news pitches
news section
mindy gregory – news editor
Welcome to our regularly scheduled news pitch list! The world outdoors is looking and smelling (oh!) so September and I hope you are making time to enjoy it. As our calendars fill up it’s easy to get lost in assignments (due, due, due), so we work to make it extra easy for students to stay updated on newsworthy topics. There is a lot happening this month that not only touches on the lives of students now but will change our future. Check below if you’re looking to contribute to the news section this week as there are a few new pitches plus some series options that we would love to add your piece to! You can take pitches in the directions suggested or you can pitch your own angle and we’ll see if your idea fits our publication.
If you are excited about a topic that I haven’t listed, please feel free to pitch your own ideas. Include your name, length of story (half page: 550-750 words, full page: 950-1,150), and angles you would like to take when you email to claim one of these ideas or to pitch one of your own. If you have an idea and don’t know how to execute it, we would be happy to help network, recommend sources and resources, and aid in the writing process to help you build the strongest story possible.
To claim one of the pitches below or to pitch your own story, email mindy@carillonregina.com. Article drafts will be due by the end of the day on Saturday, September 23, 2023.
UR Pride set to challenge the constitutionality of new SK Gov policy
Saskatchewan Court of King’s Bench will hear UR Pride’s application on September 19 in Regina. UR Pride, with Egale Canada and McCarthy Tetrault LLP as co-legal counsel, will challenge the constitutionality of the pronoun policy in the Saskatchewan government’s Parental Inclusion and Consent Act.
Choose an angle for your investigation, or integrate a few. Interview UR Pride. Research what is included in the Act. Investigate the type of consultation made by the government prior to implementation. Explore the spectrum of response across the province. Check out Premier Moe’s statement in an article released on September 14: “But you can have the assurance that the government will utilize any and all tools available, up to and including the notwithstanding clause, should it be necessary to ensure this policy is in place for the foreseeable future in Saskatchewan.” Next, consider the September 15 media release from the office of Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth, Lisa Broda.
There is a lot of accessible information related to this topic. I’m not looking for an opinion, but a clear, researched piece that lets the facts speak for themselves.
How can somebody like me enact change? (series)
Something that’s commonly implied in circles of people who are upset with (*gestures broadly*) the state of things in the world right now is “How can somebody like me enact change?” Generally, very few people are aware of their options in this area, and even fewer are aware of how they can go about making change or know who to connect with to get that ball rolling. To empower students to go out into the world and create a space they’re proud to be living in, we’re asking that articles be written on the myriad of ways that anybody – and I mean anybody – can join the fight for human rights and dignity. You could take this pitch the route of politics and outline how to speak with one’s political representatives at different levels of government, you could write about protest and rally strategies that have been used for centuries, you could champion the power of the people in the face of corruption by outlining the essentials of grassroots efforts, or pitch me another angle if you’re thinking of something I haven’t mentioned here.
Already covered: small actions make big differences
September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (updated)
This day is an opportunity to learn, reflect, and take action in redressing more than 150 years of injustice. The Government of Canada declared the day a federal statutory holiday in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action No. 80 which calls for a day to “honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.”
One approach would be to focus on the importance of September 30 as a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Consider interviewing an elder who can share their perspective with you. The U of R campus is fortunate to have elders in residence, such as Elder Lorna Standingready at Luther College and an Elder Services office at First Nations University.
There are also special events and opportunities to learn more about truth and reconciliation on this day. For example, Cadmus Delorme, the current University of Regina Board Chair, will be speaking in Regina on September 28 about honouring survivors and committing to meaningful and lasting reconciliation. Or take to the campus sidewalks and find out what professors and students know. What resonates with students? Have professors encouraged you to participate, and why may they remind you that it is a holiday set aside for the purpose of active learning? There are so many angles for this one and I would love to hear yours!
Student resource highlights (series)
On one hand, the people working at the university have made efforts to provide several resources to improve the experience of students and their skillsets after having been a student, and it would be rad to promote those resources to students who may not have heard about all the options available. On the other hand, we’re largely unaware of how well the resources provided actually help students, and all students (and university administration) would benefit from hearing whether or not the desired impacts of these resources are actually happening. Whether you want to look at financial services, library programs, co-op programs, scholarship options, or really any other university resource, please contact me and outline which resource you’ll be looking at and whether you’ll focus on how it’s offered or how it’s been received.
Already covered: academic advising, campus security, scholarships, student success centre, student employment at CESL
Tenants’ rights (series)
It is not uncommon for students to experience – or hear of other students who have experienced – landlords abusing their position of power. Seeing as most students are renters rather than homeowners, the Carillon is seeking contributors to write on the topic of tenants’ rights. Who can renters go to for information and support, what are common (and unique) ways that landlords have abused their position in the past, and how have renters fought back against that abuse? To contrast, what are some tenants’ responsibilities that people may be largely unaware of, and how do tenants need to act to abide by those responsibilities/restrictions?
Already covered: tenants’ rights 101
UofR to develop a thrift store database
Did you know that Canadians throw out more than one million tonnes of clothing every year? Fortunately, University of Regina researchers are set to create a nationwide model for recycling clothes and textiles, thus reducing the load on our landfills! Interview Dr. Kelvin Tsun Wai Ng, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, for this pitch and get the goods on how the interactive thrift store database and waste-management framework will improve environmental sustainability in Canada. Or write a research piece on the background and development of thrift stores in Canada. Based on your findings, will thrift stores welcome a shared database? Don’t wait to snag this pitch, it’s OOAK!
Carillon on the move
Carillon on the move is a series for the students, about the students. It gives the opportunity to students to voice their opinions about what’s happening on campus. For example, some ideas for interview topics could be: what do you think about textbook rentals? Is there buried treasure under the Research and Innovation Building? What’s causing food service vendors on campus to stop accepting cash as a payment option?
You must speak to three or more students to complete the article. Make sure to ask for their full name, pronouns, program of study, and year of study in their program.
