Other Press

January 21, 1987 = Page 3

Canadian University Press

VANCOUVER (CUP) -- Dec- reased funding for the Chal- lenge 87 summer employment program is a particularly raw | deal for British Columbia, says the Pacific Region chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students.

od Echoing other Canadian stu-

B

it —srepresentatives, Marg Fartaczek criticized the $180 million recently allocated to the federal job creation program as a significant drop from the $210 million spent in 1986.

“There was an extra $30 mil- lion last year for the census, but now the federal govern- ment has conveniently for- gotten about it,” she said.

But finding a summer job in B.C. will be especially difficult due to the absence of Expo, said Fartaczek.

“Student unemployment — at the height of Expo was 20.1 per cent,” she said, comparing this to the national alverage of 13.3 per cent.

“There’s no bright mega-pr- oject on the horizon for work this year -- there’s no census either,” she added.

Last summer, B.C. accoun- ted for 25,000 of Canada’s 170,000 unemployed students.

Fartaczek was also worried summer unemployment wou- Id push debt loads higher for B.C. students receiving money from the only all-loan student assistance progrma in Canada. Some students are graduating from the University of British Columbia with debt loads of $20,000, she said.

And because the $180 million for Challenge 87 neglects the effects of a four to five per cent inflation rate, Fartaczek said the total number of jobs will decrease from the 90,000 crea- ted in 1986, 11,000 of them in B.C.

“We are quite concerned ab- out the lack of consideration given the program. The fund- ing announcement was made even before the evaluation of the Challenge ’86 program was tabled in parliament,” she said.

Nancy Bennett, regional co- ordinator for the program in B.C. and the Yukon, agreed Expo’s absence would likely create a higher rate of student unemployment, but qualified the increase as "slight and not significant.”

(DCSS Vice-President)

The fall semester was a very exciting and active one for the Douglas College Student Soc- iety. Much was achieved res- ulting in increased services and activities for the students of Douglas College as well as a

‘stronger voice in addressing student issues. Several new services were

established in the fall semester by the Douglas College Student Society with the purchase of jumper cables for students who have car trouble and the install- ation of free telephones for stu- dent use outside the library. The DCSS also brought in sev- eral Comedians to provide en- tertainment fo students during the two hour breaks on Thur- sdays.

The fall semester also saw in- Club activity on cam- with several new clubs formed and club participation promoted through a Clubs Day in September. The DCSS _fur- ther supported the clubs by chartering them and _ contribut- ing funding for some club act- ivities. Both the Yeti Ski Club and the Douglas College Jazz Club received sizeable contrib- utions toward Club sponsored projects. The DCSS also helps club funding through co-spon- soring socials and dances held at various times throughout the semester in the Upper Cafet- eria. The DCSS the put on a ‘semester ending Hawiian Luau which was enjoyed by all in attendance.

The DCSS was very active in

the fall semester in providing a strong voice for Douglas Col- lege students in addressing current student issues and con- cerns. In October, the DCSS co- sponsored a Task Force on Student Assistance in which students and _ local _ interest groups made presentations at- testing to the fact that British Columbia has one of the worst student aid programs in Can- ada as a consequence. The Task Force was well received and much useful information was garnered as a result.

Also in October, the DCSS began a pettiton calling for the implementation of a special tr- ansit fare for Post Secondary Students. The current fare structure is seen as being a barrier to students as its high cost creates an unnecessary financial burden to _ students already saddle with increased tution and living costs. The DCSS also began a campaign to get the parking meters on Sev- enth and Agnes Streets remov- ed and the streets turned into a two hour parking zone like the rest of the City. It is felt that the meters are placed there specifi- cally to take advantage of the fact that most classes at the College are two hours in length yet the meters have a lime limit of only one hour.

Altogether it was a very pro- ductive semester and _ the members of the senate look for- ward to an equally succesful Spring semester with the added input from the Student Body. It is only through the support of the Students that the Student Society can reach it’s full poten- tial.

“The pattern of the last two years is students are more su- ccessful in finding jobs than five or six years ago,” she said.

Bennett expects B.C. to rece- ive about 13 or 14 per cent of the total Chalenge 87 budget. That amount is comparable to last year, with distribution determined by taking regional unemployment _ statistics into consideration, she explained.

Bennett added that of the jobs created by the Challenge 86 program, in B.C. 35 per cent were in the private sector, while 15 per cent were in the municipal sector and 50 per cent were with non-profit groups.

Summer jobs drying up

B.C. students employed un- der the Challenge 86 program earned slightly more than the national average. The typical B.C. student participating in the program made $6.09 per hour in the private sector or $5.27 per hour in the non-pro- fit and municipal sectors and worked an average of 12 weeks. The average federal subsidy per job created in B.C. was $1,657.

Bennett also said this year’s budget was less than the $205 million given in 1985, because of a decision to cut funding for jobs within other federal gov- ernment departments.

subsidy program.

Horns R Us - A Douglas College Challenge 86 project: Student leaders, community groups and op- position critics have been swift to condemn the fed- eral government for slashing $30 million from the -budget of this year’s Challenge 87 summer wage

the Other Publications Society

The OPS is accepting nominations for the posistion of Member-at Large on the society’s Board of Directors. Nominees must be students of Douglas Col- ‘lege in good standing and be willing to meet weekly to administer the affairs of the OPS. Nomination forms can be obtained in rm 1602 between 12:00 noon and 4:00 p.m. Mon.- Fri. Nomination forms must be signed by five registered members of the society and be submitted to rm 1602 by 4:00 p.m. January 28th,

1987.

campus-wide TCA ike ALL Somat med

Thursday Feb. 12th

Wanted: Persons with ba- ckground in constutional procedure to preside as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the OPS. In- terested applicants should present a resume detailing experience to:

Room 1602, New Westmin- ster campus.