Faculty Association (FA) president Stephen Rader answers questions on the UNBC strike, future job action, and labor relations between the FA and Administration.
NUGSS Election Results
The Northern Undergraduate Student Society held their election over March 20th -21st, and here are the results. Along with the student representatives who were elected so was a referendum question. A pamphlet given out by NUGSS characterizes the question for the student to understand. "As a member of the Undergraduate Student Society, you "As a member of the Undergraduate Student Society, you have a say in whether or not you want your student fees to increase by $6.50. The first goal of this fee is to ensure the Thirsty Moose Pub continues to be operated by the society into the following school years."
Referendum Question
Yes - 349 (Passed)
No - 124
Spoiled - 10
President
David, Schroeter - 113
Searle, Erik - 311 (Elected)
None of the above - 10
Abstained - 42
Spoiled - 7
Director of Internal Affairs
Freel, Keaton - 176
Jex, Seth - 259 (Elected)
None of the above - 10
Abstained - 42
Spoiled - 4
Director of External Affairs
Campbell, Dara - 208 (Elected)
Jensen-LeBlanc, Kristian - 87
None of the above - 29
Abstained - 147
Spoiled - 4
One Candidate
Director of Finance: King, Chris
Yes - 323
No - 31
Abstain - 122
Spoiled - 11
Director of Student Affairs: O'Meara, Janelle
Yes - 319
No - 31
Abstain - 122
Spoiled - 11
Sustainability Rep: Snider, Raychill
Yes - 343
No - 29
Abstain - 105
Spoiled - 6
Women's Rep: Johnny-Turbide, Kasandra
Yes - 308
No - 34
Abstain - 128
Spoiled - 13
Aboriginal Rep: Karista Olson
Yes - 312
No - 24
Abstain - 10
Spoiled - 137
New LIVE Blocktreat video!
Brandon Hoffman, also known as Blocktreat, has released a brand new video of a live outdoor performance! Here's what Brandon had to say about the video: "A big reason I got into instrumental music was to escape the negativity of the real world. Making and listening to instrumental music is so important for maintaining my sanity when shit starts going sideways. Lately with all this talk of western politics entering a 'post-truth' era, with Trump getting elected, then with Leonard dying, I feel like folks could use a little more space to just be comfortable with their thoughts (at least I do!). It's kind of a guilty satisfaction that my music feels more relevant the bleaker the news cycle gets."
This is Blocktreat's first live music video, shot on the Traditional Territory of the Secwempemc Nation (Williams Lake BC) in the fall of 2016. In the distance, plumes of steam bellow out of a power plant, which has recently received BC Ministry of Environment approval to burn millions of creosote-soaked railroad ties. This decision has caused a tear in the rural interior community, still struggling to overcome the 2014 breach of the Mount Polly Mine, which received national media coverage. Follow Your Stupid Heart is about keeping cool when the path seems impossibly murky.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgHNIygL9lc&feature=youtu.be[/embed]
Brandon Hoffman - mandolin and electronics
Brent Morton - drums
Shot by Rick Magnell and Casey Bennett
Edited by Sam Tudor
Due North Interview with Dr. Oscar Venter
Due North had Dr. Oscar Venter in the studio to discuss his research on the human impact on the environment. Dr.Venter highlights how the economic rate is growing but yet the environment impact is not keeping pace with it, could this mean we are getting more efficient? Dr. Venter explains what it all means. To see his map on human impact on the environment here is a link.
http://wcshumanfootprint.org/
[embed]https://www.mixcloud.com/studenttalks/dr-oscar-venter-due-north-interview/[/embed]
Brexit and its impacts
Due North Report Laura Smith does an in-depth look at the United Kingdom referendum on leaving the European Union. She Speaks with UNBC Political Scientist Gary Wilson and UBC Economist Kurt Huebner to a better understanding of the vote and its impacts. Composer: Laura Smith Clips: BBC, Global News, Sky News Music by: "Help Us All" by The Sheepdogs, "It Was London" by The Kooks, "Instrumental" by Scenic Route to Alaska
[embed]https://www.mixcloud.com/studenttalks/due-north-report-brexit-and-its-impacts/[/embed]
Two new building added to the city green power grid
The city of Prince George is adding two new buildings to its Downtown Renewable System (DRES), Plaza 400 and Prince George Law Courts. The system is powered by Lakeland Mills wood waste that is a by-product of the production of wood materials. The city already powers numerous buildings with this kind of power including the new RCMP detachment and City Hall. The system heats water and pumps that to the buildings which then us it for heat and water. Construction is expected to begin last week of July and be completed by early fall. The carbon reduction is estimated to be about 1,820 tones per year. The reductions is the same as 350 cars taken of the road per year, roughly. This project is added to the many green energy projects in the community including the Bio Energy Plant at UNBC.
Project is estimated at $450,000 and is being fully funded by the Ministry of Transportation. The city will install the piping system to the buildings at a cost of $200,000. The project was started due to the fact that both buildings needed their boilers replaced.
By Grant Bacahand (Twitter) @grantbachand
UNBC Approves Budget for 2016/2017
The UNBC Bored of Governors approved the budget for 2016/2017. The votes was 8 in favour, 3 against and 2 abstentions. The opposition to the budget came from a lack of clarity around the auxiliary part of the budget also some board members felt cuts should of been considered by UNBC administration. UNBC adjusted or dipped into some of their various funds in order to do a one time allocation which did balanced the budget. The budget prior to doing these allocations was in deficit due to falling enrolment numbers. One of the adjustments was the scholarship fund and canceling the contribution to the fund for 2016/2017. Not contributing to the fund would not affect students who have already be promised scholarships from UNBC. President Daniel Weeks reassured the Board of Governors that the scholarship fund is healthy and can sustain this lack on contribution.
In order to create the budget the UNBC administration conducted many town hall meetings and open consultation sessions with Senate, faculty, students and staff. According one of members of the Board of Governors this budget is one of the most detailed budgets that they have seen in a long time. The pledge for transparency that President Weeks made has led to a more detailed budget that included not just the operational part of the budget but also the reserve funds that are not important to the approval of the budget. The detail of the budget at times lead to confusion on the part of some of the members.
The one time cuts that were done this year will lead to a balanced budget but are not something that can be done again. The scholarship contribution will have to be made next year according to UNBC President Daniel Weeks. He is also optimistic and feels that with the aggressive recruiting strategies that the university is currently implementing that they will be able in increase enrolment numbers for the future.
UNBC is also in the process of creating an academic plan that will feed into the creation of future fiscal budgets. In order to create that plan UNBC is currently forming committees. These committees will look at ways that UNBC can move forward in the future these committees will be made up of students, faculty, staff and administrators.
By Grant Bachand (twitter) @grantbachand
POLS 320 Students Present to City Council
Photo by Jason Morris @JPols
Students from UNBC POLS 320 class presented the results of their class project at Monday's city council meeting. POLS 320 is a political science class at UNBC which focuses on teaching students how to conduct university level research in an applied fashion. Over the years the class has done various projects, this year they focused on voter apathy amongst youth 18-35. They concluded that youth are voting and are "politically engaged."
The results showed that over 80% of respondents participated in the most recent federal election. It also showed that most youth are not in favour of lowering the voting age but looking to more digital ways of voting for the future. This spurred city councillors to talk about the possible return of the debate of electronic voting
However the results do show a bit of a bias according to the students that presented stating that most of the surveys came from UNBC and not enough came from the community. Garth Frizzell was impressed by the students and happy to see students are engaged in the political process, he asked if their was ways to improve those numbers even more. One of the students stated that more engagement with young people will continue to encourage those numbers to improve.
By Grant Bachand @grantbachand
Patrick Lane and Dr. Leroy Little Bear to receive honorary degrees
The University of Northern British Columbia is issuing honorary degrees to Patrick Lane and Dr Leroy Little Bear. Patrick Lane is a well-known writer who has received the Governors General Award for Poetry, the B.C Lieutenant Governor's Award for Literary Excellence, the B.C National Award for Canadian Non-Fictionm the 2012 Queen's Diamond Jubilee Award, Doctor of Letters, Honoris Causa from UBC-Okanagan, and the Order of Canada. He is a strong supporter of BC emerging writers.
Dr. Leroy Little Bear is a lawyer who was born and raised on the Blood Indian Reserve in Southern Alberta. The unfair education he received has motivated him to help improve education for aboriginal youth. He has served on various committees, commissions, tasks forces to do with Criminal justice and its relation to First Nations. The Supreme Court of Canada has even cited Little Bear's "A Concept of Native Title".
The two will be receiving their honorary degrees at UNBC convocation on May 27.
