Day To Remember, A Week Of Canadian Compassion…

18 years ago, the events of 9/11 captured the attention of the entire world and became a tragic place in American history. As America came under attack by terrorists, all of American air space was shut down, all planes were grounded. 

Any planes that traveled along the east coast or were international, were grounded , for the most part, in Gander, Newfoundland. a total of 38 planes landed at the small airport, in a town of only 10, 000. 6, 700 passengers got off of those planes and into the arms of hospitality of Gander residents for a total of five days.

As each plane landed, and the passengers waited for news; the town bustled with activity. Volunteers readied makeshift shelters, every school, gym, community centre, church and campsites. Gander’s 500 hotel rooms were reserved for pilots and flight crews.

Bus drivers who were in the middle of a strike, put down picket their picket signs and held up themselves to help in any way they could. Collections consisting of toiletries, clothes, toys, towels, toothbrushes, pillows, blankets and bedding piled up. For security reasons, passengers weren’t allowed to take checked bags, so the donations were a great resource.

Gander residents began to cook a lot. Grocery store shelves were almost completely emptied. The local Walmart ran out of practically everything and the local hockey rink transformed into the world’s largest refrigerator for the enormous amount of cooking taking place.

The helpful residents of Gander refused to accept money, though passengers later donated thousands to the town and created a scholarship fund for the children of Gander.

Because every year, as Sept. 11 reminds America of the unfiltered evil in our world, it’s also necessary to remind ourselves of the human capacity for kindness, selflessness and generosity. It also reminds us in Canada that opening our hearts with generosity isn’t always a bad thing. 

Paws out for the PAW PASS

With a new school year now in session, there are a ton of new things to learn about the Brandon University Campus. What services are offered? Where can you find research materials? Do we have  health insurance through the University? Many of these questions can be answered with a quick visit to the Brandon University Students’ Union office. The Students’ Union office is located on the first floor of the Knowles Douglas Building, pretty much in the middle of campus. Your union provides you with a variety of services throughout the school year, such as a Health and Dental plan, printing access, advocacy services and, last but not least, the Paw Pass. The Paw Pass was founded in 2015 when the Assiniboine Community College Students’ Association and the Brandon University Students’ Union formed a partnership to bring about a discount program for students in Brandon. Since then it has become an assume tool for students to use around the Westman region. Discounts can range anywhere from 10% up to 50%. Below are details regarding the various discounts students get for the 2019-2020 school year.

In all the categories of discounts offered through the Paw Pass, Dining is by far the one that gets used the most. This year, the Paw Pass is jam packed with dining deals available to post-secondary students. Given that both Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College are located in the city of Brandon, the majority of businesses offering discounts are located within the city limits. One of the go to meals for many students is pizza. That glorious piece of pizza layered with sauce, cheese, and tons of toppings, has gotten more than a few students through some late night classes. Papa Johns, located at 3099 18th st, and Dominos Pizza, located at 824 18th st, are both offering students 40% off any pizza. Th only catch is that you have to order online in order to cash in on the discount. The discount code for Dominos is 2019BU while the code for Papa Johns is STUDENT40. Moving away from pizza, there are a variety of other dining establishments within the city of Brandon that support the Paw Pass. East Side Mario's, near Shoppers Mall, offers 20% off to students, while The Pita Pit, just down the street from the University at 658 18th st., also offers a 20% discount. Once in a while you get in the mood for something a little unique, some food thats associated with another country or culture. Rest assured as the Paw Pass has you covered in that department as well. The Wok Box offers students 20% off and is located at 930 18th st here in brandon. The Shawarma Queen also honours the Paw Pass with a 15% discount for students. The Shawarma Queen is located in downtown Brandon at 908 Rosser Avenue. As you can see, there’s no shortage of dining discounts available to students this year. There are loads of other restaurants and bakery’s in the city that are also part of this years Paw Pass, many of them offering students 10% or 15% off regular price. So if you find yourself hungry with no time to cook, take a trip around the city and cash in on some of those delicious discounts!

Dining isn’t the only category in this years Paw Pass. There’s also a section devoted to entertainment! Being a student isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world. Once in a while you need to sit back, relax, and take time to just rewind. One place that many students find themselves rewinding each year is at Houstons, located at 3130 Victoria Avenue. This night club offers students free cover on Thursday nights. Some students are more into sports than partying. With the Paw Pass you can get $5.00 off adult tickets for Wheat King games this season! Cheer on the home team without breaking the bank. Sports and clubs are great ways to blow off some steam and relax, but what if your not into sports or alcohol? If thats the case, take a trip down to T-Birds, located near the southern tip of the city at 2140 Currie Blvd. Here students can enjoy a game of bowling. By purchasing one hour of game time you get an additional 1/2 free of charge! Whether its competitive or for leisure your sure to have a good time.

Finally the Paw Pass also includes a much needed shopping section! Just because your a post-secondary student doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy shopping! Plus, with discounts offered by the Paw Pass, you don’t need to worry about running your wallet dry. The Little Shoppe, down at 731 18th st, offers students a 25% discount of regularly priced items. While your shopping for clothes you can hit up Bromley’s Menswear at 306 10th st to get 20% off. This will be incredibly useful should you need to freshen up for a presentation or celebration. Some students may require certain uniforms, such as students in the Faculty of Health Studies. The Unique Uniform Shop at 904 13th st. has you covered with 10% off uniforms or 15% off if you also purchase your shoes there. Another discount that would be especially useful come Christmas is the one offered at Reesor’s Jewellery inside Shoppers Mall. Here students can get 20% to 40% off select items. Since some Jewellery can go for hundreds of dollars, you will find this discount invaluable should you need to purchase something for your significant other. Armed with a wide array of shopping discounts you can go to town without feeling guilty about the price tag.

The discounts described above are just a fraction of whats available to you as a student in Brandon. To find out more information and to get your Paw Pass sticker visit the BUSU  office on the first floor of the Knowles Douglas Building. They are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Once you get your sticker, hit the town and soak up those discounts!

Brandon University Food Hall

BU has a new manager of Food Services, Nicholas Namespetra. Since taking over, Namespetra has been implementing changes based on consumer desires which has been getting recognition, including an article in the Brandon Sun. The Brandon Sun article was written in August and focused on the changes Namespetra was planning on implementing for the upcoming academic year. The article also discussed the survey that was sent to students, staff and faculty asking questions about what people wanted to see from the food hall. Healthier food? More grab and go? The survey also asked how often consumers used what was offered now, such as the soups or salad bar. In the Brandon Sun article, it was noted that students were asking for new choices, more vegan and vegetarian options and fresher food. 

Namespetra sat down with me to answer a few questions I had about the surveys and changes he had implemented, as the Brandon Sun article was published before the academic year started. Since getting more surveys back Namespetra found that people were wanting international food options, fresh food, and items that were sustainably sourced. He also found there was a desire for more grab and go options. There is now BU Fresh which is a grad and go option with things like salads, wraps and sandwiches. Namespetra also found students wanting better quality coffee, so Equator coffee was brought in. Equator Coffee Roasters roast fair trade, organic coffee. 

Namespetra can be found in the dining hall, talking to customers and asking them about their food experience, the taste of their food and any changes they would make to it. There was some boredom of the previous menu, so in the new menu there is more of a “build your own” concept, to be more flexible for customers. Food is made from scratch, not purchased pre-made and is of a higher quality when it is brought in pre-made. Namespetra is very eager to hear input on the changes being implemented in BU’s Food Hall and will make changes according to customer feedback. 


A Student’s Letter of Complaint to BUSU

At Brandon University we rely a lot on BUSU for a number of things, most commonly the Health and Dental Plan, and any problems or concerns we have with it. We also go to BUSU for the cheaper printing. 

A former member of the BUSU student council tried to get help from the office but was unable to. With permission, I have placed parts of the email in this article to show the main concerns of Jill Creasor, a recent graduate. 

Dear BUSU Council;

Hopefully this letter is being read out at the next BUSU Meeting, as it is directed to the Council. 

As the VPI for the 2016/17 school year and as a director before that, I have to say that this week has been a very disappointing week for me with BUSU. I graduated this year with my Bachelors in Education and this is my final week as a member of the Brandon University Student Union. I needed you twice this week and I was disappointed both times. 

On Wednesday morning at 9am, I came to the BUSU office to do some printing. As a new teacher I had many posters in colour that I wanted to print.… Unfortunately the office was closed. I knocked and there was no answer. I called the office number and there was no answer…

The second time came today. I went to go refill my prescriptions for the last time under my student plan, and I wasn’t able to. Again, the struggle to wait for the end of Sept pay is hard so I timed this prescription refill perfectly. Well, I thought it was perfect…That’s just absolute craziness to me. 

… When I really needed you to pull through for me and the union dues that I paid... you weren’t there. Thanks BUSU. Thank you for the last week of my official student status ending like this. Good job. 

Jillian Creasor

B.Ed 2019, B.Sc 2017

and the response from BUSU to Jill, which was fantastic that they got back to her, especially in less than a day, but it was woefully inaccurate and didn’t provide many clear answers. Especially as the response was referring to a completely different day than when Jill tried to go into the BUSU office. Here is some of the email that responded to Jill’s complaints; which is full of excuses unrelated to the actually day that was complained about. 

I won’t publish BUSU’s response as I don’t have permission, but I do hope that they address Jill’s concerns at their next meeting and openly to the rest of the students. 

Tips For New Students

As someone who has been new at three different universities in the past several years, I’ve learned a few things both academic and social that may be useful to students who are new to BU this year. Many of these tips are cliché, things you’ve heard a million times from adults in your life, but some of them are really useful.

First, take notes. For real, just do it. Preferably take notes by hand in classes you can keep up because when you write something by hand it has been proven to stay in your brain longer (thanks Dr. Holland). If you have to type them try to take the time that day to read them over. It will help you in the long run when it comes time for assignments or exams. 

Get to know your professors. Sit close to the front, go to office hours, introduce yourself. It might feel intimidating and like you are being a kiss-ass, but it helps if you miss class or an extension and the Professor knows who you are and has made a connection with you. If you are going to email a professor, make sure you put the title of the class in the subject line and introduce your email by calling them Dr. or Professor if they do not have their doctorate. 

Try to get to know one person in every class (the introvert in me cannot believe I am writing those words but there it is). It might sound cheesy but even if it is just the person you end up sitting nearest to it will come in handy if you have questions about an assignment or miss a class and need notes. It’s also just nice to have a familiar friendly face in every class. 

Join one club related to something you love or believe in. Even if you are someone who hates social situations, if you pick a club connected to something you enjoy it will not be as bad and you will meet people. University can feel lonely and isolating, especially when moving to somewhere new and knowing no one. It is a lot easier to survive university with a few friends. BU has so many different clubs and collectives that there is honestly something for everyone. Most departments have their own club, so that is a good place to start. Keep an eye out for BUSU’s club day at the start of every term and posters around campus for events hosted by clubs that you might enjoy. 

Get help. Whether you are struggling with multiple choice tests, essay writing, or your mental health, get help. BU offers a ton of services and workshops for students who are struggling. These services are free and available either through the entire year, or periodically. Many students struggle their first year, especially with writing multiple choice tests and their mental health. University is a tough environment so reach out to whoever you need to get you through. Workshops, counsellors, a free gym membership, and clubs offering peer support can all be great resources, use them. 

Self-care. Something we hear a lot about these days that usually brings the image of some person in the bathtub using a bath bomb, but that isn’t always what it looks like. Sometimes it looks like a night off school with friends going to a movie or for supper or binging an entire series on Netflix by yourself. Whatever it looks like for you, make time for it. Burning yourself out for school is not worth it and you won’t do as well academically. Make sure you take that time for yourself as often as needed. 

Find a study spot. Find that once place that you can study and go there. Whether it is a quiet spot in the library, a table at forbidden flavours, or a spot around Brandon, use it. I always found that I couldn’t study at home. As soon as I went home, I got nothing done because I always procrastinated by cleaning or doing absolutely anything else. It is also helpful to find a study strategy that works. This is another workshop BU offers that can help you try out different strategies and find one that works. I like to study in bursts. So, I will set an alarm on my phone for 20 minutes, and study until the alarm goes off. Then I give myself 10 minutes to do whatever I want, social media, Netflix, but once that ten minutes is up it is back to studying. Maybe you prefer to sit down for hours and just get stuff done, or maybe you need to read while doing something active like being on a treadmill. Find what works and do it. 

These are just a few tips and thoughts for new students, or students who have been here a while but haven’t developed the best habits. University life can be stressful and challenging, but getting to know people on campus, creating good habits, and reaching out for help when it is needed are all great places to start.

A New School Year Is Here

A new school year is upon us! That means that soon the hallways of the university will be filled with students rushing to those early morning classes. However, with the start of a new semester comes new opportunities. Indeed, Brandon University has no shortage of extra curricular activities to dive into to. Numerous clubs and groups can be found all across campus. One of the best ways to make sure your post secondary years are both enjoyable and memorable is to get involved in the campus community. By becoming a member of a club that interests you, you'll be able to plan, attend and organize a variety of activities associated with that organization. On top of giving you something to do besides studying, involving yourself in a university club also looks amazing on a resume. Whatever your interests or goals are, there's a club on campus for you!

One of these "campus clubs" happens to be The Quill, Brandon University's very own student newspaper. Founded back in 1910, The Quill is one of the oldest student newspapers in Western Canada. We publish bi-weekly throughout the school year, with newspaper stands found all across campus. As with the beginning of every school year, The Quill is looking for students who are passionate about writing and journalism to join the team. New writers start off as a junior reporter and contribute material that is featured in the physical newspaper and our online editions. Students can choose what they want to write about, as long as it has relevance to the campus community. Students also choose how much they write and when they want to contribute material. That means there's no commitment or expectation for material on a regular basis. You choose when you want to write!

Not only does writing for The Quill polish up your resume it also pays cold hard cash! That's right, writers at The Quill are paid for the material they contribute towards the newspaper. At the end of each semester that total amount of words written are added up into one document. The percentage of words that you have written is the percentage that you get paid, based on the total money available for the semester.  The more you write the more you get paid!

If joining The Quill sounds like something you'd be interested in, ( who wouldn't be, right?) then sign up to be part of the team. In order to become a junior reporter you can either email the Editor-in-Chief at eic.thequill@gmail.com or visit our office on campus. The Quill office is located on the second floor inside the Knowles-Douglas building, the same building that the BUSU office is located in. Pay us a visit to learn more about your student newspaper and see student journalism at its best!


Loss Of A Local Legend

Recipient of the Brandon University Senate Lifetime Achievement Award Doris Pratt otherwise known as Duzahan Mani Win passed away on March 6th, 2019.  

Previously in October of 2017 The Quill wrote upon Elder Doris Pratt’s dedication to the preserving the Dakota Culture and her influence upon the educational system that earned her both regard and the Lifetime Achievement Award at Homecoming of 2017. Elder Doris Pratt was an Educational Elder Advisor for Sioux Valley Education, and had been involved in educational administration for three decades. She leaves behind a legacy of literary works such as  “Dakota Imakhmakhapi Woyakapi: A Collection of Humour and Bravery” a collection of twenty five stories written in both English and Dakota, in addition to have written dictionaries and glossaries in her efforts to preserve the language and culture. Pratt dedicated fifty years of her life to her work.  

Elder Doris Pratt received traditional education consisting of educational teaching from her family and community knowledge carriers. She also earned a mainstream education from Brandon University resulting in the successful completion of a Master of Education, and additionally earned an Educational Specialist Degree from the University of Arizona. 

Elder Doris Pratt was 83 years old when she passed in her sleep at home at the Dakota Oyate Lodge personal care home. 

Barack Obama In Winnipeg

“You would pick now,” spoke a judicious Barack Obama in response to the hypothetical scenario of being able to live in any time in history. 

The statement was a nod to a young generation of people inspired to create change in the world today and a recognition of the efforts and contributions from those who came before. 

Social change was the theme at hand during “A Conversation with Barack Obama” at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg on Monday, March 4. Obama spoke in his trademark casual and intelligent manner, legs crossed, answering questions from Michael Burns, former CEO of the Invictus Games, who served as the evening’s moderator.

Obama talked first about family after moving out of the White House. When asked about his wife Michelle, his humble sense of humour set the tone for the evening. 

“Michelle, as you may have heard, wrote a book. It’s doing OK.”

He spoke indirectly of the current administration and President of the United States, expressing concern over nations electing leaders based on passion rather than fact.

“If citizens insist on integrity, if citizens insist on facts and if citizens participate, that’s how change happens,” he said.

He gave recognition to how informed young people are on current issues and their desire to be politically active, referring specifically to survivors of the mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Older generations need give them space and power to make a difference.

“Ultimately, change is going to come from the people,” he said on the importance of grassroots movements. Politicians can’t be expected to lead movements, he said, but they will “jump to the front” of an already moving march.

He also stressed that today’s activists need to recognize past heroes who have fought for civil rights.

Despite steep ticket prices, there were many young people amongst the around 13,500 in attendance. The message for social justice, though, is for all. 

Winnipeg was the first of three stops Obama made during his Canadian tour a few weeks back. He also paid visit to Calgary and Vancouver.  

What To Do When Graduation Is Approaching

The winter semester is coming around to its final weeks and students, like me, who are graduating are finding themselves in the crux of a chapter of their life. It is the day we all worked so hard for. That piece of paper that signifies so much. That blue and gold robe you will wear as you walk down the aisle. Your family, friends, loved ones; all watching. However, despite all the happiness of the day, it is a daunting one too. University becomes a daily routine and now we are finding ourselves leaving the familiarity of our campuses for a step in a new direction. Here are 3 things to remember when you take these first few steps. 

1. This is NOT when your life begins. 

Everyone will tell you “Welcome to the Real World.” No, this is the real world. Here and now. Suddenly graduating is not going to jumpstart all you have built till now. This is perhaps a good rule of thumb for every student in general, who delay building professional experiences and human character till after their degrees and find themselves too naive for the world outside their textbooks. It is extremely intimidating to leave your comfort zone, but you should prepare yourself ahead of time. It’s been real all this time, but now it is time to put it to use. 

2. Don’t compare yourself to your peers. 

Very important. And a general rule for life. Don’t self-sabotage. Many of your friends may already have their jobs lined up. Maybe some are travelling and taking time off school and maybe some are going right off to grad school. Maybe someone has their career all figured out and maybe you are still trying to find who exactly you are and what you want to do with your degree. Regardless, remember to go at your own pace and not to compare yourself or self deprecate, but rather to self improve. See it as a drive and excel even more. 

3. Enjoy your last college days. 

pc: creative commons

This is a stressful time of the year but also a time you will not get back. Go to that party your friends have been nudging you to go to. Talk to your professors and let them know how they have helped shaped your academic life. Be thankful to have gotten an education when so many around the world are denied the right. Just remember to breathe through all your assignments and know you are going to do well if you put in the hard work. 

Good Luck! 

Fair Play In Saskatchewan: Summer Escapades

On August 2nd, 2018 the police were called to a report of a barefooted man who had been wandering south of Estevan, Saskatchewan. When picked up by the police the individual was wearing nothing but his pyjama bottoms, carrying a toothbrush and 1.4 grams of meth. The unlucky individual was none other than David M. Playfair, a faculty member of Brandon University’s School of Music. The professor teaches fine arts and drama and when he was picked up by the police, he had been in Estevan to perform as “Leslie” on Chaps in the Estevan Souris Valley Theater. He was on his way to the restroom area from his campground when he was picked up therefore explaining his strange appearance. The amount of meth he possessed was alarming and in need of serious repercussions however since the professor had no previous criminal record the Federal Crown prosecutor suggested he face only a three-month conditional discharge. This meant that if professor Playfair did not have further encounters with the police he could keep his nonexistent criminal record. Upon learning of the situation through another published article from the Estevan Mercury, The Quill tried to reach out to both professor Playfair and the School of Music. However, professor Playfair never replied and the School of Music merely said that any information regarding a faculty member and their employment status was confidential and therefore politely declined to comment. Though the story is shocking and amusing one can only hope to expect no further scandalous behaviour from professor Playfair. Hopefully his students will be able to look beyond his lapse in judgement and continue to enjoy and learn in the various courses he teaches.  


BUSU Investigation

Over the past year there have been stirrings of discontent with the current direction of Brandon University’s student union, ranging from issues regarding the training of new student directors as well as an overarching sense of disconnect from the student body. 

An individual who has asked to remain anonymous found particular issue with the training of new incoming directors. As per the BUSU job description a director “serves as liaisons between BUSU and the students they represent” for example the current openings consist of a Women’s and a Queer director, both of whom would act as representatives for their particular group of students in the BU community respectively. The source went on to explain that while they had previously accepted a position they found themselves with no training even as the school year had began, as late as November. They also found no information regarding office hours. This unresponsiveness of BUSU was a trend they also noticed in the response to the hate speech Brandon University had experienced on campus as a commitment to action was slow in coming; however, they did make a point to mention that action was taken against the hate speech after a time, which they commented was a positive step. 

Jill Creasor is another individual who expressed concern over the current state of BUSU. She commented that when she had previously worked alongside Nick Brown and Greg Monias followed by Trevor Poole, and when she was in office during 2016-17 “it was great”, however she went on to note “I’ve heard rumours that the environment in the office is quite toxic right now”. When asked about anything in particular she wanted to note, Creasor had particular issue with the presence of a baby gate blocking off part of the BUSU office. During her year she noted that they had the couch moved specifically into the main office so students could come in and sit, however the presence of the baby gate sent the message that “students are babies and less than them [BUSU] who need to be kept away, and second, that the BUSU Office isn’t a student office.” The anonymous source noted that the baby gate is no longer present, however, seemingly in replacement there has been placed a sign on the window next to the BUSU offices declaring “BUSU Staff Only Beyond This Point”, seemingly supporting Creasor’s comment that the BUSU office has ceased being an office for the students and distance is placed between them. 

The Brandon University Students Union Vice President Internal and Vice President External were both contacted in regards to this article on multiple inquiries including the presence of the baby gate- however no response was given despite over three weeks given for response time.


Syphilis on the Rise

There has been a disturbing development in the health and wellness sector in the province. Earlier this week the Acting Chief Public Health Officer of Manitoba, Dr. Michael Isaac, hosted a press conference where he stated that there has been a sudden surge in syphilis cases. Usually somewhat rare, syphilis can have dire long-term consequences if left untreated. According to Dr. Isaac there were 368 cases of syphilis across the province in 2018, compared to only 118 cases in the year 2013. The number of diagnosed cases is expected to rise throughout the year.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that is caused by the bacterium Treponema Pallidum. Generally, it is transmitted through direct contact with a syphilis sore, also known as a chancre. It can also be transmitted through the sharing of needles with an infected individual. Like many other STD's, syphilis has serious long-term implications if left untreated.  Serious damage to the heart, brain, and various internal organs are known to occur. In some cases, syphilis can even lead to a fatal state. However, if the infection is caught in time, proper treatment can be sought with antibiotics. The best defense against syphilis is avoiding sexual contact with infected individuals.

Syphilis is also known to affect unborn babies, should pregnant women contact the disease. Should a woman be infected with syphilis while pregnant, she is at a much higher risk of miscarrying the baby or having a premature birth. Syphilis can also lead to the newborn baby developing what is known as congenital syphilis, should the infant survive. Traditionally, most cases of syphilis have been with men, not women. However, more and more cases popping up across Manitoba have been younger women. In 2014, there were 16 cases of women having syphilis in the province. That number jumped all the way up to 168 in 2018. It appears that younger generations are contacting the disease much more frequently than in prior years. Due to this fact the Province of Manitoba is developing educational campaigns to assist in the prevention of the disease.


History Club Board Game Night

The Brandon University History Club will be holding their first official event of the year on March 11th, from 5pm-7pm in Clark Hall 104. They will be borrowing board game from Dr. Hinther’s Public History Class and having a games night! They welcome participants to bring their own board games as well. There will be snacks and pop available at the event. The History Club is a bit late to the game this year but will also be participating the History Wine and Cheese event taking place on March 5th. 

The Club is being led by myself, Jenna Murray, a third-year history major. I love studying history because it has always been an interest for me. The Vice-President of the club is Karmelle Tower, who is also a history major, and likes to study history because she enjoys knowing about the past and how things used to be that led to the world we know now. 


Enterprise Resource Planning: Why You Should Care

Brandon University has been using the same administration system for decades. When I say decades I don’t mean 1999, I mean more like 1970’s. I mean that the university has been fighting, fidgeting and building upon an old system that is finally getting a replacement. Not just a new quick fix, not just a few more tweaks that we’ve all had for years, but a full on new system. YOU ALL HAVE THE CHANCE TO BE APART OF THIS PROCESS AND OFFER YOUR ADVICE. The university is looking for ways to make students lives easier and for that they need student input. 

When will this change take place? Well not over night and in reality we will be lucky to have it in about 7 years, however it is still of the utmost importance that people take the time to share their opinions about this. The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project is underway as the university met with members from CampusWorks. CampusWorks is a highly skilled team of people who work hard to help all sorts of businesses and institutions design new processes and develop new software. These guys are kind of the “Bar Rescue” or “Extreme Makeover,” teams which help switch things around for the poor people who are stuck in a difficult situation. 

The university has not taken this challenge lightly and you may have noticed some of the handwork they’re putting in! You may see throughout campus, different sections of the university shut down for meetings and suggestion periods as the different staff members across campus gather to try and change up their system.

CampusWorks provides something of a trouble shooting at the beginning of the process as they start looking for the difficulties and asking about some of the hardships faced by the different services around campus. Some issues from the First Look Presentation include: Too many manual, undocumented and non-standard processes; lack of data collection, access to dat and duplicate records; Dependency on paper within processes and resultant duplicated efforts; and, communications are non-targeted and feel overwhelming. 

The university isn't just looking at all the things which are going wrong but also all the new possibilities that will come along with committing to this new project. They see opportunities in adapting to a new ERP, to improve work quality of students, staff and faculty as well as think that the faster the transition management takes place the happier everyone will be.

As the university moves into phase II of the ERP project, CampusWorks will conduct a Process Reimagine and Redesign (PRR) of all staff and student processes pertaining to the ERP system. These PRR sessions are focused on creating a better and more well rounded system with members who better understand the process and progress that needs to be made.

All students need to take part in this. This is one of the things that you actually can have a say in. You frustrated the university won’t let you access your financial balance and see how much left you have to pay on your tuition? Say something at some of these meeting and workshops that the university has organized for the next coming months and years! The times are changing and if you don't want someone to go through the same struggles you went through, speak up, voice your opinion and play your role in the development of your university!


International Healthcare At BU: A Continued Overview

A few weeks ago I published an article outlining the current status of healthcare for International Students at Brandon University after the Provincial Government revoked their access to universal healthcare back in September 2017. I provided all the facts and stats regarding the private insurance that International Students at BU were enrolled in the previous article and in this brief I will be discussing the personal affects this change of legislation has had on the lives of individuals. 

I conducted an interview with April Li who currently serves as the president of the International Student Collective at Brandon University. She has been an active member of the International Student community since her first year and feels passionate about how this issue has affected her and her peers, especially now that the University has also released information regarding hiking up International student fees over the next five years. First in discussion came the International students who were in need of insurances for both BUSU’s health and dental plan and the Guard.me plan. This is due to the fact that even though there are overlapping services in both plans, the BUSU health and dental covers prescription medications, dental visits, eye prescriptions, counselling among other essential services that are not covered by the Guard.me, which is generally for doctor and hospital visits. Li commented that there was a general “confusion” between students if they were able to opt out of the BUSU plan, but after attending presentations regarding the services being provided by Guard.me most students were able to understand that the plans were complementary and not supplementary. 

Li further highlighted her dissatisfaction at the fact that no clinic in Brandon provided direct billing regarding their medical services, which I had mentioned in the previous article from my own experience. She mentioned that there were similar comments regarding the lack of direct billing in the ISC group chat and that this was not an “isolated issue.” She has also received complaints through emails and that she has been working with the BUSU International Director George regarding finding common ground and solutions to the complaints. Despite these efforts there are no clear resolutions to the problems faced by International students under the Guard.me plan as the decision making power is neither in their hands and nor is it in the hands of the university: it depends on Guard.me itself and how much they are willing to negotiate and reach out their administrative hands into fixing the situation in Brandon. 

Lastly, as the Guard.me plan is mandatory and students cannot opt out of the $712 fees, this is becoming concerning to the students who will be returning to BU next year with the increased fees. Li ended with noting that she is currently unaware of any better alternatives to the Guard.me available in Manitoba. She notes an unpleasant customer services experience with them and that she “would not recommend it going forward.” Financial planning will be difficult for returning students who will be grandfathered into the massive hike in tuition rates and only time will tell us how the future for International students at Brandon University will look like. 


PSA Indigenous Awareness Week

Indigenous Awareness Week is being held from February 11th-14th on BU’s campus. This event is being put on by the Indigenous People’s Centre. Monday the 11th will see the week being opened by a Pipe Ceremony at 9:00a.m. in the Ceremony Room of the Health Sciences Building. There will also be an Inuk Hand Drum Performance at 11:00a.m. in the Mingling Area of the Knowles Douglas Building. Tuesday the 12th there will be Bannock on a Stick at 12:00p.m. in the Courtyard. Wednesday the 13th there will be Moss Bag Making at 5:00p.m. in the Indigenous People’s Centre. The final event of the week will be on Thursday the 14th, which is the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and a vigil will be held in the Mingling Area at 11:30a.m. This event will have opening prayers, speakers, an honour song, a candle light vigil and end with a dreamcatcher workshop. Come check out one (or all!) of the awesome events! 

pc:brandon University website,ipc

International Healthcare At BU: A Brief Overview

Last year the provincial Progressive Conservative government made the decision to revoke access to universal health care from International Students that was instituted in 2012 by the NDP which came into effect September 1 2018. Universities were then left to find avenues that would provide coverage to students on visas at their institutions with Brandon University reaching out to the guard.me plan. The plan is $712.50 for 365 days and students have to pay this amount in their tuition (aka they cannot opt out.) Their website describes them as “among the world's largest insurance providers in international education, protecting thousands of individuals studying and working abroad.” It provides general coverage for doctor visits, medically needed hospital care, urgent dental care, and in some cases paramedic care too. 

These are the services promised by the insurance but how have they applied to our own city and institution? 

There are currently no clinics or walk ins that directly deposit to the insurance in Brandon, so students have to pay up front and then get reimbursed. This creates a problem for students who don't possess the cash flow to pay for doctor’s visits. Medically needed hospital stays are largely done through direct deposit as they posses larger accounting and payment services that handle the students’ insurance directly. The plan also includes access to a “mobile doctor” that allows covered parties to connect with Canadian doctors through the app called Maple. Doctors on this platform are all licensed doctors and can perform the same duties any other family doctor could perform with the exception of the obvious physical checkups. They can provide prescriptions, doctor’s notes, and give a diagnosis through a live chat. 

These are the facts, but the opinions regarding the plan are less clear. The majority of students I have spoken to have said that they do not go to the doctor and thus do not see themselves utilizing the benefits of the insurance. Some, whose name I will keep anonymous, have expressed their distaste at the fact that no clinic in Brandon does direct billing for doctor’s visit despite the university promising three (such as the Brandon Clinic.) The office of International Activities has provided numerous presentations regarding the plan for students to attend and then emailed out the slides to students who could not make it. The slides provided useful information regarding the coverage and how to make claims, but did not provide much information on how to navigate the Prairie Mountain Health system. In the next article I will talk about interviews I have conducted and go into depth of how the province's decision to take universal health care from international students has affected our community. 

Brandon University Plans To Raise International Tuition Fees To Watering Heights

 On Friday Finance and Registration services sent out emails to University members regarding the proposed hike in International Tuition Fees that was recently approved by the Board of Governors. The two tables outlined the differences that can be expected over the next four to five years for returning International students and new International students. The former will be grandfathered into the system with both categories reaching an equilibrium by the year 2023. The calculation of that year reaches upwards of $20,000, not including housing, medical, and other expenses; higher than both the University of Winnipeg and University of Manitoba's current rates. That is over a doubled increase from current rates. 

    Now, let’s discuss both sides, and I really mean sides as there distinct ones in this case, of the situation. You have international recruiters arguing that Brandon University’s relatively low tuition rates are unappealing in the foreign market due to prospective students and their families questioning why a university would charge such low rates compared to other universities in Canada. “Did they have questionable services?,” “Are they compensating for something?;” well at least, that is what they said. Then you have the financiers of the university, pressured by the dropping support from the new conservative government, finding solace in knowing that international tuition fees rates are unregulated and up for exploitation. When support from the outside is declining, ways of filling in the gap is now being searched within the system. 

     But what about the ones most affected by the hikes, the students? Students surveyed have largely contributed to a consensus that their reasons to come to BU was its affordability. The location nor the services of the university, other than the music school, were major attractions for them to come to Manitoba’s second largest city. The low rates of tuition combined with a low cost of living has attracted students from around the world for years, and this hike is likely not to play in the university’s favour. So how come the change? The institution definitely has a strategy up its sleeve regarding how it’s going to attract students to Brandon with rates equal to ones in British Columbia and Nova Scotia, Canada’s steeper provinces regarding tuition; however, they’re not being transparent with us regarding what exactly that is. For now, we will have to rely on mediocre town halls and vague emails to decipher the real plan for 2023.