news // no. 4 ® ‘ a Sy ey ' js , - rd tir ray , FP Fin >» Any student registered in th Atiba Nelson Staff Reporter Das College has created an emergency fund for students facing financial hardship during the COVID-19 crisis. “This is an unprecedented situation, one that creates financial challenges for many of our students,” said President of Douglas College Dr. Kathy Denton via an online press release announcing the fund. The emergency fund totals over $600,000 and was made possible by contributions from the Ministry of Advanced Education, Douglas Students Union (DSU), the College’s Foundation and Alumni Relations, and Douglas International. “Students and their families are ina time of financial insecurity like we have never seen before,’ said Tanysha Klassen, Douglas College graduate and Chairperson of the BC Federation of Students. “This investment in emergency funds will help to ensure rent can be paid and food can be on the table during these troubling times.” The announcement of the Douglas emergency fund comes a day after Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training revealed the province would distribute $3.5 million of emergency assistance among the 25 public post- secondary institutions to aid domestic BC students experiencing financial hardship. “We heard from students who are facing extremely difficult situations, and we [moved] quickly to ensure they have access to immediate financial relief,’ stated Mark during the press conference announcing the ministry's investment. Although the announcement heralded emergency relief for students, only domestic students were the intended target. Minister Mark referenced that the ministry was working with public post- secondary institutions to find solutions for international and out-of-province students. However, the Douglas emergency fund is open to all. Board up or shut up >» Commercial break-ins rising in Vancouver amid coronavirus panic Jessica Berget Editor-in-Chief M any people believe the reaction to our current worldwide epidemic has brought out the best in people. Unfortunately, it has also brought out the worst in some. Taking advantage of the empty streets and temporarily closed businesses brought on by the quarantine, commercial break-in rates are going up—as reported by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD). There were 81 commercial break- ins from March 16 to March 26, and 86 commercial break-in reports from the first two weeks of March. They add that this was especially evident in downtown Van, considering they had seen 20 reports of commercial break-ins in the first two weeks of March and 35 in the week after. They confirmed that what they are seeing is an average of four break-ins a day, compared to the usual one per day. VPD police chief Adam Palmer said in a news release that although this has always been a problem for the city, it is one that has been exacerbated since the COVID-19 city shutdown. “Property crime is an issue in Vancouver year-round and we continuously implement new measures to help reduce property crime and target repeat offenders. However, it appears thieves are attempting to take advantage of commercial spaces that are closed due to social distancing e winter or summer semester e ligible How to access the Douglas emergency fund Domestic and international students registered in the winter or summer semester are eligible for short-term financial relief via the emergency fund. Students requiring access to the emergency fund can email a student success advisor at financialaid@douglascollege.ca to review their individual need. There were no details provided as to what information should be provided in the initial email nor the criteria used to review a student’s need. The college hopes that students in need can receive their fund allocation within two weeks via the Office of the Registrar. CC theotherpress.ca Cn LAT “Students are facing uncertainty and increased financial difficulties as job losses continue,” said Mitchel Gamayo, Director of External Relations of the Douglas Students’ Union. “We hope this [fund] will help alleviate some of the anxiety and stress students are feeling in this uncertain time.” More money soon? Additionally, the college aims to increase the amount available to Douglas students during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Leanne Poon, Executive Director of the Douglas College Foundation, the plan is to fundraise within the community to bring the total amount of the emergency fund to $1 million. The college hopes that students in need can receive their fund allocation within two weeks via the Office of the Registrar. measures. We are targeting these offenders aggressively on several levels,” he stated. The VPD has said they are also deploying more overnight patrol officers and safety personnel in city hotspots to quell the increase of break-ins. The absence of pedestrians, drivers, and potential witnesses has opened the door for many robbers in the city. To stop this, shops in the downtown area have began boarding up their windows and doors. Some luxury brand name stores have even taken to employ 24-hour security guards to protect their assets. Along with these measures, Vancouver Police also recommend upgrading to new locks and security, removing merchandise from the store, emptying cash drawers and leaving them open to show no money, and cleaning surfaces so fingerprints can be shown if there is a break-in. While commercial break-in rates are rising, overall property crime to both residential and commercial properties have been decreasing. Police say there has been a 12 percent reduction in these such calls as compared to the weeks before the virus spread and another 10 percent decrease for calls overall. So, while youre stuck at home, be sure to lock all your doors and windows. Ifyou own a business, remove all money and merchandise from the property to protect your home and assets to avoid the possibility of robbery.