Over the Edge + December 1, 2010 The Political Science Student Association and You Politics, students and success GAVIN IRELAND PRODUCTION COORDINATOR I’m going to tell you about the one of UNBC’s greatest clubs, the Political Science Student Association, or PSSA for short. I’m sure most of you are wondering what the PSSA actually does. It has been said that the PSSA is made up of overachieving blowhards who merely want to pad their resumes before zipping off to law school. | can assure you that this is most certainly not entirely true! In fact we may have to puruse litigation against anyone who would say such a thing... Satire aside the PSSA's executive actually cares about politics and seeks to promote an active political atmosphere on campus. How does the PSSA attempt to achieve this lofty goal? One of our most important events is Eat Drink and be Controversial. Eat Drink is an informal bimonthly event in which we corner a professor or community leader and discuss a pressing issue. Previous Eat Drink and be Controversials have covered topics such as the war in Afghanistan, the hated HST, and the impact of the Olympics on the north. Eat Drink and be Controversial is a great forum to students to have indepth converstions about pressing issues of the day. If you love critical thinking and discussing political issues in a relaxed envirnonment Eat Drink is for you. The PSSA does not stop there though. This year the PSSA created a scholarship which has already been won by a hard working political science student. The PSSA also held the first ever interdisciplinary round table discussion group. The round table was a fantastic event which brought together International Studies, Political Science and History proffesors. Topics of conversation included whatever students wanted we can do with our degrees, and the areas of research our professors are working on. What about the future you ask? You can look forward to more Eat Drink and be Controversials. It has been rumored the next speaker may be a federal Conservative party nominee. If a federal election is called the PSSA will also host a plethora of events including an all candidates forum. You can also look forward to an upcoming movie night, and what is probably the most fantastic event UNBC has ever seen - The Politicians Dinner. Every year the PSSA tackles the monstrous task of tracking down politicians from all levels of government and getting them into the Caribou Steak House. This year’s Politicians Dinner looks like it will be the biggest ever with MPs, MLAs, City councilors, professors and other community leaders of all political ideologies signing up for what will be a truly great evening. The PSSA also wants you (as the poster so eloquently says). The PSSA is only as strong as the community we represent and we would love to see you not only at our events, but also at our weekly meetings. The PSSA executive meets every Friday at 2:30pm in the clubs room. If you have an idea for an event, or have suggestions for what direction the PSSA should take, feel free to drop in, or send us an email at pssa@gmail. com. If you’re interested in getting a heads up on upcoming PSSA events, we have a Facebook page (just search for UNBC PSSA) and a website http://unbcpssa.wordpress.com. The PSSA looks forward to hearing from you! WE WANT YOU FOR THE PSSA to talk about, but included topics such as what Alpha Pi Beta A sorority of sisterhood EMILY GAUVIN CLUBS EDITOR We have a sorority? The answer is yes. It so happens that the Alpha Pi Beta sorority is the oldest UNBC club on campus since 1994. But this ain’t no sorority row. The Alpha Pi Beta club delivers a different sort of sisterhood. One says sorority is a bunch of catty, boy obsessed house bunnies. Let us be real. This is UNBC, we’d be lucky to get something as exciting. This group of sisterhood focuses on a connection of ‘sister’ friendship that promotes support for those who join, in school and life. Marie Jensen, President of the Alpha Pie Beta sorority, says when she first joined the sorority in her first year she told them, “all | want is a sweater and friends”. And as easy as pie, she was able to get both. The sorority sets up a connection of friendships that are there to help faster then you can Say ‘bend and snap’. If your walking down the hall having a bad day, a sorority member can be that shoulder to cry on. Or maybe your stranded in Vancouver shoot an email or call to a past sorority alumni and crash with them. What are sisters for? This sorority is just not your typical animal house. It is a campus based sorority; Alpha Pi Beta members want to create a safe place for women, your so-called ‘circle of trust’. In fact there is no hazing involved. Instead, get out your pearl necklace and tweed jacket, for their initiation consists of an interview process that is more a formality, and the mandatory attendance of 3 events that are based on getting to know the girls and the sorority. And did someone say Fundue? Because many of the events the sorority hold involves fondue parties or dinner parties focusing on sisterhood support. Any event involving food in the company of women and gossip is every single ladies dream; just make sure everyone goes home with their own box of ice cream. As much as the Alpha Pi Beta club may sound like our up and coming first wives club, this is not your feminist nightmare. Perhaps breaking sorority code, this sisterhood invites men too. Jensen says the club has had a few male members in GAVIN IRELAND Uncle Sam may be an American, but we let him in the association anyway. ALPHA P| BETA WEBSITE A sirority provides an instant group of friends and is perfect for those far from home. the past and that the club can have male members, just that they have to be in it for the right reasons. So if you think come next September you’re going to pledge and try and live out one of your sexual fantasies, well sorry guys, they're going to make you work a little harder than that. Men have to go through a year of honorary volunteer process before they can become a full pledge member, to show your dedication. You are almost better off finding a nice girl from the celibate club and telling her ‘you want to wait too...’ So where’s all the action at? Jensen describes the club as a dry sorority, meaning their events are non- alcoholic based. Again.. so where’s all the action at? The club wants to be open to all members, especially towards first years, who come from out of town and don’t know many people. By holding dry events such as hot yoga and bowling nights, those of all ages can have a good time. So sorry you bar stars, this may not be your classy cup of tea. When asked for some juicy scoops on the sorority, Jensen’s lips were sealed. Their Secret sisterhood nights are strictly ‘what’s said that evening stays in that evening’ and can never be spoken again.’ The club has been quite underrated in the last few years, but this year Jensen has been able to recruit quite a few new members compared to previous years. Hoping to bring more gusto to the club and make it more active on campus, they are always open for new members. The sorority really pushes to have a big support system through their club. Involving themselves through activities in the community and volunteering it could be a great opportunity for our future Hillary Clintons - looking to do good while having fun. The Alpha Pi Beta Club is really stepping up the class at UNBC, but it never hurts to have a little fun and bitches be loco.