0B€ Arehiwn Burial Tuition proposal: according to Sullivan Ai Lin Choo After a long week of consultation meetings, forums and presentations, UBC has nearly completed its tuition-policy proposal. Under the current proposal, undergraduate students will see an increase in tuition of 65 per cent over three years to bring fees in line with the national average. The increase will be approximately $480 for the first year, with similar increases expected for the following two years. Although tuition fees for most students will not be differentiated according to program, students in Commerce and Pharmacy students will face a higher increase than those in other faculties. According to Brian Sullivan, vice- president, students, the proposal has been changed to reflect many of the suggestions put forward by both students and faculty. "The fact that the Alma Mater Society [AMS] and the Graduate Student Society [GSS] have been engaged and informed as they have on these points, and have been pushing hard on them, I think has made a tremendous impact on helping to shape the proposal," he said. The proposal is expected to be finalised by Wednesday afternoon SULLIVAN >US DclSS 1 ell IS SLQQIXk by Sarah MacNeill Morrison At her last Council meeting as Alma Mater Society (AMS) vice-president, external, current AMS President Kristen Harvey described negotiating a universal bus pass for UBC students as an "albatross around [her] neck." Despite many hopes, students will not face a referendum this year on the U-Pass, a transportation plan which would have included a mandatory, discounted bus pass for UBC students next fall. Last week, Harvey announced that, once again, the AMS has been unable to negotiate an affordable plan with UBC and Translink, the Lower Mainland's regional transportation authority. Translink offered UBC, SFU and the Vancouver Community College a $25 per month pricetag on the pro- RIP U-PASS: Students will not vote on a mandatory, discounted student bus pas. emily CHAN/UBYSSEY FILE PHOTO posed three-zone bus pass, according to Progam Manager of Project Planning Bill Lambert But Harvey believes the mandatory bus pass must be under $20 per month for students to approve it, and she wants Translink to increase its contribution to the project "Right now, [Translink is] telling us the lowest price that they can offer, because of their shaky financial situation, [and it] is something I think could be lower," said Harvey. She hopes that, since the provincial government has announced it will collect a two-cent gas tax for the transit authority, an improvment in Translink's finances could mean better prices for the U-Pass. But Lambert says that while Translink is "actively pursuing" a U- Pass with UBC, increased finances from the gas tax will have no impact on the price being offered. "The gasoline tax isn't related to the U-Pass at all," he said. "It gave us some funding to stablise our funding over the next three years." Harvey also hopes the university will contribute more to the transportation plan. UBC has offered to subsidise the plan by $1 million, including granting a $5 U-Pass rebate to students living in residence. Harvey says she is also working with Translink to find a major sponsor to bring down the price students would pay for the U-Pass. Translink's financial crises have stalled plan negotiations for this year. A four-month transit strike last summer and a decision by the former provincial government not to collect a $75 vehicle levy for Translink pushed negotiations for university bus passes further down the transit authority's list of priorities. See "U-Pass" on page 4. Ispp) <3©S and presented at the Board of Governors (BoG) committee meeting Thursday morning. Sullivan said UBC has decided that Commerce and Pharmacy, which will have higher fees nextyear, are different as they are more expensive and service-demanding than other undergraduate programs. He said that students in these programs are also different as they are being prepared for direct entry into the job market The differential tuition proposal has met with criticism, however, as both the AMS and the GSS have passed motions in the past opposing differential tuition. "In those particular programs [departments] are especially anxious to increase the service level in the programs," said Sullivan, noting that both programs were also second-year entry programs'. "Since everyone in first year would still be paying the same amount, we thought it was appropriate to let those two second-year-entry programs...stand a bit more on their own, and make some of the reinvestment for the programs." Sullivan added that the student societies involved seemed supportive of the differentiated increase as long as the funds from increased tuition would go directly back to the programs. And Sullivan has assured people that they will. "Any amount beyond base, any increase beyond the 22 per cent [that all students will pay in the first year of the tuition increases],...will go back into those programs, based upon a proposal from the deans from consultation with students," he said. Graduate-research students will face a 68 per cent increase in tuition over the next three years—$492 in year one—as their programs move towards the national average at UBC's peer institutions. Like See "Proposal" on page 4. <.. i ;p. ' f^ + ^ i\ - '^f_1 .7 - 4f* ^"wr Ir* »r** * s .*.*- .'X -'. t ft-". ,'\ . ' " ■----■■ y.\ V. j *■/ >.-V.J-*.- THEY WEREN'T ALL SMILING: Students expressed their concerns to UBC Vice-President Brian Sullivan in the Student Union Building's Conversation Pit. nic fensom photo CnnQiiltQ' Qtmipn feedback@ubyssey.bc.ca www.ubyssey.be ca by Sarah MacNeill Morrison In the last week, no man has been yelled at as much as UBC Vice- President, Students Brian Sullivan. As the university administration prepares to take a proposal to increase tuition fees to UBC's Board of Governors (BoG), Sullivan is talking with students about the proposed tuition increases, answering their questions and noting their suggestions. But not everyone believes the consultation process is valid. Kate Woznow, a third-year Arts student who ran for a BoG position this year, questioned the tuition forum. "I personally don't support increasing tuition," she said, asking Sullivan and Associate Vice- President, Academic Programs Neil Guppy what they would do with that knowledge, and whether it would affect the proposal. She said she doubted it "It sounds like the university has already made its decision." But Guppy said student input had already changed a lot of things, pointing to nursing tuition rates as an example, which were reduced when the Nursing Undergraduate Society pointed out some errors in UBC's figures. Two student forums have been held so far. Before last Thursday's forum, members of the UBC Committee to Reduce Tuition encouraged students to ask questions about increases to tuition, and during the forum, repeated opposition to increases were raised. Monday's forum was much quieter. Most students in the SUB's Conversation Pit just ignored the vice-president, as he laid out numbers for their tuition increases next year. On Thursday, many students said increases to tuition would put UBC out of their price range. "My prime concern is to be able to come to this school," said Matt Lovick, an AMS Arts councillor. "What are you going to say to students like me who are not going to be able to come back next year?" Sullivan replied that UBC has a policy stating that any current student, or any qualified student who is accepted to UBC, will not be turned away because they can't afford to come to school. When Sullivan faced the question again Monday, he expanded on the policy, saying students with student loans could apply to financial aid programs, and if that wasn't enough, they could receive tuition consultation with the university, which, based on interviews, could provide one-time assistance to students. But after yesterday's forum, AMS President Kristen Harvey questioned the logistics of this policy. She said that while it was a good idea, it often didn't work because students don't know about it—the university needed to advertise its policy, and its bursaries, more. She added she had seen a friend who couldn't get a student loan in third year go through the policy when she found out about it in October, and found it hard to navigate. "She went to UBC in October, and they told her she had to go back, go to two different banks, and get a denial on a line of credit, to prove that she completely couldn't afford See "Forum" on page 5. TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2002 NATIONAL THE UBYSSEY CLASSIFIEDS SUMMER CAMP COUNSELORS ON CAMPUS INTERVIEWS FOR PREMIER CAMPS IN MASSACHUSETTS. Positions available for talented, energetic, and fun loving students as counselors in all team sports including Roller Hockey and Lacrosse, all individual sports such as Tennis & Golf, Waterfront and Foot activities, and specialty activities including art, dance, theatre, gvxiinastics, newspaper, rocketry & radio. 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Then you are ready for a challenging and rewarding career in chiropractic. Contact Logan College of Chiropractic today! Logan Ctll#p*«f*Chlr»pri€tle 1-300-533-9210 www.logan.edu ,V logaitadm@Iogan.edu 1851 Schceitier Rd, Chesterfield, MO 63617 JL ^Jr lC#id w(>#* d mMm Gr Sail ©I J. G? G8 summit coming to Alberta this summer by Rene Biberstein the Link MONTREAL (CUP)-When the leaders of the world's eight most powerful nations come to Canada this summer, they won't be getting a warm reception. This is the message activists are hoping to send as they prepare to protest the G8 summit this June in Kananaskis, Alberta. Representatives ffrjIS SVgr 60 activist groups in eastern Canada and the US met last week for a regional meeting at Ottawa's Carleton University. The groups decided almost unanimously that Ottawa should be the focus of protests in eastern Canada. In the West, activists will converge in Kananaskis and nearby Calgary. "The G8 can basically be considered an executive board of capitalism,* said Jaggi Singh in an opening speech. Singh is a former UBC student and a spokesperson for the Montreal-based activist group Convergence des Luttes Anti- Capitalistes (CLAC). CLAC delegates urged the other groups who met at Carleton last week to converge in Ottawa during the June summit for two days of action "under a banner of anti-capitalism and anti- imperialism." They also urged that the first day include a "diversity of tactics," while thesecond day include a mass demonstration. Much of the discussion at the regional meeting focused on disagreements between CLAC's supporters and members of more moderate groups, who feared that more violent tactics proposed for the first day might prevent some people from attending. "Ottawa is not Quebec City," said Paul Smith, a spokesperson for Global Democracy Ottawa, the group that hosted last fall's G20 protests and helps mobilise non-violent groups in the Ottawa area. If [the mass demonstration is] on the second day, [the non-violent groups are] not going to show." However, the vast majority of delegates backed CLAC's proposal. By the end, Smith said he felt optimistic about the protest and hoped that supporters of both Violent and non-violent actions could work out a plan together. Some delegates also expressed concern about involving organised labour in the protest, arguing that since September 11, unions have largely abandoned anti-globalisation and anti-war movements. "Direct action was thought up by [organised] labour. Now they're walking away from it," said Henry Evans-Tenbrinke, a delegate and Canadian Union of Public Employees member from Hamilton^ Ontario. Many activists said they would reach out to local unions. ♦ JL Jl jf %JL& %Jf JL %JL H»4JL XS UJLaWC^JI 1C&AAA by Kevin Groves BC Bureau Chief VICTORIA (CUP)-BC students living off-campus may face higher electricity costs in the future as the provincial government continues to consider privatisation of BC Hydro. Last August, the province appointed a task force to develop a comprehensive, long-term energy policy for BC. It invited representatives from the public and business realms to submit proposals. While BC Hydro rates are frozen until March 31, 2003, company spokesperson Elisha Odowichuk said no government announcements have been made on the Crown corporation's long-term future. Critics fear that if the provincial government does decide to privatise BC Hydro, the utility will be inefficient, charging consumers higher rates with less reliability. "Privatisation could certainly affect students living off-campus," said Jerri New, president of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), which represents BC Hydro workers. "If BC Hydro is deregulated we're estimating ratepayer cost will go up from 30 to 100 per cent" Sylvia Fuller, a researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, added that in a privatised system, BC's electricity rates would be harmonised with rates in Alberta and the US. "The reality is we have very low rates, and if BC Hydro were privatised the rates of these other jurisdictions may go down a bit, but ours will go up an awful lot," Fuller said. BC Hydro's electricity rates are currently the third-lowest in North America, and, adjusted for inflation, real electricity rates have declined by approximately 13 per cent in the last decade. David Scoones, an economist at the University of Victoria, said he feels that privatising some areas of BC Hydro could be beneficial, but doubted the feasibility of large-scale privatisation. "Just selling BC Hydro off to a private company and hoping that they'll do nice things for us is a ludicrous idea," Scoones said. "The fact is we don't have enough hydro -dams to create meaningful competition and it just makes more sense to keep one company and regulate the cost" But Jason Clemens, director of fiscal studies for the Fraser Institute, said privatisation of BC Hydro would be a positive step for the BC economy. The many benefits include lowered provincial debt—expected to be $43.9 billion by March 31, 2005- reduced debt-service costs and increased outside investment inutilities, said Clemens. New, however, pointed to Alberta as an example of what could go wrong if BC Hydro were privatised. In 1995, Alberta's Ralph Klein government began to deregulate its electricity industry. According to New, the price of electricity rose from 5 cents to 25 cents per kilowatt hour between June and October of 2000. Without a $2.3 billion rebate program for households and businesses, Albertans would have seen their residential electric bills increase by 400 per cent in this same period. New said her union has ail aggressive campaign planned to address the issue of privatisation through a website and through radio and newspaper ads. The OPEIU also plans to visit city council meetings around the province. "We're trying to make sure that our MLAs are accountable and that they know the damage their communities will suffer if there [are] some increases in BC Hydro rates," she said. ♦ THE UBYSSEY NEWS TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2002 2002 HEALTH PLAN: SAME PRICE, LESS SERVICE by Kathleen Peering The Alma Mater Society (AMS) passed ihe 2002 AMS/Graduate Student S.>ciery lG?S) Heal di and Dentil J'Ian :it last week's Council meeting, and it will cobt almost (.x;u!ly Lhe same as this j ear's plan However, some cuts to the existing plan had Lo be made in order to keep ihe costs of next year's plan at its proposed price of $160. Yvet'.e Lu, last year's vice- president, finance, who finished her term hist Thursday, said the AMS decided :o reduce some coverage because costs would rise significantly if they kept :he current plan. She said that out of all the quotes given to die AMS from insurance companies, Iho f'rii e of $245 from Sunlife Insurance was the lowest "We had lo figure out whether Lo go back to referendum with this price, or modify Lhe plan to bring thu price down." All fee increases which evecd the inflation rale, 'ts measured by Llio consumer price index, must be approved students in a referendum. The AMS this \ ear could have raised the price of Lhe plan to 31 SO before guing to referendum. But the AMS felt that it was unlikely lh.it students woidd be waling Lo pay the hefty increase, especially wi'-h the provincial government's recent increase to Medical Sen ices Plan premiums. 'Keeping costs to a minimum has always been a prinriLy, but I guess it becomes even mure important nu.v Lhat premiums ha\e increased ;.nd letal health c: isls »\ ill bo going up f( >r students," Lu said. Kristen Fu.g to mean th:.t students are going to be relying ;>n their health pi.'iU own more." Fourth-year UBC eluderiL Michelle Fromi'ie-Marchii'km fee's that with the tuition inir'-ases next year, on tt'p of increased premiums, many students would T)'>t be willi'ig to pay an inrrfase in health pi m fees. A survey was done by 'he AMS in November iskmg students what aspo' Is of tho current plan they fell were important. At that Lime the provincial government ha^l cut coverage for physiotherapy as well as tho lost f.T e;,c o\a::is anl the AMS w.ji'od "ci add those inLo tho plan. But to do 'hat, ihe p'-rn's cost would have to increase. Bawl on die survey, tho AMS came up with die ne.v plan ".hat will be available to students ne\l joar. The i:i' rease in Lhe plan's cost was kept dewn co inllali-'iii because the AMS included mure netw-urks in next gear's plan. Additional coverage in Vision Networks me-ius Lhat students will not be able lo choose their own optometrist if the optometrist is not one specifically iuv ered indie plan. UBC Law student Lisa W.ilsh said she feels Lhat that's unfair for students living 'n Vancouver who already have an established optometrist. For the plan's dental coverage, there wiil be a 20 per cent decrease in total < overage for minor restorative work in next vear's plan. There will also be a required $5 per prescription deductible for prescription drugs. " There is a certain" unfairness in that we really have no choice. If they want lo raise prices or cuf an} Lhirg, we're going to ha\e to pjy," Walsh srud •> -with files from Sarah MacNeill Morrison BoG gets a major shuffle BC government appoints six new members to UBC's Board of Governors by Duncan M. McHugh When UBC's Board of Governors (BoG) examines a proposal on March 14 to increase tuition fees, there will be plenty of new faces at the table. The provincial government recendy appointed six new members to the Board. But some people are critical -of the timing and the nature of the appointments, since the BoG will be responsible for adopting UBC's new tuition policy next week. "I think it's completely illegitimate,* said Julie Devaney, a Master's student in women's studies and a member of the UBC Committee to Reduce Tuition. "They're all corporate appointees who have all, in one way or another, donated to the Liberal party, or demonstrated their allegience to the cost- cutting agenda and to privatising public services." Summer McFadyen, BC Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students, questioned the provincial government's involvement in post-secondary institutional policies after the government said they would grant autonomy to universities for tuition fees, and then replaced Board members at UBC and seven other universities. "So it's nbt about restoring autonomy," said McFadyen. "It's about making sure that there are huge tuition fee increases. This government is, I think, becoming quickly very famous for saying one thing and then doing another." But Tieg Martin, one of the two student- elected Board members disagrees. Martin— who met the new appointees last week at a BoG orientation—was impressed by the enthusiasm he saw in the Board members. "They look like very competent and capable people and they seem to be very enthusiastic about their appointment—and taking it seriously from the questions they were asking." For Martin, the corporate background of the new appointees is an asset. He argues that board members' personal ideologies come after a responsibility to the general well-being of the university. "As a director, you have a legal obligation to , act in the best interest of the institution in terms of its financial solvency and in terms of the sustainability of its programs and everything else," he said. "My job is not to safeguard students' interests. "In the words of Chairman Larry Bell, 'Park your idealogy at the door.' Decisions are made according to the evidence that's presented." The BoG—which is responsible for the management, the administration and the properly and financial interests of the university—has 15 members, eight of whom are appointed by the provincial government The new appointees replace two members who had resigned from the BoG and four members whose positions were rescinded by the province. Newly appointed are Nicole Byres, a lawyer, formerly of BC mining company Cominco; Martin J.G. Glynn, president and CEO of HSBC Bank of Canada; Jay Grewal, acting president of Aimglobal Technologies, formerly of CIBC; Karen NishL an advertising executive; John M. Reid, president and CEO of BC Gas Inc; and Bryce Rositch, an architect and former president of the Non-Partisan "As a director, you have a legal obligation to act in the best interest of the institution in terms of its financial solvency and in terms of the sustainability of its programs and everything else. My job is not to safeguard students' interests." —Tieg Martin BoG student representative Association and former head of the Community Alliance, a lobbying group criticised for its anti-poverty stance. They join previous appointees, Linda Thorstad and BoG Chair Larry Bell, CEO of BC Hydro. The four former members of the Board whose positions were rescinded, are Stephen Howard of the Hospital Employees' Union; Elsie McMurphy, formerly of the BC Teachers' Federation; Guninder C. Mumick of the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board; and Joe Y. Wai, an architect and the founder of Vancouver's Chinese Cultural Centre. Also replaced were Firoz Raoul, president and CEO of Ballard Power Systems; and Linda C. Crompton, former CEO of Citizens' Bank. Both Raoul and Crompton recenfly resigned due to other commitments. UBC's Vice-President, Students, Brian Sullivan, said he feels that the new appointees will not be hindered by their corporate interests. "People are able to think beyond their labels," he said. "I've certainly learned that, just from watching the student representatives. People have pretty broad interests that aren't confined to their curriculum vitae. That's why they're on the Board." AMS President Kristen Harvey believes that having a new BoG may actually work in favour of students and of the AMS's and the GSS's tuition proposal, which calls for tuition levels to be kept as low as possible and for the university to reduce its inefficiencies. Harvey thinks the AMS's push to increase efficiency will resonate with members of the BoG who have business backgrounds "The challenge," she said, "is presenting a message that is both informative to the new members of the BoG, as well as persuasive. So, just because they are so new to the job, I just - hope that we can provide that balance of information that they're looking for." Joe Y. Wai, one of the replaced Board members, also hopes that the new Board members will respond to students' concerns. "(The appointment] really is up to the government of the day, but I would really hope that they would involve individuals from a wide spectrum of interest, which makes the deliberation on a more comprehensive basis," he said. "The direction they want to take is certainly their prerogative." ♦ -with files from Ai Lin Choo AMS Strategic Plan for the future Unanimously adopted plan provides goals, but lacks cost estimates by Scott Bardsiey As the 2001-2002 Alma Mater Society (AMS) executives finished their terms last Thursday afternoon, they left the student society with a new long-term plan, finally passed by AMS Council die night before. The plan was amended and adopted unanimously—in one of only a handful of unanimous decisions reached this year—at last Wednesday's Councd meeting. It recommends the AMS do a survey to determine who its members are and what they want; lobby for safety, transportation and academics; and consult more frequentiy with students. The plan's proposals range from the simple, such as creating an e-mail newsletter and providing clubs with rotating display space in the SUB Concourse, to the ambitious, such as designing comprehensive campus transportation and safety plans. According to 2001-2002 AMS president Erfan Kazemi, who supervised mOst of the plan's creation during his term, those transportation plans would give the AMS more information to take into negotiations for a universal student bus pass with Translink, the Lower Mainland's transit authority. "There's a lot of weight that students have, and it's sometimes underestimated," said Kazemi. "The Strategic Plan is here to make sure that we have a unified vision and we can bring that forward and make sure that we lobby effectively. Otherwise, why would we lobby at an?" The plan also calls for far-reaching surveys of UBC students, asking for their opinions on what AMS services are needed and wanted, their satisfaction with current AMS businesses, their political views and what the AMS's priorities should be. (The plan] is something we've needed for a while now," student senator Chris Eaton said. "The ideas behind it [are] all good, but some of the implementation is going to take some work. But Eaton criticises the plan for its failure to include estimated costs for the proposed projects. Eaton said that although the lack of cost-listings will allow each proposal to be evaluated on its own merits, it might make it difficult to appraise quickly the relative value and cost of each project Eaton also noted that the plan's timeline is "very aggressive* and said he doubts that everything will be accomplished on time. One of the plan's many proposals may lead to a name change for the Alma Mater Society. Focus groups revealed that students, particularly first-years, find the name is confusing. Many other Canadian universities use the more straightforward term 'student union.' Another recommendation is to create a new provincial student-lobbying organisation. Although UBC is a member of a federal lobbying group, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, that group has no provincial equivalent "Especially this year, it's become more and more evident that we need a unified voice in provincial government," Kazemi said. Kristen Harvey, the current AMS president says her executive will try to implement the plan 'as much as possible." She said the new executives are happy with it and that the document will help them continue working where their predecessors left off. ♦ TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2002 NEWS THE UBYSSEY DIDO AND mm tf E?«aY Furceu. GIANNI HKG.I Gucotto Puccim MAR 7, & 9**. .MAR I0:t?r: KHAN SHUN CONCERT HAIL CHAN CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS k Tickets: k=s $23, St/Sr 32 '604-280-3311 www.rickefmaster.co r S l iV .M Jif- J( S J J -h A'f SH ■"" •-"——J.——-~ —«...~ -If. .K M THE HOP ON • HOP OFF TRAVEL NETWORK TO Busabout is a bus network dedicated exclusively to young Independent travellers in Europe. 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Ow»eda«doi>MaloJb*fl»CMaiMfMlM asking UBC to put funding from - .tuition increases into student services.- '", One of the university adminis- .tratidn's principles in drafting tuition-policy'.'proposals,is that "a. • portion of increased tuition-fee revenue should be directed to student , financial skppott"' •- ■ ■ ', But students are. questioning wh^ra exactly some of that money ' will go. .■ According to the budget outlined by Brian Sullivan, UBC's vice- president,- students, in the first ' .year of a tuition increase at least 20 i jser cent of the extra money will go •'to student financial support •; Bui some, of. that' 20 'p&i" cent i ' fundii^.wln'go'td'UBC's Teaching.' and; I#ai%iing 'Enhancement Furid : jtLEF), • .which! 'critics;' including .*XMS President Krigten Harvey.'feei i does' not aid'-.students' directly •'though to be classified as financial support .',..-. ; ; The TLEF can. be-adeemed by ; faculty for projects' that'fenhance . ' teaching and learning, benefiting a largf? number of; students either - directly, through the 'enhancement ' of Ciirriculuin or services,' or indi- • - rectly, tkrottgh the training of staff- ' through new learning technologies. ' Currently,-_.5 per cent of domestic' students* tuition goes to the fund. '! "The problem I have with ihat "Proposal" from page 1. undergraduate students, graduate students will see similar increases in years two and three. - Sullivan said pressure from graduate students in research- based programs has prompted the administration to include in the tuition proposal more specific details regarding financial support. UBC plans to compile reports on graduate-student education and graduate-student support over the next year. The administration is proposing that, in the meantime, a one-time funding increase be given next year, and next year only, to provide extra financial support for students in research-based graduate programs. The proposal stipulates . [is that] money was broadly marked for student assistance, or financial assistance of some sort, - and 1 didn't feel like it fit in that category, because I felt that the TLEF fund projects that fare] not the kind of assistance we're looking for,' Harvey said. Harvey said that the increases should fund bursaries for people who normally wouldn't be able to attend UBC, not project funding. At last week's Council meeting, then-AMS President Erfan Kazemi, whose term ended last Thursday, criticised the inclusion of the TLEF in ihe category of financial aid. "In iny mind, it doesn't really supply student financial support,' he said. But Sullivan disagreed. "I think it can be applied very flexibly and can look to students,' he said. Students have been criticising die speedy timeline of the tuition proposal. BC's government didn't announce an end to BC's six-year tuition fee freeze until February 11, and has yet to send UBC a detailed budget letter otitlining the school's funding for next year, but requires - 1 a budget from the university by April •!, UBC wants to raise tuition fees< for the fall term, so a policy ■ increasing tuition must be approved at the next Board of Governors (BoG) meeting on March 14. - -. - One option some students have ' been lobbying for is 'grandfathering' ttdtion increases, which would : see tuition rates remain frozen for current students who are halfway through' their programs, and increased for new students. This suggestion has been proposed for some graduate programs, where student fees would and that the increase in financial support be at least equal to the additional tuition revenue collected from tuition increases in the affected programs. "I think this will go a long way to answering some of the concerns of Council about well, where's the meat, what's the deal," said Sullivan. Over the next two to three years, post-baccalaureate programs will also see fees increase to the levels at peer institutions. The increase will be reduced for current students, however. Sullivan estimated that, at least for next year, students enroEed in the programs will pay an increase of about 33 per cent. Under this proposal, incoming medical students would pay $ 7160, have faced increases of 181 per cent over three years in an old policy proposal. The GSS has a policy supporting grandfathering, and the student society is lobbying for its inclusion at UBC. "Grad students are here for a long time, often longer than under- grad students," said GSS President Annick Gautheir, who said it wasn't fair for graduate students hallway through programs they have already planned for to see substantially increased fees. Gauthier has been lobbying for implementation of UBC's Policy 85 this year, a policy that requires graduate students to receive letters outlining the terms of their agreement with the university, including research conditions, terms of pay and tuition levels for their entire term. At last week's GSS Council meeting, Sullivan said the university was looking at discounting agreements for current students, with new students paying full tuition rates. The proposals now includes smaller increases for students currently in post-baccalaureate programs, such as law and medicine, and a possible reduction in the increase for current students in certain professional graduate programs. But at last Thursday's tuition forum, Jake Stein, a graduate student in zoology, criticised the rationale of grandfathering. By keeping tuition rates reduced for some students, the university is admitting that by increasing their tuition rates, 'some students will not be able to come to university, he said. ♦ almost 91 per cent more than the current fee of $3740. Current students, however, would pay just $4974 next year. Law students also follow a similar plan. Incoming Law students would pay $5470, while continuing students would pay $4042. Professional graduate programs, such as die MBA program, will see the most drastic tuition increases in the next three years. Fees in many of these programs will rise so that students pay the full price of their degrees, but students who have already paid the fee for their entire program, as MBA students do, will be unaffected. A copy of the proposal should be available on the tuition website this afternoon. ♦ "U-Pass" from page 1. But while the AMS wants a better deal for the bus pass, the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) is holding a referendum this April, asking students to accept a bus pass that would be introduced at $20 next year, and would incrementally increase to a maximum of $26 by 2006. "The executive has approved it unanimously. It's really up to students now," said Jonathan Silveira, the external relations officer for the SFSS. "Most students are pretty excited, I think.' Harvey says she hopes the AMS will learn from the SFSS's referendum. "I want this to be a learning experience for us, and to see what problems they encounter and how we can avoid that," she said. Harvey hopes a proposal for a referendum can be brought to Council this fall to have a bus pass in place by September, 2003, or possibly even January. UBC students generally seem supportive about having a mandatory, universal bus pass similar to SFU's proposed plan. Shireen Nabatian, a first-year Arts student, said that a mandatory bus pass could discourage students from driving to school and help students who take the bus. "Living in Vancouver is really expensive, and if we could get a cheap bus pass that would really help," said Nabatian, who lives in junior residence Totem Park. "I would like to venture off campus more often and, if I had a bus pass, I would definitely do that" Many students who don't take the bus, although not enthusiastic about paying an extra fee every month, also saw the value of the plan. "Seeing as how I ride my bike, I would feel not so good about having to pay something to use a service that I don't use ever," said Jeff Burton, a second-year Agricultural Sciences student. "I suppose that it would be good for the university as a whole just because more people would be likely to ride the bus." "I wouldn't bus. I just got a car...but I think that it's a good idea," said second-year Arts student Jeremy Baer. "I don't know if [other commuters] would be happy paying for someone else's bus pass. Because I used to bus, I know it would really help." ♦ -with files from Graeme Worthy THE UBYSSEY NEWS TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2002 5 UBC department heads react to tuition increases by Ai Lin Choo While most UBC department heads generally agree that tuition fees should and must increase, some are concerned about how the extra money will be distributed—and students' ability to afford the changes. "I would like to ensure that a large enough proportion of whatever tuition increase implemented gets distributed to the level, in the faculties and departments, where it can have an effect on the ability to sustain and improve instruction for students," said Paul Harrison, associate dean of Science. Harrison added that while he might not be up to date on the tuition proposal since he was away half of last week, an increase in tuition is necessary. He is not convinced, however, that a rise to the national tuition average will enable UBC to provide the quality of education that it is aspiring to. "Now, that's not saying that I'm advocating a much higher increase—I think a phased increase is the best way to go about it given the current financial situation—but depending on what group is considered our peer group, we would like to try to ensure that we're going to be able to give the type of education that puts us at the top of the peer group and not at the average...That's why it's really important that the money be distributed in a way that it's going to have the most effective effect," he said. Over the past week, UBC administrators have been busy gathering suggestions and comments from students and faculty regarding proposed increases to tuition fees. Under the current proposal, undergraduate student fees for most programs will rise to the national average. However, Commerce and Pharmacy students will see larger increases due to the extra services their programs require. James Brander, the Commerce and Business Administration associate dean, faculty research, said that while undergraduate studies should remain accessible, he believes that a differentiated fee for Commerce students is fair. Commerce students expect a higher level of service, said Brander, such as increased resources for job placement and career development, and undergraduate counselling in certain types of co-op and internships. Brander also added that as the cost of commerce is higher than other programs and as a commerce degree is closely tied to the job market, the department has argued in favour of differential tuition. "Of course we're all interested in how the extra money from the tuition is going to be spent and one important point that a lot of people have made already...is that a big chunk of the revenue increase will go to just covering just the normal cost of doing business...and then some of the money, of course, will go straight to financial student support "In our case, we hope that we'll get some money left over from these things," he said, adding that the money will go into increased offerings for students and better services and programs. But many students are anxious about graduate programs and the differentiated fees that current graduate students will have to face. Brander said that he's not too concerned over the projected increases to the MBA program—projected at 312 per cent—as it is a smaller and more targeted program than the undergraduate one. He called the MBA program an investment, with most students who join the program already professionals in the business field. But Dean of Law, Joost Blom, said that he feels that the fee increase is necessary as long as the funding comes back to the students. "Nothing's been decided yet...I think our job is to make sure that the money that comes from those fees comes back into the program to the extent that law students are paying higher fees than students elsewhere on campus, it should come back to their program." Bloom, however, noted the financial difficulty that increased tuition would place on students and noted that in some other universities, current students were protected from large tuition increases. Under the proposal, current graduate students in post-baccalaureate programs will face a lower increase in their tuition than incoming students—about 33 per cent. Meanwhile, Frieda Granot, dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, said that UBC needs to meet or exceed levels of financial support of comparable universities. "I would like to see such an increase come hand in hand with, number one, increased financial support for graduate students and, two, improvement in their education," she said. Dean of Medicine, John Cairns, also said that the university had to ensure that students will not be facing costs impossible to meet through assistance, loans or some reallocation of payments in the future. "The issue that everybody has a bit of a^hard time dealing with is that we're actually in a struggle to sustain qualify. We're going to do a number of things that will improve things, but there also is a huge challenge to UBC to try to sustain the current qualify. It's an enormous risk because of the provincial policies over the last several years of not increasing the university grant and freezing tuition. So something has to give," he said. But Cairns remains hopeful that the policy will evolve over time, and assures students that the proposal is far from complete. "I don't think the entire plan has to be worked out at the present time, and certainly all the options Sot assisting students aren't going to be explored by then, and that's going to take a lot of careful time, energy and consultation, but we haven't done a very good job of working with the government to improve the student loan situation...There are all sorts of imaginative things that can be done that we haven't necessarily come up with as yet." ♦ "Forum" from page 1. it, then they gave her a bursary." Harvey said one of the problems is the student loan program itself, which can deny loans to students who need them, such as students whose parents make enough money to disqualify them from need-based assistance, but who aren't assisting them. She also suggested giving some money to lobbying the BC govern ment to increase the amount of loans a student can receive, to allow them to keep up with tuition increases. "What would be really beneficial is if the university went ahead and lobbied the provincial government...in increasing the amount of loans that a student can get." On February 19, the provincial government announced they would increase funding to eligible students without dependents by up to $510 over an eight-month study term. The new policy, which goes into effect this August, will not provide any additional benefits to students with dependents. At Monday's forum, first-year Arts student Kerrie Thornhill asked whether the increases to tuiton would make much of a difference, given that tuition fees only make up about 17 per cent of UBC's operating budget. Sullivan admitted that increas ing tuition would not provide UBC with enough money to reach its goals, but said a repeated student solution—asking the federal and provincial governments for more money—wasn't realistic. Another student asked how proposed tuition increases at UBC compared to students at other BC universities. Sullivan said that he had been told that UVic undergraduates could be facing increases of about . 30 per cent a year over three years, and during the same time, SFU students could see tuition increases of between 90 and 100 per cent. "My own personal belief is that we will be at the low end," he said. A final tuition forum will be held tonight at 6:30pm, at Totem Park. President Martha Piper and several BoG members will be in attendance to listen to students. ♦ HEED MUMERECM UTILITIES? VISIT HITP:////WW3.TELl)S.NEl/TH0IHW0lffi/H0ME.HIMl CliaOK IHE "MlSCEUANEOlB MATHEMATICAL UTILITIES" LINK • N Equations in N Unknowns • Eigenvalues ana Eigenvectors for Square Matrices • Finding Roots of a Function • Finding Minimums/Ioximums of a Function * Numerical Integration ATTENTION The Ubyssey is holding elections for next year's editorial positions starting March 20. The positions are as follows: Coordinating Editor News Editors (2) Culture Editor Sports Editor Features Editor Copy Editor Photo Editor Production Manager Volunteers Coordinator Letters/Research -Coordinator Position papers are due in SUB room 24 by March 13. If you have any questions, please contact Coordinating Editor Duncan McHugh at 604-822-2301. THE UBYSSEY the Underpdstate dtcn'stry Society Presents: Thursday March 7, 2002 8:30am - 2:00p» Grad Student Centre Ballroom Free Food! For more info: diemdub@chern.ubc.ca Great Summer Jobs! Camp Counselor Positions Available in Western Massachusetts SUB ROOMS 214/21& - No Appointment Necessary- Just Stop By} Positions available for talented, energetic, and fun-loving students as counselors at either Gimp Mah-Kee-Nac for boys or Camp Danbee for girls. Excellent Salary, Room, Board, Travel and US Work Visa are included along with the opportunity to work with great kids this summer. Specialiststs needed in: Team Sports: Roller Hockey Baseball Soccer Basketball Lacrosse Tennis and Golf Gymnastics Figure Skating Radio Station Rocketry Woodworking Arts and Crafts Windsurfing Canoeing Kayaking Water Skiing Photography Nature/Pioneering Cycling Ropes and Climbing Sailing Yearbook/Newspaper Archery Swim Instruction Positions Run June 18th -August 16th, 2002 NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY - JUST STOP BY! For more information, either call or check out our website: -MAH«KEE«N AC MAH-KEE-NAC (rwn) Q111 800-753 9118 wwwt ampmkn com DANBEE (women) Call 1-800-392-3752 www.danbee.com SiJQty ot &(C<*t#*t&i t%2t frus*H&te4 t* Se <&et&m-febc6ed Live and Learn * Japanese! The Waseda Oregon Programs take North American and international students to the prestigious' Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan for academic programs of Japanese language and comparative US-Japan Societies study: • Waseda Oregon Summer Japanese Program July 10 - August 20, 2002 • Waseda Oregon Transnational Program January 15-June 27, 2003 Scholarships of up to $1000 are available for the Transnational Program. For more information, contact: Waseda Oregon Office Portland State University (800) 823-7938 www.wasedaoregon.org email:info@wasedaoregon.org THE UBYSSEY lt*Wl'>!- "ft # / - >-■** )\ mw> ■ ' ^* Bridges Restaurant is hiring high-energy * people for its deck this summer: hosts - bussers - expeditors experienced wait-staff & bartenders bridges Apply in person to Bridges Administration Office ' (not the restaurant) #5 -1551 Johnston St., Granville Island March 7,8,9 12:00 - 4:30 pm No phone calls please $ Judy Co/fins fan? Teifua her genre I style and min a pair 4# tickets to her concert on fiprif ¥. Come to Uby&s&y Rm 23, SC/A basement w'th your an&daer. 7777 ^f.v T p - . Secre< Moulin in a ' rail (' ^3& ^S V^JP' .uB^ ■&> of his own TOP SECRET Marc Moulin [Nettwerk] The first song makes you fall in love, the kind of love that poets write about, the kind that the birds apparentiy sing for, the kind that all those Nora Ephron romantic comedies strive to capture on film. Top Secret is like an ethereal realm where newer generations of artists can revere past accomplishments without tainting them with newer technology. The first track incorporates key elements of classic jazz—an engulfing trumpet melody, a sassy jazz singer and a rolling drum-beat—with some funk guitar and the basic elements of electronic music. Marc Moulin brings an understated house beat, synthesised keyboards and many sound effects to this very glossy but still very engaging album. Moulin makes it a point to acknowledge the dichotomy he's created by mixing jazz and elec tronic music. A common theme on the album is a muted trumpet challenging a highly synthesised keyboard. Another is that same trumpet playing a solo over heavy bass.. Moulin's approach to this fusion of genres is intriguing; it combines living, breathing musicians with the bare bones of electronic music. It's a highly controlled and meticulous process, but one that is ultimately more organic than simply sampling jazz. Marc Moulin and the musicians he works with on this album seem to have struck an intricate balance. The skeleton of Moulin's album is the living jazz sound; the electronic sounds build upon it These two elements mix to create layers of absorbing interaction. Top Secret, from the first heavy beat to the last trumpet solo, is a captivating soundscape—a testament to Moulin's amazing production. This album is a world within itself. ♦ —Lauren Emberson in the Downtown Eastside by Alexis Roohani GORKY'S ZYGOT.C MYNCI: Three words, sounds like Gor-kees Zi-got-ic Monkey. They played Richard's on Richards last Sunday.There's just one question we wanted to ask this band from Wales, what the hell is a Mynci anyway? peter kulpa photo BE MY JUNKIE SHADOW at the Blinding Light Cinema!! Feb. 28 I'm standing in the lobby of The Blinding Light Cinema!!, when a black-clad woman appears beside me, a small entourage in tote. "I'm Kat," she says quiedy to the attendants. "I've brought some guests with me, if that's okay." She motions to the foursome huddled behind her, one of whom pipes up: "Yeah—I'm in the movie. And these are my friends." I notice the speaker's sparse, red dye- job and boney frame. Her name, as I'm about to find out, is Angel. The group gets the go-ahead and I follow them into the theater. I'm there for the premiere of Kat Kosiancic's Be My Junkie Shadow, a. documentary about women living in the Downtown Eastside. Giving a brief introduction, Kosiancic confesses to having doubts about the film. "I'm asking them questions that they're doing drugs to forget," she explains. Kosiancic's eventual decision to take on the project came as a result of heavy outside encouragement, and was made almost entirely "against her will." In the end, the experience proved to be unforgettably rewarding for the director, and, as I discover, for her audience as well. Be My Junkie Shadow is made up of a series of candid interviews with seven women currently living in the Downtown Eastside. Conducted and filmed by Kosiancic over several months, the interviews cover a wide range of sensitive topics, from drug- addiction and prostitution to personal childhood memories and mother hood experiences. Listening to the confessions of these women, I am surprised at their integrity, and at the clarity with which each of them considers the decisions they've made in life. I find myself confronted by an unexpected store of wisdom, tragic as it is. In the face of it all, these women have managed to salvage a remarkable perspective. A few have even salvaged their dreams. One of Kosiancic's subjects talks about her desire to return to school: "I did go back to university a few years ago. And it was fiin...the highest high without any side effects." Despite a few poignant moments, Be My Junkie Shadow offers an overall sobering look at the notorious lifestyle of the Downtown Eastside. And this, as I discover, is exactiy what the women of Kosiancic's film want; they want their stories to be a lesson. "Take 'em down here for a fucking fieldtrip,* says One woman about high school kids, "Let 'em be a junkie's shadow." As probably one of the youngest people in the theatre, I realise how littie of its intended audience the documentary is actually reaching. The lesson of Kosiancic's film, however, is not lost on anyone. The film is over in half an hour, and I join the crowded shuffle towards the exit, as Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time" plays in the background. Up ahead I notice Angel talking with a friend near the door. I manage to catch a glimmer of their conversation as I pass. "Yeah," says Angel just before I slip outside, "If I Could Turn Back Time'...that's a good song." ♦ :||||i|j||| DISCO PIGS at Performance Works until Mar. 16 Nothing is to be done for the two characters of Disco Pigs. Lost in isolation together, they cling to each other only because they don't know what else to cling to. "Disco Pigs" traces the quest of two teenagers for their promised land, the Palace Disco. Pig and Runt, born at almost the same time in the same hospital, "spiritual twins of different mothers," grow up as best friends and next-door neighbours. Their lives revolve around each other, angry and alienated from the world. The experience of watching the show was a bit strenuous for me. I enjoyed the set up of the theatre— l^j^Jiw Mwpw tables on either side of the stage with chairs. The stage itself was a simple collection of fake concrete highway barriers and chain-link fencing strung across the stage. The strain came from trying to listen to the actors, Kevin MacDonald and Jennifer Mawhinney. The two characters spoke with a heavy Irish brogue, another source of isolation and insulation, this time between the actors and the audience. Nonetheless, MacDonald and Mawhinney offered genuine intensity and anger without belittling the characters' experiences and suffering. "Disco Pigs* asserts itself to be in the tradition of Trainspotting, and I couldn't agree more. It seemed like a lot of drugs was had by all involved in the play. The result was a world seen through a kaleidoscope of '"\i — M^» "•" ^ ■' V colours and violence, and a play that could only manifest itself in the context of youth. What really made the play interesting was the extreme, pure, angry intensity of adolescence in "Disco Pigs". There are no regrets for Pig and Runt, only mistakes. Sorry, awful, disgusting, criminal, unforgivable mistakes, but only mistakes. They beat up random strangers at night clubs, start bar fights, threaten bus drivers, all in an effort to reinforce their supposed superiority, to set themselves apart from everyone else. Pig and Runt want to believe they five on the very fringe of society. What happens, I wondered, if one of them tasted society? If one of them realised the loneliness of two? The play's conclusion, it turns out, borrows just as much from Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" as it does from Irvine Welsh. In Pig and Runt, I couldn't ask for a lonelier set of Vladimir and Estragon. ♦ SPICS 'N' SPAN at the Firehall Arts Centre until Mar. 9 The latest offering from, the plainly named Latino Theatre Group is Spies W Span, a production that deals with the issues of police brutality and racism towards Latino men in the Downtown Eastside. Spies 'N' Span isn't a dark, gritty play. Instead, it combines harsh realities and profound issues with humour. The scenes switch between run-ins with the police and the hilarious interaction of Marcella (Lucy Pavez), Joel (Itzel Bazerque), Monica (LuisJavier Gutierrez) and Conchita (Herman Herdia Granda). All members of the cast play more than one role and give worthy performances. Gutierrez, however, steals the show with his portrayal of Monica—the Latino woman trying to teach 'spixakolics' to get over their addictions—and his portrayal of Superspic, savior of those 'spies' in need. Even though half of Gutierrez's role is performed in Spanish, nothing is lost in the translation provided, and his characters still illicted howls of laughter from the audience. The haunting stories of David, Pedro and Rolo—three Latino men—and their encounters with the police all begin to connect Spixaholics changes from a five-step program into a protest group, demonstrating for Latino pride and criticising police brutality. This production, written and directed by Carmen Aguirre, one of the founders of the Latino Theatre Group, provides insight into the minds of youing Latinos and the problems they encounter in Vancouver. It will have you laughing and thinking long after you have left the theatre. ♦ Finding the of the land Off the Map: Western Travels on Roads Less Taken by Stephen Hume [Harbour Press] Vancouver Sun travel columnist Stephen Hume loves British Columbia. And if his book Off the Map: Western Travels on Roads Less Taken is any indication, he's probably travelled every square- centimetre of it The book, a collection of his writings going back to 1972, aims to capture the spirit-both natural and human-of BC. His travels take him to some the farthest reaches of the province, and introduce us to some of the people struggling to preserve what's impor- tant-from marine biologists searching for the cause of declining salmon stocks, to Aboriginal leaders trying to reclaim their lands and culture. Hume begins at the source, literally: the Fraser River. "The soul of British Columbia" as it has been called is traced back to its headwaters at Blackrock Mountain, near the Alberta-BC border. Through interviews with biologists, geographers, and geologists, Hume reveals the complex web of life supported by the Fraser and its tributaries. From there, he moves to the people who make their living, direcuy and indirectiy, from the land it nourishes: fishermen, scientists, artists and even politicians. All of them have stories to tell, and all of them contribute to the province's mass consciousness. Hume uses many of these tales to rant, sometimes at considerable length, about the "orgy of insane greed" responsible for so much of the damage done to this province. Part of the book's purpose, he writes, is that "it sharpens and clarifies issues that are deliberately obscured by legal pedants, political cynics, blustering bureaucrats and, worst of all, the mealy-mouthed rhetoric of grasping business interests." Almost everything is blamed on the municipal, provincial, or federal government What makes the exercise not entirely futile is the fact that he retells the stories of those who are doing something about it Take, for example, the Heiltsuk Reserve in Bella-bella. Ordinarily, reserve housing has been "cookie-cutter," symbolising to Hume the attempted homogenisation of First Nations peoples. The Heiltsuk resist this by building their own houses instead of accepting government 'prefabs.' In an area where unemployment has been as high as 65 per cent, the initiative created jobs and a sense of individuality not normally associated with life on a reserve. While Hume may overromanticise the Native population, he does have important things to say, or at least to remind us about. The "West Coast Holocaust" of colonisation, for instance, brought by the European colonists in the form of smallpox. "One white trader," he writes, "collected infected blankets from the-death camps and resold them to other Natives." He moves on to the other cultural suppression in this province, the internment of the Japanese during the Second World War. Hume also touches on a more subtie means of oppression: the increasing "language death" occurring in Native communities caused by a lack of traditional education among First Nations youth. To Hume the implications of this are frightening. The dying out of language translates into the death of a culture and a decreased understanding of the land itself. As he writes, "in a language, of course, lies a whole way of seeing the world." The book effectively captures the spirit of British Columbia through the joy and despair, the hopes and dreams of its inhabitants: "What integrates us is the land itself. That is the true power of wilderness, one that defines our place and spiritual purpose in the world. It is what shapes the being of all those strange and wondrous creatures that have become our moral changes." ♦ -Daniel Silverman , PHANTOM PLANET The Guest [Epic Records] Keanu Reeves, Billy Bob Thornton; Leonard Nimoy, Joey Lawrence-the fist of artists pursuing careers in both music!, and, film (is long- and the results ,, mediocre; Phantom Planet is a band whose lineup *. includes jlson Schwartzman, the young actor made ' famous for hisjrole in Rushmore, and infamous for ' his unfortunate involvement in this year's Slackers. - '***' I was' excited at the chance to review Phantom Planet's new album The Guest, mentally preparing ■ ' a rant on entertainment industiy nepotism and the>-» - tyranny of image over substance (another of the<.« -*~ band's members is a former Gap model}. lien, I«« v listened to the songs. . . Phantom Planet sound a little like Weezer back- - - ing up Elvis- Costello in some, sort of- power-pop «■ supergroup^ The- hooks are palatable and not.- syrupy in their sweetness, Deep-voiced lead singer™ Alex Greenwald has a dramatic flair for pouring out» Y hi§ image-rich lyrics,, while his bandmates have the »■< ,Y yocal chopg to handle their three-part harmonies.- Tlie, lead track, "California* builds from a simple ' - piano line tq, an infectious sing-along that will sure- « » ly be filed under Jsummertime hit' by many radio programmers. As for Schwartzman, the young renaissance man is at least as talented in percussion as he is in portraying nebbish film characters. Although he's gone on record saying that he never wants to win a drumming contest he has an interesting penchant for calmly dawdling over the beat rather than overtly leading the band rhythmically. Straightforward arid effective, Schwartzman locks up tighuy with bassist Sam Farrar, keeping Phantom Planet well aligned. - Given Phantom Planet's musical style and comely appearances, as well as the associated hype, comparisons to New York's critical darlings The Strokes are,, inevitable. Indeed, The Guest might evoke memories of The Strokes' 7s This It?, had The Strokes fqcussed more on songwriting and less on .- : deliberate underproduction; For The Guest, famed -* producers Tchad Blake and Mitchell Froom endow - ' 2 Phantom Planet's sound with a clean and sharp edge, wilhout polishing over the moderate grit that the band exhibits in songs such as "All Over Again" - and "In Our Darkest Hour." It took little time for The Guest to flatten my assumptions about Phantom Planet who effortlessly transcend comparison to the comical banality of Keanu Reeves' band Dogstar. Safe but solid. Phantom Planet breaks no new ground, but they do put that space to better use than many of their peers. ♦ -Michael Schwandt 8 TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2002 CULTURE THE UBYSSEY Wl-STERN WASHINGTON1 UNlVtRSllY V. J E veiling Full-rime Accelerated Programs ii »' *ii'!i,i I ,' r i *s 1 111 [ i i., I''il . IJ.'I 4. »" '- n, A \ ■ -'.'". ■ ',.' r « ' I* » Come to SUB Room 23 in the basement behind the arcade) to receive a COMPLIMENTARY PASS to a screening of: The Time Machine at 7:00pm on Thursday, March 7,2002 at Famous Players Capitol 6. UBYSSIY Giveaway UBYSSEY PUBLICATIONS SOCIETY Annual General Meeting Wednesday, March 20, 2002 at 1:00pm in the AMS Council Chamber Songs for a sadist 120 SONGS FOR THE MARQUIS DESADE at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre until Mar. 16 When an opera opens with a man dressed in nothing but white stockings and gloves, you expect the ensuing action to be shocking, provocative and perhaps even confrontational. 120 Songs for the Marquis de Sade is none of these things. Anyone expecting general debauchery in this opera should reconsider purchasing the $20 ticket Nudity abounds, to be sure, but ultimately 120 Songs is worth seeing more for its historical survey of de Sade's life and its combination of a thoughtful, astute libretto with an equally perceptive score. The decision alone to take on a project as ambitious as this one deserves applause. 120 Songs sardines the Marquis de Sade's life into three acts and still manages to be over three hours long. The first act presents de Sade's years as a rake and reveals the deviance he is famous for. The second act moves de Sade into prison, providing context for his writing and staunch political orientation. Finally, the third act shows the final years of his life. It is clear why this opera received the Mean Performing Arts Award, a $60,000 production grant. The excellent libretto and music flesh out the story through insightful pas- • sages and motifs. Unfortunately, however, for all its musical and lyrical developments, 120 Songs falls apart'when it comes to the lead role. With a historical character as charismatic as the Marquis de Sade, I would have expected actor Michael Douglas Jones to demonstrate some passion. But Jones's portrayal of the Marquis was disappointingly unconvincing, even though Jones was supported by an excellent cast. Phoebe MacRae played de Sade's wife, Pelagie, fantastically and Karin Konoval delivered a flawless performance as Montreuil, Pelagie's mother. Daniel Gundlach played both male and female parts but his impressive falsetto made his female roles more memorable. Shaun Phillips and Lawrence Cotton were successful in a number of bit parts. Peter Hurst, on the other hand, looked forced on stage when playing Sade's valet La Tour, and even fell out of character a few times, but his performance improved dramatically when he played a minor character by Janet Yuen in the third act Though the first and third acts are sufficientiy entertaining, the Second act falls short. It spans the Marquis's 14 years in prison, and the plot is conveyed through letters between the Marquis and his friends and lovers. The act relies heavily on Jones' acting of the Marquis and, at least in this performance, it can't maintain the opera's pace. It dulled the remainder of the play for me. The original goal of 120 Songs was to show an alternate understanding of the Marquis, stepping away from portrayals of 'a sexy, older roue who was simply censored by an earlier more puritanical age," to "investigate the paradoxical threat and necessity, when politic meets sexuality and society attempts to legislate free thought and desire." Jones's performance did nothing of the sort Jones, perhaps trying to avoid playing the stereotypical de Sade, held back any fire he might have had. Despite its shortcomings, the libretto and music might make 120 Songs the price of admission for you. Just don't go expecting Geoffrey Rush, and just remember to grab a coffee at the first intermission. You'll need it. ♦ Tun&Q from DANCES AND MUSIC FROM THE ROOF OF THE WORLD at Britannia Secondary School part of the Tibetan Cultural Festival Mar. 1 The main event of the week-long Tibetan Cultural Festival appropriately promised an interesting array of performers. Unfortunately, the event venue—a high school auditorium—was a poor choice. Although the sight lines were good and the acoustics adequate, the seats were incredibly uncomfortable. It was like being back at school to Write exams, a n atmospher not conducive to experiencing music that's often used in meditation and other spiritual practices. San Francisco-based group k . ibet by Tejas Ewing Brothers in Courage started the evening, performing traditional folk songs and dances. In the past, these songs were used to spread the principles of Buddhism across the farmlands of Tibet. Although the musicians' amateur status showed on Friday night, Brothers in Courage performed energetically and even performed a delightful yak dance,' something similar to the popular lion dances performed on Chinese New Year. The highlight of the evening followed when Nawang Khechog, a Grammy award nominee and one of Tibet's foremost composers and musicians, took the stage. His presence made the event a bargain. It's not often you can see someone who has performed at Carnegie Hall, and for the Dalai Lama, for only $ 17! Using five flutes, a didgeridoo, a Tibetan longhorn and his own form of throat-chanting similar to that of Buddhist monks, Khechog gave a world-class performance. Sadly, he left the stage too soon, and left many wanting more. The evening ended with Tibetan singers Namgyal Lhamo and Kelsang Chukie. Although the singing was excellent, the show began to feel drawn out. Many even left during the singers' performance. All in all, however. Dances and Music from the Roof of the World was worth seeing and revealed a great deal about Tibetan culture to the non-Tibetans as well as to the exiles in the audience. If this event returns next year, I recommend you go see it ♦ MYSTIC MANTRA at the Voda Lounge part of the Tibetan Cultural Festival Feb. 28 When I found out that traditional Tibetan singers Namgyal Lhamo and Kelsang Chukie were collaborating with DJ Jacob Cino of Vancouver's Third Eye Tribe, I was a little wary. Events like this one often achieve nothing more than the embarrassingly superficial hip- ness that comes from fusion music. And that was the initial impression I got. The promotional material suggested Mystic Mantra would be enhanced by 'ambient visuals, decor and more." Instead, the organisers seemed content to rely on the 'coolness' that Buddhism has amongst Vancouver's neo-hip- pies. A Tibetan flag taped to the wall, some prayer flags hanging from the ceiling and some candles and Christmas- lights don't create much ambiance. The music was far stronger than the atmosphere, and the diverse crowd, with members- ranging from students just learning about Tibet to an 80-year-old couple, was even supportive. The event began with the DJ mixing to the live singers for about half an hour. Then the DJ played a 45-minute set of his own before the event finished off with another collaboration between the singers and the DJ. Even though the crowd got what it wanted, the end-product would have been better if more effort had been put into the show. The live singers often looked nervous and out of place, even missing their cues. They probably weren't expecting the type of crowd they got. The DJ was even more of a disappointment. He didn't communicate well with the singers, nor did he stretch his creative muscle. Often, he added only a basic drumbeat to the singing. Other times, the bass was so loud it drowned out the singing. That said, the perfomers and organisers were brave to try something like this. The singers took many mistakes in stride, and few audience members seemed to notice the slip-ups. The concert was a good idea; it was just plagued by sub-par execution. There were some highly enjoyable moments during the show. Trouble was, there should have been more of them. ♦ THE UBYSSEY SPORTS TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2002 ~^s:~^s^r % reat V-ball women rested, ready for nationals in Laval by Scott Bardsiey There was concern that injuries might spoil the women's volleyball team's chances for a CIS tide. Fortunately the scheduling gods gave the team a week off before they have to play in Laval at the CIS National Championship from March 7 to 9. "We still have some lingering injuries', but we've all really been taking care of ourselves," left side Leah Allinger said. "People will see great performances from players on our team that they haven't seen in the past month because of injuries." However, the Thunderbirds' starting line-up this weekend will not be at full strength. Right side Kathryn Peck has a shin fracture and is expected to limit her playing time. No player feels that there's any one team standing in the T-Birds' way, but the women expect Calgary and Manitoba to challenge them for the tide. The Birds upset the Bisons- last year's national champions—in the Canada West semi-final two weeks ago, only to run out of gas the next week when they faced the Dinos in the final, losing two matches without winning a single set. But none of those results matter anymore. "It's a whole new tournament. Everyone's going in basically with no losses, so it's anyone's game," middle Kaley Boyd said. And the T-Birds, ranked second nationally, could strike gold this year. "We've really come together this year as a team," setter Amy Schroeder said. "I'm so excited," said Allinger, who is in her fifth-year. "Of all the teams I've been on, this team would be the best team to bring home a National Championship with...On any given day, anyone in the countiy can win, but on any given day when we play well, we'll win." Canada West final aside, the Birds have momentum with them. Following Boyd's return to UBC in January from the national team, the Birds have .gone 7-3 in regular conference play in 2002. The T-Birds' first match will be against the nationally tenth-ranked Ryerson Rams at 8pm on Thursday. Last year UBC was knocked out of gold-medal contention by Manitoba in the first round and finished fifth after beating Moncton and Calgary. ♦ JL JLcL%_r_W IcfciJiJLJi UJLA %,%J Ai&dlJlOJLJldJIiM JL.IJI ^^UCJlJtrm# by Laura Blue This Wednesday, nine of UBC's quickest athletes are heading off to Sherbrooke, Quebec for the CIS Track and Field Championship. The three women and six men who've qualified for the meet will compete on March 8 and 9. The men's team is ranked fourth nationally but has qualified fewer athletes this year for the CIS Nationals than lastyear, when the Birds placed seventh. The women are ranked ninth nationally. Although UBC is sending some top-notch athletes to Quebec tomorrow, the odds of a strong team finish are still unclear. "If we could maintain those [current] positions, actually, that would be veiy good. It's not easy to be top ten in the country, where the competition is so tough," said UBC coach Marek Jedrzejek. "I think there's some chances up at the upper end to do pretty well," said UBC runner and CIS defending 3000m champion David Milne. "It's just totally difficult for us to com pete on a points level...because we don't have the numbers that other teams have." Milne, in particular, is an athlete worth watching. The senior student, who will be racing in his last meet as a UBC Thunderbird this weekend, has qualified for the CIS Nationals in the 3000m and 1500m as well as with the 4x800m relay team. He seems confident about his individual events. "I think I should be able to win both of them honestly," he said. "Especially the 3k—I think I'm set up perfectly for it. My running's been going really well and I think I have a shot* The women also have an edge in the distance events. UBC's Heather Macdonald and Karen Tulloch are the CIS's first- and second-ranked female 3000m runners. Macdonald, who will also compete in the 1500m, has now recovered from the illness which kept her out of the Canada West Championship two weekends ago. Other medal contenders include Chris Williams, a former junior national team member who will run [ )pmys Baseball TH: irs (li.In't ko i-voll so-, h 'ii .he bjrdi-r hijjt weekend f:>r .he l."3C b'isoba'l tcr.i'i. Co-vj c'li'ig .'n 'he Lc-\is Clark Stale Ts.-um: merit, UBC Jo:-t 10-7 '.<} Alb-risoi Oil-'^c "'.i Friday .-iight. On Sj!v.;"'.jy. the Birds ">nce led a 5- 3 ^ame to Lewis-Clark SLi'o, the lun'ii-r i.p n bst year's NAIA Notion.u rhsmpion-ikip. But L BC turned "hi.'-ijS o they p!a\ ed luoia :n a cDiisuhlicn final. UBC prevuied 20-15 '.villi Ben iltrr-i.i.n ^e-'Y'rg ihe show with a '3 fjr-5 peif.'rm- Mice, se.ting ^'h iol reeijrdb '.n. hi'.s, doubles and r.ms. 'Ihe Birds tlr.i^hed .bird ut "lie '.'iur:.v.':e:it mi impioved their season record to '5-7. ♦ three events this weekend, and Jeremy Edwards, who won gold in the , weight throw at this year's Canada West Championship. "We have a good group of people and I hope that everybody can run their best," said Macdonald, "and hopefully next year there'll be a few more people coming along for the trip." ♦ Are you concerned about tuition increases at UBC? Find out more about the University's tuition proposal at the following AMS/GSS forum:Tuesday, March 5,6:30pm at Totem Park residence. University representatives will be there to discuss the tuition proposal, answer questions, and provide feedback. For more information, please go to the University's tuition website at: http://students.ubc.ca/finance/fees/tuitionpolicy.cfm or email your concerns to: tuition@interchange.ubc.ca. r UP^^SiiP^alif Speaker of Council The Alma Mater Society of UBC is seeking a decisive and articulate person to act as AMS Speaker of Council.The speaker's term of office shall be from April 1,2002 to March 31,2003. You are well versed in Robert's Rules of Order, and hold no other elected, appointed or staff position within the society. The AMS Speaker of Council shall: • Chair bi-weekly council meetings. • Notify council members of up-coming council meetings. • Ensure adequate security for council chambers. • Post accepted council minutes in public areas. • Accept other duties outlined in code or assigned by council. • Receive a remuneration of $3,000 for a one-year term. If you have what it takes to excel in this position, please forward your resume by March 19th, 2002 to: Christopher Lythgo, VP Academic Chair Nominating Committee vpacademic@ams.ubc.ca SUB 238 - 6138 SUB Blvd., Vancouver, B.C., V6T1Z1 VENTS AT iarefi3,2S02 Join the UBC Women's Center for a day of: Women's Global Solidarity , March 8th International Women's Day SUB Ballroom 11.00 -12 noon - refreshments 12:00 - 4:00 pm - speeches, poetry, and discussions that celebrate the history of women's resistance. You are invited to an AMS Pancake Breakfast! Are you hungry for food? We'll give you pancakes! Are you hungry for information? Need to know what's up with tuition? We'll give you the latest tuition information! The new AMS Executive will be serving pancakes on Friday, March 8 from 8:00 am to 11:30 am, outside the SUB on the South Plaza. eet the New AIMS Executive E Kristen Harvey . President Christopher Lythgo VP Academic Mam Spasm Dana Chirila VP Admin 10 TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2002 OP/ED THEUBYSSEY THEUBYSSEY TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2002 VOLUME S3 ISSUE 41 EDITORIAL BOARD COORDINATING EDITOR Duncan M. McHugh NEWS EDITORS Ai Lin Choo Sarah MacNeill Morrison CULTURE EDITOR Ron Nurwisah, SPORTS EDITOR Scott Bardsiey FEATURES EDITOR Julia Christensen COPY EDITOR Laura Blue PHOTO EDITOR Nic Fensom PRODUCTIONMANAGER Hywel Tuscano COORDINATORS VOLUNTEERS COORDINATOR Graeme Worthy LETTERS COORDINATOR Alicia MilEer The Ubyssey is the official student newspaper of the University of British Columbia. It is published every Tuesday and Friday by The Ubyssey Publications Society. We are an autonomous, democratically run student organisation, and all students are encouraged to participate. Editorials are chosen and written by the Ubyssey staff. They are the expressed opinion of he staff, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Ubyssey Publications Society or the University of British Columbia. The Ubyssey is a founding member of Canadian University Press (CUP) and adheres to CUFs guiding principles. All editorial content appearing in The Ubyssey is the property of The Ubyssey Publications Society. Stories, opinions, photographs and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without the expressed, written permission of The Ubyssey Publications Society. Letters to the editor must be under 300 words. Please include your phone number, student number and signature (not for publication) as well as your year and facully with all submissions. ID will be checked when submissions are dropped off at the editorial office of The Ubyssey, otherwise verification will be done by phone. "Perspectives" are opinion pieces over 300 words but under 750 words and are run according to space. "Freestyles'' are opinion pieces written by Ubyssey staff members. Priority will be given to letters and perspectives over freestyles unless the fatter is time sensitive. Opinion pieces wiB not be run until the identity of the writer has been verified. It is agreed by all persons placing display or classified advertising that if the Ubyssey Publications Society fails to publish an advertisement or if an error in the ad occurs the liability of the UPS will not be greater than the price paid for the ad. The UPS shall not be responsible for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value or the impact of the ad EDITORIAL OFFICE Room 24, Student Union Building, 6138 Student Union Boulevard, Vancouver, BC. V6T 1Z1 tel: (604) 822-2301 fax: (604) 822-9279 web: www.ubyssey.bc.ca email: feedback@ubyssey.bc.ca BUSINESS OFFICE Room 23, Student Union Building advertising: (604) 822-1654 business office: (604) 822-6681 fax: (604) 822-1658 email: advertising@ubyssey.bc.ca BUSINESS MANAGER Fernie Pereira AD SALES Karen Leung AD DESIGN Shalene Takara "Damn it!" exclaimed Hywel Tuscano, "Someone ate my jumbo veggie weinersf* Mike Schwandt and Dan Silverman confirmed that their smokies were missing too. Ai Lin Choo and Hon Nurwisah sadly explained that their pencils had started disappearing several days prior. An irate Graeme Worthy boomed, "And my vibra- tron 200 isn't where I, a-hem, left it' Lauren Emberson quickly concluded that one sick puppy was stealing all of the phallic objects in the world. Alicia Millar, Sarah MacNeill Morrison were hot on the trail of the thiet while Scott Bardsiey was still tiying to End 'phallic' in the dictionary. Kathy Deering and Sara Young sat staring blankly at computer screens, apparency too upset to speak. Laura Blue wouldn't speak either, which made Nic Fensom think she was the prime suspect John Moon, Janet Yuen and Salma Dinani speculated about the identity of the perp' as they watched Julia Christensen sat a long, skinny trap. Just then Alexis Roohani, Michelle Rosa and Peter Kulpa saw two figures run by. When everyone arrived on the scene, they found Emily Chan pinning Duncan McHugh, who had a Est fufl of frankfurters! : Canadian University Press Cutad. Port S4m Agro.ra.nt NumtMr 0732141 Tuition increase is too fast The last two months have been painful. First, the cuts to services and programs like Work Study and Student Summer Works, programs that help students pay for their post-secondaiy education and limit debt Then, on February 11, came the end of the six-year tuition freeze. It's a double whammy. Students not only have to contend with tuition increases but also fewer ways to make up for the increased cost of their education Many more may no longer be able to afford any kind of post-secondary education altogether as tuition increases. . But it hasn't been easy for the province's universities and colleges either. Here at UBC, the administration, led by VP Students Brian Sullivan, has been busy creating the university's tuition policy. While the process has been far from perfect their efforts should still be commended. Unlike the Up service that Minister of Advanced Education Shirley Bond gave to student consultation—where students were consulted, then promptly ignored—UBC's administration has actually had student concerns and student recommendations in mind when drafting its future tuition poliqy. And it shows. Differential tuition something that the AMS and many students opposed, won't happen next year. Commerce and Pharmacy are notable exceptions. Tuition for these programs will go up more than fees in other programs, but with a guarantee that this extra increase will go directly into the respective programs. The price of graduate programs such as Law, Medicine and Dentistry will rise significantly for new students, but those already in the programs will see smaller and hopefully more manageable tuition hikes. For the next year, the university has even promised to match tuition increases for graduate students with an equal amount of financial aid. The tuition policy still doesn't address a number of crucial issues. Tuition increases, in some programs close to a 100 per cent, will make post-secondary education unaffordable to more middle- and low-income students. With the lack of provincial financial aid, student debt will also increase. But the policy is clearly a sign of UBC doing its best under difficult circumstances. The provincial Liberals lifted the tuition freeze less than a month ago. It gave the university very little time to draft a coherent tuition policy. What's' worse, Victoria hasn't confirmed the amount of funding the university will receive next year. UBC's tuition policy was drafted with this unknown factor hanging over their heads. So what can the university do now? With provincial funding for post-secondary education frozen, UBC must find ways to stretch the money it receives from the government and from students. The AMS is calling on the university to perform an efficiency review. A university as big as UBC is bound to be wasteful ih some fashion and it's waste that UBC can't afford right now. It's imperative that funds are actually being used intelligently: for classrooms, teaching tools, libraries, things that will allow UBC to maintain its role as a leading educational institution. More importantly, UBC must continue to consult with its students. Listening to students before increasing tuition is a good first step. But it's clear that the next couple of years will be financially difficult for many of us. We hope that the university's recent behaviour is not an isolated incident and that will continue to speak to those affected most directly affected by UBC's policies—the students. ♦ LETTERS UBC fraternities: safe for gay members David Brindle's article in the Ubyssey's recent Pride Issue ("I'm so proud," Pride Issue [Feb. 15]) contained an interesting account of his experiences with gay life at UBC. It is clear to me that his limited campus experience has coloured his view, particularly with respect to the alleged terror that UBC's fraternities and sororities inflict on their gay members. I am a proud fraternity member at UBC who is also gay. I am not terrified of being found out I do not fear being beaten by thugs. I do not fear being attacked in the showers. I do not fear abuse. I am not ashamed, and I am not alone. I joined Phi Delta Theta Fraternity in the spring of 1998. I joined for the same reasons that many other young men join fraternities. I wanted an opportunity to grow, to meet new people, to learn, to be a part of something bigger, to make friends and to meet chicks. When I joined, I was not at all convinced that I was gay. Just unlucky with girls. I did not come to terms with my homosexuality until I had already been in the fraternity for over ayear. It was the following Christmas that I decided to come out to my chapter. I told them all at once, at a weekly meeting. Of course I was nervous. Maybe even terrified. I was not afraid of being attacked, or beaten or abused. I was afraid of being rejected. Fraternity brothers share such a close, almost familial, bond with members of their own chapter. Being rejected by family is certainly worthy of fear. When I told my chapter I was gay, I was not rejected; I was applauded. One brother confided that he admired my courage. Since then, I have been president of my chapter, spent two years as an executive member of UBC's Inter-Fraternity Council and served as president of the Order of Omega, an honour society for Greek leaders. I have never in three years pretended to be straight for my own benefit or anyone else's. In fact, my boyfriend of nearly two years has attended more Phi Delta Theta functions as my date than many of the brothers. I am not the only gay man who has found acceptance in UBC's fraternities; I know gay actives or alumni from just about every house on this campus. Some are totally open about their sexual orientations, and some are all but in the closet Some are leaders in their chapters. All are valued brothers. And none of us have anything to fear. —Jonathan Abourbih Applied Science 4 Former Minister of Finance finds fault in Liberals' tactics The other week Premier Campbell and his caucus members put forward a lot of reasons to justify their savage attack on our province's public services and public servants. Most of those 'reasons' don't stand up well to serious examination. They said they "inherited' a huge deficit Here are the facts: BC's audited books showed a budget surplus for 1999-2000 of $40 million and a surplus for 2000-2001 of $1,498 billion ("BC Public Accounts/ released by Finance Minister Gary Collins on July 30,2001). They said that spending on government programs in BC was out of control and out of line with other provinces like Alberta. The facts are otherwise. In 2000-2001, BC spent $5842 per capita, on government programs; Alberta spent $6513 per capita ("Comparative Provincial Program Spending 1989-2001/ released by die Canadian Taxpayers Federation). They said that they didn't know how bad things were because the province's books weren't trustworthy. That's not correct. "British Columbia is a Canadian leader in public sector financial reporting. We found that the province's accounting policies and practices provide a high overall level of financial disclosure and accountability" ("BC Fiscal Review Panel/ released by Premier Campbell on July 23, 2001). Finally, they said they "had no choice." That's nonsense. Every government has choices. Premier Campbell chose to cut taxes by over $2 billion and gave most of those tax breaks to corporations and to high-income British Columbians who needed them the least. Now he and his government have to cut $2 billion out of government programs and lay off thousands of public servants to pay for those tax cuts. That's not 1he choice Premier Campbell said he'd make in his "New Era" document but that's the one he's made. Nobody forced him to; he did it all on his own. —Paul Ramsey Visiting professor, political science department, UNBC, Former MLA and Minister of Finance THE UBYSSEY LETTERS TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2002 11 Being transgendered shouldn't disqualify Nixon In her analysis of Kimberly Nixon's Human Rights Tribunal victoiy, Madelene Cleland argues that volunteering is "not a human right" ("Volunteering: A privilege or a right?" Letters [Feb. 26]). I certainly agree with that However, freedom from discrimination on the basis of irrelevant personal characteristics (such as sexual identity) is a human right—and if it isn't, it should be. In her letter, Cleland questions Nixon's intentions, asking how she could "justify taking desperately needed money from a non-profit group?...What is the greater good served here?" I think the answer to both questions would be obvious if Kimberly Nixon had been, say, a lesbian, banned from Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter on the grounds that she wasn't 'really' a woman. Nixon's goal was not to drain Vancouver Rape Reliefs financial resources but to raise awareness about transpho- bia and fight what she saw as a case of discrimination. Madelene Cleland seems to imply that Vancouver Rape Relief was not being transphohic but merely rejecting transwomen because their experiences would not qualify them to volunteer. Perhaps she means to suggest that, in this case, sexual identity was a relevant personal characteristic. "Gender confusion as a child and gender-reversal surgery as an adult does not make one knowledgeable of the experience of women," Cleland writes. "To grow up as a girl in a social and family context and to have WIN!! a trip to shared girlhood experiences cannot be surgically implanted." This last statement seems to imply that "girlhood experiences" are homogeneous, that all girls grow up in a similar "social and family context" This could not be further from the truth. There is no monolithic "experience of women." Kimberly Nixon's childhood experiences are undoubtedly very different from mine but so are most other women's. Cleland is right when she says that "gender-reversal surgery...does not make one knowledgeable of the experience of women." Only being a woman makes one "knowledgeable of the experience of women"— and Kimberly Nixon is a woman. There's no such thing as gender- reversal surgery: surgery can alter bodies to make sex and gender "match" (as demanded by society), but Nixon's gender has remained the same throughout her life. I don't know whether her experience qualifies her to work at Vancouver Rape Relief, but I do believe that being transgendered shouldn't disqualify her. -Alana Prochuk Arts 2 Lifeline tactics inappropriate I find it interesting that Lifeline refuses to admit that their large displays, which accuse women who have abortions of being perpetrators of genocide, constitute a threat to women's emotional safety and security. Lifeline demands the right to put up their displays whenever and wherever they choose. They are even willing to put up displays without the permission of the university and give students no warning whatsoever that they will encounter the Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) when they walk past the SUB or past Koerner Library. And yet their ally and benefactor, John Hof, wrote a letter to the Attorney General of BC asking him to lay charges against Students for Choice and/or have us kicked out of school for comments made on our website. The threat of a lawsuit is a common tactic for suppressing the freedom of speech of organisations like ours that have no money to defend themselves in court. Lifeline has attempted to keep us from even suggesting that students should take action against GAP. We certainly do not. advocate violence ("Students for Choice website inappropriate," Letters [Mar. 1]). Our website simply lists various tactics that students opposing GAP here and at other universities have used or considered. Nowhere do we advocate harming another human being. Lifeline should take a minute to ponder the hypocrisy of demanding complete freedom to put up large displays which are offensive and hurtful in the extreme while threatening us with lawsuits and injunctions, which they have done three times in the past two years, in order to prevent us from speaking out against their hateful message. -Hannah Roman UBC Students for Choice Arts4 SISSUE! Your fabulous prize will include: 2 days of production fun in the shady Ubyssey offices (room 24 in the SUB!) on Wednesday March 6, 3pm-9pm & Thursday March 7,10am-the end! And...the finest order-in food money can buy. Free to you! (offer only valid on Thursdays and within 1 km radius) Dance instructors will be on hand to teach the art of love! Stay a little or stay a lot, but be prepared to have fun and learn about newspaper production. Everyone Welcome!!!!! Love Kathy & Sara,p.s. bring muffins & other yummies The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine Mini IWTFim»aTnmiTwriiiiiiii^^i^^aaaw^MiiiiimiilbaiiiiiMiHiiiiimiiiiliiii > m We offer Canada's only accredited four-year, full-time professional program educating doctors of naturopathic medicine, regulated general practitioners of natural medicine. Program requirements: Candidates must have a minimum of three years of study (15 full-year credits) at an accredited university, including six prerequisite courses. Meet Tanya Mandel, SD at the CCNM exhibit at Women's Career Days Spring 2002 Monday, March 11 from 10 a«m. to 2 p.m. University of British Columbia - 2329 West Mall The deadline for the Januaiy 2003 program is June 30,2002 The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine 1255 SheppardAve.E., Toronto, ON M2K 1E2 (416) 498-1255 ext 241 1-866-241-2266 studentservicesfojccnm.edu www.ccnm.edu ^iiilil^l'lliiiil If you have a university degree in any field you may be" able to obtain a BCIT diploma in just one year. BCIT's direct entry and post-diploma business programs can fast-track you into a career in: Financial Management • Advanced Accounting • Finance • Financial Planning • Professional Accounting Contact: Tim Edwards, Associate Dean 604.432.8898 or fmgt@bcit.ca Business Administration and Operations Management • Business Administration • Human Resource Management • International Trade and Transportation • Operations Management Marketing Management • Commercial Real Estate • Direct Response Marketing • Entrepreneurship • Marketing Communications • ' Professional Sales • Tourism Management Contact: Barry Hogan, Associate Dean 604.456.8066 or mktg@bcit.ca Apply now for Fall 2002 Contact: Chris Clark, Associate Dean 604.451.6714 or busa@bcit.ca www.bcit.ca BRITISH COLUMBIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY -i 12 TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2002 FEATURE THE UBYSSEY ^^^^^^^^m^^^M&^^^^S^^^H^. Vancouver Sun sex columnist Angele Yanor talks about her career, her radio show and the "wackiness" of everyday life. by Michelle Rosa _mL ngele Yanor was driving to a JmM Home Hardware in Port JL am Hardy, listening to Vicki Gabereau on CBC Radio when she had an epiphany. Her future was not in sales and marketing; journalism was her true calling. She turned her car around and headed back home to Vancouver where she then launched her career. You can now find her column 'Lucky Strike" every Saturday morning in the Vancouver Sun's MIX section. Angele sits comfortably in the difilfig room of the exclusive Jericho Tennis Club. Behind her are enormous panoramic windows framing the North Shore mountains against the sunny afternoon sky. Coffee cup in hand, blue eyes beaming, the 30- year-old recalls her epiphanic experience. "What am I doing? I should be in journalism!' So I applied [to BCIT] and I didn't get in, initially., .because what they do is they basically send out rejection letters for everyone who's applied and gone through the panel interviews and all the tests, and then they let you in the week before to see how serious you are. So, I thought I was the biggest loser in my entire class. I'm like, I'm the only one. They let me in late entry. And then I found out the next year, when everyone had gotten a little closer, that it happened to every single person in that room. I thought, 'No one talks about this, right' That's the funny thing about human nature," she says, laughing. And Angele's weekly column allows us to do just that—read about the funny and ridiculous sides of human nature. The column has grown from its initial focus on the "boozy ravings of 2 0-somethings" to encompass more personal concerns of family and friends. However, the column consistently deals with "dating and relating in Vancouver's singles scene," particulary among Angele's age group, the 25 to 35- year-old 'unattached' working professionals complete with condo, car "I think people are dying to know what goes on outside. Like especially people in Vancouver— they're fairly hermetic/' —Angele Yanor Vancouver Sun sex columnist and career. Somewhat satirical and often controversial, the column has covered everything from the good (romantic love in old age), the bad (faking an abortion) and the ugly (the local 'puckbunny' bar scene of hockey star groupies). The recent success of Angele's column has brought about a weekly radio call-in program that discusses similar issues to her column. Every Friday night from 9pm to midnight on CFUN radio 1410 AM, Angele invites her listening audiencg tg debate current topics surrounding sex and relationships. "It's like Cosmo on air. It's about relationships, health, sex and family. Well, you know, I'm not married. I don't have kids. I'm not going to have a family. Health? I care about my health, but I don't think about it much. So what is it? Sex and relationships for three hours every Friday night? So good thing it's only one night a week." Instantly friendly and entertaining, Ontario-born Angele seems, well-suited to the role of on-air personality and weekly columnist. After moving to the west coast as a teenager, she acted in radio dramas for the CBC. Throughout her teen years, she played competitive tennis, a game she continues to enjoy and support as a member of the Jericho Tennis Club's Board of Directors. After high school, she completed a BCIT degree in systems management and spent the next few years at various busi- \ /■ \ \.% ■ i ■ 'j. i V>1 & ££> // 38a? 'Mb it ■7- - - t\ .t r *». "N SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL: Two of Angele Yanor's favourite topics and the raison d'etre for her Vancouver Sun column, emily chan photo ness-related jobs. After her Port Hardy epiphany and subsequent BCIT broadcast journalism degree, she returned to the CBC for her practicum. She went on to produce a "survival rescue show" for the Discovery Channel (US), a job that allowed her to travel the world while writing, directing and producing for the international documentary program. But like a true businesswoman, Angele knows her strengths as a radio personality and as a columnist "I'm in the entertainment section for a reason—I'm trying to entertain. When I start talking about stuff that's really serious, people don't want to turn to me first thing on Saturday morning for a laugh. I mean, that's all it really is. It's just to get a chuckle. It's not a deeply serious column." But not eveiyone is laughing. Conservative puritans aside, the more damaging critics would be , those who fault the television show Sex and the City and Helen Fielding's novel-cum-film Bridget Jones' Diary for propagating the now-popular representation of the 30-year-old single working woman as an insecure manic-depressive whose daily diet consists of Lucky Strike cigarettes, vermouth and new Manolo Blanhik shoes. The British socialite columns of the 1990s revitalised the trend of first- person confessional narratives, which stem from the 1950s advice columns of Ann Landers and Abigail 'Dear Abby' Van Buren. But ■unlike Ann Landers, these columnists provide the confessions without a counterbalancing evaluation. And although not everyone agrees with Landers' moral judgments, the generic gaps of so-called 'Girl Columns' have prompted people like James Wolcott to criticise these columns for their mixed moral messages. In a 1996 article for the New Yorker, Wolcott argues, "Some of these writers are gifted and amusing, but all cling to and fluff up an image of themselves that seems flirty and confrontational at the same time: flirtational. (Tell me I'm cute— or else)." And why not be 'flirtational?' 'When you go out with my friends, that's what they're saying. They are saying, 'Tell me I'm flirty or else,' It's the reality of the situation," Angele explains. The popularity of Bridget Jones- type characters in current entertainment media stem from our own curiousity about this type of woman, Angele asserts. "The single professional working woman is a bit of an enigma to guys and girls. It's like, where am I supposed to be at this age? What's that girl thinking across the bar? How do I approach her? Where is she at? Is she one of these girls that live with a dozen cats? Or is she one of these girls that, you know, has five guys in her apartment within a 12-hour span? People are curious to know...Women just generally are fairly mysterious, especially at this age, because eyeryone is all over the place:" ■ However, Angele acknowledges the limitations of writing first-per son narrative, and has shifted her column's focus from herself to her friends. "My friends understand that it's my job and there's not going to be anything that's too hurtful in there towards someone," she says. While she has "enough friends to get a lot of story ideas," Angele also acknowledges the limited shelf life of 'Girl Columns.' "I'm sure it's the nature of the column that diminishing returns are going to kick in at some point, and it's the nature of the radio Qhow, SO it's just up to you how to grow it It's up to you." If she chooses to continue the column for a length of time, she believes the key to a successful future would see the column become more observational, more "Seinfeld-ian." "I think people are dying to know what goes on outside. Like especially people in Vancouver—they're fairly hermetic," she explains. Given the current interest in Canadian female columnists, such as the Globe and Mail's Leah McLaren and the National Posts Rebecca Eckler, the future of "Lucky Strike" truly lies in Angele's ambidextrous hands. As she points out, "One of the reasons I got the gig was because I was a TV producer. I wasn't trying to be a columnist per se or a serious writer. I think that the Sun, like a lot of other dailies, have their share of people wanting to actually write for the papers, and if you have another career on the side, I think for this type of column, it's a little more appealing to them." Angele has the potential to join the journalistic ranks of her role models, such as Christie Blatchford, the long-time Toronto columnist now writing for the National Post And looking at the success of social/single s/advice/'woman' columns like that of internationally syndicated Ann Landers, a need is definitely being fulfilled. Is it the need to attract female readers and their increased spending power? Or do we seek the 'female perspective' to balance out the traditionally male-dominated war reports and investigative journalism? Is there even a need for yin-yang journalism now that the Vancouver Sun's Hilary Mackenzie and CNN correspondent Christian Amanpour report from Khandahar and CNN news anchor Paula Zahn has carried us through the terrorist attacks? Then again, maybe we need something to make us laugh. As Angele pointed out, "Lucky Strike" is meant to be entertainment Back in the dining room of the Jericho Tennis Club, lunch is being served. Over the clink of forks against plates, Angele considers her future. "I don't get attached to jobs, lovers or money, and I think that it keeps me grounded, because, you know, this isn't going to last forever. It's fun right now, but at some point, I'm probably going to want to get married, have kids and settle down. I can't be talking about wackiness my whole life, you know." ♦ —with files from Gwendolyn Richards