Edible insects, KSA free parking and a school paid for by yoga pants: Runner Round-Up

News from campus and beyond for the week of May 20-24, 2013

Slimy … yet satisfying!

Fancy a taste of mom’s homemade mealworm spaghetti? Do you want some chocolate-covered crickets for dessert? Adding bugs to our diet could be a nutritious way to ensure food sustainability, according to a report released May 13 by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO). Approximately two billion people consume insects in their diets daily. This is not to say you should start making cockroach shish kebobs for the grill, but many insects are high in iron, protein and healthy fats though it varies by species and even the metamorphic stage of the insect. However, since insects emit fewer greenhouse gases and require less food than the average livestock to produce the same amount of protein, insect farming could be an environmentally friendly way for people to make a profit. Bug cuisine could provide a potentially cheap solution for battling malnutrition and hunger. It’s something to consider the next time you reach for that can of RAID.

Do not pass go! Do not collect $200!

Kwantlen Student Association councilor Yasir Raja, a business faculty representative, thinks council members shouldn’t have to pay for parking. At the May 1 council meeting, Raja pointed out that although few members do drive, there should be subsidized parking for those who need it. Arzo Ansary, KSA Women’s representative agreed, pointing out the hassle of having to pay. While a number of council members agreed that paying the $5 in parking to attend meetings did not incentivize council members to be more engaged, Jared Penland, a senate representative disagreed.

“As directors we have an [obligation] to the society to make the best decisions for the board. That’s not thinking of our own self interest, but what’s actually best for the society, and bearing in mind that we have had consecutive operating deficits,” said Penland.

So, it’s gonna look like a giant yoga mat, right?

Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) has now selected a design team for the proposed Chip and Shannon Wilson School of Design to be built on the Richmond campus. Two architecture firms  — KPMB Architects of Toronto and PUBLIC Architecture and Communication of Vancouver — will make up the team working on the design for the Richmond campus building-project, which has received $36 million in funding. The new program for the planned School of Design is scheduled to launch in January 2014. It will be a post-baccalaureate diploma program, designed for students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree. According to a KPU media release, Chip Wilson, the founder of Lululemon, and his wife Shannon Wilson donated $8 million. Lululemon as a company donated $4 million. Both KPU and the B.C. government matched the $12 million donation.