Frosh 2012!
It’s that time of year again: when the campus is filled with fresh blood—what they refer to in the U.S. as freshmen. And what goes along with freshmen? Well, Frosh, of course. The activites start on Wednesday, Sept. 12 with a vendor’s fair, beer garden, and activities, such as the Wheel of Debt, where most … Continued
Jumpin’ Java: Our Community Coffee Shop
With the start of the fall semester upon us, VIU’s Nanaimo campus coffee shop, Jumpin’ Java, has a few new faces and a new focus. After 15 years, previous manager and owner Anne Langhout has decided to move on, while after six years barista Lorill Ireland has moved to Newfoundland. Monique Gouliquer, now in charge … Continued
Josh Hogarth
“Time goes by so fast, try to enjoy every moment ‘cause before you know it, it’s gone –Joshua Hogarth,” reads the facebook memorial page dedicated to slain VIU Creative Writing student Joshua Hogarth. In the early hours of Aug. 21 his lifeless body was found outside a Calgary townhouse. Hogarth, 18, was supposed to return … Continued
Where Will Rising Tuition and the Loss of Jobs Leave You?
In a survey conducted by Statistics Canada, post-secondary students are graduating with an average debt load of nearly $27 thousand. The job market has yet to fully recoup the jobs lost by young Canadians during the economic downturn. Contradicting this information is the importance of education in finding employment: Canadian Business notes that “youths with … Continued
Ministers Kenney and Toews Issue Statement on Charges Laid Against Marriage Fraud Ring Participants
On Aug. 28, the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism, and the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, made the following statement today after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced that 78 charges have been laid against 39 individuals involved in a marriage fraud ring: “We wish to commend the … Continued
VIU Bookstore Starting Off the New School Year with a Bang
The VIU Bookstore is having a big contest to start off the new school year. Like the VIU Bookstore facebook page—<www.facebook.com/viubookstore>—before Sept. 21, and you will be entered in to a draw to win one of the following three draw prizes: an Apple iPad with a $50 Apple gift card, or a VIU apparel head-to-toe … Continued
Council of Canadians to ‘Make Waves’ in Nanaimo in Octobera
On Friday, Oct. 26, members from the Council of Canadians will congregate in Nanaimo for a conference called “Making Waves: Sinking the Harper Agenda.” The conference will feature a range of high-profile keynote speakers, a day of interactive workshops, and plenary panel discussions that will inform, inspire, and motivate participants to take action. The Making … Continued
BCCLA to Apply to Unseal RCMP Defamation Search Warrant
The BCCLA will be applying to court to unseal a search warrant executed by the RCMP against a blogger in an investigation for criminal “Defamatory Libel.” A warrant is usually sealed by the court to protect confidential information related to informants; however, applications can be made for the court to release the warrants where the … Continued
Sharon Noble Questions Smart Meter Safety
This Aug., Surrey Fire Chief Len Garis and Dr. Joseph Clare, strategic planning analyst for the Surrey Fire Service, released a seven-page report substantiating BC Hydro’s claim that Smart Meters do not pose a fire hazard. The report concluded that the “available data does not indicate that there has been an increased frequency of fires … Continued
Reservist Attack False, Says RCMP
It was originally reported that while walking home near the University Village Mall on 5th St. around 10:40 p.m., 23-year-old reservist Pte. Chad Shore was attacked by another man estimated to also be in his early twenties. Shore has since admitted to fabricating the incident, leaving the community of Nanaimo breathing a sigh of relief … Continued
Federal Student Summer Job Centres to Close
TORONTO (CUP)The federal government is closing physical job centres that help students find seasonal summer employment, shifting its services online to save $6.5 million a year. The offices, called Service Canada Centres for Youth, were open temporarily from May to Aug. to offer job-finding advice and career-building tips to youth aged 1524. “The number of … Continued
International News
Russia and South Korea Team up to Bring Woolly Mammoth Back to Life In what could become one of the most amazing feats in scientific history, Russian and South Korean scientists have teamed up with a mutual goal of cloning the woolly mammoth. The deal was signed by Vasily Vasiliev, Vice Rector of North-Eastern Federal … Continued
B.C. Budget Calls for Cuts at Post-secondary Institutions
VANCOUVER (CUP)In the pursuit of a balanced budget, B.C. is asking universities and colleges to tighten their belts. The provincial government, in its budget tabled Feb. 21, is calling for post-secondary institutions to cut $70 million from their collective budgets over the next three years. According to Finance Minister Kevin Falcon, the government expects this … Continued
VIU’s Business Plan Competition takes local business to new heights
By contributor Drew McLachlan VIU will be hosting its first-ever Business Plan Competition, culminating in a “Dragon’s Den-style” competition which coordinator Ken Hammer hopes will light the flame for Nanaimo’s entrepreneur community. The final event will see 10 teams of student entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a panel of five judges, competing for the … Continued