Canadian University Briefs

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SlutWalk goes international
Excalibur – News Department

A feminist movement that started at York University earlier this year, SlutWalk, has gone international as New Delhi and Berlin were two of many cities that planned on hosting the event.

The movement first stated on Jan. 24, 2011, in response to a York-U safety information session when a police constable said that women could avoid sexual harassment if they did not dress like “sluts”.

Instant outcry from the public and local media ensued after York University’s student paper, the Excalibur, broke the story, and men and women from the university took to the streets to protest the victim-blaming culture represented by the officer’s remarks.  Consequently, the topic quickly gained huge attention. Not long after that, a “formal” SlutWalk was planned to take place in the streets of Toronto. Since then, the event has spanned across the globe and is still gaining momentum.

The event did, however, draw some controversies. Many people argued that the word “slut” in the title was degrading and equally harmful.

Margaret Wente even wrote a column in the May 12, 2011, edition of the Globe and Mail stating “‘SlutWalks’ are what you get when graduate students in feminist studies run out of things to do,” adding that this is a Western movement and “the highly-educated young women who join SlutWalks are among the safest and most secure in the world.”

Undeterred, slutwalktoronto.com – with the tagline “Because we’ve had enough” – has been set up for anyone to share stories of times when they felt victimized.

One person wrote, “SlutWalk was a reaction to not one officer’s remark, but to a history that was doomed to keep repeating.”

The walk has already hit Saskatchewan. where approximately 250 people showed up to march in Saskatoon despite poor weather.

U of A Dean re-signs after plagiarizing speech
Gateway – Aaron Yeo, news editor

The dean of the faculty of medicine and dentistry at the University of Alberta has resigned after being accused of plagiarizing a speech at a graduation.

Word spread quickly via text message and social networking when people suspected that Philip Baker was reading out a speech that was not his. People in the crowd immediately caught on when they recognized parts to be identical to one published in the New Yorker.

One of the more evident plagiarized parts was the fabricated term “velluvial matrix.”

Following an investigation by the University of Alberta and a four-month leave, Barker will resume his faculty position, but he has resigned as the dean. This decision came after he met with other members of the university. The university claims it was a mutual agreement.

Meanwhile, Baker says that he was simply inspired by the speech. He offered apologies to the graduating class, as well as the author of the speech, whom was flattered by the use of his speech.

Baker said it was simply a lack of judgment and regrets what he has done.

UBC student loses eyesight after attack
Ubyssey – Justin McElroy, coordinating editor

The University of British Columbia’s Rumana Mozur lost her eyesight after being attacked in Bangladesh by her husband on June 5, 2011.

It was reported that Mozur had her eyes gouged by her husband because he was mad that she was studying in Canada. The incident happened in front of her five-year-old daughter.

Initially, there was hope that doctors in Canada could restore her eyesight, but after four surgeries they determined it was not possible.

In a statement, Mozur said “I am very grateful for the medical care I have received.”

Mozur is reunited with family members her husband is currently in jail on attempted murder charges.

After this news hit the UBC campus, students stepped up to raise funds for Mozur’s costs. While the goal is to raise $70,000 for Mozur, a separate campaign called “Toonies for Rumana” was setup in the English 112 class at UBC to raise $10,000 alone.

The Canadian National Institute for the Blind, a free service in Canada, has began to help Mozur cope with the tragedy.

Mozur said “It had been my wish to recover my eyesight so I could see all the people who have been helping me. I want people to pray for me. My family and I will need some time to adjust to this news.”

The story has been followed by the mainstream media and pressure has been put forward to ensure Mozur’s husband be charged to the extent of the law.

After her recovery, Mozur plans on returning to UBC to complete her masters degree and possibly study for a PhD in the future.

One billion dollar renovation for U of S
Sheaf – Daryl Hofmann

Since Dr Peter MacKinnon became president at the University of Saskatchewan, more than one-billion dollars have been invested into improving the campus.

These were the largest renovations in the university’s 100 year history.

With that one-billion-dollar funding, the U of S plans on improving the health sciences, upgrading classes and new buildings, as well as building apartment style residences.

The primary source of funding for these projects come from the provincial government –  due to a recent boom –  in hopes to expand the University of Saskatchewan’s campus.

In recent years, the University of Regina has also had big projects to improve the campus such as the newly built research and innovation building.

The University of Regina also planned on renovating the College Ave. campus in the near future.

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