ampus hews EDITOR CHANTELLE DEACON THE VOICE, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30, 2016 3 Students seek a salt marsh A program at Langara has students using their education to promote posi- tive environmental change By BONNIE LEE LA MADELEINE the city to establish a salt marsh in False Creek to help purify the water in the area so boating and swimming become safer. Low is a member of one of the five student teams in Langara’s environ- mental studies program who show- cased ideas for solving some of Van- couver’s social and _ ecological challenges yesterday. These students are part of environ- mental studies 2100, a collaborative program between Langara and Cit- yStudio, a project school that demon- states innovation and sustainability on the ground in municipalities and com- munities. Langara instructor Andrew Egan oversees the students’ participation in the program. “We develop projects that are asso- ciated with the Greenest City Action Plan or the Healthy City Strategy,” Egan said. CityStudio then matches the students up Mt RSH acts Lives student Nicole Low wants with a city staff member who mentors them through the fi- nal parts of the HM Asalt marshis a program. coastal ecosystem The projects within an interidal this year tackled zone that is regularly flooded by seawater. illegal mattress dumping, sus- tainable garden- ing, container Ho They can also act as farming and nurseries for many fish. technological solutions for charging — elec- MH Salt marsh plants tric cars, and can store pollutants biodiversity, which is Low’s team project. “We got the idea by looking at other — salt marshes in the area,” Low said. Her team also secured interest from local ele- mentary schools as part of the project. Soares: Three of the FALSE CREEK SALT MARSH teams will get the chance to pitch their project this Friday at CityStudio where they will compete with teams from four other schools. “Langara always does well at these events,” Jeanie Morton, the Campus Network Manager from CityStudio, said; she spent the afternoon watching and asking questions to help the teams improve their pitches for Friday. “Two years ago Langara won and the city adopted the dog-waste solu- tion,” Egan said. “Last year, a team project was used as evidence to sup- port a bid to increase recycling options in parks.” Several of the proposals pitched yes- terday interested Morton. “The fronds and salt water marsh development projects are interesting,” she said. “They are both projects that make the abstract issues more real and actionable for people in the communi- ties.” in their roots and in the sediment. HE These plants help filter the water and improve water quality. HM Salt marshes provide habitat and protection for different animals and sea life. Sex assault policy review Langara asked for student input to help formulate a new approach By JESSICA PURVER embers of Langara’s Sexual Violence Working Group are in the final stages of drafting the school’s new sexual as- sault policy. Since the beginning of the term, the group — made up of instructors, staff and a student representative - con- ducted campus-wide consultations to receive student feedback and shape the Sexual Violence and Misconduct Polli- cy. Members will be meeting next week to review the policy with consideration to student input. In November, online questionnaires and focus groups were advertised to engage students, although the results of the consultations have not yet been officially determined. Nancy Pollak, instructor of women’s studies and member of the working group, believes it’s important that the school’s approach is student-centred. “Our process in having those stu- dent focus groups was to hear from stu- dents, how they’re talking about it, how they’re framing it, how they’re ex- periencing these issues of what to do when [...] something really scary hap- pens,” Pollak said. “How do I talk about it, who can I talk to about it.” Deborah Schratter, Langara commu- nications officer, reached out to stu- dents across all platforms. “Our goal is to let as many students as possible know [about the policy],” she said. “I’m trying to keep it pretty transparent because I do think that having the student voice is important.” Schratter said the group is looking for patterns from student feedback. For example, she said some students hope the policy will be offered in many dif- ferent languages. “It’s really going to be dependent on [feedback],” she said. “If what I hear back from the students is they want to see more specific events on campus, then that’s what we’re going to be thinking about.” For student representative Janine Sicotte, the next steps for the group will be to engage with students and ad- vertise available services. “What I would really like is to see [the policy] just be really visible,” she said. “That’s kind of the next step - how we actually get to do the outreach and education portion.” “Tt creates awareness of what is and what is not okay for them,” Sicotte said. “That is the beginning of chang- ing the culture and the behaviour.” The policy group will meet on Dec. 5 to review and revise the draft. L JANINE SICOTTE Student representative 66 That is the begin- ning of changing the culture and the behaviour Lost not found and put up for sale Langara students and staff hunting for bargains at the charity lost and found sale on Tuesday in Building A. Langara sells lost and found items never claimed, and puts proceeds towards bursaries and charities By LAUREN BOOTHBY semester, but he found a cheap one Tuesday morning. The Langara College United Way Campaign hosted a lost and found sale in the Building A foyer. Last year the sale raised around one thousand dol- lars for the charity. Hall is one of the many students who took advantage of the sale including umbrellas, USB sticks, books, clothing, electronics and some unusual items. But Steven Hall, a psychology stu- dent, was interested in a more practical purchase. “T got an umbrella for $2.50, which is what I love,” he said. “I probably lose S=: Hall loses an umbrella every an umbrella every semester. It’s kind of like paying-it-forward, I guess.” Jackie Scheepbouwer, who works in human resources at Langara, helped organize the event. She said there were a couple strange items this year. “There’s a vibrating seat cushion over there. I think that’s pretty strange,” she said. “We try to sell any- thing. We make money _ for a great charity.” za Les Apouchtine, from —_ Langara’s registrar’s of- fice, was sur- prised the cushion had not been purchased. “How much more comfort- able would class with your own mas- chair?” he said. “Re- lax yourself while you’re writing an exam. You’re going to ace your test for sure!” Apouchtine said children’s “be sage skis and set of coasters stood out to him. “Why you’re walking around with coasters, I don’t know,” he said. Josie Pearce, recreation leadership student, said she came hoping to find a skateboard helmet she turned in last week, but it was not there be- ) cause the owner has a year to claim it. Pearce lost a few of her own items on campus. “T lose [things] every- where,” she said. “Sweaters and stuff. I don’t know where half my stuff goes so I’m assuming some of it is left here.” Pearce picked up a USB stick for herself. “Tll_ probably lose it again, though,” she said. “I lost my last ” VIDEO at langaravoice.ca 66 I lose [things] ev- erywhere, sweaters and stuff. I don’t know where half my stuff goessol’m assuming some of it is left here. JOSIE PEARCE LANGARA STUDENT