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A community college with no community?

 
    

Liam Britten

editor in chief

t’s too bad the environment inside

Douglas College doesn’t match the

environment outside during these lovely
summer months.

It seems that for all the rebirth, fun and
excitement that’s going on all around the
College, the atmosphere inside is a little...
how should I put it... disappointing? Anti-
climactic? How about “dead?” Yes, “dead”
would be a good word to describe the way
things are here during the summer.

I guess it only makes sense that things
are this way. Few classes are running during
the semester, so not a lot of people are
around. What’s more, most extra-curricular
happenings like Douglas Students Union
events and sports stop for the summer months
as well (except for baseball and golf).

Sure, summer’s a great time for rest and
recharging after a stressful winter semester,
and it always helps to go into fall rejuvenated
and energized, but isn’t it possible for
something to happen at Douglas during these
four lazy months? It’s not like summer was
only made for catching up on classes that were
full during the fall and winter semesters—
although that seems like the only thing half of
Douglas students wind up doing—it was made
for barbecues, late night patio parties and lazy
games in the park. Can’t any organizations
at our school capitalize on this time of year
to build a little community sentiment at the
school?

Hey, I’m not here to shit on anyone
or say they’re doing a crummy job. In fact,

I think the DSU and the Office for New
Students did a better job last year building
community than any other year I’ve been on
campus. Between those two groups we’ve
had events almost weekly and there was a

 

good variety of events as well. I just think
it’s a shame that they can’t capitalize on the
momentum they’ ve built up through the fall
and winter semesters and parlay it into some
meaningful community building at this time
of year. Notably, in the month since summer
semester began, I haven’t been notified of

a single pub night or any other event being
planned by those organizations.

But I suppose it’s hard for the DSU and
the ONS to do all the heavy lifting on this
front. And, yes, they are doing all the heavy
lifting on this front. Unlike SFU, UBC or
even Capilano, there is a major shortage of
independent clubs and organizations at this
school, which means it’s hard for this school
to develop its identity spontaneously the way
other schools have. SFU has a cigar club;
UBC has a car racing club; and UVic is home
to a club called Hempology 101—which I
assume is dedicated to the appreciation of fine
snack foods and Pink Floyd albums. Douglas
has nothing like them.

Perhaps this should be the major goal for
the DSU and ONS in the coming year: with
all means possible (and they have plenty of
means) support new student-run clubs that
develop community and school identity. The
DSU, now completely free from the burden
of receivership, has the resources to get these
clubs up and running and to make those clubs
a legitimate initiative. It’s completely doable;
and if we want Douglas College to be a unique
school with a genuine identity, it’s a necessity.

Your friend in high fidelity,
Liam Britten

Editor in chief

The Other Press

PS. Of course, despite everyone else taking
the summer off, The Other Press is still going
strong, meeting once a month in room 1020!
Our next meeting will be on June 28 at 6 p.m.,
so come on by if you’d like to get involved!

 

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