[van-announce] Community Events Digest

[SFPIRG]

COMMUNITY EVENTS DIGEST 
== Social justice events happening on and off campus == 


*** Events at SFU Burnaby *** 

1) Out On Campus: OOC Goes OOC (Nov 29) 
2) Out On Campus: After Hours (Dec 2) 
3) National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (Dec 6) 
4) Making Sense of the Massacre: The Politics of Misogyny and Reconciliation (Dec 6) 

***Events Off The Hill*** 

5) Book Signing & Presentation with Gabor Gasztonyi (Nov 26) 
6) Screening Of "Girlfriend Experience" (Nov 26) 
7) Ghana Girl Child Education Fundraiser: Empowering by Education (Nov 27) 
8) 3 Months Too Long: Free Detained Tamil Refugees! Let them Stay! Scrap Bill C49! (Nov 27) 
9) Save The Date: Projecting Change Breakfast Screening of the film Ingredients (Nov 27) 
10) FREEDOM FLOTILLA: UN International Day Of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (Nov 28) 
11) Interfaith Institute: For Justice, Peace and Social Movements, Giving…Giving Back (Nov 30) 
12) DOXA Documentary Film Festival, You Don't Like the Truth: 4 days inside Guantánamo (Nov 30) 
13) The Struggle For Dignity, The Struggle For Equity: Guatemalan Women In The Labor Movement (Dec 1) 
14) Writing Other Histories: A Book Launch of Radical Re-Readings in History, Culture and Media (Dec 2) 
15) thrilLITERATE (Dec 3) 
16) Crafts for a Cause: A Craft Fair to Support Social Justice Struggles (Dec 4) 
17) Herstory Café Book Club and Discussion Group (Dec 7) 
18) People's Assembly on and Mass Direct Action for Climate Justice (Dec 7 & Dec 11) 
19) The Centre For Dialogue At SFU Is Pleased To Present: An Evening With Richard Wilkinson: The Age Of Unequals (Dec 13) 


***Other Announcements*** 

20) New Art/Media Contest: Web-based Materials on War Tax Resistance 
21) Interdisciplinary Student Designed Cohort: An Experiential Learning Pilot Project 
22) Earth Day Canada Launches Award and Recognition Programs 



**compiled by SFPIRG, SFU's student-based social justice resource centre.
http://www.sfpirg.ca. To have your event included in the next digest, send a
text-based email announcement to sfpirg (at) sfu.ca. **



*** Events at SFU Burnaby *** 

1) 
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OUT ON CAMPUS: OOC GOES OOC 

Monday, November 29th, 10am-3pm 
Convocation Mall 

Out On Campus is going Out On Campus! We’re bringing our furniture and button-making supplies out to Convocation Mall from about 10am-3pm, and there’ll be hot chocolate and cookies to boot! Come huddle up on the couches and watch some entertaining movies while you procrastinate from finishing those papers and studying for those exams! In the event of the cold and snow, be sure to bundle up warm and bring a blanket to share! 




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OUT ON CAMPUS: AFTER HOURS 
Thursday, December 2 nd , from 6pm-9pm 
Out On Campus lounge 

Out On Campus is hosting After Hours! Come hang out in the lounge, meet new people, play games, watch movies, and enjoy some great snacks! Each week has a different theme or event, so be sure to check the website for next week's event! (Also, hopefully it doesn’t snow next week…) 



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NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE AND ACTION ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 

There will be a Candlelight Vigil followed by tea in the Women’s Centre Lounge TC3013 

Join the SFU Women’s Centre on December 6th to not only remember the 14 women killed in Montreal on December 6th, 1989, but to also remember all women affected by violence. 
Join us in remembering and raising awareness about the issue of violence against women- a societal issue that affects women, men and children. 

Join us-all genders and allies welcome. 

Volunteers are needed to help with the following: 

*postering and handing out post cards advertising the vigil in the next couple of weeks 
* helping to design the memorial banner (as well as helping to repair the old one) 
* forwarding the attached poster to friends (guy friends too)and other students 
* attending the vigil and holding a candle for the duration of the vigil (only one hour) 
*helping with set up the day of the vigil 
*helping with the tea post vigil 
* as well as any other help necessary. 

For more information, and to volunteer/ support this event: email to: womenctr at sfss.ca telephone: 778.782.3670 



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MAKING SENSE OF THE MASSACRE: THE POLITICS OF MISOGYNY AND RECONCILIATION 

December 6th, 2010, from 3:30-5:30pm 
IRMACS Theatre, SFU 
Open and free for everyone! 

To commemorate National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, the Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies will be hosting a viewing of the 2009 film, Polytechnique, with a discussion afterwards. 



***Events Off The Hill*** 


5) 
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BOOK SIGNING & PRESENTATION WITH GABOR GASZTONYI 

Friday, November 26, 2010 , 7:30 pm 
People’s Co-op Bookstore, 1391 Commercial Drive, Ample free parking in the area 

Anvil Press is pleased to invite you to a discussion and slide presentation for the book “A Room In the City”, the photographs of Gabor Gasztonyi. A Room In the City features over 150 intimate photographs of the residents of five Downtown Eastside Vancouver hotels, with an introduction by Gabor Maté. 

Copies also available online @ www.anvilpress.com 

For more Information: info at anvilpress.com 




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SCREENING OF "GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE" 

Friday, November 26, 2010, 7pm 
W2 Community Screening Room, 151 W. Cordova, Vancouver 
Free and open to the public 

A Counterculture Event 

Girlfriend Experience is an innovative and provocative look at the sex trade from the perspective of the usually invisible customer: the john. Using mockumentary style to parallel the john’s desire for fantasy to become reality, the film addresses the question of the sex-trade on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside and explores some of the reasons men pay for sex, their fantasies and how they eroticize themselves in the role of the client. 

Ileana Pietrobruno is an independent Canadian filmmaker who has written, directed, edited and produced several short films and the following features: the erotic drama Girlfriend Experience, the pirate adventure Girl King, and the surreal Cat Swallows Parakeet and Speaks! Pietrobruno’s films have won awards and screened at hundreds of festivals, including the Berlin International Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival. 

Counterculture is a monthly discussion and screening series aimed at animating critical public debate on contemporary issues relating to art, media and politics. Counterculture aims to promote the democratic ideals of dissent, debate and discussion, constituting a point of contact between the university and local communities with free, public events. 

Sponsored by the Institute for the Humanities, the School of Communication, FCAT, and the School for the Contemporary Arts at SFU. 


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GHANA GIRL CHILD EDUCATION FUNDRAISER: EMPOWERING BY EDUCATION 

Saturday, November 27, 2010 
The Centre for Integration of African Immigrants, 811 Carnarvon Street, New Westminster, B.C. 
Doors Open – 5:30 pm, Dinner – 6:00 pm till 7:00 pm 
Speakers, Entertainment & Silent Auction – 7:00 pm till 10:00 pm 
Ticket price: Individual $65 Pair - $100 

Keynote Speaker: Senator Mobina Jaffer 
Born in Uganda, Senator Jaffer was educated in both England and Canada. She is a very active member of the community and supporter of a vast array of community-based organizations such as those concerned with Human Rights. 

Master of Ceremonies: Jacky Essombe 
A true ambassador of the African culture. Her passion for her culture inspired her to become a professional dancer, dance teacher, storyteller, trainer and speaker and a TV and radio show host. 

Guest Speaker: Dr. Clement Apaak 
The Founder of the Direct Assistance Network, a non-profit organization. Dr. Apaak has been an active supporter of many organizations during his years studying in Canada. He then felt an obligation to help improve and provide educational opportunities for girls in rural Ghana, Africa and thus the Girl Child Education Fund was created. 

Entertainment: Music & Song by Warren Dean 
He turns heads and melt’s hearts with his own brand of millennium soul. 

Percussionist Extrordinair: Yoro Noukoussi 
Yoro is a multi-instrumentalist, Singer Songwriter and Sound Engineer. He offers Music Education classes, recording, and talent coaching for the emerging music artist. 

Poet: Kevan Cameron (Scruffmouth) 
A renowned spoken-word poet using a foundation of hip-hop & reggae, he is tuff & serious, but also cute & cuddly like a black panther with an Afro. 

For tickets contact: Dr. Clement Apaak: 778-895-9242 or Sharon: 778-918-0130 

Sponsored by Direct Assistance Network and the Charitable Tax Receipts can be issued. Multifaith action Society 





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3 MONTHS TOO LONG: FREE DETAINED TAMIL REFUGEES! LET THEM STAY! SCRAP BILL C49! 

Saturday November 27 th , 1:00 pm 
Vancouver Public Library (Corner of Georgia and Homer) 

Surviving a dangerous journey, 492 Tamil refugees, including women and children, arrived in BC after fleeing war and persecution in Sri Lanka. Three months later, the vast majority of the refugees remain in jails, facing endless hearings that have revealed the clear incompetency, deliberate negligence, and racism of the system. 

Join No One is Illegal in a rally and march to call for the immediate release of detained Tamil asylum seekers, and an end to racist and restrictive refugee policies, including the recently tabled Bill C-49. 

Canadian government officials and media outlets continue to perpetuate false and dehumanizing stereotypes of ‘illegals’, ‘terrorists’, and so-called queue-jumpers. This fear-mongering is just another tactic used to disguise the racist policies that define Canada’s immigration and refugee system. 

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews and Minister of Censorship and Deportation Jason Kenney, have recently introduced Bill C49 under the banner of combating “human smuggling” and deterring the arrival of future boats. 

Bill C49 would give the Minister the power to single out for special punishment refugees who are suspected of having fled their country by means of smugglers. These punishments are harsh and inhumane. Asylum seekers suspected of using a smuggler will be subject to mandatory detention for the first year after arrival, with no chance of review, including for children. They also will not have the right to appeal a negative refugee decision. In addition, they will be prohibited from obtaining permanent residency for a period of five years after obtaining refugee status. This means these refugees will be held in limbo, not be allowed to leave the country nor sponsor their family members, effectively separating them from their families for a period of time well beyond those five years. 

This is a shameful piece of legislation. Refugees are forced from their homes in emergency situations due to human rights abuses committed during wars, military occupations, or persecution against a minority group. We cannot expect refugees to wait for Canada to select them from overseas. We must understand that they undertake long and dangerous journeys to protect their lives and the lives of their families. According to the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees, to which Canada is a party, there are no penalties on refugees who arrive without pre-authorization and irregularly. 


No One is Illegal-Vancouver asserts the basic human right to safety, mobility, and protection. It is well known that Tamils in Sri Lanka are fleeing military atrocities and mass displacement. The only crime the migrants have committed is transgressing this imposed settler-colonial border. We encourage you to join us in rejecting repressive, racist, and exclusionary ideologies and policies, and instead encourage compassion, solidarity, respect for life, and justice for all refugees. 
Release Detained Asylum-Seekers! 
Justice, Freedom, and Status for All! 
Right to Stay, Freedom to Move, Right to Return! 

For more information: www.nooneisillegal.org 


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SAVE THE DATE: PROJECTING CHANGE BREAKFAST SCREENING OF THE FILM INGREDIENTS 

Saturday, Nov 27 th , Breakfast: 9:00 am, Movie: 10:00 am 
Fifth Avenue Cinemas, 2110 Burrard Street 
TICKETS: $15 Includes film, speakers, breakfast & great prizes. 
Bring your reusable coffee mug for a chance to win a prize. 

INGREDIENTS: The local food movement takes root. (73mins / USA) 
INGREDIENTS explores a thriving local food movement as our world becomes a more flavorless, disconnected and dangerous place to eat. Discovering better flavor and nutrition, INGREDIENTS is a journey that reveals the people behind the movement to bring good food back to the table and health back to our communities. 



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FREEDOM FLOTILLA : UN INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE 

Sunday, 28th November at 2.00 pm 
Strawberry Hill Library, 7399 122 St, Surrey, BC V3W 5J2 

The dirty game plans of imperialism generally all over the world and particularly in occupied territories took thousands and thousands of lives of the civilians including a vast majority of women and children. The land of Palestine in general and Gaza strip in particular faced Israeli oppression more clear and visible in recent years. In 2010, when brutal blockade of Gaza enters fourth year, people from different faiths, colors and origin decided to make an effort to break and challenge this barricade by taking humanitarian aid under an arrangement of six ships to Gaza in the name of "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" in the month of May, 2010. Five of the ships were apprehended without loss of life or severe injuries. But, on the MV Mavi Marmara, clashes broke out after activists resisted the Israeli forces. Nine activists were killed (Eight Turkish nationals and a Turkish-American), and dozens of activists left severely wounded. A peace activist from Victoria, Kevin Neish was among others on MV Mavi Marmara who witnessed all this brutality from his own eyes. To meet Kevin Neish in person to know what happened there and to be in solidarity with people of Palestine, Fraser Valley Peace Council is holding a public forum in Surrey. (Please scroll down or see the attached poster for further details). 

UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 
A public forum on Palestine featuring 
Guest Speakers: 
Terry Greenberg: Member Executive committee of Canadian Independent Jewish Voices 
Omar Shaban: Student leader at UBC, President of Solidarity for Palestinian Human 

A free event, however we are expecting your generous donations for Canadian Boat to Gaza project. 

Please join us, show solidarity with Palestinian brother/sister hood and be a part of the world who is against all forms of oppression, discrimination and inequality. 

For more Information, please contact: 
Gabriel @ 778-859-5560 
Shahzad @ 604-613-0735 




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INTERFAITH INSTITUTE: FOR JUSTICE, PEACE AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS 
GIVING…GIVING BACK 

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010, 7 to 9 PM 
Sunset Community Centre, 6810 Main Street, Vancouver 
Free and No preregistration required 

An interfaith event to explore and share the meaning of gift and giving in different faith traditions. 

With panelists: 

· Hanane Korchi, Muslim 
· Rachel Lewis, Buddhist 
· Sister Victoria Marie, Christian 
· Rabbi David Mivasair, Jewish 
· Priti Shah, Hindu 
· Patricia Vickers, Ts’ymsen Nation 

The goal of this public forum is to provide an opportunity for interfaith exploration and analysis of gift and giving among those working for progressive social change. The panel will be followed by small group discussions and a report-back. 

Panelists have been invited not as “religious experts,” but because they are progressive people of faith whose traditions inform their work for social change. Panelists will respond to two questions on the subject of Gift and Giving: 

1. How are gift and giving understood in your tradition? (What is best and most life-giving in your tradition? What is problematic, difficult or contradictory in your tradition?) 

2. How does your tradition inform your own giving and your work for change/justice 

Their offerings will be an example and a catalyst for conversation for the rest of us. Join us in this exciting evening of passion, commitment and analysis as we grapple with: gift economies, critique of charity, property and ownership, women’s alternative economies, maternal giving, non-paid labor and volunteerism, faith-motivated giving and capitalism, gift in an interfaith context monetary gifts and taxation, giving to political causes, economic disparity, redistribution of wealth and more 

This event is the first step in a larger process. Participants in the forum are invited to work with the collective as we take the next steps, which could include: a conference, scholarly analysis, workshops, actions, a publication. 

For more information go to www.interfaithjustpeace.org or e-mail loraldyk at hotmail.com 



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DOXA DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL, YOU DON'T LIKE THE TRUTH: 4 DAYS INSIDE GUANTÁNAMO 

Tuesday November 30, 2010 | 7:00pm 
SFU Woodward's - 3rd Floor, 149 West Hasting Street (enter via Courtyard) 
Tickets: $10 

Buy tickets now: https://www.ticketturtle.com/index.php?show=18750 

DOXA is proud to launch our 2010/2011 Film Series Motion Pictures by introducing Luc Côté and Patricio Henriquez’s powerful new documentary You Don’t Like the Truth: 4 Days Inside Guantánamo. 

Based on seven hours of recently declassified security camera footage from the Guantánamo prison, the film captures a series of interrogations of Omar Khadr by CSIS Agents. 

What is revealed, with painful intimacy, is the personal story of a child caught up in the larger forces of political action and the global war on terrorism. 

For more information: http://www.doxafestival.ca/news/film_series.html 



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THE STRUGGLE FOR DIGNITY, THE STRUGGLE FOR EQUITY: GUATEMALAN WOMEN IN THE LABOUR MOVEMENT 

Wednesday, Dec 1 st , Film at 7pm, Presentation at 8pm 
Rhizome Café, 317 East Broadway, Vancouver 
Free Admission 

Maria de los Angeles Ruano Almeda will present the film “Guatemala: The Violence that never Stops” that explores the ongoing violence against activists resisting the destruction of their communities and lands by transnational corporations. She will then speak on the struggle of working women in Guatemala to win both jobs with dignity and equal representation within their unions. 

Maria de los Angeles Ruano Almeda is the coordinator of the Women’s Commission of the Labour, Indigenous and Campesino Movement of Guatemala (MSICG), a coalition of labour unions and community and social organizations that struggle for the social justice, agrarian reform and the defense of Guatemala’s natural resources. 

Presented by Codevelopment Canada. 
For more information: codev at codev.org 



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WRITING OTHER HISTORIES: A BOOK LAUNCH OF RADICAL RE-READINGS IN HISTORY, CULTURE AND MEDIA 

Thursday, December 2, 7:00pm 
Rhizome Café, 317 East Broadway, Vancouver 
Free 

Join us for a launch of books recently published by Simon Fraser University authors that critically engage and re-write/re-imagine “other histories” on the margins of different public spaces, whether in the city, the trans/nation, the university or in social and artistic movements. Authors include Lara Campbell, Zoë Druick, Helen Leung, Kirsten McAllister and Adrienne Burk. 



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thrilLITERATE 

Friday, December 3, 7:00pm 
Rhizome Café, 317 East Broadway, Vancouver 
$5-20 sliding scale 

thrilLITERATE is an evening of poetry, storytelling, music and of recognizing literacy as a basic human right. Queer authors read to raise funds for the women's literacy program in the Downtown Eastside. Now in its second year, the event has raised $2,400 for the Literacy and Learning Program at WISH: a centre for female survival sex workers. Readers include: Terra Poirier, Shana Myara, Elizabeth Mariani, Hiromi Goto, Afuwa Granger, Elizabeth Bachinsky and Dave Deveau. 



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CRAFTS FOR A CAUSE: A CRAFT FAIR TO SUPPORT SOCIAL JUSTICE STRUGGLES 

Saturday, December 4, 6:00-10:00pm 
Rhizome Café, 317 East Broadway, Vancouver 
$2 suggested donation at the door, but no one turned away 

Come shop for holiday gifts while supporting migrant rights, youth empowerment, Indigenous autonomy and more! Peruse socially conscious crafts by local artists, and items created by local organizations to support their social justice work. With music by local performers, and food and drink available for purchase throughout the evening. 



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IN OUR MEETING ROOM: HERSTORY CAFÉ BOOK CLUB AND DISCUSSION GROUP 

Tuesday, December 7, 5:00-6:30 
Rhizome Café, 317 East Broadway, Vancouver 
Free 

Read Maria Mahoi of the Islands by Jean Barman, and join Herstory Café for a one-night-only book group! Maria Mahoi was born to a Hawaiian father and a First Nations mother. Living her entire life on the Gulf Islands from the 1850s to 1936, she was independent, proud of her heritage, and a true matriarch who left a strong legacy. 



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PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY ON AND MASS DIRECT ACTION FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE 

People’s Assembly on Climate Justice 
Tuesday December 7, 2010 at 7 pm 
SFU Harbour Centre 
555 W. Hastings St. Vancouver 

Mass Direct Action for Climate Justice 
Saturday December 11, 2010 at 12 noon 
Starting at Waterfront Skytrain Station (Howe Street exit) 

Help Build the Movement for Climate Justice. The World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in Cochabamba, Bolivia in April 2010 brought together social movements from all over the world to forge a powerful new movement for Climate Justice. 


Heads of government will meet in Cancun November 29 to December 10 for talks about the climate crisis. At the same time, people all over the world will take action against climate crimes like freeway building and to support the “People’s Agreement” created at Cochabamba. It's time for the people to lead – and to make the leaders follow! 

Metro Vancouver area Council of Canadians chapters, the Canada/Bolivia Solidarity Committee and GatewaySucks.org, together with many friends and allies, have taken up the challenge in the Lower Mainland. Join with us to build a people’s movement for Climate Justice: 

For more information, see: http://gatewaysucks.org/assembly-and-action 




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AN EVENING WITH RICHARD WILKINSON: THE AGE OF UNEQUALS 

Monday, December 13, 2010, 7-8:30pm 
Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema, Room 3200, SFU Woodward’s, 149 West Hastings Street, Vancouver (please enter via Cordova Street) 
Free 

This lecture is free; however, pre-registration is required. Click here to RSVP by December 8 

About Richard Wilkinson 

Richard Wilkinson’s work has shaped research on the social determinants of health for over thirty years. Recently, he co-authored the international best-seller The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better with Kate Pickett, a ground-breaking book that has transformed our views on the interactions between income inequality and health. Dr. Wilkinson co-founded the Equality Trust to further public education about inequality and its consequences, and why reducing income disparity benefits all members of society. 

Dr. Wilkinson has played a formative role in public awareness and policy development. He began his academic career at the London School of Economics where he studied economic history and then transitioned to the field of epidemiology. He currently is Emeritus Professor of Social Epidemiology at the University of Nottingham, and an honorary professor at both the University College London and the University of York. He has written a dozen books and numerous research papers, and his work has been published in ten languages. 

Introduction: Clyde Hertzman, UBC School of Population and Public Health and Director of Human Early Learning Partnership 

Moderator: Mark Winston, Academic Director and Fellow, SFU Centre for Dialogue 

The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better will be available for sale and signing following the talk. 

Partners 
This is the first annual Bruce and Lis Welch Community Dialogue lecture, presented by the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University in partnership with: 

Mass LBP 
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, BC Office 
BC Poverty Reduction Coalition 
SFU Faculty of Health Sciences 
Public Health Association of BC 
Carnegie Community Action Project 




***Other Announcements*** 


20) 

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NEW ART/MEDIA CONTEST: WEB-BASED MATERIALS ON WAR TAX RESISTANCE 

Deadline for Submissions: January 31, 2011 

All web-based media are eligible, for example: visual art/poster, photographic slide show, video, music, written verse, or any combination of these. 

Conscience Canada is the organization that advocates for the right of Canadians to redirect the military portion of our federal income tax to peace making. Conscience Canada will create a web-based gallery of creative arts materials/communications using those entries that express the need for a ‘peace tax’ as an alternative to the current military tax. See the ‘reason for our existence’ at www.consciencecanada.ca. Prizes will be awarded for the most effective submissions, although all entries will be eligible for inclusion in the gallery. 

Spread the word! 

Eligibility Criteria and Submission Guidelines: Individuals and groups of all ages and backgrounds who are Canadian residents must submit original entries via email to: contest at consciencecanada.ca 

Please specify: 
a) The name of the individual or group 
b) contact info (address, phone) 
c) title 

Three prizes: 

1st Prize = $400 
2nd Prize = $250 
3rd Prize = $100 


Winners will be announced by March 1. Questions? Contact Jan Slakov (250) 537-5251 www.consciencecanada.ca 



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INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDENT DESIGNED COHORT: AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PILOT PROJECT 

Who Are You? 
• Want to get credit for work you do in the community? 
• Want to get involved in the community or expand yours at SFU? 
• Want to be part of a cohort to help workshop ideas and gain some practical experience? 
• Want to be part of an educational experiment on experiential learning at SFU directed by students for students? 
• Want to apply theory to a local context? 


We are looking for 10 students who answered “yes” to some or one of these questions. Ideally, we are looking for students who are open to experimentation and exploration of what the classroom could be -- students who are self directed but willing to contribute to a group. This is an experiment to bring together a group of students who are passionate about experiencing their education, value self-directed learning and want to try something new. This will be a course that brings together students from across the university to come together and re-imagine education at SFU. 

When: Spring 2011 Semester 

Who Are We? My name is Deanna Rogers and I am currently a student at SFU. I am working with a recent graduate, Jenn McRae, to grow the Experiential Learning culture at SFU. This project came from our personal experience in pursuing education that connected us with our passions. We are now working with the VP- Academic’s office and, specifically, within the Faculty of Environment and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. 

Why participate? 
• Be part of an educational culture shift at SFU. 
• Empowered to co-design and be responsible for your own learning experience. 
• Be part of a collaborative workshop environment to give and receive feedback on projects and ideas. 
• Get a chance to tell your story about your educational experience at SFU. 
• Have the space to reflect upon and ask ‘big’ questions about you and your education. 
• Have the opportunity to engage in creative ways and mediums with your assignments. 
• Practice in the art of facilitation and group process. 
• Simultaneously grow your professional and academic CVs 
• Gain academic credit toward your degree. 

Student Responsibilities – you must commit to: 
• Attending seminars and workshops once a week for the entire semester. 
• Enrolling in a Directed Studies/Readings course and finding a professor to supervise your work (we can help identify potential supervisors 
and have some professors willing to supervise you). 
• Developing learning outcomes for your individual portion of the course. 
• Generating guiding themes for the group seminar. 

Supervisor Responsibilities: 
• Assessment: give feedback on your student’s final project. 
• Provide guidance for the student as needed (much like a directed studies). 
• It is not necessary for you to attend the group seminar but you are welcome to do so if desired! 

Assessment: 
We will be using a portfolio method for assessment. This will allow students to demonstrate their learning through exploring their personal, professional and philosophical growth. It is a way to develop and display your work in methods beyond the course in a medium that is exciting and meaningful for you. Course grades will be assigned based on accepted University policy and will be assessed via collaboration between each student, their supervisor and myself (Deanna). 

What we would like from this process: We would like to document this process by collecting your personal stories about education and feedback on this experiment: what worked/what did not? We would like to share your stories to help the university community experience what this education could be. Part of the project will be working on storytelling and creative ways and mediums to dynamically communicate this information. 

Project Context: Some of the work that has been completed by this initiative already can be found on the Faculty Environment website at: http://www.fenv.sfu.ca/programs/el-courses/ 

Potential Faculty Support: 
John Bogardus of the Sociology and Anthropology Department has agreed to support this process by designating the Interdisciplinary Student Designed Cohort as a placement site for the 8-unit SA 498 Field Study (see attached). Completion of upper level courses in theory and methodology in certain departments -- e.g., the School of Communication, Geography, Political Science – may be deemed to be equivalent to the SA requirements for admission to SA 498. To explore your eligibility for enrollment in SA 498, please contact John at: bogardus at sfu.ca 

As mentioned before, this can be a directed study through each individual department and we have started a list of professors who will support this in different departments. 

Contact: 
Email: dcr1 at sfu.ca or Phone: 604 716 6795 for more information and next steps! 




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EARTH DAY CANADA LAUNCHES AWARD AND RECOGNITION PROGRAMS 



Earth Day Canada celebrates and supports environmental initiatives year-round through a suite of recognition programs and financial support, including scholarships, grants and cash awards programs. 

Help us celebrate and recognize these contributions by directly applying or promoting the programs to your volunteers, supporters and/or community network today! 


Toyota Earth Day Scholarship Program awards twenty $5 000 scholarships to graduating Canadian high school and CEGEP students entering their first year of post-secondary studies. Eligible students can apply now at www.earthday.ca/scholarship . The application deadline is January 31st, 2011 . 


Earth Day Canada Community Environment Fund provides financial grants of up to $20 000 to support local not-for-profit organizations, charities and schools in the development and delivery of environmental initiatives in Ontario. Please visit www.earthday.ca/envirofund for more information. The Spring Grant Period deadline is February 28th, 2011 . 


Hometown Heroes Award Program rewards environmental leaders (individuals and groups) who have fostered meaningful, long–term community awareness and action in their communities with a $10 000 prize. Nominate a hero today at www.earthday.ca/hometown The application deadline is February 28th, 2011 .