What’s Happening On Campus?

Welcome from your Students’ Association! | July/August

In this issue: (Click to skip)
Have you found that great summer job yet?
Consign your used books for $$$ back!
Health and Dental? We’ve got you covered all summer long!
Welcome some of SAMRU’s new staff!
Do you need support over the spring and summer?
Stay in touch with the SAMRU!
Wondering what your executives been up to so far?
Growing a community
Summer with Shakespeare
SAMRU Event Highlights
SAMRU & MRU in the News

Still looking for summer work?

Well it’s half-way through the summer already, and while most students have found their summer jobs, many students are still struggling – and are worried about returning to classes in the fall.

If you find yourself in that position, or just find yourself underemployed this summer, you’re not alone. While Alberta’s unemployment rate is improving, Calgary’s is still worsening, according to a June 8th Calgary Herald article, leaving students and other groups with higher unemployment rates not much better off than last summer.

If you’re worried about returning to fall, remember that your SAMRU does offer small micro-loans in the form of our Emergency Student Loan program. These loans are designed to tide you over until that last paycheque comes in, or your student loans are processed. This program is administered through the Peer Support Centre, located on the second floor of Wyckham House. The centre is open during the summer (with reduced hours) so give them a call for an appointment to get some helpful advice. They can also be a great help when it comes to budgeting and learning about financial resources available to students.

Your summer down-time is also a great chance to get ahead – the Peer Support Centre has free textbooks if you want to spend your time getting a kickstart on the Fall Semester’s classes, and CopyWrite has used books for sale if you want a bargain over regular bookstore prices. Additionally, what a great time to get ahead on your scholarship and award applications! While the E-award deadline is months away, that shouldn’t stop you from chatting up your references or writing the first draft of your essay or application. If you’re thinking of attending a conference or doing a semester or work term abroad, start reading up on the Membership Development Fund as well.

So, if you’re getting bored of sitting on the couch, put down your game controller, and take advantage of this time – you won’t have spare time when classes start in the fall!

Related links:
SAMRU employment opportunities >>
MRU Career Services >>
SAMRU E-Awards >>
SAMRU Membership Development Fund >>
SAMRU Peer Support Centre >>

Used book consignment

Now that exams are over, are you wondering what to do with those used textbooks you can’t imagine reading again? Bring them down to CopyWrite in the basement of Wyckham House – and consign your books! What is used book consignment? Simply put, you set the price, CopyWrite sells your books and you get back 75% of the listed price. What does this mean for you? More money! Since you set the price, you have the opportunity to make some major cash once your books sell, and with our new system, getting money back is faster than it ever was before. If you have already put your books on consignment, don’t forget to check back with the CopyWrite in case you have a cheque waiting!

We’ve got you covered!

Over the spring and summer semesters, you’re covered through the SAMRU! Health and dental coverage that is!

SAMRU’s Student Health and Dental Plan covers you all summer long – your coverage lasts until August 31st, 2010. For those of you who are returning in the fall – no worries! For those of you who aren’t, remember to take care of some of your health and dental needs before your coverage runs out. For more information about your health care coverage please check out our Health and Dental page or visit the Student Benefits Plan Office in the basement of Wyckham House in room Z001.

For those of you who opted-out of your Student Health and Dental Plan, your opt-out cheques are available for pick up now! Pick up your cheques in the Student Benefits Plan Office – hours are 9am-4pm, Monday through Friday. Please bring photo ID to pick up your cheque.

Learn more >>

New staff at SAMRU!

The SAMRU is happy to welcome new staff members filling administrator roles in the AccessAbility Centre, Diversity Centre, and the Student Outreach & Safewalk program. When you come back to MRU in the fall, please be sure to welcome Stephanie Nault, who will be joining us in the AccessAbility Centre, Jonathan Heath-Smith who will be leading the Diversity Centre, and Rahul Bali along with Best Agofure who will be administering the Safewalk and Student Outreach program.

The new administrators will start in their roles part-time starting August 15th, and will be recruiting for volunteers in September. If you are interested in volunteering with SAMRU, make sure to swing by the reception office when you’re back in September and pick up an application. In the meantime, you can learn more about the centres by visiting the Support Services page on our website. You can also check out some of the cool events our centres host by taking a look at some of the photos on our Facebook photo album!

Congratulations also to Stephanie Kusnick, who will be taking over for Kellie in the Peer Support Centre while Kellie is on maternity leave. Stephanie is a familiar face around the SAMRU, as last year she was the AccessAbility Administrator. Stephanie is working full-time in the PSC, and is your go-to contact for things like the SAMRU’s Emergency Student Loan program, Free Textbook program, Good Food Box, and a range of other services available over the summer.

Need support?

If you find yourself in need of support even after classes are over, the Peer Support Centre is here to help you throughout the spring and summer.
If you need an Emergency Student Loan, access to food resources, or just need a friendly and supportive ear to listen – the Peer Support Centre is open on the second floor of Wyckham House. Please call 403-440-8601 or email the Peer Support Centre at psc@samru.ca to find out how we can help!

Some of the programs that continue throughout the entire year include:
• Emergency Student Loan
• Calgary Interfaith and Student Emergency Food Banks
• Good Food Box
• Bus Tickets
• Free Textbooks
• Referrals
• Peer Support

Learn more >>

Stay in touch!

Even though you might not be on campus much over the spring and summer, dont forget to stay in touch with the SAMRU - to find out about what we can offer current and future students (as well as alumni!) over the break, and once classes are back in session this fall.

Consider joining our Facebook Fan page or send a quick and ask to be put on our mailing list! Check back to see What’s Happening or check our our calendar for information on different events! Dont forget, we also tweet regularly, so if you just want to connect in 140 characters or less - follow us, and we’ll follow back!

Stay in touch via Facebook >>

Bookmark What’s Happening! >>

Tweet away! >>

Open for business

Yes, that’s right – while you’re working hard over the summer, so is your SAMRU. Your elected executives work full-time alongside the team of staff that support them, and the summer is busy with planning and organizing. New incoming executives also have a period of transition from the outgoing executive to help them adjust to their new roles supporting MRU students.

Some of the things your SA has been up to so far this summer:

May 3-4
Executive Council off-campus meetings
The outgoing Executive Council attended meetings in Edmonton at the beginning of May.

May 5-9
Executive Council off-campus meetings
The outgoing Executive Council along with the incoming Executive Council attended the ASEC 2010 meeting in Edmonton at the beginning of May. ASEC is the Alberta Students’ Executive Council and works “to create a strong, accessible and responsive post-secondary education system for Alberta.”

May 11
Executive Transition Wine and Cheese
Although your student executives are elected (or re-elected) every year, the SAMRU just keeps going. The transition is made easier because outgoing executive help transition their successors into their new roles.

May 14
Delegates from CASA West met in Wyckham House for their transition conference.

May 16
New executive first official day of work!
In mid-May your new executive took office. Robert Jones was elected President, transitioning from VP External to the top job, Eily Sweeney kept her position as VP Student Life, Meghan Melnyk was your 2009-2010 Health and Community Studies Representative and was elected as your VP External, while Anna Piltingsrud was your Commissioner to the VP Academic last year, and will be your 2010-2011 VP Academic.

May 17-20
Executive Council transitioning retreat
As part of the work that goes towards transitioning outgoing executives and transitioning incoming executives, your Executive Council along with senior SAMRU management went out of town for a working retreat.

May 21
Outgoing executive last official day of work!
Say a fond farewell to Travis McIntosh (President 2009-2010) and Erin Delamont (VP Academic 2009-2010) as May 21st was their last official day of work as part of the Executive Committee of SAMRU.

June 5-12
CASA Conference
Your Executive Council President and VP External attended this week-long annual conference in

Charlottown, PEI. Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) advocates “for students through policy development and research, awareness campaigns, government relations, and partnerships with other stakeholders.”

June 17-20
ASEC Executive Council Retreat
Your SAMRU President and VP External were at a retreat for a few days in June. Learn more about ASEC at their website.

June 21-23
Planning Retreat
During June all of your SAMRU staff and executive members spent some intense time out at Rafter 6 Ranch strategizing for the upcoming 2010-2011 academic year.

June 23-26
Leaders Hall Conference
Hot on the heels of our own planning retreat, the four members of your SAMRU executive council attended a conference in Calgary.

Check out our event listings to find out what we still have yet to come!

Growing a community

With a slow start to our summer (remember the snow at the end of May?) gardeners across Calgary are probably feeling a bit frustrated, but the growing season is now underway. Joining in the passion for growing is the Community Garden project, which is well on its way now on the MRU campus.

Starting with a seed

The Community Garden project was started in October 2009 by Social Work student Lisa Peters as part of a class project looking at developing and encouraging communities. With the support of the MRU Sustainability Committee and SAMRU’s Sustainability Centre along with the enthusiasm and commitment of volunteers, the project went from classroom to practice and the MRU Community Garden joins the list of other campus-based community gardens across Canada.

Tended carefully

The core group leading the first year of the Community Garden includes 6 people, with an additional 20-30 people who are involved with planning and implementing the plans. While Lisa spearheaded the project in her final year at MRU, current MRU student Julia Koziell will be leading the project in the next year to come. Assisted by the Sustainability Centre, this means there is a better chance for the project to be sustainable as well, with a fresh group of new volunteers passionate about community growing, local food sourcing, and cooperative gardening joining MRU each year.

“There is a sense of empowerment in growing your own food” says Lisa, who also noted that her interest in the community garden grew from an interest in sourcing local food alternatives. However it was her desire to work on a project that would truly help grow community alongside the plants the group will tend that pushed her to take the idea and make it reality. She also noted that projects like these help reduce isolation which in turn decreases social problems. Lisa had previous volunteer experience working with another community garden, and added that the physical aspect of gardening was something that almost anyone could do, and that the chance to work outside in the fresh air is another benefit to working in the garden.

Watching it grow

MRU’s Community Garden is for more than just students as well. In efforts to include many different members of our greater community, the campus daycare will be tending seven containers, while students and other volunteers will have access to two large raised beds in the T-wing area of MRU plus three large raised planters. Julia noted that there are many other areas where the Community Garden could expand, once they have the resources and experience to tackle the additional spaces.

Harvesting a group effort

Resources for the Community Garden project have largely come from the support of those involved, however the project has also secured funding assistance from the Sustainable MRU club to purchase seeds. The Sustainable MRU club gave the proceeds from their final fundraiser of the year – Recycled Funk on March 11, 2010 towards assisting the Community Garden. In addition, the project received funding from Calgary Dollars, the Arusha Centre, and individual private contributions.

Seeds for the Community Garden were purchased from Seedy Saturday, which ensures that the seeds are heirloom, organic, heritage varieties which are native to the Canadian prairies. These local varieties have a better chance of standing up to the Calgary climate. Additional seeds were donated from the Calgary Horticultural Society, and by individual volunteers who collected seeds from their own gardens during the last harvest. In addition to food resources which will be harvested sometime in September 2010, the Community Garden is also growing blue flowers to compliment Mount Royal’s school colours in celebration of the University’s centennial.

Check out the Community Garden facebook group >>
Visit the Sustainability Centre to learn more >>

Public theatre with emerging artists

Come join the MRU Theatre department at either Shakespeare in the Park, Shakespeare in the City, or Shakespeare After Dark this summer. Performances start in early July and run until almost the end of August. This is a great chance to enjoy the works of the Bard and enjoy some much sought-after good Calgary weather at the same time!

Check out the schedule >>

SAMRU Event Highlights
July 3 Sled Island Festival Champion & His G-Strings, Shout Out Out Out Out Out, Whomadewho, Smalltown DJs Wyckham House 7:00 pm July 13-18 ASEC Goal Setting In July your SAMRU President and VP External will be at an ASEC meeting in Red Deer.			August 27 AMP Radio Rock Star Finals Wyckham House 7:00 pm
For the latest updates on what’s happening with your Students’ Association, check out our event calendar!

SAMRU & MRU in the News

SAMRU in the news

SAMRU in the news – VP External (and President-elect) Robert Jones interviewed by Metro News about the cost of MRU’s new logo.

SAMRU in the news – SAMRU mentioned as one of several Calgary student associations/unions who are members of CASA in an article about a lack of social justice activism in Calgary post-secondary education.

Wyckham House in the news - Wyckham House mentioned in an article about MRU’s Centennial celebration, specifically the September 24 kick-off.

SAMRU in the news – The Native Student Centre’s graduation powwow mentioned in the May issue of New Tribe

SAMRU in the news – The Native Student Centre’s Coordinator, Cory Cardinal is interviewed and featured in New Tribe Magazine. This issue is part one of two.

SAMRU in the news - SAMRU’s own Zen Vietnamese Grill is reviewed and determined to have the “best bang for your buck”.

SAMRU in the news – A two-part profile on Native Student Centre Coordinator Cory Cardinal continues in the June issue of New Tribe Magazine.

SAMRU in the news – 2009/2010 SAMRU President named as one of MRU’s “Cool Grads” in this article.

MRU students in the news

MRU students in the news – Feature in Unlimited Magazine on urban beekeeper and MRU student Eliese Watson.

MRU Students in the news – MRU student Sudarshan Gautam, plans to climb Mount Everest in 2012 to raise money to establish a school in Nepal.

MRU Students in the news – MRU Conservatory violinist Timmy Chooi almost grounded in attempt to get from Paris to Norway for Violin Competition because of volcanic ash.

MRU Students in the news – MRU Journalism graduate Regan Lauscher looks back at Olympic memories and forward to career aspirations.

MRU Students in the news – MRU Journalism graduate Regan Lauscher looks at the connection between amateur sports and financial stability.

MRU Students in the news – MRU Journalism graduate Regan Lauscher describes the tragic death of fellow luger at the Vancouver Olympics and the impact the accident made on the sport.

MRU Students in the news – Vice President of the SustainableMRU club points out the benefits of having a neighbourhood urban beehive.

MRU Students in the news – Marcie Meguinis , a Bachelor of Arts student at MRU was featured in the May issue of New Tribe Magazine in an article about Calgary fashion.

MRU Students in the news - Eliese Watson, founder of Apiary and Bees for Communities, and MRU student interviewed in an article about urban beekeeping.

MRU students in the news - Story in the Herald about students graduating with honours.

MRU students in the news - Congratulations graduates! Here’s an article about convocation from the Reflector

MRU students in the news – Jimmy Weasel Child profiled in the June issue of New Tribe Magazine.

MRU students in the news – former MRU student Sonny Davis is participating in a marathon for Muscular Dystrophy.

MRU students in the news – A light-hearted profile of Eliese Watson and the backyard bee project.

MRU Students in the news - Concert pianist Yuja Wang talks about the Mount Royal Conservatory

MRU students in the news - Sudarshan Gautam plans to scale Mt. Everest.

MRU in the news

MRU in the news - Maclean’s Guide to Canadian Universities (15th anniversary) mentions the expanded range of choices for university as several university colleges and colleges are now full-fledged universities, and are now included in their guide. MRU is mentioned as one of the new Canadian universities. Want to see a copy of the guide? Check out our copy at Reception in Z220.

MRU in the news - Hot on the heels of Mount Royal’s University designation, SAIT has been granted the power to offer its first bachelor’s degree.

MRU in the news – Following in MRU’s footsteps, SAIT will offer its first BA program.

MRU in the news – June 9th, MRU President Dave Marshall was given the Calgary Community Achievement Award for Education.

MRU in the news - Theoren Fleury spoke to a workshop on sexual violence at Mount Royal University in June.

MRU in the news - Executive Director “gives the lion’s share of the credit to the education and training he received when he” enrolled “in the bachelor of business administration program for non-profits at Mount Royal University”.

MRU’s changing faces

MRU in the news - ’Prodigious scholar’ David Taras leaves the UofC to work at MRU in the Ralph Klein Chair

MRU in the news - MRU President announces resignation. David Marshall “will leave on June 30, 2011” “The new president will be chosen after a nationwide search by the board.”

MRU in the news - Another Herald article about David Marshall’s last year at MRU

MRU in the news - CBC coverage of David Marshall’s resignation.

MRU in the news – Facetime covers David Marshall’s resignation as well.

MRU in the news - The Reflector shares what passions drive David Marshall as he announces his resignation.

MRU in the news – Paula Arab comments on David Marshall’s term as President of MRU.

MRU experts in the News

MRU in the news – MRU Faculty spoke at the Body Worlds exhibit at TELUS World of Science in May and June.

MRU in the news - James Bailey, spokesman for the Conservatory interviewed in article about summer camps for Calgary kids.

MRU in the news – Communications instructor Doug Firby comments on the ethics surrounding the Danish cartoon debate.

MRU in the news - The Calgary Beacon covered a town hall meeting which included Mount Royal University economic professor Vettivelu Nallainayagan on the panel.

MRU in the news – Journalism chair Terry Field comments on the safety of Canadian tourists in Mexico.

MRU in the news - Calgary Beacon editor/publisher Markham Hislop critiques MRU Journalism chair Terry Field’s comments about new media and traditional journalism. You can find the original article by professor Field here.

MRU in the news – Journalism chair Terry Field discusses the value of traditional media despite the changing way readers get their news.

New Directions on Aboriginal Policy Forum

MRU in the news - The blog “Solidarity with Six Nations” critiques the inclusion of those they say are “anti-native” in the Aboriginal Policy Forum held at Mount Royal University on May 5th.

MRU in the news – Frances Widdowson comments on the Aboriginal Policy Forum, responds to “Solidarity with Six Nations” in her blog. Additionally an April 22nd post outlined the agenda of the forum.

MRU in the news - Mark Vandermaas, Founder of the Caledonia Victims Project clarifies and apologizes for statements made about Mount Royal University and Dr. Widdowson in the Caledonia Victims Project blog.

MRU in the news - Gary McHale gives his opinion on some of the speakers for the Aboriginal Policy Forum and their backgrounds in his “March for Freedom” blog.

MRU in the news - Media Buzzard blog posted a critical open letter regarding presence of accused “anti-native” leaders at the Policy Forum.

MRU in the news - PeaceCulture blog post about the open letter opposing individuals asked to speak at the Aboriginal Policy Forum on May 5th.

MRU in the news – The Wawatay News has strong criticism about Dr. Widdowson’s book Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry: The Deception Behind Indigenous Cultural Preservation.

Naheed’s bid for mayor

MRU in the News - Business professor Naheed Nenshi formally announced that he is running for Mayor in the October municipal election in late May.

MRU in the news - The Calgary Herald also covered Naheed’s announcement. The Calgary Herald also has a page with all of the election articles here.

MRU in the news - Article about the municipal election mentioning MRU professor Naheed Nenshi.

MRU in the news – DJ Kelly has a list of rumoured and declared candidates in the municipal election on his blog. He also analyzes some of the candidates in this post, which also mentions the MRU professor.

MRU in the news – Are you interested in following blog posts from a variety of posters about the upcoming municipal election and how Naheed Nenshi does in the race? Check out http://calgarypolitics.com/ If you’d rather follow Naheed directly, check out his twitter feed.

MRU in the news - Online newspaper the Calgary Beacon also covered Naheed’s entry into the mayoral race. Prior to the announcement, they also ran the following piece mentioning Naheed’s thoughts on the race.

MRU in the news - Student reporter Greg Kamphuis examines two candidates in the mayoral race, Naheed Nenshi and Joe Connelly.

MRU in the news - YouTube video of Naheed talking about how cities grow as part of TEDxCalgary

MRU in the news – additional coverage of Naheed’s TEDx talk, along with other candidates in the upcoming municipal election.

MRU in the news – affordable housing forum discusses secondary suites. Naheed faces off with Ald. Ric McIver over what could be this campaign’s “most prickly” issue.