THE MARK

FINAL EDITION | FREE

Some Quest students have a new hobby homemade tattoos. The Mark investigates the underground trend that is leaving a mark on the student body
BELLA TSEFALAS & ELISE SCRIBNER Students at Quest University may be swapping more than saliva or booze at weekend parties as a new trend in homemade tattoos has evolved in the dorms over the past few years. Giving and receiving homemade tattoos may seem like a dangerous, risky endeavor with possible legal implications. But some students argue that sharing tattoos is a safe, perfectly healthy process to undergo at a party or at home and the demand for tattoos is high. There are two main ways to receive a tattoo from a friend at Quest. One can either have it done with a tattoo gun or manually with a needle, a stick and poke. One student, King Flat Top [name changed to protect the identity of the source] has 10 tattoos total with six done by the stick and poke. He says he has given about 30-40 tattoos in his life and about 10 to 15 here at Quest. In fact, in the last two months he has given five tattoos. Another student, Darmody [name changed], reports that he has also given as many as 20 tattoos. However, both students mention that they get way more offers than they accept. Darmody says, A lot of people come to me with ideas and I probably only tattoo like, one percent or something. King Flat Top has similar experience with student offers. While he receives many, he filters who he decides to tattoo on the basis of if its their first tattoo, if theyre very intoxicated, or if he doesnt believe he can complete what they asked for. He shared that, At one party two girls wanted me to tattoo their asses, but I didnt want to mess up their bums. First year student Luke Groenewoud has received two tattoos by a friend on campus. He planned his tattoos for three years, and knew he wanted them specifically done by a friend. While he has plans for a professional tattoo in his future, he sees value in homemade tattoos. Groenewoud says, I see that there are different purposes between getting a professional tattoo and getting an underground tattoo. The professional tattoo will be more artistic but youll have more of a connection with the people who give you the tattoo if its amateur. It gives you that urban edge. On the other hand, another stu-

TATTOO TABOO

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2013

dent, Sai Ropp, is wary about getting a friend-done tattoo for just this reason. Sai says, Im scared of the future relationship status I have with the person. If I get a tattoo from a friend and I end up hating them Im going to end up hating the tattoo. For some students on campus, tattooing extends beyond the un-

derground culture. Second year student Mike Powell waited four years to get each of his three tattoos done professionally. Because of the meaning he attaches his tattoos, he would never have a serious tattoo done on campus. However, he believes that most people [at Quest] are smart enough not to just get something stupid tattooed

in an obvious place. According to John Scheunhage, the Director of Housing, there is nothing specifically listed in the residence agreements about giving or receiving tattoos in the dormitories. However, he did point out in an interview that the residence

Continued on page A2

ACCREDITATION

Graduate school woes

GURJIT CHEEMA, MOLLY PAYNE & ELINE HUISKEN Imagine after four years of caffeine induced all-nighters and countless late night trips to the library, you find out that your university degree is not recognized by graduate programs across the country. Becca Dickinson is one student who experienced this when her application was rejected from McMaster University, a prominent institution within the Ontario Medical Schools. Her experience helped pave the way for Quest students to be accepted into Ontario Medical Schools in the future. Since no one from Quest had applied [to McMaster] before, the issue hadnt really been addressed. It wasnt a priority, says Dickinson. Quest President David Helfand contacted Dickinson regarding her application to McMaster, and explained that Quest was not recognized by the Ontario Medical Schools. David Helfand and Dickinson emailed Dan Birch, the chancellor for Quest University, for help. Birch contacted McMaster and resolved the issue for future Quest students. For future graduates looking to apply to any Ontario Medical School, Quest is now a recognized university. Regardless of the struggles that students such as Dickinson have faced, David Helfand remains hopeful for future Quest graduates. I would note we have had no problem with schools in the US, the UK, Australia, or the Netherlands (all of which now have Quest students in graduate programs), only Canada, writes Helfand. You can also say the

DEVELOPMENT

Growing pains
Growing student population squeezing campus space
JON FARMER & DANNY WAKUTZ As the admissions team recruits for the largest incoming class in Quests history and a new residence building takes shape beside the Academic, the University must reassign spaces to accommodate a growing campus community. Not yet at capacity, Quest must balance the growth of its student body with the constraints of space and an expanding faculty. Feeling the pains of a growing institution, Quest is perpetually at the limit of its infrastructure. Currently, almost every available bed on campus is in use. We have seven to 10 literal beds that are free, said John Scheunhage, Director of Housing. When youre running an operation like a residence building, thats exceptionally high occupancy. Without beds, Quest cannot grow its population; without growing its population, Quest cannot meet its operating budget. To accommodate the necessary growth, it must open a new residence building each September for at least the next two years. Every year we need another one of these buildings, said Scheunhage. In two months theyll turn shovels on the next one. The new residence building will provide approximately 100 additional beds. With roughly 60 students graduating this spring and 180 students expected to arrive in September, the new building will barely expand housing capacity enough to meet the new demand. Because more students require more tutors, the top floor of the building will also house faculty offices in unused bedrooms. All of these plans require that construction of the new residence will finish on the July 17th deadline. Already some 40 days behind schedule because of weather, there is a possibility that when the 180 first years show up for orientation, their homes wont Ministry of Advanced Education has been very helpful when asked in asserting their right to accredit us and thus advocate for the acceptance of our degrees. The main issue is that there is no federal accreditation that recognizes universities in Canada. All universities are accredited through the provincial government. While Quest is recognized by the BC Ministry of Advanced Education, other schools across Canada may not know that Quest exists. This is because it is not a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). The AUCC is separate from the Ontario provincial accreditation association that Dickinson faced. At this moment, Quest is simply too small to be accredited by the

Students struggle to get their degrees recognized by Canadian graduate schools

Continued on page A2 Party Scene Sports & Events B2 C1

INSIDE TODAYS PAPER

Baby Boom A2

Macleans Takedown A3 Hydro Scam B1

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PHOTO: John Frank

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CAMPUS LIVING

NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

University pushes out baby

Lack of policy frustrates student parents
TINA STEEN Citing health and space concerns, the university recently forced student parents and their new-born to find alternative housing, but the presence of a faculty members family in residence has the couple upset over the apparent double-standard and lack of student-parent policy. Quest University students Desiree Hatt and Hayden Taylor,are new parents to their daughter Nevaeh Lisa Shelby Taylor, born December 5th, 2012. Due to the birth of their child, the university forced Hatt and Taylor to live off campus. They are now settled into their condo but are discontent with the the universitys decision. We love living in our condo, said Taylor, but its a lot of extra expenses. Hatt and Taylor are grateful for all of the support from students, faculty, and staff, but are unhappy with the university administration. They dont have written up guidelines for students with children, said Hatt. The couple was most upset after finding out that a Quest tutor and his wife had moved into the dorms with their child. Hatt explained, What was so upsetting was not that we couldnt live on campus, but it was that a new tutor was allowed to, with their child, even after I have been at Quest for three years. Rich Wildman, a new Quest tutor, and his wife Zena Harris, live in the South Village residence with their two year old son, Muir Powell. The families have not yet whats going on more than in other [schools]; people are definitely looking out for each other. King Flat Top always washes his hands, wears gloves, and uses a sterilized needle when he tattoos. Safety is an important factor when performing underground tattooing, especially within such a small community. Darmody keeps a variety of precautions in mind before tattooing. He explains that As long as the needles are totally sterile, which Ive been super careful about doing, I feel totally fine. At the same time, [Im] not about to tattoo anybody while Im drunk or where it really could be something they regret. While many of the students feel that they are safe about tattooing in the dorms, the regulations do not completely match those of British Columbias Public and Preventative Health Division Guidelines for Tattooing. These regulations apply to tattoo establishments, and require protocol such as autoclave sterilizers, and state that only professional tattooing machines with removable tubes should be used. In other words, no stick and poke. However, the definition of Tattooing Premises means any business premises or place where tattooing is done or practiced. If Quest students are not charging for their services, these regulations might not apply. The high demand for tattoos is not only prominent within the University, but also in the country as a whole. According to the Canadian Press, nearly two out of 10 Canadians have a tattoo or a body piercing done. When asked, Scheunhage responded that he definitely thought this behavior occurred in many universities. These things are a part of our culture and your generation. met one another and Wildman and Harris had not heard about Hatt and Taylor until today. In regards to living, I think it would be workable to live in dorms if you had your own space, Wildman said. Melanie Koenderman, Dean of Student Affairs, gave some explanations. Hatt and Taylor tried to apply to live in Swift Creek but did not get a place. According to Koenderman, Swift Creek is too expensive and the university does not want kids in North or South because of concerns for health and safety. John Scheunhage, Director of Housing, gave a different explanation. To be honest right now, we just dont have space. It would be taking a bed from a potential Quest student. It would literally mean enrollment would

Two-month-old Nevaeh Taylor naps in the cafeteria. go down, explains Scheunhage. As of now there is still no specific policy for student parents and the university. Administration plans to handle future situations on a case by case basis.

PHOTO: Evan Cross

With files from Caleah Dean and Jordan Ross

Tattoos

Application hiccups just administrative hoop to jump: Koenderman

(cont. from page 1)
AUCC. According to Melanie Koenderman, Dean of Student Affairs, the AUCC requires a school to have 500 students for at least three years in a row. The AUCC has in some ways become a de-facto national body. They are a fee-paying organization, says Melanie Koenderman. A lot of times when people apply, its simply an administrative or clerical person working at the grad program that looks at the list of AUCC schools, and Quest isnt on it. However, there have been few problems for students applying to international graduate programs. Fourth-year student Dustin Eno had no trouble applying to the London School of Economics (LSE). It was surprisingly easy. They had a drop down list of schools, and Quest was on the list. Dustin received his acceptance letter for LSEs MSc Social and Public Communication and will be attending next fall. Recently, a Quest student contacted Simon Fraser University (SFU) about their concern of SFU recognizing a degree from Quest University. The Dean of Health Sciences at SFU replied, SFU and [Faculty of Health Sciences] FHS recognize Quest degrees and transcripts. There should not be any impact on your application other than the usual advantage that students from Canadas top ranked schools sometimes have. -With files from Maymie Tegart

(cont. from page 1)

PHOTO: John Frank

agreements ensure that students have a right to a safe, healthy environment. He also mentioned that residence agreements do not allow businesses to be run from the dorms, a term that isnt specifically defined in the agreement. However, both student tattoo artists interviewed reported that neither charged for their services. Scheunhage would like to have conversations with students involved, to ensure the safety of the process. Second year student Georgia Ens wants her first tattoo done professionally, but she finds Quests underground tattooing comic and harmless. She has noticed that people usually get the tattoos as jokes, on discrete parts of their bodies. Compared to other universities and communities she sees Quest as a safe place to take part in underground tattooing. She states, This school is so small [that] people know

Faculty hiring process well under way

BRAD KLEES With class in full swing this Monday morning, a small group of students and faculty gathered for a mock class taught by Melanie Hoffman, who used dry ice, balloons, and a microwave to explain phase changes on the molecular level. A recent PhD graduate in physics from the University of Alberta, Hoffman is the most recent in a string of prospective tutors vying for the faculty positions opened by the University this year. With 180 incoming students projected for next year, the school population will likely hit 550, and faculty hiring is a priority. Of the eight openings, five have been filled. New professors have been hired in Religion, Sociology, and Music, while teaching fellows Doug Monroe and Meaghan MacNutt have been signed on full time in political science and life science, respectively. The teaching model and small class sizes are what attracted Dr. Hoffman to Quest. The way we teach at bigger universities isnt working. Everyone knows that, but things move too slowly at those schools. She thinks the block plan is a great idea, but admits, its tough, thinking about how to teach here when all you know is lecture halls. As with its education model, Quests hiring process is unique. After an hour of teaching Hoffman sat down with the students and answered their questions, and asked some of her own in return. This would not be a common sight at larger universities. Nicholas Terry, a student in his first semester at Quest after time at University of British Columbia and University of Victoria, never encountered a hiring process that involved students at his previous schools. He says that having a say in who comes to teach at Quest is an important part of learning. As

ACADEMICS

Five Quest faculty have been hired, positions remain open in math, physical sciences, and life sciences
Quest students, we all know what were looking for. Its important to know where theyre coming from and why they want to teach you. You dont want to be taught by just anybody. Anybodys exist, any school, anywhere. Here were trying to do something different. But at the same time he says, Im glad its not all up to us, because I feel like giving [students] too much power would be a bad thing. We dont always know whats best for us. Students do not have selection power when it comes to faculty per se, but according to Jim Cohn, Chief Academic Officer, they do have veto power. I cant imagine a situation where we would hire someone who received overwhelmingly negative reviews he said in an interview. If nobodys fit, we dont hire. In that case, the classes left in limbo are filled by visiting tutors, but Cohn says that full time faculty are ideal.

Editors-in-chief Tari Ajadi & MaymieTegart Production manager Erin Millar

THE MARK

was produced in one day by Quest Universitys journalism class

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

NEWS

THE MARK || A3

Space crunch pushing faculty offices into residence

(cont. from page 1)
be ready. Although the construction company has begun working on Saturdays to make up the deficit, the university executive committee is considering temporary housing alternatives for the worst-case scenario. We always have a plan B, said Melanie Koenderman, Dean of Student Affairs. If the building is simply not ready for us to use we would have to look into whether its a week or two renting at one of the local hotels and running shuttles. It wouldnt be the first time. When the school opened in 2007, none of the campus buildings were complete, forcing the inaugural class and faculty to spend September away at Red Mountain Resort in Rossland, BC. Returning to Squamish in October to a newly completed Academic Building and residence buildings still that were under construction, the inaugural class spent their second month living in the Sea to Sky Hotel. If the new residence building fails to meet its deadline, the incoming class of 2013 will share a similar experience. A larger student body also requires more classroom space. To meet this demand, the university is reassigning several spaces including the Arts Bay, which will move to a specially designated room in the new residence. The new building will also hold the yoga/meditation room, moving it from the private dining room below the cafeteria. President David Helfand, responding to email inquiries, wrote that the school will reclaim four classrooms including the Arts Bay and two rooms currently rented by a Montessori pre-school. With Coast Mountain Academy set to rent three classrooms over the 2013-14 academic year, this gives the university a net gain of one. Helfand also wrote that the new residence includes three classrooms suitable for classes of fewer than 10 students. The increasing demand for classroom space means that future room use will be more strictly monitored. What we are going to see is a lot more of morning and afternoon classes whereas now its mainly morning classes, said Kathy Bennett, Director of Facilities & Services. Additionally, breakout rooms will be assigned to specific classes.

PHOTO: Eline Huisken

In the past the university rented out campus space for extra income, but increasing demand has Quest reclaiming several spaces. Tiipz, a web advertising company that currently rents space on the second floor of the Library building, will vacate the space when their lease expires this spring. The offices have not yet been allotted to a specific use as the library,

students, administration, and the faculty all demand more space. David Helfand has not ruled out re-leasing the space, as rentals bring in quite a bit of money, Last year, on-campus filming alone brought in roughly $70,000. These logistical problems arent going away anytime soon; enrollment projections arent expected to balance the operational budget

for several years. Until then, the university will continue to operate at the furthest reaches of its capacity, balancing student, staff, and financial needs with the uncertainty of admissions projections and construction delays. On a campus that is tight for everything, balancing demands with finances is all part of the challenge.

BLOCK SYSTEM CRITICISM

The quest to defend the block

Students respond to Macleans editorial trashing block system
FORREST GETZ On February 4th, Macleans On Campus ran an article raising concerns about the block plan structure in universities, generating a defense by Quest students. Todd Pettigrews article, Beware of block programs brought up general concerns about the structure of block programs. He reasoned that a three-and-a-half week block did not offer enough time to delve into a subject, complete readings, and compose longer papers. He also argued that the block program was too unforgiving if a student became ill missing more than a few days of class and failed to link classes together in the same way that traditional course loads could. This isnt the first incident of Quest criticism. Todd Pettigrew has written a number of articles either directly or indirectly critical of Quest, said Glen Van Brummelen, a founding faculty member. Responding to a comment on the original article, Pettigrew insisted, I wasnt speaking only of Quest, but of block courses as an idea. The block program is not a new idea. Colorado College, a liberal arts school, has been using the block system since 1970, and ranks 29th on Forbes list of top colleges. Quest students bombarded the article with counter-arguments. In an interview, Tucker Sherman advised caution when defending the University. Its important to be self-aware, as we are a small school, said Sherman. None of us want to be the person who shits in the kiddy pool that we all live in. Many Quest students read the article and acknowledged that it brought up good concerns, but pointed out that Pettigrew didnt provide enough evidence. A second-year student felt that the article was unfair because of Pettigrews lack of experience with the block program. A first-year noted that the article expressed ideas that were common among those who hadnt experienced Quest. Caleb Raible-Clark, one of the students who commented on the article, pointed out that Pettigrew relied on an appeal to authority, which is an illogical argument. Raible-Clark noted the real issue was the lack of validation in the Macleans article, and the impact it could have on Quests public image. On defending Quest, Raible-Clark said, Its not our responsibility, but we have a vested interest in the reputation of our school.

Q&A

Out with the old, in with the new

JORDAN ROSS With Graham Fischer taking over Dustin Enos responsibilities as President next year. The Mark asked them some questions regarding SRC organization, perceptions of the two friends by students, and changes to SRC event attendance. Q: Dustin, how has this year been going so far? Dustin: Pretty well. This is obviously my second year as president, and when I compare it to last year, we are far more efficient, far more organized, far more on top of stuff. I think thats just something that comes with [the SRC], just kind of figuring stuff out, having a pattern and having things set so that we dont have to keep reinventing every year, so we actually have something to build on. Q: Dustin and Graham, a lot of people see you as being very similar. What do you think about that? Graham: It would be really interesting if any of the people who think we are carbon copies could just spend a week with us in our room. They would realize very quickly that we are not the same. We agree on some things and disagree vehemently on many others. Dustin: In terms of our political views, our style for things, we are great friends, but it doesnt mean we agree. Hes a bit more excited and go get-it whereas Im a bit more reserved and think things through a little bit more. I think there is sometimes the perception that Graham is just kind of a copy of me, more of the same, but I truly dont see it that way at all. Q: How has SRC event attendance been so far? Dustin: For the major SRC events, things like lip synch, the block party, green and silver, Questival, the attendance is totally there. Its the best its ever been. Its the smaller events where people arent coming out as much. I think thats just a change in the

Student presidents talk personal differences, event attendance and communication

culture. I think now just because we are a bigger school, we are being pulled in more directions, so that means we do less because we feel a bit less of an obligation to go to things than we used to. I think one of the challenges is communication. So in past years we had all student emails for every event. That just doesnt happen anymore. So if you arent someone who pays attention to the portal, or Facebook, you might not know that something is happening. Graham: It was easier to interact in past years. Simply by virtue of the student body size, it will be impossible to make sure everyone is perfectly informed about everything. Part of my job is to find a way to make sure everybody is in the know. I also think its part of the job of the students to go to the SRC portal, talk to people, make themselves involved, too. I think as long as we make the effort, we can expect students to make the effort to look for that. Q: Are you looking forward to next year? Graham: Im definitely excited.

B1 || THE MARK
RESIDENCE

NEWS & OPINION

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

OFF-CAMPUS NEWS

The bill that drowned Riverside

Who is to blame for the hydro overages?
MADELINE EAGLETON I, like many Riverside residents, was shocked when I received our hydro bill last Sunday, charging students an average of $200 extra per room. Most students suspected that an increase in Riverside residents was the culprit. Whatever the cause, residents could have been warned a year prior about energy overages. But it seems that action is only being taken now, a year too late. The hydro bills for Riverside rooms, sent out to students via email on February 10th explained the amounts charged. The energy budget for Riverside is $200 per room. This year, in cycle two of the hydro bill (November 7th to January 7th), the Riverside residents were charged an average of $433.52 per room. The highest bill for Riverside was $582.73, almost three times larger than the allowed budget. Although the email did recognize the budget as a problem it also explained that currently, nothing could be done to the budget to address the overages. Thats what happened last year, said John Scheunhage when discussing reactions to the hydro bill. This is not the first time Riverside residences have been charged with bills that surpass the budget. Scheunhage explained that the population for Riverside has only increased by a handful of people and the overages are about the same when comparing last year to this year. Scheunhage went on to explain that the hydro bill for Riverside is consistently over the budget in the two winter month billing periods. But even though the trend has been apparent for at least two years, the budget amount still remains the same for each month rather than varying with the seasons. An old hydro plan that no longer fits Quest may be to blame for the overages. Melanie Koenderman explained in an interview that Quest students devised the hydro plan in 2008, the 2nd year of Quests existence, and it is still in place today. In 2007, Quest had a student population of only 73 total according to Quests website. Riverside was unused in 2008. The plan has not changed for five years, even though the student occupancy averages in Riverside increased from four to six. Steps are now being taken to change the hydro budget for Riverside; however, the hydro bill overages could have been brought to light much earlier. Eline Huisken, an employee of the environmental residence work-study program, explained they are working on increasing transparency around energy use in residences. The $200 allowance was established to catch the those who use an excessive amount of electricity, wrote Huisken. In the most recent hydro bill, nobody in Riverside went under the allowance; the lowest bill was $70 over and the second lowest $170 over. Furthermore, in the first hydro billing only one room in Riverside was under the $200 allowance. When in two billing cycles, only one out of 18 rooms in Riverside goes under the allowance then the allowance must be questioned. It is great news that Quest is spreading awareness about the bill, but the action has arrived too late for those who are now being charged, including myself. Even if wasteful students are to blame for the overages, Quest should have created more awareness about budget. Overall, the energy plan should be reevaluated to include changing seasons and the population growth at Quest to avoid shocked students and energy woes.

UVic pro-life student group fails to abort demonstration

JON FARMER On January 31, Jim Dunsdon, Associate Vice-President of Student Affairs at the University of Victoria, sent a letter to the prolife student group Youth Protecting Youth, cancelling the space booking for a planned Choice Chain demonstration the following day. They demonstrated anyway, claiming that by prohibiting their use of public space the university was violating their charter rights. During a Choice Chain demonstration, members of Youth Protecting Youth (YPY) stand in public spaces with large images of both healthy and aborted fetuses. YPY president Cam Ct explains the groups intention is to raise awareness about abortion and engage their peers in discussions on the issue. We show beautiful images of naturally developing pre-born humans, and we show the horrific truth about what abortion is, and what it does to the most vulnerable in our society, Ct wrote via e-mail. Along with discussion, the images produced outrage. The photos were five foot by four foot, high definition color images of exploded fetuses, wrote UVic student Rose Prieto in an e-mail. I felt these images breached my freedom because I did not want to see these images but was forced to. The University of Victoria Student Society (UVSS) suspended YPYs ability to book public spaces in February 2012 after a similar demonstration produced complaints. At that time, students alleged that showing the images violated UVSS harassment policy. The UVSS struck a complaints committee to address the allegations and adopted subsequent committee recommendations to revoke some of YPYs club privileges: including their ability to use public spaces. Unaware of the UVSS sanctions, UVic staff met with Ct and approved the YPY space booking for February 1, 2013. Dunsdon then cancelled the booking when he became aware of the UVSS motion, just one day before the planned demonstration. In a letter explaining the decision, Dundson cited university policy that declines space bookings by student groups that have been sanctioned for violations of student society policy. YPY disregarded Dundsons letter and proceeded with the demonstration, although under UVic policy holding unauthorized events is technically non-academic misconduct and punishable by expulsion. We believed that for the University [of] Victoria administration to participate in the University of Victoria Students Societys censorship of our message was to deny us our freedom of speech and expression on the UVic campus, Ct wrote. YPY has since approached the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) for possible legal support. John Dixon, a spokesperson for the BCCLA, claims that universities have an obligation as products of the state to allow freedom of expression and prevent all forms of censorship. It goes against the very ethos and culture of a university which, if anything, is supposed to be the most open place for discussion in society, he said in an interview. Prieto disagrees. I dont mind when people have opposing opinions to my own but when they force these opinions upon me without my consent I believe that is wrong, she wrote. The BCCLAs legal preparations are preliminary as UVic has not reprimanded YPY for the demonstration. As of yet there have not been any consequences for proceeding with Choice Chain, and as such we have not had to plan for any steps, Ct wrote. Neither the UVSS nor UVic administration responded to requests for comment.

DEBATE

Should we give a passing grade to grading?

Why grades weigh down your education
JON FARMER As an institution founded to challenge conventional pedagogy, Quest is failing when it comes to student assessment. Multiple faculty come from institutions that either dont keep or dont show letter grades, so its surprising that Quest continues to uphold one of the most distracting assessment models. We are an experimental school but measuring student success with letter grades is a disincentive for students to carry that experimental ideal into their own work. There are Quest students ambitious enough to address challenging topics and attempt alternative or creative approaches to assignments but that ambition forces them to look beyond their undergraduate degrees and to graduate school. The problem is that on the block plan there is no room for an experimental assignment to fail because failure can directly impact a students ability to pursue post-graduate studies. Careful students wont risk their GPAs but risk breeds innovation. By assessing student performance with grades, Quest encourages students to approach the edge of the conventional while constantly reminding them that the drop off the other side threatens their future aspirations. The argument against grades isnt against assessment but rather for adjusting the metric. Evergreen State College uses comprehensive narrative evaluations. St Johns in New Mexico also performs semester end narrative evaluations that bring together a students tutors in a single panel for personal assessment and feedback. Quest offers us the possibility of receiving narrative evaluations but we have to go out of our way to get them. Narrative assessments force both faculty and students to explicitly consider the students performance, strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement: it addresses the individual. The continued prominence of letter grade assessment reflects the institutions and students needs for external recognition post-Quest but is not the best educational practice. Narrative evaluations are more work but they better reflect our performance and its time Quest commits to whats best. We dont have to do away with grades entirely, but we should shift our focus away from them and back to education.

Why grades give weight to evaluation

ALESSANDRO TERSIGNI Some Quest students have voiced a dissatisfaction with our letter grading system. As of now, we are assigned a letter by tutors, representing the quality of our engagement with the class material. Some would prefer a no grade system, which simply refers to written or verbal feedback. However, without letter grades, our evaluations could lack a solidity essential for self-improvement. A disadvantage of a letter grade system is that, when solely concerned with letter grades, we are likely to take less risks in our assignments, be less innovative and tackle easier subjects because we can still get a good mark for it. But if you are the kind of student that takes successful risks, you are the kind of student that defends getting a poor grade for it. Standing up for yourself facilitates constructive conversations between tutors and students, allowing us to know precisely why we got a certain grade. A good narrative evaluation can facilitate these conversations. Nevertheless, without the affirmation of a letter grade, recognizing my academic endeavours, my work may lack the recognition it deserves. Although tutors often write comprehensive and personal narrative evaluations (only by request at Quest), to couple these with a letter grade is to provide a solid measurement of achievement. The hope is that tutors assign letter grades based on objective standards of the quality of our work, the effort we put into it, and whether we exceed the expectations of the course (for any student). This allows for a healthy amount of competition between students via more general comparisons, encouraging us to discuss our differing methods of study. Because of the potential for written evaluations to lack feedback prompted by objective standards, we should be assigned a letter grade and a written evaluation for each class we take at Quest.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

CAMPUS CULTURE

ARTS & CULTURE

THE MARK || B2

Have Quest parties gone too far?

Students and faculty discuss the need for a safer drinking environment
ing population and the continual availability of substances. With few local bars accessible, students should have a safe and monitored place to drink, like a student union bar. Megan Bulloch, a social science professor at Quest University, believes that there are dangers involved with these large parties and that an on-campus pub or bar would solve this problem. However, she acknowledges that Quest would struggle financially to support this venture. Quest students have started to venture to a local bar in Valleycliffe, the Cliffside Pub. The Cliffside has a karaoke night with two dollar drinks; however, this event takes place on a Tuesday evening. The students of Quest drop almost everything to attend, even if it is on a weeknight. As an off campus event, professors at Quest acknowledge that it is the students decision to drink on a Tuesday, but only if it does not affect their school work on the following day. Megan Bulloch says, Having ten beers and not being able to go CHARLES IMPEY & EVAN CROSS A stench of vomit and alcohol wafts through the room, waking me from my deep sleep. As my heavy eyelids part, I am blinded by light. Dazed and confused, I fall victim to my senses. This is the situation that some Quest students find themselves in on any average Saturday or Sunday morning. Quest students, after a long week of studying, search for a way to let off some steam. Normally, the students descend on an individuals condo to party. Due to the small and intimate community, the whole student body often knows about the parties and the condo turns into an anything-goes rager. Many students are worried about the dangers that accompany these school wide parties. Lindsay Eastwood, the founder of the Emergency First Response Team, believes that drinking on campus is a concern because of the grow-

to class the next day is an issue. Some students end up missing their classes on Wednesday. As students at Quest University, we acknowledge that letting loose is a major part of our university experience and it is almost essential after a hard week of studying. We have experienced Quest

parties firsthand, and as a result, know how out of control they can get. That being said, the students of Quest University should be proud of how they conduct themselves on a weekend. In a party with close to a hundred people, it is amazing that more damage is not done.

As the Quest student body continues to grow, parties will become larger, possibly to the extent that they no longer remain safe and fun. If this occurs, Quest will have to take action by creating a safer environment to drink and party.

Big man on campus

PROFILES

Polio survivor, family man, and undoubtedly Quests biggest fan

Dont worry about the quiet ones

Andrea Stokes, Quest librarian
JOSE COLORADO You see her every day. She quietly stands behind the librarys circulation desk with a stack of books in front of her in each direction, greeting her many visitors to the Quest library with a bright smile that even illuminates a drizzle filled gloomy Squamish day. She fits the stereotype of a small town quiet librarian, but her impact here has been anything but. Andrea Stokes grew up on a small farm in southwest Ontario, in a little town with a population of 350 people. A devoted and loving mother of two children, Stokes has been a part of the Quest library staff for just over a year now, and has helped bridge the gap between the Squamish community and Quest University. A 12-year resident of Squamish, Stokes has become a beacon of light for many Quest students who relocate to the little known Squamish community in the dark. Stokes regularly helps students with their research. [Considering] that Im a longtime resident of Squamish and many students come to Quest as visiting students, Im able to help connect them with resources within the Squamish community, said Stokes. Stokes, when asked what she noticed when moving from the local Squamish public library to the Quest library, said, [The Quest students] are all very welcoming, and are willing to share and be open to new ideas. Their energy and hope was really refreshing. Stokes realizes the potential that the Quest library could hold for Quest students. We can essentially become a secondary guide for the students if theyre made aware of us. Were a progressive resource, said Stokes. Stokes doesnt need to say a lot to show she embodies the Quest ideals. With a forward-looking resource like her on the Quest library staff, we need not worry about the quiet ones in class; lets just be thankful for this quiet one who guides them along the way.

PHOTO: Evan Cross

JACOB EZEKIAL SMITH As I grab shotgun in the white Chevy security truck and plop myself down onto deep blue cloth seats, Gerry beats me to the punch by asking a question Ive heard him ask countless times before. What can I do for ya, buddy? If there s a single quote that encompasses the man, it is this one. As he turns the key and cranks the ignition, the squeaky radiator responds to its queue, and we begin our strident cruise around campus.

Working 28 years as a supervisor for BC Rails Squamish location, Jerry has seen a lot come and go through Squamish. Similarly, after 6 years of patrolling the Quest campus, Gerry has seen a lot come and go through the campus as well, but he has noticed one constant: the family atmosphere. Were all part of a family [at Quest], whether youre an athlete or academic. As a part of the family, like at home where the family consists of a wife of 43 years, two children, and three grandchildren, Gerry has played the role of a father to many students, past and present.

It has become a common occurrence to spot Gerry sporting a green mustache and mohawk on the day of sports games. The tradition started three years ago when Jerry made a bet with a member of the Quest Varsity basketball team. I told em, if you get the win tonight, for the next game, Ill let you guys mohawk and dye me. The team got the win and thus the tradition began. With a jolly grin and a fist pound, Gerry drops me off and heads on his way. Duty calls. The family needs him.

Community Service Wine & Cheese Etiquette: 1.Dress well (avoid white clothing) 2.Bring wine, cheese or munchies 3.Put wine or cheese on table to share 4.When toasting, wrap arm around partner. Say: Oui, Oui! Hunh, Hunh! 5.If bringing beer, conceal in classy mug 6.Dont go home with your friends crush 7.Keep it classy

PHOTO: Hunter Robles

C1 || THE MARK
ATHLETICS

SPORTS & EVENTS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

Shooting for success Briefs

Mens and womens basketball teams secure playoff berths to provincial championships

Upcoming events at Quest

CALEAH DEAN & ALESSANDRO TERSIGINI

Spirit Cup
Grab your cleats and meet us on the soccer field for the latest event in our Quest Spirit Cup. Earn points for your building and floor by showing up from 8:00 to 9:00 PM this Thursday, Feb. 21st, for a friendly game of soccer. Additional points will be awarded to the members of winning teams.

Winter Carnival
PHOTO: Cassidy Osterling

Think cotton candy, a roving magician, and inflatable fun. The SRC invites you to our first Winter Carnival, complete with popcorn and arcade style games. This Saturday the 23rd in the Rec Plex from 3:00 to 7:00 PM.

The Vagina Monologues

This years production is my favorite set of monologues associated with V-Day. -Heather Harden JOHN FRANK & JOS COLORADO It has been a long and painful road for the Mens and Womens varsity basketball teams. But recently, both have a little more bounce in their stepand with good reason. For the first time in school history both of Quests basketball teams are dribbling their way to the provincial championships at Camosun College on February 28th. After finishing last season with the second worst record in the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) at 1-15, the Quest mens basketball team has bounced back with a 12-11 record and solidified third place in the league. Brodan Wedgie Evans Thiel, the fifth year power forward, attributes much of the teams success to an added year of experience, maturity, and a bevy of talented rookies that have brought a new level of skill to the team. To the members of the mens suad, who have endured some of the clubs darkest days, the playoff berth sheds a light of hope for the future. In my first year we didnt even have enough guys to have practice scrimmages most of the time because of injuriesit was ridiculous. Now three years later we have a full roster, have our first winning record, and are headed to playoffs. Thats one hell of a turnaround in a few years, said third year guard Jose Colorado. The womens basketball team also had a renaissance year. After squeezing into the post-season last year with a 9-7 record, they will be making their second trip to the playoffs following a team best record of 13-8. The team quickly adjusted to first year head coach Dany Charleys fast tempo playing style and hasnt looked back. Charley made the move from assistant coach of both mens and womens basketball teams last season, to full time head coach of the womens squad this past season. Third year forward Cynthia Lau remarks, Weve had a successful season so far, and the coaching definitely plays a large role in that. He knows that we are all capable players. He always tells us to just go out there, run, have fun, and play ball. The womens team will be facing The Vagina Monologues have been a Quest favorite since near the beginning. The event is meant to raise awareness surrounding violence against women, demonstrate the strength of female sexuality, and celebrate the positive relationships between men and woman. This years performance, entitled A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, and A Prayer, is a selection from around a hundred monologues compiled by Eve Ensler. The show takes place on the 14th and 15th of March in the MPR. Although The Vagina Monologues is, in the words of Heather Harden, a loaded title, students will find its not just a womens night, but a recognition of womens relationships to men, both good and bad.

Dancing Bear Music Festival

The day offers a chance to meet new people, enjoy the performances, and invite the Squamish community to share the sunshine. -Michael Albery-Powell Dancing Bear Music Festival is widely viewed as one of most exciting day of the year here at Quest University. This year the festival will take place on April 13th on the grassy hill in between the cafeteria and the academic building. For the last six years Quest students have enjoyed a day in April filled with music, food, dancing, and art, celebrating the end of their year and providing a day of hard earned fun. Students can expect this years Dancing Bear to be more centered around day time activities, and even look forward to a bouncy castle. If you need even more incentive to attend, gear up for Matre, Shook Twins, and the Funk Hunters, as well as other excellent current and former Quest student performers. Michael Albery-Powell, co-chair of the Dancing Bear Music Festival committee, says make sure to come out! It should be the best one so far.

In my first year we didnt even have enough guys to have practice scrimmagesit was ridiculous. Now three years later we have a full roster, have our first winning record, and are headed to playoffs. Thats one hell of a turnaround in a few years.
-third year guard Jose Colorado. On the womens side, four year captain Delainee Behrns seems like a lock to capture her first allstar berth after leading Quest in points (11.63) and assists (3.42) for this past season. For the men, fifth year vocal leader Jesse Mooch Norris and sharp shooter Jose Colorado seem like the most likely candidates to take league all-star honors. Norris recently was honored with the PACWEST player of the week award following his outstanding week 11 league play.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University in the first round of the playoffs, a team that has defeated the Kermodes twice this past season already. We have to approach [the playoffs] one game at a timejust like any game. We just have to play the game weve been playing so far by keeping it basic and well be fine, said fourth year starter Soraya Jung. Individual accolades will surely follow for members on both squads after their historic years.

Colorado, nicknamed silentiso-Joe by his teammates, has been on a scoring binge all season long, finishing fourth in PACWEST scoring (19.25) and 10th in the Canadian College Athletic Association (CCAA). Both teams look to capture the first playoff wins in Quest history on February 28th. The women tip off at 6:00pm against the Kwantlen Eagles, followed by the mens team against the host Camosun Chargers at 8:00pm.

Cabaret
Its kind of the most fantastic, impressive event at Quest. Its one of the big events that people look forward to every year. -Brad Klees This year, a single night will be filled with dance, music, art, and more, all done in the theme of reflection. For two years, Cabaret has been a night for the Quest community to gather together and share their talents and creativity. Join us for this third year of Cabaret magic at the beginning of April in an undisclosed location. More information concerning time and place will be released at a later date.