December 1990

R,

hyllis Argyle of Langara's

Computing Centre put a lot of
laughs into her job of raising
money for the United Way.
United Way activities are
being held around VCC,
thanks to the efforts of nu¬
merous committee members.

A special tip of the hat to the
three committee chairpeople:
Pat May, for Central Admin.,
KEC and C.E., City Centre's
Jim Olson and Langara's
Therese Paradis.

VANCOUVER
COMMUNITY

COLLEGE

Lajoie probes satellite instruction
Bob Lajoie has been given a mandate to
research and assess the feasibility of de¬

grams for students at the University of

livering the expertise of VCC faculty

studies at VCC," said Lajoie.

members and other professionals to TV
screens around the world.
Lajoie, who was previously CE's Acting
Associate Director of Program Services,
began work at Langara November 1 in
the new position of Director of Educa¬
tional Telecommunications. His job
involves leseaichmg and developing
satellite-relayed, educational programs
foi students m Pacific Rim countries, as
well as professional development

piograms for faculty and staff m other
colleges and universities m Canada
"We'll consider, for example, providing
both orientation and pre-training pro¬

Hong Kong before they arrive for their
Lajoie said interest m the domestic
application of educational telecommuni¬
cations was sparked, in part, by a U.S.
satellite program entitled Building Com¬

munity Colleges to the Year 2000, which
was recently viewed at Langara.
Said Lajoie "That program allowed us to
discuss the Amencan perspective, but it
also raised some valid and exciting
possibilities for similar programs in Can¬
ada.

"I'm extremely excited with VCC's
opportunity to enter the era of communi¬

cations technology as it will apply to
education."

"We'll consider,

for example, providing both
orientation and pre-training

programs for students at the
University of Hong Kong
before they arrive
for their studies at VCC," said
Lajoie.

Lajoie is right on top of his new job, (with the help of a little photographic sleight-of-hand from IMS)

PAGE 2

No experience­
no job?
No way,
say Co-op grads
by Monika Ullmann

When Michael Takasaki graduates from
VCC this month, he won't be joinmg the
ranks of educated people collecting un­
employment msurance. Takasaki has
escaped the Catch-22 of "no experience
- no Job" by participatmg in the Com­
puter Informat10n Services Co-op
Education Program, which integrates
practical work experience with class­
room study.
The two-year program at Langara
Campus gives students the option of
takmg two semesters of paid work
expenence as part of the six semester
curriculum. Takasakl spent his first Co­
op semester with Canada Safeway and
the second semester with Seaboard Life
Insurance Company. Seaboard was so
impressed with his performance, they
offered Takasaki a job as soon as he
graduates.
Denise White, progiammer analyst and
Takasakl 's supervisor at Seaboard, is
enthusiastic about the Co-op concept:
"We view 1t as a recrmtment tool. It
gives us a four-month look-see at
potential employees."
Another Seaboard tramer, Chuck
Mohamed, summed 1t up this way:
"Everybody profits."
Two years ago, the 26-year-old Taka­
sak1-who 1s marned and the father of a
young daughter-was a chef whose
career had hit a plateau

VCC Co-op Education student Michael Takasak, 1s shown the ropes by Seaboard Life Insurance supervisor
Denise White

"I was lookmg fm challenges; a career
that would offer me the opportumty to
keep learning new thmgs," said Taka­
saki. He found the challenge m the CIS
program Takasakl spent six to seven
hours a day m class, then did thiee to
four hours of homework each mght plus
eight hours on weekends.
All that hard wmk paid off. He qualified
for the Co-op option by ach1evmg better
than the reqmred 2.6 grade point
average. At Seaboa1d, he put m extra
hours learnmg the complex company
software package called Capsile "The
best thing about the wmk semester was
the opportumty to work on a mam­
frame," said Takasak1.
Hugh Lefebvte, Co-ordmator of Co-op
Programs at Langara, says that "quali-

fied students who do not take the Co-op
route usually 1 egret 1t late1." Two-thrrds
of all students qualify for the option, and
f10m that group 90 pe1 cent go into a
Co-op progiam This year, the CIS
p10gram will graduate 35 students, with
an equal number expected next yeai.
Most students giaduating from the Co­
op Progiam fmd Jobs withm a year of
graduatmg.
The CIS Co-op opt10n was started m
1980 and has seen a steady mcrease in
numbe1s. VCC was the first college m
B.C. to add Co-op educat10n to its
curnculum. In 1988, Accountmg was
added, and m 1989, General Insmance,
Realty Appia11>al and Computer Systems
Technologist A new Co-op Ptogiam,
Dental Techmcian, has been added at
City Centre

PAGE 3

Dates set
for
reclassification
appeals
VCC and the Vancouver Mumcipal and
Reg10nal Employees Union (VMREU)
intend to begin dealmg with pay reclassi­
fication appeals in the second week of
December. Both parties also agreed that
Apnl 1, 1991 is a "1easonable" date for
complet10n of the appeals, with the
except10n of those which may reqmre an
arbitrated settlement
VCC Employee Relations Dtrector Dale
Jones and VMREU Classification
Review Officer Steve Baker said both
sides will start by discussing the "factm"
system that has been used to evaluate
each position. That system awaids points
to a Job, dependmg on a numbe1 of
factms such as education, work com­
plexity and supervisory responsibilities.
Once there is an agreement on the
"we1ghtmg" of each item within the
factm system-which both umon and
management feel can be achieved by the
begmnmg of Januaiy-the mdividual
appeals can be addressed.
The process will also include 1eclassifi­
cat10n of all new posit10ns.
The college has paid increases and retro­
active pay to employees in positions that
were upgraded. The mcreases for all
upgiaded reclassifications are retro­
active to Ap1il 1, 1989.
Added Jones: "Those positions being
downg1aded will continue to acct ue
annual increases, as approptiate, and
receive all general wage mcreases for the
durat10n of time an individual remains m
that position."

PAGE4

Gemology students sparkle
on national, world scene
For two consecutive years, VCC gemol­
ogy students have won the top honours
in the two-year Canadian Gemological
Associat10n Diploma Program
Vivian Lee won this year's Dean S.
Field Medal, awarded to the top Cana­
dian student m the preliminary year of
the p10gram Kathryn Ann Jarvis, who
won the Field Medal last year, won both
national and mternational honours m her
second year She was awarded the W
Donald Goddgei Award for the highest
mark m Canada and also received the
prestigious Tully Memonal Medal.
Awarded by the Gemological Associa­
tion of Gieat Bntam, the Tully Medal 1s
a rare honour. It 1s only given to papers
of outstandmg quality, and allows the
recipient to become a Fellow of the
Gemological Associat10n of Great
Britain. This year, 398 students f10m 24
countries wrote the exammat10n. Only
50 Tully Medals have been awarded
smce 1930, and there has only been one
other Canadian winner.

v,v,an Lee

Both Lee and Jarvis said they studied
and worked very hard-but more than
that, a passionate, hfe-long mterest in
gemstones appears to be the key to thetr
success.
A buyer and appraiser for Tom Cavelti
for ten years, Jarvis loves her work
because "it allows me to do many
different things, from buymg gemstones
to adv1smg customers". She also ac­
knowledges "a fascination with crys­
tals", of which she has a large collec­
tion. And while she does not believe m
the magic power ascribed to crystals,
she does not enttrely discount 1t, either.
"Since time immemorial, mankmd has
believed in the power of crystals, so
perhaps there 1s something to it after
all," she says with a smile.
A native of Burma, Lee has always been
fascmated with gemstones. Her love fm
prec10us stones led to a career change
from chemistry to managmg an Asian
arts and gift store on South Granville.

Kathyrn Ann Jarvis

Yalllaha Canada sponsors
EC concert series
by Doreen Chm-Chai
With budget constraints very real and
very tight, how does one find extra
funding for proJects that do not fall
under the category of 'base-budget'?
Petei Taylm, an instrnctor in the KEC
Music Department and co- founder and
dnector of Soundwave, exercised
planning and creativity in his fund
raising. The 1esult· Yamaha Canada
Music 1s the official sponsor of the
1990/91 Faculty-Alumni Concert
senes.
Seeking to promote the "talents of the
music department" without taxing its
resources, Taylor hit on the idea of
working in cooperation with the
business community. "Sale of tickets
does not necessanly off-set costs, and
we JUSt cannot afford to lose any
money," said Taylor. "We needed an
underwnting guarantee that would
allow us to present the senes; we
needed the means of the pnvate
sector."
Taylor's associatron with Yamaha dates
back 16 years when he staited the first
vocal Jazz choir in Canada. His
1 elationship with others in the music
business grew through his involvement
with the B.C. Vocal Jazz Festival and
subsequent initiatives which included
arrangmg the music for the Coca-Cola
chorus featured at the 1988 Winter
Olympics in Calgary.
Said Taylor "Yamaha's partnership
with us and their financial mvolvement
1s a reflectron of the1r suppmt for the
VCC music program. We cannot put a
dollar value on that support."
Taylm sees this as the genesis of a
positive affthat10n between the college
and Yamaha, and looks forward to even
bigger Jomt projects. "I hope Yamaha
will work with us on a larger scale next
year when we plan to double the
number of concerts, m a venue such as
the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Those
concerts will include not only

renowned artists from our campus
community but also artists from the
global community "
Adds Yamaha's Bnan Disterhoff·
""Yamaha Music is proud to work in
conJunct10n with the Vancouver
Community College Music Department
to present this Faculty-Alumni Senes.
We at Yamaha have a tradition of
supporting music educat10n and we are
pleased to be mvolved in this aspect of
the instructional process."
To continue this support from the
community, Taylor emphasized the need
for backmg from w1thm. "It rs important
for our people to be there. All staff m the
college could get involved by simply
attending the performances The concerts
featme some of the fmest names m music
in Canada and will be held one mght a
month for the next five months."
The senes makes its debut with Dave
Robbms, the Juno-winning Hugh Fraser
Quintet and the Vancouver Ensemble fm
Jazz Improvisation (VeJi) on December 2
at the KBC auditorium. VeJI's
performance in Vancouver comc1des
with the celebrat10n of their newly
released compact disc. Subsequent shows
will present the b11lhance of Jerry
Domer, Gerald Van Wyck, Margot
Ehling, Peter Hannan, Sandra Head,
David Duke, the Tony Koch Quintet,
Alan Rmehart, Alan Matheson, Dave
Branter, and vocahst Shannon Gunn and
her band. Tickets at $10 a show or $32
foi the season are available at the KBC
Music Department.

Fast honoured for
community service
KBC Prmcipal Lawrence Past's effmts
to estabhsh a recreatronal centre on the
campus have earned him the Mount
Pleasant Commumty Centre Associa­
t10n's Community Service Award.
MPCCA past Piesident Charley Ber­
esford said Fast has "worked hard to
bnng about the addition of a recreation
facllty to KBC which would Jomtly
serve the community and the students."
The centre proposal, now before
Vancouver City Council, mcludes a
pool, gym, daycare centie, kitchen,
recreatron room and conference room.
He added that Fast was mstrnmental in
estabhshing a student Job Placement
Officer on campus and is "particularly
concerned about improvmg access to
programs offered by VCC."

Pearce returns with
earth shaking story
One of the surpnses C.E. Director
Richard Pea1ce and his wife, Sylvia,
didn't expect durmg the1r 1 1/2-year stint
in the Phihppmes was a maJor earth­
quake.
The Pearces returned from the tnp safely
in August with stones to tell about the1r
mvolvement m developmg a system of
non-formal education for the poor
He'll be sharmg his expe11ences m the
December Issue of Spectrum Magazme.

PAGES

Bargain books support scholarships

Twice

The Fun
At Half
ThePrice
Entertainment- makes the difference between paying full
price and getting a 50% discount on almost everything
Save on:

Dining • Movies • Theatre
Sports • Hotels 'Travel and more.

For more information call:

PAGE 6

Do we have a deal for you...
Savings Spree and Enteitamment '91 books offenng
pages of bai gains in two diffeient pi ices ranges are
available through Lyle Larngan at Langara Campus

(Local 394). Foi $10, Savings Spiee will give you
discounts on a wide variety of goods and services; for
$40, Entertainment '91 offers 2 foi 1 and othei big
savings on fine dining and a host of other leisuie
activities
And while you're having a great time and saving

money, the proceeds will help with VCC scholaiships
For a bargain you can't lefuse, give Lyle a call oi diop a
cheque m the inter-office mail.

Christmas creations stress conservation
Students and instiuct01s from Langara's
Art m Me1chand1smg p10giam turned
the1r creative talents towaid recycling
during the taping of a recent CTV "Live

It up" Chnstmas Special. Visual Presen­
tation Instructor Elizabeth Calle,
Giaph1c Design Instructor Bob Neigh­
boIS and the students Joined the !magma-

tion Market-a local st01e and workshop
that deals m recycled matenals-to
produce Christmas dec01at10ns. The
show ans Sunday, Dec 9,from 7:30 p m
to 8·30 p m. on BCTV.

Pictured around
the tree (left to right)
are Neighbors,
John Kelder,
Anna Boonen and
(kneeling) Majid Jamshidi.

Art in Merchandising students threw
a first rate scare into the Langara
bookstore's Halloween display. The
window was so well done
that there will be encore
performances at the bookstore.
PAGE 7

CST
Program
''exem lary''

OFFICE
ASSISTANCE
The Employme
nt People

Langara's Compute1 Systems Technolo­
gist (CST) P10gram has been accepted
as an "exemplaiy" educat10nal model
for teachmg students m the age of
mfmmation technology.
The honom was accmded CST by the
League fm Innovat10n m the Commu­
mty College in North America durmg its
1ecent annual conference m Dallas,
Texas.
CST Co-01dinat01 Habib Kashani
p1esented the Langara program to a
group of administrators, educators and
other p10fess10nals under the theme of
"Educate and leave the opp01 tumty to
1e-educate." Said Kashani: "A p10gram
m the technology era must create values
for the community and allow its
giaduates to stay valuable through the
skills they have acquned."
Although the designation of exemplary
model was rewardmg for those at
Langara who are involved in CST,
Kashani came away from the confe1ence
with a caut10n to those educators
involved m computer technology in B.C.
"Dmmg the confe1ence I reahsed that
B C colleges, and Langara campus m
particulai , are behmd om U.S. counte1parts m applying computer technology
m teachmg, learnmg and institutional
management," said Kasham "Unless we
wake up now, tomonow will be too
late "

Grad new editor
A fmme1 Langaia Journalism student
has been appomted City Ed1t01 of The
Province
Joey Thompson, a 1976 Langai a giad,
will supe1v1se a staff of m01e than 25
Provmce 1ep01te1s Dmmg he, 14 years
with the paper, she worked on a host of
beats, mcludmg labour, education and
legal affau s

PAGE 8

Career fa,r drew 32 corporatwns and public sector employers

Career Fair eyed for all campuses
by Barbaia Alldritt
After exploring the idea of a Career Fail
for students with all three campuses, the
VCC Alumm Associat10n orgamzed the
fnst fair in Langaia's main concourse on
November 7.
Thnty two institutions, mcludmg the
Vancouvei Police Depaitment, B.C.
Child1en's Hospital, Pubhc Se1v1ce
Commiss10n of Canada, United Parcel
Se1vice, UBC Personnel Department,
Fairweather, Office Assistance and the
Wmkei's Compensat10n Board, sent
exhibits and 1ecrmtmg staff to the
college.
Students and alumm took advantage of
the oppmtumty to explme then cmee1
plans with the people who do the hmng.
Although the mam focus was on career
planmng and pos1t10ns, some students
also found pmHime jobs to help fund
them th10ugh then studies.

Exh1b1tors we1e very 1mp1essed with the
student response to the fair. Accordmg
to the Vancouver Police Department,
only at SFU had they talked to mme
students at a Career Fan. Fanweather
left with a full schedule of intei views fm
the followmg days
So can we look for the Ca1eei Fan to
become an annual event? "Absolutely",
says Baibaia Alld11tt, Executive
Director of the Alumm Associat10n.
"Most exh1b1t01s said they'd like to
come back next yeai and there we1e
qmte a few othei compames mv1ted that
couldn't attend this yeai but would hke
to 111 the futme
"We'd also like to have an event like this
on each campus. We want all VCC
students to know that the Alumni
Association is 111te1ested 111 help111g them
now as well as m keep111g 111 touch with
them once they leave the college."

Rogers makes career of playing it safe
by Gayle Thody
Sarah Rogers credits "paran01a" for
leading her to a satisfying career.

the award wmnmg B.C. team are: Tony
Lyttle, coach, who 1s with B.C. Hydro
Safety and has participated m Fust Aid
compet1t10ns for the past 20 years;
Richard Matthews, an SFU psychology
student and electncian who 1s mvolved
m search and rescue; Linda Fehner, a
full-time provmcial service ambulance
attendent and Jim Chesworth, a B C. Tel
employee and member of the 1988 and
1989 B.C Tel provmcial first aid team.

"It all started when my kids we1e small.
I was one of the most paran01d parents
about mJuries," she said.
A science major who had considered a
career m medicme, Rogers 1s today a
CPR and Industnal Flfst Aid Instructor
and Progiam co-ordmator in the col­
lege's CE D1v1s10n
She 1s also a member of a first aid team
that 1ecently won the prestig10us Buxton
Internat10nal Trophy in London. The
Vancouver based team placed first
among 11 mternational teams m the
competition-bettermg thelf second
place finish last year.

Sarah Rogers

Co/In Jewa/1 Photo

Rogers speaks with obv10us enthusiasm
when descnbing the compet1t10n and the
challenges involved. "The competition
puts you m situations you wouldn't
likely come across. It ieally challenges
you," she explams.

several hours. In England, where the1e
1sn't any wilderness, medical facilities
are reasonably accessible and the
longest time would be less than 15
minutes. So the approach 1s very differ­
ent."

Being the only Nmth American team m
the competition was a disadvantage.
Says Rogers: "The kmd of first aid we
practice m B.C. is different from that in
Europe. Because we are such a vast
province, a first aid attendant could have
a patient in his or her care for up to

Fm that 1eason, the team went to
England two weeks early and practiced
with the Lancashlfe Constabulary and
Thames Valley Police Force, Biitish
teams that have won awaids for the past
20 years
In addition to Sarah, other members of

Sarah Jomed VCC four years ago. Pnor
to that, she worked for Expo 86 as an
ambulance attendant and contracted out
to the Justice Institute. But teachmg
remams her flfst mterest. "Teaching has
always been satisfymg and exc1tmg to
me. I never make the mstruct10n mto
'wmk' or a 'Job'," she says.
The winnmg B C. team was sponsored
by a $6,000 donation from the Workers'
Compensat10n Boaid and $3,000 from
St. John's Ambulance. Other momes
come from donat10ns and fund raismg
events. Rogers adds that 1f the team
ente1s the compet1t10n agam next year,
she thinks she has finally found a
corporate sponsor.
But whatever happens m the future, she
says she and her team members are
looking for new challenges

PAGE9