OHNSON C.H. Tal erry Laidlaw is a second year student at Douglas College. As a person with disability, Laidlaw wants to organize a ocial group for disabled students at Douglas college. “It's kind of a club but also an dvocacy group. I want to make people feel omfortable, to exchange ideas, concerns they ave, and solutions to problems,” he said. Just betore his fifth birthday, Laidlaw suf- ered paralysis on the left side of his body and ead injuries after a logging truck hit him and e was thrown to the roadside. A student at Douglas College since last eptember, Laidlaw is taking courses upgrad- g his reading, wfiting and mathematical ills. “I like writing. I try to write as often as can. I already wrote my own autobiography,” e said, As an athlete at the BC Summer Games, aidlaw won a gold medal in shot put, a to sports and get active. Often disabled peo- le stay at home and be alone. That's the way t used to be with me. I was feeling depressed tnd suicidal.” There are three types of disabilities: physi- al, psychiatric and learning disabilities. Vivian Hirshen is a learning specialist orking for Disabled Student Services which OMAN SANAIE n August 6, the Douglas College Student Society tried to hold a Special General Meeting to discuss and ratify new amendments to the DCSS bylaws. hey needed 75 people for quorum, but only 21 people howed up. That meant there would be no new endments. Instead, the meeting would only be an formal question period. Treasurer Rob Bates announced the audit of the DCSS om September I, 1996 to August 31, 1997. The audit as only a draft and has not been finalized. There is a disagreement between the DCSS and the col- ge about who owns the student society building in New Westminster. The main problem is who set up the agree- ent to build the student society building. Whoever made e deal is the owner of the building. Another problem between the college and the student ciety is that the college is holding $30,000 in the bank r the student society from the Fall 1997 semester. Also, e college is holding about $200,000 in trust that the stu- ent society received in previous years. offers individualized help to disabled students. “We provide support in getting students necessary equipment and act as a liaison between the student and the instructor,” said Hirshen. For example, a student with a learn- ing disability might be very bright but reads and writes slow- ly, A note-taker may be assigned to assist the stu- dent or extra time may be allowed for the student to com- plete course requirements. Physical dis- abilities include the obvious such the wheel- en re ea ronze medal in javelin and also participated a Jerry Laidlaw, pictured here discus. “I want to encourage people to get deaf acd ees J.C.H. Tai Photo ly-impaired; as well as the covert, such as arthritis, soft tissue and skeletal injuries sus- tained in accidents. Arthritic joints become unbearably painful after holding a pen for long periods of time. Therefore, the usewfta’ -9r3 Gontaet' Jerry Laidlaw at 473-7076. laptop in class is essential for people living with arthritis. Students with psychiatric disor- aidlaw starts a disabled student group ders such as attention deficit disorder (ADD) can have short attention spans and be easily distracted. Therefore, students with ADD need exam accommodation, for instance, a tractions. dont.” tudent society fails to get quorum 0 shows for Special General Meeting In 1997, the student society's revenue was $591,254, ~ compared to $345,815 in 1996. Most of the revenue came from membership fees. According to the audit, there were some dramatic variations between revenue sources in 1996 and 1997. In 1996, the revenue from locker rentals was just over $4,500, compared to 1997, when it was just over $3,000. The revenue from the photocopiers in-1996 was over $1 1,000—in 1997 it was less than $7,000. The biggest discrepancy was for the soft drinks and miscella- neous items. In 1996, the revenue was a little under $8,000. In 1997, the soft drink revenue was under $2,000. Some of the variations may have been due to several thefts within the new building in the past year. Overall, the DCSS made a little over $35,000 in 1997. In 1996, they lost over $69,000. Former DCSS President Jaimie McEvoy presented his yearly report of what had happened at the DCSS this past year. Many good things have happened during his tenure as president. The student society reduced the time it would take to pay off the Student Society Building from 20 to 10 years. McEvoy was actively involved in the campaign to con- quiet place for writing exams to minimize dis- are succeeding in their studies”; Hirshen explains the purpose of Disabled Student Services. “We are probably the most used community college by dis- abled people because we pro- With a student body totaling over 9000, Douglas College has only seven social clubs. The DC student wants to “There's a range of needs. We meet with students on a regular basi§ to make sure they involve disabled vide individualized support while most other colleges students in groups, such as Extreme Ski/Snowboarding Club, Climbing Club and Surf Club, are not inviting to students with disabilities. the college Laidlaw wants to change the status quo. “I want to get people involved. I enjoy being with people and I want to help,” he said. community tinue to freeze tuition in British Columbia. Not everything was perfect for the president. The firing of the business manager, resignation of the treasurer, a spe- cial audit, the arrest of former treasurer Rhonda Lussier for theft, and an attempted impeachment didn't make McEvoy's reign as president enjoyable. After the scandal the DCSS has enforced a new cheque requisition process and has given the VP Internal the responsibility of firing people. Another problem that McEvoy had to deal with was the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) Referendum. The problem was that the DCSS left the CFS in 1992, but the CES didn’t think the election was valid. The DCSS and the CFS came to an agreement that the DCSS would pay $40,000 from 1992, but not owe any other outstanding fees. The question for the CFS Referendum was “Are you in favour of renewing membership in the CFS?” The vote was 1401 to 247 in favour of renewing membership in the CFS. Jaimie McEvoy gave control of the DCSS to new presi- dent David Seaweed on September I. NTINUED FROM COVER of him. ing of DCSS business manager ll the school out of the an he? her things that also need to be en care of. “One of the bigger ues is the [Student Society] ilding,” says the Prez. “There ow will he deal with the January errilyn Houlihan? Will he try to adian Federation of Students? According to Seaweed, there are are no real agreements over main- tenance and stuff like that. The BSWSs [the college’s, building sery- ice workers] are still doing the work. Then there are people fight- ing over the lease.” Seaweed says that, to him, it seems as if the spring’s Houli-gate controversy, coupled with the time-consuming CFS referendum, took people's attention away from the housekeeping that the new ew DCSS prez faces difficult issues building so badly needed. “I want to get the building business cleaned up,” he says. Also looming are labour rela- tions within the College. “Both major collective agreements are up,” he says. “There is a threat of strike.” The agreements Seaweed speaks of are between the BC Government Employees Union and the college and between the faculty and the college. “Tr will affect our stu- dents,” predicts Seaweed. “If a semester runs short because of a strike, the students will be refunded but they'll lose their credit and their semester. It’s happened before.” The threat of strike, building problems, former disgruntled employees and a partnership with a federation that may be a little tense; with four potential issues to sink his teeth into, it promises to be a busy semester for the incom- ing president. And how well he handles them will determine whether the time will go by horri- bly slow or enjoyably quick. Most, it would be safe to say considering the past year’s activity, are hoping for the latter. September 9 1998 Page 5 Se |e, \