The UVic Students’ Society (UVSS) Annual General Meeting (AGM) briefly reached quorum on Oct. 15, but the students required for a full meeting didn’t stick around long enough to get much done.

MONTREAL (CUP) — The Canadian Federation of Students Quebec branch (CFS-Q) has released a reform package aimed at keeping schools in the wider federation.

Slick-handed students will no longer be wiping their pants— paper towels are back in the Student Union Building (SUB) bathrooms this fall, in an effort to curb the flu season, after almost 10 paper-free years.

Experts on economic sustainability and cooperative communities convened in the Student Union Building’s (SUB) Michele Pujol Room on Oct. 16 to urge the audience to rethink the way we all work and do business.

The UVic Students’ Society (UVSS) Environmental Responsibility Committee (ERC) is ramping up its efforts to get students and staff to kick their bottled water addiction.

They already have approximately $268,000 in accumulated debt, but the UVic Students’ Society (UVSS) is projecting an additional $22,000 deficit for the 2009/2010 year, as presented in its fiscal budget at its Annual General Meeting on Oct. 15.

UVic students are being asked to vote this week on whether or not they support introducing a fee to help finance a new athletics facility.

A petition has been circulating this semester asking UVic undergrads to consider a referendum questioning their membership in the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). Now, a counter petition has been created which could overrule the referendum request if it receives more signatures, according to one petitioner.

The UVic Students’ Society (UVSS) Board of Directors will no longer be taking a stance on whether or not UVic students should be involved in the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), thanks to a motion passed at the Oct. 19 board meeting.

After three games in three days at the Cougar Classic in Regina, SK, the Vikes women’s basketball team came home with a 2-1 preseason record.

Earlier this year the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) approved a 10-year pilot program to allow international universities to join their Division II. An overwhelming majority of Canadian universities showed no interest in joining the NCAA. But this past summer, Simon Fraser University (SFU) became the first institution outside of the U.S. to be accepted to the NCAA.

The first time I saved someone’s life, it was a quiet Tuesday evening at the swimming pool. I sat in my lifeguard chair and watched, bored, as about 20 people swam laps. I’d been on deck for 40 minutes.

In its third week, UVic Idol 2009 has already boasted talented and diverse performances. The conclusion of round one at Felicita’s on Oct. 15 saw nine new performers take the stage.

Experimental film is always a bit of a toss up. Last Wednesday, Oct. 14, as a part of the Antimatter film festival, Cinecenta screened Just One Kiss: The Fall of Ned Kelly by Finnish filmmaker Sami Van Ingen.

Chad Vangaalen walked on stage in a robe that looked like it came straight from a production of Jesus Christ Superstar. The Calgary musician played Sugar Nightclub on Oct. 14 .

“The story of life does not have to be human to be great,” said Suzanne Chisholm, co-director and producer of Saving Luna, who attended a showing of the film at UVic’s Cinecenta on Thanksgiving weekend, Oct. 11 and 12.

People keep calling Where the Wild Things Are “cute.” But something in that word doesn’t give enough credit to the beauty and depth achieved in this film about imaginary beasts.

Although recessions encourage consumption of low-quality beer and bathtub gin, a variety of satisfying but affordable wines on the market provide an alternative to consumers on a budget.

One UVic master’s student has discovered a positive link between the professional and personal lives of counsellors, despite the negative focus of her research materials.

These brownies aren’t just vegan and gluten free, they really are the best ever. Moist, rich and not cakey at all, they’re better than mom could make.

So, you’re underage. If you’re on campus, this leaves you with few options for weekend entertainment, since you’re prohibited from attending legal-age campus events.

Mount your bicycles: there’s a party coming on, in the name of climate change. The inaugural FutureFest Victoria is set to take over Centennial Square on Oct. 24, in an effort to turn up the political pressure for fighting climate change.

Victoria’s homeless residents were granted a day of easy access to much-needed services and a chance to re-arm for the coming cold season on Wednesday, Oct. 14, as part of Victoria’s Homelessness Action Week, Oct. 11-17. But a prominent figure in Victoria’s homeless service community is calling for the event to turn into year-long action.

Heavy rain didn’t stop 500 willing people from joining the Rally for Old Growth Forests, Climate and Jobs last weekend. On Oct. 17, ralliers of all ages marched through downtown Victoria, calling for government action on major forestry issues.

The UVic Students’ Society (UVSS) held yet another unsuccessful general meeting on Oct. 15. Quorum was not met and the special amendments concerning electoral reform could not even be discussed, much less voted on. 

Pressure on any industry to perform well is ultimately a good thing. As any of the thousands of workers in B.C.’s aquaculture sector will proudly tell you, our industry has come a long way in a short time. They’ll also tell you our sustainability practices are second-to-none.

I hate “green initiatives.” Now, before the believers start warming the tar and gathering the feathers, let me explain myself. The problem is, these so-called initiatives are seldom truly “green” and are often just a way of making us feel better about our habits. Many of these feel-good solutions actually do more harm than good in the long run.

Lifestyle is the major cause of cancer.  There is no doubt that pollution and pesticides contribute to this devastating disease, but these elements are often beyond our control. Meanwhile, there are things every one of us can do to reduce our risk.