taylor loren.

“80% meditation, 10% execution, 10% inebriation.” -Dave Olson: On the Road to Creativity 

I fucking love the company I work for. 

hellogiggles:

Chick Literal: YOU ARE NOT CARRIE BRADSHAW

by Andrea Greb

I love this so much. I’ve never liked Big, and as much as people are calling me the real life Carrie - that’s okay, because I’m TWENTY TWO not THIRTY TWO. 

Anyway, this is relevant as I just started my new blog for The Province.

kirsten for vanity fair - 

this photo is so striking…and i really wish i could pull off dark lips like that.

cute owl :)

just a little intro to my new blog over at The Province! starting this week you’ll have something to sweeten your mondays :)

businessweek.com

Gov­ern­ment cost-cutting has wors­ened an already dys­func­tion­al sys­tem

Not gonna lie, when I saw this I totally thought of the Greek village at UBC aka the frats

Seriously loving my new reidel tumblers so much (Taken with instagram)

untitled by kk+ on Flickr.

this is my boss.

she’s all sorts of awesome :)

lifeofowly:

Everyone is so serious here at #UBCTechFair! #hootUBC

so cute! Owly visits #UBC

newsweek:

A new survey from Match.com reveals what singles think about love, marriage, and sex. Your tumblr Jess finds another juicy nugget: Republicans have more orgasms.

theme of the week.

this reminds me of twilight…

like the wolf should be jacob or something. 

Dine Out with @isabelferreras (Taken with Instagram at Judas Goat)

A great video interview with Dick Costolo, CEO of Twitter, on the “censorship” of tweets.

Understanding Twitter

newyorker:

“Still, the uproar has forced people to recognize once again the importance of the policies set by technological platforms—such as Facebook, Google, and Twitter. Supreme Court justices, presidents, prime ministers, and dictators for life will decide much of the future of free speech. But so will smart people with big glasses and purple shirts in Silicon Valley conference rooms. Free speech laws and policies change slowly. Companies can reset standards quickly. It’s useful for them to be reminded how much these issues matter as they balance business interests, reputation, and morals.”

-Nick Thompson writes about why Twitter isn’t evil: http://nyr.kr/zxugmR

This is the funniest Twitter caricature

vanityfair:

Brad Pitt and Bennett Miller of Moneyball.

Photograph by Tom Munro, Vanity Fair.

Hipster Brad Pitt- I dig it.

teenvogue:

Fashion Click blogger Diya Liu of In Her Stilettos is spot on in a playful blue and white polka dot ensemble. Learn more about her look here »

So much polka dot love

yeah - so conservativeryangosling exists. and it kicks the liberalryangosling’s ass, if i do say so myself.

Tumblr begins monetizing at $1/post…I wonder how much income this will generate, and if brands will get on board or if this will be something that individuals take advantage of. 

staff:

Introducing: Highlighted Posts

Every now and then, a post comes along that’s meant for big things. It could be pulling the wraps off your new project, promoting your next show, raising awareness for a cause, or just sharing a truly incredible photo. 

Today you’ll have a new option to Highlight those extra-important posts. For one dollar, your post will stand out in the Dashboard with a customizable sticker to make sure your followers take notice!

of all the things you could do to a facebook cover, the economist just had to make it the ugliest cover ever - complete with “comments” that are cheap, not funny, and well…this is all just so bad.

theeconomist:

Tomorrow’s cover today: Facebook may be a good bet for investors now; but regulatory problems lie ahead.

“Tumblr is basically hiring a staff to celebrate creativity and innovation. How many companies can say that?”

This is a really cool, and meta, initiative by Tumblr to go beyond PR pieces and examine its community in a journalistic way. I’m sure many of my friends wouldn’t call this journalism, but as the article references, both Twitter and Facebook are creating similar spaces and investing in the curation of their community content.

Do you think this has the potential to open up a new area of journalism?

(this kind of sounds like my dream job, not going to lie. What I love most about it is that this concept never would have entered my mind!)

newyorker:

“Still, the uproar has forced people to recognize once again the importance of the policies set by technological platforms—such as Facebook, Google, and Twitter. Supreme Court justices, presidents, prime ministers, and dictators for life will decide much of the future of free speech. But so will smart people with big glasses and purple shirts in Silicon Valley conference rooms. Free speech laws and policies change slowly. Companies can reset standards quickly. It’s useful for them to be reminded how much these issues matter as they balance business interests, reputation, and morals.”

-Nick Thompson writes about why Twitter isn’t evil: http://nyr.kr/zxugmR

I like this Twitter caricature.

today i’m learning a lot about stocks…still don’t understand it much!

newsweek:

“The biggest concern is the $100 billion valuation that Facebook is seeking,” Dan Lyons writes. “To get an idea how outrageous this is, consider that Apple—the biggest, most powerful, most lucrative tech company in the world—sells for just over three times last year’s revenues. If you valued Facebook that way it would be worth only $12.5 billion.” 

the only way to go to the spa ;)

glamour:

One of these things does not belong here…

anniewerner:

The 11.5%

foursquare, twitter, hootsuite and love.

The Anatomy of a Notification

and the counter argument:

rebeccalando:

This is the stupidest thing. Here’s $1 to let me shout obnoxiously and ineffectively at people! No one likes to be shouted at. That’s the obnoxious part. And it’s not like these tags do anything other than clutter the margins of the Dashboard.

But what’s really so, so dumb about these - so dumb it’s funny in a sad, pathetic way - is that they only work on the Dashboard. They don’t work on the actual blogs. So you’re paying $1 for someone to, what, give your post an extra 1 second glance? Maybe click ‘like’ or ‘reblog’? But only on the Dashboard. Not on your URL, not in an RSS feed. Only on Tumblr, for other Tumblr users. And there’s no correlating monetary gain for your $1 when someone clicks “like” on your post on their Dashboard. So basically, you’re giving Tumblr $1 to help promote Tumblr. Not you. Tumblr.

VFW has yet to walk the walk. Will this year be any different?

By Taylor Loren

Hotel basements, runways marked by duct tape and the RCMP shutting down a fashion show while models are still walking. It’s not a bad Paris Hilton movie, just the unfortunate history of fashion weeks in the third worst-dressed city in the world—Vancouver.

Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW) opened its tenth anniversary of the spring/summer season yesterday at Masik Studios in False Creek. It runs until Sunday night, with over 50 local and international designers showcasing their work. But if you’re looking for a glamourous, star-studded affair, you won’t find it here.

VFW deems itself “a global platform for designers, buyers, media representatives and sponsors,”  but is positioned too late in the year for fashion buyers, who usually complete the spring season in October. Industry professionals usually scoff at VFW, which has traditionally been ridiculed as a venture designed to profit purely from having the established title of Fashion Week.

Jamal Abdourahman created Vancouver Fashion Week in 2001, and ran the underground production with a staff composed entirely of volunteers. Ten years later, unpaid interns are still running the show, and some are fighting back.

A cohort of anonymous interns formed the blog Vancouver Fashion Weak “to stop the producer of VFW from exploiting students and recent graduates for their well-meaning free labour, as well as exploiting emerging and established designers with sub par production,” according to one post.

“We have created this site because we support local and international designers and their efforts in creating real art, and do not want them to be cheated by the producer of VFW,” the post entitled “Scam Alert” continued. The blog contains hundreds of comments, mainly from anonymous sources, depicting general disorganization and poor working conditions. Abdourahman could not be reached for comment.

“We are a big enough city and globally recognized enough that doing a high school quality runway show in the basement of a crappy hotel on Robson Street is not good enough. It is embarrassing,” said Paul Melo, a Vancouver photographer, in an interview with the Vancouver Sun.

Especially when compared to Toronto Fashion Week and other larger events, VFW lacks money. Without high profile sponsors or support from the city, expensive ticket prices (starting at $75 for a day pass) are inevitable. With interns and models training one another, it’s not possible to attract any well-known designers or industry professionals to VFW, which would be a crucial step to improve their credibility.

VFW isn’t the only fashion show that’s been problematic for Vancouver’s image. British Columbia Fashion Week was founded in 2004 and found some success, until it was shut down by the RCMP mid-runway show in 2009 due to allegations of credit card fraud.

Vancouver Men’s Fashion Week (VMFW) opened its first season last month. VMFW was held in a crowded club with a runway sectioned off by duct tape, and the “week” consisted of one evening of shows by amateur models and designers.

However, there is a glimmer of hope for Vancouver’s disintegrating fashion image. Opening its third season last month, Eco Fashion Week is a celebration of sustainable design that has grown to be the heart of Vancouver fashion events.

Vancouver isn’t the most fashionable city in the world, but it is one of the greenest. The three day event, which focuses on featuring environmentally friendly fashion, is more couture than granola. It grew from the small but committed group of independent designers in Vancouver who are using local, organic and recycled materials.

Will Vancouver Fashion Week be able to live up to their name this year? Follow The Ubyssey’s coverage of VFW as we offer up different perspectives for each night online at ubyssey.ca/culture.

—

from The Ubyssey

November 2, 2011

Web story, PDF (page 7)

By Taylor Loren

Sending a postcard from Prague will be a little easier this year thanks to UBC Bands.

The Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Concert Winds will be joining to create a new experience for the UBC music community. Dr Rob Taylor is the director of both ensembles and initiated the combination of both band performances into a new concert series entitled Postcards.

“I was hoping to integrate the two bands and create a season around one central theme,” said Taylor, who said he combined the concerts “partly to expand the audience and partly to draw attention to how well both of the bands play.”

He described the event as a journey for the audience. “Instead of just going to a concert where there’s a mix of pieces, such as an overture, concerto and then symphony, we are taking an idea and spinning out on it to make it a more cohesive experience for the audience,” said Taylor.

“In November, Postcard from Prague will feature Czech composers, along with a piece that depicts the communist takeover of the city of Prague,” Taylor said. Postcard from the Podium, Postcard from the Jazz Age, and Postcard from the Americas will also be featured throughout the year.

UBC Bands is comprised of two ensembles under the direction of Taylor, both of which are open to music majors and non-majors through open auditions at the beginning of each academic year.

The School of Music will be offering all of the Postcards concerts online. Funded through grants from the UBC Faculty of Arts and the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund, the streaming video project was created “to allow those who can’t make it to the concert to view live performances by numerous UBC ensembles,” said Taylor.

While the performances allow students’ families from around the world to watch them perform, it also offers educational benefits to smaller communities. Added Taylor, “The intent is for students in music schools in the interior of BC and remote areas to be able to watch and participate in the concerts.”

Postcard from the Past will be performed Thursday at noon and Friday at 8pm in the Chan Centre for Performing Arts and online. All concerts are free and open to the public.

—

October 20, 2011

Web story, PDF (page 6)

Hosting the Ubyssey Weekly Show.

By Taylor Loren

Being awesome isn’t just a job title for Rick Chung.

The former UBC student tweets, blogs and drinks his way around town as the social editor for the local blogVancouver is Awesome. As his Twitter profile says, he is a junior detective, and his job is to seek out the awesome from the mass of events happening in Vancouver every week.

“That’s probably the worst part of my day, reading all these pitches. Managing them, seeing if I can go to them or not, responding. It’s a good problem, and it’s not unusual for me to go to three or four parties in one night.”

Chung wasn’t always the prolific partier and man about town that he is now. “I think I’m more involved with UBC now than when I was a student,” he said. His metamorphosis into social butterfly didn’t come until after he graduated from UBC with a BA in political science. Chung went on to study broadcast journalism at BCIT, where he found his niche through blogging. “I just started blogging on my own…I didn’t take it seriously until just before the Olympics. I was really scared because all my friends had gotten these awesome jobs and I hadn’t even tried.”

Instead of working, Chung decided to enjoy the giant party that was Vancouver. “It was as simple as listing all the free events, going to them, walking around the city, taking pictures, and blogging about it.” Post-Olympics, Chung realized that he was making a name for himself and could turn this into something else.

“After the Olympics, I thought, that was kind of fun, and I met some cool people, and so I started to make more of it on my own. I’d go to random meet-ups, tweet-ups, general events open to anyone, and I would blog about it. And then slowly, I was meeting a ton of new people…and they’d invite me to these other, more exclusive events, and I became something of a man about town.”

Chung utilized both his online and offline personality to create jobs for himself, first as social media intern for CBC and then with Vancouver is Awesome. Networking is what he does, and he has made a career for himself as a professional partier. But make no mistake, he takes it seriously. ”I am super diligent in managing everything.”

In order to attend multiple parties per night, he has to streamline events and build relationships, like in any other career. “People are going to use you. You’re using other people, people are using you, it’s how you build a relationship.” However, instead of networking to get clients, Chung’s relationships have led to many open bars.

“Hands down, the best party was the Playboy energy drink launch party,” he said.

“It was a secret party…they turned it into a pop-up club and it was insane. There was a lounge where models would just pose nude, I have no idea why, and there was an open bar in every room.  I couldn’t believe where I was.”

Though his time at UBC may have been devoid of parties, he loved studying political science and finds it to be applicable to his career now. “I always wanted to know more about the world we live in, and poli sci is really just the study of now…I love it because it’s how people deal with each other, what their roles are and how they interact.”

Social media has been an important aspect of growing his personal brand, which he attributes to his studies. “There really aren’t any rules; people are making rules all the time. That’s something that’s interesting to me. It’s just another field of how people interact and do things.”

Attached to his iPhone, the internet is Chung’s office. “Being offline for more than an hour is so painful,” he said. He writes the same way online as he does offline, offering an honest stream of consciousness to his audience.

“Sometimes when I’m tweeting, I think, why does anyone hire me?”

——-

from The Ubyssey

September 15, 2011

Web story, PDF (page 2)

By Taylor Loren

It was 7pm on a Wednesday night when he started crying. The man didn’t appear to be injured, but judging from the tears running down his face, he had just received devastating news.

“He couldn’t get into the Pit, and the guy was bawling his eyes out,” said Evan Westra of AMS Security. “That was the strangest thing I saw all night.”

The first Pit Night of the year saw students waiting upwards of three hours to enter the infamous campus bar. Pit Nights, when the Pit Pub transforms into UBC’s pseudo-club, have a become a rite of passage that new students often clamour to experience. There’s no cover or dress code, and the only requirement to get in is a student card.

Magnum Ferfpad, an exchange student from Norway, thought the beer garden experience was a great way to meet new people and actually converse. “We made a lot of friends, and for a visiting student, that’s really nice.” He may have waited for two hours upstairs, but thought it was worthwhile. “I really enjoyed the whole thing.”

Rachel Cederberg and Celina Santeilli-Giza, both second-year students, waited in line for three hours for their first Pit Night. The legends of students before them set the bar for what Santeilli-Giza wanted to experience.

“I’m expecting dance floor make-outs from most of my fine, young friends.”

Graduates of John Casablancas Institute wow with their works at the Adorned Creation fashion show

By Taylor Loren

Pterodactyls, leather and glitter galore were in abundance at the Adorned Creation fashion show last Tuesday night at Performance Works.

The graduating fashion class of John Casablancas Institute, a small elite fashion school in Gastown, impressed the crowd with a dizzying foray into deconstructing the creature.

Giovanni Amenta, an instructor at the school, introduced the show by exclaiming that the evening would be about “creatures that are beautiful!”

“The word creature, when you hear it, don’t you think of something a little ugly, a little unsightly?” he said. “We have this negative connotation to creature, but what this show is all about is going beyond our initial reaction. It’s going further, it’s showing the beauty, the mystery, the light and the metamorphosis to find adorned creation.”

And an adored creation it was. The show opened with a pterodactyl-like creature hidden behind sheaths of organza, making only a shadow visible to the audience. It continued to grow taller as it spun wildly out of control, eventually revealing the creature that our society has come to both idolize and loathe: the model.

Like animals hunting for prey, the models pounded down the runway revealing the dangerous, exotic, frightened and sexual side of young designers about to be set loose into the jungle that is the fashion industry.

From Prairie to Pleather

Jasmine Tindall’s previous knowledge of the fashion industry was limited to the clothes she chose to wear on her back. A native of Grand Prairie, Alberta, Tindall moved to Vancouver and entered the John Casablanca fashion program in September, naïve to what the program would entail.

“People come in and think, ‘Oh, it’s fashion, it’s so easy,’” said Tindall. “I didn’t know anything about it, but behind the scenes, wow, it’s crazy.”

John Casablancas’ offers a diverse fashion program where students learn both theory and application, taking classes such as marketing, styling, retail and elements of design.

Tindall showcased her first designs Tuesday night, presenting four original dresses. “I came into this not knowing how to draw anything, and now I know how to sketch garments, so that was really exciting, learning how to do all of that.”

Purely reflective of the designer, the pieces showcased a former prairie girl’s debut into cosmopolitanism. Working with the theme of “adorned creation,” Tindall paired bold prints and rough textures with muted western accents.

“I chose really edgy fabrics that you’re not sure if you can pull off or not,” she said. “The material that I used resembles what a creature is to me.” Tindall opened her segment with a flowing tiger printed gown accented with a pleated leather bodice.

Tindall closed the show with a dramatic, short, sequined number complete with shoulder pads. Like a scaled reptile, the dress embodied camouflage fit for the dance floor. “When you walk one way, it’s black. But walk in the other direction and it’s gold.”

“I really embraced sequins, they reminded me of scales,” she added. “A creature can really be anything.”

Showcasing the tame, the wild, and the sometimes bizarre, Adorned Creation was an entertaining evening that provided inspiration for embodying your inner creature and embracing all things glitter for your fall wardrobe.

—-

from The Ubyssey

July 15, 2011

Web story

By Taylor Loren

For art virgins, the Cheaper Show is an opportunity to buy your first piece of art at prices that are cheaper than a one night stand.

One of the most anticipated art events of the year, the Cheaper Show is a single night extravaganza which will see 10,000 attendees descend upon Main Street, where 400 pieces of art from 200 artists sell for just $200 each. “The most significant difference between our show and the way a standard commercial gallery operates is our price point,” said founder Graeme Berglund.

Now celebrating it’s tenth anniversary, the Cheaper Show has grown into the largest cultural art event in Western Canada where Berglund says you can “grab a beer, hang out with your friends, do a full tour of the room and possibly buy your first piece of art.”

A genuine Vancouver gem, the Cheaper Show is an organic art movement for refined collectors and novices alike. “It’s literally been the interest from the artists and the public that has driven this event,” commented Berglund.

Formerly called “Cheaper Than A One Night Stand,” Berglund rebranded the Cheaper Show in 2008 to open up the underground event to the Vancouver public. It was a roaring success with over 5,000 attendees attending the newly-named event. “I knew then that the public had an appetite for this kind of event.”

Crediting their growth to both word of mouth and social media, the Cheaper Show continues to stay true to it’s roots by providing quality pieces at affordable pieces. “The show is always drawing in new art viewers, people who wouldn’t go see an informal show in someone’s house in Stratchona, but are drawn by the hype surrounding this event. They then recognize how easy the process is and become inspired.”

This year, the show has partnered with businesses along Main Street to offer the Cheaper Show Day. Participating businesses will be offering cheap food, beer, and retail discounts all day long to celebrate the Mount Pleasant community.

Buy Art, Not Cocaine

Last year, Scott Lewis bought his first piece of art at the Cheaper Show. This year, the Vancouver native was selected out of almost 1,000 applicants, and will be showing two of his paintings, which he describes as “moody landscape.”

A former fine arts student at UBC, Lewis’s advice to students looking to start their art collection is to “just go on instinct, don’t look too much into the name. There’s so much to look at, if something jumps out, just grab it.”

Berglund agrees, adding that “there’s a misconception around art, people think you need to have an education. It’s just like hearing a song or seeing any image, art is something that you’re personally drawn to. Trust your guy instinct. The show offers an amazing evening where people buy instinctively and impulsively, so sprint for the cash desk.”

From Waldo to the Sedins

Melanie Coles is one of the Cheaper Show’s four featured artists and is no stranger to the Vancouver art community. Her most notable pieces include “Where on Earth is Waldo?”—a painted rooftop Waldo to be found on Google Earth—and the recent “Sedin Proposal” in which she left her telephone number and proposed to the twins on a billboard. Coles will be showing both a large scale art installation and three new collages at the Cheaper Show.

“Instead of having a piece for sale for $200, [featured artists] were given the money to spend on supplies. I created a 3D installation in one of the big windows, so you can see it from both the street and the gallery. It’s a large scale 3D collage, so it’s essentially two different pieces from the inside and the outside,” explained Coles.

Besides offering art to the public community, the Cheaper Show also works as a platform to showcase innovations by emerging artists. As a featured artist, Coles has been able to create her art without financial limitations.

“The show has really allowed me to just have complete freedom and try something new, knowing I’ll have an audience for it. This is my first time making something 3D, and it’s just great for emerging artists to learn more about their work.”

The Cheaper Show opens it’s doors at 6pm on Saturday, June 25th at 188 Kingsway. Admission is a $10 donation, or $7 with your student ID. All proceeds go to the Emerging Arts Foundation. Visit their website for details.

—-

from The Ubyssey

June 23, 2011

Web story

By Taylor Loren

“Think of the British, multiplied by ten. It’s pushing the limits of humour of ridiculousness,” said Andrew Robb.

Robb’s role as the title singer in the upcoming UBC Opera Ensemble Albert Herring may have been written in the early twentieth century, but it certainly isn’t typical of the time.

Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring is a comedic response to the expectations of a Victorian society. When a small English village is unable to find a chaste woman to be crowned May Queen, the timid greengrocer Albert is chosen to be May King for the Spring Festival. Instead of celebrating his newfound title, Albert embarks on a drunken adventure, escaping his moral upbringing as he finds his adult self.

“It’s all about a young man coming of age and finding his own two feet and his own personality,” says Nancy Hermiston, the opera’s director. “It’s an interesting theme for young university students.”

“The role of Albert is very real, this situation can be placed in modern time. The opera is society’s reaction to a very odd individual, but with a humourous perspective,” said Robb. “I can have so much fun with it, because I’m feeding off the other characters, who are also so ridiculous.”

Not only does Albert Herring, whose cast is made up of entirely UBC students, offer a relatable story, but it is also one of the few operas performed in English. Combining a light hearted performance while eliminating an intimidating language barrier makes it a perfect introduction to the opera.

Albert Herring is also the debut summer production for UBC Opera, starting a Vancouver summer opera tradition. The recent re-opening of the newly renovated Old Auditorium allows for a third production to be added to their annual lineup.

“It’s a much smaller theatre than most of our opera houses in Canada. There is an intimacy that you can really see in the detail, acting and feel of the theatre. It has a much more intimate feeling,” said Hermiston.

The early twentieth century setting and themes of intimacy in Albert Herring compliment the Old Auditorium, bringing together the coming of age tale with the smaller cast, orchestra and theatre.

Albert Herring runs June 23-26 at the UBC Old Auditorium. Tickets start at $10 and are available atwww.ubcopera.com or in-person at the box office.

——-

from The Ubyssey

June 21, 2011

Web story, PDF (page 10)

By Taylor Loren

On the Parliament lawn in Victoria on Wednesday, nearly 800 students rallied against increasing student debt —but only eight of them were from UBC.

The protest marked the first time in four years that students from across BC have come together. Organized by the student societies of Camosun College, Simon Fraser University and the University of Victoria, they were joined by a dozen other student societies from across BC. Noticeably absent was the Alma Mater Society of UBC, which represents over 46,000 students and is the largest student union in Western Canada.

BC currently has the highest interest on student loans, and the highest accumulated debt per student in the country, averaging $27,000 for a four year degree.

“This is an issue so pivotal to the education system in BC, it’s almost deplorable that the AMS isn’t here. Any organization that represents post-secondary education should have a presence,” said Eli Zabar, media liaison for the Langara Students’ Union.

AMS President Jeremy McElroy said that the AMS wasn’t in a financial position to attend.

“We supported the rally with a motion at Council, but the planning for it happened well in advance and we didn’t have money to sponsor a bus. We encouraged all councillors and undergraduate societies to participate.”

McElroy added that the elections and referendum had been the top priorities for the AMS, but that the AMS is working on future lobby plans.

“The lack of UBC involvement is a real shame,” said Kyle Acierno, External Relations Officer for the Simon Fraser Students Union.

“[The SFSS] is going through everything that the AMS is going through. It’s a real pity that the AMS didn’t come behind this and support it more, for $800 to rent a couple buses.”

When running for VP External in 2010, McElroy stated that “the AMS should be putting far more energy into meeting with officials and people that have influence and less into protest tactics.”

The Social Justice Centre sponsored travel for students, but only eight came. Arielle Friedman, financial co-ordinator for the SJC, was in attendance.

“It was really cool to see all these students from across BC coming out, the message was really positive and there was just a great energy to it. However, the UBC contingent was so small, it made the AMS look pretty bad, especially compared to SFU,” said Friedman.

So Let Them Drink Coffee

Two days into her role as Minister of Advanced Education, Naomi Yamamoto issued and later apologized for a statement made on rising tuition increases as students protested outside the Victoria legislature.

In a press release issued Wednesday morning, she said that tuition increases amounted to less than $90 a year for the average university student, which they could pay for by buying one less coffee each week.

Michelle Mungall, Deputy Opposition Critic for Advanced Education, participated in the rally along with six other NDP MLAs.

“As I was standing in the crowd of hundreds of students, Christy Clark’s government had a response to the student rally. It was something that hearkens back to Marie Antoinette. Instead of telling people that they can just eat cake, this government said that students can just drink one less coffee. As though one less coffee a week is going to solve the crisis we see today in post-secondary education and in students lives,” said Mungall.

On the two percent increase per year, Yamamoto said she will continue to work to limit increases to inflation. “If you look at tuition across Canada, we are still seeing fifty percent less in increases.”

Tuition at UBC

Earlier this month, a referenda question asking whether the AMS should lobby for lower tuition fees passed, with 87 per cent voting in favour.

Despite this, the AMS has not been actively lobbying at a provincial level over the last year, focusing instead on forming a BC student lobby group, which has yet to be created.

“Lobbying should be a huge priority for the AMS, in a way that it clearly isn’t,” said Friedman.

During the student rally, McElroy and VP External Katherine Tyson were hosting the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, a federal lobbying group.

The AMS is voting this week on whether to become full members at a cost of $46,000.

Friedman wished the AMS would focus more on BC and uniting with other local universities.

“Provincial lobbying is the most effective as they give out the most student loans, and they fund our universities. The AMS has done very little provincially.”

“It just shows that affordability of post-secondary education is not a priority for them right now, and it has to be.”

—-

from The Ubyssey

March 21, 2011

Web story, PDF (page 3)

Advanced Education Minister in first interview on post-secondary education

By Taylor Loren

On Tuesday, Naomi Yamamoto, Liberal MLA for North Vancouver, was sworn in as the Minister of Advanced Education in Premier Christy Clark’s cabinet. The appointment makes her the government’s point-person for both colleges and universities. The Ubysseyspoke with Yamamoto the day after she assumed the position, in her first official interview on post-secondary education.

Ubyssey: Having just been named to Cabinet and also becoming the first Japanese-Canadian minister, this must be a pretty exciting but emotional time for you.

Yamamoto: I am just really thrilled to be in this new role. I grew up in a family where post-secondary education was mandatory; I didn’t think I had a choice. However, my enthusiasm is dampened with everything that is happening in Japan right now. I have mixed feelings.

U: How was your past experience with Capilano College?

Y: It was a wonderful experience. I am an alumnus of UBC, but my experience on the board at Capilano College was exceptional and I’m so proud of them and their change in designation to achieving status as a university.

U: The Ministry of Advanced Education was recently resurrected by combining two former portfolios. What was the reason for this change?

Y: It feels right to have one ministry to represent both colleges, universities and private institutions.

U: What are the goals or policies that you will be working on in Advanced Education?

Y: Generally, we need to make sure we deliver the message to young people, as well as people in jobs where they see a short horizon and where post-secondary education is very valuable. Seventy-five per cent of jobs are going to require post-secondary education and we need to make sure that message gets out.

U: Today, 700 students from across the province gathered to protest against rising student debt and cuts to student financial aid. BC students have the highest debt in Canada with the average borrower graduating with $27,000 of debt. What do you think is the best way to reduce this debt load on students?

Y: We have to look at what that investment is. If you believe that your education is an investment in your future, as I believe it is, you need to look at the return. Statistics show that someone with a post-secondary education degree will earn $650,000 more over their career than someone who doesn’t get that degree, so put that into perspective. The debt burden, I know it’s hard to manage sometimes, but as long as we’re keeping it manageable it’s a good investment.

U: One of the issues that affect most students in Vancouver is the BC student loan program, which is very outdated. For example, it allocates $650/month for rent per student. At UBC, the average rent for a student living within a 20-minute commute to campus is $1000. Is restructuring the BC student loan program a top priority for your ministry?

Y: Our student loan program is quite robust, and there will be anomalies because of the difference in accommodations across the province. We need to attempt to look at the broader issues, like limiting tuition fee rates to two per cent increases. If you look at tuition across Canada, we are still seeing 50 per cent less in increases.

U: BC has the highest interest rate on student loans in Canada, whereas other provinces have zero interest or charge interest at [a lower] cost. Is it viable for BC to reduce the student loan interest rate in the future?

Y: That is always something that I can look at; I’ve heard the concerns of students. It’s important to remember that it is the taxpayer who pays the interest on that student loan during the time the student is in school. Right now taxpayers pay for two-thirds of a student’s education. We need to be careful to balance the investment of the student and the amount of taxpayer contribution as we look ahead at the value of post-secondary education.

U: There’s been a university funding freeze for the three years, in addition to over 40 per cent cuts in student financial assistance. Is Advanced Education a part of Premier Clark’s strong focus on families?

Y: Post-secondary education is definitely falling under the Families First policy. It all comes down to jobs. For our economy to really tick, we need the educated students to meet labour market demands that will be coming up. In terms of student debt, students need to have a job to go to after graduation. If we get that right, then families are stronger.

—————

from The Ubyssey

March 17, 2011

Web story, PDF (page four)

UBC professors using social media to enhance student’s experience in the classroom

By Taylor Loren
Contributor 

Professors at UBC are showing that when it comes to social media, old dogs can learn new tricks.

Political science professor Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega is one of many faculty members who have introduced social media as part of the class experience. Students tweet questions, comment on his class blog and contribute to discussion topics on his Facebook page.

“My goal as a professor is to help students build skills for the job market, using their fluency and literacy in social media to build professional networks for when they graduate,” he said.

Pacheco-Vega teaches public and environmental policy at UBC. He has a professional Twitter account, @raulpacheco, but also tweets as the popular Vancouver blogger @hummingbird604, where he has over 6700 followers. He is using his teaching as an opportunity to merge his online identities to benefit students.

“Using social media in the classroom helps me build that literacy for the students so when they go out in the world, they have these skills,” he said.

Pacheco-Vega is using his personal social media capital for online networking between students and other professionals in his field.

“With my double identity I am able to push a lot more of my students’ content to the outside world. Twitter has helped me spread my students’ message.”

Trevor Ritchie is a public policy student of Pacheco-Vega’s in POLI 350 and POLI 375 and enjoys how social media is enhancing his education firsthand.

“A lot of the focus on social media has been on its applications in public policy,” he said, adding, “I’ve learned a lot about how it can form grassroots opposition or support for proposed policies.”

Professors are also utilizing Twitter for instant feedback, allowing students to contribute to the class discussion without having to speak up in class.

David Ng, director of the Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory, sets up a live stream during his ASIC 200 class. Using the hashtag #asic200, students are able to communicate about the lecture in real time, which UBC student Dominika Ziemczonek finds “both informative and entertaining.”

“I wouldn’t be on Twitter without the class,” said Ziemczonek, who found out about ASIC 200 because of the website. She has now learned how to tweet and built a network of peers through online class conversation.
Ritchie also enjoys the real-time effect of Twitter in the classroom.

“Being able to instantly communicate with my peers and have differing viewpoints at my fingertips enhances my ability to understand the issues at hand,” he said.

Students are also incorporating academics into their regular use of social media outside the classroom.

“A lot of students use Twitter specifically outside of class to ask each other questions, share helpful links and set up study sessions,” said Ziemczonek.

UBC itself has become a tweeting machine, with over 50 affiliate accounts delivering daily updates to faculty, students and the neighbourhood.

The #ubc hashtag has been a trending topic across Canada and a simple search delivers results from the entire community.

Twitter can show the current score in a sports game, press releases about UBC’s distinguished research and faculty, students complaining during a class and even update you on the disgruntled residents of Gage during those midnight fire alarms.

——

from The Ubyssey

February 28, 2011

Web story, PDF (page five).

Opinion piece in The Ubyssey for AMS Elections.

January 17, 2011

if you look closely, that’s me on the front cover drawn as a cartoon with other campus media :)

written for the Centre for Student Involvement at UBC

You may have heard of UBC Insiders before, or maybe even my blog AMS Confidential. You most likely have no idea what voter funded media is. We’re campus media, but we’re not The Ubyssey, who receives five dollars from (almost) every student at UBC, which allows them to have amazing content like their interactive AMS Elections guide.

Blogs can’t do that.

What we can do is write with more freedom. We can give honest opinions without fear of “conflict of interests,” we can photoshop funny pictures without having to worry about “copyright,” and we share all of our news quickly via technology and social media. You can access us on your phone or laptop, on the bus to school or even in class.

So, what is this VFM I spoke of? VFM stands for Voter Funded Media and consists of different campus blogs all vying for your vote to receive money. You get to vote for whoever’s coverage you like the most, and they get compensated based on the voting. You vote for them on your AMS Elections ballot, and you can also vote every day, all year round.

Did you even know AMS Elections were happening right now? You should probably check it out. The AMS is your student society and does cool things like give you your U-Pass and build the new SUB. Most people think it’s boring. That’s why AMS Confidential was born, we take the AMS and throw in some Twilight, Glee, or Gossip Girl to try to make you care. We even break some stories occasionally, have features, and think we’re pretty hilarious. Despite our attempts at getting students involved with Tiger Beat news, only you can decide whether to vote in the elections.  Read some blogs, and then vote January 17-21 online!