Home Blog Page 624

World News Beats

By
Peak Web
-
0

Written by: Kelly Grounds, SFU Student

 

“Scallop War” breaks out between France and the UK

An incident in which 35 French fishing boats chased five UK ones out of the Baie de Seine has been dubbed the “Scallop War.”

Following the incident which occurred on August 28, the English boats then proceeded to call on the Royal Navy to back them in an escalating conflict.

The conflict was sparked over fishing for scallops in the area. French fishermen argued that the British were depleting the stock in the area before France had a chance to fish there.

Since then, ministers of both countries have agreed to begin discussions this week in order to avoid any future incidents.

With files from The New York Times and BBC News.

 

United States removes aid from Pakistan

The United States has withdrawn $300 million in aid to Pakistan. This is the second time that the United States has withdrawn aid from them, having cancelled $500 million in aid earlier in the year.

The United States claimed that Pakistan has not done enough to meet conditions of the aid. The United States has alleged that, instead of expelling militants out of the country, Pakistan has instead become a “safe haven” for them.

Pakistan denies the accusations.

With files from Global News and The Guardian.

 

United States and Mexico confirm trade deal

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States and Mexico had reached a preliminary trade deal.

The president then announced that he had given Canada a deadline of August 31 to reach a trade deal with the U.S. or risk being ousted from a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement. However, trade discussions were difficult with many points of contention and ended early on the day of the deadline.

The talks are expected to begin again shortly, leading to speculations that the deadline created was only a political threat.

With files from CBC News and Vox.

 

United Nations speaks to to violence in Myanmar

The United Nations Human Rights Council released their final report on the violence in Myanmar.

The report estimates that 10,000 people were killed and 700,000 forced to flee to Bangladesh. Furthermore, the report calls the violence an act of genocide.

This report is the most significant international response to the violence since it began in August of 2017.

The report also calls for the Myanmar military generals to be prosecuted for their crimes of war and crimes against humanity. Despite the report’s findings, Myanmar officials refuse to cooperate and are defending their military.

With files from The Washington Post and The Independent.

Everything you need to know about SFU Streetfest

By
Peak Web
-
0

By: Winona Young

 

The Peak: In your own words as the co-chair of Streetfest, can you please describe what SFU Streetfest is?

Mark McLaughlin: The SFU Streetfest at UniverCity that we’re going to be holding September 14 is really an occasion for us to bring the whole mountain together in one stop, just to celebrate the new school year. It’s all about celebrating the mountain, the community, and it’s really the first time SFU reaches out into UniverCity to hold a joint event [of this size].

P: Can you please explain what the impetus to create this event was?

         MM: It’s a culmination of a few things. It has to do with the timing and the development at the UniverCity, so the community is growing. One of our main goals over the next little while is building community on the campus, and really, on the mountain. Our community stretches from the residences on the west side of this mountain, to the UniverCity on the east side — because we’re focusing on creating this community, and a student experience, we thought this would be a great project. And that timing is great because, as I said, that development is somewhat nearing completion. There’s probably five or six thousand folks that live over there at UniverCity.

P: Would you say the impetus was to build a community within SFU and within the mountain?

       MM: Absolutely. It’s about bringing people together, to build that community, bringing folks together who have never really interacted with each other. The families will be able to meet students, students will be able to UniverCity vendors [sic], speak to the owners, speak to the families, the schoolchildren will be down for the day . . . so it’s bringing everyone who’s on the mountain together in one festive event.

P: Could you tell what are some of the highlights that students can expect at Streetfest?

      MM: There will be all kinds of activities — there will be a music stage where we’re going to have SFU dance clubs performing, we’re going to have buskers with music. We have a whole kids zone planned with a bouncy castle and face painting, and there’s going to be street performers that day, and many of the various community groups, our community partners, will be on the street. We have folks from the BC Lions [and the] Vancouver Whitecaps coming. We have the Burnaby fire department — they’re gonna be bringing up a vintage truck.

      It’s going to be a fun community event. In addition to the High Street, there’s gonna be a beverage garden set up in the parking lot below for 250 people, and that beverage garden will be running from noon to [9 p.m]. So even though the streets close until 7 [p.m]., we’ll be opening up the street, the beverage garden will [continue] until nine o’clock. And we’re going to be bringing in some DJs for some electronic dance music, a couple of DJs — can’t just confirm who they are — well-known DJs in the Vancouver scene, and they’ll be playing till nine o’clock as well. We’ll really hoping it’ll be great weather, but the party will go on rain or shine.

P: Will there be a dance floor?

     MM: There will be a dance floor. The dance floor is going to be set out in that Town & Gown square, so right outside the beverage garden. We’ve got some some inflatable games for students, and for kids as well, and that’s all going to be right in that area.

P: What would you say are your hopes for Streetfest?

      MM: Our hope is that we’ll have a great turnout, [and] that the weather will be great. Hopefully this will be the first of many Street Festivals we’re gonna have on High Street.

P: You actually answered my last question! Will this be an annual event?

      MM: We’ll see if it becomes an annual affair. That is the idea: that [at] the start of the school year we create an annual event, and there’s a lot of going on in week of welcome, with residence move-in, but this is really a celebration of the entire community.

       We have our friends from FIC (Fraser National College) that’ll be here, students from the Highland School will be coming down, and we also have the children from the childcare, SFU Childcare, that will be participating in the event. People will be fascinated by the mix and the breadth of our community up here on the mountain, and it’s a great opportunity to see the full SFU on display.

 

SFU Streetfest will be held on UniverCity on September 14, 2018. The street will be closed from 10am to 8pm, and the buses from the bus loop will be detoured to the transportation center. The street activities will be held from noon to 7pm, whereas the beverage garden will be open from noon to 9pm.

 

Boost your strength and skills with SFU Police Judo

By
Peak Web
-
0
Police Judo has 300 official members and has proudly trained thousands of people. (Photo courtesy of SFU Police Judo)

By: Navya Malik

For those who are looking to get a workout while developing their combative skills, SFU Police Judo offers an opportunity to learn law-enforcement-ready techniques while developing your body and ability to defend yourself. Police Judo at SFU aims to offer a fun and safe environment, allowing you to work with well-experienced instructors with a variety of law enforcement backgrounds and comprehensive judo training.

Police Judo opened up at SFU in 2010, now has 300 official members, and has proudly trained thousands of people — a practice created “for the police and by the police,” as instructor Al Arsenault likes to call it.

While the program has enjoyed its successes, it did not get to where it is now overnight for program creators Tim Ladler and Brian Shipper. “Randori” (code for one-on-one sparring sessions) gave many new members injuries when the club first began. After weighing the risk/reward, Ladler and Shipper began to make some changes.

“The classes now provide a safe environment and are open to everyone, even for those with no experience, under the guidance of instructors and referee,” as instructor Arsenault stated in a message to The Peak.

Judo-specific workouts involve strength training which gives students an opportunity to build strength while enjoying martial arts. Police Judo not only expects its students to adhere to the physical aspect of training, but also, to the mentality and ethics of being a disciplined person. Hinton, from his past experience, spoke about the importance of being ethical: “Not everybody’s going to be cooperative, easy to deal with, or rational, but we have to figure out the most ethical way to deal with that given we have a job to do.”

Today, with the aim of creating a safe and supportive environment, Police Judo is established as a safe skill to practice when done properly, and is not dependent on skill level. Police Judo adheres to the same belt ranking system as traditional judo, which starts from white belt, and moves on through yellow, orange, green, blue, brown and finally black belt.

Police Judo offers a perfect blend of training for those who are interested in law enforcement, being relevant to job demands and authorized under National Use of Force model. Police Judo is also proud of its representation, as it welcomes people of all races, genders, and ages. It    follows the philosophies of traditional judo, “taking care of one’s partner” along with “mutual benefit and welfare.”

Juniors, not just adults, can be a part of Police Judo, through what is called “SFU Police Judo Juniors.” It is a great opportunity for juniors to have a headstart, which will help them gain strength and endurance for future Police Judo.

Launa Hinton, 17 years old, is the first junior from the Police Judo Junior program to pass her black belt Shodan exam. Arsenault proudly talks about her journey, as Launa started her judo practice at the age of three years old at the old Vancouver Police Department gym, and went on to compete in local, provincial, national, and U.S. competitions consistently throughout the last four years.

Exciting news for enthusiasts of Police Judo: the team is currently working to develop an online store for Police Judo merchandise. As Sergeant Hilton mentioned that “some people may not think this is real-life police work because of the judo outfits,” the outfit represents the spirit and confidence of participants which has forever played an important role in the life inside and outside of Judo.

For those interested in checking out Police Judo, the instructors provide sessions every Tuesday and Thursday, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the SFU Central Gym.

Men and women should be able to be platonic friends, but can’t always

By
Peak Web
-
1
It’s stupid that people can be averse to opposite-sex friendships, but it’s not fully irrational (The Peak / Chris Ho)

Written by: Gene Cole, Opinions Editor

During the end of the summer, a popular video game streamer named Ninja had an interview where he discussed how he avoids streaming with female players in order to avoid things like rumours and attention. This extended surprisingly far, leading to a few discussions and posts on social media about how men and women should be able to be platonic friends without questions of sex or relationships between them, and how dumb it was that people can’t manage it.

In post-secondary, while aversion to opposite-sex friendships can be a common and fairly stupid phenomenon, it isn’t always unreasonable or illogical.

This isn’t to say that it’s not a maddening issue. As one tweet put it, there’s something very hypocritical about straight people having this issue when many LGBTQ+ people make friends constantly with people they’re oriented to. It’s absolutely a problem made entirely by straight people and by heteronormativity, and by most reasonable accounts, it’s nonsensical. Men should be able to be friends with women (and vice-versa) without raising questions of sex and romance every time a new acquaintance is made.

In practice though, there can be a lot of cases where it’s hard to treat this as something dumb and obvious, as dating and sex are deeply ingrained into a lot of student culture. Our movies and friends tell us how a project partner or a coffee shop encounter may lead to true love, making it always conscious in our daily life.

At the same time, we’re enamoured with brief and casual ways to socialize in post-secondary like social apps, clubs, and giant Facebook events. These sorts of quick and regular modes of interaction have gained traction — at the same time, friendships are becoming much more intimate and constant, since we’re expected to maintain them through social media and other methods of instant communication and connection.

With all the cultural influences on us to look for romance, and the intensive ways that friendships can be, the question of sex and/or romance will naturally come up from time to time. Sometimes this can be an internal question of what each person wants from the relationship. It’s normal and fair to abandon a friendship when you can’t change your feelings or opinion of the other.

Other times, it’s because the other party can’t do this — it’s absolutely common to find a person you tried to befriend is solely focused on sex or romance. This situation often happens with men refusing to have a platonic relationship with women, and there’s an unfair amount of pressure (and often danger) that comes with such instances. With risks of opposite-sex friendships leading to anything from tension to extreme concern, it’s hard for me to disagree with someone saying “I can’t do friendships with the opposite sex.” Nobody deserves to spend time with people that may often have only one type of relationship in mind.

Men and women can and should be able to be platonic friends without sex or dating. A lot of the time though, it just can’t or doesn’t happen. There are a lot of ludicrous reasons that some people (like Ninja) avoid them, and it’s important to call out how stupid this aversion is. But there’s a lot of rational reasons people have for it, and it’s important to realize that the reasons that some people avoid opposite-sex relationships don’t all come from an unreasonable place.

Kaepernick “did it” with Nike endorsement

By
Peak Web
-
0
Colin Kaepernick hasn't played a NFL game since 2016. (Photo courtesy of Mike Morbeck via Flickr)

By: Youeal Abera

In the world of sports, some athletes become widely recognized and celebrated for things far greater than the game. Colin Kaepernick, former NFL quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, is a prime embodiment of this truth.

While in the NFL, Kaepernick dedicated his time and platform to something far greater and significant than any Super Bowl ring. Outraged at the relentless injustice of police officers shooting and killing unarmed Black civilians, Kaepernick, at the beginning of each game, peacefully protested by taking a knee during the singing of the American national anthem.

Although this courageous act of solidarity to his community was appreciated and supported by those well educated on the horrors of police brutality, others became increasingly outraged. As a result of the uninformed anger directed towards his peaceful protesting, Kaepernick was shunned by the NFL, leaving him without a team to play on.

It’s been two years since he was shut out from the NFL. However, Kaepernick has refused to remain idle. Through his implemented Know Your Rights campaign, Kaepernick has provided Black youth across America with vital information regarding police misconduct and systematic corruption in the criminal justice system.

Moreover, in recognition of his bravery and his resilient persona, Nike recently revealed that they’ve selected Kaepernick to be the face of the 30th anniversary of their Just Do It campaign. On Monday, September 3, Kaepernick tweeted Nike’s promotional campaign and, instantly, Twitter erupted. Emblazoned over a black-and-white photo of his face Nike donned the caption, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything. Just Do It.”

At first, there seemed to be a sincere consensus regarding the praise and approval of both Kaepernick and Nike. People were thrilled that the years of sacrifice and integrity Kaepernick presented was being acknowledged by the very brand that endorses the league he was kicked out of. Nevertheless, as with almost every other instance on the internet, the positivity didn’t last very long.

Shortly after Nike’s image was released, a plethora of conservatives and Trump supporters expressed their rancid disgust with Nike, lambasting the company for endorsing a figure who “disrespects the American flag and national anthem.”

Taking it one step further, these very individuals took to Twitter and Instagram to post videos of themselves dousing their Nike shoes in gasoline and proceeding to ignite them on fire. Additionally, this same group posted images of themselves wearing socks with large holes in them, stating that they had cut off the Nike logo.

What serves as the greatest vexation in the debacle manifested from Nike’s backlash is that people truly don’t understand the injustice Kaepernick is addressing through peaceful protest. According to mappingpoliceviolence.org, police killed 1,147 Americans in 2017. In spite of making up only 13% of the American population, 25% of these 1,147 individuals were African-American, which, in turn, highlights the disproportionate rate at which police kill Black folk.

At no point did Kaepernick ever decide to kneel during the game’s singing of the national anthem in order to disrespect the USA. Rather, the sole incentive why Kaepernick has ever taken a knee was to inform white America of the horrors Black folk face every day, as well as the tremendous amount of distrust and pain that they’ve been experiencing from the hands of those sworn to protect them.

The notion that is most infuriating, however, comes from thinking critically of the performative outrage that conservatives keep posting on social media. When Kaepernick first knelt at the beginning of a game, they complained. Afterwards, Kaepernick made sure to explicitly state that police brutality was the only thing he was protesting. When Kaepernick was kicked out of the NFL and continued to articulate his motive for kneeling, he made sure to clearly list police misconduct as his sole reason. Now, as Nike has listed him as their latest spokesperson, right-wing ideologists continue to fume over Kaepernick’s legacy.

Upon close analysis, perhaps the “protection and preservation of America’s national anthem” isn’t the reason behind Kaepernick’s consistent backlash. I mean, after continuously explaining that police brutality is his only reason for kneeling, maybe these angered individuals know very well that the American flag and anthem were never threatened within Kaepernick’s peaceful protesting.

Maybe . . . just maybe . . . those on the right who are “angered” by Kaepernick’s actions are really intimidated by the plausibility that the goal of gaining acknowledgement and justice will become that much closer to the Afrocentric community in their constant struggle with abusive police forces.

The fear that racists felt when they saw Dr. King march or heard Angela Davis speak is the same fear we witness when individuals express anger over Colin Kaepernick kneeling.

SFSS president accused of mishandling sexual misconduct allegations

By
Peak Web
-
2

Written by: Gabrielle McLaren, Features Editor and Amneet Mann, News Editor

 

This article is part of a series discussing the leaked recording provided to The Peak by Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) president Jas Randhawa. The recording documents a meeting between executive members of the SFSS board of directors and Randhawa in which he is urged to resign from his position as president.

 

The leaked recording provided to The Peak by Randhawa involves vague discussions of sexual misconduct allegations within the SFSS office, though no clear details are given regarding the nature of the event.

According to vice-president student services Samer Rihani in the recording, these allegations were not taken seriously by Randhawa. When advised to bring the issue to the newly opened Sexual Violence Support and Prevention Office, Randhawa did not act immediately and, according to Rihani, “you had three women in your board office who were scared of coming to the board office for fear of someone who’s in there causing problems and discomfort, for not only the women in there but for the rest of us.”

In an email interview with The Peak, Randhawa stated that “the issue regarding the now inactive board member was resolved by no small effort from my part. [. . .] I provided [the women involved] the option of visiting the student conduct office and women’s center as well. I supported these three women on board with their issues far before events had escalated.”

Randhawa continued, “I appreciate that Samer wanted to take lead on the issue. However, I feel it is in no way appropriate for Samer to make baseless accusations on what could have been done differently to load his argument, partly why I have had to involve a defamation lawyer.”

Randhawa is criticized by board members for not providing support to these board members coming forward with concerns, including telling SFSS CEO Martin Wyant that the women did not want his help without first consulting the women themselves.

Randhawa responded, “I requested Martin to provide support options for all the women who were affected by sexual harassment in the workplace.

“My only intervention was that I requested that these women be allowed to make the decision on their own rather than Martin. I believed whether they prefer to report this to student conduct, SFU Sexual Violence Prevention Office (SVSPO), or visit the women’s center for support resources – it should ultimately be their decision as they are the ones who are affected.”

Randhawa also maintained that Wyant had “avoided listening” to the ongoing workplace issues Randhawa attempted to explain to him. “It was not until after numerous attempts to convince me to resign and the recording reaching The Peak where Martin became involved with workplace issues.”

Wyant declined to comment on Randhawa’s allegations.

While on the subject of women in the workplace, vice-president university relations Jackson Freedman mentioned that an attempt to have a conference on women in the workplace as part of the board’s development session had been shot down by Randhawa previously.

 

Resource roundup: Everything you might need at SFU

By
Peak Web
-
0
Illustration credit Marissa Ouyang

By: Gabrielle McLaren, Features editor 

Orientation, welcome packs, campus tours, the wealth of knowledge that is the Internet, and long, confused, meandering walks across Burnaby Mountain are all good starting places to get to know campus. I know that’s basically what I did.

Still, there were a lot of really useful resources and spaces on campus that I had no idea about until I stumbled upon them over the course of my first two years as an undergrad. Here’s a selection of those happy discoveries.

For the purpose of easy browsing, this piece is divided into the following sections: Academics (including resources at the library), Food, Student Health, Safety, Student Life and Community, and Student societies.

Academics

  • Academic Advising: This is where you want to go if you’re facing academic difficulty, unsure about your major, or just need advice. If you’ve already declared a major or have a pretty good idea of where you’re going, you can also find your department or program’s specialized advisor for more topical advice. Talk to these people: they know the system better than you ever will, and can work magic as you feel your life falling apart.
  • Student Learning Commons (SLC): TAs, teachers, and advisors can be a scary bunch. Fellow students aren’t, and they’re the ones who staff the SLC, trained and ready to help you with your academic writing, your studying habits, or you skills with English as an additional language (EAL). You can book a consultation online at any of the campus libraries, or drop in depending on availability.
  • The SFU Library: Yes, this sounds obvious: we’re all going to use the library at some point. But the library is a magical place, full of secrets waiting to be discovered and treasures beyond your wildest dreams. The basement is full of maps, there’s a video and DVD collection on the first floor, and a good selection of fiction books for pleasure reading too.
  • Group study rooms: This is the link you want to use to book a study room in any of the three libraries. Do book that room; they fill up quickly.
  • AskAway: this saves lives. If you can’t find a resource or the link for an article online is broken, you can chat with a librarian live during their hours.
  • Research help desks: you can get in-person help with research by booking an appointment online or dropping by the research help desks located in every library. Sweet, right? The research librarians have also created a collection of research guides which create a really great starting point for finding resources on a particular course or topic. Plus, some research librarians specialise in various disciplines and subjects, meaning that your department (or the department you’ve randomly found yourself in for that W-requirement) probably has a liaison librarian who can help you.
  • Workshops and classes: There’s a wide range of skill sets that come in handy when you’re a student, and the library is ready to teach you everything from thesis-writing to note-taking and public speaking. Browse the list to see if there’s something that you could pick up.
  • Make sure to actually go to the library. Online resources are convenient, but that one article that can justify your entire thesis can only be found in a book on the fourth floor, cloaked with dust.

Food

  • Food Bank Program: Through the SFSS, students in need can apply for a $25 food certificate up to three times a semester when facing hunger or financial difficulties. Obtaining your certificates is totally confidential, as only your student ID is recorded and the vouchers are distributed in unmarked, discreet envelopes.
  • Food Rescue Program: Embark (a student society dedicated to sustainability) collects fruits and vegetables that are in good condition, but that supermarkets are unable to sell (ex: misshapen fruits) for free or by donation. Check their website to find out where and when distribution tables will be set up each term.
  • Quest Food Exchange: The Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group (SFPIRG) is partnered up with Quest Food Exchange, a not-for-profit food exchange program that will sell discounted food to students facing financial hardships who have a recommendation from SFPIRG. Stop by their office (TC 326 in the Rotunda) and connect with a staff member for a recommendation, or submit the form you can find on SFPIRG’s website by clicking on the link.
  • The Women’s Centre (TC3014) If you identify as a woman, the Women’s Centre is a great place to use a stove, a microwave, or grab a snack on campus.
  • Here’s a listicle of where you can find microwaves on the SFU campuses.

Student Health

    • SFU Health & Counselling Services: These folks have on-campus clinics on the Burnaby and Surrey campuses that provide the same services as your family doctor, Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can book an appointment over the phone, or drop in depending on their availability. They also offer sexual health services ranging from PAP tests to STI testing, pregnancy tests, and counselling. They’re also able to help students maintain and balance their mental health. If you need to speak to a counselor right away due to mental health issues or suicidal thoughts and feelings, you can notify the front desk as soon as you walk in.
  • My SSP: My SSP is a free app, new to SFU, through which students can access confidential, immediate and/or ongoing mental health support. Services are offered in a variety of languages, around the clock. Students can also book counselling sessions over the phone or over video chat with a wide range of counsellors who can match with students through specific shared cultural, spiritual, or gender-based characteristics.
  • Out on Campus (SFU’s pride centre) and the Women’s Centre are both great places to pick up condoms, lubes, razors, pads, tampons, and some information pamphlets about sexual health.
  • Fitness Centre: The Lorne Davies Complex is where you’ll find SFU’s pool and gyms and fitness room — whether you’re going there to cheer on the Clan or to break a sweat yourself. They offer fitness training, group training, specialty classes, dance classes, a climbing wall, and much more. Have a look at their fall schedule, once it’s up online.  

Safety

  • Lost and Found: If you think you lost something on the Burnaby campus, call 778-782-5451. If you think you lost an object at any of the other campuses, drop by their security kiosks.
  • Safe Walk Program: This program is designed to escort any student in need from one part of campus to another, 24/7. Safe Walk Escorts are equipped with IDs, flashlights, and portable radios that keep them connected to SFU Safety Services. They’re active on all campuses and can even provide walks from the Surrey and Vancouver campuses to nearby bus stops. When you need a Safe Walk Escort, call SFU Safety & Risk Services’ non-emergency phone numbers for the appropriate campus (keep them in your phone, just in case).
  • Sexual Violence Support & Prevention Office (Diamond Alumni Centre, Room 014): The well-trained and experienced staff at the SVSPO are there to support survivors impacted by sexual violence, “regardless of when and where the incident took place.” You can meet them at their discreet office, or make an appointment elsewhere if you’re more comfortable. They offer a wide range of support for survivors based on individual needs, and support for anybody who has received a disclosure, as well as education programs.
  • Road conditions and transportation cancellations: This is especially important on the Burnaby Campus, which shuts down if the buses can’t make it up the mountain. You can check this website, or check @SFU on Twitter.

Social life, community, and places to hang out

  • Departmental Student Unions: Certain departments and programs at SFU have smaller student unions dedicated to their students alone. You are part of any student union for a department in which you are majoring/minoring, so you might as well get in touch with your DSU, show up to their meetings and events, and make friends! Start by browsing through the list of DSUs and getting in touch with the executive team. This also looks great on a resume.  
  • SFSS Clubs Directory: The SFSS manages all clubs. You can browse through the list of clubs at SFU online, based on a variety of resources and criteria. If I were you, I would check out Clubs Days in Convocation Centre from September 11-14. That way, you can get a pulse of which clubs are active this term and meet some members as you join.
  • The Global Student Centre (AQ2013) : This is a “hub for all things global, intercultural, and international” as their website states. Their lounge is comfy, equipped with a kitchenette, and open to all. Their events range from Language Cafés and Talent Nights to Timbit Tuesdays.
  • The Interfaith Centre (AQ3200) – This is a place designed to increase religious tolerance and support the spiritual well-being of SFU’s community regardless of their faith. They put on activities, dialogues, certain worship gatherings, and discussions throughout the week- either on their own, or by getting in touch with various faith groups on campus.
  • Out on Campus (OOC, TC314-N): This is SFU’s Pride centre, operating on the Burnaby Campus. OOC has a beautiful lounge area, a giant collection of queer books, snacks, buttons, condoms (internal, external, and latex-free), information, safer sex supplies, and (in my experience) good company.
  • The Women’s Centre (TC3014) : You can drop by the centre (which has an all-gender area as well as one reserved for self-identified women) for a nap, a snack, a book, a pad, support, and a variety of different activities and workshops.

Student societies on campus

There are a variety of student societies at SFU, designed to provide a variety of specialized resources to students. As an SFU student, you’re automatically a member of all of them. Here they are, in alphabetical order:

  • CJSF (SFU’s community radio; Rotunda TC216): You can hear them at 90.1 FM from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week, or live online. They are also always looking for volunteers.
  • Embark Sustainability Society  (WMC 2621): Embark is dedicated to making campus a greener, more sustainable place and helping students make a difference.
  • The Graduate Student Society at Simon Fraser University (GSS, MBC2203): The GSS is a society that has served and represented the university’s graduate students since 2007, operating independently from the SFSS, which serves undergraduate students. Their services and work include advocacy for grad students, providing a lounge (with free coffee service!), helping them connect with one another, and assisting them with attaining legal or financial aid.  
  • The Peak Publication Society  (MBC 2900): Hi, that’s us. We’re the independent student newspaper at SFU, bringing you all kinds of content online and in print. Like CJSF, we’re always looking for new contributors.
  • The Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) (MBC 2270): The SFSS is the largest society on campus, and works to support students and improve their experience while at SFU. They provide the U-Pass, a free legal clinic, room booking systems, and administration for clubs and departmental student unions.
  • The Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group (SFPIRG) (TC326) : SFPIRG is a social and environmental justice resource and advocacy centre. They have their fingers in about a hundred different pies and causes and will be happy to work on you with yours, so make sure to visit them in the Rotunda or online to learn more. The Shelf of Reciprocity outside their office is also a cool place for lucky finds, or to pass along some well-loved objects.

The bottom line: if you need something at SFU, ask! Someone will be able to lend a listening ear or connect you to the resources that you need to succeed, thrive, and be happy here. Welcome, or welcome back.

SFU eSports thrives despite not being formally recognized by Simon Fraser University

By
Peak Web
-
1
SFU finished top 8 at the 2018 League of Legends College Championship and came in first in the Junior Varsity League of Legends Championship. (Photo provided by SFU Esports Association)

By: Michelle Gomez

The relatively young industry of eSports has recently seen tremendous, rapid growth that is unparalleled by most sports. Large gaming events fill stadiums with people and generate millions of dollars in prize pool money. Fans stream tournaments online or watch in person by the thousands. The top eSports players in the world earn billions of dollars and spend up to 50 hours a week practicing.

It therefore comes as no surprise that SFU has established a thriving eSports team for students who are passionate about gaming. President of the SFU Esports Association Devon Zhao explains that one of the main reasons that eSports have become so prevalent in the past few years is “the fundamental shift of making the experience of being a spectator more entertaining [ . . . ] more resources are invested to ensure that all facets of an eSports event are held to a high standard to make people want to watch other people play.”

Prior to the SFU Esports Association, there were a number of clubs dedicated to various specific games, such as League of Legends, Hearthstone, Overwatch, and others. About three years ago, the Esports Association was created to oversee all of these smaller clubs and to provide a broader gaming community for those who are interested in multiple games.

Zhao states that the main objective of the club is to “bring together a community with the shared interest of gaming, and provide that community with opportunities to make new friends as well as career and networking opportunities.” Through a wide array of events, they are able to ensure that players of all ages, skill levels, and genders are able to find events that interest them.

All of their events are open to students of SFU, as well as to the general public. They host informal tournaments, icebreaker events, viewing parties for major gaming events, and even career and networking opportunities for those who want to enter the industry. Twice a year, they hold a large weekend-long tournament that involves a number of different games in which players can compete and win money.

The main challenge that the Esports Association faces is not being formally recognized as a team by SFU. Kevin Gomez, vice-president communications of the association, explains that many schools across the U.S. and Canada — including UBC — manage their eSports clubs in the same way as regular sports. They provide funding, host tournaments, and even offer scholarships to students who are promising eSports players.

“It’s hard for us to compete when other schools’ clubs have a lot of infrastructure and are supported by their schools while we’re not,” says Gomez. “We are falling behind because we don’t have support.”

Nevertheless, they are still out there in the gaming world pulling in the wins for SFU. Among many other achievements, SFU finished top 8 at the 2018 League of Legends College Championship and came in first in the Junior Varsity League of Legends Championship–Gomez notes that they are currently doing better than the UBC team. They also have had multiple members receive offers to join professional eSports teams.

While the club currently does not have an official gaming space, the new Student Union Building will be home to SFU’s first official and properly equipped gaming lounge. Since the lounge is technically set to be under the control of SFU, the eSports Association is in the process of applying for authority over the lounge. If SFU approves, the Esports Association will be able to have their own space that they can run and host events in. While SFU does not provide the same resources that other schools do for eSports, the construction of a proper gaming lounge is a step in the right direction.

With the recent rise of popularity in eSports and the promise of a space of their own, the future looks bright for the SFU Esports Association. According to Gomez, they are always looking for more students who want to get involved and join the fun. “All we ask is for players to come in with a good attitude, to be accommodating, and to have fun.”

You can learn more about events and contact the team on their website or Facebook page.

You can also email them at [email protected] for more information.

Binge-watching is just a normal way to take in shows

By
Peak Web
-
0
This screen is automatic, but it might as well not be (The Peak / Chris Ho)

Written by: Michelle Chiang, SFU Student

Binge-watching is a term that, as recently as five years ago, might have seemed abnormal. The time commitment required to take in an entire show or series within a single night or two was something considered challenging and unusual. Now, binge-watching is entrenched within popular culture. Everyone does it. It’s normal, and often expected.

Much of the recent culture of binge-watching is thanks to the popularity of streaming giant Netflix. Compared to other streaming services, Netflix is unusual in that they maintain a large library of completed shows in their library. This concept is completely opposed to the linear system of television broadcasting that has existed for a while, where new episodes of a show come out once a week. Netflix has started putting a few weekly released shows, but they certainly don’t have the same type of appeal as the rest of its library.

While Netflix played a key role in popularizing binge-watching, the practice isn’t a new concept whatsoever. Illegal streaming sites such as TVMuse and KissCartoon have not only existed for ages, but are also widely considered a reliable way of accessing both old and new shows. People have been binge-watching their favourite series on these sites since back when watching 10 episodes of a show at once was considered weird and unnatural. Netflix simply legitimized it, and made it a standard way of watching a show.

With a large mass of people now binge-watching their favourite series online, there’s been a new shift in how we consume our media. We no longer wait for each episode of a series to come out; instead, people entire seasons of a show in one sitting. By watching like this, viewers can consume their media on a much broader level, better recognizing larger narratives within a season, rather than focusing on the smaller details of each episode.

It also allows viewers to be more conscientious. When you aggregate a TV-watching group with similar interests, they tend to work together and pick apart every detail of a show as they display it to other fans. Whether it’s about an unusual prop making a reappearance or the fact that a certain female character actually has screen time this time around, it’s exciting to be able to watch an episode and then go scream about it with people on the Internet. Taking in an entire show has become an event, different from just watching a movie.

That’s not to say it’s all sparkles and rainbows though. There are only 24 hours in a day; add that into any university student’s extremely busy schedule and something’s got to give. Why do you think so many students are so tired all the time? They’re staying up late pulling all-nighters and it certainly isn’t for studying — at least, not always. “Just one more episode!” might as well be the new student mantra.

But as with any kind of behaviour, there are always people on the extremes. There are people who never binge-watch, and there are people who will literally rope off the entire day and sit down and watch a show from start to finish. You’ll also find people in the middle — people who watch perhaps two to four episodes and call it a day. For many, that’s all the time or energy they have, but they still get a similar experience to binging just by the show being on their schedule instead of a weekly cable release.

Binge-watching is a new norm and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere, but it doesn’t change the game as much as you would expect. We’ve certainly moved away from a more granular method of consuming media, but instead we get to judge content as a whole, and we have gained ease in finding people to share that experience with. It’s far from new or everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s great that it’s becoming more common.

SFU volleyball win first GNAC match of the season three sets to one over Saint Martin’s University

By
Peak Web
-
0
Kirsten Pinkney led the Clan with 18 kills in the contest. (Photo courtesy of SFU Athletics)

On Thursday evening, the SFU Clan volleyball team took on the Saint Martin’s University Saints at the West Gym on Burnaby Campus. After struggling out of the gate in 2017 due to a road-heavy schedule to start the season, the Clan got their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) win behind them at home by a score of three sets to one. After dominating early, the team showed signs of early-season form, but were able to pull off the exciting victory in the fourth set.

Starting out the season in front of a home crowd definitely helped, explained head coach Gina Schmidt in a post-game interview with The Peak.

“It definitely is nice [starting at home], especially because we had a long flight and trip to Hawaii and then another trip to California back to back, so it is nice not to be back on the road again [ . . . ] and then to be in front of our home crowd is also really nice.”

SFU won the first two sets comfortably by scores of 25–19 and 25–13. Just when it looked like the team would coast to victory, however, they struggled mightily in a challenging third set.

The team combined for a .175 kill percentage in the third set, including eight errors, much lower than the .366 and .382 percentages they put up in the first two sets. As things went down to the wire, a rotation error caused the Clan to go into the last few points without their typical lineup, as explained by Schmidt after the game. A service error by SFU followed by a service ace by the Saints gave the visitors a 26–24 set win, as well as the momentum heading into what would be the final set.

While the fourth set was close, the Clan ended up on top. Senior Lauren Fridman was crucial down the stretch, getting the final two points for SFU via a block and a electrifying kill to seal the set at 25–23 and give her team the victory.

“There’s still some things we need to clean up [ . . . ] but always happy with the win,” said Schmidt post game.

That was the general consensus in the building. While things looked shaky at times, particularly in the third set, getting their first victory behind them is huge for the Clan considering that early season struggles cost them a playoff berth last season. The team knows that they will have to play consistently throughout the season in order to meet their goal of playing in the national tournament come season’s end.

Peak player of the game: Kirsten Pinkney

Leading the team with 18 kills while also contributing a block, Pinkney was huge for the Clan throughout the contest. After coming out firing in the first two sets, she had six kills and a block in the final set and was a major factor in her team’s first GNAC win of the season.

What’s next:

SFU will now host Seattle Pacific University on Saturday, September 8. The Falcons finished one place below the Clan in the GNAC last season with a record of 10–10. The game starts at 7 p.m.

 

1...623624625...1,443Page 624 of 1,443

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society