speaker challenge room change

I would like to congratulate all of the SACPA Student Speaker Challenge contestants thus far! They’ve all been excellent, and the two who have advanced to the semi-finals – James Falconer and Keith McLaughlin – will be tough to beat. I anticipate the same quality from the next two rounds. (For more info on the event see the post below.)

There is a small change that everyone should be aware of. The next three sessions of the SACPA Student Speaker Challenge have been moved from Galileo’s Gallery to the SU Ballroom A. Galileo’s can get really noisy at luchtime, and the Ballroom’s new sound system is excellent, so we’re going to stick with that venue for the remaining January session and the two February sessions.

The schedule now looks like this:

Session 3 – Wednesday, January 27,  12:15 – 1:30 – Ballroom A
Speakers – Vanessa Lodermeier and Keith Gardner

Session 4 – Tuesday, February 2,  12:15 – 1:30 – Ballroom A
Speakers – Kate Nesbitt and Saikat Basu

Semi-Final Sessions

Tuesday, February 23,  4:30 – 6:00 – Ballroom A

- Tuesday, March  2,  4:30 – 6:00 – Galileo’s Gallery

Final Session

Final Session – Tuesday, March  9,  7:00 – 9:00 – Andy’s Place (AH100)

student speaker challenge starts today!

The second annual SACPA on Campus Student Speaker Challenge begins today! This event gives students an opportunity to debate their colleagues about important social issues. This year’s topic: “What is the value of post-secondary education to the world?” We received some excellent applications and I have no doubt that the quality of the speakers will be an improvement on last year’s inaugural contest.

Each participant gives a 15-minute talk, followed by question period. The judges and the audience will decide who advances to the next round, so be sure to come out and support your friends and fellow students. There are cash prizes for every student who advances, including $500 for first place.

To attend, come to Ballroom A (level 3 of the SU building) at 12:15!

Here’s the schedule:

Session 1 – Wednesday, January 13,   12:15 – 1:30 – Ballroom A, SUB
Speakers – Selin Bilgin and James Falconer

Session 2 – Tuesday, January 19,   12:15 – 1:30 – Ballroom A, SUB
Speakers – Keith McLaughlin and Cashe Erskine

Session 3 – Wednesday, January 27,  12:15 – 1:30 – Galileo’s Gallery
Speakers – Vanessa Lodermeier and Keith Gardner

Session 4 – Tuesday, February 2,  12:15 – 1:30 – Galileo’s Gallery
Speakers – Kate Nesbitt and Saikat Basu

Semi-Final Sessions – Tuesday, February 23,  4:30 – 6:00 – Galileo’s Gallery

- Tuesday, March  2,  4:30 – 6:00 – Galileo’s Gallery

Final Session – Tuesday, March  9,  7:00 – 9:00 – AH100

The power of word of mouth

This UofA Graduate Student focuses on the political power of shared stories, by studying ’street stories’ regarding politicians. It is really interesting commentary on how students  talking to one another about the leadership of the the University, the Province, the Federal Government, can affect those bodies. The following is an excerpt from the Alberta Graduate Studies newletter, the AGC Awareness.

Rumor has it that the University of Alberta Ph.D candidate, Nduka Otiono, has piqued the curiosity of many with his unusual research interest on “street stories” which focuses on the reason people believe stories told by a friend. As Nduka describes it, “these ‘street stories’ are oral texts produced and circulated by ordinary citizens and serve as impromptu ‘mock trials’ of rulers and traducers of human rights. Coming from the context of postcolonial tyranny in Africa, these unofficial narratives open up alternative imaginaries of civic belonging, justice, and individual rights that instigates forums for communication in pubs, bus stations, around public newspaper vending stands, and other arenas of socialization in the public sphere.”

“Our desire to believe makes people believe these stories,” he says. “There are people who wish the worst for these evil politicians. They are only too happy to hear stories like that and to circulate them.”

Through his research, Nduka hopes to reveal what the less privileged think of the political elite and the impact that the channels through which they ‘speak,’ have on the government and on the public sphere. His interest in this field of research was sparked by his background in oral literature, and his experience working as a journalist for 15 years in Nigeria against the backdrop of military dictatorships. The Nigerian born writer’s roots are deeper still, having served as General Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) and as a joint winner of the maiden ANA/Spectrum Fiction Prize.

So how does one so strongly embedded in the roots of Nigerian popular culture find himself in a country that provides such a contrast as Canada? Nduka explains that Canada’s anti-dictatorship stance aligned with his pro-democratic values, and that “coming to Canada was like going to meet a friend”. Nduka has also found parallels between the social context underlining his research in Nigeria and Alberta, where he observes that the devastating exploitation of oil-rich regions by multinational corporations has unleashed resistance by youths. His latest collection of poems, Love in a Time of Nightmares, has poems that reflect how much Edmonton has already captured his poetic sensibilities.

More directly, the University of Alberta, which heavily recruits superior foreign students through the support of the FS Chia Doctoral Scholarship, provided Nduka with a strong incentive to find his niche at the U of A’s Department of English and Film Studies. With a guaranteed $24 000 per year for two years plus tuition and fees, and additional funding from a combination of sources for two more years, Nduka considers himself quite fortunate. Since then, Nduka has also been awarded the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship, the William Rea Scholarship, the Sarah Nettie Christie Research Award, and the Andrew Stewart Memorial Graduate Prize for Research. He was also a University nominee for the Trudeau Foundation Scholarship in 2007. Nduka says that the U of A not only supports him financially, but that the department also encourages him to pursue his unusual research using an interdisciplinary approach, combining oral literature with popular culture and postcolonial studies in a politically charged environment. When asked, what he would do with an Alberta PhD, Nduka professed a desire to pursue a higher academic career as a professor. “This,” he says, “appeals to my love for research, writing, teaching, and functioning as a public intellectual”.

Nduka hopes his research will empower people with the use of street stories to voice their protests against injustice. By demonstrating the value of street stories in the context of civil rights, he will prove that it is more than just rumors. “My research should be able to inspire others. It should demonstrate the possibility of using mass culture as a tool for political resistance. Society should not underestimate the strength of the people’s voice.”

Tuition increases loom over alberta students

(This article was first published on the Students’ Union page of The Meliorist, Nov. 26th, 2009.)

Two weeks ago, I wrote that the University of Alberta was proposing to eliminate of modify the province’s tuition cap so that they could  implement (often massive) differential tuition increases, targeting undergraduate and post-undergraduate professional degrees.

Now one of Edmonton’s other major s post-secondaries, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), has released their most recent business plan, which includes an across-the-board tuition hike o f 40 per cent. That would cause the average student’s tuition to increase by about $1,700 per annum. In contrast, the current cap limits increases for next year to 1.5 per cent.

The province has made it clear that they’re open to suggestions for rejigging the tuition cap, but thankfully they don’t seem to be taking NAIT’s suggestion very seriously. Doug Horner, Alberta’s Minister of Advanced Education and Technology, told reporters on November 19th that “across-the-board massive tuition hikes are just not in the cards.” It would seem that students at NAIT are in less precarious a position as those at U of A.

Even so, consider a hypothetical Alberta (probably not too different from this one) where NAIT’s proposal went through. Imagine that you’re a student is your first year of a four-year program at NAIT. Less than a year into your program, you’re told that you’ll have to find an extra one hundred and forty-some dollars in your monthly budget for the next three years in order to finish school.

Right now, Albertans who may have otherwise jumped right into a poorly-compensated service industry job are taking this recession as a sign that they should upgrade their education. Many have been hit hard by the current realities of the job market, which makes saving for an education no easy task.

Many of these current and potential students’ educational careers would be effectively ruined by that kind of hike. That’s why the Council of Alberta University Students, who represent you to the provincial government, are fighting to keep the current regulation that ties maximum tuition increases to CPI.

On the other hand, NAIT’s proposed increase is not merely arbitrary. If NAIT were to increase their tuition by 40 per cent, it would bring them in line with their closest counterpart: SAIT.

When tuition was frozen and subsequently capped in Alberta, SAIT had significantly higher tuition than NAIT.  Because tuition is tied to CPI, it can only be increased by a given proportion each year, which has caused the NAIT-SAIT tuition gap to grow. Now, NAIT finds itself competing with a school that offers similar programs but is allowed to charge over 40 per cent more for them. Even so, if I were a NAIT student facing that kind of increase my morale and my finances would be devastated, cross-provincial comparisons be damned.

I’m not about to propose a solution to this mess. I support the tuition cap (as do the ULSU and CAUS) because it provides some degree of predictability and affordability. On the other hand, the NAIT-SAIT comparison shows that is has its own inherent flaws. It isn’t a panacea; it’s just better than any of the alternatives that students have been presented with thus far. That, to me, makes it worth fighting for.

I guess the moral of the story here is there is no magic tuition bullet. The best thing that could happen would be a wave of genuine debate and discussion about tuition in Alberta. That discussion has begun in the mainstream media but we students are too busy and too distracted to take part. That’s going to have to change in order for us to protect our interests in such tough times.

The Tuition Cap and You

(This article first appeared on the Students’ Union page of The Meliorist, Nov. 12, 2009)

On November 2nd, Advanced Education and Technology Minister Doug Horner was challenged in the Alberta Legislature to defend Alberta’s current tuition cap. Right now, Alberta’s universities are not allowed to increase tuition faster than inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

Liberal Advanced Education Critic Harry Chase demanded to know whether Horner would maintain that cap, and prevent universities from finding a clever way around it. The question response was long, but thrust of it was as follows: “I think it’s fair to say that what I have suggested to the postsecondaries is that I’m open to any and all ideas that they can bring to us.”

Allow me to put this discussion in context: earlier this year, the Government of Alberta announced an unforseen deficit of seven billion dollars. In response, Advanced Ed and Tech announced to the universities that there would be a freeze in their operating grants, which cover approximately three quarters of their overall operating costs. Over the past few years, the universities have received steady six per cent increases in funding, and they had budgeted for the same, at least for the next two years.

The result is that each of Alberta’s universities is facing a budget crunch. The University of Lethbridge has to cut $11 million from its budget over the next two years to cover the shortfall, and the University of Calgary’s budget gap is greater still.

The University of Alberta, however, is in a whole other ball game. They have announced that they will have to find almost $60 million in revenue or savings by next year. Part of their response was to create a magical tuition-boosting instrument known as the market modifier.

“Applying market modifiers” is really just a fancy way of saying “charging higher tuition for degrees perceived to have a greater market value.” Under such a system, certain degrees – generally those with a professional application – would cost more because they presumably provide for greater return on investment.

The University of Alberta first proposed that they be allowed to use market modifiers within the current tuition regulation to account for the fact that the market values of various degrees were not taken into account when the cap was established. Advanced Ed and Tech have made clear that no such sneaky moves to dodge the tuition policy will be tolerated, but they are allowing the Universities to propose changes to the policy itself.

Back at the University of Lethbridge, our administration have stated publicly that they will not seek to charge differential tuition to professional schools, and that they are not actively lobbying to have the tuition fee policy changed.

Does that mean that the U of L is safe from tuition increases beyond CPI? Not really. All it takes is for one school to successfully lobby the government to change the policy and the effects could be felt across the province. Currently, it is quite likely that the province’s two most influential universities are lobbying to have the cap removed in one way or another.

Fortunately, both Advanced Ed and Tech and the Premier himself have made it quite explicit that any proposed change to the tuition cap will be subject to extensive consultation with student groups, which is quite encouraging.

Nevertheless, that discussion is almost certainly coming down the tubes. The lesson? Keep your ear to the ground on this issue and don’t assume that small, steady, predicatable tuition increases are sacred. The students of Alberta may have to fight for them.

Are You Looking for a Job

The University of Lethbridge Students’  Union is currently looking for a Chief Returning Officer (CRO). This is an interesting and unique student job opportunity. The CRO is responsible for managing and coordinating Student Union general elections, by-elections and referenda. The CRO is involved with every facet of these items. The CRO is responsible for promoting the election, orientating the candidates, creating the budget, moderating debates, enforcing and interpreting Students’ Union  bylaws and policies and numerous other tasks. The CRO works extensively with the ULSU’s General Manager, Executive Assistant, Communications Coordinator and with other stakeholders on campus.

This is a great opportunity to gain valuable work experience and apply what you have learned at University.

The requirements for this position are that you are an undergraduate student during the spring semester and that you are not an executive member of any University organization. Please note that that the CRO will not be eligible for nomination as a candidate for the election and may not run a campaign in support of or against any candidate or referenda question.

To apply: Please drop off your resume with cover letter addressed to Cheri Pokarney, General Manager, in the ULSU office (SU180). The deadline for applications is December 18^th, 2009.

A day down the toilet

It was an ordinary day when I awoke to the scream of my alarm. Ripped from the depths of a dreamy haze, I sat up in my bed. It was an early morning, crispy and threatening with its whisper of cold, an unholy hour for any person to rise. Unholy as it is, ten AM always comes earlier then it should. With a heavy fist I mash the sleep button, commanding submission from the screeching alarm. For a moment I fall back onto my pillow and my eyes flicker. Justification for why I should stay in bed swirls through the sleep induced laziness of my mind. The wind scratches at my bedroom window moaning out the word, “Lethbridge”, in its droning voice—like a zombie at a boarded up door.
My eyes closing, I convince myself that I could drift off for just moments more and still make it on time. With sudden surge of panic I awaken fully, with the inherent knowledge that more than just a few moments have passed. Springing from bed I cross the room into a pair of dirty pants from the floor in a single motion. The shirt I wore to bed will do fine if only I can find, in the pile near the door, a pair of shoes that are mine. A jacket slings around my shoulders and my pack back fills in record time, I just might make it. Dirty looks and a frowning professor, the images play in my head as I rush toward the door. Wait! “Why are you still here?” I ask of the blanket shrouded figure on the couch. Pajama clad and adorned with slippers my roommate sits on the couch. The remnants of readying for the day clinging to him, in his washed and styled hair. This person is never late for a class that starts more than an hour before mine; nonetheless they sit on the couch watching terrible morning TV. He cocks his head to the side and with a menacing smile says, “It’s poo day! Don’t you know?” The moments that follow fill my heart with joy as I learn of the happenings of NOV 5th. The University has flowed forth with filth, and the halls have been shut down. With classes cancelled I return to swear pants and settle on the couch next to him. A snow day framed in brown has turned my frown upside down. Later that day a group of us go to Oshos to enjoy food and beverage, the puns swirl like the leaves outside in the Lethbridge wind. A new holiday is born—Nov 5th is the first year anniversary of Poo-Day.

Sodexo to donate to ULSU Food Bank

Post-secondary education is not always easy to obtain, especially when students are struggling financially. Alleviating some of the pressures placed on students is the purpose of the ULSU Food Bank. Being able to put food on the table is one less thing students have to worry about, so they are able to focus on their studies. Sodexo, the corporation that operates the Food Services on-campus, announced it will be making a very generous contribution to the ULSU Food Bank. John-Barry DeYoung, Sodexo Executive Director at the University of Lethbridge declared that the Company would be making a donation of $1000 to the ULSU Food Bank, on Friday October 23, 2009 at 2pm in the Students’ Union Office. The ULSU Food Bank was established in 2004 to deal with the increasing awareness of hunger and poverty on campus. “Our Food Bank is a program that distributes emergency food hampers to students, faculty or staff at the University that are in need of assistance,” said Allan Hall, ULSU Vice-President Administration. The Food Bank relies on generous donations like this, and Needs-Based Funding from the Quality Initiatives Program. Students who are in need of a hamper can email food.bank@uleth.ca or stop by SU180 and a hamper will be ready and waiting for pick up the day after the request is made. Food Bank users can request a hamper every two weeks and all information is kept confidential.

For more information contact:

Cole Lehto ULSU VP Internal

403-329-5155

su.internal@uleth.ca

Consume with tea and slippers: wintertime reading suggestions

Winter is here. If you’re an otherwise-all-too-busy bibliophile like me, you may want to grab your slippers, steep yourself some tea and curl up with one of the following tomes:

The Selfish Gene

By Richard Dawkins

Want to understand the mysteries of life? Start with this book.

First released in 1976, this was the first book to provide a very readable account how evolution actually works. The book contained no original research. What it contained was a new worldview. That new worldview is based on the Selfish Gene Theory.

Crudely put, the Selfish Gene Theory stipulates that evolution does not progress toward the improvement of species or even individual organisms. All evolution does –all it can do – is work in the interest of genes. Like all other living creatures, you and I came to be only because our ancestors happened to be useful tools for the propagation of the genes that created us.

It’s hard to even begin expanding upon the ramifications the theory. What I will say is that this is by far the most important book I’ve ever read.  It has given me more relevant insights on politics than the entire four years I’ve spent in Political Science. It has taught me more about morality than the sum of every novel, proverb and fairy tale I’ve ever encountered.

The Upside of Down

By Thomas Homer-Dixon

This book is the antidote for anyone who feels overwhelmed by the doom and gloom that we’re all confronted with on a daily basis but who, rather than losing themselves in the bliss of willful ignorance, chooses to make sense of that doom and gloom and to confront it accordingly.

Homer-Dixon begins with an absolutely fascinating account of the fall of the Roman Empire that puts to shame all of the profoundly unsatisfying explanations you may have heard in history class. He goes on the draw some disturbing parallels between the stresses that faced Rome in its day and the ones that confront the whole of human civilization today.

Homer-Dixon pulls together a number of major stresses on human civilization – peak oil, climate change, pollution, massive wealth gaps and frightening demographic trends – and paints them all into a big picture that, while dark at first, contains a glimmer of hope on the horizon.

The Prince

Niccolo Machiavelli

This book is accorded a special place in Western intellectual history for being the first known book to provide a useful and practical account of how politics actually works. Modern-day politics are much less focused on murder and conquest, but the advice set forth by Machiavelli remains as applicable today as it was back then.

Machiavelli deserves some of his modern-day notoriety. He’s cold, manipulative, and straight-up ruthless. He will stab your bleeding-heart naїveté with a cold blade of sound counsel. In a recent exchange with a friend, he described the book as dehumanizing. I told him that I would describe it as invigorating. I am now of the firm opinion that it is both.

The historical examples are hard to follow at times, but the lessons nestled within and between them are worth the wait. Another advantage of this book is that you can read over the course of a single cold Saturday.

Author’s note: This article was originally published on the Students’ Union page of The Meliorist on October 15th, 1009.

global justice week needs you!

Global Justice Week: Coming soon to the University of Lethbridge!

The ULSU’s Global Justice Week is only days away and the hallowed halls of the University of Lethbridge are littered with posters like this one. This is only the start to what promises to be a year chock full of world-class extra-curricular education. Some people groan when you talk to them about extra-curricular education, but the events the ULSU is putting on this year have a few distinct advantages: they’re way more fun than class and they’re free!

The University of Lethbridge has been host to so much excellent academic programming over the past few years that to take it all in would almost be a full-time job, and too many students already have to have full-time jobs (or something close) just to be here. That partly explains the acute – nay! -  severe lack of undergraduate students at most academic events.

Then again, some things are just so jam-packed with educational radness that one would be foolish not to attend. I hope (and fully expect) that Global Justice Week will be one of those things, and I hope to see you there!