Last events of the semester By Maria Asselin-Roy, Staff Reporter ith Christmas less than a month away, weather being wet and slushy, and especially the unbearable stress that comes with the preparation of final exams, students have a lot to think about. Students are in need of some entertainment and relaxation in order to get through the next few weeks. Douglas College is hosting a few memorable events before Christmas to help students stay awake during the increasingly darker days. The first and possibly most discussed event is the Douglas U-Pass Student Referendum, which actually started on Monday, November 29. After much talk and debate, students are finally allowed access to vote for the coming together of the U-Pass and Douglas College. The event runs from November 29 to December 1. It will take place at both the New West Concourse and the Atrium at David Lam. Please remember that if you choose to vote that you must bring valid student ID. If you would like more information on voting for the U-Pass please contact the Douglas Students’ Union. If you would like more information on the U-Pass itself, you can visit www.translink.ca. It is expected that most students who use the transit system will be voting as students can save $50 a month with the U-Pass program, but everyone who agrees with the program is encouraged to vote as well. With December 1| being the day that the votes for the U-Pass are wrapped up, on that day the Royals Vuvuzela Soccer Tournament will take place. The tournament will be in the gym at New West, and the game will run from 4:00pm until 7:00pm. Students, alumni, faculty, and staff of the college are all welcome. College members are encouraged to form teams of five with a minimum of two female players. There will be bonus points for the best team name, as well as having good sportsmanship and awesome outfits. Shortly following the tournament, the Douglas College Concert Band and Ensembles presented by the Douglas College Music Department will be performing. The show is at 7:30pm 4 Lance Ryan and will be held in the Laura C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre. If you are fans of music then most of the events held at campus before Christmas involve recitals and concerts. There is Arts at One on Thursday, December 2 featuring a student recital at 1:00pm. On Saturday, December 4 there is a Student Composition concert at 7:30pm and also in the Performing Arts Theatre. Friday, December 10 there is a student recital presented by the Community Music School. On Monday, December 13 Lance Ryan will be performing in concert. This popular event will be at 7:30pm. (also in the Performing Arts Theatre) Lance Ryan is from Europe, and he specializes in creating dramatic music. Douglas is hosting him because he was a guitar student in the music program here at Douglas about twenty years ago, and he enjoys paying a visit from time to time. Tickets are available through the Arts Events Website as well as more information on other events and show times. The last day of classes are on December 7 and exams will be running until December 17. The college will be closed from December 24 until January 3 —a time for students to re-energize for the following semester. Don’t let that textbook you'll never open again sit on the shelf By Kennedy Kierans o, the end of the semester is S approaching, you hated the class, and you can’t wait to get rid of the textbook. You might be tempted to just burn it, but why not sell it to the bookstore at the BuyBack instead? That will get it out of your © life while still putting some bucks in your pocket. Can you sell back anything? Unfortunately, no. If a new edition of the book has come out, you’re out of luck. And if the course isn’t being offered next term at Douglas, you might also be out of luck. But, as Linda Valecourt, manager for the bookstores at both New West and David Lam campuses, explains, there’s another option. “We deal with a wholesaler who serves colleges and universities across Canada and the US, so one of them might need it.” She says. And what about price? Texts bought for Douglas will get you 50% of the current retail price (even if that price is higher than what you paid), while texts bought for another school will earn you between 10% and 40% of retail, depending on the demand. Does the book have to be like Get cash for them at the Buyback new? No, writing and highlighting are ok. More important than the condition of the pages is the condition of the spine — if it has been broken, there’s a chance pages could fall out, so that book will not be bought back. Beyond old editions, items that are generally not accepted at the BuyBack are packaged items with multiple components. It could actually cost you more to buy some components new and some used, than to buy the whole package new. As Valecourt says, “Our mandate is to get the course-required materials on the shelves, on time, in the most cost- effective way possible.” Another way the bookstore works to keep prices lower for students is by buying used textbooks from wholesalers, not limiting their stock to the books that come in from the BuyBacks here. “Used books are always a high-demand item. By buying used texts from other sources, we give students a real choice,” says Valecourt. The BuyBack for this semester runs from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, December 9 to December 17 (weekdays only), at both the New Westminster & David Lam campuses.