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Dance therapy coming to TWU
Student Council allocated $200 to the Undergraduate Psychology Student Initiative (UPSI) to spend a therapy workshop in November.
Club president Fathanee Guandique presented the proposals at the October 18 business meeting, requesting the money for a Dance and Drama Therapy workshop.
“We want to let psychology students know that a psychology major can lead to more than just counselling,” said Guandique.
The proposal passed by a large majority, but there were some objections.
“The dance and drama proposal is about the power of the self,” said Vice President of Student Relations Melanie Spaulding. “I don’t see this proposal as helping students be Christ-centred in their psychology.”
Vice President of Academics Norman Van Eeden Petersman said that though council members knew little about dance and drama therapy, “it was a pretty easy decision to make.”
The dance and drama workshop will take place on November 5.
Aerobics falls out of step
Last Thursday marked the final day for group fitness in Robson Lounge, due to dwindling numbers. Instead of the usual 40 to 50 students, only 14 members paid the $40 fee this semester to participate in step aerobics, kickboxing, or hi-lo.
Dale Baumgartner, head of Recreation Services, attributes low attendance to the fact that there are so many opportunities on campus from which to choose. The group fitness program needs about forty paying members in order to cover costs, which includes paying the instructors and providing equipment such as weights and mats. Baumgartner emphasized that classes were not canceled because they were not generating profit, as group fitness is purely a cost recovery program.
Recreation Services will try to run the program again second semester, said Baumgarter, who believes “it is an important program to offer.”
Alumni mag on the rocks
Trinity Western University’s award-winning alumni magazine faces an uncertain future due to budget constraints.
“We would love to get one more issue out this year, but we really don’t know if that’s going to happen,” said Amanda Smith, editor of the magazine.
An issue of Trinity Western Magazine costs approximately $40,000 to produce and distribute, reaching 20,000 people in Canada, the United States and internationally for a cost of about $1.70 per magazine. The magazine currently receives funding from two sources: University Communications (Ucomm) and donors. Smith said that they have used “a little more than half” of the funds from Ucomm, leaving about $20,000 in their remaining budget.
“In the past the extra funds were promised funds from donors,” said Smith. “We don’t have as many reps [this year]. Funds didn’t come in.”
Though the future of the magazine has not been officially decided, Smith said that they are exploring different possibilities, including the use of the web. The magazine may also expand its advertising from three full page ads to four. Despite changes that may come, Smith hopes that the purpose of the magazine will not change.
“It’s important to preserve the original intention of the publication, and make sure that it stays for the alumni,” she said.
Re: Dance & Drama Therapy Workshop proposal
To clarify, TWUSA supported the Dance and Drama Therapy Workship proposal because it was a legitimate and interesting forum for pyschology to learn about a relatively new and seemingly unknown field of pyschology. Melanie Spaulding is quoted as saying ““I don’t see this proposal as helping students be Christ-centred in their psychology”, but I am very concerned by the fact that nothing more was added to that statement to explain her reason for voicing concern. Having attended the meeting, it was clear that this concern was purely related to a particular word used in describing the event and the issue was easily resolved. Assurances were made that this field of pyschology has many redemptive elements and ought not to be misconstrued as a purely human-centrist approach to pyschology. UPSI’s president was very intentional about framing this in the context of an acknowledgement of TWU’s unique affirmation of pyschological practice and theory that is consistent with Christian views on the body, mind and soul.
I believe that this ought to clarify my comments towards this proposal as well, namely the assertion that “it was an easy decision to make”. I feel that such clarification is necessary in order to provide an appropriate context for articles like this news brief.