April 10, 2014

APrIL 10, 2014 | VOLUME xCV| ISSUE LIV WAITING AT DUNBAR PIZZA SINCE 1918

sTereOTYPes In GenDereD GYMs P8 FORMER T-BIRD NOW PRO P9 LESSONS LEARNT AT BLOCK PARTY P5 TeaCHInG POLICY P3 UBCO CUTs ManaGeMenT COUrses, Dean waLks OUT P4

THe w aY we e aT Subway, Honour Roll, Pie R — we asked students what they thought about SUB food in our inaugural food survey

P6

Thursday, april 10, 2014 |

YOUr gUIdE TO UBC EVENTS + PEOPLE

What’s on

THIS WEEK, MAY WE SUggEST...

oUr camPUs

2

ONE ON ONE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UBC

THUrsDaY 10 BaNG! FESTiVal lapTOp OrCHESTra 12:30 P.M. @ MACINNES FIELD

It’s an orchestra fit for the 21st century. Laptops are instruments in this celebration of works by UBC student composers. They also play at 12, 12:30 and 2 p.m. Free.

FrIDaY

11

TErM 2 EXaMS STarT 8 A.M. @ UBC CAMPUS

Classes are done, and now there are just a few exams in front of you until summer freedom. give yourself plenty of time to get to campus, don’t stress out and remember to set two alarms the night before so you don’t sleep through it.

The cost of your tuition.

Urban studies prof Elvin Wyly stands in front of an aerial photo of Vancouver taken in 2002.

saTUrDaY

12

aUTHENTiC liSTENiNG plUS 7:30 P.M. @ IKB

To calm yourself during this hectic time of year, explore the true nature of listening through meditation, reflection and active participation. Listening skills may help change the way you perceive the world and yourself. $75

On THe COVer We found out you can spend $20 to get one thing from each major food outlet — and still have 35 cents le over. Photo Carter Brundage.

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Email your events listings to printeditor@ubyssey.ca.

U THE UBYSSEY eDitoriaL

Coordinating Editor Geoff Lister coordinating@ubyssey.ca Managing Editor, Print Ming wong printeditor@ubyssey.ca Managing Editor, Web CJ Pentland webeditor@ubyssey.ca News Editors will McDonald + sarah Bigam news@ubyssey.ca Senior News Writer Veronika Bondarenko vbondarenko@ubyssey.ca Culture Editor rhys edwards culture@ubyssey.ca Senior Culture Writer aurora Tejeida atejeida@ubyssey.ca Sports + Rec Editor natalie scadden sports@ubyssey.ca Senior Lifestyle Writer reyhana Heatherington rheatherington@ubyssey.ca Features Editor arno rosenfeld features@ubyssey.ca

Video Producer Lu Zhang video@ubyssey.ca Copy Editor Matt Meuse copy@ubyssey.ca

Photo Editor Carter Brundage photos@ubyssey.ca Illustrator Indiana Joel ijoel@ubyssey.ca Webmaster Tony Li webmaster@ubyssey.ca Distribution Coordinator Lily Cai lcai@ubyssey.ca staff Catherine Guan, Nick Adams, Kanta Dihal, Marlee Laval, Angela Tien, Carly Sotas, Alex Meisner, Luella Sun, Jenny Tang, Adrienne Hembree, Mehryar Maalem, Jack Hauen, Kosta Prodanovic, Olivia Law, Jethro Au, Bailey Ramsay, Jenica Montgomery, Austen Erhardt, Alice Fleerackers, Nikos Wright, Milica Palinic, Jovana Vranic, Mackenzie Walker, Kaveh Sarhangpour, Steven Richards, Gabriel Germaix, Jaime Hills, Jenny Tan, Kaidie Williams, Rachel Levy-McLaughlin, Maura Forrest, Paul S. Jon

APrIL 10, 2014 | VOLUME xCV| ISSUE LIV

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PHOTO CArTEr BrUNdAgE/THE UBYSSEY

Elvin Wyly, man about towns, cities Ming Wong Managing Editor, print

Urban studies and geography prof Elvin Wyly’s course site is a maze of information — a mix of quotes he likes, urban geography he finds interesting, movies and songs that catch his attention. It’s an online extension of Wyly.

“Well, normal people are on Facebook. For me, I just have that,” said Wyly, half-joking.

Wyly is the chair of the urban studies program, an interdisciplinary area of study that deals with the changing landscape, problems and possibilities of city life; this research is especially important at a time in which the majority of the world’s population lives in cities. He started teaching at UBC in 2002 and helped restart the urban studies program, which has been around since 1971.

Growing up in a white, middle-class suburb in Washington, D.C., Wyly said cities were problem areas that his parents encouraged him to avoid — so naturally, that’s where he wanted to go.

Wyly started out in civil engineering at Penn State, but after the first semester, he realized it wasn’t for him. Instead, he dove into a variety of arts courses — history, philosophy, art history — and what stuck was human geography.

“It just dawned on me. The story of being able to analyze and tell a story [about] how places develop in distinctive ways really

connected with me.” Or, as he says on his webpage, geography to him is like music that “really reaches you — the stuff that makes you get all Spinal Tap-y as you turn up your amp to 11.”

As an urban geographer, Wyly’s main research focuses on gentrification, as well as housing-mortgage lending practices in the U.S. As a teacher, he doesn’t shy away from course evaluations.

He posts them on his course page, not just because his mean scores are in the high 4.5 range, but because he finds the comments amusing. And they are; one dating from 1999 said Wyly is reminiscent of “Ned Flanders, very perky, makes class interesting.”

The comments are largely positive and attest to Wyly’s passion for cities. However, this positivity could also be attributed to the way Wyly trusts his students. For instance, he asks all students to write a promise on the first page of their assignments that their work is not plagiarized. “Take credit for your hard work by declaring your honesty and integrity,” he writes.

Wyly has reservations about “academic robocops” like Turnitin; for him, they may grade papers and catch plagiarism on the surface, but take away the human aspect of reading through a person’s ideas. He tells his students to “write for an audience of humans,” not for some Internet program.

Another interactive element in Wyly’s teaching is the optional walking tour of Vancouver he leads, which passes through downtown, Chinatown, Olympic Village and more.

“All cities are unique, but Vancouver seems to be particularly distinctive,” he said of the mix of past (unceded Coast Salish territory) and present (new buildings and the hi-tech sector) in Vancouver.

As both an academic and a Vancouverite — and in particular, a denizen of the 99 B-Line bus — Wyly sees Vancouver as a challenge.

“This is a problem with academics: we over-analyze everything.

Any good academic who’s interested in cities [and] who spends time in a rapidly changing city will be constantly on the lookout for remarkable new things,... and Vancouver provides quite a few of those.” U WiSE Wyly Wyly has been to many cities, from Halifax to Hong Kong to delhi to detroit, but the region he finds most fascinating right now is the start-up-friendly Silicon Valley. “It’s creating innovation that percolates around the world,” he said. “I’m very much interested in the way that information technology is changing the way people relate to one another.”

Read all of our previous Our Campus profiles online at ubyssey.ca/features

Classes are done but we still have one more print issue!

Pick it up on Apr. 14 to read our top stories, people of the year.

Thursday, April 10, 2014 |

EDITORS WILL Mcdonald + Sarah Bigam

teaching >>

3

first nations >>

Bacteria, carcinogens in traditionally preserved meats, study finds

photo chiavatti/flickr

The study found a large amount of bacteria in smoked meat products.

FILE PHOTO geoff lister/THE UBYSSEY

The policy encourages UBC instructors to distribute their teaching materials freely.

Faculty Association opposes new policy

Jovana Vranic Staff Writer

The UBC Board of Governors has recently approved a policy that would make it easier for instructors to share and use teaching materials, but some faculty members oppose the policy.

Policy 81 encourages, but does not mandate, UBC instructors to distribute their teaching materials freely to other UBC instructors. The policy was drafted in summer 2013, and some voiced criticisms of the policy during a comment period from September to November.

The UBC Faculty Association has expressed major concerns.

“The biggest issue is that the policy allows the university to basically share in ownership of an individual’s teaching materials,” said Nancy Langton, president of the Faculty Association.

NEWS BRIEFS UBC study finds illegal fishing source of up to 33 per cent of U.S. wild fish imports A UBC study found that between one-fifth and one-third of wildcaught seafood imported by the U.S. may be caught by vessels engaging in “pirate” fishing.

These vessels regularly ignore domestic and international fishing laws, fish in areas closed or restricted to commercial fishing, target endangered and at-risk species, or use illegal gear.

“This study reinforces what the fishing industry, governments and conservationists have been saying for a long time: illegal fishing is a major global problem and threatens the long-term health of our oceans and the livelihoods they support,” said Michele Kuruc, VP for marine conservation at World Wildlife Fund, which helped underwrite the study.

The National Fisheries Institute said it supports efforts to fight pirate fishing, but is skeptical about the numbers reported in the study.

How exercise boosts memory A UBC study has found that brisk walking for two hours each week may help boost the hippocampus, the area of the brain involved in learning and memory, in women at risk of dementia.

Study particants were assigned to twice-weekly, hour-long sessions of brisk walking or resistance training.

After six months, those in aerobic training had better results. U

Professors have always owned the copyrights to their intellectual property, and have had the option to share their materials with colleagues. Things like syllabi, lesson plans and exams created by UBC professors can be freely distributed by the owner.

The Flexible Learning Initiative team says that Policy 81 will not change any of these current practices.

One major aim of the policy is “to state clearly in the case of teaching materials that professors own the copyright,” said Hugh Brock, the associate provost of academic innovation at the Flexible Learning Initiative.

“The second thing that happens is that people share their teaching materials,” said Brock.

Brock said that in cases where professors are frequently rotated, instructors exchange their teaching

materials in order to easily transition into new courses. For those who do not want to share, the new policy will allow them to make their intellectual property completely private.

In order to restrict the sharing of materials, professors will need to fill out a form to opt out. Otherwise, their name will be put down on a searchable public database. From there, interested individuals may contact them to seek out materials.

“We would prefer if there was a teaching materials repository,” said Langton. “Then any faculty member that wanted to share teaching materials simply deposit[s] that material into the repository.”

A database of teaching materials is only good if it is up to date, searchable and well-used, Brock said. “Professors are updating their courses every year. The likelihood that we could keep, curate and get people to send to a repository is zero.”

The Flexible Learning Initiative team believes that the only necessary change would be to give instructors the opportunity to restrict access to their materials.

“The point is, if you wanted to share, you’d put it in a data bank, and that would be the signal,” said Langton.

The Faculty Association has resisted the policy since its approval by the Board of Governors on Feb. 20. It will be implemented on the first day of the summer term this year.

“On that day, the university will have deemed that individuals have given consent to have their teaching materials used and revised, unless they explicitly state that they have not given this consent,” said Langton.

The Faculty Association hopes that the policy will be revoked in the coming months. U

crime >>

Vehicle drives into Staples, several laptops stolen Will McDonald News Editor

Someone broke into the Staples in the UBC Village after driving a car into the building’s doors, according to campus RCMP. The break and enter occurred on April 5 around 5:30 a.m. RCMP spokesperson Drew Grainger said several laptops were stolen, but police have yet to determine the total value of the merchandise and exactly how the break and enter happened.

“It looks like a car was driven into the rear doors,” said Grainger.

Grainger said the car was gone when police responded and they do not have a description of the car or who is responsible.

Staples confirmed the break in occurred and items were stolen, but refused to provide any more details. U

U

Write for news news@ubyssey.ca

Photo carter brundage/THE UBYSSEY

A temporary door has replaced the one wrecked by the vehicle.

Veronika Bondarenko Senior News Writer

A recent UBC study looked at the safety of meat products produced by several First Nations communities in B.C. Spearheaded by UBC food scientists Kevin Allen and David Kitts, the two-year research project examined the risks of eating meats that have been prepared through traditional preservation methods.

Many of these preparation styles, including smoking salmon over a fire in a wooden smokehouse, have been part of First Nations culture for centuries.

Patricia Hingston, food science Ph.D. student and one of the students heading the microbiological side of the research team, said that her research team studied the instances of pathogenic bacteria in food.

“We were looking at how much bacteria overall are present in dried foods, smoked foods, raw foods and some of the food that they produce commercially,” Hingston said.

According to Hingston, the study found large numbers of pathogenic bacteria, including E.coli, listeria and coliform species, in many of food products.

“This tells us that there’s a problem in the handling method and in the smoking method in general,” Hingston said.

The study also showed that the high heat in the smokehouse can result in the formation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chemicals that have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals.

While commercially used smokehouses have external generators that control temperature and help diminish the risk of carcinogens, most of the traditional smokehouses used by these First Nations communities do not have the technology needed to control for PAHs. Further research is expected to show whether the PAHs released through traditional smoking methods are at a level that is high enough to pose any significant risk.

But since many of these traditional preservation methods are central to the way of life of First Nations communities in B.C., members of the research team have been working with members of the Lake Babiche Nation and Nee Tahi Buhn communities to examine catching, preparation and preservation practices.

“What we’re hoping by the end of the study is to be able to work with the communities to help improve their food safety and look at some of the methods that they’re using to see where these problems are occurring and how they can get the levels of dangerous bacteria lower,” said Hingston.

The final study results are expected to be released in June 2015. U

4 | NEWS |

Thursday, April 10, 2014

UBCo >>

Photo courtesy david nixon/THE PHOENIX

Approximately 100 students waited for the dean to speak.

UBCO students angry after Faculty of Management cuts three courses David Nixon The Phoenix

KELOWNA — At approximately 4:40 p.m. on April 7, the dean of UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Management, Roger Sugden, got up and walked out of a room full of management students, without discussing what he came there for.

The move prompted negative comments from students, including one who yelled, “You’re embarrassing, Roger!” as he left the room.

Those management students, close to 100 in number, had been waiting to hear why the faculty announced on the last day of classes that three fourth-year accounting courses were cut. The meeting never even began.

“I’m asking for this meeting, and I’m only prepared to undertake it this afternoon with students,” said Sugden, after he became aware of the presence of two parents and two reporters (one from the Phoenix and one from Castanet).

Students said they’d like it to be on public record, and that parents who were supporting their children should be included. Sugden refused to budge on his position.

“Why does it matter?” said Jesse Shopa, a fourth-year accounting student. “The lack of transparency is astounding right now. If you’re such a proponent of this move, you should be able to support it in a public forum.”

Not five minutes after arriving, Sugden walked out.

Break news

news@ubyssey.ca @ubysseynews

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The parents in attendance had happened to be on campus when they heard about the cuts, so they decided to attend. They asked that their names not be included for their children’s sake. “For us as parents, this is the third year.… I don’t expect this kind of decision to happen at all in year three,” said one mother.

“If they need to make changes, especially management, they should know better what kind of money they have. It’s very odd to all of the sudden say, ‘Oh, we ran out of money.’ … What kind of dean is he?”

Many students stayed and discussed the issue with each other after the dean left. “I think for any student who comes from outside of Canada, or who has loans or parents who are paying for their

education, it is questionable to make such a decision without having due information passed onto students or any sort of communication or consultation,” said one international student who preferred to remain anonymous. “That is the basis of this institution: communication and consultation, and that’s what we expect from the faculty. But it is not [being] received.”

The meeting was on the heels of the first formal announcement of the cuts at 2:30 p.m. that day, in the last third-year managerial accounting class of the year. There, Sugden announced that the fourth-year tax, audit and assurance, and advanced financial accounting classes will no longer be offered. Instead, one accounting course, “Accounting Savvy,” will be added; it aims to help management students work in the professional world with accountants. The cut was explained as being due to “scarce resources.”

Sugden also said the faculty lost a key member in the accounting program and would continue to lose faculty members. That key member was Sandy Hilton, who left UBCO in the summer of 2013 to work with Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) Canada.

Sugden said the program is not cut despite the dropped courses, and the faculty will help students find other B.C. post-secondary institutions that offer the same courses.

This means students will either have to complete three of their accounting courses by correspondence, or go elsewhere for a semester.

Tutoring for those three courses will also be made available.

Students were not receptive to the announcement at the second meeting, either; comments and questions that protested the faculty’s decision were punctuated with room-filling applause, table-banging and loud murmuring from the 300 students there. They

questioned why the decision was being announced so late, why there was no phase-out and why it had to happen at all. Students repeatedly accused the dean of not answering their questions properly. One student also asked about co-op students, who will return in 2014 for the second half of fourth-year accounting. Sugden said they would address that individually with the co-op students.

The accounting program was set up to give students all of the necessary prerequisites to start their professional designation with the CPA Canada program after graduation, which is almost always done in conjunction with working for an accounting firm. Accounting firms are the largest sponsors of student-run business events like the JDC West competition, as well as the Provincial Rival Case Competition, which the Management Student Association hosts. These firms sponsor events because they are interested in recruiting the best of graduating accounting classes.

One UBCO student expressed worry that this move would chase away those firms.

The decision most affects third-years enrolled in the management degree, who were supposed to choose their specialization over the summer. No one was ever guaranteed a spot in the accounting specialization, but some students chose the faculty specifically so that they could focus on accounting and get their professional designation.

Further information sessions will be hosted at UBCO on April 8, 9 and 10. Sugden has stated that neither press nor parents will be permitted to attend those sessions either, though he is willing to meet individually with parents at other times. The dean could not be reached for comment as of press time.

Thursday, april 10, 2014 |

EdITOr RHYS EDWARDS

a higher education

5

Parties >>

PHOTO STEVEN rICHArdS/THE UBYSSEY

6 life lessons we experienced and learned at this year’s AMS Block Party Reyhana Heatherington senior lifestyle Writer

PHOTO STEVEN rICHArdS/THE UBYSSEY

rebel on a Mountain preached the power of side-parted hair.

A small white sheep flies through the air, its legs frozen. A boisterous girl perches on her friend’s shoulders, high above the crowd (maybe in more ways than one), brandishing a small potted plant.

Much like the plant, fortunately, the sheep was fake.

It could only be AMS Block Party at UBC. After a last-minute switch back from Matthews to MacInnes Field, the seventh annual Block Party took place this past Tuesday. Though the forecast called for rain, the brilliant sun shone down on the throngs of students rejoicing in the symbolic start of summer. If the haphazardly applied neon face paint and clichéd festival garb weren’t enough evidence that classes were finished, the impromptu beach ball soccer brought a real August-y flavour to the day. As much as formal classes were over, however, it was truly a day of lessons for this Ubyssey writer. <em>

PHOTO STEVEN rICHArdS/THE UBYSSEY

Kent Loewen of The Crackling drummed for dan Mangan after taking the spotlight.

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Lesson #1: Part your hair on the right to show you are marriage material.

This advice came from the winner of the AMS Last Band Standing competition. Rebel on

PHOTO STEVEN rICHArdS/THE UBYSSEY

Former English student dan Mangan convinced the crowd to flip off an audience member.

PHOTO STEVEN rICHArdS/THE UBYSSEY

Senior Lifestyle Writer reyhana Heatherington shot some hoops with Shad before the show.

PHOTO STEVEN rICHArdS/THE UBYSSEY

dan Mangan and co. supported this blowdoll as it deflated toward the end of the night.

a Mountain opened the event with their indie-rock set. Lead vocalist Kristian Wagner maintains that the way you part your hair contributes to the quality of relationship you are capable of maintaining. For the record, right-side parts are equated with long-term partner material. So keep that in mind as you search for a mate.

Lesson #4: Inflatable advertising is always funny.

UBC alum Dan Mangan and his friends did their best to hold up the giant blow-up Molson beer bottle backstage as it slowly deflated.

Lesson #2: Jocks don’t respond well to mockery.

Lesson #5: Stage crew work harder than anyone and see weird sides of performers.

This lesson was courtesy of The Crackling frontman Kenton Loewan. In an effort to entice the not-yet-drunk-and-wild crowd closer to the stage, Loewan imitated a jock who stood near the back of the field with his arms crossed. Though it was an admirable attempt at crowd engagement, the dude stood his ground.

The coolest dudes were the stage crew hired to take down the stage as soon as Adventure Club stepped away from the turntables. It would take them somewhere between four to six hours to disassemble the stage. But when your job includes talking to Billy Joel about his motorbike collection, it can’t be all bad.

Lesson #3: Not only can Shad make a crowd rock, he can ball.

Lesson #6: Avoid staring at drink-cup carnage.

One of the few things I share with hip-hop great Shad (apart from our Juno nominations, natch) is that we played basketball in high school. Yes, I managed to get a few baskets off him during our one-on-one showdown in the Rec Centre, but man, can he sink threes.

On my way out, the satisfying crack of crushed drink cups beneath my boots served as a reminder of the brain cells lost to alcohol that fateful night. So if you wish to remain blissfully unaware of the amount of alcohol you consumed, when the last note echoes over the field, run, and don’t look back. U

6 | CUlTUrE |

THUrSday, april 10, 2014

What you eat The Ubyssey SUB food survey Text & research by aurora Tejeida & Kaidie Williams Graphics by Ming Wong

W

hen we set out to conduct a survey of where students prefer to eat at the SUB, we were expecting a few things. Among them, we expected students to be conscious of the amount of money they spend — which they are. But they are also worried about the quality and health benefits of their food.

Unfortunately, the common perception on campus is that healthy equals expensive in the SUB. “At this point, [health] value trumps cost,” said Aline Bennett, a graduate student. “But if I was an undergrad it would probably be the other way around.”

“I really like The Delly because their sandwiches are really good.

Other food options here seem to be too processed or not too fresh,” added third-year engineering student Coby Yu. “For me, it’s not about the cost, it’s about the health benefits.”

The idea that the healthiness of a given diet has an inverse relationship with its cost is not necessarily true, according to Vashti Verbowski, a certified dietitian and master’s student in UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems. Eating a balanced diet may be tricky, but cost doesn’t have to be an issue. “You can eat healthfully and inexpensively at the same time,” said Verbowski.

For instance, she suggested getting sushi and a piece of fruit from the Delly, or ordering a burger with salad instead of fries.

“It could still be the same price, but you’re making a healthier

choice at the end of the day,” said Verbowski.

Another pointer was bringing your own food from home, but let’s face it — who has time for that during finals? So if you’re stuck eating at the SUB, here are some of the healthiest options, according to Verbowski:

In the Cup : “They serve kimchi there; [it is] a natural source of probiotics, and it’s a vegetable,” said Verbowski.

The Delly : They make fresh sandwiches and you can choose the type of bread and the amount of veggies and toppings. Subway could also be a good choice, as long as you don’t order a foot-long sub.

Some students are making the healthy (or cheap) choice of eating at the Delly; it was named the most affordable option and tied for the number one choice in frequency of visits. But the other most popular destination, Blue Chip Cookie, also happens to be the least healthy option in the SUB. “You’re probably getting enough calories in a cookie for a meal, but there are very little nutrients in that,” explained Verbowski. “I personally love Blue

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Sprouts : You can eat local and organic produce from UBC Farm — that is, if you don’t mind waiting in long lineups on Fridays.

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The Gallery : “I was surprised by their menu,” said Verbowski. “You can choose less healthy things there too, but they have the option to do a half order of sandwich with a salad.”

<strong>

Out of 251 respondents survey says...

</strong>

do you think that the food choices in the SUB are healthy?

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Chip Cookie, but I don’t recommend having one of those every day — only as a special treat, maybe after an exam or something like that.”

Other food items on the least healthy list: anything that’s deep fried or battered, drinks from the vending machine and sugary drinks from Starbucks.

Next time you’re thinking of getting a caramel macchiato with extra whipped cream and chocolate sauce, remember that a healthy and balanced diet sustains your energy levels, keeps your immune system strong and prevents digestive issues.

“I think in the SUB it can be challenging to find healthy food, but those choices are there,” said Verbowski. “It is in the hands of the consumer to make those choices.” U

are you satisfied with the overall quality of the food in the SUB?

25% 75%

33% 67%

When purchasing food items, which of the following are you most conscious of?

On a typical day, how much money do you spend on food at the SUB? Health

2%

$10-15

6%

a

21%

the cost/hea lthiness disparity is k illing me

>$15

Cost

35%

Comments on our survey:

2

a N a d

25

Value

$1-5

45%

The subway ladies are so bad, but i can’t stop going back to them.

C

35%

cents

1 4

portion size

0

9%

$5-10

ria is so e suB cafete th at od fo e h T give it to my ould not even w i g, in st gu dis k ies is OK lue Chip Coo B t bu .. t. ea dog to

47% Which is the most affordable?

le and affordab ough healthy en le e ab ar d e or er aff th more i feel that h there were is w st ju l, al options over tions. vegetarian op and healthy

Which restaurant do you purchase food from most often?

The pit

4% 3% 11%

pie r Squared

Honour roll

The delly

do you have a meal plan?

12% 13%

Subway

Blue Chip Cookie

27%

Yes, I think it saves me money

19% 9%

22%

yes 25% 26%

29%

No

21%

30%

No, I don’t think it saves me money

70%

79% *Percentages are rounded up from two decimals

THUrSday, april 10, 2014

| CUlTUrE | 7

theatre >>

Love isn’t blind in Optica Delusions Wife of UBC prez stages musical with opera

Gabriel Germaix staff Writer

Two countries torn apart by war and bigotry. Between them stands a tree — Reverend Sym. A. Tree, to be precise.

In her family-friendly musical, playwright and director Paula Rosen separates right from left in a pun-intensive performance.

Baptized Optica Delusions , it will be performed by the cast of UBC Opera on April 11 and 12 at the Old Auditorium.

“I decided it would be fun to have a play where there is a tree that is a lead part,” explained Rosen. Overturning the traditional “third tree on the left” stage role is not the only original idea in this production: Rosen’s pop take on a Romeo and Juliet -esque love story sees Seymour, prince of a country where people have only a left eye, fall in love with Iris, right-eyed princess of the Kingdom of Right. Supporting characters include Seymour’s best friend, Emmett the robot, who breaks down when he reads illogical data, and of course Sym. A. Tree, who sings, “Bigotry is the biggest tree of all.”

Rosen, who is outgoing UBC president Stephen Toope’s wife, said the idea for the musical dates back to her and Toope’s engagement. She worked in an elementary school at the time, and the story was a hit with the kids — and with Toope.

“We come from rather different backgrounds,... and the story came to my mind about a right-eyed princess who comes from a community and a left-eyed prince who comes from a different community,” said Rosen. “Stephen ... allowed me to adapt the story into a song, which <em>

PHOTO rHYS EdWArdS/THE UBYSSEY

Famed local bar chain BierCraft will be opening at the Wesbrook Village in July.

Belgian brews

BierCraft comes to Wesbrook JESSICA-CHRISTIN HAMETNER Food

With over 120 Belgian and craft beers, local cask beer pourings and a regionally inspired menu of tapas and bistro food, popular beer purveyor BierCraft is set to open its doors at UBC’s Wesbrook Village at the end of July.

Dean Mallel, the brain behind BierCraft, regards the brand as a catch-all that appeals to everyone rather than singling out certain individuals. From people strolling from Wreck Beach on a summer day to the Wesbrook Village resident across the street fancying a bite to eat, BierCraft hopes to fill the gap in UBC’s pub scene.

“The way we’re going to do this is by not only providing moderate price points that — and I don’t want to say we’re cheap, because everybody has to make their margins — provide good value for everybody that’s here,” said Mallel.

Right now, the Wesbrook Village BierCraft is a vast, empty space. As Mallel guided me through the concrete expanse, I was taken on a visual journey; Mallel described walking into a vestibule with a window to the right, through which one could glimpse a space inspired by 1930s Parisian smoking rooms.

Flocked wallpaper, big chandeliers and reclaimed flooring from Squamish add a touch of kitsch and cool to the dining room, which will serve hearty comfort foods like burgers and mac n’ cheese.

Mallel says it will be comfortable and unpretentious.

As we continue wandering through the hollow space, Mallel pointed out a large expanse that will be oriented towards students and socializing. He described a industrial-1940s-meets-beerfest theme, with big columns and Bavarian-inspired beams meant to make visitors feel as if they are in a slice of Munich’s Oktoberfest, singing along to folk songs and drinking good beer.

Of course, the bar will be the focal point. With 32 draft taps and a further 200 beers in bottles, the Wesbrook BierCraft will offer 50 per cent northwest craft and 50 per cent import beer, largely from

Belgium and Germany.

“We understand that students have limited means and budgets, so we offer a variety of products at a variety of prices so that people can experiment,” said Mallel. “So what we try and do is push the local craft and offer beers like 33 Acres or Bomber and all-new microbreweries so that people can actually drink high quality beer that is competitively priced.”

While BierCraft may seem like a potential threat to UBC’s own future brewery at the Farm, UBC Brewing Club president Kerry Dyson disagrees.

“It’s something that’s really exciting. For a long time, UBC didn’t have a lot of places to go and get a pint, and now it’s getting a lot better. There are places that you can go get good beer as opposed to just cheap beer,” said Dyson. “With BierCraft, it’s one of those really nice opportunities that you can try beers from around the world that are really hard to find in British Columbia, let alone on campus.”

While imported beer is sophisticated and in demand, its prices are often not quite as popular.

Mallel assures students, however, that there will be discounts for the UBC community to look forward to.

“We’ll make sure students are included, and we really believe in community involvement, and in that regard particularly sponsorships with UBC athletics or with any local sports team here.

We’ll work with everybody to try and integrate ourselves into the community,” said Mallel.

Community is at the heart of both BierCraft and the UBC Brewing Club, and rather than seeing each other as competition, working together is the recipe for success, Dyson said.

“We’re all working together for a cause. We want to educate the public and we want to provide an excellent product that we’ll be able to appreciate, so right now you see a lot of collaborations with different breweries working together,” said Dyson. “It is not so much a competition but working together.

If anything, we’re looking forward to have another place to go out for a drink.”

We certainly are, and as Mallel said to UBC students hungry for a little more fun: “We’ll give you guys something to do. I promise that.” U

<em>

</em>

</em>

COUrTESY UBC OPErA

In Optica Delusions, a prince and princess from opposite kingdoms overcome their differences to see each other on equal terms.

we sang in a duet at our wedding,” Rosen said, laughing.

When she came to UBC, Rosen decided to devote herself to the difficult path of writing musical theatre. Nancy Hermiston, head of UBC Opera, helped her fulfill her dream.

“Nancy knows how hard I have tried in many different areas....

This is her way of letting me see what I have achieved.”

Optica Delusions is Rosen’s second full-length musical. It was first staged by Kitsilano High School four years ago, with the help of Hermiston.

UBC Opera music director Richard Epp is conducting the piece. <em>

</em>

It is his first foray into musical theatre, after staging operas such as The Magic Flute . During rehearsals for Optica Delusions, he saw the initially skeptical UBC opera students become more and more involved as the musical took shape. “[The students] were a little perplexed by it,” Epp said. “It’s not Mozart, it’s not Verdi. Now that we are running it, I think they are enjoying it more,... seeing what the whole show is like.”

Of course, the elementary school kids who saw last Friday’s $5 matinée don’t care — they will just sing the catchy tunes. U <em>

</em>

Thursday, April 10, 2014 |

EDITOR Natalie Scadden

8

fitness >>

Gendered gyms: how equipment layout reinforces stereotypes Reyhana Heatherington Senior Lifestyle Writer

Are you fat or thin? Fit or flabby?

Healthy or unhealthy?

The fitness industry, like wider society, is built on binaries, and gender is just another one of them.

From the way gyms are laid out to how fitness classes are marketed to patrons, the workout industry often separates the male and female experience.

Victoria Felkar is a personal trainer, bodybuilder and UBC kinesiology grad student who focuses on sociocultural issues in fitness in her academic work. She has been in the fitness industry for nine years, including nearly two years at the UBC BirdCoop.

Felkar competed in ballet for a decade, but switched to weightlifting when her body type didn’t conform to the ballet norms.

In bodybuilding, she found her niche and experienced an “almost cathartic output” while training. Through bodybuilding, the self-described “meathead” said her physical appearance matched her internal strength.

“The body that I had embodied how I felt,” Felkar said.

I’m now sitting on that bike and I’m looking over the field of men traning weights and grunting and growling and all of the bromance. That’s not exactly the most inviting environment, especially if we’re trying to break down these cultural binaries of the gendered gym environment.

Victoria Felkar UBC kinesiology grad student and personal trainer

Unlike many gyms, the UBC Weightlifting and Powerlifting Club fosters a team mentality that actively encourages women to lift weights.

“Within the subculture of gyms, though, a lot of it goes back to how the actual body is gendered in the form of ‘men lift weights to become muscular, women do cardio to become skinny or fit,’” she said.

The organization of space in gyms can contribute to this stereotype; in many gyms, cardio machines are lined up on one side of the room and face the large weight machines. Through a gendered lens, this can be seen as reinforcing the gender binary, particularly for females who focus exclusively on cardio in an effort to avoid “bulk.”

“I’m now sitting on that bike and I’m looking over the field of men training weights and grunting and growling and all of the bromance,” Felkar said.

“That’s not exactly the most inviting environment, especially if we’re trying to break down these cultural binaries of the gendered gym environment.”

“It’s guys on this side, girls on that side,” said Mitchell Kong, second-year kinesiology student and a regular at the BirdCoop, gesturing to the two opposite sides of the gym.

Depending on designers and management, gyms can break down these problematic binaries through open-concept spaces. In a functional layout design, mixing equipment is one way to encourage camaraderie in gyms.

“If you think open concept, you don’t have segregated areas.…

Everything is a lot more dynamic,” Felkar said.

Navigating the gendered space Amanda Wanner, a library and information sciences grad student, does powerlifting and weightlifting at the gym three to five times per week. Exercises in these activities include squats, deadlifts, bench presses, the snatch and the clean and jerk.

Wanner and her workout buddy went to Felkar to create a workout plan.

“The reason that we went to a trainer is because I think we felt a little bit intimidated going into the ‘men’s’ section of a gym,” she said.

Felkar’s plan helped them gain confidence and begin weightlifting in gyms as well as with the UBC Weightlifting and Powerlifting Club. At the BirdCoop, though, Wanner noticed the equipment layout can be problematic for certain workouts.

“I find it difficult sometimes, because the layout of the gym is really confusing at the BirdCoop, because the free weights and the dumbbells are split up in two,” Wanner said.

Like Felkar, Wanner noted how the spatial factors in the gym affect the social constructs of how we think about gender.

“The light weights are all the way across the gym, so you have to lug a set of weights all the way across the gym,” she said. “The implication of that is that if you’re over here you do light weights, and if you’re over there you do heavy weights.”

When the Ubyssey spoke recently with yoga instructor Michael Olivotto (“Practising safely with the UBC Yoga Club,” Feb. 27), he described the gendered experience of many gyms, saying, “We’re so used to having, especially in our workout environment, a very male-dominated space.”

Newer exercise fads also shape the demand for certain workout regimens.

“Because of Crossfit and that kind of thing, I think a lot of women are really interested in lifting heavy weights. It has become a bigger cultural thing,” Wanner said. “But I think people still are nervous to go into those sections of the gym and they don’t know how to start.

“I think there’s a real opportunity for the BirdCoop, being on an educational campus where we have all sorts of people with expert knowledge in these areas, to be offering strength training for women [and] weightlifting for women,” she said.

As a female weightlifter of smaller stature, Wanner was excited to see new equipment appear at the BirdCoop recently — particularly the lighter-weight bumper plates that make Olympic weightlifting possible for smaller people.

“It was like Christmas, Halloween and my birthday all in one. I was so excited,” she said.

In an effort to break down stereotypes around gender, gyms can include programming opportunities that benefit from the “untapped market” that includes beginner weightlifters, especially on university campuses like UBC, where many gym patrons are students who don’t have money to spend on programs like Crossfit. <em>

</em>

FILE photo geoff lister/The Ubyssey

Moving forward AMS designer Michael Kingsmill said the repurposed Student Union Building, or the Student Life Centre, will contain an offshoot of the BirdCoop.

“Because the BirdCoop … has such an overwhelming demand, they’re going to create an area in the lower level just where the current CopyRight is located,” he said.

“That area is going to be turned into an extension or an annex of the BirdCoop.”

For now, the 5,000–7,000 square-foot rectangular area on the plan is reserved for this additional fitness area. The layout inside will be decided by operational staff.

According to Kingsmill, equipment layout planning in the BirdCoop annex will happen in the next few months and the space will be finished around September 2016 at the earliest.

Perhaps with an increased awareness of the existing binaries in gym layout, UBC can move towards a more fluid continuum of how gender is constructed in the gym.

When Felkar works out, males often approach her with concerns for her safety, saying, “You’re lifting too much,” or questioning why she bodybuilds without competing. She responds with the question, “What is too much?”

The constant questioning of space we take for granted is a powerful tool as we go about our daily routines. For people like Felkar, it doesn’t have to be about fat or thin, male or female, but rather individual experiences and overall health.

“At the end of the day, the fitness industry’s main goal should be about working with people, helping people, creating knowledge … and not recreating stereotypes about the female body, [but] breaking them down.” U The BirdCoop did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

THUrSday, april 10, 2014

| SpOrTS + rEC | 9

VoLLeYBaLL>>

Former T-Bird Blair Bann making most of pro volleyball career Noah Derksen Contributor

After a successful varsity career with the UBC Thunderbirds men's volleyball team, Blair Bann has gone on to become a professional athlete with enough widespread exposure to be recognized with a page on Wikipedia.

“A fan and media person made it for me last year [in Germany],” said Bann. “Volleyball is a lot bigger in Europe and there are a lot of fans.”

Three years after donning the Thunderbird jersey for the last time, the former UBC kinesiology student finds himself doing much of the same in a new environment.

Since being named UBC’s graduating athlete of the year in 2011, Bann has continued his streak of excellence and has now landed himself a professional volleyball career overseas.

Self-described as a “competitive and loud” child, 26-year-old Bann had high aspirations of becoming a professional athlete from a very young age. Exchanging the hardwood of JH Picard School in Edmonton, Alberta for UBC’s War Memorial Gym was instrumental in his path towards athletic prowess.

Upon arriving at UBC, Bann showed great skill and enormous potential. He immediately found himself filling the role of starting libero on the team, where he flourished throughout his university career. During most of his five seasons with the Thunderbirds, Bann led the CIS in every statistical category feasible in his position as a libero, widening the margin over his competitors each year. For his dominance, Bann was named the Canada West conference libero

of the year four of the five years he played and the nationwide CIS libero of the year for three of those.

“Volleyball isn't who I am, it's what I do. But I want to be great at everything I do,” said Bann, who to this day holds the Canada West and CIS record for all-time career digs (1,018) — over 250 more than the next player in the record books.

After graduation, Bann spent a year at Volleyball Canada’s full-time training centre in Gatineau, Quebec. Since joining the Canadian national team in 2009, he has travelled around the world with the sport. He's competed at two Universiade Games in Serbia and China, the 2011 Pan Am Games in Mexico and most recently the International Federation of Volleyball (FIVB) World League, with which he has toured Brazil, Finland, Japan and Argentina.

Despite matches in many exotic places, one of Bann’s favourite memories of the sport happened right here in Canada. When the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation Championships were hosted at the Langley Events Centre this past fall, Bann returned to B.C. as a starter for Team Canada.

“My parents, my sister and some other relatives from B.C. came out,” Bann said. “[It was the] first time that a lot of them have even seen me play. That was a pretty cool experience.”

Bann's family and friends were able to watch him compete against the U.S.A. in front of a capacity crowd in the tournament finals.

Canada ultimately fell to the team from the south in a hard-fought match, but the future is bright.

t-BirDs 5-on-5

Team Canada currently holds the 11th spot in volleyball world rankings, and Bann intends to play at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero.

While he has adjusted well to the high level of play on the international stage, the one thing Bann has not yet gotten used to is stepping on the court against his childhood idols. “If I told this guy how many times I’ve seen this video of him on YouTube, he’d probably slap me in the face, or tell me to get a life,” Bann said, laughing.

For other UBC athletes who aspire to play professionally, Bann's advice is simple: take part in as many high-level training camps and tryouts as you can. “Play as much as possible, watch as much as possible and learn as much as possible,” he said. “It just opens your eyes to a higher level of training and commitment that will help to become a professional.”

Bann’s impressive resume aided him in the daunting task of signing a contract with a professional team. Although several volleyball agencies exist within Canada — and some players even choose to represent themselves — Bann opted to team up with an agent based out of the Netherlands. Having an agent with concrete relationships and in closer proximity to the professional leagues paid off, as he quickly signed a contract for the 2012–2013 season with Düren Volleyball Club in Germany.

With the increased calibre of play and the expectations that come with a paycheque, the first year playing overseas can be a very difficult one, but Bann was up to the task. A stellar inaugural season in Europe opened up doors on higher

FILE PHOTO COUrTESY rICH LAM/UBC ATHLETICS

Former UBC volleyball standout Blair Bann holds the CIS record for all-time career digs (1,018) — over 250 more than the next player in the record books.

levels, and he was offered a starting spot on the Nantes Métropole Rezé Volleyball Club in western France for 2013–2014. “It’s different than playing CIS, [where] you’re going to play four or five years, and you’re going to come back every year. Here, you go where you have the best opportunity financially and quality of the league.”

Staying in one place for an extended period may be the end goal, but climbing up to the top European leagues happens one step at a time. Thus far, for Bann, each year has come with heightened quality of play and thus many more challenges. He has embraced these challenges, saying that they motivate him to continue

kenT O’COnnOr

reBeCCa TereJkO

sara MCManUs

Soccer

Swimming

Field hockey

to improve his skills. “Challenging situations are always helping me work hard and grow as a player,” he said.

Bann intends to keep pouncing on opportunities as they arise.

Although not typically as lucrative as some of the major North American professional leagues, European volleyball does provide a paycheque. Top players in the world easily earn a seven-figure salary, even after the typical 5 to 10 per cent sports agency fee.

In regards to the future, Bann only focuses on short time scales and does not allow himself to be too distracted by thoughts of life after volleyball. For him, the only way to go is up. U

saVannaH kInG Swimming

reYnOLD sTewarT Soccer

CIS CHAMPIONS We like the classics. We “sing” Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” after every win.

It seemed that by the end of the season, “Timber” was definitely a favourite.

“Birds Flying High” by dough Boy.

Probably “Timber.” Our entire team went nuts when it came on the other night.

Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” — which, ironically, is what we serenaded the missing trophy to.

2. If you could spend a day in the life of an athlete on another UBC team, who would it be and why?

I’m a fan of the basketball team. I’ve always wanted to be able to dunk. So I’d have to see a dunk competition to decide. The gym is also way closer than the stadium.

I would love to spend a day being on the quidditch team. I don’t know much about this newly formed activity that UBC seems to be doing quite well in.

I used to play soccer, so that would be fun to play again.

I’m going to have to go with Kareem Ba, because he’s the only guy on the football team I’ve met, and what girl doesn’t want to spend a day with 50 guys in tight pants?

As a huge Canucks fan, field hockey star Kate gillis is probably the runaway favourite.

3. What’s your favourite way to procrastinate during exams?

Work. And Game of Thrones, of course.

Procrastination is a talent of mine when it comes to exams. I feel like napping and baking are my top two, though.

Binge-watch Suits.

At the moment it’s playing 2048. I can’t stop! But considering I’m writing this from Vegas when I should be at home studying...

I’m a very committed sports junkie during exam period. The fact that it’s baseball season is going to come in handy.

4. What’s your favourite summer beverage?

I don’t drink, but anything out of the CIS trophy tastes good. Oh, wait...

My favourite summer beverage would have to be homemade lemonade.

Chai tea frappuccino.

5. What are you most looking forward to this summer?

Hopefully getting back on the field after being injured all season. But mostly just Game of Thrones.

I am super excited to stay in Vancouver this summer.

I can’t wait for the warm beach days!

The weather!

1. What would be your team’s theme song this year?

Iced chai. Yum!

Looking forward to travelling around and not being tied down anywhere.

Hitting up Banff and Kelowna for two different friends’ weddings will be the biggest highlight.

Whatever is on sale, mostly. A litre of Palm Bay isn’t the worst way to start things off, though.

I’m a real connoisseur.

Can I be corny here and say long days at Kits Beach with great friends and whatever number four happens to be?

Thursday, april 10, 2014 |

STUdENT VOICE. COMMUNITY rEACH.

It’s most likely the case that the opera program was “gifted” the production due to Rosen’s connection with Toope. Regular readers will know of our intense infatuation with Toope, but being married to the guy shouldn’t give you the excuse to appropriate the resources and talent of an entire school for your own personal benefit.

Furthermore, such appropriation is injurious to the opera industry as a whole. There are undoubtedly many talented, educated young composers and playwrights who are waiting in the wings for their work to be staged; it’s despicable that they should be ignored while an individual far more senior than them, who happens to have powerful connections, gets to promote her work.

pro-stUdeNt iNteLLectUaL propertY rights scares professors

ILLUSTrATION JETHrO AU/THE UBYSSEY

Outgoing UBC President Stephen Toope tried to accelerate campus construction to distract from his opera-wife-related nepotism (not really).

Last WorDs NepotisM oN fULL dispLaY iN UBc opera’s New prodUctioN The circumstances surrounding UBC Opera’s production of Optica Delusions , written by outgoing university president Stephen Toope’s wife, seem sketchy, to say the least.

Aside from the quality of the musical itself — which, to be blunt, sounds like the sort of parody theatrical production a scriptwriter inserts into a high school <em>

</em>

PArTINg SHOTS ANd SNAP JUdgEMENTS FrOM THE UBYSSEY EdITOrIAL BOArd

romcom in order to make a fool out of the protagonist, so that he can redeem himself later — the context for the performance is dubious.

The UBC Opera program is a rigorous, world-class educational program, which, as conductor Richard Epp points out in today’s article on the production (P7), is used to staging works by Verdi and Mozart, not a former elementary school teacher who happens to be the wife of a top university administrator.

Why, then, are some of its students being made to perform

in the show? The incentive for the production seems ambiguous; it’s not part of the opera department's main performance schedule, it’s not a fundraiser, nor is it intended to showcase the work of a student.

At most, one could suggest that playwright Paula Rosen intends to philanthropically spread an anti-bigotry message with the musical, which is laudable, except that conveying twee messages about promoting tolerance shouldn’t be a key component of opera students’ training.

Some faculty members are really, really concerned about UBC’s new policy regarding the use of teaching materials.

The policy encourages faculty to distribute their teaching materials freely. For us as students, this is good: we get access to more, potentially better teaching materials. But several faculty members are concerned that this takes away their right to their intellectual property.

UBC is adamant that nobody is being forced to share. The policy confirms that teaching materials are owned by the people who created them, and instructors are able to opt out of sharing their teaching materials as long as they were created without an investment of UBC’s resources — meaning compensation, facilities, equipment, “or other resources beyond those ordinarily provided to all UBC instructors in the

10

course of their normal duties,” according to the document describing the policy.

UBC Opera is used to staging works by Verdi and Motzart, not a former elementary teacher with big time connections The university is giving professors who believe they should maintain exclusive rights to their work an opportunity to opt out of the program. This is evidently not enough for the Faculty Association, which is demanding an optin rather than opt-out format. The university should stand firm in its decision to encourage the sharing of professors’ work.

New fitNess faciLitY shoULd proMote iNcLUsivitY Gyms are meant to be a place where people can push themselves and improve their physical fitness. If they aren’t set up in a way that’s inviting and encouraging for everyone, that purpose is defeated.

Rather than lift society to a healthier and more inclusive place, many gyms, including the BirdCoop, reinforce gender stereotypes and barriers: there’s a perceived “guys’ side” and “girls’ side.” With a new campus fitness facility being developed, we hope the university considers how to improve gym layouts and avoid segregated areas.

Remember the lunch tables in Mean Girls ? Well, this isn’t high school anymore, so let’s avoid making the same mistakes. U <em>-

</em>

Silley: I voted to raise tuition because the budget demanded it, government funding is lacking MIKE SILLEY Op-Ed

Dear Editor, I would like to start by thanking Bilal Shamsi for writing the Ubyssey about his tuition concerns.

Two years ago, when I first campaigned to serve on the Board, I stated that I would vote against any tuition increase. That was my opinion, given my experience as a student. But in last year's campaign, I made no such promise.

This is because over the course of my first term on the board, I became aware of the financial pressure the institution has been under as a result of reduced government funding and a provincially imposed debt ceiling.

The role of a student Board of Governors representative is not to push for lower tuition fees at the cost of a diminished education. We have a responsibility to do what is in the best interest of the institution as a whole. I believe that the tuition issue is one that the university and students should see eye to eye on: provincial funding in advanced education should be increased to alleviate the burden of students paying unfairly high tuition.

But if this doesn't happen, students and the university should

agree not to compromise the quality of education through reduced funding. The university should also actively lobby the government to improve access to education.

Instead of looking at just one part of picture, I looked at post-secondary education affordability being influenced by three main factors: quality, cost and who is paying for it.

what is the QUaLitY of edUcatioN we waNt? One of UBC’s core values is to “strive for excellence and educate students to the highest standards” and I do not believe students should be forced to sacrifice this excellence in any way.

Unfortunately, in just one example, we are already seeing these sacrifices due to increased levels of deferred building maintenance as a result of the province no longer funding these expenses; it now falls on UBC to cover all maintenance costs. UBC's deferred maintenance costs currently stand at over $500 million.

how MUch wiLL oUr edUcatioN cost Us? Domestic students paying $5,000 in annual tuition are receiving an education that costs $23,000.

Domestic students cover only 22 per cent of their education's total

cost. Approximately 60 per cent is covered by way of government subsidy, and 18 per cent is being subsidized by UBC’s general operations, according to UBC's 2014–2015 tuition report.

If we were to decrease tuition, we would need to increase government subsidies to maintain the quality of education we are used to. If we were to see a decrease in government subsidies, UBC would need additional contributions from domestic student tuition or additional contributions from UBC operations.

The latter has been the case with UBC over the past number of years. The university has faced fiscal pressures over the past number of years. In 2012–2013, the provincial government stopped funding the maintenance of university buildings, which caused the university to reallocate $12 million of tuition dollars to ensure the safety of students and faculty. As a result of the 2009 financial crisis, the endowment spending rate was reduced, further impacting the university budget by $22 million.

Since then, provincial funding cuts have reached $15 million, and the province required that any wage inflation be funded through savings, resulting in another $32 million cut to the university budget.

Despite these immense fiscal pressures, UBC is still subsidizing 18 per cent of domestic student tuition through ancillary oper-

I struggled with the question of doing what I promised ... over what I came to believe was right. ations, endowment returns and cross subsidies. Yet, the creative ways UBC has been financing education for domestic students may soon reach its limits. One revenue block decreasing without another increasing would invariably result in the decreased quality of our education.

The two per cent domestic student increase helps cover the cost of year-to-year inflation along with reduced provincial funding, though it doesn’t even fully cover this. In fact, next year alone, the two per cent increase in tuition, worth $4 million, will be more than offset by an $8 million reduction in provincial funding. With this in mind, I concluded that last year’s two per cent domestic increase was critical to the university's mission of providing academic excellence while maintaining a balanced budget.

I struggled with the question of doing what I promised — to vote against any tuition increase — over what I came to believe was right: to determine tuition policy in a fair manner that does not compromise the quality of excellence we enjoy and grow from on a daily

basis. When it came to last year's tuition vote, I did what I believe is right in voting for the two per cent domestic tuition increase. I do not apologize for this.

What I do apologize for is not publicly explaining my change in rationale before last year’s tuition decision. I can understand this lack of explanation being perceived as adding insult to injury.

It was wrong of me not to provide this explanation.

It is important to note that student board members advocate for what they believe to be right day in and day out. The successful work by student board members and the AMS has saved students in individual programs like the bachelor's of international education from unjustifiably high fees. Last week alone, a 46.7 per cent tuition increase proposal for the master's of management program was sent back for review after I brought the issue up as a concern, and my student board colleagues, Curtis Tse and Matt Parson, brought up two other tuition and fee concerns that have also been sent back for review. We are not hypocrites, nor are we liars.

It is important for students to have their voice heard and get the information they are entitled to. If anyone has any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at bog1@ubc.ca. U Mike Silley is a student representative on UBC s Board of Governors.

Thursday, april 10, 2014 |

PICTUrES + WOrdS ON YOUr UNIVErSITY ExPErIENCE

11

comic >>

How far we’ve come

by Julian Yu

13 THInGs you lost at Block Party

U

CATCULTY

Write Shoot Edit Code Drink

LAW

COME BY THE UBYSSEY OFFICE SUB 24, FOLLOW THE SIGNS ILLUSTrATION LUELLA SUN/THE UBYSSEY

1

Phone

2

Keys

3

Purse/murse

4

Memory

5

An hour of your time waiting in the beer ticket line

6

A beer ticket

7

Beer, after someone bumped into you and spilled it

8

dignity

9

Shoes / sandals

10

Your friends in the crowd

11

Cells (brain, liver, etc.)

12

Passport

13

All the stress from the previous semester, even if it’s temporary

12 | GaMES |

THUrSday, april 10, 2014

CrOsswOrD

42- Able was ___...

43- Actress Witherspoon 45- Bhutan’s continent 46- It’s human 48- Shooting star 50- Moving around 53- Filmic 54- Paris “thanks” 55- Watch over 57- Altar answer 58- Breathing organs of fish 60- Fall bloomer 65- gangster’s gun 66- “goodnight” girl 67- South American ruminant 68- Washington bill 69- grannies 70- Water lily

dowN

PUZZLE COUrTESY BESTCrOSSWOrdS.COM. USEd WITH PErMISSION.

across 1- To talk, usually in a pompous manner 6- radioactive gas 11- Strike caller 14- Pertaining to the moon 15- Liquid waste component 16- ___ Paulo, Brazil 17- Compact 18- Large drinking bowl 19- UFO pilots

20- Benjamin 22- Chapter’s partner 24- Nuclear-fission apparatus 28- Official count of population 29- Nearly 30- Mistreat 32- Small amounts 33- duck with soft down 35- Pi followers 39- gossip bit 40- Alphabet trio 41- Electrical unit

1- No longer young 2- regret 3- Abby’s twin 4- Univ. aides 5- Puts up 6- gossip 7- I smell ___!

8- Stun 9- Suffix with Capri 10- The communication system of the body 11- Soft ware buyers 12- Island in the East China Sea 13- Assumed attitudes 21- E or g, e.g.

23- Weaken 24- Spokes 25- gladden 26- The color of honey 27- Skin preparation 28- Junkyard dog 30- One who uses an abacus 31- Honey producers 34- Bakery worker 36- Old Testament book 37- Mixed bags 38- Kick off 43- Fam. member

PUZZLE COUrTESY KrAZYdAd. USEd WITH PErMISSION.

44- Bahrain bigwig 47- Source 49- Ultimate purpose 50- Compadre 51- Family car 52- Penned 53- Lawsuits 55- Secluded spot 56- Humerus neighbor; 59- 401(k) alternative 61- ___-mo 62- rat-a-___ 63- Big bird 64- ___ Tafari (Haile Selassie);

CAT MAZE TIME Connect the green arrow to the red arrow. You know the drill.

aPr. 7 answers

VOLUNTEERS WANTED Sticking around campus this summer? Spend some time with us!

We’re publishing online throughout the summer months, so learn the tricks of the trade before school year hits.

U

A good time is had by all!

EMAIL COORDINATING@UBYSSEY.CA PUZZLE COUrTESY KrAZYdAd. USEd WITH PErMISSION.