CCSS offering discount bus pass
The Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) is offering Camosun students a special deal on a four-month BC Transit bus pass. The optional non-academic bus pass allows students who were enrolled in the winter 2019 semester to purchase a pass lasting from May through August for $85. Students who are enrolled in classes and already have a U-Pass cannot also get a non-academic pass.
Camosun arsonist found not criminally responsible for actions
Aaron Vince Raschke, who was arrested in connection with a series of crimes on Camosun’s Interurban campus in November of 2018— including three counts of break and enter with intent to commit offence, one count of mischief under $5,000, one count of theft under $5,000, and five counts of arson damaging property—was recently deemed by provincial court as not criminally responsible for his crimes by reason of mental disorder. According to Crown prosecutor Sunday Patola, a psychiatrist found Raschke was suffering from long-term psychosis. Raschke remains in custody until he appears in front of BC’s psychiatric review board. The board has to hold a hearing by mid-may.
Charger gets President’s Cup
Camosun men’s volleyball player and second-year Business Administration student Graham Basi was given the Camosun College President’s Cup on Thursday, April 25 at the college’s 25th Annual Athletic Awards Ceremony. Basi got the award for his academic and athletic achievements during the 2018-19 season. See the complete list of award winners at camosun.ca/sports/chargers.
Songhees Nation presented with Camosun award
On Thursday, April 4, Camosun’s board of governors presented the Songhees Nation with the Board of Governors’ Award for Innovation and Community Partnership. The award ceremony featured a dance performance by the Lekwungen dancers, a Songhees Nation dance group. The event took place in the Farmer Family Student Commons atrium at Camosun’s Interurban campus.
Camosun students show skills
Camosun students Ben Leech and Cameron Kinnersley took home gold medals in steamfitting and refrigeration, respectively, at the 2019 Provincial Skills Canada competition, held on April 17 in Abbotsford. They will be competing in the national Skills Canada competition in Halifax in May. Camosun students also made the podium in the sprinkler-fitting, landscaping, sheet-metal, carpentry, and cabinet-making categories.
Camosun Express bus not running until September
Students commuting between the Interurban and Lansdowne campuses using the Camosun Express shuttle bus will have to get to and from those campuses using BC Transit for the summer months (routes 8 and 9 commute between campuses), as the college has stopped their shuttle for the spring and summer semesters. The Camosun Express will be running again in September.
Camosun’s Master Plan document approved by board
Camosun’s board of governors have approved Camosun’s Master Plan document. The document looks into how the college campuses will develop in the future.
Camosun trades programs receive $250,000
Concert Properties, a property management company who are an employer of skilled tradespeople, has given Camosun $250,000 to go toward developing the college’s trades program. Using the donated money, Camosun is bringing a Red Seal training trades program to off-site locations to train students who live in more isolated communities along the coast of BC. The Red Seal program is a recognized status of safety and excellence for skilled trades.
Charity involving Camosun students breaks record
The Hungry Hearts charity fundraiser, held on April 6, raised a record $150,000 for Our Place Society. The night involved members of the public voting on their favourite dishes from local and touring chefs, including Camosun Culinary Arts students. Vancouver-based chef Nicolas Hipperson was awarded the Hungry Hearts Top Chef trophy. Our Place Society provides aid to Victoria’s vulnerable population.
Camosun and UVic creating smooth program transition
Camosun College is working with the University of Victoria to establish course equivalents for transfer students interested in UVic’s new Indigenous Studies program, which launched on Thursday, March 14. In March 2018, UVic became the world’s first university to offer an Indigenous law degree.
Camosun involved in West Shore post-secondary study
The provincial government recently assigned $1.5 million to a full business case aimed at developing post-secondary opportunities in the growing region of the West Shore. As a community partner, Camosun will be playing a key role in the development of the business case, according to Camosun vice president of partnerships Geoff Wilmshurst.
New electric-vehicle charging stations up at college
Six of the nine electric-vehicle charging stations in parking lot two at Camosun’s Lansdowne campus were activated in early April. The three other stations are available for staff parking until demand increases, at which point they will be used for electric-vehicle charging only. All vehicles using the spots, which were implemented as part of the Province of British Columbia’s Carbon Neutral Capital Program, require a valid parking permit; the college is also asking that users limit their stay to three hours.
College building gets $100,000 donation
Victoria resident Joan Wilmshurst recently donated $100,000 to the Together for Health campaign, an initiative at Camosun College that strives for a collaborative approach to teaching and learning in the medical field. Wilmshurst’s donation will go toward the Alex and Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness, Camosun’s new building for health and social service education. The building is on the Interurban campus and is expected to open in 2019. According to camosun.ca, the estimated construction cost of the building is $48.5 million. Wilmshurst is Camosun vice president of partnerships Geoff Wilmshurst’s mother.
Camosun info sessions being held in May
On Thursday, May 16, students and members of the public interested in exercise education or trades at Camosun can attend a free information session. The trades information session will be held in room 124 of the Liz Ashton Campus Centre from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The Centre for Sport and Exercise Education Information session will be held from 6 pm to 7 pm in room 329A of the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence. All sessions are free and do not require registration. See camosun.ca for more info.
CASA increases Indigenous representation
The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), which all Camosun students are members of, recently announced it’s launching a new pilot program that aims to increase representation of Indigenous students within CASA and strengthen its advocacy work for Indigenous students. The program will launch in the summer and will continue through the 2019-2020 school year. Funding for the program was approved at CASA’s annual general meeting, held in March.
Ministry announces open education resources funding
On April 17, the Ministry of Advanced Education announced $3.26 million of funding for open education resources to help bring affordable education to students in BC. Funding will allow students to have more free access to test-preparation material. Open textbooks are part of the Open Textbook Project, which is arranged by BC Campus, a provincial educational resource.
Camosun involved in accessible marine training program
On April 23, Minister of Transport Marc Garneau announced that the federal government is providing the British Columbia Institute of Technology with $6.2 million in funding over three years to deliver The Marine Training Program, which will make marine training more accessible for Indigenous and Inuit communities and women. The program will be jointly delivered with Camosun College.