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In honour of Sex Week 2022, we asked Executive Chef Hussein Haji from the Den to show us how to put together some really special date night desserts and a mock-tail.

Chocolate Mousse

ingredients

8 oz bittersweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup of water split in two
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

First, make whipped cream and set it in the fridge until ready to use: Using a cold whisk attachment, beat cold heavy cream in the cold bowl of an electric mixer, until soft peaks appear.

Preheat water in the double boiler over medium heat. Add chocolate, 1/4 cup of water, butter and vanilla extract. Let it start melting and then stir with a silicone covered whisk until all melted and smooth. Take off heat and set aside.

In a small, heavy sauce pot, over medium-low (to low) heat, whisk egg yolks, 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of sugar together. Cook stirring slowly but constantly, until the mixture reaches 160° (F). This could take up to 10 minutes but don’t walk away or you will cook your eggs. Take off heat.

Stir egg mixture into chocolate mixture until all combined and smooth.

Place some ice into a large mixing bowl. Set the sauce pot in the ice bath. Let chocolate cool, while slowly stirring, for 5-7 minutes.

Fold whipped cream into cooled chocolate mixture until all smooth. Take you time folding with a spatula, you don’t want to whip or it will flatten.

At this time, you can divide chocolate mousse among dessert cups and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Chocolate torte

Ingredients

9 ounces good-quality dark chocolate 65% or higher, finely chopped
9 ounces unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
7 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
If you are feeling dangerous: a few tablespoons rum bourbon, or whiskey (Kenzie puts in “a splash”)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and line a try pan with parchment paper. Grease again.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or in a microwave-safe bowl, until the chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove from heat and stir until smooth and totally melted. Stir in the sugar, then let cool for a few minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, fully combining between each addition. After all the eggs are added, continue to stir until the batter becomes thick, glossy, and utterly gorgeous. Stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and any optional boozy addition you desire.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes, until the torte jiggles slightly in the middle but is not completely set. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold.

COCONUT LAVENDER LEMONADE (one Pitcher)

A refreshing twist on lemonade!

ingredients

1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice, from about 9 lemons
1 3/4 cups sugar
8 cups coconut water
4 cups water
1/2 recipe Lavender Simple Syrup:
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
3 tbsp dried lavender
A few drops of violet food coloring (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Lavender Simple Syrup: Combine the sugar, water and lavender in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan.

Bring to a boil on high heat, and boil for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat, cover, and let the lavender steep in the syrup for 20 minutes.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the lavender, add the food coloring (used to give the lemonade a purple color).

Set syrup aside to cool.

Once cooled, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week.

Coconut Lavender Lemonade: Place lemon juice, sugar, coconut water, and water into a pitcher and shake or stir vigorously until all the sugar is dissolved. Shaking is preferred is possible as it aerates the lemonade.

Pour 1/2 of the lavender syrup into the pitcher and stir. You can add more or less lavender syrup to your personal taste.

Calgary – The Students’ Union (SU) is calling on the University of Calgary to provide immediate and clear direction to students on its plans for the remainder of the winter semester in March and April.

In January, the university announced that classes would remain online until the end of February. Now, with only three weeks remaining, students have been provided no further direction or insight into the university’s plans.

While the University of Alberta committed to a return to in-person learning last week, the University of Calgary has made no announcement at all. This leaves students in the dark and unable to plan ahead.

“Students are anxious and are increasingly frustrated. They want to receive clear direction from the university in order to make appropriate living and travel arrangements. The clock is ticking down and it’s students who will be left scrambling if the university continues to dither.” – SU President, Nicole Schmidt

In recent meetings with senior university officials, the SU has pushed for a decision to be made and asked when the university expects to announce its plans to students. From these meetings, it does not appear that a decision is close and that is worrisome for students.

“The university must immediately communicate a decision on how classes will be delivered. Students cannot be asked to scramble at the last minute, as they have in the past, to make travel plans and find accommodation should the university return to in person learning.” – SU President, Nicole Schmidt

In a recent statement, the SU outlined what additional actions the university must take after it finally makes a decision:

Should courses return in-person the university must also: Set clear and consistent criteria for instructors to meet should they wish to keep a course online, pro-rate fees for services students could not access while learning online, provide a grant to students to assist with relocation costs, and ensure that health measures, including vaccination policies, are followed.

Should courses remain online, the university must also: Allow students in residence to cancel leases without penalty, refund students fully for fees for services they cannot use, and provide a grant to all students who had in-person courses moved online to help cover costs.

The university cannot make its decision as if it doesn’t have serious consequences for students. It must provide adequate notice to students and support them no matter the path forward.

Media inquiries may be directed to:

Mike Brown

External Communications Specialist

University of Calgary Students’ Union

Cell: 403-560-0577

Email: Michael.brown1@ucalgary.ca

The SU advocacy team was working hard over the holiday break and throughout January to ensure that students received clear direction from the university. In December, the SU called on the university to make a decision about the winter semester prior to Christmas. The university had originally committed to a January 4^th deadline which would be far too late to allow students to adequately plan.

Since then, the SU has renewed its call for the university to provide clear direction on the remaining weeks of the winter semester from March forward. While students certainly have their preference between online and in person learning, students have told us that they are looking for certainty most of all.

That’s why in January, the SU put out a statement with what the university must do in each situation. It’s not as simple as saying that classes return in person or remain online, there are student impacts no matter which path the university chooses.

You can read the full statement here, but here are some highlights:

If learning remains online, the university must:

1. Cancel the UPass and refund students. Provide discounted transit tickets to students.
2. Refund or not charge campus recreation or athletics fees.
3. Allow students in residence to terminate leases without penalty.
4. Provide an expanded relocation grant for any students who had in person courses moved online that covers actual costs incurred

If learning shifts to in person for the remainder of the semester, the university must:

1. Pro-rate the campus recreation and athletics fees, not charging for the online portion of the semester.
2. Provide an expanded relocation grant for students who must return to campus midway through the semester.
3. Implement short-term lease agreements for students who want to live in residence.
4. Honour the original course delivery method and set consistent, campus wide, and public criteria should instructors wish to keep courses online.

The university must make its decision immediately and inform students. Students should not be rushed into making plans to return to Calgary, if that’s the path the university takes.

Join SU VP Student Life Assad Ali Bik as he interviews past and present student leaders, highlighting Black history at the SU. On Thursday, Feb. 17 at 12 p.m., our guests will be current SU Campus Food Bank coordinator Ganiyat Sadiq, and 77th SU Faculty of Arts Representative Tomiwa Oje. On Friday, Feb. 25, our guests will be 78th SU VP Academic Semhar Abraha, and 51st Vice President External Chima Nkemdirim. Both interviews were streamed live on the SU’s Facebook page.

Did you miss out? Watch the replays here:

Feb. 17 with Ganiyat and Tomiwa: https://fb.watch/boZfs0r5AI/

Feb. 25 with Semhar and Chima: https://fb.watch/boZ4sGDSf0/

Thursday, Feb. 17

Ganiyat Sadiq
SU Program and Events Assistant 2019 – 2020
Campus Food Bank Coordinator 2020 – 2021

Ganiyat Sadiq is a research and policy professional who has been recognized as Alberta’s Top 30 Under 30. She aims to establish substantial solutions to address growing political and social inequity through the facilitation of purposeful conversations with policy-makers, institutions and citizens. These interests are reflective of the @IAmXMovement, a social community founded by Ganiyat that seeks to raise awareness of the injustice faced by Black, Indigenous and Racialized individuals, as well as providing a safe space to share their experiences. She also co-founded and serves as President of the Black Inclusion Association, a novel non-profit that aims to achieve equity and social justice for Black Albertans. Currently, Ganiyat is a fourth year student in the Political Science program and the International Relations program at the University of Calgary.

Tomiwa Oje
Faculty of Arts Representative 2019 – 2020 (77th SLC)

Tomiwa Oje is a senior associate at an International accounting and consulting firm. Tomiwa acquired degrees in political science and international relations from the University of Calgary, graduating in 2020. In that time Tomiwa served as one of the Faculty of Arts’ Representative’s in the 77th Student Legislative Council. Like during her tenure in the SLC, Tomiwa continues to be a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion initiatives in her her everyday life and professional career. Tomiwa sits on the action committee for the Black Professional Inclusion Network and is a member of the Indigenous Inclusion Network at her firm. Tomiwa also works closely with the organization SanitaryAidforNigerianGirls an organization that aims to provide period products and reproductive education for impoverished and internally displaced women and girls in Nigeria. Tomiwa takes pride in being able to embrace her blackness authentically and works to ensure others can do so themselves. Her life is guided by a quote from Beyoncé: “Don’t try to lessen yourself for the world; let the world catch up to you.”

Friday, Feb. 25

Semhar Abraha
SU Vice-President Academic 2020 – 2021 (78th SLC)

Semhar Abraha is a first-year law student, and the former Vice-President Academic at the Students’ Union. In this position, she developed a unique scholarship opportunity to make post-secondary education more accessible for BIPOC students on campus. Semhar also successful advocated for the collection of race-based data within the SU to ensure that marginalized voices were recognized within decision making spaces. Under her leadership, Semhar secured funding that was used to hire students to create Open Educational Resourced (OERs), in order to reduce the financial burden of buying expensive textbooks. Currently, Ms. Abraha continues to advance areas of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion by her involvement with the Black Law Students Association and other university stakeholders.

Chima Nkemdirim
SU Vice President External 1993 – 1994 (51st SLC)

Chima Nkemdirim is the Vice President of Government Relations for Shaw Communications and is responsible for leading Shaw’s government relations efforts. He joined Shaw after serving as Chief of Staff to Mayor Naheed Nenshi of the City of Calgary for more than seven years. Chima successfully lead Mayor Nenshi’s first campaign in 2010 and joined the Mayor’s office thereafter.

Chima earned a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Calgary and a law degree at the University of Ottawa. Chima practiced law with Denton’s LLP for over 13 years where he became partner. In 2011, he was appointed as Queen’s Council by the Government of Alberta for his work in the legal profession, and received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his contributions to Canada in 2012.

Chima is an active member of the community and volunteers his time with a variety of non-profit organizations, including The Walrus Foundation, Calgary Arts Development, Arts Commons, The Calgary Foundation and the Calgary Black Chambers.

The Students’ Union (SU) is calling for the university to extend the add/drop deadline until a decision is made on the remaining six weeks of the winter semester.

The SU has received an incredible amount of student feedback. By and large students want clarity for the remaining weeks of the semester and final exams.

Many students have also expressed preferences when it comes to whether the semester should remain online or return to in-person learning. This is not a decision the SU can make.

In addition, students have varying perspectives often based on the faculty in which they are enrolled. For example, students in the Arts and Engineering faculties may prefer to remain online. This is less practical for students in Kinesiology and Medicine who require interactive portions to many of the classes they are in currently.

The university has made it clear that it cannot offer the same course both online and in-person. Most classrooms are not equipped to do so. The university will need to make a consistent and campus wide decision. This decision needs to be made soon and before the add/drop deadline.

No matter the decision, there will be consequences for students. The SU will advocate to minimize these as much as possible.

Should the university extend online learning to the end of the winter semester, it must also:

1. Cancel the UPass and refund students. The university should provide discounted transit tickets to students as it did in previous online semesters.
2. Refund or not charge students for the campus recreation and athletics fees.
3. Allow students in residence to terminate their leases without penalty.
4. Provide an expanded relocation grant to all students who had in-person courses moved online and increase the amount of the benefit to cover the actual costs students are facing.

Should the university return to in-person learning for the remainder of the winter semester, it must also:

1. Pro-rate the campus recreation and athletics fees, not charging students for the online portion of the semester.
2. Provide an expanded relocation grant to all students who had courses moved online who must now incur travel and accommodation expenses to return to Calgary for six weeks plus exams.
3. Implement short-term lease agreements for students who want to live in residence for the remainder of the semester.
4. Honour the original course delivery method and set consistent, campus wide, and public criteria should instructors wish to keep courses online.

The university cannot make its decision in isolation. It must provide adequate notice to students and support them no matter the path forward. The SU will advocate for students no matter the university’s decision.

Calgary – The University of Calgary Students’ Union supports the decision by the University of Calgary to continue online learning until February 28^th. The SU is thankful that the university listened to student feedback and has provided a reasonable amount of notice to students. This means that students can plan for the month of February.

The SU is pleased to see a commitment from the university that all courses originally planned to be in-person will be delivered in that format when it is safe to return to campus. The SU strongly believes that the university and all faculties must honour the fact that many students had originally selected in-person learning.

“Like everyone, students want a return to normal. Students and the SU know that omicron makes this not possible. Over the next six weeks there are a number of things the university and provincial government can do to increase the likelihood that students can return to class. This work must start now and there must be a campus wide plan in place to ensure the safety of our university community ahead of any possible return in March.” – SU President, Nicole Schmidt

Should the university once again allow individual instructors to keep courses online after February 28th, as they did in September, the university must provide a consistent set of criteria for instructors to meet prior to such requests being approved. The university must commit to inform all students of course format decisions by February 15.

The university must also ensure that all those returning to campus, including students, faculty, and staff, are fully vaccinated.

Further, the SU calls on the UCP government to provide supports in time for post-secondary courses to return in-person. Similar to commitments made in the K-12 system, the government should procure and deliver medical masks and testing kits to post-secondary campuses prior to the end of February.

The decisions the university and the provincial government makes over the next six weeks will determine whether the campus is safe to return to in March. The SU looks forward to continued discussions with the university to ensure the safety of students and our campus community is a top priority.

Media inquiries may be directed to:

Mike Brown

External Communications Specialist

University of Calgary Students’ Union

Cell: 403-560-0577

Email: Michael.brown1@ucalgary.ca

The University of Calgary has struck a search committee to find the next Dean for the Faculty of Arts.

This survey is being conducted by your Faculty of Arts Students’ Union representatives to gather input and feedback from students in the Faculty of Arts regarding the search for a new Dean of the Faculty of Arts. The survey should take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete, and your input will help your SU representatives to advise the search committee and ensure your interests as students are represented throughout the search process!

Take the survey here:

[button link=”https://survey.ucalgary.ca/jfe/form/SV_3HFd8SaBUJE7nPU”]Student Input Survey: Dean, Faculty of Arts[/button]

The survey is available from January 11, 2022 until January 16, 2022.

The following information is made available by the University of Calgary:

Reporting to the Provost and Vice-President (Academic), the Dean leads the strategic direction and is the key advocate for the faculty.  As the chief executive officer, this visionary leader is also responsible for faculty and academic professional staff development, budget oversight and planning, fund development, facilities and research, while fostering a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty and staff.

The dean leads the students, faculty and staff of the Faculty of Arts. Through university-wide and community engagement, the dean manages priorities that contribute to the vision of the faculty, encourages research, champions the student experience and fosters a culture of excellence. The dean also manages policies and sustains an effective budget.

A dean is normally appointed for an initial term of five years.

You can read the job advertisement for the Dean, Faculty of Arts here for more information about the expectations for the role, or learn more about the search process here.