the cascade vol. 24 no. 11

LIFE ON THE ROWING TEAM· PG. 8-9Perspectives on refugees in the Fraser Valley · PG. 4, 6

Campus plan proposes more residences on campus · PG. 7

MARCH 30 TO APRIL 5 2016 VOLUME 24 ISSUE 11

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

Locked inside, never to escape since 1993

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016 www.ufvcascade.ca

CONTENTS

CONTRIBUTORS

NewsCulture &

Events

7 10 134

OpinionArts in Review

Political science professor on what’s happening in Canada, and what UFV

could do about it

Edward Akufo discussesrefugees

UFV’s Pride Collective, yoga club, and pen & paper

tabletop gaming club move into new spaces

With Abbotsford building concept document,

students have a chance to say something

UFV’s master plan

Spoiler alert: Martin Castro thinks it isn’t that great

Just two friends, caught up in a misunderstanding

New clubs take residence in the SUB

The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. This means that The Cascade is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, and is overseen by the Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a print circulation of 1,250 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities.

The Cascade is open to written, photo, and design work from all students; these can come in the form of a pitch to an editor, or an assignment from an editor. Writers meetings are held each Monday at 2:00 p.m. in The Cascade’s office on the Abbotsford campus.

In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief, copy editor, and corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic or libellous content. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 400 words. As The Cascade is an autonomous student publica-tion, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.

Harvin BhathalTaylor Doek-Hess

Jasmine-Hope SilvaJulianne Huff

Tara QuistErick Ramirez-Velez

Cam StephenRachel Tait

Volume 24 · Issue 11Room S2111

33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC

V2S 7M8 604.854.4529

STAFFEditor-in-ChiefMichael [email protected]

Managing Editor (interim) Glen [email protected]

Business ManagerJennifer [email protected]

Copy EditorKat [email protected]

News EditorVanessa [email protected]

Opinion EditorAlex [email protected]

Culture & Events EditorGlen [email protected]

Arts in Review EditorMartin [email protected]

Production Manager Brittany [email protected]

Production AssistantDanielle [email protected]

IllustratorSultan [email protected]

Online EditorTanya [email protected]

Multimedia EditorMitch [email protected]

Staff WriterSonja [email protected]

Advertising RepKayla [email protected]

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016www.ufvcascade.ca

EDITORIAL

The end of the semester makes us more reflec-tive: it would have been so easy, we think, to have adjusted one thing here and another there, and then I would have more time and less info to suddenly know as I sit here, we think, watch-ing another sunset, heart thudding with the tick of the clock. Because we are students of UFV, being led through courses that align with In-stitutional Learning Outcomes, we analyze our courses critically and imaginatively, we are self-reflective in our learning, and we ask questions like “What am I doing?” and “When will this end?”

I think the first question is probably the one a student newspaper should answer, or explore, or both, but the second one is easier, so I’ll answer that one: soon, but not completely for many of us until the end of April. Back to the first one: since The Cascade didn’t get around to doing an opinion survey this year, it’s worth asking — is this paper actually reaching students, and, since I’m a little more journalism-agnostic than news-paper editors tend to be, is a newspaper even a medium that can contain the worlds of thought and agony and joy and pats on the back and lazi-ness in a student?

Here’s something the paper did not cover this week: the passing of actor-writer Garry Shan-dling. I don’t expect the paper to (we try, as best we can at the paper, to prioritize matters that are unique to UFV and students here, rather than information or views that can be found in two clicks, and no fans of The Larry Sanders Show showed up at the paper’s office), but he’s been on my mind a lot over the weekend. I am not an expert on his comedy or his shows, but read-ing about him after the fact, he’s the kind of person where, though I knew next to nothing about him a week ago, his influence now seems to stretch into all corners of things I do know.

But more than his influence on late-night talk shows, or his skill as a stand-up performer,

or even his caring support of young, unproven actors, is his way of thinking and talking about the way we talk to each other, the way a per-former and an audience see each other. It isn’t the first time someone has thought this, but Judd Apatow described Shandling’s life’s work this way: “He always talked about how it’s in-credibly rare for people to say what they mean. People are lying a great deal of the time. The root of [The Larry Sanders Show] was the discon-nect between what people are trying to project versus what they’re actually feeling.”

In the context of a talk show, the most ar-tificial “normal” conversation platform around, this was enough material for six seasons. And, to a journalist looking for a story, it’s kind of the basis for everything — but rather than simply say that something is worse, more violent, more fraudulent than it seems, what I would hope a newspaper can do is show that things are more complex than they seem.

I’m drawing a bit from the French essayist Georges Perec’s idea of the infra-ordinary (as opposed to the extraordinary). “Railway trains only begin to exist when they are derailed, and the more passengers that are killed, the more the trains exist,” he wrote in 1973. “Aeroplanes achieve existence only when they are hijacked. Behind the event there is a scandal, a fissure, a danger, as if life reveals itself only by way of the spectacular, as if what speaks, what is sig-nificant, is always abnormal: natural cataclysms or social upheavals, social unrest, political scan-dals.

“In our haste to measure the historic, signifi-cant and revelatory, let’s not leave aside the es-sential: the truly intolerable, the truly inadmis-sible. What is scandalous isn’t the pit explosion, it’s working in coalmines. The daily newspapers talk of everything except the daily. The papers annoy me, they teach me nothing. What they recount doesn’t concern me, doesn’t ask me questions and doesn’t answer the questions I ask or would like to ask.”

Now, if most major news sources fail to ob-

serve this contradiction (turn on the news, always horror, even though the majority of life continued, in its way, undisturbed), what chance does The Cascade have? Is this ideal something that belongs more in the hands of writers of short stories, to social media (which we procrastinate on, read more of), to film and photography captured with an eye towards ba-nal documentary? And wouldn’t this idea, in the hands of a newspaper, turn into either endless autobiography or intrusive person-on-the-street interviews?

Well, The Cascade isn’t bound by all of those same rules — at a student newspaper, every year is different; constant staff change has a downside, but it also means this is a problem that can, in a way, be approached without sac-rificing a reputation. Rather than the distant fact-checking journalism normally should pro-vide, Shandling, perhaps, would have wanted unadorned honesty — not the dry structure of reportage, but detailed observation, a recogni-tion that what we see is not complete, not an easy-to-follow narrative, though it is always hu-man to want it that way.

To bring it back to those late-semester thoughts at the top of the page: did The Cascade get there this semester? The answer always lies in the middle: here and there in every section, there are paragraphs, articles that try to docu-ment the life and near-death of a student. Can it improve? Of course, it has to — but while the lack of a degree-sized journalism program at UFV can seem like a weakness, it is, perhaps a strength: what we want is not the same as what the rest of the industry already does. In order for this paper to do something for students, it sim-ply needs to remember: this is not merely a per-formance of a “real” newspaper, but an attempt at speaking and printing what otherwise would be disregarded — the perspectives so-called “ob-jective” journalism misses, the unearthed terri-tory that has been under our feet the entire time.

State of the non-unionized

unsupervised student staff operationNear the end of another academic year, some notes on what The Cascade is, and should be

MICHAEL SCOULAREDITOR-IN-CHIEF

EDITORIAL

NEWS BRIEFS

Minimum wage in BC to Increase

In a statement issued on March 25, B.C. jobs minister Shirley Bond an-nounced that the province’s mini-mum wage will be increasing in Sep-tember. Although the new rate won’t be announced until the spring, the statement said that it will be more than the current annual increase. The B.C. Federation of Labour is calling for minimum wage to be increased to $15, but predicts that it could take until 2034 for that to be reached, due to the province’s CPI formula. — The Abbotsford News

Chilliwack city hall orders closure of marijuana dispensary

WeeMedical dispensary, which opened on March 19 in Chilliwack, is being fined $2,000 each day after being ordered to close by the City of Chilliwack. Mayor Sharon Gaetz said that the dispensary is “in contraven-tion of the criminal code and the city’s zoning and licensing bylaws.” Store manager Shayli Vere started a petition in response which, as of March 29, has 394 supporters.

— The Chilliwack Times

UBC sees rise in sexual assault inci-dents

A 20-year-old woman was sexu-ally assaulted at UBC’s Vancouver campus on Friday, March 25. Around 10 p.m. the woman was grabbed and forced to the ground by a man who came out of a nearby wooded area. Police are suspecting that the inci-dent is related to five similar incidents that have happened since March 23, all of which included a male of similar description spotted in showers and residences.

— The Ubyssey

Illustration: Sultan Jum

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NEWS

In Prof Talk, The Cascade asks professors for detailed explanations of complex, currently unfolding events. This week, we asked Edward Akuffo, a political science professor whose writing and lecturing fo-cus is international relations, globalisation theory, human security and international humanitarian law, about the Syrian refugee cri-sis. In addition to Canada’s promises to welcome refugees, which has been met by some with controversy, protests and riots have occurred throughout Europe since Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel wel-comed over 500,000 refugees into the country. As Syrian refugees face legal, social, and economic issues in a “welcoming host coun-try,” it’s worth asking: how will countries work towards encouraging treatment of them as equal residents?

What is access to social services like for asylum seekers in Germany?

The European Union has what is called the “Qualification Directive,” which was put in place around 2004. Now, that qualification directive set out the minimum standards that is required of states as they host refugees. The EU has minimum standards so for instance, education, healthcare, and food and clothing, things like that, are contained in there. But it will de-pend on the capacity of the state to provide those rights. Once the capacity is not there, it will be very difficult to provide that. In fact, we are told Germany wanted to add a tax to raise addi-tional funds to take care of these refugees, because it’s taken over 500,000 refugees. That is a huge expenditure on the part of the German government.

How do you think Canada’s conditions in welcoming refu-gees compares to Germany? There has been the acceptance of 26,000 refugees into Canada, with some arrivals here into the Fraser Valley recently.

First of all, we have to understand that there’s a huge cultural shift for these refugees. What they are used to in their cultures is quite different from what they will experience here.

This is where I think the state can do a little bit more by counselling, really talking to these folks to really get to know and understand their condition. There is also a psychological

SONJA KLOTZTHE CASCADE

With new CIO, IT department changes to be communicated in a different way

As refugee movement continues on a global scale, Canada’s role remains under scrutiny

Students tend to only think of IT depart-ments when something is wrong. At UFV, this ranges from wi-fi outages and signal deficiency to problems with Blackboard, the online and hybrid course software used for discussion fo-rums, document uploads, and tests.

While IT notices and updates are occasion-ally sent out through myUFV, the institution has created a new administrative position: a chief information officer (CIO), whose job will be to communicate with the UFV community about what works, what doesn’t, and what the IT department can actually do about it.

Darin Lee, a business graduate from Mount Allison University, comes from OCAD Uni-

versity in Toronto, where he worked for four years. There, he oversaw the implementation of Project Chroma, a replacement for that in-stitution’s student information system, which encompasses registration, finances, and other student profile information. Here, the current system for that is myUFV.

“My first order or business here is to get out and meet everybody here,” says Lee, who began the new position at the beginning of March. “There’s a lot of opportunity to make some re-ally positive change here, to take IT [services] and thereby UFV, I think, in a really great di-rection that wasn’t being satisfied before.”

Lee says that, while it’s early, and he’s only beginning to get a sense of what working at UFV is like, he’s aware of comments about wi-fi and Blackboard. One of his first priorities is establishing a structure of governance at UFV

to make sure that IT changes are made after communicating with all levels at UFV: stu-dents, faculty, and administration.

“The big push for me that I’m going to be implementing is integrating students into the decision-making process, into the design pro-cess, wherever we can,” he says. “That’s very challenging to some degree. You get a very small sample size, often, but I think that’s very important, getting the faculty, getting the stu-dents, and getting the staff all involved in IT decisions.”

Lee adds that one of the significant differ-ences university IT departments hold com-pared to independent operations is this sense of a feedback loop, which Lee wants to establish in a stronger way.

“I think that’s a downfall of traditional IT departments, thinking of a student as a custom-

er and dealing with them in a business trans-action,” he says. “We really should be working together.”

For now, Lee will also be working to make sure decisions are made in line with UFV’s stra-tegic plans. And Lee says that he’ll be meeting with Maureen Wideman, the director of teach-ing and learning, to find out how to better fa-cilitate technology use in the classroom.

“I think that’s going to be one of the key re-lationships we’ll be working on in the next little while,” he says.

Lee says that he’ll be starting on these chang-es “in the very short term,” with more specific ideas about myUFV and other IT services to come only after additional research.

MICHAEL SCOULARTHE CASCADE

Photo: Mitch Huttema

PROF TALK

trauma to finding yourself in a situation where you don’t have control over your own finances anymore, you don’t have control over your life, and someone determines what you eat. It is a huge adjustment for people. Under normal circumstances those who leave their countries willingly or voluntarily have to make a lot of cultural adjustments — how much more for people who have to leave because of the violent conflict. It complicates the issue.

What would you suggest for our communities here at UFV? What can we do from our end of things to make the transi-tions easier for these refugees?

Usually, when refugees come in, they need food, water, and clothing. We make sure that they get that. Those are very good. But can you imagine if UFV organizes a program where it invites the refugees in the community to come in and take a tour around the university and see the facilities we have here? Who knows, some of these folks might even want to come to the university and begin their integration process right here at the university by coming to school here. Or establishing contacts with students

where they become friends with some students, they become friends with faculty and staff. That can help them to develop friendships with these folks.

There are a lot of charity actions, like sponsoring families, but we forget that these people are often highly educated — most likely from the middle to upper class in their country. How do we welcome them, but not belittle them to make it seem like it’s just another charity campaign?

That has been a major deficiency in the whole charity effort. Some of these refugees here are going to be the future scientists of Canada, there are going to be some of them who decide to stay here that are going to be the future top professors in Canada. The sooner we see them as people who have potential to contrib-ute to our country, the better. They are not here for just charity.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Darin Lee says he’s already heard “a ton” about wi-fi and Blackboard

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OPINION

Why, Facebook? Did you really need to add to the addiction you cause?

Recently, Facebook added a mini basketball game within the messaging app. In order to play it, you must send a basketball emoji in a conversation with a friend and tap it. Essentially, it’s a generic basketball game where you use your finger and swipe to shoot the basketball into the hoop. Depending on if you score or miss, an emoji depicting the respective results will appear. At 10 points, the basket moves from side to side, and at 20 it moves even quicker. At 30 points … Well, I haven’t gotten that far (yet).

The secret game is simple, yet it is fascinatingly addictive, and like any other new fad, it will cease to be entertaining one day. But for now, I will spend too much time playing it when I really should be studying. It is a great way to be competitive with friends without actually breaking a sweat. I don’t know whether to be thankful or filled with hatred, but you did it again, Facebook!

Curtailed commentary on current conditions

Thanks a lot, Facebook!

Harvin Bhathal

S

Am I supposed to care about Canada Reads? The event itself is sort of interesting, I guess. A bunch of literary people get together and argue about literature on the radio. Cool. But I’m just not interested! As someone about to graduate with an English degree in Canada, there’s probably something wrong with me.

Of course it’s no problem that we focus on particular nations and cultures when looking at art. It’s often illuminating. It’s also often tiresome when it seems like every literary magazine and university lecture has to insist its Canadian-ness.

I think I’m off-put when things make an effort to be Canadian, as if it took an effort. It’s happening here; of course Canada reads. And it’s not that I don’t understand the effort when you’ve a got a cultural superpower to the south trying to manifest destiny all over your media, but I just can’t share the fear of losing my Canadian identity when who I am dictates my identity and not the other way around.

Canada Reads:what’s the point?

Alex Rake

With midterms drawing to a close and finals looming before many of us, we’re getting ready to dive back into the deep end of studying. Those little facts from the beginning of the semester that you’ve forgotten need to be drawn up from the dusty depths and stamped into memory. But what is the most effective way to do

that? All my lectures this semester had two midterms. For one class in particular I did a lot of studying in advance and felt good before writing — though after writing it, I was disappointed, as I received a low grade. Meanwhile, I had better results on my other

midterms that I spent only the day before studying for. On the second midterm I studied for a couple of hours the night before and morning of, and improved by an entire letter grade. So what gives? The material was harder, but the last minute cramming seemed to be more effective. Ironically, I think further study is needed to get to the bottom of this.

Good study methods?

Cam Stephen

Illustrations: Danielle Collins

Batman V Superman hit theatres last weekend, and critics instantly began tearing it apart, slamming it as though it’s some kind of abomination. I’m so sick of seeing “critics,” professional or otherwise, who seem to do little more than trash and hate on a film, belittling everyone involved and any who might have liked it.Why do so many people seem so eager to

shit on — and find it so entertaining to hear others shit on — whatever they’re reviewing like pretentious, opinionated pricks? Props to those critics who still choose to examine / acknowledge the good aspects as well as the bad, and actually show some consideration for the people involved and the passion and work they put into it. No film’s perfect, and everyone has a right to their own opinions, but just because you personally didn’t care for something doesn’t make it complete garbage.Overall, as a huge comic book fan, I enjoyed

it, and am happy to say most others I’ve talked to did as well. So hopefully Sad Aff leck can be Glad Aff leck, seeing that while many people may not have loved it, fan reactions seem to be mostly positive.

Cheer up, Affleck!

Kat Marusiak

Fear and isolation

You wake up and go about your morning routine before work or school. Your brain is half awake and tries to comprehend the words coming from the newscaster on the TV or the alert on your phone. Just when the world is seemingly safe, tragedy strikes again.

The bombings in Brussels last Tuesday were a surprise to the world. With two attacks on the national airport and one on a metro station, eyes were on Europe and hearts were with Brussels. The single remaining bomber from the Paris attacks was just recently captured as well, after months of hunting and investigations. But now, another strike on the world: according

to the BBC, the Islamic State (IS) has taken credit for these bombings in Brussels, just like Paris in November.

However, was it completely unforeseen? Looking at the Paris attacks and the information discovered, it was apparent that the bombers had ties to Belgium. IS has threatened many Western nations with attacks like this, and everyone was already on seemingly high alert. Waking up to this news story in Western Canada even prompted more security on this side of the world — reports emerged that security was heightened on skytrains, sea buses, and at the airport here in Vancouver. We can only wonder how this will affect the platforms of a certain fearful American presidential candidate.

Perhaps, though, we shouldn’t be listening to these close-minded people. Interestingly enough, it seems that maybe we should be listening to some comedians. For me, it was John

Oliver, who condemned the Paris attackers and advocated against the racist views that would create policies of exclusion. Instead of generalized mistrust, countries around the world need to unite and stand together and help the refugees. IS has no problem creating chaos and fear around the world — but what would happen instead if the world accepted these refugees, included them, and worked together to fight IS instead of turning against victims and one another? These are the concepts and policies that politicians should be considering.

For now, our hearts are with Belgium and the people of Brussels. We grieve with them, and hope that they can find strength within like Paris to not be overcome with hatred and fear, but to find their strength in uniting together after this tragedy.

JULIANNE HUFFCONTRIBUTOR

In response to the Brussels attacks, we need to not repeat cycle of hate

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Cup Noodles and the true, devastating price of convenience

Cup Noodles are a beautiful thing. We can add some hot water to this thing in a styrofoam cup and have half a meal ready in five minutes. That kind of food technology was once thought to be reserved solely for astronauts orbiting the earth, with very little space or access to water. Now we can walk into a 7-Eleven and pick up 12 of those bad boys for like, $10.

As a matter of fact, I looked up Cup Noodles to double check the price at 7-Eleven, and apparently you don’t even have to leave your house to get your hands on food anymore. That’s right! You can buy a 12-pack of chicken-flavoured Nissin Cup Noodles for $9.55 from Amazon and have it delivered to your front door in 8-12 business days.

What a time to be alive! Everything really is at our fingertips.

Everything is just a button or keystroke away. You have to love it. One button here, and you’ve got yourself a whole new wardrobe; another button, and you’ve downloaded all of Margaret Atwood’s life’s work onto your Kindle.

And then, in a secret military complex housed deep in an unmapped mountain range, a security guard named Earl puts down his iPad (not his Kindle. Earl is a steadfast Apple consumer, and we all know brand disloyalty is treason) and reaches for his Cup Noodles. Earl’s kind of annoyed.

Seriously, who has five minutes to wait around for noodles? he thinks, leaning out of his chair. And just as he’s grabbed his hot, noodly prize, an alarm goes off. Earl looks down in horror; he’s pressed his iPad to the “Fire Missile” button.

And this is how the world ends.Electricity is no longer a thing, houses lose their heating,

our iPads run out of power and we have no way of charging them back up, wi-fi is a thing of the past. People wander out of their tanning beds and outside dazed, unaccustomed to actual sunlight.

Down the street, in the supermarket, Debora, Earl’s wife, is desperately trying to find one more $5 bill in her purse. The ATMs are down, the debit / credit system is broken, there’s no electricity, and stores only take cash. And so after minutes of ravaging through her purse, Debora scrounges up two fivers and a ten to pay for groceries.

But five days later Debora is near death, because as she prepared to heat her Cup Noodles, she realized nobody in her neighborhood had actual kettles, only electric ones. And everyone’s got electric stoves.

And on the off chance somebody gets a fire going, what are we going to do? Nobody can cook. I don’t know how to hunt a deer, or gut it, or cook it. Neither does Earl, or Debora.

And there’s only so many Cup Noodles.And so, on the 27th day of the apocalypse Debora and

Earl realize they can’t even start a fire, because they have no cash, only credit cards. They can’t even use the pages of books for kindling, because all their books are on Kindles.

“I know they said the print industry was going out of business,” says Earl, “but all of Ray Bradbury’s life’s work was on sale for $29.99, and I didn’t really want to wait for them to ship here.”

A VOICE FROM THE FUTURECONTRIBUTOR

OPINIONSATIRE

Our attitude towards refugees is not a small thing

As an immigrant, I have always viewed Canada as a place that accepted everyone. Growing up and going to school with people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds was normal for me. Even though I knew I was Mexican and my classmates were not, I always saw us as the same. We were all just people in my mind, which is why I was happy to hear that Abbotsford would be hosting a portion of the Syrian refugees accepted into Canada. I saw it as Canada helping more people.

Last month roughly 25 Syrian families were welcomed into Abbotsford, and the community response was, for the most part, positive. Many organizations had prepared for the refugees’ arrival, including the UFV Arab club which ran a donation drive in late December along with many other UFV clubs. Numerous churches, mosques, and individual families also helped via private sponsorship. But, while the donations and support came rushing in, so did the cynicism of those against the aid of the Syrian refugees.

Many skeptics were quick to voice their concerns regarding the new arrivals, some going as far as to make allegations of potential terrorist threats towards the Syrians. I found this ridiculous and unwarranted. The last terrorist attack to take place

in Canada was committed by a mentally disturbed French-Canadian citizen, which is why I find the rejection of the refugees to be illogical and motivated by fear — a fear that has spread from American news outlets into Canadian homes.

We have the benefit of being part of a student body that welcomes ethnic and religious diversity. I would like to see this mentality spread far beyond our campus. I want it to spread into our workplaces and our neighbourhoods, because there is still more we could do to help those in need of refuge. Many local business owners have offered part-time job opportunities to some of the refugees. Some residents have even offered their own living space to families in need of room and board. Even students have given what they can in small donations. This warms my heart and gives me hope for the future of our community.

This refugee crisis will not end overnight. There are still many people without homes, food, and / or shelter. Our government has already stated that it intends to take in more refugees, so this is just the first group of new immigrants to hit Abbotsford and the Lower Mainland. Our towns are only going to get more populous, more diverse, and more exciting. Our attitude towards these refugees will determine the nature of our community. We need to abandon the “us versus them” mentality and remember that in Canada “us” includes everybody.

ERICK RAMIREZ-VELEZCONTRIBUTOR

Syrian arrivals are the continuation of a Canadian tradition

Illustration: Brittany Cardinal

Photo: Flickr: Sharnoff’s Global Views

7


OPINION

Imagine: UFV as a university village, a full-sized district that is part of the growing city of Abbotsford. Need help with that? No problem! You are in luck, as UFV’s department of campus planning and development just released its “ Abbotsford Campus Master Plan.”

As a current student who has been part of the community here for many years as both an employee and alumni (twice over), reading through this campus plan is encouraging, inspiring, and yet incredibly difficult to comprehend even at the best of times.

As I look back at how UFV has developed in creating new programs, new spaces, and sustainable initiatives, it is encouraging to see how the university continues to strive to be the very best it can be for its students, staff, faculty, and the surrounding communities. The overall plan’s strategic planning began exactly a year ago in March 2015, as an integrated effort within the U-District neighbourhood plan.

The entire project is divided into four strategic planning stages: Getting Started, Choices and Direction, Preferred Concept, and Final Plans. According to the plan, UFV is now at the Preferred Concept stage. In an online post promoting the plan, Craig Toews, the executive director of campus planning says: “The plan shows great potential for a university village where the campus and community come together. It’s vital we hear again from people who want to shape the future of the campus and neighbourhood over the next 20 to 25 years and we look forward to your feedback.” Part of the feedback process will consist of surveys, stakeholder workshops, and public outreach events.

So now that the new master plan has snazzy pictures and prospective charts it all seems to be coming together nicely. But what about the students? How will they benefit?

The UFV Abbotsford campus did not have very many social, study, or workshop hubs until the recent opening of the Student Union Building. We also do not have a variety of restaurants, cafes, and snackbars to choose from, giving us limited space and flexibility as students on campus.

Looking at the prospective University Village, these

layouts and plans would not only give students a proper sense of a “home away from home” but also help increase UFV’s community outreach. Furthermore, it would diversify UFV’s student services, including expanding residence services altogether. Having more residence buildings for different types of people, whether they are professionals, students, or some wonderful crazy artists, will only help increase UFV’s already existing rapport with the greater community. Plus it would create a more natural sense of home than student-run apartments.

This extension of space and the growth of new buildings that would be more environmentally friendly than some of the older, currently-existing buildings would further facilitate the overall campus community expansion. Imagine having more classrooms, imagine the possibility of more than just one section offered in upper level courses where there are no waitlists. Also, having interactive learning environments such as the proposed Digital Hub and other flexible spaces would further help students accomplish their academic goals, complementing their diverse learning styles.

This type of infrastructural expansion, however, needs to be done in a way that is not only environmentally sustainable but also respectful of the surrounding Agricultural Land Reserves (ALR). Although the blueprints, as shown in the master plan, clearly indicate the ALR boundaries, it is important to recognize the possible impacts that newer buildings may have on the surrounding environment.

It is important to note that the proposed Abbotsford Campus Master Plan is a general layout of what could take place. Furthermore, we must acknowledge that UFV’s community inputs are vital at this stage of development. The plan offers a variety of different styles of residence buildings that could, but are not yet certainly going to, be developed as part of the University Village.

Moreover, the plan is a call for public opinion on how people see UFV’s role in the public community. So if you want to be part of something as significant as these proposed developments, then I encourage you to use your rights as a student and talk with people such as a Craig Toews and other executive leaders of this expansion, and share what UFV’s future looks like to you.

SONJA KLOTZTHE CASCADE

In campus plan survey, students have a chance to talk about what makes a real university

UFV Life Link’s pro-life demonstrations seldom fail to elicit a reaction from students and faculty. Last year’s rally featured speeches from mothers who chose not to abort, small plastic fetuses, and a smattering of pamphlets with “facts” about the dangers of abortion. It was aggressive and loud, and held in front of Tim Hortons; the fact that it hindered my access to coffee was offensive in and of itself. However, the booming declarations and the plastic fetuses somehow paled in comparison to this year’s display, which was (to put it bluntly) a graveyard of small flags.

Allow me to preface what I say next by stating that I fully appreciate everyone’s right to the expression of their opinion — I

sincerely believe that debate, when carried out respectfully, leads to great progress. However, I do not appreciate hate speech, discrimination, or psychological abuse, and to me UFV Life Link’s flag display was all of those things, conveniently spread over the campus green. Those little pink and blue flags were deliberately placed in an open, high-traffic space on campus with the intent of forcing an uncomfortable and damning message on unsuspecting people — primarily women, and especially those who have considered or had an abortion — without any of the people behind the display having to say a word.

I was deeply disturbed and emotionally distressed. This was yet another cruel reminder of my lack of agency as a woman: if I choose to terminate a pregnancy, I’m just sticking another pink or blue flag in the ground — I’m a murderer. What I found even more

disturbing was the university’s blindness to this act of psychological violence; when asked about the demonstration by the Abbotsford News, UFV’s communications director Dave Pinton indicated that there was nothing hateful or discriminatory about the protest. He spoke about the flags as if they were a point for debate rather than a damaging display created for the sole purpose of shaming women into relinquishing their bodily autonomy.

This protest was not “pro-life,” but it was decidedly “anti-choice.” The graveyard of flags both forced and enforced anti-choice sentiment by distilling it into a distasteful display and thrusting it upon unsuspecting students without their consent. It is disheartening to know that UFV has decided to defend UFV Life Link’s actions on the premise of “free speech,” ignoring students’ rights to a safe and hate-free campus.

TAYLOR DOAK-HESSCONTRIBUTOR

With latest Life Link demonstration, flags on the green still in bad taste

Photo:: Mitch Huttema

8


This season marked the final year on the rowing team for Ben Schreiner, coxswain of the Cascades men’s rowing team and graduating bachelor of business administration student.

The team had a strong exhibition season, finishing second in their first race and first in their last. In their regular season, UFV made an appearance at the western championships and Head of the Lake, a competition hosted by the University of Washington. The team also hosted Head of the Fort, their annual home regatta, as well as a challenge cup race against the University of Washington, in which they beat the team by a two-second margin.

Why did you start rowing?I started as a novice with no prior experience

in 2011 and I’ve been with the team ever since. I just thought it was something totally different. It was one of the only sports teams at school where you weren’t selected prior to the season — they had open tryouts. It was just prior to the London 2012 Olympics, so there was a lot of hype around the sport at the time. I’d seen some advertisements throughout the school and I thought I’d check it out.

You’re the team’s coxswain. What’s that like?

It’s like the taskmaster of the boat that he or she is in. I got into it in my first year.

Rowing is a sport of very tall guys — most of them are over six feet tall. Being 5’7, I

was at a very substantial disadvantage there. Just before one of our big spring regattas in Victoria, some of the older varsity guys tried to say, “Hey, you’re the smallest guy on the team, you’re probably not going to go very far in your rowing, you should be our coxswain.”

It was a hard subject for them to approach, but they did it well and they asked if I’d be interested in taking command of the eight at this race. I said yes; I didn’t want to disappoint anybody. And it was a lot of fun, actually.

It was interesting because the guy who was running the race was a former Olympic rower who had raced in Athens (2004) and he’d also

raced for Oxford. He came up to us after and he said the way I handled it was brilliant. I thought that’s kind of cool — I had an Olympic champion tell me in my first race, which I thought was a disaster, that it was brilliant the way I handled it. Having that confidence early on kept me staying in that position.

It’s a really different position than everyone else gets. The whole team is out there at six in the morning every day, and they’re out there sweating and working hard, and I’m sitting and putting in the mental work. It’s not a position people are easily sold on. I was tasked at the end of my career with finding a replacement for the men’s team. It is a bit of a hard sell, and it isn’t an easy position. It’s been a long five years, but it’s been a good choice. It’s something I’ve enjoyed doing and I’ll definitely miss.

How do you feel about how this past season went?

I think it went pretty well. Coming into it seemed a little disheartening because we’re small in numbers this year. In previous years we’ve been able to field a men’s eight, so we’d have nine guys rowing in one boat, where in this year we fielded a men’s four, so there’s only five of us total. But it was a really good group of guys and we were fortunate to be training

together since last season coming into the fall — we’d already had a lot of experience with each other, whereas in some seasons you come back in the fall and nobody’s rowed in that lineup, and you spend a few weeks building it. It was a little disheartening to not be able to race in the open eight category because that’s a pretty fun race — very competitive — but I think it was a good season for having a small crew.

Does the rowing team have a hard time recruiting athletes?

A lot of people don’t understand what rowing is, and not a lot know that we have a rowing team at this school because we don’t train here.

You may just see us on the rowing machines in the gym, but most of it takes place out in Fort Langley at 6:00 in the morning, five days a week. Most people aren’t going to see that, and the amount of opportunities we get to race are also quite small. We maybe have five or six races each season that we’ll compete in, and those races can be anywhere from Seattle to Nova Scotia (this year for nationals). And we only have one home game, if you can put it that way.

So the opportunities for people to see the rowing team are very small — when you try

VANESSA BROADBENTTHE CASCADE

Coxswain Ben Shreiner looks back on five years with UFV’s rowing team

FEATURE

It’s been a long five years, but it’s been a good choice. It’s something I’ve enjoyed doing and I’ll definitely miss.“

9


FEATURE

and recruit people and say, “Hey, we have a rowing team,” people don’t really understand that we have a team, and what rowing is. It’s hard because UFV is a commuter school, it’s hard to say, “Hey, you’re commuting to school from Chilliwack or Mission, but that’s not where we train. We train out in Fort Langley.”

It is hard in that sense to draw people in, but we find those that do get drawn in and stay with the sport are ones that do very well because they have a desire to perform better and really push themselves mentally and physically. So when we get that and we find those people, they stick with it and they do well, but it’s finding those people that’s hard. The people we’ve picked up, probably 90 per cent of the team, has all been walk-ons, no prior experience.

6:00 a.m., five days a week in Fort Langley sounds pretty awful.

It’s not as bad as it sounds. It’s actually nice to be out on the water at that time and it’s nice to start your day that way, with a good two hours of physical activity. The reason we do it is because the boat traffic is very minimal at that time, and it allows us to get out and train before our classes. We’re all in different fields of study, different programs on different campuses. It’s hard to find two hours during the day where we can have the entire team together. It’s always been that way.

You start to get accustomed — if you’re off the water by 8:00 a.m. and you have a class at 10:00 a.m., you’re up and you’re refreshed and able to get a few hours of studying in before your class. It is a good way to build structure into your schedule, but at first glance, it is tough to get used to getting up at 5:00 a.m. But that’s all I know for university. I get up at 5:00 a.m. and that’s that.

How does rowing so early even work during the winter?

If you’ve started in September, by the time you get to that point, it just becomes second nature, and it’s probably no different rowing in the pitch black than it is in the sun. It’s the same movement time and time again. I think the only difference is, in my position, being the guy that’s got to steer the boat and drive the boat, when it’s dark, it does get a little more challenging, especially because being on the river, there’s a lot of logging mills up the way, and with all the rain things start loosening up and coming down the river. I definitely don’t like that on dark or foggy mornings.

Our biggest boat is 60 feet long, and you’ve got to know what’s ahead of you before you actually get there. It comes with time, but every day is a little nerve-wracking when you get out on the water and you’re not sure what’s out there.

Have you ever had any close calls?I had one where we were training out on

the river in Richmond. It was our first time rowing out there on some back arms of the river, and there were some logs that were sticking out, but I couldn’t really see how far they were coming out. We didn’t hit anything, we just had a close call. We had to stop the boat. Each environment you go in is totally different.

I’ve been fortunate to not have any disasters

out on the water. You hear some horror stories from other crews and other clubs and you see it too sometimes. When we host our regatta, we’re out there a couple days prior with ropes and hooks pulling logs off the course or marking logs that could be hazardous when we’re racing.

These boats are made of carbon glass and carbon fibre and when you’re travelling at racing speeds, even a small log can do some serious damage to your boat. It is different from most sports because there is that element of nature that you really can’t control.

How do you find time to balance school and rowing?

In a weird way, it helps with balancing your time because you start to realize how valuable your time is; you don’t waste it as much. I find if I have too much free time, it’s easy to get sidetracked and watch that extra episode on Netflix. Some of the people on the team work part-time, others don’t. It is easier if you’re not working part-time because you’ve got to maintain good academic standing to be eligible for the team. I find it’s daunting at first, especially with more classes. It’s advised to only take four classes and a lighter course load, just because every weekend into November we’re away at regattas. It’s hard, your weekends are eaten up by racing time, so you’ve got to find time to study elsewhere. A lot of people will bring their study materials with them to regattas if they can and squeeze in a little bit of studying in between racing, but I find it’s more of a positive in terms of your time management. You really learn how to make good use of your time.

What are you going to miss about rowing?It’s interesting, the other day we had our

new men’s coxswain out in the eight, and I was sitting in the coach boat with our coach and coaching him through some things, and it was weird to see. I’d never been in the position where I’d seen my men’s eight row without me in it. To watch it from the side and see our new coxswain in it was kind of a weird feeling. I thought, “I already miss this.” I’ll definitely miss those early mornings. As crazy as it sounds, I’ll miss getting up at 5:00. You start to develop good friendships because you’re up that early and you’re all going through the same thing. I’m going to miss those mornings, and racing too. Racing’s so much fun. You work so hard to put it all on the line for 2000 metres, or 6000 metres. It’s a lot of fun to see the results you get after all that hard work.

Do you have any plans after graduation?I’m probably going to get right into work.

I’ve been working for a family-run company in sales since I graduated high school. I started there with some work experience and I started coming back each summer after, and now they’re wanting me to start full-time with them once I graduate. It’s been a lot of fun. It’s been my job going through university, and I’m very much looking forward to doing that full time. I’ve gotten to the point where I enjoy it so much, it doesn’t feel like work. It’s something you go out and do, and you enjoy and have fun.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Photos: Irene Hannestad Photography

10


CULTURE & EVENTS

In past years, students in search of clubs on campus would have had to dedicate time to finding and following each group’s social media page. Naturally, this would make things difficult for students seeking to become engaged members of our campus community. That’s one of the positives about having a Student Union Building (SUB); it’s a great way for students to meet, hang out, and develop into an actual student community.

Of the 68 clubs and associations active at UFV there is room space for eight, located across from the student lounge on the SUB’s second floor. After going through the application process and proving that the group was in need of space on campus and would use it well, last August saw SUS informing successful groups that they’d been granted space for the following 12 months.

The original eight organizations were eSports Valley (ESV), University Christian Ministries (UCM), the Chinese students and scholar association (CSSA), the business administration student association (BASA), Oxfam UFV, the UFV Arab club, Black Connections, and the pre-med student alliance (PMSA). However, at the start of this semester, Black Connections, BASA, and CSSA were replaced in the club rooms by the Pride Collective, yoga club, and the pen and paper tabletop club

(PAPT) due to lack of use — some used spaces elsewhere on campus, such as the Global Lounge in B building.

Daniel Holmberg, vice-president of PAPT, says the room allows for the club to establish an identity.

“We really love the room, right now we’re working on making the space ours, getting into how the room is going to work for us. We’re working on our art and trying to get as many people as possible engaged in our club by using that space,” he says. “Ideally, what we would like to do is to have someone in there as often as possible for people who come in and want to learn about the games, want to run a game, or just want to talk about games and hang out.”

According to Tam Finnegan, president of the Pride Collective and a prominent yoga club member, the room has already had a positive effect. “It’s been really awesome having a space to actually convene, now that people can see us walking down the halls they can come in, hang out with like-minded individuals,” she says. “It’s become kind of a nice little community corner.”

The current set of clubs will remain in the club spaces until August. Applications will open shortly for next fall’s groups.

Glen Ess is a member of Oxfam UFV.

GLEN ESSTHE CASCADE

New student groups move into SUB office rooms

is hiring!CASCADEthe

Every year, thousands of students walk across UFV campuses, per-forming countless deeds, thinking countless thoughts. Think you know how to cover this “student culture”?

We’re currently hiring for the position of Culture & Events editor — this position continues through the summer into next year. Ap-plications should include a resume, cover letter, writing sample, and photography sample.

Deadline for applications is April 15.

APR 4

APR 1

APR 5

UPCOMINGEVENTS

Presidential Search forum10:00 - 11:00 @A1457 (CEP)

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. @A225 (Abbotsford)

Big Bang 2016 5:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. @SUB

SUS Annual General Meeting4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. @SUB

MAR 29-APR 01

2016 Fraser Valley Regional Science Fair8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. @Envision Athletics Centre

MAR 31Holi 2K1612:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Outside the SUB

GreenSpeak with Lionel Pandolfo2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. @A413

Women in Business with Lesley Brown7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. @U-House


11


Poetry reading touches the soul

Last Thursday I attended a multilingual poetry reading at the Kariton Art Gallery, a small quaint building dressed in red sitting on the edge of Mill Lake. Hosted by Abbotsford Community Services, in partnership with CIVL Radio and the Abbotsford Arts Council, the event was designed to expose the unique talents and diversity found here in our community.

What I had expected of such an event and what I found to be the case were very different. I sat in a room with white walls decorated with art of an unusual, yet very inviting kind. The room smelled of sweets and warm tea, with the hum of light conversation; it felt like coming home at the end of a long day.

The Kariton was packed from wall to wall, each seat taken, and when none were left the remaining audience members opted to stand. In keeping with the homey atmosphere, the bond forged between performer and listener was like that of family.

Every word spoken, be it in English, Hindi, or Portuguese was met with an understanding translated through expression. In a way it didn’t matter what language was spoken, or what topic was chosen, these men and women all spoke with the same passion and possessed the same devotion to their craft, giving the gift of experiences long since past. Some poems were light-hearted, taking old nursery rhymes and leaving the audience in giggles. Others touched on traumas, exposing old wounds and laying them bare to the scrutiny of strangers. Strangers, but at the same time not, the Kariton was host to a community of friends.

When I arrived at the Kariton, I half expected a simple kind of poetry with short, polite praise, but what I got was passion beyond measure. Whether the poem was short or long, every end was met with applause that rang loud. Two hours passed like nothing, as if I had only just arrived to find the time run out. It left me wanting, longing for more while knowing there wasn’t any left — and I wasn’t alone. Each goodbye was touched with twinges of regret; no one desired an end to the proceedings. I couldn’t blame them.

TARA QUISTCONTRIBUTOR

CULTURE & EVENTSExhibit contrasts the beauty of nature with the destructive hands of humanity

• Soak up the sun while you study; take your education with you wherever you go.• Keep your summer job by studying at a time and place that works for you.• Earn credits now and lighten your workload next year.• Choose from over 500 courses.• Register anytime and get started right away. There are no fi xed registration dates.

truopen.ca/summeronline1-877-543-3576

Take courses online this summer.

Enjoy Summer

Earlier this month, this year’s visual arts diploma grad show opened at the S’eliyemetaxwtexw Art Gallery in B building. The exhibit consisted of artwork produced by three students: Chantelle Fawcett, Chrissy Courtney, and Megan Naples.

The trio chose the title Reverence and the Underbelly in reference to their deep respect for nature, alongside their disdain for the unpleasant effects of humanity on the natural world.

Courtney created a garbage animal sculpture of a black crow located in the centre of the room. The sculpture was made from carved styrofoam covered with a black garbage bag. Courtney was also responsible for the photo series capturing the fear of animals fleeing for their lives.

Fawcett’s exhibit, “Organic,” consists of simple, yet intricately handmade paper leaves with a wire silhouette. She was inspired to create her pieces when she saw the dried leaves in her backyard begin to curl. At the same time, she observed the effect of how a paper lamp could make a “sculptural object.” Fawcett used this effect to curl her own paper to create the large leaves that hang from the ceiling near the back of the exhibit.

Naples’ contribution was the beautiful “Capitalist Tree,” located at the back of the wall, with multiple canvases creating the image of a tree, complete with a skull.

Reverence and the Underbelly will remain on exhibit until April 5 in the S’eliyemetaxwtexw Art Gallery in B building (room B136)

RACHEL TAITCONTRIBUTOR


12


CULTURE & EVENTS

Spring is in the air. Bird songs, romance — it’s the time of year where everyone is “twitterpated,” when the blossoms are blooming, and April showers are preparing to intrude. Apparently it’s also the only time of year people clean their houses? Yes, the days are beginning to lighten up. But for all these wonderful, bright things we associate with springtime, there is something else, and it’s far less enjoyable, for spring brings with it … allergies!

dun dun dunMine start to trigger when the lilies and peonies

blossom, before exploding into a full-blown, hellish reaction as soon as the first lawn of the neighborhood is mowed. So how do you fend off pollen without popping drowsy pills during final exam season? There is an alternative: oil of oregano.

Small doses of the oil can help prevent you from sneezing, and while allergy medication often makes me feel sleepy, gives me nose bleeds, or turns me into an insomniac, oil of oregano prevents my eyes from swelling over and my nose from falling off into a disgusting puddle of mucus — all without messing up my sleeping patterns.

Oregano’s medicinal qualities are all due to the presence of the compound carvacrol, which has antibacterial properties similar to many over-the-counter antibiotics and is roughly equal to those same antibiotics in effectiveness. Carvacrol is found in many other essential oils, such as bergamot and thyme. However, oregano’s relative abundance, coupled with it not being too pungent, means you’re more likely to easily find oil of oregano.

Amongst its other qualities, oil of oregano can also calm your digestive system, help you fight infections, and serves as an alternative source of iron, calcium, and vitamins C and E. Oil of oregano also has some more effects when ingested, such as helping with sinus pain, arthritis, earaches, and even fatigue. Yes, oil of oregano can help rouse a tired student — add that to your list of caffeine alternatives!

So if springtime brings on the sniffles, and if you want to try something new to combat it, spend a little bit more and try some oil of oregano before allergies begin their infiltration of your system. Your classmates will thank you for not being a sniffling, sneezing distraction during a three-hour long exam.

With files from Glen Ess.

JASMINE-HOPE SILVACONTRIBUTOR

Oregano combats springtime allergies! HEALTH

is hiringCASCADEthe

Think you have what it takes to run this paper?Ready to give up all your free time?

If you’re an excellent writer, thinker, and leader (or can fake the appearance of being those things), you might be

the next editor-in-chief of The Cascade!

To apply, you’ll need to send: a resume, an opinion/edito-rial writing sample, and a written manifesto of what you

think The Cascade should be in the year to come.

Applications and questions can be sent to [email protected]

We’re also hiring for next year’s managing editor (office management and writing coordination).

Deadline for applications: April 15

The Cascade is holding a general meeting — pizza! and bylaw changes! and a new fiscal year’s budget! and pizza!

and an audit report and the opportunity to throw your name in as a member of the board! All students are welcome to come.

Where: S3103 (the top floor of the SUB)When: Thursday, March 31 at 1:00 p.m.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & MANAGING EDITOR

EGM MEETING

UFV hosts Fraser Valley Regional Science Fair

CASCADEthe

This week sees the gym on Abbotsford campus playing host to the Fraser Valley Regional Science Fair. The fair features projects from individual students as well as classrooms, and is a contribution

to B.C.’s “Youth Science Month.”Prizes for the fair range in value from $50 to

$2,000. One lucky participant will be chosen to represent

the Fraser Valley at the Canada Wide Science Fair to be held in Montreal this May.

The fair runs through April 1.

GLEN ESS THE CASCADE


Illustration: Danielle Collins

13


Christopher Nolan, through hard work, determination, and good writing, did what even Hollywood golden-boy George Clooney couldn’t do: he resuscitated Batman and made him cool again. More importantly, the film stressed the fact that Batman is very much a human being. Sure, he’s got a lot of money and works out a lot, but still, he’s a person, with mortal limitations. That was the entire point of Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.

All of that gets thrown out the window before the main plot of Batman V Superman even starts. Batman, in this incarnation, is more or less a weaker version of Superman, without the laser eyes or flight.

Besides the two main actors, the supporting cast doesn’t do much. Lawrence Fishbourne as Perry White, the Daily Planet’s editor-in-chief, literally talks in news article headlines. In one scene, he looks up to an assistant and says, “Jen, headline: End of love affair with man in sky, question mark.” And then he walks out of the room.

Jesse Eisenberg, is, well, Jesse Eisenberg. His portrayal of Lex Luthor as a misunderstood genius gone off the deep end would be refreshing if Eisenberg hadn’t already done the same thing in just about every movie he’s been in.

The film treats its subject matter with all the seriousness of films like There Will Be Blood. Which leads to its main problem. We’re shown two characters, both of whom we’ve come to adore and idolize as heroes, engaged in a fight orchestrated by Lex Luthor, yet neither of them has the clarity of mind to say, “Hold on a second, why are

we fighting? What’s going on?” It seems as if the entire premise and plot of the movie can be summed up in a line Ben Affleck, as Batman, delivers at the end of the film: “We fight, we kill, we betray one another. But we can do better. We have to.”

The only reason Batman and Superman fight to the extent that they do is as a direct result of both characters completely misunderstanding that they’re being manipulated. And then Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) shows up and further muddies the waters.

Apart from the plot inconsistencies, the most interesting aspect to discuss is Superman. Superman dies. This is good.

However, Superman doesn’t die as a result of fighting Batman. He doesn’t die as an adversary, but rather as a teammate, killed while fighting a huge monster called “Doomsday” who’s threatening the city.

And then, after a somber funeral scene, we’re shown a close-up of his grave. Dirt trembles and levitates, and the screen cuts to black. So obviously Superman’s not dead. He can’t be, there are sequels to be made.

Nobody learns any lessons. Nobody actually dies. There’s no finality to the film.

All Batman V Superman does is show us two guys have a pissing contest, then smarten up and join together to fight evil. Things get set on fire and blow up, a lot of bad guys get the crap kicked out of them, and dialogue is interspersed with fighting because none of it means anything anyway; we’re just here to see a glorified boxing match that, in the end, results in a draw.

But then again, there’s the promise of multiple sequels on the horizon.

Maybe Aquaman will get it right.

MARTIN CASTRO THE CASCADE

Batman V Superman does nothing with either Batman or Superman

MOVIE REVIEW

ARTS IN REVIEW

1 Jordan KlassenJavelin

2 MogwaiEther (single)

3 Andrew Bird

Are you Serious

4 Basia BulatGood Advice

5 Lucius

Good Grief

6 Explosions In The Sky The Wilderness

7 Delta WillWeathering

8 Liimaii

9 We Are The City Above Club

10 The Thermals We Disappear

11 Demise of the CrownDemise of the Crown

12 Iggy PopPost Pop Depression

13 Jim BrysonSomewhere We Will

Find Our Place

14 Statutes of LibertyVox Populi

15 Parquet Courts Human Performance

16 DumbBeach Church

17 La Luz/Scully

Believe My Eyes b/w Don't Want That

18 You Say Party

You Say Party

19 Cheap HighPicture Disk

CHARTSShuffle

Crash Test Dummies"God Shuffled His Feet"

The Crash Test Dummies were a Canadian band. Still are, ap-parently, as recently as 2010. I was never really a fan, though I do find “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” a good karaoke song af-ter shredding my voice earlier in the night with Cyndi Lauper and Guns n’ Roses songs.

The Rolling Stones"Harlem Shuffle"

If you want to see Mick and Keith in outfits that make Miami Vice fashion look restrained, check out the cover of their 1986 album Dirty Work.

Jump N' Saddle Band"The Curly Shuffle"

The thing about growing up well before the Netflix age is that there were only so many kids’ shows being produced, and when stations needed to fill time, they’d run old Charlie Chaplin films, or Three Stooges shorts. If you can’t remember, Curly is the stooge with the shaved head.

The Chicago Bears"The Super Bowl Shuffle"

There was a fad for a while where sports teams would re-cord a novelty single. This one clocks in at a glorious 5:50. But they won the Super Bowl that year, so.

Bruce Springsteen"E Street Shuffle"Sometimes it sounds like The Boss’ fans are booing him, but really they’re shouting “Bruuuuuce!”

You know how it is, right? There’s some times in life where everything just comes easy, sun shines out of your fingertips. And then there’s other times when you have to write a CIVL Shuffle for The Cascade and all you can do is repeat back the word “shuffle” in response...

DAVE CUSICK CIVL DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING

14


ARTS IN REVIEW

Damien Jurado’s been around for over 20 years of recording, and has grown as both a musician and storyteller, as demonstrated in his latest LP, Visions of Us on the Land.

Visions is the latest chapter in a story Jurado started telling us in 2012 in the album Maroqopa, which introduced us to an unnamed protagonist who gives up on society and heads out to an idyllic, mysterious town. Following Maroqopa came 2014’s Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son, which added a theological twist to this protagonist's search for greater meaning outside of consumerism.

Now, fully four years after his first appearance, this character has left the cultish commune he’d wandered into in favour of

voyaging across a dreamscape version of the United States, bursting in all its glorious weirdness. Sonically, Jurado builds upon the idea of an America on acid through his inclusion of funk influences, particularly basslines.

While the album entertains and expands Jurado’s sonic palate, the past four years haven’t seen this tale come closer to a conclusion. It remains to be seen where Jurado will go, or where he’ll take his listeners: the small town dream of Moroqopa, the commune of Brothers and Sisters. Perhaps he’ll continue to wander across the land of imagination described in Visions.

Drink More Water 6 sees Makonnen Sheran stray further from the druggy, hazy melodies he built his current fan base on (the most popular of which is “Tuesday”), and towards a more sporadically aggressive aesthetic. That said, album opener “Back Again” is strengthened by Makonnen’s ear for catchy hooks. One of the more apparent differences between this and the projects that Makonnen has released in the past is reflected in his choice of instrumentals, which instead of ethereal and hazy, are more to the point. There’s still f luidity in them, but generally, they’re punchier.

The same comment applies to Makonnen’s

delivery as well; he’s much less melodic on DMW6 than he’s been in his previous releases. I Love Makonnen 2’s “Trust Me Danny,” for example, was infectious to a fault, whereas the most catchy track on DMW6 is arguably “Big Gucci,” and that’s only because of the repetitive nature of its verses.

Overall, Makonnen seems to be trading in an appealing, well-defined aesthetic for a more aggressive, yet less charismatic one.

I just want you to go back to what you’re good at and make another “Tuesday,” Makonnen, is that too much to ask?

The latest, and most likely last album by the School of Seven Bells is a poignant farewell to founding member Benjamin Curtis. Alongside his bandmates, the Deheza twins, Claudia and Alejandra, the School of Seven Bells had a short career spanning only nine years. Over those years and through the course of four albums they drew upon influences ranging from Kraftwerk all the way to Section 25.

Somehow SVIIB, released after Claudia Deheza’s departure from the band in 2010 and Curtis’ death in 2013, is just as emblematic of the group’s sound, despite Alejandra being its last, sole member. Of course, much of this is due to the fact that the album was written prior to Curtis’ passing. His presence lingers across the glittering synths that mark SVIIB as a School of Seven Bells album. And Deheza’s performance

is grief-laden, as Curtis’ aura is a ghostly one, flitting across the album.

Fittingly, the album explores the themes of a failed relationship, discussed most openly in “On My Heart” but pervasive throughout the album. “On My Heart,” in addition to being most demonstrative of the album’s themes, also contains the most heart-wrenching line on the album: Deheza’s paradoxically optimistic delivery of the words “You’ll fall in love again.”

That optimism is key, as SVIIB wasn’t written to be a funeral dirge for Curtis. In fact, it retains the same playful, upbeat synth work that has been the group’s hallmark. Unfortunately,

it’s impossible to separate SVIIB from Curtis’

ElliphantLiving Life Golden

School of Seven BellsSVIIB

Damien JuradoVisions of Us on the Land

Julianne Huff

Glen Ess

Glen Ess

Mini album reviewsS undBites

ILoveMakonnenDrink More Water 6

Listening to “Step Down,” the first song on the new album by Swedish singer Elliphant (Ellinor Olovsdotter), I was a little skeptical as to what I was in for.

While the majority of the album lands in the alternative pop and electronic genres, there are interesting influences throughout the album. “Step Down” has lyrics that belittle people for judging others, “Everybody” (which features Azaelia Banks) and “Player Run” have more of a rap influence, with strong electronic tones

and back beats, and “Love Me Badder,” “Not Ready,” and “Where is Home” mix reggae and electronic. “One More” features MØ, who adds a more melancholic edge to the pop song, while Skrillex joins Elliphant on “Spoon Me” for basically a good dance or clubbing song. In the end, the album is a great reflection of Elliphant’s ability to almost transcend genre, finding influence in rap, pop, electronic, and reggae and fusing them together.

Martin Castro

15


ARTS IN REVIEWMOVIE REVIEW

Allegiant continues the cyclical, hopeful messages of young-adult dystopian fiction

Allegiant is the third installment in the Divergent movie series based on books by Veronica Roth set in a futuristic dystopian society based in Chicago.

The citizens of Chicago, as we join them, have separated into different factions: “Abnegation” (The Selfless), “Dauntless” (The Brave), “Candor” (The Honest), “Erudite” (The Intelligent), and “Amity” (The Peaceful). Generally, children are automatically raised in their parents’ factions. However, when they are of age they have the opportunity to choose to stay in the faction they were born in or join another faction.

Protagonist Tris Prior (portrayed by Shailene Woodley) is born into Abnegation but chooses to switch into Dauntless. During her time with the Dauntless faction, Tris learns that she does not belong in any of the five factions, making her “divergent.” Tris being divergent is seen as a danger to the government of Chicago because she can not be fit into a single faction. Thus, she is believed to be a risk to the faction system and to society.

During the second movie, Insurgent, Tris was constantly pursued by government authorities. In the end, the oppressive government was defeated, in part due to their leader, Jeanine Matthews’ (Kate Winslet) death, and a new government was formed, with Evelyn Eaton (Naomi Watts) as its leader.

Allegiant begins with an overview of changes brought in by the new government. However, we see that this new government is no better than the last one. Eaton is seen allowing mob rule, her citizens executing a man they deemed guilty without turning to laws or a proper trial.

This violence sparks controversy within the community, which divides the citizens and gives way to war.

The Divergent movie series has many similarities to other dystopian film series such as The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner. Although these movies may differ in plot, the underlying themes remain the same. Governments constantly believe, and promote the belief, that their actions are justified, characterizing despicable acts as being for society’s good. In the Divergent series, the government believes that separating society into factions is what will keep the peace. Their fear is driven by ignorance and the idea that conformity will benefit society and maintain peace. These types of emotions can also be seen in The Hunger Games, particularly in the film series’ plot device of having the government send a child from each district into an arena, and forcing them to kill one another: a revamped Battle Royale, or Lord Of The Flies.

Allegiant follows a similar plot as most recent dystopian films: an oppressive, totalitarian government, a protagonist who ends up defying them, and a subsequent rebellion and war involving all citizens. Although Allegiant’s plot doesn’t stray far from the norm, the film does have great effects, good character development, and many climactic scenes.

Shailene Woodley portrays Tris’s growth and character development in a believable way throughout the series. One of the most drastic changes in her character’s arc comes in this film — Tris becomes a leader, as opposed to sticking to the sidelines and following others.

When Tris and her friends discover a city beyond the walls of Chicago, she is introduced to their leader, David (Jeff Daniels). David tells Tris that people within Chicago are “damaged”

and that people within his city are “pure.” David wonders why Tris is also pure despite her growing up in Chicago, and asks Tris to help him find out why. She goes along with his wishes, although she realizes in the end that David had been selfishly manipulating her. She defies him and goes back to Chicago.

Tris’s growth and character development is one of the best aspects of the film. That, along with the many great effects and scenery, the strong performance of Theo James as Four, and the comic relief that Miles Teller provides while playing the conflicted character Peter Hayes made the film entertaining to watch.

However, movies based in a dystopian society are not just about visual effects or a love story between the protagonist and a boy she meets along the way. The underlying themes are meant to bring awareness to the audience about conformity and violence that can possibly

happen and are still happening throughout the world.

Audiences may assume that movies such as Allegiant and The Hunger Games are merely entertainment. But these movies symbolize a world that can become reality if humanity loses its compassion and rationale. Many of these dystopian societies segregate and try to reshape certain individuals because they are different. To a dystopian society anything different is deemed to be a threat. This type of thinking is not uncommon in our world today. However, characters within dystopian films also teach the audience to accept the many differences that people have, that love and acceptance trumps fear and ignorance, and that with a bit more understanding and compassion towards others, these dystopian societies have a way to rebuild themselves into something better.

TANYA VANPRASEUTHTHE CASCADE

ALBUM REVIEW

New Brunswickian rock debut Extraordinormal relies on smeary, reverb-heavy repetitionMARTIN CASTRO THE CASCADE

The debut record of Laura Sauvage — the solo project of Vivianne Roy, one third of the folk trio Les Hay Babies — takes its lessons from the beach rock of the ‘60s, but incorporates heavier elements as well. “Rubberskin,” the first track on the record, sounds like it came out of a movie scene involving slowly moving, panning shots of hippies doing recreational drugs interspersed with shots of a car chase, ending in a crash. Reverb is applied to pretty much everything on the track except the drum kit, giving it perhaps too much room to move about. And Roy’s voice itself ends up getting kind of drowned out in the messiness of the track, despite its catchiness.

“Cyanide Breath Mint” is more grounded, Roy’s voice is ridiculously reminiscent of Metric’s Emily Haines, and the

track does its job well, bringing down the leftover energy from “Rubberskin” to a more grounded, more meditative space.

Most of the other tracks on the record seem to follow either the example of “Rubberskin” or “Cyanide Breath Mint”: either energetic or lethargic.

“Have You Heard The Good News?” is one of the best tracks on the record, because although Roy’s delivery isn’t particularly emphatic (it’s kind of lackluster), the track’s main guitar riff works really well in tandem with her delivery.

Unfortunately, “Jesus Wants to Be My Buddy” doesn’t do any of the things “Have You Heard The Good News?” does well, and instead reverts back to most of the failures of the record’s first two tracks. Its only saving grace comes by way of a relaxed, Mac Demarco-esque guitar solo that ties the track together with a neat little bow at the end.

If anything, the tracks on the record, simply because of the way

that they rely on reverb and space to appear as if they’re less bare-bones than they really are, end up seeming as if they’re too short. We’re never really satisfied. And what’s weirder is that this is a fault that’s quite easily remedied: all you’ve got to do is take the reverb away and you’re left with a punchy, sweet, albeit short track.

I could imagine “Fucker Stole My Phone,” one of the more high-energy tracks on the record, being my favourite if it weren’t for this same problem.

“I.D.W.Y.S.” is a bit more palatable given its lack of reverb. We can actually hear her voice through the verses, and it’s a lot more charismatic than having a shapeless mass of sound pushed at you.

Extraordinormal would be a great throwback to early rock if it weren’t for the amount of murkiness it makes the listener wade through. As it stands, Extraordinormal is more of a lesson on the failings of using reverb to approximate the past.

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the cascade vol. 24 no. 11

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