Humans of SFU: Residence edition

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June 27, 2016

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]ll over the world, and right here at SFU, this Humans-of-Somewhere style of storytelling has appeared, and made big waves in the way we look at people around us. Last week we went around talking to, and photographing, some of the students who form the residence community on the Burnaby campus — paying homage to the popular Humans of SFU Facebook groups. We are all just people. All too often we put ourselves down, and say that we’re not ‘interesting’ enough, ‘smart’ enough, ‘cool’ enough — but everyone has a story to tell. And there are some great ones right here at SFU.

Peter is a computer science major, who stayed in homestay before residence. He never really felt like he fit in, though. Originally from China, Peter moved to residence last semester after leaving his homestay arrangement. He says homestay gave a false sense of family: “It’s not ‘your’ family; it is a family but not yours.”

He currently lives in the townhouses at SFU residence. Although he is far from his family in China, he gets to make a new family here. He has made many friends in his time at SFU, mostly within the residence community.

One aspect of living in residence that he has enjoyed is the opportunity to meet people from around the world. He made friends with his roommates, who are from Pakistan and Zimbabwe. Although he has had some issues adjusting to the new rainy climate, he says he welcomes the change. He loves the freedom living on residence grants him, and really enjoys summertime: “The temperature and weather is fantastic,” he says.

Mide is originally from Nigeria. This move could have been tough to get used to, but luckily for Mide, he usually travels a lot, so adjusting to Vancouver wasn’t a complete change of pace: “It’s not like a new environment completely,” he says.

This is Mide’s third semester living in residence. He still enjoys every bit of it. For Mide, residence allows him to remain active, mentioning tennis and partying as some of his favourite pastimes on campus.

Originally, Mide moved into residence to be closer to classes, but he says being here has shown more benefits. Most of his friends already lived in SFU residence when he moved in, but he says that he has made many more friends from the residence community after moving in. “Living with people from different places” is one of the best parts about being here, according to him.

Before living on campus, he says his exposure to other cultures was limited. Being here gives him the opportunity to create bonds with all kinds of people, which he says has made him a better person: “They all have different views and it’s really cool to listen [to] what everybody else has to say.”

Originally from Zimbabwe, Bono has been staying in SFU residence ever since he came to Vancouver two semesters ago. He has made a lot of friends in his time here, a fact that sometimes overwhelms him, but he is learning to manage social obligations alongside personal care. He moved to Pauline Jewett House this semester and is hoping to transition to the townhouses next semester.

Bono says that his life has changed a lot since moving to Vancouver. Although climate is one of the main changes, it’s not the only one — for him, life here is very fast, unlike back home. Despite this change in pace, he believes that he has successfully adjusted in the past eight months. He credits the community on campus for helping him adjust to all the change.

Bono says he likes kicking back with friends on residence, mentioning common areas like the Madge Hogarth House as good places to relax. Although he would prefer to see more events and activities in residence, he is happy to be here. The Dining Hall, the convenience, and the community are reasons he loves living on Burnaby Mountain. Despite a few flaws, Bono doesn’t see himself living anywhere else while pursuing his studies.

Cory is a local who has lived in residence since the fall of 2014. Although she was a little hesitant to move onto the campus at first, her cousin, who is a past student, shared positive experiences with her. This ultimately gave Cory the push she needed to make the move.

Entering the world of university seemed a little scary to Cory, but the orientation — both to the university and also to residence — helped her feel more at home. Soon after that, she started volunteering with the Residence Hall Association, represented Shadbolt House, and helped with organizing events. Later on she took on the role of vice-president of communication, which was a big step up and a great experience for her.

Now Cory works with the Residence and Housing office, sorting out accommodations and organizing events. Although she will move out in the fall for nine months while she is on exchange in Northwest France, she hopes to move back in when she returns. For her, SFU residence has become more about the community than the convenience.

Vicky, who is originally from China, has lived in residence for about a year. Being an international student has been hard for her: “I feel lonely here,” she confesses.

Although she saw her parents in May this year, she still misses them and can’t wait to see them again. While she says that the experience is a challenging one, being in residence with her friends has helped buffer some of the homesickness. She loves swimming and tries to go to the pool with friends as often as possible, but her busy schedule can make it tough.

She also says she loves events like the Spring Formal, which are accessible to all residents.

Catherine is from China, and is relatively new to both residence and the SFU community, having been here for about a month. She is fascinated by the Canadian education system, and loves the fact that you can take as little as one class each day, unlike at home where she had to take classes all day long.

She also enjoys living in residence and having a private room all to herself in comparison to China, where she had to share her residence with at least four other people. “Here I have my own room, and there is a refrigerator here. I like that very much,” she says. For Catherine, the 10-hour long flight has been worth the experience so far.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: The Graduate Student Society at SFU is failing its membership

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EIC

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June 27, 2016

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Dear Editor,

In 2007, the graduate students at SFU formally created a new, independent student society to represent themselves and their interests at the university. In response to a number of controversial decisions and actions undertaken on their behalf, and without a true democratic voice in the process purportedly created to represent them, grad students separated from the SFSS, and began a project to ensure that their interests, issues, and goals could be more effectively and democratically represented and pursued. As a result of the hard work of many volunteers and a handful of elected representatives, the GSS was born.

And, for some time, [. . .] the possibility of an organization devoted to advocating on behalf of graduate students’ interests started coming to fruition.

Today, this is no longer the case. With the exception of creating a position to specifically advocate on behalf of graduate students at the university (i.e., in appeals cases, in dealing with supervisory issues, etc.), and mounting a campaign to draw attention to the dismal state of the deteriorating infrastructure at SFU, the GSS has little that it can point to by way of justifying the fees which it collects semesterly from all students enrolled in graduate programs or courses at SFU.

Take the recent and still developing controversy concerning rape allegations on campus, and the response of SFU’s administration. While this situation has received media coverage from a number of different sources, and has elicited responses from both the SFSS and the TSSU, the GSS has remained conspicuously silent. Should graduate students not also be concerned about these allegations, and about the perceived response, or lack thereof, from the university’s administration?

And yet, no statement, no communication, no apparent interest [. . .] on the part of the organization whose role it is to represent graduate student interests at SFU on this important issue that undoubtedly has repercussions across the university community.

Or, take the slough of recent and upcoming administrative hires that are occurring at SFU. A number of high profile positions have been newly filled, and more are coming. In the midst of these deeply impactful decisions being made at the university, and in spite of having the opportunity to be present and represent graduate student issues in these decisions, there has been virtually no communication, consultation, participation, or representation of graduate students in these processes.

If the GSS exists to ensure that the issues and interests of graduate students are truly represented at the university, why has the organization been so strikingly absent from these discussions? Why have they not communicated these processes to their membership?

In fact, it seems that the GSS has done little, if anything, of late when perusing its website. Meeting minutes and reports are not made readily available, and seem to go months, even a whole semester, before they’re updated. Their “News & Events” seem mostly comprised of socials, contests, and coupons. No new services, initiatives, or projects have been undertaken in what appears to be years now. It’s little wonder that their AGM this year failed to meet quorum, or that the organization keeps trying to (and has done in the past) lower the required attendance for quorum.

For an organization created to ensure the democratic representation of graduate students in the university community, whose stated existence is to work for and on behalf of the interests and issues of graduate students, into which graduate students pay mandatory fees, there is little evidence of the GSS being much more than an expensive social club populated by resumé-padding “representatives.”

Sincerely,

Robert Eaves

Andy Shauf brings The Party to Vancouver

By

EIC

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June 26, 2016

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Andy web — Andy Shauf returns to Canada amidst a full year of touring.

Andy Shauf is in the middle of a very busy year.

Fresh off a spring tour in Europe that ended at the start of June, he’s already back on the road opening for ANTI- labelmate case/lang/veirs, who have a Vancouver date scheduled this week on June 29.

In fact, if you look at his tour dates on his website, September is the only month he isn’t scheduled to play for the rest of 2016. He’ll be touring through North America, with a return to Vancouver planned for October.

“It gets really tiring in a way,” Shauf said about constantly being on. “There are moments here and there that totally make all the ‘work’ worthwhile.

“It’s a totally rewarding experience, I do enjoy it. But I would enjoy some time off, keep writing, keep trying to do the thing I love to do the most.”

It isn’t as if it came as a surprise. In October of last year, Shauf signed to ANTI-, as well as Arts & Crafts here in Canada. The man Exclaim called “one of Canada’s best young folk singer-songwriters” released his new album with them, entitled The Party.

Not only has the album been getting attention from all the touring he’s done, it was also recognized with a long-list nomination from the Polaris Music Prize for the best Canadian album. Should it also make the short-list, it appears Shauf would have plans in September, attending the gala.

He said it was “really cool to be included in this list of really great albums,” and also mentioned that it’s special to be back playing again in Canada.

“I love playing in Canada. I’m really excited to do it again. I don’t even know [when] the last time I played in Canada was,” he said. “I’ve been touring in Western Canada for 10 years, so it’s really nice to play in familiar cities and see all the people who have supported you for a long time.”

The Party is getting well-earned attention right now. For those unfamiliar with Shauf’s work, his bandcamp page lists the music as “pop clarinet dark Canada.” While he does a beautiful job blending clarinet with piano, guitar, drums — and getting some help from Colin Nealis on the strings — it’s his storytelling that draws you in as a listener.

The Party is the story of just that: a party that takes place in a “city the size of a dinner plate.” Shauf creates these realistic characters for us to listen to as one night full of little vignettes unfold. Hearts lust away to swooning clarinet melodies, people drunkenly stumble to rich piano lines, and all the while Shauf’s emotional, soothing voice guides listeners through the night’s events.

Shauf selected 10 songs from the 15 he was working on for The Party, which is a much lower number than the 100+ songs he selected from for his last full-length album, 2015’s The Bearer of Bad News.

“I think I just have a better sense of what I like and what I don’t like,” he said of how his writing process has evolved. “On those earlier albums, there’s a lot of searching and a lot of trial and error whereas with The Party it was kind of easier to focus and know what I wanted to do.”

As evidenced by his Polaris nomination, it’s also something that listeners want him to do as well. Hopefully he finds time to appreciate this fact — maybe in 2017.

Andy Shauf is playing at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Wednesday, opening for case/lang/veirs as part of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Tickets are available here.

Admin “must be held accountable” for lack of transparency on sexual assault, says prof

By

EIC

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June 25, 2016

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EMILE_CMYK — Chenier congratulates students who have advocated for a sexual assault and prevention and support centre.

It’s been several weeks since the recent sexual assault allegations came to light at Simon Fraser University, and statements from the administration have been few and far between.

While acknowledging that there are legal issues arising that prevent the specifics from being released to the public, many on campus have expressed frustration by the silence maintained by university officials.

Elise Chenier, head of Academic Women at Simon Fraser University, told The Peak that even though the school can’t talk about the specific cases and what’s being discussed in the media, there is still a lot more that administration could be doing.

“I’d say that, legally and ethically, they can’t speak directly to the accusations of sexual assault. Nevertheless, there are a whole host of other issues that this raises that can be spoken about publicly and openly and directly,” she said.

“For example, what are the procedures currently in place? Did those procedures fail? If they failed, have immediate steps been taken to correct them? And if not, why not?”

Chenier, who is also a professor in the history department, went on to argue that SFU needs to be taken to task for why students were not informed of reports of sexual assault on campus.

“I think there are really complicated legal issues that legitimately do prohibit them from saying certain things that pertain to the case,” she said.

“[But the question is,] why in residence was I not informed that there has been a report of sexual assault? Why was I not informed of that? That is a legitimate question to which I think the SFU admin must be held accountable and must respond to that.”

“There are lots of people who have been aware of these cases for some time. It wasn’t news to Jon Driver, for example.”

She drew a comparison to the 1998 court case of Jane Doe v. Board of Commissioners of Police for the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto. Doe was the fifth survivor of a serial rapist referred to as the “Balcony Rapist,” who committed a string of sexual assaults in the 1980s.

Doe sued the police for not alerting the affected areas of the previous four attacks — which they said they didn’t to avoid raising fear in the community — and won.

Chenier suggested that this shows the court recognizes that there is a responsibility to inform of a known danger. To her, even if SFU didn’t know all the details, or if it was just an accusation, the administration had an ethical responsibility to announce this, and proceed accordingly.

“Unless you are a potential victim [. . .] I think you lack the awareness of just how important that kind of information is, and how valuable it is, and how having that information helps create a safer environment,” she said.

Chenier identified women, queer people, and people with disabilities as those most likely to be potential victims.

SFU admin have been quick to point to the work they are currently doing to create a new sexual violence and misconduct policy, when asked for comment about the allegations. However, Chenier said that it is important to remember these are the same school officials who knew about the accusations before having campus-wide town halls to discuss the policy in May.

“People who are involved in initiating the policy process have been aware of these cases. This may have come to light to the general public, but there are lots of people who have been aware of these cases for some time. It wasn’t news to Jon Driver, for example.”

As far as what can happen next, Chenier acknowledged that while sexual assault can’t always be prevented, there are all kinds of things that can be done here to make SFU a safer place. The aforementioned policy is one of them.

“The policy is essential. You can say in your academic statements all you want [that] we will not tolerate sexual misconduct, but yes you will, if there’s nothing to provide meaningful consequences,” she said.

“I’m not saying there’s nothing now, but if you look at the rate of conviction in society, it’s pretty safe to go commit a sexual assault. It’s highly unlikely you’re going to get charged for it, or pay any kind of price for it.”

Chenier also identified comprehensive education as key in preventing sexual assault, and pointed out the need for more resources on campus. She singled out the proposed standalone sexual assault prevention and support centre which was discussed earlier this year.

“You have to have robust services. And it can’t be one person here and one person there. And the message that we’re hearing from the administration is, ‘Well, we have health and counselling.’ That in and of itself is not sufficient,” she said.

“This is why one of the things I’m supporting is those people who are advocating for a standalone sexual assault centre. I support that, and I think they’re absolutely right. I agree with them, and I will do everything I can to help that come to fruition. We’ve seen elsewhere, we have irrefutable evidence that this works, that this is effective.”

NEW MUSIC FRIDAY

By

Peak Web

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June 24, 2016

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By: Courtney Miller, Jessica Pickering, and Jessica Whitesel

Follow The Peak on Spotify to stay up to date on New Music Friday.

“Time of the Blue” – The Tallest Man on Earth

Jessica Whitesel: I love the Tallest Man on Earth and this song is no exception. This is just a really nice laid-back indie-folk track with simple guitar, and really well-done layering when it occurs. This song is definitely making it into my regular rotation.

Courtney Miller: The guitar is beautiful. The vocals are a little nasally but, for the most part, it works with the rural, simplistic vibe from this song. It’s a very calming and soothing track.

Jessica Pickering: The intro really made me want to dance, which probably makes me weird. What makes me even weirder is that I kind of was dancing to it and then the vocals started. This is not the type of song you should dance to. I really like this song but the next time I listen to it I’m just going to sit still (like I should have in the first place).

“Rest in Peace” – Yellowcard

JW: When I was younger, I really liked the entire Ocean Avenue album. But now that I am older I really just am not a huge fan of the same three chords being pounded out accompanied by almost scream-singing. While their fans have grown, the band has not. This song can RIP.

CM: It’s not fantastic, but it’s not bad either. It picks up on the guitar solo and that’s about the high point because otherwise it’s middle of the road pop-punk/alt-rock. Definitely no “Ocean Avenue.”

JP: This feels a little too angsty teenage years for me. If you feel like reliving your Grade 9 emo phase, this is the song for you. Overall, this song is pretty consistent with everything I’ve ever heard from Yellowcard.

“WILD” – Troye Sivan feat. Alessia Cara

JW: This is a really pleasant pop duet. I wasn’t too sure if I was going to like the combination of these two artists who have distinct voices, but they actually sound good together, which is a plus for a duet. The backing track wasn’t really the greatest, but the vocals more than make up for that.

CM: “You make my heart shake, bend, and break” — it’s not A+ song-writing but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t catchy. Sivan’s and Cara’s voices work well together, which elevates the song from the depths of mediocrity.

JP: I really love the sound of this guy’s voice but I think he’s in the wrong genre. Alessia Cara’s vocals fit way better with the backing track. This song could be great but there are some parts that just aren’t working for me. It’s not bad but it could be better.

“Óveður” – Sigur Rós

JW: Sigur Rós is one of my favourite background music bands. There is just something about the mix of Icelandic lyrics and the post-rock track that I find incredibly soothing. While this is not going to be everybody’s cup of tea, it is mine and I can’t wait for a new album from them.

CM: I’m not feeling this. It starts off like there’s an apocalypse coming — which I am all about — and then it gets these movie-majestic vocals. Awesome, if I could stop it there that’d be great. Alas, the vocals shift into subpar, trying-too-hard-and-not-getting-better, sounds-like-someone’s-dying vocals and the music has this huge disconnect with the melody and I’m just out.

JP: This feels like a song I’m not going to get. The music is weird and staticky. The vocals are really slow and a little creepy. Update: I am 100 percent sure that I don’t get this song; there is now what sounds like a T-shirt gun going off repeatedly. This song has unsettled me.

“Champion Lover” – Nina Sky

JW: The only song I ever remember them having was “Move Ya Body” from 2004. And while I can respect them for continuing to make music, they should crawl back under their rock. While they have been around longer than Fifth Harmony this sounds like they picked up one of their reject songs in an attempt to make it big and not a comeback.

CM: This was all around ‘meh’ for me. It was boring, highly conducive to zoning out, and never really went anywhere. “Champion lover, number one spot” won’t be winning any awards lyrically — I hope. And honestly, I thought it was “number one slut” until I looked those lyrics up.

JP: This song is fun. I can see it playing in a mall or something. It’s really upbeat and the words are repetitive so I can see it being overplayed. Don’t be surprised if you hear it the next time you’re shopping at Forever 21.

“Sucker For Pain” – Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, and Imagine Dragons feat. X Ambassadors, Ty Dolla $ign, and Logic

JW: I was prepared to hate this song just based off how many artists were involved with its creation. I would listen to this more than once, and bless Imagine Dragons and X Ambassadors for making this not some crazed rap song. The only low point was Wiz Khalifa’s verse, which just didn’t fit stylistically with the rest of the song.

CM: Bless Imagine Dragons for influencing this song. It’s creepy, but dynamic and complex to showcase real musicality, which I live for. The rapping isn’t bad, but it’s not great either — some notes fall flat, others sharp. It has a “too many cooks in the kitchen” feel to it with all the different rappers in it.

JP: This song is for the Suicide Squad movie soundtrack and you can totally tell. It’s like the studio gave them a list of words they had to use. It just sounds really forced. Also the number of artists they packed into this is insane. I don’t know who is behind this song, but they are trying too hard.

“No Future” – Blink-182

JW: I miss Tom DeLonge. He just brought something to the band and now that he isn’t there they just kind of suck. Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio wasn’t a good fit for replacing DeLonge and it really comes through in this song. It sounds like some weird Blink-182 and New Found Glory mash-up and nobody wants that.

CM: This is a great morning song to get you up and pumped, ready to take on the world. Fast tempo, and lots of rollicking drums make this another Blink-182 winner, as long as you like their style.

JP: I think Blink-182 plagiarized one of their own songs. I swear I’ve heard this song before, just with different lyrics. Either that or all of Blink-182’s songs are starting to sound the same to me. Honestly, it’s probably the latter. Is this what getting old feels like?

“Some Other Summer” – Sebastian Drums feat. Roxette

JW: It is an inoffensive electronic dance track, but that is about all I can say about it. It just kind of reeks of store brand cereal, like sugar-frosted flakes. You know that if you are given a choice you are going to pick the name brand. That feeling is this song.

CM: It’s neither upbeat enough nor catchy enough to actually be a summer song. I like that the music evolves throughout the song, and that it’s not repetitive in the aggravating fashion that’s popular these days. I’d still pass on listening to it again after this though.

JP: This is it. This is the most autotuned song in existence. I heard the intro and I thought it was going to be a good song. I was let down. I just want it to be over already.

“Crazy Shit” – Hannah Georgas

JW: I have mixed feelings about this song. I feel like I need to listen to it more than once to fully appreciate it, but I’m not fully in love with it on the first listen. I’m hoping that it will be one of those sleeper songs that I will end up actually loving.

CM: The first time through it’s kind of whimsical and just kind of pretty — at least in the chorus. The second time it’s a little grating and the vocals start losing their appeal. Again, we have a song that doesn’t really go anywhere.

JP: This song is literally nothing. The lyrics are mediocre at best, Georgas sings the same note the whole time, and the music is boring. The worst part is I can see it becoming crazy popular. Mentally preparing myself for it to be overplayed on the radio, just in case.

“Door” – Nice as Fuck

JW: This is just kind of blah. It isn’t bad, but it isn’t great either. It is super repetitive though, so it has that working against it. The further you get into the song you just want to slam the fucking door so it will stop. Which makes it less blah and more bad, but the beginning is kind of fun.

CM: This song doesn’t capture your attention, like it’s super easy to ignore. It’s fine for background music until you get annoyed at the repetitive melodies and lyrics.

JP: This kind of reminds me of Dragonette but I like Dragonette better. I really like the music, and the vocals aren’t bad, but I’m getting really tired of hearing “Don’t close the door.” I’m not exaggerating when I say half of the lyrics are the line “Don’t close the door.” The other half is “do doo do.”

“Hangin’ On” – ROZES

JW: This is a fun dance track, and has the potential to do really well on the charts, especially after the success of “Roses.” My only complaint is the repetitive nature of the lyrics, but if you are dancing in a club or your living room that really won’t be that big of an issue.

CM: This song grows on you. It’s got great rhythm and vocals that work with the music and it never stays in one place for too long. It could become a solid addition to a playlist made for dancing.

JP: I like this song in spite of myself. I think I mostly just like the beat. It’s a good dancing song so expect to hear it a lot this summer. I really like the steel drums; it makes this song more interesting than a lot of the other pop music out there.

“Young Like Us” – Frans

JW: This is just a fun and happy song. The lyrics are kind of simple, but it works. It just makes me want to drink with my friends at a house party, and then have the night turn into some sort of drunken adventure — even if it just to the door to get pizza. Those are the best nights and they fit the feeling of this song perfectly.

CM: This song is borderline too repetitive, but it’s just slightly too feel-good and catchy for it to be a negative aspect of the song. It’s a little bit of fun that won’t rub too many people the wrong way.

JP: This might be my favourite song on this playlist. It’s not a fantastic song, but for me it’s the best one I’ve heard today. The chorus is kind of cheesy: “I’ve got a feeling the night is young, young like us” is definitely not the best lyric I’ve ever heard but overall the song is pretty good. Seven out of 10, would listen again.

CENTRE STAGE: Small Stage and Ballet BC join forces

By

EIC

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June 24, 2016

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Small stage ballet bc – the gerogia straight — Dance performances like no other will grace the grounds of Deer Lake park.

Ballet BC dancers have a long history of appearing in Dances for a Small Stage shows. Peter Smida, Maggie Forgeron, and Makaila Wallace, among others, have graced the small stage, but this is the second time the two companies have formally collaborated on a show. In 2010, shortly after Emily Molnar had taken over Ballet BC, she connected with others in the dance community, including Small Stage artistic producer, Julie-anne Saroyan, and their companies joined forces for the first time.

This time, the dancers are together as an ensemble, choreographing works on each other and driving the creative process and vision of the show. “The first one was more presentational, but this show is coming from the dancers,” said Saroyan. Among the pairings are SFU dance alumna Vanessa Goodman who is choreographing a work on Ballet BC dancers Gilbert Small and Christoph von Riedemann.

“It is such a pleasure to be able to work with Gilbert and Christoph,” said Goodman. “Their artistry and generosity are creatively inspiring and have fed the process in a really important way. It’s great to be able to work with new people as each time I get to engage with new artists it brings forth new questions about my artistic practice and enables me to be able to grow and evolve within each creation.”

With the show being performed to a smaller audience in an intimate outdoor setting, this provides an opportunity for Ballet BC dancers to perform in a different atmosphere and express themselves in a different way; they have more artistic control over the performance. Dancing in Deer Lake Park is quite different from dancing on the Queen Elizabeth Theatre stage: in this show there are no wings to run into, and no theatrical tricks to hide behind. “They have to rely solely on their choreography and this can be the most meaningful experience for a choreographer where their work can really shine,” explained Saroyan.

Goodman’s piece involves a large wooden set piece shaped a bit like an ice cream cone with the pointed end cut off. “This work is not only centred around the environment of Deer Lake Park,” explained Goodman, “but also has a very striking set that is influential in the structure and the engagement of the work. The set piece is built to amplify the environment and the soundscape.”

I look forward to seeing how this large sculpture is incorporated into the work, as Goodman explained that it’s not often she has the opportunity to work on a scale this large with a set piece. “It has been a remarkable collaboration to construct the set,” said Goodman. “Julie-anne is amazing! When I told her what I wanted to do, she said let’s find a way to make it happen. It’s thrilling for me as an artist to challenge my process in new ways, and the combination of this set piece and working with Christoph and Gilbert has done this.”

All of the dancers have been working on their pieces since February, and everyone met up for the first time on June 20 to put it all together. They had a few days to polish everything, as well as decide on the order of the show and the specific locations in the park for each piece. When interviewed, Saroyan hadn’t even seen any choreography yet. “I’m looking forward to seeing what they all come up with,” she said.

The format of the show is similar to that of other Small Stage shows, other than the outdoor venue. There are 10 short pieces of five to seven minutes each, and the audience is led around the park to a few different locations. The choreography is sure to be risky and exciting, but they’re hoping the weather will treat them well.

The audience is invited to arrive early and enjoy a barbecue in the park from Big Rock Brewery. This is sure to be an enjoyable evening of innovative dance in a laid-back environment, and I hope to see more collaborations between these two mainstays of the Vancouver dance scene.

This article originally appeared on Tessa Perkins’ blog.

My first gay bar experience

By

EIC

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June 24, 2016

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[dropcap]C[/dropcap]ontinuing the conversation on the Pulse massacre is important. By letting these atrocities be drowned out from news cycles, they simply become a footnote, instead of a moment for change. This event wasn’t about gun control or religious radicalization — it was about loss. There was a loss of lives, of community, and of protection.

A loss of safe spaces in these clubs we had turned into our refuges. By sharing our experiences, such as those who’ve turned to Twitter to share #MyFirstGayBar stories, we can begin to heal and reclaim some of what was lost. So, I’d like to share mine.

It’s been many years since my first gay bar experience, yet I’ll admit, there are still elements I remember as if it were yesterday.

I felt a lot of trepidation as I walked up to “the gay street,” as my cousin called it then. I’d been there during the day, and now at night, alone, knowing that I was going to go to my first gay bar, things suddenly seemed very loud and vibrant. I stood in line as regulars greeted each other around me.

There was a dull bassline coming from inside the bar. It may have been blood pumping in my ear, but whatever it was, it was making people around me sound like the adults on the Peanuts cartoons. “Whhaa whhaaa whaaa,” the very large muscular man in front of me broke my trance, and I handed him the ID he asked for.

One guy winked at me when they caught me staring and, even in the dark bar, I was sure I was bright red.

The thumpa-thumpa of the club track hit me, and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I stepped into the building. I checked my coat as my eyes adjusted and I looked ahead into the dark bar. At first, I saw nothing but swirls of lights from the dance floor as they washed across the patrons already well on their way to oblivion.

Then I saw the sign. Bright, neon, and a purple that was trying to be pink — it read “Gay Establishment.” Underneath it, two boys were making out. One guy winked at me when they caught me staring and, even in the dark bar, I was sure I was bright red.

The rest of the night is a blur of dance, lights, vodka, and the echo of deep bass thrumming in my ears. I left late and had kissed two boys I didn’t know by the time I did. It was glorious. It was liberating. It was safe. I was sound.

I was home.

Much of the night is a blur. I couldn’t tell you what the guys looked like or any of the music that was playing. But I remember the feeling that I left with: this sense of self -worth, the affirmation that I was OK.

We joke that the club is our version of going to church. In a way, it is. Like a church, these are sacred places. Even in today’s social media world, gay bars help those who don’t have an outlet to connect with their community. They give those who are still in the closet a chance to find others like them; you can flirt with someone and only fear rejection, not a beating. It is a place free from outside criticisms, fear, and misunderstandings.

This tragedy will not take these safe havens away from us. The thumpa-thumpa will keep going. We’ve lost a lot, but we won’t lose our souls too.

Recent blackouts caused by campus-wide pre-crime system

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EIC

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June 24, 2016

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By: Vincent Justin Mitra, Peak Associate

The Father’s Day blackout — which occurred at 4:30 p.m. and affected the electrical systems and phone lines across Burnaby Mountain — has been determined to have been caused by the installation of a campus-wide crime prediction software, reports say.

Details are scarce, but one witness reports seeing large server racks being wheeled into the Bennett Library after regular hours. The witness, who asked to remain anonymous, guessed that the final destination of the servers was likely the little-known boiler room located beneath the Burnaby library. The boiler room, off-limits to the general public and staffed at all times by at least a single guard, supplies water to both the student dormitories on the west side of campus as well as all the buildings on the east side of campus, using an intricate series of tubes.

The rumoured SFU crime prediction software is reportedly the result of a recent joint project between the computer science, criminology, and artificial intelligence departments of SFU and headed by Michael Ostrich, professor of theoretical computing.

When asked about the blackout, Ostrich replied “That was me, yes. You’re welcome.”

The now-confirmed SFU Crime Prediction Software is described by Ostrich as a response to rising levels of crime around key areas of campus. “You are being watched,” Ostrich said simply. “The administration has a secret system, a machine that spies on you every hour of every day that you are on campus.”

According to Ostrich, the system is able to predict crimes seconds before they happen by cross-referencing each student’s social insurance number, bank balance, credit score, GPA, Twitter popularity, work history, and race. “Mostly race,” emphasized Ostrich. “It’s super racist. We probably shouldn’t have let it on Twitter.”

Crimes predicted by the software include overdue library books, fishing for koi at the AQ reflection pond, parking in president Petter’s reserved parking spot, late tuition payments, and cutting in line at the bus loops. “Literally only those,” added Ostrich.

When asked about the history of the project and how he achieved his position, Ostrich was surprisingly forthcoming. “I’m very highly educated,” he said. “They came to me and asked if I had a degree in theoretical computing and I said I had a theoretical degree in computing and, boom, end of unemployment. When they wanted me to build the machine, I realized that computers are much more powerful when they have more monitors. Currently we’re at five monitors and three whole keyboards.”

The system itself is described as having “four whole Ks” of memory and 17 “sticks” of ram in “a pile in the corner.” When asked how the system was programmed, Ostrich explained that “all [he] needed to do was create a GUI interface using Visual Basic to track the perpetrator’s IP address. Afterwards it was just a matter of shouting enhance loud enough at [his] five monitors.”

When the interview concluded, Ostrich swallowed several red pills, donned a leather jacket and a pair of sunglasses, and proceeded to slowly ‘limbo’ his way out the door.

The system is predicted to be operational on all three campuses no later than November 15.

Board of Directors meeting: June 23, 2016

By

EIC

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June 22, 2016

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Peak Publications Society Board of Directors Meeting Agenda

June 23, 2016

The Peak offices

Chair: Max Hill

In Attendance:

Maia Odegaard (Board Secretary, non-voting)
Max Hill (Editor-in-Chief)
Tamara Connor (Collective Rep)
Kevin Rey (Collective Rep)
MuhammadQasim Dewji (Employee Rep)
Thadoe Wai (At-large Rep)

Call to Order

Approval of Agenda

Approval of past minutes from May 26, 2015

Financial update

Maia to present the state of the Society’s finances through May 2016.

Continuation of Kevin’s proposal

Discussion and decision on proposal to divest companies that derive their income from the extraction or transport of fossil fuels

Tamara to present proposal about restructuring the contributor pay policy

Contributor Pay Policy

Maia to propose a review of some aspects of the Contributor Pay Policy as it currently exists, including adding a deadline for invoices and discussing payment/non-payment for unpublished pieces.

Tamara to present proposal about buying a one year subscription to an infographic creation website

Adjournment

Peak Publications Society Board of Directors Meeting Agenda

May 26, 2016

The Peak offices

Chair: Max Hill

In Attendance:

Maia Odegaard (Board Secretary, non-voting)
Max Hill (Editor-in-Chief)
Tamara Connor (Collective Rep)
Kevin Rey (Collective Rep)
MuhammadQasim Dewji (Employee Rep)
Jess Whitesel (Guest)

Regrets

Thadoe Wai (At-large Rep)

Call to Order

Approval of Agenda

Approval of past minutes from April 21, 2015

Financial update

Maia to present the state of the Society’s finances through April 2016.

Discussion of Proposal to Divest from Fossil Fuels

Kevin Rey to present his proposal.

News and Associate News stipend (tabled last board meeting)

Tamara to present the proposal on behalf of the news team.

Infographic subscription proposal

Proposal written by Nathan Ross, presented by Tamara Connor.

New couches for the office meeting area

Maia to present proposal to purchase new couches for the meeting area.

Summer workshops in Minnesota

Some editors have expressed interest in attending the ACP/CMA summer workshops in Minneapolis, MN. The Board will discuss the feasibility of budgeting for this event.

Adjournment

Approved by ________________________________ & __________________________________ on May 26, 2016.

COLUMN | LIST BITCH: Six things that don’t make you a ‘nice guy’

By

EIC

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June 22, 2016

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List Bitch is a new web-exclusive column featuring feisty, unapologetic listicles on life. Click here for more, and check back each week for new content!

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s a fairly young university student, I constantly hear people fawning over guys for things that are either unimportant or the bare minimum. In case you were wondering whether or not that frat bro or protein snorter are actually real “nice guys,” then read on.

1. Not having sex with drunk girls

Now listen carefully, because apparently this is a difficult concept for some to grasp. Too many guys I have come across seem to expect a pat on the back for this. Congratulations for not being a fucking rapist, would you like a round of applause?

2. Being cordial about the friend zone

If, God forbid, you are one of those whiny manipulative men who can’t stop complaining about the ‘friend zone’ then please, do us all a favour and stop talking. It’s not cute, it’s not funny, and it’s not necessary. If your kindness has baggage or an expiration date, then I (and most of my fellow females) don’t want it anyway.

3. Dressing nice

I get it, you clearly have access to a shower and a Gap catalogue. Unfortunately for you, even your most pristine Sperry Topsiders fail to distract from the fact that you reek of douche.

4. Opening the door for people

Granted, this is a nice gesture we all appreciate — despite being common courtesy. Just please leave your misogyny out of it. If you have a penis and I open a door for you, please walk through it without any huffing and puffing. I get it, I can smell your testosterone from here, but please make it easier on both of us and walk through the fucking door.

5. Tipping

Look, everyone should tip. Waiters do not make a living wage. Tipping is polite, expected, and not at all a mechanism for peacocking in front of your date. Chill.

6. Being a self-proclaimed ‘social’ liberal or democrat

Nothing is more ironic than listening in on guys who openly voted for Harper, and yet magically identify as an ally, feminist, environmentalist, and the like, when talking to certain girls. This is an age-old cop-out. Take responsibility for your political actions, and realize you cannot have it both ways.