In the meantime, have you registered for Nash 72 yet? Check out www.cup.ca/naturalselection for all the details!

The Ubyssey's Trevor Melanson accepts the first place prize for his feature 'Running from hell' at the 2009 Johnnies gala. (Photo: Sheena Goodyear, CUP 71 National Bureau Chief)

I sat down with John H. McDonald Foundation co-ordinator Erin Cauchi and got her to spill all the dirty secrets about everyone’s favourite annual awards ceremony — the Johnnies!

Named after CUP’s first president John H. McDonald, the Johnnies have been around since 2003. They were modeled after the National Newspaper Awards — run by the Toronto Press Club — after it was realized that the student press had nothing to recognize all of its talented journalists. The Johnnies are the only national journalism awards competition at the post-secondary level, and the awards are handed out each year at a gala during CUP’s annual national conference, aka Nash. Read on for more info on how you can apply, important deadlines, and what it takes to hear your name called on gala night!

- Who is eligible to apply for a Johnnie?
Anyone at any Canadian university or college student publication can submit to the Johnnies. It’s not only for CUP members.

- What is involved in the application process?
The application is very simple. There’s an online form to fill out where you cut and paste your piece similar to how you’d paste it into the backend of your newspaper’s website — like Hot Ink, CollegePublisher or a similar basic program. New this year, we’re requesting a PDF version of the laid out article so  they can be displayed at the gala when the awards are presented.

- Ok, I’ve submitted my piece, what happens to it now?
The first step is ensuring all the rules for submissions have been followed — most importantly that no one has submitted too many pieces since you can submit to any and all the categories, but one article/photograph/layout can only be submitted once, and you can only apply to each category once.
Next step: blinding them. I remove any and all mentions of the name of the applicant, their paper and, within reason, their school. This is so no bias is involved at the judging level. Once they’re ready for review, each category is an individual PDF which gets sent out to the three expert judges. There’s a month-long judging period and the three experts must come to me with a unanimous decision of the best submission as well as two runners up by Dec. 1. I’ll then announce it on the CUP website, as well as send a message through our listserv. And then the Johnnies are basically done, except for the administrative tasks of getting the prizes addressed to the right people.

- Speaking of prizes, what can I win?
First prize for each category is a $500 cash prize paid for through sponsorship I’ve gathered from various Canadian media organizations and individuals. Both runners-up receive a year-long magazine subscription.

- So, the judges have all the submissions now, what happens to them next?
The judges are given the same criteria to judge by as the applicants receive when submitting them, so there’s no surprises. That said, judging is always at the discretion of the judges and all judge decisions are final — I have no sway in the judging process. Judges this year hail from the CBC, the Globe and Mail, the Walrus and many other places. They’re pretty broad in terms of regional diversity — we’ve got people scattered across the country from the west, the prairies, the Toronto region, and out east. We’ve even got a couple Canadians overseas. The only region we don’t really have representation on the judging panel is the territories.

- What kind of updates can I expect in between now and Nash about the awards?
Well, there won’t be many, but the ones you get will be very important. Updates will include reminders about the deadline (Oct 16th!) and announcement of the shortlist (top 3 in each category), including a mention of those who judged each category and maybe a mention in thanks to our sponsors. CUP is a not-for-profit organization, so there’s no way we could fund the award prizes without the help of donations.

- What can people expect of this gala you keep mentioning?
The gala is not quite booked, but right now it looks like it’ll be held at the University of Alberta’s Dinwoodie Lounge in the Students’ Union building. It’s a pretty large space with stage and dance room, great lighting and projection equipment. I’m working hard on making the decorations really reflect the conference theme of Natural Selection. We’re really trying to design the setup so the awards are better honoured as opposed to simply being a backdrop to another night at NASH. This is why we’ll be displaying the winning submissions, appropriate audience seating, etc. I’ve also commissioned our graphics bureau chief Sandy Chase to be the official event photographer because right now we don’t have much of an album recording past galas, which is not great not only for nostalgia’s sake, but help when it comes to promoting it in future years. That said, I really want to make sure the music is great. I’m biased — being the co-ordinator and all — but I think the gala is the highlight of the conference.

I hope you’re all inspired to submit as many times as you can to this year’s awards competition. Remember, the deadline for submissions is Oct. 16. Categories include: features, investigative, news, arts, sports, solutions-oriented, diversity, labour reporting, francais – news, francais – arts, design/layout, and photography.

Submissions and questions can be sent to jhm@cup.ca.

- by Danielle Webb, CUP Ontario Bureau Chief

Queen's students climb on overturned car at infamous 2005 homecoming street party. (Photo courtesy CUP graphics depot - Jaimmie Riley/the Strand)

Tame ‘Fauxcoming’ due to police presence, rain

An unsanctioned homecoming celebration in Kingston occurred without any major incidents this past weekend, says the Queen’s Journal.

Approximately 60 arrests were made, and only one woman was taken to hospital during the annual Aberdeen street party.

Police officers were brought in from the Toronto Police Department, the Ontario Provincial Police, and the RCMP to assist Kingston Police with management of the outdoor event.

Police credit the rain as the main reason the party ended earlier than previous years.

University of Western Ontario student charged in Hard Rock Café theft

John Elder has been charged with one count of theft valued at over $5,000 in connection with an Aug. 23 theft of a signed Lenny Kravitz guitar from the Hard Rock Café in Niagara Falls, reported the Western Gazette.

The suspect was identified after video surveillance footage was uploaded to YouTube.

The guitar is valued at approximately $20,000.

York student arrested in connection with campus sexual assaults

Aaron Zukewich has been charged with one count of sexual assault stemming from an on-campus incident reported on Sept. 15. He is being investigated for a second assault reported on Sept. 18, according to the Excalibur.

Zukewich was released on bail on Sept. 21 and is banned from returning to the northern Toronto campus pending trial.

Bus combusts

A London, Ont. city bus burst into flames on Sept. 23.

According to the Western Gazette, the bus was immediately removed from service to determine a cause. Preliminary investigations suggest a faulty panel could be at fault. The panel has been removed from 41 other buses of similar design.

Replacing the bus will cost the London Transit Commission approximately $470,000.

No injuries were reported.

Salary-freeze chills Ryerson

Anyone earning more than $150,000 at the downtown Toronto university won’t be getting a raise this years, reports the Eyeopener.

Following a recommendation made by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities in March, Ryerson is the latest to adopt the freezes. U of T, Queen’s and McMaster are among some others who have capped the salaries of their top executives.

Ryerson vice-president university advancement noted that the freeze wasn’t related to any budget shortfalls.

- compiled by Danielle Webb, Ontario Bureau Chief

Just a brief ORPUCbeq conference update to let you know that we have added 2 new speakers in the last few days.

Dave Tait, a Carleton University journalism professor who has worked for the Ottawa Citizen, London Free Press, Calgary Sun, CBC Radio, and Radio Beijing will be presenting an incredible session on media ethics.

Also…

Aaron Wherry of Macleans is going to be presenting the Saturday night keynote speech! He covers Parliament Hill for the magazine, and also covered music and sports for the National Post for four years. Wherry is also a former editor of the Gazette at Western University.

Keep your eyes peeled for more speaker updates in the coming days. We are hoping to announce speakers for sports, arts, and intervewing very soon!

A reminder that the fall ORPUCbeq conference is being held Oct. 16-18 in Ottawa. Delegate fees are only $20! If you have any questions about the conference please contact me or Emma Godmere at frank@cup.ca and ottawa.bureau@cup.ca respectively.

For more information and to register for the conference, please visit www.cup.ca/orpucbeq.php

-Frank Appleyard

You will be receiving a little ABC somethin’ somethin’ in the mail within a few days. But for now, here’s the Fulcrum‘s important message about the conference!

Dearest ORCUP and CUPbeq,

The Fulcrum is pleased to announce we will be hosting the fall 2009 ORPUCbeq regional conference Oct. 16–18 in Ottawa, ON. The theme? It’s simple: ABC.

We’re going back to basics. The ABCs of journalism. The fundamentals every aspiring writer or photographer needs to master, no matter what new media avenues and outlets may be on the horizon. We’ve gathered some of Ottawa’s best and brightest—including several CUP alumni—to share their expertise in interviewing, investigative journalism, photojournalism, beat writing, editorial writing, sports and arts coverage, and much more. Our collection of seminars and keynote addresses will feature award-winning CBC investigative journalist David McKie, Ottawa Citizen editorial board member Kate Heartfield, communications and media guru Ian Capstick, Ottawa Sun City Hall Bureau Chief Derek Puddicombe, University Affairs writer Nick Taylor-Vaisey, and many more.

The conference will kick off on the evening of Oct. 16 with a keynote address, followed by a CUP alumni event where delegates can meet and mingle with journalists who were once in the same CUPpie shoes. A full day of seminars on the University of Ottawa campus is set for Oct. 17, complete with a provided breakfast and lunch. After taking the opportunity to explore the nearby ByWard Market for dinner, delegates will enjoy another keynote address, and a chance to kick back and relax at a nearby campus pub. Sunday morning brings another tasty breakfast and regional plenaries before heading home—after what will clearly be one of the greatest regional conferences CUP has ever seen.

Sounds awesome, right? Wait. Here’s the best part: delegate fees are only $20 per person!

We have even scored you an awesome hotel rate so you don’t have to crash on some stranger’s couch. The Novotel—a five minute walk from the conference location and steps away from the ByWard Market—is the official hotel of ABC. Rates for quad occupancy are only $159 per night, making the total hotel cost for the conference $80 per person. Papers / delegates are responsible for booking hotel accommodations and making payment arrangements. Please call Novotel at 613-230-3033 and quote booking code 16006 for the CUP rate. The booking deadline to receive the discounted rate is Oct. 9.

To register for the conference, please visit www.cup.ca/orpucbeq.php

If you have any questions about ABC, please don’t hesitate to  email frank[at]cup.ca or editor[at]thefulcrum.ca. You can also keep an eye out for conference news and updates here on The ORCUP Blog, or check out the ABC Facebook group (“ABC – Fall 2009 ORPUCbeq Conference).

We are looking forward to seeing you in Ottawa Oct. 16-18.

Sincerely,

Frank Appleyard & Emma Godmere
Conference Coordinators

And, tomorrow, I will have a piece up about the growing use of Second Life in classrooms across the province.

Happy editing!

- Danielle Webb
Ontario Bureau Chief

Student dies at the U of O

A University of Ottawa student is dead after falling 15 storeys from a residence on campus on Sept. 12, reports the Ottawa Citizen.

Several students witnessed the fall. A firefighter, the first to the scene, tried to revive the man, but he died on site.

York to find out authors of accusatory emails: court

After several York faculty members sent anonymous emails questioning the academic credibility of the newly-appointed dean of liberal arts & professional studies in January 2009, the university has won the right to demand the identities to be revealed.

The Varsity reports that Google, Bell and Rogers have handed over IP addresses and customer information about this incident to York University.

David Noble, history professor and email participant, believes that York is setting a dangerous precedent by searching people’s emails.

- compiled by Danielle Webb, Ontario Bureau Chief

So. What are you doing Oct. 16-18? You maybe wanna hang out? The University of Ottawa’s Fulcrum is hosting a regional conference for Ontario and Quebec CUP papers that weekend, and you should come!

A ton of information about the conference is going to be coming down the pipe over the next week, but I wanted to let you know about it now so that you can start thinking about attending. And bringing a ton of your staff and volunteers. Because really, the more the merrier.

The Fulcrum has several great speakers from both Ottawa and national media outlets already lined up–with more getting added every day it seems–that are going to make this a regional conference to remember. Whether your interests are news writing, photojournalism, political analysis, arts criticism, sports reporting, interviewing, or all of the above, the Fulcrum has lined up speakers that will make sure you leave Ottawa bursting with knowledge to take back to your papers. 

Plus, they’ve scored a pretty rocking breakfast menu so you don’t starve, and a great hotel rate so you don’t have to sleep on the street. Oh. And a bar with cheap beer. Who doesn’t love cheap beer? Best of all, the delegate fees are only going to be about $20. $20!!

All this is to say “keep your eyes and ears open”, because there will be a lot of information coming about the conference in the next few days. 

If you just can’t wait and need some more information right away, email frank@cup.ca and I’d be happy to offer you some insight into the conference.

-Frank Appleyard
Ontario Regional Director

Brock student on board hijacked Mexico flight

The CBC is reporting that a Brock University student was one of five Canadians on board an AeroMexico flight that was hijacked on Sept. 9. Andrea Widdicombe was one of 103 passengers flying from Cancun to Mexico City when a passenger announced he had a bomb on board the plane.

Tragedy on U of T campus

A 29-year-old woman is dead after falling three storeys while exploring a building on the University of Toronto campus on Sept. 10, the CBC reports. The woman was reportedly on a date and allegedly hunting for ghosts. Her companion survived. Neither are current U of T students.

Ottawa councillors eliminate transit age cap

The Fulcrum reports that city councillors have unanimously voted in favour of reversing the controversial OC Transpo student age cap.

Under the previous terms, only students under the age of 28 qualified for the student discount on transit passes.

University of Ottawa and Carleton University students have been working since July to gather support against the cap, citing the age limit was discriminatory.

York $120-million in debt

Lower than average enrolment rates, and the effects of the recent recession have resulted in a $120-million deficit at York University, reports Excalibur. The university has announced a budget cut of 3.5 per cent over the next three years.

Faculty spending and social life on campus are expected to be affected by the cuts.

Financial aid applications up across the province

The Guelph Mercury is reporting that financial aid requests are up 20 per cent at the University of Guelph.

The Varsity reports a 12 per cent rise in applications at the University of Toronto.

And, Excalibur is reporting a 10 per cent increase at York University.
OSAP applications are up 15 per cent across the province, and websites like StudentAwards.com and ScholarshipsCanada.com are seeing increases of 15 and 10 per cent respectively.

Associate registrar of student financial services Peter Landoni is crediting a lack of parental support due to low finances and an increase in student unemployment this past summer.

Unemployment in the 18-24 demographic hit 21 per cent this summer.

- compiled by Danielle Webb, Ontario Bureau Chief

Why? So you can have more access to regional news that may not be nationally relevant enough to make the daily news wire. And, as an added bonus, you guys can communicate with each other more!

How? Follow these four simple steps!

1. Pick a staff member to act as the liaison. News editor is probably your best bet.
2. The liaison is responsible for emailing OBC Danielle Webb (ontario.bureau@cup.ca) a list of your top five or so headlines and a small description of the story each week. These stories should be ones that would be of interest to other Ontario papers, but they may not have enough scope to make the news wire.
3. Danielle will then compile the list of headlines and send it back out to all of you with the name and email of the contact person at each paper.
4. If you want to run any of the stories, simply email the liaison person and they will send you the requested content. It’s important to note that if you run another story this way, you must credit it as SPECIAL TO [YOUR PAPER] and not with the CUP slug that usually accompanies wire content.

Got it? Good.

If not, feel free to email Danielle with any questions you have.

If you’re looking for a more in-depth explanation of the exchange, log in to www.cup.ca and check out the latest post on the CUPdate blog.