the watch October 2016
KSU Declares Deficit Also in this issue:
Meet the President Renovations
the watch VOL. 34 NO. 02 - OCTOBER 2016 watchmagazine.ca watcheditors@gmail.com TWITTER @kingswatch INSTAGRAM @watchmagz
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Avi Jacob Kristen Thompson
CONTRIBUTORS
Alexander Johnson Josefa Cameron Avi Jacob Kristen Thompson
PHOTOS Kristen Thompson
PUBLISHER
John Sandham
ONLINE EDITOR
Hannah Daley
PUBLISHING BOARD Fadila Chater Piper MacDougall Lianne Xiao John Sandham Zoë Brimacombe Charlotte Sullivan
LAYOUT
Avi Jacob Kristen Thompson
Watch Office Hours: Avi Jacob Fridays 3:30 - 5:00pm Kristen Thompson Thursdays 1:00 - 3:00pm John Sandham Mondays 12:00 - 1:00pm Hannah Daley Tuesday 2:00 - 3:15
We welcome your feedback on each issue. Letters to the editors should be signed. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. The Watch is owned and operated by the students of the University of King’s College.
But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people not be warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at watchman’s hand. — Ezekiel 33:6
2 The Watch |October 2016| @kingswatch
the watch IN THIS ISSUE
from the editors
5
new man on campus
6
a new kind of bay
8
ksu declares deficit
10
wardroom: old and new
12
getting to know you
14
The Watch | October 2016 | @kingswatch 3
from the editors We feel that there’s something that the King’s community needs to be reminded of: This is your magazine. We’ve been very surprised over the last couple months by the generally low interest we’ve been getting from writers. It’s especially odd considering such a large portion of our students are writers and journalists. If this decline in interested writers continues we are afraid that we won’t be able to provide a diverse representation of the King’s community within our publication.
So why should you care? Did you know that all students pay a $12 levy to the Watch every year? This means that our tuition is what is allowing the magazine to run every month. Part of what this funding does is it allows us to pay our writers and photographers for all of their work. This means that by writing just one story for us, you make back almost the entire levy fee that you paid. After that you are literally earning money for your work as a writer. Aside from the cash, your submissions to the maga-
zine will allow you to build up a portfolio and gain experience for your resume. We want to be able to provide the community with more than just an adequate magazine, and we are not able to do that without the help of the students. Despite the fact that you have additional publications in the area to write for, this is the one that belongs to you and only you. The Watch has been and will remain to be uniquely King’s. It’s up to you to help it stay that way. |w - Kristen and Avi
the watch your watch The Watch | October 2016 | @kingswatch 5
New Man on Campus King’s Welcomes Its 25th President By Alexander Johnson
6 The Watch | October 2016| @kingswatch
Photo by Alexander Johnson
This year Professor William Lahey became the 25th President of the University of King’s College. Lahey is entering his term of presidency with a background in the fields of law and government. He has worked at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie for 15 years with plans to continue teaching during his presidency. “King’s has been a place that’s taken a very distinctive approach both to learning in journalism and to learning in the commandments both through the Foundation Year Programme and the upper year programs,” said Lahey, when asked why he accepted the new position. Students have spotted Lahey enjoying a meal in Prince Hall, attending FYP lectures, and walking his dog Kasey in the quad. He’s been getting to know the campus and its traditions along side the new students.
According to King’s Student Union President Aidan McNally, the high tuition rates are the main barrier for students entering university. She claims that the KSU’s top priority is making higher education more accessible, which would also help to increase diversity on campus. It’s currently a mystery whether or not president Lahey will be sharing the same mindset and approach on tuition fees as the union. “His first test as president will be the upcoming vote in the fall on the tuition increase,” said McNally. Lahey acknowledges that even though he is aware of the struggle for tuition, he can’t make any promises at this time to lower tuition rates. He does however admit that more can be done in the area of scholarships, bursaries and other types of financial aid.
“I think that King’s students have a lot of personality, are very friendly, and they’re very community oriented,” he said.
“We just simply don’t have the latitude as an institution to do that right now. Those [scholarships, bursaries, etc.] are all things that we have to continue to work on to make sure that higher education is as accessible as it can be,” he said.
Lahey hasn’t had the chance to attend all the events on campus so far, but he believes that being a part of the rich culture of the university will be an “invigorating experience.”
The projected vote of the $500 tuition increase for FYP students is to take place on Oct. 13 at the next Board of Governors meeting, with the second increase to be voted on in 2017.
Lahey also takes an interest in student affairs and his living on campus has allowed him to see the effect high tuition costs have on students. On Sept. 19th, the King’s Students Union hosted a protest for high tuition fees, putting up posters on which students wrote comments on how the high tuition rates are affecting them. “I appreciate them, the way the comments and the nature of that protest revealed the real impact that the cost of higher education has on our students,” he said. “I think it’s very helpful. It’s very important for the president to see and hear those kinds of comments.”
The Watch | October 2016 | @kingswatch 7
A New Kind of Bay
Renovations bring opportunities for mature living on campus By Avi Jacob
After a lengthy renovation process, North Pole Bay is once again filled with life. Not only is the updated building sporting a new interior layout, it’s also now the home to a specific kind of student – a mature one. While those living in North Pole are spread across disciplines and range in school years, they are all over the age of 19. “This is just something we wanted to try out,” says Kris8 The Watch | October 2016 | @kingswatch
tian Rafuse, Assistant Dean of Students and don of North Pole. “In general, we’re trying to build an interest in staying on campus beyond first year. I think having upper year students on campus has incredible value.” Rafuse hopes that having older students around campus will set some examples for those who are new to being independent. One of these examples is the mature and responsible consumption of alcohol.
Unlike other dorms on campus, those living in North Pole are allowed to have open alcohol in their common room. The school is trying out what Rafuse likes to call “restaurant rules.” Students are permitted a glass of wine or beer with a meal but it isn’t a place where they can party or get drunk. While only the students of legal drinking age can take advantage of this new rule, Rafuse says he isn’t prohibiting younger students from being present and using the common space as a guest. He hopes this will normalize safe drinking. “It teaches self-policing,” he says. “The Wardroom is already a great example of that.” The on campus bar, The Wardroom, holds a license that allows students of all ages to use the social space at the same time. Many believe this teaches younger students that it’s possible to have a good night out without drinking.
“I’m still kind of new and I haven’t figured things out. Last year there was some talk of an upper year residence and it just seemed like what I wanted.” Kuwodza says that this new kind of campus living has allowed her to maintain her independence while still being a part of the shared community. She admits that she’s even considering staying in the dorm for the next couple of years. “It’s not too crowded and everyone is mature and respectful,” she says. “One night [the don] made everyone nachos so we sat, we ate, we talked, had some beers. It was very cool.” She thinks that the extra freedom keeps residents from going overboard when it comes to alcohol. “When you have a glass of wine [in the common room], you just pour it and then put the bottle away,” she says.
Itai Kuwodza, a second year l student living in the newly renovated dorm, says the new living space has provided her with an alternative to living off campus – something she isn’t yet ready to do.
Although the trial run for the mature living space is going well, both Rafuse and Kuwodza aren’t convinced it’s the right option for first year students, even for those who are of age.
“Being an international student, my mom didn’t think that moving into an apartment in my second year would be the best,” says Kuwodza, who moved from Zimbabwe to attend King’s.
These concerns are mostly due to the fact that the new dorm only offers single rooms, taking away the option to have a roommate. According to Kuwodza, her experiences with a roommate
in her first year helped with the transition from Zimbabwe to Canada and made her feel instantly a part of the community at King’s. Rafuse worries about students missing out on that type of experience. “I’m pretty firm when it comes to a shared space and its benefits to new students,” says Rafuse. Despite this concern, Rafuse says there will be many chances to figure out what works best with the new style of dorm. This year the number of mature students applying to live on campus just happened to provide the opportunity to designate a whole building to them. “Maybe next year we’ll have fewer upper-years apply or we’ll have a large number of first-years who absolutely need single rooms,” says Rafuse. “In that case, the dynamic of the building would change once again.”
The Watch | October 2016 | @kingswatch 9 The Watch | October 2016 | @kingswatch 9
KSU DECLAR During their first general meeting of the year the King’s Student’s Union announced a deficit and the resulting cuts to their budget.
were increased. This was a decision made in the spring.
On Sept. 29 the union executive pointed to a decline in recent enrolment as the cause of this deficit.
The salray for the hospitalities coordinator was also increased in the budget. This was attributed to the salary being misrecorded in previous records.
Enrolment for the 2016-2017 year is 933 students. This is a decrease of over 8.5 per cent from the 1019 students enrolled the year before.
Other areas of the budget remained unchanged. These included KSU executive honoraria, CUBE coordinator honoraria and scribe honoraria.
Each of these students pays a fee of $218.48 per year in order to be a part of the union. With the decrease in students paying this fee, the union is experiencing just over six thousand dollars in lost revenue this year.
McCarthy found this to be somewhat questionable considering the current state of the union.
Sophie McCarthy, a third year student, is concerned for what this could mean for the future of the union. “It’s honestly scary. When the union goes into deficit, that makes it seem like we’re in big trouble,” she said. Zoë Brimacombe, financial vice president of the union, said she was forced to make cuts to specific areas of the budget in order to keep the deficit minimal. These cuts included all positions of the graduation committee, the sustainability commissioner, and the advocacy commissioner. Student services including CUBE, exam-period “study snacks” and funds for use by councillors also took cuts. “The budget is not a reflection of [the KSU’s] priorities,” stated Brimacombe during her presentation at the meeting. Not all areas of the budget were cut. Honoraria for the chair and chief returning officer
“It seems like [the KSU] cut a lot of the student services. Those services are why we give them money, not just to pay their honoraria,” she said. When asked about executive honoraria at a council meeting on Sept. 25, Brimacombe made it clear that making cuts in this area was not something she considered. She said that she felt that executive members do not make enough for the amount of work they do within the union. They will also be taking on extra duties due to other cuts in the budget. Brimacombe said she has aimed to present the budget in a way that students can fully understand and be comfortable with. “This is a budget, not a bank statement,” she said. At the fall annual general meeting the student body adopted the budget without any amendments or opposing votes.
RES DEFICIT
By Kristen Thompson
The Watch | October 2016 | @kingswatch 11
Wardroom: Old and New By Josefa Cameron
If the walls and corners of the Wardroom could speak, we’d be shocked at the secrets and stories they’d tell. Everyone at King’s already knows that there have been renovations taking place around campus. The Wardroom has been no exception. Fondly known as The Wardy, the campus bar has played an important role throughout the school’s legacy. It’s the nucleus of the social life at King’s. Since the birth of the renovation project, both excitement and nostalgia have been present in the hearts of students, staff, and alumni. Lydon Lynch Architects took on the project with
Eugene Pieczonka leading the operation. When reviving a space that is deeply cherished by its dwellers, the job is always a risky one. “The vision for the room was about trying to respect the history and tradition of King’s and the Wardroom while looking forward towards the future as well,” says Pieczonka. “It was a blend of yesterday and tomorrow.” Pieczonka, has been responsible for both the conceptual design and aesthetic details. He explained that the project was a fun one -- creating the space to be modern, youthful and above all, comfortable for students. Although Pieczonka and his team were responsible for the physical renovations, he says it was not without the support of the King’s community that the plans were able to come to fruition.
A Brief look at the History of the Wardroom What was once known as the Girl’s Reception Room was converted into the HMCS King’s Wardroom in 1941. This was the same year King’s became a training school for officers in the Royal Canadian Navy – many of which would go on to fight in the second world war. The college soon became known as the “stone frigate” and gained some notoriety during the war. German forces commonly reported that they were sinking ships as a propaganda tool. In response, the allies spread information on fake ships -- one of these was the HMCS King’s. The reported sinking of the HMCS King’s, a campus on land, caused the allies to question the supposed sinking of the other vessels.
The level of support Pieczonka is speaking of is no joke.
Because of this, King’s was even featured in the Hollywood hit, Corvette K-225 starring Ella Raines and Randolph Scott.
Advancement director of King’s, Adriane Abbott, graciously seconds this fact.
Now that the project is done;
“The space has been redone entirely on fundraising by donors to the school,” says Abbott. “It is a wonderful gift from earlier generations of King’s people.”
Before the official reopening on September 30th, those who had been lucky enough to sneak a peek, seemed to trust that Pieczonka and his team had delivered the new space favorably.
She admits that the renovation has been an exceptionally expensive project, but that the hard work, the fundraising and the long wait is paying off.
“The renovation has surpassed my expectations, and I think everyone will find it a very comfortable, welcoming space,” says Nicholas Hatt, Dean of Students. “I look forward to seeing it full of students!”
“The air quality is fresher, the bar is more beautiful, the sound system is going to be better, there will be many more plugs to charge devices. It is also a lovely preservation of that period of our history,” she says. The further one digs into the Wardroom’s history, the more intriguing the space becomes. Abbott explains that the room has seen several incarnations of revival throughout its history. There was a group of alumni in the 70s that revived it and another in 2012. Throughout these processes, those carrying out the renovations have even consulted naval spaces for inspiration.
Since staff and students alike feel interwoven into the history of the Wardroom, the great unveiling spurred a lot of attention. The intimate space reached capacity within the first few hours of being open to the public. “I love the Wardroom, it’s this dingy and very lovable part of King’s,” says Allie Graham, a fourth year journalism student. “I just hope that it retains its character and it remains a wonderful social space.” The Watch | October– 2016 | @kingswatch 13
Getting to Know You
People of King’s College Aidan McNally KSU President Has a nine-year-old alter ego that is disappointed she does not work with dolphins. Was once a Dolphin for Halloween
Kristian Rafuse
“I wasn’t really one to have a stable dream. I instead picked whatever was fitting at the time, and I’m more one now to just kind of be less dreamy, and more in the moment. Doing what is possible within a small realm of possibility, and what’s on the horizon is more practically minded these days… Oh god I’ve been here almost a decade now. Someone actually called me a piece of furniture the other day. I absolutely love this place, and it’s become a part of me more than any other institution I’ve been a part of in my life, so I can definitely foresee myself being here for a long period of time.”
Assistant Dean Self-proclaimed vanilla, hot fudge optional Once played guitar in a punk band, band name unknown.
Judith Stubbert Utilities Employee – Sodexo Canada Proud owner of 15 year-old cat named Willow
14 The Watch | April 2014 | @kingswatch The Watch | October 2016 | @kingswatch 14
“A lot of the board members after the meetings will shake each other’s hands, but I think president Cooper liked to have a bit more of a light-hearted approach. So after a board meeting, he went in for a first bump, and I went in thinking it was a high-five and in front of all the board members we turkeyhigh-fived. It was, funny afterwards, but was a pretty awkward and public moment. I don’t know who it was more embarrassing for.”
“I always wanted to be a princess growing up. I liked the thought of being able to be dressed up in beautiful dresses and tiaras. That was probably my dream until I was about ten, then I wanted to be a firefighter or a police officer. None of those dreams ever came true… And now I’m here, and I’ve been here for about six years now. The kids are really the most rewarding part of this job for me, I come here and they help me feel young.”
See well. Study better.
Look and perform your best this school year.
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