Reading Time: 5 minutesGrad student association talks about the upcoming year Taiva Tegler — External Commissioner Describe your job in a sentence. Strengthening links on campus—locally, provincially, and nationally—through collaboration and action on student issues such as research funding, social innovation, access, and equity. What do you hope to accomplish this year? This year, I would like to …
Reading Time: 5 minutesMembers of the student federation answer the Fulcrum’s questions on the upcoming year Amalia Savva — President Describe your job in a sentence. My role as president is to be the spokesperson for the student federation, as well as playing a number of different roles like chairing executive or committee meetings, or ensuring the smooth …
Reading Time: 2 minutesSaying goodbye to the HST BRITISH COLUMBIA — IN AN UNPRECEDENTED referendum on Aug. 26., British Columbia voted against keeping the Harmonized Sales Tax. The tax, scrapped by 54 per cent of voters, had been in place for just over a year in the province. The B.C. government is now discussing the return of $1.6 …
Reading Time: 2 minutesI HEARD ABOUT Jack Layton’s death on the radio on my way to work. I was driving at the time, and my speed fluctuated between dangerous highs and lows as I completely lost interest in the lane I was supposed to stay in. Text messages from friends and acquaintances poured in after a few minutes …
Reading Time: 3 minutesNew student card integrates services and goes online THIS JUNE, A new student ID card was made available at the University of Ottawa. The all-in-one uOttawa Card has a fresh look and new functions that make it more useful, secure, and convenient for students. “We tried to get rid of some of the run-around on …
Reading Time: < 1 minuteYVONNE, A REFUGEE cow, has been making headlines since May when she fled her field in Zangberg, Germany. She ran away after sensing a trip to the slaughterhouse, ultimately causing hunters, animal rights activists, and those looking to make €10,000 to become involved in the search. The cow spent her new-found freedom peacefully grazing the …
Reading Time: 2 minutesCampus bar gets an upgrade THE STUDENT FEDERATION of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) is looking to make their on-campus bar profitable this year. 1848, the student-run campus watering hole, has been upgrading its kitchen, menus, and overall look this summer to lure in customers during the 2011–12 school year. With these changes premiering this …
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe problem AROUND THE WORLD amphibian life is on the decline. Many scientists believe we are currently amidst the sixth wave of a mass extinction. It is their conjecture that, unlike past extinction events, this wave is not due to natural phenomena, but is directly related to human activity that has led to the loss of …
Reading Time: 2 minutesFriends call on authorities to help rescue journalist MAHDI NAZEMROAYA, A recent graduate from the University of Ottawa, has called on his friends and acquaintances to help him leave Libya. After spending the past two months in the country working as an independent journalist, he now fears for his life because of the civil conflict …
Reading Time: 2 minutesLaurier Avenue bike lane now open JULY 10 MARKED the opening of Laurier Avenue West’s segregated bike lane, the first project of its kind in Ontario. The motion that led to the creation of the two-year pilot program was passed in January of 2011. More than 12,000 cyclists have used the segregated bike lane since …
Reading Time: 2 minutesAS VARIOUS INTERNET-RELATED CRTC hearings begin and conclude, I got thinking about Internet regulation. Aside from being used for porn, the Internet is an information and communication portal. This brings to mind a couple of questions. Firstly, what’s your favourite type of porn? But I’ll leave that one for Dear Di. Secondly—and the question I …
Reading Time: 3 minutesDecision on usage-based billing expected to affect prices ON JULY 11, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) launched hearings to determine the fate of usage-based billing (UBB)—a widely controversial practice proposed by large Internet service providers (ISPs). If allowed, UBB will raise prices for small ISPs and, by extension, consumers. Bell Canada kicked off …
Reading Time: < 1 minuteRESIDENTS OF TALWAS, India, celebrated the wedding of Raju and Chinki on July 11 in what was the world’s first-ever monkey marriage. The caretakers of the happy couple are pleased to see the animals wed after two months of preparation. “We will welcome the bride in our house in Banetha after the wedding with all …
Reading Time: 4 minutesBoard votes to approve budget, motions The Board of Administration (BOA) interrupted their summer vacation for the monthly gathering of the board on July 17. In what some members called the most efficient meeting of the year, several motions were discussed and passed. The Fulcrum wraps up the top motions and policy changes into one …
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe problem CHEMICAL REACTIONS OCCUR all around us. The interaction of molecules form the basis of all life. Molecules in the air work together constantly, changing the atmosphere. These seemingly microscopic changes affect the world in huge ways. Scientists want to observe the structure of molecules and how they change during the reactions. Unfortunately, the …
Reading Time: 2 minutesWebsite experiences several security breaches ON JULY 11, the University of Ottawa’s whistle-blower blog (Uoleaks.ca) reported a security breach on the [Student Federation of the University of Ottawa’s (SFUO) website. Initially only affecting the constitution page of the site, hackers soon took over the welcome page as well. “We managed to [catch] it as soon …
