20 Planet of the Arts / October 1996 Ode to Spook Photo of Spook Taken at Chataway Lakes, Merritt BC, 1982 .--continued from page 17 executive escalates over the issue of democratic representation. Some current and past executive members claim that the S.U. execu- tive’s agenda concentrates too heavily on CFS national issues at the expense of ECIAD local issues. Philip Link, an “organizer” of the Canadian Federation of Students (not a student of ECIAD), and who has chaired many ECIAD S.U. executive meetings responds, “Those national issues are not CFS issues, that’s a mis- representation. Most local issues are affected by provincial and national issues. When the federal government is talking about cutting eight billion dollars over two years from post-sec- ondary education there’s no single decision that’s going to affect the quality and accessibility over post- secondary education at Emily Carr moreso than that .” Jonathan Lander comments, “All members of CFS and Students’ Union as a group should be involved with CFS nationwide but it shouldn’t dominate the activities of the Students’ Union. Issues of tuition increase and the like are important but there are a lot of local issues being Se Spook grew up in East Vancouver. | first met him when he was just a little black fur ball at Valasse Park. Later he moved with my friends to Mission, where he travelled between Gramma’s house and home. On one of those nights he mysteriously disappeared. Black Darkness By Elana Lupis As the sun shone beneath the sea, A strange silence came over me. Not a soul to be seen, the sun’s final reign. The shadows deepened, I was just there. nor legs, it was black. for it was darkness, and I was alone. ignored such as, support for a student lounge and other elements to enrich the life of our school, or dealings with administration on poli- cies such as involvement in adminis- trative decisions, as well as promoting ECIAD students within our community.” In most incidences, when stu- dents were asked what the S.U. exec- utive committee has accomplished last year, most had responses similar to Carmen Morrow, third year film/video student, “I don’t know what they've been doing except for being part of CFS and for putting on pub nights.” Or Pam Killin, “The march against the cuts, pub nights, day planner; but I’m not directly aware, they could be doing stuff. There isn’t a lot of communication between the student body and Students’ Union executives.” Linda Szasz comments, “Broader student issues are present on the agenda but definitely not more than specific Emily Carr issues and once a year when we mount a campaign for students rights the larger student issues become more prominent on the agenda.” Another student stated, “I think being part of CFS is important. It’s crucial that students have a voice by lobbying the government but, isn’t that CFS’s job, not our executives? Isn’t that why we as the student body, pay them (CFS) our member- ship fees?” PUPPETS OF THE CFS? The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse. —Edmund Burke Historically, and with some con- troversy, the involvement and influ- ence of CFS with Emily Carr student business has been closely felt. The ECIAD Student Society Constitution was drafted with the aid of CFS “organizer” Philip Link. The constitution automatically allocates membership fees to CFS, designates an ECIAD executive portfolio position as a “Federation Representative”, gives CFS the power to appoint a member into the ECIAD electoral committee, plus, upon the dissolu- tion of the ECIAD Students’ Union, any assets remaining would be trans- ferred to an organization promoting similar objectives i.e. CFS. Not a creature to be heard. What could it be that caused this solitude? Well I sat and thought and then it came, Of course it must be the ending of I heard but one sound, that of my own, The black crept closer and closer. Surrounded by all fours, | grew smaller and smaller till there was no light as far as the eye could see. I felt as if 1 was put into a box with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Then it came, it had no face, no arms, I closed my eyes, clenched my teeth, and unnecessary. In 1994, in addition to holding ECIAD student account- ing records, a secret bank account was created in order for CFS to Obituary / Spiro T. Agnew ° Spiro Agnew, who served as Richard Nixon’s Vice President, died September 17, 1996, age 77 years. The squinty-eyed man with the mastodonic nose will undoubtedly be missed, especially by every nitwitted, right-wing asshole (jerk) who opposes free-thinking, free- speaking, and creative-minded people who realize the potential of universities as a medium for productive change in the development of our complex culture. He will not be missed by people who promote the idea that war is brutal Agnew felt that students who don’t follow conventions should be excluded from public institutions, and that anti- war protesters were “ideological eunuchs.” Some of Agnew’s notable achievements were: his disgraceful resignation as Vice-President of the United States of America for accepting bribes in public office and in private life; and, with assistance from Nicolae Ceauscescu of Romania, putting together a 181 million dollar uniform supply deal for Saddam Hussein on the recommendation of Richard Nixon. -AA channel funds to ECIAD executive members to do the handbook. In 1995, a CFS head office member, attended the CFS general meeting in Winnipeg as an Emily Carr delegate despite never having been a student at Emily Carr. In the summer months of 1996, Philip Link, due to his experience and at the request of the executive, agrees to chair commit- tee meetings. Despite some past questionable behavior, strong affiliations with CFS remain posi- tive and produc- tive with some members of the S.U. executive committee. Kyath Battie, Intermedia Co-Rep. and CFS Liaison feels, “As members we have the advantage of having massive sources of information and people working very hard lobbying on our behalf as students. At Emily Carr we face many similar problems faced by other local schools.” Sam Shem, agrees, “They (CFS) gave us a lot of direction at the student rally last year. They have helped us with meetings and they have helped us to develop student rep involvement in Canadian poli- PCS To other executives, the strong ties to CFS, pose as a destructive force to the democratic representa- tion at executive meetings. Harald Gravelsins, Photography Co-Rep. and Financial Affairs Coordinator states, “For those who espoused a staunch CFS line, there were pre-determined right and wrong answers, and therefore no value put on discussion, debate, and compromise. It was pretty hard to stomach. The price for achieving soli- darity around a single ideological position was a rapid decline in atten- dance (at executive meetings) and what seemed to be the loss of effec- tive representation of departments and constituencies at the Student Union executive committee.” With the cut to the school’s build- “As members, we have the advantage of having massive sources of information and people working very hard lobbying on our behalf as students.” —Kyath Battie ing hours, and no action taken from the S.U. executives to mobilize Emily Carr students; there is some merit to the claims that CFS issues override the specific issues relevant to ECIAD. For instance, the issue of the cut in opening hours has not appeared on the S.U. executives’ agenda even though meetings are held at least twice a month. Sam states, “Yes, lots of time was spent with CFS. There were two or three people who were heavily involved and others who were minimally involved but if those other people wanted to see other things get done they should put forward a motion on the table.” Patrick Gunn, former Graphic Design Co-Rep. states, “CFS played a major role with some of the members of the Students’ Union executives. They were an overpower- ing faction that made their views heard. They were dominating and overpowering. A lot of people were reluctant to challenge that. CFS is not a bad organization, but how it’s pushed is.” Recent action from the student body has successfully re-instated the 3am building closing hour. Examples like, Dawn Buie, third year film/video student, drew up a petition in 10 minutes and got approximately 35 students to sign in the space of an hour. Vanessa Wilkinson, 2nd year animation student, wrote a letter to Ron Burnett, the President of ECIAD, expressing her concerns. These were simple and effective actions taken at their initiative. Where were the S.U. executives in this movement? continued on page 24, See “Student Power: The Hidden Costs” 20 Planet of the Arts / October 1996 ‘executive escalates over the isue of democratic representation. ‘Some current and past executive ‘members cloim thatthe 5.U.exect- tv's agenda concentrates too heavily on CFS national iesues at the expense of ECIAD local issues. Philip Link, an “organizer” of the Canadian Federation of Students (not a student of ECIAD), and who has Chaired many ECIAD 5.U. executive ‘meetings responds, “Those national Issues are not CFS isues, that's a mis- Black Darkness By Elana Lupis {As the sun shone beneath the sea, ‘A strange silence came over me Not a soul tobe seen, Not a creature to be heard ‘What could it be that caused this solitude? ‘Well Isat and thought and then it came, (Of course it must be the ending of the sun’ final reign, {heard but one sound, that of my own, The shadows deepened The black crept closer and closer. Surrounded by al fours, 1 grew smaller dnd smaller til there was no light {5 far asthe eye could se. Obituary / Spiro T. Agnew If was just there nor legs, it was black. Spook rw up i East aoe. ft met im when representation. Most local sues ace alflected by provincial and national sues. When the federal government Is talking about cuting eight bilion dollars over two years from post-sec- ondary education there's no single decision that’s going to affect the {quality and accessibility over post Secondary education at Emily Cart ‘moreso thon that” Jonathan Lander comments, “All members of CFS and Students’ Union 85 group should be involved with CES nationwide but shouldn't dominate the activities ofthe Students’ Union. issues of tution increase ‘and the lke are Important but there ae alot ‘of local being for it was darkness, and Iwas alone. Jgnored such as, suppor fora student lounge and other elements to envch the life of our school, or