No Need to Guess Fairmount Foundation Backs Wellness Education Centre with $1-Million Donation
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October 6, 2016 / Vol. 52 No. 26 westernnews.ca PM 41195534 Western’s newspaper of record since 1972 No need to guess Fairmount Foundation backs Wellness Education Centre with $1-million donation BY KRISTA HABERMEHL estern students now have a safe, central and supportive space to access health- and-wellness resources thanks to a $1-mil- lion donation from the Fairmount Founda- Wtion. The Wellness Education Centre, which held its grand opening Monday as part of Western’s Wellness Week, acts as a one-stop shop for students seeking mental- health/wellness resources, nutrition information, as well as sexual-violence prevention education and survivors’ support. “With this gift, the Fairmount Foundation has helped us to provide a safe, comfortable place where our stu- dents can access health/wellness resources in a person- alized way,” said Jana Luker, Associate Vice-President (Student Experience). “It really removes the guesswork involved in deciding whether a service is the right fit or not. That’s a huge help to students who might find the number of services available overwhelming or confus- ing.” Established by Western alumna Heidi Balsillie, BA’82, in 2013, the Fairmount Foundation aims to help indi- viduals or groups overcome obstacles to move closer to living full, healthy lives. The places and programs the foundation supports are varied, but have a common goal of lifting people up or lending a hand in their life journey. Balsillie, whose son and daughter are also Western graduates, says supporting Western and its initiatives was a natural decision. “It is my hope, with this gift, to directly impact the lives of Western’s students in a positive manner. I want all Western students to feel like they are a part of this community, and to feel as though they have had lots of opportunities for personal and academic growth,” NO NEED TO GUESS // CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 PAUL MAYNE // WESTERN NEWS Established by Western alumna Heidi Balsillie, BA’82, left, in 2013, the Fairmount Foundation aims to help individuals or groups overcome obstacles to move closer to living full, ILLUSTRATION BY FRANK NEUFELD healthy lives. 2 westernnews.ca Western News October 6, 2016 westernnews.ca Western News October 6, 2016 3 On Campus Police quash BEST BETS Visit the Western Events Calendar at www.events.westernu.ca for a full look Feds back new facilities campus threat; at the week ahead. Western News (ISSNO316- 8654), a publication of West- ern University’s Department of Communications and Public OCT. 6 6:30-8:30 p.m., London Public Library, Central Branch Affairs, is published every Thurs- student arrested | day throughout the school year and operates under a reduced with $45-million investment schedule during December, May, June, July and August. BY ADELA TALBOT BY JASON WINDERS An award-winning weekly news- paper and electronic news ser- ime was of the essence when Western’s Campus Community Police Ser- vice, Western News serves as vice (CCPS), in partnership with the London Police Service (LPS), acted pair of Western facilities currently the university’s newspaper of Monday in thwarting a threat of gun violence on campus, said CCPS under construction received a $45-mil- record. The publication traces its roots to The University of Director John Carson. lion shot in the arm last week thanks Western Ontario Newsletter, a TAs a result, Jiwhan Choi, a 22-year-old Western student, was arrested shortly THE CRAZY AMERICAN ELECTION to the Post-Secondary Institutions one-page leaflet-style publica- after his remarks of bringing a firearm to campus were identified on social media. With a month to go until the U.S. presidential election, Political Science pro- StrategicA Investment Fund, a $2-billion federal tion which debuted on Sept. Choi appeared in court Tuesday morning on charges of uttering threats to fessor Peter Ferguson will discuss the nomination process and whether who investment fund seeking to create state-of-the- 23, 1965. The first issue of the cause death. He was released on his own recognizance on a $1,500 no-deposit wins should matter to Canadians. art facilities on Canadian campuses. Western will Western News, under found- bail under the conditions he not attend Western; not possess weapons as per match the contribution bringing the total invest- ing editor Alan Johnston, was published on Nov. 16, 1972 Criminal Code; not contact or communicate with the complainant; and notify ment to $90 million. replacing the UWO Times and London Police if he changed his address. OCT. 7 8 p.m., Talbot College, Paul Davenport Theatre “Here we have a world-class university that Western Times. Today, West- Choi’s next court date is Oct. 17. | takes research seriously. But at the federal level ern News continues to provide Early Monday, campus police spoke with a female student after she contacted we have an obligation to move that agenda for- timely news, information and CCPS with a concern over comments she saw on USecrets Western, a public Face- ward,” said Peter Fragiskatos, MP-London North a forum for discussion of post- book page to which users can submit messages that are posted anonymously, Centre, who made the announcement last week secondary issues in the campus and broader community. Carson said. at the Claudette MacKay-Lassonde Pavilion. “We got her out to our office yesterday morning (Monday) and she was able to “Government cannot do everything by itself; show us screen shots of a number of texts posted to USecrets, and those particu- universities cannot do everything by themselves. lar texts included (a student) threatening to come to campus with a firearm, and We have to talk about collaboration; we have to shooting at Western,” Carson explained. talk about partnership. WESTERN NEWS The posts did not indicate a specific target, he added, though the contents of “This is an investment fund. We know Canada WesternNews.ca the posts implied the threat was meant for Monday. PARSONS AND POOLE CONCERT cannot move forward unless we focus on innova- Westminster Hall, Suite 360 CCPS were able to identify the individual who wrote the posts; they knew it Internationally-acclaimed Irish pianist John O’Conor, music professor and tion. But we need state-of-the-art facilities that Western University was a male student at Western who he lived off campus, Carson noted. Campus chair of the Piano Division at Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia, will per- allow for that innovation to take place. There is London, ON N6A 3K7 police contacted LPS and form Haydn and Beethoven. a difference between expenses and investments Telephone 519 661-2045 Fax 519 661-3921 officers acted quickly, con- – expenses do not yield returns, investments firming the student was not always do.” PUBLISHER on campus Monday morn- The funding will support the university’s con- Helen Connell “But whether this individual was OCT. 9 | 4:30-6:30 p.m., Perth Hall Residence [email protected], ing. London police went to struction of both the Western Interdisciplinary 519 661-2111 Ext. 85469 capable or not capable of carrying the student’s apartment and Research Building and The Three C+ Innovation he was arrested by 11 a.m. Centre. EDITOR this out, as soon as he said that, Monday. The Western Interdisciplinary Research Build- Jason Winders The student was charged ing is a new facility university planners envision as [email protected], we treated that very seriously.” with uttering threats to a focal point for leading-edge research. Located 519 661-2111 Ext. 85465 cause death, contrary to on the current Visual Arts Parking Lot off Perth REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER - John Carson section 264.1(1)(a) of the Drive, the 130,000-square-foot facility will serve Paul Mayne CCPS Director Criminal Code of Canada. as the new home for the Research Cluster for [email protected], “At no time was anyone Cognitive Neuroscience, which will include the 519 661-2111 Ext. 85463 here at the university at risk. THANKSGIVING DINNER Brain & Mind Institute and the Rotman Institute The individual did not have The International and Exchange Student Centre welcomes students and of Philosophy, as well as provide five mixed-use REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER any firearms, and there was no means for the individual to carry this out. But faculty to enjoy a traditional Canadian Thanksgiving meal, which will include general classroom spaces. Approximately 25,000 Adela Talbot a canned good drive to be donated to the University Students’ Council [email protected], whether this individual was capable or not capable of carrying this out, as soon as square feet over two floors will be unfinished to 519 661-2111 Ext. 85464 he said that, we treated that very seriously,” Carson said. Food Support Services. accommodate future research related space “We took the appropriate steps and acted quickly. It’s a stark reminder that needs. PRODUCTION DESIGNER we’re in North America; these kinds of things are done and whether it’s carried Informally referred to as Three C+ (Connect, Frank Neufeld out, or it’s a hoax, it doesn’t matter. It’s still unsettling.” OCT. 11 12:30 p.m., Spencer Engineering Building, Room 3109 Collaborate and Create) Innovation Centre, this [email protected], Soon after speaking with the female student who brought attention to the | 100,000-square-foot building will transform how ADELA TALBOT // WESTERN NEWS 519 661-2111 Ext. 89334 online threats, campus police officers waited for the male student at his morning the university delivers Engineering education. Peter Fragiskatos, MP-London North Centre, announced a $45-million investment in a pair of Western facilities earlier today through EDITORIAL SERVICES class – to which he did not show up, Carson explained.