September 24, 2019

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SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 | VOLUME CI | ISSUE VII FRATS ASMR SINCE 1918

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CULTURE

OPINION

BLOG

SCIENCE

SPORTS

Pay to get tangled up in masculinity

Walk on the biodiversity side of life

Soccer, hockey victorious while football lose again

What’s better than The Great Trek looking at art? co-opts a history Reading about it of rebellion

THE UBYSSEY

O P T L N A I G C N I E L L A F NTIAL SCHOOL HISTORY DESPITE SETBACKS, THE RESIDE ERING ON ITS PROMISES AND DIALOGUE CENTRE IS DELIV

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SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 TUESDAY

YOUR GUIDE TO UBC EVENTS & PEOPLE

EVENTS

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OUR CAMPUS

Chris Rambaran is building a ‘village’ of support for former youth in care at UBC FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS FAIR 11 A.M. TO 4 P.M. @ UBC LIFE BUILDING

Graduating is scary, so why not stay in school? UBC’s inviting more than 65 grad schools for your perusal, so you can stave off the ‘real world’ for a bit longer!

SEPTEMBER 28 – 29

Much of Rambaran’s work focuses on creating a community for former youth-in-care to connect with each other.

DAY OF THE LONGBOAT ALL DAY, BOTH DAYS @ JERICHO BEACH Head up to Jericho and watch dozens of boats race each other on the high seas. Cheer on your favourite teams as they compete for the prized UBC REC champ shirts.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 THE JAPANESE WAY OF TEA AND ROJI 11 A.M. TO 3 P.M. @ NITOBE MEMORIAL GARDENS For $10 a session, the Urasenke Foundation hosts traditional Japanese tea ceremonies in an authentic tea house. Check out the roji, or ‘dewey garden,’ on your way there!

ON THE COVER COVER BY Lua Presidio

Want to see more events or see your event listed here? ubyssey.ca/events

U THE UBYSSEY

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 | VOLUME CI| ISSUE VII

BUSINESS

EDITORIAL

Business Manager Douglas Baird business@ubyssey.ca

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Visuals Editor Lua Presidio visuals@ubyssey.ca

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News Editors Henry Anderson and Emma Livingstone news@ubyssey.ca

LEGAL

Culture Editor Thomas O’Donnell culture@ubyssey.ca Sports + Rec Editor Salomon Micko Benrimoh sports@ubyssey.ca Video Producer Jack Bailey video@ubyssey.ca Opinion + Blog Editor Tristan Wheeler opinion@ubyssey.ca Science Editor James Vogl science@ubyssey.ca

Web Developer Amelia He amelia@ubyssey.ca

The Ubyssey is the official student newspaper of the University of British Columbia. It is published every Tuesday 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

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permission of The Ubyssey Publications Society. The Ubyssey is a founding member of Canadian University Press (CUP) and adheres to CUP’s guiding principles. The Ubyssey accepts opinion articles on any topic related to the University of British Columbia (UBC) and/or topics relevant to students attending UBC. Submissions must be written by UBC students, professors, alumni, or those in a suitable position (as determined by the opinions editor) to speak on UBC-related matters. Submissions must not contain racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, harassment or discrimination. Authors and/or submissions will not be precluded from publication based solely on association with particu-

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LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We would like to acknowledge that this paper and the land on which we study and work is the traditional, occupied, unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (TsleilWaututh) Nations.

Charlotte Alden Contributor

When Chris Rambaran was in foster care as a kid, his social worker used to take him out for ice cream. “He was so involved,” Rambaran said. “He would meet with me, he would take me out, he would drop me off for volunteer opportunities … things like that.” Rambaran was in and out of care until he was 12. He’d had some good social workers and some bad, but this particular one stands out in his mind. “To me, that made all the difference, because it showed me that he really cared about me. He believed in me. He saw something in me. That’s how I thought all social workers should practice; that there should be a relational component to it,” Rambaran said. In his adult life, Rambaran went on to become a social worker himself, intent on changing the system to make more social workers as involved as his was. “But what I saw in that system was a high amount of volume and a lack of resources, especially in regards to staff turnover,” Rambaran said. “I started feeling … the restrictions and the limitations of the system I was working within.” While he felt he was making small-scale change, he wasn’t making the meaningful change he wanted to because of some limiting policies. “The very things that I wanted to change were restricting me from being able to do that in the first place,” Rambaran said. Finally, after three years of social work, Rambaran left. “Working within the system, it can be really hard to actually engage on that level of systemic change. It seems a little bit more feasible to do it from the outside, and more effective,” he said.

FROM SOCIAL SERVICES TO ENROLMENT SERVICES In November 2018, Rambaran began at UBC as an enrolment services advisor specializing in supporting former youth in care.

UBC’s tuition waiver for former youth in care, followed by the provincial waiver led to a “huge spike” in the number of former youth in care at the university. Initially, there was just a select number of enrolment service advisors that supported the students receiving funding through the waiver. “As the numbers grew, there was more recognition of the unique needs around the experiences of students from care, including direct support and wraparound support,” Rambaran said. Providing that support is now his job at UBC. Rambaran helps former youth in care navigate the services and resources available to them, figures out their registration and connects them with each other to build a community of people with the shared experience of being in the foster care system. “[In social work] I was seeing youth age out at 19, when they weren’t ready, and there was nothing I could do about it,” Rambaran remembered. “19 years old was the cutoff no matter what and that’s when the ministry is no longer legally responsible for youth aging out of care.” Rambaran said that current and former youth in care are disproportionately represented in criminal justice and the mental healthcare systems. According to a 2016 CBC article, youth in care have a high school graduation rate of only 47 per cent in BC, compared to 84 per cent of the general population. “There’s all of these statistics that paint a very, I would say, grim picture for youth transitioning out of care. And education is one of the greatest protective factors,” he said. “By being here, and by providing those opportunities for them to come here, it’s giving them that chance to have control over their own narrative, and also to change that status quo, and break those cycles of poverty and intergenerational trauma. “To me, that’s what this work is all about, and why I’m really excited to be here.”

ZUBAIR HIRJI

DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCES At UBC, Rambaran works with former youth in care, many of whom have a diverse set of experiences from being in care. “It’s just a huge spectrum. You could be in care and have a variety of experiences from all walks of life. That’s why it’s really important to know that no one experiences [the in-care system] the same as another,” Rambaran said. He also spoke about how he often has to work to not impose his own experience on others. “I didn’t age out of care. That, I think, is a key factor and how I’m able to be in the privileged position I am today … I realized that’s not the case for a lot of youth, especially those that are aging out of foster care,” he said. Much of Rambaran’s work focuses on creating a community for former youth in care to connect with each other and share their diverse experiences with each other, something that Rambaran didn’t have when he attended UBC. Rambaran said that he didn’t necessarily see his status as a former youth in care as a “political identity” in the way he does now, so he didn’t seek out that community. “I remember thinking that I was the only one,” he said. Nearing a full year of employment at UBC, Rambaran hopes to build the universitybased community up and have more collaborative opportunities with the outside community in the future. “The Ministry of Children and Families, if they’re the parents of youth in care, then post-secondary institutions are like the extended relatives … and then we all make up the community to support the students,” Rambaran said, emphasizing the need to work together to make the lives of current and former youth in care easier. “We’re not effective in silos,” Rambaran said. “It really does take a collaborative approach and community approach to address any one of the systemic needs of the students.” U


NEWS

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 TUESDAY

EDITORS HENRY ANDERSON AND EMMA LIVINGSTONE

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AFFORDABILITY //

Despite new action team, UBC has a long way to go on long-term solutions for food insecurity Alex Nguyen Coordinating Editor

Following years of rising AMS Food Bank usage, UBC has finally put together a dedicated team to alleviate the issue of food insecurity. But with major gaps in existing data and efforts focused on temporary fixes, the university is still in the early days of addressing the issue at its core. First introduced at the September 14 Board of Governors committee meeting, the Food Insecurity Action Team (FIAT) brought together close to 30 students, staff and faculty from both campuses to tackle food insecurity at UBC. “They’ve been very thoughtful about the diversity of people who have been asked to be part of this and even beyond the membership, there are clear plans to consult strategically with others,” said Dr. Candice Rideout, FIAT co-chair and a senior instructor in the faculty of land and food systems. Since the first May symposium on the issue, the team has had four workshops over the summer to identify priorities and action items. So far, its work has been guided by UBC’s first set of official data on the prevalence of food insecurity amongst undergraduate students. Administered by the university, the 2019 Undergraduate Experience Survey (UES) finds that 37 per cent of UBC Vancouver students and 42.3 per cent of UBC Okanagan students are food insecure. These figures are on par with those from other Canadian universities but are around three times higher than the national average. Within these numbers, the UES finds that “international students, those identifying as transgender/ non-binary, those with a mental health diagnosis and disability, and those primarily funded by loans are more at risk.” In response, FIAT is endorsing a number of short-term measures that provide immediate relief to food insecure students. Some include opening a “low-cost” café in the Earth Sciences Building that offers $5 meals; launching a “Buy a Student a Breakfast” campaign in late November and enhancing an Enrolment Services-run program

that offers Save-On-Foods gift cards when the AMS Food Bank is unavailable. “This is something that’s really entirely based on taking actions in the relatively short term and continuing with that, so I appreciate that forward momentum and the focus on action,” said Rideout. But despite these activities, much remains to be done to address food insecurity on campus, as student advocacy groups and Rideout herself noted.

PATCHING THE DATA GAP Despite having a comprehensive understanding of food insecurity amongst undergraduate students, UBC lags far behind in data collection for other groups on campus. “The university asks some more fulsome questions that were collected and the way that the government assesses food insecurity, so it’s great to see,” said AMS VP Academic and University Affairs Julia Burnham. “But they do not have any data on graduate students, which is a huge issue.” Based on The Ubyssey’s previous reporting, food insecurity is a major issue for graduate students. According to the 2019 AMS Academic Experience Survey, 16 per cent of graduate students worry about running out of food monthly and 45 per cent experienced the concern at least once over the past year. Similarly, former AMS Student Services Manager Piers Fleming said last October the graduate student population is “disproportionately more affected” by food insecurity based on the AMS Food Bank’s data. Meanwhile, there’s virtually no data for food insecurity amongst UBC staff and faculty. “We have a little bit of anecdotal data for graduate students, but nothing whatsoever that we’re aware of [for] staff and faculty,” Rideout said. But the Board document does acknowledge that staff and faculty who have “seasonal work, precarious employment” or a wage below $19.50 an hour — the living wage in Metro Vancouver

RACHEL CHEANG

“The food bank is super important and helps us deal with the hunger that can arise from food insecurity, but I would like to see us get to a point where we don’t even really need the food bank.”

— are likely to be at risk of food insecurity. She added that the team would also rely on national data and extrapolate from sub-groups that staff and faculty might belong to. For example, the Canadian Community Health Survey shows that renters are more likely to experience food insecurity than homeowners. As a result, a major priority for FIAT is laying the groundwork to gather and analyze comprehensive data on food insecurity amongst these groups. According to Rideout’s estimate, the full project would take roughly one year to 18 months. “We’re in this stage of trying to figure out how these things could be resourced and that’s a conversation that’s ongoing,” Rideout said.

SCREENSHOT AMS BOARD SUBMISSION

AMS Food Bank usage has been on the rise since 2006.

GOING THE DISTANCE At the same time, there is a push for FIAT to dig into the root causes of food insecurity, such as the level of income versus the high costs of living and studying in Vancouver. “When tackling food insecurity on this campus, you can’t go into it expecting to solve everything over the course of a couple of months,” Burnham said, pointing out that this shouldn’t be a “siloed effort.” Graduate Student Society President Nicolas Romualdi similarly stressed the need to re-evaluate how UBC funds graduate students in the research stream. In particular, he believes they should be able to receive sufficient income through the university’s stipend and work as teaching assistants or lecturers. “So we are doing something so that we help students who are food insecure right now, but how do we prevent food insecurity in the future?” Romualdi said. “It’s not just those who now have to go to the food bank, it’s those who are on the verge of having to go to the food bank and who are stressed because they don’t know if they’re going to be able to make ends meet. This affects their mental health and their academics, so there’s a very dangerous cycle there.” Rideout agrees. On one hand, she said FIAT would explore advocacy efforts around affordability that go beyond tuition cost. On the other hand, it would also look for opportunities to collaborate with

other universities and colleges to collectively tackle the issue of food insecurity in higher education. Besides these advocacy efforts, the team is also looking at the development of a digital and physical “food hub.” Intended to be a space that would provide resources and programming on how to increase food skills and knowledge, it’s different from the food bank model which is about relieving immediate needs. “The food bank is super important and helps us deal with the hunger that can arise from food insecurity, but I would like to see us get to a point where we don’t even really need the food bank,” Rideout said. Since the AMS Food Bank continues to see major increases in usage year over year, she acknowledged that this is unlikely to happen. Still, she believes this is an opportunity for UBC to “not just deal with the symptoms.” “We can’t just stay at this level of making sure that there’s emergency food support available through Enrolment Services or making sure that the food bank has longer hours,” Rideout said. “The real intent is not to stay in that space, but to acknowledge that people need support, that we need to be taking these immediate actions and … [look] at the broader question of affordability.” U This is an ongoing story. If you are a graduate student, staff or faculty member who has experienced food insecurity during your time at UBC, we would like to hear from you. Please feel free to get in touch at coordinating@ubyssey.ca.


4 | NEWS | TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 RECONCILIATION //

Community-focused and Indigenous-driven: Despite setbacks, UBC’s Residential School History and Dialogue Centre is delivering on promises

“[With the RSHDC in view, the administration] would not forget. Indigenous initiatives would not slide under the waves, which is a very real fear when they’re in the early stages of their development.”

Bridget Chase Contributor

For over a year, UBC’s Residential School History and Dialogue Centre (RSHDC) has sat quietly nestled in Library Garden. Since its opening, the Centre has existed as a testament to what reconciliation could look like at UBC — and a visible reminder of how much more there is to be done. “... [I]t was not lost on us that the president and the provost would see it every day when they look out their window [in the Koerner library],” said Dr. Linc Kesler, former director of the UBC First Nations House of Learning and senior advisor to the president on Aboriginal affairs. Conceived as a West Coast centre that would facilitate access to records related to Canada’s Indian Residential School System, the RSHDC remained empty for several months after its launch in April 2018. Since then, it has grown incrementally more operational, hiring staff, expanding its digital database and putting its physical spaces to use. Kesler, who spent years working to get the RSHDC approved, described the struggles that Indigenous initiatives face during their planning stages: often forgotten, cut from plans or left behind. “[With the RSHDC in view], [the administration] would not forget. Indigenous initiatives would not slide under the waves, which is a very real fear when they’re in the early stages of their development.” But as Kesler, his successors and the staff at the RSHDC would find, these struggles didn’t end when the ribbon was cut. Over the course of the last

year, stakeholders from across the university have navigated dense internal and external bureaucracies, worked to build complex relationships and allowed the vision of this unique space to shift in ways unimagined during its conception. One thing is for certain: the Centre is no longer empty.

ZUBAIR HIRJI

“There was still no operations budget designated,” he said. “... [I]t wasn’t clear how we were going to fill the building, but from my standpoint, I was willing to go with that because it had been very difficult to get to the point where the building was going to happen at all.” Since its opening, things have changed. Turpel-Lafond and her team hired staff, hosted events

and launched an ongoing exhibit in its main gallery during the 2019 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences. The director expressed that her internal priority has been building space for people who have a commitment to communityfocused and Indigenous-driven approaches to their work. One such person is Dr. Tricia Logan, the new head of Research and Engagement. Logan, who came to the RSHDC from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) at the University of Manitoba (U of M), has brought the level of expertise that Turpel-Lafond was looking for. Logan is responsible for developing the RSHDC’s broader research agenda as well as developing external partnerships. “Because they were building the collections, some of the first folks on board were archivists,” said Logan. “... But there’s a lot of demand for using the space and engaging with the space.” “The dialogue session that we had in October had more than a hundred people,” she added. “That was aimed at the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and BC’s response to it, and we published a formal report on that.” While visiting hours are still limited, the space now holds talking circles, dialogue sessions and exhibits that showcase the origins of the Centre.

FILLING THE BUILDING

plan they weren’t there. They disappeared. They ended up on the cutting room floor somewhere.” Kesler repeatedly negotiated to keep the Centre included in university plans and feared that if he postponed the opening the building — even though there was currently no budget or plan to fill the building — it would never have opened at all.

“I was really struggling when the Centre was opened,” said MaryEllen Turpel-Lafond, director of the RSHDC. “I wasn’t at UBC [when it did], so I had it passed over to me when it wasn’t quite ready for prime time.” When the building was formally opened, there were very few in-house staff members, incomplete systems and a minimal database. One question Turpel-Lafond wishes she knew the answer to is why the Centre opened when it did. Kesler explained that during his time as senior advisor to the president, he learned that opportunities for Indigenous engagement had to be taken for fear of them disappearing. From his advisor appointment in 2009 to the RSHDC’s opening in 2018, Kesler saw the employment of four different UBC presidents. And with each new president and each new draft of strategic planning, Kesler said that it was a battle to keep Indigenous initiatives in the university’s vision. “Getting the Centre [opened] at all meant maintaining focus and will around Indigenous initiatives through three stages of administration. … We were repeatedly told Indigenous initiatives were key, but in different drafts of that strategic

When the building was formally opened, there were very few in-house staff members, incomplete systems and a minimal database.

FILLING THE DATABASE Like Turpel-Lafond, Elizabeth Shaffer, director of digital, strategic and Indigenous partnerships, found herself in a frustrating situation when she arrived at the Centre prior to its formal opening.

ZUBAIR HIRJI


SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 TUESDAY | NEWS | 5 The database she was supposed to develop — which was originally intended to host residential school records pertaining to British Columbia — had nothing to go in it. And the partnership with the NCTR, which held said records, was seemingly nonfunctional. “The relationship has never been a simple one,” said Kesler. He explained that when the U of M put in their bid to host the NCTR, they proposed that UBC make a formal pledge of support. In return, U of M agreed to acknowledge UBC’s intent to have a West Coast centre, which would be potentially affiliated with theirs. But when their bid was accepted, that dynamic changed. “The lawyers [at U of M] said that all previous agreements of any sort were null and void now that the agreement with the TRC and their university was in place,” Kesler said. “That it superseded all previous agreements ... what they’re saying is that they owe us nothing.” “They kept referring to us as their satellite,” he added. “We were never their satellite, especially not after they tore up the agreement we had. ... I actually had to speak to them on more than one occasion, and tell them to correct their public statements about that because they were inaccurate and I would take action if they didn’t.” This broken relationship has yet to be mended. When interviewed back in November of 2018, NCTR Director Ry Moran expressed optimism that an agreement would be “quickly rectified.” Turpel-Lafond says the NCTR’s reluctance to collaborate has been frustrating, but one year later, she still hasn’t given up. “I think that the [Memorandum of Understanding] that they’ve offered to me over the last year is one that still really restricts the ability of our centre to fully access and use those records,” she said. “It’s still not exactly the kind of digital sovereignty that we think we need to keep this information going forward for the demands of a place like UBC … but I don’t lack

GOING NATIONAL Outside of the day-to-day operations within the Centre, Turpel-Lafond has spent much of the last year working externally and using her position to lobby for improved legislation. She explained how survivors have pushed her to inform public policy at the national level and to follow the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) calls to action. Turpel-Lafond focused specifically on the development of national Indigenous child welfare and Indigenous languages legislation — two calls to action that survivors identified as being absolutely essential. “[I]t’s not enough that universities endorse the calls to action,” she said. “[Survivors] want to see their university people present and pushing for implementation for the TRC calls to action.” Dr. Sheryl Lightfoot, the current senior advisor to the president on Indigenous affairs who took over from Kesler, agrees that the Centre plays a large role both internally and externally in regards to the TRC. “If something is directly tied to the TRC in the post-2015 world, it becomes a priority,” said Lightfoot. “... I’m relying on [the RSHDC] to inform the next steps, not just at UBC but broader both provincially and nationally, and even globally.”

NEXT STEPS

ELIZABETH WANG

“... I’m relying on [the RSHDC] to inform the next steps, not just at UBC but broader both provincially and nationally, and even globally.”

hope.” Turpel-Lafond discussed the possibility of using an Indigenous ceremony in place of a traditional legalistic document to reach such an agreement. “We are much closer to working out an arrangement and I’m hoping for us over the next year that wall will fall.” In a written statement to The Ubyssey, Moran said the two

centres have a “positive working relationship.” “The Director of the NCTR and Ms. Turpel-Lafond (Aki Kwe) have achieved strong alignment on values and principles and are actively working towards appropriate ceremonies to further anchor the work,” reads the statement. He added that they are collaborating in an internship

partnership with TD Canada Trust, which will provide opportunities for Indigenous students on both campuses. In the meantime, staff at the RSHDC have been focused on continuing to build external relationships with other institutions like the United Church and Library and Archives Canada that have records from Indian hospitals and day schools.

FILE ZUBAIR HIRJI

Moving forward, stakeholders discussed changes and improvements on everything from the database to the name of the Centre — they’re dropping the word “Indian.”

Moving forward, stakeholders discussed changes and improvements on everything from the database to the name of the Centre — they’re dropping the word “Indian.” Turpel-Lafond and Logan both mentioned the recent name change, reflected online but not yet on most signage, explaining that the change ensured the inclusion of Métis and Inuit people, as well as those that attended Day Schools. More positions are being discussed and hired for and the future of the downstairs exhibition area requires a 12-to 18-month curator that Turpel-Lafond hopes to support. One of Kesler’s original visions for the Centre was as a place to receive testimonies from survivors. Working with the First Nations and Indigenous studies program, Kesler had previously trained students to record Elders who want to provide histories and accounts of their experiences. “... [I]f somebody’s not doing it, it’s gone. That Centre should be doing that every day … it’s what we promised the community.” But for Turpel-Lafond, she wants to ensure that they are fully prepared to take on that responsibility. “Who owns their stories and how you do it is a very sensitive issue,” she said. “We have been a little bit cautious, [but] I see us getting there.” And, looking forward to the upcoming months with the UBC Indigenous Strategic Plan in its new drafting phase, Lightfoot sees the RSHDC playing its own special role at the forefront of the university’s reconciliation path. “The Centre in tandem with other initiatives on campus starts setting the future tone,” Lightfoot explained. “We’re at a big high point right now — in the province, in the country and at UBC. And I think, I hope, I expect, that this is the turning point to something path-breaking.” U


6 | NEWS | TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 BURSARIES //

Blue & Gold Campaign doubles fundraising goal for student aid Eashan Halbe Contributor

UBC’s Blue & Gold Campaign for Students has officially doubled its fundraising goal from $100 million to $200 million. The campaign was launched in November 2017 with the goal of improving student access to education at UBC by increasing financial aid. The university initially set the goal of raising $100 million by 2022 but already achieved it in early September. According to AMS VP Academic and University Affairs Julia Burnham, the campaign is a step towards UBC taking more of the monetary burden off external donors. “The top source of financial aid for students at UBC is not actually UBC, most undergraduates are receiving their financial awards from organizations outside UBC,” said Burnham, citing the 2019 AMS Academic Experience Survey. “It’s really positive to move in the future towards more access to financial aid for students.” The campaign is being executed by UBC Development and Alumni Engagement Services (DAE) in collaboration with Enrolment Services and the faculty of graduate and postdoctoral studies. The DAE focused on fundraising while the latter organizations conducted

awards disbursement. “When I first came to UBC, I wanted to make it a priority to enhance the student experience and ensure that more promising students would have the financial help to access life-changing education,” wrote Santa Ono in a blog post. “Our Blue & Gold Campaign for Students goes a long way to helping achieve this and shows the positive impact donors have on our community.”

DIVING INTO THE NUMBERS In a statement to The Ubyssey, the DAE explained that UBC staff raised money through “email, mail, phone and personal solicitations” and prioritized collecting “major gifts,” over $25,000. 300,000 alumni and individuals associated with the university were contacted during the fundraising process. The campaign’s Blue & Gold bursary received almost 5,000 donations, accounting for a sum total of $1 million. From the funds, $13.9 million were put towards bursaries catering to students in financial need. $23.3 million were allocated for the funding of awards for academic achievement. $6.4 million went to hybrid awards that considered both financial need and academic achievement, and $47.7 million funded awards pertaining to criteria such as leadership and service.

Around $8.9 million was diverted towards the enhancement of student experience in various areas. The campaign allowed for the establishment of 320 new awards, with 6,595 students receiving a donor-funded award last year — up 24 per cent from two years prior. It also made a significant positive impact on bursary fundraising. The campaign raised $6.5 million for bursaries in two years, a 81 per cent increase when compared to the previous two years ($3.6 million).

ONE STEP AT A TIME The AMS believes there’s still a lot more work to be done to help alleviate the financial hardship amongst students. “Over 65 per cent of undergraduate students anticipate having over $25,000 worth of debt at graduation. Nearly two out of five report experiencing financial hardship,” said Burnham regarding the costs of attending UBC. “Nearly half of graduate students report reconsidering whether they should attend a university with a more affordable tuition or housing options.” She hopes now that the university has raised all this money, it will work to tailor and market its award programs to

FILE SOPHIE SUTCLIFFE

“It’s really positive to move in the future towards more access to financial aid for students.”

specific students in need. “We’ve been encouraging the university to look at their donorfunded, specific awards and to create a mechanism that really captures data about incoming students and identifies and matches students to be aware of, and apply to awards that they may specifically be eligible for,” said Burnham. She added that the university should provide more scholarship

support for marginalized students on campus. “The AMS would be really supportive of moving in a direction that prioritizes needs-based financial aid specifically for Indigenous students and [former] youth-in-care,” she said. “It’s very clear that this has been a very successful campaign … Being able to utilize student voices and perspectives really highlights the donor community.” U

HEALTH INSURANCE //

Updated MSP payment structure increases healthcare costs for international students

YIYANG WANG

Previously, both international students and BC residents paid mandatory MSP premiums to maintain healthcare coverage.

Maria Saleeb Contributor

As the provincial government plans to eliminate Medical Service Plan (MSP) premiums for BC residents

by next year an updated payment structure will be implemented for international students to ensure they still receive coverage under MSP. Previously, both international

students and BC residents paid mandatory MSP premiums to maintain healthcare coverage. In January 2018, the provincial government announced their plan to eliminate MSP premiums for BC

residents, resulting in one of the largest tax cuts in recent history. But the coverage rate for international students will rise to $75 starting January 1, 2020. Dr. Jason Sutherland, a professor at the UBC Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, explained that under the previous payment structure both international students and BC residents paid approximately $37.50 for MSP premiums to access healthcare coverage. International students are eligible for MSP coverage after three months of residence in Canada, but they can receive coverage from temporary insurance, such as iMED during the threemonth waiting period. “For almost 30 years BC has provided international students with provincial health coverage, while asking them to contribute a reasonable amount to help cover those costs,” said BC Minister of Health Adrian Dix in a press release. “This updated payment method for international students continues that commitment.” “$37.50 might not sound like a lot, but I think for people with a low amount of resources, they will be particularly vulnerable to that pay tax increase,” said Sutherland. “For students who are struggling to make their tuition payments, this might [be] another harsh demand on them.” Kavana Ramesh, a fifth-year international student at UBC,

voiced concerns about the increased payment structure. “It’s double. If you are budgeting and living month to month, can you afford double?” she said. “When you’re an international student that doesn’t mean you’re rich. For example, since I am from the States, UBC was actually more affordable than paying in-state tuition in my state.” Ramesh also noted that many students are on scholarships, and are not actually paying in full for their tuition. “I know so many international students [whose] families have used all their savings to invest in their children so they have more opportunity than them. Some students I know are funded by their own country so they can return and work in their country,” she said. Although the MSP increase is significant for some international students, the change still ensures international students receive healthcare coverage. Ramesh explained that in the US, healthcare coverage is so expensive that many people may have incomplete coverage or no coverage at all. “My mentality is almost always, ‘Avoid going to the doctor.’ I will only go if it’s a last resort because I’m so used to feeling stressed about what might be covered,” she said. “I have noticed people here tend to be a lot freer about going to see doctors.” U


CULTURE

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 TUESDAY

EDITOR THOMAS O’DONNELL

VISUAL JAZZ //

7

ART //

at the Who cares about public art?: ‘Concerto’ Spill Belkin looks

Moe Kirkpatrick Contributor

Today, I sat for 30 minutes outside of Buchanan A as the forecasted rain became an actual problem dotting my notebook pages. See, there’s this wacky green sculpture on the side of Buchanan, on the entrance right off of Main Mall. Despite the fact that most of my classes are in Buchanan, I hadn’t known that entrance or that sculpture existed for almost a whole year. And, judging by my half-hour observation, not many people know or care that it’s there either. “Concerto” is a wall art installation by Gerhard Class. It is a geometrical abstract form made of welded sheet copper, which was originally installed in 1960. “Concerto” marks the first time Class experimented with metalworking, which he later would use frequently. It’s an interesting piece, given that it looks like solid metal head-on but is definitely welded, and also it’s just plain nice to look at. After all, who has time to examine a sculpture when you’re just trying to get to class on time? With homework and work and sports and everything else that fills

Not many people care it’s there.

up a student’s life, no one could expect thoughtful contemplation of every sculptural work on UBC’s campus. Especially when, as with a lot of sculptures that aren’t statues or busts, you’re not really sure what it’s supposed to be or supposed to mean. “Concerto” is interesting in that regard. As little as I know about music, I do know the term is music-related. And yeah, I can see it: the sculpture does seem to move out from a central horizontal line and there are a lot of curves, which we all know are music-related. A quick Google search informs me that a concerto generally has three movements featuring a soloist — and there are three cut-out circles spread horizontally along the piece. Cool.

SUZUNO SEKI

And — that’s really it. Okay, there’s also the aging property of the sheet copper, which is pretty interesting. When it was first installed, it would have looked like a warm bronze colour. But now, due to nearly sixty years of rain and heat and sometimes snow, it looks like various types of splattered green mold. It even has a dirty yellow dusting along the upper right which like — how did that get there? It’s an old sculpture. It shows all its history on its bare surface. And that’s it. At least, as much as I’m going to examine it on this occasion. There are probably plenty more cool things that could be pointed out about this sculpture. But that’s okay. It’s enough

to look at a piece of art and think “nice” and then move on. Sure, I enjoy looking at art. I enjoy spending absurd amounts of time considering art, especially sculptural works. But I’m not about to shame people who don’t enjoy it for not going out of their way to do it. It’s enough for art to be nice to look at. As an artist, it’s easy to get caught up in visions of making people feel something or react a certain way or understand a specific concept, which are all worthy things to strive for. But it’s also okay just to make things that people like to look at. Remember when you were younger and you drew all the time in crayon or marker, because you liked looking at the things you made? And you gave it to family or friends because you liked that they liked looking at it? It’s enough for art to make someone’s day a little nicer, even if it’s only one day a year. Today, the clouds are grey, and the stone is a bit lighter, and the green of the copper is dark enough on the underside of “Concerto” to match the pines a few feet away. Specks of rain darken the curved top of the sculpture. It’s beautiful and that’s nice. But I still go inside to get out of the rain. U

PRONOUNCED <<NO>> //

Noh Theatre legends come to UBC

For Noh Theatre, this was a very quick production

Erica Brenner Contributor

Noh Theatre enthusiasts found themselves a treat at UBC’s Frederic Wood Theatre on September 8. At the cost of $20 — or free for students — Hisa Uzawa and her daughter, Hikaru Uzawa, presented the tale of Atsumori. Atsumori is one of the 140 plays in the current repertoire of Noh Theatre, a traditional Japanese artform preserved by five schools in Japan. Like most Noh plays, Atsumori is based on the story of a historical character. In this case, the story takes place during the Genpei War and is about an encounter during the Battle of Ichi-No-Tani that led to the death of 16-year-old samurai Atsumori. Last Wednesday, Hisa Uzawa played the role of Atsumori for the first time. She said she felt honored to be able to play the role of a 16-year-old at the age of 70. A typical Noh play consists of four roles: the shite (main character), waki (supporting role), kyogen (interlude actors) and hayashi

(instrumentalists). During the performance, Hikaru and Hisa Uzawa played all of these roles. Hikaru accompanied Hisa as a waki and also undertook charge of costumes. Without any live hayashi or kyogen, the two performed the second act of the play. This act is a scene in which the ghost of Atsumori recounts his death. The scene begins with live recordings of shime-daiko, otsuzumi, and kotsuzumi drums, and a nohkan flute. The nohkan shrieks and tension builds around the stage for three minutes as audience members wait for the shite’s entrance. Hikaru Uzawa chants on the side of the stage, seated in the position of her waki role. The ominous music sets an atmosphere akin to an eerie dream. Finally, Atsumori enters the stage from the background, where pine trees were lined up from small to large to create distance. Atsumori chants with agony and moves with a grace that barely lifts a foot off the floor. Watching Atsumori move

ALEX WANG

was like watching a doll moonwalk across the stage. Atsumori moved so slowly that one felt like they would miss something if they blinked. The subtlety of movement was the whole story for those who could not understand Japanese in its classical style of prose. For those not familiar with this style of theatre, thankfully the performance began with a 30-minute introduction to Noh presented by Christina Laffin, professor of classical Japanese at UBC. She explained that Noh Theatre was typically performed with audience members forming an arc and facing two different sides of the stage. These sides were marked by four pillars placed on the stage of Frederic Wood Theatre. This also helped Hisa determine where she was on stage in a mask that rendered her nearly blind. In the back there would be a kirido (door) for waki to enter the stage. Indeed, Hikaru sat outside the pillars and faithfully walked through the imaginary kirido as choreographed

on traditional stages. Sometimes she brought props, such as a chair, which she masterfully placed under Hisa, who was able to sit down without looking back. Whenever she brought props on stage, she moved swiftly so as to camouflage her presence. It was as if she was the “palpable absence” called Ma in Japanese aesthetics. The performance ended with Atsumori dropping a sword and walking off into the background with his spirit salvaged. At the end of the night, there was a 30-minute Q&A session with Hisa and Hikaru through translations provided by Dr. Laffin and Colleen Lanki. They answered why they chose the play Atsumori and explained how the pathos made it more relatable to a Western audience. In response to questions about being a woman in Noh Theatre, Hisa said although she played a male character, Noh actors play all roles, regardless of gender and that at its core, the artform is genderless. She expressed worry over performing Noh on a Western stage, given that only one view of the choreography would be available to audience members. For Noh, this was a very quick reproduction. Overall it included 30 minutes of Atsumori and an hour discussion about the artform. For Noh enthusiasts, it was a treasure to witness the awardwinning Hikaru Uzawa play Atsumori. For those unfamiliar, they were able to receive more context of the play afterwards. Regardless of one’s Noh experience level, it was a historical night that marked Hikaru Uzawa’s first performance as Atsumori and the first presentation of Atsumori in a Western setting. U

to ask hard questions

ZUBAIR HIRJI

Riya Talitha Contributor

Purples, murky browns, blues, constellation-like greys; indigo and glassy-green of aquatic life swirled into the luminescent black of crude oil spills. And an all-pervading quiet, punctuated by the soft buzz of muffled audio recordings. Spill at the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery is a multi-artist, multitheme exhibition, but at first glance, it seems unusually coherent. Exhibitions at the Belkin typically tend to be thematically coherent but as they usually feature a wide range of artists, can be visually disparate. On the other hand, it was only after reading all the descriptions that it became apparent that all the artists had been inspired by a wide range of different events. Spill is the sort of exhibition that could only have been made at this particular time in the world, both conceptwise and in terms of mediums used. This is a composite of artistic ‘documentation’ of oil spills by large multinational corporations in areas of the world belonging to Indigenous peoples and those in the Global South, the harsh irreversible effects of river system privatisation and the damage wrought by dams. Together, they reveal the particularly chilling aspects of global capital and large non-renewable energy companies. Reading the stories behind these gorgeous works of art, whether they are photographs, 3D installations, audiovisual artifacts or interactive pieces, makes the viewers experience an acute sense of cognitive dissonance. How can such beauty exist in such destruction? How can corporate greed, first of all, lead to such devastating tragedies, which are then deliberately covered up, through policies of blatant evasion of responsibility? How is economic gain consistently prioritized over the self-determined rights of people over their own land? Spill at the Belkin doesn’t offer any easy answers for the chilling questions it provokes, but it doesn’t leave viewers hanging either. Part of its run includes weekly podcast episodes curated by Tatiana Mellema, in collaboration with CiTR 101.9 FM. Crouched on the floor, watching as the explosions in Susan Schuppli’s Nature Represents Itself, played over and over again in a small television set on the floor, is itself a statement of how capitalism and disrespect of Indigenous land is a cycle that seems doomed to play out over and over again, right up until climate catastrophe — a catastrophe that likely will be both stunningly beautiful and shockingly final. U


FEATURES

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 TUESDAY

EDITOR PAWAN MINHAS

8

Places to Go:

Troll gazes and street art in Stavanger, Norway Words and photos by Bailey Martens

Norway is famous for crime on Easter. On the front page of a 1923 edition of the publication Aftenposten, the entire country saw the line, “Bergen train looted in the night.” The title caused a furor in the country as many saw it as a legitimate headline, rather than an extremely clever advertisement for a newly released novel. Stumbling out of the airport near Stavanger, the third largest city in Norway, the streets were empty. It took 45 minutes on a

desolate bus to spot two cyclists riding through the meandering country roads. I expected the city to repopulate after Easter and, while residents flooded back in, the country didn’t feel any busier. If anything, their slowed pace exposed my ‘bull in a china shop’ approach to life. I tried my best to tear through the country, seeing it more like a checklist rather than a newfound home. Stavanger is easy and slow and welcoming. The Scandanavian town sits somewhere between progression and heritage. In its early days, it was known for its booming

fishing industry and its status as a religious centre. The Stavanger Domkirke, or cathedral, still stands tall in the middle of Old Gamble, the historic side of town. “If you are looking, you will find it,” I was told when asking for directions to the iconic building. After spotting the stone walls, a newly-made friend and I scrambled to get a closer look. The cathedral, built in 1125, was encircled by hundreds of birds snatching bread crumbs from the sky, as a group of elderly men tossed them up with all the strength they could muster.

The church is still open for regular services but like most things in Stavanger, it has more to offer. Figurines and other historical artifacts hide within the burnt-down-then-resurrected cathedral that was integral to the city’s founding. I stopped and spent the better part of an hour trying to locate them all. Stavanger is also famous for its street art and its hosting of an annual festival where artists from around the world have free reign on the city’s walls. Rushing through the cobblestone streets, between rows upon rows of whitewashed

wooden buildings, I thought I could easily spot the massive art pieces but somehow I managed to miss them all. Others in my group spotted them first, every time, despite hanging back. They caught sight of the street art from a distance because they weren’t in a hurry to get to the next best thing to see. Artists Jaune, Dot Dot Dot and EVOL’s works were scrawled throughout the city. Some blanketed entire buildings, others occupied easy-to-miss electrical boxes. After enough failed Where’s Waldo attempts to glimpse the art throughout the city, I joined


SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 TUESDAY | FEATURES | 9 the other observers and began to spot the art hidden in alleyways. The game was lost on those who shifted gears, wanting to explore local music shops and other foreign stores, but I could have stayed in those streets forever. With every step, I heard the city whisper, “Slow down, Bailey.” Another landmark for the city is the Norwegian Petroleum Museum, located on the harbourfront and comprised of old oil rigs and pipes where kids jump across fishing buoys in a scene not unlike one from a dystopian novel. It seems that every resident I’d met had a connection to the oil industry, a fact they proved consistently proud of. Until the 1960s, Stavanger was a fishing town. The memories of this time are not forgotten, with a well-respected maritime museum and local fish markets. But with the discovery of oil off the coast, the city’s focus shifted forever. The busiest part of the city was the Geopark, located in front of the museum. The colourful Geopark was unable to escape the touch of street artists, as it was entirely covered in graffiti. We quickly joined in on the bouncing and walking toe-to-toe along pipe attractions until our laughter forced us to dismount for our own safety. We scurried away, earning plenty of peculiar looks from parents and children alike. The Norwegian trolls of folklore kept an eye on me as they appeared in three-foottall statues wherever I turned. Instead of gatekeeping the city, these mythical creatures served as a reminder that I was stepping into their land and culture. A gift store clerk told me the trolls were meant to ward off poor behaviour from kids. The constant gaze from the stone

creatures made me reconsider my pace at every turn. If you don’t mind hopping on a boat for a few hours, one could experience Preikestolen. This massive cliff towers 604 metres above the Lysefjord. I opted for the lake across the street from my hotel instead. Perhaps the value of spending an entire day on a boat just to see one attraction was lost on me, but instead I found myself at a lake alone, again, with a handful of Nidar’s Smash! candy. Stavanger could be seen in a day, but shouldn’t. The entire town begs for your attention and for you to slow down and savour the trip back in time. Every choice carries a bit more weight than in other places I’ve been. The mediocre-at-best food requires careful examination of the menus, written in broken English, in an attempt to decide what to buy because nothing, and I mean nothing, is affordable. You better be sure about your pizza preference, because a personal size costs $40. I ended my trip with a ceramic mug showcasing an image of the Preikestolen and Sverd i fjell — or swords in a rock — and a much lighter wallet. Sverd i fjell was much closer than Preikestolen so I spent most mornings eating the hotel’s breakfast buffet and eavesdropping on conversations about wondrous trips to both attractions. I left having not seen two of the city’s biggest attractions but toting the same touristy cup as those who did. Heading back to the airport on the bus that’d shuttled me in, I spotted the swords I had spent so many days trying to make time to see. I’d given up when I couldn’t find them during my own ventures. As my bus raced past, for the first time on my trip I wished I’d made the choice to


10 | CULTURE | TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 LIVE THEATRE //

Beckett 19 provides opportunity to students in more ways than one

The Beckett productions have raised over $30,000 for students.

Cat Hartt-Towle Contributor

Beckett 19 is the UBC fundraiser for the Peter Loeffler Memorial Prize, an award for an undergraduate student majoring in theatre. Over 15 years since the prize was introduced, the Beckett productions have raised over $30,000. Beckett 19 sees UBC Theatre

alumni performing scenes from the work of Irish playwright Samuel Beckett. When asked what makes Beckett 19 different, director Gerald Vanderwoude summarized that it’s always up to the theatre department to decide, but that the legacy behind these shows is what makes it special, “As alumni of the program, we wanted to give back. And so what we try to do with the production

COURTESY UBC THEATRE AND FILM

students and some of the acting students over the years [is] we try to offer positions where these brand new theatre students who are just in their first or second year in the department [get] the opportunity to work alongside us. Really, it’s about training them and saying, ‘This is what it’s like when you do a show.’ It’s really important to us that we actually model for the students so that

they know what happens after you graduate.” Not only that, but in working with the production, the students get an appreciation of the department, “Also so that they know the stories and the histories of the theater department. ... I have a long history of all the shows that have gone on in the theater, and we like giving that history back to the students at the same time,” said Vanderwoude. “Our show is kind of like this, this crazy free for all, where we’ll take anybody, and we’ll teach them.” Vanderwoude mentioned that the work of Samuel Beckett is not for every theatre group. It’s hard and requires a lot of technical acting and key influences. He expressed that working with Beckett’s plays for over 25 years helps, as director, to understand the necessary placement of a comma or pause, “You really start to get it.” “I’ve known these [actors] for 20 years. And when you get to work with a series of actors … it’s a lot of fun. And you enjoy it because it’s creative. You really get to know people and can really focus in on the acting.” “[Peter Loeffler] was a very inspirational man. He loved theater, he enjoyed a great party … His favourite spot was to stand outside the Chan Centre

overlooking the Rose Garden. And he taught me that every time we would do a show, on opening night that’s where you had to go for two minutes [to] look at the world and wish it well and then run back into theater [to] do a show … this is a year Peter has been heavily on my mind just because he was such a great guy and certainly gave me many opportunities and taught me a lot. And the Beckett’s are really for him.” Vanderwoude briefly explained that his relationship with the late Peter Loeffler was more than teacher and student: they were close friends. Often Loeffler and him would discuss theatre in the mornings during Vanderwoude’s undergraduate. Vanderwoude expressed that “Peter was such an influential professor.” Often their discussions would revolve around theatre and the work of Beckett, whom both of them admired. The celebration of Beckett is what created this many year long legacy that began before Loeffler passed away in 2002. “It was just for the sheer celebration of existential theater.” U Beckett 19 premiers on September 25 in the Frederic Wood Theatre and closes on the 28. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students. In memory of Peter Loeffler, everyone is invited to stay for discussion, cake and champagne after the show.

‘WE’RE HERE’ //

Student-organized Afrocentrism Conference celebrates Black scholarship Riya Talitha Contributor

A group of UBC and SFU students spent the better part of this and last year organizing the 2019 Afrocentrism Conference: Decolonizing Academia. The conference was a two-day event that “seeks to subvert Western ways of knowing and learning and celebrate Black scholarship.” The conference ran from September 21 to 22 at the UBC Vancouver campus and SFU Harbor Centre campus. The conference had more than ten workshops ranging with topics such as “Black Queer Liberation,” “Decolonizing Food Systems,” Dr. Yabome Gilpin-Jackson’s short story book launch and a history of Hogan’s Alley. The organizing team’s community outreach and volunteer coordinator, Xiluva Hill described the hard work and attention to detail of the rest of the team. Hill said that they drew from their own educational and personal experiences to find and quantify the “gaps in knowledge” that was present in UBC and SFU in terms of African studies and in their institutions’ structures. Hill says that the catalyst for both the UBC and SFU members, all of whom have worked in a variety of other capacities at their respective universities to secure better representation, was “realizing that there is maybe not so much of hearing or listening to people of African descent.” In terms of keynote speakers,

FILE WILL MCDONALD

The UBC portion of the conference happened in Ponderosa Commons.

they were able to arrange for three living legends in the literary and activist world, Ijeoma Umebinyuo, Dr. Nnedi Okorafor ~ ~ wa Thiong’o. and Dr. Ngugi Having such prestigious speakers is an accomplishment, as the conference was organized by an autonomous collective of students. The conference had the features and facilities of a ‘professionally’ organized academic conference, with its ticket scaling plans, smooth functioning and widespread advertising. The advertising ensured that they sold out all

their tickets and that conference had attendees from all over Vancouver and from all walks of life, not just UBC or SFU students. That being said, their attention to practicalities and desire to foster a “multidisciplinary approach to Afrocentrism” meant that the tickets themselves were very affordable, and the messaging of their conference was as inclusive as possible. If ticket sales are in any way an indication of whether they were successful in fulfilling their aims and filling a knowledge gap, the fact that the first workshop to

sell out was Juliane Okot Bitek’s ‘Mapping Contemporary African Literature On These Indigenous Lands’ was a pretty good sign. For Hill personally, the conference “is also a metaphor for people of African descent ... coming forward and saying that ‘We’re here, and we want to be heard, and we’re part of the community.’” The team’s future plans are up in the air, as of now. They want the conference to be an annual event, but apart from that, they are still deciding if they want to be an AMS club, or continue on as an independent

project under UBC’s Global Lounge. The future team is being formed, and they aim to keep supporting other Afrocentric organizations “at their leisure and their needs” — a sentiment that is fully reciprocated, as all the groups they’ve previously assisted are their community partners, with many individual members volunteering during the two-day conference. Whatever the group decides to do in the end, Hill said that the important thing for people to know is that they exist. “We’re here. Let people know that we’re present.” U


OPINIONS

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 TUESDAY

EDITOR TRISTAN WHEELER

11

ADVICE //

Letter: From a fifth year to all first years — be brave Adry Yap Contributor

I spent the majority of my degree scared and complacent. I decided that spending two years taking science courses and getting terrible grades was the greater alternative to admitting that I may be better suited for arts. Why? Because everyone makes fun of arts degrees, so I let that stop me from admitting that I’m creative — a dreamer with skills that are better suited for arts. Now, I’m a psychology student and my grades and my soul sleep better. If I could offer you one piece of advice, something I wish someone had drilled into me when university started is this: be brave. I know, I wish it was something more mind-blowing and complex. But being brave in itself is difficult. It’s so general, so let me try and break it down for you.

TRY NEW THINGS Be brave and seek out new experiences. Don’t be afraid to be uncomfortable, embrace it. Growth and self-discovery are facilitated by stepping outside your comfort zone. So go join clubs, attend parties and first-year events. Be proactive and make the effort to do things that scare you. Don’t do what I

FILE PATRICK GILLIN

“But being brave in itself is difficult.”

did and pretend to be too cool for novel experiences. For so long, I wondered why I felt like I hadn’t grown since high school. It wasn’t until I started getting involved in the community that I started to feel that sense of self-improvement I had longed for. I was — and still am — so afraid to try new things because I didn’t want to fail. Now, I’m constantly forcing myself to operate outside of my comfort zone and it’s scary but great.

LISTEN TO YOUR INTUITION Be brave enough to value your own opinion and gut feelings above others. Only you know what’s best for you. Don’t spend years studying something that a) you weren’t good at and b) you didn’t enjoy. If there’s something that feels off, don’t let the fear of judgement prevent you from staying true to yourself. I know it’s cliché and I still find myself struggling to adhere to this,

but do your best not to care what people think. Doing what you think you should do rather than what you want to do is overrated and not in service of yourself.

BE OPEN TO NEW EXPERIENCES So what’s the difference between being open and trying new things? To me, the difference is in passivity. When I suggest

being open to experiences, I mean going with the flow, letting things happen and sticking around long enough to watch them play out. You never know who you may meet, memories you may make and experiences you may be exposed to. Try not to write things off right away and keep an open mind. I shut out so many experiences because I thought it wasn’t something I’d be interested in. For example, I had no idea how interesting writing for virtual reality was until I took a creative writing course. Rather than turning my nose at it because I’ve never been interested in video games, I kept an open mind and it really sparked an interest in me. Be brave. It’s something I have to tell myself everyday. If you’re not pushing yourself, you’re not growing. I know it’s only the first few weeks of school, but time flies. I remember being in first year, I couldn’t see the end of my degree — it seemed impossibly far away. Now, I’m here and it’s unreal. Truth be told, I wish I had realized and implemented my own advice years ago. So here’s me, doing my best to reach out and pass on what I consider to be the greatest thing I’ve learned over my years at UBC. Good luck and be brave! U Adry Yap is a fifth-year psychology student.

CO-OPTING //

Op-Ed: Stop using students’ rebellious history as your public history PR move

“The Great Trek loses meaning when stripped of its radical roots.”

Thomas O’Donnell Culture Editor

I spend almost all of my waking hours in the Nest. If a fly breaks wind on the third floor, I can sense it. So obviously, I noticed when a two-storey-tall poster was unveiled last week promoting UBC’s Great Trek Festival. The poster features smiling students on a run, shows a map of Vancouver and UBC and ends with the strangely worded tagline: “A jaunt through Musqueam territory.” This poster and the festival misrepresent UBC history, and that infuriates me. This is the first year of Great Trek Festival. The festival is part of Fall Classic, a series of races and marathons held annually at UBC. The ‘Great Trek’ part of the festival will feature a relay race

ZUBAIR HIRJI

around campus and is advertised to have “a party at University Plaza and traditional Musqueam performances.” According to the relay website, the race is “Following in the tradition of the Arts ’20 Relay, a historical UBC event which pays homage to the founding of the UBC Point Grey campus,” and the festival itself is named after a critical event in UBC student history (except neither the relay nor the race take the route of the Arts ’20 Relay or The Great Trek). So, why am I complaining about students getting exercise? I’m not. I’m bothered by how UBC is using its students’ history of standing up for what they believed was right as a marketing tool. The event website gives a brief explanation to the Great Trek and its history but to understand

my qualm, let’s delve a little bit more into some early campus history. When it was founded, UBC used to be where Vancouver General Hospital currently sits, in the Fairview neighbourhood of Vancouver. That campus was built as a temporary space, as our current Point Grey location on stolen Musqueam land was chosen in 1910. With the outbreak of WWI, the building of the Point Grey campus was put off by the provincial government and courses began in the temporary buildings in Fairview. As the war ended, enrolment went up by 211 per cent leaving the Fairview campus over-crowded. To accommodate all those students, courses had to be held in church basements or in tents. In 1920, students of the arts faculty challenged students of other faculties to a relay race from the undeveloped site of the university to the Fairview campus. The relay became a symbol for the inaction of the provincial government and represented the frustration of the students. The students continued to pass the baton of anger at the lack of work done on building the new Point Grey campus. The culmination of this frustration was angered action in the summer of 1922. The president of the AMS organized a campaign for students to return to their hometowns collecting signatures petitioning the provincial government to start work on the

new campus. In that October, the AMS held Varsity Week, a week to raise public awareness and collect more signatures. The week ended with The Great Trek. To make a statement to the provincial government and administration, students marched from downtown Vancouver to Point Grey. The students marched with banners, floats and a marching band calling for immediate action on building the campus. The march ended with students performing a sit-in on the shell of the science building – now the chemistry building. After the impressive effort, the provincial government gave in and completed construction of the Point Grey campus in 1925. The Great Trek can be a rather inspirational story of students taking direct action against what they saw as an oppressive and ineffective administration. UBC using it as a prop to sell our history back to us is sad. The Great Trek loses meaning when stripped of its radical roots. Commandeering an act of student resistance and using it as a public history PR move takes away the importance of the students’ actions. In commercializing our history, we keep what sounds good to sell a run and lose what was substantial about the history in the first place. All that history being said, The Great Trek may need re-examining in our consciousness. Though it is a key part of our

history, it is important to reflect on The Great Trek through a critical lens — how can we reconcile this with the fact that the land the students marched for was unjustly stolen? With the planned events of the festival, like the Musqueam performances, it seems as though UBC is putting some amount of effort into re-thinking the role of The Great Trek in our scholastic myth, even if the slogan “A jaunt through Musqueam territory” may miss the mark in terms of actually showing a partnership with the First Nation. This isn’t to say that UBC should never evoke the Great Trek. To truly pay homage, the festival should focus more on its activist roots, with the Arts ’20 Relay taking the route of the original one and spaces for students to air their grievances to the provincial government and university administration (The university giving us space to complain? Ha!). While the university seems to be moving in a better direction in terms of doing at least something to acknowledge Musqueam title and trying to add some campus history to their traditions, the poster and website shows that they are prioritizing selling a run over telling the actual history. U Thomas O’Donnell is a fifth-year political science and Canadian studies student and the culture editor at The Ubyssey.


FROM THE BLOG

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 TUESDAY

EDITOR TRISTAN WHEELER

TANGLED //

12

PAYING FOR FRIENDS //

The Dingbat: A day in the life of the last person on campus without AirPods

What frat you should have rushed based on how masculine their rush video made me feel Tristan Wheeler Blog & Opinion Editor

My professor does his entire lecture with an airpod.

YSABEL GANA

I’ve got a job interview at nine the next morning, so I try to make some pasta I can heat up in the morning easily. As a joke, my roommate yanks on my headphone cables. I drop my bowl of pasta, shattering it all over my feet. I listen to a white noise app when I’m sleeping. I wake up at least once a night with my headphone wires wrapped around my neck, choked half to death and covered in sweat. All my roommates use AirPods and if they want to show me something they’re listening to, they’ll come up from behind me and just put theirs in my ears. It starts playing automatically which is pretty cool, but right now I’m recovering from my 14th inner ear infection, which makes riding my bike pretty tough. The next evening, I’m in IKB studying on the fourth floor and when I get up to leave I catch my headphone cord on my desk and the headphones pull down my ears. In a white-hot rage, I punch one of the 20-feet-tall windows, shattering it entirely. As I’m bleeding out, a paramedic cuts the cord of my headphones to get them off me faster. U

Jack Lamming Contributor

I wake up at 7:30 for my 10 a.m. class. My commute is made 25 minutes longer by the fact that I have to untangle my earbuds. I wrap them up neatly every night and in the morning, they’re tangled with every single wire in my house, including my lamp and Magic Bullet. When I get to campus, I get the wires of my headphones wrapped around the stop cord on the bus. The driver’s forced to pull the bus over and everyone on the bus takes out a single AirPod to yell at me. I can’t understand them, nobody speaks broke. My professor does his entire lecture with an AirPod in and Ripstiks away as soon as the lecture is over. When I’m on the way to my last class, an eagle mistakes the microphone on my headphones for a worm and pulls me 50 feet up in the air. I land in the middle of Martha Piper on someone Juul-ing. They tell me to read The Ubyssey. Once I dry off, I go to Sauder. At a résumé building workshop, they keep asking me to just lie and write that I have AirPods like everyone else. I’ve already lied about all of the extracurriculars I didn’t do, so I leave it off.

This week, fresh-faced young men across campus will be Rushing to join one of the many frats that are allegedly different from one another. Of the 10 frats on campus, four made videos giving us all a peek into the life we could have if we paid the necessary fees and are a man. The videos put together by Beta Theta Pi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Kappa Sigma and Sigma Chi respectively show us that being in a frat makes you cool, manly, very fit, chill and masculine. But how manly? As a cis-man in the modern era, I am in the constant need for confirmation in my feeling of masculinity. Sometimes if the weather is a bit off, maybe I didn’t have a big enough breakfast, I’ll become devoid of masculine feelings. This is why I’ll be rating the frat intro videos by how masculine they make me feel.

BETA THETA PI Beta Theta Pi is probably best known to us all as the frat that always has some bullshit like a couch out front. But if you consider platonic male bonding a major part of masculinity, their Rush video is what you’re after. The slow, majestic drone shots — which we’ll see a lot of in this list — contrast beautifully with the throngs of men fist bumping, high-fiving and, I’ll go right out and say it, bonding Coupled with hundreds of men in coordinated rugby shirts are clips of shirtless men working out with

lots of artful dust in the air — very masculine if I don’t say so myself. It really makes you want to gather up a few dozen of your closest friends, put on the same shirt and just toss the ol’ pigskin around. Masculine rating: 4.5/5

DELTA KAPPA EPSILON DKE makes a lot of…interesting artistic decisions in their Rush video, none of which made me feel that masculine. It starts out great with a drone shot, one of the best types of shots, but then makes a hard-left into strange computer animation. Imagining myself very small and in a keyhole unlocking a door with my face, head and neck? No thanks! I’d rather be big and be smashing a lock with my face, head and neck. Otherwise the video tries a little too hard. There are these very strange cuts to random things like sports cars and jumping into the ocean, which kind of make me feel masculine if I squint my eyes. Masculine rating: 3/5

KAPPA SIGMA While there are none of my favourite shots — drone shots in case you were wondering — it does make me feel masculine in moments. The feel of this video is much different than the previous ones. It really goes out of its way to mimic the motivational videos that people who are training for sports like to watch, which did give me a little jolt of masculine-feelings. One of the video’s biggest flaws is the 30 seconds of credits attached to

the end of the video, which really drained any masculinity I had gained from the video. It did also have a guy doing bike tricks which is something I’ve always wanted to do, so good for him! Masculine rating: 3/5

SIGMA CHI Okay. So about this video. First off, very few drone shots which is a big mistake. On the surface, it makes me have a lot of masculine feelings. There are, like, dudes working out and making business deals while an audio of a guy giving us platitudes about not giving up plays in the background. There are a lot of slow-mo shots that emphasize that feeling masculine sometimes is observing the small details of movement. But, it’s a little over the top. I sort of felt too masculine way too quick. As soon as that masculine feeling peaks, it forces you to examine what you’re looking at. Let me tell you, seeing these guys — all power-brokers in real life I’m sure — pretend to talk business and work out, it sort of reversed all those masculine feelings I immediately gained. This video is proof that there is a law of diminishing returns when it comes to making me feel masculine — so while not as effective as the others, I am very grateful to have seen it. Masculine rating: 2/5 U All videos mentioned can be viewed on the online version of this article.

The Dingbat is The Ubyssey’s humour column. You can send completed submissions and pitches to blog@ubyssey.ca.

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I am very grateful to have seen it.

SCREENSHOT SIGMA CHI/YOUTUBE


SCIENCE

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 TUESDAY

EDITOR JAMES VOGL

13

LIONS, TIGERS AND BEARS OH MY //

T. rex and environmental responsibility: What I learned on a walk through Beaty

The museum’s website boasts that two million specimens are housed in its 20,000 square feet, but also mentions that the museum is an active research collection.

Pawan Minhas Features Editor

Walking into the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, you’ll immediately find yourself pondering a few questions. What’s being stored on the lower level? How much is this adorable hand puppet? And, perhaps the most-asked question for the museum’s staff, There’s no way that huge skeleton is real … right? The curiosity sparked by the space is certainly no accident, as the museum’s foremost concern is with sating your scientific appetite. Inside the museum’s atrium, you wouldn’t be blamed for being a bit daunted by the sheer size of it all. Even ignoring the suspended blue whale skeleton — which is easier said than done — it’s hard not to be blown away by the building’s open-air layout. It serves to both impress you while also pulling your eye down to its lower levels, where the biological specimens you’ve heard all about reside. But the museum’s offering of seemingly endless knowledge is a lot like the building itself — it gives you so much to work with that you’re both raring to go and paralyzed by choice. There are plenty of placards to tell you what you’re looking at, but you might find yourself wanting for a more human touch.

That’s where the museum tours come in. Led by museum staff, a tour through Beaty makes you feel like you’re the first hominid to crack two rocks together and get a spark. This past week, the museum celebrated Science Literacy Week by reiterating how determined it is to teach you anything you’d like about the astounding number of flora and fauna specimens it has in its halls. Starting with the local animals display, the museum begins working its magic by reintroducing you to the animals you’ve grown up reading about or watching on TV, adding facts you never would have known otherwise. You’re walked through how a penguin’s wings evolved to become perfect for shooting through frigid waters. You’re amazed by how varied coral can be from one species to another. You’re confused by the similarities between popularized prehistoric predators and the modern-day chicken, while also amused at the thought of a Tyrannosaurus rex bobbing its head like its probable descendent. But the museum doesn’t only have fun facts about regenerating starfish. Every few shelves stands an infographic or placard that reminds the viewer exactly how influential Homo sapiens sapiens have been the past few hundred years. From New Zealand’s kiwi

bird population being decimated by imported invasive species, to BC trees suffering longer pine beetle infestation due to a warmer climate, the Beaty doesn’t shy away from placing the blame where it belongs. Like the other, lighter scientific topics one is invited to explore, the museum breaks down humanity’s impact on the world’s biosphere exactly as any researcher would: with hard numbers and easilycommunicated results that give the information a degree of accessibility. Accessibility in this context means learning a lot more about our species’ terrible impact on the planet. Walking through the shelves and viewing the many placards that adorn them, you start to wonder why the museum operates the way it does. Its website boasts that two million specimens are housed in its 20,000 square feet, but also mentions that the museum has an active research collection. This means the majority of those specimens will be used by scientists, but will never actually be put on display. So if the Beaty is actually a storage facility, why does it sacrifice square footage to become a museum? The answer isn’t likely to be money, given the admission rates are nothing exorbitant, and visits are free for card-carrying UBC students. So you start to

wonder: what purpose does the Beaty serve? The answer lies in the museum’s online mission statement, where one theme stands out: responsibility. In the museum’s own words, “To promote a greater sense of collective responsibility for the biodiversity of British Columbia, Canada, and the world.” It’s hard to argue that the Beaty isn’t shooting for that goal in every part of its exhibits. From the jargon-less language on placards describing plant pressing, to the active encouragement to ask museum staff questions, everything about the Beaty is there to help you understand what lives around you and in every corner of the globe. Even the job title of the tour guide, identified by his tag as a “museum interpreter,” indicates the lengths the museum goes to to make sure the curiosity it encourages is rewarded with accessible and informative answers. After the tour, speaking with museum interpreter and UBC student Vincent Sayson helped to understand what he aimed for when giving tours in Beaty. “[I do it] to spark any further interest to pursue something, whether it’s further research or advocacy,” he said. “You need that fascination, that kind of wonder … But if I can just get people to say ‘Oh, that’s neat,’ I think

FILE YARA DE JONG

I’ve already succeeded.” Once they’ve taken their last required science course, whether that is high school chemistry or EOSC 112, many people find themselves falling out of interaction with scientific theory and research, often due to a perceived lack of relevancy to their own lives. Sayson said that finding science that intrigues is as easy as examining the little things in your everyday routine. “The decisions we make personally and on bigger levels, like what kind of food we eat, what we put into our environment, things that affect our lives. Yeah, people are experts in things because not everyone has to know how to do everything, but just understanding a bit more so we can know where to turn to when we need more information is a big help.” And while things like a huge museum or the details of gravitational waves can seem like they’re the end-all be-all for science literacy, Sayson reinforced that there are as many ways to become engaged in science as there are interests you can have. “I always say that everyone’s a nerd about something. People who get really into fantasy football leagues? That’s statistics,” he said. “I think it’s great to pursue something intellectual, but sometimes you can just follow what you’re interested in, and then there you are.” U


SPORTS+REC

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 TUESDAY

EDITOR SALOMON MICKO BENRIMOH

14

RECREATION //

Recreating Recess: Exploring campus on two wheels Brendan Smith Contributor

Trois-Pistoles is a small Quebec town that borders the Saint Lawrence River and whose residents, for the most part, speak mostly French. It was named Trois-Pistoles after three coins were discovered in its river by Portuguese explorers, or at least that was the story someone told me when I was there a couple summers ago. I was in Trois-Pistoles for a summer French program, which meant that my time there was mostly engaged in schoolwork. But the inviting summer weather and excitement of living in a new place were all I needed to go exploring whenever there was free time. At the start of the program, everyone was given a bike in order to transport themselves to and from classes or to get around the town. After biking around TroisPistoles, however, I was in search of a bigger challenge. Then one day, one of the teachers mentioned a lake not too far away from the town. When I asked how long it would take to bike there, he did not give a specific time but rather casually answered that the ride there should not take that long. That lake was called SaintMathieu and, for the record, the bike ride there was quite long. When biking to Lac SaintMathieu, you begin by climbing up a steep hill that takes you out of Trois-Pistoles. Once out of town,

MAYA RODRIGO-ABDI

Riding a bike offers an experience that is distinctly unique.

you ride through the countryside, past lots of open green space and animals grazing in the fields. After about an hour plus of biking, you finally reach Lac Saint-Mathieu. The ride back also begins with climbing a hill and I remember on the day I rode back that there was quite a bit of wind, so the total time spent biking was upwards of two and a half hours. Still, that ride remains one of my most memorable experiences.

That’s why this week’s recess is to ride a bike and explore campus. Riding a bike offers an experience that is distinctly unique. With the same energy exertion, you can go further with a bike than you can when you run­­ — and unlike when you are in a car or bus, you are actively moving as you push down on the pedals. In retrospect, owning a bike in a town like Trois-Pistoles is what made the experience so

memorable. Biking allows you to explore not just the town but also the surrounding geographical area, like the farmland and lakes, which adds perspective to the town itself so you can better understand its culture. That is why biking can be a huge asset for those who want to become more familiar with UBC campus and its surrounding areas. Now to ride a bike, you first need to own one. For some

students this may be an issue, but there are rental bike options available for relatively low prices, as well as bike stores nearby if you are looking to buy one. If you do purchase a bike, I strongly suggest buying a bike lock as well. Vancouver is notorious for stolen bikes and, if possible, try to keep the bike in your room when you are not riding it — especially if it is a new bike. As for possible bike routes around campus, the best is a loop that starts at Walter Gage, passing the first-year residences and takes you into Wesbrook Village before it ends back at the Nest for a possible post-ride meal. Depending on the weather and time of day, you may also be able to look out over at the Burrard Inlet when you pass the Museum of Anthropology on your route. With that said, there are lots of routes worth biking that will allow you to become more familiar with campus. If you are not on campus, then the challenge can be to either bike to work or, if that is not possible, bike to somewhere you’ve never been. This could be a nearby lake, forest or even just a neighbourhood that’s eluded you. You can plan a route if you wish, but, from my experience, sometimes the best rides are the ones where you don’t know where you are going and just bike until you want to go home. Last but not least: safety is sexy so remember to wear a helmet and use bike lights when riding at night. U

MASSIVE VICTORY //

Rugby dominant in first win

SCORE BOX Sport

Home

Score

Away

Women’s Hockey

UBC

2–1

Team BC

Men’s Hockey

UBC

6–1

MacEwan

Women’s Soccer

UBC

3–0

Regina

Manitoba

37–19

UBC

Women’s Soccer

UBC

2–0

Saskatchewan

Men’s Hockey

UBC

4–2

MacEwan

UBC

63–0

Alberta

Friday, September 20

Saturday, September 21 The ’Birds didn’t show a lot of mercy in their big win against the Alberta Pandas.

Diana Hong Contributor

The UBC Thunderbirds women’s rugby team got their first win of the season this past Sunday night against the University of Alberta Pandas. The ’Birds were back in action on campus after last week’s unsuccessful trip to Victoria where the they lost a nail-biter to rival the University of Victoria Vikes. But this weekend would prove to be completely different, as not even the rainy weather stopped the T-Birds from absolutely dominating the Pandas in their

meeting of the season. The game started off strong with a successful try and conversion made by the T-Birds’ Shoshanah Seumanutafa at around the five-minute mark. Then the T-Birds finished off strong in the first half with a score of 27–0. Emma Feldinger, Emily Baker, Beau Schellekens and Hunter Czeppel would all score for the T-Birds before the first half was over, giving the home team a mammoth 27–0 lead over the Pandas. The rain did not stop during the second half, but with the

ELIZABETH WANG

momentum on their side, the T-Birds kept the pressure on the Pandas. However, the ’Birds’ Emma Feldinger and the Pandas’ Jody Siemens had to leave the game due to a head-to-head collision for which they both had to receive stitches. Although the T-Birds were winning by 27 points, they kept pushing harder with more successful tries by Czeppel, Schellekens, Rachel Smith and Madison Gold. The game finished off with one more try, courtesy of Nicole Simoneau, at the 78th minute and ending the game with a final score of 63–0. U

Football

Sunday, September 22

Women’s Rugby


SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 TUESDAY | SPORTS+REC | 15

WEEKEND RUNDOWN ’Birds offence struggles in loss to Manitoba James Vogl Science Editor

After a punishing start to their season, it was more of the same for the Thunderbirds on Saturday as the men’s football team lost 19–37 on the road against the University of Manitoba Bisons. The woes started early for the ’Birds, as running back Sharique Khan coughed up the ball on the second snap of the game on the UBC 17-yard line. Manitoba capitalized on the fumble, with quarterback Des

Catellier delivering a quick 10yard pass to wide receiver Macho Bockru to put the Bisons ahead 0–7 with 13:31 left in the first quarter. It took another nine minutes before UBC put their first points on the board. Their defensive squad brought Catellier down in the end zone for a safety after a Garrin McDonnell punt pinned the Bisons deep in their own territory. Manitoba roared back with two quick scores before the end of the quarter, the first came on a 38-yard field goal and the second on an interception thrown by UBC quarterback Tommy Yanchuk. After the 44-yard pick-six by Bisons defensive back Arjay Shelley, the scoreline stood at 2–17 with just over 30 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Despite a few glimmers of hope, the ’Birds would be unable to overcome this initial deficit. An 88-yard punt return by running back Daniel Appiah and a 33-yard run by wide receiver Jacob Patten would be the only other times UBC would see the end zone. Even with a McDonnell field goal, the Thunderbirds could not match Manitoba’s offensive tempo, as the Bisons would go on to score two more touchdowns on the ground complemented by two field goals. With this latest road loss, the T-Birds are now 0–4 in Canada West conference play. They will be looking to finally break their losing streak at home at Thunderbird Stadium on Saturday against the surging University of Alberta Golden Bears. U

The Thunderbirds are now 0–4 in Canada West play.

Women’s soccer earn double wins Andy Phung Contributor

The ’Birds are quickly becoming a serious force to be reckoned with this year.

AMAN SRIDHAR

Avid T-Birds fans surely couldn’t be more delighted exiting the Thunderbird Stadium last Friday afternoon after witnessing their team’s goal bonanza on the University of Regina Cougars. The first half saw the T-Birds dominate possession but fail to convert on any of their chances. A stunning tip by UBC goalie Emily Moore against a wellplaced shot from Cougars forward Taylor Bubnick at the 43rd minute ensured the first half ended goalless. Regina’s defence buckled under constant pressure in the second half, eventually fouling ’Birds rookie Katalin Tolnai at the 55th minute. Tolnai finally put UBC ahead from the resulting free kick with a beautifully curved shot. Unfortunately, she was injured

FILE SALOMON MICKO BENRIMOH

at the 60-minute mark and was forced to exit the game. Tolnai’s substitution, Danielle Steer, converted from the penalty spot with a decisive shot to the upper-right corner. 90+17 saw UBC’s Sophie Damian tip the ball in after Steer’s shot rebounded off Regina goalkeeper Savannah Williams. The game ended 3–0 for UBC. “It’s tough to just break teams down right from the get-go of games and we talked a lot about being fast, physical and fit,” said head coach Jesse Symons. “The players work so hard off the field to get ready for the season and they show a great mindset to keep the high tempo, which I was really pleased with tonight.” Saturday then saw the T-Birds defeat the University of Saskatchewan Huskies 2–0 for their fourth consecutive win and clean sheet this season. With such a stellar defence and clinical forwards, it wouldn’t be surprising if the team takes the Canada West crown this year. U

T-Birds soundly defeat MacEwan Griffins in exhibition games Jordan Elizabeth-Liddell Contributor

Friday night saw a heated match between the UBC Thunderbirds men’s hockey team and the visiting MacEwan University Griffins team. The Thunderbirds grabbed a decisive win, with the game ending with a final score of 6–1. This game was the first in a series of two backto-back games played between both teams at Father David Bauer Arena. The beginning of the first period was unproductive for the UBC team. They struggled to register shots and generate chances despite having better puck control than their opposition. It was not until halfway through the period on their third power play that UBC was able to get a clean shot on net. Late in the first period, veteran T-Bird Tyler Sandhu opened the scoring with just 30 seconds remaining. Sandhu ended

the game with a hat trick, scoring the remaining two goals in the third period. Forward Matt Revel also found his way on to the board with two goals and led the team in shots on goal with seven. UBC forward Austin Vetterl had three assists, assisting on all of linemate Sandhu’s goal. The visibly and audibly frustrated MacEwan team answered the Thunderbirds’ consistent pressure and puck possession with physicality. This resulted in increasing tension between the teams that came to a boiling point at the end of the third. A scuffle broke out resulting in UBC’s Quinn Benjafield, Revel and MacEwan’s Austin Yaremchuk all receiving 10-minute misconduct penalties. The disgruntled MacEwan team went into Saturday’s game swinging, but ultimately it would be the Thunderbirds who would come out on top once more with a 4–2 win. U

UBC’s Austin Glover tries to make his way around the MacEwan goal.

ELIZABETH WANG


16 | GAMES | TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2019

COURTESY KRAZYDAD.COM

COURTESY KRAZYDAD.COM

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1- Seaweed; 5- Belief involving sorcery; 10- Civil War inits.; 13- Repentant one; 14- Arrest; 16- Suffix with Capri; 17- Perpetuate; 19- Fond du ___, Wis.; 20- Backbone; 21- Christian festival; 23- Poetic contraction; 24- ___ Nostra; 28- Perches; 30- Ceylon, now; 32- Resides; 33- Author Leonard; 35- Loser to DDE; 36- Rhododendron kin; 38- Astute; 42- Ox tail?; 43- Emulsion; 45- Mend; 49- Savage fierceness; 53- Skiing style; 54- Tough journey; 55- Never, in Nuremberg; 56- Charge with gas; 58- Old toothpaste brand; 60- Zero; 61- Aquarius; 65- A mean Amin; 66- List of mistakes; 67- Lumpy fuel; 68- Farm enclosure; 69- Prevent; 70- Askew;

DOWN 1- Crops up; 2- Laborer who handles cargo; 3- Third sign of the zodiac; 4- Elvis’s middle name; 5- World Series mo.; 6- Feathery wrap; 7- Building add-on; 8- That’s ___!; 9- Something causing peril; 10- Cabbage salad; 11- Surprised; 12- Former nuclear agcy.; 15- Plant anew; 18- Remember; 22- Piggy; 25- Treater’s words; 26- Toast; 27- Swiss river; 29- Draft org.; 31- Open field; 34- Organic compound; 36- Capital of South Australia; 37- Rigid airship; 39- Employ; 40- Novice; 41- SASE, e.g.; 42- 401(k) kin; 44- Frequently, in verse; 46- Atmosphere; 47- Dumbstruck; 48- Hinder; 50- Lined up; 51- Musical ineptitude; 52- Every 52 weeks; 57- Versailles verb; 59- Tailless rodent; 60- Pinch; 62- Dine; 63- Hwy.; 64- Ingot;

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U

BREAK THE NEWS THAT MATTERS TO CAMPUS

did you know that . . . Guinness World Records found the first cat with a name was from the reign of Thutmose III (1479–1425 BCE). It was called “Nedjem” which translates to “sweet” or “pleasant.”

— Pawan M.

Send your best facts to visuals@ubyssey.ca to be featured in next week’s issue!

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