April 5, 2017

UP AND UP AND UP

"A VERY GOOD DAY"

HOL-D UP

TRU takes two per cent tuition increase

Sexual violence policy approved, in effect

House of Learning changes held up

Tuition for domestic students will increase by two per cent – as it does every year • Page 2

The TRU board of governors has approved the new sexual violence policy • Page 2

Changes to HOL are on hold, and now meetings have been pushed back • Page 4

OMEGA Ω THE

ISSUE NO. 26

THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1991

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VOLUME 26

APRIL 5, 2017

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THEIR ART AND THEIR STORIES GRADUATING BFA STUDENT SERIES CONTINUES PAGES 6-7

AFFORDABILITY

RESURRECTION

MAKING AN APPEAL

Housing analysis shows coming demand

The Muslim Students Association is back

Eco Club will present Ajax petition

Current residence offerings and new projects are the focus of a new housing report • Page 2

After years dormant, a new president is kicking the club back into high gear • Page 5

The TRUSU Eco Club going to Kamloops city hall with signatures • Page 4

NEWS

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APRIL 5, 2017

Sexual violence policy approved and now in effect Policy is the result of two years of work, including outreach to other universities and consultation with the community Wade Tomko CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ω At TRU’s board of governors meeting last Friday, board members voted unanimously to pass TRU’s policy on sexual violence, which has been in development for two years.

Christine Adam, TRU’s dean of students, read a statement to the board of governors following the policy’s approval, highlighting strong community involvement and the consultation and work that has happened over the past two years.

In an interview after her presentation to the board of governors, a visibly emotional Adam

said she was happy to see all of TRU’s hard work finally come to fruition.

“It feels good,” Adam said. “I think we are doing great work here and this just asserts our commitment to do that good work.

It provides us a means to clearly communicate towards students and others in our community who have been harmed, what sort of supports are in place for them.”

While development of the policy began over two years ago, Adam thinks that the policy’s approval has happened in a timely manner.

“It’s important work and important work has to be done well. Sometimes that involves us slowing down and learning a bit

more, learning about what other institutions are doing,” Adam said. “I think our students deserve our best work and our best work isn’t done hastily.”

Adam noted that on Thursday, March 30, Simon Fraser University unanimously passed their sexual violence policy at a board of governors meeting. Between now and May 19, governing bodies at universities across B.C. will be motioning sexual violence policies for approval, as part of provincial legislation introduced last year that mandates all universities must have a sexual assault policy.

“It’s a very good day for our students and our community,” Adam said.

Christine Adam's statement to the TRU board of governors “Thank you for approving this important policy today. I know that there are many items that come forward for your approval at each meeting, but I wanted to be sure that you were aware of the profound impact your consideration of this policy will have on the lives and members of the TRU community.

This policy will ensure that members of the TRU community hear strong messages that we will not tolerate any form of sexualized violence here, that we will educate each other on what that means, and that when members of our community have been harmed we will support them in their healing and provide a means for them to continue in their studies and their full participation in work and campus life.

I am incredibly proud to work here today, and I am proud that this work was begun well before the provincial government required us to create such a policy. I am proud of the colleagues - dozens of them - that have worked on the policy and in its various consultation activities. I am proud of our relationship with strong community partners such as the KSACC and the RCMP. I am proud to work with male allies that have supported the work to prevent and respond to what is largely a gendered crime. But most of all, I am proud and moved by the survivors - most of them identifying as female - that have come forward and bravely raised their voices throughout this work. I am humbled to even attempt to thank you on their behalf.”

Tuition once again on the rise for domestic students Nolan Chapman STAFF WRITER Ω Thompson Rivers University will increase tuition by two per cent next year, the maximum amount allowable by the provincial government. The increase was approved at the March 31 board of governors meeting.

“The government of British Columbia mandates a maximum domestic tuition increase of two per cent a year. That two per cent

doesn’t even cover inflationary costs,” said Matt Milovick, the vice-president of administration and finance at TRU. As of now, in the 2016-17 academic year, undergraduate tuition for domestic student on campus is $135.48 per credit on average. A full-time student, with five full-length courses, is paying about $2,032.20 each semester for only tuition.

Considering the maximum domestic tuition increase of two percent, the same student will be

paying about $138.19 per credit and $2,072.84 per semester for a full course load.

“The more tuition is raised, the more hours I have to work at my part time job to continue to afford costs. I feel the more students are forced to work while attending full-time university, the more this lack of study time will affect our grades,” said Dave Waithe, a business student at TRU. “The quality of our education is something that should matter to every student.”

Like other universities, TRU has taken the mandated maximum of two per cent every year.

“It is my understanding – I have been here for four years – since the mandate was in place, which I think is about 15 years now, tuition has consistently gone up by the maximum of two percent [for domestic students],” Milovick said.

According to a 2016-17 budget presentation, approximately 44 per cent of TRU’s revenue, or $65.8 million, comes from

tuition. A further breakdown shows that domestic students, which this two per cent increase applies to, make up 54 per cent of tuition revenue.

“Expenses, right now, on an annual basis, are starting to outstrip our revenues. It is a challenge. We are developing a financial sustainability plan for the university over the next two to three years, because we anticipate in 2019-20 we will not be able to balance our budget unless we take action now,” Milovick said.

Student housing analysis shows coming demand Scion Group study focuses on affordability and future demand with regards to current offerings Wade Tomko CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ω Last week, the Scion Group, a student housing development group that also offers advisory services, presented to TRU stakeholders a report on the student housing market for TRU. The student housing market and demand analysis first started in October, when Scion started to collect data on occupant capacity, residence rates, food services and more.

Over the following months, Scion surveyed students in person and online, interviewed stakeholders, conducted on- and off-campus market tours and studied the housing market at peer institutions.

While TRU’s housing situation is similar to peer campuses across B.C., according to Scion Group’s director of advisory services, Mike Porritt, TRU’s housing market has a few critical issues that will need to be dealt with in the years to come.

One issue that Scion observed was the current lack of nightlife at TRU.

“TRU’s campus isn’t very active after 5pm,” Porritt said. “Boosting campus life after dark should be a priority.”

The report noted that WolfPack sports events, which are held at the Tournament Capital Centre, are often the only reason students and other members of the community are drawn to campus in the evening. Scion suggested that to remedy this, TRU should focus on going for quality over quantity when it comes to hosting events.

Affordability of the TRU Residence and Conference Centre was highlighted as one of Scion’s biggest concerns, with Porritt saying that rates there are similar to prices of high-end housing at other B.C. institutions such as UBC and UVic. If TRU was to build new housing, Porritt said that it can’t be at the same price point as the TRU Residence and Conference Centre and manage to achieve full capacity.

Earlier this semester, a focus group led by TRUSU revealed that housing affordability was one of the biggest concerns for students living both on and off campus. TRUSU president

Brian Chiduuro said he wasn’t surprised by Scion’s findings, which he said were similar to the results of the focus groups.

“There were a number of common issues, but affordability was number one,” Chiduuro said. “Both the report and the data from the focus group emphasized the importance of affordability. Students are always complaining about affordability. They aren’t just looking for housing, but for something they can afford.”

Another issue brought up at the presentation was the current state of the McGill Residence, which could have a lifespan of another seven to 10 years. While TRU doesn’t plan on dismantling the McGill residence any time soon, Scion warns that if they do before building another residence building, TRU may be in for a student housing crisis.

According to Scion’s housing forecast, by fall of 2021, there will be excess demand of 104 beds. Without the McGill residence, this number rises to 448 beds.

Renting rates at the McGill residence, which has been operated

by Campus Living Centres since TRU acquired the building last summer, will be increasing by 3.6 per cent this year, according to Brandon de Krieger, TRU Residence and Conference Centre’s general manager.

This summer, McGill residence buildings two and three will be

refurbished. Both buildings will have security cameras and new water heaters installed. Fridges in all suites will be standardized and pre-existing electrical issues will be fixed, according to de Krieger. Cracks in the concrete balconies will also be patched over.

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LETTER: When you think of poverty, what type of person comes to mind?

You may think of someone who is homeless, a person who does not have a job, someone not contributing to society – perhaps someone who is lazy. Would you think of a middle-aged woman on disability due to unfortunate circumstances or a student at Thompson Rivers University?

For someone on disability or some students, this is a reality.

Having to choose between food, rent, tuition or other basic needs is more common than most would think. Through our research, it surprised us that seniors, students, people on disability or social assistance and single-parent families with children fall under $20,000 annual income per year.

At the start of our community health project to promote awareness about poverty, we unknowingly were working with someone who faced a daily struggle of meeting their basic needs of living. Our field guide for our project lives on a fixed disability income, which has not changed in more than 10 years.

With tears in her eyes, she told us of a time when she felt degraded and humiliated. Standing at the

checkout counter, she realized she did not have enough money to pay for a few groceries. The person standing behind her overheard the situation and gave the store clerk the couple of dollars that was needed to pay for the remainder of her grocery bill.

We also had the chance to talk to two fellow TRU students to hear firsthand the many challenges they face by being on a minimal income. The first student was unable to qualify for student loans due to claiming higher income because of work during the summer months.

This is a common occurrence for many students seeking financial assistance. Due to the high cost of health care, this particular student couldn’t afford to see both a dentist and an optometrist, so had to make a choice between the two necessary services.

Another student disclosed a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder and was prescribed medication.

The student decided to try yoga as another coping mechanism to help, which in turn allowed a halt in taking medication. However, due to becoming a student, the

income status changed and the student was now faced with choosing between anxiety management or groceries.

Are these the choices students are forced to make?

Poverty does not discriminate.

It can affect anyone. As of 2015, one in seven people in Canada was living in poverty. Poverty is costing British Columbia between $8.1 and $9.2 billion yearly due to higher public health-care costs, increased policing and crime costs, unemployment and low wages. Numbers like this should not be acceptable as it would only cost between $3 billion and $4 billion to put a poverty-reduction strategy in place.

What are our political parties doing to reduce poverty? Beyond a poverty-reduction plan, what action are they taking? We are open to hearing what our MLA candidates have to say on the matter of poverty reduction and what are city councillors have to say about actions taken in Kamloops to reduce poverty.

Sarah Bye and Mirna Parada Third-year nursing students

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APRIL 5, 2017

Eco Club petition on Ajax to be presented to city council Aidan Grether STAFF WRITER Ω The TRUSU Eco Club’s petition against the proposed Ajax Mine is nearing the club’s goal of 1,000 student signatures. The club intends to take their petition to Kamloops City Council when they hit their target, which they expect to do by the last day of classes this semester. Last week, they had approximately 700 signatures.

Eco Club coordinators Logan Dafoe and Valerie Law originally started the petition to make students aware.

“Everyone knows the topic is out there, and it’s been splitting the community for so long. We want the conversation to be had,” Dafoe said.

“Our whole group has given solid efforts towards this project, and it’s great that our work is paying off,” Law said.

On May 4, 2016, the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office (BCEAO) suspended the 180-day review timeline process for the proposed mine. In documents

released on March 30, 2017, the BCEAO announced that they would be lifting the suspension and will resume the review process on day 108 of the 180 day process.

The timeline has also been extended by an additional 110 days and will allow for an additional public comment period.

This news is very promising to the Eco Club and their petition efforts, as the extended timeline and renewed public comment period brings new relevance and legitimacy to their mission as they move towards their presentation to city council.

Law feels hopeful for the community and the city councillors.

“Four of the nine [city councillors] have already stated that they would sign against the mine, so the info from the study will help the others make their decisions.

Information is what is most important about this, having all sides of the argument presented is what will allow the proper decision to be made, and that’s what [the BCEAO] is doing”.

On April 1 more than 30 organizations across B.C. and Canada

A couple roasts hotdogs over a campfire at Jacko Lake in January 2016. (FILE PHOTO) came together and announced their support of the Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwépemc Nation’s (SSN) decision to withhold its “free, prior and informed consent” to the development of the lands and resources at the site of the future mine.

Signatories included the David

Suzuki Foundation, the Thompson Rivers University Faculty Association Human Rights Committee, and the B.C. Assembly of First Nations, among many other First Nations and environmentalist groups.

The reason for the support and decision of withholding their

approval is that the mine “would destroy part of Jacko Lake and irremediably affect ‘Pípsell’ an area described as a ‘cultural keystone,’” according to the SSN. For Law and Dafoe, it’s a huge step in the right direction.

“It’s like small pieces of a big puzzle coming together,” Law said.

House of Learning changes on hold, consultations rescheduled Diana Igumnova STAFF WRITER Ω Changes to the House of Learning are on hold, and consultations on the university’s proposal have now been pushed back until May. The consultations came about after staff and faculty who currently occupy space that may be repurposed, including offices and library space, complained that proper consultation wasn’t done.

After the response, TRU set up a series of consultation meetings to be held at the end of March and in early April. Those meetings didn’t happen, however, and now they’ve been pushed back until May. “This is probably the busiest time of the semester and it was really inappropriate to have these sessions now. A lot of professors are teaching during that time,” said Tom Friedman, the president of the TRU Faculty Association.

TRU had committed to adding more 24-hour study spaces by Fall 2017, and for students, that could be good news for those who are still studying.

In TRUSU’s Student Budget Consultation Report 2017, students noted space for studying as a priority. Students also voiced their desire for 24-hour access to study space in the House of Learning, and praised study space initiatives already present in Old Main.

The university is developing

a proposal for the House of Learning that may address those concerns, but staff and faculty space is also a concern.

“It is important to have [the] consultation before students leave, though. Consultation doesn’t mean being told what administration is going to do.

It also should mean taking into account the perspectives and needs of all of the groups and then developing a plan that would work for everyone,” Friedman said.

TRUFA and TRUSU do not have exact dates for the coming consultations yet, though TRU said it recognizes the importance of holding these discussions since the proposal should be presented to those who addressed concerns.

“The idea of consultation is that you gather all the evidence, you listen to what people need. Ideally, you listen to all of those concerns and then you make a plan,” Friedman said.

Student union asks TRU for signature on funding letter TRUSU’s open letter on support for increased government funding presented to board of governors Aidan Grether STAFF WRITER Ω Representatives from the TRU Student Union have put forward an open letter to the Kamloops community to the TRU board of governors, asking the board to add its signature. The letter is an appeal for support for a re-evaluation of TRU’s funding formula, a change that TRUSU and other signatories hope would mean more funding from the provincial government.

Other signatories of the letter include Lois Rugg, president of CUPE Local 4879 and Tom Friedman, president of the TRU Faculty Association.

Space to sign on the letter was provided for Jim Thomson, chair of the TRU board of governors, but the board decided not to take action immediately after

the presentation.

TRUSU representatives Amber Storvold (VP external), Cole Hickson (director-at-large), and Leif Douglas (campaigns coordinator) have been advocating for the union’s Fund the Future campaign around campus since the fall. Fund the Future aims to have the provincial government re-evaluate the TRU funding formula.

TRU received $2,000 less per full-time student than any other research university in British Columbia in the 2015/16 school year, according to TRUSU. The student union has made presentations and has the support of more than 20 campus departments and staff units, as well as a student petition with 2,600-plus student signatures and 400-plus staff signatures.

The letter, which calls for a united front of TRU stakeholders to take this challenge to the

community at large.

While the board of governors did not take action at the meeting, they did react positively to the presentation and to the union’s initiative, reassuring them that they are aware of the gravity of the problem and are also in the process of addressing it. The board said they would be taking it into consideration and returning to TRUSU with a written response.

Despite the board not signing the letter, Storvold is optimistic.

“I was happy to have had the chance to present on our campaign to the board, and I’m looking forward to hearing their response,” she said.

The next step for TRUSU is to take the campaign out into the broader community.

“It impacts the whole Kamloops community, not just the campus community,” Storvold said.

The last page of TRUSU's open letter, with a spot for TRU board of governor's chair Jim Thompson to sign. (TRUSU)

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Muslim Students Association gets a re-launch After years dormant, the Muslim Students Association is coming back, ready to help out students Diana Igumnova STAFF WRITER Ω Last week, the TRU Muslim Students Association (a TRUSU club) officially reopened on campus.

Ibrahim Mussa, the president of TRU Muslim Student’s Association, has decided to take initiative and reach out to Muslim students studying at TRU. The TRU Muslim club first launched in 2009, but two years ago, the previous association’s president graduated from TRU and left the university, and the club’s activities have since been suspended. This year Mussa, a second-year student, has decided to revive the club.

It took two days to gather all the signatures required to reactivate the club with TRUSU. Along with organizing special events, association members will work together to try to improve Halal food services on campus and support freshmen that might need any sort of information.

There are around 200 Muslim students on campus from a variety of countries, according to Mussa. The Muslim association aims to support and provide information for freshmen who might need any sort of back-home

feeling.

There are many students fighting with homesickness and the club’s activities could help such students overcome some cultural barriers. The association is planning to organize events that will mark special Muslim dates, such as Eid and Ramadan.

Events will help students bind cultures together to experience a small taste of Islamic spirituality and culture.

“There are many Muslims on campus from different cultures and we want to know each other.

Such an association will help us to get together, know each other, and provide help as well. For me personally, I really value gathering in special events like Eid and Ramadan, it [feels like] home.

We are pleased to hear that the association reopened, and I think it is the best way to bring us all together,” said Nada Alsalahi, an international student from Saudi Arabia.

The association’s plan is to organize a discussion session as soon as possible, in order to confer on upcoming activities and implement the annual agenda for next year. Mussa is planning on meeting after students complete their assignments and finals for this semester.

I can‛t believe my tuition is going up again.

Colleges were always able to offer students small classes, close to home. Not anymore.

Ibrahim Mussa, president of the Muslim Students Association. (Diana Igumnova/The Omega) “Now we are trying to inform as many Muslim students as we can about [the] club’s activity on out Facebook page, and on our WhatsApp group. We need to plan activities, as well as we need to assign those activities so that everyone will be responsible for something,” says Mussa.

Inayat Ur Rehman, the vice-president of the TRU Muslim Students Association and current student caucus member with TRUSU, said that the association will be seeking financial support from the student union in the form of club funding and grants.

“Muslim students should be

It‛s harder than ever for BC students to get access to post-secondary education.

How are we going to afford to send the kids to university?

supported on campus, as well as outside of TRU, especially during such days as Ramadan and Eid when students are most likely to feel homesick. For that reason, we believe that collective celebration will help all the Muslims experience a taste of our homeland,” said Mussa.

I‛m drowning in student loans

The BC government is failing students and their families. Enough is enough!

On May 9, vote for a government that will invest in people.

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ARTS

APRIL 5, 2017

BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS

STUDENT SHOWCASE STORY JENNIFER WILL / PHOTOS JUAN CABREJO

Twelve students in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program are gearing up for their final showcase at Thompson Rivers University. This week, we talked to four of those graduating students to learn about them and their work. The BFA graduating students exhibition will open at 7 p.m. on April 21 and will run until May 5 in the Old Main art gallery.

Garnet Dirksen “I have a number of works for the year end show. My focus is on documentary photography. So, I started out the year creating a number of works around my hometown of Merritt,” Dirksen said.

His work follows the closing of the Merritt mill where over 200 jobs were lost. The mill's closure was driven by lack of lumber, rather than because of the marketplace.

“I was an employee at [the mill], it affected me and a lot of my friends in Merritt very strongly,” Dirksen said.

Dirksen says that his photographs are working to depict human element to an event that is so tragic for a small town.

He adds that his work explores the idea that resource-dependent sectors are becoming seemingly less viable in some ways.

“The human side to the loss of such a

Levi Glass “I’m doing a collection of pieces that all work around mediating out old and new technologies. They’re supposed to concentrate people to reflect on viewership, so what it means to look at an image,” Glass said.

Glass’ work for the show will be exhibited in three parts that use a variety of mediums. The first work people will encounter is called “Feed.”

“When you go to an opening, you have the classic food table setup, where people can eat and schmooze. There will be surveillance cameras embedded into the table and then you’ll go into another part of the exhibition and there will be a viewing room setup,” Glass said.

In between the food table and viewing room, Glass says along the way there will be an assortment of images to see. “[The images are] very large objects and it tries to make people look at the images less like a two-dimensional thing,” Glass said.

The third part will be in a completely red room that will utilize video and an installation environment.

“One is called ‘What are you Looking At?’ and literally the whole time it says, ‘What are you looking at?’ And there is this kind of spinning motion around the room, with me in this chair,” Glass said.

His work not only tries to represent what the image itself is about but the deeper meaning behind all aspects that are included in this process. Glass says it’s not

only important that we understand the technology but understand what kind of emotion the photograph’s subject may feel.

“There’s this very self-realized objectification of the model,” Glass said. “It’s showing this aspect of a photo studio when you have some there, you're kind of turning them into this object of desire.

[They’re] often objectified, and it’s showing the anxiety of that.”

Along with understanding images, when Glass is trying to present emotional content, he often dives into things from his own life. This allows people to experience the hard situations he’s been faced with.

“One of the pieces has a very personal aspect and its concentrated on personal motive around the opioid epidemic. I have quite a few friends and family members that have died through it. And so, I’m just trying to convey the experience with that, what it means to lose these people,” Glass said.

After graduation Glass plans to stay in Kamloops for the summer before starting at the University of Victoria to complete his master of fine arts.

large employer in a small town. My work in general looks at changing economies particularly in small towns and the effects of theses larger exterior, or even global changes,” Dirksen said.

Dirksen adds that he uses photography to convey a sense of both artistic and technical values in the images.

“My work asks the viewer to reflect on taken for granted spaces,” Dirksen said. “[It] often eludes to these historical events through the accumulation of these places that I photograph.”

Before officially taking the plunge and going into his bachelor of fine arts full time, Dirksen adds that he originally thought he would go into architecture. “[After grad] I’m going for a master’s degree, an MFA in studio arts and photography at Concordia University in Montreal,” Dirksen said.

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ARTS

Anyssa Gill For her graduation exhibition piece, Anyssa Gill plans to draw from her personal experiences, while using unique art supplies to convey a contrast of adulthood and childhood.

“They’re made with craft materials, stuff that kids would use, like tinsel or those melty beads that you melt together. I use a lot of dolls and glitter,” Gill said.

In her artwork, she deals with themes of adolescence, growing up and becoming your own person.

“I’m interested in the area where you want to become your own person and an adult, but you’re still a kid and living in your parent’s house. It kind of like this weird in-between time,” Gill said.

To help convey her message, she uses pop culture references in the titles of her work. Gill says that she uses kids materials to create this weird sort of creepiness in her work.

“So, I’m dealing with somewhat mature subject matter like sexuality, body issues, body image, self-consciousness,” Gill said.

Gill adds that having fun, being playful and having the freedom to experiment is really what inspires her work a lot of the time “Colour inspires me a lot, so I look for colour relationships in the work that I do,” Gill said.

After graduation Gill plans to get a job and apply for some galleries and grants.

She adds that she hopes to apply what she’s learned to the real world.

“Ever since I was young, I’ve always been interested in art and being creative, but I never saw it as a viable option for a career when I started university. But I took a foundations class for an elective and I loved it so much. So, I decided to give it a chance and I signed up for my BFA,” Gill said.

Dion Fortie Fortie doesn’t have just one piece to exhibit in this final graduating gallery, but 20. One of Fortie’s pieces for the show is called “Mark’s Flame.”

“My artwork deals with the everyday, especially the value placed on objects we use each day. Whether that’s aesthetic beauty use or functional value. I take a look at objects which people consider garbage and then repurpose them into artwork,” Fortie said.

Fortie says that using found objects not only helps to facilitate this idea of consumerism, value, and waste but is also a really affordable medium to work with as an artist.

“I think it’s the amount of things that people consider to be useless, that are laying around. I go on a lot of walks and find objects lying in the woods or on the

side of the road,” Fortie said.

He adds that when you look at his art it’s interesting to see the habits and trends of what object are the most likely to be discarded and ultimately deemed useless.

“I end up with a lot of objects that are similar. I always end up with a lot of tubes, pipes, different kinds of sports equipment like soccer balls, car parts, and bicycle wheels,” Fortie said.

Fortie adds that he is not quite sure of the exact plan for after grad, but he is sure that it includes creating more art.

“I know it’s kind of hard for a lot of artists to stay active after graduation, so I plan to just stay on top of that by applying for shows and continuing to make work,” Fortie said. “My dad has always been artistic, so I guess maybe it’s in our blood a little bit.”

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NEWS

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APRIL 5, 2017

Refugee student coming to TRU next September World University Service Canada club fundraised for two years to bring refugees Nada Alsalahi CONTRIBUTOR Ω

By September 2017, Thompson Rivers University is expected to have its first refugee student on campus thanks to the work of World University Service of Canada (WUSC) club members on campus, a campaign two years in the making.

“We have enough to sponsor a student. It is official. Coming September we will have a student refugee coming through the program. But we won’t know for a little while from where exactly students are coming or what they’ll be studying,” said Jasmine McMillen, a WUSC TRU co-chair and bachelor of social work student.

The funding that pushed the group over the edge came from WUSC itself and another WUSC club that offered some of the funds it raised.

“We’re just excited to have that opportunity to bring someone here and make that difference in their lives,” McMillen said.

Since July 2016, WUSC has been trying to bring a student refugee to campus by hosting a number of fundraisers. Before this most recent donation, the group had raised about $7,000 for this initiative over their two years of work.

McMillen said that raising this amount of money required very hard work, and they’re still in need for more money.

According to WUSC, it takes about $25,000 to sponsor a student refugee for one year.

Through the student refugee program, student-led groups sponsor refugee students from around the world to study at their universities in Canada.

“TRU has such a huge international community, and I think we’re always boosting that. But there [are] over 60 universities

that are already having this program in place, and we don’t yet have it. To me, it’s more an obvious missing piece to TRU,” she said.

Next year, WUSC TRU is planning to work with TRUSU and work with students to gain their support. While other universities fund their student refugees through a levy that all students pay, there’s no such student fee at TRU, so the program isn’t sustainable.

McMillen is hoping to gain student support and work to implement a levy.

Students are welcomed to join the club, and club member Aria Kornas said it’s been a great learning experience for her.

“I’m an international student, and I do care about refugees’ issues and international development. So I joined and I’ve been with the club for over a year now. I love it,” Kornas said.

Currently, the student refugee

WUSC TRU members Aria Kornas and Jasmine McMillen. (Nada Alsalahi/Ω) program is based on student donations and support.

“There are multiple ways you can get involved with the club.

You can follow our Facebook page and message us. We meet every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. in the lecture hall, so you can also

come to our meetings, or you can message one of the members,” Kornas said.

Those looking for more information can write to wusctru@ gmail.com, and those looking to donate can visit the TRU Foundation web page.

Students get three minutes to share their work Three Minute Thesis returns, this year with an accompanying 180-second challenge Teshu Agarwal CONTRIBUTOR Ω The Three Minute Thesis competition originated at the University of Queensland in 2008 to challenge thesis-based graduate students to present their their research in just three minutes to a “non-specialist audience.”

After three years here at TRU, this year’s 3MT was accompanied by a 180-second research challenge amongst faculty, as well.

After 18 presentations by business, science and education

students, Sarah Whitehouse from the environmental science master’s program was chosen to be the winner. The decision was deliberated by Kamloops MP Cathy McLeod, city councillor Arjun Singh, and Cheryl Blackwell, program director and morning show host for the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.

Other winners included environment science student, Janelle Paulson, who presented her thesis on drying temperate grasslands in the southern B.C. interior, and Medina Jeff-Zanni, who took the people’s choice award.

Whitehouse has a background in environmental chemistry and environmental economics and sustainable development. Her presentation was “Biosolids: Where do we go from here?”

“I wanted to tackle something that would approach sustainability from a broad perspective, where you not only include the science behind it but also including the social aspects,” Whitehouse said.

She considered her biggest challenge to get up on stage and talk in front of people. But said that confidence helped her face

the anxiety of public speaking.

Whitehouse received a cash prize and will advance to the Western Canadian finals. She also sat on the panel of judges for the 180-second research challenge, which was an opportunity for faculty to present their research in under three minutes. The winner for this competition was Nina Johnson (TRU’s English and modern languages department).

Johnson wants to de-stress university students through her research. Her presentation was titled “Labyrinths: Interdisciplinary benefits of labyrinths

including stress reduction and creativity development.”

Johnson said that condensing an entire research project into a three-minute presentation was her biggest challenge, but after many practice sessions and lots of trimming she managed to do it.

“The irony is that I am an advocate for slow education and slow pedagogy, so the idea of putting something together in a rapid fire three-minute presentation is actually counter-intuitive to what I do with mindfulness,” Johnson said.

Getting the most out of undergraduate research As TRU’s annual undergraduate research conference wraps up, students look ahead Nolan Chapman STAFF WRITER Ω Another Undergraduate Research Conference has wrapped up. This event was an opportunity for students from all programs to share and showcase their projects and research.

Among attendance, was Julie McNutt, a bachelor of science student majoring in chemistry.

McNutt presented her research to the Omega: “Antibiotic resistance has increased over the years due to the over-usage of antibiotics. Consequently, new antibiotics must be designed,” McNutt said.

This semester, she’s been working with TRU faculty Heidi Huttunen-Hennelly and Kingsley Donkor.

McNutt is researching three

compounds that may be able to combat antibiotic resistance.

“They have demonstrated the ability to kill bacteria, but I must determine if they will also destroy the cells that make up our blood (red blood cells),” she said.

McNutt has received funding through the Undergraduate Research Experience Award Program (UREAP), which will allow her to work over the summer, and following the completion of her degree at TRU, would like to complete a master of science degree in chemistry.

McNutt’s work has allowed her to continue to develop her laboratory skills, gain invaluable experience and attempt to solve a problem at the interface of biology and chemistry.

This year, the Undergraduate Research Conference was host to more than 200 research posters,

20 artistic exhibits and performances, and more than 50 panel presentations.

“We know that the single most important and lasting educational experience involves students working closely with their professors on a shared project,” said Will Garrett-Petts, professor and associate vice-president of research at TRU. “The Undergraduate Research Conference, now in its twelfth year, provides the perfect complement to these programs, encouraging students to share their experiences and the results of their research," Garrett-Petts wrote via email.

RIGHT: Undergrad researcher Julie McNutt with her research.

PHOTO Juan Cabrejo/Ω

ARTS

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Directors Festival features: Morgan Benedict & Kayla Alfred Directors Festival gives graduating students a chance to try their hand at theatre directing Jennifer Will ARTS EDITOR Ω The annual Directors Festival from TRU’s Actors Workshop Theatre will give six senior students a chance to try their hand at directing. The festival will be comprised of a variety of original scripts and adaptations with a twist.

Morgan Benedict is one of the six directors participating in the festival. She will showcase her play The Most Massive Women Wins, by Madeleine George on Night B of the festival.

“It’s about four women at a liposuction clinic. They’re all there for different reasons, to get liposuction or have their bodies modified in some way,” Benedict said.

Benedict said that the play explores a variety of elements such as nursery rhymes and different kinds of movement.

“It’s definitely like a feminist piece. It’s something that’s very important to me, that women are treated equally. The way media perceives women now is so terrible and horrible. So, this is my little way of making a stand, girl power! It’s super, super important to me and I think it’s very topical with what’s going on in the world right now,” Benedict said.

Benedict says that she’s experienced in many facets of theatre, like acting and stage managing, but this is her first time directing a production, adding that it’s a lot harder than it looks and that she’s never given director's quite enough credit until now.

“I think the biggest challenge for

me is, because I’m an actor and have a dance background, to sit back and let my girls do their [own] thing,” Benedict said. “And allowing them to pave their own way and build their own characters.”

She says that the opportunity to direct her own play, although challenging, has also been really rewarding.

“I’ve learned a lot about myself through this piece, and I’ve learned a lot more about what I stand for and what’s important to me. I have a stronger feminist backbone to myself now. It’s also so great seeing these women work so hard and care so much about something that I care about,” Benedict said.

Benedict added that finding the perfect script to commit two months of her time to and curate the perfect style was a very hard decision to make.

“This is definitely my stamp on our program,” Benedict said. “So, finding something worth leaving my name on was a big commitment and a big step.”

After graduation, Benedict plans to continue working in theatre by stage managing and acting in various productions.

“Right now, I’m working with Chimera Theatre and Project X Theatre and I’m hoping to do some stuff in Vancouver. I’ll be happy as long as theatre’s in my life,” Benedict said.

Kayla Alfred is also one of the six directors participating in the festival. She will showcase her play Caught in the Act by Bruce Kane on Night A of the festival.

“I’ve been told it’s meta [and] it’s very ‘out there’ – very edgy. Basically,

Student directors Kayla Alfred and Morgan Benedict will feature in the coming Directors Festival. (Juan Cabrejo/Ω) imagine if you woke up one day and there was someone next to you, and it seems like you guys are in a relationship or something and then they’re like, no we’ve never known each other,” Alfred said.

The play surrounds two characters in a play being controlled by a writer who can’t make up his mind and keeps changing their story.

“When they try to gain independence, that’s when he really pulls at them and makes them completely different people,” Alfred said.

Alfred says that she originally had a different play picked out for the festival, but after taking a break from the program she didn’t feel like it was right anymore.

“I started [the program] in 2009 and then I hit my head in the winter of my third year. So, I came back and did one semester of directing, went and had brain surgery and then I

came back two years later now to do the second half,” Alfred said.

She adds that coming back after two years has had its challenges, but there were some positive things that came out of it.

“All of the other directors knew all of the actors going in and have different relationships with them.

But I had no idea, so it was kind of neat because it was almost like a more realistic directing experience.

You wouldn’t know the people beforehand usually,” Alfred said.

Alfred said that she got lucky with her two actors because they really understand their individual characters and the play overall. It was important to her that they could differentiate when they’re being controlled by the writer and when they’re being themselves.

“They are playing two different characters and then they also have

to realize that their background comes from this one person. So, they’re both different images of the same person,” Alfred said.

For Alfred, being able to control absolutely everything is the best part of this experience.

“I never get to control anything in my life. I’m sick, so I can’t even control my body sometimes. So, it’s awesome being able to control what happens on stage,” Alfred said.

After graduation, Alfred says she’s heading back to school to finish her payroll certification, but she also plans to volunteer here and there with Chimera theatre.

Night A of the festival will take place on April 10, 12 and 14. Night B will take place on April 11, 13 and 15 at the Black Box Theatre. Tickets are $14 each for one night, $20 each for both nights, and there will be three shows per evening.

More than just an empty husk? Ghost in the Shell reviewed Jonathan Malloy CONTRIBUTOR Ω Coming off of 2012’s Snow White and the Huntsman, it seems that director Rupert Sanders gained a driving force to make the most visually inventive film Hollywood has seen in years.

In many ways, he succeeded with Ghost in the Shell and yet the film is held back by a narrative dumbed down for its western audience despite a plethora of spectacular visuals.

Adapted from the manga and feature length animation, the film follows a woman whose brain is transplanted into a synthetic body after an accident and begins working for a futuristic government task force. Sanders and company have distilled the original cyberpunk vibe in a chilling and almost hallucinatory way. This is singlehandedly the defining characteristic of this version, as cinematographer Jess Hall creates a tantalizing and well-worn future city that, when coupled with the amazing synth score, really sets itself apart from the other big budget films being

created as of late. The melding of CGI and well-crafted sets creates a glossy world that fits into the visual style created by the source material.

It is unfortunate that the actual assembly of the film did not seem to have as much care and attention put towards it. Awkward staging and line delivery disassociate the Major, Scarlett Johansson, from any connection to the audience. While she does give her all in many of the sequences, the amount of controversy that resulted from Johansson’s casting does not seem to have resulted in the best result for the film. This is further accentuated by a haphazard edit that unfortunately emphasizes the excess of shakycam and slow motion that never seems to find a solid rhythm in its 106 minutes. This is surprising, given the originals’ ability to cover additional material with over 20 minutes cut from the runtime. It seems the ability to trust a mainstream audience with heavier, boundary-pushing material must have been cut from an early stage.

With all of its faults, the film does truly shine when the cogs

Scarlett Johansson stars in the 2017 recreation of classic Japanese manga Ghost in the Shell.

are finally set into motion, both Pilou Asbaek and the immortal Takeshi Kitano handle their roles as the kick ass Batou and Chief Aramaki with a verve and

swagger that elevate the pulpy crime drama aspect with several chilling set-pieces. This update may be without a large justification behind it, besides putting

dollars in pockets of investors, but the jumbled final product does provide ample amounts of brilliance despite several large missteps.

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CFBX 92.5 FM Campus & Community Radio Kamloops, B.C. Music Director: Steve Marlow Charts to March 30, 2017 * indicates Canadian Content ** indicates a local artist 1) Bill and Joel Plaskett* - Solidarity (Pheromone) 2) Leif Vollebekk* - Twin Solitude (Secret City) 3) Terra Lightfoot* - Live in Concert (Sonic Unyon) 4) Doug Cox and Sam Hurrie* - Old Friends (Black Hen) 5) Aurelio - Darandi (Real World) 6) Andrew James Barker* - Low Moon (Eastside Confectionary) 7) Begonia* - Lady in Mind (Independent) 8) Steve Amirault* - Hold On, Let Go (Independent) 9) Homeshake* - Fresh Air (Royal Mountain) 10) The Blue Mules* - Move On (Independent) 11) Icicle* - Resonance (Herd) 12) Bria Skonberg* - Bria (Okeh) 13) The xx - I See You (Young Turks) 14) Futurekids* - Like Like (Independent) 15) Lion Bear Fox* - Lion Bear Fox (Elbowroom) 16) Kayla Luky* - Back to Dirt (Independent) 17) Auresia* - Raices (Moonsplash) 18) The Luyas* - Human Voicing (Paper Bag) 19) West of Mabou* - West of Mabou (Independent) 20) The Bats Pajamas* - Uh Oh (Independent) 21) Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 3 (Independent) 22) Austra* - Future Politics (Domino) 23) Ron Sowell - Little Movies (Mountain Soul) 24) DJ Brace* - China EP (Independent) 25) The Screw Ups - No Time to Waste (Stubborn) 26) Section House - Section House (Mountain Fever) 27) Heat* - Overnight (The Hand) 28) The Top Boost* - Turn Around (Independent) 29) Go For Hope* - This Can Be (Independent) 30) Colours - Ivory (Victory)

APRIL 5, 2017

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APRIL 5, 2017

Meet the candidates running to be MLA for Kamloops North and South Thompson over a free slice. Details at trusu.ca/events

Get all the info you need to cast a ballot on May 9, 2017

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