issue 16 / volume 40 Plans for public school of traditional Chinese medicine moving forward Laura Rodgers, Contributor (BC Bureau Chief) VANCOUVER (CUP) — The provincial government announced plans to open up a publicly funded school of traditional Chinese medicine in BC during this year’s throne speech, and that plan is now closer to reality. In December, the advanced education minister, Amrik Virk, appointed Richard Lee, the MLA for Burnaby-North, as the Parliamentary Secretary for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Lee will sit on an advisory committee to approve the new program’s curriculum. The province is currently reviewing applications from various post-secondary institutions to determine where the program will be hosted. Early speculation from post- secondary pundits highlighted Kwantlen Polytechnic University as a possible berth (the school’s Health Science BSc currently includes some content about TCM), but no decision has been made yet. A number of private TCM-specific colleges have also applied for the program. practitioner in BC, students : : often require prior university ? coursework for admission and tuition can run at $10,000 per : year. In order to practice, they : must then become members : of the College of Traditional : Chinese Medicine Practitioners : and Acupuncturists of British Columbia, a self-regulating : professional group. Ina release supporting the : program, the BC International : Trade Minister Teresa Wat : wrote, ”Traditional Chinese : medicine is gaining a wider : acceptance in the health : and well-being of British : Columbians,” and that “[it] is : important that government : provides the necessary support : for the implementation of a robust [TCM] program.” TCM treatments, such : as acupuncture and herbal : remedies, are quite popular ? in BC, among both Chinese- : Canadians and others. But there : are detractors who criticize : the province’s plan to publicly : fund the discipline. Ina 24 : Hours interview, former TCM : practitioner Albert Zhang ? called TCM “a swindle” and : its practitioners “quackish.” : The province's rhetoric for : the project is that TCM isa “complementary” treatment— : something patients should seek Currently, to become a TCM : out in addition to standard : medicine. need to attend a private college. : The three- to five-year programs : Traditional Chinese medicine shop in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong // By Wikipedia/Mailer_Diablo news // 5 DSU to hold annual general meeting 1n February » Union to seek input from membership on finances and opportunities 7 Cazzy Lewchuk Staff Writer he Douglas Students’ Union (DSU) will be holding its annual general meeting (AGM) on February 6. The AGM will take place in the upper lounge of the DSU building at the New Westminster campus. The meeting will begin at 2:30 p.m. and all Douglas College students are invited to attend. The DSU had a reasonably successful 2013, and the union plans on discussing its successes as well as ongoing challenges as they enter 2014. The union’s membership has been growing steadily in : recent years and the DSU has : adapted by implementing more : programs and benefits. Some : accomplishments in the past : year have included new and : improved health and dental : benefits, lounge renovations, : and new recreational and study : areas in the DSU building. They : have also organized several : successful social justice events : including the National Day of : Remembrance and Action on : Violence Against Women and : the Sisters In Spirit campaign. Student feedback has not : gone unnoticed in the past year : at the DSU. The Your Voice : Matters survey was filled out by : hundreds of students to address : their current school experience. : Much of the data has been : passed on to the Douglas : College board of directors. In : addition, student participation : in DSU events has increased. : The International Student Day : was a major success, as well as : the various free meals given out : : at both campuses. The primary discussion at : the meeting will be a report of : the annual budget. The DSU : had a successful financial year : and will be handing out their : audited financial statements : to any members interested in : reading them. There will also be : : a reading of the annual report, : highlighting major events of the : : past year. The agenda for the : AGM this year does not include : any proposed changes to its by- : laws. The DSU AGM is open : to all members of the DSU, : which includes every for-credit : student enrolled at Douglas : College. In an effort to halt the : trend of the low turnout in : past years, there will be several items of interest that may give : the average student incentive to : attend. Perhaps most important : : is the ability to directly address : the DSU officials to share : ideas, questions, comments, : and concerns. Anyone with a : particular issue is invited to : bring it up at the AGM. Free refreshments and door prizes : will also be offered to entice enough students to attend : the meeting, which requires a : quorum of 75 members. In the upcoming year, : the DSU will continue to : work on creating exciting and : relevant events, and this will : also be discussed at the AGM. : The DSU disabled students’ : liaison, Lorna Howat, told the : Other Press that, “One of our : most popular attractions last : semester was the puppy room : [aroom where students could play with dogs from the Pacific : Assistance Dogs Society to : relieve stress during finals]. : We'll definitely be making that : again happen this semester, : but with better advertising : and open dialogue. Many of : the students were unaware of : its existence or that not all the : dogs featured were puppies.” In addition, the DSU will : be organizing more free meals : across both campuses, running : student elections in March, and : coordinating more social justice : campaigns.