re

 

November 16, 1994

The Other Press

 
 
 

Student union building in works

DCSS and college about to sign agreement and get project underway

by Scott Simmer

In 1987 a small group of repre-
sentative DCSS members had an idea:
the students of Douglas College should
have a building to call there own; a
place to relax, have fun, meet and so-

cialize outside of class. These students _
organized what was called the “SUB
Advisory Committee” to commence’

planning for such a building. Here, in
November 1994, these plans are just

"Starting to take shape.

Although the plans for the building are
far from complete, a document supplied
to the Other Press describes the build-
ing as a three story building of 17,200
square feet to be located next to the
library, parallel to 7th avenue (see il-
lustration).

The SUB building is slated to house
many different student resources, clubs,
and meeting rooms. The following is a
brief summary of ideas:

Games room with video games,

pool tables, dartboards

Eating facilities, with a licensed
student bar

Dance Floor

Women’s Centre

International Students’ Lounge

Cafe’

Photocopiers.and Phones

TY Room with couches

Student Society business offices
with board room’

*#*# e888 & ©

“Phase 1”, as Student Services direc-
tor Al Atkinson describes it, com-
menced in 1987 with a feasibility study
done by an independent consulting
firm. The study produced a report with
the title “Feasibility of Survey Results:
Student Union Building, Student So-
ciety Services, Off Campus Housing.”
This study was mainly a survey of stu-
dents, by questionnaire, on what their
perceptions were about the DCSS and
what services they believed they had
and would need in the future. The sur-

vey was completed

building. This ap-

 

by 209 students,
consisting of 3.8%
of the student
population at that
time. Several rec-
ommendations
came out of the
study, including.
one that states “the
student’ union °}
building should be
set up on cam-
pus....”” Thus, ac-
cording to the
study, Douglas
College students

 

 

proach is believed to
be attributed to the
College's current ex-
perience in building
the new Coquitlam
campus. Mr. Atkinson
describes the Col-
lege’s support of the
project as “very sup-
portive”. A new plan-
ning committee has
been struck, consist-
ing of representatives
from both groups.
Chaired by Julian
Smit, DCSS Treas-

 

 

gave their ap-
proval for an on 3
campus SUB building [this study is
available for student viewing in the
DCSS office].

Shortly thereafter, the Student Society
struck a written contract with the Doug-
las College Administration to begin
collecting an additional $9.00 “SUB”

Safe Walk is running

Long awaited campus safety program in operation

by Ronnie Bains

The ‘Safe Walk’ program is fi-
nally underway, the long-awaited
project commences on November 21st.
Training took place last week in 2 dif-
ferent time slots, one from 7-10 pm on
Tuesday, Nov. 8th and the other from
1-4 pm on Thursday, Nov. 10th. I had
the opportunity to attend one of these
training sessions. Constable Mike
Blackstock attended the second train-
ing session and covered radio use, as
well as emergency protocol. A third
training time had also been discussed
pending availability of prospective vol-
unteers.

Training was provided by coordi-
nators Joe Spear and Assistant Sheryl
Bussiere. Spear introduced training
with a little historical summary of how
‘Safe Walk’ came to be. He went on to
discuss why the project took so long to
get going, describing the research in-
volved and much needed funding. A
training manual was provided with pro-
cedures, reports, forms, diagrams, and
introduction to equipment use. Forms
included an equipment sign in/out
sheet, a patrollers log, and Occurrence/
Incidence reports. The training manual
as a package was very comprehensive

_ and easy to use.

Each volunteer will be easily iden-
tified as they will be wearing a ‘Safe
Walk’ picture ID badge at ‘all times.
This badge will include a name, badge

number, and a ‘DC Safe Walk Program’
logo. Equipment per one team (2 vol-
unteers) consists of one 2-way radio, 2
personal audio alarms, 2 Safe Walk
jackets, 2 mag-lite flashlights & belt
clips, 2 univer- :
sal belts, 2 pic- .

ture ID badges, : given a Douglas —

and one note- Each volunteer College Safe Wik

book & pen. 8 : Program Volunteer
It was will be easily contract to date

stressed that the
Safe Walk pro-
gram is anon-in-
tervention pro-
gram, in which
volunteers may
not undertake
any physical acts
to rescue, assist
or, in any other
way physically
interfere with
any client, patrol partner or member of
the general public. However, each vol-
unteer will be trained to keep in con-
stant radio contact with the dispatcher,
who’s in contact with campus security
and the New Westminster Police de-
partment.

There are specific boundaries il-
lustrated in a street map, in which Safe
Walk volunteers can walk clients in a
Safe Walk. These boundaries include
walks to the New Westminster and
Columbia St. skytrain stations, the
London Drugs and Quay parking lots,

 

identified as they

will be wearing a
‘Safe Walk’

picture ID badge
at all times.

and as far as 10th St. and 3rd Ave. to
4th St. and 3rd Ave.

At the end of the training session
each volunteer was provided with a
schedule of shifts to

start work with.

and sign. Overall,
the training ses-
sion was well or-
ganized and con-
ducted quite pro-
fessionally, with a
bit of humor and a
strong purpose in
mind.

Once again, the
3 ways to arrange
a Safe Walk are:
1) Setting it up in advance by phoning
the Safe Walk phoneline at 527-5575.
This number will be accessible 24
hours, either ‘by dispatcher or
voicemail.
2) Go to the Safe Walk Patrol booth.
3) Or stop a Safe Walk group that is
not in use.

If you still have any questions re-
garding The Safe Walk program,
whether it be use, volunteering, or just
finding out more; please contact Joe
Spear at 527-5575 or stop by at your
friendly Student Society office, Rm.
2780.

 

Mclatslecme@relaliiaielciomam

The final disappointment in a.long
string. But I couldn’t. 1 DO NOT FEAR
DEATH, but I’m not willing to give up
this early, and I’m saddened you had
to. I know there’s others out there who
want to find some answers. All I have
to do is look for.them. It’ ll take work,
but I’m willing to try, in the hopes that
just one person decides to keep look-
ing with me, instead of joining you.

No matter how much I disagree
with how you got there, or how posi-
tive I am that you aren’t, I pray that
you are in heaven. I pray that you have
found the answers you were looking for,
that you are truly happy, and that you
have love in your heart.

I pray that God keeps watch over

you.
Love, .
Jeanine Fynn

Bite Me

Dear Other Press,

(Sept. 11, 94)

This is in reply to your article
“Taking a bite out of the big bad sys-
tem” on October 19. Until quite re-
cently, I have assumed that A+’s were
virtually impossible to receive.

This is not going to be a “brag
about my academic standing”, because
Iam not an “A” student, but just an
average “B/B+” one. If you asked me a
month ago if it was possible to get an
“A+” onan essay, I would have laughed
in your face. But not any more.

Ihave since then received an “A+”
on my first philosophy 250 paper. My

instructor for this class is extraordinary.
He is one of the best teachers I have
had at Douglas, nevermind, in my life.

- He-cares about his students: he listens

to them, and tries to give constructive
criticism and encouragement. Each
class is great because he makes the
material so interesting, and doesn’t
drone off like so many of the instruc-
tors here. No, he’s not the type to let
his students freeload off of him. He is
quite demanding and challenging.

The Highest marks I have ever received
are “A-”’s and “A”’s, so when I re-
ceived this “A+”, I was totally blown

away. So yes, Niki, there really is a,

thing called an “A+”.

Yours truly,
Vivienne Wong
UT Business Admin. Student

They. were. also.

fee to be included with the student so-
, ciety fees paid with student registra-

tion. The SUB monies were to be ac-
cumulated in a trust fund administered
by the college. The current value of this
fund is approximately 1.5 million dol-
lars, with the SUB building estimated
to cost approximately 2.5 to 3 million
dollars. The remainder of the funds
required to build the SUB will be ac-
quired via a bank mortgage to be paid
off gradually over a number of years.
It is currently under debate which
organization is to sign for the mortgage
and therefore own the building. In past
planning, the DCSS had plans to carry
out all the financing requirements, but
current talks in the SUB committee
seem to lean toward the College sign-
ing the mortage and leasing it to the
DCSS, according to Mr. Atkinson.
Perhaps due to the amount of time
and experience needed to complete
such a large project, the DCSS has ap-

_ proached the Douglas College Admin-
istration for help in completing the

 

 

urer, the group con-
sists of DCSS Presi-

‘dent Troy Townsend, DCSS Business

Manager Merrilyn Houlihan, College
Bursar Peter Greenwood, College Stu-
dent Services Administrator Al
Atkinson, College Facilities Director
Terry Leonard, and College Chief Ac-
countant Karen Meynes. Meeting are
currently scheduled from 8 to 9 A.M.
Thursday mornings. Unfortunately, the
last several meetings have been can-
celled due to an illness in Mr. Smit's
family, making him unable to attend.

There has been no indication as
of yet as to a projected schedule or com-
pletion date, but Mr. Atkinson seems
very positive that things will start roll-
ing soon after the DCSS and the Col-
lege have signed a letter of intent to
work together. Mr. Atkinson states that
the project delay to this time should be
contributed to the time factor in accu-
mulating enough money in the SUB
fund to begin the project.

Stay tuned for coverage of the
SUB project in future issues.

Disection Feature

SPORTS.

Volunteer Failure