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ubyssey magazine
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white man's wiggle since 1918
,v. ubvssev. be. ca
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9. 1998
VOLUME 79 ISSUE 24
Stonewalled
by John Zaozirny
Trying to interview Oliver Stone seems like something out of The
X-Files. A dark, shadowy and mythical figure, always out of reach.
Arranged meetings that always fall through. Phone calls from subordinates. The Stone is out there.
When I first looked into mterviewing Stone, it was more of a
longshot than anything actually solid. He is, after all, one of the
major directors in film today, and such people are always difficult
to see, let alone interview. When grasping for interview slots with
* important' subjects, the onus is always put on
the would be-interviewer, an abrupt switch
from the normal format Interviewers and
their subjects are usually held together by a
symbiotic relationship; the writer needs the
story and the subject needs the publicity.
But when it comes to dealing with the
' important people,' tlie relationship shifts into
a darker slant, the relationship being seen as
parasitic, and the interview as an unbearable
nuisance. Furthermore, the 'important people' are always surrounded by buffers protecting them from the inquiring writer, and even
when interviews are granted, every communication is slowly filtered through innumerable
layers. As Martin Amis once wrote (on interviewing Madonna), "Now, when you are cir
cling round a star of this magnitude—stacked
like a package tourist above her fogbound airport—you nevi
negotiate with the star herself. You negotiate with her peop]
or, in best post-modern style, with her people's people: hi
agent's agent, her assistant's secretary's assistant's secrei
The messages come back in a remote and cautious ciphi
And such was the case, when I found that I was to be granl
a ten minute telephone audience with the highly elusive
barely available Mr. Stone.
Now, ten minutes is an incredibly short period for an ini
view, especially when dealing with the ramblings and asidi
that telephone interviews can encompass. But ten minutes
better than nothing, and so the next day found me sitting by]
wire-tapped telephone. Hours after the call was due, I receivi
notice that my ten minutes would have to be shifted to tomi
row, when Mr. Stone would call from another city. So,
skipped classes and canceled work for yet another day. N<
day, same thing, but this time aMr. Stone's assistant a wearii
and wary Ms. Annie Tien, called in to inform me that my ini
view had been upgraded. I would be able to meet the infamoi
director in person, and would be given fifteen minutes of
time.
So, the date for Oliver Stone's pricey and highly antidpati 1
(though not highly attended) lecture arrived and I, along with tl j
less than half capacity crowd, trooped into the Orpheum to he r
about movies, meaning and other such tilings. The ostensible n t-
son for this lecture toxir was to promote and discuss Stone's late t
endeavour, a book titled A Childs Night Dream though he hai r
ly opened the book the entire lecture. The book itself has as sp ;-
ted a history as Stone himself, having been written feverisl *
when the author was 19, half destroyed in a rage, and then left )
ignominious decay in a shoe box before being discovered by i
book editor-friend of Stone's who saw its potential. What potent 1
the book has, other than cashing in on. Stone's loyal fans, is a t t
questionable and I'd read enough ofthe book to convince mys« f
that it might have been best left in the shoe box. But afl this h* I
little importance at the lecture, because Stone spent most of the
time assailing critics of his films and speaking about how only the
young truly understood his work. This was quite a winning tactic,
as he was speaking to the converted (who else would shell out
$30+ for tickets?), and must have been even more effective at his
usual choice of venue: American colleges. I seriously doubt there
was a single person in the Orpheum that day who believed that
Lee Harvey Oswald shotJ.RK..
The lecture finally ground to a halt, and the floor was opened
to questions, which resulted in long, meandering inquiries, most
of which seemed to ask why Stone hadn't made a film about their cause,
Oliver Stone
is ifeiliTDOMlg for
films that expose
the great secrets of
American society.
But he's ff:rfiB€lM]nijfi
to give away any
hints about himsel
We trie
OLIVER STONE at his Vancouver engagement at the Orpheum
leatre last October, richard lam photo
which ranged from marijuana legalisation to the struggle of
Natives. Placed on a pedestal as the only liberal filmmaker in
Hollywood by his fans, Stone did little but get harried and
annoyed at their insistence. The question and answer period
dragged on for a short while, Stone's actual answers never quite
answering the questions asked But after this, the much more
attractive item (at least for a number of the fans there) of the day
finally began; the autograph session. But any hope that this might
pass for a chance to " meet and greet' Oliver Stone—a major life
goal for some fans at the lecture—was dashed by the hurried
motions of security and the wearied apathy of the lecturer.
My interview with Stone was supposed to happen after the lecture, but I was getting a bit nervous about the interview happening at afl. Spying Ms Tien, I inquired whether it would take place
that night Unfortunately not, was the answer yet again, though I
was assured that I would be slotted in "somewhere" between all
the interviews Stone was doing the next day.
Given a time and the name of the hotel I dutifully showed up
in the hotel's lobby, twenty minutes late due to a mysterious disappearance of parking spaces in the downtown core. Viewed as a
potential threat by the suspicious hotel staff—Ms Tien had forgotten to give me the room number—I was only let up half-anhour
later after several frantic phone messages. I walked into the room,
expecting to find Stone, but instead I found a very peeved Terry
David Mulligan camped out with his sullen camera operator.
TDM was pleased to inform me that I could do my interview just
as soon as he finished his. He'd been waiting for two hours
ari-wea^iaTiarnMurTate^S
of journalists and assistants, and Mulligan was soon plying
his trade to the weary Stone. Mulligan had introduced Stone
at the lecture the night before, but the director seemed to have
no idea who he was. To TDM's dismay, I was told to sit
through his interview to "get a feel for the questions" that
Stone was being asked. This meant sitting and listening to
Mulligan's attempts to flatter Stone (he called A Child's Night
Dream an instant classic, which should be "required reading
for students") and throw pointless questions at him (such as
what his thoughts on the Internet were). An hour later, I was
forced to sit through yet another flattering and overly analytical interview, as a reporter from The Vancouver Sun lavishly
lauded Stone's novel with references to Joseph Conrad,
Ernest Hemingway, e.e. oirnrnings, William S. Burroughs
and Arthur Rimbaud tossed out casually.
But after all the preening and contemplation was over, it
was my turn to bargain for a piece of Stone's time. Problem
was, there was no time left Eager to meet with some backers,
he was in a rush to escape the interviews. So, as Stone rushed
from room to room, I was to interview him. After weeks of
preparation, my page of questions was cut down to three
questions—three questions that were hardly answered by a
harried Stone as he impatiently strode around the hotel hallways.
The responses aren't even worth printing except to note
that when I asked him about the special appeal of the desert
a prominent setting for key scenes in four of his films, he simply replied, "I like it" Soon after, Stone rushed out of what I
had attempted to make into an interview to get ready to fly
back to the golden lights of Los Angeles. But as he hurried
down the corridor he did point at me and ask his press secretary to send him "a copy of Bob's article." I didn't bother to
rorrecthirn.
Yes, I met Oliver Stone, I ended up spending two and
a half hours with him, but in the end I had nothing more
than a bad taste in my mouth. Stone never seemed to break
out of a shell he'd built up for dealing with journalists,
when dealing with fans. The worst irony of the experience
was that Stone had held as his strong point his relation with
the youth of today, with the "young people.' But every
instance where he was called on to relate with them, to discuss his ideas with them, he ignored them. At the question
and answer session, the autograph session and even the
interview, Oliver Stone held himself apart from his young
fans, from his supporters. Here was Stone saying that only
19-year olds would understand A Child's Night Dream and
be able to discuss it, while at the same time he did an excellent job of ignoring a 19-year old sitting across the table
from him.-* -iMiiKli.
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Nominations for AMS Executive Positions,
UBC Senate and UBC Board of Governors
will be closins Jan 9th,1998 at 4:30 pm.
AMS Executive Positions open:
The President
Vice President
Director of Administration
Director of Finance
Coordinator of External Affairs
Nomination forms and candidate information is now available from the
lExecutive Secretary in SUB 238. All candidates are required to meet with
Ithe Elections Administrator once nominations have closed. It is only after
Ithe close of nominations that a list of candidates will be released, and
[campaigning may begin.
|For more information, please contact, Kaaren Vlug, Elections Administrator,
c/o AMS SUB Room 238, or drop by AMS SUB 224, or call 219-0465.
Nomination forms and further information regarding only UBC
Board of Govenors and Senate Elections are available from
the Registrar's Office in Brock Hall.
CLOSED JAN 9 1998
Wanted: Poll Clerks
The AMS is looking for poll clerks
to manage the polling stations
during Voting Week (January
19th to 23th, 1998) ofthe AMS
Elections. Those interested
are advised to bring a copy
of their class schedule to SUB
Room 224 at 1:00 pm on
Tuesday, January 13th,
1998. Honouraria will be
paid, of $9/hour.
No experience necessary - just
some enthusiasm and creativity.
As a poll clerk, you can choose
your own hours and locations!
For more information, please
contact Kaaren Vlug, Elections
Administrator c/o SUB Room 238
or drop by SUB 224 or call 21 9-
0465
Trash your Summer...
Become an Entrepreneur!
Operation Manager wanted for Summer of '98
between May 1 and August 31. Requires 50-60
hours a week. There are 9 positions available in
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summer ). You will be responsible for: daily operation, customer service, developing and implementing
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employees, managing finances ana setting goals
ana working to achieve them. Must be ambitious,
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You should be able to work with minimal
supervision, must have good leadership skills and
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This is your chance to ask the candidates what
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What makes them the best person to vote for?
This is your opportunity to find out.
Wed, January 14th, 1998
12:30-2:00
AMS SUB Conversation Pit THE UBYSSE
UBC professor admits to assault
» *WSj\\ ,
DAVID LEVITT wasn't talking Thursday richard lam photo
by Daliah Merzaban
A UBC medical professor is under investigation by the
College of Physicians and Surgeons after pleading guilty in
BC Provincial Court to common assault Monday.
David Levitt was charged with sexual assault last spring
after a secretary at his office complained to police that Levitt
tried to kiss her and touched her breast She also complained
that at an office party he repeatedly propositioned her to have
intercourse and often put his hand on her hip or shoulder.
Although Levitt was charged with sexual assault he pled
guilty to common assault and was given an 18 month probation. He is undergoing counselling.
University officials couldn't be reached yesterday to
comment on whether Levitt will face any disciplinary
action. This term he teaches a class on clinical diagnosis.
According to David Vanandel, the deputy registrar of the
College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS), which oversees
the activities of doctors in BC, Levitt will face a hearing
before the CPS council in the next few weeks. The council
will decide whether to discipline Levitt, and according to
Vanandel that discipline could include counselling or a suspension from the College. Vanandel wouldn't release any
details of the investigation.
According to court transcripts, G Parson, crown counsel
at the trial, said June Williamson, 24, felt uncomfortable
with 64 year old Levitt's advances, but did not take action.
Williamson works for Alan Weiss, a physician who shares
an office with Levitt.
On March 13, 1997, Williamson went to Weiss' office to
relax. Levitt came to check on Williamson's condition; she
had complained of a headache.
'He put his hand on her forehead and then kissed her.
She felt his tongue briefly on the outside of her closed
mouth and she felt his hand touch her breast for about one
second," said Parson.
Parson said that a month earlier, Levitt "blatantly propositioned her to have intercourse' at Weiss' fiftieth birthday
party. Levitt's wife was also at the party. Williamson rejected Levitt's advances and he apologized for his actions the
following day.
Williamson said she was satisfied with Levitt's sentencing.
'I feel fine about it I didn't want it to be majorly bad
because it was a fairly minor thing in comparison to a lot of
things that have happened [in society].' she said in an interview at the office where she still works.
Williamson has continued working at the office since the
incident, but said 'Ever since that happened there hasn't
been a single word passed between the two of us.'
'There's no animosity towards him at all,' said
Williamson. 'It was just a stupid moment and he's got some
problems. I just wanted to make sure that Re got help—that
was the big thing.'
She is leaving the job next week for reasons she says are
not related to Levitt.
According to the court transcript Levitt plans to continue
his job at UBC and at his practice in order to support his two
daughters, 15 and 17.
Madame Justice Godfry, the. Provincial court judge at
Levitt's trial, told the court Levitt will be granted a discharge if he meets his probation.
Levitt's lawyer, T L Robertson, said his client's sentence
is not too light. "He will be formally reprimanded, and that
reprimand will be published to the media and to the profession, which is likely a great or greater punishment to
him than the criminal consequences."♦
So long Thunderbird Store
by Sarah Galashan
After two hours of emotionally charged debate last
Wednesday, AMS council voted 18-14 not to renew the lease
of the privately owned Thunderbird Shop.
But students could have a direct say in the future of the
Thunderbird Shop, a SUB fixture for the past 25 years, if the
.AMS accepts a petition of 5000 signatures and puts the petition question to renew the shop lease to referendum during
the upcoming AMS election.
Kristie Kimnett, a fourth year geography student and a
Thunderbird Shop employee, presented the petition to AMS
officials last Thursday.
Ryan Davies, the AMS president wouldn't comment
Thursday on whether the petition was sufficient to trigger a
student referendum. The aAMS did not want to comment on
the possibility of a binding student vote until they consulted a
lawyer about the wording of the petition question.
Some councilors said at the council meeting Wednesday
that the Thunderbird Shop's petition question was misleading
because it doesn't say what the AMS's plans for the shop's
space are.
At Wednesday's meeting, councilors flip-flopped between
talcing a business risk—there is no guarantee that developing
an a\\MS owned shop in place of the Thunderbird shop will
make money—and sticking with what has proven successful
in the past Even Jennie Chen, director of administration and
a former advocate ofthe proposal, was undecided. In the end,
she voted against the motion not to renew the T-Bird lease.
The decision was made in favour of 'confidence in our general manager,' said Ryan Davies, AMS President. The vote
Wednesday also gave AMS staff the go-ahead to develop a
retail outlet similar to the T-Bird shop in that space.
But some of those opposed to the motion said a vote in
favour was an insult to students. Among those voices were the
owner and staff of the shop who lined one side of the council
chambers, wearing Thunderbird T-shirts and listening with
long faces as councillors discussed the ethics and business
issues around the decision.
Bernie Peets, the AMS general manager, has repeatedly
detailed plans for the AMS store. Projected costs for renovations to the store are $66,000. The cash-strapped council took
Peets' projections that while initial profits will be low, running
the retail business themselves will bring more than the
$65,000 they make leasing the space.
In a final plea shop owner John Lecky offered to bump up
his rent to nine per cent of sales, increasing it to about
$84,700. But it was not enough for the majority.
Initially T-Bird employees responded to the AMS plan not
to renew the lease with a campaign to garner student support
by collecting the 5000 signatures.
"Five-thousand students is more than [the number who]
vote in .AMS elections,' said Philip Ledwith, a Science representative.
Ledwith acknowledged that while students who signed
might have been uninformed of future AMS plans, the petition still signified a "very strong feeling of community.'
AMS staff have presented detailed drawings of their pro-
MICHAEL KINCSMILL'S drawing of the proposed AMS store.
posed retail outlet and have made several presentations to the
council to assure them that their plans are sound. Peets' extensive retail experience has been noted several times as well.
For Peets planning ahead has meant looking into possible
suppliers and merchandise, and finalising renovation plans.
But Lecky said he doesn't believe .AMS executives questioned Peets enough and he doesn't think they understand the
principles behind the decision. 'Who are you going to believe:
an aclministrator with a vision and no money invested, or an
entrepreneur who has invested 25 years in the business?'
Peets expressed confidence in the future ofthe plan. 'From
my perspective I understand the concerns and why it is emotional for the Thunderbird [employees], but I don't agree.
We're poised to be very successful.'*
UBC to promote banking services under monopoly deal
by Chris Nuttall-Smith
An arrangement intended to give the Royal
and Hong Kong banks a campus monopoly
includes a provision that will see UBC promote banking services to staff and students,
sources say.
The deal, approved by UBC's Board of
Governors (BoG) last month, gives the two
banks exclusive rights to set up branches
and instant tellers on campus, except inside
the SUB, which is controlled by the Alma
Mater Society.
The two banks will have to negotiate with
the AMS to replace the Bank of Montreal
branch and Toronto Dominion and VanCity
instant tellers in SUB. The spaces are currently leased out by the AMS.
The two banks want to buy out the Bank
of Montreal's lease as early as this summer,
then replace all instant tellers in SUB when
those leases expire.
Preliminary groundwork for future nego
tiations has already begun.
Meeting with AMS General Manager
Bernie Peets and AMS executives Jennie
Chen and Vivian Hoffman last month, UBC
Business Relations officials offered to help
the student union work out its own deal
with the banks.
Debora Sweeney, Business Relations
marketing manager, also suggested the
AMS could help mairket the banks' services
to students.
'We would determine together how best
to communicate with students about the
benefits of the partnership, to them and to
the institution so that they can decide
whether they wish to move their personal
banking to the Royal or HongKong Bank,"
Sweeney wrote in her minutes of the meeting.
'This would include deterrriining the
AMS' potential financial benefits from marketing the program to students," she added.
Paula Martin, a UBC spokesperson.
wouldn't discuss details of the agreement
Wednesday, but she said the university
would make a formal announcement later
this month.
She added the agreement will create a
sizeable windfall for UBC. But she said that
figure, as well as other details of the agreement, will stay confidential.
Martin said UBC officials will consult
with groups, including the AMS and the
Graduate Students' Society, about how to
implement parts of the agreement.
A motion allowing AMS staff to begin discussions with the two banks was presented
to council only this Wednesday. The motion,
tabled by Chen and Hoffman, will come up
for discussion and approval later this
month.
If and when the cash-starved AMS works
out a deal with the two banks, council will
likely revisit many of the arguments still
clinging to the Coke deal signed in 1995.
The most contentious issue will be
whether council should limit student banking options in exchange for cash.
The issue of exclusive agreements is a
controversial one, both on campus and
within the AMS.
Marathon council debates over whether
to join the university and sign on to the cold
beverage agreement giving Coca-Cola a
campus monopoly were some of the most
contentious in recent AMS history.
Council's decision to accept the deal was
also a lucrative one—the AMS generates
some $ 130,000 annually from the contract.
UBC adniinistrators already have hopes
for the money coming from the agreement.
Maria Klawe, vice president of student and
academic services, asked AMS council
Wednesday to support a plan, whereby
$400,000 of annual revenues from the
agreement would go to varsity athletics.
Klawe proposed the money pay for tickets to varsity games, which would be given
away to students.♦ news
JJRY9. 1998
WM
THE UBYSSEY
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Ovvneo ana apeialed 0/ tne Canaaian f eaerattoo 01 Students
Researchers push for
big infrastructure boom
by Chris Nuttall-Smith
UBC researchers are hoping to get
a big piece of an $800 million federal fund for university research
infrastructure, but if the provincial government doesn't soon
agree to pitch in with its own
money, the Canadian Foundation
for Innovation (CFI) funds could
be a lot harder to get.
The CFI was announced in the
federal budget last year to help
fund university science projects
like new labs, science research
libraries and computer networks,
and also to hire new faculty. But
the fund only provides up to 40
per cent of a project's cost; universities must find the balance from
private donors, industry, endowment funds and their provincial
governments.
So far, however, only Ontario
and Alberta have committed
provincial funds. Quebec has
refused the federal support and
BC, while talking with UBC officials about the fund, is wavering
on an announcement. When
asked whether the province will
allocate money for CFI projects,
the BC education minister, Paul
Ramsey said: 'Yes, absolutely,"
but he wouldn't discuss specifics.
"I respect that the CFI is a wonderful opportunity for institutions
in British Columbia to improve
their research facilities and I want
to work with them to find ways to
do it. Having said that I gotta tell
you that the fact that the Liberal
government is coming and doing
this at this time is quite out of
synch with what British Columbia
has been doing,' Ramsey said.
'So [while] we have a new
opportunity here I wish they'd
been around a bit earlier instead
of all the cuts we got,' he added.
Ramsey said he would likely
make an announcement about the
CFI during the spring sitting of the
provincial legislature.
But UBC administrators are
hoping the provincial government
will give $100 million tc BC universities to support CFI projects.
.And while they're shying away
from suggestions that UBC is 'lobbying' the province, university
officials say they have met with BC
Premier Glen Clark and expect to
meet with employment and
investment minister Dan Miller
this month.
Alison Speer, UBC's manager of
government relations, also said
staff in the university development
office have asked business leaders
to urge the province to commit
money to CFI.
In a presentation to the university's Board of Governors (BoG) last
month, Martha Piper, the UBC
president, laid out a financial plan
that she says will bring some $330
million from CFI and provincial
and external donors.
By her estimates, that money
would create about 1500 construction jobs, several research spin-off
companies, patents and licences
resulting in 375 research jobs.
"The future economy of this region
is going to be driven by technology,
research and know-how,' said
Piper.
Richard Spratley, the director of
research services at UBC, is heading up the university's proposals
for CFI grants. He said that unlike
applications to other federal granting councils, CFI proposals will
often be for broad and costly projects. 'We're looking at the big
bucks, really. We're going to try to
package really integrated proposals,' he said.-*
Grad students say 'Non' to department merger
Corinne Seror, Nancy Stevens, Darcy Cullen and Valia Spiliotopoulos
stare down the dean, richard lam photo.
by Douglas Quan
UBC's senate has approved the creation of a new French,
Hispanic and Italian Studies department despite strong
objections from some graduate students.
Grad students studying French say that merging the
French department with that of Hispanic and Italian
Studies will mean the proliferation of courses taught in
English (the only language common to all three disciplines), and the general erosion of French studies on
campus.
"The French language courses won't be as popular,'
said French grad student Valia Spiliotopoulos. "Well be
studying the language, but it will be as if its a dead language.'
The graduate students presented a petition to Senate
on December 10 asking the academic body to oppose the
merger. But Senate voted to support it
Current French department head Richard Hodgson
will head the new department once it comes into effect
April 1 and says the students don't have all that much to
worry about
'It's true that in this new department, we will be offering perhaps one or two more courses a year which would
be given in English..but these courses
would not be compulsory.
"Any graduate student who prefers
in the future to take all his or her courses in French rather than in English
that will still be possible.'
Hodgson said the majors ofthe two
programmes will be retained. He also
said there is a growing trend in Canada
to merge Romance language departments.
The proposal was first announced
by Shirley Neuman, dean of Arts, in
November. Despite repeated requests
from the Ubyssey for an interview,
Neuman refused to comment But in a
memorandum sent out to the various
departments dated November 12,
Neuman explained that the merger
was necessary for administrative reasons.
One reason cited was that there is
currently no replacement for
Marguerite Chiarenza when she steps
down as head of the Hispanic and
Italian Studies department at the end
of this academic year. The department
is also in need of a new faculty position, but cannot afford to keep both a head, and create that
new position.
According to Derek Carr, a professor in the department the number of fulkime positions has dwindled to
just eight The merger with the French department is the
only thing they can do to maintain funding levels, he said.
Neuman's memo also cited problems within the
French department Because of declining enrolment in
third and fourth years, and steady faculty numbers, the
department needs to collaborate with other programmes
'in order to cany its share of teaching in the faculty."
Neuman suggested that the departments merge, and
develop shared courses and programmes (e.g. in literary
theory and Romance Studies): 'such programmes would
give students a broader-based expertise when they leave
the university for the job market'
But graduate students say that the bottomline
remains: the range of courses available to them in
French is slowly diminishing. .And Spiliotopoulos says
that doesn't bode well for Canada's other official language.
'If we want the language to survive we have to make
sure that there is expression.'*?* THE UBYSSI
by Chris Nuttall-Smith
It's been nearly a month and a half since 18 APEC leaders
met at UBC but the fallout around campus is still raging,
with allegations of a Prime Minister's Office (PMO) plan to
silence protesters, a crusading webmaster, at least two law
suits and high-level questions about whether the APEC lead-
APEC fallout
ers' 'retreat' should have been held here at
all.
This week some 20 students and activists
who were arrested or pepper sprayed during campus protests against the leaders
retreat at UBC November 25 agreed to let two
Vancouver lawyers, Cameron Ward and Aymen
Nader represent them in a civil suit against the
RCMP and Prime Minister Jean Chretien.
'We feel that there is evidence that the
police have acted maliciously and that their
treatment of protesters deserves not only compensation but also punitive damages,' said
Nader.
He said the suit, which will likely be
launched in BC Supreme Court later this
month, will allege false and wrongful detention
and imprisonment, assault and battery and
sexual harassment of the women who were
arrested November 25. The women allege that
they were all strip-searched at the Richmond
Pre-Trial Centre, while none ofthe males were.
They will also argue the RCMP and Chretien
violated their Charter rights to freedom of conscience, expression and security against unlawful search; as well as their freedom from cruel
and unusual treatment, Nader said.
The political interference allegations
against Chretien stem from documents
released by UBC last month that show the
Prime Minister's office changed RCMP-
approved security arrangements in order to
keep protesters away from the leaders' motorcade. The protest area between the Law
Building and Chancellor Boulevard was originally planned to extend close to Chancellor
Boulevard, where the passing leaders would
see the protesters, but the area was moved
back from the street by the PMO, despite strong
objections from UBC.
The protesters might also name the university in their suit because of a letter the UBC
president, Martha Piper wrote to Chretien
November 19. In that letter Piper warned
Chretien of serious concerns about the safety of
protesters.
'Officials from your office have decided to reduce significantly the area available for line of sight access to the APEC
leaders. This contravenes the University's commitment to
its community, violates a prior agreement, and increases
the risk of a serious incident arising out of over-crowding
and frustration in a very confined space,' Piper wrote.
The protesters allege that Piper was negligent because she
knew there could be a safety problem on the twenty-fifth but
failed to take adequate precautions.
Jonathan Oppenheim, an anti-APEC organiser who
might join the suit, said the protesters aren't after personal
gain. He said the protesters agreed that if they claim and
win damages from the suit they will donate them to charity
or start a scholarship or trust fund.
A similar suit that caught national media attention last
month was launched by Craigjones, a UBC law student and
a member of the BC Civil Liberties Association. He was
arrested on November 25 while holding two signs saying
'Free Speech' and 'Democracy.'
Jones was standing on the lawn in front of Green
College, where he lives, when RCMP told him to remove the
signs. After arguing that he had a Constitutional right to
hold the signs, Jones was arrested and taken to the
Richmond Pre-Trial Centre, where he was held for 14 hours
then released.
In his suit against the RCMP, the
Attorney General of Canada and three
RCMP officers, Jones alleges police
acted with a 'wanton, flagrant, inten-
RICHARD LAM PHOTOS
tional, or alternatively reckless
disregard for his constitutional
and legally protected rights...'
The university has also been
quick to release documents to
the media in order to clear its
name after the day ended with
49 arrests and protesters, media
and onlookers being pepper
sprayed.
At the December 11 Board of
Governors (BoG) meeting, Piper
listed the steps her office took to
ensure students could be
involved in the APEC protests
and activities. She said these efforts included appeals to the
Prime Minister's Office and the RCMP to develop agreeable
protest areas and then keep them, as well as working to
feel that there
is evidence that
the police have
acted maliciously
and that their
treatment of protesters deserves
not only compensation but also
punitive damages"
—Aymen Nader
a vancouver lawyer
keep the campus informed
before the event, partly by
ensuring the Ubyssey was
permitted behind security
lines to cover the event.
Piper added she did not
meet any of the 18 Asia
Pacific heads of state at the
retreat, other than Chretien,
to whom she handed over the
keys to Norman Mackenzie
House, the president's official
campus residence and a
venue for a leaders lunch that
day.
She also said she will work to correct and investigate the
events of the twenty-fifth. Piper's other actions:
•She requested access to RCMP reports and investigations
ofthe day;
•Piper wrote to request a Solicitor General's inquiry into
the day;
•She gave $5,000 to both the AMS and the Graduate
Student's Society for research or legal action;
•Piper announced a public forum on APEC to be held at the
Chan Centre on January 20. She said she invited GSS and
AMS representatives, as well as anti-APEC organisers and
a campus union representative to sit on a panel at the
forum.
According to Philip Resnick, a faculty representative on
BoG and a vocal opponent of having the leaders' meeting at
UBC, the administration's actions since APEC have helped
remove some public stigma from the university's image.
'It puts the university in a much better light than if those
letters were never sent,' said Resnick.
Lois Moen, a staff representative on BoG, said Piper
should criticise Chretien for his comments. 'I don't think it
would be out of line for this board to write the Prime
Minister to address his flippant and real arrogant remarks
that he made...that made us all look like idiots,' Moen told
the BoG.
The board directed Piper to write Chretien with an outline of the actions she was taking and also to express concern over his now infamous 'For me, pepper, I put it on my
plate,* response to a reporter's question about the RCMP
use of pepper spray against protesters.
Many of the board members, including Resnick, Ken
Georgetti, and student representatives David Borins and
Kera McArthur, said the APEC meeting at UBC was an
embarrassment to the university. "The building of the
Atrium at Norman MacKenzie House, the endowment of a
few chairs and scholarships [in exchange for holding APEC]
are a high price to pay for the limiting of civil liberties on
campus,' said Resnick.
The fallout has also prompted letters to Martha
Piper from the English department. Interdisciplinary 19th Century Studies, the department
of Fine .Arts, and the History department, all condemning the RCMP actions. Twenty-five professors
from the faculty of Law also wrote Chretien to
express their concern over "breaches of fundamental constitutionally protected rights on our
campus on November 25, 1997.'
UBC Law professor Wes Pue has also started a
website of accounts about November 25. The site,
with the title 'Canada, APEC and the rule of law'
cheekily placed over the official APEC logo,
includes Jones' suit, accounts from Green College
residents, the departmental letters to Piper and
Chretien and photographs taken that day. Pue also
examines the day from a legal and civil rights
standpoint, and he offers some harsh criticism of
the federal government and of the RCMP.
"The RCMP has been disgraced. Many officers —
who joined the force as a noble public calling—will
wear the Red Serge less proudly in the future,' Pue writes.
'Some of them should never wear it again.'
The website is at www.law.ubc.ca/links/apec97/•>
Questions after AMS hires elections administrator
by Michael McGowan
The search for someone to oversee upcoming student government elections ended in
late November. After two calls for nominations failed to fill the position of election
administrator, AMS council appointed
Kaaren Vlug following a council vote
November 19.
After previous attempts to hire someone for the $1800 position failed, Vlug a
1997 representative for the Arts Undergraduate Society, and friend of Jason
Murray, current Arts Rep and chair for the
elections nominating committee, was
hired.
'I do see how people would be concerned,' Vlug said. 'Jason [Murray] and I
are friends but we've been friends before
either of us were interested in student politics, she added. 'I think I can do a very good
job.'
After administrative problems with last
years AMS elections recomendations were
made to hire the next administrator well in
advance to avoid any similar mishaps.
Last year's election saw ballot miscounts
and as a result the loss of Jeff Myers' Board
of Governors student representative position.
In addition allegations of voting fraud
were raised but never substantiated and
two unadvertised poll booths were operating off campus.
According to Vlug her late appointment
to elections administrator will not affect the
election. She says this year the elections
committee is taking action to correct some
of last years problems.
The ballot counting machine that three
years ago cost the i\\MS $16,950 to purchase will be replaced this year by a man
ual count conducted by a hired accounting
firm
Separate ballots are also being used for
the AMS race, the Board of Governors race,
and the Ubyssey Publications Board race.
Instead of using felt pens to mark off
squares on the back of student cards, the
elections committee has opted to have poll
clerks physically scratch out these squares
to eliminate the possibility of multiple voting by the same person. The draw for free
tuition, which previously offered a strong
incentive for students to vote multiple
times will not be offered this year.»> WEST 10TH OPTOMETRY CLINIC
Dr. Patricia Rupnow, Optometrist
Dr. Stephanie Brooks, Optometrist
General Eye
and Vision Care
4320 W.1 Oth Ave.
Vancouver, BC
(604) 224 2322
FIND US on the 2nd floor
Behind CIBC Bank
University Village
2174 W. Parkway
Vancouver, BC
^KZ 1st page
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We accept: ZIP. SyQuest EZ135. & SyQuest 44. 88. 200 Cartridges
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Discover the Friendly Competition!
Mort to Fri 8am-9pm • Sat to Sun 10am-6pm
For all members of the UBC community-
students, staff, faculty and administrators
January 13,1998
12:30 - 2:30 pm
Conversation Pit, Student Union Building
The term "Human Rights" is much in the news...
Do you know your rights and rasponsihilitiBS
as a citizen of this university?
Join Professor Bill Black, Faculty of Law, Margeret
Sarkissian, Equity Advisor, Equity Office, Sarah
Dench, Student Services Ombudsperson,
graduate and undergraduate students, for a lively and
vital discussion on
Understanding your Human Rights.
Discuss:
•your rights as a member of the UBC community
•your role in promoting an inclusive campus,
•where to get advice and information to deal with
discrimination and harassment issues.
The Culturally Inclusive Campus Committee welcomes your
questions and comments to guide this discussion. Please direct
all correspondence c/o Equity Office, Room 306, Brock Hall,
e-mail jmcbain@equity.ubc.ca
Travel CUTS offers you another exclusive deal.'
Fly forego
to London!
Now, for a limited time, you can fly for $290
to London when you book a specific Contiki tour.
Drop by your nearest Travel CUTS for details.
fl TRAVEL CUTS
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Contiki is the world's
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18 to 35 year olds.
l/*' HOLIDAYS
The hindered path
"The higher
functioning
students with
autism may excel
academically, but
they often have
difficulty with the
dormitories, the
social scenes"
—Carol Grey
CONSULTANT
FOR CHILDREN
AND ADULTS
WITH AUTISM
Participants must have a valid International Student ID Caid (ISIC) Tours must commence by
09 May 1998 and must be paid in full by 31 Match 1998 Valid foi depattuies from Calgary, Edmonton
or Vancouver only. Full details available at Travel CUTS
by Laura Tiffany
The Muse
ST. JOHN'S (CUP)-It's just before final exams and
Claire's walls are covered with giant sheets of paper.
Covering the length of the walls are with complex diagrams. Claire is pursuing a master's degree, and
while the road through post-graduate studies is rarely
easy for anyone, she has found th6journey especially
difficult.
Claire is autistic.
Sometimes when she gets scared or 'a bit frazzled,"
she climbs underneath her desk and refuses to venture
out until she feels safe. Claire realises most people don't
reac.t to stress in that manner, and has learned to cope
with the response it sometimes elicits from her fellow
students. "It freaked out everyone who came into my
room during that term, but I had finally learned not to
care," she says.
Autism is a neurocognitive developmental disability.
The syndrome affects the way the brain processes information. Autism is not a form of mental retardation, as many people mistakenly believe. It occurs in approximately 15 out of every 10,000 births
and approximately four out of every
five autistic people are male.
fhe disorder affects people with
varying degrees of intensity, explains
Jared Blackburn, another autistic student, who refers to autism as a "spectrum disorder."
"It ranges in severity across a wide
range of conditions, like the colours
of a rainbow," he says.
Aspects of the condition include
severe communication and language
difficulties, an inability to relate to
other people or form social relationships and unusual or problematic
behaviour, such as responding oddly
to sights and sounds.
Autism was first identified in 1943, and the cause is
largely unknown. It seems to involve a "muddling" of
the information the brain receives from the senses, and
this inhibits the accurate processing and integration of
it.
Some of the biggest problems university students
with autism face have less to do with academics and
more with social situations they encounter. Parties,
class discussions, and even conversations with roommates can beextremely difficult, if not impossible, for
people with autism.
"The higher functioning students with autism, .may
excel academically, but they often have difficulty with
the dormitories, the social scenes," says Carol Grey, a
Michigan school board consultant for children and
adults with autism.
"The worst problem is that it's noisy and chaotic here
in these dorms," Jared says. "I like people, but I find them
most strange, illogical, petty and superficial. I can intellectually grasp, but not relate to, their motives."
He explains that, because of autism, he feels like he
is in a state of perpetual culture shock. "I don't understand many of the basic social assumptions that others
take for granted."
Autistic students also encounter difficulties understanding exactly what their professors expect from
them on an assignment or exam. "They might not be
able to pick up on [what professors want]," Grey said.
"They usually have to study longer and harder, and
cover everything because they don't necessarily pick up
on those strong points like the rest of us."
Jared finds himself spending a long time at his studies because of another aspect of his difficulty with processing information. He says he has difficulty scanning
words into actual meaning while studying.
"I must stop and process letter by letter, syllable by syllable, and then word by word... so it takes me a long time
to read," he said. "When I have many reading assignments, I spend all my time on them, get behind, and am
too burned out to concentrate on anything within a week
or two."
Dianne Wills, who is also pursuing a master's
degree, admits that frustration over her studies sometimes lead her to harming herself. "I often found math
frustrating, and if I couldn't solve a math problem
Iwould often bite myself. I bit myself when I was frustrated from as early as I could remember."
Coping with autism can affect a student's decisions
throughout university. Diane had the option, to complete her master's degree, of taking an exam or writing
a thesis. She chose the exam.
"Writing a thesis would have been very difficult for
me since, due to my autism, unstructured tasks don't
come easily," she says.
Students also seek extra assistance from their
schools to help them cope.
The most common request from university students
who have autism, says Grey, is to have more time allotted for exams. She believes autistic students often
require more time to complete an examination.
"It does take them longer to figure out what it is
intended from a question and to formulate their
response," says Grey.
But. whether or not autistic students are allotted the
extra time they need depends on the school they attend.
For Claire, it was not a problem. "My tutors were generally sympathetic and interested when I told them
about my diagnosis, and I was able to get permission on
medical grounds."
It is often suggested that the university
community as a whole needs to become
more aware of autism and the problems
associated with it. Grey says one approach
to this could involve "just improving in
general the understanding that professors
have of students with autism so that they
will not misinterpret or take offence at
some of the social errors they might
make."
For Jared, this surfaces as the "constant
and frustrating" problem of being unable
to get his points across to others, including his professors. "I might ask a question
about one subject, and get an answer
about another, totally unrelated subject,"
he said. "Since I am the common factor,"
he said, "the logical explanation is that I
am not expressing myself well... in a way
other people can understand."
University has for some time been
emerging as a reasonable goal for people with autism,
explains Grey, as the face of those with the disorder is
changing. "We are identifying more and more high
functioning people with autism... so we're dealing with
a new population that we just became aware of."
The assumptions that autistic high school graduates
should either get jobs in sheltered workshops or out in
the "real world" are being challenged by the realisation
that there are other options, including university.
While pursuing a post-secondary education, autistic
students are acquiring much more than diplomas and
degrees. Some find their social skills can be helped just
by attending college and university.
Diane recalls eating lunch with fellow classmates.
"I remember making a very big effort to keep a conversation going and I must have been successful because
they continued to have lunch with me," she says.
"However, I wasn't able to feel a real deep attachment
with anyone. Still, I think those experiences of eating with
those girls, and also socializing with other girls, was positive."
Jared adds that as time passed, it became easier for
him to meet others.
"Before college, I had no real interest in socialising
or spending time with other people. I preferred to be
alone," he said. "During my early years of college, I
developed a taste for company, which I previously
lacked."
Dianne says she is happy she attained a post-secondary education, adding that it not only enhanced her
social and communication skills, but also gave her a
"very good career."
Many autistic graduates have gone on to successful
careers in their chosen fields and lead fulfilling and
productive lives. But they still must grapple with the
realities of their condition. Grey explains that many of
these students often end up in careers where contact
with others is minimal, and where they "don't need to
stand around the water cooler to make points, or to
climb a social ladder. [They go] where they can just
pursue an area of interest."
Whatever their destinations, it is evident that more and
more people coping with autism will be making the journey through university. And though it will often be a difficult passage marked with frustration, as it has been for
Claire, Jared and Dianne, chances are they will be the better for it* THE UB--reSEy»FR,rMY,'JANUARY 9, 1998 .
Jane's diction Sassy but nothing's really shocking anymore
JANE MAGAZINE
by Marina Antunes
As of last September there is one more magagazine to clutter
the closets and coffee tables of women aged 15-30. But this
one's a little different—it's actually good.
The creative team behind Jane is the same group that
brought us the original cutting edge style of Sassy magazine.
Granted Sassynow sits with the current glut of nauseating crap
such as Teen Seventeen and YM. TianMully, the creative team
that originally madeSassysuch a great success has infused that
cutting edge style into Jane.
After readingjane, most ofthe other mainstream, trend-setting magazines seem worthless. Jane covers all of the bases
from health to fashion but does it with dignity and raciness.
Behind the glossy layout and slick appearance are some interesting and inforrnative articles.
In the November/December 1997 issue, the writers of Jane
showed off both their hilarious and serious sides. In sections
like "Dish", the reader is given Hollywood's inside scoop, but
not in the kiss-ass manner practiced by other magazines. Jane
kisses no one's ass. Instead, this mag chooses to treat celebs as
regular people rather than bigger-than-life superstars.
Also on a comic note, is a short article in the "Fashion
Blender" section of the magazine. In "The Sidewalk is my
Runway," Gigi Guerra tests the validity of runway fashion as
wearable clothing by taking an outfit provided by designer
Alexander McQueen onto the streets and observing the
response.
And if that doesn't tickle your funny bone, check out "It's
Hard to be a Woman" in which 26 year old "boxer-short-wearing, upright-peeing, dirty-toe-and-hang-nail kind of chump style
guy," Tony Romando explains the hardships of being a female
after spending a month, that's an entire 30 days, as a woman.
November/December's issue also proved to be a showcase
of great writing talent Susan Colon's interview with Robin
Wright, a woman who takes crap from no one and refuses to
cooperate with media, hints at the potential ofthe magazine. In
a three page interview,Colon managed to get Wright to disclose
inforrnation about her modeling career, her husband Sean
Penn and her feelings toward being in the public eye, something she says that she never wanted to do. The magic is that
Colon gets Wright to talk, something that other writers fail to do
with celebs who enjoy the spotlight but who clam up when
asked to talk about it.
Of course there are the standard make-up-tip-stories that
few women's magazines successfully hit the shelves without.
These tips usually leave people feeling as if they need a professional make-up artist and a million bucks to make them useful.
On top of that, most tips also suggest people need to wear make
up to cover up flaws that don't even exist! Jane provides easy to
understand tips, that do not sell makeup as the salvation for
"imperfect" women. Instead they show it as an art form that
was created to accentuate or highlight a person's natural features.
And although Jane stories are not the underground topics
that will revolutionalise the way we view the world, their stories do take a new slant on some very old and tired topics.
\\%J
Robin l
Wright
Penn
on Seem, her kids,
and the one thing *
she can't stand
Ways Sex
Makes You
Prettier
Ethan Hawke
has never
looked better
We Road
refi
That Wbn't
Compared to the others there is one major difference: Jane has
good writers with attitude. Omit the stories titled-"Eight Ways
Sex Makes You Prettier" and "A Therapy Victim shops for a
shrink"-and you're golden. ♦
Anne Rice fiddles around from vampires to ghosts Cathode Ray looks back in envy
by Marina Antunes
Anne Rice
VIOLIN
[Knopf Canada]
Vhil-- mos'. ofthe really good
material published each month
'liimin*-' largely unread and
iinhi'iini of, except in 'thu litur-
ary underground," Anne, Kir-:,
the best-selling author ofsuper
natural fiction plunges into the
hUsrarv "wnv once again with
her neiv novel V'inlin W<
already on thu best seller's list
'I'uo bad ii isn't worth $32.9:1
Kicr- does not return to her
romantir vampires who
famed hrr both **. following
arid a fortiuii*. instead, sh"
rtik;i!:ll>jf- he- .(• *rn; love aft::ir
*Ai0l iJlii'sift.
kii*e'*- n:.*i*ativ'i s:j,< ossiiiiN
-Hi-,)V(.'.~ through both present
;.n.'l past, dn*-.;!1". and reality,
while tiillini; the sioiy of'Triana,
a woman cursed with misfortune and loss. From the death of
Ti'ianna's husband to the loss of
her six year old daughter lo can
cer, the reader is whisked from
one tragedy to another. Triana also finds herself haunted
by the death of her father and alcoholic: mother a1* well as
the !o-:s of hrr hrst husband to her ex-best friend. Starting
to feel like tins is a soap opera "-uipt'- Wom- not. The plot
doesn't get any juicier.
Th-i plot not only confuses the reader; poorTriaiirf is also hi* fuddled by this
mesh (if problem*-. Unable to handle
the pressures of her bleak reality, site
seeks relief in r-la.isii.ai music. Stefan,
the j-lv's! of a Russian aristocrat and
st;ltish bastard who plays a mean,
demonic fiddle, taps into Tridiia's grief
and her love oi lhe music he plaw so
well, t-i her mxd.
In a spellbinding sequence of
events, Rir« takes Triaua into Stefan's
(Satan's) world as well as into her past
and gives her the opportunity lo rescue
herself from an «jnri she unknowingly
created.
Although confusing at Limes and
slow at others, Yi'i'lin is Hire's ric:l*in*d.
work 'j! ilain !i\\ fa**. Her trudf-tn.irk use
ol language and vocabulary reachi.-s an
all time besl. K* unfortuale lhe story
doesn't live up so thi; promise of her
prone. TMs will be a groat disappoinL
ment to fans: Rice could have spent her
time rehasing an old story. Perhaps
Tans would then feel a little more salis
iied.*>
CATHODE RAY
pelf-titied
\\i'. tir-'t impression upon spmning Cathode Ray's debut CD was
lb.;! -inger Richard Reagh sounds an awful lot like Neil Young.
Ii -'jier.s with a strong, catchy powerpop song, vaguely reminis-
i • -1-' "!' the B-52's which promises more hard-ass excitement
lliai '.he rest of the CD actually delivers. This is not to suggest,
lieu i \\i*r that, musically, the rest ofthe CD is urnnteresting.
' :ilhode Ray have somehow managed to combine a slow,
,i'*:ii'-i mellow jazz-like funk with the driving, rough-around-
ilii- ei^es rhythm guitar de rigeur for any serious band in the
■•'•-! iirunge 90s. There is also the odd Down-Under element
• i| ■■ ■ r.:: ing within the Cathode Ray context—the song "Memphis"
I: -i ■■vimple, could easily relocate to a Midnight Oil CD without
e\\i iiing the notice of your average punter ofthe Aussie persua-
.-.i'"i
Iii .i strange, almost dreamy kind of way, Cathode Ray's
iiii-"dv-melancholic music has achieved the sort of lazy intro-
s]iim :ii.n once, long, long ago, the preserve of Neil Young, way
baik when he still was.'J"
Andy Barham
UBC FilmSoc
Jan 9 -11, Norm Theatre, SUB
Peacemaker
FiimSfiUJyteirte une,
24 hrs, M2-3697 7 Years '" Til>et
W
e /'noi/eyou to join Cftfp/ia T^i
The Beta Theta Chapter of our women's
fraternity is extending an invitation to
interested women to become members of our
cherished order. We offer sisterhood and
support to female students that last the year
through. Come join us in the fun and build
memories and friendships for life. For details
contact Vrania at 267-9383 or 828-5837
after 6 pm or Kimi at 525-0731
BRITISH COLUMBIA LEGISLATIVE
,.W- INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Purpose
Who is eligible
How many-
Location
When
Stipend
Application Deadline
How to Apply-
To provide recent university graduates with an interest in public
affairs, an opportunity to supplement their academic insights of
the legislative process with practical legislative and administrative
experience
Students who have received a degree from a British Columbia
University by the program commencement date.
Seven interns will be accepted for the 1999 program.
Parliament Building, Victoria, British Columbia.
January through June, 1999
$10,500 for 6 months (under review)
4pm, Friday, January 30, 1998
Program applications are available from the Political Science
Departments and the Student Employment Centres on Campus, at
the University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University and the
University of British Columbia. They are also available from the
assembly services office located at 431 Menzies Street,
Victoria, British Columbia, V8V 1X4 6 E LBraEVj*
n
fiii
i"#
/■
THEU8Vsaey*JAt«J*?vfev*^Bef4'» 1998 9
the ubyssev
WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR FUTURE
GETTOUGHVs™
When you set out to gain the skills that will change your life,
you have many important questions to ask. It's like your first
homework assignment. Practically every student who enrolls at CDIS
has visited every other school first. And they ask tough questions of
every one. We think that this is a good thing.
CDIS provides comprehensive training in the areas of multimedia,
webmasters, video production, 3D animation and recording arts.
CDIS is regarded by the industry (the people that hire, not the ones
that hype) as providing top notch, industry ready graduates. And
many of our grads springboard into an entrepreneurial career, confident of their skills and their portfolio. You have already made up your
mind about changing your future. You know you need to do your
research. Just be sure to ask a lot of questions - you may be surprised
by the answers.
REAL QUESTIONS - STRAIGHT ANSWERS
CENTER FOR DIGITAL IMAGING AND SOUND
3264 BETA AVE., BURNABY, BC, V5G 4K4
phone: 604.298.5400 toll free: 800.661.1885
email: info@artschool.com website: www.artschool.com
TO
A Children's
Literacy Program
Be a
Volunteer Tutor
and
Open the World of
Reading to a Child
Do you have 2-3 hours a
week during the DAY to
help a child learn to read?
The Junior League of
Greater Vancouver
Phone:730-0031
for the campus
community
THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Post-APEC
Forum
"What can we learn from the
APEC experience about the
role of universities in a democratic society?"
Tuesday, Jan. 20,1998
12:00-2:00pm, Chan Centre
for the Performing Arts
Moderator: Prof. Lynn Smith, former dean of Law, UBC
Panelists: Arnab Guha, University Forum
Jonathan Oppenheim, APEC Alert
Martha Piper, President, UBC
Wesley Pue, Professor, Faculty of Law
Hockey Birds hope new year brings playoffs
by Wolf Depner
appears to prevail as the UBC hockey team heads into the second half of the season, still chasing its first playoff spot in eight seasons.
The Birds have reasons to be confident UBC is unbeaten over the past three games
and finished the holiday exhibition schedule with a 2-1-1 record. UBC's best game came
against division rival Calgary, whom they beat 4-3 in overtime to claim the Father Bauer
tournament for the third time in ten years.
"It is good to get back at them," said forward Chris Low, who scored the overtime goal.
"It was a good combination/'' said UBC head coach Mike Coflin. "It was meaningful and
the way we won is something to build on."
While the victory did not count in the Canada West standings where UBC trails the
Lethbridge Pronghorns by one point for the final playoff spot, it gave UBC a much needed boost of confidence.
"But this is not the time to be complacent," Coflin said. UBC has after all lost four out
of its last six games that do matter.
All losses came against weaker teams, at least on paper, if not on ice. "I think we get
up more for the stronger teams than for the so-called 'weaker sisters'," explained Low. He
has a point. UBC has played well against Edmonton and Calgary, but it does not justify the
team's horrid play against the likes of Brandon and Regina.
Low's theory will be tested over the
next three weeks. UBC will host west-
ern division-leading alberta this weekend, then travel to second-placed
Calgary, before East-division leading
Saskatchewan comes to town. ■ • !
The three teams combine for a .690
winning percentage.
Lethbridge opens the second half with games against Manitoba, Regina, and
Brandon—a sad lot considering they have a grand .369 winning percentage.
Everybody knows what's on the line and there is a good chance UBC could trail
Lethbridge by much more than one point when the Birds travels to Lethbridge at
month's end.
But Coflin does not see the next three weeks as a make-itor break type situation.
"You don't judge it until it is done," he said. "If we are thinking playoffs, we better
put that out of our minds and start i±inking day to day. We're reminded in
November, the most important is Hie next one"
The next two against the Alberta Golden Bears are as big as they get "We always
want to beat the Golden Bears," said Low. "You ask any guy in that locker room and
he will say 'bring them on.'" Be careful what you wish for—last season the Bears
brought it on alright as they swept, no, destroyed UBC, winning both games by a
17-2 score.
But the Birds are a better team this year and more importantly, they are healthy
heading into the second half.
Winger Corey Stock and centre/winger Geoff Lynch are back in the lineup and
they seem to have found their stride after injury. Stock, who had a terrible first half
and suffered a broken bone in his right hand, played with the same grit and drive
he displayed last year when he was fhe team's leading scorer.
Lynch, who scored seven goals before dislocating bis left knee, had a goal and
two assists in his first two games back, a 64 win and a 3-3 tie over Mount Royal
College.
The Birds also added two forwards to the roster over the holidays—winger 6' 1",
195 pound Brad English and 6'2", 210 pound centre Ben Hoy. Both come from the
NCAA and add size. "That's a quality we need in our forwards," Coflin said. But it is clear
they still need to get in game shape.
When they do, they are expected to help in the goals-for-column, where UBC ranks
third-worst in the Canada West
UBC, 5-8-1 on the season, lost four games by one goal and the Birds can't seem to get
timely goals late in the game, a trend that has carried from last season.
When UBC is tied or leads after two period, the Birds are only 4-5-1. "Those were the
situations we would have liked to have been better in and if we had, we would be in a
much better situation," Coflin said.
UBC's poor offensive production overshadows the fact UBC has the second-lowest
goals-against total in the league. Defensive zone coverage has been good and goaltending
has been outstanding, if not spectacular. Dave Trofimenkoff was the Father Bauer tournament MVP and has a 3.19 goals-against average in 21 games.
Jon Sikkema gets the job done when called upon and continues to split playing time
with Trofimenkoff. Coflin said he will alternate between Trofimenkoff and Sikkema, but
promised to stick with whoever has the hot hand.
Coflin also stressed team discipline as a key to success as the playoffs draw near.
"When your team has trouble scoring, discirjlinR needs to eive you an edge," Coflin said.
In a playoff race that may be decided sooner rather than later, the Birds need every
edge they can get a hold of. ♦
by Wolf Depner
Geoff Lynch, UBC's top centre, is used to plenty of ice time.
This past Friday night his first game back from a dislocated left knee, he logged only 12 minutes. That was just fine
wimhim.
Tm a little bit tired, but it is to be expected," he said after
UBC beat the Mount Royal College Cougars 64 in exhibition
action. "The hands were not quite there, but it felt alright."
Lynch's return to UBC's lineup could not have come at
a better time. As UBC tries to make the playoffs for the first
time in eight years (the Birds trail Lethbridge by one point
While playing junior in the Western Hockey League,
Lynch and Low drew the interest of NHL scouts and both
landed tiaining camp invitations—Lynch with Anaheim
and Low with Edmonton. In the end, both came to UBC.
Lynch, who briefly played in Cincinnati, Anaheim's IHL
farm team, said he'd like to give the NHL another try.
"Playing with Cincinnati was a really good experience.
Obviously, there are a lot of things I have to work on, but I
really want to take the next step."
Lynch appears to have all the physical tools to play in tlie
NHL-UBC assistant coach Brad
Edgington once liked him to
for the final spot in the Canada West western division)
Lynch can make a big difference.
" While UBC, the league's third-worst offense, does not
have a bona fide super star who can carry a team when
needed, Lynch comes close. "He was really coming on
before the injury," said UBC head coach Mike Colfin. "It was
just unfortunate timing, but luckily we came through that
very well."
Indeed, they did. Lynch was on a seven-game scoring
streak before the injury, but it happened just before the six
week long winter break. As a result Lynch, who has 13
points (eight goals and five assists through 15 games) did
not miss any league games.
At 6'1", 200 pound the native of Burns Lake, BC
(pop:2,146) combines finess and power. "He is a guy who
can score and be a presence on the ice also," said Coflin.
"He adds intensity to our team and he is a character in the
dressing room," said Chris Low, Lynch's linemate and best
friend.
all-
star John
LeClair of
the Philidelphia
Flyers—and
expansion is roming up.
So Lynch has a chance. But that is
in the future and on Friday night he was just happy to be
by Wolf Depner
The women's volleyball team had a pretty
good first term. Head coach Errninia Russo
wants the second one to be even better.
Russo publicly challenged her team this
week, saying the players need "to work harder more often" in the second half of the sea-
the national team, coached by former UBC
head coach Doug Reimer. "National team
was really fun," Ross said. "I can take from
the international experience and apply it
down here, trying to make people around me
better and hopefully, help the whole team
improve. I am glad to be back," she said.
So are her teammates, none more than
Maxwell, currently bothered by a sore right
shoulder injury stenxming from overuse.
The 6'4" Ross will not only help blocking
upfront, she will also add variety to UBC's
attack that has relied way too much on
Maxwell and fellow powerhitter Barb Bellini.
"I hope so, that would be nice," quipped
Maxwell before Tuesday's practice.
With Ross back in the lineup, Russo said
UBC will run a faster offense. But right now,
Ross is only a force-in-waiting. She is still
recovering from a knee scope she underwent
over the holidays, and may not see any floor
time this weekend when the Birds host
Calgary.
Russo said she will not force Ross' return.
volleyball
UBC
son. Power hitter Sarah Maxwell echoed the
sentiment, saying the team lacked "heart in
certain games" during the first half of the
season.
These comments are somewhat surprising considering they come from a team that
is not struggling, but ranks first in the nation.
Indeed, UBC won its first eleven games to
start the season. "It would have been really
nice to come into the break undefeated,"
Russo said. "But I also know that some ofthe
wins were close. We squeaked through. I
think this term is going to be way, way
tougher than the first term."
Good thing then middle Jo-Ann Ross is
back with the team.
An all-star, Ross spent the last term with
"You have to think long-term here. [It's]
ridiculous to trunk she [Ross] is going to be
our saviour," Russo said.
Instead, Kusso expects ner team to be
more focused as a whole, starting in practice. She also expects her team to start playing the way it did at the start of the season,
when nobody attached expectations to the
team.
Russo called her first term as head coach
a learning experience and admitted she was
caught off guard by off-court matters. Russo
also admitted to tensions amongst the players, but refused to divulge any details.
"But on the other hand, we're able to get
through them. Hopefully, as a whole, we'll be
stronger," Russo said. "But I don't know yet if
we will."->t->
anada West schools get cold feet
back on the ice.
Playing without a set pair of wingers, Lynch tried to
make the most out of his limited playing time by throwing
his weight around. He also had a handrol of chances, but
missed the biggest one when he put the puck over the cross
bar from four feet out
Lynch did manage a point when he assisted on Low's
wrap-around that made it 64 UBC. All this left Lynch winded.
As coach Coflin left the locker room, he noticed Lynch
leaning up against the wall while talking to a visitor. "Don't
worry," Coflin said, "you'll feel better tomorrow." Coflin turned out to be prophetic.
Plajing with more jump, Lynch
played twenty minutes the next
night His efforts were
rewarded with an assist
and goal, all coming in
the first period, as
UBC tied Mount
Royal 3-3. The
draw extended
UBC's unbeaten
streak to three
games and the
Birds appear confident as they make a
run for the playoffs.
After Saturday's
game, Lynch reflected
on what lies. "We'll be
ready," he stated quietly as
he made his way through the
deserted arena to join teammates in
a post-game meal held in lhe restaurant
overlooking the ice.
Lynch proved he is. ♦
RICHARD LAM PHOTO
by Wolf Depner
by ten Western Canadian universities, including UBC, to solicit and negotiate
an exclusive sportswear deal have run out of
steam.
The ten schools—six Canada West schools
and four Great Plains Athletics Conference
(GPAC) schools—planned to form a consortium, then sign on with Vancouver-based
Spectrum Marketing, the same company that
has arranged several corporate partnerships
between UBC and private companies, including the controversial Coke-deal, estimated to
be worth $850,000 per annum.
But Bob Philip, Director of UBC Athletics,
said the ten schools could not address the concerns of all schools involved in forming the
consortium.
"Trying to get the right terminology into the
[consortium] agreement has been very frustrating," Philip said. "It is still sitting there.
People were gung-ho about it, but I
think people have just lost interest"
Philip added.
Spectrum estimated fhe ten
Western Canadian schools would have
roughly the same number of sports
fans—and as large a market—as one
major US school, like Penn State south
of the border.
Three years ago, Penn State signed
on with Nike, a deal estimated to be
worth millions.
Canada West schools will discuss
the future ofthe sportswear deal again
when they meet in February. "I think
it'll be revived, but I am not sure what
the time line will be," Philip said.
UBC spokesperson Paula Martin
said UBC is still interested in forming
a partnership with other schools and
Philip added UBC is ready to take a
leadership role.
Philip said one potential partnership could
involve only the six Canada West schools coming together to strike a deal with a sportswear
company. Another involves only UBC, UVIC,
SFU, and Trinity Western University.
When asked if UBC Athletics will attempt to
negotiate its own, exclusive footwear deal
Philip said "We'll pursue it, [but] only if the
business relations office agrees."
"And I'm not sure right now of the climate
for beiing involved in the short term with a
footwear sponsor," Philip added. "Right now,
we're involved with several companies and
people don't seem to object to that type of situation. But when you all of the sudden decide
to be linked to one, then it seems to generate
some concern."
Martin said UBC will explore the possibility
of striking its own deal, but only if all other
options are exhausted. ♦
Troubled hoop team
faces tough test
by Bruce Arthur
From the outside, it may appear as if the
UBC men's basketball is reeling dangerously.
Problems are piling up like rotting
pumpkins on November 1st, and the
Birds look as though they may be poised to
take a dive down the Canada West standings.
UBC has lost five games in a row leading back to late November, and the troubles don't end there. There have been
rumblings of frustration within the team
at the mounting hurdles, and some players haven't been able to adjust to the reau-
ties of this talent-thin era in UBC basketball.
This is a program that won the Canada
West two years ago, and probably should
have last year. That UBC has to substitute
sheer extra effort for their overall drop in
talent has been an unwelcome adjustment
for veterans and youngsters alike.
First-year post Mikkel Hansen, plagued
by injuries all season, is the second big
man to quit the team this year. As a consequence, UBC is down to nine roster players.
Head coach Rich Chambers has had to
recruit players just to practice with the
team—Tuesday night's practice with former Bird Dave Buchanan was the Birds
first full-scale practice in seven weeks.
Former Lethbridge star Barnaby Craddock
has also joined some workouts, which
should at least offer a good test for
Chambers' guard corps.
So where is this team headed?
Well, with an overall record of 8-8 (3-3
in the Canada West), all is not as bleak as it
seems.
Three of those five straight losses have
been to national champs Victoria, and two
of those were by a combined nine points.
The other two losses were by four points to
the Seattle Blue Angels and by eight points
to SFU.
Ask Chambers how he feels about his
team after this weekend's two-game road
tilt with the Lethbridge Pronghorns, who
are 6-0 in the CW and are averaging a dazzling 98 points per game.
"I think Lethbridge is the best team in
the Canada West," he said. They'll give us
more problems than [6-0] Victoria" When
asked why, Chambers pointed to their
supercharged style of play. "Lethbridge
runs nonstop, and that will test us." With
UBC's increasingly suspect depth,
Chambers said UBC will suffer in a helter-
skelter track meet style of game.
But he also believes if the Birds can stay
within their disciplined system and maintain their collective cool, UBC could steal
one or even two wins.
But given the fact Lethbridge has a reputation of a road stop where the referees
practically sit in on the Pronghorn huddle
to discuss strategy, fhe possibility of seven
straight losses is a very real one.
Chambers' prime concern is how his
charges respond to this tough road—the
wins and losses aren't the be-all and end-
all. "Hey, we don't have to beat Lethbridge,
or Victoria, or Alberta," he said. "We just
have to beat out Calgary and
Saskatchewan to get into the playoffs, and
then we can do anylhing."
The Lethbridge series will definitely be
a measuring stick as to where Birds stand
in the Canada West scheme of things, but
their home series against Alberta January
16th and 17th should be even more
revealing—Alberta is the team that UBC
may have to beat out for third place in the
playoff pooL
So who does UBC want to playcome-
postseason Lethbridge or Victoria? That
question should be answered—at least in
part—this weekend. ♦ ■;."■_*. v, jF ~*^
Ubyssey Publications Society
1998 Board of Directors Elections
The Ubyssey Publications Society is the organization responsible
for publishing UBC's official student newspaper, the Ubyssey. Its
membership consists of all UBC students who have not opted out of
membership in September by completing an opt-out form. Members
are eligible to run for, and vote in, Board Elections.
The Board of Directors oversees the administrative and business
aspects of the paper including advertising, marketing, distribution,
the budget and finances, meetings of the Society, and management
of employees. ^ -
The Board is not, however, involved in the edftp|iMaspects of the
paper. The editorial policy and content ^f tftife^i^ is determined
by the editorial board of the paper, elected by the §taff in March of
each year. To become a staff member, those interested need to
contribute to three issues of the Ubyssey and attend regular staff
meetings in order to get voting rights and the right to run for an
editorial position.
Term is January 98- January 99. Directors attend approximately
20 Board Meetings throughout the year in addition to serving on
Board Committees. No previous experience with newspapers or the
UPS is required;
- jj,, - - -.• .T- ■
The positions up Ipf elation are the President and 4pf|i^tor^t
Large. ' '"'W^'~S:t
Nomination forms ai#iav&ilable at the Ubyssey BusinessStffic§
*&~> ' V i^""
,"*:
-•*■' ItefSl
SUB 245. Completed forms must be returned b^Wl^Prafe
January 9, 1998/ "^ \\ \\ , WW^e;[^
< • - » iHlil'UU
Elections will be held in conjunction with the AMSJ^ebutive, UBC
Board of Governors, and Senate Elections, January 19 to 23,1998.
For more information contact Melany Lund, UPS Chief Returning
Officer at 822-6681 Bleek says
ill
the true alternative culture
SPECK
by Alison Cole
Looking for a quick read and a somewhat amusing 'zine ecriture Speck provides a fair dose of
your average indie band interviews, inchlong
music, 'zine and book reviews, and the occasional stolen newspaper article.
Interspersed among a generous variety of
advertisements, ranging from other homemade magazines to ads for "The Catalogue of
Carnage" ("real human skulls, bones, serial
killers...") and "The Journal of the Church of
Euthanasia," this 'zine oozes a personality of
cynicism, slackerism and sly humour. It's
entertaining to read the primitively profane
vernacular of a conversation with the
California punk band "Twisted Nixon," as
well as to read about the demented morales
of US soldiers in Korea in the story "G.I.
Gripp."
"Bleek," the author of the 'zine, who hails
from Merritt, BC, also uses Speck as a vehicle
for the programme schedule of his pirate
radio station MFCR. In addition, an article
about Free Radio strongly endorses the pirate
"industry" and calls the CRTC "the Canadian
version of your protection from free speech."
Oh, and there is a "How Awful Is the Radio in
Your City?" quiz to take, which marks the
phrase "Classic Rock" used in any way as a
bad thing, and a DJ coughing and sneezing on
the mic as a good thing.
While plagued by the eyesores of some
really bad comics and one-inch column wide
articles in 8-point font, the reading of Speck
proves to be amusing but also enhghtening.
After all, where else would you learn that cat
urine glows in black light that no word in the
English language rhymes with 'month' (I
unsuccessfully tried to prove this wrong), and
that the Boston University Bridge is the only
place in the world where a boat can sail under
a train driving under a car driving under an
airplane? Read this 'zine, and Bleek says
you'll be supporting the true alternative culture. His or her address is Box 556, Merritt,
BCV1K1B8.**
Stories your mother would love
STORIES TO HIDE FROM YOUR MOTHER
by Tess Fragoulis
[Arsenr/i Pulp Press] by Penny Cholmondeley
Your pulse races. Your palms sweat You open the cover of
Stories to Hide From Your Motherby Tess Fragoulis, ready to be
stimulated. But what you find inside isn't your run of the mill
moaning and groaning erotica. What you get instead is a collection of witty and imaginative tales thatpeek-into the fantasies of
some very interesting characters.
The subject matter (broken relationships, affairs gone sour) is
not new. Fragoulis' approach is. She focuses on and somehow
puts to paper daydreams and emotions usually left unspoken.
One tale involves an older woman, who while waiting for the bus,
creates a series of imaginary encounters with a young man she
sees everyday. One young woman relives her childhood fear the
spider she sucked up with the vacuum will lay eggs and its offspring will vengefully hunt her down An abandoned lover wan
ders the streets, finding release, but not comfort in a single lustful
encounter.
Fragoulis' erotic and jarring imagery reminds the reader of
those moments when they themselves have been unwillingly
exposed. As Fragoulis composes short stories ranging in tone
from whimsical to serious and introspective, she demonstrates
control of her medium. Her short stories don't try to be more
than what they are—brief but concise glimpses into a scene or
moment in time. There is no pretense, just an observation of
the fear and mystery surrounding sexuality.
However, while her characters slide comfortably into the settings she creates, they are also a source of weakness in the collection. It is as if the same character is moving from story to
story, changing names but not personality.
Yet what Fragoulis lacks in character development, she
makes up for in style. She shocks, and still follows through.
A story about a cannibalistic mother starts by hinting at a
gruesome ending, but develops into a story about an uncon
ventional woman's confinement in playing the
role of mother.
While you might want
to call this a feminist collection, it's not really necessary. Fragoulis is not
out to change your politics, she's out to entertain. Yes, her characters
are often strong, independent women. And
yes, they are ultimately the masters
of their fate, but they
get carried away by their passions also. But don't read too much
into it Enjoy the sensations and images the author creates and,
while you're at it, share it with your mother.-*
When I get to page 15 I need to end it
WHEN I SAY NINE O'CLOCK
I NEED TO MEAN IT
by Jenny Durrant
[Smoking Lung Press]
by Tom Peacock
A bizarre love triangle is the story
Jenny Durrant weaves for the
unsuspecting in her refreshing zine,
When I say nine o'clock I need to
mean it. Durrant's zine is anything
but light, but does not suffer from
being intense. The story's most
interesting aspect is the protagonist's freaky but strangely real personality.
Durrant describes a year, a short
year, in the life of two girls and an
extremely large man. The girls both
date the man, and are his and each
others closest friends.
As this intractable friendship
progresses, it heads towards a psychotic conclusion, charged with
jealousy and possessive love. The
sex gets nasty, the intellectual dis
tances broaden, then the zine ends
after only fifteen pages of large
type.
We are sad creatures who feed
hungrily on the hopeless stories of
sadder ones. Durrant was kind
enough to step into the gloomy lair
where we dwell. Too bad she turned
her back on us.-*>
the*
w
omen's Issu^l
needs your
uoice!
Looking
for:
' Next meeting
to be held:
Wednesday,
January 21st
1:30
SUB room^
241K / women writer$,phQtog-
raphers, and layout help
die ubyssey
YOU'RE BACK
WE NEVER LEFT
The Great January
Fun Sale
OnNow!
01 uc
< 7:00 pm
Grizzlier vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Thursday, January 29th a) 7:00 pm
Canucks vs. New Jersey Devils
Friday, January 30th 3 7:00 pm
Gri5%lies vs. New Jersey Nets
Saturday, January 31st a? 7:00 pm
Purchase tickets at any Ticket Master outlet by presenting- your Student ID.
Call 899-RUSH for more info.
* This offer is criy valid for tickets in selected price ranges only. Maxiirun 4 tickets per st-udent — gjantities are limited. Offer crily valid for games listed in this ad.
Tickets can be purchased at any TicketMaster outlet. Please sr-ow proper Student ID at time of purchase. This offer cannot be cenfcined with any other ticket offer.
Tickets can be purchased up until 90 ininutes prior to tip-off. Ticket prices include GST and are subject to TicketMaster service charges. RY9, 1998
Ui*a£&3
I JaiNUARY 9,1W8-VOWME7V ISSUE 24 j
Editorial Board
Coordinating Editor
Joe Clark
News
Sarah Galashan and Chris Nuttall-Smith
Culture
Richelle Rae
Sports
Wolf Depner
National/Features
Jamie Woods
Photo
Richard tam
Production
Federico Barahona
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 ot the 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 firmly
adheres to CUP's 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 faculty 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 j
to letters and perspectives over freestyles j
unless the latter is time senstitive. Opinion }
pieces will not be run until the identity of the I
writer has been verified.
Editorial Office
Room 241K, Student Union Building,
6138 Student Union Boulevard,
Vancouver. BC V6T 1Z1 j
tel: (604) 822-2301 fax: (604) 822-9279
Business Office
Room 245, Student Union Building
advertising: (604) 822-1654
business office: (604) 822-6681
fax: (604) 822-1658
Business Manager
Fernie Pereira
Ad Design
Afshin Mehin
When Joe Clark and Sarah Galashan showed
up at the reunion together everybody gasped. Chris
Nuttall-Smith had been suspicious for years, but
Jamie Woods had never guessed it for a second.
Richelle Rae also caught people by surprise. She
looked more like Federico Barahona than Richard
Lam had back in the late 1990s. Wolf Depner hadn't changed a wit His hair had gotten greyer and his
ulcers had ulcers of their own. but John Zaozirny
whispered to Todd Silver that he sail thought Doug
Quan was the first candidate for a stress-induced
heart attack. Marina Atunes had done a great job
contacting all the old hacks, and Charlie Cho made
sure to recognise her efforts with a big wet kiss after
he gave a toast. Sarah O'Donnell and Ian Gunn were
late as usual, proving that deadlines still were of little concern, even 20 years later. Scott Hayward,
tragically, showed up wearing tight, neutrino blue
leather pants. Matt Thompson just shook his head
and bought Ron Nurwisah a beer —just in time for
his 21st birthday. Everyone agreed Dale Lum and
Dhatia Merziban had aged better than Michael
McGowan. Casey Sedgman didn't look a day over
75. Andy Barham showed up with all of his identical septuple's in tow. Penny Cholmondeh/ won the
"most likely to show up to the 20 year reunion*
prize; but Tom Peacock had to accept on her behalf,
simply because she and Bruce Arthur were on
assignment in Chris Tenove's backyard.
Have we got a(nother) deal for you
There's a thicker edge to the corporate sponsorship wedge at UBC since December 11, when the
university's Board of Governors endorsed a landmark banking monopoly deal for campus.
Details ofthe pact (hush hush with UBC and
banking officialdom) are starting to spill the
Ubyssey's way, and they suggest this deal is
about more than just sugar and water. Your
university (it is yours, after all) has just traded
a monopoly over one of Vancouver's richest
captive markets (you) for a sizable cash kickback.
If that doesn't sound familiar, it should. The
university is basically following the precedent it
set for itself a couple of years ago when it inked a
deal with the makers of everybody's favourite
soft drink. The added wrinkle this time around is
that the university is also cornmitted, in writing,
to promoting the deal and its supposed benefits
to students, faculty and staff.
The university euphemistically calls that
comrmtment "corrirnunicating with students
about the benefits of the partnership,' so that
students—always in need of direction—can
decide whether to keep their money safe with
the Hong Kong or Royal Banks.
But in a highly confidential and closed meeting, UBC's Board of Governors was told what it
really means: UBC just got into the business of
hawking bank accounts and mutual funds.
Objections from four ofthe governors were dismissed.
The university's business relations department was less careful with its choice of words
in minutes of a meeting between business relations and AMS officials. In its proposal that the
student union sign its own deal with the Royal
and Hong Kong banks, business relations said
discussions with the banks "would include
determining the AMS' potential financial benefits for marketing the program to students." In
other words, the AMS would not be denied its
own chance to haggle over the size of its own
chunk of change.
The Royal and Hong Kong Banks now have
a lock on every area of campus besides the
SUB. And the banks have plans to buy off the
student union and to buy out the leases it con
trols—most notably the Bank of Montreal
branch in the SUB basement. The university is
all too eager to help.
In another highly confidential meeting,
Business Relations head Peter Ufford convinced BoG the Bank of Montreal really wants
to take a buyout. Stripped of their prime
responsibility (the university millions), the
Bank of Montreal will be evaluating their usefulness on campus in the coming months,
vowed Ufford.
There is one last stand left to preserve some
choice for students. The AMS, always here to
serve students, has an opportunity to accept a
lot of cash. But would they really be serving students by doing so? The inevitable result is that
students will end up inconvenienced by a lack
of choice or stuck with having to switch banks
in order to avoid service charges, which, as we
all know, can add up pretty damn fast.
If the AMS truly wants to serve students, bring
the inevitable proposal from the banks to students. With an issue this big, let students vote on
it God knows the university won't ♦
85 cents a small
price to pay
In a few days a referendum will be
held on the UBC campus. In conjunction with the AMS elections,
students will be asked to vote on a
proposed increase in their student
fees of eighty-five cents per annum
to support the work of Pacific Spirit
Family and Community Services.
Pacific Spirit, an independent non-
porfit society, has been providing
free counselling and community
services to the over 800 families
who live on the UBC campus for a
decade now and as a former community member and a student parent who has been supported by
this agency I would like to encourage UBC students to vote in support of this funding. Combining
parenting with studying can be
very stressful especially when a
low income, new culture and family relocation is involved (as it often
is). Pacific Spirit has provided me,
and many other student families
with the information, support and
personal space they need to keep
going-with studying, parenting and
personal relationships. However,
as a non-profit society, they are
constantly struggling to secure the
funding necessary to continue
these services. So please, VOTE
YES during the week of January
19th. Eighty-five cents is a small
price to pay for the valuable services this agency provides.
Cindy Sutherland
PaciSc Spirit Staff
Roller coaster of
a bike ride
The bicycle path along the
University of British Columbia's
Boulevard is dark and dangerously
unpredictable. To a roller coaster
junky the path compares to
Disneyland's "Space Mountain": a
roller coaster that takes you on a perilous ride through dark and tumbling tunnels. The only difference is
that the bike path lacks a warning
sign as you enter the University
gate Caution: may cause extreme
nausea and dizziness. Not suitable
for those with heart condition...
On my daily bicycle ride to and
from UBC I have witnessed many a
cyclist narrowly avoid death. As one
dodges ditch and slippery patch of
leaves along the narrow path, buses
rumble by spraying sheets of cold
mud and water from the water
accumulated on the road. The road
itself barely fits the width of the
buses and I fear for those cyclists
who, in their frustration with the
bike path, risk life and limb for a
smoother surface and ride their
bikes amongst the heavy traffic.
This stretch of bike path is long
overdue in need of repair.
However, UBC, UEL, the golf club,
and the Ministry of Transport have
all informed me that they are not
responsible for the upkeep of the
path. This may be so...a piece of
free land just waiting for a
taker?...it may also be that the owners are just not paying much heed
to me-a lone caller-pestering them
with my concerns. At this point, it
looks as if it is going to take a serious injury and a lawsuit to repave
the bicycle path to UBC.
EmmaMacEntee
UBC no place for
ignorance
This letter has been written to
address some concerns I've had
regarding a few of the letters in
recent issues of the Ubyssey. These
letters had litde in common except
that in each the author tried in
some way to encourage or extol
ignorance. They came from students who were upset about the
way in which the APEC protesters
had tried to involve them and tell
them about the protest
A Ms. Luebkemann objects
chiefly to the APEC-Alert tactic of
making announcements to class
during class time, claiming that in
some way APEC-Alert is "imposing
its ideals" on her and others "who
may not want to know."
The imposition of ideals is a
tricky and difficult business
requiring extensive time and
effort try talking to Forestry students before and after they've been
schooled, or try reading "A
Clockwork Orange."
As for those "who may not want
to know," how can anyone tell what
they do or do not want until they've
been exposed? Or does one just
know that when issues one certainly does not want to know when
much of that suffering is caused,
directly or indirectly, by our own
actions and policies.
I respect and admire a devotion
to school, but I am appalled at the
idea that there are those who hold
ignorance as an ideal. In Arabic
there is a word that can be translated best as "seeker of knowledge;"
the English word "student" might
have that connotation but that's
obviously not necessarily true.
Ms. Luebkemann claims to
respect Free Speech as guaranteed
bu the Constitution, but it seems
she'd like to decide how and
where.
Mr. Jeff Valance states at the
end of his letter that he's "glad it's
over." what's over? APEC continues and hopefully so does social
activism at UBC.
Chris Wulff
Canada Post Publications Sales Agreement Number 0732141 THE
t>^ 9*4898-15
An open letter to
Martha Piper
I have included the text of a letter
written on November 2 5 and circulated to several colleagues for their
review on the 26.1 thought seeing
it might give you some satisfaction.
I am very impressed be your
quick action evidenced by your
message concerning APEC, late
Wednesday. I applaud your concern, which is terribly important.
It is important for the university to
take a pro-active role in dealing
with the issues of free speech.
"I am writing because I know of
your concern for the welfare of the
students of the University of
British Columbia.
"During the recent events
organised by our students to raise
concern about the APEC meeting a
number of events were reported
in which it appears that excessive
force was used on our students by
the security imposed on the campus. These include unwarranted
arrests which could and may have
threatened the health of a peacefully demonstrating student.
"I realise that the security was
not organised by UBC, however
these are our students. The university should see as part of its
responsibility, the representation
of their rights while on our campus.
"Now that the protests are over,
I request that the University investigate the events during November 24 and 25, to determine
whether the rights and welfare of
the students were threatened. The
University should publicise the
results of this investigation. Furthermore the University should
establish guidelines for acceptable
imposition of security on campus
lands. Such guidelines may imply
that events requiring the type of
security seen over that last two
days are inappropriate for a free
and open campus."
Dr. George B. Spiegelman,
Professor Microbiology and
Immunology
UBC admin callous
and hypocritical
I am writing to express my deep
concern over the university administration's decision to allow this
campus to be used for the recent
APEC meeting.
Universities are both a symbol
and a locus of free speech.
University students are encouraged to question, explore, and
debate. The very nature of scholarship, research, and learning often
involves challenging the st-.as
quo.
And yet, UBC allowed onto this
campus the leaders of several governments which systematically
suppress freedom of thought and
speech through the use of torture,
imprisonment without fair trial,
exile, and execution. As you are
aware, these practices contravene
the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, to which Canada is
a signatory.
The UBC administration's decision to allow these leaders onto
campus without a word of official
protest at their activities, strikes
me as callous and hypocritical.
Your office recendy issued a
statement that UBC "upholds the
rights of all to express their views
freely and engage in peaceful
demonstrations." However, I
believe that UBC has broken faith
with students in other countries
who are suffering and dying precisely because they have tried to
exercise those rights.
Moreover, UBC's decision to
allow these leaders onto campus
teaches a cynical lesson to students
at our university. It teaches them, I
think, that self-interest may take
precedence over principle and
rule of law, and that the rights and
indeed the lives of people in other
countries are of less value then
those of Canadians.
I hope UBC will make every
effort to undo the damage it has
done in this instance, and to put
morality above self-interest in any
future decisions of this nature.
John Gilmore, Instructor
English Language Institute
We need to look
at ourselves
I would like to start off by saying
that I commend the efforts of those
who participated in the protest of
APEC on November 25, 1997.
Though I was not part of the action,
I feel strongly about standing up
for human rights and the injustices that are taking place in the
world. Admittedly, APEC was not a
familiar term to me when I first
moved here from Alberta three
months ago, and I was not fully
aware of the coming summit in
November. Now that I am more
informed about what the agreement entails and what so many
people have been standing up
against, I feel impassioned by
those who took the time to voice an
opinion. As for the protest itself, I
found myself feeling a bit differently. I don't feel that defacing
school property and throwing
paint all over the Goddess of
Democracy is very productive at
all. On a similar note, I don't feel
that singing songs to the police
with words like "you fucking
police..." lends any kind of dignity
to the purpose ofthe protest. As for
the police, this is such a controversial issue to bring up. On one
hand, one could argue that they
were simply doing their job and
that their aggressive nature was
due to the extreme concern of protecting a world leader. However,
on the other hand, spraying innocent bystanders in the face with
pepper spray seems more like an
excuse to exercise unnecessary
power. I will say no more simply
because I was not present when
the spraying occurred. Therefore, I
feel I have no right to form any
kmd of opinion on the matter.
I will end by saying that I find it
very ironic how people can protest
this APEC matter when our own
Canadian government has committed similar crimes to our native
peoples. I ask everyone involved in
the anti-APEC protest to seriously
consider their own country as well.
Step outside the emotions, the passion for humanity and open your
eyes to what's happening on our
streets. How our government at
one point has asked the natives to
deny their cultural heritage and be
"Canadians, as all Canadians."
Look at Tibet, then look back in history at the natives before their land
was taken over. Take a look and
see if you feel any different about
your stand against the denial of
human rights anywhere in the
world.
Jennifer Tomomitsu
Arts Student
APEC coverage
not objective
Thank you for your remarkably onesided reporting job in the
November 28 issue of the Ubyssey.
After having read article after article
on how unnecessary the police's use
of force was against the student protesters outside the Rose Garden on
November 25, I'm left wondering if
your paper is objective at all.
Certainly, what everyone saw on the
news reports and in the papers was
disturbing and I hated to see it happen, but as a newspaper you have an
obligation to show both sides of the
story.
Witnessing the events of that
afternoon, what I saw was not mentioned in any news reports that I
have seen. I saw supposedly passive
protesters climbing the Koerner
library. I saw a group of students
being sprayed in the eyes with
painful pepper spray. And I saw it all
organised by a few professional protesters who were more concerned
with getting their event on television
than the safety of the students who
were faithfully helping their cause.
Seeing the protesters climbing
all over the library, then seeing
these same protesters tearing down
the fence that was supposed to protect both them and the students who
were protesting, the police were well
within their rights to perceive a
threat to the, boundaries they were
supposed to be guarding. They knew
what would happen to anyone who
got past them, and wanted to avoid
having to use their secondary measures of dogs and riot squads. They
did what they had to, unfortunate
and violent as it was. They didn't
have time to aUscruriinate between
who was a threat to the delegates
and who wasn't. The protestors
crossed the line and the police were
forced to react.
The police have a legal responsibility to protect what Cons. Russ
Grabb of the Vancouver Police
Department calls "IPP's" or Internationally Protected People. Federal
statutes obligate the police to give
the IPP's protection based on a scale
from 1-7, one meaning they give
them a personal van and driver, and
five meaning they close off roads,
weld manholes closed, and remove
all mailboxes from the area, along
with putting up fences to keep any
protesters at a safe distance. Well,
they had twelve level five IPP's in
one place at one time. When the protesters were climbing all over the
library, they were no longer engaged
in a peaceful protest When they
pulled down the fence, they crossed
a boundary they knew they shouldn't have, and they were then
engaged, as far as the police's
instructions indicated, in a riot It is
horrible that they were injured, but
the police had to keep them back.
Considering the alternatives, pepper spray, with no after effects, was
much safer than batons or dogs or
guns.
The true travesty is that the students were used as pawns by the
organisers so that the protest would
be televised. They willfully inarched
toward the police and took down the
barrier. This indicates that they
were looking for some kind of confrontation. If the purpose of all this
was to make people think about
human rights issues in other countries, then they failed in their purpose. All people were talking about
all over the news was the conflict
with the police at UBC. The genocide
in East Timor got no real press at all.
John Little
4th Year English Student
The new rabble
APEC was opposed by First
Nations organisations, by churches,
by trade unions, by teachers' organisations, by women's groups by a
wide range of community groups,
by irnrnigrant groups that know
oppression at first hand, by the
unemployed, by citizens on income
assistance, by the homeless, by students at secondary school and university, by seniors' groups, by environmental groups, by peace groups,
by business groups with a conscience, and many others.
These were the people who made
up the large demonstrations against
APEC, including the pepper spray
war at the University of British
Columbia. The students who were in
that war are now heroes. They
fought for the human rights of ordinary people.
Yet Prime Minister Chretien dismisses the pepper spray war as
insignificant He puts pepper on his
plate, he says. For him, and the elite
he represents, the students are
fools, the church leader are fools,
the Native leaders are fools, trade
union leaders are fools, women are
fools, the unemployed are fools, low
income citizens are fools—everyone
is a fool except the Canadian
Establishment.
What do we do when our so-
called political and economic leaders, and their media, treat us like
fools? What do we do when we
understand that government no
longer works for us, but only for the
most privileged people in society?
We can protest in the streets. We
can practice civil disobedience. We
are the new rabble-women, men of
the worldng/middle class who do
not own wealth in any overwhelming sense (the richest 10 per cent of
Canadians own over 50 per cent of
Canada's wealth according to
Statistics Canada Cat 13-588, June,
1987). We are seeing our country
being destroyed by those who would
turn community into commodity.
77ie Ubyssey (Nov.28/97) contained letters from students and
professors that expressed shame for
the behavior of the Canadian government and the police who carried
out the government's orders.
Welcome to the citizen rabble of
Canada and the world.
Sandy Cameron
A safe place to live?
Is UBC a safe place to be? Yes, some
say. But consider the woman who
awoke last year to find a stranger in
her room, watching her sleep. Or
consider the two students who were
violently assaulted on campus simply for speaking in French. And the
man who was seen peering over
bathroom stalls in the SUB women's
washroom...The fact ofthe matter is
that these kinds of assaults and intrusions are more prevalent on campus
than we would care to admit
Here are some alarming statistics:
•Out of eight participating universities, UBC students are the least
satisfied with personal safety of
campus (information comes
from a safety report called
"UBC Second to None." Go figure.)
•Over 66 per cent of women and
22 per cent of men said they
would use the campus more
often if they felt safer
•Twenty-six per cent of women surveyed in 1995 at UBC disclosed
that they "had never been sexually assaulted or raped."
•Almost one out of every two
women in British Columbia has
been sexually assaulted (47 per
cent)
Although many of us may not
feel threatened on campus, we
should be aware that reports of
flashers, voyeurs and attempted
assaults are recorded almost everyday by the RCMP or campus authorities.
Think of some of the "facts" of
university life: night classes, late visits to the library, all-nighters in the
computer lab, long walks to B-lot
and other parking facilities, and so
on. Now think about some of the
reported cases of exhibitionism
(flashers, streakers and wankers),
violent assaults, verbal harassments
and sexual assaults that occur on
campus. Some of them occur in
these isolated areas and darkened
corners of the university.
There are ways to avoid the stalker in the bushes:
Use Safewalk. Use the UBC Safety
Bus. Get a friend to walk you home.
And walk with confidence. In general, use your head. You can't live your
life in constant fear of being
attacked, but you should realise the
risks that we all face as students on
campus...
It is important to remember that
the "bogey man" type scenario is not
actually as likely to occur as acquaintance assault A drunken friend or
acquaintance is more likely to attack
you than the "stalker in the bushes".
Yet, it is the more "sensational"
cases that we hear the most about
Don't assume that your safety
concerns end at your front door. The
threat may not come from the
stranger in the bushes, but from
someone you know and would
invite into your home. The "UBC
Second to None" report showed that
physical assaults were 100 times
more likely to occur in private settings. One ofthe most common factors in the majority of sexual
assaults is that the assailant in
known to the victim (and alcohol
usage is the other most common
factor).
So while pepper spray and steel-
toed boots may be helpful to assuage
fears of the long walk home, one
must be aware not only of the darker places on campus, but of situations which can arise in personal
relationships and in your own
home.
So how can you prevent assault
without completely shunning
human contact?
Educate yourself. If you take the
time to think about issues of safety,
you will be that much more prepared to deal with situations that
may arise. The decisions you make
in your everyday interactions can,
and will, affect your own personal
safety. Ultimately, awareness is your
best means of protection.
Shana Myara and Vanessa Kwan
Safer campus peer educators
program X "'
As one of Canada's leading universities, the University of British Columbia is taking the
initiative in planning for the 21st century. At a time of social, economic, and environmental renewal and challenge, UBC is asking all its members and alumni, and the broader
community, to become involved, give advice, and provide input into the vision process.
The articulation of that vision, planned to take the best part of a year, has already begun
with the publication of a pamphlet outlining the contexts, trends and challenges which
must be taken into account before any strategies may be devised. This contextual document is widely available on the campus, including in the Student Union Building and the
University Bookstore.
Below are some of the points made in the contextual document, including questions that
we hope will stimulate thought and discussion, and prompt readers to send us their views.
Context' While our economy continues to be heavily dependent on the processing of
raw materials and their applications in industry, we are moving into an era dominated by
information and knowledge. Technological innovation is transforming education and
work, and exercising a significant influence on almost every aspect of daily life, including our leisure and cultural activities...The complexities of the global environment will
require individuals not only to be literate and numerate, but also to have an extensive
understanding of various cultures, custo: is, and languages. The need for an educated and
informed citizenry has never been greater.
Such trends, highlighting as they do the growing importance of knowledge and knowledge-
based skills, are good news for universities. Perhaps at no other time in history has the
well-being of society depended so much on the ideas, creativity, and intellectual development that universities can foster. We have thus an opportunity to show the community
how its investment in higher education can lay the foundation for future prosperity, and
work to our mutual benefit.
The University
of British Columbia
Invites Ideas and
Advice from its
Faculty, Students,
Staff and Alumni,
and from all members
of the Community,
to Help Establish
a 21st Century Vision
ChclllenPes: These include 1) the problem of faculty and staff renewal: between
1997 and 2010 almost half the current faculty and staff will retire; 2) freezes in salaries and
career advancement plans have created difficulties in retaining outstanding personnel;
3) declining resources have threatened UBC's traditional excellence in research; 4) teaching
facilities, including labs and classrooms, are in serious need of upgrading; 5) reductions in
public funding relative to our growth threaten our ability to provide a first-class education,
create problems of access, and increased the financial burden on students; 6) students are
concerned about the relevance of their education to their future career or profession;
7) many aspects of the campus environment, including teaching spaces, roads, and
communal space, must be repaired or improved.
TrenClS! The shape of the university of the future can already be perceived through
some ofthe trends evident in higher education today: 1) internationalization, the training
of students to work in a truly global environment; 2) interdisciplinarity, the crossing of
traditional disciplinary boundaries towards greater collaboration in teaching and research;
3) increasing use of information technology; 4) a renewed commitment to undergraduate
education; 5) new partnerships between the universities and industry or government
through jointly-funded research; 6) the development of new teaching methods; 7) the
expansion of continuing education programmes, including into the workplace; 8) changes
in the student population with respect to age, gender, ethnic background and other factors;
9) rising competition among service providers, making higher education a keenly-
contested area.
Many questions must be answered before we can begin the planning process, and in the
full contextual document we list ten, including:
How may the University strengthen its links with the external communities that it serves
and from which it derives its support?
What steps should we take to improve the environment for teaching and research at UBC?
What is the purpose of an undergraduate education, and how may that purpose differ in the
21st century from our understanding of it today?
We encourage everyone to consult the full text ofthe contextual document for a more detailed
discussion ofthe points noted above. The document is available in hard copy around the UBC
campus, and also on the Web at VISION @ UBC.CA. We invite all readers to respond to the
questions in that document, and to offer comments and suggestions.
Should you experience any difficulty in obtaining copies, please contact the President's Office,
6328 Memorial Road, Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z2; phone no. 822-8300, fax no. 822-5055,
email: vision@exchange. ubc.ca."""@en ;
edm:hasType "Newspapers"@en ;
dcterms:spatial "Vancouver (B.C.)"@en ;
dcterms:identifier "LH3.B7 U4"@en, "LH3_B7_U4_1998_01_09"@en ;
edm:isShownAt "10.14288/1.0128696"@en ;
dcterms:language "English"@en ;
edm:provider "Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library"@en ;
dcterms:publisher "Vancouver : The Ubyssey Publications Society"@en ;
dcterms:rights "Images provided for research and reference use only. Permission to publish, copy, or otherwise use these images must be obtained from The Ubyssey: http://ubyssey.ca/"@en ;
dcterms:source "Original Format: University of British Columbia. Archives"@en ;
dcterms:subject "University of British Columbia"@en ;
dcterms:title "The Ubyssey"@en ;
dcterms:type "Text"@en ;
dcterms:description ""@en .