Over the Edge + September 16, 2009

New President, New Year

SHELBY PETERSEN
NEWS EDITOR

As UNBC embarks on yet another
school year filled with both familiar
and new faces there is one “fresh-
man’ we will all soon recognize. The
students and faculty of UNBC wel-
come Dr. George Iwama, who is the
universities fourth president in less
than twenty years. Dr. Iwama began
his presidency on July 1, 2009 after
serving as the Dean of Science for
two years at Carlton University in
our countries capital, Ottawa. Tak-
ing over for interim-president Dr.
Charles Jago, Dr. Iwama immediately
began to immerse himself in his new
life at UNBC., Dr. Iwama even went
so far as to don a green “volunteer”
shirt and help with this year’s student
orientation and residence move-in.

“I'm stoked for the new president.
He's great. He's young and his love
for this place is really inspirational.
At least that is the impression I have
gotten from him so far. He's totally
involved with UNBC and he seems
really committed. He's even going to

Involvement Installment

ANDREW BAILEY
EDITOR IN CHIEF/SPORTS EDITOR

The publication date for this paper is set
for September 16" so, barring any set-
backs, those of you who are such huge
fanatics of OTE as to have waited in
eager anticipation for this paper to come
out and snatched it up as soon as it hit
the shelves, today is Clubs Day. There-
fore right now, no matter where you are
reading this, you need to get yourself to
the Wintergarden area at UNBC and
take in all the different club's tables that
will be set up today and tomorrow (16%
and 17"), Clubs are a fantastic compon-
ent of student life for two main reasons:
the first being that they provide an awe-
some venue for students to make friends
with other students with similar inter-
ests, and secondly student participation
is vital for resumes and applications to
graduate schools.

The next issue of Over the Edge will in-
clude a complete run down of the clubs
present on clubs day: what they do, how
to join and all that super interesting in-
formation. But as I’m writing this for a

be flipping burgers at the backyard
BBQ this year,’ said NUGSS pres-
ident Lindsay Gardner.

Along with his vigorous school spir-
it, Dr. Iwama is also academically
acclaimed with more than 135 pub-
lished articles to his name. After re-
ceiving his PhD in Zoology from the
University of British Columbia, Dr.
Iwama then taught at his alma-mater
for fifteen years, proving that he
Dr. Iwama is apt to make a smooth
transition to life in both UNBC and
British Columbia.

Having a president who is truly com-
mitted to the university and its stu-
dents is a welcome sight at UNBC,
the

surrounding president Cozzetto’s

especially after controversy

abrupt and untimely departure from
UNBC. To be sure, the students
and faculty of UNBC expect a pres-
ident who is not only involved with
the university but also one who can
work in earnest to create both a good
academic environment, but also one
where the bureaucratic background
can run smoothly and better UNBC
as a whole.

Dr. Iwama is married to his wife,
Marilyn, with whom he has three
children in their twenties. Dr. Iwama’s
official instillation as UNBC’s fourth
president and vice chancellor will be
on October 16, 2009 at 2pm in the
North Sports Centre. All students
are welcome to attend and show their
support for Dr. George Iwama.

Friday deadline and therefore clubs day
has not yet occurred I’m going to focus
on the club that I think will undoubtedly
be the most exciting to be a part of this
yeat, by all means join as many clubs as
you want to and have the time to par-
ticipate in but, and as an arts major it’s
hard for me to admit this, the Commerce
Student Society is the club that every
student should be joining today.

All students enrolled in a business major/
minor are automatically members; how-
ever the CSS is open to all students. The
main aim of this club is to provide real
world business experience that students
will not be learning in the classroom.
This is done through the events that the
CSS operates, These events are not busi-
ness related in nature, however being in-
volved in the planning and promotion of
these events is a sensational way to gain
experience and pad your resume. All you
have to do is take the initiative to contact
them and the CSS will provide you with
opportunities, to host an event, network,
and gain pricelessly practical experience
based on whatever type of commitment
youre willing to give.

For hard- core business types the CSS
also hosts a business dinner during the
yeat, an event which representatives from
businesses all over the Nation come to
recruit business students. Being a dread-
headed English major I can only imagine
that this dinner is the type of event you
see on T'V where people like Don Draper
exchange business cards and develop con-
tacts, and it seems to work out pretty well
for Draper so I strongly advise anyone
with an inkling to join the business world

to get a hold of the CSS immediately.
Another reason for this ringing endorse-
ment is that the CSS works closely with
JDC West, and this year for the first time
in UNBC’s history the JDC West an-
nual business games will be hosted here
at UNBC. This event, which will be tak-
ing place at the start of the New Year in
2010, is the largest undergraduate busi-
ness competition in Western Canada.
Last year’s event, held at the University
of Alberta, was the largest in JDC West's
history with roughly 600 students com-
peting. UNBC has chosen Humanitar-
ian Leadership as the theme for 2010's
JDC West competition and it is a source
of great pride for the students here that
such an event will be hosted at our Uni-
versity, as it will undoubtedly bring a ton
of very positive attention to this institu-
tion.

Unlike the CSS, JDC West is not open
to all students and is, in fact, quite diff-
cult to become a member of as prospect-
ive members must compete against each
other to earn a spot on UNBC’s JDC
West team, however membership in the
CSS may provide solid opportunities
for students to help out with this colos-
sal event and become a part of UNBC
history.

You should be at the club's table’s area
by now so there's no mote need to keep
reading, look up, find a club you like, and
join it. As I can’t end this article with a
one- sentence paragraph I will use this
space to throw in a shameless plug, I am
currently filling out the necessary forms
to start my own club this year; the club

will be called Sportsfans. The purpose of

PHOTY FROM UNBC WEBSITE

this club will be to gather together any

students who like watching and talking
about sports so that we can all nerd it up
together with fantasy leagues and game
nights. What can I say, drinking beer and
watching sports is kind of what I do. If
this is something you would be interest-
ed in, look for me in the clubs table area,
which you are undoubtedly standing in
right now.

CLUBS DAY, SEPTEMBER 2008 PHOTOS BY ANDREW BAILY