OVER THE EDGE December 5, 2007-January 9, 2008 The judges for the First Nations Center 4th annual Bannock Bake Off get ready for what is sure to be the hardest decision of their lives. The Final winners of the 4th annual Bannock Bake Off pose with their hard won prize -Puoro Courresy or Mrrcu Grant KSENIA PRINTS CUP CenTRaL BuREAU CHIEF: WINNIPEG (CUP) -- Academ- ics must do more work from home and recruit fewer international stu- dents if they are to help halt climate change, say two UK-based profes- sors. Brian Everett and Rob Copeland of the University and College Union UK presented their recommenda- tions at the International Higher Education and Research Confer- ence in Spain. “We brought the paper to the con- ference because of a belief that uni- versities have a pivotal role to play in issues related to climate change, both through their research and teaching activities, but also because they are very large users of energy worldwide,” said Everett. The paper outlined five courses of action that trade unions can fol- low to reduce greenhouse-gas emis- sions, including reducing commut- ing distances, carpooling to work, and introducing sustainable energy into post-secondary institutions’ operation. Not to be held back by small ideas, though, they also advocated switch- ing the academic year to the sum- mer months to save on heating and reducing the intake of international students to reduce global travel. “Things have remained as they are -Puoro Courtesy or Mivcsu Grant change head on in universities for hundred of years . [But] if we all don’t do some- thing together, we’re not going to like the outcome,” said Dale Kirby, assistant professor of post-second- ary education studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland. “It’s a matter of opening your mind.” Not all of the suggestions were accepted equally, of course. “T think our academic institutions are under-utilized in the summer and we need to change this,” said Kirby. “[But reversing the academic year] might be one of the least prac- tical things.” Mark Burch, director of campus sustainability at the University of Winnipeg, said that new control systems monitor and administer electrical consumption across .the campus and can reduce energy use at any time of year. The University of Winnipeg in- stalled the system in 80 per cent of its buildings in 2005. The University of Winnipeg also responded to Copeland and Everett’s suggestions to switch to sustainable energy, improve waste management and green transporta- tion. The university’s new environ- mental science complex will meet the rigid requirements of LEED® Platinum standards. In Canada, however, where inter- national students make up a signifi- cant portion of the university popu- lation, the suggestion to reduce their recruitment in favour of establishing campuses abroad was particularly debated. “Canada has a number of branch- plant operations, but all education .. can’t be delivered that way inter- nationally ... when enrollment [at home] is going to drop significantly because of demographics,” said Kirby. “The primary reason in Canada [to bring in international students] is to internationalize the campuses and diversify [the student body],” said Don Wehrung, executive director of international student recruitment at the University of British Columbia. BC hosts the second largest num- ber of foreign students in Canada at 44,799 in 2006, according to Cit- izenship and Immigration Canada. “One of the key things that is very problematic is maintaining the quality of branch plant operations,” said Wehrung. “The further you try to operate your branch campus, the less control you have.” These extensions are also proven money losers, Wehrung added. But above all, they would not serve the goal of reducing greenhouse gasses once construction costs come into the mix. “T don’t know how many inter- national students’ plane trips you’d have to add up to come to the foot- print of building an international campus in, say, Asia,” said Burch. Students, faculty, judges, and guests line up and chow down at the Pot Luck dinner that accompanied the First Nations Centers 4th annual Bannock Bake Off. _-Pnore Cour Universities can fight climate a | Q ec li 9 Blue Pill Stare V/RITER pa Assisted suicide: always a con _ Fftroversial topic, to be debated and 7-fargued with much vehemence. Switzerland, as per usual, has take: a distinct position. Under Swiss law, assisted suicide is permitted if death is caused for altruistic reasons. Not only physicians can participate in as ‘Bsisting suicide without fear of pros ecution — rather, anyone can legal assist in facilitating the death of an other if their motivation for doing so In Switzerland, this candidness in allowing death has led to the emer Agence of assisted-suicide organiza Miions which serve to speed the deaths of the physically, terminally, or emo tionally ill. One Swiss organization Dignitas, has facilitated the suicide: of over 500 individuals since 1998 and has led to an increase in what the BBBC terms as “death tourism” — in Wdividuals who travel to Switzerland with the sole purpose to die. Digitnas uses a Zurich apartment 0 oversee patients in their final mo #ments — the patient is offered lethal medication in pill form and is given ia choice: to refuse the pill and sta: alive, or to consume the pill and be dead within an hour. Over 66% off patients who use Digitnas’ services| are foreign, and the majority follo through with death — literally a one way ticket. f Now, the question begs to be asked! Burch, while welcome the reportdo individuals afflicted by physical for advancing the issue of climategor mental conditions severe enough change, said that he is uncertainfjto require death really need the servi how big of a role it’ll have in tradegices of Dignitas? Albeit the morbidity union negotiations. of the next statement, one could just “A lot of union thinking is verygas easily walk into a pharmacy for a traditional and quite conservative, prescription of sleeping pills and be said Burch. “If they had a [dif-§dead within an hour. Thus, Dignitas ferent] perspective today, climategcan be seen as a cultural commod- change would be on the table, butgity - where one “needs” the feel of the agenda is almost obvious fro’ professionalism and dignity in death the beginning.” to justify sui ide. With a glimpse of “Are academics going to strike™paperw : ion, 2 about the use of biofuels on cam: promi Sy OF MircH GRANT ciation of University Teachers, dis 2 ect agreed, though. hands, the patient f “Sure, there’re a lot of competingga commodity to be doled out: demands, but most people in tradegcepted — < unions recognize this is an import a de ant issue that is becoming highe: — whether i in the Dignitas se on the agenda. The sense that I gotfor a in a hotel down the road, the end from the [conference] is that they’regresult is the same. Thus, services like going to take this back to their homej Dignitas, while offering promises of countries and make it a priority,” hegaid and relief, are no more distinct on said. sympathetic than prisons, the pound “Individuals will always be driv-§or sellers on East Hastings. Services en by their own needs first, but theglike Dignitas claim to offer digni growing recognition of the impacts§|— but there is hardly any dignity in of climate change on all of us, will flying across the world to escape the I think, increase the desire to makeghuman conditions of pain or grief. this form of bargaining a priority,’"§ However, the Swiss final solutio Everett said. is not slowing — a Swiss physician plans to open a chain of euthanasia facilities within the coming years.