SMellS lIKe SeXUAl FrUSTrATION SInCE 1918
UBC’S offICIAl STUdEnT nEWSpApER | noVEMBER 29, 2012 | VolUME xCIV| ISSUE xIxVI
snow blind The powder is piling up just as the exam stress is piling on. Want to hit the slopes and the books, all in the same day? Find out more about local mountains on P5
U THE UBYSSEY
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012 |
YoUR GUIdE To UBC EVEnTS + pEoplE
what’s on Tue 1229
2
PIC OF THE WEEK
THIS WEEK, MAY WE SUGGEST...
QuÉBeC >>
thursdAY
Memorial Service: 12:30-1:30 p.m. @ Wayne and William White engineering Design Centre
A memorial for the 14 women who were killed at l’École polytechnique de Montréal in 1989, as well as the countless women who have been victims of gender-based violence. Reception to follow. Tue 1230
mOvemBer >>
FrIdAY
12 1Tue
theAtre >>
sAturdAY
Ministry of Moustachery Fundraiser: 9 p.m. @ the Pit The Ministry of Moustachery, an AMS club, is hosting a fundraiser sponsored by palm Bay. There will be a draw for a free trip for two to Cancun. All proceeds go to prostate cancer research. $5 Tue 122
musIC >>
sundAY
ACAPPOCAlYPSe – The last Christmas ever: 6:30 p.m. @ Norm Theatre Ring in the holiday season with an apocalyptic Christmas concert. UBC’s A Cappella Club will be hosting a concert of Christmas music for the end of the world. $7 Tue 123
The 520s: 7:30 p.m. @ Dorothy Somerset Studio need a relaxing night out before finals? Theatre at UBC presents two one-act plays directed by MfA directing students: Knives in Hens and The Russian Play. Free.
hOmeWOrK >>
mOndAY
KAI JACoBSon/THE UBYSSEY
Students enjoy a few last moments of fun before overnight exam-cramming sessions at IKB become a regular occurance. one student had the right idea; exercise is an excellent way to rid yourself of that pre-exam stress.
Writing Help Drop-In: 3-7 p.m. @ IKB learning Commons
final exams are finally here! Can’t figure out how to turn your scribbled notes into an essay? Terrible at writing under pressure? fellow students are volunteering their time to help you. Free.
Got an event you’d like to see on this page? Send your event and your best pitch to printeditor@ubyssey.ca.
U THE UBYSSEY
noVEMBER 29, 2012 | VolUME xCIV| ISSUE xIxVI Senior Lifestyle Writer COntACt stAFF BusIness Zafira Rajan Bryce Warnes, Josh Curran, zrajan@ubyssey.ca Coordinating Editor editorial Office: SUB 24 peter Wojnar, Anthony poon, Business Manager 604.822.2301 Jonny Wakefield Fernie Pereira Veronika Bondarenko, Yara coordinating@ubyssey.ca Features Editor Van Kessel, lu Zhang, Ginny fpereira@ubyssey.ca Natalya Kautz Business Office: SUB 23 Monaco, Arno Rosenfeld, ADVERTISING 604.822.1654 features@ubyssey.ca Managing Editor, Print Matt Meuse, Hogan Wong, Web Ad Sales INQUIRIES 604.822.6681 Rory Gattens, Brandon Jeff Aschkinasi Ben Chen Video Editor Chow, Joseph Ssettuba. Tyler printeditor@ubyssey.ca Student Union Building bchen@ubyssey.ca McRobbie, Sarah Bigam, David Marino 6138 SUB Boulevard Stephanie xu video@ubyssey.ca Managing Editor, Web Accounts Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 Andrew Bates Copy Editor Tom Tang webeditor@ubyssey.ca Online: ubyssey.ca Karina Palmitesta ttang@ubyssey.ca Twitter: @ubyssey copy@ubyssey.ca News Editors Will McDonald + leGAl Art Director Laura Rodgers The Ubyssey is the official stu- work contained herein cannot missions for length and clariKai Jacobson dent newspaper of the Uni- be reproduced without the ty. All letters must be received news@ubyssey.ca art@ubyssey.ca versity of British Columbia. expressed, written permis- by 12 noon the day before inedItOrIAl
Senior News Writer Ming Wong mwong@ubyssey.ca
Graphics Assistant Indiana Joel ijoel@ubyssey.ca
Culture Editor Anna Zoria culture@ubyssey.ca
Layout Artist Collyn Chan cchan@ubyssey.ca
Senior Culture Writer Rhys Edwards redwards@ubyssey.ca
Videographer Soo Min Park spark@ubyssey.ca
Sports + Rec Editor CJ Pentland sports@ubyssey.ca
Webmaster Riley Tomasek webmaster@ubyssey.ca
It is published every Monday and Thursday by The Ubyssey publications Society. We are an autonomous, democratically run student organization, and all students are encouraged to participate. Editorials are chosen and written by the Ubyssey staff. They are the expressed opinion of the staff, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Ubyssey publications Society or the University of British Columbia. All editorial content appearing in The Ubyssey is the property of The Ubyssey publications Society. Stories, opinions, photographs and art-
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video content Make sure to check out this week’s Ubyssey Weekly Show, airing now at ubyssey.ca/videos/
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012 |
EDITORS WILL Mcdonald + laura rodgers
Student Fees >>
3
CAmpus Shuttle >>
C22 shuttle to be replaced with new C20 route
Stephanie xu photo/THE UBYSSEY
The new shuttle routes will take effect next year.
Brandon Chow Staff Writer
The AMS Bike Co-op is gathering signatures to get a referendum for a $1 student fee on the ballot in the next AMS election.
Kai Jacobson photo/THE UBYSSEY
Bike Co-op seeks referendum for $1 student fee Arno Rosenfeld Staff Writer
The AMS Bike Co-op wants to collect a $1 fee from every UBC student each year. If they can collect the required signatures, the proposal will be up for vote as a referendum on the AMS elections ballot in January. The Bike Co-op is funded by a handful of different sources, but a student fee would bring the group more stability. The fee would raise funds equal to this year’s entire Bike Co-op budget. The money would go towards services the Co-op already offers, like the bike-share program. About one-third to one-half of the current $50,000 budget comes from profits at the Bike Kitchen, which offers bike repairs and sells used bikes. The remainder of the money comes from UBC Transportation Planning, AMS resource groups, the City of Vancouver and various one-time grants, according to Co-op President Jean-François Caron. “Because we get funding from
NEWS BRIEFS UBC researcher finds HIV treatment reduces transmission rate A new study by UBC researcher Julio Montaner shows HIV treatment with highly active antiretroviral threapy (HAART) drugs reduces transmission of the disease. The study shows that when people who are HIV positive take HAART drugs, which reduce the number of HIV viruses in the body, they are less likely to spread the disease to others. It demonstrated that in Canadian provinces where more HIV-positive people take HAART drugs, the rate of new people being infected with HIV is lower. B.C. is the only province that offers HAART drugs for free to all people infected with HIV. Montaner is using the study results to argue that B.C.’s program should be replicated in other provinces as well. Study finds drug usually used to kill parasites could prevent TB A new UBC study has found that a drug usually used to kill parasites could be used to treat tuberculosis. The study found that the drug avermectin, commonly used to kill parasitic worms, kills the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. “These drugs are cheap, routinely produced by pharmaceutical companies, and, in many cases, approved for human use,” said UBC researcher Santiago Ramón-García, a co-author on the paper. “So the jump from lab bench to clinic could be much quicker.” U
UBC directly through Transportation Planning, that means part of our focus is fulfilling their mandate,” Caron said. “Whereas if we get most of our money from students, that justifies us saying we’re doing it just for the students.” The Co-op began gathering the 1,000 signatures needed to place the referendum on the ballot two weeks ago, and has gathered around 250 so far. The deadline for collecting the signatures is in mid-January. Caron said the student fee will make the Co-op less dependent on grants. He added that Co-op volunteers have to spend a lot of time applying for grants, and they are often only available for specific projects rather than general operating funds. AMS VP Finance Tristan Miller said he believed dedicated student fees were only appropriate for groups with an established presence at UBC. “[The Bike Kitchen] has a long history of credibility, of doing a lot of great work,” Miller said. “They
help the community, they have inexpensive repairs, they’re convenient, they’ve been around for a long time.... That lends them a lot of credibility and, in my opinion, confidence that they’d use the money well.” The Co-op, which was founded in 1998, has expanded in the last few years. Caron said it was this expansion that spurred the search for new funding sources. “Using temporary sources of funding, like grants, it’s difficult to keep [the expanded services] consistent,” he said. “You have to spend about half of your time getting those grants in the first place, and then the other half actually running the programs.” In addition to the Bike Kitchen, the Co-op provides various services to students. These include workshops during the first week of school as well as the bike share program, a bike trailer rental program and a regular Women’s Night at the Bike Kitchen, which serves as a
safe space for women to work on their bikes. The Co-op is currently developing a comprehensive long-term funding strategy that they hope will incorporate the student fee, Bike Kitchen profits, grants and increasing donations. Fourth-year science student Sidney Ang said he would be willing to pay the $1 fee. “I bike every day and I use the Bike Kitchen maybe once every two weeks,” Ang said. Caron said the Co-op’s biggest worry is not that the referendum will be rejected, but that it will not meet quorum in the elections. Last year, less than 12 per cent of students voted in AMS elections. In order for a referendum question to pass, eight per cent of students need to weigh in on it. “I think if we can get the petition filled out and if we can get quorum, then it will most likely pass,” Caron said. “I’m not too worried about a ‘no’ vote; I’m mostly worried about an inconclusive vote.” U
On the cover >>
City considers Broadway rapid transit line Andrew Bates Managing Editor, Web
Nobody knows where funding for a rapid transit Broadway line will come from, but it won’t be UBC. Vancouver City Council is trying to figure out how to make rapid transit along Broadway cheap enough for TransLink, the cashstrapped Lower Mainland transit authority. But UBC has rebuffed a suggestion that it could help fund the $2.8 billion proposal. “We are not a business; we are a publicly funded institution,” said Pascal Spothelfer, UBC vice-president external. “If we talk about a contribution, we would certainly be looking at infrastructure around having a station at UBC, but to lay the rails? I don’t see that.” City staff presented the case Tuesday for rapid transit along the Broadway corridor in the form of a below-ground SkyTrain like the Canada Line. At 80,000 trips each in 2008, the Broadway and UBC areas are the second- and third-largest transit centres in the region. The #99 B-Line busses have to pass up thousands of people in peak times, according to the city’s presentation. City staff could not be reached for an interview by press time. “When you look at how much population we have here,... it more than justifies having SkyTrain or some similar heavy technology right away,” said Kyle Warwick,
AMS vice-president external. “That means not waiting, and not doing it in two different stages.” Warwick said transit services benefit not just UBC residents, but the whole region. “There’s the people who study or work at UBC, and those people come from municipalities all throughout Metro Vancouver,” he said. “It’s really a responsibility of governments throughout the whole region to contribute to this.” TransLink is currently completing a study to be released in the new year on which methods of transit — underground subways or street-level light rail — would be best suited for Broadway. “I think there’s about seven different options that we’re currently studying,” said Derek Zabel, TransLink spokesperson. Zabel said TransLink would begin to consider how to balance Broadway transit with calls for more expansion into Surrey. “Once that study comes out, that would be the start of a regional dialogue about … different needs that different areas [have].” Warwick said the demands from all sides highlight the need for increased funding. “Realistically speaking, there’s merits to this project, there’s merit to projects in Surrey that are being proposed, there’s merits to a number of different projects and right now the funding that’s there is not sustainable, even to maintain current levels
of service,” he said. “We’re really trying to push the decision-makers to negotiate amongst themselves, in the most efficient and prompt manner possible, some distribution of funding.” One of the proposed methods of completing the project would be to split it up into two different stages, with SkyTrains extended to Arbutus street and rapid bus the rest of the way to UBC. Spothelfer, however, does not favour a split model. “Our approach has always been we want it to be one project,” he said. “There may be a staged opening along that line, but ... the goal is to have a connection all the way to UBC and then operate stages to open all the connections.” The City of Vancouver projects the planning and construction of a Broadway line to take five to seven years. It’s still unclear, however, when funding might be available or when the project might get off the ground. Spothelfer pointed to the Evergreen Line, a route to Coquitlam currently under construction, which was first proposed in 2002. “We have seen with the Evergreen Line how long these processes can take,” he said. “If we’re not participating in the discussions, if we don’t make our case now, then we might be losing out on the solutions we desperately need. “Even if it’s 10 years out, we have to be at the table and we have to work on it.” U
In September 2013, the C20 and C22 community shuttle routes will be replaced with a single two-way route around UBC campus. The new route will also serve the Wesbrook Place neighbourhood. The C20 shuttle, which presently runs a one-way loop from Marine Drive to the bus loop, will follow one of two proposed routes. According to TransLink and UBC Campus and Community Planning, the C22 shuttle between the bus loop and the Hampton Place neighbourhood is underused, and service hours for the C22 will be reallocated to the C20. The changes are being made as part of a TransLink plan to make regional transportation more efficient. UBC director of transportation planning Carole Jolly said that the new route will have “more frequent and expanded service hours and better connections on campus to service more UBC neighbourhoods and amenities, including coverage of Wesbrook Place.” The new shuttle will depart every 15 minutes in alternating directions, while the current C20 leaves every half hour. As outlined in the diagram of the newly proposed path, there are two different options for Campus and Community Planning to explore along the western-most part of the route: the bus will either run along Marine Drive, like the current C20, or along West Mall. Jolly said UBC prefers the West Mall option. “[It] better connects student residences and neighbourhoods to the services and amenities on campus,” she said “The primary concerns with this route, however, are the narrow lane widths on West Mall, as well as high frequency of speed bumps, pedestrian crossings and pedestrian and bicycle traffic, all of which may reduce the speed and reliability of the shuttle.” She said that if the shuttle runs along Marine Drive, like the current C20, UBC would need to install benches, bus shelters and better lighting at the Marine Drive stops. This past Monday, Campus and Community Planning held a public information session at Thunderbird Arena, detailing the proposed changes. UBC also hoped to get public input and suggestions about the changes at the information session. “It is very important … to make sure that we’ve considered all the issues, and we’re not missing any major gaps,” said Jolly. UBC student Jeremy Chan said he prefers the C20 to run along West Mall instead of Marine Drive. “[It] definitely seems to be the better option between the two, just because it’s closer to campus than the other route,” Chan said. An online survey is available on the UBC Campus and Community Planning website. The final decision between the West Mall and Marine Drive options will be made in mid to late spring of 2013. The route changes will take place in September 2013. U
4 | NeWS |
THUrSDAY, NOVeMBer 29, 2012
deGree prOGrAms >>
UBC sticks with high tuition for new economics degree
hOmelessness >>
BCIT prez nets $250,000 for homeless with night on streets
AMS says university ignored their affordability concerns Laura Rodgers News Editor
After asking students what they think about tuition fees for the proposed bachelor of international economics program, UBC has decided that the price for the program will not change. UBC originally hoped to approve the tuition costs for the new program at the September Board of Governors meeting, but the AMS insisted that consultations take place before the costs were voted on. In those consultations, students expressed that the price was too high, but now the same tuition prices are back on next week’s Board agenda to be voted on. UBC has proposed charging $10,000 per year for domestic students and $29,000 per year for international students. UBC says the costs of running the degree program — such as getting Sauder School of Business profs to teach courses, keeping class sizes small and running a career centre — make the higher tuition necessary. But the AMS pointed out that the proposed tuition amount would both cover the costs and make a budget surplus for UBC and the newly created Vancouver School of Economics. They’re asking for UBC to lower the price tag. UBC held a town-hall session about the program in October,
and also met with various student groups. AMS VP Academic Kiran Mahal wasn’t satisifed with UBC’s consulation process. “It didn’t feel like a consultation. It felt like an information session to basically discuss a pre-decided outcome. It was very much a one-sided conversation,” she said. The AMS has made a submission to the Board of Governors arguing that the tuition fee should be lowered. The submission notes that in the original proposal for the new degree, the tuition fees were only seven per cent above Sauder’s.
It didn’t feel like a consultation. It felt like an information session to basically discuss a pre-decided outcome. It was very much a onesided conversation. Kiran Mahal AMS VP Academic
“We would like those alternative scenarios to be looked at ... before it’s unilaterally decided,” said Mahal. UBC says they’ve responded to students’ concerns in the consultation by allowing international economics students to apply for the general pool of university
financial aid — something that usually isn’t allowed for higher-priced degree programs. “The university made an exception for this program,” said Angela Redish, UBC’s vice-provost. She also said the school will, in the future, look for donors to fund scholarships for international economics students. Students are currently able to apply to the program, which UBC hopes will take in its first cohort of students in September 2013. The program has yet to be approved by the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education, and prospective students are told that if the program isn’t approved, they can take a bachelor of arts or have their fees refunded. If it is approved, the school will take in 80 students in 2013, including 20 international students. Department Head Michael Devereux said the program will be good for UBC, because it will give more students opportunities to study economics. The university says its department is among the top economic programs in Canada. “Economics is a very high-demand undergraduate program,” Devereux said. “The creation of the new program expands the number of students who can major in economics at the UBC campus, an area where there is very huge demand.” U
dUnCAn CAIRnS-BREnnER fIlE pHoTo/THE UBYSSEY
Meriha Betaon The Link (BCIT)
BURNABY (CUP) — A middle-aged man huddles in a Vancouver alley with only a sleeping bag to keep him warm and a piece of cardboard as a mattress. This man was Don Wright, president of the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). On Nov. 15, the Vancouver Covenant House hosted its first Sleep Out: Executive Edition, which involved 18 high-profile figures from all over the city. The event was staged to raise money and awareness for youth homelessness by having executives sleep outside for one night. Wright, who also sits on the board of the Covenant House, jumped at the opportunity to participate in this event. “It was pretty much a no-brainer for me because I was already committed to what the organization was doing,” Wright told The Link in a phone interview the morning after the Sleep Out. “When the opportunity came up, I just figured, well, I’ve got to be there.” The event started last year in New York, but since then, cities across North America have been inspired to participate. While an event like this usually takes months of preparation, Wright revealed that the Covenant House Vancouver put it together in just one month. “The original goal was to raise $110,000, with every dollar matched by generous donors. That goal was surpassed. $134,470 was raised — a total of $244,470 with matching donors,” said Wright. “We were just delighted how successful we were with relatively little advance notice.” The morning of the interview, Wright calculated there was $7,000 in funds he had raised on his own, with donations still coming in. <em>
“I just sent emails out to friends and family and business acquaintances. I was quite gratified by the response I got,” said Wright. “A lot of people didn’t hesitate for a moment. They would say, here’s $1,000, here’s $500, here’s $200.” The money was initially raised to fund Crisis Shelter, a unit of the Covenant House that caters to homeless youth between the ages of 16 and 22. Executives who participated in the Sleep Out raised enough money to fund one whole month of operation expenses at Crisis Shelter. The event was such a success that Wright is certain it will take place again next year. “We will need a bigger parking lot, will be my prediction” joked the BCIT president.
</em>
Make a resolution: News for New Years
MERIHA BETAon/THElInK
BCIT president don Wright spent a night on the streets and raised close to $250,000 for a youth homelessness charity.
Wright is also positive he will be one of the people camping out next year, as homelessness in Vancouver is an issue dear to his heart. “I think in a society as rich as ours, it is unacceptable that there are people that don’t have access to secure places to live,” said Wright. “I don’t think we can call ourselves a successful society until we have eliminated that.”
U
Been putting off a visit to SUB 24? For more info how to get involved next term, contact Will McDonald and Laura Rodgers | news@ubyssey.ca
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012 |
EdIToR C.J. PENTLAND
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WInter spOrts >>
Fresh pow on the horizon Whistler is extremely popular with both the locals and tourists due to its amazing mountains and après-ski nightlife in the charming Whistler Village. The Blackcomb and Whistler mountains are side by side, and they offer snowboarding and skiing on over 200 trails, from black diamond-level slopes to gentler bunny hills. There are also more niche activities like snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and
Zafira Rajan Senior Lifestyle Writer
After hitting the books, hit the slopes on some of B.C.’s best mountains
W
ith exam prep comes yet another thing to plan: what to do once finals are over. Avoid the temptation to deal with this anticlimactic month by staying in bed. Instead, take advantage of what beautiful B.C. has to offer: some of the best places for winter sports, all within a reasonable distance.
snowshoeing. And if you feel like taking a break and have some cash to spare, you can always take the well-known peak-to-peak gondola; it’s a breathtaking four-kilometre ride from Whistler Mountain to Blackcomb Mountain. You will want to spend more than just a day or two there, but it doesn’t come cheap, so make sure to have some money in the bank before going. Open now
Located only half an hour away from downtown in West Vancouver, Cypress is a quick getaway and cheaper than Whistler. The lines are usually small on weekdays, and they’re miniscule if you opt for night skiing. There aren’t as many runs, but shorter lines mean more time on the slopes. Beginners should keep in mind that this mountain caters more to
the advanced skier, as over 70 per cent of the runs are classified as difficult. Even the bunny slope is significantly more difficult than Whistler’s. The trails for snowshoeing on Cypress (and on Mount Seymour) are free, so snowshoeing is a good way to save some money and still have a great time. Opens Nov. 30
CYPRESS WHISTLER
Well-known for the Grouse Grind, this mountain offers hiking in the winter as well: the Snowshoe Grind. In addition to the trek through the snow, there’s zip-lining, ice skating and an ice limo. The restaurants on the mountain are also great, though pricey, and the views of the North Shore and downtown are stunning. Boarding and skiing is available on the natural snow slopes, which are enhanced by an impressive snow-making system. The discounted night skiing is very popular too, with 14 runs lit up after the sun goes down. Overall the runs on Grouse are fairly tame, so it’s great for someone at a beginner to intermediate level. Some runs currently open
SEYMOUR GROUSE
BIG WHITE
Whistler
Cypress
Seymour
Grouse
Big White
200+
53
39
26
118
# of chair lifts 37
9
5
10
16
Cost of day lift ticket
$96
$47
$46
$58
$77
Cost of ski/ board and boot rental
$71.99
$42
$41
$42
$38
Cost of pants/ jacket rental
$35+
$35
$24
$26
$24
# of ski runs
A smaller mountain than the rest, North Vancouver’s Mount Seymour is rated first among snowshoe resorts in North America and offers tubing and tobogganing in addition to snowboarding and skiing. A newly installed chairlift reaches the peak in a mere four minutes, which cuts lineups in half. With its shorter runs and cheap prices, Seymour is great for beginners who want to refine their skills or try out other winter sports, but won’t do the trick for experienced boarders and skiiers. A great perk: women ride free on Monday nights from 6-10 p.m. Opens soon
Thirty-five miles from Kelowna, Big White is a little town on a mountain with the most coveted type of snow: champagne powder. It has grip, and people often describe it as fluffy and creamy. The mountain has a great family feel, with a ton of activities to offer: skiing, boarding, snow biking, dog sledding, snowmobiling and even a 60-foot ice tower for climbing. Difficult runs are limited, but Big White is known for having some of the best medium-level runs. As the second-largest mountain in B.C., the trails are long and the views are breathtaking. It’s pricey, but less so than Whistler. There are also lots of great deals for staying on the mountain, with some lodges even giving away free lift tickets just for staying there. Opens Nov. 29
6 | culture |
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012
| culture | 7
8 | CUlTUre |
THUrSDAY, NOVeMBer 29, 2012
mOvemBer >>
Ministry of Moustachery joins ranks of AMS clubs
Year-round lip-warmer appreciation kicks off with Friday night fundraiser at Pit Pub Catherine Guan Contributor
The Ministry of Moustachery, a campus organization devoted to moustache appreciation, certainly doesn’t lack boldness of vision. It was recently founded by Thomas Elgie, Jamie Grassby and Ruari Trueger, third-year students in the faculties of engineering, commerce and arts, respectively. During the razor blade heyday of the ’90s, facial hair in all its forms had been deemed an abomination to the face of man. But no more. The Ministry is setting forth to revive the art of the moustache in the grand tradition of greats such as Tom Selleck. “Just a seriously handsome dog,” declared Trueger regarding his idol, the Magnum, PI star. His comrades were likewise moved by a few iconic ’staches. Grassby’s inspiration was Burt Reynolds, and for Elgie, it was the enviably full whiskers of the Monopoly Man. According to Elgie, “The idea first popped into our heads at the end of last year. We were talking about clubs in general and how some of them are so ridiculous and have these bizarre names.” The Ministry’s first event is the inaugural Moustache Pageant, to be held at the esteemed Pit Pub on Nov. 30. Proceeds will go to prostate cancer research. “Fun aside, it also allows for money and awareness to be raised, and makes the important point that men are hairy,” said Trueger. He
said he believes this movement can potentially have even grander implications for all mankind, noting with dismay that “so many men in this day and age feel the need to shave their face, chest, back and nether regions.” “The same applying to women, of course, with arguably more social pressure on them, and I feel it serves as a way to change that for both sexes. Although that might be a bit of a bold claim. Baby steps.” Growing a moustache is not for the faint of heart; their battle for the status of upper lip scruff hasn’t been an easy one. Grassby admitted that “family, for the most part, doesn’t like it, which doesn’t come as a huge surprise.” After a pause, he added: “Actually, friends don’t really like it either.” Elgie faced similar resistance. “My mom likes the idea behind it, that it’s for prostate cancer, but she didn’t like it at first. She thought it looked perverted.” Much to the chagrin of these gentlemen, the moustache still can’t shake off its negative connotations. Elgie offered the following counsel to aspiring hirsute men: “Try to avoid trench coats and dark corners.“ It might also be prudent to avoid mirrors. “Don’t be discouraged the first week or two; it’s not going to look great,” said Grassby. “Mine doesn’t look great; I’m not talking as the Moustache Man of the Year here. But you’ve just got to work through it.” Elgie’s advice for those trying times is to “partner with the
Ministry of Moustachery and talk each other through it.” “I am a particularly hairy chap, and rather proud of that,” said Trueger. “I hope to instill the same sense of pride in others, whether they be hairy or not. Flaunt what you got, not necessarily what society wants you to have!” A sense of fearlessness is important for a man to wear a moustache well. Trueger pronounced, “The Moustache Man is bold. The kind of man who wrestles bears, outruns mountain lions only to return home to his wife, eight sons and daughter at his small cabin in the Yukon … and mentions nothing of it. It is a state of mind, body and soul.” A Moustache Man like Elgie thinks nothing of lofty goals. “For sure, I was going for the handlebar [for my first moustache]. Still can’t do it. Still going to try.” Grassby is no less fierce, having “dabbled in jet black”, which is a daring move for someone who describes himself as “quite blonde”. There will be some bold moustaches on display at the Moustache Pageant at the Pit. “Expect some good clean fun, with a chance to take your moustache and a friend to Cancun, Mexico, as we are giving away a trip for two as a part of a draw thanks to Palm Bay,” said Trueger. The competition is not limited to men. “We’ve got some fingerstaches coming,” Elgie said. After all, “the next great thing to a great moustache is someone who appreciates a great moustache.” U
Fun aside, it also allows for money and awareness to be raised, and makes the important point that men are hairy. Ruari Truger Club co-founder
Don’t be discouraged the first week or two. It’s not going to look great. You’ve just got to work through it. James Grassby Club co-founder, on growing facial hair
WHAT The first UBC Moustache pageant
if you
go
WHere The pit pub WHeN nov. 30 WHO The Ministry of Moustachery, an AMS club HOW MUCH? $5 towards prostate cancer research
KAI JACoBSon/THE UBYSSEY
The magnificent moustached trio: Thomas Elgie, Ruari Trueger and Jamie Grassby started the Ministry of Moustachery to celebrate men’s hairiness and raise money for prostate cancer.
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012
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etween debatable faculty spirit and uncertain job prospects, Arts students are often apathetic about their choice of faculty. In particular, students within the more creative departments may feel left in the cold due to the outdated architecture of their buildings and the budget cuts that mire their studies. But it’s important to remember that UBC’s art programs have produced creatives of national and international calibre. Many have gone on to exhibit, direct and perform in award-winning projects across the world. The following list features some of UBC’s best and brightest across several departments in the creative arts.
zo-soprano opera singer over the course of her multi-decade career. Shortly after graduating, she won several prestigious competitions and was soon signed with the infamous New York Metropolitan Opera, with whom she has starred in over 200 performances. Performing with numerous other opera companies in Canada and across the world, Forst was the first performer to play several premiere roles. In 1978 she was named Canadian Woman of the Year, and she is an officer of the Order of Canada.
Corner Gas . However, he is also a veteran of Canadian theatre. In the early ’70s, Peterson helped pioneer the collective theatre movement in Canada through his co-founding of the Vancouver Tamahnous Theatre company, as well as his involvement with Toronto's Theatre Passe Muraille. In 1978, Peterson co-wrote and performed in the award-winning one-man play, Billy Bishop Goes to War , with fellow UBC alum John Gray. The show has been continuously performed throughout North America ever since. </em>
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corporate downsizing, After the Axe , and the International Emmy award-winning Gerry and Louise, a 1997 documentary love story set in apartheid Africa. He has also directed numerous episodes of popular television series, such as Da Vinci's Inquest , The Twilight Zone and Rookie Blue . He is currently the president of the Director's Guild of Canada. </em>
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Biennale and Germany's Documenta. He has published essays in prominent academic journals, curated art shows and taught about art across the world.
Hart Hanson, master of fine arts in creative writing, 1987
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Sturla Gunnarsson, master of arts in film studies, 1977
Judith Forst, bachelor of music, 1965
jane1000 Photo/flickr
Ken Lum, master of fine arts in visual arts, 1985 Mary Umas photo/THE UBYSSEY
Eric Peterson, bachelor of arts in theatre, 1972 Courtesy of Judith forst
Judith Forst has cultivated a worldwide reputation as a mez-
Eric Peterson is well-known for his role as the delightfully dim-witted Oscar Leroy on CTV's
UBC art grads you should know
From award-winning television shows to public art installations, these UBC alumni dominate the arts scene
Entertainment one
Filmmaker Sturla Gunnarsson is respected by critics for his ability to weave together history, drama and narrative into visually polished productions. His major successes include his Oscar-nominated 1981 docudrama about
Ken Lum's career as an educator and artist is paralleled by few others. Residents of Vancouver will recognize his public art installations, such as the iconic Monument to East Vancouver, all over the city. But his influence extends much further; his works have represented Canada in a multitude of prestigious international art exhibitions, such as the Shanghai
Genevieve719 Photo/flickr
Hart Hanson is the creator and ongoing show runner of the hit TV series Bones , the forensic anthropology drama based on the novels of Kathy Reichs. Long before he achieved fame with Bones , Hanson credits his creative writing professors with getting his feet wet in the industry. He started his career as a script reader at CBC before moving on to write for acclaimed shows like Stargate SG-1 , the Emmy-nominated Joan of Arcadia, and the Gemini award-winning Traders . U </em>
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—Rhys Edwards
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012 |
STUdEnT VoICE. CoMMUnITY REACH.
LAST WORDS
Still working for change 23 years after Montreal massacre
PERSPECTIVES by Anne-Marie long
C.J. pEnTlAnd IllUSTRATIon/THE UBYSSEY
ubc adePt at PretendinG to care what You thinK </strong>
If you follow consultation processes on campus (and who doesn’t love a good consultation process), you’ll know the outcomes are usually a mixed bag. Whether consultations have to do with changes to academic programs or development on campus, UBC usually arrives at one of two outcomes: <em>
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a.) Hey, it was great to hear from you, campus resident/student. A lot of good ideas and dialogue really came out of this whole process. But, you know, we’re just going to end up doing what we planned ahead of time, because, you know, fuck it. b.) “God, fine. You don’t want this hospice/condo/program. You complained enough. We’ll just try to put it somewhere else and start over.” It’s more often the former, but if people are really united in their opposition to a project, UBC will eventually back off. Look at what happened in 2011, when the university tried to put market housing by the bus loop, or the decision to move an end-of-life care centre from beside a student residence to right by one of the most expensive condos on campus. That’s just on the development front, but as we saw last week, the same thing applies to academics. UBC decided to roll out a new degree called the bachelor of international economics. It’s a new degree at the newly created Vancouver School of Economics. Because it is a “separate” school, it can charge more or less whatever it wants. The degree will cost $10,000 per year for domestic students and $29,000 per year for international. We called it a cheap attempt at skirting the cap on tuition increases. Students who agreed, including AMS VP Academic Kiran Mahal, took their concerns to a “consultation” session in October. If they thought UBC would take their concerns seriously, though, they were sadly mistaken. The program, tuition hike intact, found its way onto the agenda for the next Board of Governors meeting.
The Ministry of Advanced Education has yet to officially approve the program. They need to take a close look at the precedent for tuition increases this could set. But will the minister look beyond the buzzwords? Will he see the program as anything other than a creative way to fill a funding gap? More money isn’t coming from his government, after all. UBC had a plan, pretended they cared what you thought and went ahead with it. It was great to hear from you all!
shuttle service to shut down For areas with students </strong>
So, the campus community shuttle busses are changing their routes. The shuttle that goes to Hampton Place and Acadia Park is getting axed, and a new beefedup C20 shuttle will now go to Wesbrook Place. Cutting service to Acadia and adding service to Wesbrook perfectly reflects where UBC’s priorities are in general. They’re trying to make the pricey new condos in Wesbrook Place as desirable as possible. They’ve offered sweetheart leases for businesses to come into the area, and they’re generally pulling out all the stops to make Wesbrook as nice and well-serviced as possible.
UBC had a plan, pretended they cared what you thought and went ahead with it. It was great to hear from you all! On consultations on the bachelor of international economics
Acadia Park, on the other hand, is full of student parents living in low-priced student housing. This summer, UBC shunted a bunch of those students out of townhouses that weren’t going to be repaired. (They do plan on building market housing over at Acadia someday, but it won’t be for a while, so we’re not surprised they didn’t make transit there a priority.) Once Wesbrook started booming, it was only a matter of time until UBC would find a way to get
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shuttle service there. Fair enough. But it’s too bad that they had to cut service from a student-family neighbourhood in the process.
biKe Kitchen needs a Plan iF theY’re GoinG to asK For more moneY You know, lots of things would be easier if everyone had a little more money. But if your plan to get more money is to ask folks to fund you through, say, a new tax or fee, you’d better give them a good reason to open their wallets. The Bike Kitchen is currently pushing a petition to get on the referendum in January. If they get enough signatures, students will be asked whether they support a new $1 fee to subsidize the service. They argue that to continue to deliver services to students, especially in their expanded space slated for the new SUB, they need a stable source of funding. Their current funding model is a little slap-dash. They rely on grants from UBC and other organizations, as well as money from sales. Applying for those grants no doubt takes up a lot of resources. But will that fly with students? We’d like to hear what sort of new initiatives $1 from every student gets us. New positions for mechanics? A facelift for the decrepit Purple and Yellow fleet? More used bikes? The Bike Kitchen provides a lot of useful services. But saying “we’d like some more money” isn’t the best argument. U
Correction In the article “Musqueam band to develop block of land beside campus” (nov. 26), as well as the corresponding last Word, we incorrectly stated that the Musqueam sought to build “1,000-12,000” housing units on its Block f property. In fact, the Musqueam are proposing between 1,000 and 1,200 units. The Ubyssey regrets this comically bad use of zeros.
I was a Grade 12 student in Toronto during the Montreal Massacre on Dec. 6, 1989. I didn’t know any of the 14 women who were murdered. I didn’t know any of the survivors. Yet their story has profoundly shaped part of who I am. I remember Dec. 6 like it was yesterday. I remember it like people remember events like 9/11. These women were students. These women were studying for exams, and, like many of us today, planning for their December break and beyond. On Dec. 6, 1989, an armed man walked into an engineering classroom at l’Ecole Polytechnique, ordered the 50 or so men to leave and opened fire on the nine remaining people all women. Claiming that he was “fighting feminism,” he shot all nine, killing six of them. His rampage continued through the school for 20 minutes. Shouting “I want women,” he specifically targeted women and shot 28 people before he killed himself. In the end, 14 young women were dead, killed only because they were women. He blamed women for taking the education and jobs that he felt should belong to men. “I have decided to send the feminists, who have always ruined my life, to their maker.” In his suicide note, he named 19 prominent Quebec women who “nearly died today. The lack of time (because I started too late) has allowed these radical feminists to survive. Alea Jacta Est [The die has been cast].” I remember seeing the news footage from Montreal and trying to make sense of it: live footage of a shocked community waiting outside of the school. A police team who established a security perimeter around the building and, on orders, waited for the SWAT team for 20 minutes outside the school while the gunman was shooting his victims inside. It was only after the killer shot himself that the police entered the building. No one knew yet that all the targets were women. People were saying that a “madman” was on the loose, but this was much more than the work of one lone person. This was the work of a myriad of societal influences that led this one man to believe that women deserved to die
solely because they were women. “You’re women. You’re going to be engineers. You’re all a bunch of feminists. I hate feminists.” It was an extreme example of the epidemic of violence against women. Dec. 6 ignited my passion for feminist activism. I could no longer stay silent to the injustices around me. Queen’s University, my first alma mater, was soon home to the infamous response of some in a men’s residence to a “No Means No” date rape campaign. “No means kick her in the teeth.” “No means more beer.” “No means ‘Down on your knees, bitch’...” Was Dec. 6, 1989, an isolated incident of violence against women on university campuses? I don’t think so. Instead of eradicating feminism, the Montreal massacre galvanized the movement to end violence against women. People spoke up and named the attack for what it was. In 1991, the Canadian parliament formally recognized Dec. 6 as the “National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women.” These murders were also key in the struggle for improvements to gun control legislation (including changes to the long-gun registry, which, as of February 2012, have been abolished). There has also been the White Ribbon Campaign, and changes in police response tactics so that the first police officers on the scene of a shooting now enter a building as a group when gunshots are heard. People realized violence against women is rooted in women’s inequality and recognized that, until we end that inequality, violence against women will not stop. Twenty-three years later, however, not enough has changed. One in four women will still experience gender-based violence in their lifetime. Aboriginal women, women with disabilities, transgender women, criminalized and imprisoned women, women living in poverty, women working in the sex trade and single women over 65 are still disproportionately subjected to gender-based violence. One has only to look within our own city to see that. Still we mourn. Still we work for change. Long works for the UBC equity office. There are several memorial events planned for the women killed on Dec. 6, 1989. Visit events.ubc.ca for info.
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Wrong to protest Hillel for Israel’s actions
LETTERS Last Thursday while walking by the SUB I noticed a group of people protesting in support of Palestine. I am completely in favour of people’s right to protest against what they believe is wrong and voice their opinions; the problem was where this group chose to voice these beliefs and opinions. The protest was taking place directly outside of Hillel House, a Jewish and Israeli community centre for UBC students. This angered me. It was the wrong way to protest, and it was offensive to Jewish students. By protesting outside of Hillel House they were saying that being Jewish was akin to supporting the Israeli government’s use of violence and force. This is not true, and protesting outside a Jewish community centre further polarizes an issue that
needs both sides to come together in understanding. Hillel House is based upon the values of inclusiveness and advancing social justice, and making people who enter the building feel like they are in support of violence and oppression is bigotry. The Israel-Palestine conflict is complicated and both sides are currently doing horrible things. If you really want to invoke change, protest in front of the people who are actually responsible; protest in front of the Israeli consulate or parliament to get the Canadian government involved. There is, however, no reason to take that attitude of intolerance and hate onto UBC campus. Protest against what you think is wrong but be mindful to respect others. Maxwell Gordon Science 2
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012 |
pICTURES + WoRdS on YoUR UnIVERSITY ExpERIEnCE
DOMESTIC
TUITION
INTERNATIONAL
TUITION
UBC B. INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS UBC B. COMMERCE UBC B. ARTS
$384,466 FOR FINANCIAL AID
SURPLUS (42%) $3,362,058
TEACHING (24%) $1,915,041
$1,018,840 TO FACULTY OF ARTS $1,955,908 TO UBC CENTRAL BUDGET
This is the proposed budget for the program in 2017 2018. If the budget is approved, there will be a full four years of students in the degree by then. This shows how the the extra amount over and above UBC s regular tuition costst would be spent. UBC hasn t released the breakdown of how they ll spend the base amount tuition paid by each student.
STAFF (1%) $90,286
IT, OPERATING EXPENSES, OVERHEAD, CAREER CENTRE (33%) $2,686,280
BUDGET BREAKDOWN
$2,943 TO SAUDER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
ACTUAL 2012 2013 PROPOSED 2013 2014
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BACKGROUND The bachelor of international economics is a new plan by the Vancouver School of Economics and the Sauder School of Business to make an econ degree flashier, more prestigious and, most importantly, much more expensive than a regular BA. But students are worried that $10,000 a year for domestic students will only open the school to a small subset of students that can afford it.
POTENTIAL PROS
Could prevent cuts to other programs (through generating surplus) International prestige New financial aid made available
POTENTIAL CONS
Avoids 2% provincial tuition cap by creating a new degree BIE designation is scarcely known outside of UBC Brought in despite serious concerns from the AMS and students DATA: UBC BOARD OF GOVERNORS, ALMA MATER SOCIETY 2012
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THUrSDAY, NOVeMBer 29, 2012
Stag Sans | Sans-Serif Look, I’m neutral.
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