TE fm A PR Say eer toe Seen fprmes ie Free Hugs campaign comes to Douglas College very < single day on the news, on the Internet, and in the hallways, an overwhelming number of opinions can be heard on how to better one’s life or how one can help better the world. But some believe it is the small, everyday gestures from one person to another that have an important, positive impact on a person’s well-being. Helen Clay, Print Futures student at Douglas College, decided to make a sign and hopefully a difference by giving and receiving hugs in the concourse, just before Valentine’s Day. Influenced by the Free Hugs campaign, she decided to offer out free hugs in deference to the fact that those who are single don’t always feel their brightest around the 14" of February. Basically, the Free Hugs campaign as described in the free illustrated e-guide to free hugs, is a kindness initiative that started with one man, known publicly as Juan Mann. Pusat a alone. He decided to act. Returning home to Sydney, Australia from London, after a turbulent period in his personal life, and with no one to greet him with a hug at the airport, Mann experienced the solitude of being utterly On June 30", 2004, Mann set out with his newly crafted sign reading “Free Hugs” and with his arms, mind, and heart open. He has since rose to international notoriety and travelled all over the world vas giving out h inspiring others to begin their own movements of hugging. As the name states, the hugs attached. They are simply offered, never forced, and it is up to the a great way to celebrate. are neither strings nor expectations “hugee” if they choose to accept. The movement is not time-sensitive, and needs no special occasion, though it is YouTube video at Clay first came into contact with the concept of free hugs a few years ago, when a friend emailed her a link to the ‘| viral YouTube video featuring Juan Mann and the music of the Sick Puppies, the band that leapt to instant fame after the video’s discovery. The video, which currently 44 has over 39 million hits, documents some i of the different instances that Mann has | encountered throughout his campaign, and is a homage that has impressed many of his willingness to fulfill someone else’s needs in the capacity he deems fit. “T think the free hugs campaign is a perfect way to encourage greater ‘| compassion, kindness and eventually world peace,” said Clay, who would like to see her contribution inspire others to continue the spirit of kindness. Will she do it again? “Absolutely. Probably near the end of the semester when people are really going to need [a hug],” said Clay. More information on the free hugs campaign and conception can be found at www .freehugscampaign.org/ and the www. youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_ RRJdd4. Pride Collective holds Pink Shirt Day Matthew {ies = .¥ Steinbach Sey ; news editor ay _ began vin Leva —— Nova Scotia in 2007 when a Grade 9 student at a local school wore pink to his first day of school. The teen was promptly harassed, threatened, insulted, and bullied for his choice of shirt. Upon hearing this, two of his fellow students went out and purchased about 50 pink shirts and sent out the message to all their friends to wear them in support. The next day hundreds of students showed up in pink t-shirts. Since then, local organizations have begun celebrate this day and this year they will continue this new tradition on February 25". This includes the Douglas College Pride Collective, whom according to Pride Liaison Taylor, will be “walking around with buckets and pins” this year to carrel support for their cause. However, they cannot have a table in the concourse, so students can find them easily. According to Taylor another event is occurring in the 6 same day, which has the location booked up. However, what does Pink Shirt Day mean to the people it affects most? When asked, Bryan Corry, a volunteer for the group, speaking on his own behalf stated that pink shirt day is a “positive thing, [a] great way to get the message out there... sometimes these things are overlooked because of a lack of awareness. Pink shirt day is a fairly visual [way of doing that].” For more information, contact Taylor, the Pride Liaison directly at dsupride@ yahoo.ca. Douglas College and SFU try university transfer the American way aN Douglas Colleg By Matthew Steinbach, News Editor ast week Douglas College announced that they were going to be working with Simon Fraser University in an attempt to try a new university transfer model. This new project would see 75 students admitted in a “dual admission” program to both Douglas College and Simon Fraser University simultaneously. Unlike the current university transfer model students would be able to take courses at either school at the same time, rather than finishing up their first two years at Douglas before applying to transfer to SFU. While this is the first time something like this has been attempted in British Columbia it has been tried in the States. Jan Lindsay, VP of Education at Douglas College, stated though that this is “not so much an American model.” Schools there use this system because there is “not so much of a connection” between academic institutions in the US as there is in Canada. Lindsay expressed that schools in Oregon use this idea to “smooth out the transfer process,” and “because Portland University has done this for a while [Douglas was] able to benefit from their research.” Lindsay explained that they found students “get the best of both [schools because they are] connected to both.” Lindsay also stated that since some “students [are] hesitant about coming to college. [This] gives them assurance of a smooth transition... reduces the barriers,” and allows students to take the courses “where they want to,” and where they “feel comfortable [taking them].” The program could be up and running late in the next year, however, Lindsay could not commit to a date because SFU and Douglas are still “working on details, like GPA [requirements]...” The program will be open to new students as well.