THEVOICE | 6 LSU needs more of this Te Langara Students’ Union's lack of transparency to the student body over the years was unprecedented and unac- ceptable. In early November, the LSU put up a new website where there are designated sec- tions for meet- ing minutes and annual reports. This is a good move. However, these sections, at the time of this publication, read “coming soon.” Since the stu- OPINION ADAM dents keep the LEVI LSU running through their student fees, it is unethical for the organization to withhold informa- tion regarding the LSU’s finances. But thanks to B.C.’s Societ- ies Act — that legally obligates all non-profit organizations to publish meeting minutes and financial re- cords — the LSU is being forced to take a step in the right direction with the new website. Other schools such as BCIT, SFU, UVic, Douglas College, UBC and Kwantlen Polytechnic Uni- versity all publish financial records online. However, Langara is one of the few student unions that has not made records public. Members of the LSU have shut out The Voice reporters from meet- ings and have stonewalled reporters in their attempts to contact board members. It doesn't look good when other universities are showing these kinds of records while Langara’s Student Union stands isolated in its secrecy. Secrecy is a breeding ground for scandal. In 2006, Kwantlen’s student gov- ernment was marred by a financial scandal involving alleged misappro- priation of student funds up to $2 million. Any incidents like these should not be occurring on any campus at any time and increased transparency would ensure that would never hap- pen. The more we know about what is going in the LSU in terms of finances and meetings, the more trusting the student body will be towards it. THURSDAY, NOV. 8, 2018 | An open dialogue between stu- dents and the LSU could go a long way to mending the organization's reputation. A new website might be a small step, but it's a welcome one and will help students learn about other ser- vices the LSU provides. EDITOR DESIREE GARCIA ; ‘ ie ya a s A chair, fire, a book and time to read: A stress. RENA MEDOW ILLUSTRATION Viewpoints *% dh "A inad reading break introduced into Langara's fall semester would go a long way to alleviating increasing amounts of student — On = Give students a fall break angara students deserve a break — or more specifi- cally, a fall reading break. While the majority of have Canadian universities in- troduced a fall break into their course — sched- ules, colleges seem to be lag- ging behind And Langara is one of them. The need for better stress OPINION management is ————————— growing. The NATHAN pressure to suc- DUREC ceed in school, to find a career, and to live a “happy” life is leading students to higher and higher levels of stress. There is a lot to be stressed about. Entry-level jobs demand work ex- perience that students may be un- able to attain while in school, rent increases are making many stu- dents’ living situations precarious and this is before we even get to the pressures of family to succeed in school. In a study published in the De- cember 2017 Psychological Bulletin, researchers found students from Canada, the U.S. and the United Kingdom have had a 33 per cent increase in stress-associated per- fectionist behaviours. That same study pointed to changes in paren- tal practices brought on by a culture of meritocracy that has fuelled the build-up of stress among students. HealthLink BC states stress can lead to physical ailments, such as pain or a [— weakened im- mune system. It can also contribute to “If you're a student struggling witha However, take a quick trip down to Langara’s counselling depart- ment and you will find a wait time of two to four weeks just to get in. By the time anyone is able to see a counsellor, the symptoms associ- ated with stress have had that much more time to increase. The college can do more to help — out its student body and a fall reading break can be a part of this roblems with solution. sleep, and lead full course load, Yes, there to more seri- a compromised are issues ous mental . to iron out. illnesses like Immune system, Langara must depression. If youre a stu- dent strug- gling with a full course load, a com- promised im- sleep deprivation, or fighting symptoms of depression, stress can become compounded.” commit to a minimum number of instructional days. The ad- dition of a fall reading break would mean mune system, sleep depriva- ‘— tion, or fighting symptoms of de- pression, stress can become com- pounded. There is a lot that students can do to help themselves become less stressed. Talking about stress can be an important first step. — having to find other places in the schedule to make up for this loss of time in the middle of the fall semester. However, it can happen. When the University of Alberta implemented its fall reading break in 2014, they were able to keep the same number of instructional min- utes and did not have to change their fall semester starting date. Creating a permanent fall read- ing break will give students the much-needed recovery time they need to ensure they are set to suc- ceed. ‘This should be the primary focus of any educational institution be- cause when their students succeed, it makes a school a desirable place to learn. Langara should follow the example of so many other Canadian schools and implement a fall read- ing break so that their students get a better grip on their mental health. We want to hear from you Have a different point of view? Write to us. Have a concern with something we've said? Let us know. Think we got a fact wrong? Tell us. Journalism instructor Barry Link oversees The Voice. Email: blink@langara.be.ca The Voice is pub- lished by Langara College’s joumalism department. Editorial opinions are those of the staff and are independent of views of the student government and administration. We welcome letters to the editor. They may be edited for brevity. Your letter must in- clude your name and phone number. Room A226 Langara College 604-323-5396 The Voice 100 West 49th Ave. thevoice@langara. 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