Student-funded Runner launches as newsmag in January

A group of Kwantlen students are preparing to launch the largest student publication in Canada. By the end of January, Kwantlen campuses will bear the fruits of their labour, a free newsmagazine titled The Runner.

According to advertising manager Mat Huff, The Runner will be a general interest publication covering the news, views, and opinions of the Kwantlen community.

Funded, owned, and operated by students, The Runner will publish less frequently than a normal newspaper, but will be heftier than most, hence the term newsmagazine.

Huff and The Runner’s growing staff are actively seeking students who are interested in writing, photography, editing, illustration, design and sales to “get in on the ground floor” and join their team in putting out the inaugural issue.

All contributors to The Runner are paid, and students can also sell ads at a 30-per-cent commission. Any level of commitment is welcome, and elected editors will be paid to work at least 20 hours per week.

Start-up funding for the newsmagazine flows from an annual $6 fee paid by all Kwantlen students, but just in case there are any objections, Huff assures that “there is an opt-out available.”

According to a pamphlet about The Runner scattered around Kwantlen’s campuses, finances and publishing are handled by Polytechnic Ink, a “non-profit student publishing society.”

Billed as “part of a complete university,” The Runner will be a member of the Canadian University Press, a national cooperative of student newspapers that also operates a news wire connecting all of its member papers.

Huff and The Runner’s staff will be holding information sessions starting next semester, but for more information they can currently be reached at 778-565-3801 or by email.

RELATED: Student newspaper scheduled to hit newsstands in January

Kwantlen accepted by national universities association

Kwantlen’s battle for university accreditation finally ended last Thursday (Oct. 23) when the freshly inaugurated university was accepted as a member of the esteemed Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

The AUCC represents 92 of Canada’s universities, and university-degree level colleges, guaranteeing the quality of their diverse programs through a comprehensive evaluation process.

“This has been a long road for Kwantlen and we should all take a moment to celebrate this accomplishment,” wrote Kwantlen President David W. Atkinson in a notice announcing the acceptance.

Last April, the B.C. government announced it would be designating five existing schools universities, but that did not ensure their acceptance into the AUCC. This latest step should assure Kwantlen students that there is also substance behind the change.

Canada does not have a national accreditation system for higher education, but according to the AUCC website, “Membership in the Association coupled with the appropriate provincial legislation is generally accepted in lieu of institutional accreditation.”

The criteria for membership includes government by a senate, provision of a broad range of undergraduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, a proven record of scholarly activity and research, and graduate outcomes that meet or exceed high levels of quality.

The AUCC’s main services to members relate to public policy and advocacy, research and information sharing, and scholarships and international programs.

The University of the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island University, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, and Kwantlen are all currently members of the AUCC, while Capilano University has not yet been accepted.

‘Worst performance’ threatens men’s soccer playoff hopes

The Kwantlen Eagles men’s soccer team is hanging on to their playoff hopes by a hair after their winless streak stretched to five games on Saturday against the last place UBC-O (Okanagan) Heat.

The Eagles, who are in a tight three-way race for the final playoff spot, fell 3-1 at home to the previously winless Heat in what may have been a must-win game.

“This was the worst performance of the season, bar none,” said Kwantlen Coach Vincent Alvano. “I’ve seen in it so many times. This is the typical high school mentality where you play your heart out against a better team, and when it comes to a team you feel is beneath you, you stop competing.”

Kwantlen fell behind early when UBC-O’s Austin Ross curled a free kick into the top left corner of the goal, swinging the momentum to the Heat. UBC-O continued to press the Kwantlen defense, and in the 39th minute forward Lars Seitzinger was fouled near the goal, resulting in a penalty kick that put the Heat up 2-0.

Early in the second half, fresh substitute Sasa Plavsic wired a long free kick off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net, sparking an offensive resurgence, and pulling the Eagles back within striking distance.

Despite their renewed vigor, Kwantlen failed to convert any of their many opportunities into points, and as the clock ticked their desperation began to show.

In the 87th minute, after a possible hand ball went uncalled directly in front of the head referee, the Eagles stood frozen as Heat midfielder Tom Brook easily put the nail in the coffin on the resulting 3-on-2 rush.

“Those are the type of games that get coaches fired, or make a coach resign, because you feel so responsible that you cannot motivate your kids against a team you should be able to dominate,” Alvano said. “This is the team that held Capilano to a 1-1 tie in the first half, and 0-0 against Douglas, and we fall behind 2-0 against a team that hasn’t even won a game.”

Despite the loss, Kwantlen still has a chance at the playoffs because Langara lost its match to second-ranked Douglas College, and VIU lost to top-ranked Capilano.

If the 15-point Eagles win on Sunday, and 16-point Langara loses or ties, Kwantlen will squeak into the playoffs because they hold the tiebreaker over 15-point VIU.

Kwantlen’s final game of the regular season is a 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, rematch against UBC-O at Tamanawis Field in Surrey.

Taking it to the streets

Reporter David Pires was on his way to a soccer game when something else broke out — an exuberant, street-smart demonstration in favour of public play in public spaces.

Power Smart teams wades through campus to promote contest

“Do you want $2,500?”

Angela MacDonald’s sales pitch doesn’t get any simpler than that.

MacDonald, a member of BC Hydro’s Power Smart team, was roaming Kwantlen’s Richmond campus in blue and orange scuba gear on Wednesday promoting Invent the Future, a new online contest that pays you for your energy conservation ideas.

“We’re here trying to convince people to enter their videos and their essays, and we’re trying to promote conservation,” she said, “because our energy demands are going up 45 per cent by 2020 and our infrastructure is about 50 years old.”

Invent the Future gives B.C. students a shot at a top prize of $2,500 in exchange for a 1,000-word essay or 30- to 60-second video detailing their energy conservation idea.

The goal, according to BC Hydro, is to find ideas that foster energy conservation or discover a “new technology or innovative practice” resulting in increased efficiency.

The contest, open to individuals or teams, ages 13-29, has a second prize of $1,000 and an iPod Touch for the people’s choice in each category.

Anyone can vote for their favorite entry online until Nov. 4, and simply for registering, voters are entered into a draw for four iPod Nano’s.

The deadline for entries is Oct. 31, and more information is available online at www.inventthefuture.ca.

Eagles fall 2-0 to top-ranked Blues

The Kwantlen Eagles suffered a 2-0 loss to the Capilano Blues Sunday, as British Columbia’s two undefeated men’s college soccer teams met for the first time this year.

The patient Capilano squad (6-0-0) had a hard time securing solid chances against the defensively-minded Eagles (3-2-1), until midway through the second half when a momentary lapse allowed Milad Rhamati to weave to the end line before tapping a centring pass to Corey Birza for the winning goal.

“Today wasn’t about winning or losing, today was about respect, and I think we achieved that,” said Kwantlen head coach Vincent Alvano.

After Capilano’s Alan McIndoe scored in the 34^th minute, Kwantlen continued to stack their defense against the top team in the country, preventing any solid chances but at the cost of scoring opportunities for themselves. 

“We’re too young, too inexperienced, and too naïve. So we know that we’re going to make mistakes and give up possession, and we accept that. By accepting that we maximize our strengths and minimize our weaknesses,” Alvano said.

The Eagles’ Justin Lodge was the lone striker for much of the game, consistently fielding clearing kicks in the midst of four Capilano defenders.

After the Blues’ widened their lead to 2-0, Lodge dropped back to midfield in favour of two fresh Kwantlen attackers, Sasa Plavsic and Jethro Kambere.

Despite a tough second half, Capilano capitalized on one of their only chances, showing just how dangerously efficient they were. The only thing preventing the Blues from notching an additional goal was an amazing breakaway save by keeper Michael Newton.

“It’s not how hard you fall, it’s how fast you get up. And I guess the character of this team will be told next game… I told them from the beginning of the season that this team was going to be defined not by the way they won, but by they would lose. So I’ll get my answer in a week,” said Alvano.

The Eagles defeated Vancouver Island University 3-2 on Saturday. Their next match is at home Saturday against fourth-ranked Thompson Rivers University.

Eagles’ Lodge seals victory over Falcons

The Kwantlen Eagles Men’s soccer team continued its undefeated streak into the second week of the season with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Langara Falcons Saturday.

The come-from-behind victory was capped with a spectacular breakaway goal by Justin Lodge, his second of the game.

“I’m proud that they won. I’m proud of the character that they showed in terms of never giving up, but playing hard and playing smart are two different things, and today I don’t think we played that smart and that’s why we got two goals against,“ said head coach Vincent Alvano.

After driving home a rebound for an early lead, the momentum was on Langara’s side, but the period drew to a close with both teams battling for control of the game.

Early in the second half, Lodge sprinted into the clear and tied the score 1-1, but minutes later Langara capitalized on some defensive confusion and regained the lead with a quick strike.

Later in the half Alvano was ejected, but the absence of their coach seemed to light an offensive fire under the Eagles, and not long after a deflected shot by Ryan Sidhu floated over Langara’s off-balance keeper for the tying goal.

With the game deadlocked, the Eagles continued to put the pressure on, and with minutes to go Lodge single-handedly waltzed through the Langara defense for the winner.

“The character of the team, for a young team like this, first year, I can’t be more proud of what they did. I just wish that they would have a more professional attitude towards the game. Their naivete and inexperience shows, but that’s my responsibility. A team’s behavior is a reflection of the coach’s attitude, and it’s my job to make them play like professionals.“ said Alvano.

The 2-1-0 Eagles continue their season on the road Sunday at Coquitlam Town Center against the fourth-ranked Douglas Royals.