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SFYOU: A Proper Farewell founders talk humanizing the pandemic

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Features
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Photo: Studio Kleio (Pictured from left to right: Carolyn Yip, David Waizel, Nicole Woo)

By: Madeleine Chan, Staff Writer

Name: David Waizel
Pronouns: He/him/his
Departmental Affiliation: Fifth-year IAT and Business Student
Hometown: Coquitlam, BC
Occupation: Freelance Graphic Designer

Name: Carolyn Yip
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Departmental Affiliation: Fourth-year IAT Student
Hometown: Snohomish, Washington
Occupation: Freelance videographer and designer

SFU students David Waizel, Nicole Woo, and Carolyn Yip have been making the most of their time indoors with the creation of A Proper Farewell, a “non-profit initiative for you to share your loved one’s story to the greater community through a digital platform.” I had a chat over Zoom with Waizel and Yip to talk about the new project — Woo was unfortunately unavailable.

Talking to people — especially those who you’ve just met through Zoom — isn’t the most ideal situation. However, this was quickly normalized after Waizel saw my Animal Crossing-themed background and Yip’s mountain range one and decided to join us in our “background party” by putting up one of the Golden Gate Bridge. This small detail brought some brightness to our call, much like the initiative that they started.

“At the beginning of [COVID-19], all we would see are statistics [and] numbers. Everyday on the news you would see ‘Today, a grim milestone’ or ‘Italy reached this marker [ . . . ] It almost desensitized the fact that behind every number was a life. It’s kind of hard to wrap your head around [ . . . ] these huge numbers and you almost forget that these are real people,” Waizel began.

At the time I’m writing this, over 460,000 people worldwide have died from COVID-19 with 168 of those in BC. 

The project was born out of their desire to remedy the facelessness of these numbers.

“You’re learning bits and pieces about a person’s life and I think that’s really valuable because you connect with them [ . . . ] Even if it’s just one person, that number means something to you.”

Waizel passionately explained that along with making people realize the gravity of the pandemic, they also wanted to “share the optimistic parts of a person’s life.

“At the end of the day, these people are just like us; they had dreams, hopes, goals, problems, they had full lives and were taken so soon because of the virus.”

“We wanted to help remember people for how they lived and not how they passed,” Yip summarized.

The pair have been mainly using these storytelling skills at their student-run startup Studio Kleio, which Waizel clarified has services where they “create heirlooms for families” through videos and photo albums to “capture the connections we have throughout our lives.”

He elaborated that A Proper Farewell has the same essence of storytelling as Studio Kleio, but that it’s a much more simplified version, rather than it being edited a certain way — it was made purely with the intention to have stories be heard.

“We don’t tweak anything that they write, just so it makes sense as a story.”

Yip also humbly added that unlike the for-profit Studio Kleio, they “don’t really want to gain anything” from A Proper Farewell. Waizel echoed this sincere sentiment, mentioning that they want to distance the two entities to not make it seem like A Proper Farewell is a promotion for Studio Kleio. I could tell that this disclaimer was truthful because it came out unpolished, and from a place of selflessness.

Curious about the process, I asked how it works for a family member to share their loved one’s story, and found that it’s relatively simple. Yip explained that they just need to go to their website and fill out a form. Amongst more basic details like name and age, they request more “key aspects” about them like “what they remember about the loved one” and their “go-to” saying.

They also make sure to confirm everything with the family before they post it on their Facebook and Instagram pages. 

They’ve just scratched the surface with this project with three submissions since the beginning of May. But collecting stories isn’t always that simple, as Waizel lamented that there were difficulties of faulty submission forms and non-responses from submitters. Despite this, he remained determined to collect more submissions. 

When I asked them if it’s difficult to look at the entries, Yip clarified, “You mean emotionally?”

A shared chuckle later, Waizel talked about how it hasn’t affected him in a negative way yet because they haven’t seen many stories, but that it’s “a reminder that [the pandemic] is happening.”

“It feels like I’m paying my respects to them. It feels like I’m doing what I can to acknowledge this issue and acknowledge their life. So if anything it feels like I’m doing something right in their legacy.

“The hard part is that we’ve known a couple people that have had a family member pass away and we want to reach out to people, but it’s hard making that connection to talk to them when their loved one has passed away,” Yip mentioned.

“In some aspects, you feel sad a little bit [ . . . ] But when you learn more about them you kind of see the opposite side like ‘Oh, they did this, that’s cool.’”

Waizel added that “You’re learning bits and pieces about a person’s life and I think that’s really valuable because you connect with them [ . . . ] Even if it’s just one person, that number means something to you.”

They hope that through the project they can help families, even if it’s just one, cope with their loss. Waizel earnestly explained that long-term he hopes that they can create an “online memorial” where people can look back to remember and be more “cognisant” of the impact of the pandemic.

Even after the bulk of the pandemic is gone they still want to keep the project up but “hopefully not collect as many stories,” as Yip said light-heartedly.

“We don’t want their lives to just disappear into thin air.”

Continuing their modest vibe, they then told me that they hoped this Features piece would focus more on the project than themselves. Waizel, while noting that this is a very “candid” response, felt that they haven’t “earned all of the press” that they’ve gotten due to their low story count.

“More than anything we want to push this initiative in contrast to pushing —”

“Ourselves,” Yip finished, laughing at the idea.

Yip continued with saying that “even if you can’t be on the front lines, maybe there are small ways you can help out,” even if it’s just as simple as sharing their project to other people. 

“We need everyone’s help within the SFU community if they know someone who has passed away. They don’t need to tell them, they just need to send the info of A Proper Farewell to them so if the family is interested they have the opportunity to share it. We know that going to a big news [outlet] is kind of scary [ . . . ] We just need everyone’s help to spread the word so we can share more stories.”

The pair’s jovial but serious demeanour and their desire to have their project to help people makes me just a bit more hopeful that our time communicating in front of screens and virtual backgrounds may grow to feel a bit more proper as it goes on. Visit a-proper-farewell.webflow.io to submit a story or share it to others who may want to. Stories are shared on their Instagram page, as well as their Facebook page.

 

BeetBox’s vegetarian and vegan fare offer an upbeat experience for your mouth

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Arts
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BeetBox’s comfort food is like a nice, warm hug. Courtesy of BeetBox

By: Sara Wong, Peak Associate

Food has always been political in nature. Take a moment to reflect on how “traditional” the California sushi roll is or how American farm-to-table restaurants are well-recognized, whereas ethnic restaurants constantly remain in the shadows. When you take a moment to consider the correlation between your food choices and the world you live in, the link between food and politics screams in your face. Now, these realizations have hit mainstream media with social media campaigns calling for consumers to not only support small, local businesses, but specifically Black-owned small, local businesses. 

In Vancouver, one of the first lists of Black-owned restaurants to hit Instagram was posted by @foodcouver. I checked out their list and was surprised to see how small it was. Since my first check-in, the list has grown, but Taps and Tacos in Port Moody remained the only restaurant I’ve ordered from in the past. What I took away from my perusal of that list was that I needed to familiarize myself more with Black-owned businesses in the Metro Vancouver area. 

Having a mild spice tolerance and being limited to takeout (I err on the side of caution because I live with someone who is immunocompromised), I found BeetBox’s vegetarian and vegan takeaway fare appealing right away. They’re located in the West End, on Davie Street. If you’re driving, I recommend pulling into the parking lot of the Shoppers Drug Mart that’s a block or so past the stretch of Davie where BeetBox is situated. Parking in that neighbourhood can be a real nightmare otherwise.

If I’d been there to dine in, I could’ve easily spent hours inside. BeetBox is filled with warm lighting, high shelves full of dangling plants, and white walls contrasting with pastel pink wainscotting. I could picture myself sitting at the dark wooden picnic table by the large window up front on a future visit.

Since I was a walk-in, I had to wait a little for my order to be ready. During that time, I remained the only customer in the store. “Bicycle Race” by Queen played while I checked out the pantry corner, where a see-through fridge housed jars of BeetBox’s sauces and pickles, as well as packages of seitan bacon (another vegan product) — all of which were available for purchase.

BeetBox’s housemade sauces and pickles are available for purchase. PHOTO: Sara Wong / The Peak

My order, which was for myself and my parents, consisted of the fried chick-un sandwich, green pea falafel, mushroom bowl, and onion rings. Including tax and tip, the total came to around $45. The big ticket item was the mushroom bowl. At $15, the bowl consisted of rice, fried oyster  mushrooms, asparagus, peas, and baby kale, dressed with buddha sauce. While I was impressed with the crackling-like texture of the fried oyster mushrooms, overall I found the bowl to be underwhelming, especially given the price point.

On the flip side, the smaller items like the fried chick-un sandwich and green pea falafel were excellent. The breaded and fried seitan in the fried chick-un sandwich tasted like its poultry counterpart. To my surprise, I didn’t mind the spicy pickled cucumbers inside the sandwich, possibly because of the additions of miso “aioli” and shredded iceberg lettuce. 

Author’s order of the fried chick-un sandwich, green pea falafel, mushroom bowl, and onion rings. PHOTO: Sara Wong / The Peak

Despite my mind being blown by the seitan-masking-as-chicken trick, my favourite item was the falafel. The use of green peas instead of the usual chickpeas was innovative and fun; I’d never seen it done before and the colour on the inside legitimately made me feel happier while I was eating. I liked how the tahini dressing added creaminess, the preserved meyer lemon provided bright bursts of flavour, and the pickled vegetables added varying textures to the dish. Plus, you can never go wrong with pita bread.

Although I was able to handle some small slices of spicy pickled cucumbers, the chipotle “aioli” and curry salt on the onion rings was another story. After eating one, I was reaching for a glass of milk! The rest went to my parents, who did not find the onion rings spicy at all.

I think the best way to enjoy BeetBox at the moment is if you plan an experience around it; go for lunch, order something you can easily carry — like the fried chick-un sandwich or green pea falafel — and then head to nearby English Bay. I never envisioned myself dreaming of a picnic by the beach with vegan food before, but that’s what great food experiences will do to you; they’ll open you up to more possibilities.

Multiple student groups victim to break-ins on campus in the past few months

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News
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Photo courtesy of Abbotsford News

Written by: Paige Riding, Staff Writer

Embark, Out On Campus (OOC), and The Peak’s offices have all been subject to break-ins and petty theft over the past few months. 

Ashley Brooks, Out On Campus coordinator, found out about the break-in on April 3, shortly after the SFSS Board of Directors voted on temporary closures of SFSS operations in the wake of the pandemic. He elaborated on their office’s damages and losses in an email to The Peak.

“I visited the space a few days afterwards and found the place in quite a mess and it was clear that they were looking through our storage for items or money to take. A number of items were taken, including our wheeled luggage case, weighted blanket, cleaning products, tissues, and some petty cash that was intended to be donated to the SFSS Food Bank program,” he wrote.

“As well, our internal door was damaged, requiring us to lock the external door, restricting access to the free safer sex supplies, menstrual products, and informational pamphlets in our vestibule for students still on campus.”

Brooks continued to note that the person destroyed craft supplies in OOC’s lounge by relieving themself in that space. 

“There is no evidence that this was a hate-related incident. Rather, it seems that the pandemic created an opportunity — and, perhaps, a necessity — to steal vital supplies from our lounge. With this in mind, I’m practicing empathy. Ultimately, we have budgeted for replacement items and will soon be moving to the SUB, where we will be far more integrated into the rest of the SFSS and better protected against thefts in the future,” Brooks concluded.

Executive Director of Embark Ali White also provided a statement about Embark’s instances of break-ins beginning last summer and continuing into recent months.

“Last summer we had an expensive camera stolen from one of our desk drawers, so we changed the door code and kept the number internal to Embark staff only. At this time, we did not file a report with Safety & Risk Services (SRS), and replaced the camera as we had immediate need for one,” White began.

In another instance, White noted a projector being stolen from the same office despite this door code change. The organization did file a report with SRS at this time which was met with a suggestion to contact the police. Embark chose not to do so.

In the past few months, White reported signs of rummaging in desk drawers. She noted that a staff member had a $5 bill and some other small items in her drawer that went missing. While they have removed valuable items from the office, White still has “some concern about safety when occasionally accessing the space during COVID.” Embark continues to work with SRS at this time.

The Peak’s office faced a break-in near the end of the Spring 2020 semester. Editor-in-Chief Marco Ovies commented on the event.

“It was unfortunate that The Peak office was broken into but nothing valuable had been stolen, aside from a few non-perishable food items. It looked like the person was just searching for some food and I hope they have access to whatever resources they need now,” Ovies said.

SFU faces renewed backlash for “Clan” athletics team name

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News
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Photo courtesy of SFU Athletics

Written by: Michelle Young, Staff Writer

This is a developing story that The Peak will continue to cover in future articles. 

SFU’s athletics teams, known as The Simon Fraser Clan, have recently been facing criticism for their name. While being criticized in the past, the rise of anti-racism protests has brought attention back to the controversial name. 

The Simon Fraser Clan references the Scottish heritage of SFU; however, people have noted that the name is often mistaken as an association to the white supremacy group, the Klu Klux Klan — especially when sports teams travel to the United States to compete. 

In 2017, a petition by SFU professor Holly Andersen was launched to retire the name due to its negative connotations and the risk it could potentially pose to SFU student athletes. The petition gained around 400 signatures, however it was also interpreted as being anti-Scottish. A survey conducted in the Spring 2019 semester found that 77 percent of student athletes want to change the name.

The Peak reached out to Andersen regarding the issue, in light of the recent discussion. In an email statement she wrote: “Words only get their meaning in usage, and [in] the United States, there is too much terrible history, and too much active white supremacy, that goes under the name shared with our sports team. While SFU may not intend any of these connotations in their name, it is, nevertheless, what that name means in the US, where we play as the only Canadian team in the NCAA.” 

In a 2017 interview with Burnaby Now, Coach Allison McNeill discussed the name change, stating that the SFU Clan is associated with family. She also said, “Maybe it has to be looked at, but I know, traditionally, [the name] was a positive thing for our team.” Former SFU athlete, Richard White also stated in 2017 that changing it would be like “giving in.” 

Andersen also noted in her statement that “no amount of pride in heritage magically erases that meaning in the US. No student athlete should have to suffer harassment and intimidation because we, safely on the sidelines, enjoy our memories of this name.”

In her conclusion, she stated: “This is time to do some hard reflecting on why we are so defensive about this name; and to sit with that discomfort. [ . . . ] This is the time to listen to others who have a very different experience, and they are telling us that this name does not convey the respect and sportsmanship we aspire towards.” 

The Peak also reached out to SFU Athletics and Recreation director Theresa Hanson for comments. Hanson said that a review process on the name “has been underway for several months within the university.” 

“We have heard from our current student-athletes, and we know the majority believes it is time for change. We are also aware of unacceptable incidents that our student-athletes and coaches have experienced due to the nickname.”

“I am committed to concluding these conversations by the end of the summer and [providing] an informed recommendation to the president in September,” Hanson stated. 

QUIZ: Should you add your sleep paralysis demon to your social bubble?

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Humour
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Photo courtesy of Quin Stevenson via Unsplash

Written by Zach Siddiqui, Humour Editor

1. With whom else does your sleep paralysis demon spend his time?

     a) No one, he promised me he doesn’t even follow hot people on Instagram anymore

     b) His fellow spindly, many-eyed friends from the netherworld

2. Do you trust your sleep paralysis demon?

     a) Yes, although he still whispers all my secrets to my sleep-paralyzed neighbours

     b) I don’t trust anyone, that’s part of why he hangs around

3. Have you ever seen your sleep paralysis demon break social distancing rules?

     a) My eyes are closed when he’s here

     b) Sometimes he radiates evil energy at me from five feet away instead of six

4. Does your sleep paralysis demon share food and drink with people?

     a) He would absolutely never

     b) He and my toxic friendships both feed on my stress and fear

5. Would your sleep paralysis demon be open to making a pact with you to limit the growth of your shared bubble?

     a) Yes, we make new blood pacts every Thursday. It’s fun

     b) No, he’s kind of a free spirit

If you answered mostly “A” . . . you SHOULD add your sleep paralysis demon to your social bubble

Friends are important right now. You need to open your heart to those few you can believe in — and nothing screams believing in someone like manifesting them physically from the depths of your psyche.

If you answered mostly “B” . . . you SHOULD NOT add your sleep paralysis demon to your social bubble

Demons can breathe COVID-19 onto you, too. Wake up, sheeple — literally.

I am Tails ‘B’ Wagging Animal Shelter and I am very sad and empty

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Humour
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Written by Hannah Davis, Peak Associate

My name is Tails ‘B’ Wagging Animal Shelter and today has been a bittersweet day. 

You may have guessed it. I am an animal shelter, and over the last few months, something strange has been happening . . . The number of animals I have kept safe while they await their new homes has been slowly but surely dwindling . . . The animals seem to have been taking their little tails out the door faster than they are being brought in! 

Usually, I will have time to get to know an animal well as they sit under my roof, shit on my floors, and sniff around in the corners of my rooms. But it seems that they’ve been swept out the door so quickly after they’ve come in that I’ve barely even had a chance to say hi! 

I miss Hugh the pug, and Weiner the mixed-breed, and Stella the other mixed-breed, and Bonnie the other, other mixed-breed who looked like a husky the size of a corgi with the body composition of a rottweiler.

I also miss Sprinkles, the cat who used to have fleas but doesn’t anymore. I miss the way Sprinkles and the other cats would pee all over my floors and hiss at nothing sometimes.

I miss Skytrain the pigeon, who was named after the SkyTrain station someone found him near. (Skytrain actually left a long time ago when we realized he was just a regular pigeon. But these times are making me feel especially nostalgic). 

I even miss Spaghetti, the rat who would crawl around in my walls. I named him that because he would eat my wires, and wires are essentially rat spaghetti. Like Skytrain, Spaghetti wasn’t even up for adoption, but it seems even he’s found his way into a new home. 

Hank was the last dog to go, adopted today, a crusty little fella who was accepted with open arms and masked faces by a family who I can only assume was smiling. Now I feel particularly empty, but strangely, I hope that I stay empty for a while. I want their homes to be permanent ones. I hope I never see them again. 

In particular I hope they are finding comfort in homes that were ready to take animals in and not just by people indulging in the fleeting urge of having a pet because of some unforeseen extra time at home. I am definitely not referring to any unprecedented event in particular that may have suddenly given a lot of people some extra time on their hands or anything. I am just an animal shelter. I don’t actually know anything. 

My dear animal friends that have been adopted and taken out of my care: I hope you are safe, happy, and I hope I never see you again. 

My name is Tails ‘B’ Wagging Animal Shelter and I approve this message.

Your weekly SFU horoscopes: June 29–July 5

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Humour
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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

Written by Paige Riding, News Writer

Aries: How many tabs does your computer have open? Does it feel like your brain has just as much running at once and you’re feeling overwhelmed? Remember to calm your mind and close some of those tabs draining you of your energy. Just, uh, don’t close the breathing one. That would be bad.

Taurus: Write your own one-person show this week. I’m talking theatrics, musical numbers, emotion, the works. You’ll become part of something bigger than yourself while safely inside. Your two IG live viewers will love it while they watch Netflix and have you on mute.

Gemini: As you’re reading this, check the tension in your body. Is your tongue on the roof of your mouth? Are you hunched over? Is your jaw clenched? Maybe you just have a tension headache from these bitches testing your patience.

Cancer: You may be wondering how January through March felt like five years and June felt like it lasted five minutes. Were you super busy? Did you spend a bunch of it doing schoolwork? Or did you retreat into your Jungian shadow this whole past month to protect yourself?

Leo: If you’re nervous about a presentation or discussion over Zoom this week, just remember that nobody will pay much attention anyway, probably not even you. You’ll be too busy perfecting your face angles on camera.

Virgo: Have you lost friends over them being punished by the universe for not following your advice? As a mutable sign, some may mistake your adaptive problem-solving for you not being fully reliable. See where it gets them? So why do you doubt yourself?

Libra: Save time by not proofreading your Canvas discussion this week. Saying “introspectino” and “perspectibe” will hardly take away from the fact that you didn’t really know what you were saying in the first place, but wanted to sound clever anyway with your $5 words.

Scorpio: Why can you never plug in a USB cord the right way the first time, causing you to flip it four times? As though your whole life weren’t always flipped upside down by your changing energies. Sometimes you’re quiet and calm, next you’re utterly chaotic. What’ll it be this week?

Sagittarius: This week, you just need to spit out what’s been on your mind already. The mental capacity the thought takes far outweighs the sinking feeling in your chest you’ll feel when you ruin something good in your life — and inevitably you will, so . . . 

Capricorn: Keep rolling your eyes during Zoom calls while someone asks an apparently obvious question, and you’ll give yourself a bigger headache than your TA’s already given you by ignoring you for five days.

Aquarius: Fall enrollment starts next week. Can you believe that? You were just getting a small grasp on your current situation and the world is presenting a new chapter already. All you can do is take the days as they come. In your case, that just involves you spending the present worrying about wrongs of the past.

Pisces: When will those around you stop contacting you at ridiculous hours asking for your help? This week, establish office hours. That way, your free therapy sessions will be organized so you can use up all your emotional capacity Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. only. You know how not to strain yourself.

 

Monday Music: My coming-of-age movie soundtrack

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Arts
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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.

All Monday Music for the Summer 2020 semester is now available on The Peak’s Spotify Playlist, Monday Music Summer 2020. Don’t forget to follow thepeaksfu on Spotify to listen more easily!

By: Marco Ovies, Editor-in-Chief

With social distancing still being a thing, lately my only real escape from my house has been going for drives. I roll down all the windows of Alejandro (my car) and crank some tunes as loud as I can. Something about the wind blowing in my face and the sun shining is just so therapeutic and offers me an escape from my family who I have been spending a little too much time with. 

The only thing that elevates that experience is the right music. This can turn a regular car ride into the tunnel scene from The Perks of Being a Wallflower. You know, the one where Logan Lerman says that infamous line “I feel infinite.” Well, here is my list of songs that make me feel infinite. 

 

“Only Friend” by Wallows

Courtesy of WEA International Inc.

There’s just something about the guitar flowing throughout this song that makes it magical. You can hear it circling through each speaker, moving from ear to ear as the guitar itself moves up and down almost like the ebb and flow of the ocean. I cannot say enough about how much I love this band. Yes, the frontman is Dylan Minnette from 13 Reasons Why but don’t let his past define him. His real talent lies in music and there is not a single song Wallows has released that I have not enjoyed. So while this song may not have been written during the time period The Perks of Being a Wallflower is based in, it would have made an ideal tunnel song. 

 

“Ballroom Floor” by Oberhofer

Courtesy of Glassnote Entertainment Group LLC

Oberhofer mixes together elements of garage-rock and synths to create an absolutely original sound. “Ballroom Floor,” in particular, is one of his best works. The song perfectly captures realization that you need to let someone go with lyrics like “And my heart wants you to stay, but I can’t go on this way.” This is, of course, necessary for any coming-of-age movie and is the perfect song to play after cutting off that toxic relationship the audience has been telling you to get out of since the very beginning. 

 

“Weekend Friend” by Goth Babe

Courtesy of Goth Babe

Now, this song is perfect for the scene where you reluctantly attend a party and end up seeing the love of your life. Will this song ever be played at a real party? Probably not, but in any coming-of-age movie everyone has the same alternative music taste and no one asks to change the song to a less obscure indie track. Sorry, the studio that made your movie cannot afford the rights to Drake. 

 

“Venice” by The Lighthouse and The Whaler

Courtesy of The Lighthouse and the Whaler

Not only was this song included in a mixtape a girl made for me in tenth grade (which I still have) but it is essential for any coming-of-age movie. The scene in particular is where you’ve confessed your feelings for the person you’ve been admiring the entire film and you two inevitably kiss. It’s a passionate moment and the music crescendos as the camera pans out and spins around the both of you kissing. Do the actors flawlessly kiss even though it is their first time? Are they both way more attractive than any high schooler because they are being played by actual adults? Will your first kiss probably be in some random parking lot? Yes, yes, and probably yes. But you can dream, and this song will help you do that. 

If you liked these songs you should check out:

“Elephant Gun” by Beirut

“Buttercup” by Hippo Campus

“Lisa” by Albert Hammond Jr. 

“Hot Rod” by Dayglow

“I Dare You” by The Regrettes

“Edna” by Henry Hall

“Nova Scotia” by Magic Man

“Are You Ok?” by Wasuremono

“Paper News” by Ritt Momney

All these songs can be found on The Peak’s Spotify Playlist, Monday Music Summer 2020.

SFU C19 Coalition is needed to keep the university working for students

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Opinions
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SFU C19 Coalition asks the administration to take real action. PHOTO: SFU C19 Coalition

By: Alison Wick, Peak Associate

Formed shortly after the university closed its doors when the COVID-19 pandemic hit BC, the SFU C19 Coalition has gained widespread support across the university. From grad students to undergrads to staff members, the Coalition is fighting for the rights and well-being of all members of the SFU community. At a time when we are uniquely isolated from one another, establishing an organization built for and around solidarity is both important and empowering.

The Coalition’s demands are divided into three sections: information, academics, and finances. These address, in order: the need for transparency and priority in informing students about the pandemic situation; the many issues arising from entirely online courses during a global crisis; and the compounding financial stress being placed on students. These demands are grown directly from the experiences and perspectives of students, and they show the necessity of student voices and participation within SFU’s politics.

One of the issues that the Coalition has been fighting for includes the use of room scan and intrusive computer technologies. This issue has been “addressed” by the administration as something for professors to work out with students on a case-by-case basis. The university could simply ban the use of this technology instead of allowing for its use in “some exceptional cases,” but it has decided to forego that responsibility instead. This forces students to make a difficult choice: to do as their professor says or drop the course. This is despite the very legitimate reasons students have to reject the use of these invasive softwares. 

SEE MORE: Students raise concerns over use of proctoring software during remote exams

Degree timeline extensions have also not been offered — although the administration vaguely discussed looking into ways to prevent grad students from “aging out” of their degrees in the May 26 Town Hall. This is of special concern for international students who are at risk of losing their status if they take a term off. It forces international students, who are not eligible for CESB and have restrictions on employment at the best of times, to take classes they may not be able to afford with fewer resources and higher stakes. The Coalition has called for the university to lobby the Canadian government to make CESB equal to CERB — if SFU is really so strapped for cash they can’t help students financially, why won’t they at least use their platform as one of the world’s leading teaching and research universities to help us? 

Without organized student networks like the SFU C19 Coalition to hold the administration accountable and fight for what we actually need, the university would let all these needs fall through the cracks. These are not radical or difficult demands to be met — they are what the university is supposed to — and needs to — be doing. And we the students need organizations like the C19 Coalition to make change possible — as individual students we have very little leverage, but as a loud and public group we have power. 

Students should know that activism isn’t just collectively pushing against a (seemingly) immovable object. The administration has it within their power to meaningfully address these demands. They’ve shrunk and extended degree timelines in the past. They could also offer tuition deferment for all students like they already do for TAs. Finally, they could work with departments to better regulate class sizes, adjust degree requirements, eliminate the use of online proctor technologies, and more. What is stopping them? In whose interest are they acting? From their responses, it’s clear that, while they are taking the pandemic seriously, they continue to not take students seriously.

Students must continue fighting and organizing to make the administration meet our lowest expectations. To do otherwise is to allow the university to treat us as beneath consideration, when it is us who make the university accomplished.

Read more about the Coalition’s demands on their website, and see their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages for updates.

 

People need to stop using the present to excuse and ignore past injustices

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Canada needs to reckon with its past before it congratulates itself on its present. Photo: Jon Tyson/Unsplash

By: Madeleine Chan, Staff Writer

Catastrophic wildfires in Australia, a global pandemic, and worldwide anti-racism protests, amongst other impactful events, all equal a 2020 that never seems to end. At least, that’s what people keep saying. In reality, these types of tragedies and injustices happen every year and we need to stop expecting a “woke” badge of honour for thinking that this is anything new, just because they happen to be impacting our privileged ways of living.

Yes, there have been many recent global occurrences that may seem so life-shattering to individuals who haven’t experienced them before, but there are also many people who live through them daily. Even before 2020, immunocompromised people had to social distance to survive. Environmental crises like wildfires that disproportionately affect Indigenous people came in spades. Prejudice was always rampant, and folks have always been fighting to make people see that Black lives matter. Claiming that this year is somehow worse than previous ones erases these chronic issues and gives the person saying it an excuse to not do anything to help them.

This “2020 is crazy” sentiment is similar to how people answer questions with “It’s 20XX, we’re better now.” Of course it’s nice to think that we are better, but it doesn’t mean that the world actually is better, just because it’s the present. Using this phrase is just an attempt to appear progressive because there is no actual acknowledgement of the many things that are still wrong with the world. Imagine if someone asked Andrew Petter why he recently spoke out against racism and he just said, “It’s 2020.” So what? This is the same 2020 where conversion therapy is still practiced in BC, where people are drawing swastikas at SkyTrain stations, where over 150,000 litres of crude oil casually spill on Indigenous land, and people are arrested for protesting racism?

A popular example of this is Justin Trudeau’s “It’s 2015” reasoning for his “gender-balanced” cabinet. It’s great that he recognised that there should be greater gender equity, but simply having a gender-balanced cabinet does nothing to actually address systemic gender discrimination. Women and the feminist movement have been fighting for these rights for years. How is it only a big step forward for women when Trudeau opens up a few more cabinet seats to women? Using a hollow deflection such as this while not addressing the prejudiced system we still live in is just another way to appear forward-thinking, which I guess is already a part of his “Liberal” brand.

Both of these “2020” narratives only try to justify a “woke” perspective on the world. Just because we don’t have blatant prejudices like chattel slavery, residential schools, and Chinese Head Taxes anymore doesn’t mean that hidden prejudices through institutions like the prison system, the RCMP, and an education system that barely teaches us about the aforementioned prejudices are any better. This merely serves to cover the person appealing to modern times under a shroud of “wokeness” by excusing them from any wrongdoing — and any further action — simply because they acknowledged it.

2020 may continue to get crazier, but that doesn’t mean we should reify its events as some apocalyptic outlier and use it to ignore past and continuing systemic crises. We also can’t defend our ignorance by claiming the present is some harmonious haven. Realizing this year is the continuation of a past full of catastrophe will not only help to put our privilege in perspective, but also to truly work towards a future where 2020’s perpetual peril will actually be a notion of the past. 

 

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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