November 20, 2014

NOVEMBER 20, 2014 | VOLUME XCVI | ISSUE XXIV AS MEATY AS POSSIBLE SINCE 1918

CAN POT HELP PTSD? Associate prof Zach Walsh is researching the use of medical marijuana as treatment for PTSD.

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INTRODUCING SPEC THEATRE

RESIDENCE ISN’T A SUMMER CAMP

New group on the block aims to make theatre a collaborative art form again.

Editors weigh in on SHHS intrusions, “temporary” electoral districts and Vancouver elections.

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GUPTA TALKS SPORTS The President speaks to the future of UBC athletics.

Religion On Campus Religious communities thrive and grow on UBC’s multicultural campus.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 |

YOUR GUIDE TO UBC EVENTS, PEOPLE + CAMPUS

EVENTS

OUR CAMPUS

THIS WEEK, CHECK OUT ...

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ONE ON ONE WITH THE PEOPLE AND BUILDINGS THAT MAKE UBC

THURSDAY 20

TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

11:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. @ THE SUB

SASC and Pride UBC are teaming up to host commemoration events on Thursday. Events are taking place throughout the SUB, and include a candlelight vigil and memorial, and workshops. Free

THURSDAY

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As director of campus security, Barry Eccleton strives to ensure that everyone feels safe at UBC.

Barry Eccleton is the man in charge of keeping campus safe

WINTERFEST

5:30 - 8:00 P.M. @ KOERNER PLAZA

Winterfest at UBC is continuing with this evening event. Enjoy more crafts, music from the Blank Vinyl Project, Luke Wallace and beatboxers, and food from Sprouts and Agora Eats. Free

FRIDAY

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DIGITAL ZOO DANCE PARTY

9:00 P.M. - 2:00 A.M. @ HARBOUR EVENT CENTRE

In what The Calendar claims is going to be their biggest dance party ever, there will be no shortage of colourful costumes and great music by DJs like Psychic Type and Moiez. Tickets $15 pre-sale; 19+

ON THE COVER

Want to see your events listed here?

Email your events listings to ourcampus@ubyssey.ca.

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LEGAL The Ubyssey is the official student newspaper of the University of British Columbia. It is published every Monday and Thursday by The Ubyssey Publications Society. We are an autonomous, democratically run student organization, and all students are encouraged to participate.

Editorials are chosen and written by the Ubyssey staff. They are the expressed opinion of the staff, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Ubyssey Publications Society or the University of British Columbia. All editorial content appearing in The Ubyssey is the property of The Ubyssey Publications Society.

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Security is a significant part of life at UBC. Students learn about it, in various forms — ­ from political science students studying international security to civil engineers learning how to build safe structures. For its part, the UBC campus, from residence to lecture halls, has its security maintained by its own dedicated team.

Director of Campus Security Barry Eccleton describes the role of UBC security staff as “providing security services to the campus community, but — equally important — we see ourselves as being ambassadors to the community and helping people out.”

Eccleton is involved with various endeavours outside of his job at UBC — such as the Special Olympics, in which his son Jeff is an athlete.

Barry Eccleton Director of UBC Campus Security

NOVEMBER 20, 2014 | VOLUME XCVI | ISSUE XXIV

STAFF

Kari Lindberg Contributor

Our top priority is that we want people to feel safe on campus.

We very much want to be visible to the community, the students, staff and employees.”

We brought out the backdrop and played around with four flashes before we managed to get this shot. Photo -Cherihan Hassun

U THE UBYSSEY

PHOTO CHERIHAN HASSUN / THE UBYSSEY

and clarity. All letters must be received by 12 noon the day before intended publication. Letters received after this point will be published in the following issue unless there is an urgent time restriction or other matter deemed relevant by the Ubyssey staff.

It is agreed by all persons placing display or classified advertising that if the Ubyssey Publications Society fails to publish an advertisement or if an error in the ad occurs the liability of the UPS will not be greater than the price paid for the ad. The UPS shall not be responsible for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value or the impact of the ad.

Eccleton served in various management positions prior to coming to UBC, and feels that his experience has transferred over quite well to directing the 100-person organization that is UBC Campus Security.

Campus Security’s main job is to make sure that people feel safe at UBC. Patrolling in 12

hours shifts, there are some places that are have permanent patrols, and others that are patrolled on a rotating basis.

“We do lots of different things. Lots of time is spent responding to alarms and also to provide access to people who have forgotten or locked themselves out of their rooms.

We provide support to the Safe Walk program, which runs from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.. Our guys will provide transport [vehicles],” said Eccleton. “If there is overflow of Safe Walk callers, then we’ll help take over. We provide important services to the community, such as jumpstarting people’s cars, and we also have a 24 hour hotline service that anyone can call if they have concerns or questions.”

It was kind of baptism by fire.... I had been in the position a very short time and had to deal with it — but it was okay. We got very good support.”

Barry Eccleton

Their main modes of transportation are bikes, vehicles and walking, though emphasis is being increasingly shifted to the use of bikes — partially due to the visibility and accessibility of staff compared to other transportation methods.

“Our top priority is that we want people to feel safe on campus. We very much want to be visible to the community, the students, staff and employees. That’s why a huge emphasis for us now [is] community outreach and that’s what we’re doing through crime prevention week,” Eccleton said.

Eccleton started in his role at UBC two years ago, and the string of sexual assaults in 2013 came relatively early in his career at the university.

“It was kind of baptism by fire.... I had been in the position a very short time and had to deal with it — but it was okay.

We got very good support. The media took a great interest in it as well.... As much as these incidents were awful, there was a silver lining in that it forced us as an institution to take a long hard look at how we deal with security and safety,” Eccleton said.

Eccleton highlighted the need for the public to understand that with a campus of UBC’s size, it is hard for Campus Security to see everything.

“I encourage that if anyone sees anything suspicious or sees a crime occurring to call 911 immediately. We are a non-emergency service — a very important distinction to make. The police have a detachment two minutes away and if anything happens we call them.”

Eccleton stressed that basic measures and precautions can go a long way in regard to personal safety.

“Simple things, like don’t walk alone late at night with ear buds,” Eccleton said.

As for the recent coyote sightings on campus, Eccleton’s main warning was to not feed any wild animals.

“Unless any community members have been threatened or bitten, [animal control organizations] tend not to act on these type of cases.”

With passion, dedication and advocacy for campus safety, UBC Campus Security does its best to always have the community’s back. U

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 |

EDITORS JOVANA VRANIC + VERONIKA BONDARENKO

NEWS BRIEFS

Investigation into alleged UBC Denistry fraud continues An additional RCMP unit is now involved in the investigation for fraud at the UBC Faculty of Dentistry.

The Federal Serious and Organized Crime unit of the RCMP has joined the regular UBC RCMP unit in order look into an alleged case of over $5 million in fraud in the faculty’s General Practice Residency program. The RCMP began the investigation in February 2014 after they were first notified of the matter.

Specific details surrounding the allegations and the investigation have not yet been revealed.

Ponderosa residence block the site of frequent flooding Three floors of the Arbutus house of the Pondarosa residence were flooded on the evening of November 18.

The residence, nicknamed Pond by students, experienced a major flood caused by plumbing failure last year. Since then, smaller issues, such as ceiling leaks, have been reported by residents frequently.

According to Student Housing and Hospitality Services Director Andrew Parr, residence life and building services staff were called within five minutes of Tuesday’s flood.

They cleaned up and replaced the broken hot water faucet that caused the flood by 11:30 p.m. Two Residence Life Managers were on site following up with impacted students, said Parr.

Temporary relocation was offered, but residents opted to stay in their units or with friends.

SHHS is working with their suppliers to investigate the causes of Ponderosa’s plumbing issues and prevent any future incidents. U

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RESEARCH >>

Pot and PTSD: studying the benefits of medical marijuana UBC professor Zach Walsh is researching marijuana as a treatment for PTSD

Karolina Kapusta Contributor

Aside from being a common recreational drug, marijuana may be able to help with the side affects of anxiety and fear that are common with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Zach Walsh, who is an associate professor of psychology at UBC Okanagan, studies the roles of substance use and the impact of drugs on behavior. Walsh first started researching the impact of cannabis six years ago, as he was interested in finding out more about the world’s most widely-used illegal substance.

Walsh believes that cannabis has great remedial potential that hasn’t been examined because of “the stigma around marijuana and the prohibitions against research related to it.”

Walsh is also interested in studying how and why people use marijuana. As part of his latest project, Walsh hopes to look into the ways that marijuana may help with the symptoms of PTSD. “People who suffer from PTSD, veterans in particular, report anecdotally that cannabis is helpful with their symptoms,” said Walsh.

According to Walsh, a couple of states in the US already have cannabis medical laws that include PTSD as one of the conditions for which it can be prescribed.

Walsh also said that there are brain imagery studies that show reduced levels of naturally occurring cannabis-like chemicals and higher numbers of endocannabinoid receptors in the brains of people who have PTSD. There are also several animal studies that show

PHOTO STEVEN DURFEE/THE UBYSSEY

According to UBC prof Zach Walsh, marijuana can help treat anxiety and fear in PTSD patients.

that the endocannabinoid system is important for the maintenance of fear-related memories which play a big role in PTSD in humans.

Walsh’s study, which would conduct clinical trials that look into the effects of smoking marijuana for people with PTSD, still needs the

MEDICINE >>

go-ahead from a UBC ethics committee and Health Canada in order to proceed.

If the study is approved, Walsh and his team of researchers expect to have the results of the clinical trial by late 2016. By aiming to back up the links between cannabis and

PTSD with research, Walsh hopes to eventually help it be recognized as a prescription medication for PTSD in Canada.

“There is a lot of therapeutic potential and we just need more research to figure out the parameters of what that might be,” said Walsh. U

ALUMNI >>

UBC medical researchers receive $2.3 million grant Founding Google investor donates

PHOTO CHRISTIAN GUTHIER/FLICKR

Phil Hieter and his research team study the genetic mutations that cause rare diseases.

Veronika Bondarenko News Editor

UBC will be creating a network for the study of rare genetic diseases with the help of a $2.3 million grant.

The grant, which has been awarded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), will help link biologists who are studying diseases that affect fewer than one in 2,000 people with a community of other scientists.

Phil Hieter, a UBC medical genetics professor and head of the Canadian Rare Diseases Models and Mechanisms Network (RDMM), said that bringing

together researchers and clinicians will help shed some light on the causes behind rare diseases that may not have received as much attention otherwise. “[There is] something like 5,000 rare diseases that have a genetic basis, but no one ever knew what the gene was because they populate in small numbers for each disease,” said Hieter.

His team's research focuses on matching genetic diseases with the gene mutations that caused them.

Hieter also said that while the number of people who have one of these specific diseases is very low, together they end up

affecting approximately three per cent of the population. Since the causes and treatment options for these diseases are largely unknown, they can also have devastating effects on the people who have them. “[These diseases] cause so much pain and suffering and so it’s a very exciting event when the discovery of the gene is found,” said Hieter. “Now [the patients] have a clear diagnostic, they know their disease is the same as other people’s diseases and it has same mutation.”

The network would help match researchers who, through gene sequencing technology, have identified the gene that causes a rare disease with other scientists. Once a gene is matched with a specific disease, researchers can then proceed to determine why the mutation occurs within the individual.

"It’s a great thing for scientists because there’s a much greater awareness of the importance of basic research [as] each gene, as it’s found, requires follow-up and much of that is going to happen in basic science labs,” said Hieter.

According to Hieter, a system where scientists can collaborate and share knowledge of these rare diseases is an essential step in developing cures and management options.

"The next step is ‘what are we going to do?’," said Hieter. "We know we have the gene, but what can we do to try to benefit the patient by understanding what goes wrong so that we manage the disease?" U

$7.5 million to UBC computer science Jovana Vranic News Editor

David Cheriton, a Stanford University professor, has donated $7.5 million to expand UBC’s computer science department.

His contribution came from his wish for computational thinking to become as commonplace a skill as reading and writing.

Cheriton graduated from UBC with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1973 and went on to complete his Master’s and PhD degrees at the University of Waterloo.

In 1998, he was one of the founding investors of Google.

In 2010, Cheriton first invested in UBC undergraduate education with a $2 million donation to the multiyear Science Education Initiative, headed by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman. His recent investment was aimed at strengthening UBC’s computer science department, as well as making it more accessible and useful for students across all faculties.

“I am delighted that David Cheriton has provided this support — computational thinking will enrich the ways that UBC students can create, collaborate, learn and understand our world,” said Anne Condon, head of the department of computer science.

According to a media release, $7 million of Cheriton’s donation is going towards creating the David R. Cheriton Chair in computer science, which will allow the department to hire a senior researcher. The remaining $535,800 will fund the implementation of a new first-year

course in computational thinking to be offered in the Faculty of Science.

The course will be offered starting in the 2016 winter term and will focus on using computer science techniques for problem-solving.

“The new chair will hopefully extend the already recognized strength of the department,” said Cheriton. “[And] the new course should make computational thinking accessible to students outside of computer science, a thinking discipline I regard as key to a 21st century education.”

His donation is a contribution to start an evolution , a fundraising and alumni engagement campaign launched in September 2011 that aims to collect $1.5 billion by 2015 for student programs, research and community engagement.

“I am excited to invest again in UBC to expand the department of computer science and help them meet demands at this time of rapid growth in this field,” said Cheriton. U <em>

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4 | NEWS |

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

ELECTIONS >>

Professors weigh in on Gregor Robertson’s re-election Max Cameron and Kathryn Harrison analyze voter priorities and Vision policies Kelley Lin Senior Staff Writer

In this year’s municipal elections, the Vancouver public voted Vision party candidate Gregor Robertson into his third term as mayor.

“Transportation and homelessness, climate change and opposition to Kinder Morgan,” are some of Vision’s priorities, according to professor Max Cameron, who believes Vancouver voters generally agree with these main policies, but have issues with the party’s lack of dialogue with the public.

According to Cameron, the Non-Partisan Association (NPA) was able to tap into this flaw during the campaign, but despite this, voters did not abandon Vision. He suggests that City Hall communicate with citizens more clearly when proposing new policies and projects to not come across as dismissive. “[Vision] will need to be more consultative,” said Cameron.

“It’ll need to be more careful not to appear to be ramming things down people’s throats.”

Fellow department member, professor Kathryn Harrison, believes that homelessness and affordable housing are two of the biggest issues voters are concerned with.

Because of the daunting price tags of both projects, the city will need to collaborate with the provincial and federal governments for funding, said Harrison.

Robertson touched on this concern in his victory speech, saying “here at home, as the weather gets colder and colder, we need a new partnership ... on homelessness, mental health and addictions.”

However, Cameron expressed apprehension about the higher government levels’ support of Vision Vancouver’s progressive policies.

“Unfortunately, [Vancouver has] faced steadfast opposition from the federal Tories,” he said. “Part of the problem with municipal politics is that, even though we identify civic governments with local issues … the reality is that our cities have limited resources and limited powers.”

Harrison shares the same concerns, rooted in the knowledge of tensions between the current federal government and the city.

She says disagreements on how to solve drug addiction by having only a law enforcement-oriented approach instead of the city’s proposed harm reduction framework, for example, have caused strains.

“No single city is going to solve [issues of homelessness,] and Gregor Robertson has been voted into his third term as Vancouver mayor. certainly not on their own,” said Harrison. “But that shouldn’t mean we won’t try ... voters have given the mayor a mandate to keep trying.”

Another obvious source of tension between the different levels of government is the issue of the Kinder Morgan pipeline, which Vision campaigns against.

According to both Harrison and Cameron, opposition to the pipeline project is a voter priority.

“It was certainly one of the areas that Vision works very hard to establish as a clear difference between [NPA and Vision,]” said Harrison.

She said voters gave Mayor Robertson another chance because they liked Vision’s policies, despite tension at a higher level.

“This wasn’t just a personality contest,” said Harrison. U

Mayoral Race Results Gregor Robertson..................83,529 Kirk LaPointe...........................73,443 Meena Wong..............................16,791 Bob Kasting.................................1,682 Mike Hansen..................................714 Jeff Hill..............................................611 Tim Ly...............................................556 Meynard Aubichon.....................508

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 |

EDITOR JENICA MONTGOMERY

5

LECTURE >>

DRAMA >>

Spec Theatre makes drama about collaboration again UCLA prof Certainly not one to sit on the sidelines, Cooper graduated from UBC’s BFA Theatre program in 2007. Beginning as part of a class of 12 undergraduates, Cooper finished his degree as one of five “survivors.” “They threw so much at us, it was great.… And after I graduated I was given the amazing opportunity to travel to the Czech Republic, as part of the first North American company to perform in their International Theatre Festival in the 14 years of its operation.”

Although Cooper has produced films and done plenty of play readings in his time, Sid: the Handsome Bum was his first live show to be produced for the public — and it doesn’t stop there. Written three years previously, the rehearsal process for the show involved several months of collaborative rewriting, “throwing it back and forth, and firming it up” before performance.

The collaboration extends beyond the confines of the Spec Theatre family. “We’re all about theatre for non-theatre people, the process of product and local written shows,” said Cooper. “We want to attract people who have all sorts of other interests, as the “theatre people” are such a small collective.”

Part of Spec Theatre’s ethos is to offer accessible theatre which appeals to all. Their next show, Allergy Boys is an interesting conceptualization on the ‘bubble wrap generation,’ with a larger focus on the nature versus nurture debate.

Cooper also wrote Allergy Boys , and he hopes that everything produced by the young theatre company will be written in house.

“You really have to have the full package to work in this environment,” said Cooper, full of compliments to his team. “I think that’s our schtick. We’re small and always working on the process of trying to figure out new ways of displaying theatre.” U <em>

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PHOTO COURTESY SPEC THEATRE

Spec Theatre was founded by UBC alum Ira Cooper and presented its first show Nov. 4-8.

Olivia Law Senior Staff Writer

Sid, the character in Spec Theatre’s first show Sid: the Handsome Bum , gets his catharsis from watching porn. Ira Cooper, founder and writer of the five month-old Vancouver-based theatre company, however, gets his from the theatre. “‘Small’ theatre companies is an unfair term,” said Cooper on the discrepancies between the large establishments, and the huge number of smaller, local syndicates around the area. “They all produce some amazing shows, which can compete with anything that’s up there. I think the playing field is becoming quite even for what makes a good <em>

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show — you have to come up with such new ideas with what makes you different.”

And different Spec Theatre certainly is. Their first show, written by Cooper himself, Sid: The Handsome Bum was performed just five months after the conception of the group. Originally envisioned as a male lead, Cooper, seeking to produce his show completely out of the ‘traditional’ box, approached some of his former classmates, Kayla Deorksen, Joanna Rannelli and Hilary Suzanne, to take on the acting, production, directing and management roles.

“We were just all wanting to build our own kind of theatre, we didn’t want to wear the traditional <em>

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hats and titles, so we just all did everything — just filling in for each other,” said Cooper. Theatre is traditionally a collaborative art form and Spec Theatre definitely embraces this to the full.

The process of forming the company certainly seems to live up to the slightly crazed, quirky theatre stereotype. “The idea for Spec Theatre came together at a bar, as most good ideas do,” said Cooper.

After traveling for almost seven years, living in China and cycling through the Netherlands, he realized that the possibilities were endless. “Rather than auditioning and waiting for opportunities to come to me, I realized that I could just create them.”

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POETRY >>

Oilywood questions the role of poetry in environmentalism

Oilywood is a poetry chapbook that has been shortlisted for the bpNichol chapbook award.

Jamey Gilchrist Contributor

Can poetry help to teach and encourage people to take action against major industries accelerating climate change? Christine Leclerc, UBC alumna, author and activist, challenges such local environmental issues in her thought provoking poetry book called Oilywood.

Oilywood has been shortlisted for the bpNichol Chapbook Award, an award that recognizes excellence in Canadian poetry in chapbook form.

The eye-catching title was thought of while Leclerc and colleagues were brainstorming a way to hang a

banner of an orca, which had a message of saving the coast on it, from the Lions Gate Bridge.

“One of the idea’s was to put a giant ‘Oilywood’ sign on the North Shore mountains as that image would act as a mirror to the Hollywood hills sign and its associations with a pro-development and a pro-oil stance that we are seeing in Western Canada and around the world,” said Leclerc.

Leclerc found inspiration for her poetry when she spent a summer around different regions of the Burrard Inlet. During her time there she went around the beaches, collecting interviews, pictures

PHOTO COURTESY OILYWOOD

and water recordings. She noticed how many people spent their time there and if they knew about the proposal to expand the pipeline significantly. This curiosity led to community workshops where “people were asked to write down some memories and knowledge about the inlet on a rough map.

These sorts of community input[s] were used to create the chapbook, in addition to Kinder Morgan news releases,” said Leclerc.

Kinder Morgan is the largest midstream and the third largest energy company in North America. Their pipelines transport natural gas, refined petroleum

products, crude oil, carbon dioxide and more. The Burnaby pipeline is just one of many in the northern hemisphere.

“I took an environmental policy course in the philosophy department at UBC that really opened my eyes to some of the issues that our generation is facing, and what many generations to come will face, regarding climate change and some of the other major contributors to climate change, aside from fossil fuels consumption like deforestation,” said Leclerc.

Most of the poems are autobiographical, some from the community workshops, interviews, and others based upon Kinder Morgan’s news releases. After having read the book, Leclerc said she hopes it gets people talking about the Burrard inlet.

“Those are some conversations that I think are very important to be having especially in terms of the threats that can be posed by the Tar Sands pipeline as well as the tankers going through the inlet and what we’ll see much more of if Kinder Morgan is allowed to expand their pipeline,” said Leclerc.

If poetry such as this can start people talking about environmental issues, it can inspire more action against the oil companies and other major contributors to climate change in our society. U

lectured on Egyptian King Hatshepsut and gender inequality Adam Waitzer Contributor

On Tuesday night, Buchanan A203 was transformed into a hive of activity. People of all ages streamed through the doors, some with chairs in tow, frantically searching for a place to sit or stand.

Kara Cooney is an associate professor at UCLA’s department of near Eastern languages and cultures and was invited to speak as part of a series of lectures by the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA).

The lecture opened with a composite image of Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel and Margaret Thatcher.

“How does this make you feel?”

Cooney asked the audience. A visceral murmur ran through the crowd. She then flipped to a slide of male leaders, eliciting little to no reaction.

“Are you looking at jewelry?

Are you looking at hair? Are you looking at some of the clothes?

Pantsuits? What are you distracted by? Do they seem angry to you?

Are you threatened in some way?

So this is the crux of it all … why we are still so hostile to women in power.”

Classifying power as ideological, economic, military or political, Cooney put forward sobering statistics of modern gender inequality in all four categories — particularly in the business world.

“The situation is brutal. When human beings are given the choice of giving women power over money they all go ‘Let’s not do that’. Women, money and power: these things do not go along,” Cooney said during her lecture.

Cooney then examined several famous women who held power throughout history. An overarching trend emerged: all these well-known female figures had actually failed to successfully govern their respective nations.

Cleopatra’s reign saw the Roman conquest of Egypt; Jezebel was murdered at the hands of her retinue and is remembered by her penchant for cosmetics.

Hatshepsut, a highly able Egyptian ruler, was — by contrast — largely forgotten. Rising to power as a “stopgap” during a time of dynastic crisis. Cooney said Hatshepsut “pushed the envelope within the acceptable social context.” Commanding religious authority, military might and strict economic control, Hatshepsut brought prosperity to ancient Egypt.

“And in some ways, that success was her ultimate undoing,” Cooney remarked. Hatshepsut’s successors rushed to claim her admirable legacy.

In our modern society, there is no shortage of discourse on bridging gender-based gaps in power. Yet how can we deconstruct stigma associated with female leadership? Hatshepsut’s parable offers some insight in this regard. U

6 | CULTURE |

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Religion On Campus

by Gabriel Germaix

W

hen the Dalai Lama came to UBC in October, he attracted thousands of students and Vancouver residents to the Chan Centre and Thunderbird Stadium.

No matter their faith or their degree of religiosity, a large number of students flocked to hear the head of Tibetan Buddhism lecture.

Tickets to attend his appearance inside the vast amphitheatre were snapped up in just a few minutes.

The curiosity and enthusiasm expressed by students, regardless of the status of the Dalai Lama, echoed both the freedom and discretion of religion on campus.

The drive towards open multiculturalism

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ore than many countries, Canada has experienced the secular tide of the second half of the 20th century, and Vancouver seems to further enhance this march towards secularism.

Stereotypes of the city depict a society where meditation, yoga and praying are a way for people to feel more healthy and connected to themselves. Reversing the idiom “a sound mind in a sound body,” Vancouver culture raises the exercise of the body onto a pedestal, while soul-searching is becoming more ancillary.

Despite this idea, the UBC campus is home to several dozen religious groups, clubs and churches. Forming a vivid and active network, they perpetuate the tradition of a multi-cultural landscape, where attachment to the structure that religion provides is as valid as the attachment to any other cultural trait. Rabbi Philip Bregman, the executive director of Hillel House on campus, describes the evolution that he has witnessed in the Jewish community over the years. It has vastly evolved since the early 20th century, when quotas prevented

Jews from freely applying to the major universities, to become the multicultural Canada that people now know.

“There are many more opportunities for Jews to interact … with the surrounding communities in which [they] are living,” said Bregman. “And with that comes something called assimilation, in which one loses one’s identity specifically and morphs into something different.”

UBC strictly applies Canadians’ respect of religion and welcomes all faith traditions on campus, abundantly mixing dozens of denominations.

“Now we live in a world with universities filled with different cultures and different religions … a world that I think focuses more on, I would not say sameness, but interacting with one another,” said Jordana Shani, managing director at Hillel. This multicultural perspective benefits from a positive consensus in the student population, but also opens new discussions on identity among religious groups.

Looking for home and a place to belong

G

reater interaction can mean a unique opportunity for dialogue and enrichment. Some followers of diverse faith traditions say they’ve participated in positive collaborations with other churches on campus. “So far it has been really good talking to other [members of different churches] about their religion and how they interact on campus,” said Sivar Rajab Khan, a member of the Muslim Students’ Association. “It has been fruitful, I would say, so far.”

Yet other students feel the need to reconnect with like-minded people, people who share their beliefs, culture and perception of the world. “I guess one of the reasons why students would join

… is because they are looking for a sense of home and belonging,” said Rajab Khan.

The desire for like-minded friends is exemplified in faith traditions that are seldom represented in secular Canada. According to Rajab Khan, international students form the bulk of the Muslim community on campus and they can “feel displaced” and “not really have a community.”

For them, as for others, religion is an essential bond with a community that can be difficult to grasp on such a large campus.

“The university is really big, and so it is hard to find people who share the same beliefs. Having a club is super useful, because it is right there and people can just show up and meet other [like-minded] people,” said Nathania Ho, a member of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.

The continued desire for connection among students with religious backgrounds is served by a cohort of 17 chaplains from a wide array of backgrounds. From Theravada Buddhism to Roman Catholicism, these community-appointed representatives of faith try to keep in contact with the different student groups as well as lead religious celebrations. These community representatives of faith make a point of being available on campus as much as possible.

“They are not hiding. They are very, very present, ” said Bregman. “Be it on Imagine Day, Clubs Day or directly contacting them, the clergy try to keep in touch with the students. We are not selling anything … we are just saying we are available to talk and share.”

Now we live in a world with universities filled with different cultures and different religions ... a world that I think focuses more on, I would not say sameness, but interacting with one another.”

Jordana Shani

Managing Director at Hillel

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Leaders of religious groups try to keep a casual and approachable tone to their presence on campus.

“Because [Bregman] is in jeans and sweater, it makes it a lot more acceptable,” said Shani. An attitude that is shared by many chaplains on campus, who also favour informal talk on neutral grounds.

Uninterested undergraduate students

D

espite the efforts of religious communities on campus, many students — especially among the undergraduates — do not seem to have a desire to engage with the members of the different churches.

This seems to reverse as years go by, as students mature and reconnect with their faith tradition or further interact with others of different traditions.

Bregman paralleled the graduate orientation day with the undergraduate one. He noted that with graduate students, “there was not a moment where we were not engaged in some conversation with graduate students who stopped to talk.” Undergraduate students, however, seemed uninterested. “On Imagine Day, we could have 10 or 15 or 20 minutes of nobody stopping, with a hundred times as many students going by,” said Bregman.

Members of the religious community raise the fact that religion, alongside philosophy or even politics, is minimized by students so as to keep their focus on school. “You are finally on your own … you are trying to figure out how to manage your classes and papers, and there is the whole social aspect in terms of making sure you have a life outside as well. [Religion] might be something that you do not want to think of,” said Shani.

Seen as too serious, time-consuming or simply irrelevant, the practice of religion has been dismissed by many students on campus, Bregman said. “[The students] are concerned about schools, grades, now there is the issue of tuition … where does religion fit into all of this? I think it has taken a back seat in this university.”

Another source of this firstyear reluctance appears to be a fear of being but put in a religious category. “As soon as you say ‘I am a Christian, I am a Muslim,’ people have a bias. They auto-

| CULTURE | 7

The university is really big, and so it is hard to find people who share the same beliefs. Having a club is super useful, because it is right there and people can just show up and meet other [like-minded] people.”

PHOTO KOSTA PRODANOVIC

Jordana Shani and Rabbi Philip Bregman are prominent figures in the Jewish community on campus.

matically think ‘Oh, then you must do that and you must think this,’” said Christian Vela, a thirdyear economics student, who is currently putting the finishing touches to the foundation of an Orthodox Christian club.

Even Canada’s tradition of respect for many faiths does not prevent the fear — rational or not — of being reduced to an identity solely revolving around religion.

There is a latent feeling of regret among some religious observers that they have shied from engaging in what plays such an important role in their lives, for fear of being stereotyped.

“Clearly [religion] means a lot to people, and it is a big part of how they see the world,” said Vela. Rajab Khan mentioned the harmony, peace and the sense of direction that Islam brings her. trend of new wave soul-searching appeared in Vancouver during

Towards a new wave of spirituality without religion?

A

the 1960s, and has continued to grow since. A quest for spirituality — the expansion of the mind beyond the limits of tangible reality — seems to have overtaken the quest for religion.

“The new word on the street over the past 15 or 20 years has been ‘I am not religious, I am spiritual,’ which would mean ‘I

do feel a certain connectedness beyond just science or what I can see or hear, I do believe that there is a soulfulness to life, but I am not sure that it needs to be manifest in this specific fashion, on this day, at this time, in this way,’” said Bregman.

Secular meditation and belief in flows of energy as part of a body-mind consortium are picking up speed. Chandima Gangodawila was appointed campus chaplain for Theravada Buddhism in 2012, and has been helping students develop their meditation abilities ever since.

He has seen an increase in the number of students who take interest in Samatha, the secular branch of Buddhist meditation that seeks to develop appeasing breathing techniques.

“Mostly these are liberal seekers of meditation. Some of them come from the background, but most of them want to know about meditation in general,” said Gangodawila.

The liberal practice of religion has never been a problem for him. “I do not think it is mandatory for one to embrace a religion to be a good person,” Gangodawila said, summarizing his perception that formal religion is an acceptable omission in one’s life.

Beyond this commonly accepted idea, some religious practitioners remain critical of the informal practice of soul-searching activities. “It almost feels like a very new-age, feel-good sort

of thing that does not really have a particular aim, a particular structure and that ends up being an ‘it is up to you, whatever you want to be,’” said Vela.

For Vela, as for Rajab Khan, spirituality cannot possibly be separated from the structure of religion.

“I guess people are … thinking that it is just the spiritual aspect of a religion that gives you that sense of purpose, but really there needs to be a balance,” said Rajab Khan.

“If there are boundaries in a religion, [they are] there for a reason. Maybe we do not see it now, but that is to make us more spiritual.”

Those boundaries, no matter what their purpose, seem to put off many students who just got their independence from home and the family sphere.

It appears that few students seek to infuse their lives with religion at UBC. In a land where mountains, snow and sea are a holy trinity on its own, a look past UBC’s Rose Garden or a sunset on Wreck Beach are uplifting enough for many of them.

Yet Bregman is convinced “there is a hunger for something.” Something beyond the beauty of nature.

Students who seek are likely to find a helping hand among the archipelago of religious groups and churches on campus. U

Nathania Ho

Member of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship

“They are not hiding.

They are very very present.... The clergy try to keep in touch with the students. We are not selling anything ... we are just saying we are available to talk and share.”

Rabbi Phillip Bregman PHOTO COURTESY CHANDIM GANGODAWILLA

Chandim Gangodawilla was named chaplain of Theravada Buddhism on campus.

Executive Director of Hillel House

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 |

STUDENT VOICE. COMMUNITY REACH.

8

EDITORIAL >>

Students in rez should be treated like adults

ILLUSTRATION JULIAN YU/THE UBYSSEY

PETER SIEMENS WEB DEVELOPER Editorial

Last Thursday I was cooking breakfast in my boxers when I looked over and saw two strangers standing in my kitchen.

Dressed in uniform, the intruders were UBC Student Housing and Hospitality Services employees,

LAST WORDS ELECTORAL AREA A ISN’T A PERMANENT SOLUTION While residents of Vancouver voted for a mayor, UBC students voted for a candidate who will be one of 38 directors on a Metro Vancouver board to represent their interests at a municipal level. In addition to representing campus residents, the director or Electoral Area A is also responsible for the booming metropolis of Barnston Island, among other rural areas.

UBC has been a part of Electoral Area A since Bill 20 split it from Metro Vancouver in May 2010. This was supposed to be a temporary solution until creation of a better governance model to represent the over 20,000 students, faculty, staff and other residents who live west of Blanca. Except that temporary solution seems to be becoming more and more permanent.

The majority of UBC’s municipal-type decisions are made by the Board of Governors, of which 11 of 21 members are appointed by the province. Though the Board’s decisions on land use are supposed to comply with a plan approved by

who informed me with smiling faces that they were there to perform a cleanliness inspection.

I live in a shared apartment in Marine Drive, where — like all UBC residences — semesterly inspections are mandatory.

Although I didn’t feel threatened by the inspectors (they were likely more offended by my lack of clothing), I was upset when they didn’t have the decency to knock before

entering my, for lack of a better word, home.

While this rude invasion wasn’t a big deal, it represents a larger issue.

For somebody who pays upwards of $800 a month in rent, I expect many basic needs to be met, one of them being my right to privacy. I know privacy in residence is hard to come by and, while I tolerated the lack thereof while living in a dorm room, I expected more when I moved into

PARTING SHOTS AND SNAP JUDGEMENTS FROM THE UBYSSEY EDITORIAL BOARD

the province, the university is pretty much the judge, jury and executioner when it comes to building new academic buildings, condos or student residence on campus.

Take the Tall Wood Residence as an example. The plans for the 18-storey building would make it much taller than building codes allow. UBC would have to apply for a variance to build something that height, which keeps them in check, right? Though the process is unclear (surprise, surprise), it seems the university themselves would be responsible for approving breaking the rules.

While the director of Electoral Area A represents campus residents on things like sewage services and has a seat at the table on Transit discussions, she has little power when it comes to the day to day decisions that affect students and non-student campus residents alike.

The University Neighbourhoods Association has been acting more and more like a municipal government for campus residents, which is concerning, given that they represent the interests of campus residents who are by and large much

older, wealthier and opposed to noise and concerts than your average first year in Totem Park.

Separating from Metro Vancouver arguably helps the university, though Bill 20 was supposed to be a temporary solution. But over four years later, there don’t seem to be any signs of progress. As we’ve seen with the housing and tuition fee increases, the university has the power to do pretty much whatever they want. UBC’s current governance structure only enforces that inflated power.

MORE GREGOR: TIME TO TALK ABOUT BROADWAY The people of Vancouver have spoken, and we have another four years of Gregor Robertson. Our editorial board has disparate political leanings, but none of us really felt strongly in favour of any of the candidates in this election — a few of us even ended up spoiling our ballots out of dissatisfaction with the options. It’s safe to say that many students support Robertson’s vision — a green city with a platform for ending homelessness. We’ve just be-

an upper-year apartment. At the very least, I didn’t expect to have any unannounced visitors.

This is why I have a hard time calling Marine Drive my home.

The truth is that living in residence almost feels like summer camp.

UBC creates the illusion that we are being trusted, but in reality we are still being treated like children.

I can’t have a group of friends and alcohol in the same room without risking eviction. I might have to pay a fine if I’m caught without spotless countertops. Quite frankly, I’m surprised my residence advisor doesn’t put me to bed every night.

If you’re going to charge us like adults, treat us like adults. The lack of trust is both disappointing and insulting, and doesn’t help us grow as young adults. Although I may be young, I’m living and studying away from home in an expensive city, all while balancing a full-time job to help make it affordable. I work long hours and spend many nights studying — things that can only be done by somebody who has reached a certain level of maturity. My point is that $800 is by no means a small sum; it’s a monthly payment that would be expected from a mature adult. That’s right, an adult.

Last month a friend ordered a package online and had it delivered to my residence. A mistake was made and the shipment arrived

under his name. I explained the mixup to a man at the front desk, but he refused to help me track down the package, grumbling under his breath that he didn’t have time for it. I went back every few days to try again, but it wasn’t until two weeks later that somebody finally looked behind the counter (where the package had been sitting). This is the second time UBC has lost my mail — last year they misplaced a new license plate for my car, forcing me to re-register my vehicle. Occurrences like these force me to ask the same question: why am I paying for something that doesn’t meet such basic needs?

If UBC follows through with their plan to increase residence fees next year, I hope they take time to address some of the needs that aren’t being met. There are many ways in which residence life could be improved, but some are more important than others — things that are illegal under the B.C. Residential Tenancy Act (which UBC doesn’t need to abide by). Things like students being forced to sleep in floor lounges.

Things like poor living conditions.

But at the very least, UBC needs to do a better job of respecting the privacy of its tenants. I shouldn’t have to tell them the same thing I told my dad when I was 16: can you please knock next time? U

come a bit skeptical about whether or not anything is actually going to be done.

The Broadway Subway line is probably the issue that most significantly affects students. It’s a good campaign issue, and one that probably drew a lot of support from students (and anyone else who has a Broadway commute).

Very few would disagree with the notion that a rapid transit line in some form would be a good idea for Broadway — it’s the obvious next step for such a high-traffic corridor. But pursuing a project with so high a cost as a subway line — particularly in the face of budget tightening — is questionable at best. Maybe it really is the case that a subway line is the most (or possibly only) feasible option — but when prominent critics like Burnaby mayor and former B.C. Transit chair Derek Corrigan have spoken openly against the idea, often in favour of light-rail and other alternatives, more consultation and community discussion seems necessary.

It’s a fine line that the public and the government has to walk, between due process and consideration and actually getting something

done that this generation of students will live to see.

GUPTA ON UBC SPORTS We recently interviewed President Gupta to talk about the future of athletics on campus.

Naturally, we were excited to speak to the highest-ranking UBC official about his plans. The problem is: he didn’t really tell us anything.

We recognize that he’s just starting out in this job, and won’t have a full idea of the future that he sees UBC Athletics taking until he finishes speaking to those who have been involved in the community for a long time — donors, alumni and staff. He mentioned that he didn’t begin the job with a pre-set agenda and is learning about UBC sports as he goes.

We just expected a little more — a vague idea of a plan or set of goals that the university is working toward in this turbulent atmosphere for UBC sports. But this school is facing very important issues that require big decisions. The fate of athletics, like all things at this school, only time will tell. U

By Levin C. Handy (per http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cwpbh.04326) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

| ADVERTISEMENT | 9

10 | SPORTS |

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

ADMINISTRATION >>

President Gupta still in “learning mode” on UBC athletics

Gupta understands the importance of athletics on campus, having been a strong supporter of the McMaster Marauders during his undergrad years. At UBC, one of his main goals is to use varsity athletics as a rallying point for school sprit. Over 23,000 students are involved in intramurals on campus, which shows him that the potential is there.

“I see the varsity program as this platform to promote excellence, to promote leadership, to promote development of young people in a much more multi-faceted way than I originally realized,” said Gupta.

University donors possessed some of the most prominent voices during the sports review process, and Gupta is trying to make sure those voices are heard.

The president said he’s been amazed at how many people he’s met have come through UBC Athletics, which has led him to realize how athletics provides a training ground for not only sports, but also leadership, teamwork and other positive qualities. He therefore holds the opinions of alumni and donors in high regard.

“I think that as alum of the Athletics program, they should have a strong voice; they’re not the only voice, but they do have a strong voice. And they have a lot to contribute, and I don’t think anyone would deny that we need to be listening carefully to what they’re saying because they want what’s best for the program [and] they want what’s best for

the athletes,” said Gupta, who doesn’t see donors and alumni in separate categories.

“I haven’t had a donor say to me ‘why are you changing things? They used to be better in the 70s.’ Everything they’re saying to me is about ‘we really care about the young men and women playing on UBC teams — we want them to have great outcomes.’”

Athletics has also recently hired several new UBC varsity club positions.

Two new positions include a director of team services and a director of marketing, community partnership and sponsorship, and a new strength and conditioning coach. Gupta sees these positions as crucial to helping UBC remain one of the top programs in the country.

Arvind Gupta The 13th UBC President president of UBC said he didn’t come in with a pre-set agenda in regards to athletics, but stands behind the decisions that Toope made during his tenure and thinks there’s no doubt that UBC is staying in the CIS. For the time being, he trusts the decisions that Managing Director of Athletics Ashley Howard and VP Students Louise Cowin are making, and will continue to listen.

“I’ve very purposely not tried to set … my own agenda, just to try and understand the various facets of the sports, the various outcomes we could be looking for. And so I’d say I’m still in learning mode.”

“I want to hear everyone’s voice, and then figure out the next steps.” U

We just want to make sure we can maximize what our varsity teams do and their outcomes. We don’t have unlimited budgets, we don’t have unlimited bandwidths, so we just want to get the best outcomes we can.”

PHOTO MACKENZIE WALKER/THE UBYSSEY

President Gupta did not begin the job with his own athletics agenda, and is listening to the community to become informed.

CJ Pentland Senior Staff Writer When Arvind Gupta replaced Stephen Toope as president of UBC back in July, he took over during a time of great importance for UBC Athletics. With the university’s Sports Review coming to a close in February, UBC is currently in the process of transitioning to a new athletics model with fewer varsity teams and competitive clubs — with a goal of fostering excellence and promoting sport across campus. Throughout the process,

student-athletes and alumni alike have been vocal with their thoughts on the changes.

Gupta’s goal right now is to listen to those voices. The president did swim and play hockey while growing up in Timmins, Ontario, but admits that he’s not very familiar with the inner working of university sports. By talking to a broad range of people that includes students, coaches, staff and donors, he is learning more so he can soon make his own informed decisions.

“We’ve done the athletic review, [and] we’re implementing

T-BIRDS 5-ON-5

the changes,” said Gupta. “Obviously there are friends of the university who think we could be doing a better job on some of these things, so I’ve just taken the task of listening to what everyone is saying, and trying to make up my own mind where this should be going.”

“We just want to make sure we can maximize what our varsity teams do and their outcomes. We don’t have unlimited budgets, we don’t have unlimited bandwidths, so we just want to get the best outcomes we can.”

JASON YEE

ROSIE SCHLAGINTWEIT

JONATHAN BROWN

Hockey

Volleyball

Swimming

KIRSTY BOCK Nordic Skiing

PAUL CLERC Soccer

BRAINS AND BRAWN 1. So you’re good at your sport(s) and in school ... what is something you’re embarrassingly bad at?

2. What is your favourite study place on campus?

Skateboarding. Could never get past the ollie.

I’m not bad on a Bongo Board though.

I am embarrassingly bad at improv. Grade nine drama was a pretty stressful experience — safe to say I’ll never have an acting career.

I’ll have to admit, I’m extremely bad at picking up girls … just not really one of my strengths!

Singing. I couldn’t sing to save my life!

Artwork.

Everyone seems to love studying and sleeping at the Aquatic Centre, but that’s where I have some of my darkest times … I prefer Starbucks.

Definitely the Law library.

It’s beautiful and seems to be full of good-looking, soon to be lawyers.

Koerner. No cell signal in the basement so fewer distractions.

Probably to coach alongside Steve Price and fill kids’ goggles with tears of pain.

A ski coach.

Doctor.

My desk at home. While studying, I’m always walking around and eating.

I’m a fan of Wood basement. It’s close to food and there’s always familiar faces.

3. What’s your dream job?

Playing hockey is my dream job.

I have applied for Law school next year, so I would love to become a lawyer.

4. What was the last book you read?

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl.

This is quite nerdy, but an LSAT prep book called Mastering Logical Reasoning. I wrote the LSAT a month ago. It wasn’t a casual read.

Actually, I just finished a really great read called FindingAWayOnFridays for Dummies.

Sadly, it was a book for English class. I don’t seem to have much time for reading anymore.

Whatever the CAPS 391 textbook is.

5. What has the little voice inside your head been saying lately?

It usually tells me when I’m hungry and when I need to pee.

Lately it’s been telling me to just enjoy my fifth year and not take things too seriously. Things usually seem to fall into place.

Swimming is love. Swimming is life.

Which one?

Why haven’t you graduated yet?

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

| SPORTS | 11

EXPLORE >>

Places to Be:

Pender Island

PHOTO WILL MCDONALD/THE UBYSSEY

The Ubyssey’s annual “Pender Bender” was a smashing (or smashed) success.

Ubyssey Staff This Rememberance Day long weekend, 15 Ubyssey editors, volunteers and alumni escaped to Pender Island for our annual retreat.

The ride over The trip to the tree-lined heaven that is Pender will take you on a two-hour ferry ride from Tsawwassen. The ferries stop at several of the other islands, including Galliano and Mayne, before alighting at Pender.

Besides looking through the silly knickknacks in the gift shop and trying hard to resist the temptation to run around singing The Lonely Island’s “I’m on a Boat,” our main activity on the ferry was revelling in the stunning views of the Strait of Georgia.

Even if you’re making the trip in the dead of the winter, you don’t want to miss heading out onto the deck to look at the views. You will be greeted with lovely sights of the islands, the water and, if you’re really lucky, the occasional whale. If you’re taking the 7:00 a.m. ferry back to Vancouver, you can also catch some views of the sunrise while you’re tiptoeing past sleeping passengers.

Hiking Our accommodations were lush: a huge mansion right on the coast with a hot tub on the roof. It was tough to leave the easy comforts of our luxurious abode, but one look out the window served as all the inspiration I needed.

I made my way down the hill from the house to the edge of the developed property, relishing the last few minutes of dirt road before it gave way to the mossy terrain that covers much of Pender.

The owner of the property had built a staircase against the cliff, the only way down from the sheer drop that towers over it. I found myself pressed against the railing at some points and crawling at others to fit under an overarching rock that jutted over the creaky steps.

The end of civilization was marked by a thick, algae-covered rope that serves as a lifeline for anyone traversing the 60-degree slope.

I’d done this hike a year before with a few former Ubyssey staff members, but this time I broke the first rule of hiking by going at it alone. Everyone else was playing disc golf, and I was taking the ferry home later that evening.

There was no semblance of a path after the rope descent. Either the deer that populate the island are smart enough to avoid traversing a steep cliff perched over the ocean, or they’re more light footed than I am.

I started to question my decision to travel alone after my first few slips and slides on the damp moss, but upon arriving at a clearing that stood above the ocean and revelling in the solitude of the unobstructed sunset, all of my apprehension melted away. I was tempted to continue the hike with what daylight I had left and try to make it over the fallen logs and steep drops to the low point of the cliff, where last year we’d spent some time chatting with an otter. But when I started off, I realized that my view wouldn’t get better than this, and that though continuing the hike and trying to not fall off a cliff was an exhilarating prospect, so was staying and appreciating the serenity.

I sat on the moss and took in the last warmth of the sun, watching the ocean and the trees and late-season wild strawberries that dotted the ground around me.

When the sun was on the verge of sinking below the horizon I started back, the climb up proving considerably easier than down.

Disc golf While one member of our group was off gallivanting God-knowswhere, most of us were taking advantage of Pender’s main attraction: a 27-hole disc golf course.

The course is a combination of two of the most laid-back activities — walking through the woods and throwing a Frisbee. The game is simple — throw the Frisbee, walk to it, and throw it again until you get the disc into a chained basket or hit a metal pole. Keeping score is optional.

At the start of the free course is a small wooden clubhouse consisting of a bit of shelter, a picnic bench and some extra discs for people who didn’t bring their own.

The holes start off easy and get progressively harder. They range from short 30-metre putts through an opening in the forest to 200-metre-plus lumberjacking expeditions. The most difficult holes feature steep slopes that, with one wrong throw, put you 200 metres further away the basket straight down a rocky hill.

Despite some of the harder holes, the course remains as relaxed as the rest of the island. It’s a good balance of walking wooded paths and climbing rocky slopes.

Drinking is optional, but encour-

aged on the course. The trash bins every few holes are actually recycling bins for empties.

Though the course is made up mostly of par threes we played them as par fours to make up for our lack of skills and allow for a few beers on the course. If golf is a good walk spoiled, Pender disc golf is a good hike made even better — with Frisbees and beer.

Wrapping up Regardless of what you choose to do on Pender Island, you can be sure the views will be

spectacular everywhere you go.

Whether you’re out climbing its cliffs, slacklining in the thick forest or just strolling by the coast and snapping photos of the landscapes, Pender will make you feel like you’re in another world. Its serenity and unreal natural beauty is the perfect weekend getaway with friends.

If you’ve got the means to rent out a seven-bedroom mansion with separate meditation cabin and two love-shacks on the road between, The Ubyssey highly recommends it. U

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Photo of the Day

ARJUN HAIR/THE UBYSSEY Minimalist photography of intricate architecture.

@arjunhair

NOV 17 ANSWERS

COURTESY BESTCROSSWORDS.COM COURTESY BESTCROSSWORDS.COM

ACROSS 1- Antitoxins 5- Dated 10- Sgts., e.g.

14- Tons 15- Son of Abraham 16- ____ Grey, tea type 17- Shout in derision 18- Capital of Japan 19- “Judith” composer 20- Simulating real life 22- Of little width 24- “The Simpsons” bartender 25- Acting part 26- Apathy 29- Hug

33- Les ___ -Unis 34- Sandwich shop 36- Scot’s refusal 37- Safety device 38- Medicine 39- Part of ETA 40- Mine find 41- Corrosion 42- Singer Lopez 44- Rhinoplasty 47- Small valley 48- Tense 49- Author Deighton 50- Stem 53- Unpoetic characteristic 58- ___ even keel 59- Great Lakes tribesmen 61- Dry watercourse

COURTESY KRAZYDAD.COM

62- Longfellow’s bell town 63- Wash lightly 64- I’ve Got ___ in Kalamazoo 65- It may be compact 66- Tiffs 67- Symbol of slavery

DOWN 1- Satirist Mort 2- “The Time Machine” people 3- It’s over your head 4- Try 5- One who feels bad 6- “Dilbert” intern 7- Japanese rice wine 8- Speak 9- Pert. to the management of

public wealth 10- Closer 11- Singer Vikki 12- Yes ___?

13- Killed 21- “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” author 23- Liturgical vestment 25- Ignited again 26- Mortise insert 27- Alamogordo’s county 28- Gives a 9.8, say 30- For want of ___...

31- Chili con ___ 32- Strange and mysterious 34- Distrust 35- Nav. officer 38- Pants

NOV 17 ANSWERS

42- Some digits 43- Deserter 45- Cultural 46- ___ alai 47- Shuts 50- Highway 51- Word that can precede war, biotic and climax 52- Limos, hatchbacks, and coupes 53- ___ colada 54- Breather 55- “Othello” villain 56- Minn. neighbour 57- Eight furlongs 60- Tear