Pants Off! for Charity

One of my friends is organizing this creative charity event, so I thought it'd be worthwhile to share it with fellow students...

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Join your fellow students and walk through the center of campus with your underwear in plain sight. Put it over your clothes, go pants-less, wear a bathrobe, go captain-underpants-style, or be creative! Prizes for the best dressed!!!

That's right, we're giving you an excuse and making it socially acceptable to walk through the center of campus in your underwear! Whether you've dreamed of an event like this your whole life, or you think underwear is just plain sexy and shouldn't be hidden, come out and support local charity! DONT miss out on UBC's very first underwear walk!

Registration is $10, all proceeds towards the UBC and VGH Hospital Foundation, to help put an end to the merciless, ruthless, inconsiderate, and rarely discussed, prostrate cancer!!

UBC Social Media, Oh My!

August has been a busy month for UBC’s VFM community with two major developments: (1) the revamping of the longstanding UBC Insiders and (2) the creation of an aggregator blog for UBC media outlets.*

UBC Insiders

Matthew has already espoused his views about the new UBC Insiders site. I’ve been to the new site and I like that it’s much cleaner than before – I still think there could be a lot more work though.

They say that they’ve integrated much more social media into the site but I’m not sure what that means. They have running feeds on UBC events of interest and other assorted features which are, admittedly, nifty but the usefulness of which is dubitable.

Nevertheless, the biggest surprise is the eviction of longtime insider, Maria Jogova. From what I can tell, she will no longer be a regular contributor which is surprising. Whither has she fled? And why has she chosen seclusion after reigning as VFM queen for so long? We’ll have to wait to find out.

Oh, and I’m still embittered that I was never knowledgeable enough to be considered an insider. But that’s alright; I’m a spectator!

Thunderbird Gazette

This one’s my own little side-project – it aggregates common VFM sources into one neat website for easy digestion. Moreover, it allows readers to directly compare popularity indices among different VFM sites through the Popularity Contest plugin. Comments are disabled because I don’t want to take away traffic from the original sources but I’m trying to think of creative ways to encourage reader participation without commenting.

Neal tells me that UBC Public Affairs is going to do something similar which is mildly disappointing. I hope it doesn’t render my project extraneous.

If you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment or two.

*Tooting my own here because I’m the one who came up with the project but I thought it was interesting enough to share.

Blake’s Bit

The long-ago promised Truth-O-Meter returns!

See below the promises Blake made during the AMS elections and the progress made on each. Note that red doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s given up on something – but that no tangible progress has been made to date.

Colour Code

• Black - Progress Unknown
• Blue - In-Progress
• Green – Completed or Promise Kept
• Red – Incomplete or Promise Broken
• Purple - Promise Compromised

President - Blake Frederick

• Make the cost of education an issue in the upcoming Provincial election.
• Run a public campaign to cut the education tax - lower tuition.
• Pressure the Provincial Government to reinstate the BC Student Grant Program.
• Pressure the Provincial and Federal governments to make a number of changes to the student loan program including lowering the interest rate, expanding interest relief, and modifying the eligibility criteria.
• Pressure UBC Student Financial Assistance and Awards to provide more needs-based support for students.
• Call for an immediate moratorium on the construction of on-campus housing units for people with no affiliation with the University.
• Pressure the University to set a target to provide housing for at least 50% of all full-time undergraduate students. The current target is 25%, but demand is still not being met.
• Continue to raise awareness about regional housing issues as they relate to students.
• Pressure UBC Housing & Conferences to implement a cap on rental increases.
• Explore the feasibility of an AMS housing co-op.
• Oppose the construction of market housing in the centre of campus and on the UBC Farm.
• Create a united coalition on campus of students, faculty, and staff, especially groups like Single Parents On Campus (SPOC), the AMS Feminist Collective, Access and Diversity, and the Equity Office to pressure all levels of government to fund the creation of new childcare spaces.
• Increase funding for the AMS Evelyn Lett Childcare Bursary.
• Call on the Provincial Government to provide more money to student parents through the Child Care Subsidy program.
• Institute an opt-in Summer U-Pass Program for students between winter semesters
• Demand more buses now on busy transit routes and underserviced areas of Metro Vancouver to avoid delays and pass-ups through a public awareness campaign.
• Demand representation for UBC residents and students on the Translink Mayors' Council.
• Prevent the University from revoking its $24 per student U-Pass subsidy.
• Work with other student unions to expand the availability of the U-Pass program.
• Oppose the proposed underground bus loop on campus, which is unnecessary, expensive, and unsafe.
• Use the momentum from the AMS Great Farm Trek to apply political pressure on the Board of Governors to protect the UBC Farm in its current form.
• Work with Metro Vancouver to take the UBC Farm out of the 'future housing reserve'.
• Pressure the University to provide operational funding to the UBC Farm.
• Call for a major restructuring of Campus & Community Planning to ensure that students are consulted with meaningfully.
• Pressure the Provincial Government to make changes to the University Act to require that all Board of Governors representatives be elected.
• Call for student representation on the Board to be increased to 40% of the members.
• Call for transparency and accountability from UBC's developer Properties Trust.
• Call for increased student representation on University committees.
• Work with City Councilors to examine the options to incorporate with the City of Vancouver or incorporate as a separate municipality.
• Pressure the University to consult with students on the changes to campus during the Olympics.
• Launch an awareness campaign to inform students of upcoming disruptions.
• Undertake a comprehensive and consultative review process of the most effective way to achieve the AMS's lobbying priorities and goals.
• Prioritize an independent review of systemic discrimination in the AMS.
• Enhance and institutionalize the AMS Equity Officer program.
• Launch a campaign to educate students on the services the AMS provides to enhance safety, such as AMS Safewalk.
• Ensure that UBC's text message based Emergency Response System is operational.
• Ensure that the Emergency Blue Lights are working in an effective manner with quickened response times.
• Educate students about the risk of sexual assault, especially in residences. The responsibility should not be on the 'potential victims' to keep themselves safe, but education is necessary for reducing risk.
• Work to establish a positive relationship between students and the RCMP, as students will only feel safe when they trust those whose responsibility is to protect them.
• Liaise with the RCMP, students, the University Administration, and the UNA to encourage cooperation and communication between all groups.
• Encourage increased transparency from the on-campus RCMP's procedures regarding noise complaints and liquor licensing.
• Improve communications for the New Sub Project.
• Assist the VP Finance and VP Admin in a fundraising campaign for the New Sub Project.
• Advertise the SUB financial subsidy so that students with financial hardship aren't adversely affected by new fees.
• Pressure the Board to give the AMS autonomy over the $186 Athletics and Recreation University fee.
• Reduce or eliminate the $21 Athletics and Intramural AMS fee.
• Pressure UBC Athletics to provide students with better accessibility to its facilities.
• Demand transparency, accountability, and student representation in UBC Athletics' budgeting process.

So colourful! Feel free to contact Blake about any of these at president@ams.ubc.ca.

Blogathon: UBC Bloggers with a Cause

With the current furore regarding the Iranian elections, it’s refreshing to see social media being utilised so effectively. Nick Zarzycki at Terry* has been keeping everyone updated about the cause.

Of course, much closer to home, annually-held Blogathon also utilises social media to effect social change. In a nutshell, it’s a 24-hour marathon of blogging (posts every 30 minutes) for charity. Doing it is definitely not for the faint of heart; it requires real stamina and dedication.

This year’s event will be held from July 25, 2009 (6:00am) to July 26, 2009 (6:00am). Posts are not allowed to be pre-written.

At UBC, we’re privileged to have several bloggers in our community who are intending to participate in this year’s event. Listed here are their names, websites and respective charities. Please offer your support or join in yourself! Visit Blogathon the website for more information.

• Matthew Corker (That’s a Corker) – Charity Unknown
• Phoebe Yu (UBC Years) – Charity Unknown
• Matthew Naylor & Alex Lougheed (The Radical Beer Tribune) – Canadian Mental Health Association

If you have any information for us, please leave it in the comments and we’ll update as soon as we can!

BC Elections Results Live Blog

A Very Sad Day

I am pretty sure this is UBC-relevant news, considering the amount of fans supporting the Nucks on campus. Our team was handily destroyed in the 3rd period and lost 7-5 in Game 6 today to the Blackhawks, thus being eliminated from the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Truly depressing.

The Bloggers Behind the Blogs

After a long hiatus, I finally came up with something worth posting. We all know that blogging’s currently in vogue, but what do we really know about the bloggers that document the UBC community? I investigate.

Maria Jogova
Blog(s): The UBC Insiders 
Faculty and Major: Science – Physiology 4
Birthday (Astrological Sign): September 3 (Virgo)
High School: Crofton House
Cause for Fame: Longstanding councillor for the Science Undergraduate Society; President of the Debate Club
Gossip Girl Counterpart: Nelly Yukie or Blair Waldorf
Dirty Little Secret: Leave your dirty little secret in the comments!

Neal Yonson
Blog(s): The UBC Insiders 
Faculty and Major: Grad Student; previously enrolled at the University of Toronto
Birthday: ?
Cause for Fame: NCAA consultations; generally insightful regarding campus issues
Gossip Girl Counterpart: Dan Humphrey or Nathaniel Archibald
Dirty Little Secret: Leave your dirty little secret in the comments!

Matthew Naylor
Blog(s): The Radical Beer Tribune 
Faculty and Major: Arts – Political Science 4
Birthday: September 4 (Virgo)
High School: Rundle College
Cause for Fame: Former AMS VPX, major involvement in student politics, the Liberal party and the Radical Beer Faction
Gossip Girl Counterpart: Dan Humphrey
Dirty Little Secret: Leave your dirty little secret in the comments!

Alex Lougheed
Blog(s): The Radical Beer Tribune 
Faculty and Major: Science – Mathematics 4/5?
Birthday: ?
High School: ?
Cause for Fame: Former VPA&UA, formerly involved with the Science Undergraduate Society and currently involved with the Radical Beer Faction
Gossip Girl Counterpart: Chuck Bass
Dirty Little Secret: Leave your dirty little secret in the comments!

Phoebe Yu
Blog(s): UBC Years 
Faculty and Major: Commerce – ? 2
High School: ?
Cause for Fame: Most prolific member of the UBC Blog Squad, currently working in the Chapman Learning Commons and President of the International Business Club (now now, no SNAFUs like last year regarding endorsements, Phoebe!)
Gossip Girl Counterpart: Blair Waldorf
Dirty Little Secret: Leave your dirty little secret in the comments!

Saša Pudar
Blog(s): UBC Spectator  
Faculty and Major: Political Science and Modern European Studies 3
High School: Burnaby South
Cause for Fame: Affiliated with the Liberals
Gossip Girl Counterpart: Blair Waldorf or Vanessa Abrams
Dirty Little Secret: Leave your dirty little secret in the comments!

Kristian Arciaga
Blog(s): UBC Spectator 
Faculty and Major: Political Science and International Relations 3
High School: Vancouver College
Cause for Fame: Formerly general officer for AUS, currently VP Finance
Gossip Girl Counterpart: Nathaniel Archibald
Dirty Little Secret: Well-known womanizer among AUS councillors.

Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with the writers of UBC Student Media, Fair Vote UBC or the Devil’s Advocate, but you can feel free to write in your own biographies for them. I’m missing a lot of information, so please add more dirty little secrets about UBC’s bloggers!