The Martlet

The textbooks have closed on another year at UVic, and debate has been the lesson.

But whether the topic was abortion, bunnies, student politics, or gardens, the only thing groups on this campus seem to be able to agree upon is that it’s hard to agree.

Here’s a recap of some of the top 10 blockbuster news stories to grace the pages of the Martlet this past year. And while we’ve all had our take on the matters at hand, we at the paper want to commend you for being interested, and being involved. Because, when it comes down to it, you can’t create change without care. So, good job, UVic.

1. September brought up the stinky subject of sewage in Victoria, focusing particularly on where the Capital Region District should place a new sewage treatment centre. Would it be on campus? Off campus? The city is still waiting with baited breath.

2. Fears of H1N1 (lovingly known as swine flu) broke out early in the fall, causing the buildings around campus to stock up on paper towels and hand sanitizer. The health clinic told students to just stay home if they were feeling ill, and doctor’s notes became optional — about time.

3. Reforming the UVic Students’ Society (UVSS) had some students excited to see change — especially after an ad hoc committee agreed to electoral reform. But new policies weren’t passed until this spring, meaning elections were run under the same old rules for the last time this year. Thank you, change.

4. Students were bombarded with petitions this fall. Should we leave the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS)? Should we stay? Do we even know what it is? In the end, the CFS said the petition requesting a referendum didn’t have enough signatures, and they refused to approve a referendum. Seems fishy.

5. Pro-life group Youth Protecting Youth (YPY) revved up controversy this past year — especially when their funding was continually denied and their club status was revoked. Some argued that YPY’s methods constituted as harassment, while YPY argued that they were being censored. All depends on your side, we guess.

6. After years of lobbying, Victoria finally got late-night transit with a three-month pilot project that began in January and extended service on three bus routes for Friday and Saturday nights. B.C. Transit will assess the results of the project and determine whether or not late-night transit should continue. Let’s hope they heard what those packed buses were saying.

7. The UVSS saw a number of issues policies crop up this year, including one that forced the students’ society to take a stance on fraternities and sororities. That board meeting was one of the best attended of the year, complete with people bringing popcorn to watch. In the end, the UVSS would not endorse such housing — but they wouldn’t be cutting them out either. Oh, democracy.

8. This spring’s student elections saw an Obama-like mania, as students flocked to the polls to beat out the current regime: Team Fast (cleverly renamed Students United). But the massive win for the RENEW slate had students feeling uneasy about voting in another majority board. What will come of this? Only time will tell.

9. Bunnies became the topic of conversation (more than usual) late this term, as UVic’s pilot project for rabbit removal failed. The lagomorphs were released back onto campus, with talk of an upcoming spay-and-neuter operation or mass cull haunting the holes of our favourite furry friends. Here’s hoping they’re building up their barracks.

10. Perhaps the most newsworthy event to happen on campus in recent history came in the form of a resistance group plowing forward with their plans to plant seeds in UVic’s lawns. The guerrilla gardeners of the Food Not Lawns Collective (FNLC) cropped up a plot by the McPherson Library, only to have it torn down by UVic administration. Not to be outdone, they planted it again. We’ll all be watching as the story unfolds. We give them kudos, though, for having the courage to dig headfirst into change.