The Voice • February 2, 2012 • Volume 44 • Issue 13

Julius Ceasar opens at Studio 58 .......................4 Studio 58’s production of the Shakespearean tragedy opens to the public tonight

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produced by langara journalism students

February 2, 2012 • Vol. 44 no. 13 • vancouver, b.c.

Students cast ballots for LSU The LSU hopes for better voter turnout during election this week

LSU

By OMAR SHARIFF

T

he Langara Students’ Union election continues today. Students can place their votes until 5 p.m. in the main foyer of A Building.

The LSU is looking to fill the following vacant positions: International Student Representative, Environmental Issues Coordinator and two representative spots on the Education Council.

The candidates running in the election are Mugurel Mic and Naoko Shiratori for Environmental Issues Coordinator, Taomeizi Gao for International Student’s Representative, Jianing Ma and Agustina Coccaro for a year-long term on the Education Council and Emma Munro and Haoran Ni for the seven month term.

To qualify for these positions, each candidate had to submit a list of at least 15 signatures of support from current Langara students each considered to be in good standing with the college.

Naoko Shiratori, who is in the university transfer program, is one of two candidates running for Environmental Issues Coordinator. If elected, she hopes to continue with current environmental programs and possibly discover areas of improvement at Langara as well.

“I will continue with the bicycle project, which the previous directors have worked on, and also taking care of the LSU garden. In addition, I’d like to find out the Campus’ energy consumption so that I can find possible solutions,” said Shiratori.

Candidates 1

Mugurel Mic Environemnetal Issues Coordinator

2

Naoko Shiratori Environemnetal Issues Coordinator

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Taomeizi Gao International Student’s Rep

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OMAR SHARIFF photo

Candidates (L-R) Mugurel Mic, Naoko Shiratori and Taomeizi Gao discussing the issues in the Students Union Buuilding.

Eli Zbar, board member at large and media liaison for the LSU, hopes Langara students will overcome voter apathy and come out to vote.

“If we can get people involved and knowledgeable about the issues... then we can come together and work the issues out,” said Zbar.

At the last election in early October, saw only 2 per cent of eligible voters came out to cast their ballots.

Candidate for the year-long female representative position on the Education Council, Agustina Coccaro of the

journalism program, will be trying to involve students more if she is elected.

“I’m trying more to talk to people at Langara and see what they want, and just make it more about what the students want,” said Coccaro.

The Voice attempted to contact all of the candidates for comment, but were only able to reach the two candidates above.

Voting continues tomorrow, Feb. 3, in the main foyer of the LSU building from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Monday, Feb. 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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Jianing Ma Education Council

Augustina Coccaro Education Council

Emma Munro Seven month term

Haoran Ni Seven month term

Source: Langara Student's Union

Auction earns only $1,000 for students An art sale last December raised $10,000, but only a tenth of that remained for scholarships, bursaries

By Dana Bowen

A

JEREMY LIM photo

Attendees purused some ot the 300 items at Langara’s Artfully Yours art auction held on December 1, 2011.

Printed on recycled paper

rtfully Yours, Langara’s first silent art auction, held on Dec. 1, 2011 raised $10,000 for students and programs at Langara.

Fifty per cent of the amount generated form each piece went to the student artist and the other half went to Langara to be used to fund scholarships and bursaries.

However, after subtracting money for advertising, catering, and liquor, the event had approximately only $1,000 remaining from the proceeds for scholarships.

To entice people to come, the event sold beer and wine for five dollars a glass and served free appetizers; the food was the largest expense put towards the event.

Despite the fact that the appetizers came through Langara’s existing contract with Chartwells, that expense item totaled over $3,000.

In addition, money was spent to advertise the event, postcards were placed

around the school, pinned to boards and the school walls at the cost of $700.

The total cost to supply alcohol and a temporary liquor license for the day were not provided to the Voice.

Despite the money spent, event organizers feel the event was a success.

“We had a goal of having an event on campus to highlight the amazing work students do in our own community and externally. I think we definitely achieved this,” said Deoborah So, event coordinator.

They did what they could to keep the costs as low as possible added So. A total of 135 staff and students attended the event and 300 pieces were sold.

The minimum bid for each item was determined by each individual artist.A piece by Roy Daykin & Advancement was the item that generated the highest bid, going for $500.

According to So, the event garnered a lot of positive feedback from students, and some are already asking about 2012’s event.

Cafeteria to get eight new nukes Langara cafeteria is set to recieve new microwaves to combat the long line-ups to re-heat food at peak hours

By MICHELLE GAMAGE

E

ight new microwaves will be arriving for the Langara cafeteria in a month’s time. The new machines are to replace the five half-functioning older models.

From the $1.3 million budget for the cafeteria’s renovations, $50,000 remain.

A portion of that amount will be used to purchase the new machines, which will help to ease the rush hour lineups.

“There are too many people in the line,” said psychology student Cristal Fan. “We have to wait for half an hour.

And some of the microwaves are broken.”

The main focus of the renovations was to get new vendors into the school and replace the mess hall tables.

“We needed to maximize the comfort while still maximizing the number of seats available,” said Mark Adams, director of ancillary services.

The cafeteria got a variety of new vendors, individual tables and flatscreen TVs but was left with only five used microwaves.

Lengthy lineups around noon, microwaves without glass plates and tepid food are some of the aggravations students expressed.

Adams said that the renovation bills needed to be collected, analyzed, and assessed before Chartwells, the company that operates the cafeteria, calculated it was under its budget and could therefore afford new microwaves.

Money was saved by reusing older equipment and by over-esti- They need mating the number of chairs and tables to replace required. all the mi“They need to replace all [the micro- crowaves waves] because Chun Ho Fang they don’t work,” Arts and science student said Chun Ho Fang, an arts and sciences student.

Ali Sedighi, a third year computer sciences student, disagrees.

“Microwaves are just for warming up food,” Sedighi said. “They are working right now and they will work for another year or two. They don’t need to change them.”

With the average microwave costing around $79, The Voice calculated the total cost of the new microwaves to be around $632. This raises the question of what the rest of the $50,000 will be spent on.

The order for new microwaves was placed on Tuesday, January 24th.

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Check out our web exclusives at http://langaravoice.com/

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news & features

Editor Lynda chapple

The Voice, THURSDAY,February 2, 2012

UBC wants more than just high marks New admissions criteria at UBC to look for life experience including volunteering

By BRANDON REID

U

niversity of British Columbia undergraduate applicants applying for the Vancouver campus in September will be evaluated on both grades and personal experience as part of the new broadbased admissions procedure.

Applicants will be asked four to six personal profile questions to reflect on life experiences, lessons and goals.

“It’s kind of a wake-up call for a lot of students,” said Lulin Zheng, an instructor with UBC’s Educational and Coun-

selling Psychology department. “Some use to only worry about their marks and academic performances.”

Zheng encourages students not to worry, but said participation outside school will help.

“I think students should start thinking about volunteering and should develop some leadership skills,” she said, “In the long run, it’s going to be beneficial.”

In 2011, 25 per cent of over 5,900 UBC students on the Vancouver campus were admitted with broad-based admissions.

“We’re looking for people who’ve committed to something that has really shaped them,” said UBC Registrar James Ridge. According to Ridge, falsifying information will be easily noticed.

“They will be needed to provide up to three references to verify,” said Ridge. “We do check them.”

UBC is Canada’s largest university using non-academic criteria in applications.

“We use an academically researched scoring rubric … looking for leadership, perseverance and engagement in

the community,” said Ridge. “Looking at Grade 12 marks tells you a very narrow bit.”

The university posted a YouTube video to help students understand the process called “UBC Undergraduate Admissions: Your Personal Profile.”

“I just have grades,” said Langara business student Sabrina Siu. “I’ll have to get some volunteer work.”

“It doesn’t really matter … seems like a standard application,” said Langara science and technology student Kevin Lee. “I did plan on volunteering.”

Jacqueline Richardson photos

Above: Angel Lun, second year engineering student at Langara one of several in the production of Project 3B Below: Betty LV (left) and Eva Shem two dancers portraying an experiences of immigrants in Canada

Lulin Zheng UBC Admissions Counsellor

Creativity for earlybirds in Vancouver Langara is sponsoring ‘Creative Mornings’ - a world wide monthly event for the creative side of you

By ROSS ARMOUR

M Jacqueline Richardson photo

Andrana Yan performing in Project 3B playing at Lord Byng Secondary

Student joins cast of local musical Project 3B a musical that tells the stories of immigrant students and families throughout Canada

By JACQUELINE RICHARDSON

L

angara student Angel Lun will be one of several actors in a production premiering at Lord Byng Secondary this May, that aims to connect immigrant students and families to their communities. “(It’s) just fantastic for (students) … most don’t have the confidence or chance to participate in the community and share our cultures with mainstream communities,” said Chung.

The production, known as Byng Inclusion Project 3B, held dance and drama auditions in late December. The musical is composed of seven to ten short stories intertwined by main characters and a reoccurring theme that portray experiences of immigrant students and families throughout Canada.

Chung said that although immigrants face a wide range of experiences unique to each individual, the issues Project 3B addresses resonate with a

lot of immigrant families.

“Many find it challenging to find good employment here,” said Chung, “not to mention living standards are higher [on the west coast] than in places like China, where positions of employment are sometimes just not comparable to those in Canada.

Consequently individuals must split their time between two countries, leaving their family void at times.”

Chung described the struggle of the single mother as a commonly shared experience amongst immigrant women. Many females struggle with being separated from their husbands for long periods of time said Chung, and are left to raise their family on their own.

Of the challenges immigrants face, Chung says the language barrier may be the biggest. “[There’s] a lot of extra tutoring to learn the skills and to learn the language,” said Chung. As for the male immigrants who live and work in Canada,

Chung said they are often the most affected by the language barrier because they tend to hold a social circle of friends and stay in that particular circle.

However Chung said the aim of Project 3B is to bridge these gaps through music, art and dance.

“There are two focus groups,” said Chung, “one parent and one student.”

The groups share their feelings and struggles they’ve had since immigration and the differences they’ve overcome.

The script is an original piece, written by Truman Chu, a well-known director in the Chinese community.

“Up to this point I have over 120 students who have expressed interest and gone through auditions,” said Chung.

Chung said she sees a lot of potential in Angel Lun, and sees her as being a leader in the group. Lun has been acting since she was a child and aspires to one day be a professional actress.

Where and when

one night only May 24, 2012

showtime 7:30 p.m.

Lord Byng Secondary School

3939 W.16th Ave. Vancouver

65 local students to participate

onthly breakfast lecture series Creative Mornings returns to Vancouver on February 3.

The event, sponsored by Langara’s Electronic Media Design, Digital Media, and Communication Arts programs, begins at 8.30 a.m. at W2 Media Café on 111 West Hastings Street.

Aimed at creative types, the event is free for anyone to attend, although tickets are limited.

“Registration for free tickets takes place on Monday, Jan. 30 for the Feb. 3 event. We send reminders out on Twitter and Facebook,” said Creative Mornings spokesperson Kathleen Mazzocco.

The lecture on Feb 3 features Gagan Diesh of DesignStamp.

“We stagger registrations to give as many people the chance for a ticket.

We make 50 tickets available at 11am, then 4pm, then 9pm,” said Mazzocco.

The organization has chapters in cities around the world including Los Angeles, Zurich, Berlin, Auckland and London.

“Creative Mornings was started by Tina Roth Eisenburg in September of 2008 with 21 chapters in the works around the world. The headquarters is in New York,” stated Vancouver organizer Mark Busse.

“The format is the same in every city, for every event: 20-minute talk, 20-minute question and answer, 20-minute mingler with complimentary breakfast and coffee. The idea is to get everyone juiced up with creative inspiration,” said Mazzocco.

For more information go to creativemornings.com

Campus news

Editor emma crawford

The Voice, THURSDAY, february 2, 2012

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Science career for you?

BC Cancer Society’s Nick Chng discusses career options for science students

By JEREMY SALLY

T

ALEX SKERDZHEV photo

Langara’s Artist-in-Residence Samuel Roy-Bois working inside his installation, entitled Nothing blank forever

Installation causes stir

Artist-in-Residence Samuel Roy-Bois discusses his latest art project

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I like to build spaces where people can come in.

SAMUEL ROY-BOIS

By ALEX SKERDZHEV

S

tudents wondering about the nature of the mysterious glass cube outside the LSU building have to look no further to get their curiosity satiated.

The hand-designed art project, titled Nothing blank forever, is the result of Langara’s latest Artist-in-Residence program, and is designed by Quebec City’s Samuel Roy-Bois.

“I really like modern architecture, and if you look at the way the structure is built here, it’s inspired by [it],” said Bois, sitting inside his self-constructed glass box.

Consisting of four plywood pillars holding up the see-through, Plexiglas walls, the structure is well-lit by sever-

al light sources and contains a workbench, wooden trolley and several chairs.

“I like to build spaces where people can come in, and where it’s not so much about you just standing in front of an image and looking at it, but more like being a part [of] a system ... some sort of adventure,” he said.

The project will have many uses, including a gallery, recording studio, theatre and movie set for a film Bois is currently beginning to shoot.

The road movie will be contained to the structure and the main character will be played by a variety of Studio 58 students of different gender and ethnic backgrounds. “[I’m controlling] most aspects, except for performing: writing the script,

shooting and holding the camera, every aspect of the movie production.”

The 38-year-old artist’s film is scheduled to be shown inside the box in April.

Tomo Tanaka, the Creative Arts Division Chair, says there are plans to put up signs explaining the project due to student confusion of its nature.

“No idea what the hell, it’s like my first thought was another smoke pit,” says 22-year-old business student Dominic Impelido. “[My project] is pretty mysterious … that’s the most exciting part,” said Bois with a smile.

“People are wondering what this is.”

Bois’s next exhibition is at Artspeak, where he will host a gallery from Feb. 3 to Mar. 17.

Langara film instructors sell feature for broadcast on European television Alyson Drysdale and Garwin Sanford received funding from Telefilm Canada and can look forward to seeing their work on the small and large screens

By STACY THOMAS

N

estled between A244 and A241a, Langara film instructors Alyson Drysdale and Garwin Sanford share an office and a creative partnership.

Their feature film, Rain Down, has been sold for television internationally, and will soon be seen in living rooms across Europe.

The film, a drama set in the badlands outside Cache Creek, focuses on the relationship between a divorced woman and her troubled sister and niece.

In 2005, Drysdale brought Sanford a screenplay she’d started, and he says he loved it enough to agree to direct the film, his first feature project.

“The gift she gave me to do this, when I had one short film under my belt, is tremendous.”

Fast forward to 2009. During their second week of shooting, they were still waiting for federal funding from Telefilm Canada.

Drysdale was producing the film, and had put up most of the money, but there wasn’t much left.

“We didn’t know if it would be our last weekend (of shooting),” Sanford said. “We had a lot on the line, but thought, what the hell.”

They got the funding, and filming continued.

The cast and crew of the film includes 24 Langara alumni, notably eight cast members, four of which are leads.

“It was a wonderfully artistic, positive environment,” Drysdale says.

“We tell students this is what a set is

like . . . for it to turn out exactly like you want it to be, there was magic involved,” agrees Sanford. “It’s what we teach here (at Langara) but we also practice it.”

Other than a possible screening at the Kamloops Film Festival in 2012, the movie won’t be seeing the big screen anytime soon.

However, the two are happy with the overseas success of the movie.

“You make a movie to be sold, and it’s doing it,” Sanford said.

Langara film instructors Alyson Drysdale and Garwin Sanford STACY THOMAS photo

he Careers in Science Speakers Series had Langara bubbling last week. Students considering careers in the sciences gleaned insights from half a dozen professionals and experts.

Nick Chng from the BC Cancer Society was the Physics invitee, sharing his knowledge of oncology with 20 prospective students. Injecting humour and insight, Chng’s first ever presentation provided the history of the profession, as well as the rigorous schooling required. But afterwards, he shared the rewards of his work.

“One of the nice things about medical physics is that you can feel like you’re contributing,” he said.

In his lecture, Chng likened the different roles practitioners play in cancer treatment to an iceberg: only the patient sees the tip, with many people in the background working for the person’s health. The clinical environment, involving communication with the patient, provides Chng with a “fulfilling job.”

Physics graduates can expect their jobs to be lucrative too. Starting salaries for those with a master’s degree are typically $60,000 annually in the private sector, accord- Nick chng ing to the Ameri- Speaker from BC can Physical Cancer Society Society’s website “People are attracted to medical physics because you are well paid,” said Chng.

Engineering and computer sciences attract the largest number of grads according to the APS, but physics is complementary to other sciences.

Arts and sciences student Peter Toro found the presentation helpful.

He wants to become an engineer, and aims to be involved in the design and manufacture of the radiological equipment Chng uses for treatment.

Scott Veal, also in arts and sciences, was interested in Chng’s career too.

“Medical physics mixes up my two interests in physics and biology,” said Veal. “I like technology and playing with machines which is essentially what physics is.”

Physics department head Don Hunter weighed in on popular perceptions of physics.

“I’ve always associated physics with fun,” said Hunter before the seminar, whose experiences in high school led to an interactive instruction style. “I try to give my students toys, whenever I can.”

Physics pioneers were highlighted at the beginning of Chng’s presentation, including Marie Curie. Though physics is regarded as a male-dominated field, a third of the seminar’s audience were women.

Chng says that many women are involved in the field and entrants shouldn’t be discouraged.

“My PhD supervisor was a woman, my current head of my physics department is a woman and the head of the brachytherapy program, my specialty, is a woman.”

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The Voice, THURSDAY, February 2 , 2012

Editor jennifer fong

entertainment

World Caesar takes a feminine slant Film Festival “ C comes to Langara Studio 58 switches up gender roles in their version of Julius Caesar

By TYSON CORNFIELD

Continuing studies department presents the largest social justice film festival which is in its 11th year

It’s not going to be a traditional production . . .with a bunch of middleaged senators in togas

SCOTT BELLIS

all it Caesar, with a twist.

Theatre buffs have much to look forward to this month as Langara’s Studio 58 presents an innovative take on the Shakespearean classic Julius Caesar.

In a deviation from convention, director and Langara grad Scott Bellis has opted to put a unique spin on the play by casting female actors in the roles of traditionally male characters, opening the door for countless new interpretations.

“It’s not going to be a traditional production of ancient Rome, with a bunch of middle-aged senators in togas,” said Bellis. “The whole fabric of society is

much different.”

The play, which details Shakespeare’s version of the assassination of Caesar in 49 BC and the ensuing bloodshed, was written with only two female characters.

In Bellis’s version, he cast actors in whichever role he felt fit best, regardless of gender.

The end result has 10 of the 16 characters played by females, including the lead roles of Brutus, Cassius, Octavious, and Caesar.

“My approach was to let the students audition for whatever roles they were most interested in, and then just take it from there.”

As one of the founding members of the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare

Festival, Bellis is no stranger to classic works, but the task of redefining gender roles throughout the play posed an interesting challenge.

“We look at what it means for women to step into these roles . . . where you might normally expect to see a man in this culture, this society,” he said.

“So as a woman, how do you have to behave and carry yourself? It changes a lot of the dynamic.”

However, Andrea Houssin, who plays Brutus, feels up to the task.

“Of course it’s challenging – it’s a huge part for any actor,” she said.

“Brutus is a person, and I want to get into this person’s skin.”

“But Brutus is a fighter. I’m a fighter – I can identify with that.”

By HAYLEY DOCTOR

M

ore than 35 films about environmental activism and social justice will be screened at the World Community Film Festival, the largest social justice film festival in B.C., at Langara College Feb. 10 to 12.

CoDevelopment Canada and World Community Development Education Society have teamed up with Langara’s Continuing Studies Department to bring this festival to the college for its eleventh year. The festival covers topics ranging from social and political issues to the oil industry and farming.

Festival coordinator Erin Mullan wants people to be motivated by the films shown. She wants to “activate them to do something and to learn about how we can work together for social change.”

Saturday night’s feature film is Louder Than A Bomb, an award-winning film about the world’s biggest youth poetry slam in Chicago by the same name. “It shows that poetry has the power to change,” said Mullan.

Leslie Kemp, program coordinator of the sustainable communities program through Leslie kemp Continuing StudLangara proies is a strong adgram coordinator vocate for the festival.

“We’re committed to supporting important work organizations are doing in the community,” said Kemp. The gala allows patrons to see what is going on in their community that affects them. “We want people to feel that they can get involved and be active in these issues,” Kemp said.

Opening night will include a talk from Richard Heinberg, environmental activist and author, which is followed by two films – Love in Action, a five minute short, and the Vancouver premiere of Just Do It. Both these movies document the non-violent actions and tactics of the Occupy movement.

Richard Heinberg “highlights changes that we need to make,” said Mullan. His lecture will emphasize our society’s need to consume goods and fossil fuels.

There will also be a social justice bazaar that connects progressive activist organizations with festival patrons, and will include the sale of fair trade goods and snacks.

The films will be screened in five theatre rooms around the campus, and include three short films made by Langara students. This is the eighth year the festival is being held at Langara College.

Admission to all three days is about $27 for students, $35 for the general public. The Friday night opening lecture has admission by donation and begins at 5 p.m.

DAVID COOPER photo

Cheyenne Maberley plays the soothsayer in the Studio 58 production of Julius Caesar, featuring an untraditionally large female cast.

Soul Resource: When does need become greed?

Studio 58 presents their 12th season of The Risky Night Series, a production completely created by theatre students

By AGUSTINA COCCARO

S

tudio 58 is presenting its first production of the Risky Nights Series for 2012, Soul Resource, a story of when need becomes greed.

The play, which is written, acted and staged by the students of Studio 58, is about two civilizations living side-byside that discover one of the nations has a resource that the other needs to survive.

“The story of the play is the coming together of these two different peoples and then figuring out what they have in common,” said Rachel Peake, director of the play and former Studio 58 student.

“It’s how desperate the search for that resource can become.”

15 students have been working long days to put their vision on the stage.

“We rehearse six days a week,” said Peake.

“It’s long hours because the students still go to class during the day and then start rehearsals mid afternoon . . . and on the weekends it’s full days,” she added.

The Risky Night Series, which is now in its 12th season, is a bridge between the classroom and the main stage.

The students have full control of every aspect of production.

“People are familiar with the Risky Nights Series,” said Peake, who is working on her fourth Risky Nights production.

“A lot of people like the idea of exciting new work from up and coming, emerging artists.”

The producers are collaborating with Langara College Artist-in-Residence Samuel Roy-Bois by integrating his installation art piece into the play.

His piece Nothing Blank Forever can be seen in the quadrangle outside the student union building.

The play will run nightly at 8:15 from Feb. 6 to 11, with an afternoon matinee at 3:15 on Feb. 12 in the Student Union Building. Admission is by donation.

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It’s how desperate the search for that resource can become RACHEL PEAKE

lifestyles

Editor Shawn Gill

The Voice, THURSDAY, February 2, 2012

Mo volume, mo problems

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Growing leg hair for good Maritime med students raise cash and awareness for cervical cancer by abstaining from shaving

By Quinn Mell-Cobb

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DENNIS PAGE photo

Hannah Little, an arts and science student, isn’t concerned about blasting her old-school hip-hop tunes when she’s cruisin’ the Canada Line. “If they put a limit on the volume, I’d be pissed off,” said Little on Monday, January 30, 2012, while hangin’ outside of A-building.

These expert opinions on hearing loss may not be music to your ears

By Dennis Page

M

att Landels, a business administration student at Langara, listens to his headphones for a couple of hours a day while he commutes to school, and really cranks the tunes while he’s skateboarding.

According to Sandra Baker, an audiologist at the Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, students like Landels, may be putting themselves at risk for long term hearing damage.

“In industry, if someone is working in noise at 85 decibels for eight hours, then hearing protection is required,” said Baker in a Voice interview last week.

How does one know if they are listening to their music too loud and just

how loud is 85dB? Baker offered this guideline: “If someone’s listening to [their] MP3 player and they can’t have a conversation with a person standing nearby, who is speaking at a conversational level, then it’s too loud.”

That ringing in your ears when you’ve been at a party or a concert is most likely short-term hearing damage. The good news is, in most cases, your hearing later corrects itself.

According to Baker, the risk with headphones is prolonged excessive volume causes damage that is not detectable until it is too late.

In 2009, the European Union introduced regulation that limits the default volume settings of headphones to 85 decibels. But users are able to override the default settings, up to a maximum of 100 decibels.

This was put into effect based on studies a year earlier that estimated that over 10 million people in the EU could be at risk for permanent, longterm hearing damage.

Dr. Kapil Khatter, a family physician in Ottawa, is pushing for Canada to adopt similar regulations as the EU. “It may be that in 30 years this may be one of the major causes of hearing loss, but nobody knows for sure, so the feeling is, let’s not wait 30 years to find out,” said Khatter.

Hanna Little, an arts and science student at Langara, admits to listening to her favorite hip-hop tunes pretty loud and states, “If they put a limit on the volume, I’d be pissed off.”

For the safest listening, both Khatter and Baker recommend using noisecancelling headphones, so you don’t have to play music at dangerous levels.

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In industry, if someone is working in noise of 85 dB’s for eight hours hearing protection is required Sandra Baker, audiologist at WIDH

eb-U-Hairy is officially underway.

For the third straight year, let the growing begin.

Inspired in part by the popular Movember movement, Feb-U-Hairy is a variation to raise money and awareness for cervical cancer. The catch?

Feb-U-Hairy’s female participants must pledge to go an entire month without shaving their legs.

Feb-U-Hairy is the brainchild Kathleen Callanan and Angelique Myles, both medical students at Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador.

As Feb-U-Hairy is set to begin its third annual go-around Callanan finds herself very pleased by the progression from its humble beginnings in February 2010.

“I’m always surprised when people beyond our circle of classmates, friends and family have heard about the event,” Callanan said. “I met a middle-aged woman last year who said she started a growing team at her office after seeing the event on the news. It’s cool to see the message is reaching a varied demographic.”

Determining which worthy organization will receive their pledges earned during Feb-U-Hairy was an easy decision, with Callanan and Myles ultimately deciding on Planned Parenthood NL, a group whom Callanan referred to as “a great partner,” citing their providing of a pap clinic to help make cervical cancer testing more accessible for women in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Though Feb-U-Hairy has yet to strike a chord with female students at Langara College Callanan is hopeful for its future.

“I’d like to see [Feb-U-Hairy] keep growing and continue to have more participants and funds raised every year,” said Callanan, adding that she “would also hope to see the event take off in other provinces.”

To the women out there who support the cause, but are unwilling to go a full month without shaving, Callanan had some sound advice.

“Like you were really going to shave this month anyway. The men had Movember, so now it’s our turn.”

Langara instructor isn’t iCrazy about latest iBuzz Political science teacher Paul Prosperi uses tech in his classroom, but doesn’t drink the Apple Kool-Aid

By AUDREY MCKINNON

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hile some think that iBooks 2, Apple’s new publishing software, will dominate the textbook industry, Langara faculty argue that going digital doesn’t necessarily mean going iDigital.

Launched in the U.S. last week, iBooks 2, promises to change what we know about textbooks: that they’re heavy and expensive.

The new tool allows access to textbooks on Apple’s touchscreen devices at a significantly lower price than hard copy and lets users build their own textbooks.

But Langara faculty members have concerns about the new tool and say that they have other solutions to reduce costs and backpack sizes without

joining the iClub.

Paul Prosperi, a Langara political science professor, has already begun changing from weighty books and high prices.

This semester he started posting the course reader material online for free.

He also ordered custom textbooks in hard copy composed of selected articles from the publisher, reducing the pages from almost 700 to 200.

“One of my primary considerations is to try and help students with the cost of textbooks,” he said, adding that it’s good for the environment too.

Global Equities Research, a Delaware-based company that monitors Apple’s iBook sales by a proprietary tracking system, estimates that iBooks 2 will mean a 33 to 35 per cent drop in book prices.

This could benefit Langara students like 21-year-old transfer student Annette Lee who spent nearly $300 on textbooks this semester.

But Prosperi said that he wouldn’t consider iBooks 2 a practical option since it is limited to the iPhone or the

iPad and not all students would have access.

“I wouldn’t even consider something like that,” said Prosperi.

Lee has another concern too.

“If I look at a screen too long my eyes will get tired,” she said although she would appreciate the savings.

Bookstore director Mark Adams knows that techy-textbooks are inevitable even though he says digital versions currently only account for about one per cent of the Langara bookstore’s sales.

“It’s those students that are in high school and in grade school that are being brought up on laptops and digital materials that are going to grow up on that.

That’s all they’re going to know and it’s all they’re going to want,” he said.

Someday, products like it iBooks 2 may totally eliminate the need for bookstores.

“Depending on how the business model works itself out, potentially we could be cut right out of the picture,” said Adams.

AUDREY MCKINNON photo

Langara transfer student Annette Lee, 21, is comfortable with both paper and technology as she studies for a test outside the cafeteria on Friday, January 27, 2012.

6

viewpoints

editor alexandra grant

The Voice, THURSDAY, february 2, 2012

Microwaves a necessity for caf

E

ven with a $1.3-million budget for cafeteria renovations, Langara waited too long to spring for a few working microwaves.

Only three of Dana Bowen the seven microwaves in the cafeteria work, forcing students to go out of their way to the LSU building to heat their food.

OPINION

An order was sent out on January 24 for new ones, but is it too little too late?

By the time new microwaves arrive, spring semester will be over halfway through and a majority of students will be gone for the summer.

Before the renovations, the cafeteria had rows of long tables and looked more like a basement than a place for college students to spend time and eat their lunch.

The cafeteria does look better than it did before. The large room has undergone several changes to

brighten it up aesthetically, including a new paint job and round tables that give the area a restaurant feel.

However, it seems pointless to fix the cafeteria’s appearance if it doesn’t even meet the needs of students. It’s like painting a jalopy in a bright colour – it may look better, but it’s still broken.

“Perhaps it is a way of getting people to buy food rather than bring their food from home,” said criminology student Frederike Buchmann.

Buchmann said that apart from the working microwaves often being

dirty, she doesn’t use the ones in the cafeteria because there is usually a long lineup of students waiting to use them.

Students have been complaining about this since the fall semester and while the school has $50,000 left over in their budget for renovations, the issue has not been addressed until now.

There are microwaves in the LSU building for students to use, but it hardly makes sense that the cafeteria, which is made specifically for eating, lacks the proper devices to heat food.

Fundraisers should be accessible I

don’t know when or why fundraisers became fixated on hair growth.

As if it wasn’t already off-putting enough to have to swim in a sea of moustaches every November, a new fundraiser aimed at raising awareness about cervical cancer is now encouraging men and women to grow their leg hair out over the course of February.

Any effort to raise awareness for an important cause is admirable, but I’m not sure if the organizers of the aptly named “Feb-U-Hairy” thought their concept through. The sad truth is that while many men have no problem letting their moustaches grow freely for a month, a number of women would have an issue with not shaving their legs for the duration of an entire month.

“The men had Alexandra MOvember, so Grant now it’s our turn,” said Kathleen Callahan, one of the two medical students who organized Feb-U-Hairy.

True – the men did get MOvember. But does that mean women need to replicate their fundraiser with a hair growth contest of their own?

The other issue with this fundraising tactic is the fact that most women are not able to proudly display their leg hair in the depths of winter. Of course, their male counterparts were able to easily show their support during MOvember since it’s relatively difficult to conceal something that was on their faces.

I suppose part of their strategy was to create a fundraiser with shock value in order to generate attention; however, is it really serving the purpose of their fundraiser, which is to encourage early detection of cervical cancer? In my opinion, an awareness campaign should be as accessible as possible in order to encourage more involvement.

What happened to the days when wearing a coloured ribbon was a way of showing your solidarity against a disease? I commend the students behind Feb-U-Hairy for their charitable efforts but would urge them to look into campaign tactics that would appeal to more people.

OPINION

New sizes may cause confusion N

ews from January 23 that Tim Hortons changed its cup sizes for hot drinks has already caused a stir for customers, more than just to dissolve sugar.

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Journalism instructor Nicholas Read oversees The Voice. Email him at nread@langara.bc.ca

The new 24-ounce extra-large cup has prompted all the old sizes to move down one. In other words, what used to be a large is now a medium, an old Ross Armour medium is now a small, and so on and so forth. Though the cups are being rebranded, the new versions contain the same amount of liquid and cost the same price as their old counterparts.

So, are customers still getting value for money? Well, theoretically no.

Many customers that regularly order large coffees would reasonably expect to pay less now that the size has been bumped down to a medium.

For example, a medium coffee

OPINION

now costs $1.59, the same price as the old large. Customers who are unaware of this change and order their usual large must now pay more for the sake of six ounces.

Customers have the right to argue that since a large is now a medium, there should be an accompanying decrease in price.

Aside from coffee, these prices also relate to steeped tea and hot chocolates from Tim Hortons, while other hot drinks such as French Vanilla lattes are more expensive.

New extra smalls, which used to be smalls, now cost $1.52 and the new 24-ounce extra-larges now cost $2.45.

This trend of offering colossal size cups to customers is not new. In fact, Starbucks recently launched a new “trenta” 31-ounce cup for some hot drinks in the United States.

While Tim Hortons headquarters might argue that the campaign was designed to offer customers more choice, it may actually confuse customers.

V

the oice The Voice is published by Langara College’s journalism department.

Editorial opinions are those of the staff and are independent of views of the student government and administration.

We welcome letters to the editor. All letters must be signed. They may be edited for brevity.

Names may be withheld in special cases, but your letter must include your name and phone number.

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community Forum sparks discussion about child poverty

Editor ALANNA HARDINGE-ROONEY

The Voice, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012

7

Speaker says the face of poverty has changed, but issues remain the same

By ASHLEY VIENS

I

MICHELLE GAMAGE photo

Bruce Wallace, the 24 Hours distributor at the Langara – 49th Avenue Canada Line Station, says he loves making someone’s day.

On the front lines of friendly Newspaper distributor shares his story of overcoming life’s obstacles

of South Vancouver

n the world’s second most expensive city, 16.4 per cent of children live below the poverty line.

In a panel on child poverty held at Langara College on Wednesday night, eight panelists, from pediatricians to teachers, spoke of their experiences regarding child poverty in Vancouver.

“These families are doing everything the government and society expects them to do, yet they are still poor,” said Adrienne Montani, the provincial coordinator for First Call: BC Child and Youth Coalition.

Carrie Gelson, one of the panelists, spoke of the letter she wrote in September asking Vancouverites to help children in their city struggling with poverty.

“Don’t assume that these kids are like anything you’ve experienced,” she said.

The letter quickly became popular, prompting the Vancouver Sun series about child poverty in the schools.

“These are children where you live, how does that makes you feel?” asked Gelson.

Gelson, mother of two, has been a teacher at Seymour elementary school for 16 years.

“Why do some children deserve to survive, while my children deserve to thrive?”

In her classCARRIE GELSON Seymour room, Gelson sees Elementary firsthand that chilteacher dren living in poverty also struggle with illiteracy, especially kids whose parents are living with mental illness.

“If social and emotional needs are not met, it’s all a mess,” she said.

Having a sense of humour and accepting the kids for who they are helps, said Gelson, especially when dealing with the intense relationships that develop between teacher and student, and with their parents.

“The face of poverty has changed overtly, but below the surface, the issues are still the same,” said Darrell Cavanagh, the principal at John Henderson Elementary School.

Henderson, just six blocks east of Langara, has been a designated innercity school for the past three years.

“It really does start with the community . . . our community is really generous,” said Pawan Sumra, a Grade 1 teacher at Henderson.

“Parents are doing the best they can with what they have . . . but sometimes kids fall under the radar,” she said.

So how can communities help?

People can volunteer to read with students in one-on-one reading programs, and mentoring programs like Big Brothers provide kids frienship, fun, and a much needed support structure.

Advocacy and social media are also effective, bringing awareness to a social problem which is otherwise not discussed.

“Awareness is key,” said Gumra, stating that people want to help if they know what’s going on in their own community.

“One child in one family in one community has a ripple effect,” said Gelson.

FACES

This is the first in a weekly series of profiles of people who live and work in South Vancouver.

By MICHELLE GAMAGE

‘I

made the wrong mistake of drinking and driving and it has affected me every day, for the rest of my life,” said Bruce Wallace, recalling June 7, 1981.

He was 21 then. After a night of drinking in Point Roberts he rolled his jeep and changed his life forever.

Langara students know Wallace as the friendly, orange-vested 24 Hours distributor at the Langara – 49th Avenue Canada Line Station.

Sipping coffee with cream and wearing a Vancouver Canucks T-shirt, the 52-year-old recalled his life before the crash.

He had been an avid hockey player at the University of Wisconsin, playing right defenseman with his eye on the

European Hockey League.

That all changed for Wallace when he drove drunk and crashed, irreversibly damaging his brain stem. He was in a coma for a week and then spent a year relearning how to walk. He would never play for the EHL. “My employment picture darkened, my relationships were under pressure.

It was really bad,” he said.

But Wallace refused to let his injury dictate his future.

He returned to the University of Wisconsin and set up a disabled students recreation club. He graduated in 1985 with a bachelor of science in education degree.

“It’s how you face [obstacles] that shows what you’re made of,” said Wallace.

He started working at 24 Hours last year. He applied for the job and then applied seven more times till he got an interview.

He now works mornings, 6:30 to 9:30,

rain or shine.

“I’m not curing cancer or anything but I’m making workers’ commutes more pleasant,” said Wallace. “I’m on the front lines. It’s rough but someone has to do it.”

Wallace also volunteers with the Canadian Disabled Individuals Association and is a road safety speaker for ICBC. He speaks at high schools and universities.

“People think they’re indestructible.

What they don’t realize is that people are very fragile. If you’re talking about a 2,000 pound vehicle and you crash; then you can be hurt very badly, if not killed,” said Wallace. “It’s good to learn by experience. But it’s even better to learn from someone else’s experience so you don’t have to go through it yourself.”

Wallace says he is not crazy about handing out papers, but he loves making someone’s day in his woolen orange toque that his mother-in-law crocheted.

New site could ease stress of renting Justin Glaboff and Samantha Clifford are general studies students who rent in the KerrisdaleDunbar area.

City council is looking into creating a database of rental units in the city, but some say it’s not enough

By CARISSA THORPE

A

s renting in Vancouver gets more difficult, city council hopes a new rental database will help ease the pressure.

The proposed database will enable prospective renters to see information such as who owns what buildings and whether there are any property violations or work orders pending.

Council voted unanimously Jan. 17 to have city staff report on the resources and costs associated with streamlining the information the city currently keeps on rental housing buildings into a searchable online database.

“The idea is to give renters as much transparency as possible,” said councillor Tim Stevenson, who put the motion for the database forward.

Stevenson said there are about 5,000 buildings built for rental purposes in

Rent in

Vancouver

Average price of a one-bedroom apartment: $934 2-bedroom: $1,181

Vacancy rate: 2.8 per cent

Out of 104, 494 rental units in Vancouver, 2,968 are available

CARISSA THORPE photo

Vancouver that will be listed.

But Ellen Wordsworth of the Coalition of Progressive Electors said the database doesn’t go far enough.

Woodsworth said it would exclude private rental suites or homes and single-room occupancy units, meaning “thousands of the most vulnerable renters will be excluded from participating. The most urgent need is to protect the lowest income renters,” who live in such units.

“It would be useful, [but] I don’t

know if I’d use it,” Justin Glaboff, who rents in Kerrisdale-Dunbar.

Computer Science student Sean Brophy thinks the city could go further and “make it a bylaw if you rent [out a suite] in Vancouver, you have to be part of the rental database.”

Council expects a report from city staff including findings and recommendations within the next two months, so students and citizens are encouraged to contact city council to offer input on the project.

Source: 2011 Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation report

sports

EDITOR MATT HYNDMAN

Small rookie is producing big results

The Voice, THURSDAY, February 2, 2012

Falcons split games at home The men and women endure different fates in weekend games

The first-year guard is impressing her coach as she continues her all-star ways from high school

By LEV JACKSON

L

By CARA MCKENNA

I

f it wasn’t for her Falcons jersey, you might mistake Denise Busayong for a girl on her way to cheerleading practice. Not only does the five-footfive athlete shine with a positive attitude and contagious energy, but she doesn’t have a hair out of place.

But don’t let this guard fool you with her friendly demeanor and polished appearance. On the basketball court she will take you down.

“She’s got a lot of strengths,” said her coach, Mike Evans.

“She’s extremely energetic, positive, fast, [and] she’s a good scorer. She DENISE BUSAYONG works really Rookie Falcons hard.” guard Busayong admits being a rookie in a college league can be challenging, but Evans said she has proven herself as a star on the team despite her inexperience. In fact, she was named conference player of the week in December.

“She’s playing against kids that are three and four years older than her every night,” said Evans. “She’s a better player than I thought she was when I watched her in high school.”

Before playing with the Falcons, Busayong was awarded as a Richmond League All-Star as well as being a major player on her previous team, the Richmond Colts.

“Everyone’s a lot better [in the college league],” Busayong said. But she uses her small size to her advantage, dodging her competitors with swift grace.

Clearly this human kinetics student stands out on the court for reasons other than her bright Falcons-orange shoelaces. Fittingly, her studies are helping improve her basketball skills even further.

“I’m taking Active Health so we actually have to go for runs and stuff,” said Busayong. The course examines the role of physical fitness on day-today life.

“That helps keep me fit [outside of] practice.”

Off the court, she helps out in the Langara sports department and is taking courses to help her improve her basketball skills.

8

LEV JACKSON photo

From top to bottom: Hailey Hebron, Brody Greig and Jitinder Lohcham face off against the Capilano University Blues Friday, January 27 at Langara College.

angara’s men’s basketball team won both their home games last weekend while the women fell short in both of theirs.

Before a packed crowd both teams came out focused and ready. The two teams squared off against the Capilano University Blues Friday night.

For the men’s team the game could not have gone any better as our Falcons dismantled the Blues 94-65.

Head coach Jake McCallum credited the victory to his team’s relentless defense.

“I thought they played very well defensively, which was what we were focusing on,” McCallum said after the game.

“We really limited them, worked hard, rebounded well, forced them to do things they didn’t want to do.”

Gurjote Jhaj and Jeff Chu led the way for the Falcons, both scoring a team high 21 points.

Point guard Brody Greig also had a solid game, netting seven points and a team high 11 assists.

On the defensive end of the court, Devin McMurtry hustled hard to lead the team in rebounds.

The team continued their winning ways Saturday defeating the Quest University Kermodes 99-81. This reinforced coach McCallum’s statement that, “If we want to play defense, we can.”

The women’s team kicked things off Friday with a spirited effort falling to the Blues 83-63. The Falcons kept things competitive, trailing only three points at the half.

Despite the loss, head coach Mike Evans was happy with his team’s performance against the league’s thirdplaced team.

“I liked everything about the way we played except one aspect: we got beat by one player,” Evans said of Capilano’s Jenna Ralston. “In ten years in this league I have never seen a kid hit that many threes.”

The five-foot-10 power forward scored 42 points, more than half her team’s total.

She shot 10 for 15 on three-pointers and logged over 38 minutes for the Blues.

Falcons’ veteran Carling Muir had a team high of 17 points. Rhea Silvestri added 13 points and 7 assists, while Hailey Hebron played a team high 38 minutes and netted 14 points.

The women lost Saturday’s game against Quest University 39-48.

Coaches challenge players to improve in new year Both basketball teams are looking to work towards old goals after a pair of uneven starts in 2012

By CARLY RHIANNA SMITH

O

pportunities abound for new years resolutions and the Falcons’ coaches plan to focus on challenging their players to improve after a rough start to the term. “[This year’s practices] have been a little tough … you have your ups and your downs,” said Jake McCallum, coach of the men’s basketball team.

“We’re still growing and getting to

know each other. I think we’re continuing to get better, so that’s a positive,” he added.

The men’s team is currently missing four injured players. “It’s a tough path when you don’t have all the pieces you’d like,” said McCallum.

The women’s team has faced injury and illness problems of its JAKE Mccallum own.

Men’s basketball “We haven’t had coach a lot of practices with all 10 [players] on the floor,” said head coach Mike

Evans.

Evans also faces the challenge of having many rookie players on his team this year. He looks for the positives in what could be a problem.

“It has created a lot of opportunity for our younger players to play more than they Mike evans Women’s basketnormally would.”

Both of the ball coach coaches are recycling New Year’s resolutions from the past. “[Our goals] haven’t changed since

Christmas – one is to make provincials, and then make the nationals,” said McCallum.

“Right now our biggest focus is on trying to get better defensively.”

“Our goals are the same every year: to play to our potential and hope we overachieve whatever our potential is,” Evans said.

“But I don’t think we’ve quite done that yet.”

Both coaches display optimism and believe in their teams despite the tough starts.

“We’re still in control of our own destiny,” said Evans.

When he was asked to describe his team in one word, McCallum said, “Growing would be a good one.”

FALCONS schedule

Friday Feb. 3:

at Columbia Bible College Saturday Feb. 4:

hosting Douglas College Thursday Feb. 9:

at Kwantlen University

Friday Feb. 17: hosting UNBC Source: Langara Athletics