Jul
8
Reading Break 2010
Posted by: Neal Yonson | July 8, 2007 | 17 Comments
On May 16, the Senate approved to extend the 2010 reading break from 5 days to 10 days, adding another week of jolly freedom to the schedule of an otherwise overworked undergraduate student. This, as you rightly predict, is a response to the VanOC which approached Academic Policy chair Paul Harrison with this proposal quite […]
Jul
5
Stephen Owen appointed VP External and Community Relations of UBC
Posted by: Neal Yonson | July 5, 2007 | 29 Comments
So, I’m still in a little bit of an awe at this, hopefully some of you sages can provide insight and calm my nerves. Stephen Owen’s website confirms that “Stephen Owen, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra, announced today that he will be resigning his seat effective July 27, 2007 to join the University of […]
Jun
29
Public Consultation
Posted by: Neal Yonson | June 29, 2007 | Comments Off on Public Consultation
Most research-intensive universities have a technology transfer office which handles licensing agreements between a university’s research product and the private sector. This includes small biomolecules with therapeutic promise, and encompasses many more technologies with potential for health improvement or disease treatment. The University Industry Liaison Office at UBC has been meeting with a group of […]
Jun
29
Context – The University Golf Course
Posted by: Neal Yonson | June 29, 2007 | 15 Comments
Noticed UBC in the national news lately? It’s probably because of the University Golf Course. So what exactly is happening? How about an explanation – in timeline form.1990: Developer David Ho leases the University Golf Course, on University Boulevard, from the provincial government. The land has what’s called a “restrictive covenant” attached to it, which […]
Jun
28
A note on how student elites keep power.
Posted by: Neal Yonson | June 28, 2007 | 8 Comments
A polemic by Arts councilor Nathan Crompton It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things. For the reformer has an enemy in all those who profit by the old order, and only […]
May
31
Intellectual boycotting – can we boycott stupid people too?
Posted by: Neal Yonson | May 31, 2007 | 12 Comments
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArtVty.jhtml?sw=britain+boycott&itemNo=865220 http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1180450954999&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Well, Britain’s academic community has once again embarrassed itself. Britain’s lecturers’ union, UCU, (numbering 120 000 members) voted Wednesday in favor of encouraging and discussing an academic boycott on Israeli universities and research institutes. The motion doesn’t impose the boycott on union members yet but rather brings the question of boycotting Israel’s academia […]
May
10
Labrat missives – how to find a summer job you hate
Posted by: Neal Yonson | May 10, 2007 | 2 Comments
It’s seven pm and here I am at the lab, with no prospects of leaving for at least 2 hours. The summer job is no longer just an institution, it’s a necessity. With debt burden higher than ever, and professional competition ingrained in our young but pragmatic psyches, not only do students need to make […]
May
3
AMS meeting May 2, or, concerning U Blvd.
Posted by: Neal Yonson | May 3, 2007 | 9 Comments
We’ve been a little negligent of late, admittedly. Exams, Tim out of town, me just starting work, and other excuses abound. But don’t give up on us! There is some neat stuff coming up. Yep, yesterday was summer’s first AMS council meeting. The free food was scarce, and the atmosphere tense. The order of business […]
Apr
21
Spotted on campus yesterday
Posted by: Neal Yonson | April 21, 2007 | 9 Comments
So I attended two events on campus yesterday, and rubbed shoulders with a some IMPORTANT PEOPLE as a result. And we all love to hear about important people, and their doings. Moreover, serious journalism inevitably gives way to tabloidy filler, (at least during exams when actually doing research is impossible). S0, event #1 was a […]
Apr
16
Posted by: Neal Yonson | April 16, 2007 | 2 Comments
From xkcd. Good luck with exams everyone.