FREE November 21, 2019 rtheeflector www.TheReflector.ca CAN I AFFORD IT? MRU students express concerns over Alberta budget (P. 3) How to uncover the Why women are MRU women’s benefits of crying more than their V-BALL off to in adulthood relationships 10-0 start (P. 6) (P. 9) (P. 11) News Editor Nathan Woolridge news [email protected] MRU Now aims to update campus with important information Ryleigh Stangness Staff Writer Kim Cousineau, a risk … What we want, is for it analyst at MRU, has been to really add value and to working closely with app provide students easy access developers since 2018 to to resources,” explains optimize and tailor the new Cousineau. security app, MRU Now, for The app, which can be students to access safety found in Google Play for features and resources. Android and iTunes for IOS An MRU alumni herself, users, is free to download. It Cousineau says she hopes includes quick links for users students will get the benefits to immediately get help or of the app that she would have report a situation to security. found useful during her time The app has 12 icons upon here as a student. opening: offering options She explains that this to call security, request a app was a risk management SafeWalk, report tips or The new app was designed with being a student in mind with features, such as Friend initiative, and it is a separate incidents, campus safety, Walk, which sends a friend your location on campus. Photo courtesy of MRU initiative from the recent information on emergency overhaul of MRU’s security procedures (information a paper mache gun rifle. to say, ‘Okay, the fire drill is your location to somebody in system which was nearly two which is also posted in The incident led to many over. It’s time to go back in,’” your contact list.” decades old. classrooms), requesting push students questioning the explains Cousineau. She explains that whoever Although risk management notifications for East or West value of university’s app, opens the link you send “can works closely with the MRU residences, campus map and with a regular abundance Using the app in watch you in real time and security department to health and wellness resources. of seemingly irrelevant residence they can text with you on your respond to incidents such The campus safety icon, notifications, but yet no way to your car or residence.” Cousineau hypothesizes the as injuries, ambulances and directs you to crisis resources information notified students Cousineau says she can app will be especially useful property damage, this app such as sexual violence about the potential risk of a relate her experience as a to students living on campus. is not solely intended for response, human rights shooter. student and seeing the need There is a careful balance to security — it aims to get advising, crisis counselling She says, although it is for a feature like this. make sure the information is information and resources and environmental health. difficult to say what MRU “Personally for me, having succinct, but also relevant. to students about residence Cousineau points out that would do in a similar been a university student for a “It will be used for information, safety concerns, many of the other features are situation, there are some long time, I never would have communicating when there’s emergencies, resources, offered on the MRU website, takeaways from this incident reached out to security. I hate an emergency in the building wellness and safety tools. but the app is more mobile about what students want to say that, but I would have or ‘Hey, it’s -20, close your It was implemented to friendly and accessible. “We from an app. texted a friend and said, ‘Can window. Don’t hang your address “a gap in immersive want to make sure that all “The biggest thing is you stay on the phone with clothes on the sprinkler lines notifications and an those sources are there, timely notifications during me? Can you, you know, just in your room,’ and things like emergency-addressing rather than having to open emergencies for things like make sure I get back?’” that. There’s that tailored app essentially,” explains up a browser and go looking floods, fires, mass campus piece toward residents.” Cousineau. for them.” closures and things like that. Future features However, Cousineau says Cousineau says they are Crisis counseling resources, We want people to know that it also has value for non- Cousineau says they are trying to reach more students, student counseling and about those things in a timely residents at MRU. Cousineau consistently tweaking the although they are seeing wellness services want to fashion,” Cousineau says. says, “I think any student app for user experience but the number of downloads make sure that, as a student, MRU is also using the app to could find some benefit.” they have even more plans increasing consistently. you know that those services communicate about fire drills. for future features. Cousineau says they are are available so that they’re “One of people’s biggest Friend Walk “We’re hoping to eventually constantly updating the app, being utilized, explains complaints is with fire drills. be doing wayfinding, where A new feature, unique to and looking for feedback, Cousineau. They don’t know when to go it’ll actually tell you where the app is Friend Walk, says while engaging with SAMRU back in. Students who are you are and where you need Cousineau. president Shayla Breen for Managing busy … faculty members get to go,” Cousineau says. “I “There’s SafeWalk and most student perspectives. really frustrated when they’re remember what it’s like to be a emergencies people know what that is, but “We’re trying to add as standing around outside first year university student … Cousineau points to recent rather than calling security much value as we can to it and looking around going, ‘I don’t they’re completely lost. I know events at the neighbouring and asking security to walk not make it another app that know, is it over? Can I go back we’re not a huge campus, but University of Calgary, you to your car or walk you to people download and they get in?’ We’re trying to use it for it can be intimidating.” with an incident involving a bunch of push notifications those timely notifications class, you can actually send November 21, 2019 • the reflector 3 THE REFLECTOR Issue 6, Volume 58 EDITORIAL STAFF: Publishing Editor: Andi Endruhn MRU students express Managing Editor: Ivar Bergs News Editor: Nathan Woolridge Features Editor: Isabelle Bennett Arts Editor: Sarah Green Sports Editor: Dan Khavkin concerns over UCP budget Photo Editor: Riggs Zyrille Vergara Nathan Woolridge Layout Editor: Karina Zapata News Editor Web Editor: Rosemary De Souza CONTRIBUTORS: Andrea Wong, MRU students are expressing Cassie Weiss, Hermie Ocenar their concerns over the recent provincial budget, which saw STAFF WRITERS: Ryleigh the United Conservative Party Stangness, Mackenzie Gellner (UCP) government increase COVer: Illustration by Riggs interest rates on Alberta student Zyrille Vergara and Mikaela loans, lift the previous tuition Delos Santos cap and eliminate millions in The Reflector, with an on- and off- funding to universities such as campus circulation of 5,000, is the Mount Royal. independent voice of the students “I was honestly pretty angry of Mount Royal University. It is published fortnightly during the when I read the budget. When academic year (Sept. to April). you’re a student, you want to be The Reflector is editorially focusing on school and the last autonomous and financially thing you want to worry about independent from all other governing bodies at Mount Royal is money,” says Dhafnie Basilio, University. a policy studies student at MRU. The Reflector welcomes newsworthy SAMRU Representation submissions from all students Executive Council (REC) and community members. While President Shayla Breen says she the right of editorial comment is reserved for editors of The Reflector, has heard from students with opinion pieces may be submitted the same concerns as Basilio as letters to the editor, and may be about the provincial budget. published on the editorial page as MRU students have expressed concerns over the new provincial budget, but such. The Reflector reserves the “A couple of different themes SAMRU’s Representation Executive Council is currently asking students to submit right not to publish submissions that we’ve been hearing is their concerns in writing so they can use their stories to advocate on behalf of deemed by the Publishing Editor to be offensive. obviously there’s a lot of students. Graphic by Riggs Zyrille Vergara concern around the cost of Complaints arising from the content [tuition],” Breen says. “There’s going to be. ‘Am I going to be Program — commonly we’re taking those stories to the of the paper should be directed to the Ombudsboard. This board so much uncertainty of what able to afford it?’ That sort of referred to as STEP — where board of governor’s meeting, has been established as a mediator post-secondary is going to look sentiment.” She adds that some an allocated $10 million offered we’re taking those stories between the Reflector Publications like in the next three years.” students are worried they may subsidies to businesses to help to the Minister of Advanced Society staff and its readership. Breen says some of the main have to work more or take out employ approximately 3,000 Education and anyone around All decisions of the Ombudsboard concerns she has and has heard additional student loans.