January 19, 2016

JANUARY 19, 2016 | VOLUME XCVII | ISSUE XVII FUCKING IN NAP ROOMS SINCE 1918

U

P / 03

P / 08

P / 09

P / 11

NEWS

CULTURE

OPINIONS

SPORTS

UBC quietly offering two ISL placements again

Discovering the normality of sex and violence

What it’s like being young at UBC

Deschamps heads to CFL, Rugby wins Wightman

THE UBYSSEY

EG C O LL E K IDS

UBC’s University Transition Program prepares young students for early entrance to university.

// PAGE 2

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

YOUR GUIDE TO UBC EVENTS & PEOPLE

EVENTS

2

OUR CAMPUS

Angela Crane’s got chemistry FRI 22 EXO 8 P.M. @ THE NEST

The official party to wrap up Science Week. Open to students from all faculties!

$20 TIER 1 - $25 TIER 2

Crane sets hydrogen gas bubbles alight.

Vassilena Sharlandjieva Features Editor

SAT 23 FUTUREFEST 2.0 8:30 P.M. @ THE NEST

Join us for the biggest fundraising party in UBC campus history! 100% of proceeds will fund well construction in Ethiopia.

$12 EARLY BIRD - $15 TIER 1 - $20 TIER 2 - $25 TIER 3

self defense classes SUN 24 SELF DEFENSE WORKSHOP 4:30 P.M. @ UBC REC

Stop watching Netflix and go get some exercise while learning some vital self defense skills with UBC Rec.

SIGN UP ONLINE

ON THE COVER

First-year science students will know Angela Crane by her tie-dye lab coat and the enthusiasm in her voice in anticipation of a reaction about to take place in the chemistry lecture hall’s fume hood.

In addition to lecturing, Crane performs all the demonstrations in first-year chemistry courses at UBC. For almost every topic covered in class, Crane consults a large book of demos and performs the most “flashy” and memorable for students.

“Reading books or listening to the lecturer and writing notes — those are all great tools, but there needs to be a sticking point,” Crane said. “Demos make a point stick.”

“Sure they’re lots of fun and I really like blowing stuff up, that’s true,” she added. “[But] I like that the demos can be used in the class to even further knowledge.”

It was a first-year chemistry professor at Memorial University in Newfoundland and his

PHOTO JEREMY JOHNSON-SILVERS/THE UBYSSEY

memorable demonstrations that led to Crane’s decision to pursue chemistry.

“There was one that he did ... it’s a shock sensitive chemical so he just poked it and it just went BAM!” Crane recalled. “It scared the crap out of all of us.”

The moment stood out to Crane because it was so unexpected, yet reinforced what she was learning in class. Working alongside a professor in a research lab in her second year of university intensified her interest and set her on the path to making chemistry her future career.

“We were doing air sensitive chemistry, so you could never just take out your chemicals on the bench and do [an experiment].

You always had to put it under a vacuum, fill up the vile or whatever with nitrogen and then do it all under closed atmosphere,” Crane explained. “Learning how to manipulate the chemical equipment was like a puzzle, having to twist knobs and flick switches just to get your reaction to

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EURYDICE

By Sarah Ruhl

January 21 — February 6, 2016 Frederic Wood Theatre Tickets: theatrefilm.ubc.ca

happen in an air free environment.

I remember just thinking it was the coolest thing.”

Outside UBC’s classes, Crane is involved in the chemistry department’s outreach, performing demonstrations for schoolchildren and kindergarten classes. The role came to her naturally. As a girl guide leader, Crane was already organizing activities that would introduce the girls to science at a young age.

She was also already a seasoned performer.

“In high school, I was on an improv team and we went to nationals twice.” Crane said, noting that improv taught her how to think on the spot and recover quickly when her demos go awry.

“Being up in front of people and performing really doesn’t bother me so much.”

Presenting chemistry to a nonacademic crowd comes with its own set of challenges. “Sometimes it’s tricky trying to explain what’s happening in a demo without using special terminology,” Crane said. “But it’s, again, kind of like a puzzle — fun to figure out.”

There are demos that I do for [first-year chemistry] that I do for kindergarteners and they get just as much out of it as an actual first year student because of the language you use,” Crane said.

“It’s surprising how much little kids retain, particularly when you blow something up.”

As a graduate student, Crane stayed at Fort Nelson for a month as a “live-in scientist.” She demonstrated chemistry reactions at the six schools in the region and organized hands-on experiments for the students. For the last two years, she has been training other graduate students to do the same.

She builds new programs and labs each year like soap making and food chemistry labs resulting in edible products.

“They don’t have a Science World that they can just go to,” Crane said of the Fort Nelson student community. “So having someone come in like that is really special.”

Outreach for children isn’t the only way Crane brings chemistry outside the lecture halls and labs of UBC. “The other cool thing that my job has allowed me to do is work with film companies,” Crane said. “So like whenever a TV show needs chemistry equipment or needs advice on how to make a reaction look real, I’ve actually gotten to be the on-site chemistry advisor.”

Crane is also involved with the Vancouver Police Department’s hazmat training, helping first-responders learn how to extinguish fires involving thermite, gun cotton, alkali metals and even diethyl zinc, “which is scary,” Crane noted.

“They’re learning what to do to put these fires out, but they’ve never actually seen those types of fires,” Crane explained. “So I make them. I just set things on fire to show them what could happen.” U

// NEWS

EDITORS EMMA PARTRIDGE + MOIRA WARBURTON

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

CLASSES//

Certain courses require criminal record checks to register

3

ACTIVISM//

Cenntenial open house celebrates social change

Lilian Odera Contributor

The idea of having to undergo a criminal record check in order to take a class at UBC sounds extreme, but this is the case for some courses at this university.

In compliance with the requirements of the Criminal Records Review Act, UBC is required to ensure all of its students and employees who are working with vulnerable populations undergo a criminal record check.

This part of the act, which was amended in 2010, extends to any course program that involves students working closely with vulnerable populations as a requirement for their degree.

Interaction — in practicums, for example — with children or vulnerable adults is a requirement for many graduate courses in social work or education, with some exceptions for undergraduate courses.

A practicum is only affected by the Criminal Records Review Act if the student needs to successfully complete the practicum for one of three reasons — “for registration as a member of a governing body designated by regulation, for authorization under the Independent School Act to provide the services of a teacher or for issuance of a diploma, certificate or degree by the education institution,”

PHOTO COURTESY AMS ARCHIVES

Students protest fee hikes at UBC in 1989.

Sarah Pribadi Staff Writer

If you work with vulunerable populations in class, you might need a background check.

according to Kimberly Beck in the Office of the University Counsel.

However, certain courses such as SPPH 200 (Understanding the Sociocultural Determinants of the Health of Populations) in the School of Population and Public Health and EDUC 140 (Introduction to Indigenous Studies) in the Faculty of Education do require a criminal records check. In the case of Education, this is due to the “potential of unsupervised access,” said Beck. As part of a teacher’s training, a student teacher may need to be alone in a classroom with children.

“If there are any allegations during the program, a [criminal records check] may be required again,” said Wendy Carr, associate dean of the Faculty of Education, noting that this is to safeguard “the public good, the parents’ trust and the children’s safety.”

A criminal record check involves an examination of drug, violence and sexual abuses, which are known as relevant offences. Specified offences include things like forgery, fraud or theft.

“Students who are found to have a criminal record that includes a relevant or specified offence will not

PHOTO NADYA RAHMAN / THE UBYSSEY

be permitted to participate in the practicum,” said Beck. “Whether or not there is an alternative to the practicum that the program would accept as an equivalent credit is up to the program.”

These checks are normally undertaken after the registration for a specific course. After a check, students will be screened and can begin actively participating in the practicum. There have been no reported incidents of students found with a criminal record participating in any courses requiring a background check offered by UBC. U

INTERNATIONAL//

Two ISL placements in Arts on offer again

Working with some students from Mexico on a solar oven.

Emma Partridge News Editor

An announcement last summer that UBC’s International Service Learning (ISL) program was cancelled sparked outcry from students and faculty, but at least two ISL placements will be running from June to August 2016.

The program allows participants to work abroad in their field of study, offering aid to developing countries and gaining both work experience and course credits. The move to cancel the program was part of a budgetary undertaking to identify cost-saving opportunities, according to Student Development and Services.

Although the program benefitted relatively few students — around 89 participated in the 2014/15 school year — the cancellation was quickly met with criticism

from alumni of the program, administrators who worked hard to create the connections that made the placements possible and faculty coordinators.

However, ISL veterans might not have to say goodbye to the entire program after all. According to ISL’s website, there are two placements for psychology and economics students available over the upcoming summer in Kenya, Mexico and Uganda.

“Although the decision was made to wind down the ISL program centrally, we always anticipated that one or more faculties would choose to continue [to] offer ISL experiences for their students,” said Susan Grossman, director for the Centre for Community Engaged Learning. “We’ve always said ISL provides students with great learning experiences and we’re glad that some students will be offered the

PHOTO COURTESY PRANAV CHINTALAPATI

opportunity to participate.”

When Chaya Go, who was involved as a student participant in 2010 and later helped with staffing and pre-departure needs in a worklearn program with ISL, received word of the decision, she felt “not so much of a sadness, but … more of a sense of an urgency.”

“This is such a vital program to have on such a large campus that’s been sending out faculty, students and researchers [in] all sorts of capacities abroad,” said Go. “I felt that to have such a small program get closed down was just really troubling.”

Having participated in an ISL placement in Eastern Bolivia for three months, Viet Vu, a fifth-year economics major, was vocal in condemning the choice to cancel the program, and active in giving feedback to administrators regarding the decision.

“[Students] had a few meetings with the VP Students. The faculty also worked with us to have this round table. This was back in October when they said that they’ll take all the feedback and then get back to us,” said Vu. “Then the rumours that started surfacing … what we heard was that it’s not coming back in full, so not all the placements and classes were coming back. But especially in Arts, there was an interest to keep the program going.”

Sunaina Assanand, associate dean of Student Success in the Faculty of Arts, said in an email statement that administrators listened to faculty and students who hoped to see placements continue, and began working with members of the Faculty of Arts to offer these two placements.

“ISL is a core commitment for the faculty as it offers high impact, transformative experiential learning opportunities for students and the faculty will be taking the necessary time and care to work with community partners, faculty and students in continuing to offer and to invest in ISL within Arts,” read the statement.

Questions as to whether more placements will be run out of other faculties and how long these two placements will continue to run could not be answered at this time as Assanand is away and was able to provide only the above statements.

However, for the time being students once again have the chance to participate in learning about community engagement in an international setting. U

The UBC Equity and Inclusion office, along with AMS Resource Groups, hosted a Centennial open house on January 17 to celebrate student-led social justice activism on campus.

The event, hosted at the Nest, featured various sessions ranging from a showcase of resource groups to talks on student activism.

“The idea was to look out for stories of struggles from students, staff and faculty perspectives and we won a grant [for the event].

One of our goals was to go to AMS Resource Groups because they do such important work across campus,” said Rachael Sullivan, Equity and Inclusion educator, noting that this is the first time that the resource groups are in a new space.

“I think it’s an invitation for folks who haven’t had the opportunity to see the new resource group area in the Nest,” she said.

AMS Resource Groups have been involved in the university’s history of student-led social activism since the opening of Point Grey campus. Some of the more well-known events are protests of tuition hikes in the 1960s and 2014, the launch of an LGBT club in the 1970s, proposal of UPass by Student Environmental Centre (SEC) in 2005 and offering a Women Studies program that originated from a lecture series by the Women’s Centre.

According to their event page, the goal for the event was to bring together the resource groups and UBC community, as well as to make people think about previous and present efforts to bring change to this campus.

“The purpose of this event is also to present all the resources that are available in case you ever want to implement an initiative or find people to work forward with for a common cause,” explained Athena Huynh, co-chair of SEC. Another aspect of the event that Sullivan mentioned is encouraging students to become part of a community building initiative, since she believes that at a large institution things tend to happen in pockets and such an event means a network can be formed across a large group of students.

“I’m happy because it is important to see global issues and causes being represented on campus and how students are really thinking about the local actions they can take to create awareness,” said Cherrie Lam, a fifth-year arts student with the Equity and Inclusion office.

“Things are improving.” U

4 | News |

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

WELL-BEING//

SASC to launch groups focused on mental health

TRIBUNAL//

Human rights complaint gains traction

PHOTO COURTESY GLYNNIS KIRCHMEIER

The teams are focused on three core needs noticed by SASC staff in individual sesssions.

Samantha McCabe Senior Staff Writer

The Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) is introducing three support groups targeted towards the preservation of student mental health on campus to augment their current options of therapeutic aid. The groups will be launching in the next few weeks.

SASC assistant manager Josey Ross noticed the need for such special groups through the recurring themes that emerged during her sessions with students — healthy relationships, emotional empowerment and the self-care of activists.

“We wanted to create a community space for people to come together and find support with each other. There’s a lot you can get from your peers,” said Ross on the initiative. “So we’re just trying to expand our offerings and fill some gaps that we saw.”

The group that focuses on the self-care of activists will take the form of monthly sessions starting in January for those engaged in

social justice. It is free for dropins.

The two other groups will both be weekly sessions. The support session focused on healthy relationships will be an open group, although Ross encourages participants to come see her prior to assess whether the group is a good fit.

The empowerment and wellbeing topic will be closed once the sessions begin next Thursday. The hope is that having the same group of people each week will create a tight-knit community of support, especially as very personal information will most likely be exposed.

“We live in a society that continually tells people that they’re not good enough and these messages really impact us both emotionally and psychologically,” said Ross. The empowerment and well-being group targets people that have experienced some form of gender-based oppression and aims to counter these negative internalizations.

SASC maintains a firm stance that the decision to report an

FILE PHOTO NADYA RAHMAN / THE UBYSSEY

assault claim should be entirely dependent on the survivor — unless that freedom infringes on the safety of others. In light of this, the groups will serve as a space to speak freely regardless of whether or not any incidents have been officially reported.

While the UBC administration is currently still in the process of crafting a policy specialized for sexual assault, the timing is simply a coincidence. The groups were not created in reaction to last month’s exposure of UBC’s flawed system of dealing with sexual assault complaints. Ross said that this plan has actually been in the works since May of last year and aims to also target people that are not assault survivors.

However, later in the semester, they also plan to launch a fourth group for survivors of sexual assault in particular. All of the groups will be free for whoever may want to participate.

“If you’re interested in [one of the groups], it doesn’t matter the specifics of your situation. We would love to have you come,” said Ross. U

have a great idea to build community on campus? need some funding

to make it happen?

$1,000 Community Grants available.

Apply for a UTown@UBC Community Grant, and you could be awarded up to $1,000 to create a fun and inspiring community-building project on campus!

Application deadline is February 19, 2016.

Interested applicants are encouraged to attend a UTown@UBC Community Grant information session at

Old Barn Community Centre, January 27, 6-7 pm.

utown.ubc.ca/grants

Glynnis Kirchmeier is filing the complaint against UBC.

Emma Partridge News Editor

Ramifications are still being felt from last month’s exposure of deep-seated issues within UBC’s method of handling sexual assault complaints.

Those consequences are taking the form of a BC Human Rights complaint filed by a UBC master’s student, Glynnis Kirchmeier, who maintains that the university’s response to her report of concerning behaviour by the alleged assailant, Dmitry Mordvinov, was untimely and inappropriate.

Since Kirchmeier’s announcement in November of her intention to file a complaint, her case has been gaining traction.

Fifteen individuals — including students, staff and faculty — have reached out to her in order to add their own experiences to the complaint.

“My complaint is going to centre on not [a] particular person who abused someone,” said Kirchmeier.

“It’s going to be more along the lines of a harm of process, which is that I told UBC about this problem. In mishandling my report, they created harm.”

At a press conference in November Caitlin Cunningham, one of the survivors, was alongside Kirchmeier and called UBC’s process of responding to their complaints more traumatizing than her experience of assault itself.

Although Kirchmeier herself was not assaulted, she was involved in a support capacity as a graduate student in the history department at UBC during the same period as Cunningham and Mordvinov.

Kirchmeier reported concerning behaviours exhibited by Mordvinov to the Equity and Inclusion Office in 2014. Mordvinov was then not expelled until 2015 — around the same time that the documentary aired — a decision he is now appealing, according to the CBC. The complaint is still in the beginning stages. Clea Parfitt, Kirchmeier’s lawyer, said that they are still drafting the complaint.

Once a draft is ready, it will be filed and the tribunal will make a preliminary decision on whether to accept the complaint or not.

“The tribunal can make a decision that discrimination has occurred. If it makes that decision, then it has the power to award monetary damages,” said Parfitt.

“But as well, it can make orders about how things need to be in future.”

The tribunal essentially assesses whether the problems that the complainant has submitted constitute a violation of the human rights code.

“Then it moves pretty quickly.

The defendant gets some time to

respond to the complaint and then the tribunal wants everybody to go through a mediation process before they go to a hearing,” said Kirchmeier, noting that the latter is a more formal courtroom arrangement.

Whether UBC plans to mount a defence against the complaint remains unclear. According to Sarah-Jane Finlay, associate vice-president of the Equity and Inclusion Office at UBC, they will proceed based on what comes of the tribunal, but have not heard anything as of yet.

Finlay, who has only been at the university since March, is unaware of what the 15 new experiences added to the complaint are. Some of those individuals are alumni who have disclosed to Kirchmeier issues with sexual assault at UBC and the university’s handling of it that date as far back as the 1990s.

What is known is that the complaint will not necessarily be directed at a particular party. Instead, it will deal more with UBC’s processes and procedures and hopefully lead to improvements in them.

“Our focus is on thinking about what would be a better set up,” said Parfitt, who noted that they will more likely ask for improvements to the process than monetary compensation. “How far the tribunal will actually go in ordering that, I’m not sure.”

The complaint has to be filed before March as the tribunal has a six month time limit. Kirchmeier felt the need to file the complaint around September when she says she was excluded from the investigation process.

Although members of the administration at UBC — such as Finlay and Kimberley Beck, legal counsel at the Office of the University Counsel — continued to express their faith in the functionality of UBC’s reporting process after the CBC documentary aired, interim President Martha Piper acknowledged in an online statement that the process took too long.

Kirchmeier hopes that good will come out of filing the complaint since the result will be a permanent public record that may lead to greater accountability from the university.

“Anything that helps us understand more about the best practices around dealing with sexual assault, supporting survivors and providing them with the appropriate resources … is important to us,” said Finlay.

“I’m particularly excited that there is such engagement across the campus around these issues and desire to discuss them.” U

// CULTURE

EDITOR OLIVIA LAW

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2016

5

THEATRE//

Eurydice promises humour, tragedy and conflict Miguel Santa Maria Senior Staff Writer

Usually fairy tales and myths revolve around the hero saving the damsel in distress. Rarely do they focus mainly on the hostage waiting or, more importantly, if they even want to be saved at all. Such is the case of UBC Theatre’s new production, Eurydice.

Written by playwright Sarah Ruhl and based on the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus, the play retells Orpheus’ quest to save his wife, Eurydice, who has fallen to the underworld. The difference?

Eurydice revolves around the perspective of its titular character as she dwells in the underworld.

There, she becomes conflicted about her fate, especially after reuniting with her long-dead father.

The play follows her inner-struggle on whether or not she wants to return to the land of the living.

Whether stemming from Ruhl’s script or director and MFA candidate Keltie Forsyth’s creative decisions, this production of Eurydice contains numerous alterations from its ancient source.

This includes the character of Eurydice’s father – who is never mentioned in the original myth – as well as a more contemporary setting and design. According to Forsyth, it is these kinds of alterations that can make the story more emotionally resonant with the audience.

“It’s [really] down to earth and real in its portrayals of love and human relationships in a way that is really appealing,” Forsyth said, especially with inclusion of Eurydice’s reunion with her longdead father. “It’s sort of about the way that loss affects us and the way we can triumph it, whether or not we have a magical power [to] get our loved ones back.”

However, Forsyth also insists that the play also has its fair share of humour and fun despite dealing with these topics. This includes comic relief characters and witty interactions between other characters.

“It’s a wacky play and it’s very funny for being about a fairly tragic story. Sarah Ruhl, the playwright, talks about lightness versus heaviness. It takes a heavy topic and it deals with it in extreme lightness. I enjoy the contrast,” she said.

Kelsey Ranshaw, the graduating BFA student who plays Eurydice, also thinks the play is more of a coming-of-age story rather than a full-blown tragedy like the original source.

“In many ways, it’s a story about a young woman who goes from a child to an adult and learns about life, how she sees herself and the world throughout that experience because of all these things happening to her,” said Ranshaw. “It’s really about acceptance and becoming the fullest version [of yourself ] and learning to love unconditionally.”

There were some difficulties present within the production process. Ranshaw notes that the process of playing a character much younger than her is more challenging than it sounds. However, according to Forsyth, overall production was smooth thanks to a more improvised approach to the script and a focus on its broader emotional strokes.

“We’ve had relatively few problems because we’ve done that,”

Forsyth said. “Each of the actors has an immense amount of ownership over their character… There’s a fair bit of ease in the process [and] I don’t feel I’m shoving people into a box where they don’t even fit.”

By the end of the play, both Forsyth and Ranshaw hope that the audience learns a new and unique lesson on love and loss.

“I want them to be able to see themselves — to see their

own journey and hopefully take something away. Even if it’s just walking away from the performance and doing an act of kindness or selfless love for another person,” said Ranshaw.

“Eurydice grows up and she learns to love selflessly instead of selfishly [as] we do in youth,” said Forsyth. “The thing I hope people look back on is the nature of love and [how it is] expressed in a fully adult way.” U

PHOTO COURTESY MATT REZNEK

Because retellings of Greek myths are always better.

MUSICALS //

Company: A curious coming-of-age tale in a musical

PHOTO COURTESY DOUG WILLIAMS

The musical’s cast is diverse, lively and dynamic – much like the show itself.

Dahlia Soliven Contributor

Just imagine for a minute that you’re a grown man.

Here’s your checklist: Handsome? Yep. Charming? Check.

Both? Double-check! Good career? Of course. All of this has the ladies lining up.

So, what’s the problem? Only the fact that all of your best friends are married and that they are making you rethink absolutely everything, even if

they don’t know it. And to top it all off, there’s the middle-aged milestone of your 35th birthday to contend with. So what do you do? You do what you can, which is only human — you go along with it.

Robert, or Bobby to his closest friends, is the lead character in a new production playing in Vancouver about a man in New York who is unlucky in love, but not necessarily in life. This multiaward winning musical drops the audience head first into his life

and revolves around these varied, deep and complex people. They, and the production, are known as Company.

Acclaimed writer George Furth is credited for the book while musical theatre icon Stephen Sondheim transformed it into the musical masterpiece for stage that it is today. Company still winks a curtained eye to the so-called “dog whistle shows” that popped up during the 1970s on behalf of the theatre-going populace who could not speak

their minds on the social taboos of the time. When the musical first came out, the short, stylistic vignettes that told the story were a groundbreaking new style that paved the way for other plays like it.

Vancouver’s version of Company boasts a huge production itself in part because of this pedigree and in part because of those who truly make it come alive.

As a UBC theatre grad and lead in Company, Nick Fontaine reminisces about his school days

and shares with us his thoughts on Company’s upcoming opening night. A solid career off-campus has been in the works for almost a decade now, but several other members of the cast are also recent UBC graduates.

Looking back, he remembers the UBC Theatre program as “insanely busy” with limited free time. That hectic schedule doesn’t just go away once one leaves school.

“You only get the chance to meet those new people after they’ve graduated,” said Fontaine. Such is the life of a thespian – rewarding, in-depth and challenging.

The cast of Company comes from the vast network of talent that spans Canada. A musical theatre performance requires just that much more effort and teamwork than a normal production.

“There are a lot of chefs making this soup, but we all get along really well,” said Fontaine. “It’s not always the case with large shows and lots of different personalities, but we’re blessed to have people that enjoy working with each other so much.”

Timeless in its ability to openly question life and love as well as also be reimagined 46 years after its first record-breaking Broadway debut, United Players present Company. U Funny, thoughtful and surprisingly moving, the musical opens January 22 at the Jericho Arts Centre Theatre.

6 | features |

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

College kids:

UBC’s University Transition Program prepares young students for early entrance to university

By Sruthi Tadepalli

M

ost people can’t imagine sharing a class with someone the same age as a high school freshman, but chances are many of us do.

The University Transition Program (UTP), hosted by UBC and the Vancouver School Board, is the reason for this. UTP allows young students, usually between grades seven and nine, to complete high school in two years and enter university around the age of 14. This is only program of its kind in Canada and its popularity is on the rise.

The idea for the program emerged in 1993 when two young boys found that they could not find support for accelerated learning within the existing structure of public education in BC. Their parents approached the Vancouver School Board for help, which is where current program coordinator, Daria Danylchuk, first became involved. UBC was also involved in these early stages as the president at the time, David Strangway, supported early entrance to university.

Although the UTP was modelled in part after an already-functioning program at the University of Washington in Seattle, differences in funding and school systems led UBC’s transition program to become an entirely unique experience for students and staff involved.

“We really learned as we went along because there was no precedent that we could follow,” said Danylchuk.

Now, 20 new students, all within commuting distance of UBC, enter the two-year program every year. The small class size is not representative of interest in the program, which has been growing steadily in recent years.

The UTP sees around 100 applicants per year, but this year that number has nearly doubled.

Applications are “ongoing — people apply all the

time,” said Danylchuk.

Anyone can attend an information session on the program and apply for admission.

After applying, students attend a large group screening day where they complete off-level testing — writing exams far above their grade level. Top applicants are then selected and interviewed. Student portfolios with examples of their academic competence are also reviewed.

Finally, students complete a psycho-educational

“These particular students we are targeting are not the ones who are happy in a high school. What we know is that most often we underestimate what people are capable of.”

— Daria Danylchuk, program coordinator assessment to confirm they don’t have any learning issues that might interfere with their success in the program. Potential students are also given the opportunity to understand exactly what they are applying for by spending a day in classes with current transition students.

The program is currently funded by the BC

Ministry of Education. This means that it doesn’t cost a student anything to attend once admission is achieved, but it also means extending class size is difficult. However, considering the rigorous admissions policies, it is doubtful that class sizes could increase much in the first place — requirements are such that few students reach this bar.

Once admitted, students spend two years attending classes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the transition program’s on-campus building. They are taught by three core teachers with their main lessons supplemented by other professors who will often come in for special lectures to introduce students to areas not otherwise covered, such as philosophy.

After they graduate from the program, the majority of students go on to study at UBC, although some receive scholarships elsewhere or simply have their hearts set on another university. “They do really well. The transition program students have a much higher rate of getting high first year averages than the typical first year students we take in,” said Paul Harrison, associate dean of science.

However, condensing five years of high school into two doesn’t seem conducive to the balanced lifestyle many like to imagine 12-year-olds have.

“First of all, we tell them right at the start — don’t sacrifice. If you love sports, don’t come,” said Danylchuk. This may seem harsh, but students must be willing to give up activities that take too much time — such as competitive sports — in order to feasibly complete the program’s intensive course load.

Danylchuk explains that when people take issue with the program, they fail recognize that it caters to a very specific population.

“When we started, there was a lot of reluctance … about why would you allow somebody to enter

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

yourself. But at some point, you just have to shut up and keep on going.”

However, confidence and ability don’t always have the power to fight off nerves — especially when students first join the wider campus during the first year of their undergraduate degree.

“It’s sort of like a Pavlovian response.

Whenever someone mentions age anywhere, your heart starts to beat faster, you start to feel anxious, you start to shut down and you don’t want to talk to anybody about it,” said Nicole Chan, a fifthyear international relations and economics major.

In the end, most students probably know a past member of the transition program.

From residence life, to dance class or even The Ubyssey, these students are heavily

university early, why would you take them out of their typical teenage years and put them here,” said Danylchuk. “The answer to that is because these particular students we are targeting are not the ones who are happy in a high school.

Secondly, what we know is that most often we underestimate what people are capable of.”

Nevertheless, even students in the program say that the program can have its downsides.

“There were trade-offs for both. In the transition program, I felt like I was more academically challenged, but I felt like there were other portions that were lacking such as social skills or maybe athletic teams that I was part of in my high school,” said Tony Chen, a first-year commerce student.

Chen, who entered the program after completing one year of high school, has the advantage of being able to compare the two experiences.

Nicola Chan, a fifth-year international relations and economics major, adds that the supportive yet exclusive environment the transition program provided can make it harder to progress into larger communities.

“When you come out to university … you discover that there is a bigger world out there than the microcosm that the university transition [program] nurtures you in,” said Chan. “The biggest con is missing out on the chance to develop those sort of essential social skills in high school … because the program is so limited in the number of people you encounter during those formative years.”

However, fourth-year commerce student Marissa Ng doesn’t think the transition program can be compared to the experience of regular high school.

“It’s not fair to say you’re missing out on high school because the transition program is just a different high school experience,” said Ng. Entering university at a younger age and without a typical high school experience opens transition program students up to the threat of prejudice.

“Once people realize your age, they sort of take your opinion less strongly. But on the other hand, once you’ve established your reputation … then the level of credibility is even higher,” said Ng. “I don’t think there is as much discrimination as you put on yourself,” said fourth-year physiology student Howell Liu. “It’s just about making excuses for yourself or trying to feel sorry for

| features | 7

involved in campus life. When asked if there was anything they’d like to tell the wider campus, the students who have been through the program emphasized that it’s important not to make snap-judgments.

“Not all of us are what you would label nerds or geeks. We all have … our own trials and tribulations,” said Chan. “What you see on the outside comes out of a lot of personal sacrifice. We chose the road that not many people travel and for that I commend everyone who has ever been through this program.”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a few years younger, one year younger or 10 years older,” said Liu. “We are all here to learn and we are all here to have a successful future ahead of us — it’s just about being inclusive.” U

“It’s not fair to say you’re missing out on high school because the transition program is just a different high school experience.”

— Marissa Ng, fourth-year commerce student

seeking student volunteer as UBC Development Permit Board Member

We’re seeking applications for the volunteer position of Student Member on the Development Permit Board, which has the responsibility to review and approve non-institutional development proposals in UBC’s Vancouver campus neighbourhoods.

If selected, you will be expected to serve on the Development Permit Board for a minimum of one calendar year, starting May 2016. Members of the Development Permit Board are appointed by the Board of Governors.

Candidates should be enrolled in a planning, urban design, architecture, or landscape architecture program and be knowledgeable about contemporary practices in sustainability and land use planning. They should also support the development of UBC’s on-campus residential community.

Submit a current resume and cover letter to Campus and Community Planning highlighting your qualifications and interest in this position by Tuesday, February 09, 2016.

Steven Lecocq steven.lecocq@ubc.ca

Campus and Community Planning 2210 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 For more information, see planning.ubc.ca

8 | CULTURE |

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

BOOKS //

Everybody is watching, reading and talking about Horrible Sex Olivia Law Culture Editor

Today, sex is part of the story, not just an aside in cinema.

PHOTO COURTESY I.B.TAURIS

In cinema, literature and art, sex and horror go together like surf and turf.

The extremes in displaying sexual relations in film has drastically changed since the inception of cinematic displays of romance. From Out of Africa to Antichrist, relationships have been defined through physical connections or lack thereof.

With full-frontal genitalia, erections and even actual sex featuring increasingly in film, this explicitness in presentation has caused critical consternation and accusations that such film narratives are borderline pornographic.

Professor Lisa Coulthard and MFA student Chelsea Birks have addressed these questions and more in their contribution to Lindsay Coleman’s latest book Sex and Storytelling in Modern Cinema. Their chapter in the book, “Horrible sex: the sexual relationship in new extremism” explores not only sex in horror, but horrible sex in general.

“In terms of the ‘bad sex,’ it’s not just sex within the horror genre or sex with terrible outcomes, but actually bad sex,” said Coulthard. “It’s the idea of depicting not a titillating sex scene, but a sex scene that you’re watching and going, ‘Oh, this is really awkward.’”

The idea was to explore the diversion from erotic cinema and emphasize the kind of boredom that comes from watching a

film such as 29 Palms (2002, dir.

Leonardo Ricagni) where the spectator is bored by something that “should” shock, titillate or arouse.

“Everybody talks about these films as though they’re really transgressive,” said Birks, who is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Glasgow. “We noticed something in them that’s totally ordinary and that’s why they’re horrifying. It’s not the transgression that’s the source of the horror, it’s the fact that it locates this trauma in something that’s completely banal.”

The book cites film theorist Žižek, whose arguments focus on the idea that sex is always inherently traumatic because of its ladenness with fantasy causing a sublimity, but also a ridiculousness.

“If you pause for a second and think about what you’re doing, this contrast between sublimity and ridiculousness always makes it traumatic to some degree,” said Coulthard. “This is why people tend to supplement it with fantasy to cover over this sense.”

The theory of sex and horror is a new trend in scholarship, which Birks argues echoes the sorts of films that are currently being made.

“Not that long ago, even like the ’80s and ’90s, [sex] is kind of an aside in the story,” she said.

“You could cut most sex scenes out of films and the film would be the same. But with more and more explicit content, it’s starting to be that the sex act is more built into the narrative.”

Today however, the essay continues to argue, sex serves as a way in which characters can deal with the everyday horror of the narrative. Coulthard cites Antichrist as an example of this – the everydayness of their conflicts are rooted in sex.

“The book ties it directly to storytelling,” she said. “Sex and these acts of sex that are depicted actually have an important place in the story. They aren’t just there to titillate, shock or transgress, but are actually there to say something important about the characters, the themes and about the film.” Žižek provided insight into the corniness of a pornographic narrative.

“He said that pornography has to have no narrative or it has to be really corny,” said Coulthard.

“Pornography and narrative cancel each other out. It’s extranarrative, it’s beyond narrative because everything suspends in the sex act.”

Essentially, Horrible Sex is a piece exploring the juxtaposition between the extreme violence and sexuality of modern film with the monogamous, heterosexual couples who are the subjects. Analyzing the lack of salaciousness in cinematic depictions of sex shot-by-shot, Coulthard and Birks are some of the forefront scholars in this emerging school of film theory. U The book is Sex and Storytelling in Modern Cinema: Explicit Sex, Performance and Cinematic Technique and is available on Amazon.

FUNDRAISING //

UBC Bhangra host event to unite cultures and generations

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In the midst of 60,000 students, there lives a dance team that brings dhamaka (the Indian word for energetic fun) to the UBC campus and beyond.

Founded in 1994, the Bhangra club has focused on connecting students of the Indian community to their culture through events such as Exhibit India. But this year, they strive to be bigger and better by reaching out to individuals from different communities and backgrounds.

“One of our main focuses this year is to ask other communities from other cultures to come to our show,” said Manjeet Takhi, copresident of the club. “We can do a lot and we think UBC is a good way to do that.”

Bhangra and Gidda are the primary folk dances of the Punjab culture, inculcating energy in every step that have been displayed in events such as Imagine day, the Student Leader Conference and the opening of the new UBC Bookstore.

But what makes this dance so attractive on campus? “I think … with our rich culture and rich colour, we give a vibrant performance,” said Takhi. “Our dance is so energetic. Anyone can

do it. So that’s what our goal is — to incorporate anyone.”

This has been accomplished in several universities throughout North America and UBC strives to be one of them. In universities such as Berkley and Cornell, the dance teams seek out people from all sorts of different cultures and there are several different ethnicities in just one dance team. Although currently a small club, the UBC Bhangra Club have sought out a few girls who weren’t just restricted to the Eastern Indian population.

The co-directors recommend people from all different backgrounds to come and try out bhangra. To familiarize people with the culture and dance, they have held weekly dance lessons in preparation for their end-ofyear event. This is to incorporate students to become a part of something bigger.

Exhibit India plans to create a bridge between communities of all sorts and create diversity on campus by sharing different cultures on one platform and creating an atmosphere where as many students as possible can become one. U The Bhangra Club’s event, Exhibition India, will be held on January 30 at 6 p.m. at the Massey Theatre.

// OPINIONS

EDITOR JACK HAUEN

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

9

YOUTH //

What it’s like being a young student at UBC: Leo time. And while I didn’t get my fill of underage drinking in a residential home temporarily vacated by vacationing parents, the so-called “high school experience” is way overrated.

Furthermore, what I gave up in personal enjoyment I am gaining back through success at the university. I finished first year as a TREK excellence scholarship recipient, a senior staff writer at The Ubyssey and found success in most other categories. Now, in my second year, I am a Heaslip Award recipient and co-op student.

PHOTO KOSTA PRODANOVIC/THE UBYSSEY

Leo soh Letter

“Holy f---“ Or some other profane phrase used to express surprise is usually how people react when I do a complete self-introduction at school.

I’m a second-year in Arts, intending to double-major in Economics and English, and... oh yeah, I’m 16.

I used to enjoy the surprise, delight and envy on others’ faces upon discovering my age, but by

now it’s like beating a dead horse.

After years of living as a member of this statistical minority, I’ve become completely desensitized to their reactions.

Everyone has their own opinion on accelerated education, with some dressing it up to be one of the jewels of Western civilization, while others describe it as a satanic influence on our pristine education system.

In reality, it’s neither — it’s both a blessing and a curse.

The way I think about my education experience is that I saved three years of my life to use however

I want. This math seems sound as I accelerated through five years of high school academics in just two short years. Alternatively, I may have skipped the best years of my life and am now missing out on the “true” university experience of legal binge drinking and unscrupulous amounts of sex. It’s hard to say which is closer to the truth. Frankly, I don’t think I’ll ever know.

What I can say for sure is that I don’t regret for one second the decision I made to begin my university career early. High school studies — let’s face it — are a waste of

I used to enjoy the surprise, delight and envy on others’ faces upon discovering my age, but by now it’s like beating a dead horse.”

Others have called me a prodigy, but I don’t think that’s the case. A more accurate description would be that I was a ’96er born in ’99.

At the age of 14, I took an IQ test. I scored around 140, which meant, for what it’s worth, I possessed the mental capabilities of an average 19 to 20-year-old person. At UBC, after the initial “Holy f---,” most people

treat me as a normal second-year student.

However, this is not to say that it’s been smooth sailing. From time to time, my existence at UBC does seem liminal. As a second year, most of my friends are now able to attend 19+ events, but for me that’s several years away. Being a university student, I also find it hard to relate to people my age. Grade 11 provincials don’t really hold a light up to 200-level math finals. As a final example, one of the co-op positions that I want to compete for has an 18+ age requirement to apply. I believe I am more employable than most 19-yearold co-op students, but the date on my birth certificate ensures that I am excluded.

Time and time again, the question enters my mind, “What do others think of my age?” I know my close friends couldn’t give a damn and others respect or admire me for my many accomplishments despite my age. At the same time, I know others view me with envy, antipathy and doubt my capabilities.

At the end of the day, I believe in myself to be able to compete with others even decades older than me and have a track record of blowing expectations out of the water. So I’m just going to keep trucking and doing my thing. There’s no doubt that at the end of the road, I’ll be able to look back and say, “Class act, bud.” U Leo Soh is a second-year Arts student.

YOUTH //

What it’s like being a young student at UBC: Mackenzie Young students I know have been involved in varsity sports, student government, SLC, Rec, undergraduate societies, Go Global, Rez life, fraternities and sororities.

We’re in every faculty, studying everything. You probably have had a class with someone who entered university when they were 15 or 16 and don’t even know it.

PHOTO KOSTA PRODANOVIC/THE UBYSSEY

Mackenzie Lockhart Letter “Holy f---” That actually is what most people say when they find out that I am 19 and in my fifth year. But the look that crosses their face isn’t usually envy or delight. It’s confusion.

People try to work out how old I was in first year, how many grades I must have skipped to have been at UBC this long or how that’s even possible. Never once has someone been envious and never once have I enjoyed the conversation that inevitably follows. Yes, I’m younger

than you thought I was. Yes, I only just turned 19. No, I’m not a genius — just look at my grades for proof.

I come from a background where being 15 and in first year isn’t weird.

I have two older siblings and a twin brother who did it too. I don’t see us as different than everyone else.

My brother was a varsity athlete and won a national title, my sister was an honours student and I went on exchange and sat on student council.

If you met any of us, we’d seem pretty normal to you.

When I first saw the letter from Leo Soh, I was excited. Young students on campus are not very well understood and often seen as exceptions to campus culture, not

a part of it. One of my close friends on campus recently shared with me a story from his first year (which was also my first year) in which students in residence made fun of students my age. I hoped this letter would get passed this and discuss the contributions from younger students to campus culture.

Instead, I found a letter that tries to justify our place on this campus. Few students question our place here. They don’t argue we are under-qualified, unable to succeed or unemployable. Instead, they seem to ask what we do on campus. Do we drink? Are we involved? What is our experience like? And that’s what I think we should focus on.

At the end of the day, there is nothing that separates us from the rest of students at UBC. Young students are just like you — you just don’t know it yet.”

It isn’t all peachy. Throughout my time at UBC, I’ve failed. I’ve experienced low marks, lost an election and felt alone. I’ve seen students battle mental health issues, fail courses and lose their way. At the end of the day, there is nothing that separates us from the rest of students at UBC. Young students are just like you — you just don’t know it yet.

I know students who entered UBC at 15 who do like the occasional drink, who did get the “high-school experience” and loved it, and who

enjoy their fair share of sex. Going or not going to high school isn’t something that defines us. Having a high IQ isn’t something that defines us. We don’t all have trouble relating to people our own age and we don’t all believe grade 11 provincials to be substantially less than a 200-level math final.

So what is it like being a 16-yearold at UBC? Well, my experience was pretty different from Leo’s.

In my first three years, I swam competitively with a local swim team. I never felt disconnected from my age group. At the same time, I felt embraced by those on campus.

As much as being underage meant I couldn’t go to Pit Night every week, I still felt connected to the people at UBC. I haven’t always been the top of my class and I have struggled along the way. But never once have I felt the need to justify my place on this campus that I call home. Never once have I felt like someone looks down on me for my age. My time at UBC has, for the most part, been normal.

The point of this letter is not to say that Leo’s experience is worth less than mine or his experiences are wrong. The point of this letter is that we’re not any different than the rest of the student body. We each experience UBC in our own way, succeeding and failing in equal measure. At the end of the day, when all’s said and done, we are UBC too. U Mackenzie Lockhart is a fifthyear 19 year-old UBC student.

// SPORTS+REC

EDITOR KOBY MICHAELS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

MUGGLE SPORTS //

INTRAMURALS //

PHOTO JEREMY JOHNSON-SILVERS/THE UBYSSEY

UBC’s top team placed second at the 6ix Oh Four Classic.

Quidditch hosts tournament, places second Matt Langmuir Senior Staff Writer

On January 9, a quidditch tournament, dubbed the 6ix Oh Four Classic in an attempt to make a witty Drake pun, took place at University Hill Secondary School just off of campus. UBC’s two teams — University of British Columbia Quidditch Club (UBCQC) and the British Columbia Quidditch Club (BCQC) — hosted five other teams from Washington state and across British Columbia.

With an odd number of seven teams participating in the event, tournament director Rachel Ralph and her organizers decided to go with a more foreign Swiss-style tournament format that is based heavily on a win-loss record.

There is no championship game.

Instead, the team with the best

10

record is crowned the champion.

The schedule Ralph and her organizers had laid out matched both UBCQC and BCQC against tough first opponents. As coach of the less-experienced BCQC, I knew we had to come out aggressively if we were to get by the Seattle-based Emerald City Admirals. However, the Admirals’ solid play proved too much to handle for our club as they jumped out to an alarming 80-point lead.

Unlikely to claw ourselves back into snitch range, seeker Gillian Savage went for the suicide catch and we ended up losing a hardfought game by a score of 100-50.

Our chaser captain Cameron Drury believed that size was a contributing factor to our loss.

“We started off playing a tough team that we haven’t played before with lots of big

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players,” said Drury. “We don’t have size on our team, so there’s a challenge there.”

UBC’s first opponent was the high-flying Rain City Raptors from Bellingham. The team was at the top of the Northwest Regional standings and were playing dominantly against UBC, scoring 12 goals and catching the snitch in a 150-60 victory. After the loss, UBC beater captain Brandon Rivas emphasized to me how tough it will be to get by the Raptors in the regional championships.

“Rain City and Boise State Abraxans are at the top of our region,” said Rivas. “We are striving to do better than what we’ve done to beat our friends [at the] Rain City Raptors. We have a history with them and it’s something we strive for — to be at the top of our region.”

After the disappointing loss against the Raptors, UBC turned their attention to an inter-squad matchup against my team.

Fresh off a victory against the University of Victoria, we were determined to stick it to our “friends,” but simply could not match the aggressive style of play UBCQC played. In addition, we had sustained numerous injuries that left us shorthanded and unable to play to the best of our ability. Outnumbered and outmatched, we ended losing this “friendly” by a score of 190-40.

After UBCQC comfortably took care of the Vancouver Vipertooths with the injury-

riddled BCQC nursing bruises on the sidelines, my injurystruck team took on cross-town rivals Simon Fraser University.

After going down 50-40 on the scoreboard, a dramatic snitch catch by Lachlin Robertson would snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

“I was really relieved because I didn’t let down the team,” said Robertson after the win. “I was also shocked. I kind of always get shocked when I catch it sometimes, so [I was] relieved, shocked and happy.”

The win levelled our record at 2-2, but that was short-lived as we would eventually fall to 2-3 following a loss in our final game to the tournament winners, the Rain City Raptors. Although we did not play to our potential that day, our chaser captain shared some positives from the experience with me after the match.

“I definitely know some of our better chasers are only getting better,” said Drury.

“Justin [Kim], our 6-foot-4 player, is really getting better.

Brooklynn [Fekete] ... was by the hoops today catching passes and actually scoring whereas in the past she had a little bit of trouble sealing it and getting the goals.

There’s been some improvement, but we still got a long ways to go to actually be playing the fundamentals at a level I think would be better.”

The Rain City Raptors earned first place in the tournament with a perfect 4-0 record.

UBCQC won their last game against the Admirals to finish 3-1, enough to capture second place. UBCQC coach Patrick Fuller was disappointed that the Raptors managed to edge them, but admitted his team had also improved in some ways.

“Although we didn’t put up the results I was hoping for, I think we played very well this tournament,” said Fuller. “We have been trying to move away from the aggressive hero ball style that we have grown accustomed to and work more towards a quicker game with a lot more passing. Taking second isn’t necessarily bad, I just wish we could have beaten the strongest team there.”

With the 6ix Oh Four Classic now behind us, our two teams will turn our attention to the Subdued Excitement Showdown — a tournament in Bellingham on the January 23. Our teams will hope that the tournament will prepare us for the Northwest Regional Championships on February 6. U Matt Langmuir is a coach and player for the BCQC team.

Stay busy with Rec events in 2016 Julia Burnham Contributor

Look no further than UBC Rec’s event calendar for fun and active ways to get over the January slump.

Jason Mcmanus, the manager of intramural programs at UBC gave the scoop on all of the events that Rec is hosting this semester.

GLADIATOR - JANUARY 21-22 If you’re a fan of unconventional fitness, this one’s for you.

“It’s an inflatable obstacle course. This year’s whole theme is Ice Age, so we’ll spin all the events that way,” said Mcmanus. “It’s a two hour commitment, so it’s not a big chunk of your time.”

The registration deadline has now closed, but there is always next year!

FACULTY CUP - JANUARY 29 Returning for its third year, Faculty Cup is back and better than ever.

All 12 faculties will partake in a daylong competition and battle it out to see which faculty will reign supreme.

Forestry took home the title last year, but will they be able to defend it? Get ready for an action-packed day full of rivalries, spirit and fun.

ON THE BUTTON CURLING BONSPIEL - JANUARY 31 You best “hurry hard” to sign up for this year’s On The Button Curling Bonspiel. It promises to be a fun night on the ice for beginners and pros alike.

YOGA RAVE - FEBRUARY 3 “The Yoga Rave is making its first appearance here at UBC. It’s going to be pretty cool,” said Mcmanus.

“The key thing is that registration is quite limited. We’re anticipating a sellout capacity of about 120 people, so I encourage people to get on top of that.”

TRIATHLON - MARCH 5 Start off the 2016 race season with UBC’s Triathlon. With a wide variety of distances and offerings, there’s something for everyone.

STORM THE WALL - MARCH 20-23 Put this on your bucket list — this is a UBC must-do. Featuring a large variety of “just for fun” events and competitive elite teams, there’s nothing holding you back from storming the wall this March.

“Storm the Wall is definitely a highlight piece for students who just want to get involved and it’s often the springboard for getting involved in intramurals,” explains Mcmanus. “Sometimes intramurals can seem like a scary place and very competitive, but, in fact, the majority of our programming is more about fun, involvement and singular moments like this.” U Registration for these events can be done online or in person at the SRC. If participating isn’t your thing, UBC Rec is also looking for volunteers for Storm the Wall and the Triathlon.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

THUNDERBIRDS //

CAILEY HAY

ERIN ASSMAN

LIAM MURPHY-BURKE

Hockey

Swimming

Rugby

Volleyball

1. Happy New Year! What are your resolutions?

Drink more water (and swear less).

Do things that scare the sh*t out of me. Like travel to Asia and move into my own place.

Become a vegan, join CrossFit, do hot yoga five times a week, run a marathon and get into Harvard. Realistically, I should try to be less sarcastic.

Get better grades and party more. Hopefully those aren’t contradictory.

2. Now that it’s 2016, time travel technology is surely on its way. Which period in history would you visit first?

Not really a time period, but I’d go to Boston in 1966. I’d love to see Bobby Orr play live in his rookie season with the Bruins.

A time without insta is no time worth living (@erinassman. Throw me a follow, hey?).

Probably the 1960s so I could meet my late grandparents, see my dad at my age now and attend Woodstock.

I would travel to the future to see if Donald [Trump] gets elected.

I would travel to 776 B.C. to the first Olympic Games to change the competition to include exclusively women instead of men.

3. What’s your favourite campus relaxation destination?

Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Arena ... it’s my second home.

Physio. Seriously, I fall asleep every time without fail.

The rugby clubhouse at our post-match events.

It is always a good place to see the team, parents, supporters and have a beer.

The War Memorial Gym’s icy showers after a long 8 a.m. practice.

Lying on Wolfson Field after sprints.

4. According to the Chinese zodiac, it’s the Year of the Monkey. If you had a monkey, what would you name it?

I always find it funny when animals are given people names ... so Alfred maybe, or John.

McNugget, obviously.

We already have a team monkey and his name is Brock.

Ralph.

Pete Jr. so that he can hang out with Pete Sr., our coach’s dog.

Learning how to maneuver a bicycle around icy UBC streets, which came in handy these past few weeks.

Male seahorses give birth to their offspring.

SERIOUSLY, WHO KNEW?

I realized that morning classes were not for me, so I learned to not start class before noon.

Getting tacoed.

Getting an all-expenses paid trip to Calgary for Chemical Engineering.

Thanks, Shell!

T-BIRDS 5-ON-5 NUTS FOR THE NEW YEAR

JORDAN DESHANE

| SPORTS+REC | 11 STEPHANIE MACKINNON Rugby

by Isabelle Commerford

5. What was one of your favourite learning experiences at UBC in 2015?

RECAP //

Rugby captures Wightman Boot

It would be nice to win a game. #teamworkmakesthedreamwork.

CFL //

Deschamps signs with Roughriders

FILE PHOTO KOSTA PRODANOVIC/THE UBYSSEY

Deschamps during the ’Birds Vanier Cup win in 2015.

Bill Situ Staff Writer

Men’s rugby remains undefeated this season after their win in the Wightman Boot game.

Bill Situ Staff Writer

After going undefeated during the qualification rounds, the men’s rugby team started the CDI Premier League season with a 37-30 win against the University of Victoria Vikes to capture their third straight Wightman Boot.

Named after Brian Wightman, a former UBC rugby coach, the Wightman Boot is an annual match that has been played between the T-Birds and Vikes since the 1967-68 season. Unlike in previous years, which consisted of two games, this year’s Wightman Boot had only one game.

“Words can’t describe how proud I am of these guys. I would have never figured when we started this that we would be able to win one, let alone two and now three,” said Rameses Langston, the Thunderbirds’ head coach.

UBC was first to get onto the

scoreboard early in the game with a penalty try to take a 7-0 lead, but it quickly vanished as UVic responded with a try and a penalty kick to make it 8-7.

With the T-Birds trailing, UBC lock Connor Hamilton managed to find the ball for a try as the team pushed over a scrum near the Vikes goal line. With an additional try by wing Theo Sauder and kick by centre Brock Staller, the score at the end of the first half was 24-8 in favour of the ’Birds.

At the start of the second, Staller got another kick to increase UBC’s lead to 27-8, but a few minutes later, Victoria scored a try after a yellow card against T-Birds back row Connor Weyell for offside near the UBC goal line, narrowing the lead to 27-15.

UVic then saw its share of dominance as they scored two more tries without successful converts to make the score 28-25, one of which was on a continuous 60-yard run.

PHOTO BORIS BOSNJAKOVIC /THE UBYSSEY

“UVic is an outstanding program.

They have tons of class and lots of elite athletes, so you had to expect that this was going to be tough,” said Langston.

With the two teams now three points apart, the T-Birds got a try from centre James Thompson and another penalty kick from Staller before the Vikes answered with a try of their own to finish the game.

Before going into the Wightman Boot, UBC last faced Victoria during the 2015 Rounsfell Cup, where the T-Birds won 52-22. Like the T-Birds, the Vikes also entered the game with an undefeated record during the qualification round.

“Both teams are balanced, both teams have strengths. We just wanted to play our game and hopefully come out with a win,” said Langston.

With the victory against UVic, UBC now extends its winning streak to nine games. Their next opponent will be Capilano RFC. U

After finishing his time as a Thunderbird with a Vanier Cup win, running back Brandon Deschamps will be moving on to play for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“Whenever you get a team that goes out, wants you, shows interest in you and signs you to a contract … it’s a pretty special moment when you find that out,” said Deschamps.

It is currently unknown which position Deschamps will be playing when he joins the Roughriders this upcoming June.

Although he is excited to have realized his dream of playing professional football, Deschamps said that he must continue to be competitive on the field in order to have a sustainable career in the CFL. “I’m not guaranteed anything.

You go in there and you try to show that you can help the team win. If you can’t help the team win, then you’re not going to be there very long,” said Deschamps.

Deschamps still believes that his experience with the BC Lions during last year’s off-season helped him prepare for the transition from university to professional football.

Before the 2015 T-Birds season,

Deschamps attended training camp with the Lions and played for them as an undrafted player.

“Whenever you move up ... there’s a jump in skill level. At least now I have some sort of understanding of the skill level and speed of the game,” said Deschamps.

Having played as a fullback during his time with the Lions, Deschamps also said that he feels better prepared for the possibility that he may play the position again with the Roughriders.

While Deschamps’ future in the CFL remains to be seen, he is grateful to have finished strong with the Thunderbirds. Deschamps was the only Canadian named to the Academic All-America Team and was the MVP during the U-Teck Bowl. “[The 2015 season] is definitely going to be my most memorable year of college football. To win my last game as a Thunderbird, it was pretty special,” said Deschamps.

A native of Prince George, BC, Deschamps saw his most impressive season in 2013, when he had 1007 rushing yards and became the second-leading rusher in CIS football. Deschamps finished his five-year eligibility at the end of the 2015 season. U

12 | GAME AND COMICs |

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

JAN 12 ANSWERS

U

THE UBYSSEY The crossword will be back next week.

We promise.

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