UNBC’s Independent Student Newspaper est. 1994
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Volume 21, Issue 13
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March 30, 2015 ote-newspaper@unbc.ca
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Next issue: September 2015
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Support is always needed and no experience is required; help make Over The Edge better. We want to hear from you! Call us at 250-960-5633, tweet us @overtheedgeunbc, email us at ote-newspaper@unbc.ca and be sure to like us on facebook. For more information, please visit our redesigned website at www.overtheedgenewspaper.ca.
The careful editing skills of Jasmine Kirk,
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On behalf of myself, our new Publisher Shawn Caldera, and new Production Coordinator Hannah Rizun, thanks for everything. See you in September for Volume 22.
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Every year, we provide employment as editors, designers, and managers to students with a passion for journalism and are always looking for motivated individuals to work and volunteer in our collaborative environment. Over The Edge offers competitive advertising rates for space in our print publication as well as online.
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Also, I have to thank our 2014-15 contributors for submitting thoughful and diverse content that made the paper worth reading from cover-to-cover.
y evil plan has worked. For the last 8 months, I have carefully written for and participated in Over The Edge activities and it has paid off, I have tricked them into making me their leader.
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Over The Edge is the University of Northern British Columbia’s independent student newspaper. Our office is located on the 2nd floor of the NUSC building in room 6-350. We are an equal opportunity publication which represents students in the UNBC and Prince George community. Our publication supports student writing by welcoming news, arts, sports, culture and opinion articles, as well as photography, comics, and creative writing submissions.
the clever design work of Isabelle Legault, the savvy business insight of SuIn Lee, and the insightful social media strategies of Kelley Ware have established a high quality starting point for my evil schemes. Over The Edge, under their leadership, is perhaps the best it has ever been, and I look forward to my chance to keep this paper going strong in 2015-16.
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Throughout the summer, they will be preparing for 2015-2016 to make it the best year Over the Edge has ever seen. If you are at all interested in getting involved with the newspaper, they are the ones to talk to - they will be able to find a role that fits your skills. Working at OTE has been an amazing opportunity, and I can’t thank the UNBC community enough for what it has offered me!
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his is it - the issue in which I pass the torch on to the Over the Edge 2014-2015 team, including Colin Slark, Shawn Caldera, and Hannah Rizun. The venerable Colin has written for us for the past 8 months, attended a national journalism conference in January, and has demonstrated integrity and passion.
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I cannot imagine a better fit to take over for me as Editor in Chief, and I wish him the best in Volume 22, hitting stands in September 2015. Shawn, who may be the most smashing bro I’ve ever met, will be supporting the business with his savvy and outstanding networking skills. Hannah will be bringing a creative Euro-flair to the team when she joins in the fall.
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April Fools What would happen if... a UNBC merger Grant Bachand Team Member
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ver the Edge is able to report that the University of Northern British Columbia has struck a deal with The Walt Disney Company. The deal includes Disney providing 5.5 million dollars in blanket funding to the university. The university, after calculating a potential deficit due to unforeseen expenditures, has decided to strike a deal with Disney to help meet its budgetary needs. Some of the unforeseen expenditures come from the recent strike, the British Columbian state of economic instability, climate change denial, and Obamacare. In particular the merger will address the massive build up of trash on the UNBC campus due to the inability for garbage services to cross the picket line. This build up of trash has caused health concerns around the university; we now will have a full HAZMAT team clean up the university over the summer break. The university has requested that those on campus please ignore the rats roaming the halls in the meantime. Funding for this has come from the Disney Company. However this funding does come with some minor changes to the university. Over the Edge can now comment that the following changes are now coming to UNBC as of September 2015: × Instead of the Timberwolf, UNBC’s new mascot will now be Goofy. Disney is going for a more kid friendly canine. × School chants will now be replaced with “Let it Go”. The movie version--not that other one that nobody listens to. × The basement is not being repurposed to an evil dungeon, where the UNBC arch villain can hang out and come up with evil plans to overthrow the administration and rule the school. Absolutely not.
× On nights with school balls (there will me many), if you lose your footwear before midnight you will now have access to a complimentary shoe return service. × Apple products will now be prohibited due to fear of too many people falling asleep in class. × The T-Wolves basketball team will now be coached by a short man with goat legs. We are being told it is a satyr. × Everything the light touches is now part of the university’s kingdom. × Security will now have new department heads. Their names are Pain and Panic. Reports have come in that they aren’t very effective at their job. × All mirrors will now be replaced by one mirror in the Winter Garden. To use it, you must first ask it who is the fairest in all the land. Note of warning: the university will not be responsible for the answer it gives you. × A new captain, by name of Ursula, will now run the Acapella Club. She has commented that she is most looking forward to “getting to meet all these people with their amazing voices.” × A new administrative position is being created: Vice President of School Fashion. VP Deville is expecting to implement a number of changes, starting in September of 2015. On an unrelated note, PETA has recently opened an office up at UNBC. These changes have forced current
President Daniel Weeks to leave UNBC; upon his departure, he has placed the UNBC sword in the one of the stones outside in the Agora’s stairs. When he left, he said anyone who can pull it from the stone will be the new president. No further word on the status of that development, but rumors are that there is a boy in the cafeteria
who is being coached by an old man with a beard to try to get it out. Over the Edge will keep you updated on any new developments in this merger.
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April Fools
Local mom exposes shocking anti-aging secret, consequently hated by dermatologists Jesmeen Duo Contributor
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RINCE GEORGE, BC- When a 51 year old woman from Prince George began using one weird old tip to improve her skin, she began to get an uncalled-for response from experts in the scientific community. “The dermatologists have it out for me,” the woman, who asked to remain anonymous, told sources. “Back in the day, I couldn’t even pick up my mail without getting at least one letter spelling out how much they hate me with cut-out magazine letters.” When asked what exactly she had done in order to reverse aging in her skin, the woman declined to comment. She said, “I’ve been advised by my lawyer to only sell my trick on Internet ads.” The skin guru showed us the effects of her anti-aging formula when she disappeared into another room for ten minutes while the reporters pretended not to notice the scraping sounds. She then reappeared and showed how she could pick the layer of dead, transparent skin straight off her face, revealing youthful skin underneath. While some of our sources excused themselves to upchuck outside, the woman reportedly stated that dermatologists had been swarming around her previous home, demanding answers; when she refused to give up her secret, things took a turn for the worse. “I began leaving the house in a Kevlar vest,” she confessed. “But the dermatologists bought armor-piercing bullets. They adapted to every defense I built against them. It was then that I realized I had to move.” Dermatologists in the skin guru’s hometown declined to comment to news sources on the allegations of their involvement. The youthful looking woman has since been brought into witness protection and given a new name and a new home; but even now, she says, she doesn’t feel safe. “I almost wish I’d never discovered that stupid five dollar wrinkle trick,” she stated, absent-mindedly picking what looked like dried glue off of her face while the interviewer sat by in simultaneous sympathy and disgust. “Sure, I may look 25, but I just retired. I want to live, but I can’t leave my house without looking over my shoulder all the time. I can’t go to the doctor without having a panic attack. And when I got eczema last winter, I didn’t dare go to the dermatologist, and now it’s just gotten worse.” At the end of the interview, the fresh-faced retiree offered to show the aforementioned rash, but our sources reportedly declined. The woman added that she has to redo the treatment every once in a while, but if one is in a real tight spot and needs a quick wrinkle-fix, she recommends simply putting a five-dollar bag over your head.
April Fools
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And then everyone died: a peek at OTE’s future Colin Slark Team Member
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s you may know, all of Over The Edge’s 2014/15 editorial staff are moving on from their positions. This is exciting; they are going out into the world to apply the skills and knowledge they have learned at UNBC. However, I am an anxious person. I am fretting about their chances of success in the outside world. To ease my fears, I am harnessing the vast computing power of my nearly 3-year-old Macbook Pro to simulate Jasmine, Kelley, Isabelle, and SuIn’s real world chances for success. Simulation 1 – Oregon Trail (1990) The four editorial staffers are on the US East Coast in the 1800s, and have decided to journey to Oregon. They are Bostonian bankers, because none of the choices really scream “student journalist” to me. Oh dear, I need five people for my Oregon Trail dream team. Since I am going to be the next Editor in Chief of Over The Edge, I guess I should volunteer myself. We are leaving for Oregon in May with ample supplies. May 29 – A woman passing by tells us not to drink ground water because of cholera. Duly noted. June 23 – SuIn is over exhausted by our travel, forcing the group to take a rest. July 16 – We ferry across the Green River safely. River appears blue, confusing OTE staff. August 13-14 – When I told Kelley that I was writing this piece, she requested that I try not to kill her with dysentery. Request granted. SuIn got dysentery instead. Isabelle has typhoid. I decide to rest the group. August 17-19 – Someone steals three of our oxen. SuIn breaks an arm. A thief, presumably the same one, steals the rest of our oxen the next night. We have to wait for someone with an extra ox to come by to barter with. SuIn breaks a leg. How is she not
dead? I also have a broken leg. Broken limbs are contagious in this part of America. Kelley gets cholera and succumbs to it. Come on Kelley, that lady warned us about bad water! August 20-22 – SuIn has died. Some asshole steals most of our oxen again. At the next fort I will be talking to the marshal about the ox-thirsty bandit. He is my nemesis, I would swear vengeance upon him, but I die after break my leg. Isabelle breaks an arm and a leg, and not idiomatically. August 25 – The ox-thirsty bandit, my nemesis, steals our last ox. Jasmine and Isabelle starve to death waiting for someone to trade with. I think I feel saddest for Jasmine, having to drag a sick, broken friend across a wasteland. Game over. Simulation 2 – Organ Trail: Director’s Cut (2013) Oregon was a pipe dream. It would have never worked. I need to try something different. I assume that the zombie apocalypse will be happening soon, so I am digitizing the intrepid editorial staff and inserting them into Organ Trail, which is like Oregon Trail, but with zombies. Again, we need 5 party members so I am going to insert myself into this game as well. April 1-2, 2015 - The zombie apocalypse is upon us. Humanity is in ruins. A priest saves OTE’s editorial staff and we head off in an old Buick station wagon for some reason. The priest breaks a leg, gets dysentery, and is bitten by a zombie. Jasmine puts him out of his misery. April 22-25 – A bandit steals from our car in our sleep. I hope my nemesis has not crossed games. A bike gang appears out of nowhere. Jasmine runs them down mercilessly with the Buick. May 17 – The bandit kidnaps SuIn in the middle of the night. Now he is stealing our friends! Jasmine goes to dispense wasteland justice, but accidentally kills SuIn while aiming for the bandit. Oops. RIP SuIn.
June 26-29 – I break an arm. Kelley gets cholera, but her immune system fights off the disease within 5 hours. Zombie wolves attack Jasmine, injuring her. July 10-15 – Kelley gets cholera again and breaks an arm. Kelley seems to be a cholera magnet. Kelley is rid of cholera within days. Kelley seems… inhuman. Jasmine makes the decision to wade into zombie-filled hedge maze in order to acquire a sno-cone machine. No one protests because she has the gun. September 23 – A stray bullet hits Isabelle. I bet it’s the bandit. I break both my legs, nearly dying. In our agony, Isabelle and I start arguing about who is more miserable until we find out that Kelley has gotten cholera again. October 18 – Kelley’s cholera has been defeated once again, I would write more, but I fear her genetic superiority allows her to read my mind. November 4 – OTE staff find a potential new home on America’s west coast, but the
generator powering this community’s electric gate is out of gas. As Jasmine ventures out into a zombie covered field to retrieve gas, she is seriously injured. Kelley leaps out of the car and massacres the undead, saving Jasmine and collecting the essential fuel. As OTE’s staff enter this safe haven, Kelley eyes the weak forms of the inhabitants. They are clay to her, and she will mold them into superior beings as their queen. What has all this told us? If these games are as accurate as I think they are, OTE’s departing editorial staff will have brittle bones, cholera, are lousy 19th century explorers, but are surprisingly handy during supernatural disasters. On the whole, things seem positive, but the oxthirsty bandit concerns me greatly. I am slightly afraid of what Kelley might become, but you do have to allow for a certain margin of error in simulations. In any event, I wish the departing staff luck in their future endeavors. My final advice to them? Avoid strange ground water, it leads to cholera (and mutation).
Kelley Ware | OTE
UNBC Life
#ISupportBarry: how UNBC joined together to save Copy Services Kelley Ware Multimedia Coordinator
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hen the UNBC strike ended, it seemed like students would finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief, leave their Twitter accounts alone, and briefly relax before class started back up and assignments began to be due again. However, that was not the case when another bombshell was dropped on the student body through social media and word-of-mouth. This bombshell was about proposed renovations that would change the way that Copy Services would run and affect public interaction with copy-guy Barry Wong. As a service that many people frequently access, Barry has built a reputation of great customer service, friendliness, and cheerfulness. “His workspace is a very welcoming environment,” says Alex Pinette of the UNBC Political Science Student Association, “[He] makes it easier for students who may not be as outgoing to come in and get copies made.” On Twitter, Barry has been referred to as “the heart of the university” by user Marli Rachel. Part-time psychology instructor Brian Duffels mentioned on Twitter that Barry is the best service provider of all four universities he has taught at. The proposed renovations that had everyone worried have been an idea that has been discussed for six months. According to an email from Aaron LeBlanc, the Director of Ancillary Services, this renovation (which was not finalized) would “…provide Copy Services with a physical link to the Bookstore for pointof-sale service, invoicing, etc. [Which] would also have enhanced space for two additional units that provide service to students, employees, and the public.” Faculty and students alike were quick to voice their concern. Twitter exploded with hashtags about Barry and Copy Services. Fear that any changes to Copy Services would prevent people
from seeing Barry saw students immediately being vocal about their displeasure and trying to organize and assure that Barry would stay where he is. The Facebook group “Students for a Better UNBC” began discussing the possibilities of creating a petition to make sure students still have access to Barry. NUGSS Academic Representative, Molly Fredeen, said that “the amount of support I saw for Barry’s space from faculty was impressive. My inbox was flooded with people agreeing to take the stance against the copy services renovations.” While the concern from faculty and students were based on mainly rumour and heresy (since renovations were neither fully planned nor fully shared), the reaction from the UNBC community was still incredibly powerful. Emails came from multiple people and flooded feeds. Students came with coffee and tea for Barry to express their support. NBCGSS president Jessy Rajan wrote on Twitter that the university strike had divided some students along ideological lines, but support for Barry brought us together again. Rajan’s tweet implied that, much like during a time-sensitive copy emergency, Barry was able to save the day once again. Indirectly, he brought the students together in a time when they were most divided and healed tears between them. This likely only made them fight harder to keep him where he is. As a result, on Wednesday March 25, LeBlanc shared an email to the colleges of UNBC: “The idea has always been to optimize space utilization on campus, utilize existing resources, enhance multiple service units, and not detract from the customer service for which Barry is famous. We have been making progress on designing a renovation that would have achieved all of these objectives, but concerns about possible declines in customer service have led me to reconsider. As a result, we will not be proceeding with this renovation.” Regardless of what could have been, it is clear that Barry will continue to be a staple at UNBC.
UNBC Life
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Club Spotlight: UNBC Catholic Club holiness.
Alyssa Dugdale President | UNBC Catholic Club
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his year, the first official Catholic club on campus was formed in response to Pope Francis’ call for the Church to go out, become missionary disciple,s and to share the joy of the Gospel and love of Christ with others. The club invites students to experience the fullness of the Catholic faith while challenging them to live as authentic Christians. Many of our campus opportunities are modeled after how St John Paul II shared Jesus with young people. He shared the love of Christ in everyday situations, which challenged young adults to grow genuinely in
Many UNBC students, faculty, and young adults were able to experience community and personally come to know Christ and the Church on a deeper and authentic level through opportunities produced by the Catholic Club. These have included weekly campus mass, a fall retreat, Mass hikes, and our annual ski retreat to Smithers. We also offered an on-campus, small group faith study called Discovery, which provided a simple, but personally challenging look at the Gospel message. During the winter semester, we held ALPHA nights where students gathered for a meal, short video,
and a time for small-group discussion. We also continued to hold nights of Praise & Worship and adoration (called SUMMIT) on the 2nd Saturday of each month, where students were able to build connections with the Prince George community in parishes. A highlight of the year was during the Christmas break; 25 students traveled to Calgary to participate in Rise Up, a Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) annual conference. We spent 5 days listening to great speakers, participating in worship and connecting and celebrating the joy of the Catholic faith alongside 700 other Catholic university students from across Canada.
NUGSS Elections March 30 & 31
The club will continue next year on campus. Do you want to get involved, or know what is going on? Find us on Facebook: Catholic Young Adults-Diocese of Prince George, BC, or email jp2clubpg@gmail.com “It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit your selves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal” –St John Paul II
Photos by Kelley Ware | OTE
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UNBC Life
at UNBC
Kelley Ware Multimedia Coordinator
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ach year, the UNBC Musical Productions club presents a musical to the public in the Canfor Theatre. This year, they selected the puppet-centric Broadway musical Avenue Q and absolutely outdid themselves. Described by many cast members as “Sesame Street for Adults,” Avenue Q follows the trials of early adulthood with both human and puppet characters. With songs such as “What Do You Do with a B.A. in English?”, the content of the musical is extremely relevant for university students who will soon be graduating and entering the real world. In many ways, Avenue Q was the perfect choice for a musical to perform at a university. Not only are we the right demographic to target with a story about the journey of young adulthood, but we
are also a generation that grew up learning lessons from Sesame Street on television. When we were children, we watched colourful puppets teach us lessons about friendship and believing in yourself. It only feels appropriate to follow equally colourful characters as they struggle with relationships, jobs, porn addictions, and Bad Idea Bears (the personification of those terrible ideas that sound so awesome at the time that you just have to do them, such as spending your rent money on beer). Avenue Q held the right amount of heart, humour, and nostalgia to make it both charming and hilarious. The cast and crew of Avenue Q did not fail to impress. Many times it was hard to remember that the performers, technicians, and setdesigners are students. The quality of the
puppets used (all hand-made by the cast and crew) were incredibly impressive. They looked like they belonged in a Jim Henson production. That alone is an enormous success for the Musical Production club. The only problems that I was able to see on opening night were small technical issues (such as a couple actors’ mics cutting out slightly at times). However, these small issues did not truly affect the level of enjoyment gained from the show. The acting and singing talent of the cast was also remarkable. Most notably Franco Celli (Princeton), Adrienne Legault (Kate Monster), and Michelyn Rutledge (Gary Coleman) absolutely blew me away on multiple occasions during their solos. However, the entire cast was quite good and vastly entertaining. Likewise, all music played was performed by a live
band behind the set, something that also brought in an impressive amount of professional-level skill to the production. There were heartfelt moments, slightly depressing moments, hilarious moments, and incredibly raunchy moments. Most memorable of the latter was the drunken sex scene between Princeton and Kate Monster. It was both hilarious and awkward as we watched Celli and Legault mash naked puppets against each other (yes, they designed the puppets to be naked). I’m not sure I needed to know that they gave Kate Monster nipples, but I don’t necessarily regret finding out. UNBC Musical Productions has set the bar incredibly high this year, I’m not sure how they will be able to top it in the future.
UNBC Life
Kelley Ware | OTE
Senate and Board of Governors look forward post-job action
Kelley Ware Multimedia Coordinator
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fter the UNBC Faculty Association job action came to a temporary close due to the invocation of Section 55 of the Labour Relations Board, there has been an air of uncertainty about what this means for the university moving forward. On March 25 and 27, the Senate and Board of Governors respectfully met to discuss that and more. Both meetings saw many a great deal more student gallery attendees than usual - the Senate meeting was standing room only. Regarding current and new semesters, the Senate decided to keep the semester dates as is. This means that classes and final exams will end on time. The schedule for the Fall 2015 semester is expected to be up on April 2 for registration. The largest elephant in the room, which was discussed both in Senate and the later Board of Governors meetings, was the budget and rebuilding trust among the administration, faculty, and students. President Weeks assured everyone that he would work towards
a way to heal the rift between administration and faculty so UNBC can move forward. “This is not a messy divorce,” said Weeks in regards to the divorce analogy used by several students. “This is what it is like to be married. It is daily work.” Weeks believes that while trust is lacking in many areas of the university, it is something he can fix. “It is palpable that trust is not here,” he said. “I knew that before I came and I came anyways because I am confident that I can build that trust.” Greater transparency about the budget was also urged from faculty members. What the university’s priorities are was also a question that popped up several times. How the budget can be shared more effectively was largely discussed. In the Board of Governor’s meeting, Weeks brought up a possible “Budget Day” that he has seen at other institutions as a potential option. This would effectively mean a day where administration has tables in the Wintergarden with people available to discuss each line of the budget to anyone who is interested.
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Either way, it is clear that many people do not believe UNBC is budgeting effectively. “We do not budget according to our priorities,” Weeks told Senate. “We don’t budget, we account. And that isn’t getting us anywhere.” Later, at the Board of Governor’s meeting, he expressed where the budget should focus: “Our budget should serve our academic aspirations. Fullstop.”
Even with good discussion happening, it was clear that there was still anger and hostility in the air. Week, however, is not ready to give up. “I believe we will come out of this stronger,” he said. “A great sword is forged by heating the metal, beating it, then cooling it down. We have been heated up, now it is time to cool down.”
Elect Wendel Schwab to the UNBC Senate Communication: Improve communication at UNBC with the Senate, the students, and the UNBC Administration. Representation: Number one priority as an undergraduate student representative on the Senate will be to represent YOU. Accountability: Hold the Senate and the Administration of UNBC accountable for their actions and decisions on behalf of the students. April 9th & 10th 10:00am – 2:00pm in the Winter Garden
Facebook: wendel4senate @WendelSchwab schwabw@unbc.ca
Feature
Dietary restrictions need not apply: the new dining hall
Kelley Ware Multimedia Coordinator
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NBC is two full semesters into the new UNBC Dining Hall, and the changes to food service delivery on campus have seen many students polarized. Some continue to lament the closing of the old Corner Store and the changes seen this year in food services, while others have expressed satisfaction. Either way, it appears that the new services are here to stay, with UNBC considering the new Dining Hall a success, both in numbers and food quality. “From what we’ve seen, both from a student and community standpoint, it is doing really well.
We are getting more drop-ins per day than we did with the prior dining hall, which means more revenue generation that goes back to the university,” said Nicole Neufeld, Business Development Officer of Ancillary Services. “From a student perspective, we have heard a lot of feedback that the food is better. So with our old provider the food quality wasn’t quite where we wanted it to be and that was just because the capital money that was going into it just wasn’t enough. With the higher demands we are able to put higher quality food out.” However, numbers and quality notwithstanding (it is unclear if increased numbers is a result of increased food quality, or the mandatory meal plans for residence), there may still be significant issues with the Dining Hall when it comes
Kelley Ware | OTE
The
The to meeting the dietary needs of students. This may be a serious problem for a food provider that advertised its ability to meet the needs of all students. Willie Lum, Director of Food Services, did not respond to attempts to request comment on how the Dining Hall was planning to accommodate students with special dietary needs; however, Neufeld did. In regards to accommodating student needs, she had this to say: “We have a section in there that is a vegetarian section and a vegan section. So we have four vegan or vegetarian options a day. We also have the salad bar, which provides options for both. The biggest thing that we have been talking to students about is the My Pantry option. So with My Pantry there is the option to cook your own food based on whatever your dietary needs are. And because we have had some students with unique food allergies, we have actually worked it out with our head chef that if you have any specific dietary needs he can specifically order food in for you and hold it in the back. So instead of it being public food for everyone, you can have your own food stored in the back. That way you can just go in, tell them who you are, and they can give you your food and you can cook it yourself.” However, the idea of accommodation and the reality may not be as close as some may think. Sue Rahimtula, a student in the Education Program came to Over the Edge to discuss some of the problems she has been dealing with. She came to UNBC from Surrey in September. Since she was new to Prince George and it was a very convenient option, she decided to live on residence and purchase the meal plan (at the time she had no idea that the meal plan was mandatory for students with less than 60 credit hours living in residence). She had also received a financial award from Food Services designed to help pay for housing and food costs. However, Rahimtula did not realize that her wheat allergy would mean a semester-long fight with Food Services. “Three weeks in I’m going ‘okay, this is not working for me.’ And I tried to get off the meal plan and I discovered that in your housing you automatically sign a contract. I wasn’t aware of the small print… I don’t even have that contract,” Rahimtula told Over the Edge. “Nevertheless, I have a wheat allergy and I’m thinking ‘well, this [contract] shouldn’t matter, I should be able to get some help.’ So I tried to find out what the problem is with the cafeteria, if they are able to help me in any way. They basically say that I can’t take food out of the cafeteria, I can’t bring food inside, I can’t bring friends inside to the cafeteria [which] totally isolated me… And I’m getting sicker and sicker.” Rahimtula began looking into Food Services and the rules surrounding the meal plan. She figured that, since there are kitchens in residence, she might be able to get refunded for the meal plan and cook her own food in her dorm. However, the exemption process was far from simple for her. Rahimtula told Over the Edge that she was in contact with Food Services discussing her health problems due to her dietary restrictions for nearly the entirety of the Fall Semester. She was not told until near the end of the semester that an exemption form existed for people with dietary health issues. Over the winter break, Rahimtula went home to her family doctor to get a note regarding her wheat allergy. She said that the doctor’s note specifically said she should be cooking her own food in her own kitchen. With the doctor’s note, she filled out the exemption form and went through the process. Neufeld explained the exemption process: ““We do have an exemption process. The biggest thing behind the exemption process is we are looking at whether or not it is a medical condition which leads to an exemption, or if it is a food preference. So that is our two big defining factors. The student fills out the exemption form, which has supporting documentation for a doctor’s note or things like that. Then an independent
Feature
committee reviews it. So we have about four people on the committee from different areas of the university, so not just food, that get to look over it and decide based on that if they either have a meeting with the chef to see if we can meet the specific dietary needs, if they receive automatic exemption, or if they can receive partial exemption.” For Rahimtula, the final result of the process was unsatisfactory. She only received partial exemption for the winter semester despite the doctor’s note. This partial exemption also did not come in the form of money like she had been hoping, but in the form of $900 worth of Dining Hall dining dollars. On top of that, her foodrelated award was taken away, since she was trying to opt out of the service. “Now, I have my undergraduate degree,” said Rahimtula. “I’m 33 years of age. I’m not a child, I know how to cook. I obviously have a problem and I need some accommodations done. I need my money back and I’m not able to get it.” Neufeld explained this decision based on the committee’s reasoning that the Dining Hall could accommodate Rahimtula’s needs for a certain percentage of the time, specifically due to the My Pantry option. “It was either no exemption or dining dollars,” Neufeld told Over the Edge. “I’m getting frustrated because I feel like I am getting bullied; that my needs as a student are not being met,” said Rahimtula. “It’s kind of unfair that I am being treated this way. My wheat allergy has not been dealt with. I had a doctor’s note that I spent a lot of time getting… I don’t think they are taking into consideration that people have health problems and if the plan doesn’t accommodate them, [UNBC] should accommodate the student.” While it is believed that My Pantry should be able to meet the needs of most students with sensitivities and allergies, the fear of cross-contamination is very real for these students. Graduate student Meghan Sterling, who has severe celiac disease, said that she was afraid to even enter the dining hall due to possible cross-contamination. “Avoiding gluten requires a level of exceptional vigilance, and any food preparation or storage area where items with wheat or gluten are made and served increases the risk that anything gluten free may be cross-contaminated,” Sterling said. “Additionally, many items that seem to be gluten free or safe are not. A lot of spice companies use flour on their lines, etc.” The close proximity of cook stations is also a reason for concern, since somebody may be preparing food that another student is sensitive, allergic, or intolerant to inches from their food. However, the issue of cross-contamination is apparently not one that has been brought up with Neufeld. “From our side [the issue of My Pantry cross-contamination] has not been brought to our attention,” she said. “The biggest concerns we have had with the My Pantry is students who are not comfortable cooking. So what we have done with that is hosting Food Education classes where we teach students how to cook basic foods or more complex dishes. But more just getting them comfortable with that cooking atmosphere” There are clearly some serious problems with the new Dining Hall on campus. One can hope that this is just one of the hurdles that UNBC Food Services have to jump while they are making the new transition. However, for students like Rahimtula that may offer little comfort. “I’m not trying to be disrespectful or cause a problem or make [UNBC] look bad. I just think that maybe they are not aware of these certain things,” said Rahimtula. “And maybe other students need to be told that if you go on the meal plan that this happens. You need to make sure that if you have any allergies you don’t go on the plan and don’t stay [on campus].”
Discworld Series | Terry Pratchett
Culture 3 Long reads to
Help Strike Off Boredom Colin Slark Team Member
U
NBC’s semester is nearly over, opening up many possibilities for the upcoming summer. Some of you will continue to take classes, some of you will be hard at work, and others will need to find things to occupy their time. I have always found that an enjoyable thing to do over summer break is to engage in a long reading project.
Delving into a long series of fiction can be rewarding. If you find something you like and there is a lot of it, you can occupy yourself for a long time. Here are three long reads to help stave off boredom. Robots/Foundation by Issac Asimov (1942-93): Issac Asimov is a writer whose impact on popular culture is often more remembered than his actual works. His impact on robotics is influential in both fiction and in real life. His concepts are fascinating, but he also excelled at world building. In over fifteen books comprised of both novel-length stories and short stories, Asimov tells the story of the human race as it expands into space. The Robot novels tell the story of humanity’s first entry into space, the galactic empire novels show humanity’s heyday and the Foundation novels tell the story of the man who predicted the empire’s end and the steps he took to save civilization. You could read any one of these series individually, but together they form a gigantic and captivating tapestry. There is a caveat to this: Asimov’s estate authorized other authors to write other novels in the
series after Asimov’s death. Do not read those; they are attempts to artificially extend the life of a corpse. Also, if you’re looking for strong female characters, look elsewhere. Over these books, Asimov writes no more than one woman well. Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman (20092012): Given that Fantastic Four has existed for over 60 years and over 600 issues, I would not blame you for not knowing if any of it is actually good. Fortunately, a recent run on Fantastic Four is both easy to find and of the highest quality. Writer Jonathan Hickman and a rotating cast of artists spent 58 issues from 2009-2012 taking the team through time, space, multiple universes, and cosmic war. The introduction of world-eater Galactus in the 1960s introduced a massive scope to comic books, but Hickman takes the action to new heights and does it perfectly. If you enjoy Hickman’s run on this book, his run on S.H.I.E.L.D. tangentially ties into his Fantastic Four and his run on Avengers more directly picks up on story threads from his Fantastic Four. If you read all of it, I estimate it to be around 160 issues - all of it great.
Discworld by Terry Pratchett (1983-2015): Given the sheer quantity of Discworld content, it is very understandable for a new reader to not know where to start. There are 41 main novels, 5 short stories, and something like two-dozen other books – and this only covers the material directly written or co-written by recently deceased series creator Terry Pratchett. This does not cover the comic book adaptations, film/TV adaptations, audiobooks, stage adaptations, radio adaptations, various games and other material not written by Pratchett.
reader. You could read the Tiffany Aching sub-series without having read anything else and you would be starting with the 30th book in chronological order. Personally, I would recommend that new readers read the City Watch sub-series starting with Guards! Guards!. There are some fun subversions of tropes commonly found in chivalric tales and police procedurals and the characters tend to be grounded and relatable, making it easy to identify with these men, women, and monsters as they encounter the weirdest things Discworld has to offer.
Given the sheer amount of content, I would not necessarily recommend starting from the beginning and working your way through. The interesting thing about Discworld is that while all the books are part of the same series, there are several smaller sub-series within it.
Depending on how fast you read, these series could take you weeks, months, or even years to finish. In my opinion, all of them are well worth it. If you are unsure of where to start, all of these series have dedicated fans who have compiled detailed reading order lists that can be found online. Boredom is a powerful enemy; it sneaks up on you and grabs ahold of your enthusiasm, killing it. If you find something interesting to consume during your free time, like podcasts or science fiction movies, you can stave off boredom and retain your zest for life.
Since the books follow the adventures of different groups and individuals across the Discworld, you could read two novels in chronological order but encounter none of the same characters. This means there are several good starting points for a new
Culture 13
Review: Cinderella (2015) Nahid Taheri Team Member
T
he story of Cinderella can be traced back to any country and any culture around the world with different details. With what seems like a million different versions of this classic fairy tale, you would think Disney might go all out and make this one new and exciting while keeping the core the parts. However, what you get in the most recent Cinderella is a very outdated movie with mediocre acting at best. This new version of Cinderella is exactly the
same as old one, following the fortunes of a young girl named Ella (Lily James), whose merchant father remarries following the tragic death of her mother. Keen to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother Lady Tremaine (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters Anastasia and Drizella into the family home. When Ella's father suddenly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Finally relegated to nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes, and spitefully renamed Cinderella since she works in the cinders, Ella could easily begin to lose hope. Despite the cruelty inflicted upon her,
Book Review: Titanian Chronicles Emily Striker Contributor
O
ver the course of our time off, I found the book Titanian Chronicles: Journey of Destiny while browsing my shelves for some fun reading. Seeing this book reminded me of the pleasure I felt while reading it. It had been a while since a story like this had turned me into an addict. If you decide to try this book, I suggest you do so when there is less work to be done. Afeclin, a young man raised by elves, embarks on a journey to learn magic in distant lands. He leaves his homelands of Tebelligan with his best friend Wolfgang. Unbeknownst to them, their friend Lenna sets off after them. Meanwhile, the warlord Moorland and a darkmage are waging war in Marrapassa, causing chaos and mayhem for all. All three friends must look within themselves to find their strengths—and to help the ones they love. Laced with magic, adventure, friendship and secrets, this fantasy novel had me turning
pages until I was finished. It eases you into a fast pace and opens you up with the Elvin lands. Through the characters, you discover the other lands as they do. Filled with artwork of the Land of Marrapassa by the talented Kristen Caruana, Titanian Chronicles: Journey of Destiny is a story that appeals to all ages and holds different messages for everyone. The style of writing is so colourful that you can discover new things in the story even after repeat readings. For an author who never saw herself becoming a writer, her first novel is a fantastic beginning to a future full of writing. Thankfully, the sequel to Journey of Destiny will be coming out soon. I'm afraid that Kaberry's book cannot be found in the library, as it still has to gain some more popularity. However, you can find it on Amazon and there are Kindle editions available. I truly believe that this book is a treat for all. The best way to prevent this story from being deprived from the world is to either read it or spread the word. However, if this style of book is not to your liking, pass it on to a friend who would enjoy it!
Ella is determined to honor her mother's dying words to have courage and be kind. She will not give in to despair, nor despise those who abuse her. Unaware that the dashing stranger she meets in the woods is really the prince (Richard Madden) and not merely an employee at the palace, Ella finally feels she has met a kindred soul. It appears as if her fortunes may be about to change when the palace sends out an open invitation for all maidens to attend a ball, raising Ella's hopes of once again encountering the charming Kit. Alas, her stepmother forbids her to attend and
callously rips apart her dress. As in all good fairy tales, help is at hand as a kindly Godmother (Helena Bonham Carter) steps forward and, armed with a pumpkin and a few mice, changes Cinderella's life forever. The costumes and casting were great, visual effects are countless, and wide shots are spectacular. Overall, Cinderella is great entertainment on its own, but the good feelings start before the credits roll because Disney is also releasing a new Frozen short, Frozen Fever, before the film and the trailer was nearly worth the price of admission itself.
Rogers
Sports
Hometown Hockey invades Prince George Brady Stark Team Member
O
n March 21 and 22, the Rogers Hometown Hockey tour invaded Prince George with festivities and guest appearances for the whole family. Originally starting in London, Ontario, in October, Ron MacLean and company have been travelling around Canada to bring hockey cheer to many towns and cities that have a strong connection to the game. Upon arriving in Prince George, it was immediately apparent that Prince George’s already feverish hockey environment was going to get much crazier. Starting at noon on the 21, fans were treated to a variety of activities and promotions that would keep them entertained. Rogers GameCenter Trailer Rogers had a GameCenter Live trailer that was used to promote their NHL app. The very cool part about this essential sales pitch was the motion censored
controller that fans could use in order to select the camera angle that they wanted to watch their hockey game in. Hardest Shot and Accuracy Shooting Next, fans could test their hockey metal in a couple of skill activities. The accuracy shooting was the most deceiving hockey skill that one could explore due to the fact that fans had to try and hit characters like Ronald McDonald and the Hamburglar. Right beside the McDonald’s accuracy test was the hardest shot competition. The hardest shot was not really indicative of someone’s actual speed of their regular shot. Instead, the challenge was to try and hit the net at a respectable speed while still trying to stay on their feet. There were many a fan who ended on the ground either because they missed the puck completely, or the tried to overexert themselves and almost ended up in the net themselves. Sportsnet: Be a Sportscaster
In this tent, the player was given a short script to memorize about a classic NHL moment. They were then given one opportunity to practise, and then were put in front of a green screen with a recording of Evanka Osmak. Like most people that tried this craft, I got caught up watching Steve Yzerman snipe a slap shot passed Grant Fuhr of St. Louis in the 1996 Western Conference Finals and completely forgot my lines. Despite the less than stellar performance, there was never a fan that came out of the sportscasting trailer that didn’t have a smile from ear to ear. Ron MacLean & Co. The main event of the second day was the live broadcast from Prince George that was seen from coast to coast on Sportsnet during the Vancouver Canucks vs. Arizona Coyotes game. Ron MacLean, Kirk McLean, and Geoff Courtnall made their way into the crowd of cheering fans to describe how
the 1994 Canucks fueled a hockey province and paved a path for the new generation of Canucks to make their city proud. On multiple occasions, Ron MacLean made sure that there was fan participation as he would ask questions to some people and get a roaring cheers from others. One of the most touching moments throughout the telecast was a feature on Prince George Cougar forward Jansen Harkins and his family. Sportsnet made sure that NHL teams and NHL fans across the nation knew the extraordinary circumstances that lead the Harkins family to join the Cougars. Rather than focusing on superstar forward Jansen, Rogers focused on his brother Nicolas who was unable to play due to a medical condition. Instead, he has followed a path from assistant equipment manager to assistant coach for the Cougars. Rogers Hometown Hockey certainly took their time to find the pulse of Prince George and celebrate it in a very unique way.
Sports 15
Cougars roar into WHL Playoffs 2015 Brady Stark Team Member
F
or the first time in four years, the Prince George Cougars are in the playoffs. Shedding an ownership group and management team that did not care much about the on-ice product, the Cougars came out of the first half of the season with a respectable record. They were atop the B.C division on multiple occasions throughout the year, but then January happened. It seemed like all was lost as they went on a 12 game losing streak. Everyone thought the Cougars were finished. Neck and neck with the Kamloops Blazers and the Tri-City Americans, the Cougars held their fate in their hands. The Cougars needed three out of six points from their last three games in order to reach the third spot in the BC Division and ended up with four, clinching the last divisional spot. The Cougars face the Victoria Royals in the first round of the playoffs. Here is a preview of the series. Goaltending: On paper, Royals’ goaltender Vollrath would seem to have the edge in net. However, even with a .905 save percentage compared to Edmonds’ .894, the goaltending battle could not be any tighter. PG’s goalie, Edmonds, is streaky. In the middle of the season, Edmonds admitted he could not keep the puck out of the net, but during the last two months of the season, he had the best stats of any goalie in February and March, and was the reason the Cougars turned their season around. Despite Vollrath having a solid regular season campaign and doing well against the Cougars over the season series, I am giving the edge to the Cougars for the sole reason that if Edmonds is on top of his game, it will be hard to beat him. Defense: Defense wins championships, but that may not apply to this series. Despite most of the regular season matchups between these teams being one-goal games, they were high scoring
affairs. With a defense core lead by World Junior champion Joe Hicketts, the Royals’ goal differential has been much better than the Cougars’. The Royals’ d-men are not as offensive as the Cougars’, but they make up for this by shutting down the other team’s scorers and giving Vollrath the opportunity to make key saves. The Cougars’ defense has steadily improved over the regular season, but in an unusual way. Instead of cutting down on the amount of shots their goalies face, the Cougars’ defense has learned to eliminate odd man rushes, making sure they let their goalie see the puck in order to stop it. Edmonds faces less odd man rushes and scoring chances from rebounds these days. The Royals do not suffer from defensive breakdowns though, giving them the edge on defense. Offense: This matchup is a tale of two offensive styles. For the Royals, the game plan is to get the puck to the forwards and capitalize on their opponents’ mistakes. They have been known to play a run-and-gun offense, without slacking on their defensive responsibility. The Cougars will have to keep an eye on left winger Austin Carroll, who put up 77 points in 72 games for the Royals while still being a two-way player. The
Royals’ offense is spread out over all 4 lines, having 8 players with over 50 points this season, compared to the Cougars who only have 4. The Cougars’ top two lines do almost all the scoring and their defensemen sometimes look like they hate their defensive responsibilities. However, coach Mark Holick has developed a new offensive system that sees the defense quarterback the attack without sacrificing defense. The Cougars attack by having the defense make point shots, creating rebounds and one-time
chances from the side of the net. Due to this change, it will be difficult for Vollrath to see the puck through screens or puck movement. Because of this strategy, the Cougars have been more dangerous, and I give the edge to Jansen Harkins & co. Prediction: Because the Cougars are riding a hot streak into the playoffs and Edmonds is on a roll, I give the edge to the Prince George Cougars. I predict the Cougars win in 6 games.
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