At least we know how to spell football since 1918
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Bowing out: Sullivan ends twelve years as UBC’s Vice-President Students. Page 5
the ubyssey
MARCH 17, 2011 volume 92, number xlii room 24, student union building published mondays and thursdays feedback@ubyssey.ca
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march 17 2011 volume xcii, no xlii editorial coordinating editor
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working on a progressive project, but need funding? Do you have an idea, but can’t get it off the ground? Apply to the Resource Groups for funding! Come in, pitch your idea to us and we will consider fully or partially funding your project. • Every Monday, 11am in SUB 245 (second floor, north-east corner). For more info email resourcegroups.ams@ gmail.com.
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contributors Jenica Chuahiock Alexandra Warren Janelle Chung Andrew Hood Will McDonald Spencer Pickles Chelsea Silva Taylor Loren
resource groups • Are you
Jason Staeck Teresa Matich Sarah Worden Karina Palmitesta Gerald Deo Josh Curran Rob Fougere
legal The Ubyssey is the official student newspaper of the University of British Columbia. It is published every Monday and Thursday by The Ubyssey Publications Society. We are an autonomous, democratically run student organization, and all students are encouraged to participate. Editorials are chosen and written by the Ubyssey staff. They are the expressed opinion of the staff, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Ubyssey Publications Society or the University of British Columbia. All editorial content appearing in The Ubyssey is the property of The Ubyssey Publications Society. Stories, opinions, photographs and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without the expressed, written permission of The Ubyssey Publications Society. The Ubyssey is a founding member of Canadian University Press (CUP) and adheres to CUP’s guiding principles. Letters to the editor must be under 300 words. Please include your phone number, student number and signature (not for publication) as well as your year and faculty with all submissions. ID will be checked when submissions are dropped off at the editorial office of The Ubyssey; otherwise verification will be done by phone. “Perspectives” are opinion pieces over 300 words but under 750 words and are run according to space. “Freestyles” are opinion pieces written by Ubyssey staff members. Priority will be given to letters and perspectives over freestyles unless the latter is time sensitive. Opinion pieces will not be run until the identity of the writer has been verified. The Ubyssey reserves the right to edit submissions for length and clarity. All letters must be received by 12 noon the day before intended publication. Letters received after this point will be published in the following issue unless there is an urgent time restriction or other matter deemed relevant by the Ubyssey staff. It is agreed by all persons placing display or classified advertising that if the Ubyssey Publications Society fails to publish an advertisement or if an error in the ad occurs the liability of the UPS will not be greater than the price paid for the ad. The UPS shall not be responsible for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value or the impact of the ad.
The UBC Pottery Club is now selling their work at Sprouts, and have donated some pieces to Sprouts in return for space. It brings a new addition to the Sprouts atmosphere and allows potters space to showcase t h e i r p i e c e s . • M o n – Fri, 9:30am– 4pm, Sprouts, SUB basement.
thursday, mar. 17 wild honey • Platonov has
a way with women and it’s both his blessing and his cur se in M ic h ael Fray n’s adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s unfinished play produced by Theatre at UBC. Wild Honey swings bet ween the polar opposites of melodrama and farce and shakes them into an intoxic ating cocktail. • Mar. 17–26, 7:30pm, Freddy Wood Theatre, $22 regular, $15 senior, $10 student, $2 high school. Call (604) 8222678 or go to ubctheatre. universitytickets.com to buy tickets. UBC Film Societ y Screening: TRON: LEGACY • The UBC Film
Society will be showing Tron: Legacy, starring Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde. The son of a virtual world designer goes looking for his father and ends up inside the digital world that his father designed. He meets his father’s creation turned bad and a unique ally who was born inside the digital domain of The Grid. • Runs until Mar. 20, 9:30–11:30pm, Norm Theatre, SUB. $2.50 members, $ 5 non-members.
friday, mar. 18 the blob arts fest • The Asian
Canadian Cultural Organization (ACCO) presents: “THE BLOB: No Two Are the Same.” ACCO invites you to a night of music,
art and food as we celebrate with a range of creative talents, ranging from rock bands, acoustic singers, artists and slam poetry. Ticket sales go to the Japan Relief Effort. • 7–9pm, Global Lounge, Marine Drive Bldg 1. $5/person, $3 each for groups of eight or more. international night • The UBC English Language Institute ( U B C - EL I ) inv i te s yo u to International Night! There will be an international food fair and displays, cultural performances and demonstrations and a great party with music and dancing. • 7pm–12am, SUB Ballroom, $3 (free for performers and food booth participants), must show ID to purchase alcohol.
sunday, mar. 20 anchor splash • Delta Gamma’s Anchor Splash is just around the corner to start Greek Week in high fashion. Great things to expect this year include: a concession stand, silent auction, 50/50 raffle, Most Beautiful Eyes contest and the synchronized swimming routines. • 7:30 –11pm, UBC Aquatic Centre, races begin at 8:3 0 pm, admittance by donation.
monday, mar. 21 storm the wall • Be part of
the biggest intramural event in North America! Join the action as UBC participants swim, sprint, bike and climb over a 12-foot wall. This is a UBC experience that is not to be missed. Registration deadline is March 21. • Mar. 27–Apr. 1, 10am– 4pm. $29 – $96, min– max registrants: 5–6. Go to rec. ubc.ca for more information.
tuesday, mar. 22 three course connection d i n n e r ( 3 c c) • 3 C C i s a n
annual UBC event that brings together three faculties at UBC: Science, Arts and Commerce. It connects UBC students with outstanding alumni and facilitates relationship building over a three course meal. The dinner is an exciting and unique opportunity for students to not only grow and strengthen their interest in their own field, but also to broaden their perspectives in other fields. There will also be a very special performance by UBCimprov! 3CC is created and organized by students, for students. • 6–8:30pm, Sutton Place Hotel, 845 Burrard St, registration details on Facebook group: Three Course Connection or on Twitter @UBC_3CC.
Partners in He alth reports on pos t-e ar thqua ke Haiti •
Partners in Health is a nonprofit healthcare organization d e d i c ate d to p rov i d in g a preferential health option for the poor. In collaboration with Help Hear Haiti (UBC coalition) and Haiti Solidarity BC, they are presenting a report on postearthquake Haiti. This event is sponsored by the Terry Project. • 4:30 – 6:30pm, Room 200, Hennings Bldg, free admission.
s u s ta i n a b l e m o v i e n i g h t in marine drive • As part of
promoting Sustainable Move O u t We ek , M ar ine D r i ve Residence will be showing the movie Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground. This is impor tant to create a local link with international sustainability and the importance of recycling responsibly. • 8:30–10:30pm, Global Lounge, Marine Drive Bldg 1. i m p u l s e i m p r o v f e s t i va l •
UBCimprov will host Impulse, an epic five - day improv festival, this year presented in partnership with The Instant Shop. The nights will be filled with unscripted magic featuring performances from members of UBCimprov, visiting groups from across Canada as well as some of the most respected ac ts from the Vanc ou ver improv world. • Mar. 23–27, 6:45–9pm, Classroom Block, Neville Scarfe Bldg. $5, $8 festival pass, free preview on Mar. 23 at Place Vanier Commonsblock.
thursday, mar. 24 greenspe a k sus ta in a bil i t y careers day • With the support
of UBC Sustainability, students are organizing Greenspeak, an event about careers in sustainability. They will be hosting speakers who have integrated sustainability as a crucial part of their business vision and have also incorporated it in their careers. • 4:30–6pm, Room 261, Irving K Barber.
ubc film society screening: the fighter • The UBC Film Society
will be showing The Fighter, starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role. The Fighter is a drama about boxer “Irish” Micky Ward’s unlikely road to the world light welterweight title. His Rocky-like rise was shepherded by his half-brother Dicky, a boxer-turned-trainer who rebounded in life after nearly being KO’d by drugs and crime. • Runs until Mar. 27, 7– 9pm, Norm Theatre, SUB, $2.50 members, $ 5 non-members.
friday, mar. 25 Die Ritter Vom Goldenen Kalb nor th a merican premiere •
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The German Theatre Group will stage the North American premiere of Hedwig Dohm’s 1879 comedy of manners, Die Ritter vom goldenen Kalb (The Knights of the Golden Calf). This will be the group’s third public performance at UBC. • Friday, Mar. 25, 7:30–10:30pm, reception to follow. Sunday, Mar. 27, 11:30am –2:30pm, Thea Koerner Penthouse, Graduate Student Centre. E-mail lydiajanejones@gmail. com for more information. games night in marine drive a nd rit s • People from all
over the UBC communit y,
particularly from Marine Drive and Rits, are invited to come to the Global Lounge for a games night. There will be classic North American games played as well as international games which participants are free to bring! • 8:15–10:15pm, Global Lounge, Marine Drive Bldg 1, call (604) 928-1891 or email kambolongaro@gmail.com for more information.
saturday, mar. 26 lipdub ubc • LipDub is simple: 10 0 0 s t u d e n t s , f a c u l t y, st af f and Vancouverites will sing, dance and show off their special skills while lip -synching the words of a famous song! At this time we want your help! Come and show off your amazing talent and be apart of UBC LipDub. The commitment level is up to you and the pay off will make history. All proceeds will go to charity. Be sure to sign up! • All day, UBC campus, free. Go to ubclipdub.com for more information.
tuesday, mar. 29 citr rap karaoke at the pit •
UBC’s first ever rap karaoke drops on Tuesday, March 29 at UBC’s Pit Pub. This is your chance to slay all the classic rhymes you’ve been rapping to yourself in the shower and show off your mad skills for the adoring crowd. DJ Relly Rels from the Crimes and Treasons radio show is going to be spinning the beats, keeping the p ar t y going b et ween karaoke sets. Please note: this is not an opportunity for amateur rappers to demo their work, and no freestyling! • 8pm–1am, Pit Pub, SUB. $5 at CiTR (SUB Room 233) or The Outpost, $8 at the door. To ensure that the DJ has the instrumental you want to rap over, performers need to email citrRapKaraoke@gmail. com with their request.
wednesday, mar. 30 br av e n e w p l ay r i t e s 2 0 11 f e s t i va l • T h e U B C
Creative Writing and Theatre depar tments present their 25 th annual Brave New Play Rites festival. Students from both departments stage a risktaking and wildly inventive festival of original one - act plays. • Mar. 30–Apr. 3, 8pm, matinee at 2pm on Apr. 3. $10/$15, call (604) 822-2678 for ticket information, and go to bravenewplayrites.wordpress. com for a list of plays and schedules.
thursday, mar. 31 discover dance: JC dance co • Vancouver’s JC Dance Co
showcases the glamour and skill of ballroom and Latin dance for the March edition of The Dance Centre’s popular Discover Dance! series. Directed by former ballroom champions Joel Marasigan and Clara Shih, the company’s performance team will be joined by competitive ballroom dance students in a selection of classic dances including the waltz, foxtrot, quickstep, cha cha, samba, rumba and jive. Throughout the show, JC Dance Co will explore three different forms that ballroom and Latin have taken in the past decade: social, competitive and performance. There will also be a questionand-answer session with the dancers. • 12pm, Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie St, $10/$8.
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News
editor ARSHY MANN » news@ubyssey.ca assistant editor KALYEENA MAKORTOFF » kmakortoff@ubyssey.ca SENIOR WRITER MICKI COWAN » mcowan@ubyssey.ca
UBC responds to devastation in Japan Micki cowan mcowan@ubyssey.ca After learning about the devastating effects of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami last week, student-led support groups have formed and fundraisers have been planned at UBC in order to help with the country’s damages. While 310 international students from Japan attend UBC’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses and with 150 students at the UBC English Language Institute, there are 75 students from UBC currently in Japan for research, exchange or co-op. Given the number of students with social links to Japan, the campus was shaken by the news and UBC students and administration are coming together to lend a hand. Two Japanese exchange students, Moe Hibayashi and Tomoka Arai, have started a support group to fundraise, distribute information in Japanese and English, and send messages to Japan for those who come from areas where communication is still difficult. “We are here for exchange and we don’t know how we can help in Canada. It’s different from the way we can help in Japan,” said Arai. She said that many students are struggling to sift through the large amount of reports in English. Her support group goes through information and finds reports in Japanese or in simple English.
The UBC Japan Association fund-raising for earthquake relief in the SUB. geoff lister Photo/The Ubyssey
The support group has come up against a number of barriers. “When first we tried [to fundraise] in front of the library, someone told us that only groups at UBC can do it,” said Arai. “We didn’t know how to do it and how to ask people, so we found it hard to fundraise.” Since then, they have set up support booths at Gage, Ritsumeikan and Fairview residences. Additional support has been provided by the International Students Development Office, which has been in contact with students and provides information about UBC’s Counselling Services. Advisors there are oncall for students in distress.
Further relief efforts come from a booth organized by members of the Japan Association (JA), and started by Kaveh Sarhangpour, the promotions executive. The booth is handing out information pamphlets and accepting donations in the Student Union Building, which will go towards the Canadian Red Cross’s relief efforts. “I created a Facebook event, UBC Humanitarian Aid for Japan. Upon every refresh, the number [of members] was doubling, tripling. It went from only me, to being 3200 members,” said Sarhangpour. He said that a number of other campus clubs have come
together as well, holding their own events and fundraisers, including the Business Communications Club and International Business Club. He said t hat t he JA alone raised $1100 yesterday. They hope to raise $10,000 by the end of the week. Sarhangpour said that the student response has been both surprising and inspiring. “Usually you don’t think of extremely large commuter schools as having that much spirit and being able to rally. “What’s neat is that in this case, a lot of the students are directly getting involved or at least raising awareness and talking
about it, which has helped the issue a lot.” Kei Onishi, a fourth-year international student from Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan, has been helping out at the JA’s booth. “It’s great to see support. At the same time from my perspective, I’m really restless. I’m watching the news all the time, I always have it on in the background. “I may not be watching but I’m listening to it while I’m working on assignments and whenever I hear the earthquake alarm go off, it really scares me,” he said. UBC students on exchange, doing research or on Co-op in Japan have been contacted by the Go Global Manager of Safety and Learning Abroad, Tlell Elviss. “As soon as we got news of the earthquake, we were able to send communications to all the students that we know are in Japan at this time,” said Elviss. “We’ve spent the last four or five days confirming the safety of all of those students… We were quite surprised at how quickly we were able to get in touch with most students.” Arai urges students to help out here in BC any way they can. “I heard from people that they think Japan is a very rich people and we don’t need donations from other countries, but this earthquake is the biggest one ever in Japan and we had very serious damage from the tsunami,” she said. “Japan is a rich country, but we need help from other countries now.” U
Pit Pub to temporarily turn off the taps for violations Arshy mann news@ubyssey.ca Pit night on March 30 will be the emptiest Wednesday the bar has seen in a long time. The Liquor Control and Licensing Branch (LCLB) has ordered the Pit Pub to be closed from Tuesday, March 22 to Saturday, March 26 for violations related to serving minors that occurred in early January. “We have been issued a notice…and the staff has already been informed,” said AMS President Jeremy McElroy. The violations in question occurred on January 11 when the AMS had reinstated “Toonie Tuesdays,” a weekly $2 beer special at the Gallery Lounge and the Pit Pub. The AMS ended Toonie Tuesdays after the violations occured. “Any abuse of alcohol and any substance abuse is a concern to us and a whole variety of agencies out here on campus. I was concerned by the fact that cheap beer is always a potential for things to go sideways,” said Staff Sergeant Kevin Kenna at the time of incident. According to McElroy, the LCLB informed the AMS about the penalty a few weeks ago. The AMS notified staff of the closures on Monday.
“The AMS had a meeting today with the Licensing Board, the RCMP and UBC about all of this and how it’s going to happen,” said McElroy. “The Liquor Board essentially asked how we were working to make sure that this doesn’t happen again.” This closure comes almost exactly a year after Koerner’s Pub, owned and operated by the Graduate Student Society (GSS), had its liquor license revoked by the university after incidences of serving minors and over-serving. Because UBC technica l ly owns the liquor license for all establishments on campus, the university kept Koerner’s closed for 133 days until it was satisfied that the GSS could responsibly run the pub. The liquor board had only suspended Koerner’s for four days. McElroy was confident that a similar situation would not happen to the Pit. “UBC knows that we run a tight ship and that we do a really great job, so there’s sort of a series of unfortunate circumstances—a perfect storm—created on that one particular day, so there’s no motivation from any one side to see extended closure,” he said. During the suspension, the Burger Bar and t he Gallery Lounge will remain open.
For one week, students will have to go elsewhere for their Wednesday debauchery. Chelsea silva Photo Illustration/The Ubyssey SOL on SOLs
Alongside the temporary closure of the Pit, the AMS is dealing with the consequences of new provincial legislation that imposes severe fines on Special Occasion Licence (SOL) holders who are caught violating liquor laws. An SOL is required for any onetime event that serves liquor. At
UBC, they are handled by the RCMP. “I think that the big change is going to be on individuals who are taking on SOLs potentially as part of a group of students,” said UBC Treasurer Peter Smailes. “[But] the vast majority of SOLs on campus never have any problems whatsoever.” He said that the universit y is current ly focusing on
educating student groups about the new legislation. McElroy said that the AMS had its first meeting with a liquor licence specialist today in order to figure out what the changes will mean for the society. “Our cursory understanding right now is that there won’t be… any huge changes for groups on campus, at least, right now,” said McElroy. He went on to say that the AMS currently holds student groups liable for any damage or cleaning caused by events and that any fines will be dealt with the same way. “We are, of course, cautioning our clubs to always follow the law, always follow the rules and any sort of restrictions and regulations that are imposed by the university, ourselves or the RCMP and Control Board.” At the time of the interview, McElroy said that the AMS had yet to contact groups planning events for St Patrick’s Day to ensure that they knew about the new regulations, but would do so as soon as possible. “The RCMP are gearing up for all of the added festivities on campus, so they’ll be keeping a close eye on everybody,” said McElroy. “We’re encouraging fun, but we’re cautioning responsibility.” U
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The Minister: Interview with Naomi Yamamoto Advanced Education Minister in first interview on post-secondary education going to require post-secondary education and we need to make sure that message gets out. U: Today, 700 students from across the province gathered to protest against rising student debt and cuts to student financial aid. BC students have the highest debt in Canada with the average borrower graduating with $27,000 of debt. What do you think is the best way to reduce this debt load on students?
Yamamoto at her swearing-in. Courtesy of Jeff Vinnick/BC Government
Taylor Loren Contributor On Tuesday, Naomi Yamamoto, Liberal MLA for North Vancouver, was sworn in as the Minister of Advanced Education in Premier Christy Clark’s cabinet. The appointment makes her the government’s point-person for both colleges and universities. The Ubyssey spoke with Yamamoto the day after she assumed the position, in her first official interview on postsecondary education. Ubyssey: Having just been named to Cabinet and also becoming the first Japanese-Canadian minister, this must be a pretty exciting but emotional time for you.
Yamamoto: I am just really thrilled to be in this new role. I grew up in a family where postsecondary education was mandatory; I didn’t think I had a choice. However, my enthusiasm is dampened with everything that is happening in Japan right now. I have mixed feelings. U: How was your past experience with Capilano College? Y: It was a wonderful experience. I am an alumnus of UBC, but my experience on the board at Capilano College was exceptional and I’m so proud of them and their change in designation to achieving status as a university.
U: The Ministry of Advanced Education was recently resurrected by combining two former portfolios. What was the reason for this change? Y: It feels right to have one ministry to represent both colleges, universities and private institutions. U: What are the goals or policies that you will be working on in Advanced Education? Y: Generally, we need to make sure we deliver the message to young people, as well as people in jobs where they see a short horizon and where post-secondary education is very valuable. Seventy-five per cent of jobs are
Y: We have to look at what that investment is. If you believe that your education is an investment in your future, as I believe it is, you need to look at the return. Statistics show that someone with a post-secondary education degree will earn $650,000 more over their career than someone who doesn’t get that degree, so put that into perspective. The debt burden, I know it’s hard to manage sometimes, but as long as we’re keeping it manageable it’s a good investment. U: One of the issues that affect most students in Vancouver is the BC student loan program, which is very outdated. For example, it allocates $650/month for rent per student. At UBC, the average rent for a student living within a 20-minute commute to campus is $1000. Is restructuring the BC student loan program a top priority for your ministry? Y: Our student loan program is quite robust, and there will be anomalies because of the difference in accommodations across the province. We need to attempt to look at the broader issues, like
limiting tuition fee rates to two per cent increases. If you look at tuition across Canada, we are still seeing 50 per cent less in increases. U: BC has the highest interest rate on student loans in Canada, whereas other provinces have zero interest or charge interest at [a lower] cost. Is it viable for BC to reduce the student loan interest rate in the future? Y: That is always something that I can look at; I’ve heard the concerns of students. It’s important to remember that it is the taxpayer who pays the interest on that student loan during the time the student is in school. Right now taxpayers pay for two-thirds of a student’s education. We need to be careful to balance the investment of the student and the amount of taxpayer contribution as we look ahead at the value of post-secondary education. U: There’s been a university funding freeze for the three years, in addition to over 40 per cent cuts in student financial assistance. Is Advanced Education a part of Premier Clark’s strong focus on families? Y: Post-secondary education is definitely falling under the Families First policy. It all comes down to jobs. For our economy to really tick, we need the educated students to meet labour market demands that will be coming up. In terms of student debt, students need to have a job to go to after graduation. If we get that right, then families are stronger. U
SJC rejects funding Darfur group on political grounds kalyeena makortoff kmakortoff@ubyssey.ca The AMS Social Justice Centre (SJC) unanimously turned down a funding application from Students Taking Action Now: Darfur (STAND) last Friday. SJC members cited opposition to STAND’s policy recommendations in Darfur in their decision. But STAND members believe the group’s views have been misinterpreted—and misrepresented. STAND UBC asked for $1000 to fund a conference at UBC in September 2011, to train students in lobbying government on social justice issues such as the conflict in Darfur, according to STAND conference cochair Erin Kizell. “To me, it seemed like the fund was the perfect criteria considering that the SJC fund is collected AMS fees that are mandatory and accessible to all students for social justice causes. That’s why I applied,” said Kizell. However, at the meeting on Friday, March 11, many SJC members disagreed with the UN’s peacekeeping mission in Darfur, which STAND supports. “I have come to the conclusion that at least insofar as the United Nations’ military operations are concerned, [they] are nothing more than western military occupations of developing countries,” said SJC member Greg Williams at the Friday meeting. The day before the meeting, the SJC Facebook account sent out messages about t he upcoming meeting with STAND which outlined the arguments
Friday’s SJC meeting, where the decision was made. Geoff Lister Photo/The Ubyssey
against funding STAND’s conference, including opposition to western intervention in the region. Member of STAND National and past STAND UBC president Aneil Jaswal referred to the message as “very hostile email‚“ which “contained a lot of false statements about STAND’s policy goals, saying that STAND supports western imperialism.” The Facebook message outlined fears that STAND would stack the meeting with its own members in order to see the funding approved. “There have been some rumours f loating around that
some people want to stack the room in favor of STAND’s position and force the SJC to agree to the funding request. We need you to turn up to make sure that this doesn’t happen and that any decision that we reach is a democratic one,” read the Facebook message. In response, STAND UBC sent out their own email on March 12. “An email sent out by the SJC stated that in STAND UBC’s application for funding for an advocacy training conference, it had supported a ‘9/11’ response to the situation in Darfur. In fact, the application said ‘911’—a
completely different metaphor— one which supports a serious and diligent response to eruptions of violence. The email also stated that STAND UBC encourages western intervention, with the use of military if necessary. This was not mentioned in our application, nor is it a policy of STAND Canada—military intervention has never been called for by STAND.” At the meeting, three members of STAND attended and they were not present for the voting, in line with SJC practices. This funding applicat ion comes at the heels of the Boat to Gaza debate earlier this year,
when SJC members fought the Israel Awareness Club (IAC), and AMS involvement, in a $700 donation to Students for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) UBC. At the meetings regarding the SPHR funding, the SJC accused IAC members of f looding the SJC meeting in order to block the donation. Greg Williams, who said he wrote the messages, said that STAND’s policies supported western imperialism in the region. Referencing the unanimous vote against funding the conference, Williams maintained SJC’s right to refuse funding based on what they felt STAND UBC represented. “While there have to be really exceptional circumstances for us to fund everything for a given application, there also has to be exceptional circumstances for us to turn down an application entirely,” said Williams. “Usually that’s for one of two reasons: either we don’t think that they really need the money, or as in this case, because we do not believe that funding it is within our mandate.” While the discussion within the SJC meeting took a turn towards questioning policies, Kizell feels that the focus on the fact that the funding was meant for the conference itself was lost. “STAND is committed to fighting genocide, and our funding application was denied on the basis that the SJC’s political goals did not align with STAND’s, so that is very disheartening.” U —With files from Arshy Mann
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Saying goodbye to the man in the bow tie
Brian Sullivan’s last day as VP Students will be Friday, March 18. He will remain at UBC after that as an advisor for Alumni Affairs. Geoff lister and gerald deo photos/the ubyssey
Justin McElroy coordinating@ubyssey.ca It’s 8pm on a Friday night. 1800 people are packed into War Memorial Gym for the Canada West finals in men’s basketball. Students and family chant “defence” and “U-B-C.” And behind the net, there sits an older, impeccably dressed gentleman, who joins in from time to time. He points at the players when they score. Raises his arms when Brent Malish hits a three-pointer and is fully immersed in the student experience, as he is on many nights, be it a basketball game, campus concert or talk from a visiting professor. He also wears a bow tie. That’s how most students, if they know him, think of Brian Sullivan. Those who have worked with him are a little bit wiser. “If you walk around campus you can find [Sullivan’s] legacy just about everywhere,” said Martha Piper, UBC’s president from 1997 to 2006. “I think if you were going across the country he would be identified as, if not the leader, one of the very few pioneers in the area of student development.” “He plays an incredibly important role on the team because he thinks differently than other members of the executive,” said current President Stephen Toope. “And I’ve actually treasured that.” In his final week as VP Students, you can find dozens of people happy to say nice things about him. Much harder is to find someone with something bad to say. As the go-between to students and the administration, Sullivan has personified the role of the cool vice-president, the administrator whose mix of charm and integrity has made it difficult not to respect him. This is not a eulogy; he’s moving to an advisor position with Alumni Affairs after Friday, his last day in office. But for 12 years, to students, the face and neckwear of UBC’s administration was Sullivan. What he did in public—explaining to both curious students and campus politicos why UBC moved on student issues the way they did—is large enough. What he managed behind the scenes is daunting: a budget of $200 million and staff of close to 750, overseeing pretty much everything outside the classroom dealing with the student experience. His portfolio includes UBC Housing, Food Services, Athletics, UBC Rec, Enrolment, Student Development and the Centre for Student Involvement, formerly Alumni Affairs. In many ways, though, the quantity diminishes the impact he has had. How do you account for “Bow-Tie Appreciation Day,” a grassroots event and appreciation
wall on Facebook that, at the time of this writing, had 366 members? Or a man in his sixties with the nicknames “Bow Tie Bri” and “B-Sull”? Or the Brian Sullivan Appreciation Society, a UBC club that actually existed last decade? “It is a very powerful affirmation of the rightness of some of what we’ve collectively been trying to do,” he slowly says, thinking it over himself, as we discuss his departure. “I’ve always felt it was a pretty good fit between who I am as a person, my skillset and UBC as an organization, trying to move the student experience to a new level.” Leaving guelph Sullivan came to UBC in 1999, after 12 years at the University of Guelph as associate vicepresident, student affairs. UBC is not Guelph—sprawling, decentralized, research-intensive, commuter-based—but he had a reputation for understanding student development in a way UBC did not. It was a challenge Piper understood as well, when she launched Trek 2000, UBC’s “blueprint for the millennium” in 1998, one year into her term as President. “It was very clear to me that universities across the country are struggling with students and student issues,” said Piper. “I decided, and it was a bit unusual, that if we were going to make students a significant issue, they needed to have a voice at the table that reported directly to me.” The choice to have an executive position solely devoted to the student experience was a rare decision at the time, and still is. But Piper knew from her time as VP Research at the University of Alberta that it caused a lack of focus on the people for whom a university actually exists. “I don’t think the word ‘students’ came up very often at the table,” she said. “At that level, you’re dealing with macro-issues, often financial, but strategic issues. Do you build this building or not? Offer this program or not? These are fairly significant issues. Often times there is crisis management. And rarely did we have a discussion where someone came to me saying, ‘Well, you shouldn’t do that because students won’t benefit from it.’” But Sullivan was already known for his work in student development, and quickly became “the obvious choice,” in Piper’s words, for a position and challenge he relished. Be where the students are “There was a student story that was a bit negative about
the institution,” he said. “I was aware UBC was not a player on the national scene in terms of student services—the official expression about the student experience was negative.” To t u rn t hat percept ion around, Sullivan quickly implemented a few philosophical changes. “During the first part of my time, we had a couple of mantras we repeated over and over again,” he said. “One was make the big small, and the second is be where students are.” In both endeavours, Sullivan strived to make the big and impersonal something students could relate to. “We would [come] alongside students, saying we work for you, tell us your story. What’s working, what isn’t working? Where is what we’re doing is just nutty, and where is something obvious that would be a huge win that we’re just not doing?” he said. “I tried to be where students are, I tried to make this big office small to people—you could actually see this guy, if you called up within three or four days you could get some time with him, if you saw him on campus you can stop him and probably talk for five minutes or so.” And while this was exemplified in pictures of Sullivan drinking or dancing with students—and there are many—the level to which he kept in touch with students made him an executive that students of all stripes could trust. “He has a really good pulse on campus,” said 2010–2011 AMS President Bijan Ahmadian. “One of the things I watched him do well was listen well. And every time he talked to you, you genuinely felt he was listening, even if he disagreed with you.” Half-advocate, half-arbiter, Sullivan found himself “working at the intersection” of student interests and institutional advancement, walking the line in a way that rarely saw him get singed. “He wasn’t necessarily a backroom dealing type of a guy who would change things for you, but he would open the doors that needed to be opened for you,” said Ben Cappellacci, the 2010-2011 VP Academic and University Affairs, who cited the sometimescontentious land use plan as an example where Sullivan’s leadership style shone through, bringing Campus and Community Planning to the table with the AMS as a neutral arbiter. “The changes we saw in the land-use plan were largely...due to those conversations,” he said. “Brian is sensitive to t he politics around campus, and is knowledgeable about t he
reasons they’re there,” said Alex Lougheed, VP Academic and University Affairs in 20082009. “He’s able to communicate in such a way that touches on fundamental themes that are occurring in the university.” For his part, Sullivan credits the tuition consultations of the early 00s as his “baptism by fire” in forging an effective balance. During the course of three years where tuition doubled, students protested, stormed the Old Administration building and generally had unpleasant things to say about the change—but not of Sullivan himself. “Many times [over his term] he surprised me by striking the balance and the right line. I still haven’t found the formula he uses to do that,” laughed Ahmadian. “If I could, I would have been a lot more popular.” A legacy One significant marker of Sullivan’s influence is simply the fact he is still here. After succeeding Piper as President, Toope installed new executives in every position, many of which were drastically reconfigured. Except VP Students. “You never want to have a group of people all of whom go, “Yes, yes, that’s the right approach,’” said Toope, explaining why he valued Sullivan’s role. “What Brian tends to do, always thinking of students first, is challenge assumptions some might bring to the table— he asks hard questions.” And though a report by consultants suggested benefits if UBC downgraded the Students portfolio from a vice-president to a vice-provost, Toope categorically discounted any change to the position even before the report was finished. “You can’t let the whole question of student life and learning experience seem as it’s just one of a whole bunch of things universities do. I rea l ly t hin k hav ing a V P St u de n t s
means that the student experience and student life are at the centre of what the the university does. So I wouldn’t want to change it,” he said. In his final days, Sullivan feels regret not for the missed opportunities of the past, but the small pleasures he will lose. “The graduation coming up, I won’t be there as a VP. I assumed there’d be another Imagine Pep Rally—you get pretty hooked to the periodicity of an academic term...So it’s hard not having some of that.” And so a search is currently underway for his replacement. Whomever replaces him will have large tasks to grapple with—implementing “Place and Promise,” the plan that has succeeded Trek 2000 and Trek 2010 as UBC’s blueprint; building on the gains to student housing; finding solutions to the difficulties caused by long commutes. Odds are that person won’t have a bow tie—among other qualities. “There’s a ton of great talent out there,” said Lougheed, “but Brian was special.” U
Gerald deo photo/the ubyssey
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outdoors
editor TREVOR RECORD » features@ubyssey.ca GUEST EDITOR ANDREW HOOD » a.hood@ubyssey.ca
Jogging 101: going on the run, one step at a time Jason Staeck and Andrew Hood Contributors “In general, runners should approach running…in baby steps” Christine Blanchette of UBC REC explained. “Rushing into a program or into running, you would probably injure yourself or you would perhaps suffer from burnout. A safe and easy approach to running is the best.” Jogging is one of the most commonly pursued exercises because it is so accessible. It is also one of the most beneficial exercises, as it has been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease, strengthen bones and improve mental fitness. Whitney Aharon is an employee at The Running Room in Wesbrook Village and a regular jogger. She said that the best reason to run is that, “jogging makes you feel energized all the time.” She added that such benefits are noticeable almost immediately. For a new jogger, the amount of time that should be spent running is perhaps the most daunting aspect. The irregular jogger would most likely entail attempting to jog for 10-20 minutes straight off t he bat before succumbing to exhaustion. Aharon suggested a jogging program for first-timers: walk five minutes for every oneminute run in a routine that gradually develops with every added week. Excellent routes for jogging and running include seaside routes such as the Stanley Park Seawall, the Coal Harbour Seawall, Kitsilano Beach and Spanish
Welcome to the Outdoors Supplement Andrew Hood ahood@ubyssey.ca The days are growi n g lon ger, t he weather is getting warmer and everything is making a rebound from the cold of winter. In this transitional season of spring, geoff lister photo/ the great outdoors calls your name, The Ubyssey prompting you to head on out into this great country. Sports, exercise and just getting back in tune with Mother Nature are what those upcoming hot summer days are all about. In response to that call, the Outdoors Supplement was crafted—to guide readers in ways they can get outside and get active. This issue covers exercise options such as boot camps, jogging, windsurfing and mountain biking. It also has a story about letting your inner techie outside with geocaching and a profile of a club that lets students join expeditions into the wilderness. It is impossible to fully list all the different activities one can do outside, so the goal of this supplement is to open your mind to the different types of activities that work for you. As residents of Vancouver, we live with nature right on our doorsteps. With such beautiful natural surroundings, it would seem foolish to turn your back on that and shut yourself in all summer. I hope that this issue will inspire people to take a look at what they can do outside, gain new experiences and perhaps new friendships. U
Beautiful sunrises not guaranteed during winter months in Vancouver. Josh curran photo/The Ubyssey
Banks or along roads through the University Endowment Lands, namely along Chancellor Boulevard or University Boulevard. “One of my favourites is running from the Rec Centre...down to Chancellor Boulevard and then making my
way down to NW Marine drive, straight down to the beach,” Blanchette said, adding that it’s a good route for joggers looking for varying terrain. “It is a great run.” If you’re interested in jogging but reluctant to undertake such an endeavour
by yourself, a great way to get into jogging is through group motivation. Whitney suggests that beginner joggers should consider participating in group jogging programs. Both The Running Room and UBC REC offer free group runs several times a week, for all skill levels. U
Mountain biking: get into gear Alexandra Warren Contributor Mountain biking is a highly technical sport that entails plummeting down a mountain at top speeds. You fly over mosscovered logs and exposed roots, dodging trees, rocks and even deer as you make your way down the side of a coastal BC mountain. BC is known as the ‘mecca of mountain biking’ and Vancouver is close to some of the best trails available worldwide. Ben Porteous, an avid mountain biker for eight years, recommended novice bikers improve their techniques on the gentle trails of Mount Fromme, Pacific Spirit Park or Burnaby Mountain.
BC is known as the ‘mecca of mountain biking’ and Vancouver is close to some of the best trails available worldwide. courtesy of trailsource/flickr
“These trails are relatively flat and stunt free,” said Ben, “and it is a good place to learn single track, technical mountain biking.” However, be prepared to “earn your turns,” because the only way up the mountain is by hiking with your bike in hand. It sounds risky, but mountain biking can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels, and it is possible to pursue this sport without ending up in a hospital bed. Beginner bikers need a
helmet, a pair of gloves and a sturdy, all-mountain bike. “Helmets are meant to be comfortable, light-weight and well-ventilated,” said Andrew Fullerton from West Point Cycles, “and the fit should be secure enough to allow for a protective barrier for your brain.” When purchasing gloves, look for a waterproof, padded, windproof and full-fingered pair that costs at least
$60. Fullerton also recommended buying a bike with suspension shocks, disc brakes, a light frame and wide tires that will be able to absorb the shock of downhill biking without being too heavy for the cross-country trails. These bikes range from $400 to $5500. Mountain biking is a great way to get in shape, but remember to be aware of your skill level and make sure to stick to trails that match your abilities. U
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Geocaching: gotta cache ‘em all GPS technology allows for a high-tech treasure hunt Janelle Chung Contributor I found myself in the pouring rain, glaring at the phone-turned-compass in my hand, circling the same tree again and again, wondering what got me there. Ah yes, the hunt for hidden treasure. Geocaching is an outdoor treasurehunting activity that has been around since 2000 and has grown in popularity with the rise of GPS technology. It’s a game of locating caches—ranging from small magnets to large boxes—that are hidden by others in the geocaching community. Caches are found worldwide and their existence and locations are posted online, the most popular geocaching web community being geocaching.com. Cache coordinates are published alongside a clue, allowing others to find its location using GPS technology. There’s even a posting for a cache on the International Space Station, purportedly put there by video game developer and space tourist Richard Garriott during his 2008 trip. “While today only about 500 people have made this journey, and I am sure I am not the only geocacher among them,” reads his post on geocaching.com, “many more will be reaching space soon, and I am hopeful to see many visitors in time.” Many caches are hidden so that the geocacher is brought to unique places, places with great views or easy–to–miss scenery. Some have sentimental value for their poster; others are just for fun. The traditional cache includes a container and a log book, which contains the names and dates of those who’ve found it. Geocachers are free to leave a small trinket or note to be picked up by the next geocacher who stumbles upon it. Geocachers are then encouraged to log in their find and experiences on the website. It seems deceptively easy, and this is why I found myself, ten minutes later, still circling a tree, cursing my inability to find things. I questioned the accuracy of the GPS on my phone, at a loss as to what this cache looks like, except for the vague clue accompanying the coordinates. Geocaching has expanded to include several cache types. There is the “multicache” that involves multiple locations
Geocaching is a game of hide-and-seek using GPS-enabled devices. Spencer pickles photo/The Ubyssey
and hints leading to a final location, where the physical container is kept. “The Travel Bug,” a trackable tag that is given a goal—travelling around the world, as an example—can be passed from one cache to the next. Its location and movements are logged in a diary online. The geocaching community is committed to leaving the environment, whether urban or rural, undisturbed. A “Cache In Trash Out” (CITO) initiative encourages geocache adventurers to clean up during their treks. “Bring a trash bag along with you on your walks in the woods and pick up the occasional piece of trash you see on the trail,” the
CITO page on geocaching.com reads. “Even this small act can make a huge difference.” The more extreme versions of geocaching can require climbing equipment or scuba gear. A word of warning, though: normal caches can be hidden in fairly populated areas, open to curious muggle eyes, so sometimes stealth, or lack of shame, is required. There are actually several geocaches hidden at UBC, some hidden in the forested areas and others nestled near the busiest buildings on campus. As I trekked through UBC hunting for these caches, I took note of things that I never even realized existed, like the artwork poised
at the entranceway of my most frequented building, or the posters detailing the history of UBC Varsity sports. Geocaches are found all over Vancouver, and many of them are popular and easy to find. Good locations to have a geocaching adventure are hiking trails: Lynn Valley has a few along its leisurely hike, as does Stanley Park. Just don’t forget to look at the scenery along the way! Finally, I spotted the elusive cache and sweet victory was mine. The remainder of the day proved more successful until I was cache-blocked by students milling about right on top of my next geocache destination. Until next time. U
“the fastest thing on the water” ubc sailing club offers wind surfing lessons Sarah Worden Contributor
The UBC Sailing club offers windsurfing lessons. Rob fougere Photo/The UBc sailing club
“You grab a board and sail, hook them up and within five minutes you’re ready. In light winds it’s smooth, quiet and peaceful. In stronger winds, you’re the fastest thing on the water. “Either way, it’s a rush like none other!” That’s the simple philosophy of the sport of windsurfing as described by UBC student Nicholas Himmelman. Himmelman is currently a windsurfing fleet captain with the Sailing Club. He started the sport at age 13 on a lake near his family’s summer house in Nova Scotia. “We had some big old windsurfers and I started playing around with them as soon as I was strong enough to pull up the massive sails,” he said. “There wasn’t much wind on our lake, so I plateaued quite early. I was basically a really good light- wind windsurfer.” Moving to Vancouver and joining the Sailing Club, according to Himmelman, sparked improvement and led him to the advanced level he surfs at today. Like other sports with steep learning curves— from snowboarding to mountain biking to kiteboarding—practice makes perfect. Many outdoor sports tease beginners with images of flips and tricks seen in
sports magazines. Himmelman suggests taking lessons to get started in windsurfing. “I would advise someone to take a few lessons at the beginning, then spend lots of time practicing the basics,” said Himmelman. “A few hours of lessons at the beginning can help a lot as it will break bad habits.” In Vancouver, the UBC Sailing Club and Windsure offer lessons at the Jericho Sailing Centre. UBC’s club teaches both beginner (eight hour) and intermediate (six hour) windsurfing lessons to members for $65 and $55 respectively. Membership to the club costs an additional $190 but includes unlimited access to “the watercraft you are qualified to sail.” The next session of lessons begins on April 28. Windsure offers what is called “The Six-Pack,” which is three hours of instruction with six students for $80 and a two-hour group session for $52. Six-packs are held on weekdays from 6-8pm and weekends from 10am-12pm and include all gear needed (wetsuit, board, sail, etc). A six-hour session is $210. U For more information on lessons visit the UBC Sailing Club at ubcsailing.org or Windsure at windsure.com.
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Getting your kicks at boot camp Trevor Record features@ubyssey.ca When I arrived at t he Birdcoop’s noon boot camp, I wasn’t ex pect ing any t hing too extreme. The instructor, UBC Kinesiology and Health Science alum Amir Mirbagheri, joked he would “go easy on me.” But looking around the class I saw students of a variety of weight levels, most of whom were female. In the manner of a chauvinistic villain setting himself up for defeat, I decided that I wasn’t in for anything too difficult—if the rest of those people could do it. An hour later, I was drenched in sweat and was barely able to hold myself up. The class, which involved pairing up students and sending them in a circuit of core and cardio exercises, seemed unbearable only 20 minutes in—leaving me to stare at the wall clock as it mercilessly ticked away at a sluggish trickle. Even days after the class, my legs were constantly aching. It was as intense and challenging of a workout as its military drill-referencing name might imply. Leigh Striegler, owner and operator of the Survivor Bootcamp franchise in Kerrisdale, compared boot camp fitness programs to hiring a personal trainer. “I think the difference [between boot camps and individual exercise regimens] is that there’s someone pushing you,” said Striegler. “It’s like having a one-on-one with a personal trainer, but in a group setting.” This intensity, in addition to the rise of television shows such as the Vancouver-based The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp, is what has made the classes so popular.
Based on military recruit training, boot camp fitness progams focus on group exercise. courtesy of Michael J macleod/flickr
Survivor claims to be the largest boot camp company in Canada, as well as the first to come to the lower mainland. Striegler began working with the company five years ago, after trying it out and becoming “addicted” to the workout. In the seven years since Survivor was created, dozens of other similar programs have popped up in the area. Laura Jeary, Birdcoop Fitness Centre manager, said that the group setting of the course also increases its popularity. “Many people also find if they have a commitment to a date and time to exercise they tend to work out more,” said Jeary. “A group setting also encourages people to support and challenge each other to improve.” Striegler said that she personally phones students whom
she believes to be considering skipping out on classes for an extra bit of encouragement. From my experience, I noticed that students are usually too busy trying to keep up with the instructor to support one another. However I did get a push when feeling too exhausted to do real push-ups. I noticed my partner was doing wall push-ups instead and followed suit. In reponse she said, “I’m a girl!” with a somewhat disgusted look on her face. My initial chauvinism had already been exhausted by an out-ofshape body too tired to care, so this ‘encouragement’ was wasted on me. Of c ou rse, not ever yone gets “addicted.” I personally was left with the impression that although I could imagine
using boot camp as a way to get into shape quickly, I would probably not continue going to a boot camp fitness course for long if I enrolled. Joy Butler, a UBC curriculum and pedagog y professor whose specialties include human movement and physical education, said that those who don’t enjoy this type of course should find something else. “Find things that you enjoy doing, because if you don’t enjoy it you’re not going to stick to it,” said Butler. “Boot camp...I mean, I think it’s nice for people who are into it...but just the name of it kind of turns my stomach.” However, Butler said that the social support offered at boot camps is a key component to keeping up with exercise. She is currently participating in
the Faculty of Education’s annual Walkabout Nine Week Fitness Challenge, a team charity event which encourages group exercise at a pace of the participants’ choosing. Striegler said that while some students only sign up for a short period to get in shape for bathing-suit season or an event, she does have many students who remain in the course for the entire year, or at least half the year. She also said that fitness programs like hers are not going away any time soon. “It was fitness-forecast [by various fitness magazines] that boot camp will be the fitness trend of 2011, and it appears t hat is true,” said Striegler. “What I t hought might be a trendy fitness fad is actually holding its own.” U
Profile: UBC Varsity Outdoors Club VOC offers both fun and“fun type two,” the kind you hate until later Teresa Matich Contributor Spring is here and British Columbia’s glorious backyard is beckoning, specifically its lessthan-safe mountains and farflung backcountry trails. UBC’s Varsity Outdoors Club can take you to these wonderful places, with the added bonus of promising that you won’t die! Phil Tomlinson, a fourth-year PhD student in materials engineering and the current club president, welcomed me into the VOC club room in the SUB basement to tell me a little bit more about how the VOC works. As I maneuvered around six people who appeared to be tinkering with a set of skiis, Tomlinson smiled and said, “Just sit anywhere. It’s always mostly chaos in here.” Those with previous skills and experience join the club to find others to go on trips with, but don’t be intimidated—according to Tomlinson, “the vast majority of people who join the club have no idea how to do anything.” The club works on the premise that more experienced members of the group will organize excursions which less experienced members can sign up for. The number of spots on the trip is usually dependent on the number of rides available. Once newbies have rented the required gear from the club for
courtesy of the ubc varsity outdoors club
free (which includes anything from tents and backpacks to iceaxes and skis) they set off early Saturday morning for a weekend of safe instruction in the ways of rock climbing, skiing or mountaineering. Tomlinson joined the club as an experienced skiier looking to access backcountry powder. After getting “completely destroyed” on his first couple of trips, he discovered that he was addicted to the outdoors
and now plans outings for beginners, teaching them the skills he learned three years ago. “The biggest thing that the club has to offer is showing people where their limits are and how to really push those limits,” he said. Just about anyone can join the VOC. Membership is $35 for students and $52.50 for staff, alumni and associate members. Tomlinson emphasized that beginners should
be aware of the term ‘beginner-friendly,’ used to describe most trips that the VOC organizes. “Beginner-friendly does not mean easy,” he cautioned. First-timers should have a good attitude and a willingness to get very, very tired. Then they will experience what the club calls “fun type two.” As opposed to fun type one, which would be the average person’s definition of fun attached to a given activity, Tomlinson explained that fun type two would be considered not fun by many. “You’re probably really miserable at the time,” he said. “At the time you’re telling yourself maybe you’re a city person, maybe you shouldn’t be doing trips like this, and it’s not until you get back to the parking lot that you realize you just pushed your limits. You just discovered new capabilities that you have.” For Tomlinson, helping others stretch their capabilites is “easily the best thing about being in the club.” The VOC is a place where outdoor adventure enthusiasts can come together and share the skills they know and the activities they enjoy. Roland Burton exemplifies the life-long love of the outdoors that the club is able to inspire. As a member since the 1960s, Burton built the Burton Hut in his backyard in the 1970s before it was taken by helicopter to its position
at the foot of BC’s Sphinx Glacier. It’s one of four backcountry huts operated by the VOC. Today, Burton remains an active alumni member.
“At the time you’re telling yourself... maybe you shouldn’t be doing trips like this, and it’s not until you get back to the parking lot that you realize you just pushed your limits.” Phil Tomlinson VOC President
UBC’s Varsity Outdoors Club has been taking students outdoors and pushing them to their limits since 1917, making it one of the oldest clubs at UBC. At almost 800 members, it is also one of the largest and oldest skiing and mountaineering clubs in Canada. U To sign up, or for more information, visit ubc-voc.com.
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culture
editorS BRYCE WARNES & JONNY WAKEFIELD » culture@ubyssey.ca SENIOR WRITER GINNY MONACO » gmonaco@ubyssey.ca ILLUSTRATOR INDIANA JOEL » ijoel@ubyssey.ca
Platonov’s complaint
theatre
Wild Honey at the Freddy Wood There’s something about Platonov. He’s as sweet as honey and the ladies just can’t get enough of him. This week, UBC Theatre presents Anton Chekhov’s play Wild Honey, which was translated and adapted by Michael Frayn in 1984. The play itself is an intoxicating mix of seduction, comedy, farce and all things Chekhovian. “What Chekhov is so famous for is marrying tragedy and comedy together,” said Brian Cochrane, director of Wild Honey. “Even though his plays are extremely realistic, they almost feel absurd. Because one moment you’ll be in something hilarious, and the next moment is the saddest minute of somebody’s life.” Set in southern Russia, Wild Honey brings together a variety of characters to enjoy some summer fun. “Platonov is a very promising young man,” said Cochrane. “He hasn’t realized his potential, but women still find him irresistible. So now he can’t help himself, [and] he seduces women all summer long.” There is Anna Petrovna, the dignified widow of a general; the
young and beautiful Sofya Yegorovna, who is married to Anna Petrovna’s stepson; Platonov’s wife, the loyal Sasha; and the unfortunate Marya Grekova. “They’ve all gathered for a party at the beginning of the summer, and they’ve all just been bored stiff,” said Cochrane. “[They’re] all excited for Platonov to come, because he ribs people and he gives them a hard time. “For the women, he has his wit and this intelligence that makes him stand out from all the other men, who are either boorish or boring. He always says the right thing, so he’s good at keeping the women after him. Now his problem is that [the women] believe everything he says.” Despite the hilarity and melodrama, Wild Honey is easy to relate to: its rules of attraction ring true to real life. “It’s a lot like real life,” said Christine Quintana, who plays Marya Grekova. “With women, they want the one they can’t have. [Platonov] is the one they can’t have, so he’s the one they all try the hardest to go after.” “There’s something really human about that in a way,” said Cochrane. “There’s something safe about flirting with people, but then maybe they take it the wrong way, giving someone false
hope—and then t he r e p er c u s sions that come from that.” What’s more, with summer on its way, Wild Honey is an example of what cou ld happen when people get too carried away. “It’s one of those nights that everyone has [in] the summer,” said Quintana. “Where everyone has a few drinks and gets ideas in their heads. Inhibitions start to loosen up, then these things a re sa id. [Things] that may be hiding under the surface for a long time, and once they’re said, then words becomes action and action becomes crisis.” U
Photo courtesy UBC Theatre
Jenica Chuahiock Contributor
Wild Honey is showing at the Frederic Wood Theatre, March 17–26 at 7:30pm.
painting it green Ginny Monaco gmonaco@ubyssey.ca Not sure what to do for St Patrick’s Day? Here are a few ways to get all the green beer and “Home for a Rest” out of your system. Get Lucky The AUS has humbly called their outdoor beer garden “the BIGGEST and BEST St Patrick’s Day party UBC has ever seen.” The final two bands from AMS Combat Rock will be playing alongside Rich Hope and His Evil Doers. Tickets are $5 and they’re giving two free beers to people who arrive before 6:30 pm—so it’s more than worth the cost of admission. DisClover For those choosing to forego the fiddles and faux-Irish pride, the Discorder-hosted DisClover takes over the Biltmore. Billed as a “St Patrick’s Day hip hop party,” the lineup features Rico Uno and Girlfight, among others. Cover charge is $5 before 10pm. Dentry’s St Paddy’s Party This Point Grey favourite is everything you would expect of an Irish bar if you had never actually been to an Irish bar. They have everything from random Guinness paraphernalia to vaguely Irish-sounding menu items like the Helen of Dublin burger. St Patrick’s Day festivities include a drum and pipe band and Irish step dancers. There’s no cover charge. Mahony and Sons In what should be the least vomit-filled campus event, Mahony’s is hosting a Vancouver City Limits showcase. Live music starts at 4:30pm with a bill that includes Tipsy Gryphon, The Shinolas and Karen Larson. U
Indiana Joel illustrations/ The Ubyssey
2011.03.17/u byssey.ca /opin ions/11
opinions
do you care? WRITE US A LETTER » feedback@ubyssey.ca
katic: a tale of two refrendums Gordon Katic Columnist For several months, AMS representatives have been anxiously saying, “If this fee referendum doesn’t pass, the AMS as we know it will cease to exist.” There was intense anxiety over our dire budgetary straights across the political spectrum. Determined to avoid deep cuts, our executives consumed themselves with the task of convincing students to vote in favour of a student fee increase. In another corner of the student union building, a few students became increasingly frustrated with the AMS’s refusal to support lower tuition fees. They were constantly derided for having the ‘radical’ and ‘unrealistic’ position, while the ‘responsible’ and ‘realistic’ insisted that paying more—two times more than just years before—was only reasonable. The dismissive AMS executives would suggest that the political climate was not right for a student union to fight for affordable tuition, that it would be better to acquiesce to annual tuition increases rather than be so abrasive. It seemed their opinions could not be changed no matter how many pleas were offered, well-reasoned arguments were made and sweeping studies were published. However, these few wondered what ordinary students felt. One day and almost 1200 signatures later, a tuition referendum was written: “Do you think that the AMS should lobby for lower tuition for domestic and international students?” Back in the fee referendum camp, a large team would assemble to execute a sophisticated marketing strategy. They would press tshirts, hang banners, film impressive videos, create elaborate websites, canvass students, put stickers on coffee cups, hang posters and beg their friends to change their profile pictures. The campus press, both CiTR and The Ubyssey, would support them emphatically. This paper wrote an editorial entitled “Let’s make this happen,” and ran support for the fee referendum on their front page. When all was said and done, dozens of people would spend countless hours and tens of thousands to promote the student fee referendum. At the tuition referendum camp, they decided they might make a Facebook event. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a snazzy poster, multi-faceted marketing strategy or much press coverage. All they had was the inquisitiveness to wonder how students felt about rising tuition. On results day, both referenda passed; students accepted the AMS fee increase, and they supported lobbying for lower domestic and international tuition. The former, despite the intense propaganda campaign, only won by a slim margin of 52-48 per cent, while the latter won 87-13 per cent. If only a few hundred more had voted no, the AMS might have had to face the apocalyptic scenarios some imagined. On the other hand, students reaffirmed their overwhelming and unequivocal support for lower tuition. It could not be more clear; the radicals on tuition are not “knollies” or members of the Social Justice Centre, but members of AMS Council. If they continue their policy of disregarding the views of nearly nine out of ten students, I suspect they might not be so lucky next time they need us to bail them out. U
Do you have more to say about violent masculinity? Forward all comments to letters@ubyssey.ca! Don’t forget to use spell check before you hit that “send” button! U
virginie ménard graphic/the ubyssey
letters response to “concerning katic’s column”
another response to “concerning katic’s column”
Katic’s response to a different comment about his column
Celestian Rince asserted, in his Monday letter, that the well-documented pay gap between men and women can be explained by “women choos[ing] lower paying professions.” This claim is ,aside from being a sweeping generalization, distressingly regressive. To suggest that choice of profession explains the pay gap is to misunderstand the concept entirely. In reality, women who work the same hours in the same job as men make, on average, 80 cents for every dollar men earn. Furthermore, Celestian’s observation that there are more female teachers than engineers or garbage collectors should provoke a critical, historical evaluation rather than a simple reduction to questions of ‘choice.’ His analysis ignores the historic reality that teaching and secretarial positions were for a very long time the only position legally available to women working in offices—and though the laws on the books have been changed, the societal norms that birthed them clearly have not. How welcome are women made to feel in the engineering field, or in our Engineering department, for example? Moreover, one should consider why particular jobs are less valued by society and therefore lower-paying. For example, because child-rearing has traditionally been put to women as unpaid labour, contemporary society justifies low wages for primary school teachers using the same patriarchical logic. Your cursory lip service to the “worthiness” of the cause of women’s liberation could not be any less sincere and your tone of contempt is apparent throughout the piece. The only thing worse is your apparent pride in your oppressive behaviour, and the support you have received both in The Ubyssey online comment thread and your “Men’s Rights” Reddit page. All in all, I suppose I am, in a way, happy for your response, as your attitudes and arguments could not illustrate more clearly Katic’s point—that men like myself need to do their part in supporting the struggle for women’s autonomy by standing up and saying something when other men perpetuate such regressive misogynistic views.
In Monday’s paper Celestian (“Cel”) took issue with Katic’s (alleged) claim that as some men commit violence against women, all men are equally responsible for these acts. Cel seriously misunderstands. True, rape is, by and large, committed by a minority of “violent men” (between 4 and 6 per cent of men commit the vast majority of sexual assaults). However, women have been telling men for decades, in no uncertain terms, to stop beating and raping them, and other men (Cel’s “good decent people,” who presumably understand that violence is wrong) need to join women in this struggle. Katic understands that until us men step up and tell our peers that we will not accept violence, violence against women will continue.
Scott Wilson requested that I provide examples of violent masculinity in popular culture. I figured the list I provided—which included pornography and the UFC—was so obvious that it would suffice. If one fails to recognize that violent masculinity is idealized, they’ve probably never watched professional wrestling, gangster movies, football, coach’s corner, Jason Statham movies, rap videos, Jersey Shore, or just about anything with Clint Eastwood, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Steven Seagal or Chuck Norris. This list is practically stream of consciousness: I could go on all day. I recognize that these are merely forms of entertainment, but they are popular forms of entertainment. We must ask ourselves why so many people take pleasure from such portrayals of manhood.
—Rory Breasail
—Isaac Rosenberg
Largely missing Katic’s point, Cel asserts that “DV [domestic violence] is about equal by gender.” He cites “literally dozens” of studies which ‘prove’ this equality. What Cel fails to mention is that these studies generally define ‘violence’ as anything from name calling and locking the other out of the house, to stabbing, rape and murder. As most of us could probably guess, men perpetrate the vast majority of the physical and damaging violence. These same studies show that the vast majority of women who are physically violent in relationships (such as when they kill their husbands) are reacting to longstanding verbal and physical abuse at the hands of their partner. DV must not be taken out of the larger context of the marginalization of women. Katic is addressing the culture perpetuating and condoning violence against women. If we try to address each form of violence separately, and if we only address the overt acts of violence (without addressing our cultural devaluation of women or the construction of violent masculinity), we miss the big picture. A society that defines masculinity by dominance and control also normalizes and validates gender-based and sexualized violence. All men can work to end violence by challenging this conception of masculinity.
—Gordon Katic some dude who doesn’t even go to school here finds all this hullabaloo about katic’s column quite amusing While observing Katicgate unfold from a distance, I was surprised to see so many column inches forfeited to nonsense in your letters section. I’m not sure what your policy is, but it appears that The Ubyssey must publish all letters received, no matter how silly. If that is the case, I wish to offer the UBC community a Marxist riddle: Q: What is the difference between one and 360 degrees? A: REVOLUTION! —Ethan Kyle Feldman Arts McGill and now, a message from brian platt, which has nothing to do with katic’s column Brian Platt would like to clarify that, despite the editorializing headline put on his letter in the last issue of The Ubyssey, he is not sorry for anything he’s ever written in this paper. He retracts nothing, apologizes to nobody and continues to kick ass and take names. —Brian Platt
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Virginie MĂŠnard production@ubyssey.ca The UBC Cancer Association held their annual Cuts for Cancer charity event at the SUB on Monday. Long-haired generous souls sat in the middle of the busy SUB while they had their locks cut off to be made into wigs for children suffering from longterm medical hair loss. UBC has been holding Cuts for Cancer since March 2005, and it is one of their most wellknown and popular events. U
Geoff Lister Photo/The Ubyssey