Important issues your students’ newspaper has covered in the last decade
Since 1962, the Carillon has been on a mission to deliver the latest stories of interest to those attending the University of Regina (UofR). The team of UofR students working at the paper contribute to a resilience and determination to uncover campus-related issues. Let us revisit some of the important issues the various student news teams have drawn attention to in the last decade.
Tuition hike
University students today are no strangers to increases in their tuition fees and this remains true when looking back at the year 2010. In issue 4 of volume 53, Editor-in-Chief John Cameron details tuition increase in the article “Nickels and dimes.” He stated that, over that year, international student fees were to be 4 per cent higher than that of domestic students, who saw a spike of approximately 5 per cent. Cameron went on to point out that the UofR had requested for a 9 per cent budget increase even after the provincial government had increased its operating grant by 3.3 per cent and allocated $980,000 for the university’s distance learning program. The UofR’s request did not come into fruition and a tuition hike became their solution. The then vice-president of external relations, Barb Pollock, was quoted by Cameron as she addressed the UofR administration’s lack of control over the situation. When the Board of Governors discussed the university’s budget, University of Regina Students’ Union (URSU) president Kyle Addison was the only student member on the board and had been in the minority vote against the 5 per cent increase. Now, in the year 2025, UofR students face yet another tuition hike with a 4 per cent increase.
Women’s Centre and 16 days of activism
In issue 9 of volume 53, news writer Iryn Tushabe’s “Waging war against gender-based violence” spotlighted the Women’s Centre’s pursuit to raise awareness about the crisis. From Nov. 25 to Dec. 10, 2010, the Women’s Centre held events and fundraisers that addressed gender-based violence both locally and internationally, including a vigil for the women whose lives were lost during the Montreal Massacre on Dec. 6, 1989. Tushabe’s article included quotations from Women’s Centre executive director Jill Arnott, who spoke about the Centre’s fundraising efforts in the past, with funds going towards women in Congo, Saskatchewan Sisters in Spirit, and an organization in Costa Rica that helps women and children get off the streets. The Centre planned to have their bake sale on Dec. 1 of the year 2010 along with a fundraising dinner at the Fainting Goat. Tushabe highlighted Arnott’s warm requests for donations in any amount and for students to show interest towards the Women’s Centre.
The Women’s Centre became highlighted this year when its annual general meeting was disrupted by members of the students’ union. Many allegations were thrown at each other by both parties and the union, unsuccessfully, tried to defund the centre. As the centre is trying to get back on its feet again after a difficult year we must remember that its legacy of giving the women at the UofR a safe space and advocating for their rights goes back almost two decades; the Carillon being a consistent testimony to it.
In the past decade and several prior, the Carillon has never let the bastards get us down.” – Lee Lim
Gender-neutral washrooms on campus
Installed now on the UofR campus are gender-inclusive washrooms, which can be found in the Administration Humanities building, the Centre for Kinesiology, Health, and Sport building, College West, the Education building, Kīšik Towers, the Laboratory building, the Dr. John Archer Library, the Dr. William Riddell Centre, and in the Wakpá Tower. In issue 7 of volume 54, news writer Sophie Long drew attention to student concerns and conversations surrounding all-gender washrooms in the 2011 article “Gender-neutral washroom stalled.” UR Pride spent two years campaigning for the project and, at the time that Long wrote the article, there were no gender-inclusive washrooms in Regina. Students who chose to remain anonymous spoke to Long either in support or opposition of the washrooms that would eventually be opened in 2013.
Contributor Rikkeal Bohmann wrote for the Carillon in 2013 with an article titled, “Finally, gender neutral washrooms.” Bohmann spoke to the then UR Pride Executive Director, Leah Keiser, who celebrated getting ten washrooms changed to be gender-inclusive. Keiser was quoted saying that washrooms become a hostile environment for those who are non-gender conforming. The creation of these inclusive washrooms attests to the efforts of UR Pride and the university working together to make students feel safe. If none of these stories resonated with you, I urge you to do some digging yourselves! This is just a small but mighty collection of what can be found in our archives; our past and current issues contain a wide range of news genres that I’m sure will leave you entertained. You might even come to know that, in the past decade and several prior, the Carillon has never let the bastards get us down.
