Ah, the fall semester. A time of excitement and stress for every student. New classes, professors, and perhaps even starting at a new school can all be incredibly intimidating. But the weather is still great and due dates are just distant clouds on the horizon.Â
To our new students: welcome! What you’re holding (or reading on a screen) is The Cascade, UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. Since 1993, we’ve provided an outlet for UFV students to see their words and thoughts in print while learning the ropes of journalism, as well as serving as an alternative news outlet for the Fraser Valley. Every second Wednesday we share the latest stories that are important to UFV students and the members of our wider community. We hope you’ll take a few minutes to flip through this paper and see what we’ve put together!
A lot has happened since we printed our last issue on June 15. Here at The Cascade, we’ve said farewell to a number of graduating members of our team. We’ve also brought some awesome new people on board, and many of us have shifted into new positions — check out the masthead to the left of this article to see our entire team! On a personal note, I am honoured to have been entrusted with the title of editor-in-chief, something I never would have anticipated when I first walked into The Cascade’s office at this same time six years ago. I’m excited to walk in the footsteps of many great EICs before me.
There’s a lot of exciting things going on at UFV this semester. On the academic side, our feature article explores the significance of UFV’s new Halq’eméylem certificate, and we dig into new funding for an exciting Climate Resilience Project. Our campus culture is also moving the right way: don’t miss our preview of SUS’s giant Kickback event or our coverage of the brand new student-focused Ekta podcast!
Of course, throughout all of this, it’s critical that we remain safe and compassionate. The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, and though waves come and go, it shows no signs of stopping. After over two years on this rollercoaster, we’re all exhausted. I get it. UFV lifted its mask mandate on March 11 of this year, following the lead of the Public Health Officer. However, as a place of education, a place that prides itself on accessibility and inclusion, I heartily urge you to consider joining me in wearing a mask in your classrooms, and I encourage UFV to reinstate that requirement. COVID-19 is airborne, and by wearing a properly fitted mask, you can protect yourself, as well as classmates, professors, and the UFV staff. It is a small inconvenience that can quite literally save lives.
It’s an exciting and stressful time, for so many reasons. Welcome to the fall semester. Let’s make it a good one.
Jeff was The Cascade's Editor in Chief for the latter half of 2022, having previously served as Digital Media Manager, Culture & Events Editor, and Opinion Editor. One time he held all three of those positions for a month, and he's not sure how he survived that. He started at The Cascade in 2016.
