UBCO’s Student Newspaper
September 6th 2016 | Vol 30, Issue 1
Back at it again since 1989
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thephoenixnews.com |
Alex Barberis Managing Editor
Jacky Deng Coordinating Editor
Campus
Sarah James Art Director
News
Current Affairs Arts
Student Refugees Arrive Next September p.3
University of Chicago: No Support for Trigger Warnings or Safe Spaces p.6
A Campus Canvas: UBCO’s Public Art Collection p.8
UBCSUO Launches Housing and Sexual Assault Initiatives p.4
Vancouver House Prices Go Down, Crash Looking Possible p.7
Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child p.9
Where Am I: Understanding UBCO’s Acronyms p.5
Why Sad Music Makes Us Happier p.10
Life
Opinions
Sports
Why We Fall Into the Nap Trap p.11
Princeton University Releases Guide to Forbid Gendered Words p.16
Blue Jays Set to Make Another Playoff Run p.21
Christy Clark Does Not Owe You an Apology p.19
Heat Men’s Soccer Start Strong at Home p.22
UBC Okanagan: Did You Make the Right Choice? p.20
Heat Athletics Introduces SAMHI p.23
Ditching the Dad Bod p.12 9 Quick Quips from UBCO Veterans p.14 Let’s Join a Club! – A Guide to Campus Clubs p.15
Managing Editor Alex Barberis managingeditor@thephoenixnews. com
University Centre 3333 University Way Kelowna, BC, Canada V1Y 5N3 Office: UNC 132B Phone: 250-807-9296 thephoenixnews.com Cover by Kelsi Brown and Sarah James
Art Director Sarah James artdirector@thephoenixnews.com Coordinating Editor Jacky Deng coordinating@thephoenixnews.com Web Editor Justin Kroeker web@thephoenixnews.com
Production Manager Kelsi Brown production@thephoenixnews.com
Video Editor Riley Petillion video@thephoenixnews.com
Sports Editor Grayson B. Leahy sports@thephoenixnews.com
Ads Sales Manager Lauren Legan ads@thephoenixnews.com
Visuals Editor Sarah Dowler visuals@thephoenixnews.com
Contributors Eddie Tat, Nour Sallam, Shamarthi Ghosh, Kaylin Furguson, Ian Pusey, Brienne Welton, Riley Schlosser, Nick Heurtas, Dory Geelkerken, Alex Lake
Current Affairs Editor Mark Dreger current.affairs@thephoenixnews.com
Opinions Editor opinions@thephoenixnews.com
Life Editor Emily Schultz life@thephoenixnews.com
News Editor Laurence Watt news@thephoenixnews.com
Photo Editor David Vassiliev photo@thephoenixnews.com
Arts Editor Paula Tran arts@thephoenixnews.com
Copy Editor Francesca Gimson copy@thephoenixnews.com
The Phoenix is the UBCO students’ free press. Editorial content is separate from the University of British Columbia Student’s Union Okanagan (UBCSUO) and from the UBC institution at large. The editorial staff encourages everyone to submit material to The Phoenix but reserves the right to withdraw submissions from publication for any reason. “Any reason” could be material deemed to be sexist, racist, homophobic, or of poor taste or quality. The Phoenix will not publish materials which condone, promote, or express actions which are illegal under current laws. This does not include articles which provide an in-depth examination of both sides of a controversial subject (e.g. legalizing marijuana). The Phoenix is published, in part, by the UBCSUO and is an active member of the Canadian University Press.
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News | thephoenixnews.com | Laurence Watt - News Editor
News
Photo by Sarah James/ The Phoenix News
STUDENT REFUGEES ARRIVE NEXT SEPTEMBER
The UBCSUO is preparing to sponsor 1-2 student refugee’s and extend the 4 year student refugee program indefinitely
Laurence Watt - News Editor
L ast yea r, t he St udents’ Union ra n a referendu m to col lec t a lev y to sponsor St udent Ref ugee t ra nsfers to ou r ca mpus. 73.7% of st udents who voted i n t he elec t ion, voted i n favou r of adopt-i ng t he St udent Ref ugee Prog ra m (SR P). T houg h t he referendu m was held i n t he wa ke of t he Sy r ia n ref ugee cr isis, t he SR P was f irst i nit iated i n 1978 w it h Ca rleton Universit y bei ng t he f irst to pa r ta ke i n t he prog ra m. U BC Va n-couver a lso adopted t he prog ra m i n 1985 a nd last yea r t hey i ncreased t heir lev y, which doubled t heir cont r ibut ion to t he prog ra m. Cu rrent ly, U BC Va ncouver sponsors 8 st udent ref ugees. However, despite U BCO st udents vot i ng over whel mi ng ly i n favou r of t he prog ra m last yea r a nd each bei ng cha rged a $2 .0 0 lev y t his yea r, st udent ref ugees a re not set to a rr ive u nt i l nex t Fa l l. T his is due t he t he fac t t hat last yea r t he i ntent to sponsor form was not
f i l led out. T he World Universit y Ser v ice of Ca nada (W USC) has a dead l i ne of
“ As soon as the Memorandum of Understanding is signed, the UBCSUO will be re-cruiting applicants to form he UBCOWUSC Local Committee.
” November 27 for t he sub-mission of i ntent to sponsor forms, which deta i ls how ma ny st udents ou r
ca mpus is capable of sponsor i ng. Si nce t he i ntent to sponsor form was never f i l led out last yea r, U BCO w i l l be spon-sor i ng 1-2 st udents for September 2017. Cu rrent ly, U BC SUO President Bla ke Edwa rds is work i ng on t he Memora ndu m of Understa nd i ng bet ween U BC a nd t he U BC SUO out l i ni ng t he deta i ls a nd cont r ibut ion of each respec ted pa r t y towa rds t he St udent Ref ugee Prog ra m. As soon as t he MoU is sig ned, t he U BC SUO w i l l be recr u it i ng appl ica nts to form t he U BCO-W USC L oca l Com mit tee. Accord i ng to Edwa rds, t he L oca l Com mit tee w i l l work t hroug hout t he yea r to develop t he f ra mework of t he prog ra m a nd put i n place t he proper pa r t ners to help suppor t ou r st udents when t hey a rr ive i n 2017. “One of t he ma i n roles of t he Com mit tee is to t hi n k about t he socia l aspec ts for t he st udent ref ugees,” sa id Edwa rds. “It is
one of t he ma i n cha l lenges st udents have i n t heir t ra nsit ion f rom where t hey ca me f rom.” Fu r t hermore, t he U BC SUO President is a lso hopi ng to ex pa nd t he prog ra m. “R ig ht now, t he referendu m quest ion stated t hat t he lev y wou ld on ly be col lec ted for 4 yea rs. I a m hopi ng t hat we ca n cha nge t hat such t hat t his is a cont i nuous prog ra m.” U lt i mately, some st udents may be u n happy t hat t hey a re bei ng cha rged a $2 .0 0 lev y t his yea r for a prog ra m t hat w i l l not see its f r u its u nt i l nex t yea r. However, st udents ca n be assu red t hat t his lev y is goi ng towa rds a n i nva luable cause a nd t hat by nex t Fa l l U BCO w i l l be sponsor i ng 1-2 st udent ref ugees.
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Laurence Watt - News Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Photo by Sarah James/ The Phoenix News
UBCSUO LAUNCHES HOUSING AND SEXUAL ASSAULT INITIATIVES
VP External Kimberly Rutledge outlines campaigns aimed at improving UBCO housing and raising awareness about sexual assault Laurence Watt - News Editor
T he U BC SUO is at tempt i ng to enga ge st udent s i n t wo new S eptember i n it iat ive s a i med at add re s si ng t he is sue s su r rou nd i ng hou si ng a nd sex u a l a s s au lt on c a mpu s . Te a m i ng up w it h t he A l l ia nce of BC St udent s’ “W here’s t he Hou si ng? ” c a mpa ig n, t he U BC SUO is hopi ng to help t ack le a prov i nce-w ide hou si ng cr isis wh i l st i mprov i ng c a mpu s c u lt u re a nd t he st udent u n iversit y ex per ience. C ent r a l ly, t he hou si ng c a mpa ig n is seek i ng to get t he BC gover n ment to a l low postsecond a r y i nst it ut ions to t a ke on debt i n order to bu i ld on c a mpu s st udent hou si ng. Accord i ng to t he c a mpa ig n, i f t he BC gover n ment were to subsid i z e ju st 10% of t he bu i ld-i ng cost s over t he
nex t 10 ye a rs , t hen u n iversit ie s wou ld have acce s s to rou g h ly $18 0 m i l l ion dol la rs to put towa rd s t he
“ The housing campaign is seeking to get the BC government to allow post-secondary institutions to take on debt in order to build on campus student housing.
” const r uc t ion of over 21,0 0 0 new re sidence space s . Not on ly wou ld t he subsidy
sig n i f ic a nt ly e a se t he bu rden on t he hou si ng ma rket a nd t r a nspor t at ion s y stems , it wou ld a l so s ave st udent s va lu able t i me a nd mone y wh i l st ma k i ng up for a dec ade i n wh ich t here ha s been a n absence of re sidence bu i ld i ng const r uc t ion. Accord i ng to K i mberly Rut led ge , t he U BC SUO’s V P E x ter na l, a s a st udent a nd a renter t h is is a c a mpa ig n t hat h it s close to home. “ T he cost of l iv i ng i n Kelow na seems to be get t i ng h ig her a nd h ig her e ver y d ay a nd w it h a vac a nc y r ate of 0.7% , we’re le av i ng st udent s w it h nowhere to go,” s a id Rut led ge. “ T he gover n ment doe sn’t a l low post second a r y i nst it ut ions to t a ke on debt i n order to bu i ld hou si ng , e ven t hou g h re sidence bu i ld i ngs a re sel f-f i na nc i ng. We took t he t a sk a n ex t r a step f u r t her a nd we
News
wa nt t he gover n ment to help f u nd t he const r uc t ion. It ’s a big a sk, but w it h a prov i nc ia l elec t ion com i ng up t h is ye a r, I don’t t h i n k t he t i m i ng cou ld be bet ter.” I n add it ion to add re s si ng t he is sue s concer n i ng on c a mpu s hou si ng , t he U B SUO is a l so set on t ack l i ng sex u a l a s s au lt on c a mpu s . T he “O u r B od ie s , O u r Voice” sex u a l a s s au lt awa rene s s c a mpa ig n, spe a rhe aded by K i mberly Rut led ge a long w it h t he U BC SUO a nd pa r t ners , is a week long i n it iat ive a i med at educ at i ng st udent s a nd st a f f about consent a nd he a lt hy sex u a l relat ionsh ips . T he cent r a l goa l of t he c a mpa ig n is to t ack le r ape c u lt u re on c a mpu s , a nd i n t he gen- er a l Kelow na com mu n it y, wh i l st cre at i ng a s a fe com mu n it y i n wh ich e ver yone c a n feel t hat t hei r bod ie s a nd voice a re bei ng re spec ted . Accord i ng to t he c a mpa ig n, it wa s i mpor t a nt to lau nch t h is i n it iat ive i n S eptember a s e v idence i mpl ie s t hat t he major it y of sex u a l a s s au lt s occ u r w it h i n t he f i rst 8 week s of school . U lt i mately, t he c a mpa ig n hope s to ma ke it k now n to e ver y person bot h on a nd of f c a mpu s t hat sex u a l a s s au lt is somet h i ng t hat a f fec t s e ver yone. Accord i ng to Rut led ge , r u n n i ng a c a mpa ig n l i ke t h is wa s somet h i ng she wa nted to do long before bei ng elec ted to of f ice. “For me , educ at iona l c a mpa ig ns l i ke t he se a re t he most profou nd t h i ngs t hat I c a n do a s a st udent le ader,” s a id Rut led ge. “B ei ng able to st a r t t he se ha rd convers at ions w it h st udent s about topic s t hat re a l ly mat ter, is some-t h i ng t hat I’m so g r atef u l for.” St udent s c a n ex pec t t he weeklong i n it iat ive to be not on ly educ at iona l but a l so l ively a nd enga g i ng. Rut led ge add s , “t he i n it iat ive w i l l fe at u re lot s of e vent s a nd work shops i ntended to d r aw i n d iverse g roups of pe ople , a fac tor wh ich is ke y i n cha ng i ng t he c u l-t u re on ou r c a mpu s . T h is is goi ng to be a g re at oppor t u n it y to foster cha nge on ou r c a mpu s .” T he “W here’s t he Hou si ng? ” c a mpa ig n w i l l be r u n n i ng a l l t h rou g hout S eptember a nd t he “O u r B od ie s , O u r Voice” sex u a l a s s au lt c a mpa ig n w i l l be r u n n i ng f rom S eptember 19 to S eptember 23. St udent s i ntere sted i n f i nd i ng out more or get t i ng i nvolved a re encou r a ged to cont ac t t he U BC SUO for more det a i l s .
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News | thephoenixnews.com | Laurence Watt - News Editor
Photo by Sarah James/ The Phoenix News
WHERE AM I: UNDERSTANDING UBCO’S ACRONYMS Never miss a class or get confused navigating your way around campus by learning the meaning of the acronyms Laurence Watt - News Editor
Acronyms: abbreviations intended to simplif y things but also having the reverse ten-denc y to complicate things. Ever found yourself walking into a classroom to realize after a few minutes that you are in the wrong class? If not, then congratulations—no matter what you end up doing in life, you should be able to sleep soundly knowing you are not me! I will never forget the sensation of walking into my first Political S cience
class to real-ize, after a few confusing minutes, that I was actually sitting in a thirdyear French class. Following an awkward moment of packing up my books and bidding ever yone au revoir, I realized that I had both mistaken the Arts building for the Ar ts and S cience building and Spanish for French. Now, some of you reading this may think, perhaps rightfully so, that I was a fool and should have paid more attention reading over the campus map. But the
truth is that, despite UB CO’s relatively small campus, it is actually ver y common for first year stu-dents to get confused over which building is which and which names mean what. If it is your first year at UB CO and you do not want to find yourself in a similar situation or late to a class simply because you’re unsure of which is the correct building, skim over the list of acronyms below to better affiliate yourself with campus.
Buildings: UNC - University Centre ADM/Admin Campus Administration UNI - University House EME Engineering, Management, and Education CCS - Creative and Critical Studies ASC - Arts and Science Centre GYM - The Gymnasium or Hangar FIP - Fipke Centre ART - Arts Building SCI - Science Building LIB - Library RHS - Reichwald Heath Sciences Centre
CSO - Campus Security CHP - Central Heating Plant MWO - Mountain Weather Office DAY - Daycare Building Residences CAS - Cascades REZ - Residence CSR - Cassiar Residence MON - Monashee Residence SIMI Similkameen Residence KAL - Kalamalka Residence VAL - Valhalla Residence PUR - Purcell Residence NIC - Nicola Residence Hot Spot - The on-campus convenience store in Monashee
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Mark Dreger – Current Affairs Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Current Affairs
ITALY EARTHQUAKE CAUSES CHAOS Italian Prime Minister calls for state of emergency after earthquake Emily Schultz – Life Editor
Photo by Anh Dinh/ Creative Commons
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO: NO SUPPORT FOR TRIGGER WARNINGS OR SAFE SPACES
U of C letter ensures students that free expression will be protected Mark Dreger – Current Affairs Editor
In a welcome letter to firstyear students at the University of Chicago, Dean of Students Jay Ellison ensured students that they “do not support socalled ‘trigger warnings’” and “do not condone the creation of intellectual ‘safe spaces’ where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own.” With many universities full of oversensitive millennials wanting safe spaces, U of C is a breath of fresh air on American campuses. In the second paragraph of the letter, Ellison addresses their “commitment to freedom of inquiry and expression” and how students are “encouraged to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn, without fear of censorship.” The letter continues, “you will find that we expect members of our community to be engaged in rigorous debate, discussion, and even disagreement. At times this may challenge you and even cause discomfort.” The letter also states that U
of C will not “cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial,” which may be a response to DePaul University, also in Chicago, that recently came under fire for silencing speakers with differing opinions. In May, conservative and openly gay journalist Milo Yiannopoulos attempted to give a talk at DePaul about feminism and Black Lives Matter, but was interrupted 15 minutes in by protestors that blew whistles and would not allow the event to continue. After the university gave a lukewarm apology and received thousands of negative reviews on their Facebook page, another conservative, columnist and author Ben Shapiro, was disallowed to speak at the institution, saying it was due to “security concerns,” which would be caused by DePaul’s own students. U of C’s letter may be an attempt to capitalize on Chicago students deciding on which
institution to attend. Based on the letter, the type of safe space the institution refers to is the kind where people have the freedom to express themselves without
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With many Universities full of oversensitive millennials wanting safe spaces, U of C is a breath of fresh air on American campuses.
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fear of discrimination for their ideas, as the letter states that “freedom of expression does not mean the freedom to harass or threaten others.” Ellison is not referring to the type of safe space for people suffering from abuse, as he is listed as
part of the Safe Space Ally Network for LGBT students on campus. Some U of C students think differently. One student at the university claims that the letter is a distraction from what students are most concerned about. In a Think Progress article, she said that students want “living wages on campus, accessibility for students with disabilities, and strengthening the university’s sexual assault policy.” Some even theorize that the letter is a publicity stunt to attract conservative donors. A spokesman for the university denies any hidden motives and stated that professors had the freedom to use “trigger warnings” if they choose. In a Gallup poll, 78% of college students in the US say they prefer having students “exposed to all types of speech and viewpoints.”
After a 6.2 magnitude earthquake rocked central Italy just 100km northeast of Rome on August 24, Italy declared a state of emergency 2 days later. Italy’s Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, has pledged €50 million to help rebuild the destruction. He has also cancelled resident taxes in the hardest hit towns and has scheduled a state funeral, the first of which took place on August 26. “No family, no city, no hamlet will be left behind,” Renzi said while visiting the damaged zone. According to CBC, there have been more than 1,000 aftershocks after the initial 6.2 quake, with some reaching up to between 4.3-4.9. These aftershocks have fuelled fears in the region and hampered rescue crews. The towns of Accumoli, Amatrice, Pescara del Tronto, and Arquata del Tronto were the worst affected, with entire buildings reduced to rubble, which covered access roads to damaged areas. As of August 29, 292 people have been confirmed dead with crews still looking for survivors under rubble. Amatrice suffered the vast majority of casualties, with 231 of the 292 coming from the town of under 3,000 people. Over 400 have been reported injured, with firefighters, volunteers, and rescue teams having rescued over 240 people from under the rubble. About 2,500 people have been left homeless with hundreds living in tents in the cold mountains, making them first priority for new lodgings. Some are also sleeping in their cars until lodging becomes available. Nearly 300 historical buildings have been damaged or completely destroyed, leading prosecutors to call for an investigation to find anyone responsible. The Romolo Capranica school in Amatrice was also destroyed, despite being restored in 2012. “We are able to prevent all these deaths. The problem is actually doing it,” said Armando Zambrano of the National Council of Engineers to the Associated Press.
Current Affairs | thephoenixnews.com | Mark Dreger – Current Affairs Editor
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VANCOUVER HOUSE PRICES GO DOWN, CRASH LOOKING POSSIBLE August sees extremely low housing sales in Vancouver area
Mark Dreger – Current Affairs Editor
BC residents have known that a being on a steady decline since April. housing crash would be a “when” This drop has led to housing prices question rather than an “if,” but that falling in the Vancouver area, with day may be coming very soon. After the BC government implemented a 15% tax on foreign nationals buying Vancouver houses, to help create affordability to residents, the housing market has gone down 20% in the last month. Although August is typically a slower month in real estate, Global ‘It’s pretty tough to go from 52 to News says that only 3 houses sold three [houses sold] and pretend in West Vancouver in the first 2 weeks of August, while 52 were sold things are fine. That is a pattern that during that same timeframe in 2015. can’t go ignored.’ – Brent Eilers Similarly, 597 homes were sold in the Greater Vancouver area in 2015, while only 87 sold in 2016, a decrease of 85%. “It’s pretty tough to go from 52 to three and pretend things are fine,” said realtor Brent Eilers, who has been tracking the data, “that is a pattern that can’t go ignored.” House sales in the Vancouver area prices in Vancouver, Richmond, and have been dropping since before North Vancouver dropping by 24.5%, the tax was implemented at the 20.7%, and 17.3% respectively in the beginning of August, with home sales last 3 months. The average home price
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in Vancouver now sits at $1.1 million, with the average detached home priced at $2.6 million, a 7% decline. The trend is the same throughout the Metro Vancouver area. Economists have warned of using averages because there could be several factors in play, such as a drop in expensive home sales and uncertainty putting the market on hold. This drastic low in sales is likely due to a high uncertainty in the housing market. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation has raised Vancouver’s real estate market to a “high” imbalance rating, with imbalance evidence also present in Toronto, Calgary, Saskatoon, and Regina. This has led some to wait and see what the market does, putting much of the housing market on hold. With so much uncertainty, some say it is too soon to see a full trend, but by the end of the year, a full trend should be observable. With news of the Vancouver tax reaching oversees, foreign homebuyers are now moving their
sights east to cities like Calgary and Toronto. This is a major problem with the Vancouver tax, as foreign buyers will simply buy in another city before being kicked out to find a new city. Although a crash would hurt those invested in real estate and those wanting to sell their homes, some looking to buy in Vancouver have their fingers crossed for a housing market collapse. “I’m looking forward to a crash for my own selfish reasons,” Heather Babcock told The Huffington Post. Andrey Pavlov, a real estate specialist at SFU, says that a crash of 50% is likely in the Vancouver area. The housing market in West Vancouver, for example, has gone up 450% since 2001, while the household income only increased 10.4% from 2001 to 2011, not including inflation. The possible collapse or correction of housing prices could be a positive for families wanting to buy affordable housing and students trying to find rent, but Vancouver will have to wait and see what the market holds in the coming months.
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Paula Tran – Arts Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Arts
Arts
Photo by Sarah James/ The Phoenix News
A CAMPUS CANVAS: UBCO’S PUBLIC ART COLLECTON Susan Belton details the rise of campus art
Nour Sallam – Contributor
UBCO has been fortunate enough to be able to display student art in every building around campus. Since we lack an art gallery, aside from the teaching gallery located in the CCS, UBCO’s Public Art Committee is responsible for the Public Art Collection. The committee works on transforming our campus from a blank canvas into a gallery of integrated art. Such display of artworks, and the liveliness of the formerly bland walls, has invited appreciation from the eyes of multiple viewers. Since 2008, Susan Belton held her position as the curator of the collection. She established the Public Art Committee, as well as the collection’s website with catalogued art pieces. Belton participated in building the collection with its range of mediums to its 492 works of art, using a total worth of just under $500,000. Belton describes the collection as a “diverse art collection that will challenge and stimulate debate, inform and increase knowledge, and transform lives by broadening our skateholders’ perspectives.” The display of works is “entirely consultive,” says Belton. In order to populate an area on campus with art, the
environment of the area is first checked to ensure that factors, such as size and lighting, are appropriate. Then, the art is photoshopped for consultation from the faculty and staff. The deans, of course, have final approval on the selection. The whole process, in fact, is detailed and extensive.
“ “The Public Art Collection, despite its efforts and hard work, does not receive enough recognition from the university students.”
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For example, when it comes to the arrangement of donation and installation, one of Belton’s biggest projects is Jack Shadbolt’s Tree of Life, now displayed in the Reichwald Health Sciences Centre. The alumnus’s work is the most valuable in the collection, in 14 pieces, at 28 feet
by 18 feet. Belton remarks, “It will take your breath away! We had structural engineers involved and an outside firm to install the work, and we are very proud to have this terrific donation.” When asked about the controversy of some pieces, the curator admitted that she was “surprised by the low tolerance on campus to some of the more challenging works. Anything with nudity seems to be contentious.” When it comes to controversial pieces, the most important criteria the Public Art Collection holds is artistic merit and the statement it holds when given cultural relevance. Belton stated that the biggest reaction was to a Kassy Davis work about child pageantry. Unfortunately, many viewers failed to recognize that though the piece is controversial, such vehement reaction was the artist’s purpose. The Public Art Collection now assigns one location for such pieces. The StART The Conversation wall is located in the administration building in front of the bookstore.The wall invites comments from the viewers while recognizing the different levels of comfort in a community. The point behind displaying the images in one location was to warn
the public, so to avoid the area, would they be sensitive to such images. Due to a lack of funding, however, UBCO has not been able to commission any pieces to date. After receiving a small grant, Aboriginal Programs and Services commissioned a Syilx sculpture by Les Louis. It is to be installed in the courtyard in the beginning of September. This is be one of the most recent installations that we can look forward to this upcoming year. Susan Belton hopes that it will become part of the collection. The Public Art Collection, despite its efforts and hard work, does not receive enough recognition from the university students. Though it is likely because we are all so busy, the next time you are procrastinating hitting the books by staring at walls with noticeably incredible artwork, give Susan Belton and the Public Art Committee a mental shoutout. Some works currently have QR codes beside them so that viewers can access information about the pieces instantly. These codes are an ongoing process you can find out more through the Public Art Collection’s website, where you can also respond to the artworks.
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Arts | thephoenixnews.com | Paula Tran – Arts Editor
PLANET 9 The role of a possible ninth planet in our solar system Riley Schlosser – Contributor
Photo by Kelsi Brown/ The Phoenix News
BOOK REVIEW: HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD Does the latest Harry Potter tale live up to its predecessors? Paula Tran – Arts Editor
The day The Cursed Child was announced social media platforms all over the world erupted. News articles about the new book and play filled ever y nook and cranny of Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr. Hype and high expectations surrounded bot the production and the script, and as days ticked by the excitement built up exponentially. Harr y Potter and the Cursed Child is a play written by Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, based on the writings of J.K. Rowling. It was first performed in the Palace Theatre in London, and since then, the script has been adapted and bound as a book. The stor y revolves around Albus Potter, Harr y and Ginny’s youngest son, and Scorpius Malfoy, the son of Draco Malfoy
and Astoria Greenwood. B oth of them are best friends and outcasts in the Hog warts community, and in order to redeem themselves at Hog warts, they decide to become heroes in an attempt to repay Harr y’s debt to an old acquaintance. But being a hero always has its challenges. As a diehard Potterhead, I picked up the book in hopes that it would blow me away, but the script failed to do so. To me, the play read like a fanfiction written by a novice writer, not a work from a world renowned professional such as Rowling. The scenes made me cringe in some parts, and the dialogue sounded elementar y and unnatural at best. That being said, the awkwardness and bad scene construction could
just be because I didn’t have stage directions nor did I have a visual of what
“ “As a diehard Potterhead I picked up the book in hopes that it would blow me away, but the script failed to do so.”
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was happening on stage. I was left in the dark at some points and I am sure that if I was actually
seeing the production, I would understand the script much better. The concept was fresh and exciting, as I was able to catch a glimpse into who the next generation of witches and wizards were, their personalities, and their lives. Though I had some qualms about certain aspects of the script, I thoroughly enjoyed my overall reading experience. I recommend this book/ play to anyone who is a fan of Harr y Potter, but if you are just getting into the universe, it is not something that I would start off with. Overall, I would rate Harr y Potter and The Cursed Child a 7.5 out of 10.
By now, most of us have heard of the possibility of a ninth planet in our Solar System, way out in the reaches of the Kuiper Belt. If you have not, I am here to explain. Back in January, Batygin & Brown of the California Institute of Technology studied some strangely clumped entities in the Kuiper belt, a region of our Solar System filled mostly with comets and asteroids. The paper they published proposed the existence of a ninth planet, around which the entities were orbiting, and since then the possibility has only become more plausible. Planet 9 is thought to orbit at around 40-50 astronomical units (an astronomical unit is roughly the distance from the sun to the Earth), putting it on the further reaches of the Kuiper belt and making its orbit of the sun take somewhere around 15,000 Earth years. The planet is roughly 10 times the size of Earth (about the size of Neptune), and given its size, is most likely a gas giant. The possible existence of Planet 9 could also potentially explain another dilemma astronomers have been puzzling over: the Solar System is strangely tilted. The planets actually orbit the sun at a 6-degree tilt, and multiple papers from both CIT and Brazilian research have recently proposed the possibility that Planet 9’s gravitational pull is responsible for this oddity, and has been slowly tugging the other planets off-kilter over a vast amount of time. In any case, Planet 9 remains yet to be seen through a telescope, so up to this point all anyone has are some solid theories. However, the idea that another planet could be out there is tantalizing to anyone with even a hint of appreciation for our Solar System. Besides, Mike Brown, who published the original article, was one of the main scientists behind the “killing” of Pluto, so he owes us a replacement.
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Paula Tran – Arts Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
WHY SAD MUSIC MAKES US HAPPIER
Arts
Photo by Kelsi Brown/ The Phoenix News
A scientific look at the relationship between sad music and good vibes Paula Tran – Arts Editor
The idea that sad music can invoke feelings of pleasure seems paradoxical, but studies from the past decade suggest that this is precisely the case. We experience this phenomenon whenever we feel the need to put on A Great Big World’s “Say Something” after a bad break up. Artists like Adele, Sarah McLachlan, and Kelly Clarkson have essentially built their entire careers on this concept. Science still is not exactly sure why melodies in minor keys are
such a rich source of comfort, but it has some pretty sound theories (pun not intended). In 2013, a Japanese study published in Frontiers in Psychology showed the results of an experiment that instructed participants to listen to both sombre music and cheerful music. The study recorded not only their own emotional response, but the response they thought others would have to the music. The study showed that most subjects elicited a
FANTASTIC KICKSTARTERS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM A couple of promising new innovations Paula Tran – Arts Editor
Online crowdfunding is becoming an intensely popular way to make projects come to life. Popular crowdfunding sites, such as Kickstarter, provide a platform for creators
to publicize their projects. There are many Kickstarters out there, but here are a few that I thought really caught my eye. Note that at the time of writing, these campaigns were still running.
set of positive emotions while listening to the sad music, but still said that others would likely feel saddened by the song. The researchers hypothesized that there is a profound difference between the effects of perceived emotions and experienced emotions. One theory is that when we listen to sad songs we are reminded of times we got through a negative experience, which are ultimately consoling thoughts.
Another popular idea is that sad music creates a space in which it is safe to despair, because it is the musician that is truly in pain and not the listener— it is that sense of safety that produces positive feelings. Of course, not absolutely everybody is comforted by sad music. We all have a friend who may inexplicably burst into tears every time someone plays a Whitney Houston song. These exceptions are likely caused by traumatic experiences in the
listener’s past, tied specifically to certain songs or artists. Rather than simply empathizing with Whitney’s soul-wrenching vocals, they cannot help but be pulled back in time to their worst break up or the death of a loved one. This marks a rather depressing ending to this article, but what did you expect? It is nearly impossible to come back from discussing Whitney Houston.
Publishing: 2017 Make It Happen Planner (Estimated delivery: December 2016)
Monthly themes help you gain focus and retract your attention to your goals. It is a productive way to be honest with yourself and light your spark to discover who you truly are.
can control every aspect of your daily life, whether it be appliances or even plants. Built with a Wi-Fi module and high performance microphone, the ReSpeaker recognizes your voice and lets you command whatever you allow it to. While the idea of voice command is not really something new, the concept that this company and creator is trying to take is sophisticated and detailed. Hopefully the product stands up to the company’s promises.
This planner is not just your average weekly and monthly planner, but also a workbook and journal all in one. Meraki Printing’s Make It Happen planner allows you to take the time in your life to dream and brainstorm about your next steps. What do you need to do to finish your degree? What do you need to do to be certified at a specific skill? What do you need to do to be a better friend?
Technology: ReSpeaker (Estimated delivery: November 2016) Have you ever thought of controlling the environment around you with just the sound of your voice? ReSpeaker is a project designed by Seed Studio so you
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Life | thephoenixnews.com | Emily Schultz – Life Editor
Life
WHY WE FALL INTO THE NAP TRAP
Photo by Kelsi Brown/ The Phoenix News
Scientifically backed reasons to savour your siesta Nour Sallam – Contributor
“I never used to take naps until I started university.” If only I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say that. It is very difficult to get enough hours of sleep at night when you have so many responsibilities to attend to. If you were under the impression that idea that naps are for the weak, then as your workload increases, and your stress levels rise, you will probably learn to embrace your human weakness. In fact, you will probably come to terms with it. You might just start looking forward to it. It is a student’s version of “I just
want to go home,” when you have another lecture in an hour. I remember one of my tour guides on Create pointing out a few nap spots she favours. I also remember thinking that that’s very strange. But low and behold, I fell into the nap trap too. It took me a while to realize that there is something that trumps caffeine, and does not cost me five bucks almost twice a day. Since then, I have bathed in the glory of naps. I used to occasionally have my coffee before my nap, so that by the time the caffeine kicks in, I am awake, and twice as energetic. I
would not recommend this. There are studies that recommend napping due to its benefits. Not only does it make you feel good, but it also enhances your memory, decision-making, and alertness. When you feel refreshed and less stressed after a nap, it is probably because napping improves your mental health. You now have a legitimate excuse to nap before a test. Not to mention, naps also boost your creativity and sensory perception. There is a very high chance that the greatest artists produced their greatest works
after taking a nap. Salvador Dali believed in what he called “slumber with a key,” which was basically a pretentious way of referring to his afternoon catnap. In fact, your body is actually built for naps. Research shows that our bodies tend to feel tired between the hours of 1:00PM to 3:00PM. This is what people normally refer to as the ‘mid-day slump’ around lunch time. Several studies have recommended 20 minute naps during this time frame. Naps over an hour are usually the most effective, though
they may result in grogginess and disorientation due to the science of your sleep cycle and deep sleep. Usually, napping for less than 45 minutes is your safest bet. This way, you are sure to wake up feeling like sunshine and waterfalls. Google’s headquarters have nap pods for a reason. If science and Google both recommend it, you might as well embrace the opportunity to hit that refresh button.
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Emily Schultz – Life Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
DITCHING THE DAD BOD
Life
Photo by Kelsi Brown/ The Phoenix News
Say goodbye to the freshman fifteen
Brie Welton – Contributor
The phrase “freshmen fifteen” refers to the phenomenon of university students gaining fifteen pounds during their first year. Though are varying causes of this weight gain and not all students are affected by it, every student can easily live a healthy life in university while reaping the numerous associated benefits. “The biggest thing which can cause the Freshmen Fifteen is that the [students] are away from home, so they have to shop for themselves,” explains Gordon Palmer, certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor at World Gym Kelowna, and founder of Project Body Smart. “This newfound freedom leads to convenience foods, foods they wouldn’t normally have eaten… highly processed foods that don’t need prepping.” It is clear to students that Kraft Dinner and pizza are unhealthy choices. However, what most students are unaware of is how often they are eating these foods in relation to how often they were previously
consumed. Another leading factor in freshman weight gain is the drastic increase in alcohol consumption, which can be the biggest source of calories in student diets. These are the obvious factors
“ ‘The biggest thing which can cause the Freshmen Fifteen is that the [students] are away from home, so they have to shop for themselves,’ explains Gordon Palmer.
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in weight gain, but there are lesser known problems that can result from misguided attempts to become healthy. “The number one mistake most people make when trying to lose weight is engaging in a temporary
diet,” states Palmer, for example “calorie restrictive diets, nutritionally unbalanced diets, low or no carb diets or starvation diets.” These quick-anddirty diet methods are problematic, even if they get results. This is especially relevant for students, especially those who may be unaware of the adverse effects of their diet in relation to their GPA. Arguably, making healthy choices in university is challenging, but Palmer claims that students can take easy steps to make healthy choices that do not take up any time and will benefit them in the long run. According to Palmer, “the main components of maintaining a healthy lifestyle are finding a way to plan and organize your nutrition, getting good quality sleep, and managing stress.” Planning ahead solves the daily dinner dilemma, and facilitates the choice between veggie stir-fry or a tv-dinner. In terms of stress management, a good night’s sleep goes a long way towards improving mood and also optimizes alertness, focus, and memory retention. Many
students make the mistake of staying up late to cram for a test, not realizing they will be more likely to succeed with at least 8 hours of rest. “Regular activity every day can help with stress and anxiety,” states Palmer. Even getting outside and breathing in fresh air can drastically affect mental, physical, and emotional health. Not only are these methods quick and easy to fit into a busy schedule, but they are all free. “Outside is free. Walking, hiking and bodyweight exercise is all free,” says Gordon. Ultimately, the “freshmen fifteen” is not something students need to be afraid of. Being healthy is essentially just a few better choices and an awareness of our mistakes. “Little decisions we make every day move us forward to, or backward from our health goals,” insists Gordon. Health is about knowing the difference between good and bad choices while having the sense to choose for your own benefit.
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Life | thephoenixnews.com | Emily Schultz – Life Editor
AN INSIDE LOOK AT FIRST YEAR An interview with Campus Life’s First Year Services Coordinator Laura Prada Emily Schultz – Life Editor
First Year Services Coordinator Laura Prada addresses the most frequently asked questions the Campus Life office receives from new students, shares her own advice about beginning a university career, and highlights why students should be proud to be a part of the UBCO community. What are the most common questions you are asked by incoming students?
Photo by Alex Barberis/ The Phoenix News
THE FOUR TYPES OF ROOMMATES: HOW TO SURVIVE THEM
From Loud Lucy to ‘The Strange One’ – We got you covered Nour Sallam – Contributor
As a self-titled expert on the 4 basic types of roommates, I feel equipped to lay out a guide to sur viving roommates for those who have never had the pleasure. The first type, Loud Lucy, is the easiest to spot, or hear. This roommate could simply be a loud speaker who calls home too often, or an excessive partier with an equally deafening sound system. If you are truly unlucky, Loud Lucy might be a vocal person during his or her “extracurricular activities”. To sur vive this type, you should consider investing in ear plugs, headphones, or a white noise machine. You may have to resort to leaving the comfort of your own bed to hang out at your trusted friend’s residence. If you live on campus, you can always enjoy some peace and quiet in the Atrium.
The second type is widely acknowledged as the best type. This roommate is the one you never see. You have trouble remembering their name, and sometimes wonder if you should knock to check if they are still alive. This roommate is often easy to get along with. It is nice to check up on them ever y once in a while, but you will generally only ever hear from them when they leave you notes in the bathroom or on your fridge. Though occasionally passive reminders, most times they are wishing you good luck on your midterm, or asking you to split toiletries or groceries. In rare situations, you may gain an extra roommate who does not technically live with you. This type is often your real roommate’s significant other, or best friend. Sometimes they like to joke
about being “your third roommate”. If the imposter is a significant other, they could be a Loud Lucy and may inspire you to leave
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The fourth and most fearful type can be referred to as ‘the strange one.’ This is the kind of roommate that you suspect is hiding voodoo dolls.
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passive aggressive notes. Most of the time, all you need to do to sur vive this type is to kindly speak to your roommate. Although it is terrifying if you fear confrontation, you need to remember that you are an adult now.
The fourth, and most fearful, type can be referred to as the strange one. This person is the kind of roommate that you suspect is hiding voodoo dolls. Sometimes they make weird noises. You have definitely wondered if they ever leave their room, and what deep dark secrets they are hiding in there. You might even question if they were ever taught basic hygiene regimes. If you live on campus, you might be able to get a room switch. You can also speak to one your resident advisors. They are ver y helpful in conflict resolution and awkward roommate situations, and they are always available to help.
New students have a plethora of questions when they are preparing to join UBC Okanagan. These questions vary across students and throughout the summer. However, we have been able to identify some common questions and trends by looking at the Peer Mentor Program records in the last two years. New students are concerned first and foremost about their classes and requirements for each of them. This is definitely a good sign since class registration is key to a good start and can be a complex process. For this reason, questions during June and July surround academics. Once registration has been dealt with, new students have questions about their living arrangements. If students are planning to live on campus, they wonder about the supplies they should and can bring with them to their room. Students who live off-campus tend to worry more about the city’s bus system, the bus pass, and parking passes. At the end of the summer, new students are curious about what Create Orientation Day has to offer and what the day will look like. This is when the real excitement about coming to UBCO begins! What is one thing you would like all students to know about university? I would like every student to know that everything will be fine. Many students worry too much before getting here, which I believe may sometimes take away from the excitement of starting university. I wish I could tell all of them that getting comfortable on the campus only takes one week, getting involved outside the classroom only takes one email, and getting help from a staff member only takes one conversation.
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Emily Schultz – Life Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Life
-Olivia R, Biology Major 6. Be prepared for unexpected fire alarms in the residence buildings (in the middle of the night for example). And if you’re having troubles in class, go to see your professor or TA during their office hours for help! -Dylan G, Management Major
Photo by Sarah James/ The Phoenix News
9 QUICK QUIPS FROM UBCO VETERANS Worried about your first year at UBCO? Here are some tips from students who survived Emily Schultz – Life Editor
When you are starting university, the amount of advice you receive from all sides can be pretty overwhelming. It can be difficult to wade through everything you’ve been told to find the right pieces of wisdom to guide you on your way. Below is an assortment of advice from students who have made it through their first year: 1. The best cure to feeling homesick I have found is making your dorm feel like a home, and setting up specific times to contact your friends
or family. Decorate your dorm with posters of your favorite things, bring some keepsakes you already have in your room at home, or display cards and pictures from friends and family. Try setting up a routine with friends and family back home on when to give them a call. That routine and familiarity will make the adjustment easier. -Lauren S, Astronomy Major 2. Make a schedule that works for you. Don’t procrastinate too much—some
classes can be an easy A with enough work ethic, and make sure you give yourself a break when you deserve one. -Neve O, Business Major 3. You won’t know what you like till you try it, and options are there for you to try something brand new. Take the opportunity! -Roujan K, Linguistics Major 4. It’s important to make friends but don’t be afraid to use your bus pass and explore your new home alone. You’ll
feel better and more confident knowing your way around. -Erin S, Musical Theatre Major 5. Don’t buy textbooks before your first day of classes, and buy tickets for events early and not a few days before (the prices usually go up the longer you wait to buy them). As well, you don’t have to take a full course load, and it might even be a good idea to take less if you’re stressed out and want to have time to join clubs or do other activities.
7. Don’t be scared of getting involved, finding new friends, and realizing more about you. School will push you and force you to face a lot of realities about yourself, your limits and your strengths. Although some of those realities you would rather leave in the dark, you should embrace self-awareness as a tool for self- improvement. -Rachel H, Communications Major 8. Pay attention to deadlines and organize your time so that you are able to manage the workload. It may seem easy at first, but it’s important to stay caught up with everything. Don’t leave anything to the last minute! -Matthew S, English Major 9. A good tip for people would be that the bus is not as bad as you think. Also, sleeping during your breaks in between classes sounds like a good idea, but it’s not! Work instead, sleep at night. -Chloe S, Psychology Major
MASTERING THE MORNING Your day is dictated by the first few hours of the day – take advantage of them Doortje Geelkerken – Contributor
We all know the feeling of hearing the alarm clock sound—we hit the snooze button numerous times as we roll over to catch 20 more minutes of bliss. But this
practice is a vicious cycle that is hard to break. How can we stop ourselves from feeling so sluggish in the morning? First, ensure you get to bed early the night prior. Do not over sleep by laying in bed for 12 hours. The average student needs 7-8 hours of sleep to be well rested. Leaving your electronics alone 30 minutes before you fall asleep will improve the quality of your sleep. The harsh light of
your display can alter your body clock and cause you to experience a worse night. If you must snooze, setting your alarm 30 minutes before you need to get out of bed allows you some time to relax before you force yourself to leave the comfort of your warm duvet. Immediately head over to the bathroom and splash some cool water in your face. Though shocking to you, this step will wake you up. It is also smart to
have a glass of ice cold water in the morning. This will allow your organs to wake up—yes they where sleeping too—and it allows a healthy start to your day. As you head over to the glorious cereal cabinet, try to aim for something a little bit more substantial, like a banana, muesli and yogurt. A good cup of coffee or tea, some orange juice, or warm lemon water will all do the
trick as you start your day. Staying energized throughout the whole day can sometimes be tricky, especially during finals season. The key to keeping your energy levels up is eating healthy and staying hydrated. While it may sound cliche, a well rested body fuelled by healthy foods is sure to deliver for you.
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Life | thephoenixnews.com | Emily Schultz – Life Editor
UBCO STUDENT CLOSET ESSENTIALS Living in Kelowna and attending UBCO comes with the need for a few of these important items Emily Schultz – Life Editor
Figuring out what to wear on the first day of class is hard enough - but what about the rest of the year? Here are some ideas for where to start when it comes to things you should have in your closet as a UBCO student.
Photo by Alex Barberis/ The Phoenix News
LET’S JOIN A CLUB! – A GUIDE TO CAMPUS CLUBS
Whether you enjoy being outdoors or helping others, UBCO has a club for you Emily Schultz – Life Editor
A great way of meeting new people and getting involved on campus is checking out some of the many clubs offered at UBCO. Here is a small sample of the range of interesting and unique clubs that UBCO has available for students. If you would like to explore all the clubs and student organizations offered, or find out more about the clubs listed below, check out the club directory at https:// www.ubcsuo.ca/club-directory or a look for club booths during Create Orientation. Fitness: -Yoga Club: classes offered weekly throughout the school year -Varsity Outdoor Club Okanagan (VOCO): Runs a variety of events focused on outdoor recreation and provides members access to resources such as club gear. -Ultimate Frisbee Club -Swim Club -Scuba Club Community: -UNICEF: Members organize and run events in support of UNICEF -Making Waves Okanagan:
Members provide one-onone swimming instruction to children with special needs. -Cancer Fighters Club: provide students with volunteer opportunities both on campus and off. Facilitate planning of campus events to raise funds for cancer prevention research. -Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada -Environment and Sustainability Society Arts and Creative: -Photography Club -UBCO Beats -Book Nook: New books discussed triweekly and promotes literacy in partnership with Project Literacy Kelowna. -Urban Dance Club Language and Culture: -International Student Club: intended to maintain cultural expression, understanding, and awareness at our campus. -French Club: students can meet and improve upon their spoken French skills with other students at a similar level through activities and conversation. -Japanese Culture Club -Latin Dance Club
-Russian Speakers Association Other: -Horror Movie Club: biweekly Saturday night movie marathons with events held in the UBCSUO Theatre. -Model United Nations Club -Debate Club -Skeptics Club -Aero Club: focused on
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Varsity Outdoor Club Okanagan (VOCO): Runs a variety of events focused on outdoor recreation and provides members access to resources such as club gear.
aerospace engineering
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If you don’t see any organizations that appeal to you, grab a few friends and start your own club! See https://www.ubcsuo.ca/clubs to find out how.
1. Surprise! It rains in the Okanagan, and it also snows. So having a good rain and winter coat is essential, especially when you need to walk across campus to get to class. 2. Since it rains quite a bit, having weather appropriate footwear (like rain boots) makes life a lot easier. So does having an umbrella. 3. A good pair of shoes is a must, especially when you’re running all over the University to get to class. Finding a pair that doubles as gym shoes is a bonus. 4. The weather in Kelowna can be anywhere from hot and sunny to cold and rainy- and all in the same week. Keeping lots of options that you can layer up or down is always a good idea. 5. Having something you can dress up to use as formalwear is smart, as there are various events that might require you be a little dressier, whether in a button-down or a skirt. Try to find something comfortable- you might be dancing in it! 6. Whether you’re using them for the gym or for a 7am class, having flexible workout clothing is always a good idea. 7. With a beach that’s just a bus ride away from campus, make sure to bring a swimsuit or swim trunks, flip flops and a good hat to enjoy the sun and surf ! 8. Show off some school pride in a comfy sweatshirt - perfect for Mondays or any other day of the week.
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thephoenixnews.com |
Opinions
Opinions
Illustration by Sarah James/ The Phoenix News
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY RELEASES GUIDE TO FORBID GENDERED WORDS Princeton releases guide for gender inclusive language Mark Dreger – Current Affairs Editor
Do you ever use the words businessman, mankind, or waitress? Well, according to Princeton University’s Office of Human Resources, those words are a big no-no and not gender inclusive. If you do not want to acquire the dreadful title of being gender-binary, like humans have for thousands of years, and embrace the Orwellian destruction of language, listen up. In the 4-page pamphlet to Princeton staff titled “Guidelines for Using Gender Inclusive Language,” they list multiple grammatical changes to prevent any delicate flowers from being offended by pronouns. This would be funny if they were not being serious. Here is an example from the pamphlet: “each employee is expected to turn in his annual disclosure form by the deadline.” Okay, that looks fine, but uh oh, the “revised” sentence is, “employees are expected to turn in the annual disclosure forms by the deadline.” I did not notice any changes upon a first reading because they did not provided italics in this example.
In a worse example, they provide the sentence, “the tenant must keep her apartment clean and tidy,” which looks great. But no, the corrected sentence is, “you must keep your apartment clean and tidy.” They seriously suggest changing the voice to address the reader as “you” and “your” just to remove the word “she” to appease sensitive snowflakes. Soon the words “mother” and “father” will be removed because they are too genderbinary. Brave New World here we come! The most hilariously horrifying examples are the ones that suggest changing terms and expressions because they have the words “man” in them. One sentence says, “please get a clerk to man the front desk,” where it should apparently be, “please get a clerk to staff the front desk.” That’s right, the pamphlet says, in he/she’s own words, to replace “generic words and expressions that contain the word man and the use of man as an adjective or verb.” And it is not just the word “man,” using the word “wife” or “policewoman” or
“chairwoman” is also under the “don’t use” column of words that have no negative connotation and need to be replaced. Cannot use businessman or businesswoman, now it is businessperson. Forefathers? Nope, we must use .. Manpower? No, now it’s staff, workers, and workforce. Even something as thoughtless as “manmade” is replaced by handmade and artificial. They even suggest “people hours” instead of “man hours.” I guess we need to remove “no-man’sland” from history books (oops, sorry, the “they story” books). I am surprised they allowed “humanity” to replace “mankind” because it really should be “hupersonity.” Did anyone ever watch the mid-90s cartoon Duckman? In the episode “Forbidden Fruit,” Duckman finds three different news stories as he flips through the TV channels. One is about a proposed ban on boysenberries until a genetically equal “girlsenberries” develops, the language of Hebrew is changed to “Webrew,” and a sewer worker is charged for sexual
misconduct for referring to his “manhole.” There are also running jokes that the word “women” is spelt “womyn,” and that “mailman” is replaced with “person-person.” They’re hilarious jokes in the show, but with this crap coming from Princeton, UNC Chapel Hill, the University of Tennessee, and Marquette University, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone suggested those with a straight face. I will admit though, some of the changes make sense on a grammatical level without any consideration to political correctness, and by some I mean one. The sentence, “all participants must present their ID badges at the door,” makes more sense than, “each participant must present his ID badge at the door,” That is, unless we are talking about a boys-only school (oh geez, can I still say boys?) So yes, some examples can look better in writing, but if it is in speech, who is going to notice if someone says “he” or “she” instead of “they” or “we”? I am sure there are some selfidentified language policemen
(oh, pardon my bigotry, “police officers”) that go about their lives correcting pronouns and listening for things that actually don’t matter just to deem them offensive. We’re talking grammar Nazis with extra Nazi. We should not change our everyday language to protect the feelings of the oversensitive. If someone suggests that F-bombs and sacrilegious phrases be removed because they find it offensive, would many take him seriously in today’s world? (And yes, I just used the word “him.” Did you even notice or are you now having convulsions?) If people want to alter their written and spoken language, they have every right in a free country to do so, but implementing it on a group is being overprotective; they’re just words. As I have said before, “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Words can offend people, but only if they let them. Let’s stop taking offense to the smallest things and act like adults, or at least what adults used to be.
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Opinions | thephoenixnews.com |
IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR An analysis of the two types of people you will encounter at Frosh Eddie Tat - Contributor
Photo provided by Environmental Defence Canada/ Flickr
THE HYPOCRISY OF ENERGY EAST PROTESTORS A defence of the Energy East pipeline Alex Lake – Contributor
As an Albertan native, I have been surrounded by the Oil and Gas industry my entire life. Most of my friends parents’ careers were built entirely on the exploitation of this black gold. We were ruled by a Progressive Conservative regime for more than 40 years, a regime that maintained tight ties with the people operating and managing the Athabasca Oil Sands. Despite the prosperity oil brought the province, I always felt a high degree of skepticism towards the industry. Most rational people would agree that releasing billions of tons of carbon dioxide a year will have unforeseen consequences into the future. The same people also agree that, while humans must cut down our emissions drastically, our source of energy cannot change overnight. The proposed Energy East pipeline would link Hardisty, Alberta to St. John, Newfoundland, allowing a connection of our oil sands to the refineries in the east. The pipeline would transport 1.1 million barrels of crude oil
while creating an estimated 2,300 direct and indirect jobs to Canadians. I know oil is a dirty, unsustainable commodity, but our dependance on the crude is not going away anytime soon. The fact that our biggest refinery imports nearly 300,000 barrels a day from Saudi Arabia, a nation that does not allow its females the ability to drive is despicable. The main argument claimed by opposers of the pipeline is the dangers of a spill on the fragile land on which the pipeline sits. The fact is, pipelines are much safer than conventional transportation, especially compared to rail transportation. Let us never forget the Lac-Mégantic rail disaster, which happened only 3 years ago with a death toll of 47 people. A combination of driver error and lack of maintenance led to the worst rail disaster since the Confederacy of Canada. Today in Montreal, there was a public hearing regarding the Energy East pipeline, it was supposed to gather local opinion about the pipe which
travels through the city. Unfortunately, it had to be shut down prematurely due to shouting protestors. I dream of a day where we drive electric cars and our shingles are made of solar panels, but to these outspoken protestors I have to ask: what was the merit of
“ Democracy does not work by drowning out your foes with kicks and screams.
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shutting down a hearing? Democracy does not work by drowning out your foes with kicks and screams. It works by discussion with both sides of the issue presenting fact based evidence and civil discourse.
Ah, yes. Frosh is upon us. The annual turntfest promises music, dancing, beer, drugs, assaults, and unconsciousness (perhaps not necessarily in that order). If you are new to campus life, you will quickly learn that there are only 2 types of students on campus: the noobs and the pros. There is no magic sorting hat that tells you which one you are. You are already one or the other. Frosh may well be a baptism of liquor (or maybe fire, like an actual freaking fire) that definitively distinguishes whether you are a lowly noob or a hardened pro. The noob is easy to spot at Frosh. In fact, there are many extra noobs from the local high schools being choppered in due to lax security and the scant mention of possible beer and weed. It is clear to the pros and to security, judging from their heightened sense of hormone-fuelled bravado, that the noobs have absolutely no clue what their limits are. All that these kids know is that their parents are away and that they feel thirsty—in more ways than one. Note their snapback caps and their free swag shirts. Soon enough, the noobs are turnt and it gets rowdy. That is when I see Canada’s finest spring into action. No, I am obviously not talking about the students of UBCO. I am talking about the men and women of the RCMP and BC Ambulance Service. These highly-trained professionals are pre-positioned to swoop in when the party stops being MTV’s Spring Break and it starts being Grey’s Anatomy and Cops. They get that these noobs are kids being kids. They were our age at one point, after all. Here’s a pro tip: if you see a police officer or a paramedic on campus grounds, thank them. They are not here to stop you from having fun. They are here to protect us. And if you are kicking and screaming at them come Frosh night, then you are probably the one being a total noob. The pro might be harder to spot at Frosh. If they are there, then they will be taking it easy. It is a Friday, and the pros are planning on an enjoyable but controlled night. No pro is dumb enough to be caught with open liquor or drugs. They have seen how that road ends. Pros like me? We watch. We laugh. Then we go back to our dorms free of tickets, injuries, or traumatic memories. And, of course, I will give a hearty thanks to the paramedics and the cops.
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Opinions
Photo by Maisa_nyc/ Creative Commons
#BLACKLIVESMATTER DOESN’T REALLY MATTER HERE Why the #blacklivesmatter movement is less relevant in Canada
Eddie Tat - Contributor
Much like Kanye on gin and tonic (and Trump on a Tuesday), #blacklivesmatter is loud, abrasive, and somewhat confusing. On one hand, it desperately attempts to spark an important debate about race and violence that is long overdue in the United States. On the other hand, it angers and divides people by inciting violence and hatred on the streets of American cities. More importantly, as a Canadian, #blacklivesmatter also bothers me intensely when my Facebook and Twitter feed are constantly bombarded by posts of “solidarity” as if 140 characters is going to make any difference at all. We all get it. American police need to get it together. And, thankfully, that is about as far as it is relevant. #blacklivesmatter is only relevant to Americans in the United States. That is all. What you are witnessing on your phones is what I call the Kanye effect: the export of an annoying, and otherwise irrelevant, idea from the United States to Canada (the Canuck to Yankee version is known as the Celine Dion effect). The #blacklivesmatter movement in Toronto and Vancouver is nothing more than cheap knockoff of the
Martin Luther King wannabees in the States: copycats of copycats. What they do have going for them is the fact that #blacklivesmatter is hot. It is cool, it is hip, and just like a new Kanye track dropping, we Canadians have to have it. It is not like #blacklivesmatter does not have a point to make in Canada. Five years ago, a UBC student was
“ What you are witnessing on your phones is what I call the Kanye effect: the export of an annoying and otherwise irrelevant idea from the United States to Canada.
”
attacked by Vancouver’s transit police supposedly on account of his skin colour. Canadian #blacklivesmatter spinoffs have also pointed out numerous other cases of violence committed by Canadian police
against blacks. But, despite the hype over these instances, the amount of violence faced by blacks and whites from Canadian law enforcement is nowhere near the amount of violence Aboriginals face in the rest of Canada. That is why #blacklivesmatter simply does not make any sense in Canada. We have a much bigger problem right here at home that deserves far more attention than it currently does. Why is #aboriginallivesmatter not taking off ? What ever happened to #idlenomore? The cold hard truth is that it is not sexy. #blacklivesmatter is hot because Beyoncé danced for it. #blacklivesmatter is hot because D’Angelo sang about it and Kendrick Lamar rapped about it. If Drake, a fellow Canadian, feels “disheartened, emotional, and truly scared” about the murder of some black guy in Louisiana, why can’t he feel the same way about the racially motivated killing of an Aboriginal man in Drake’s own homeland? Colten Boushie’s murder last month was not mentioned by any major celebrities. No songs were made about him, no protests across Canada. I have heard of #justice4trayvon, but I have not heard of #justice4colten. This, right here, is the terrible Darwinian reality of social media. An
important cause can be drowned out by other relatively unimportant causes simply because it is not popular. And when the politicians plan out their platform for the next election, guess which cause they are going to rally for when they want your vote? #blacklivesmatter in Toronto and Vancouver, I am happy for you and I’mma let you finish, but you are the most toxic Canadian movement of all time. Like cowards, you hide behind the cover of celebrity endorsements and you justify the hijacking of the social media stage by claiming progressiveness and social justice. When Pride Toronto marched for their cause in July, you marched all over them as if you were too sexy for their cause. Worst of all, when a genuine debate actually begins about violence and race relations in Canada, you proclaim your absolute moral perfection and that all naysayers must be racists. When Canada ordered unity and forgiveness, you delivered division and hatred. Go ahead, #blacklivesmatter. Carry your cardboard anti-Trump signs with a whiff of self-importance. But, I strongly suggest you start carrying a mirror too.
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Opinions | thephoenixnews.com
GET YOUR MONEY’S WORTH “Be wary of taking your classes for granted.” Eddie Tat - Contributor
Photo provided by the Province of British Columbia
CHRISTY CLARK DOES NOT OWE YOU AN APOLOGY Though she boasts multiple strikes in the political game Eddie Tat - Contributor
She owes you a cheque, and a ver y big one at that. In the lead-up to the upcoming provincial election next year, Premier Clark must answer for the many BC Liberal policies that have left young British Columbians with the prospects of rising costs of living, rising unemployment in all sectors, and increasingly expensive post-secondar y education. Of course, Clark is not just going to apologize for this unprecedented burden on millennials, as it would be admitting guilt. However, it really is her fault. For 5 years, Clark’s record for keeping BC’s newest generation of workers ready for the future is dismal. Her indecisiveness in dealing with the housing bubbles of the province’s urban areas have robbed millennials of affordable housing where jobs are more prevalent. Clark’s hypedup BC Jobs Plan has been disappointing as well, with the youth unemployment rate actually rising under her plan. Post-
secondar y tuition has also risen to record highs while surpassing regular inflationar y growth— forget Clark’s investment to improve the quality of education in B C. How can a young man or woman justify spending the time and money on education when it will not lead to work in a job-star ved provincial economy? Another sorr y-notsorr y press conference will not make much of a difference anyway. Even if she were to apologize, it would not mean much to those of us who expect to continue experiencing u n e m p l o y m e n t , debilitating debt, and life in mommy and daddy’s basement. The provincial budget has already been balanced enough such that those unlucky enough to be young and financially unsupported will not receive ver y much in the way of government aid. But, make no mistake, she owes you. Older British Columbians will argue that we millennials have it all, that we are spoiled
and merely whining about what we cannot have. They are conveniently Clark’s voter base. The provincial government exists to ser ve you. You paid for your taxes, therefore you should get your fair share. The provincial government was supposed to enact policy to ensure the economic security of all British Columbians. Judging by
“ In a way, she is fighting for you without really fighting for you.
”
their policy choices, the B C Liberals have failed you. Through no fault of your own, you are punished with difficulty finding inprovince employment and paying more for housing, costs of living, and tuition. As the leader of a party
in power since 2001, Clark will have to face the wrath of newer, younger voters who grew up under a regime that has slowly diminished the millennial’s ability to afford the cost of living in British Columbia. But, do not worr y about her. She is prepared for that eventuality by creating the conditions that will make Clark™ sellable come election day. Case in point, she tanked her own climate advisor y panel’s tax-hike recommendations last month just to make it look like she is fighting for taxwear y families and firms. Clark ordered the panel herself knowing full well that climate action requires some kind of raise in taxes. In a way, she is fighting for you without really fighting for you. You did not know about Clark’s hand in your economic malaise? That is exactly what she would have wanted. What kind of damage could a bunch of uneducated kids possibly do to the poll numbers? You will probably just pick the cooler candidate. You know, the one with the
Whenever I see students skip class early in the year, it baffles me. It is as if you paid for a burger and fries and then straight up walked away from your untouched meal. It is as if you paid for your Netflix account and then decided not to Netflix and chill. It is as if you paid for an escort and, well, you get the picture. This is the kind of wasteful attitude that would vanish if only more students knew what they (or their parents) were paying for. Most courses offered by UBCO are about $500 each as a base price, sometimes more or less depending on where you are coming from and other exceptions. That $500 covers the professor’s wage, rental on the classroom, administrative duties, and the opportunity to even be able to take a course here. When you skip a class, you forfeit that money to the university while leaving less of a burden for admin and your professors to deal with. This abandonment is just great for the university. They get to ride you for free. You say you will read the textbook instead? I hope you do considering you will have paid for that as well. Maybe you are unhappy with the quality of your education? Maybe you should step up and complain. You might just get your money back. It does not stop at courses. The tuition you pay will normally cover medical and dental plan fees, a library service fee, a bus pass fee, an athletics and recreation service fee and much more. If you are not using all of these services to your advantage here, then you are being cheated. Most importantly, you are paying for the Student Union. That means it is your Student Union. You own them and they should take the time to serve you. If you do not feel satisfied with your performance, then you should have every right to complain and even demand a refund. Your financial summary, found on the online Student Service Centre, outlines a breakdown of your tuition. If you have not seen it yet, you should probably take a closer look. It is your money after all.
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Photo by Sarah James/ The Phoenix News
UBC OKANAGAN: DID YOU MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE? Jacky Deng - Coordinating Editor
Three years ago, I told my parents I was going to attend UBC Okanagan. “What? Why?” “Idiot.” “You’re making a horrible choice, son.” Five years ago, LeBron James told Cleveland he was leaving the Cavaliers. For two years, I didn’t get it. I mocked him for it. I was mad, confused, and frustrated, but above all else, I was short-sighted. When I made my own decision, LeBron suddenly became my only friend. Who else had endured as much scrutiny as I had but the greatest basketball player on the planet? I learned how to be a villain from LeBron. And as it turns out, being a villain is awesome. Have you seen The Dark Knight? Look at how much fun Heath Ledger was having as the Joker versus how much fun Christian Bale was having as Batman (sure, Ledger died in the end, but I am sure he was having the time of his life along the way). No rules, no expectations, and all the freedom an 18 year old Asian kid could ask for. Just
me and LeBron against the world. Then disaster struck. LeBron went back to Cleveland. 6 became 23 again. The prodigal son had returned. My hero had left me to become a hero. Turncloak, Traitor, False God, Backstabber—these were the names I now called my old King. I went through the usual stages of grief. Denial, anger, and the worst of them all, et cetera. But I eventually made it to acceptance. I do not need him, I told myself; I would become something greater without him. I was not weak like LeBron—I would commit to my decision. I trained. I yelled. I made a pros and cons list to show myself that UB C Okanagan was where I belonged. PROS: 1) Smaller classes “I don’t want to be a number,” said the millennial. Yes, at UB C Okanagan you can be a human being with a name. Professors will know you as Karen, Bill, John, Muhammad, and Jacky as opposed to #3413853, #1395434, or, God forbid,
#4123455. Sure, they will probably forget your name a couple of times before it sticks, but if you are really annoying and persistent, you will get there. Need help with schoolwork? Don’t trust your TA? No biggie. Office hours are real. A cave is only scar y if you are not friends with the bear. Who cares if you come out of the office with more questions than answers? Who cares if your midterm is tomorrow and you cannot afford to be infinitely more confused? Who cares if you fail? You just made a new friend and his name is Al, not Dr. Einstein. 2) Knowing ever yone B oy is it great to have friends! At UB C Okanagan, friends are ever ywhere and ever yone. Seeing the same people up to 5 times per day can become exhausting, but we all know that the key to ever y great, everlasting relationship depends on proximity and exposure. “Have a good one, mate!” “See ya!” “… Oh, are you walking this way too?” “Oh. Uh, yeah, I am.”
B oom! Real friendship. 3) Kelowna B eaches! Mountains! A terrifying overabundance of people of European descent! What more could you ask for from a city stuck between the Pacific Ocean and the Prairies that prides itself on being home to an imaginar y sea monster with a 4-syllable name in which each syllable rhymes with the one next to it? And let’s not forget that Culinar y Championship thing! Woo! With sub-zero temperatures that can kill you, buses on which people have been killed, and a Kelly-O’s that ser ves pachos so good you’ll want to be killed after eating them so you can finally die happy, Kelowna is the best 7.5/10 city you will ever live in. CONS: 1) Smaller classes Walk into class late? Ever ybody hates you. Talk too much in class? Ever ybody hates you. Ask too many questions? Ever ybody hates you. Did well on a midterm? Ever ybody hates you. You like gum? Ever ybody hates you. You read the book? Ever ybody hates you.
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If you are really good at being a student, get ready for “Big Fish, Small Pond” syndrome. School should not be competitive, but let’s be honest, we all love the (rare) feeling of getting that midterm mark back and realizing you have a bigger number on your page that your friends. Does this mean you’re a genius? Well, how many people are around you? Ten? I suppose ever ything is relative. 2) Knowing ever yone Your private life is gone. Ever ything you once held close to your heart is out in the cold, vulnerable, and exposed. People will become dull because you will know too much about ever yone. Genuine smiles become forced. You will never be alone. You will be loved but you will not care. You will hate ever yone. 3) Kelowna One time, the bus was 30 minutes late because the bus driver ate some belowaverage sushi, got sick, and threw up in 15 feet of snow in the middle of Februar y. It has been 2 years since LeBron dunked on me, slapped me in the face, shaved my head, cut off my big toes, and kicked me to the curb. I am still here. Some days are easier than others, and some days are harder. The villain thing gets tiring after a while— Mom, I miss you—but most of the perks are still there. I cr y sometimes, but only at 2:00AM when I can’t sleep like ever yone else can. I have found others like me. “My name is Jacky and I’m from Surrey,” I tell them like we are in an AA meeting. Still, there are days when I ask myself, “Did I make the right choice?” and in the unlikely event that my friends are all dead and full of pachos, Al is hibernating in his office, and the pros and cons list is not convincing enough, I look up at my poster of Kevin Durant and tenderly stroke the brilliant blue font of his Warriors jersey. Yeah, I made the right choice.
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Sports | thephoenixnews.com | Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
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HEAT WOMEN STAY UNDEFEATED Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
Photo by Alex Leung/ Creative Commons
BLUE JAYS SET TO MAKE ANOTHER PLAYOFF RUN MLB Postseason gets underway Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
One of the most exciting moments on campus last fall was watching the Blue Jays’ playoff run, surrounded by a growing number of baseball fans. I do not know if I have ever seen more joy and anticipation packed into the Well than I did last October when the Jays beat the R angers. With that in mind, I am looking for ward to the next 2 months. The Toronto Blue Jays have been Canada’s team ever since we lost the Montreal Expos at the end of the 2004 season. During their time as our nation’s lone representative in Major League Baseball, they gave us little to celebrate, until last year. With memories of last
season, Canadian baseball fans, and specifically those of us at UB C Okanagan, can think of few things more desirable than another Jays postseason run. The collective energ y, collegiate enjoyment, and celebration, cannot quite be found anywhere outside of the experience of watching our team do what for so long we assumed they could not. There is nothing like playoff baseball, and the feeling of watching it while surrounded by fellow students (and campus pub patrons) is one that I know a great many of us are looking for ward to. As it stands, the Blue Jays are in a position to once again be playing
meaningful baseball late into September. At the end of August, they sit
“ As it stands, the Blue Jays are in position to once again be playing meaningful baseball late into September.
”
atop the American League East Division, well above .500 and with two of their most important pieces—
Jose Bautista and Aaron Sanchez—returning to the active roster. With the MLB Postseason getting under way less than a month after the first day of classes, and the Blue Jays holding a spot that would put them in the ALDS on Thursday, October 6, baseball fans on campus should have more to look for ward to in October than midterms.
Through their four matches of pre-season competition, the UBC Okanagan women’s soccer team did not lose. With two wins and two draws on the season so far, the Heat will look to remain undefeated when their regular Canada West conference season kicks off in Lethbridge on Saturday, September 10. The Heat started their preseason with a 4-1 victory over Mount Royal on Monday, August 15, before playing to a 1-1 draw in their second match against the Cougars the following day. The UBCO side finished with their second draw in their first match at home, a 2-2 result against Grand Prairie at Nonis Field on Saturday, August 27. They finished their pre-season off with another victory the next day, this time with a 4-2 victory over visiting Douglas. This strong start to the 2016 Heat season is all the more impressive when you consider that they are playing under a new coach. As head coach Claire Paterson is on extended leave, UBC Okanagan have named Craig Smith as interim head coach for the women’s side. “I am really excited to get started,” said Smith in an interview ahead of his arrival for training camp at the beginning of August. “I believe there is huge potential within this program.” Smith is currently the reigning PACWEST Coach of the Year, an award he earned in his second season as head coach of the Quest University women’s team. He also brings with him international playing and coaching experience. Smith played professionally for seven years in Scotland and Australia, before becoming a coach. Prior to joining the Heat, Smith coached in the USL with the Ottawa Fury women’s team and with both the New Zealand and Canadian national teams, on top of creating a system at Quest that put up 27 goals in 15 matches last season. Smith’s experience, and the impressive pre-season that the Heat have put together under him, set the stage for what could be an exceptional third season in Canada West for the UBCO women.
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Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Photo by Greystoke Photography
HEAT MEN’S SOCCER START STRONG AT HOME
After a disappointing ending to last season the Heat come back strong Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
The Heat men kicked off their 3rd season in Canada West competition with a pair of tough matches at home, against the University of Victoria on Saturday, August 27, and against UB C on Sunday, August 28. UBC and UVic earned number 1 & 2 rankings respectively in
the pre-season Canada West coaches’ poll. In the first match of the season for the Heat, it was a freshman defender, yet to attend his first university lecture, who played the hero. With a goal in the 88th minute, first year Arts student and Kelowna native
SEPTEMBER MEANS (FANTASY) FOOTBALL Why fantasy football? Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
Another new school year means another new NFL season. September may have snuck up on some of us, but that pre-emptive exhaustion we feel at the thought of
all the academic rigours we will endure through the next 8 months may well be balanced out by the excitement we feel that’s been building ever since last February.
Spencer Young gave his new side a 1-0 victor y against the visiting Vikes. Young was one of four first-year players to start the season’s opening contest—the other 3 being midfielder Corbin B eauchemin, for ward Wyatt Gilbert, and midfielder Christian Taylor.
The timing is perfect. School and football go hand in hand: two new beginnings at the same time, both so full of potential, and depending on your level of participation in the world of fantasy football, equally full of stress and foul language. Despite the NFL being a league without a single team based in this country, we cannot help but become swept up in it. The biggest reason is likely the massive rise of fantasy football in recent years. Fantasy football is the ultimate distraction; we
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Young, Beauchemin, and Taylor were also in the starting line-up on Sunday, August 28 when the Heat hosted the defending Canada West Champion UB C Thunderbirds. Prior to their first meeting of 2016, the Heat had fallen to the T-Birds in all five of their meetings, including a heartbreaking loss in the 2014 Canada West quarter finals. With a goal in the 22nd minute from second-year for ward Luke Warkentin against All-Canadian Thunderbird keeper Chad Bush, as well as the commanding presence of fourth-year Concordia transfer Mitch McCaw in net for the Heat, the UBC Okanagan side held the lead at the half against their institutional rivals from Vancouver. The match was evened up on a successful penalty kick from UBC’s Kerman Mannu, and after 90 minutes and change, the second match of the season for the Heat ended in a 1-1 draw. After a disappointing ending to last season, and the loss of a number of key pieces including talented playmaker Enzo Paal, the 1-0-1 record after the 2016 season’s opening weekend is cause for optimism. Having gone toe-to-toe with two of the strongest teams in Canada West and come away with a pair of positive results will provide a significant boost of confidence to the young squad. On top of their record, strong performances by the
new faces on the Heat pitch throughout their opening weekend show potential in this 2016 side. Mitch McCaw, playing in his first matches with the Heat after transferring to UBC Okanagan from Concordia, was a commanding influence for his new side. His experience and game management played a big role in the impressive results against UVic and UBC. The incessantly high pace of play by Spencer Young was another of the big takeaways from the Heat men’s opening weekend. Aside from his first Canada West goal, Young made plays all over the pitch to help his team, not hesitating to put his body on the line to win the ball. Against UBC, he showed no hesitation in sliding into his side’s cement bench area in order to save a turnover, and against UVIC he was forced to leave the match to undergo tests for a potential concussion after stopping a strong shot on goal with his head. With this level of competitiveness from the newest members of the Heat side, it is not difficult to imagine that 2016 may see the UBC Okanagan men return to the Canada West postseason.
may not have a hometown team to cheer for, but through the miracle of online drafting we take an inordinate amount of pride in the success of players that we make claim to. Football fans love the sport for a number of reasons. Story lines, statistics, blind loyalty, and a little self-loathing; each one is a long-standing reason to follow football with a, sometimes overwhelming, passion. The aforementioned perfect timing, though, plays a big role in the interest of those of us immersed
in our studies at university. Our fantasy football teams are the chaos to balance out the order of our lectures and labs, the emotional exhalation to school’s intellectual strain. It may be the ultimate distraction, but it serves a purpose. So draft well, distract yourselves wisely, and be thankful there are no classes on Sundays.
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Sports | thephoenixnews.com | Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
WOMEN’S SOCCER HOPES TO REACH PLAYOFFS WITH NEW RECRUITS AND COACHES Kaylin Ferguson – Sports Reporter
HEAT ATHLETICS INTRODUCES SAMHI Student Athlete Mental Health Initiative Kaylin Ferguson – Sports Reporter
SAMHI is a new program being introduced here at UBCO in the coming 2016/17 academic year. UBCO is one of the first western schools in the CIS to participate in SAMHI. SAMHI is a non-profit organization founded by two former studentathletes. The mission statement of the SAMHI program is “to eliminate mental illness stigma in sport, facilitate access to the resources needed to maintain and improve mental health, and advocate on behalf of studentathletes experiencing mental illness.” Within UBCO, SAMHI will be run by a group of varsity student-athletes from different sports teams. The SAMHI organization is intended to promote awareness of existing student-athlete mental health problems, similarly to the mental health issues any other student may face. Student-athletes face pressure to perform both in school and in their sport. In addition they are balancing family, friends, finances, work,
and other personal stresses. SAMHI has many resources and programs they are running as an organization—including Mental Health Matchups,
“ SAMHI is a non-profit organization founded by two former student athletes.
”
speaking events, and helpful online links to resources.x Student-athlete Devon Frame, a fourth year on the UBCO Heat
Women’s soccer team, is one of the athletes working with the SAMHI program this year. Devon states, “SAMHI will bring a wealth of knowledge, connections and understanding in regards to the mental health of student athletes. Student athletes face enormous pressure balancing and performing both academically and within their sport. By creating a conversation about mental health and connecting athletes to resources within the UBCO and Kelowna community we believe it will improve the mental health of Heat athletes.” Look for SAMHI events coming to the UBCO campus this academic year! More information on SAMHI can be found at the organizations website: http://www.samhi. ca/ or on Facebook as Student Athlete Mental Health Initiative – SAMHI.
The UBCO Heat women’s varsity soccer team is heading into their third season in Canada West’s Pacific division this 2016/17 academic year. The Heat finished 7th last year, one spot away from qualifying for playoffs. This season, the team is hoping to improve upon last year’s results and make the playoffs. The Heat have picked up 7 new players this year—some of which are coming into their first year of university and some of which are transfer students—along with new coaching staff for the 2016/17 season. The Heat have been in preseason training here at UBCO on the Nonis field since August 5, 2016 with interim head coach Craig Smith and assistant Carli Tingstad. The women have been working hard in preparation for their season. This August, the team has had many field practices, fitness training, video review, and team bonding activities whilst they gear up for this year’s season. Co-Captain, Devon Frame, commented on the team’s preseason, saying, “I think the team is gelling really well and the atmosphere in the last couple weeks has been phenomenal. We are really excited about the upcoming season and looking forward to seeing everything we’ve been working on coming together.” Andrea Stinson, the other Co-Captain of the Heat Women’s team added, “It is good to be back learning and having fun with the girls and seeing the team coming together as a unit.” The Heat women will open their season on the road in Calgary, the weekend of September 10, 2016, against the University of Lethbridge and the University of Calgary. The following weekend, the women will have their home opener games here on the UBCO Nonis field. The games will take place Saturday September 17 at 1:00PM against the University of Northern British Columbia and Sunday September 18 at 1:00PM against the University of Alberta. Visit http://athletics.ok.ubc. ca/welcome.html for game details.