Summer at the U: U and the mayor.

Everyone knows that feeling they get when they are told to get “involved in something” or “there are so many opportunities you should take advantage of”. It seems to me that the feeling is not one of “screw that”, but rather a distant “maybe I should, but I wouldn’t know where to start, so I won’t”. If I’m completely out to lunch well then I guess I’m sorry, and crazy. Assuming I’m not completely crazy, I know about something that just might be simple enough to do and feel good about without cutting into too much of your summer fun. This something is called a City Circle. A City Circle sounds great in the first place just because it is one of the best geometric shapes, far superior to any city square, which means Lethbridge is better than New York and Beijing. However, a city circle is not something that we are going to build but rather something that is going to build us. Before I tell you what they are, consider how much we all love Vancouver (or would if it were not so rainy, or unless this is another one of my crazy person moments.) Van is a pretty sweet city that most people love. They have a city circle; or rather city circles, or more accurately they had City Circles. Vancouver used the idea of small groups of citizens sitting around the proverbial kitchen table or coffee shop talking about what their city should be. Long story short, it worked and it worked well. The city listened to ideas and problems that had never crossed their elected minds. They even listened to the solutions that these citizens thought were reasonable, then took all those ideas and suggestions and used them to create the urban development plan for the city. It lent an ear to the people and in a real way: the public’s concerns were not just heard but listened to—almost like democracy.

Okay, so have I come close to telling you what a city circle is? No. here’s the formal definition {“A City Circle is a self-formed and self-managed group of Lethbridge residents who want to help with preparing the new plan. To form a City Circle get a group of friends together; they can be from work, school, sport, extracurricular, an existing organization, your family, or all of the above—there are no rule for how your Circle organizes itself. Your City Circle will meet when and where its member want and discuss any community related issue you choose.”} Some social activism for your summer might be a pretty good way to explore what you think a city should be. Address any issue you think it is worthwhile. Maybe consider something like the cancerous growth that is Calgarian urban sprawl. Urban sprawl is one of the topics started in a facebook based city circle on housing so if you’re not starting your own then contribute to this one.   These city circles are a major part of a smaller oversight committee that will be charged with the task of going through the suggestion of each and every city circle, and designing the new Lethbridge City Plan around them. Last year the Students Union fought for a seat on this committee and now we have it. SU President Jeremy and VP internal Cole sit on this committee to make sure post secondary students, who make up 10-15% of the population, are in that plan. But we need more students to spark a city circle and send those ideas strait onto the mayors desk. The City Circle work ends sept 1st so take the summer down time and get started on it right away.

Beyond the geometric shape of social activity there is a list of amazing opportunities for students within Canada and globally; in my personal opinion, I would give up a lot to take part in some of these. One I just heard about this morning: As part of its 2009 FilterForGood campaign, Brita has partnered with the award-winning organization Students on Ice (SOI) to launch the Filter For Good Eco-Challenge Student Grant Program. This means a major grant that will take you to the Arctic all summer studying ice with leading scientists, might be the start of an amazing career.

Some are more of a job- you may even get paid for it:  http://www.sierraclub.ca/prairie/

Some are grass roots lobbying- The Canadian Youth Climate Coalition (CYCC) is in the early stages of organizing an event called Power Shift Canada. We need YOU!

..Could be one hell of a summer if you really feel like getting out there.

(I dig the) Campus Roots Cooperative Garden

This weekend the Campus Roots Cooperative Garden club dug up the new and soon to be planted Campus Community Garden. I missed a bunch of the fun times, but still took some photo’s of the work done and felt a twinge a pride of the UofL community. Call me sentimental but I am pretty stoked to see all these individuals come together from different groups to create something beautiful.

This has been a long process and over the past two years Kyle Robinson and others have worked incredibly hard to make this happen, and now that it is I can only imagine the excitement these individuals must feel.

Well done, Roots Club, well done!

You can sign up for the Garden’s communal and individual plots here.

Love,

The ULSU (and the earth)

Gimme Shelter? Housing resources in Lethbridge

A little known program is available to Alberta residents here in Lethbridge to help out with high housing costs. The Rent Supplement Program, funded by the Alberta government and other stake holders and administered through Lethbridge Housing Authority, this program pays anything above the threshold of 30% of the tenants income to subsidize the difference between a negotiated market rent and 30% of the household income.

Any Alberta citizen is eligible to apply, but all applicants are prioritized based on need. This is a great program if you’re a student forced to live off campus due to residence being full and unable to accommodate your necessary monthly spending on your income because of the high cost of off campus housing. Families also benefit from this as it is total monthly income of the household. Application forms can be accessed here.

The LHA offers other housing programs to help individuals get into safe and affordable housing, if you or anyone you know need any help in this respect please contact them.

Housing remains to be a serious concern here in Lethbridge and although we have seen some movement in the number of rental proprieties available this past few months, it still is hovering at only about a 1% vacancy rate. Social Housing in Action (SHIA) and the Affordable Housing Task Forces (a joint committee with SHIA and the City of Lethbridge) have developed a plan to end homelessness, The Bringing Lethbridge Home Plan is available through the City of Lethbridge website as is Bob Tarleck’s personal vow to end homelessness. For information on what the province of Alberta is doing to combat this social issue, see their 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness.

Bring on the Little Kids!

Last week the U of L officially broke ground on the lastest addition to the campus – construction has begun on the new Daycare Facility here. This is a pretty big deal considering that this push for on campus daycare has taken nearly five full years to come to fruition.

Ground was broken by student leaders, senior level administrators, members of the Daycare Action Committee (DAC), and the outside service provider for the daycare facility. For many of the students present this opening was a large victory as the movement to bring daycare onto campus began as a grass roots movement. DAC was formed with the support of faculty and staff here at the U of L, but largely was made up of students. Their study on the need for daycare on campus was the prime spring board that got this issue moving along in the upper levels of administration. You can find many of their studies here.

All of those who worked so hard to bring this service to campus, congratulations – here’s to 2010, when the facility will officially open its doors for service.

Cheers,

Eric
VP Internal

So I Slept on the Ground Last Night

This goes out to Tim, Derek, Kyla, Dan, and Kathleen – the 5 brave students who are taking a proactive step to bring homelessness to the foreground as an issue right here in Lethbridge.

I really support the work that is being done right now by the 5 Days for the Homeless crew. In order to show our support, the ULSU executives took it upon ourselves to spend a night in the cold with our friends. The wind was a bit bad (it blew some of the food away that was donated and seemed to threaten to suck the roof right off the house) but all and all it was a pretty relaxed night – if you consider relaxed sleeping in tight quarters with 9 other people, including some who haven’t showered in 4 days, all while the cold ground is sucking the heat out of your body through your sleeping bag.

The 4 execs looked pretty haggard this morning (especially considering we only spent 1 night out there.) Being out there made me think about something that was brought up in a class I had earlier this week. The ability to go in and do this kind of awareness work feels good – you raise money, raise awareness, and in the end have some impact on the problem. But imagine what living like this all time must be like – all those good feelings I have about this cause are supported by the fact that I knew I would get to go home and have a shower. I knew I would get to leave the cardboard box house and get into a change of clothes. The prospect of living like this day in and day out for even a small amount of time seems truly draining.

The proof is in the once smiling faces of the 5 brave students who even as I type sit outside right now.  Don’t believe me, just go out and say hi to the homeless kids in front of the SUB and see for yourself – they have been pretty good at putting on a happy face, but they are starting to show some serious wear.

Please, ff you have any change in your pocket, or a couple quarters you know are hiding under a sofa cushion, then put that money to good use. Donate. Every little bit counts – help 5 Days reach their goal of raising $10,000 right here in Lethbridge.

Cheers,

Eric
VP Internal

I blogged on my experience from last night at jpro86.wordpress.com, so feel free to check it out. I echo Eric’s sentiments in giving serious credit to the five students who are spending their last night outside the SUB  tonight. The wind is howling and I am sure they are huddled in the shelter right now trading stories of the week and discussing what they have experinced. Their blog is really interesing and a great reflection of thier experince, check it out at 5days.ca

Jenn Prosser

VP Academic

5days for homeless kicks off at the UofL

The 5 Days for Homeless kicked off last night and the five very generous souls who have volunteered for this great cause will be sleeping outside the Students’ Union building for this entire week raising visible awareness and money for the Wood’s Homes here in Lethbridge.

If you are in around the university this week be sure to have some spare change to throw in their canisters or keep your eyes peeled for their donation stations set up around the school.

For more information on this cross country fundraiser initiative and very worthy cause check out 5days.ca

Their goal is to raise $10 000.00 this year and with everyone’s help and donations I fully believe it can be achieved. Private and corporate donations are welcome just contact Amanda ( a tireless coordinator) at amanda.miller2@uleth.ca or check out the Facebook event.

Myself, Brodie, Adam and Eric will all be there Wednesday night after the Zoo show and Thursday morning so come by to drop off some change and give a little to those who very much need it.

Jenn Prosser, VP Academic

“The Strange Design of Conscience”

What a whirlwind of political exuberance and the oh-so-awesome finals season. This is a little like that one time I wound up on a deserted island with only my favorite book, my ipod and a water filtration system.

Seriously folks, it  has been a couple of very exciting weeks. Finals are getting everyone down and the wind in Lethbridge has lived up to its reputation, but the holidays are just around the corner…So keep you chin up darlings!

It seems every Canadian across the country has been glued to computer’s, TV’s, papers anything that could convey news about the happenings in Parliament. Keep your eyes on this page for information on federal government going on’s come January. Should be a very interesting month. In spite of our (by our, I mean Canadians as a whole) elected MP’s failure to keep the house in session and the growing lack of faith the Canadian people have in our political system; I see a lot of good coming out of this.

Average Canadian citizens care about politics. What’s more, they care about Canadian politics! The past federal election saw the lowest voter turnout since confederation, and with 41% of the country opting to not vote that is 41% of the country who essentially held up their hands and said they didn’t care.

This current crisis exemplifies the inherit fallibility of our elected MP’s and the need to Canadians to truly take hold of our democratic system. Our political institutions only work as well as the Canadian people expect them to work. When we lose faith ourselves and choose to wash our hands of the matter, how can we expect the government to govern in a fair and responsive matter? By no means am I excusing the actions of any of the federal parties over the last 2 1/2 years. Three consecutive minority governments elected by increasingly lower voter turnouts sends a message, loud and clear. Canadians do not trust our current parties, what’s more Canadians no longer trust or respond to the way we elect our representatives.

In the many rallies that have sprung up around the country the biggest call of change is not against any particular party, nor is there overwhelming support for the coalition or the conservatives. What I hear the most is Canadian crying out for electoral reform.

Some very excellent site for information on electoral reform in Canada: Fairvote.ca, Library of Parliament official site, Law Commision of Canada, Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform and Mapleleafweb.com.

These are pretty exciting times, times where your voice can carry a great deal of weight. Write to your paper, write to your MP, write to our current Prime Minister. Voice your opinion, make it known that Canadians care!

Rick Casson, MP for Lethbridge:

E-Mail: casson@rickcasson.com

Lethbridge Constituency Office:

255 8th St S. Lethbridge, Alberta, T1J 4Y1

Toll Free: 1-877-327-0135

Telephone: (403) 320-0070, Fax: (403) 380-4026

Parliamentary Office:

Room 504 Justice Building, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Telephone: (613) 996-0633, Fax: (613) 995-5752

Jenn Prosser, VP Academic

The Effectiveness of Course Evaluations – Forum!

Hello lovely informed peoples….

 

How do you feel about course evaluations? Think they are a big waste of time and that no one reads them? Maybe your frustrated that you can access course evaluations when you are trying to assess which professor you want to take a class from….

 

Well fear no more!

 

On Tuesday, November 18th 2008 from 3 – 5 PM in AH100, the Centre for the Advancement of Excellence in Teaching and Learning and the ULSU presents:

This forum will start with a quick introduction of the currently known issues from students, both undergrad and graduate, faculty members, and University Administration. Then the discussion will break off into groups where every audience member will have a chance to provide input or concerns with the current course evaluation system. These groups will be facilitated by presenters, who will be responsible for recording notes. All of these notes will then be put in a  package and “presented” to Deans, University Administration, and all those other people who can make changes to the system.

 

This is a great opportunity for you and your peers to have their concerns or critiques heard and recorded!

 

The event is free to attend, and there will be beverages and food available.

 

I hope to see as many people out there as possible for this, as this is a huge step forward in address issues that a lot of students have had with the current system.

 

Peace & Love,

 

Brodie

Talking About Teaching: Course Evaluations

The three R’s:

My fellow students, you’re breaking my heart.

I adore you so, but every time I see a copy of the Meliorist in the garbage I think to myself, “what happened?” Words alone cannot describe the feeling I get when I see this sad sight, so I’m hoping an emoticon will suffice.

:,(

I know it looks like an homage to Lisa Left Eye Lopes. But that is a tear.

When I saw the recyclable newsprint in the garbage I did not lose hope. Instead, I did the only thing a distressed university student could do: I embarked on a journey of data collection. I travelled through the Heath and Wellness Centre, the Students’ Union Building, University Hall and even the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience to record the location of the paper recycling receptacles on campus. What I found that was that our little school has no shortage of receptacles. They’re simply not located anywhere students frequent. For example, there is one receptacle located at D528 and one at D524, but only two in the entire sixth floor of University Hall, zero in the classrooms, and zero in Coulee Junction. I was not able to check every classroom, since no one likes to be interrupted in the middle of class, so may not be fully inclusive. But I did make note of one garbage overflowing with cardboard pizza boxes from Fresh Express and cardboard coffee cup insulators.

At this moment, we have no cardboard recycling receptacles, but there are things you can do in the meantime. First, if you see me around the school, let me know what you think needs to be done to improve the waste management situation at our school or send me an e-mail. Second, if you ever feel tempted to throw your Meliorist in the garbage, stop and refer to my list below.

RECYCLING RECEPTACLE LOCATIONS

Library

Floor 9 -  copy centres, near central elevators

Floor 10 – copy centres, west windows, group study rooms

Floor 11 – near audio-visual equipment, L1110B, Education Curriculum Lab

Fine Arts

Global TV Multimedia, W754, W545

University Hall

24 Hour Study Lab, B-section Computer Labs, A518 Curriculum Advice

Sixth floor photocopying machines, E section – sixth floor, U-Hall computer Labs

WebCT test centre, D528, D524, C340, C570, C591, C592

Turcotte Hall

TH 162, various offices

Health and Wellness Centre

PE218, PE255

Students’ Union Building

Food Court (near computers), various offices

Anderson Hall

AH 105, near computers

Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience

Various offices

Kendall Yamagishi, Arts and Science Representative

Kendall.yamagishi@uleth.ca

Student Housing Awareness event brought to you by the letter’s U-L-S-U.

Student housing leaves no room for learning

Thursday October 2nd, 2008 join the ULSU in University Hall Atrium to discuss the issues that face students in finding safe and affordable housing.

In the Lethbridge city census of 2008, the City of Lethbridge put the current vacancy rate at 3.87% with a population of 83 960 people. Although 3.87% seems a reasonable rate of vacancy for a city of our size, this year’s census “expanded the dwelling unit types to occupied, unoccupied, under construction and vacant lot.” Which boils down to a vacancy rate including land and housing which is unable to be occupied.

Lethbridge, being a smaller urban center is often seen as a student friendly much more affordable place to live than Calgary or Edmonton. Yes, this is very true but that does not diminish the fact that student constantly face issues in finding housing to fit their particular needs. Transitory life styles, low and inconsistent incomes, little background in legal rights and an energy intensive life style are all factors which combine to make it very difficult for students to find suitable housing and protect their rights.

From a report put out by Social Housing in Action: “The vacancy rate is currently less than 1% (CMHC, 2006). Rental stock is declining with over 300 rental properties condominiumized this year alone (Real Estate Board, 2007). Gentrification is also occurring, further reducing affordable rental and ownership stock. The rental industry has seen significant increases in rental costs; 22% in the past year.”

Student housing rights are an issue which affects not only students but also the members of the university community and community at large. Lethbridge is a city whose prosperity and community development is greatly aided by students and our ability to live in a secure and suitable place is fundamental to academic and social success while attending University.

Please join us noon-1:30pm October 2^nd, 2008 in the Uhall Atrium to talk to representatives from the province of Alberta, ULSU, the University Administration, Social Housing in Action and the City of Lethbridge about Lethbridge’s student housing issues.

Free dessert and coffee will be served.