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March 7, 2012
News Student senator feels “singled out”
Adrian Miller released from detainment, not allowed on campus after-hours added to bail conditions Cavelle Layes Ω Contributor
Student senator Adrian Miller feels he was singled out after he was released on bail last Friday only to learn about the TRU “lockdown” that was put in place. TRU’s student-elected senator, Miller questions university officials’ right to take the actions they have taken. “They have made a mockery out of their own rules and policies,” said Miller in an interview just moments after his release. “They have made a mockery out of the law and justice and I don’t think that’s right.” Miller believes that his rights as a student have been trampled on and even compromised in many ways. TRU officials asked the court earlier Friday morning to completely ban Miller from campus after he had allegedly been found sleeping in computer labs the week before. The judge however did not believe this action was fitting to the situation and instead, as a condition of bail, told Miller he was prohibited to be on campus grounds between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. “I have seen other people sleep-
“They are definitely trying to get to TRU and wonders why they are ing [in] labs,” said Miller. “They have slept in labs when I have been the students scared of me. I don’t coming at him so hard now. “I don’t think they have any speknow if it’s working but they’re sleeping.” cific grounds,” said Miller. TRU officials have tried going definitely trying,” said Miller. He wants to know where the stuMiller said he knew the univerthrough the court system more than once in an attempt to keep sity wanted him gone but didn’t dent union has been during this whole experience. Miller off campus only to be de- think they would go this far. “They are supposed to be pro“I now know that they are willnied each time. tecting the rights “They are now of the students,” he trying to do it adsaid. ministratively, by “Where are they seeking to suspend when these things if not expel me inhappen? definitely from the “They say they university,” said have advocacy and Miller. all these services, He believes they but I would really are trying to do like to know what this by “using their —Adrian Miller they are doing beinternal academic cause I have never polices and proceseen them. dures.” “I have never received a phone When asked why he believes the ing to do anything to win and I school has singled him out Miller didn’t know they are willing to go call or so much as an email. They responded, “It’s about politics. to this extent just to try to destroy have never asked, ‘is there anything we can do to aid you.’” They don’t like the fact that I’m one person,” said Miller. Dustin McIntyre, VP internal TRU has, “a lot of money and a on the senate and that I am on the governorship…. They haven’t been lot of power. They have just about for TRUSU said that Miller’s isable to defeat me yet, so this is all the Kamloops law firms on sues range beyond the scope of what the organization deals with. their side. their last chance. “If he is being held on charges “They are a powerful entity, so “They are simply trying to beat somebody down. It hasn’t worked to know that they are doing this to by the RCMP, there is nothing we yet and it is not going to work lat- one person, to one man, it’s a little can do to support him in those issues,” said Dustin McIntyre, and sad.” er.” Miller doesn’t believe anything refused to speculate on what issues Miller believes that these achas changed since he first came Miller is referring to in his claims tions are simply, “scare tactics.”
“I am going to graduate from Thompson Rivers University whether Thompson Rivers University likes it or not.”
about their lack of presence around his case. Miller hopes that other students will use him as an example for standing up for one’s rights and not allowing yourself to be pushed around. “If you do have an issue with the university I don’t think that my stor y should scare you off. “I think you should always stand up for yourself, don’t back down,” he said. “If you scream loudly enough they will come at you hard but don’t be scared.” As for whether he will be retur ning back to TRU again next year Miller replied, “I am going to graduate from Thompson Rivers University whether Thompson Rivers University likes it or not.” Editor’s note: Diana Skoglund, TRU’s Media & Communications co-ordinator has since confirmed that the added security measures are in fact a response to Adrian Miller’s situation, stating, “We’ve consulted with external campus experts on campus security and we’ve really carefully considered it, and that’s why we’re taking these measures.”
Criticism of arts faculty funding may not be warranted Regardless of the opinion of many students, the numbers say that arts gets more than its share of the funds D. Mark Crown Ω Contributor
A growing number of students at Thompson Rivers University are troubled by the direction of the faculty of arts. This according to bachelor of arts student Alexandra Moulton, who believes the university needs to do more to show students that they are valued. “I think TRU just has to show that it has an interest in the arts program, because right now it doesn’t feel like they do,” she says. “There is so much emphasis on business, it kind of feels like arts is an afterthought.” Those sentiments are echoed by Kayla Schibli, a B.A. student majoring in sociology who is disappointed with the choices available to her in class selection. “I have had a really hard time f inding classes that I have been interested in,” she says. “Not having a poli-sci [political science] major is just dis-
gusting to me.” But Michael Mehta, dean of the faculty of arts, disagrees, and is encouraging students to continue in their studies. “Students in arts programs across this country have historically felt like poor cousins,” he said. “Although I understand these sentiments and appreciate where they are coming from, it’s important to remind people that in most universities, including TRU, an arts education is the cornerstone of institutions.” In response to these comments Schibli said, “Definitely not. They [TRU] put a lot of their funding into specific areas like the nursing program and the tourism program, and although they are not the cornerstones of the university, they receive the majority of the funding for sure.” This belief is held among many students at the university, but it may not be entirely accurate. The base operating expenditures for the last fiscal year show that compared to the full-time
TRU average expenditures (per student) 2011/12 School of Business and Economics School of Trades and Technology Faculty of Social and Educational Development TRU Average School of Tourism Faculty of Sciences
$8,747 $12,159 $17,751 $19,547 $22,689 $25,946
School of Nursing
$31,237
Faculty of Arts
$36,097
While it is important to realize that these are averaged figures, it certainly brings into question the complaints from many students about funding allocation. —IMAGE BY MIKE DAVIES
equivalent student count, the faculty of arts actually received more money per student than any other academic division. The average expenditure per student at TRU is $19,547. But the faculty of arts spends $36,097 per student, which is 85 per cent higher.
By way of contrast the school of business and economics only spends $8,747 per student, which is 55 per cent below the university average. “I personally don’t believe that arts is underfunded,” Mehta says. “Arts programming is highly variable in its cost structure, and
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as a result you are likely to find some faculty and students, depending on their discipline and program, feeling this way while others do not. “Our growth, impact and saliency to the wider world depends upon our ability to meet changing student and societal needs.”