Students get ready for the 2019 Camosun Comic Art Festival - page 4 What’s happening in the local comedy scene, on campus and off? - page 6 Metric return to town, arena-bound - page 12 april 3, 2019 issue 14 | volume 29 nexusnewspaper.com camosun’s student voice since 1990 student politics Camosun College Student Society hopes for student participation in spring election “The people that you vote for will make sure that your concerns are heard and work to accommodate your concerns or to make things better for you. They’re going to be your advocates. They’re going to be your student representatives.” FILLETTE UMULISA CAMOSUN COLLEGE STUDENT SOCIETY KATE WOOD are resources available through STAFF WRITER organizations like the CCSS that The Camosun College Student students benefit from, he says, and ADAM MARSH/NEXUS Society (CCSS) is preparing for its being aware of those benefits is an Camosun College students will soon have the chance to vote in the Camosun College Student Society elections. annual spring election, which will important factor in making sure and work to accommodate your stuff out on my own, and I feel like “And therefore, when it comes to be held from April 8 to April 10. resources are being used effectively. concerns or to make things better I shouldn’t,” says Adrian. “I have the importance of paying attention Students will vote online for the “Where you want democracy to for you. They’re going to be your no idea; I honestly have no input to things, people let things drop. executive constituency positions of work, it requires participation from advocates. They’re going to be your on that. I wish I did. I mean, I guess That happens municipally—fed- the CCSS as well as any vacant cam- the voters, and more than participa- student representatives. So people when I think about it, it seems like eral elections have a far better voter pus director positions. Camosun tion, it requires engagement,” says should vote because you’re putting something else to do, something turnout rate than a municipal elec- College holds its electoral process Turcotte. “The same thing applies people in power to make decisions else to hear about, something else tion—because people sense those simultaneously with the CCSS, so for the student society. The student on your behalf—you might as well to know. I wouldn’t say I have input things as being important, and more students can also elect their student society actually has some influence know who they are. So vote for on it.” important because of the higher board of governor and education on things that impact students, and them. Trust them with your vote.” Turcotte says that student par- level of government. The other thing council representatives. sometimes, unfortunately, students First year Hospitality Manage- ticipation in campus elections is is students just have a lot on their CCSS executive director Michel aren’t aware of that, but there’s a ment student Tom Adam says that affected by a general impression plate nowadays—jobs, and their Turcotte says that the change to an fair bit of money that flows through between work and school he doesn’t that the student society has little studies, and families, and all those online voting system has made it the student society. There’s the pro- have time to seek out enough infor- impact on students. The pre-exist- sorts of things. It’s easy to not pay easier for students to participate grams like the universal bus pass, mation to form an opinion about ing responsibilities of students also attention to other things unless you in the CCSS elections. The online the health and dental; those sort of student elections. have a big impact on voter turnout. feel it actually impacts you directly, platform has increased voter turn- things are also run through the stu- “We just come to class and leave “There’s a perception that the and until you have a problem at out and also made the process of dent society. There’s advocacy and at the end. I don’t know much about student society doesn’t have a huge Camosun some people don’t even counting votes more efficient. a constituency of representatives in it, really,” says Adam. “Between impact on them,” says Turcotte. realize the student society exists.” “Well, voter turnout has in- a number of programs and services work and school I definitely am creased since we moved to online that the student society offers. But not seeking out information, to be eyed on campus voting,” says Turcotte. “I mean, it’s it also requires accountability, and honest. I wouldn’t know who to vote still not what you would like to get accountability comes from having a for or what the issues are.” in a municipal election. A municipal board of directors that’s elected by First year University Transfer election, about 30 percent of people members of the society. If students student Preston Forry says that be- tend to vote, sometimes; the last mu- want to ensure that the money that cause he plans to transfer to another nicipal election was a bit more con- they are spending is allocated and school, he feels that his opinion is tentious, so you had more than that, spent in an accountable way, the not as relevant to the student society. but on average about 30 percent best way is to get involved and at “I kind of noticed it last year that of people vote. I would love it if 30 least participate in the elections.” I was here, there was banners up for percent of student society members CCSS external executive Fillette elections and whatnot, but I didn’t [Camosun students] voted. 10 per- Umulisa says that participation in vote or anything because I knew I cent still allows democracy to take student elections is important be- was only going to be here for a year, place, and it is likely close to what cause the people who are elected will so I didn’t think my say mattered as we would be expecting, although I be acting as student representatives. much,” says Forry. encourage every Camosun student “Students should vote because Cheyenne Adrian, who is in to [vote], and since we don’t have to their vote is going to count towards her first year of Camosun Nursing physically count ballots I think it’s a a greater cause,” says Umulisa. prerequisites, says that researching great thing if they all voted.” “So if you vote, that’s the first step student elections feels like one more Turcotte says that voting is im- towards voicing your concerns. The thing for students to learn. portant for students because it’s people that you vote for will make “I don’t know anything about it. ADAM MARSH/NEXUS participating in democracy. There sure that your concerns are heard I mean, I feel like I have to figure that Students enjoy the return of sunshine to the Lansdowne campus in March. 2 VIEWS April 3, 2019 nexusnewspaper.com NEWS/CAMPUS 3 student editor’s letter open space student club Embracing the stand-up in stand-up comedy Students need to stop relying on Camosun Wellness Club a refuge for self-care camosun’s student voice since 1990 It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, or what language you caffeine Next publication: May 15, 2019 speak: pretty much everyone can understand laughter. If you can’t hear it XANNIA WAGNER pay attention not only to the amount RICARDO RAMOS Deadline: 9 am Monday May 6, 2019 or see it, you can probably feel it. There is an immediacy in the shift that CONTRIBUTING WRITER of coffee you consume, but also to CONTRIBUTING WRITER laughter can bring to a situation. The whole room, your entire body, and, Address: 3100 Foul Bay Rd., Victoria, BC, Coffee—ah, that all-power- when you consume it. “Some students work and study at the same especially, your outlook can change in a heartbeat. It offers a gratifying Mental health is very import- V8P 5J2 ful six-letter word. What sort of Caffeine intake of 329 time, and I think it’s important to take a break Location: Lansdowne Richmond House 201 sense of release and connection to others in that moment. thoughts does that word conjure? milligrams a day (the equivalent ant and should be taken care of Phone: 250-370-3591 Those who harness laughter into a lifestyle—comedians—know Maybe you’re an avid coffee drink- of around three cups of coffee) constantly. With huge amounts of sometimes. We should focus on being present, Email: [email protected] this all too well. The comic on stage knows whether or not their joke has er, maybe you engage with it a has also been linked to a higher homework, tests, quizzes, projects, being in the moment, and doing something Website: nexusnewspaper.com worked. People either laugh or they don’t; I imagine it’s hard to take when bit, or maybe you don’t drink it at urinary frequency, as it stimulates papers, and many other assign- ments required by classes, time Publisher: Nexus Publishing Society they don’t. Jokes are often written before they are spoken, and I know that all. Regardless, it’s still one of the your bladder. It’s actually 70 per- fun.” it’s tough when someone doesn’t like my writing, despite the thick skin management can be incredibly most talked-about beverages for cent more likely that you’ll develop THERESA WANNINGER NEXUS PUBLISHING SOCIETY difficult for students.