you’re going to tear through your home like Leo through a conversation not about them. Prepare accordingly. 

LIBRA: Why do I feel like you’re hyping yourself up for some kind of “main character turns evil” arc? I mean, it’s a really dope aesthetic, but c’mon. We’re all feeling that urge, so don’t hoard it for yourself. We can’t all be the comedic relief in your life.

SCORPIO: Gonna be real, your vibes are super unknowable right now. If that’s what you’re going for, keep on keeping on. And if it isn’t, how do you know? Don’t worry, identity crisis is the new middle part in hair. It’s trendy, we promise.

SAGITTARIUS: Try sitting still for once and just enjoying the moment. Even your loud-ass neighbour mowing the lawn at 8 a.m. and that car alarm that sounds like Pisces when they cry. And even all the texts from— okay, yeah, I see why you live like this. Carry on. Forget everything I said. 

CAPRICORN: You’re going to be wrong, but not about anything with major consequences whatsoever. Maybe when the food delivery person tells you to enjoy your meal and you say, “thanks, you too.” This’ll give you time to mull it over until you feel as guilty as someone who hit a squirrel with their car. Typical.

AQUARIUS: Aquariussssss, please come back from your respite in the astral plane. Your body’s getting all gross and wrinkly. You’re gonna look like you were in a bath overnight. 

PISCES: So, how’s thrift store withdrawal treating you? I just know your soft artsy soul is weeping, and if you ask me, an overpriced sweater on Etsy might be the way to go. One that’s just pretentious enough. 

SFU Mad Lib for when the university disappoints you again

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Illustration: Tiffany Chan / The Peak

By: Marco Ovies and Paige Riding

Dear SFU,

 

I am writing to [verb] about [one of the many problems with SFU that shouldn’t be happening at a multi billion-dollar institution].

I am a [your major] in my [number of years you’ve attended SFU. I know this hurts to write sometimes. I’m sorry] and I am very [negative emotion] about this. 

My personal [sensitive, personal belonging of yours] may have been sent out to the world because of SFU’s [negative adjective (there appears to be a lot of those associated with SFU at this point so take your pick)] security protocols. Further, I worry that the university’s unwillingness to handle the [any typical concern that students have been demanding be addressed for years] shows the university’s unwillingness to [verb that would imply that the university’s administration makes any active efforts to act on behalf of the students they represent] and this makes me wonder if [a different university name] may not have been that bad of a choice after all.

I would appreciate it if SFU would [what would you have liked SFU to have done?]. I pay [absurd amount of tuition, exaggerate here if you must but something tells me that you will not feel the need to do so] and demand [compensation you would like, you can write anything here because you won’t get it anyways]. 

This has negatively affected my [choose all that apply: mental, physical, emotional, financial] health and now I can no longer feed my [choose either a passion of yours and/or an organism under your care, can include yourself] nor can I see a photo of [name of supposedly beloved SFU entity] without feeling physically nauseous.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon and I hope you have a [negative adverb, preferably a curse word] day.

[Adverb ending in ly],

 

[It doesn’t matter what name you write here, there’s no way anyone will read this far anyways]

SFUnexplained: All of these email redirections condition us for long degrees

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PHOTO: Gudrun Wai-Gunnarsson / The Peak

By: Emma Jean, Staff Writer

Doesn’t it seem fishy that it takes three-login attempts to see your SFU mail? Unless you’re a tinfoil beret-wearing big brain like me, any normie that uses a cookie-collecting browser tends to spend five minutes getting redirected through a host of websites and portals any time they want to use an SFU web service. 

Students don’t rise up against the tyranny of technological negligence unless they have truly impressive will-power. Instead, they take a drag of SFU’s chemtrails and accept that they will be five minutes late to each Zoom instead of accounting for that extra login time and showing up early (another form of acceptance). SFU stands for Sheep Fools University. Fools.

Just think: the first time you logged in, it felt like such a pain in the ass. You may have thought that surely, there’s a way to see my silly little emails in three clicks or less, but SFUMail has other plans. An honest mistake, but isn’t there a way to fix it after every student experiences it? SFU is sending people to the moon but working around generic browser cookies proves to be just too much. 

You know what else takes 15 years to get done? Every building on each campus. The legend of the Student Union Building is not only an endurance test to keep some kind of faith in SFU’s ability to do anything, it’s also a coverup. It’s almost as if they’re getting us used to disappointment. If we’re okay with spending 10 minutes trying to find out when we have to pay them again, we’ll be okay with spending six years getting a degree that could take three. 

Does this sound familiar to you? If you would stop sleeping through life like I sleep through lectures, you’d have noticed the curious phenomenon that it takes a fuckton of time to graduate from SFU. The excuses for why vary: an advisor forgot about a course, degree requirements changed, the renaming of the 95 B-line to [REDACTED] left unrecoverable emotional damage that set you back a year. Regardless, there’s always some reason that these programs take longer to complete than expected, but somehow we just know to accept that as part of the process. Now, where have we seen that before? WAKE UP, SHEEPLE!

How does SFU benefit from all of these? Easy. They get to cut costs with IT fixes to invest in their true passion: announcing projects that will be built by the time X Æ A-12 Musk is sworn in as Emperor of the Galactic Regime. They’ll profit from all those extra semesters spent telling students it would be their last one. SFU sets the bar lower and lower each year, and we just keep cha-cha-ing under it. When it comes to any hopes of the changes we’re counting on, it’s time to make like a sheep and say bahhhh-bye with a degree in hand. Err, hoof? You know what I mean.

If you’re sick and tired of SFU’s scam’s, you can . . . flip off the red loading screen on your computer when it redirects you for the eighth time? Struggle not to throw your phone into the ocean when an advisor tells you yet another requirement has been added to your degree? Dig yourself into a deep whole of denial and pretend that the SFU stadium has existed this whole time? I don’t know, pal— there’s really not much to be done. But at least you know you’re not a sheep anymore?

Students should get the grades they deserve

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Fulfilling requirements completely should mean that a student gets 100%. PHOTO: Gudrun Wai-Gunnarsson / The Peak

by Brianna Condilenios, Peak Associate

Students aren’t strangers to that sharp pang of disappointment when they receive a low grade on an assignment. This pain cuts even deeper when they know they deserve a better grade. I’m talking about the assignments and exams that students prepare for weeks in advance and have, by all reasonable accounts, met the criteria that was originally set forward. Putting such careful effort into stellar work and being met with a mediocre grade is extremely disheartening. 

Universities have this shallow desire for prestige that they try to uphold by being ridiculously selective — and SFU isn’t exempt from this. Part of this comes from how several departments will set a limit on how many students can receive a certain grade. Business and economics students are familiar with this as the grading bell curve looms large over their studies. A student can ace all assignments, but end up with a B because there are only so many As allowed for that class. And in the social sciences, sometimes professors are just not willing to give a student full marks. Whatever the reason for this restriction, it is unjust to deprive students of the grades they have rightfully earned as it is discouraging and can destabilize their educational funding. 

Students come to school to learn new skills and knowledge to prepare them for employment and life. Assignments, exams, and other means of testing are designed to test such skills and knowledge. However, if the outcome of these assessments do not properly measure students’ abilities, the metric of study can seem pointless. For example, if the grade a student receives on an assignment does not accurately reflect their skills and knowledge, the purpose of the assignment becomes futile. No matter how much they study, whatever they learn will not be properly reflected in their grade. Given the frustration of this vicious cycle, a student may even ask themselves why they should bother studying. 

This is clearly discouraging as the student’s time and effort are not being appreciated. Not to mention it can be a huge blow to their self-esteem and how they perceive their abilities as a student. Even if it is just one or two professors that a student experiences this with, a disparaging precedent is set for them. 

Professors and departments who set arbitrary amounts on grades also do not realize that many students must maintain a certain GPA to get funding for their education. Students need a minimum of a 3.50 CGPA for most undergraduate scholarships. Since not all students are able to afford SFU’s soaring tuition prices, some rely on scholarship money to fund their studies. In some circumstances, the difference between an A or a B can have detrimental effects on the student’s overall grade in the course, and furthermore their CGPA. Not only can depriving students of their true grades be a blow to their self-worth, it can actually jeopardize the continuance of their education.

SFU’s departments and professors should re-evaluate the potential harm they could be causing to students by artificially controlling grade distribution. Instead, they should honour the integrity of the grading criteria that was originally set out. This would not only give students their rightful rewards, but would motivate students to show their true potential as writers, readers, artists, presenters, and debaters without a cloud of defeat looming over their head.

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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