Campus News Briefs

Security threat slated for April Fools’ Day

As of press time at 10 a.m. on April 1, a threat of violence scheduled for the day has proven empty.

The threat, warning of a shooting on April 1, was discovered on a bathroom wall on Monday, March 23.

But after police deemed the threat low risk, the university remained open with classes as usual on Wednesday.

The U of W has implemented several security upgrades since a similar threat in September 2007.

Read more about the threat on The Uniter blogs, uniter.ca/blog/entry/682.

U-Pass back from the dead

The U-Pass is once again back on the negotiating table for local post-secondary institutions.

The U-Pass would provide all university students with a bus pass funded by a mandatory yearly student levy.

After giving up on the pass last year, the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA) met with University of Winnipeg administration, the University of Manitoba Student Union (UMSU), Red River College and Winnipeg Transit in February to discuss the pass.

A collaboration between several post-secondary institutions is necessary to make the pass feasible.

The group is also investigating the possibility of government subsidies.

If funding is secured, students will vote on the initiative via referendum.

Budget bad news for U of W

t’s tight financial times for the University of Winnipeg. The recently released provincial budget gave Manitoba’s post-secondary institutions a six per cent increase in operating grants and strategic initiatives, roughly half of what the University of Winnipeg was hoping for.

The university is suffering from a shortfall due to market losses, as well as a recent court order to pay back the $8 million they withdrew from the university’s pension plan in 2001 and 2002.

Administrators are now picking up the slack with a $250,000 pay cut.

The word is still out on whether Doer will increase tuition for Manitoba students next fall, which would help the U of W get back on its feet.

U of W prof helps spread the joy of math

University of Winnipeg professor Vaclav Linek is the editor of a Canadian Mathematical Society publication read the world over.

Crux Mathematicorum with Mathematical Mayhem connects the global math community through mathematical puzzles for all levels, as experts around the world send mind-twisters or puzzle solutions to the paper.

The problems range from Grade 7 difficulty level to mathematical genius levels, reported the Winnipeg Free Press.

Try some of the puzzles at journals.cms.math.ca/crux/.

Students quit meat for a week

Last week, a University of Winnipeg student group challenged their peers to stop eating animal products for a week—and 60 students took it up.

Ecological People In Action (EcoPIA) partnered with nutritionist Lisa Begg from Klinic Student Health Services to host the Vegetarian/Vegan Challenge, daring students to go vegetarian (no meat) or vegan (no animal products at all) from March 23 to 30.

“It’s about an actual desire to experiment with one’s diet, to find a healthy life path, and also to raise awareness of what is in our food and where it’s coming from,” said Karen McDonald, a challenge organizer.

The group provided information and healthy eating advice for students during the week.

The event culminated with a free vegan lunch catered by Mondragon Bookstore and Coffeehouse on March 30.

Published in Volume 63, Number 26 of The Uniter (April 2, 2009)

Related Reads