CAMPUS NEWS - Durham College and UOIT

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10 The Chronicle March 17, 2009 CAMPUS NEWS Trent students get identified By Robyn DePratto Chronicle Staff All of the green you’re sure to be seeing around campus today isn’t just for St. Patrick’s Day. This week is the year’s second Trent Identity Week, organized by Trent University’s peer mentoring program. On March 5, the peer mentors met in the boardroom of the Student Centre to create their own Trent T-shirts to help show their school spirit. “One of the main critiques of Trent identity week is that we don’t have much merchandise here on campus,” said Trent student and peer mentor Amanda Daley. She explained that she and other peer mentors wanted to get together and make their own shirts to show other Trent students that they can do the same. Prizes are going to be given away throughout the week to students who display Trent spirit. This week will be full of Trentrelated events, including the Bingo night held yesterday at the Student Centre. Tonight there will be a Trent dance night in room G2009 from 5 to 6 p.m. “That’s my favourite one actually” said Daley, while gluing a green ribbon to the bottom of her shirt. Trent student Brianna Douglas, who is part of the UOIT dance team, will be teaching the Trent students different styles of dancing, such as salsa and hip-hop. Wednesday, be on the lookout for green treats, because on that day the peer mentors are holding a bake sale in the UA atrium from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Once again the proceeds are going to the food centre on campus,” said Daley. “There’ll be a box set up there for food donations as well”. Trent is running a food drive throughout the week, with a donation box set up in the main office as well as at all the events. Students attending them are asked to bring a non-perishable food item as a donation. On Wednesday night, there will be a student and staff mixer in the lounge of the student centre from 5 to 7 p.m. The first half of the event will give professors an opportunity to present their work to students, such as projects they are working on or newly released books. “It’s going to be a way to appreciate the Trent faculty,” said Daley. “They’re part of Trent too.” The second half of the event will give the students and staff time to mingle and talk to one another. To cap off the week, another Trent open house will be held on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the new Trent office in the Simcoe building. High school students will be given the opportunity to tour the facility and meet Trent faculty and ask them questions about the By Shayna Brown Chronicle Staff All across Durham Region there has been an increase in awareness for the factors that are putting youth at risk. On Feb. 18, Durham College held its first-annual At Risk Youth and the Law symposium to address the issue. “We were expecting about 100 people for the first year and we had about 150,” said Jennifer Laffier, an instructor in the School of Justice at Durham College. Laffier teaches the one-year Youth Correction and Intervention (YCI) program at the college. t was her students’ assignment to put together the event to get some experience while at the same time benefiting the community. “It went better than I expected,” said YCI student Duztyn Leonard. “None of us have any experience school. For more information about Trent University in Oshawa, as setting up a conference like this one.” Professionals in the field were invited out to hold workshops on topics including cyber bullying, youth gang exit programs, restorative justice practices and mental health issues. Apart from workshops, there were representatives from various organizations offering information and a breadth of knowledge. Some of the information boards included information about the Durham Youth Gangs Strategy Organization, Eastview Boys and Girls and the Ontario Association for Students At Risk. According to their brochure. “[They] provide opportunities for information to be shared through multiple venues so that it may assist in improving one’s knowledge and understanding for the advocating of at risk youth.” Joy Sloan, a volunteer director for Ontario Association for Stu- Photo by Robyn DePratto GET GREEN: Amanda Daley, a Trent University in Oshawa student, makes her own T-shirt for the Trent Identity week held the week of March 16 to March 20 well as the programs they offer, visit their website at http://www. trentu.ca/oshawa/ . Fighting for students who are at risk Photo by Sarah Manns STUDENTS AT RISK: Joy Sloan, director of the Ontario Association for Students at risk, fights for students who are at risk with getting in trouble with the law. By Jaspinder k Jassal Chronicle Staff Hindus all around the world were drenched in coloured powder last weekend, in celebration of Holi – the festival of colours. Holi is celebrated by people throwing coloured powder and water at each other. It’s ideal that white clothing is worn so that the colours can be seen. Holi marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring by celebrating the triumph of good over evil. Holi originated when the ancient Indian king, Hiranya Kapyapu, demanded everyone follow his orders. Everyone but his son Prahlada followed his orders. His son was a true devotee of Lord Vishnu. King Kapyapu punished his son by putting him through difficult tasks such as jumping off a steep cliff and being trampled by an elephant. Prahlada was left unhurt, as he would chant Lord Vishnu’s name. Finally, the king ordered his son to sit on the lap of his sister Holika in flames of fire. Holika would not die as she would be protected by a shawl that would prevent her from burning to death. Everyone looked in amazement and witnessed Holika burning to death. Prahlada remained unharmed. “You can’t destroy something so pure and honest,” said Shally Saggar, who is a student at UOIT and also a Hindu. In celebration of the death of the evil king, a bonfire is lit the dents At Risk, was at the symposium with some words of wisdom and some stories from her experience. “I work with students of all ages who are at risk of not succeeding the way they can,” she said. Sloan has worked with a variety of students, from kids in prison to men and women in maximum security. She also works with the instructors. “We work with teachers and school them in better ways of catering to these kids,” said Sloan “Most of them just need a better way of teaching.” The event, sponsored by the Whitby Mental Health Centre, RCMP, Durham Regional Police Services and the Durham Family Court Council, was a huge success. Laffier expects the symposium to be bigger and better next year with more people participating. Hindus celebrate spring with colour day before in honour of the miraculous Prahlada. Houses are decorated in colour in recognition of the festival.. Children participating in the event play pranks on their elders. “As a kid we used to fill water guns with coloured water and run through houses shooting colour at everyone,” said Sunny Sharma, who is also a student at UOIT and fellow Hindu.
By Shawntee Russell Chronicle Staff GO Transit Riders might have to dig a little deeper into their pockets as GO Transit has plans to increase fares by 25 cents. The decision to raise the GO fares was to be approved by the GO Board, on March 13. If approved the increase was to take effect on March 14. The fares will increase by 25 cents per adult single ride regardless of where riders will be traveling. The fare increase is part of GO Transit’s 2009-2010 operating budget. Vanessa Thomas, media relations and issues specialist for GO Transit, explains that this year’s fare increase is higher than the last increase in March 2008, which was 15 cents per ride. Thomas doesn’t feel that this fare increase will detour riders from using GO. “Each year GO Transit reviews a fare increase as part of our annual budget process. Even though our fares do increase over the years, in line with inflation, our ridership continues to grow,” said Thomas. “Right now we have nearly 55 million passengers a year.” The fare increase would allow GO to provide riders with improved and expanded service, and cover the ongoing cost of doing business. “The higher costs of hydro, property taxes, 407 road tolls and snow removal are all costs that will be paid for. It would help cover the costs of existing operating costs as well as provide for additional services for our growing ridership,” Thomas said. GO currently has seven lines, 59 stations and runs 183 train trips each day. New parking spaces and the cost of maintaining those parking spaces is another example of where riders’ money will be going. “There is such a demand for our network. We believe that a fare increase is necessary this year in order to provide the best possible service and to continue to expand to meet the growing needs of our riders,” said Thomas. Over the past year GO has seen many improvements to its servic- CAMPUS NEWS es, such as 12-car trains, formerly 10-car trains on the Lakeshore line. The increase in cars allows for more riders to fit on a train at one time. 10-car trains can hold 1,600 people while 12-car trains can fit 1,900 people. “ We had to expand our platforms and fix all our infrastructure across the entire Lakeshore line so that we could fit 12-car trains instead of 10-car trains so that more The Chronicle March 17, 2009 11 Prices may GO higher and more riders will get a seat on the train,” said Thomas. “In the upcoming months we will be having more 12-car trains.” Tariq Adam, an electric engineering student at Durham College, doesn’t have any problems with the fare increase. “It’s something that needs to be done,” he said. UOIT game development and entrepreneurship student Johnathan Lam had mixed feelings Photo by Shawntee Russell FARES RISING: Johnathan Lam, a GO Transit rider, stands in front of the bus that he often takes to get around. International students win! Photo by Sarah Manns AWARD WINNER: Viviane Rutabingwa, the winner of The International Student of Excellence Award for 2009. By Sarah Manns Chronicle Staff For some students, winning an award is an exciting time, but for Health Science student Viviane Rutabingwa it’s so much more than excitement. Rutabingwa is the recipient of the International Student of Excellence Award, given by the Student Association, which is the first award of it’s kind on campus. “I have been an international student here for four years and it’s good to see a university is recognizing International students. I am proud to be a recipient.,” said Rutabingwa. The university has really grown when it comes to International Students, she said. “When I first came here all of us knew each other name to name, but over the four years that I have been here, it has probably quadrupled.” Kellie Newberry, The international student advisor said, “We currently have 259 international students from 57 different countries on UOIT’s campus,” she said. “When we first started we only had 83 students from 38 countries,” said Newberry. Rutabingwa heard about the award through word of mouth first, and then when the award was formalized the international students were e-mailed encouraging them to apply for it. Rutabingwa said there was a reason she applied. “I come from Uganda.. The fact that I’m here I feel like I have a duty for all of the privileges that I am offered. Where I come from, people don’t have half the chance I do, and that really drives me. I don’t take anything for granted because of the fact that some people don’t even have drinking water or shoes.” To be eligible for the award students had to be actively involved in campus life, have a GPA of at least 2.5 or higher, and be studying towards a bachelor degree. “I am the VP of the Caribbean African Student Association, Events co-ordinator of SHARE, I volunteer as a consultant at the Sexual Health Resource Centre, I am a International Student Mentor, and a peer mentor,” said Rutabingwa. She will receive $1,500 for the award. about the fare increase. “I’m not happy about the rising costs. I’m not sure why they are raising the fares but if they actually do what they say they are going to do with the extra money, I won’t mind,” he said. A single ride fare from Oshawa to Union Station will be $8, up from $7.75. A monthly pass will increase to about $262, from the current price of $250. Pamper yourself By Shayna Brown Chronicle Staff To mark international women’s month, the Women’s Centre is hosting a free event called celebrate yourself. There will be makeovers, manicures, pedicures, dry haircuts, massages, as well as food and refreshments. “You can have your nails done and have a glass of wine while you’re doing it,” said Allison Hector-Alexander, women’s centre co-ordinator. “We always wait for everybody else to offer us these great things, or someone to buy us this, or to take us out, but we can do that for ourselves.” The event will take place at the Student Centre on March 19 at 4:30 p.m. Students can register at SAWomencentre@dc-uoit.ca
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