February 1, 2006 + Over the Edge ROB VAN ADRICHEM The official ribbon cutting ceremony for the UNBC/CNC North Cariboo Community Campus in Quesnel took place on January 27. This long-awaited new campus is worth about $12 million and will host 400 students. WUSC to Sponsor Refugees Yearly REBECCA CARMICHAEL STAFF WRITER - _ Have you ever wondered where your one-dollar-a-semester WUSC student refugee: fee goes? Most students ap- pear not to give it much thought, but that one dollar makes-a huge difference in the life of a student living in hostile refugee conditions who would not have a chance to attend university other- wise, WUSC stands for World University Service of Canada, It is a non-govern- ment organization with a “mission to foster human development and global understanding through education and training, according to their website. Since 1978, they have operated a stu- dent refugee program which enables refugees in impoverished or war-torn regions to attend university in Can- ada in order to complete their post- secondary education. Committees at individual universities raise the funds necessary to sponsor a student, includ- ing necessary tuition costs and living expenses. The campus WUSC groups also provide a support system for the new student. This is the first year the UNBC chapter of WUSC has had enough funds to sponsor a student. There is a core group of students on the WUSC committee who have worked tirelessly with fundraising and preparation. They have sponsored a student from Ethi- opia who is currently studying comput- er science at UNBC. He is currently adjusting well into life in the north, However, it can be difficult for refugee students coming to Canada for the first time. Many of them come only with the clothes on their back, which provides an additional challenge for the local WUSC committee in providing finan- cial support. It can also be very difficult to leave behind family and friends in uncertain conditions. Adjusting to St. x GRAPHIC SUBMITTED The World University Services Canada is one the the world’s leading de- velopment agencies, focussing on using education to create a “more equitable world,” Canadian culture and academic life isn't easy, either. However, it does provide opportunities for students to further their post-secondary education and es- cape dangerous refugee conditions that they would not have otherwise. It can also be beneficial for the people they left behind if the student is able to send money back to their families. The problem is that, at the current rate of one dollar per student per se- mester, the UNBC WUSC chapter only has enough to sponsor a student every other year, not every year. They are proposing to rectify this by increas- ing the student refugee fee to two dol- lars a semester. Natasha Letchford, a member of the UNBC WUSC com- mittee, hopes that UNBC students will support this change if a referendum is held on this issue. “For only the price of a chocolate bar, they can make such a huge impact in someone's life,’ she says. She also encourages students to get in- volved in the WUSC student refugee program if they can. Some members of the UNBC chapter recently attended a national conference in Ottawa. Con- tributing to WUSC can be a great way to gain volunteer experience and learn more about international human rights issues. Small contributions such as sup- porting the WUSC bake sales are also a good way to help. To make a private donation to the program or to get more information, check ou t their website at WWW.wusc.ca. EGM Highlights DAVID VOGT STAFF WRITER Here are some of the issues that were raised at the NUGSS Extraordinary General Meeting for those of you who did not attend, You missed out on four of the best hours of your life: + It was revealed that NUGSS made a profit of $26,000 last year after over- charging students for the Health and Dental Care Plan. This was a result of a change in the rates charged by the insurance ptovider. The Board of Dir- ectors has not yet decided what will be done with the money. + NUGSS will begin publication of a biweekly newsletter. This newsletter will be used to give students a regular update of all NUGSS activities. + A bylaw supported by the Board of Directors to eliminate the Extraordin- ary General Meeting (held one week after an Annual General Meeting which 3% of students do not attend) was defeated. While NUGSS Directors argued that the delay was inconvenient and unnecessary, some students present expressed concerns that the extra week was essential to raising awareness. + Another defeated bylaw change would have eliminated the positions of Women’s Representative and First Na- tions Representative and replaced them with a single Equality Representative, responsible for all minority groups. It was argued that these roles should be eliminated due to the lack of candidates for the positions. Students argued that it would be impossible for a single person to represent so many interests. Concern was also expressed that, along with a simultaneous move to replace the CASHS Representative and CSM “Representative with a single Scholastic Representative, this would concentrate too much power in the NUGSS execu- tive. An alternative bylaw proposal, to completely restructure the Associate Director positions was also defeated. + The Student Building fund currently sits at just over $1 million dollars. Re- gional students are now officially ex- empt from the $15/semester Student Building fee. + The Monetary Affairs Commission will now deliberate in private, though minutes of their meetings will still be made available. NEWS BRIEFS UNBC opened the official opening of a new campus in Quesnel on Thursday. The event was attended by many, including outgoing UNBC President Dr. Charles Jago and Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell. The building, which will be shared by UNBC and CNC, houses more than 400 students and has been in use since the beginning of the month. Vice-President Academic and Provost Howard Brunt is currently seeking feedback for an Academic Vision report that was completed on the future growth of the university. It focuses on specific areas, includ- ing Indigenous Peoples’ Knowledge and Artistic and Cultural Expression. NUGSS will be holding a Winterfrost Ball on February 3 at the Caribou Steakhouse. The night includes “live jazz, fine dining, and dancing,’ and all proceeds will go towards Community Health Initiatives by North- ern University and College Students. Tickets are $15. . The UNBC Arts Community publication “Deliquesce” in now available in the UNBC bookstore and Corner Store. The publication, which highlights local artists and poets, cost $1 a copy. The nomination period for NUGSS positions is sched- uled to begin on January 30 and end on February 10. Nomination forms are available in the NUGSS office.