THE INSTITUTE Stopping To Think About Student Debt By Derek Brunen Who here is in debt? Whoooooo!!! Youre not supposed to cheer! : As every placard clearly states, ‘STOP STUDENT DEBT, FREEZE FEES NOW’ But before the march gets under way I ask, ignorantly, “what’s this about?” One of the ECIAD organizers replies, “education cutbacks.” “When you say cutbacks, what are you talking about?” I ask. “Tm talkin’ about 2.3 billion dollars of cuts in transfer payments from the federal government to the provincial government since 1993.” “Hmmh,” I say. “What does that translate into for students?” (I told you I was ignorant.) “Tt means that there’s a lot more corporatization and Income Contingent Loan Repayments which are great if your making a lot of money, but if you're not, which is more likely the case with minority groups, you end up accumulating a pile of interest charges. So, we are Grad Auction d from previ page remainder distributed back to the artists. For those who did not sell their piece, the artwork is returned framed — a pleasant upgrading! This practice is not usually followed by auction houses, and Lawrence sees this as a way of thanking the artists for the donation of their work. Many and sundry a volunteer was involved in staging this demanding event in areas such as bar, cashier, registration, and runners. Behind the scenes, people like Rick Robinson, the wood shop assistant, donated time to build 150 frames and hung the show with the help of Martin Borden, a printmaking instructor. Both joined in to lend a hand because they share a strong belief in what they’re doing. The local art community pulled through as well, with the Vancouver Art Gallery donat- ing 140 sheets of framing glass, and Crystal Glass helping with the remaining supply by giving a special deal on approximate- ly 80 sheets. Opus Framing donated generously to the printing of the catalogue. Other financial pledges to the grad show have been made by the ECIAD Students’ Union Association and by Emily Carr Institute. As for the design and production plan- ning for the catalogue, this will be carried out by design stu- dents from the Institute. All said and done, this successful fund raiser has pro- duced a strong sense of anticipation for the upcoming grad show in May. oO) pressuring the government to extend the tuition freeze and restore funding to the province.” Hey hey, ho ho! Student debt has got to go! My debt load is, of course, incomprehensible to me because I haven't begun to repay it. I just have this feeling that it’s out of my hands. Amidst the rally at the library, I approach a bystander and ask what she is thinking. She replies with a cackle, “I’m never gonna be able to pay my loan back unless I win the lottery. What are they think- ing?” We start talking about the statute of limitations for loan repay- ment and I tell her that, “I have a friend who hasn’t answered the door or the phone in four and a half years.” She laughs again. 1- 2-4-3! Education should be free! I, for some reason, become interested in the small army of motor- cycle cops accommodating the march. I ask someone walking next to me, “I wonder what the cops think of this?” “They're fuckin’ pigs, man. They don’t think, they just follow the rules,” he reacts. For fear of falling in between ‘them’ and ‘us; I agree. Human rights, student rights, same fight! Further along the march, I continue to question myself: ‘Where is the line between a peaceful protest and a threatening rebellion? How do the individual police make that distinction? Who, or what, are they protecting? What do they believe in? What do we believe in? What do I believe in? Where is the real separation?’ What do we want? Free Education! When do we want it? Now! Somewhere in the throng of horns, drums and uncertain screams, I caught a lone cry:‘ DEMOCRACY! It seemed out of place there, like a clown at a hospital. ‘What the hell are they talking about? What is that supposed to mean?’ I thought. It was almost sad. At the time, I dismissed it as a joke. Stop education cuts or we'll string up Chrétien by his nuts! I watched, within the mass of protesters, flashes of fear and con- fusion slipping out from underneath activist faces. As I ran in, out spring 1998 / planet of the arts 41 Sometimes we may need to fight ourselves... And, anyway, why isn’t every day a day of action? and around, videotaping this bodily function, I became lost and unsure of my own position. Uncertain of where we were going. Kill!? An organizer comes over a megaphone and says something about the declarations of bankruptcy that we’re to paste over the Royal Bank building. Someone next to me asks, “did he say they’re not a legal document?” Support student demonstration! Stop corporate legislation! Meaning is really a matter of applied force but, personally, I don’t believe that pasting a few false declarations on the fortified walls of ‘Democracy’ will stop the cuts. Is it simply a matter of more money? Or a matter of positions? Isn’t the problem far greater than ‘educa- tion cuts’? Might not the problem lie in the way that we view the problem? Are there not alternative means to applying force? Is it strictly a matter of ‘us’ and ‘them’ and are we not each responsible for our own expression? Somehow, I don’t believe that isolated actions resolve anything. Tax! No thanks! It’s time to tax the banks! If being a minority is a question of power, it seems to me that everyone in debt must be a minority. After the bank heist, we wound up listening to speeches on Cordova Street: speeches from ‘minori- ties about minorities. There was talk of ‘fighting together’ and ‘action in arms’ but, in reality, aren’t those in power actually fewer? And if so, why are they referred to as the majority? Now, I think we should fight in any way that we can. I think that, sometimes, we may need to fight ourselves. No pepper spray! I later found out that my significant other happened to be work- ing in an office building across the street from the Royal bank when the march arrived. She watched the event from above but she also has a student debt. The Student Day of Action, Wednesday, January 28th was an experience I won't soon forget. But what I struggle to comprehend is, why isn’t every day a day of action? ©! THE INSTITUTE spring 1998 / plonet of the orts 41 Stopping To Think About Student Debt By Derek Brunen Who here is in debt? Whooooo0!!! You're not supposed to cheer! ‘Asevery placard ary sates STOP STUDENT DEBT, FREEZE FEES NOW! Bat ie te march ges under oy sigan ha’ this bout?" One of te ECIAD onan elise catback cept wiseyoa aki bout Ta tm el! out 23 billion dlls of ets in ante pyeens ri ee aA gore POY evil pera “Ham Vy (ld you Twas ignorant) 1 means that "what does that translate into for student? és Lot more corporatization and Income ‘Contingent Loan Repayments which ae great if your makings lot of ‘mone, but if yor not, whichis mo likly the cae with minority ‘groups, you end up accumulating pil of interest charges. So, we are Grad Auction Eawersianredtre rea eter a eral eae peat upgrading! This practice is not usually followed by auction sexed ays thas a ye of nig the ats elie deeiemct Acie oor Mani aun yoann singing this ts Forthose who did not