Over The Edge
UNBC’s Independent Student Newspaper est. 1994
GUIDE TO STUDENT LIFE See pages 4, 5, and 6
Volume 22, Issue 2
Free overtheedgenewspaper.ca
September 29, 2015 ote-newspaper@unbc.ca
©Over The Edge
T
double down on our commitment and stand with the legacy of Terry Fox...” What was Moore’s intent? To show Canadians that only the Conservative party is anti-cancer? That is absurd, and the whole event created a conversation in the media on a subject that should not even need discussion.
Last week, former Conservative minister James Moore declared that the Conservative party would match donations to the Terry Fox Foundation up to a 35 million dollar total and then chastised the other parties for not having done the same: “It would be nice if the other political parties would all
An NDP candidate in an Ontario riding recently went through the embarrassing ordeal of having made a joke about Auschwitz on social media somehow without knowing what it was. This shows that perhaps that candidate in that riding is unsuitable for election, but the discussion lasting several
un | Designe z i R
S
gan | Staffer n a
All of these things are ultimately unimportant. When you see surface froth vying for your attention alongside important issues like Canada’s stance on immigration, choose to pay attention to the issues that will ultimately affect your life.
k tar
| Staffer
Brady
C Sh a wn
ndron | Sta e G f
fer
inson | Sta k t ff a W
Moniq ue
Grant
B
e
days in the national media is not needed as the issue does not affect all Canadians. The same goes for a Liberal candidate for a Vancouver Island riding that was found to have expressed two years ago that there was some conspiracy behind 9/11.
r
nd | Staff
er
Next deadline: October 5
er
Support is always needed and no experience is required; help make Over The Edge better. We want to hear from you! Call us at 250960-5633, tweet us @overtheedgeunbc, email us at ote-newspaper@unbc.ca and be sure to like us on Facebook. For more information, please visit our website www.overtheedgenewspaper.ca.
ha ac
r
Every year, we provide employment as editors, designers, and managers to students with a passion for journalism and are always looking for motivated individuals to work and volunteer in our collaborative environment. Over The Edge offers competitive advertising rates for space in our print publication as well as online.
era | Publis d l h a
Hanna h
his electoral campaign has been chock full of minor scandals. Every day it seems like there is a new instance of a candidate having said something racist on social media or some asinine “controversy” arising. The problem is that is obscuring the issues that actually impact Canadians.
Over The Edge Over The Edge is the University of Northern British Columbia’s independent student newspaper. Our office is located on the 2nd floor of the NUSC building in room 6-350. We are an equal opportunity publication which represents students in the UNBC and Prince George community. Our publication supports student writing by welcoming news, arts, sports, culture and opinion articles, as well as photography, comics, and creative writing submissions.
Edge itor
M
IC
Colin Sl
|E k r a
Letter from the
James
Masthead
Tierney
The
UNBC Life
Letter from NUGSS Duncan Malkinson President | NUGSS
G
ood day! I hope that the new semester has been kind to you so far! It’s sure been a busy time at the Northern Undergraduate Student Society. Despite the inclement weather, Backyard Barbecue was a success in a number of ways, crowds were large, returns were strong, and many had a great time. I hope it was a positive experience for you and yours. The annual Northern Students Give Back event was a tremendous success! We had strong support and buy in from many different Campus Clubs! The current board remains committed to making this event less of an obligation and more of a club owned effort, all the while fostering the great community benefits that extend from such a day. This is quite a challenge, and will require incremental positive change, but this year was a great step in that direction. I want to extend the biggest thank you I can to all that took part and participated and mention one last time of the worthwhile charity done for the Terry Fox Foundation. Thank you.
More exciting happenings are on the horizon! NUGSS Annual General Meeting will be held soon, a by-election for three vacant positions on our board will be held soon as well! There exist many opportunities to contribute meaningfully to the UNBC community. Ask yourself what you can do! There is a very important talk about the future of our institution that’s currently taking place. The academic planning process includes rethinking of the University’s vision and mission. Participation of students from diverse backgrounds is not only important, but integral. Many exciting events rest on our horizon as well. Meaningful work is being done to see the board’s strategic plan to a successful execution. If you have questions about that work or any other matter, don’t hesitate to stop by the NUGSS office and ask for any of the directors! Share your ideas, criticisms and compliments. Remember the services that exist for you! I wish you a healthy, productive and safe fall season.
©Over The Edge
Duncan Watkinson | NUGSS
Comedy Nights are Back! Brian Majore
H
ave you ever wanted to see Russell Peters, Joe Rogan, Greg Giraldo, Patrice O’Neal, Maria Bamford, and Louis C.K. all on the same stage in one night? Here’s your chance (almost). The Thirsty Moose Pub is to host comedy nights featuring local comedians once again on the last Tuesday of the month. The first show is on Tuesday Sept 29th, 8pm, $5 cover at the door. But on Tuesday October 27th, the Moose has a special Halloween show in store for you. The local comedians of Prince George are dressing up for Halloween. In this special show, the comics are dressing up as their favourite comedians, dead or alive, and acting out their jokes. Scheduled to appear are Russell Peters (“Somebody Gonna Get Hurt Real Bad”), Patrice O’Neal (The Office), Greg Giraldo (Comedy Central roasts), Maria Bamford (The Comedians of Comedy), Joe Rogan (UFC commentator and Fear Factor guy) and closing the show is Louis C.K. (Louie). Last year’s show was a howling success. It was frightening how good it was. ‘Zombie Comedy’ starts at 8pm on Tuesday October
27th, and is only $5 at the door. For more info, visit the Facebook event page “Zombie Comedy.” The final comedy show of the semester is on Tuesday November 24th, 8pm.
4
UNBC Life
Sustainability: Little changes go a long way
©Over The Edge
Anya Richter Guest Contributor
A
s a sixth-year Uni student, I have come across a few tricks and helpful hints for saving money, living healthy and taking care of the environment! I have written down ten tips for you, my fellow students, to try out and maybe adopt and pass on to others. First of all, it’s probably a fair guess that you don’t like the ends of bread loaves, but there is an alternative to just chucking them in the garbage; you can make bread crumbs! It’s really quite easy; stick bread ends in the oven when it’s not being used. When they are dry enough that they easily snap in half, stick them into one of those tough Ziploc freezer bags and crush them into crumbs via a method of your choice, rolling pins work well, if you have one. Here is a recipe for breaded anything! Season meat or vegetables with whatever spices you like, coat it in flour (I don’t know the purpose of this step, but that’s how my mother does it so there must be a good reason for it), completely coat it in stirred egg – (one egg
is enough for one pork chop), and finally, roll them in in your bread crumbs and proceed to fry them or bake them (baked chicken legs take about 45 minutes at 375°) Do you have a huge mess of tangled cables under your desk or in your drawer? Rather than buying twist ties (or stealing them from the bulk section at the grocery store), just fold those cords up nicely and stick each one in a toilet paper roll! It’s easy, cheap and a good way to keep organised. Your roommates will probably laugh at you but next time they have cables to untangle...) Plastic grocery bags are versatile! They can be used as garbage can liners, lunch bags, or for wrapping open meat packages or bowls in the fridge! I always have one tied up in my backpack in case I need an extra bag. If you do not live on residence and have long days of classes, make your own lunch! Grocery stores often sell boxes of granola bars at 5 boxes for $10, and loaves of bread are quite inexpensive as well. I make my lunch in the morning before I go to class;
pinterest.com
it takes me about 5 minutes, and saves me around $10 every day! Making your own coffee or tea before you leave your place is a good way to save money as well. It saves you about $2 per day, meaning $10 per week, $40 per month and $320 per school year!
Clothes pins are another useful thing to have around the house. You can use them to pinch shut open bags in the kitchen, as well as use them for other things such as holding curtains open, or, of course, hanging your clothes to dry.
If you have a stain in your clothes, you do not have to buy bleach or stain remover. As long as the stain is relatively fresh you can wash it out using lemon juice or vinegar. Just dribble some lemon juice over the stain, rub the cloth together for a while, rinse it out and voila, it should be gone! If the stain is really tough, you can use regular bar soap to get it out after the lemon juice has loosened it.
Don’t throw away your yogurt, margarine or sour cream containers! Wash them out and use them instead of plastic containers; they work just as well. The same goes for empty pasta sauce and other such jars; they are great for storing food and other things, as glass is easily cleaned and microwave safe.
Another handy resource that is often overlooked is old tissue boxes! If you cut the top off, you can use them as organisers for your desk, kitchen or bathroom drawers (cut one in half, take the plastic off and push one half inside the other so that only a small opening remains, it makes a perfect little house for a hamster or other small critter).
If you printed the wrong thing or your printer screwed up, don’t throw the ruined paper away! Cut it into quarters (or tear it using a ruler) and, using the backsides, you will have a nice little stack of note papers. I hope you find these tips useful and helpful, and please share other tricks you know for cheap, healthy and sustainable living with those around you! Have a good school year everyone!
UNBC Life
5
Math: Overcoming the stigma Jesmeen Deo Contributor
C
lasses are back in full swing, meaning that UNBC students are all (officially, anyway) getting down to the books for some pretty demanding classes like math. Did you get a terrified feeling in your stomach at the mention of that subject? If so, you’re not alone. About a quarter of the population has some level of math anxiety - and we’re not even talking about calculus-level material. From sales discounts to estimating grocery bills to calculating tips at restaurants, many people experience some level of apprehension over even basic arithmetic. Why is that? As CBC’s Quirks and Quarks reported, we may finally have some answers. Dr. Erin Maloney, a researcher with the Department of Psychology at the University of Chicago, recently published an interesting study with first and second graders which showed that math-anxious parents are much more likely to have math-anxious children. Her study asked parents and children to rate how they felt about math in a variety of creative ways, and then followed up on the children’s learning at the end of the school year. The data were compared and the results were startling.
The math-anxious parents had kids who learned significantly less math in the school year and, at the end of it, expressed higher math anxiety than normal; but the kicker was, this was only the case if the parents helped the children with their homework. Dr. Maloney proposes that children are adopting their parents’ feelings towards math from an early age as they work closely together. These feelings only compound further as they grow older. Why? Felix Recio, senior lecturer at the University of Toronto, may have put it best: “Math is almost 100 per cent cumulative. Whatever you meet in Grade 1, you’ll find in Grade 2. And whatever you miss in high school will be trouble at university.” It’s important to build a strong foundation most especially when it comes to math- and now there is convincing evidence that that includes attitude. So what’s the takeaway from all of this? Blame your parents for your poor math scores? Resolve never to help anyone with math ever again lest you pass on the anxiety? Resign yourself to inevitable heart palpitations every time you see a row of numbers? Not exactly, according to Dr. Maloney. As with every subject in school, outlook is everything. She suggests people take a more positive position about math when trying to
teach someone else, using phrases such as “If you work really hard, you’ll get it” rather than reinforcing other negative but popular stereotypes such as “Not everyone can be good at it”. Of course, it’s a little more difficult to teach an old dog new tricks. Maybe math anxiety feels unavoidable for some of us- but something can be done about it. If you find yourself struggling, just remember there are plenty of resources at the University to help with math problems- ask your TAs, grab some helpful topic sheets from the Academic Success Centre, or take advantage of the completely free homework help over at Mathematical Academic Centre for Excellence (MACE) in the Teaching And Learning Building (Building 10). It’s the same for any subject, really. A positive attitude, combined with seeking help when you need it, is the true recipe for success here. Don’t believe it? Well, then do the math – and this time with a smile on your face.
The First Year’s Guide to UNIVERSITY Grant Bachand Team Member
T
he welcome back that the university gives is always tremendous, but this year being that it is the last year of my undergrad, I felt the warmth that much more and a ton of relief that it is almost over. It occurs to me that this may be many people’s first year, and they might be a bit nervous about being in university. I thought the best thing to do is pass along some of my learnings to the newbies. Relax and be yourself. I know it is a cliché, but it is true for a good reason. When you are stressed and nervous you don’t think clear and you may miss a lot of things. So, if you want to learn anything make sure you relax first and enjoy the ride. You may be coming out of high school, or possibly coming back to university after years off. If you are coming out of high school then you are probably think you know whom you are and what you are comfortable with it. Trust me you don’t, or you are probably being, and acting like someone who you really aren’t, in order to maintain some sort of social façade you have created for yourself you can stop that now. My advice is to forget all the things you thought you knew about yourself and what you should do and be open to rediscovering yourself. I know at this point you are thinking that this is going to be a corny list with some useless points from Shia LaBeouf videos, and it kind of is. Trust me, if you don’t allow yourself to reinvent yourself, or discover who you are, university is going to be is an extension of high school, and you are not in high school anymore. You are in the real world, or at least pretty close to the real world. Join a club, or student organization to find your kind of people. Now do not just join one club, join multiple. Debate Club, Commerce Student Society, Drama Club, Chemistry Club and much more all are good options to explore and discover. If you do not like the club simply drop out and join a different club. Whatever you do, do not let titles dictate what
club you join. If you let your major pigeonhole what you do then you will never know if you are doing the right thing for yourself. As you explore and discover more about what you like and dislike you will find it easier to make your decisions in the future. A university experience without at least joining one club is a waste of your time. Learn how to deal with stress, judgment, disappointment and regret. In your time at university you will feel all these emotions at different times and at different intensity. I usually find around finals I get hit with all of them at once. The best thing to do is to find a coping strategy, and use it. If you don’t learn to cope with stress early on you will find these four or five years really long and extremely draining. Find a mentor and learn from them. One of the best things I did as a person was find someone who was older, wiser and learn some valuable life skills from them. When I was at CNC I met a man who was a lot older than myself, at the time I was around 19 – 20. I hung out with him and we became good friends, this friendship I found to be one of the most valuable friendships I have had in my life. I am a much different person after my friendship with him, and now I am able to pass along the stuff I learned from him to other people. The things I learned from him are skills that I have used everyday since. Like I did, you need to find your Obi-Wan Kenobi, and learn to use the Force from them. Final tip: find a buddy. University may not be anything like war but when the shit hits the fan, having someone with you that is going through the same stuff as you, is something that can be immensely comforting. You will change majors, break up with partners, have fights with colleagues, fail classes and possibly forget altogether why the hell you are going through all this crap in the first place. My advice is to find a partner and hunker down, because a storm is coming, and it is going to last a while.
6
Student Voice
Residence or nah? Sara Weeres Guest Contributor
O
ff campus or on campus? Deciding whether to live in residence or off campus is one of the most influential decisions in a student’s life. I speak from experience. I feel that I learned a lot and exposed myself to many different things by deciding to rent my own place, but residence offered me invaluable friendships and experiences for the two years I was there. So, off campus or on campus? Let’s break it down. Res is a fantastic option for first year students. It offers security when first moving to Prince George, forces students to interact with each other, and allows students without transportation to easily access the school. You don’t have to worry about finding roommates, a place to rent, or furniture. The rent is paid in full at the beginning of the semester so you don’t have to think about monthly expenditure. Living on res is the best way to meet and constantly interact with fellow new students and get to know them, whether it be through roommates, friends of roommates, or people you met in class who happen to live on res. It’s a great way to get connected and stay connected to your peers. You don’t have to figure out the bus system
right away and you can get up fairly late without a commute to class. One of my favourite things about res was that you didn’t have to pack a lunch; between classes you just mosey on back home and relax while making and enjoying a nice meal you created right then and there… Oh wait. Second year is when things get a little confusing. You’ve experienced the loud, drunken people when you’re trying to study, the fire alarms at 3am, the thin walls that gave away FAR too much about your roommate’s sex life, but it’s just so convenient. Maybe you have some roommates you really clicked with that want to be on res again. It could be that the ability to run back home to grab something you forgot outweighs the $90 in quarters you spent on laundry. So you do it. Even though you’re starting to go a little crazy not being able to separate your home life from your school life, you do it. Third year is when I moved off res. Not only is it cheaper, it’s more private, nicer looking (hopefully), and good god I needed to find a way to get away from school sometimes. You can live by yourself or have roommates, and even have more than one bathroom! Having a larger living space and bedrooms is an additional possibility. Living off campus
offers you a whole new smorgasbord of options, and it feels good. The only thing is, now you’re further away from your friends (whether they’re on OR off campus), and by the time you’re off campus for 3 months, the Prince George Transit system has elicited every curse in the English language from your mouth. However, if you somehow find a way to navigate said transit system, you’ll find that living off campus opens your eyes to the many entertainment and restaurant options available in Prince George. I myself became much more engaged in the amenities the city had to offer rather than holing myself up at UNBC all the time. You do have to get up a little earlier to make yourself a lunch and bus up to the university, but showing off your awesome new place to your friends makes up for it, especially when you all end up drinking and crashing at your place on Friday night because you have way more space than they do on res. So, in fourth year, stay off campus. Res has its place in university life, but living off campus offers such a great growing experience that I would highly recommend it. It exposes you to the city, can aid your mental health while going to school, and often offers way better living conditions. I hope you are at least considering it if you haven’t already done it, and if you have, kudos to you!
Responding to the Syrian Refugee Crisis Jessica Bagnall Guest Contributor
S
ince the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011, turmoil has has erupted in many countries including the Syrian Arab Republic. The revolts had inspirations from internet capabilities which gave the citizens of the world the ability to mobilize and create larger protest effects against Bashar alAssad the President of Syria, as well as commander-in-chief of the military and a handful of other positions. Many criticize the west for not intervening, and pressures continued to be placed upon states that are now receiving the mass immigrations caused by the cruelty of the regime. The European Commission reports that Europe is the biggest supporter of international crisis and has spent 3.1 Billion Euros since 2012. They estimate that 7.6 million people which were displaced and that are in need of immigration. 12.2 Million people are in need of assistance, and 4 million are registered refugees. They report that is the largest humanitarian crisis since world war II. UN aid workers were also reported to be regularly attacked, kidnapped, and there has been 77 murders. The European Union asylum procedures map out the procedures that are necessary to grant refugees that ability to enter the EU. Because of an agreement of mobility within
the borders, anyone within the Union can freely go within the countries because of economic benefits which were lost from tariffs. This causes an increase of security on the outside to control the population of the Union. The new directive as of July 2015, states that an application must not take more than 6 months and is judged by a document called the minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers, which is not yet posted with the policies. Applicants also have an entitlement to a personal interview to state their case. The Council on Foreign Relations reports that the main entry has been Greece and Italy, and that 464,000 migrants have crosses the Mediterranean Sea in 2015 (International Organization for Migration). The refugees cross the borders illegally in the south and travel towards richer countries in the north. The Dublin Regulation (2013) states that the asylum seekers must remain in the country that processed their asylum or risk deportation. The CFR also reports that detention centers in Europe have also violated article III of the European Convention of Human Rights because of neglect which resulted in inhuman or degrading treatment of humans. The BBC reports that in response to this inflation,
40,000 migrants will be accepted into other countries in the EU without placing quotas for the states from Greece, Italy and Hungary. Italy urges for more support, and the UK has opted out of the agreement based on stipulations in the Libson Treaty (2013). With tensions increasing upon the EU from Syrian refugees and those of the surrounding states, political and bureaucratic limits are now being shaken as the effects of population crisis emerge. The refugees are facing a complex legal battle in cost for their aspired freedom and also cultural tensions are keeping refugees from legally entering the EU. With the state of the legal framework at hand, what measures will the commission take to round up the illegal refugees. Where will these people go? Perhaps the concept of overpopulation is a threat you the european identity. The human rights violations and poverty that the refugees are fleeing is not a problem that can be masked by a slow moving integration. Countries must work together to create a place where all of these people can find homes. If the spread of a liberal-democracy is your goal, and now the world’s people are responding to that message then how can you make them suffer more without helping them.
Student Voice 7
UNBC Strike...
...6 months later
Shawn Caldera Publisher
S
eptember was business as usual at every school in Canada, with students resuming shuffling from class to class, experiencing the initial carefree enjoyment of having no large assignments or exams, and the endless amount of free food from clubs and events. At UNBC, we’re no different. Hard to believe the 2015 Winter semester almost ended on an extremely sour note. As much of a tense time as the UNBC faculty strike was, it was forgotten almost instantly once classes resumed. Exams were studied for, assignments had to be done, and convocation was pretty much smacking the faces of every student near the end of their degrees. During the beginning of the strike, there were petitions, movements, marches and even the odd trumpet blaring. Even a couple of memes were made, and we were able to get onto the national headlines! When the dust and fun settled after the first two weeks, tensions were high and negotiations were not close. Desperation filled the air, with worries of final grades, refunds of tuition, with a smidge of apprehension looming overhead. Both the Administration and Faculty association claimed that they were both working hard to come to an agreement, but many days passed. What started the strike? We need to go back to the start UNBC itself. 1990 marked the establishment of the institution that would start it all for a new level of education in the north. Cue the ribbon being cut in 1994 and UNBC was finally open for students to start earning a degree, set for faculty to flex their long awaited muscles, and ready for administration to
pgfreepress.com
set down some policy and procedure. Policies and procedures that, some may argue, were not kept and aged, in regards to employee contracts and the pay structures related to them. As stated on the UNBC Faculty Association site, the issues that led to the strike were “reduced job security for faculty, the worst salary structure of any comparable institution, and negligible post-retirement benefits, among others.” To further support the fact that there were no changes made to the past structure, the FA wrote on their website that “we had an agreement that functioned well for the last 20 years, there is no reason that this contract should take particularly long to negotiate.” It took close to a month for some sort of resolution, a binding arbitration. Many students asked if the strike was even necessary. What did it achieve? Students societies and independent movements both wanted the best for the student populace, and most movements were for either a financial reimbursement for time lost or guaranteed credit hours, since the condensed semester would be an inaccurate representation of school performance. Seven students were the first to address this concern, crossing the picket lines to speak to UNBC President, Daniel Weeks. He wrote to the students in an email that he “realize[s] that the faculty strike is not of [our] doing, and that [we] carry the brunt of this action. Short of announcing that the strike is over, there is little I can say that will satisfy [our] expectations. Nevertheless, many students have requested a commitment from me regarding financial restitution.”
On March 14th, Faculty and Administration met for bargaining for the fourth proposal regarding pay structures. The FA did not agree to it, and only meant for more jobaction to take place. At this point, frustrations grew, and tensions ran high. Myself, as a student involved with the “pro-student” movements, saw the toll it was taking on my peers. Student leaders were being divided, and unity was breaking between the student body. As the clock ticked closer to week 4, the labour relations board was brought in by the Administration, and a wave of certainty was brought for some people; for the Faculty Association, which also was standing divided; this was a blessing and a curse. On March 20th, classes resumed, students flocked to the hallways and returned to Prince George. Assignments were due, exams were nearing, and UNBC continued as if nothing had happened. Tension ran strong, however, and the divide between administration and faculty was extremely apparent. Who cared, though? People needed to graduate, move on with their lives, and proceed to the next level in their academic lives. Convocation proceeded, Professors were once again doing what they loved doing, and Administration carried on with their duties. Students received a credit to their student accounts and were able to continue going to this great school to further their education. Throughout November and December, arbitration will occur to see what resolution can be achieved by both parties. This possibly means the FA and Administration can still get what they both want (ideally). Who knows? Maybe there will even be time to kiss and make up.
8
Election 2015
Election 2015: Interviews with the Canditates
Grant Bachand Contributor
myprincegeorge.ca
O
ver the Edge with CFUR 88.7 has been interviewing many of the candidates of both ridings in Prince George, Cariboo – Prince George, and Prince George – Northern Rockies – Peace River. All the interviews are being aired on CFUR 88.7 and are available on Mixcloud channel called Student Talks. You can also follow the election and listen to other interviews that are yet to be released on the Facebook page, Student Talks, CFUR 88.7.
Trent Derrick Mr. Derrick is a 22-year resident of Prince George who owns Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and Spa of the North. He is running in the Cariboo – Prince George riding for the New Democratic Party. The NDP are polling alongside with the Liberals and the Conservatives, in a three-way tie. Trent though has been favoured by many people to win the Cariboo – Prince George riding, due to the historic trends of voting for the NDP for this riding, and want for change. We spoke about a variety of issues on the NDP platform from a $15 minimum wage to conservation of the environment. On the issue of the a $15 minimum wage Trent told us that if the NDP were elected then this increase would apply to all federally regulated businesses such as banks and parks. It would not reach all Canadians, but he is hopeful that by working with the provinces over time they would all reach
the same level as well. He believes that by bringing the provinces to the table, it will help bring even the most fiscally conservative government around on the $15 minimum wage.
with benefits and decent pay, and that the firms have a strong community connection and this will help prevent a loss of jobs because it means we make a better product.
I asked Derrick about the NDP’s plan to raise corporate taxes to pre-Harper rates, a major part of the platform. He is confident that a raise to these rates would not make Canadian firms less competitive in a global market. Which has been a concern of many people who live in towns that are dependent on a major industry. With companies like Canfor already being hurt by wood prices and beetle kill wood, a tax hike has many votes worried. With a large amount of the workforce in Canada working in small business, the NDP hope that a cut to their tax rates for them and this will help bolster the economy and create jobs. This offset is a move away from major corporations and to a more community based approach.
The environment was a major focus in all of the interviews and one of the main things we asked the candidates about what resource development, pipelines and climate change. The NDP is not opposed to resource development however they would like to see it done in a responsible and safe way. The same goes with their stance on pipeline they do not oppose all pipelines only the ones that are dangerous and the companies do not have a good safety record.
A big shift in manufacturing in North America has been to relocate operations to lower labour markets such as Mexico, it has made it hard to keep jobs in Canada. The NDP, and Derrick believe, that a kick-start to this sector is in order. They feel that a kick-start will help smaller to medium sized firms become more competitive in the global market. I asked him what prevents more firms from relocating to other countries like Mexico; Derrick responded by saying that Canadian firms treat their employees well
One of the final topics we talked about was education. I asked Derrick about the federal involvement in education and the reduction in student debt. The NDP wants to address this issue, though their was no clear plan was spoken of by Derrick but he does have a willingness to move forward if elected. The NDP wants to work with stakeholder groups such as student groups and universities in order to help fix this problem. He wants us to be innovative on this issue and find new ways to address this problem and possibly fund education. It is hard to say after my interview with Derrick too much about him personally but her certainly wants to drive home the ideas laid out in the NDP platform.
Election 2015 9 Sheldon Clare
Matt Shaw and Tracy Calogheros
We sat down with Sheldon Clare, running as an independent in Cariboo – Prince George. During the interview I heard a passionate man who has lived in Prince George for a long time and wants to see change come to this riding. Clare spoke about many different things from the problems with the party system, to student debt. He is an instructor at the College of New Caledonia and after my interview he proved that is far more than just a random independent.
On to the Liberals, we spoke with both candidates for both Prince George ridings. Tracy Calogheros a long time Liberal and the CEO of the Exploration Place, who has sat on the sidelines for a long time, but stepped up after year of Conservative rule. Matt Shaw, is taking on incumbent Bob Zimmer in Prince George – Northern Rockies – Peace River. Shaw talked a lot about speaking authentically and not completely toeing the party line. Both candidates were passionate and showed a strong knowledge of their party’s position on the issues with their own spin on certain ones to give them a local flare.
We talked about first the party system here in Canada, Clare decided to run after feeling dissatisfaction with this system and a lack of a voice for local ridings in the House of Commons. He believes that anything that helps the riding he represents is ok when it comes to parliament, that means crossing the floor to support certain bills, and crossing right back the next day if don’t agree with the party. He says one of the major problems is party whips who force MP to vote with the party and if they do not they lose the special benefits and perks that come with being in a party. Clare sees this as a huge failing of government, however when asked if we should move away from the trustee system to an American style representative system, Clare quickly swatted the idea away saying “I am not a Republican.” It is clear though that he sees MP as deal brokers who work with certain parties when they have aligned interests but as soon as the deal is over they might oppose those same people in another issue. Clare was very passionate when he talked about student debt. He said the current state of student debt is a “national disaster.” He wants change how transfer payments are given to the province so that they aren’t just given to the province with no stipulations, but rather earmarked for certain purposes such as education to ensure that it gets better funded in the future. In his 24 years at CNC he has seen many cuts to the institution’s budget that has created problems and lost opportunities for students. He sees this as a major issue and one he is hoping will resonate with students. Clare also spoke about the protection of the environment however he was vague about how to do this. He talked a lot about the balance between resource development and environmental conservation. Responsible development is important and using science as a guild is a huge part of his decision making process. He says no to Enbridge, and has reservations about projects like the Site C Dam. Sheldon is an avid hunter, and is partly the reason why he has lived in Prince George for so long, so he sympathizes with environmental conservation issues, though to what extent was unclear. Though one of the most defining features of this candidate is his stance on bill C-51. He is opposed to it and wants to see it repealed. He talked about the separation between intelligence gathering and enforcement. The idea that C-51 merges them both in CSIS it very troubling to him, and would like to see that changed. C-51 is part of the reason for Clare running in this election and Margaret Atwood has even endorsed him on Twitter.
The both toted the need for change in government, and this matched the parties’ mantra in this election that Justin Trudeau has been driving home in all of his speeches. Both candidates spoke to the idea that the Conservatives policies are not working, and we need to see a massive investment in our economy and major change in leadership. Calogheros talked about how municipalities can take advantage of the infrastructure pledge that the Liberals have made in order to help with housing, roads and other public buildings. Calogheros has been talking with some of the mayors in her riding to find out ways they can utilize the money. Shaw sees young people and helping them find work as also key to the economy’s success. He would like to see more investment in university graduates so that they have more career options once they leave school and go into the job market. One of the bigger parts of the Liberal platform is voting system reform. Proportional voting is one of the ideas that have been spoken of and when I was speaking with Shaw, he talked about his willingness to see this sort of change. “…if someone gets 10% of the votes, they should get 10% of the seats” said Shaw he was speaking about the Greens and their inability to get more seats in parliament. We talked a lot about the voter apathy and why young people don’t vote. Shaw wants to connect with young people and bring them to the table which he hope will lower voter apathy and get more young people engaged. Shaw spoke of his own personal experiences in school and how what he took at the time was going to help him out a lot when he graduated, he then said they same cannot be said for the current generation when they leave school, the options he had aren’t always there. Shaw spoke about the change Canada has had under the Harper government from the “honest broker” to the joining the United States as a kind of global policer. He saw this as a terrible change for Canada, and it is something he wants to see change if the Conservatives are taken out of office. We looked at Syria and the problems in Europe with the refugee crisis. He said that the Liberals are committing 100 million dollars to help with this problem and bring over 25,000 refugees. Though this would be an immediate response, but it will not fix the overall problem that Syria is facing right now. Calogheros spoke a lot about the same things in terms of the economy and job creation. The Liberals want to see a lot of jobs created for young people, and in green sectors. However she also went on to talk about her disagreement
with the Liberal party on supporting Bill C-51. According to Calogheros the Liberals supported Bill C-51 in order to get a discussion on the floor about the bill. The Liberals believe there are good parts in the bill and they want to amend the problematic areas but they also want to keep the areas that will be valuable. However when I heard her say this it did sound a lot like playing politics with our rights and I asked her about it. She did defend the position and said that there are smart people who made this bill who want to make Canada a better place. Since it is law now all we can do is change it to make it more acceptable. Calogheros has concerns about the missing and murdered aboriginal woman here in Canada. The Liberals have said if elected there will be an enquiry, and they will adopt the recommendations in the Truth and Reconciliation commission report. She said that the Liberals want to have meaningful conversation with the various first nations groups in order to build the relationship between the two governments. One of the more local impacts of this would be the highway of tears and a possible increase in resources in the investigation of the murders along that stretch of highway. She says the issues of the missing and murdered aboriginal women are not just a first nations issue but an issue for all women and needs to be taken seriously. This article only contains summaries of each interview, but much more was discussed. Students should listen to these interviews online or over the air and familiarize themselves with the candidates and learn which one best represents their needs and views. More interviews are coming with Adam de Kroon from the Christian Heritage party and Elizabeth Biggar from the Green Party. Keep up with all the election coverage with Over the Edge and CFUR 88.7. The election is October 19th, please ensure you get out and vote.
VOTE OCTOBER 19th
10
Culture
Whiplash: Is “Good Job” The Worst Thing You Can Say To A Student?
fangango.com
Emily Striker Guest Contributor
W
hiplash,” a 2014 Academy Award Winning film, is based around a tenacious drumming student named Andrew Neiman. At the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory, Neiman strives to be “the best of the best” by working to get in to Terence Fletcher’s band. Being chosen out of his entire first year class was easy in comparison to what he must face in the band. Fletcher’s yelling, throwing of chairs and slapping drives him to the breaking point—literally. Still, he perseveres and never truly gives up hope. Whether he is able to reach Fletcher’s standards is debatable, as he only receives a small hint of approval by the end of the film. There were many things that disturbed me about this film.
It mortified me to see Fletcher kick a student out because his obesity disgusted him. I despised his foul language and violence towards students. Most of all, I hated how Fletcher expelled Neiman for being late even though he was covered in bruises and scratches from a car crash. I couldn’t fathom how he could be so cruel and believe he was doing a good thing. According to Fletcher, saying “good job” is the worst thing you can say to a student. To him, these words are the death of genius. This would haunt me for days before I was finally able to come to understand why I disagreed with Fletcher’s beliefs. To an extent, he is correct. You shouldn’t tell someone they’ve done well when it is evident they put no effort into their work. It is important to push a student into doing better if they are capable of doing more. However, instilling fear to get them to work harder isn’t the best way of doing it.
Doing that is just going to make the student crash and burn. As Terry Tisdale once said in her Education 101 class, “A student won’t learn from you if they don’t like or respect you.” I know from personal experience that I learned more from a teacher I respected than a teacher who upset me or made me feel like I wasn’t good enough. The absence of “good job” made me feel neglected. When I felt like a teacher believed in me, I would work to reach those beliefs. They would tell me that I was doing well, but they never ceased in criticisms or advice on how to improve on my work. Is “good job” the worst thing you can say to a student? It is if you leave it at that. It is better to expand on it by saying: “Good job—let’s see if you can do better.”
Culture 11
Making Bad News Fun Tierney Watkinson Contributor
W
sesameworkshop.org
hen the world starts to look like a dismal place, sometimes it is best to take it with a bit of humour. Who hasn’t watched the news—really watched it—and then been filled with the desire to do nothing else but build a blanket fort and curl up in a tiny ball with a juice box and a handful of crackers?
Most of the issues presented by the show are however global or at least relatable. Topics include Transgender rights, Food Waste, the Miss America Pageant, Government Surveillance, and LGBT Discrimination. The writers on the show are superb, even when they are making fun of Canada, and don’t just repeat everything that has already been said.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is thoughtful and blatantly honest without causing viewers to sink into a black hole of negativity. Presenting important messages through comedy is a gentle way to make viewers aware of these issues without portraying them as unsolvable or overwhelming. The show is fairly new, having only been around since April 2014. As of yet, the episodes (which air every Sunday on HBO) are a mere half-hour long, but hopefully the program will eventually be deemed ready to be moved into an hour time slot. John Oliver is brilliantly sarcastic, unapologetically British and is not at all afraid to poke fun at his guests or even at powerful world leaders.
This is not your typical satirical news show. As part the memorable “Televangelists” segment in August, Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption was established by Oliver and his team to demonstrate how easy it was for unscrupulous people posing as religious leaders to create “churches” intended to pressure followers into donating money. Dial the number at the bottom of the screen at the end of this episode (1-800THIS IS LEGAL), and you were directed to a recorded message with Mega-Reverend John Oliver screaming “Praise be!” and asking for “seed” (i.e., donations).The entire institution was meant to be a joke, but viewers had a lot of fun sending in actual bags of seeds and even monetary donations (which were later donated by Last Week Tonight to Doctors Without Borders). Unfortunately, due to the fact that viewers continued to send in all imaginable forms of “seed”, the Last Week Tonight team was prompted to shut the “church” down mid-September. The phone number, on the other hand, still works. The entire “seed” situation is there explained in better detail by the exasperated Mega-Reverend. Pure gold.
Regrettably, if understandably due to its American base, many of the stories have little to do with Canada directly, although Oliver has commented on news stories involving slip ups by the Canadian government. There was a short piece on the Canadian Senate Scandal back in June; in this clip, Oliver described Canada as, “basically five hockey rinks surrounded by bears”. He has no idea.
If you are a student without a cable connection, you can watch clips from the show online through HBO Canada or on YouTube (LastWeekTonight). The YouTube channel features web-exclusive clips and extended interviews with guests including Stephen Hawking, Edward Snowden, and Jane Goodall. Short clips that focus on lighter subjects and supplement the show are also available, covering a random range of topics from “Pumpkin Spice” (“Pumpkin spiced lattes. The coffee that tastes like a candle”), “Daylight Saving Time” (“That’s right. You lost an hour of sleep this morning thanks to Kaiser Wilhelm”), “Ayn Rand” (“Three decades after her death, the writer Ayn Rand is still the subject of serious debate. And not just over how to pronounce her name”), and the various antics and blunders of politicians and leaders from around the world. It may not focus much Canadian issues (it is an American program, after all), but Last Week Tonight is still a highly entertaining way to learn about current events across the border and around the world. It is well worth the half hour; on YouTube, the show’s main stories are featured as 15-20 minute segments. If you can not spare the time to watch an entire episode in one go, definitely watch one of the YouTube clips. Not only will you feel like you learned something, but you will get a good laugh in too.
12
Culture
The Worst Reason Tierney Watkinson Contributor
W
e dress in our weekend uniform, and gather together to fire shots of whiskey and tequila at each other, friendly fire to drown the loneliness and fears of the week in a muffled buzz. We drink to be numb, to dull the sharp edges of the remaining shrapnel from that disaster that we did not, can never, dig out and fully exorcize from our bodies, from our memories. We drink to forget the moments that make us cringe, that move the broken bits to cut deeper, closer and closer to our hearts. To stop time. Because if we can somehow stop time, remain immobile, maybe we won’t have to feel. And it hurts. When the liquor hits our system and blurs the lines, the lines between everything, the lines that keep us all separate and contained, we are at peace. We are one. We are stuck in this moment. Yesterday never happened. Tomorrow never will. Here and now is all we can see and we are all drunk here, drunk off of each other and the flashing lights and the beating of synthetic drums like hearts resonating through the floor, weakly echoed by our stumbling feet moving to and against the rhythm of solid sound. We believe there is only love here, comradery in the energies of our fellow dancers. We drink until time is no longer linear or even circular or ending but cuts in and out like weak radio, smothers us like a torn patchwork blanket of “last night” that we will try to stitch back together in our sobriety. We don’t care that we are wasting our time. Time is pain. Time is cruel. Time is a thief and will force us to move and we are trying to remain immobile, remember? But
we don’t remember. We don’t want to be alone with the thoughts of those who left us behind. Those that we are trying to leave behind, those that loved us. Those that caused us pain. We drink to forget we are somehow responsible. We are not ourselves, in this state of being. We cannot be held accountable. We are only human. We only live once. We don’t have to feel, if we don’t want to. We shouldn’t have to feel this hurt. We drink until we sleep on our tripping feet. Until we collapse. Until someone takes us home. Then we wake up. And the memories come crashing back. Our mouths are too dry, but we are drowning. Echoes of drumbeats like pounding hearts are stuck ricocheting in our brains. Empty shot glasses are on the floor like discarded bullet casings. Physical pain, because the shrapnel has burrowed deeper. We never stopped time. And it still hurts.
Pop Culture 13
Review: Super Mario Maker Shawn Caldera Publisher
M
ario fans, the wait is over! Yes, your vanilla Mario experience has returned. No racing, fighting, Tennis, Olympics, Golf, just straight up platforming. Sort of... Enter Super Mario Maker, Nintendo’s very own sandbox level creator. After New Super Mario Bros Wii U, Mario fans have been waiting for a chance to see Mario revisited in a fresh and exciting way, and Mario maker brings this and more. Think of waiting for the best ice-cream cone in your life, but now you’ve been given all the ingredients from the same creamery, but with all the toppings, sauces and additives you could ever dream of. From the start, you see the Shigeru Miyamoto inspired quirkiness in the intro screen and interactive menu, which allows you to play a level while deciding to either make levels or play levels online. When you get into the maker aspect of the game, you’re given a limited amount of items to make your levels with. How is that dealt with? After every
period of gaming, new ‘parts’ will be delivered to your game, which takes a couple of days. I really don’t know what the purpose is, but my guess is that it encourages players to master certain item physics and gameplay aesthetics before giving them a whole arsenal of rage-inducing components. The immersion is well done, from the Wii U gamepad being used to its full potential, to the gigantic “maker” hand on the TV screen matching the user’s skin tone (probably thanks to the Wii U gamepad’s camera). I’ve only had it for a mere five days, but the sandbox aspect is definitely something that brings the user back to it. Additionally, the ability to play levels made by people from all over the world, including some celebrities, shows that the developers were ready to make a game that would entice both the creative and level-crushing sides of Mario fans.
playing the games since he was the tender age of 3, this is a dream come true. Those looking for challenging levels and a sense of digital accomplishment, this game is for you. Creative minds, and those looking to entice anger and wonder in those across the world with seemingly impossible levels this game is also for you!
Rating: 10/10
Essentially this is what Super Mario Maker is. A game created to sate the appetites of those clamouring for a ‘pure’ Mario experience, whilst trying something new to stay ahead of the curve. As a Mario fan who has been
nerdunderground.net
Sports Cougars looking to build on last season
whl.ca Brady Stark Team Member
T
he Prince George Cougars made a monumental shift on and off the ice last year by revamping the team’s image in the community, as well as improving their standings in the WHL with a playoff berth and their first playoff win in 8 years. But, according to team president Greg Pocock, the team and organization is no comfortable with the status quo. The Cougars are poised to make waves in the WHL this year by not only gaining another playoff berth, but also making a deep run in the playoffs. Here are the 4 keys to the Cougars making it to the Promised Land and beyond.
1: The Cougars had an amazing showing at the 2015 NHL Entry draft in Sunrise, Florida in June by having 4 of their players drafted to NHL teams. Jansen Harkins got the party started by becoming a Winnipeg Jet early in the 2nd round. Sam Ruopp was drafted this year by going to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Brad Morrison got to taste a bite of the Big Apple when the Rangers selected him in the middle of the draft. Last but certainly not least was the Vancouver Canucks making
sure that their relationship between them and the Cougars was as strong as ever by selecting Tate Olson late in the draft. Now, it’s all well and good to get drafted, but why is this a key to the Cougars success this season? The answer lies in experience. The drafted player have to now take what they learned from players like the Sedins, Rick Nash, Ryan Johansen, and Andrew Ladd and apply their mentality and lessons to the WHL season. Being in a NHL training camp gives you invaluable tools to bring back to you minor league club and share them with your teammates and coaching staff. All four of these drafted players need to build off of what they have already accomplished to lead their team on and off the ice. If these players do not step up for the Cougars, the season might be in Jeopardy and their professional careers might be over before they really even started.
2: Veteran leadership showing the way:
As most fans of the CHL know, their team can only have three overage players on the roster per year. It is up to players like Chase Witala to be a rock for the younger players to look up to and try to gain experience from. Witala has the added experience this year of
being able to go to the Dallas Stars training camp and play with the likes of Spezza, Benn, and Seguin before coming back to Prince George for his final year. Witala made huge strides last year on the ice when he was part of the dangerous duo of him and Harkins that dominated the offensive zone. Witala has to make sure that he keeps up his offensive flare, while building on a more balanced game, which includes making sure that he sets a good professional conduct example for the younger players. This will be his time to show what he is really made of and work alongside Harkins and Ruopp to lead the Cougars to a successful season.
3: Justin Almeida is just 16 years old, but that doesn’t mean that he won’t be counted on to chip in offensively this season. Bursting onto the scene during the Canada Winter Games, Almeida has shown fans that he has the skill and the drive to become an elite player in the WHL. His puck handling ability reminds us of Brad Morrison, his skating is akin to the likes of Hamhuis or Connelly, and his vision is quickly becoming similar to Jansen Harkins’ view of the ice. Despite the fact that he is still a year away from being eligible for the NHL draft, Almeida needs to prove
that scouts should be looking at him as he becomes a staple of the new-look Cougars.
4: Ty Edmonds is the quintessential Jekyll
and Hyde type of goalie; when he is on his game, there are few better in the CHL, but when he is off his game, a beach ball could get by him. Edmonds had the opportunity to show Cougars fans and NHL scouts alike that he was the reason that the team went anywhere at all last year, but unfortunately there were some games where the team had to bail him out. He needs to work with the goalie coach to make sure that he is controlling his rebounds and cutting off the angles so he doesn’t flop around and get flustered like so many goalies do. Edmonds needs to make sure that he can see most of the shots that are coming, challenging the shooter, and being consistent with his play if the Cougars are to have any chance of making the playoffs this year. The Cougars are continuing to turn this once failing franchise into a team that fans and players alike are wanting to take pride in once again. As long as these 4 key items are met, the Cougars are going to be playing well into the playoffs.
Sports 15
We are All Canucks: Inside Smoke’s Rant: Canucks Training Camp Timberwolves Screwed by Scheduling Brady Stark Team Member
B
y now, everyone and their dog knows what happened on the weekend of the 18th – 20th in Prince George; Canucks training camp. We all know the drills that they showed, the prospects who lit up the ice with their blazing speed, and the incredible generosity the players showed to their fans through autograph signing and photo ops. What happened behind the curtains and in the bowels of the CN center where not many people had access? Well, let’s just say, the Canucks organization showed why they are a team that fans young and old admire. As members of the media for Over the Edge, me and my camera man were given backstage passes to see what happens when the team steps off the ice. From the moment that we arrived at the CN centre, we were made sure that we had the proper credentials in order to go almost anywhere that the players and management staff. When the players stepped off the ice, they were met by any media that wanted to interview them for their show, paper, or blog. No matter how big or small the media outlet, the Canucks made sure that they were available and cordial to everyone. The first player that myself and my camera guy got the pleasure of meeting was the top young Canucks who had made a name for himself in last year’s playoff series against the Calgary Flames: Bo Horvat. Before the interview even started, Bo made sure that he introduced himself and shook both of our hands before understanding the questions that we were going to ask him. During the interview Bo made sure that there was nothing off limits; he even told us the emotional origins of his jersey number (53). After the interview, Bo Horvat thanked us for talking to him and went on his way. Next, we decided to go for some of the superstars on the team by asking the media coordinator if we could speak to Ryan Miller and Henrik Sedin. Ryan Miller was finishing off his interviews for Sportsnet
and Global BC, when we got the chance to do a one-on-one interview with the #1 goaltender. Miller introduced himself to us like a regular guy as we prepared him for the questions we were going to ask. For those who know Ryan Miller, he is notorious for not wanting to open up about anything and sometimes having a strained relationship with members of the media; thus we were prepared for a short interview, but what we got was one of the most candid and interesting interviews that Miller has ever done. Miller went on to talk about his training regime as well as his family with a smile from ear to ear. Throughout the weekend, the Canucks were more than happy to talk to anyone that wanted a conversation no matter who you were. This did not just extend to the players to the media relations people. During a dinner event that we somehow managed to get invited to, people like Trevor Linden, Stan Smyl, and Kirk MacLean were eager to talk about hockey and share in a laugh about the stupid trades that other teams have made, or which former player on the Canucks was a complete basket-case (a lot of focus was on David Booth). Even as the drinks kept flowing and the gathering dwindled down, two small town media guys were made to feel like we were just a part of the Canucks organization. When it all boils down to it, whether it’s in front of fans or in the bowels of the arena, the whole Canucks really live their motto of “ We are all Canucks”.
Brady Stark Team Member
O
ne of the biggest ways that universities develop their programs is through exposure locally and beyond. With athletics, the way that teams get exposure is by playing home games and gaining a great fan base that shows the rest of the country and potential recruits that you are a program that is worth investing in whether the investment is money or time. The CIS has basically screwed any chance that the UNBC Soccer program has of gaining support by giving them only three home games each for the entire season. To put this into perspective, every other team has an average of six home games out of the 12 in the regular season; that is twice as much as the Timberwolves. This is a frustrating trend that Prince George has gotten used to in the last few years. Cougars fans can recall that their WHL team got very little weekend home games compared to other teams, which cut down on their attendance.
The Timberwolves only have a finite amount of time that they can play on the rotary fields due to the Arctic like weather that rolls in about midway through October. The solution to this problem would be to front load the Timberwolves schedule with more home games in the beginning of the season and have them visit warmer climate teams later in the season in order to make sure that the players are as comfortable as possible. The CIS panders to universities like UBC and UVic, while they forget that if those teams do not have competitive games throughout their schedule, then even their own fans will be bored of watching them and neglect their team. UNBC has come a long way in their athletic programs in the 3 years, it is time for the CIS officials to stop wearing their blinders and give UNBC the exposure and home games that they so obviously deserve.
Coffee Break Cartoons by Monique Monique Gendron
We need your help. Are you interested in taking a leadership role and helping make decisions about how your student newspaper is managed? Over The Edge is governed by a board of directors comprised of students like you. Directors share responsibility for the organization and help determine the priorities which affect the way students receive news about UNBC. These volunteer positions are a great opportunity to gain experience not otherwise available in the classroom and are an asset for employment applications and admission to future academic programs. No previous experience or specific knowledge is required: if you’re a current UNBC student with opinions about this paper, then you’re qualified! The estimated time commitment is approximately 4-6 hours per month. Interested students should forward a current resume and cover letter (one page maximum) to ChairpersonOTE@gmail.com by Tuesday, October 13th. Please include your contact information, program and year of study, and a brief explanation of why you are interested and what you can contribute to the team.