Health & Safety Week and Emergency Preparedness Week

by Sandy McKinley, Health and Safety Coordinator

May 2-8, 2010 has been designated as this year’s North American Occupational Safety and Health Week. This year’s slogan and theme focus is: “Safety & Health: A Commitment for Life – How Safe Are You?”

The goal of this year’s Health and Safety Week activities and events is to focus the attention of employees, students and the general public on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace, at home and in the community and to prepare for emergencies.

We strive to:

• Increase understanding of the importance of occupational health and safety.

• Improve attitudes towards safety and increase cooperation

• Raise awareness of the role and contribution of health and safety employees and committees.

• Foster a safety-minded culture

• Provide tools and information to assist you in preparing for an emergency at work or at home.

Watch for upcoming events/concourse/atrium displays/information/draws/prizes for that week.

Visit Douglas College Occupational Health & Safety! Read more...

Love has no guarantees in Italian American Reconciliation

by Lori Kittelberg

Boy gets girl is no simple task in Italian American Reconciliation, the latest production by the Theatre and Stagecraft & Event Technology departments at Douglas College.

“It’s no longer that easy because the boy hurts from being a man and the girl hates men. But they long for love and intimacy and are determined to figure things out,” says director Stephen Drover.

In Italian American Reconciliation by John Patrick Shanley, the writer of Doubt and Moonstruck, Huey is divorced from his first wife, Janice, who shot his dog and even took aim at him. Though Huey has found a new love, Teresa, he feels he can’t regain his manhood unless he woos and wins back Janice one more time.

The concept of romance gone wrong is a familiar one. Indeed, Drover, of Pound of Flesh Theatre Company, calls Italian American Reconciliation “the Romeo and Juliet of our time.”

However, Drover notes that the standout question this particular production asks is: “What will you spend on love?”

“I think we tend to find comfort in the belief that love is something we all deserve and have a right to. I think perhaps we live in an age of entitlement where earning something as noble and pure as love does not register too much on our radar.

“The characters eventually learn that it’s not that easy: you gotta spend some, nothing’s for free and there are no guarantees. That’s a hard pill to swallow,” says Drover.

See Italian American Reconciliation at the Douglas College Laura C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre, New Westminster Campus, 700 Royal Avenue, March 25-April 2. Shows on March 25, 26, 27, 30, 31, April 1, 2 at 7:30pm, March 27 at 2pm and March 29 at noon. Purchase tickets in advance through the Massey Ticket Centre online or by calling 604-521-5050. Tickets can be purchased (cash-only) at the door, subject to availability. Tickets for the March 27 performances will be sold for $7.50 as part of World Theatre Day. For more information about the production, contact 604-527-5723. Read more...

Volleyball, pool and a rumble

The Centre for Campus Life is hosting some great events this month, and all employees are invited to join in the fun. Don't miss out!

Can you dig it?
Why wait till summer for beach volleyball? The Centre for Campus Life is hosting a 3-on-3 volleyball tournament on March 31 at the Town Centre Park Volleyball Courts (across from the David Lam Campus in Coquitlam). All are welcome! Register online, or contact Scott Fraser-Dauphinee on GroupWise for more info.

The Gerry Watson Pool Show
Come see Canada's #1 billiard entertainer in action, challenge the 3-time Canadian champ and have your mind blown by outrageous trick shots. March 23, 12:30-2:30pm in the DSU Upper Lounge - free food included! No registration required. Check out Gerry Watson's website or call 604-527-5005 for more info.

Royals Rumble
You won't want to miss the biggest REC event of the year! For 3 hours of mayhem on April 7, your team of 7-10 students or staff will be in for an afternoon of sports that you won't forget. Teams will play a mini-tournament in 3 sports (basketball, volleyball, Indoor Soccer) and the best overall team will have bragging rights until next year. Great prizes for the winners and best team outfits will be awarded. Register online or contact Khalid Ahmed on GroupWise for more info. Read more...

Summer Web Registration for College Employees

Summer 2010 registration for College Employees begins on March 25 at 9am. College employees can receive an earlier registration time by contacting Cheryl Smith in Student Records via GroupWise. Please include your name and student number.

To qualify for a Summer Employee Registration time, you must be an active student at Douglas College (tip: active students already have a summer registration time showing in the online student registration system).

If you have never attended Douglas College as a student, or you are no longer considered an active student (ie. you have not attended courses for the past three semesters), please complete an Application/Re-application for Admission form at the Registrar’s office. Remember to identify yourself as a college employee when applying.

NOTE: All applicants and re-applicants must meet the Douglas College Entrance Requirement of English 12 with a minimum grade of "C" or equivalent.

Once admitted as a student for the summer semester, please contact Cheryl Smith to request the College Employee earlier registration time.

Please contact Employee Relations if you would like more information about your eligibility for fee exemptions and Education Training and Accord funding. Read more...

Doug's Got Talent - Vote Now!

by Leah Poulton

After four months and nearly 100 entries, the top ten finalists have been selected for the Doug's Got Talent video contest. Now, it's up to you to decide who wins the grand prizes of $4,000 in tuition. Vote now! Read more...

The Suicide promises laughs, music and madness

by Lori Kittelberg

Need a laugh? You could find it somewhere unexpected.

The Suicide, the latest production by the Douglas College Theatre and Stagecraft & Event Technology departments, opens on March 19. The comedy about things that really aren’t funny is a feast of gypsy bands, funeral marches and plate-smashing madness.

“The Suicide makes me laugh and empathize and eventually reflect upon the comedy implicit in my own struggles. I find such things to be of personal benefit,” says director John Cooper.

The play, written by Nikolai Erdman in late 1920s communist Russia, tells the story of Semyon Semyonovich, an unemployed man who after a disagreement with his wife, locks himself in the bathroom. His wife mistakenly assumes he is suicidal. As word spreads of Semyon’s desire for death, he is swept up in the idea of becoming a hero and agrees to kill himself during a banquet held in his honour.

“The themes of powerlessness, valuelessness, fear, frustration, and feeling unseen and unheard are as timely to us here today as they would have been then, had this play not been banned from performance in the Soviet Union,” says Cooper.

So where does the humour come in?

“Though dark in content, this play takes form in comic farce. Though ultimately not without a small dark, ironic edge, it speaks to the resiliency of the human spirit,” Cooper explains.

See The Suicide at the Studio Theatre (room 4100) at the New Westminster Campus of Douglas College, 700 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, March 19-27. Shows on March 19, 20, 23, 24, 24, 26 and 27 at 7:30pm, March 22 at noon and March 27 at 2pm. Tickets $7.50-$15. Purchase tickets in advance through the Massey Ticket Centre online or by calling 604-521-5050. Tickets can be purchased (cash-only) at the door, subject to availability. Tickets for the March 27 performances will be sold for $7.50 as part of World Theatre Day. For more information about the production, contact 604-527-5723. Read more...

College employees lend a hand to food bank

by Hazel Postma

Sorting through boxes of food, checking “best-buy dates” and divvying up diapers was how a group of David Lam employees spent a recent evening.

Patricia Juvik, Lexie Flasch, Fran Barlow, Coleen Brown, Delores MacNeil, Judi Webber, Tannya Cranna, Carole Huckin, Kathy Rai and Hazel Postma volunteered to work at the Food Bank in Port Moody as a way of contributing to the community while sharing time with colleagues. For two hours the group sorted hundreds of food items from cereal boxes to cans of tuna, from diapers to baby food and even sub-dividing sacks of sugar and bags of coffee beans. Some of the group paused to enjoy pizza while others kept working, determined to finish sorting all of the food that would be needed for the weekly food bank.

The Douglas College contingent enjoyed the physical labour, the chance to meet colleagues from different departments and the sense of satisfaction as the crates of food piled up towards the ceiling. More than 1,000 people use the Food Banks in the TriCities each month, many of them women with young children. Read more...

40th anniversary celebrations update

by Sean Kelly, Marketing & Operations Manager
Communications and Marketing Office

2010 is the 40th anniversary of Douglas College's first year of operations.

In September 1970, there were no College buildings to speak of, and faculty and students were rushing around the district trying to find classes taking place in about 20 different community halls, church basements and schools.

There are many colorful stories worth telling from that rocky start. In the coming weeks and months, there will be opportunities for everyone to join together to recall the College's beginnings and to celebrate the pioneering spirit that made us what we are today.

To help set the stage for anniversary festivities this fall, several initiatives are already underway:

Doug's Got Talent video contest

Our 40th anniversary video contest - "Doug's Got Talent" - showcases the incredible talents, skills and diversity of our students. We asked Douglas students, high school students and anyone else who'd like to study at Douglas to submit a video of their talent for a chance to win a grand prize of a year's free tuition starting in Fall 2010. We got an amazing response - nearly 100 entries! A 9-person selection committee of employees and students shortlisted the entries to 10 finalists. Now, 3 grand prize winners will be decided by public vote. We encourage all Douglas employees to see the 10 finalist videos and cast your vote at douglascollege.ca/talent.

Say What? posters

During the Fall 2009 Week of Welcome, we talked to dozens of Douglas students about their passions, their curiosities and their definitions of success. We took some of the best fun and serious responses and created these special 40th anniversary posters:

The posters will be available soon.

Logo

See the Douglas College 40th anniversary logo.

Letterhead and note pads

The 40th anniversary letterhead and note pads are now available at the Print Shop.

Concourse decorations

The concourse at New Westminster and the atrium at David Lam will both get a 40th anniversary face-lift in the coming months - keep your eyes peeled.

40th anniversary email signature

Coming soon.

Powerpoint template

Coming soon.

Portable college banners

Coming soon.

Read more...

Event book sale: two weeks to go!

by Ian Cockfield, Managing Editor, Event Magazine

Event magazine's popular annual fundraiser book sale is set for March 22 - 25 in the Concourse at the New Westminster campus. It's a great chance to stock up on books, movies and music -- and support Douglas College's award-winning literary journal at the same time.

Event would appreciate any donations of books, CDs, VHS, DVDs and magazines for the fundraising sale -- it's a nice opportunity to get a start on some spring cleaning!

Please drop off any donations in front of the Faculty of Language, Literature and Performing Arts Office, room 3308A, at the New West campus, or send them via intercampus mail to the Event office, room 3322, New West. If you have questions, please contact Event at 604-527-5293 or email Event.

We thank you for your kind donations and support over the years, and look forward to seeing you all in March at Event 's annual book sale. Read more...

Environmental economics research

Economist makes a ‘desperate call’

by Lori Kittelberg
inside editor

Economics instructor Charles Odoom jokes that his passion for the environment can make for a lonely life.

“I’m an economist, but I think our economic theories are whacked. I’m a lone wolf,” says Charles, who is researching environmental economics – namely, how we can modify our lifestyles in order to help, rather than harm the environment.

Charles received Scholarly Activity Funds to support his research. He is planning to attend either the Global Studies Journal Conference in Busan, South Korea or the Recognizing Value Conference in Johannesburg later this year to present his findings.

He has found inspiration in the “green horizontal” approach to economics and the environment practiced in New Zealand, where traditional Maori ways often come into play when it comes to making the country’s practices more sustainable. Charles says if the West would embrace more of the traditions of its First Nations, it could help modify our economic theories and better our environment.

Charles is also a fan of the urban growth boundary in Portland, Oregon, which limits urban sprawl and preserves green space. However, these types of initiatives go against the dominant economic theories, he says.

“If you look through the theories we currently follow, they’re based on producing more stuff. And we can see with our own eyes that this is wrong and not just here in Canada. I’ve been going to China for eight years. When I started going there, the public transportation was good. Now there are so many cars, it’s nearly impossible to get around,” says Charles.

Rather than focus on large gestures like buying carbon offsets for flying, he believes modifying our lifestyles individually by doing things such as cycling more and driving less, reducing the amount of meat we eat and even flushing our toilets less, can make a difference.

“Mine is a desperate call. We’re too comfortable in what we’re doing now.” Read more...

Swap-o-rama-rama!

Why buy new when you can Swap-o-rama-rama? On Saturday, March 13, come to Swap-o-rama-rama at the David Lam Campus Main Atrium. Bring at least one bag of clothes you no longer want, collect a bag of clothes you do want from the swap pile, and decorate, sew and silkscreen your new-to-you finds at this free event.

Not crafty? Not to worry. Local artists, including fibre artists, sewers, silk screeners and fabric painters, will lead Do-it-Yourself Workshops where you can learn how to do anything from making minor modifications to completely transforming your new clothes. All the materials you need will be supplied. There will even be a red carpet where you can show off your new creations.

There will also be entertainment, featuring live music from indie bands and local musicians, including Douglas students.

Swap-o-rama-rama – swaporamarama.org – is a non-profit organization that started in the U.S. A free silk-screening machine is being provided for the event through one of the organization’s sponsors, Yudu, and Jenome Canada is supplying 15 sewing machines for use by participants. Douglas College is co-sponsoring Swap-o-rama-rama with ArtsConnect.

"This is kind of a wild event and a great community builder. We're hoping to bring Douglas students, local artists and the whole community together to share our stuff, our talents and our collective desire to consume less and create more,” says Jillian Hull, a Douglas instructor and ArtsConnect board member.

“Everyone is welcome. In fact, since the event is really created by the people who participate in it, anyone who would like to volunteer for this event can connect with us,” Hull adds.

Swap-o-rama-rama is being held in the Main Atrium at the David Lam Campus of Douglas College, 1250 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, from 11am-4pm. To find out about volunteering or for more information on the event, contact Jillian Hull at hullj@douglas.bc.ca or Helen Daniels at info@artsconnect.ca Read more...

New Academic Health Care Foundations courses prep ESL students for Health Sciences programs

A new set of courses at Douglas College will better ensure that English as a Second Language students are prepared for Health Sciences programs.

“Our overarching goal is to ensure their success in these programs and reduce the frustration level of these students, their classmates and the faculty members,” says Laura Blumenthal (left), coordinator of Academic Health Care Foundations (ACHF).

Classes for AHCF starts begin in May. But planning for the courses began in 2007. AHCF grew out of an ESL program for Health Care Support Worker students that ran from 1996-2006, after the Faculty of Health Sciences determined that it needed a broader program that would meet the needs of students interested in any one of its programs.

AHCF students, who must have advanced-level ESL skills to be accepted, will learn from health care-related materials. Without English-language learning specific to the health care field, applicants to programs in the Health Sciences Faculty may have the required level of English – a B in English 12 – but lack exposure to vocabulary, reading or listening materials, writing or speaking in the health care field, says Blumenthal.

“ESL students I have spoken with are quite excited about the prospect of getting a jump on the English they will need in order to practice the professions they are aiming for,” says Blumenthal. Read more...