I recently had the privilege of working with the International student representative, Isaac Asonya, to raise money for the Have a Heart Fundraiser to raise money for AIDS/HIV research. Thank you to everyone who donated to this cause and helped out with raising money!
Cheers,
- Celia McDermott, VP External for the SRC

I wish to congratulate Celia McDermott, SRC VP External and all students and staff involved in recent Green Week initiatives.  I appreciate the SRC recycling program on campus and applaud university administrators for co-operating with this welcome effort.

As justice and peace co-ordinator for the Sisters of Charity and Associates, I am grateful to learn from all involved in environmental awareness and action.  As a volunteer campus minister, I am encouraged by creative student engagement in such environmental efforts.

Grateful for positive Green Week coverage in The Baron, I gave copies of the Feb. 9^th issue to a representative of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, who agreed to offer one to the New Brunswick Environmental Network.  Good news is worth sharing!

Gratefully,

Roma De Robertis

Sisters of Charity and UNB Saint John Campus Ministry (team member)

Home office phone:  635-5505

E-mail:  soft@nb.sympatico.ca

I was indeed disappointed by the lack of coverage in your February 23 issue of the Men’s Seawolves Volleyball Team. What a chance has been missed to promote this outstanding sport to potential students!

I noticed that while you did cover the ladies’ volleyball team in depth in the article “Bloodied but Unbowed” (who had a 2-game losing streak and ultimately lost in the Atlantic Finals), you did completely ignore the fact that the Men’s Seawolves went undefeated ALL year, and had the opportunity to sweep back-to-back Atlantic Colleges Athletics Association championships – for the first time in UNBSJ history!

Well, they did it! And tomorrow the men’s team is on their way to Edmonton, Alberta to play in the Nationals to represent YOUR University!

What an athletic tool this dynamic team could have been to attract high-profile volleyball players to UNBSJ. Perhaps in your next issue this oversight will be addressed.

Claire Dykeman

Adam Stewart

Hi there, this is Adam Stewart, one of your fantastic CFMH radio hosts. I’m writing this letter to let the student body know that there is now an open mic night here on campus every Monday beginning at 8pm. Myself as well as local sensation, Marvin Rathburn, an up and coming star in the Maritime music scene, will host it.

The weekly event will run for approximately three hours ending at 11pm. If you or anyone you know would like to showcase your musical talents then feel free to drop on by. There is plenty of room for full bands and there is also more than enough time each week to let loose and jam out. It’s a great opportunity for local talent to meet up and have fun.

It is also important to note that we will accept any kind of mic related skills. I used the term “music” a little too forcefully above. We are strong supporters of the arts so if you have any comedic talents, would like to share some poetry, showcase some beat box skills, or anything else you can express through a microphone than you are more than welcome on our stage.

Even if you don’t play anything but feel a strong urge to support starving artists then come on out, bring some friends, and indulge in a few cheap beverages (providing, of course, that you are nineteen years old). There is absolutely no cover charge. This is simply an event for people to get together and enjoy some great Saint John talent.

If you have any questions you can contact me at 1-506-721-7080 or email me at holy_stew@hotmail.com. There should also be a Facebook group coming out in the near future so keep your eyes peeled. Thank you to anyone interested and I hope to hear from you soon!

Cheers,

Adam Stewart

The general public sometimes seems immune to the issues facing our higher education institutions.  Evidently, we have heard of  (and still regret ) the soaring costs of a university degree for the students, the insufficient funds to maintain much needed programs for anglophones and francophones alike and the lack of research money for the professors.  One subject seems to come back and “bite us on the foot “ regularly: the fact that university teachers have job security known as tenure.   As a university teacher, I would like to point out my view on the question.

Tenure is the guarantee that full-time professors can teach and do their research without fear of reprisal in areas and ideas that might be unpopular with the various forms of institutional power that define our intellectual sphere.  This means that if a researcher in one of our universities wants to work on a project that isn’t in the best interest of the administrators or the reigning political party, he or she has the necessary job security to complete and publish the study.  Imagine a world of academia where professors are forced to do research that only shows the world as a bright crystal ball in which everything is marvellous and reflects the very same philosophy as that of our administrators!  When you think about it, it wouldn’t even be an interesting place to be!

Tenured teachers and librarians are in a position to benefit society by advancing views that might incidentally annoy politicians, dismay university administrators and even outrage media pundits.  Is it not in the public interest that one group have the ability to stand up to the powerful without job retaliation?  Shouldn’t more groups have that possibility?  Think of our newspaper reporters.  Aren’t they supposed to analyse and publish their findings without fear of reprisal?  I only hope they feel that they can do that!

Let’s suppose the province decided to abolish tenure, that professors could be dismissed easily for saying the truth as they see it.  New Brunswick universities would attract only those teachers and researchers who could not secure jobs elsewhere and soon our graduates would have degrees that lacked credibility.  The quality of higher education in our province would slide downwards without a chance of recovering.

Linda Lequin

President

Federation of New Brunswick Faculty Associations

Re: The Real Col. Tucker

Col. Tucker’s bequest of 400 acres is more than 5 times that of Rockwood, the former Fredericton estate of Reverend Jonathan Odell, the infamous Loyalist poet and physician.  The estate now contains a park, a botanical garden, and an arboretum.  The arboretum was built to mark Fredericton’s bicentennial as New Brunswick’s capital, as suggested by the late Senator Murial McQueen Fergusson.  Would not the honouring of the bequests of Col. Tucker and his sister by the City of Saint John and UNBSJ be an appropriate way to mark the 225th birthdays of the City of Saint John and UNB?

The first sentence doesn’t make sense. Rockwood is in Saint John The former Fredericton estate of Jonathan Odell, Odell Park is in Fredericton.

-       Bill Traer

First class bash: time for a change…

I never was one who liked change. I was always firmly against it. The 2010 UNBSJ first class bash showed me how wrong I could be. Let us start from the beginning. People would usually end up getting drunk at their own pre drinking sessions and end up getting buzzed or better yet drunk. They would then proceed to call a cab to take them to UNBSJ not caring about what they would see but instead just wanting to flail their arms and legs around as if performing some sort of a dance. Then you’d see the couples grinding to almost any song, which brings me to my next point.

I think the SRC wants to keep the bash as cheap as possible while looking to make the biggest profits. Any successful business would like to accomplish this but then the SRC isn’t a business. It’s the student representative council. Where’s the representation? After all they call some unknown DJ who probably doesn’t even play his own music. They just give him a CD with the same songs on it as every bash because though we’ve had different DJ’s I’ve just heard the same music every time. I don’t think this is the example UNB wants to set for internationals for when I go home I’m going to tell people this university may run by 2010 rules academically but is still ancient on the social scene.

Why is there no change? Do you people not get sick of it? I’m happy this time’s bash was so empty as I feel people don’t want to dance to some unknown guy playing the same music. I’m not saying get someone expensive, what I’m trying to say is get someone new who will experiment with his own music.

I may not be experienced in this segment of life but one thing is for sure, change is always for the better. Bring about change UNB. Is this really the way you want to start the new decade?

-      Darryl Sequeira

Plagiarism

Following several complaints from readers, the Baron editorial staff has discovered that two articles published in the last issue of the paper have portions of their content taken from other media sources without permission or citation (re: A bit off the beaten track, but still a smooth ride and Pfizer: Profiting off the needy since 1849). Subsequent investigation, in keeping with the Baron’s zero tolerance policy towards plagiarism, has uncovered similar problems with other articles by the writer in question. This writer has since been dismissed and more thorough screening processes put in place to counteract similar incidents in the future. The Baron editorial staff would like to apologize for this incident and sincerely thank the readers who brought it to our attention.

- The Baron editorial staff

UNBSJ Green Week

The SRC is planning a green week for the week of January 26th – January 29th!  This is something our campus has never done and would like your support and participation. We are currently promoting a green competition open to all clubs, societies, or any other group of students who wish to organize a green activity or event during that week. The best activity or event planned will get a PRIZE! Examples of activities can include bringing in a guest speaker, bottle drive contest, information booth, movie night, battery collection depot, etc. Sustainability is becoming a more important issue within our community and we would like to raise awareness. Green Week will be planned to raise awareness about what students can do to increase participation in green activities around campus and interest in making the community more eco-friendly. This will also be a way to promote current or upcoming green initiatives such as the recycling bin program.

If interested in planning an event or activity, please contact Celia McDermott, VP External, src-external@unbsj.ca. Please e-mail as soon as possible for details or help in planning to ensure effective advertising of your planned activity or event.

–
Celia McDermott

Tired of the snow? Do you want to get away from Saint John? Do you dream of travelling while earning University credits? Well, UNB is again offering its very popular Spring in France Program that gives you the opportunity to enjoy the culture and economy of France in the best possible social and intellectual environment and most important at the lowest cost.

A variety of Economics and French courses will be offered in France from May 3 to 22, one in Economics, taught by Dr. Constantine Passaris, and one in French, taught by Dr. Robert Viau. Classes will be held in French Universities, museums, churches, banks, restaurants, sidewalk cafés and in important sites related to French economics, literature, politics and history.

Everyone is invited to participate in this exciting travel study program. You may choose to audit the courses or take them for credit. Come practice your French and learn about the European economy. Don’t worry, after a few days, you will have adapted quite well and greatly improved your knowledge of the French language.

Poitiers has a vibrant culture that attracts many young artists and is the dynamic regional capital of the Poitou-Charentes. From our base in the medieval city of Poitiers, we have planned excursions by bus. You will discover rural France in all of its beauty and diversity: the castles of Touffou and of La Roche-Courbon, the seaport of Rochefort, the medieval village of Chauvigny, Saint-Savin abbey, Angles-sur-l’Anglin (voted the most beautiful village of France), the Renaissance castle of Chambord in the Loire valley

We will be invited to official receptions (by the University of Poitiers and the Vienne departmental government) and enjoy gastronomic meals in regional restaurants. After a full week exploring Poitiers and the French countryside, we will settle for the next two weeks in Paris.

In Paris, we will go to all the legendary landmarks, including a full day in Versailles, and have many exceptional visits (allowed only under special permission to UNB): the Sorbonne University, the Bank of France, Unesco, the Canadian Embassy, the Senate, the National Assembly, and the National Library of France. We will also have a nocturnal visit of the Louvre, a Parisian fashion show, a banquet in a renowned restaurant, a night cruise on the Seine River, a tour of the Fragonard perfume factory and of the boutiques that made Paris famous: Chanel, Vuitton, Dior, and many other activities.

Come and visit the Louvre, follow the steps of the characters in the Da Vinci Code, search for Quasimodo in the belfry of Notre-Dame Cathedral, see where the French Revolution started and where the guillotine ended the life of Marie-Antoinette, admire the monuments of Louis XIV and Napoleon, climb the Eiffel Tower, sit where Hemingway wrote The Sun Also Rises and drank with Scott Fitzgerald and Henry Miller, play chess in the café in Montparnasse where Lenin and Trotsky waited for the Russian Revolution to start, walk through Picasso’s studio, pay your respects to rock star Jim Morrison (of The Doors) at his final resting place and create your own enduring myths!

Program fees include almost everything and accommodations are of superior quality. We will go where tourists rarely go or are not allowed to go. With specialists who know Poitiers and Paris, you won’t lose your time and you will experience the trip of a lifetime (if you don’t believe us, talk to the students who went in the previous years).

Enrolment for the Spring in France Program is limited and is filling up fast. For more information about the course or how to register, please visit http://www.cel.unb.ca/travelstudy/france/english.php or write rviau@unb.ca and passaris@unb.ca

-          Robert Viau

The annual holiday known as Halloween, derived from the Christian holy day of the eve of “All Saints day,” was once associated with scary traditions such as wearing scary costumes. Unfortunately, in today’s times people have forgotten their history and instead bring about a new meaning to the word Halloween: let’s dress up as something stupid and sexy. That was perhaps the theme of this year’s UNBSJ Halloween party. Girls tried wearing clothing that would reveal as much as possible, while guys chose to be ridiculous house hold appliances. Whatever happened to tradition? Halloween was and still should be the day it was meant to be. The only word associated with it should be fear.

Halloween truly does have some elements of the festival of the dead. This year’s Halloween party made me wish I was dead. The horrible costumes, not to mention the music which was just a waste of time. I’m sorry to say but at least in this segment of life, Saint John is losing its focus. It’s hard to believe Saint John is Canada’s first city.

It just goes to show that people now are losing their way. It’s hard to believe that such traditional parties will just get worse from now on. In other words, Halloween has died and stupidity has arisen.

By Darryl Sequeira

Winter is getting closer. With it comes fun activities including snowball fights,
building snowmen, skiing, and Skating. One special event that takes place during the
winter months is Skate to Care. The Psychology Society is forming a team. We would love
to have you join the fun! This year, Skate to Care is happening on February 13th. Skate
to Care is a fundraising event put on by Mind Care New Brunswick. For those who are not
familiar with Skate to Care some of the highlights include, a day of activities and
skating at Harbor Station, this year’s theme is the 2010 Winter Olympics, and all
money raised by the team goes to Skate to Care. If you do not wish to skate that is ok.
You can still be a part of the team; there will be many other activities to experience in
during Skate to Care. In past years, the money raised through Skate to Care has
gone to many important organizations throughout Saint John including Romero House,
Hospice Saint John, and the Saint John Regional Hospital Department of Psychiatry.

For more information or to join the team email psycsocietyunbsj@hotmail.com.

Lea Watson
(Psychology Society President)