Moose move
In a recent Quesnel City Council meeting, it was unanimously decided to spend $5,000 to transport a metal moose from Camosun College’s Interurban campus to Quesnel. Artist and Quesnel resident Bert DeVink crafted the life-size moose in a metal arts class at the college over 50 years ago, and it has sat on display there ever since. Quesnel mayor Ron Paull was approached by former mayor Nate Bello, who suggested that the moose be transported to Quesnel. Paull liked the idea, and Camosun has agreed to donate the moose back to DeVink, who will donate it to the city of Quesnel. It’s still being decided where the moose will be displayed.
Let them eat Pi
Camosun College students participated in a pie-eating contest at the Interurban campus on Thursday, March 14 to celebrate the mathematical constant Pi. The contest’s date is no accident, either, as March 14 is the fourteenth day of the third month, which is the closest date to the rounded number of Pi (3.14159…).
Faculty recognized in award ceremony for open education
On Friday, March 8, an award ceremony celebrated over 40 Camosun College faculty members who have contributed to open educational resources for students. Open educational resources can be any resource that exists free of charge for teaching, learning, and research. An example is the creation and free distribution of open textbooks online, which can help reduce costs for Camosun students. The award ceremony was held in the Sherri Bell Hall in the Wilna Thomas building at the Lansdowne campus.
Award celebrates international exchange partner
At a ceremony held on Wednesday, March 6 at Camosun College’s Lansdowne campus, Josai International University (JIU), Camosun’s oldest international exchange partner, received The Board of Governors Award for Innovative College Partnerships. The institutions began working together in 1990—since then, over 300 students from JIU have studied at Camosun and 20 students from Camosun have studied at JIU, which is located in Togane, Japan.
Former education minister quits NDP, citing antisemitism
After stepping down from her position due to backlash from statements she made online referring to pre-1948 Palestine as “a crappy piece of land with nothing on it,” former provincial minister of post-secondary education and future skills Selina Robinson has quit the BC NDP caucus, citing antisemitism within the party. Robinson says that she asked for antisemitic and anti-Islamophobia training for all MLAs but the NDP said no (Robinson herself was to take anti-Islamophobia training after her comments online). She will now sit as an independent, as she announced prior to her departure from the NDP party that she would not be seeking re-election in the Coquitlam-Maillardville riding this October.
Local Movie Monday screening nights get revamped
The weekly Movie Monday event was organized for over two decades by local Bruce Saunders, but COVID put an end to the free movie screenings. However, the tradition was carried on in 2021 by the Greater Victoria Social Gathering Place Society, an organization dedicated to providing community for those recovering from mental illness. Now, the event is being refreshed with new additions to the program, and the public are welcome to the curated screenings and musical performances, with refreshments and snacks available to all attendants. The movie nights take place at the Eric Martin Pavilion at the Royal Jubilee Hospital from 6 to 9 pm on the second Monday of every month. See socialgatheringplace.ca for more information.
Douglas College gets on-campus housing
Douglas College will soon have on-campus housing on its New Westminster campus for the first time, aiming to create safe and affordable living for students. The project will include 368 student beds in one-, two-, and four-bed units in a 20-storey building as part of the provincial government’s Homes for People action plan. Construction is expected to be completed by summer 2027, and will include amenities such as new classrooms, collaboration spaces, food services, and parking. Camosun College is working toward building student housing at Lansdowne, and is looking at building at Interurban in the future.