issue 21// vol 45 Post-secondary institutions should explore SVoD courses » Subscription Video on Demand courses offer new opportunities in higher education Naomi Ambrose Staff Writer f you had to choose one sector apart from the film and television industry to consider offering Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD) services, what sector would you choose? Hopefully, you'll pick post-secondary. If you didn’t think of the higher education sector and you're wondering about the possibility of post- secondary institutions transforming online courses into SVoD classes, I think you'll find the reasons | highlight below will be worth exploring. The website Technopedia defines SVoD as “a service that gives users unlimited access to a wide range of programs fora monthly flat fee.” Think Netflix or Hulu. Keeping this definition in mind, let’s examine the popular saying that college and university is the place to explore your academic and vocational interests. Perhaps there are students who've long wanted to Be a good sport » Sports teach important life skills and shouldn't be undermined Jess Berget Opinions Editor here are too many people out there who love to hate sports—people who get off on hating the very idea of sports or anything sports-related. Indeed, the quality of their hate is so potent that doing a quick Google search of “sports suck” will bring up the official homepage of the “International I Hate Sports Club.” On their website, they claim to be “dedicated to the eradication of sports and the imprisonment of sports fans.” The organization doesn't hate all physical activity but does decry societal worship of professional and organized sports. Of course, some of this might be hyperbole or satire, but it also reflects some of the attitudes of people out there who actively hate on athletics. To those people I ask, what did sports ever do to you? What is so wrong with enjoying watching athletes dribble a ball around or hit it with a stick? I may not be well-versed in these kinds of recreational activities, but I understand enough to know that it’s good entertainment and playing sports can actually teach a lot of valuable life lessons. You don't have to participate in or watch any sports, but it’s important to understand why they are so popular and how they can be beneficial. On top of staying active, being involved in physical activities helps to develop a sense of teamwork and sportsmanship. In many situations, enroll in a course that they’ve always had an interest in. However, the fear of failure or the fear of getting a low-grade point average dissuaded them from registering for the class. The students’ apprehension towards registering might be alleviated if the students know that there are online courses they can try for a month—without having to worry about low grades or an unsatisfactory grade point average. SVoD is an excellent platform for this kind of introductory instruction. Yes, it’s true that students might not acquire enough knowledge of a subject within a month. However, the possibility of offering the course for a month—at least at the introductory level—is still worth considering. SVoD courses could also be an opportunity for students to develop their technical skills. To the budding coders, engineers, and computer technicians at Douglas College, SVoD courses offer a knowing how to work within a group and working together to achieve a common goal is an important skill. In short, teamwork makes the dream work. Sports also teaches you how to get along with others, how to problem-solve independently and within a team, and how to build discipline, respect, and improved concentration. It’s also a great self-esteem booster if you win a game, or it can encourage you to try harder if you lose. Furthermore, being involved ina little competitive sport is healthy for us. Competition motivates us to be better or to perform at a higher level, and sometimes we can surprise ourselves with what we can accomplish. Plus, it’s a hell of a lot of fun, and I can attest to that. Just last year I joined a dodgeball league and was surprised at how fast I segued from terrified to balls to the wall (literally). I was also pleased at how much hitting people with rubber balls boosted my confidence. I think anyone who hates sports has just never played one or been involved witha team before, otherwise they would see how great it is. Furthermore, athletes put a lot of skill and hard work into it, so as a viewer it’s unfair to diminish that effort just because youre not a fan of athletics. So, let’s stop dismissing the importance of organized sports, and while we're at it, let’s stop making fun of people who just like to watch them as well. People watch sports for the same reasons that people watch RuPaul’s Drag Race—it’s just good entertainment, so let them enjoy it. chance for you to create an app that may help your peers to try a new subject without worrying about their grades or GPA. Apart from benefitting students, higher education institutions that offer SVoD services could create a new stream of revenue—especially in this era of decreased government investment in college institutions. According to a 2018 Statistics Canada report, “The proportion of college revenues from provincial governments is declining. In 2010/20n, provincial funding accounted for 65.2 percent of college revenues, or $5.4 billion in spending. In 2015/2016, it represented 60.7 percent of college revenues, or $5.3 billion in spending.” Although the figures didn’t specify whether this Canada-wide pattern is the trend in BC, the point to take away is that the governmental funding in college institutions is declining. Considering the declining trend, offering a wide range of courses at a reasonable, monthly fee opinions // no. 15 may be another way for higher education institutions to get some more money to invest into more programs for students. Subscription Video on Demand services shouldn't be limited to the entertainment sector. Let’s explore its validity in the post-secondary field—while brightening the higher education online course experience for students. Political clothing should not incite violence » People should be able to wear what they want without being harassed or assaulted Jess Berget Opinions Editor t’s okay to hate other people’s political beliefs. I’m definitely guilty of rolling my eyes a little bit when I hear an opinion I don't like, and I’m sure many people who read this Opinions section have done the same. Like I said, it’s totally fine to take issue with other people's beliefs or to have any strong reactions to them, especially when they wear those beliefs on a hat or T-shirt. However, when your reaction is to harass or assault the person because of it, that’s where I draw the line. Recently, a video of a Van’s employee allegedly saying “fuck you” to a 14-year-old boy wearing a “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) hat in a Kansas mall went viral. This video was uploaded on February 17 and the employee has since been fired, but it’s not the only story of people becoming hostile towards strangers wearing political apparel, especially with the infamous MAGA hat. Even in Canada the hat has been the source of much controversy. In another video filmed at Mount Royal University in Calgary two students have a confrontation because one of them is wearing a MAGA hat. The video ends with a third person forcibly taking the hat off the student, which I think is an inappropriate way of dealing with the situation. I’m using the MAGA hat scenarios as an example, but they could be wearing any hat and my stance would remain the same. People should be allowed to wear any clothing that supports their political beliefs without persecution. It’s our right to express ourselves freely, even if it means we're exposed to ideas we may not like. Sure, you can have a conversation with them about it, but to forcibly take it off, yell at them, or assault them in any way is wrong in my opinion, no matter what side youve on. I see tolerance as a two-way street. We can’t expect others to be tolerant of our beliefs and opinions if we are not tolerant of theirs. In the past I’ve written articles about why I dislike “feminist” clothing, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to cuss someone out or tell them to take it off because that’s not my right. To do so would be a violation of their rights to express themselves, and a dick move on my part. If I have the right and freedom to wear anything I want, even clothes that present my political beliefs, then everyone should ultimately have that right. People can wear Trump merchandise in the same way that people can wear merchandise of Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, or any other political figure. You can’t pick and choose which political ideology is okay to put on a hat ora T-shirt just because you don't agree with or have a problem with their viewpoint. You may not like it, and you may want to hit them in the face because of it, but that’s the price we pay for our right to free speech.