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Hire faculty that represent the student body. . . it’s that simple.

By
EIC
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5

Blind to the problem

When I was younger, I never thought about representation in media, in academia, or in politics. If you’re white, you probably didn’t, either.

I didn’t really start thinking critically about how gender and race are portrayed or represented in the various aspects of our culture until I was almost done with high school. All of my teachers throughout my four years were white or white-passing, and less than half were women. Granted, my hometown of Eugene, Oregon is hardly the face of racial diversity — the town remains a predominantly white community.

It will get better in university, I would think to myself, growing bored of learning the same lessons from the same people.  

To my surprise, when I entered SFU as a bright-eyed and fresh (white) faced first year, the university that boasts about “engaging the world” was hardly diverse. To paint a picture, I enrolled in two gender studies courses, a Middle Eastern history course, an international studies course, and an Arabic course. Only my Arabic professor, who was born in Lebanon, was non-white. Imagine: a white male teaching Middle Eastern history, and another teaching a course in a faculty called ‘international studies.’ While there was near gender parity among my professors, as two of the five identified as female, I could not help but feel that might be because I was in gender studies classes. The spring term yielded similar numbers.

According to Catalyst, an international non-profit organization aiming to “accelerate progress for women through workplace inclusion,” visible minorities make up only 17 percent of university professors in Canada. According to the 2006 census, only 2.1 percent of university professors in Canada had indigenous ancestry.

SFU students have noticed something isn’t right

This lack of representation can have some troubling effects. According to Alisha Lee, a Chinese-Canadian second-year student at SFU, racial representation is a “necessity” if the end goal is to expand students’ knowledge.

“North American schools spend years and years in grade school teaching about the same notable white men, and learning in university should take that a step further. I don’t want to learn about the same handful of people,” she said, noting that throughout her first year, the only female professors she had were concentrated in the gender studies department.

“Something great that I’ve seen in my courses, specifically those gender studies courses, are the notable women with vast ranges of ethnicities, backgrounds, and experiences, and how history has pushed them into the shadows. [. . .] In most cases, representation is easily forgettable when you don’t have the experiences tied to being female or someone of colour.”

For political science major Elsie Cherop, who identifies as a black woman with Kenyan ancestry, the importance of representation is more personal. She, too, noticed the overall lack of representation in SFU’s faculty, and has yet to have a professor who shares her ethnic background. Cherop explained that the presence of such a professor would have “allowed the discussions to be more intersectional and not sideline the experiences and existences of minorities.” Cherop also added that “having students well-represented not only reduces the microaggressions students from minorities face on a daily basis, but also gives them some hope of succeeding in a world that is conspiring against them.”

It’s time to learn about Canadians who aren’t dead white men, students demand it.

White students probably don’t think too much about microaggressions — and that’s a big problem. For anyone unfamiliar with the concept, a microaggression is when a derogatory comment is made that seems commonplace or casual. In other words, it’s covert prejudice being passed off as everyday conversation. The sad thing is microaggressions are a regular phenomenon for many.

A problem that extends past hiring?

Not only is there a representation issue, but there’s also evidence of a payment issue. In mid-July of last year, Anke S. Kessler and Krishna Pendakur from SFU’s department of economics, published a study that found women at SFU are making less than their male counterparts. In their report, they stated that from 2004 to 2008, “SFU hired many women, increasing their faculty complement from 200 (28.6 percent) to 277 (32.6 percent).” That being said, during this same period “gender disparity [in terms of wage] grew from roughly zero to about $2,000.” What’s worse is that Kessler and Pendakur added in that same report that since 2008 the numbers have not shifted in any kind of substantial way.

The lived experiences of SFU students, and the findings from researchers within our institution have pinpointed a problem — and a big one. On a very systemic level, representation can be hard to tackle. Academia has hid away in its ivory tower for a long time, unyieldingly keeping the status quo. But SFU has prided itself on being a place of engagement, a place of progress and research. If it wants students to take that more seriously than just a marketing slogan, it needs to start by having the long, hard conversation about how to address ever-concerning issues of representation and equality on campus.

Expectations versus reality: Promises for next semester

By
EIC
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0

What you say: “I’ll start my essays way before they’re even due!”

What you’ll actually do: Sit around playing League of Legends and watching videos of cats jumping on pianos. Shit, you’ll even watch paint dry, anything to avoid that essay!

 

What you say: “I’ll actually read the syllabus next semester!”

What you’ll actually do: Glance over the grading scale and the assignments, before proceeding to ask the professor several dozen questions that are clearly answered in the syllabus.

 

What you say: “I’ll get used textbooks and sell my old ones — save some money, you know.”

What you’ll actually do: Wait until two weeks into the semester before realizing that you have readings to do. Rush to the bookstore, only to find that they are out of stock. End up ordering online, paying $100 for shipping.

 

What you say: “I’ll have perfect attendance! Missing class is like burning money!”

What you’ll actually do: Shamelessly sleep through three-hour lectures that start at noon, like a billionaire lighting their cigarettes by burning $1,000-bills.

 

What you say: “I’ll make a real effort this time. I’ll participate in discussions, be friendly to my classmates, and even attend office hours.”

What you’ll actually do: Drag yourself from class to class like the bleary-eyed zombie that you are, grunting unintelligibly at anyone who says “Hi,” and sustaining yourself with the knowledge that you can finally sleep when you get home.

 

What you say: “Social media is a distraction. No Facebook, texting, tweeting, chirping, beeping, or bleating on campus.”

What you’ll actually do: Bring your laptop to class for “notes” and immediately log into Facebook at the start of every class, spending each lecture staring enviously at your friend Chip’s vacation photos from his latest trip to Cabo.

 

What you say: “Work first, then fun. I’ll stay on a strict homework regimen.”

What you’ll actually do: Binge-watch all of BoJack Horseman and Parks and Recreation, because come on, what’s another hour anyway? You’ve got all night to start your essay.

 

What you say: “I’ll join a club and make some new friends. SFU may be a concrete jungle, but it’s time I act like the social animal that I am!”

What you’ll actually do: Talk to a half-dozen club representatives on clubs day, saying lots of things like “Sounds interesting,” and “I’ll definitely drop by.” You sign up for an email list and subsequently ignore every email they ever send you.

 

What you say: “I’ll get up way earlier than I need to for that one tutorial on Friday. I’ll have breakfast, shower, do some homework, and then go to school.”

What you’ll actually do: Hurl yourself out of bed at the last minute, greasy hair flapping in the wind, and arrive panting and sweaty just in the nick of time.

Peak Comics: Peers

By
EIC
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0

Peak Comics: Serious Bananas

By
EIC
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0

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SFU then and now

By
EIC
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0

SFU’s 50th anniversary has come and gone. We are not a perfect university, but we are a unique one. This photo essay is meant to document SFU’s evolution and pay homage to the so-called ‘instant university,’ which has been in constant transformation since it opened its doors in 1965.

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Peak Comics: Creator’s Pet

By
EIC
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0

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Desperate student attempts blood ritual to garner passing grade

By
EIC
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1
Pictured above: the "academic demon" that the student hoped to summon. (The Peak / Tia Young)

As if fears of residence closure and hiking tuition costs on campus weren’t bad enough, residences on Burnaby campus are now facing a scare of a different kind: the occult.

Last week, police were called to respond to what initially seemed to be a run-of-the-mill noise complaint. However, they made a startling discovery when they found a physics major attempting to sacrifice a first-year arts student to a demon.

The student, identified as Xavius Lucifus, was apprehended wearing a pair of light-up devil horns and chanting an incoherent babble of words from the Chicago style guide. He was brandishing a replica Skyrim sword that he had dipped in “unholy water” — which forensics later determined to be hot dog water — all the while dancing around to The Lord of the Rings soundtrack.

The unidentified first-year student was duct-taped to a ceremonial pyre made of failed exam booklets and surrounded by a pentagram drawn in Kraft Dinner sauce.

Classmates of Lucifus confided with The Peak that his academic struggles might have pushed him to this devilish act.

Lucifus was taking a history course for the first time and found himself floundering. He needed to write his term paper on the relevance of ritual in early modern Europe in one week, and had no ideas.

According to a former group member, Lucifus began researching ritual sacrifice, as well as demonic and deific pact-making on Wikipedia. Combined with a patchwork of unreliable sources — one such working being a fictional magic book from The Elder Scroll series — led him to create his strange ritual.

Notes found in his dorm showed that among a list of other questionable items, the crazed physics major’s ritual called for “the blood of an undeclared arts major.”

Lucifus now sits in his jail cell, with ritual blueberry juice still smeared on his face, awaiting trial.

Lucifus’ history professor spoke with The Peak later, remarking, “When I said a good essay takes blood, sweat, and tears, this is not what I had in mind.”

NEW MUSIC FRIDAY

By
Peak Web
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0

By: Courtney Miller, Jessica Pickering, and Jessica Whitesel

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

“Closer” – The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey

Jessica Whitesel: It’s no “Roses,” but it’s not bad. It has more of a chill kind of love song type feel, but still upbeat and danceable. This is the kind of song that comes on in the club and then you either run to the bar to get another drink, head to the bathroom and cry about your shitty ex, or sloppily make-out on the dance floor.

Courtney Miller: Full disclosure: I freaking love Halsey. If she wasn’t featured on this track, I would not rate it as highly as I do. It starts off just fine, but when she drops in — hot damn man, the song gets taken to another level. I won’t spin this as much as I do Badlands, but I would definitely listen to this over again.

Jessica Pickering: The first song features Halsey. I am truly blessed. I barely listened to the first verse because I was just waiting for her. This is my favourite song that’s been on New Music Friday in a long time. The only thing that would have made it better is if it were all Halsey. I love her.

“F*** Apologies” – JoJo feat. Wiz Khalifa

JW: I know JoJo had some issues with her record company and wasn’t able to record the music that she wanted to, but this sounds like it is straight out of 2006 and was another single paired with “Too Little Too Late.” It’s old, boring, and Khalifa doesn’t really add anything to it either.

CM: Well, the palm-muted guitar instantly reminds me of that Gotye song, so I’m already a little turned off by this track. JoJo’s got some great pipes, and I mean, as a Canadian I have a love/hate thing going on with the whole “fuck apologies” sentiment. Wiz Khalifa’s rap wasn’t terrible? This was overall OK — I wouldn’t change the station but I guarantee I won’t seek it out.

JP: Well I hate JoJo’s voice but I feel the message of this song on a whole other level. This song is solidly OK overall. I am resigned to the fact that it will be every pop radio station’s new go-to track.

“Dang!” – Mac Miller feat. Anderson .Paak

JW: I feel like this would play at a millennial cocktail party. If millennials could afford to hold cocktail parties in fancy repurposed warehouses. It has this kind of elevator jazz feel to it with a chill bassline, and some other loops thrown in for good measure. Also there is rapping, but like if it was at this hypothetical party it would just blend into the conversation.

CM: This has an easy-listening/soft jazz feel before the rap starts. I really like the brass, and if I was in the mood for elevator music, I’d be OK with this as an instrumental anyway. The raps are generally filled with gratuitous expletives and other language I dislike, but they have good rhythm if you can ignore the content.

JP: I have a vague memory of being told not to like Mac Miller in high school and I think that’s affecting my enjoyment of this song; that, or it just really sucks. I am also hating that it’s five whole minutes long. It takes a very specific person to pull off a song that is over three minutes long, and Mac Miller is not one of those people.

“Run Run Blood” – Phantogram

JW: So the background sounds like someone is singing into a didgeridoo. Other than that the overall feel of this song is very Muse-esque. If they did Linkin Park nu-metal and replaced Matt Bellamy with a female vocalist. Honestly the didgeridoo singing is the best part, which is pretty damn sad.

CM: Pretty mediocre, not going to sugarcoat it. It’s completely unmemorable because I just listened to it and I cannot recall a single second of the song. If you want noise just to have noise, fine, but I think that’s all the mileage you can get out of this one.

JP: I’m not artsy enough for this. This is probably a great social statement mixed with challenges of the medium, or some other combination of hipster buzzwords, but I just hear noise.

“This Bitter Land” – Nas feat. Erykah Badu

JW: I’m getting kind of a jazz feel from the beginning, before Nas and holy crap I forgot how good he was at rapping. But that being said, even though Badu’s vocals are beautiful and Nas is on point I got bored halfway through because it never really went anywhere musically.

CM: Badu’s vocals are haunting and beautiful, lingering even after the instruments have paused. Nas’ rap is emotive, powerful, and well-written. The overarching melancholic feel takes this song to an amazing songwriting skill-level that I don’t think we see all too often these days.

JP: This song is hauntingly beautiful. This song is part of a soundtrack for The Land, a film about Cleveland’s hip-hop culture (shout-out to Google for this info). After hearing this, I really want to see the movie.

“Fake It” – Bastille

JW: This song knows how to build musically. It’s like a multilayered cake with nuts, where some things are softer and sweeter and other things are a little more savoury and textural. The lyrics aren’t necessarily their strongest but they more than make up for it with the production and musicality of the song.

CM: Oh glory. Any day with new Bastille is a great day. I’m so stoked for this album, guys, I can’t even articulate it as well as I’d like to. This song just raises my hopes for the release of Wild World because it’s so elegantly crafted, with classically brilliant lyrics, and top-notch musicality. Ugh, so much perfect in four minutes.

JP: The past 24 hours have been such a gift for me as far as music goes and this is the cherry on top. Bastille is giving me life with this song. Their new album drops September 9 and it honestly can’t come soon enough; especially if the rest of it is anything like this song.

“Till the Tomb” – Beaty Heart

JW: While I don’t mind stripped down music, the vocalist just sounds strained, and like they are holding back. I’ve sung like that before and it’s usually when I don’t know the words or am unsure of the tune. So while it is chill, that kind of kills the vibe. Also, rhythmically it seems a little wonky.

CM: This is a super chill, mellow song. It’s not intrusive, and rests well in the background for reliable study music. It’s got some instrumentation and percussion that elevates it above the regular music rabble, so it’s enjoyable but really low-key.

JP: I have no strong feelings about this one way or the other. It’s a little boring and kind of forgettable. It was good for multitasking, though; I was able to reply to some emails without getting distracted, so that was plus.

“Lost Youth/Lost You” – How to Dress Well

JW: I really want to like this but I can’t. The lyrics are kind of sappy, and that is balanced by the backing track but I still find it kind of syrupy. It might be the repetition or the fact that love songs kind of make me cringe at the best of times, or the power guitar solo that feels like it was ripped right out of an ’80s power ballad. I’ll pass on this one. It’s also way too fucking long. Just stop.

CM: I love the sentimental qualities of this song, how his voice can hit such pristine high notes, and how well the melodies flow together. It’s beautiful, and one of my favourites off this playlist.

JP: This song is good but it’s a major buzzkill. Personally I’m trying to get psyched for the weekend right now and this song is extremely counterproductive. And then there’s the weird key-change halfway through. I just want it to be over at this point.

“Guilty Flowers” – Ward Thomas

JW: It’s a little country, but in the best way possible. It’s kind of an ode to everybody who has fucked up and stayed in a relationship too long with a person who was cheating on them. I’m pouring one out for you, but listen to this while you burn some roses or something.

CM: OK, I’m loving the minimalist guitar and harmonizing voices before it bursts into a full band song. I’m such a sucker for buildups like that. It took me completely by surprise because I thought Ward Thomas was like a solo male artist’s name instead of the name of a female duo. Also it’s a bit country so there’s some naiveté which I find really endearing.

JP: This is nice. I think that’s a really good word for this song: nice. Nice is unassuming, plain, and not very compelling. At least it’s upbeat.

“Real Love Baby” – Father John Misty

JW: I love Father John Misty and I love the lo-fi fuzzy vibe this song has. It is something that I could listen to over and over again without getting bored, just because every time you hear one of his songs you notice something different either lyrically or musically. It is worth multiple listens and is probably my favourite of the week.

CM: This reminds of the oldies songs my mother listens to, constantly and without reprieve. It’s fine, but it’s kind of boring.

JP: This song makes me think of the early 1960s. It’s not super hippie but it has a very mellow vibe. I don’t think I’d listen to it a lot; maybe only during finals to de-stress or on a beach or something like that.

“Life is a Honeymoon” – Florida Georgia Line feat. Ziggy Marley

JW: I am not prepared for this song. It’s just a messed up, mashup sound. One of the lyrics is, “Let love keep us lifting my beer.” So, like, priorities. I mean I like beer but I would like something more substantial than an emotion lifting my beer — maybe like a hand or something? Oh and Ziggy Marley is on this song for about two seconds so he doesn’t really matter.

CM: OK, so I know I’m the country fan, but FGL isn’t really country. I mean they are, but they aren’t. They’re actually really polarizing: most people either love them or hate them. Now, I don’t hate them but they’re not my fave and if given the option, I won’t listen to them — so, yeah. I wish Ziggy could’ve saved this but there was just not enough in it for that to happen.

JP: I’m not going to like this song. I haven’t even started listening to yet, I’m just guessing. I really hate country. Update: I’m listening to it and this is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. How do people enjoy this? I listened to the whole song but I’m not happy about it.

“Brand New Moves” – Hey Violet

JW: I’m getting a pop-y bastard child of Marilyn Manson’s version of “The Beautiful People” and Lorde’s “ Tennis Court” kind of vibe. It would be a good kind of lap dance song, but if you were doing the lap dance you would get bored just because of how repetitive the whole song is. It doesn’t really ever go anywhere.

CM: Ooh, this is good. Sultry, groovy, and definitely dance-worthy. I could see somebody stripping to this, no problem. I’m a fan.

JP: I really like this. This is how you end a playlist. I can see myself playing this for all my friends until they tell me to stop. And then I would continue to play it anyways. A+ Hey Violet, nice work.

Harmony Arts Festival will return to West Van for its 26th year

By
EIC
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0
West Vancouver is set to host the 26th annual Harmony Arts Festival featuring local artists, chefs, and musicians in a celebration of community sprit.

For 26 years, the Harmony Arts Festival has been running on the gorgeous West Vancouver waterfront. The festival has been growing exponentially in both artists and attendees, so this year they are expecting quite a turnout.

The festival is a celebration of local art in forms ranging from performance to visual to culinary. This year they are to have over 50 performing artists, 70 visual artists, three full-service restaurants, and five different food trucks that make up the Artisan Eats event.

“It’s a community meeting spot; everyone comes to celebrate each other, the art, and the water,” said Christie Rosta, events and festivals manager for the District of West Vancouver. “We have a small but mighty organizing team and over 200 volunteers that help build the festival.”

There are many notable highlights in this year’s festival. “The festivals are built around the relationship we have with the sponsors, without their support we wouldn’t get to create this amazing experience,” said Rosta. Readings in the Park is a brand new feature offered in collaboration with the West Vancouver Memorial Library; in sponsorship with Maison Senior Living, it includes a crime mystery panel.

Although most of the Harmony Arts festival is free, there are several extraordinary paid events hosted on the beautifully lit Ambleside Beach Pier. “These are paid culinary experiences so that the festival can grow with more artists each year,” said Rosta. “This year we are excited to introduce the Mixology Night on the Pier, a celebration of cocktail culture where we have eight of Vancouver’s best bartenders come together to create unique cocktail concoctions.”

The other paid culinary event is called Best of the West, where 12 wineries and 12 restaurants are paired and compete together to serve the best dish. The winner will be decided by the guests.

This is the second year that Harmony Arts Festival is committing to being zero waste. As Rosta said, “One of our council’s top priorities is the environment and sustainable initiatives.”

Some of the most popular returning events of the festival are Cinema in the Park, this year featuring films like Pirates of the Caribbean, Chicago, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. A handful of musicians and performing artists such as Lovecoast and Sam Cave will be gracing Millennium Park along with the popular Art Market. Art of Photography, an exhibition of local photographers’ work, will take place August 2–4.

All in all, this event is promised to be a family-friendly summer get-together. Don’t miss it, July 29–August 7.

Burnaby campus to undergo $10 million renovation

By
EIC
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0
This project is only the first phase as it will address 20 percent of the plaza area.

SFU is about to get a makeover.

The university has recently put forward an RFP (request for proposals) for developers for a $10 million project to renovate part of the Burnaby campus. The area in question is the “plaza,” which begins at the Trottier Observatory and stretches down to the Convocation Mall fountain. “It’s a massive area,” chief facilities officer Larry Waddell told The Peak.

The project aims to address the now-aging materials that were originally used to build the plaza, as well as issues such as leaking. The earthenware ceramic tiles that were used for the plaza have reached the end of their lifespan, and have been exposed to plenty of wear and tear over the years.

This is concerning because, while many may see the plaza as a floor, it is actually directly above both the AQ and Convocation Mall parkade. Said Waddell, “It’s a roof you can walk on.” Underneath the tiles is a waterproof membrane that protects the area below.

Where will the $10 million for the project come from? The university will have to foot 25 percent of the bill; however, Waddell mentioned that the provincial government has “dramatically increased” the funding available for these types of projects since the election of the Liberals.

Currently, SFU is also discussing plans to build a new life science building somewhere on campus, in an effort to ease the burden on the aging Shrum Science Centre.

While the project is primarily meant for practical purposes, the plaza may also see some cosmetic updates. The original tiling material is, according to Waddell, no longer available — this means the newly installed tiles will be of a different material, and possibly a different shape.

Don’t expect a huge change, though. “We want to be respectful of the existing campus,” Waddell said, adding that the university plans to stay true to the “original intent” of the architects behind SFU’s design, including Arthur Erickson.

The process for the RFP could stretch on in the next few months, as proposals are evaluated on a number of criteria. The first year of the project will be focused on planning and design work, then the following two years on construction. The project will only cover 20 percent of the area that needs to undergo renewal, as the entire plaza will need an upgrade eventually. However, part of the challenge the university faces is how to stagger the work to limit disruption to students and faculty.

Imagine, said Waddell, the logistical difficulties that would be caused with having to replace all the tiles in Convocation Mall. “This work is going to be noisy, dusty, and disruptive.”

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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

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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