Welland Transit Stays the Course Plans to Eliminate Route from St
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THE COMMUNITY PAPER OF NIAGARA COLLEGE FREE January 21, 2011 Vol 41 • Issue 7 Welland Transit stays the course Plans to eliminate route from St. Catharines to Welland campus fall through By STEPHANIE AZEVEDO SAC budget for student transit and SARAH FERGUSON about $1.1 million. Staff Writers Brock University’s budget for As of Jan. 3, you may have busing is “almost $2 million,” noticed a change in your transit says Prins, adding “$98,000 of it system. goes to funding eight bus runs to Rumours of the St. Catharines [Niagara College in] Welland.” downtown terminal to Welland “This year we were really over campus bus service being can- budget,” says Costantini. He add- celled were true, but plans to can- ed that SAC was not intending to cel the route fell through because change the transit system to save of contract issues with Brock money, although there would have University, according to Student been some savings. Administrative Council (SAC) “Welland’s cost-per-hour is a President Brian Costantini. little less [than the St. Catharines The original plan would have Transit].” had students catching the bus to The extra bit of money saved the Welland campus from Brock would have helped to alleviate the University. The buses are provided growing deficit in SAC’s transit by the Welland Transit system. budget. In place of the St. Catharines “We had to increase the UPASS route, the Welland Transit to Brock fee $1 per semester. Over the last schedule was to change, providing few years, the transit companies better coverage (almost one bus per had been increasing their fees five hour to 6 p.m.) for St. Catharines per cent.” and Thorold students. This would The current cost of a student have been similar to the Welland UPASS is $66 a semester for Transit schedule students had last Niagara College students while year, before it was altered. Brock University students pay $80 In order to provide better cover- a semester. age for the students from Thorold Costantini says if students have or for Niagara College students concerns with the transit system, heading to the student housing on they should let him know about it. Glenridge, two additional buses “If it is not brought to my at- have been added to the Welland to tention, there is nothing I can do Brock route, one leaving Niagara about it.” College at 9:27 a.m. and another Costantini had to deal with bus leaving at 10:27 a.m. schedules at the beginning of his Costantini says that SAC was semester and “had to put up with terminating the Welland campus one or two runs in the summer.” contract with St. Catharines Tran- Because of this experience, he says sit because of complaints from he knows the difficulties of dealing both Brock University and Niagara with the buses. College Welland campus students He says when there are issues about gaps in transit coverage, with space on the bus, such as when some of them up to three hours students are left behind to wait for long. another bus because the current one “It’s the age-old tale of you’ve is full, they should call him. got it and you’d hate to lose it,” “If you are experiencing difficul- says Sebastian Prins, vice-presi- ties, call us up, because it might Niagara College students arrive at the Welland campus aboard the Welland–St. Catharines Connection. dent of finance administration for be a miscommunication.” He also Photo by John Gamba Brock University Students’ Union says in the past he has had those (BUSU), adding, “Students had a have with the service, such as gaps on-the-Lake campus transit that similar times were creating these students who were left behind similar service last year, and they in service times, a reduction in ser- runs from St. Catharines. gaps. picked up before the next bus. wanted it back.” vice and four-hour gaps, “making Overlapping transit runs in The average cost-per-bus run To reach Costantini, call 905- Prins mentions similar com- it really inconvenient” for students. which Welland and St. Catharines to each city is approximately 735-2211 ext. 7256/4226, or email plaints Brock University students This will not affect the Niagara- buses ran to the Welland campus at $30,000 per year, making the total him at [email protected]. Many Hands Music: Mark Visentin renovates Fort From passion brings local Inside Erie Salvation to profession » talent to world Niagara Army» stage » The 14-week renovation project Two young Welland men explain The Niagara IceDogs goalie shares held annually by Niagara College their attempts to turn their passion his experience as a major part of News kicked off on Jan. 14. for music into a lifestyle. Canadian World Juniors team. On Page 7 On Pages 8-9 On Page 16 Page 2 NIAGARA NEWS Jan. 21, 2011 NEWS New year, new faces at Niagara College Frosh Week rounds out with concert and contests for new students By JANELLE NYSTROM Staff Writer It was Frosh Week at Niagara College, and enrolment was on the rise. Frosh Posh, music and a free lunch put smiles on faces at the 2011 January-start orientation at Niagara College. The frosh week events wrapped up Friday, Jan. 7, with a return per- formance by The Stables, a group of musicians from Oshawa, Ont. “Glad to be back,” says Poor Pelly. The musical rhythms of Poor Pelly, Blind Billy Blasko, Darren and Choo Choo Clarke of The Stables, a folk/bluegrass group, echoed throughout the halls of Niagara College on Jan. 6 and 7, following Niagara College’s program information sessions for students beginning programs in January. Offering new students an ex- cellent opportunity to meet with their faculty before the fi rst day of classes, Frosh Week at Niagara College was fi lled with excite- ment as newcomers and return- ing alumni took part in the day’s events. At informal program informa- tion sessions, students gained in- sight into what to expect from their program and each of their classes. Hearing from current students about their experiences, having Handing out Frosh Posh on January Start orientation day Friday, Jan. 7 were Kourtney Snow, student ambassador; Carly Root, on campus the opportunity to ask questions recruitment co-ordinator and Jaclyn Tanguay, student ambassador at Niagara College’s in Niagara-on-the-Lake campus. and having the chance to connect Photo by Janelle Nystrom with fellow students who are new to the program gave new students a College President Dan Patterson, fl at panel TV were the highlights but a limited number of spaces sions Offi cer, Linda Hales. chance to settle in. “and with the growing recognition of Niagara College’s January-start are still available despite Niagara Gordon Hunchack, director of Carly Root, an on-campus re- that many of the new jobs being Orientation events. College’s expansive $90-mil- marketing communications, says cruitment co-ordinator for Niagara created in today’s rapidly changing Winner Albert Elgie, a January lion construction project nearing in a recent press release, “Most College, handed out Frosh Posh economy are requiring the practi- start student, says the TV will be completion. Niagara College programs offer free giveaways for Orientation cal skills learned in an applied a “huge upgrade” for him since he One hundred and ninety-three accelerated January start formats Week with Niagara College Stu- post-secondary education, it’s has been watching an old hand-me- new post-secondary international with semesters running into the dent Ambassadors Kourtney Snow clear why more and more students down for quite some time. He says, students are expected to start class- summer. The winter semester also and Jaclyn Tanguay. are choosing college as their path “I couldn’t believe it. I actually es at Niagara College this January, provides another intake for many “Niagara College has a strong to success.” won.” along with more than “100 new competitive programs, offering reputation for student success and Free lunch with live entertain- College enrolment in Ontario is English as a Second Language stu- fl exibility to students upgrading student satisfaction,” says Niagara ment and a draw for a 40-inch LCD up seven per cent from last year, dents,” says International Admis- their pre-admission requirements.” Extra studying can pay off in more ways than one Peer tutors earn minimum wage for their services By SARAH PENTZ Students who are confused or required to fi ll out a tutor’s appli- Staff Writer who have failed an assignment cation form and agree to the tutor If you have an 80 per cent or or are not meeting graduating agreement. You can fi nd these higher academic average in any requirements have the option of forms in the peer services offi ce of your courses, why not use getting a peer tutor. at the Niagara-on-the-Lake and your skills to assist other students By becoming a tutor, you can Welland campuses. through peer tutoring? make some extra spending money Just like any other paying job, Many students who are strug- and help a fellow student, all there are requirements. gling in their studies often turn to while keeping up to date with your Tremonte says to be peer tutor a peer tutor for assistance. own studies. you must have a minimum aver- A peer tutor is anyone who is Josie Tremonte, of the Peer age of 80 per cent in the course in a similar program as the person Services department at Niagara you desire to tutor, be registered being tutored and is willing to College, says peer tutors earn as a full-time student and be tak- help another student raise his or minimum wage.