December 6, 2012

HOLDIN’ IT IN SInCE 1918

UBC’S OFFICIAL STUDEnT nEWSPAPER | DECEMBER 6, 2012 | VOLUME XCIV| ISSUE XIXVIII

KOERNER’S TO STAY CLOSED INdEFINITEly

U

Despite signs of progress earlier this year, the Graduate Student Society has announced the much-loved student pub will not be reopening in January P3

THE UBYSSEY drESS To

SUrVIVE With the world slated to end on Dec. 21, we take a look at post-apocalyptic food, fashion and literature P8

No lIFT

TICKET rEQUIrEd

CAMPUS CONVICTIONS

Beneath a seeminly secular facade lies an active religious culture on campus. the ubyssey’s religion supplement on P6

Explore winter recreation on the cheap — minus the skis and snowboard P5

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 |

YOUR GUIDE TO UBC EVENTS + PEOPLE

What’s on Tue 126

2

PIC OF THE WEEK

This week, may we suggest...

advising >>

THURSDAY

What Can I Do With My Degree?: 4-5 p.m. @ Brock Hall, East Wing

Has exam time left you wondering where you will be once you finish your degree? The Centre for Student Involvement and Careers is hosting a workshop for science majors to connect degrees to potential job opportunites. CSIC is also hosting a workshop for arts majors on Saturday.

Tue 128

HEALTH >>

LAW >>

SATURDAY

Yoga and Relaxation Session: 1:30-2:30 p.m. @ I. House If the title alone doesn’t entice you to take a break from studying, we aren’t sure what will. International House is offering free yoga to help you unwind a little bit. So dig out that yoga mat and RSVP online at http://ow.ly/fKUa9.

UBC names Main Mall fountain

REST >>

SUNDAY

Sleep We may not have many science kids in our office to confirm this, but Arts logic would suggest that a day of rest is what the doctor ought to perscribe for this day.

So take a break, hit up Trattoria for brunch, and just remember: there is life after exams.

Tue 1210

LSAT Test Prep: 6-9 p.m. @ UBC Robson Square Applying to law school after you graduate? UBC’s downtown campus at Robson Square is hosting a series of LSAT prep classes to prepare you for the daunting task.

While they may come with a hefty price tag, the website claims they work! Visit cstudies.ubc.ca for more information.

SPORTS >>

MONDAY

Tennis 1.0 Clinic: 9:30-11:30 a.m. @ UBC Tennis Centre Who needs study skills? Go take a tennis lesson for beginners at the UBC Tennis Centre (that giant building that you’ve probably never been inside of). We literally have nothing better to suggest that you should be doing today. So, ya know, #yolo the day with tennis.

Got an event you’d like to see on this page? Send your event and your best pitch to printeditor@ubyssey.ca.

Video content Make sure to check out our refreshed Ubyssey Weekly Show, airing now at ubyssey.ca/videos/.

U The Ubyssey

DECEMBER 6, 2012 | Volume XCIV| Issue XIXVIII Senior Lifestyle Writer CONTACT STAFF BUSINESS Zafira Rajan Bryce Warnes, Josh Curran, zrajan@ubyssey.ca Coordinating Editor Editorial Office: SUB 24 Business Manager Peter Wojnar, Anthony 604.822.2301 Jonny Wakefield Fernie Pereira Poon, Veronika Bondarenko, coordinating@ubyssey.ca Features Editor fpereira@ubyssey.ca Yara Van Kessel, Lu Zhang, Natalya Kautz Business Office: SUB 23 Catherine Guan, Ginny Advertising 604.822.1654 features@ubyssey.ca Managing Editor, Print Monaco, Arno Rosenfeld, Ad Sales Inquiries 604.822.6681 Matt Meuse, Hogan Wong, Jeff Aschkinasi Ben Chen Video Editor Rory Gattens, Brandon printeditor@ubyssey.ca Student Union Building Chow, Joseph Ssettuba. Tyler bchen@ubyssey.ca David Marino 6138 SUB Boulevard McRobbie, Sarah Bigam, video@ubyssey.ca Managing Editor, Web Accounts Stephanie Xu 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

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Videographer Soo Min Park spark@ubyssey.ca

Sports + Rec Editor CJ Pentland sports@ubyssey.ca

Webmaster Riley Tomasek webmaster@ubyssey.ca

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The Pulse at Piper Plaza will honour UBC’s 11th president

T

he new plaza at University Boulevard and Main Mall will be named after former UBC President Martha Piper. UBC announced the news in a broadcast email Wednesday.

The fountain in the plaza will be called the Pulse and feature the name of every faculty and deparment at UBC. The fountain’s water flow

will be regulated according to class schedules, with peak flow during the 10-minute intervals between classes during the day.

At night, the fountain will emit a mist instead of flowing water. The water in the fountain will be potable and circulated by an electric pump.

It was designed by architecture firm Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg.

Piper was president of UBC from 1997-2006. During her tenure, UBC focused on research, updating the university’s brand and recruiting international students.

She also presided over UBC during the on-campus APEC conferences, when several student protesters were pepper-sprayed.

The fountain will officially open in spring 2013. U

SHOOT FOR THE UBYSSEY

Tue 129

MATT MEUSE PHOTO/THE UBYSSEY

The current site at Main Mall and University Boulevard will feature a fountain engraved with the names of every UBC faculty.

CINEMATIC

FRIDAY

Our Video Editor IS

12 7Tue

David Marino video@ubyssey.ca

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 |

EDITORS WILL Mcdonald + laura rodgers

Drinking >>

3

compensation >>

Sauder dean got $600,000 interestfree loan from UBC Arno Rosenfeld Staff Writer

UBC provided Sauder School of Business Dean Robert Helsley with a $600,000 interest-free housing loan as part of an already generous compensation package, according to documents obtained

by The Ubyssey .

Helsley, who was hired this summer, received the loan on top of his $415,000 annual salary, $30,000 annual research budget and $75,000 honorarium intended to cover the cost of his move to Vancouver from California, where he worked for three years at the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

Helsley’s salary is slightly less than former Sauder dean Daniel Muzyka’s salary, which was $422,304 in 2011, his last full year as dean.

Helsley’s salary is well above that of Gage Averill, the Faculty of Arts dean, who is pulling in $272,477 this year. However, Helsley is only the second-highest-paid dean at UBC. First is Gavin Stuart of the Faculty of Medicine, who is making $499,150 this year.

The compensation packages for Helsley, and Muzyka before him, include many perks aside from the base salary. Muzyka was allowed 35 days a year to work on projects unrelated to his duties at UBC, in addition to regular vacation.

This was reduced to 15 days a year in 2007 after he requested, and received, an increase in his salary.

The increase was made “in light of the changing market for deans of quality business schools,” according to the documents.

Helsley is guaranteed that if he becomes a professor after his five-year term as dean is over, he will make at least 90 per cent of his salary as dean. Additionally, his contract stipulates that UBC must find a “meaningful role” for his partner at the university.

Helsley’s $600,000 interest-free loan, administered by the UBC Treasury, will remain active as long as Helsley is still employed

by UBC and until his house is paid off in full. The document says the payment schedule is flexible.

“For senior administrators — deans, associate vice-presidents, vice-presidents — who are usually recruited from outside B.C., an interest-free housing loan invariably forms part of the package necessary to attract them to UBC,” said VP Human Resources Lisa Castle.

Affordable housing for UBC faculty and staff was a key part of UBC’s Housing Action Plan.

The plan calls for more affordable housing for professors and other staff by mandating that a certain portion of the housing built on campus is earmarked for them.

However, even with the Housing Action Plan, Castle said the interest-free loans for senior administrators are likely to continue for high-level hires, because the plan wasn’t made with them in mind.

As for the loan, Castle said that in addition to being standard practice among universities in the U.S. and Canada, it was different than offering a higher salary or other perks.

“It is a loan, it is expected to be repaid and it is subject to the policies and practices of UBC Treasury to protect the university’s interests,” Castle said. She added that the interest-free aspect of that loan was taxable as a monetary benefit to Helsley. U <em>

The campus pub has been closed since the summer of 2011. It was expected to re-open in January, but has been delayed due to contract negotiations.

Kai Jacobson photo/THE UBYSSEY

Koerner’s Pub opening delayed indefinitely

January re-opening date pushed back over contract negotiations Brandon Chow Staff Writer

The reopening of Koerner’s Pub has been delayed yet again.

Negotiations between the Graduate Student Society (GSS) and HK Commerce, the managing company stepping in to operate the pub, have dragged on to the point where the GSS’s hopes for a January reopening are now impossible.

Victor Padilla, GSS VP admin and the person in charge of arranging the contract with HK, said, “It’s just the nature of the process.

We’re just being extremely careful right now,… making sure to go through the proper revisions and also ensuring that the proper legal issues are taken care of.”

The pub space was previously student-operated by the GSS, but

NEWS BRIEFS Campus childcare worker union to hold strike vote BCGEU local 303, which represents childcare workers at UBC, has a strike vote scheduled for next week.

The vote will take place from Dec. 11 though 18.

The union local has been in bargaining with the university but negotiations have stalled.

The union has said that there will be no job action during the winter break.

BCGEU local 303 plans to enter mediation with the university in the new year.

Examiners grade based on previous work: UBC study According to a recently published UBC study, examiners tend to grade work in comparison to the work they’ve just seen.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, shows that when physician educators in England and Wales graded younger doctors’ work, they compared them to those who had immediately come before.

If they witnessed a poor performance, they were more likely to grade the person afterward higher.

“This experiment shows that judging someone’s performance — whether it’s clinical skills, essay-writing or figure skating — is likely to be relative,” said Kevin Eva, the UBC professor who conducted the study, in a press release. U

UBC ultimately has control of the building it’s in, the Thea Koerner Graduate Student Centre. Padilla said UBC still hasn’t drafted a new lease for the pub, which is a further delay to reopening. “[It’s] out of our control, so I don’t know how long that’s going to take,” Padilla said.

GSS President Conny Lin regrets the delay, yet remains hopeful. She said she expects a few rounds of back-and-forth between lawyers, and said their previous goal of reopening in January is now unrealistic.

The GSS voted to close the pub last spring, facing a loss of nearly $200,000 for the business during the 2010—2011 year. As the closure happened, the GSS tossed around the idea of contracting a third

party to reopen the pub. However, a dispute with the unionized pub staff over the abrupt closure meant the GSS wasn’t ready to start accepting bids to take over the pub until the summer of 2012.

They chose HK Commerce as the pub managers this September, and the society is being very careful to ensure the financial issues and liquor licence woes that plagued the pub in the past don’t crop up again.

Despite third-party management, Padilla is insistent that Koerner’s will maintain its student atmosphere. HK plans to do some interior renovations, and add a heater and new furniture to the pub’s patio.

“We want to make sure that for whoever comes in, the price

is going to be a student price, not another Mahony’s,” said Lin. Padilla said there will be an overhaul of the drink and food menus, with “slightly cheaper prices” than before.

Although a contract between the two parties hasn’t yet been signed, Lin said they have agreed on at least one term: either $60,000 per year or six per cent of revenues, whichever is more, will be paid to the GSS by HK Commerce during their five-year lease of the space.

HK Commerce refused to comment on the deal’s financials until the contract has been completed.

Both Padilla and Lin said they hope the first round of contract revisions can be completed in the next few weeks to get Koerner’s reopened as soon as possible. U

Fees >>

Tuition lowered for new econ degree after student consultation

Will McDonald News Editor

The UBC Board of Governors has cut the price tag for the bachelor of international economics degree by just over $2,000 per year.

The program was originally set at $10,000 per year for domestic students and $29,000 per year for international students, but after elected representatives from student groups on campus opposed the original rate, UBC reconsidered. The new tuition is set at $7,670 per year for domestic students and $26,939 per year for international students.

Last Sunday and Monday, the representatives from the AMS, Economics Students Association and International Students Association met with Board of Governors student rep Mike Silley, VP Students Louise Cowin, and Angela Redish, who played a major role in designing the program.

“I think that perhaps some of the homework that hadn’t been sufficiently well done at the time this motion originally came to the board was undertaken [at the meetings],” said Cowin.

To make up for the loss in tuition revenue, two more seats will be added to the program.

The Vancouver School of Economics will also cut one research faculty member and one staff member to save money.

Kai Jacobson Photo/THE UBYSSEY

Angela Redish speaks at an October town hall about the new international econ degree.

“I think what we wanted to try to do was get to a balanced proposal that was cost-defensible,” said UBC President Stephen Toope.

AMS VP Academic Kiran Mahal said that the university agreed to work with the Economics Students Association in the future. The university also intends to collaborate with the International Students Association to decide how to allocate financial aid to international students. Financial aid options will be made clear in all promotional material for the program.

Mahal said she received assurance from Cowin that the university would work to improve the student consultation process in the future.

The new tuition is set at seven per cent above Sauder’s.

The university said the current tuition is necessary to be able to contribute money both to the Vancouver School of Economics and to UBC’s central budget.

“We’re happy to see our concerns addressed. We feel like we were given adequate rationale and honest rationale, which is what we were looking for the entire time,” said Mahal.

Mahal also said she received assurance from the university that the bachelor of international economics is a unique case, and it won’t set a precedent for other expensive programs.

“The last thing we want to see is these kind of programs popping up all over campus,” said Mahal.

Mahal said the university still has to work out some of the details of the program, but she is satisfied with the result of the last round of consultations.

“This is, in fact, setting a precedent that consultation has to happen immediately with students and that students are a key stakeholder in regards to tuition, even with new programs,” said Mahal. U

</em>

4 | NEWS |

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

SOCCER >>

Whitecaps training centre to open in January

The Vancouver Whitecaps are building a temporary training facility inside Thunderbird Arena to use until their campus fieldhouse is completed.

Andrew Bates Managing Editor, Web

Vancouver Whitecaps FC and UBC have put the finishing touches on the plans for the first two years of the soccer training centre on campus. Now, they’re trying to work out the last 20.

The UBC Board of Governors approved a letter of intent on Tuesday between the Whitecaps and UBC on the National Soccer Development Centre, a $23.5-million training complex built around existing fields at Thunderbird Park.

A temporary training facility is set to open for the Whitecaps’ 2013 training camp in January, and negotiations are underway to finish the full 22-year contract and finalize the field house that UBC and the Whitecaps will share.

“Any time you enter in a 20-year deal, obviously it takes some time to get through all the details,” said Kavie Toor, UBC Athletics’

associate director for facilities and business development. “There are no substantial changes at this point, just some clarifications.”

“The focus is really on design, look and feel, and making sure that as we move through this design and construction process, that it meets all of our needs,” said Whitecaps FC chief operating officer Rachel Lewis.

According to Lewis, construction of the facility is a three-part process. “It’s a staged approach so we can move our teams out there as quickly as possible while construction is ongoing,” she said.

The temporary training facility is being constructed in a former multi-purpose space in Thunderbird Arena and should be completed for the start of MLS training camp on Jan. 17. According to Toor, UBC will retain the training facility to pursue similar infrastructure agreements with other community groups.

The second stage is the renovation of two grass pitches at Matthews Field, which is in front of Thunderbird Stadium, and possibly a new turf field replacing a grass area adjacent to Wesbrook Mall, according to Lewis.

The third stage will be any remaining field renovations and construction of the field house, which is a locker room facility shared by UBC and the Whitecaps. Toor estimated planning will take about a year, and the building is targeted to open in 2015.

UBC will be entitled to 25 per cent of the turf field’s use and 15 per cent of the grass fields. The initial commitment was to have 50 per cent of the complex be used for community spaces, and Lewis said that will come out of each group’s allotment.

“Each of us will in turn allocate part of our field usage to the community,” she said, pointing to

partnerships with the provincial and national soccer associations and youth groups. “We’ll be running programs in coordination with them and programs of our own that will allow community access to the field.”

The grass pitches at Matthews Field could be short term, as UBC Campus and Community Planning has long-term plans to build housing in the area. In 10 years, UBC could repossess the field and relocate the pitches.

“We’re not looking at that when we’re considering our investment in the fields,” Lewis said. “If something changes down the line and we have to review our siting, we feel great that the university will accommodate us per our agreement.”

The Matthews pitches won’t have lighting, but Toor said that is unrelated to the agreement, since the fields will only be used 10-20 hours per week.

ED NG PHOTO/THE UBYSSEY

“Generally the rule of thumb for a lot of groups [is] ... grass fields often aren’t lit and turf fields are more often lit,” he said. “There isn’t a great need to have lights on there because you’re not using it as much as you would turf fields.”

Although the Whitecaps will be putting $9 million into the project and UBC doesn’t have to make a financial contribution, the university will own all of the infrastructure at the end of the 22-year contract.

Lewis said the club is not worried about losing that investment.

“We’re very confident that what we’re building is going to meet our needs.… You have to look at the entire economic package and make sure that it makes sense,” she said. “We think that it absolutely achieves that.

“Twenty years is a pretty long horizon, but hopefully after that we’ll be there for another 20 beyond that and 20 beyond that.” U

HEALTH >>

U of S students exposed to TB Daryl Hofmann & Bryn Becker The Sheaf (University of Saskatchewan)

IMAGE COURTESY PULMONARY PATHOLOGY/FLICKR

Tuberculosis is a bacterial lung disease that, if left untreated, can cause lung nodules as shown in this chest X-ray.

SASKATOON (CUP) — A student enrolled in arts and science classes at the University of Saskatchewan is being treated for active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), and 589 of the student’s classmates and professors have been identified as having been potentially exposed to the disease.

The student is no longer on campus and is in non-critical condition; furthermore, the student did not live in residence and is believed to have picked up the disease off-campus.

The rest of the student’s information is being kept under wraps.

Individuals who have attended the same classes as the infected student this semester are being notified via email and have been asked to come in for testing next week.

“We are working to ensure that all students who may have been exposed are offered testing for tuberculosis disease and we will follow up with those students as

appropriate,” said Julie Kryzanowski, deputy medical health officer for the Saskatoon Health Region, during a press conference on Nov. 30.

The student was diagnosed with the disease earlier this week and has been away from classes. The email sent to those identified as at risk, according to a health region press release, explains the symptoms of TB and provides information on where to go to get tested.

Testing for TB is done through the skin. The test requires that any potentially infected students attend a clinic twice.

If an individual is infected with TB and tests positive, they will be administered a six-month dose of antibiotics. But that doesn’t mean they will become sick and it does not mean they are capable of spreading the disease, Kryzanowski said.

Anyone infected with TB bacteria has a 10 per cent lifetime risk of falling ill if not treated. If a patient receives antibiotic treatment, they can eliminate the risk.

TB is a bacterial infection of the lungs and is typically spread through periods of close contact with someone with an active pulmonary infection. Spreading saliva through coughing, sneezing, spitting or speaking can transmit the disease.

David Hannah, vice-president student affairs of the U of S, said this is the first time TB — or any infectious disease — has been reported at the university in at least 11 years.

“From what we have heard, the risks are minimal, but there is a risk there. So we are really encouraging anybody who’s received the letter we have sent, students who were in the same classes with the infected student, to please get tested next week,” Hannah said.

Saskatchewan Tuberculosis Control is investigating the case to determine where the disease was first picked up.

In 2010, Saskatchewan had 80 known cases of TB, 60 of which were in the northern part of the province.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 |

EDITOR C.J. PENTLAND

5

WinTER SPORTS >>

No skis or snowboard? No problem

B.C. offers a wealth of other adventurous winter activities for students C.J. Pentland Sports + Rec Editor

Grouse Mountain

Snow on the mountains in British Columbia doesn’t just mean snowboarding and skiing. From ice-skating to snowshoeing to finding Bigfoot, there are plenty of other (and possibly cheaper) activities students can do during the winter break. So don’t be dismayed by the fact you never learned how to strap on those skis — and don’t just curl up on the couch for weeks and watch TSN’s 2012 Year in Review over and over and over. You’re in B.C., and you can’t just let its nature go to waste. <em>

</

em>

ICE-SKATINg Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre <strong>

</strong>

Approximately one to two hours are set aside most days in December for skating on the main rink.

Feel cool by skating on the same surface as Olympians, Canucks and your UBC Thunderbirds.

Admission is free with a valid UBC student card, and rentals are also available.

Robson Square

</strong>

Experience Vancouver’s most traditional outdoor ice rink by heading to the top of Grouse Mountain. Surrounded by snow and the cool mountain air, the 8,000-square-foot rink is how the rest of the world pictures Canada. Access to the rink is complimentary with Grouse Mountain admission, and there are rentals on site.

HIKINg ANd SNoWSHoEINg There are several familiar locations around Vancouver, such as Grouse Mountain, Seymour Mountain and Cypress Mountain, that all have trails in a range of difficulties. All three also offer snowshoe rentals, and you can book a guided evening snowshoe fondue tour. However, broadening your horizons beyond the Lower Mainland will expose you to some other outdoor experiences that few other places can top.

Elfin Lakes: Red Heather Hut About an hour from Vancouver and just outside of Squamish, this trail features a couple of rest stops that allow you to crash overnight in case you want to explore some more the next day. There is a hut in the Red Heather meadows that is free and provides a place to warm up on your journey. Further along, there is a cabin that can house 30 people, but the cost to stay there is $10 per person nightly.

The trail can be tough to navigate after a snowfall, so plan ahead to make sure that travel conditions are safe. Overall it is about five kilometres to reach the hut and then another six to reach the cabins, with a gradual climb of 5,130 feet. Travel time depends on conditions and the ability of your group, but it can easily be done in under a day. </strong>

Manning Park

</strong>

Located about two and a half hours from Vancouver, Manning Park is one of B.C.’s premier snowshoe destinations, thanks to the amount of snow it gets. There are approximately 12 kilometres of marked trails to

KAI JACOBSOn PHOTO/THE UBYSSEY

TEnniS >>

Student tickets made available for Davis Cup tennis matches Andrew Bates Managing Editor, web

Tickets for the next set of Davis Cup tennis matches at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre sold out in 80 minutes, but students still have a shot at seeing tennis champs compete.

UBC Athletics has bought 300 tickets for a student sale, and will sell them on Dec. 13 in-person only, according to Kavie Toor, associate director for facilities and business development at UBC Athletics. The tickets, on sale at the Student Recreation Centre desk at 10 a.m., will be for seats in the west-side bleachers. They will only be sold to those with a UBC student card for $30 before tax and fees.

UBC ran a presale for teams and other groups earlier, and a limited amount of tickets will be available publicly closer to the event. One thousand four hundred tickets are reserved for national associations and sponsors, and about a third of those are likely to be reopened to the public.

There were no student tickets or presale for the Bieksa’s Buddies charity hockey game, and Toor said that was at the players’

request. “[The] Bieksa game was a little different because the user group on board didn’t want anyone to have preferential access because they knew the game was going to be extremely popular,” Toor said. “Kevin [Bieksa], in this case, wanted to just do one release for everyone, zero special treatment.”

The first-round tie between Canada and Spain will take place on Feb. 1-3, 2013. The tie is a series of five matches; each side plays their top-ranked player against a lower ranked player on Friday, a doubles match takes place on Saturday and then the matching seeds play in the finale.

The winning team will advance to play either Croatia or Italy in the next round.

Canada’s Davis Cup team will feature world-ranked No. 13 Milos Raonic and No. 2 ranked doubles player Daniel Nestor. Spain will most likely counter with No. 5 ranked David Ferrer, and is waiting to see if No. 4 Rafael Nadal can return from an injury in time for the tournament. Canada is currently ranked No. 12 in the Davis Cup rankings, while Spain is ranked first and has won three of the past five Davis Cup titles. U

explore, and they provide fantastic views of frozen lakes and the surrounding valleys. Manning Park is also well-known for its cross-country skiing. Staying for a few days at the resort there is well worth the trip out of town.

SNoWMoBIlINg

ToBoggANINg Remember how much fun it was when you were a kid? Well, now it’s time to relive those glory days.

Whether it’s just hopping on the lid of a garbage can, buying a cheap toboggan from the dollar store or greasing up a metal pan à la Clark Griswold in National Lampoon s Christmas Vacation , this a great winter activity that’s easy on the wallet.

Good locations for this include Diefenbaker Park in Tsawwassen, Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver or down Dunbar Street at 3 in the morning. <em>

</em>

<strong>

</strong>

Located just outside of UBC’s downtown campus, this small skating rink in the heart of Vancouver will get you in the holiday spirit.

The rink is open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Admission is free, and rentals are available for $4.

GEOFF LISTER PHOTO/THE UBYSSEY

UBC SWIMMING SUCCESS

rESUlTS

The UBC Thunderbird swimming teams had yet another successful weekend in the pool this past weekend at the Husky Invitational Swim Meet in Washington.

The women’s team top took home first overall, finishing with 1,176 points over the three days, while the men’s team came in a close second, finishing a mere 33 points behind Grand Canyon University.

The feats were made all the more impressive due to UBC missing several of their key swimmers, as they sat out in preparation of the upcoming World Short Course Championshpis in Instanbul, Turkey. Thunderbirds at the Short Course will be Heather MacLean and Tera Van Beilen.

Men’s swimmer Kelly Aspinall continued his string of dominant performances on the weekend, winning a pair of races. His winning time of 43.26 in the 100-yard freestyle also set a meet record.

Aspinall also won five races two weeks ago at the Canada Cup in Ontario.

Thanks to their performance so far, the women’s team is currently ranked no. 1 in the latest CIS rankings. As for the men’s squad, they are ranked fifth as they head into the new year. U

If you’re up for some extra adventure in the mountains, snowmobiling might be right for you. Whistler provides the closest option for some motorized fun in the snow; there are a variety of groomed trail systems that take riders into vast areas of untouched powder snow, where skiers and snowboarders don’t go.

You can also ride across frozen lakes and secret snow roads all throughout the mountains, and then go back to the Whistler Village and brag about it all.

Rides with expert guides are available during the day and night, ranging from gentle cruising to advanced back-country powder riding. Overall, this is guaranteed to be an experience that skiing or snowboarding cannot offer.

B-BALL STANDINGS

CANAdA WEST

Men’s basketball: Canada West Pacific Division

BIgFooT SEArCHINg This is really up to you, because who knows exactly where he/she/they is/ are. However, there have reportedly been numerous sightings around the Fraser Valley, specifically the Chilliwack and Hope areas, so that might be a place to start.

If you manage to snap a legitimate photo, The Ubyssey may or may not put it on the cover of our next paper, but please, search at your own risk. U <em>

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OTHER STANDINGS

CANAdA WEST

Men’s hockey: Top 4 1. Alberta 14-4-0

1. UBC 8-2

2. Saskatchewan 13-3-0

2. Victoria 7-3

3. Manitoba 9-4-3

3. Fraser Valley 7-3

4. UBC 9-6-1

4. UnBC 5-5

Women’s hockey: Top 4

5. Thompson Rivers 4-6

1. Calgary 13-2-1

6. Trinity Western 3-7

2. Regina 12-4-0

7. Mount Royal 2-8

3. Alberta 10-6-0

8. UBC Okanagan 1-9

4. UBC 7-6-3

Women’s basketball: Canada West Pacific Division

Men’s volleyball: Top 4 1. Alberta 12-0

1. Fraser Valley 9-1

2. Trinity Western 10-2

2. UBC 7-3

3. Brandon 9-3

3. Thompson Rivers 7-3

4. UBC 8-4

4. Victoria 6-4

Women’s volleyball: Top 4

5. UBC Okanagan 4-6

1. UBC 11-1

6. UnBC 3-7

2. Alberta 10-2

7. Mount Royal 2-8

3. Trinity Western 10-2

8. Trinity Western 2-8

4. Mount Royal 8-4

6 | Feature |

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

When you think of a u probably doesn’t jum public institution, UB Faith and spirituality discussed in academia the UBC campus is h based groups and se leges. What role do life on campus?

An concerns shaped the This supplement wil relevance of religion

Entering the interfaith realm

As multifaith centres become a growing trend at Canadian universities, why hasn’t UBC joined in?

Alba Ng Contributor

Promoting intercultural understanding is a big part of many universities’ mandates, but the physical institutions to do so vary.

In 2004, under the project title “Interfaith Centre,” local architect Bruce Carscadden was contracted to design a student prayer room for the Brock Hall Annex on UBC campus.

The second-floor storage room of the Crane Library was renovated into a prayer room that is functional for multiple faith groups.

“The Muslim Student Association had been booking space in [the Main Library, now Irving K. Barber Learning Centre] for prayer. And this came to the committee’s attention that when the Main Library closed, the MSA were looking for another space to book,” said Janet Mee, UBC’s director of access and diversity.

The term “interfaith centre” denotes a space designed to accommodate a variety of faith-based practices and to encourage interfaith dialogue and spiritual development in student life.

In Canada, several major universities have recently created such spaces. The MultiFaith Centre at the University of Toronto was completed March 2007 for $1.8 million.

According to its director, Richard Chambers, the centre enhances the student experience through interfaith dialogue. Students at U of T have been responsive; the centre now hosts 50 events per week, double the number of events in its first year of operation.

One compelling argument for the creation of a university-funded Multi-Faith Centre at U of T is based in provincial law. Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, having an interfaith centre on campus can fall under “reasonable religious accommodation” if there is a perceived lack of it.

In the 1990s, students at U of T led demonstrations against what they perceived to be unfair Christian privilege on campus. There were chapels in each constituent college at the university, but non-Christian faith groups lacked adequate accommodation for worship practices, dietary restrictions and religious holidays. These initiatives led to the beginnings of the proposal for U of T’s Multi-Faith Centre.

Though creating a similar interfaith space at UBC was briefly considered several years ago, the idea has lost much of its steam since then.

In 2009, during the planning stages of the new SUB, the AMS hosted a forum to debate what spaces should be included in the new building. The forum revealed that, despite the prayer room built in the Brock Hall Annex in 2004, existing faith facilities on campus are small and scattered, and booking schedules are becoming strained. Some students

proposed including an interfaith centre in the new SUB to solve the shortage of space for faith groups on campus.

Student groups also brought up the difficulty of carrying out certain religious practices, like smoke or fire ceremonies that require a ventilation system. There are currently no purpose-built spaces at UBC that accomodate such practices; the prayer room in the Brock Hall Annex was not designed with these extra needs in mind.

However, this proposed interfaith space was passed over in the final plans for the new SUB. “Through the finalization of the program, it was opted not to be included,” said AMS President Matt Parson. “But there is a look at expanding club space, and hopefully booking space, in the new SUB. “...What was brought up in 2009 through the Schematic Design Program was a full laundry list of the potential things we’d like to see in the SUB.” To Parson’s knowledge, current UBC students have not expressed interest for an interfaith centre.

“UBC is doing a fairly good job in the intercultural, both religious and non-religious, side of things,” said Parson. “You can argue that you can still be able to have mixing and mingling and collaborating amongst groups without a building that has on its front ‘Multifaith Centre.’ And there have been people putting forth programs and initiatives together in the current infrastructure.”

Currently, UBC facilitates religious diversity by offering spaces for booking in campus eateries and on-campus residences like International House, as well as collaborating with the UBC Multi-Faith Chaplains Association.

The association represents various faiths on campus, including Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Baha’i, and Unitarian/Universalist groups.

Recently it hosted an interfaith potluck at the Global Lounge on Marine Drive.

“I think the development of multifaith and interfaith facilities [is] in line with supporting student life and there are multiple ways to achieve this,” said Janet Teasdale, senior director of student development and services at UBC. Due to a lack of funding and student interest, Teasdale said, an interfaith centre is only a dream for now.

“It will be a different discussion if we have donors or others coming forward and saying that this is part of their vision of ways they want to improve the university experience for students,” said Teasdale. “That said, I have not seen, in the last ten years in this office, a significant amount of organization [by] students to achieve such a space.” U

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

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igion supplement

The missing theological connection Priyanka Hariharan Contributor

Tucked away in a southern corner of campus, the Vancouver School of Theology, St. Mark’s College and Regent College boast a bustling religious community right at UBC. While there is a strong relationship between the theological colleges, their connection to the larger, secular UBC is less obvious.

“As an affiliate college, as opposed to being part of the main campus,… that would remove the religious colleges from the reality of students at UBC,” said Father Mark Hagemoen, dean of St. Mark’s College.

Hagemoen also pointed out the studies offered at the theological colleges differ from the majority of those at UBC. Among the religious colleges, only Corpus Christi, an offset of St. Mark’s, offers an undergraduate degree. All of the other theological colleges offer only graduate studies. “[If ] they are looking for a church or a place of worship — that’s what brings the undergraduates to the theological colleges,” said Hagemoen.

However, there are historical avenues of connection between the colleges and UBC. “Someone enrolled at VST [Vancouver School of Theology] has access to UBC’s library resources and vice versa,” said Stephen Farris, dean of St. Andrew’s Hall and acting principal at VST. “We have a lot of UBC students who come study at our library because it offers a quiet learning space and we offer various resources that a UBC student could find very useful.”

In addition, due to the growing demand for housing on campus, many UBC students resort to the theological colleges for their housing needs. With Carey College, VST and St. Andrew’s offering student residences, there has been an increase in the number of UBC students directly connecting with the theological neighbourhood.

“There are more students from UBC living in these residences than students from the religious colleges. It is a great way for UBC students to connect with our close-knit community,” Farris said.

But Hagemoen said he feels a connection is still lacking institutionally.

“We have student leaders within the college, but they don’t connect with the UBC student execs. If there was a desire for the student council of UBC to connect with the leadership of the affiliate colleges, we would respond favourably to that,” said Hagemoen.

UBC’s student council, the AMS, is a main avenue for connection between students of the theological colleges and UBC. However, their relationship hasn’t always been smooth.

Theological students from Regent, VST and St. Mark’s are full AMS members, meaning they have the right to vote in AMS elections and referendums, and have access to AMS services.

Though VST and Regent College each have a representative at AMS Council, AMS bylaws limit their representatives to non-voting positions. Amending the bylaws to give VST and Regent voting positions on Council has been proposed in past years, but a 1997 referendum to that effect failed to pass.

AMS President Matt Parson said the issue of theological representation is relevant.

“That is something we are exploring for our upcoming referendum, because they are AMS members paying fees and should have correct representation.”

The 2012 AMS election saw serious communication problems between the AMS elections administrator and the theological colleges. As a result, roughly 600 students from the affiliate institutions were unable to vote.

“AMS is purchasing its own voting software and it should better future elections.

The simple voting platform will be able to make it less jumpy,... more consistent,” said Parson.

As for future aspirations to narrow the gap between UBC and its affiliated colleges, the primary step Hagemoen suggests is to allow students to study across institutions.

“An institution faces various situations when it comes to honouring the integrity of their own academic programs,” said Hagemoen. “[Students] enrolled at UBC can’t take a graduate biblical course in St. Mark’s for credit at UBC. A lot of professors here also teach at UBC. So they are certainly capable. So courses that are being taught here should be transferable to UBC.” Last year, Vatican astronomer Brother Guy Consolmagno was received by the theological colleges, who coordinated the initiative with the department of astronomy and physics at UBC. Hagemoen said he feels this sort of interaction is a step in the right direction.

“That was mainly set up due to the efforts and leadership of the members of these UBC departments. It is a particular example of how faith and reason mutually come together. We want to build on that success.” U

When the secular and spiritual meet Rebecca Clarkson Contributor

A secular institution since its conception, UBC is composed of an increasingly diverse student population. So what happens when the secular and the spiritual meet?

“When we talk about a secular environment, that doesn’t mean that it’s an environment in which religion can’t be discussed and debated,” said Paul Russell, who has been an instructor at UBC for nearly 25 years.

“It’s an environment in which no particular religious orientation has a particular agenda that students or faculty feel that they need to conform to.”

In his time as an instructor, Russell has taught mostly politics and philosophy — topics in which religious material is often included.

This spring, Russell will teach the 300-level course Philosophy of Religion.

“I don’t try to pretend to have a false neutrality or objectivity that I probably don’t have on some of these topics,” Russell said. “I, like everybody else, have my own particular religious or my own particular political views. As a teacher, I don’t think anyone wants to go into a classroom and just be preached at, whether [it is] religious, political or ethical.”

With delicate subjects, the academic environment offers a chance for dialogue.

“I think [religion] is something people tend to shy away from and tend to treat the

opposing respect with a little bit of revulsion,” said Jonathan Wilinofsky, vice-president of the secular club UBC Freethinkers. “You know, we like to talk amongst ourselves and like-minded people on our beliefs. It’s important for everyone’s say and position on a subject to be known.”

Though achieving objectivity can be difficult, Wilinofsky said he felt institutions should not shy away from complicated material.

“You have to be able to teach people and test them on [religious topics] if it’s a core material of your subject,” said Wilinofsky.

“Everyone should be able to practice their religion as they see fit, but they should be aware that the course material may come into conflict with their core beliefs [and] what they’re taught.”

Richie Speilding, director of campus Christian organization New Horizons, said he believes that the education system cannot filter professors’ culture and religion out of the classes they teach. But Speilding recalled how as a UBC student in the 1970s, his instructor for a class on Greek and biblical backgrounds in literature never penalized Richie for disagreeing with his assessment that the Bible was mythical.

With this acceptance comes the need for religious accommodation policies. At UBC, both students and instructors scheduled for academic responsibilities on holy days can notify UBC for rescheduling without penalty.

While Russell agrees with the legitimacy of UBC’s accommodation policies, he has never had to change an exam or due date for religious matters. Similarly, Wilinofsky, who is culturally Jewish, said he has never felt the need to use these policies and sometimes prioritizes deadlines over religious practices. “[People] skip lectures for a host of reasons: [they] slept through their alarms, et cetera, and thankfully there’s many ways we’ve learned to cope with these issues. It’s never been a strong enough problem where I’ve had to approach a teacher with these requests,” said Wilinofsky.

Despite the many religious organizations on and around campus, 60 per cent of UBC students said they never participated in activities to enhance their spirituality at university, according to the 2011 National Survey of Student Engagement.

But whether students are affiliated with a religious organization on campus or not, being able to express divergent and potentially conflicting opinions is one of the advantages of a secular institution.

“It’s not as if there aren’t alternative views being expressed [on campus]. So I think it’s really important that people feel there is an environment where all these different views can be expressed,” said Russell. “Different classrooms and professors would like to emphasize one thing over another, but hopefully over time, there will be a proper balance.” U

| Feature | 7

Campus faith centres Hillel House The Hillel Foundation has centres for Jewish students at over 500 colleges and universities worldwide. There has been a Hillel House at UBC since 1947. In 2010, the Hillel House building was replaced with a newly constructed facility. The centre is open to “the Jewish and the Jew-curious” students of UBC, according to one of their brochures.

Musalla, Brock Hall Annex Room 2357 A room in Brock Hall Annex is home to a musalla, a designated prayer room for Muslim students at UBC. Open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., the musalla can be used for all five daily prayers, from Fajr (dawn prayer) to Isha (night prayer). In 2007, wudhu facilities — designed for the required cleansing before prayer — were also made available in the men’s and women’s washrooms in the Brock Hall Annex basement.

St. Mark’s Chapel St. Mark’s Chapel was built in 1998 as part of St. Mark’s Catholic theological college. A Roman Catholic congregation gathers there to hold Eucharist on Sundays at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m., as well as at 12:10 p.m. Monday through Friday. There is also a free soup lunch on Wednesdays. During Eucharist, the congregation gathers to worship and receive the consecrated bread and wine. </strong>

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University Hill Congregation The University Hill Congregation, which is part of the United Church of Canada, has been meeting at UBC since 1928. Currently, the Congregation leases the Chapel of the Epiphany from the Vancouver School of Theology for worship. The Chapel of the Epiphany was built in the early 1960s, and the University Hill Congregation has been meeting there since 1985. Meetings are held at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays.

St. Andrew’s Hall At once a place of worship, a centre of theological education and a residence hall, St. Andrew’s Hall is a unique faith centre on campus. Home to the Presbyterian congregation at UBC, St. Andrew’s Hall was built in 1957. The building used to contain a chapel, but that land was recently sold. Now, a small congregation of 10-20 people meets in a large room (which was the former cafeteria) on Tuesdays at noon and Sundays at 7 p.m.

University Chapel The building that became the University Chapel was built in the 1960s, and it was bought by its current owners in 1985. Interdenominational services are offered in three different languages. There is Korean-language worship on Sundays at 2 p.m. and Korean Bible study on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. The University Community Chinese Bible Study meets there on Saturday evenings, with Bible study at 5 p.m. and worship at 7:15 p.m. in Mandarin. There are also English services at 10 a.m. on Sundays and an English evening service for students at 7 p.m. on Sundays.

St. Anselm’s St. Anselm’s opened in 1953 for what was then a sparsely populated area around UBC. Now, the multi-generational Anglican congregation includes a number of UBC students as well as community members. They hold a modern-style service Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and offer Sunday school for children. They also host free dinners and fellowship time for UBC students on Sunday evenings at 6 p.m. The “Thank God it’s Sunday” dinner is open to all students, even those who are not Anglican, but visitors should phone ahead so they know how many people to expect.

If you belong to another faith not mentioned here, check out students.ubc.ca/livewell/ spirituality/chaplains. Though not every faith group has their own campus centre, UBC has over 15 chaplains to guide you along any spiritual path. U

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 |

EDITOR ANNA ZORIA

FASHiOn >>

FOOD >>

Style tips to die for

A fashion guide for sensible doomsday trends Rhys Edwards Senior Culture writer

Regrettably, the end times are upon us. On Dec. 21, the Mayan calendar will terminate, causing the space-time continuum to rupture and bring about a new era of unfathomable horror.

Although the moral fabric of our culture may degrade to the point of being unrecognizable, it will still be important to maintain fashion sense. Otherwise, what will distinguish us from the mutated hellspawn that will inevitably come to roam the area formerly known as Thunderbird Park?

Thankfully, since it rains for nine out of 12 months in Vancouver, UBC students are already highly skilled at keeping up appearances during inclement weather. All one needs to do is add a few tasteful flourishes to a pre-existing wardrobe, and voilà!

You’re set to strut your stuff in the endtimes.

THE BASICS

STEPHAnIE XU PHOTO/THE UBYSSEY

Due to the risk of disease and contamination, layering will be more important than ever. Just like before the Final Judgment, a variety of fabrics built up thin to thick will ensure warmth, comfort and protection in the adverse environment.

However, don’t go overboard.

Tempting as it may be, bulking up like the Michelin Man may impede your ability to move quickly,

and can soon cause dehydration.

Strike a middle ground between aerodynamic design and warmth by combining materials such as PVC, denim and wool. Don’t forget to round off your outerwear with a reliable pair of lightweight, waterproof boots. We recommend you barter for a pair of Blundstones.

dESIgN Traditional neutral tones of brown, beige or grey will prevent you from sticking out like a sore thumb to potential adversaries.

As a bonus, these colours can be worn almost anywhere at any time of the year. No need to change outfits ever again!

Camouflage also does the trick, but as usual, don’t wear it unless absolutely certain you can make it work. Break up the monotony by sewing on strips of fabric in complementary colours; arrange them in a haphazard pattern to evoke that don’tcare-anymore attitude.

It goes without saying that nothing on your visage should appear new. Even if you somehow make it through the Great Transition with nary a blemish, make sure that your clothing is ripped, scuffed and stained anyway. Mob mentality will be the rule of the roost, and the beleaguered masses will take any reason to shun you — including your apparent cleanliness.

Accessories are what truly set the individual apart, and in a cataclysmic world, how you go about accessorizing could mean the difference between starvation and prosperity.

On the hands, fingerless gloves will, understandably, become popular once again. However, for a more minimalist approach, consider applying liberal amounts of dirtied athletic tape to your fingers and wrists instead. Elsewhere on the body, random assortments of belts, Band-Aids and medical braces create visual interest and convey quiet desperation.

On the head, a head scarf exudes cosmopolitan chic, protects against dust and wind, and can be wrapped according to personal taste. Eye protection is also a must; ski goggles are the default option, but for a truly timeless look, procure a pair of chrome, Cold-Warera motorcycle goggles. Note that it’s in poor taste to actually wear these goggles over the eyes unless absolutely necessary; they should normally rest over the forehead or neck.

Finally, since civilization will have reverted to bands of warring tribes, consider facial markings as a way to show your group allegiance. Lipstick, face paint or even plain old mud are cheap and easy solutions, but to leave a lasting impression, use the blood of your slain enemies instead. U

Curl up with pre-apocalyptic must-reads LIFE OF PI BY YANN MARTEL

You could say this book is about an Indian guy on a boat with a tiger, but Martel’s words capture much more than that. Aside from being an engaging story, Life of Pi is all about survival tactics, which may come in handy in a post-apocalyptic situation.

You’re probably going to die soon, so naturally you’d want to complete tons of bucket lists before the apocalypse. We’ve made one list to save you the trouble: the page-turners that you need to check off before you’re blown to smithereens. Your spirit will thank you.

<em>

THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL BY ANNE FRANK

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE BY JANE AUSTEN

A popular story about a douchebagturned-gentleman through his love for a woman who speaks her mind, this book will induce laughter, tears and “aww’s” (after Mr. Darcy stops being a prick). Read it and get tangled up in a love story you wish was yours.

THE GREAT GATSBY BY F. SCOTT FITZGERALD

Since you’ll probably die before you see Leonardo DiCaprio play Gatsby onscreen, console yourself with the actual book. Gatsby is a mysterious millionaire in the 1920s who throws parties and fights with another rich guy for a woman who likes throwing his expensive shirts all over the place. This book stays with most everyone who reads it.

LORD OF THE FLIES BY WILLIAM GOLDING

This is a disturbing, allegorical book about a group of fancy young English boys who are going whacko while marooned on an island. You won’t get it unless you’re reading

</em>

BooKS THAT WIll dEPrESS yoU

THE ClASSICS

This collection of diary entries is a testament to living in the direst conditions and still retaining hope. Let the words of a young girl transport you to a time of terror, Nazis and darkened rooms. And don’t forget the tissue box. </strong>

Get busy reading: Dec. 21 is just around the corner.

deeper into it, but let’s face it: if you’re in university you probably over-analyze everything to begin with. Aside from teaching you the intricacies of group mentaility, this small book will leave you horrified and truly prepared to die.

BooKS PEoPlE AlWAyS TAlK ABoUT THAT yoU STIll HAVEN’T rEAd THE HARRY POTTER SERIES BY J.K. ROWLING

Despite its hype, it’s shocking how many people still haven’t actually read Harry Potter. It really needs no further description other than the fact that Hogwarts is the best place to occupy the imagination. Soon you’ll be spending your time wistfully wondering what butterbeer and chocolate frogs taste like. <em>

</em>

JOn CHIAnG PHOTO/THE UBYSSEY

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA BY C.S. LEWIS

This is a timeless series that you will love whether you’re a teenager or an adult. It’s supposed to be an allegory about Christianity, but just get lost in the magic and the wild animals. If your inner child is stifled by the daunting approach of the apocalypse, this series will bring it back to life.

THE DA VINCI CODE BY DAN BROWN

If you haven’t read it, all we can do is sigh heavily. This book blew minds, stirred up controversy and was consequently read by people who don’t even like reading. So get a worn-out copy from someone (because anyone who has it has probably read it more than once) and jump onto the mind-banging train.

Bean tryin’ to survive

ACCESSorIES

BOOkS >>

Zafira Rajan Senior Lifestyle writer

8

THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY BY J.R.R. TOLKIEN

This complex masterpiece is challenging, but very rewarding.

Yes, you won’t register every single word, but you will feel incredibly proud once you accomplish this feat.

If you find yourself running out of time before Dec. 21, you can always watch the movies in a one-night marathon.

I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS BY MAYA ANGELOU

This graphic novel is both a stomach-churner and a page-turner.

Angelou is one of the most banned authors in U.S. history, so naturally this book deserves a place on your bookshelf to inspire courage, wisdom and passion. U </em>

STEPHAnIE XU PHOTO/THE UBYSSEY

WHAT AM I EATING?

by Tyler McRobbie Those lucky enough to survive the initial blast of the apocalypse will find that, without electricity, one’s ability to prepare a simple meal is severely diminished.

Luckily, canned beans are something everyone can stock up on ahead of time to ensure that their safety and health (relative terms, given that the world is about to end) can be maximized.

1. Insulation It’s already unfortunate that the world has to end, but that it has to end in the middle of winter is just plain cruel. Luckily, beans can act as a great insulator. Use them to patch small holes in your shelter to keep the cold air out. Or better yet, like blubber on a walrus, so too can beans keep your body warm when applied in a thick layer. Slather them over your body and allow them to dry into a hard shell.

2. Explosives Remember the campfire prank where someone buries a can of beans in a pile of hot coals and waits for it to explode? Harness the awesome force of this eruption next time your security is threatened by roaming gangs of zombies, robbers or other ne’er-do-wells. Timing might be tricky, but the general threat of getting blasted by scalding beans should buy you some measure of protection.

3. Primitive cutting device Everyone knows how sharp those jagged lids are after you take them off with a can opener. But instead of discarding them, why not fashion them into a functional knife? Whether for protection from enemies or to assert your dominance among your tribe of survivors, take your commitment to recycling to a new level by fashioning a stylish and easy-to-use homemade knife.

4. Ponder your futile existence By now, you’re probably struggling with accepting your impending doom. Metaphysically ponder the meaning of life, your futile existence and your hopes for the afterlife as you run your hands through a can of silky, cool beans. Find solace in their infinite darkness as you lose your grip on sanity. Congrats on holding out as long as you did!

5. Mayan-inspired chili High in protein, iron, fibre and vitamin B, a can of beans is fast and convenient for the modern day survivor-on-the-go. Jazz them up with a few simple ingredients foraged from your own backyard: berries, herbs or even wild game. Cook over a fire until hot and bubbly and you have a hearty Mayan chili that will last for days and days. How is it Mayan, you ask? Well, they started this whole damn thing, so who better to pay homage to? U

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Said the Squid by Jeff Hollett and Lori-Lee Thomas

| COMICS | 9

the daily Snooze by Jacob Samuel/The Peak (SFU)

dinger by Ben Horne

U

A whole page of comics from other student papers? Come on, UBC Send us your comics!

Jeff Aschkinasi | printeditor@ubyssey.ca

The Ubyssey is hiring a Senior Lifestyle Writer. This successful applicant will be: • Responsible for contributing three articles every two weeks to The Ubyssey, through a combination of print and web stories • Adept at writing all types of stories in their sections • ABLE TO WRITE EFFECTIVELY IN SPORTS + REC AND CULTURE SECTIONS • Able to both develop story ideas of their own and take stories from editors • Able to write timely stories and available to turn out articles within 2-48 hours, depending on the situation • Willing to write editorials and take part in overall development of the newspaper (encouraged, though not explicitly required) Specific work will be decided by supervising editor.

Remuneration is $350/month.

SUMBIT RESUME, COVER LETTER, AND SAMPLES OF WORK TO:

THE UBYSSEY COORDINATING@UBYSSEY.CA UBC CAREERS ONLINE

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 |

STUDENT VOICe. COMMUNITY REACH.

LAST WORDS

humour >>

Toope Talk: Toope for the holidays

W indiana joel Illustration/the ubyssey

Benefits for new Sauder dean seem over the top </strong>

Okay, we know that for the past few decades, universities have been more or less judged on the quality of their engineering, medical and business programs.

And we realize that the people who run these programs (in this case, the business schools), are ultra-mobile, ultra-employable people who need incentives that more or less match what they’d make in the private sector. We get that.

But the sweetheart deal Sauder dean Robert Helsley got seems a little excessive. On top of his six-figure salary, UBC has set him up with a $600,000 interest-free housing loan. That goes beyond UBC’s Housing Action Plan provisions, which offers prospective employees subsidized mortgages on UBC land. Seem over the top? We think so.

BIE should have been reconsidered before the 11th hour </strong>

In a surprise move, UBC has listened to concerns from students.

After doubling back on the bachelor of international economics program because people were concerned that the tuition was over twice the cost of a bachelor of arts, UBC put it back on the Board of Governors agenda with the exact same price tag. But on Tuesday, UBC’s Board of Governors ended up passing a slightly cheaper version of the program.

It’s a positive move. The program still costs more than a bachelor of commerce and over $3,000 more than an arts degree, but the price for this boutique program seems a little more sane. The $2,000 difference in the price is “cost defensible,” according to UBC President Stephen Toope. That’s a lovely piece of university-speak that means that there was no good reason to charge that much tuition.

While it’s great that the university realized this, they were told the exact same thing in October when they consulted students. The AMS and the International Students Association did a good job of driving the point home at the Board of Governors meeting, but they shouldn’t have needed to. Ideally, UBC would have listened to student concerns earlier or just charged a “defensible” amount of tuition to begin with.

In the end, the Vancouver

It’s been rough going for other campus pubs lately — for instance, the Pit is losing tons of money this year — and unionized staff wages could make the Koerner’s reopening far from easy.

RE: Koerner’s reopening delayed

School of Economics is still going to have a lovely flagship degree, and that degree is going to be a little more reasonable than it would have been otherwise.

But UBC needs to consider a process where it doesn’t just listen to concerns at consultations — it actually acts on them.

Whitecaps on campus? Sure, why not </strong>

On its face, UBC’s deal with the Whitecaps looks like a win for everyone.

The fields are hardly used during the day (while UBC’s teams are, we assume, in class).

The Whitecaps want to shoulder the cost of improving the fields and putting up a couple training buildings, and in return, UBC will get everything after they leave.

It now looks like the numbers about field use tossed around at the press conference in September — 50 per cent high-performance sports, 50

10

per cent “community sports” — were more or less made up on the spot, but nonetheless, UBC doesn’t appear to be getting screwed on this one.

But this shows how eager the university is to nickel-anddime away pieces of campus when it’s convenient: first to outside residents in individual condos, now to an outside organization setting up shop for 22 years in the middle of our sports facilities.

UBC Athletics has indicated its eagerness to pursue more partnerships like this in the future. They might work out just fine. But we hope Athletics keeps in mind that there’s only so much of the campus around to be given away.

The Koerner’s closure drags on </strong>

The Graduate Student Society has been a bit sluggish about getting Koerner’s Pub back open, and we don’t blame them. While it was originally slated to open in January, the society has rolled back the opening indefinitely. The next incarnation of the pub will be a massive crapshoot.

Getting a third party who knows what they’re doing to run the place is probably a better idea than keeping operations in the hands of transient council members that have plenty of other stuff on their plates.

But it’s been very rough going for other campus pubs lately — for instance, the Pit is losing tons of money this year — and unionized staff wages could make the Koerner’s reopening far from easy.

When (or if) Koerner’s does reopen, it’ll be the final litmus test of what happened to UBC’s campus drinking culture. Did it decline due to a slew of outside forces — construction mazes, price hikes, licensing pressures — or is there just plain less of an appetite for chillaxing at a student pub? If a pleasant, new, well-run and cheap watering hole doesn’t make drinking on campus desirable again, nothing will. U

SCreen capture

e’ll admit, it’s our last real issue of the year, and the UBC news is slowing down. We were going to write some sort of sweeping retrospective on The Year 2012 and What It Means, but, you know, exams. So we decided to push our anonymous source to get us some more juicy staff emails from UBC President Stephen J. Toope.

While we didn’t find anything too exciting, we did turn up Toope’s last email before leaving for holiday at his manor in the Quebec countryside.

From: Toope, Stephen Subject: Happy holidays from your president!

First off, I’d like to wish you all the happiest of holidays! As you all know, I away to Toope Manor shortly after the end of classes, to spend the holiday season catching up with the latest international law journals (and the family, I suppose).

Of course, there are a few things I need to wrap up before I head off to the Quebec countryside. Like I’ve said before, there’s no Blackberry reception! I apologize in advance for what is something of a laundry list.

• Can somebody make sure to add a few extra items to Dean Helsley’s holiday gift basket? I know we try to make sure the deans all get the same thing (that is, for whoever’s putting together the baskets this year: a leftover Wescadia catering fruitcake, a bottle of Brian Sullivan’s premium scotch and a signed copy of my book, Legitimacy and Legality in International Law ). But Rob keeps dropping hints that he’ll leave for another business school if he doesn’t get some of those chocolate-covered oranges or <em>

</em>

something. Between you and me, these business deans are real prima donnas, but can you imagine having to find another one?

• Somebody should send a nice note to Public Affairs. We ought to thank them for their hard work this year, especially during the strikes this fall. I know a few people there had to deal with The Ubyssey ’s incessant strike coverage. I know I would have snapped eventually. God, you guys, it’s a strike! They happen!

Get over it. <em>

</em>

• I know you all probably think I’m a little peeved about the whole bachelor of international economics kerfuffle, but I’m not about to let a setback like slightly lower tuition get in the way. We got the thing passed! Two-tiered international higher education!

The Globe and Mail is going to love this shit. By the way, have they called yet? Can somebody let me know when they call? Like ASAP? <em>

</em>

• Speaking of consultation, the president’s office Christmas party is coming up! After last year’s incident with the peppermint schnapps, I’ve asked Campus and Community Planning to set up a series of hearings on liquor for this year’s party.

You’re all encouraged to attend and have your voices heard, but honestly I’ve already ordered the cases of cognac. Hope everyone likes cognac!

Well, that’s all I can think of. Remember, work starts bright and early on Jan. 2!

Oh, just kidding, we’ll still be sleeping off massive ones. See you on the fourth.

Happy Toope Year!

Stephen J. Toope.

U

“The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it.”

—John Stuart Mill

Elevate the discourse. Write for opinions. coordinating@ubyssey.ca

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 |

PICTURES + WORDS On YOUR UnIVERSITY EXPERIEnCE

11

YOUR FINAL EXAMS BEFORE YOUR EXAM:

YOUR PROF • You have nothing to worry about!

Everything you’re tested on was in your readings/practice sets.

• It’s exactly like your midterm.

• Study in groups; doing it alone will hurt your mark.

• Here’s a list of a thousand questions that you could be tested on.

YOU • I have to learn this in a DAY!?!

• OMG WHY ISN’T THE INTERNET WORKING • Facebook break — just five more minutes...

• I don’t remember learning this in class.

• What’s the minimum I need to pass?

DURING YOUR EXAM: QUESTION LOOKS LIKE A SIMPLE CONCEPT. YOU’VE GOT THIS. A. This answer is correct.

B. This answer is also correct.

C. This answer is correct if the things you thought made A correct is true.

D. None of the above.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Let’s just pick one and run with it.

LONG ANSWER

A.K.A. Which answer is the MOST CORRECT?

PICK ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TOPICS THAT YOU KNOW REALLY WELL AND WRITE ABOUT IT TO SHOW THE PROFESSOR HOW MUCH YOU KNOW. 1. You know tons on the first half of this topic but nothing on the second.

2. This was part of your syllabus? I guess skipping those lectures in October didn’t help.

3. How is it that none of these topics sing to you?

4. Well, crap.

REMEMBER THAT CONCEPT YOU LEARNED? HERE IT IS AGAIN EXCEPT PHRASED IN A WAY YOU’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. Here is a large space for you to answer this question. You should question why your answer is so short.

AFTER EXAM:

HACKÉDEX

YOUR UBC WORD OF THE WEEK

ESSAY

This is nothing like the midterm.

CRY. RAGE. COMMISERATE.

HARRY POTTER ROOM

While officially known as the Ridington Room, the Harry Potter Room is a study space found in the north wing of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. It received its title based on the long work desks, grand chandelier, spiral staircase and portraits upon its walls.

@overheardatubc “And remember students, don’t try any new drugs before your exams.” #ubc (via @TRaupach) @ubcnews Canada’s #1 economics dept. becomes Vancouver School of #Economics at #UBC: http://ht.ly/ fQLh4 #cdnpse #biz #econ @lraerich #connect would stop working the night before my exam... #ubc

12 | GAMES |

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

37- In spite of 40- Indian state 41- Of Thee ___ 42- Permit 43- Chilean natural resource 45- Enigmas 48- Decaf brand 53- Actress Alicia 54- Those who study heavenly bodies 58- Prance 60- Teacart 61- Isolate 62- Ltr. holder 63- Hawaiian goose 64- night flight 65- non-dairy milk 66- Affirm

31- Aliens, for short 32- Likewise 34- Vinegar’s partner 35- Compass dir.

36- Cpl.’s superior 38- Magic stick 39- Wheel of Fortune buy 44- Exam taker 45- One on track?

46- Ridiculous

47- Second king of Israel 48- Plant 49- Appliance brand 50- Israeli desert region 51- Basic monetary unit of Denmark 52- Lou Grant star 55- numbered rds.

56- Vintner’s prefix 57- Fleet 59- Sugar suffix

doWN

PUZZLE COURTESY BESTCROSSWORDS.COM. USED WITH PERMISSIOn.

ACroSS 1- Puppeteer Tony 5- Fannie ___ 8- narrate 14- Off-Broadway theatre award 15- German article 16- Banished 17- Anticlimax

U

SEY THE UBYS

Write for The Ubyssey and have your words be seen by thousands. | Stop by our office in the basement of the SUB (Room 24).

19- Serving temporarily 20- natural law 22- Legal ending 23- Bothered 24- Lager 26- Capital of Uganda 29- Cheer for Manolete 32- Composer Erik 33- Removes wrinkles

1- Skater Henie 2- Circa 3- Washer cycle 4- Actress Davis 5- Bump into 6- Hokkaido native 7- ___’acte (intermission) 8- Objects from everyday life 9- Surpassing 10- Plastered 11- Extra-terrestrial being 12- Uptight 13- Gardener’s tool 18- Large container 21- Bon ___!

25- Reddish-brown gem 26- Krazy ___ 27- Eager 28- Beethoven’s “___ Solemnis” 29- ___ roll 30- ___ Lobos

PUZZLE COURTESY KRAZYDAD. USED WITH PERMISSIOn.