The Dialog March 2, 2015

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AT-RISK YOUTH

Po It’s it lo P.6

George Brown alumni Francis Atta and others in the GBC community share their stories of overcoming personal challenges

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George Brown to introduce new $500 deposit fee P.2 Mar. 2–15, 2015

Hate literature found at George Brown P.3

Time is up for Scotia Plaza daycare centre P.4 GBC Student Newspaper • Founded 1982

NEWS Mar. 2–15, 2015

SA board approves $1.6 million budget for renovations Plans for Casa Loma student centre to include better lighting and more flexible student areas BRITTANY BARBER STAFF REPORTER

This summer, George Brown College’s (GBC) Casa Loma campus’ student centre, nicknamed “the dungeon,” will be renovated with the goal of transforming it into an open, well lit and fully functional area.

Upon entering the main floor of Casa Loma, students are greeted by harsh lighting and an uninviting environment. Following the pathway beyond the Student Association (SA) office, students can hear an echoing of music videos playing on television screens and the panic of the foosball table players when their ball has dropped offside.

The Student Centre will face drastic changes when construction begins at the end of April with changes intended to make a more appealing space for students to visit and hang out in by the start of the fall semester.

“The problem is there is a lot of space, thousands and thousands of square feet, and not a lot of money,” said Thomas Hadwen, the SA’s Casa Loma campus director.

On Feb. 4 the SA board of directors approved a $1.6 million budget for the renovations, with $1.3 million coming from the building fund and $300,000 from the health plan fund.

“Over the years the health and dental plan has accumulated a surplus which is separate

from the reserve fund required by the insurer,” said the SA’s executive director Antoinette Davis via email. “These are monies that the Student Association can use in order to respond to the needs of our members.”

The end goal is to make the space more usable and comfortable for students.

“What we are focusing on is lighting. It’s a trade college mostly at Casa Loma. It’s very industrial. We are looking for a rugged, more industrial look while incorporating new options,” said Hadwen of his vision for the new student centre.

Last year, 891 students at Casa Loma campus took a survey through the World Café to make their voice heard about proposed changes to the student centre. Overall, students were looking for more and better food options, a more inviting space and better and more flexible seating options rather than what Hadwen calls the “prison style” seating currently there.

This bolted-to-the-floor seating limits flexible use of the facilities and creates an uncomfortable arrangement for students, unable to lean back or arrange tables.

There are also plans to make the space more open and to welcome in the natural lighting from the light well. There will be hundreds of square feet added to the common areas and two new food vendors for students.

To do this the Community Action Centre and the food bank offices will be relocated to the east side of the Student Centre.

“We’re looking to be maximizing space and better using the current space we have,” said Hadwen.

This plan sheds more light into what will be formerly known as the dungeon in hopes of creating a bright and more positive space.

“Prison-style” seating like this prevents functional flexibility in the Casa Loma student centre.

FILE PHOTO: PREETEESH PEETABH SINGH/THE DIALOG

There is also a proposed gaming room that may include the pool table Hadwen has promised Casa Loma students for two years.

According to Davis, the existing food vendors will be open and accessible during the renovations.

Casa Loma campus has seen a few make-

overs in the past year, from the recently updated D building to the Casa Loma gymnasium and now the Student Centre. Every student pays a fee which is paid into building funds to cover renovations. The students spoke and the college and Student Association listened and are putting plans into action.

George Brown to introduce new $500 deposit fee mented by the 2015-16 school year.

Shay Sanders, the LGBTQ representative for the Student Association (SA), believes this new policy is “creating a serious barrier to education.”

For students who will be receiving financial aid from the Ontario Student Assistance ANEESA MUSTAPHA Program (OSAP), this means that the $500 STAFF REPORTER deposit is out-of-pocket, as students won’t receive their loans until September.

George Brown College’s (GBC) domestic “Honestly, it makes sense, although I students will be required to pay an initial still have some questions about the OSAP non-refundable deposit once per academic aspect,” says Saroop Pahal, director of inyear of $500 that will be applied towards ternal affairs for the SA. “If your mind is their tuition fees. set on going to college and you have to pay Ontario’s Ministry of Training, Colleges the money, it’s like a stepping stone—your and Universities has introduced a new set first step towards going to college.” of tuition rules, which will be fully imple- The initial deposit for new and returning

The new $500 deposit fee will become effective for domestic students in September

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The Dialog • dialog.studentassociation.ca

students for September will be due on June 15, while tuition fees for September will be due Aug. 10, for non-OSAP recipients, and on Sept. 21 for OSAP recipients.

Having a personal understanding of the financial burden caused by additional college fees, Sanders says that, “if you’re unsure about your program or where you’re going to be in three months, you don’t get the money back and that’s a serious hit.”

However, the new tuition policy does provide an upside for GBC students.

With the new rules, all post-secondary institutions in Ontario will no longer have deferral fees for students who miss the tuition due date. For low-income students, coming up with the $145 deferral fee may have already been an issue.

Pahal also says that the SA will continue to advocate for students in light of this new policy, “we plan to sit down with the vicepresident and talk about the issues and concerns that students have with this, and to see how we can move forward.”

If students are unable to pay the balance of their tuition fee or neglect to do it by the due date, the college will charge a late fee of $150.

“That’s still an additional cost,” said Sanders. “If you don’t have everything in order you’re going to have to pay even more money.”

With files from Tina Todaro

DAILY CHECK UP Mar. 2–15, 2015

March 2–15 MONDAY

TUESDAY

2 Classes for SESSION 2 (7 week courses) begin QUEER CULTURE 101 4 p.m.–5 p.m.

Community Action Centre, room 165B, St. James campus

9 1st Annual International Woman’s Day Talks 6 p.m.–10 p.m.

DevTO, 190 Liberty Street

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WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

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Casino Day & Movies 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Student Centre, Casa Loma campus

Casino Day & Movies 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Main Lobby, Waterfront campus

The Dark Side of Connectivity 7 p.m., doors at 6:30 p.m.

GBC School of Design, Room 108, 230 Richmond St. E

Welcome Back Board Game Day 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

Community Action Centre, room E130, Casa Loma campus

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Ettie Rutherford: International Women’s Day 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m.

Career Services Centre, B155, St. James campus

FRIDAY 6

Casino Day & Movies 5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

Fees for new students (May 2015 intake) due

The (sex) talk: Workshop on negotiating consent & debunking stereotypes 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

Community Action Centre, room 150F, St. James campus

Second instalment fees (Jan. 2015 intake students due Deferred OSAP Applicant fees (Jan. 2015 intake) due

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New Ideas Festival begins Various times and places alumnaetheatre.com/new-ideas-festival.html

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Last day to withdraw from a course or an entire program (Winter 2015 term) without academic penalty

Latin Fiesta Party 7 p.m.–12 a.m.

Kings Lounge, St. James campus Last day to drop a course from your schedule (Winter 2015 term), SESSION 2 (7 week courses)

For more events listings, visit dialog.studentassociation.ca. To submit an event for listing, send an email to dialog@georgebrown.ca

Hate literature found at George Brown College Anti-Jewish pamphlets have been found at George Brown College for the third time this year MICK SWEETMAN MANAGING EDITOR

Hundreds of anti-Jewish pamphlets were discovered, and quickly removed, from George Brown College’s (GBC) Casa Loma campus last week.

On Thursday, Feb. 19 pamphlets with the titles of “Manufactured Terrorism” and “Your rights: ILLEGAL!” were left without permission on racks of The Dialog student newspaper.

Chock-full of conspiracy-theories, they focus on the long-discredited anti-Jewish hoax The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

The pamphlets are an incoherent mash-up of out-of context quotes and run-on sentences about a supposed global conspiracy

by Jewish people.

“This kind of hate literature has no place on any of our campuses, ever,” said Dale Hall, Human Rights advisor to the college’s president. “As a college we work really hard,

faculty, staff and students, to make sure that our college is welcoming to everyone and that people feel comfortable when they’re at our college. Hate literature should not, and will not, be tolerated at our college.”

According to Stacey Andrews, GBC’s manager of public safety and security, this marks the eighth time since 2012 that anti-jewish and anti-islamic pamphlets have been reported to campus security.

Andrews says in 2012 there were two reported incidents of the pamphlets at the St. James campus. In 2014 there was one case at Casa Loma campus two at Waterfront.

In the first two months of 2015 they have already been spotted once at Waterfront and twice at Casa Loma.

“We investigate each of these reports and bring in Toronto Police Services,” said Andrews in an email. “One arrest was made in 2012 of an individual who had distributed this type of offensive material not only in George Brown but also other businesses in the area.”

“If anyone finds literature like this, which is hate literature, on any campus what they should do is go immediately to security and our office so they can be removed and we can check if the police should be informed,” said Hall.

THE DIALOG IS...

Managing Editor Mick Sweetman Assistant Editor Tina Todaro Art Director/Illustrator Samantha Bullis Photo/Video Editor Michael Nguyen Staff Reporters Brittany Barber Deepti Batra Dora Liu Aneesa Mustapha Maverick Smith Contributors Anthony Bonté Johnny Carmichael Thomas Chung Paige Winkle Cover: Image provided by Francis Atta

The Dialog newspaper is published

by The Dialog Collective with the support of the Student Association of George Brown College.

The collective is responsible for the overall vision and direction of The Dialog newspaper, as it coincides with the larger vision and mission of the Student Association.

The cost of producing a monthly newspaper is in part defrayed by advertising revenue and largely subsidized by student fees.

Occasionally, some advertisers, products and services do not reflect the policies of the Student Association.

Opinions expressed in The Dialog are not necessarily those of The Dialog Collective, the Student Association of George Brown College, or its editorial staff.

The Dialog will not publish any material that attempts to incite violence or hatred against individuals or groups, particularly based on race, national origin, ethnicity, colour, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability.

Contributions to The Dialog are always welcome. We request that articles be submitted as digital copies in plain-text (TXT) or richtext (RTF) format.

Letters to the editor can be sent in an email message to dialog@georgebrown.ca.

Images should be in EPS format for vector files or in TIFF format at 300 dpi for raster files.

Follow us on Social Media! facebook.com/thedialogonline instagram.com/thedialog @dialogGBC Drop by or contact The Dialog at: Room E122 - Casa Loma 142 Kendal Avenue Toronto, ON M5R 1M3 www.dialog.studentassociation.ca Tel: 416-415-5000 ext. 2764 Fax: 416-415-2491 dialog@georgebrown.ca

The Dialog newspaper is published

by The Dialog Collective with the support of the Student Association of George Brown College.

The Dialog is a member of CUP, the Canadian University Press

The Dialog • dialog.studentassociation.ca

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NEWS Mar. 2–15, 2015

IwB holds urban infrastructure panel

George Brown Scotia Plaza daycare centre is closing, leaving parents scrambling.

The Institute without Boundaries (IwB) and Arup Canada are hosting a panel discussing the current state of urban infrastructure and how “connective tissues” such as rails, bridges and rivers can become tools for division.

Christopher Pandolfi from the IwB will be joined by Adrian Blackwell from the University of Waterloo; Matthew Browning from Arup Canada; Denise Pinto of Jane’s Walk and John van Nostrand from planningAlliance.

The Discussing Division panel is free and will take place Tuesday, March 3, at 6:30 p.m. at George Brown’s school of design at 230 Richmond Street East in room 108.

Federal government writes off $295 million of student debt Even the federal government is giving up on over 63,000 students repaying their student loans, drawing criticism from the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) over post-secondary education funding.

According to a report in the Globe and Mail, Employment and Social Development Canada is asking the federal government to write off 63,540 students’ debts totalling $294.6 million.

Jessica McCormick, national chairperson for the CFS, believes this situation was avoidable, stating in a press release that, “governments could easily avoid having to assume these costs by adequately funding higher education and reducing the up-front financial burden.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE

Time is up for Scotia Plaza daycare centre Unable to save the Scotia Plaza daycare, parents are now dealing with alternative child-care stress TINA TODARO ASSISTANT EDITOR

Chef Massimo Bottura to visit GBC George Brown College will be hosting three-Michelin-star chef Massimo Bottura, as part of their Culinary Cities of the World series.

On Wednesday, March 4 at 300 Adelaide St. E in room 112 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Chef Bottura will lead an interactive cooking demonstration, followed by a talk at 290 Adelaide St. E from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m..

Thursday, March 5, will feature a student culinary contest with eight culinary arts Italian post-graduate students at the food research and innovation studio at 300 Adelaide St. E. from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. An Italian culinary market will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m..

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Dialog Staff

The Scotia Plaza child-care centre, operated by George Brown College (GBC), will be closing and some parents have been left scrambling to find alternate subsidized child-care services.

The Scotia Plaza child-care centre offers warm and consistent care for young children, with teachers who balance cognitive, social, emotional and physical aspects of experience through group planning, as well as through assisting to meet the individual differences in development and learning style, according to the Scotia Plaza website.

As reported by the Toronto Star in July 2014, George Brown had been given notice to vacate by the end of November due to a possibility of Dream Unlimited, the Scotia Plaza landlord, turning over the lease to Kids & Company, a for-profit organization.

Ian Cooper, lawyer and father of two daughters attending the Scotia Plaza location, says, “there were some rumours among the parents about a potential closure shortly after the acquisition of Scotia Plaza by Dream, however, they were just rumours. We had also understood that any decision would be preceded by a year’s notice,” and in July they were informed that the negotiations between Dream Unlim-

The Dialog • dialog.studentassociation.ca

ited and George Brown had not worked out.

“I and the other parents expressed a great deal of outrage given the 12 to 18 month waiting lists at most other quality day cares, and our efforts, coupled with publicity in the Toronto Star, managed to secure a one-year extension to facilitate transition,” said Cooper. “We’ve tried to find a way to see if we could fund the operation of the day care further and secure a longer-term lease extension, but that challenge appears to be insurmountable.”

On Jan. 31, the Star published another article on the child-care centre indicating that George Brown would be accepting donations to help parents save the daycare.

However, in a board of governors meeting on Feb. 11, GBC’s president Anne Sado made it clear, stating, “there has been another story, which again made it sound as though we’ve changed our position to help save the daycare, but there has been no change to our position and we are continuing to support the parents in the transition to other centres.”

The situation is “relatively mild” for Cooper and and his family, and says that “George Brown has been helpful in finding other spots for families and are doing their best to manage the timing of any transitions.”

As confirmed on the Kids & Company website, the for-profit organization will be taking over the space in the Scotia Plaza in the fall, and unfortunately for low-income families, for-profit child-care centres aren’t eligible for subsidized childcare.

“The hard part is for parents who are on subsidy, couldn’t afford to pay for Kids & Company even if they wanted to send their children

there, and may not be able to find a subsidized space close to where they work,” said Cooper.

“In that case George Brown may be able to find them a space at some other location, but between commuting downtown and trying to get their kids to and from daycare, those parents will likely have to deal with a great deal of additional stress.”

Not only a daycare, the facility also functions as a lab school for diploma and degree students in GBC’s school of early childhood.

Patricia Chorney Rubin, director of the school of early childhood, says that their lease at the Scotia Plaza will be up at the end of June, and that students who are currently in placement will not be affected by the closure with the school year finishing at the end of April.

Operating on nine lab schools, the centre is a training ground for student placements, employed by George Brown College staff who provide a modelled curriculum that is “one that we can control,” said Rubin.

“When we knew that the centre was going to be closing, because our lease is up at Scotia Plaza, we worked with our division and senior management to get approval to expand our capacity in our remaining centres, so while this centre is closing, we will be able to accommodate all the students doing placement.”

In the short term, Cooper says that as far as he’s aware, George Brown College has been working with the families and Toronto Children’s Services to find alternative spots at other subsidized locations, but unfortunately not everyone will be able to secure a spot close to their workplace.

NEWS Mar. 2–15, 2015

Good news for mainland Chinese U.S. visa applicants Changes to U.S. visa policies allow Chinese visa applicants to have a 10-year visitor visa DORA LIU STAFF REPORTER

Before Nov. 12, mainland Chinese citizens could only get the maximum one-year valid B-2 visa, but sometimes they could only get a three-month single-entry B-2. In practice it was equivalent to a one-off visa.

The fee for a visitor visa application is almost $200, so a trip to the U.S. is quite pricey for Chinese students.

The good news is that this policy has been changed.

According to Shannon Petry, vice consul for the U.S. Consulate General in Toronto who came to George Brown College (GBC) on Feb. 4, “President Obama and the State Department have decided to issue a 10-year visitor visa for the Chinese. That was very nice.”

All the requirements and application fee remain unchanged, making the policy an even better deal for those that benefit from it.

“It is a big convenience for us,” said Echo Xu, a second-year marketing student at GBC, who came from mainland China. “I have a lot of Chinese classmates that have tried to apply. Most of them got the 10-year multiple-entry visa. They were very happy.”

Likewise, Petry highlighted a new Personal Appearance Waiver (PAW) policy, which has been launched since last October in Canada. “For anyone who has held a U.S. visa and you want to renew it, you want a second visa to go back, you don’t always have to come to the consulate. This is big news,” said Petry.

If you already had a visa and it expired less than one year ago, as long as you are going to apply for the same class visa, you can go to the U.S. Department of State Visa Appointment Service system to check if you are eligible for the PAW policy. Once the system approves your eligibility, you can mail your information to the stated visa department and they will return your visa by mail once it is approved.

Right: A student listens as Shannon Petry, vice consul for the U.S. Consulate General in Toronto discusses the changes to the visa policy.

PHOTO: DORA LIU/THE DIALOG

New sexual assault policy given official launch date George Brown College is drafting a sexual assault policy which will be finished by March 31 DORA LIU STAFF REPORTER

On Nov. 24, Ontario’s public college presidents put their heads together to agree to create an up-to-date and suitable sexual assault policy for the use of all the public colleges.

By the end of January, a 12-page framework was developed for the Sexual Assault and Sexual Violence Policy and Protocol, by a task force comprised of senior college leaders, a student representative and legal experts.

Completed and endorsed by all publiccollege presidents, the policy was then sent out to each college for consultations.

The consultation period allows each in-

stitution to customize and tailor the Sexual Assault and Sexual Violence Policy and Protocol, and the finalized policy “will be publicly promoted at all colleges by March 31,” according to Colleges Ontario, the advocacy and outreach association for Ontario’s 24 public colleges.

George Brown’s president Anne Sado is taking this seriously, saying, “I am deeply committed to ensuring that we have a safe, supportive and respectful environment for our students and staff. I have encouraged members of our community to participate in staff and student consultations over the coming weeks in order to provide feedback on the new college provincial policy.”

Karen Thomson, vice-president of marketing and strategic enrolment management at GBC, was appointed by Sado to form a committee, which will include offices that are used to dealing with these kinds of matters.

Students will also have the chance to share their opinions and give feedback on the policy.

Journalist Chris Hedges to speak at GBC this May The Pulitzer prize winner will be the keynote speaker at the Tommy Douglas Institute’s conference MAVERICK SMITH STAFF REPORTER

Renowned journalist Chris Hedges will be the keynote speaker for the Tommy Douglas Institute’s 2015 conference at George Brown College on May 21.

“Through multiple books, articles, speeches, public dialogues and activism, he exemplifies what it is to speak truth to power. In this sense, he really reminds us of Tommy Douglas,” said Resh Budhu, professor for the community worker program.

In 2002, Hedges received the Amnesty International Global Award for Human Rights Journalism. That same year, Hedges was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for the New York Times’ coverage of global terrorism.

In 2009 and again in 2011, the Los Angeles Press Club (LAPC) named him the Online Journalist of the Year for his work at Truthdig. In 2010, Hedges won the Best Online Column award from LAPC for his essay “One Day We’ll All Be Terrorists.” Hedges is a senior fellow at The Nation Institute, a non-profit media center dedicated to strengthening the independent press and advancing social justice and civil rights.

Hedges has also written 12 books, many of which have become bestsellers.

His book “War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning” was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction.

Hedges has taught at Columbia University, New York University, Princeton University and the University of Toronto.

According to Budhu, the co-ordinator of the Tommy Douglas Institute for the past three years, “what we’re hearing is that people are yearning for spaces where they can free their minds, their voices, and their dreams for a just society.”

The Dialog • dialog.studentassociation.ca

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SPORTS Mar. 2–15, 2015

Volleyball came naturally to Edwin Sheon

Wolfpack Ticker Badminton OCAA East Regional • Yunji Kim and Nikki Woon finish second in women’s doubles • Hieu Tran finished second in men’s singles • Ross Golding and Ogyen Dorjee finish first in men’s doubles

When Assistant Editor Tina Todaro (right) visited Brass Vixens, her strength and endurance were put to the test.

OCAA Championships Men’s Doubles Ross Golding and Ogyen Dorjee George Brown 2 – St. Clair 0 George Brown 2 – Mohawk 0 George Brown 2 – Humber 1 George Brown 2 – Centennial 0 George Brown 2 – Seneca 1 Semi Finals George Brown 2 – Mohawk 0 (Hong/D’Agostino) Final George Brown 2 – Humber 1 (Chow/Schmidt) Huskies win OCAA Gold Medal Women’s Doubles Nikki Woon and Yunji Kim Fanshawe 2 – George Brown 0 Humber 2 – George Brown 0 George Brown – 2 Boreal 0 Redeemer 2 – George Brown 0 Seneca 2 – George Brown 0

The award-winning athlete has prioritized athletics, but has also learned to dedicate himself to school MAVERICK SMITH STAFF REPORTER

“My family provided the foundation for a healthy appetite of competition in me,” says Edwin Sheon, a rising star of George Brown’s men’s volleyball team.

At George Brown College (GBC) Sheon was the recipient of the K.C. Fitness Award last year and was previously honoured as a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Academic All-Canadians in 2013.

“My dad always wanted my brother and me to take part in as many activities as possible; be it academic or athletics, he wanted us to go out and experience as much as we could despite any odds,” said Sheon. “My mum always wanted us to enjoy whatever it was we wanted to do and my brother, well you know, brothers have a predisposed way of creating competition no one else ever can.”

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His parents are part of the Hakka ethnic group. They got him involved in many athletic activities when he was growing up, including activities like billiards and ping pong but also sports like ‘carrom,’ which Sheon describes as being “like table top billiards but with fingers.”

As he wryly states, “my folks aren’t exactly the most athletic people compared to modern standards, but they’re definitely the enthusiastic type.”

Picking up volleyball when he was 10 years old, Sheon says he’s been hooked ever since.

“It came naturally to me so I enjoyed it most,” he said of the sport that became his vocation. “It was also the only sport that I wasn’t able to play at the local recreational centres, nor were my parents aware of any clubs at the time so that’s another reason why I gravitated toward the sport of volleyball.”

In terms of applying the “full effort,” Sheon says, he incorporated it into “both learning and playing the game.”

“Growing up, academics weren’t a priority and my grades definitely reflected that,” said Sheon. “I think after finding the small successes through playing sports and training, I realized ‘hey, if this much effort

The Dialog • dialog.studentassociation.ca

can yield a reward this satisfying, why can’t I apply this elsewhere too?’”

He explained that applying this motivation to other areas in his life was a major transition period for him.

As for his area of study at GBC, he describes his construction management program as “fantastic,” explaining that he bridged into the program after completing a three-year advanced diploma in building renovation technology.

He believes this combination of professional qualifications will allow him to “gain an advantage in the industry,” because his initial hands-on experience with the required tools is an asset within the management field.

“I see myself in a co-ordinator or supervisory capacity, on the field or as an estimator behind the doors,” said Sheon, explaining his off-the-court ambitions.

In terms of athletics, he also has a future vision in mind.

“I think that in the long term I can see myself obtaining my bachelor of education as well,” he writes, adding that “being able to share my experiences and knowledge would be a dream.”

Men’s basketball George Brown 77 – Loyalist 69 Seneca 88 – George Brown 77 George Brown 80 – Fleming 52 Women’s basketball Loyalist 63 – George Brown 47 Seneca 86 – George Brown 41 George Brown 55 – Fleming 28 Women’s volleyball Georgian 3 – George Brown 1 Seneca 3 – George Brown 1 Algonquin 3 – George Brown 0 George Brown 3 – La Cite 1 Men’s volleyball George Brown 3 – Loyalist 1 Durham 3 – George Brown 1 Georgian 3 – George Brown 1 Seneca (Toronto) 3 – George Brown 2 Algonquin 3 – George Brown 1 George Brown 3 – La Cite 1

PHOTO: THOMAS CHUNG/GBC ATHLETICS

Men’s Singles Hieu Tran Humber (Assing) 2 – George Brown 0 Redeemer 2 – George Brown 0 Centennial 2 – George Brown 1 Humber (Lai) 2 – George Brown 0 Seneca 2 – George Brown 1

SPORTS Mar. 2–15, 2015

WHERE IS THE SUPPORT? There is no excuse for the lack of support of the Huskies from GBC students BRITTANY BARBER

PHOTO: BRITTANY BARBER

Advertisements for George Brown College (GBC) are constantly posted on billboards and subways in Toronto and around the GTA, and it’s pretty clear that GBC is known for its academics rather than its athletics.

Still, athletics play a large role in the life of a GBC student. With fitness and health promotion to sports marketing programs, there is no doubt that athletics are a focused subject.

There are seven varsity sports offered at George Brown and many extramural and intramural teams to complement them. So, the question is, where is the student support for our hardworking athletes?

Support is offered in many ways but most importantly in a physical sense.

Making an appearance to support your college’s sport teams should not be a questionable experience, but here we are, wondering if we

will ever see the sidelines full of students.

GBC is widely known as a commuter school and because of that, the demands of staying on campus longer than the duration of classes seems like a stretch. A college student’s mentality is to simply go to school, do the required work and go home, with no added or unnecessary hours spent on campus.

While that is understandable, students need to be making the most of their time at school.

From on-campus work to sporting events, there are many opportunities for student involvement.

Why not get to know people and take advantage of the facilities?

The fact is that college athletics don’t offer as much excitement as the CFL, NFL or NHL and we don’t expect them to. What we can expect is passion from more than just the players.

We need enthusiasm from the bleachers and interest from the players.

Myles Brand, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and writer of “Getting a Grip on Fan Behaviour at College Sports,” an article that appeared in the Huffington Post in 2008, states that “the involvement in intercollegiate athletics as student-athlete or fan is often an emotional experience.”

Brand goes on to say that “the deep passion of playing or supporting a team is part of what makes college sports so attractive.” Unfortunately for GBC, there is a lack of attractiveness and a loss of interest towards our athletes.

What can we do to fix this?

It’s obvious you cannot force students to show school spirit, so what we need to imple-

ment are ways to entice the students to support their fellow peers and athletes. With a new residence in the works there is a possibility for more support, but this is not guaranteed.

Athletes at GBC will look toward the sidelines in disappointment wondering where the 24,000 students that attend the school might be. Ted Johnson, a guard for the Huskies’ basketball team said, “I would play better if there was more support.”

With lots of opportunities to find out when the next games are, whether from Twitter, Facebook or even posters posted around the campus, there is no excuse for the lack of support from George Brown students.

Brittany Barber is The Dialog’s former sports reporter and currently works for George Brown College’s athletics department as sports editor.

The Dialog • dialog.studentassociation.ca

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FEATURE Mar. 2–15, 2015

AT-RISK YOUTH: OVERCOMING PERSONAL CHALLENGES GBC alumni and staff show that no matter where you come from, you can always find success TINA TODARO and MARC RAGUSA ASSISTANT EDITOR and CONTRIBUTOR

“Those drug dealers that were on the corner selling drugs, they were the same ones telling us to stay in school because they didn’t want us to be like them,” said Francis Atta, George Brown College (GBC) alumni. “It was those drug dealers that treated us like brothers and sisters. So as bad as they were, they were also positive.”

Toronto is home to many youth that are considered to be at-risk. They are typically defined as young people between the ages of 14 to 29 from priority neighbourhoods, many have been exposed to violence and homelessness.

Growing up in the Jane and Finch area, one of the city’s roughest neighbourhoods, childhood wasn’t easy for Atta.

Watching his father take care of a big family as a single parent and going to work every day in a factory, Atta remembers the difficulties faced at home.

He was was struggling to stay motivated and neglecting his education and associating himself with gangs, but eventually he became determined to make a positive change in his life.

“The individuals are all different. They run the gauntlet of poverty, having overcome the odds to simply being in school.

It’s an achievement in itself,” said Dr. Vidoll Regisford, vice-president of missions services and human resources at Goodwill. “This is in spite of the day to day challenges of residing in Toronto and some of its toughest neighbourhoods, where high unemployment rates are the norm, and a lack of community resources and supports limits access to essential services, poor housing and the overwhelming sense of hopelessness.”

With 30 years of experience working with at-risk youth, Regisford has expertise 8

in many areas including diversity and inclusion, education (primary, high school, universities and colleges), multiculturalism and why diversity in leadership is important.

Atta watched his friends drop out of school and become involved with the wrong people, and emphasizes how important it was for him to have a role model, and how the encouragement and support that comes from a role model can make all the difference in a youth’s life.

However, he is unable to speak for everyone. As he says, “I know most of the guys that are in gangs, its sad to say, sometimes it’s for attention at home, sometimes I feel that they are probably depressed because they’re not doing well in school.”

Regisford, who grew up in the same neighbourhood, says, “there is still a deeper, visceral, and emotional response when it comes to asking for help. This can include, but is not limited to the fear of negative judgments by others and being perceived as weak or illequipped for post-secondary education.”

Atta believes that education systems need to do something to help these kids who are feeling like their lives are over because they can’t understand academics or because they don’t fit in with the people who are doing well.

When he decided to go back to school at 22 years old, it was a big step for him. At the time he says, “I was actually homeless, living on the streets. My dad’s house that we had, we all had to move out of and I didn’t want to move in with my mom and step dad because there was too many kids.”

He was at a friend’s house for a bit, and then was kicked out of there and ended up going to a shelter.

Seeking assistance through OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program), he was

The Dialog • dialog.studentassociation.ca

“Those drug dealers that were on the corner selling drugs, they were the same ones telling us to stay in school because they didn’t want us to be like them,” said Francis Atta, GBC alumni.

FEATURE Mar. 2–15, 2015

able to pay rent and go to school, and applied for many scholarships on top of having financial aid.

He won several of the scholarships he applied for through GBC. He also won the Garfield Weston Scholarship, which was designed to recognize students who show strong commitment to their programs and that are interested in making positive contributions to their communities, according to the award’s website.

Using this scholarship, he paid for the child and youth worker program that he graduated from in 2012.

The barriers that young people face to succeed are complex, real and diverse. They include but are not limited to: domestic abuse, health and mental health, financial and employment problems, as well as the neighbourhoods where they live.

For Deborah Crane, GBC alumna and facilities support staff for the Student Association (SA), losing youth in her community—the Esplanade near St. James campus, and watching her son struggle with the law was reason enough to go back to school and get involved in her community.

“One thing I have learned is that there is no stronger energy than the energy you gain from your children. The more my son was getting into trouble, the more determined I became,” wrote Crane in an email.

She had been receiving phone calls in the middle of the night saying her son had been arrested. He had been associating with gangs and getting into serious fights. It was then that she knew it was time to step up and show him there was a better way.

Understanding that she couldn’t change the past, she knew she could change the future. After looking into programs at George Brown and applying for second career funding, she was aware of the many more challenges to come.

Through excitement, frustration and tears, Crane stuck with it. She went to appointments and filed lots of paper work, and through all that she says something she didn’t realize “was that my son was watching me. He saw me not give up.”

When her son decided to leave the city to disassociate himself from certain people, it gave her the overwhelming motivation to continue to help the youth in her community and to try and make a difference.

“I’ve seen this in action when I learned about Deborah by a family who had worked with her,” said Amane Samir, a marketing student at GBC. “She’s genuine about what she does. She helps address issues, and awareness over all needs to be raised.”

After talking to community members, parents, and the youth group she was already involved with, Crane did whatever she could to show these kids that they didn’t need to resort to fighting, guns, or violence, and eventually developed a youth group in the community called The Esplanade Youth Movement.

The youth movement works closely with the Metro Toronto Police—51 divison and the Community Police Liason Committee, and together they hope to build better relationships between youth and the police, holding an event and a basketball tournament every summer in their community.

Through her involvement with the community, she has also connected some of the youth to programs at the college.

“I’ve been labelled as at-risk before.

I come from the west end. It destroys the self-esteem and it damages the spirit,” said Fahima Ali, a marketing student at GBC. “I really enjoy being at school, the atmosphere, the professors, and my friends. It’s all been great and I’m in my first year.”

When facing uncertainty, Ali says the best thing someone can do is to find someone to trust.

“If you grow up labelled, the trust won’t be there,” said Melanie McIntosh, the SA’s hospitality representative. “Deborah helps us build on trust we need. We think of her as our Mom. People need to be able to be themselves.”

Crane is dedicated to supporting the youth in her community and showing them a better way of living, much like Atta who who is motivating and inspiring others through his organization K.E.Y.S. (Knowledge & Effort Yields Success).

“It doesn’t matter how low you are, if you really want to change your life, if you want to go to school—you can go to school,” said Atta. “School is for everybody. It’s not easy but if you work hard and if you make sacrifices, you will get what you want. You have to go to school, education is really important.”

At George Brown, youth are also able to attend a program called CHOICES, “dedicated to supporting growth and restoring hope in the lives of at-risk youth.”

Based on the philosophy that all youth have a right to safe living environments, the CHOICES program provides protection and a positive well-being and support services, according to their website.

“What people really get out of this, from what I’ve seen, is a renewed outlook of themselves,” said Ambrose Kirby, co-ordinator for CHOICES. “We give them an honest picture here and we also help refer them to where they need to be, not just George Brown but also universities, other colleges and apprenticeships. They can also explore their personal career options. We get all kinds of people and help them look past barriers.”

Open to anyone who is 19 years or older, the program offers a series of workshops that take place over a week, with classes that are currently offered twice a month at the St. James campus.

Through CHOICES, youth are able to get the information they need, meet with alumni, get a college experience and connect with resources like OSAP and the career centre, helping to make tough, lifechanging decisions a little easier.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY FRANCIS ATTA

The Dialog • dialog.studentassociation.ca

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OPINION Mar. 2–15, 2015

Gaming in the library is unacceptable JOHNNY CARMICHAEL You’ve seen it happen, I’ve seen it happen, and perhaps you’re even guilty of doing it yourselves once or twice; but does that make it okay to play online games in our libraries?

George Brown College’s (GBC) Library Learning Commons (LLC) offers many resources that help students with research and their studies. From printing to stapling, Wi-Fi to computer access, and from signing out a textbook to signing out an iPad, the LLC really is our oyster at school.

It should be no surprise then that students have been continually using these resources for online gaming and video streaming, which are almost always unproductive and not educational.

For the sake of not coming off as uneducated, let me just say that I love online gaming. From Hearthstone to League of Legends and DOTA 2, I’ve played them all and all my friends will most likely tell you that I’ve done too much of it.

However, it comes down to the question of being courteous.

In a scenario where the library is full of students in dire need of printing off an essay or final project for one of their classes, should their needs and demands not be prioritized before the needs and demands of someone playing video games?

The LLC’s website states, “academic assignments and projects take precedence over games and recreational activities” and that

no computer gaming is allowed between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Mondays to Fridays.

As a fellow gamer, I will tell you right here and now, our gaming is not a priority. The success of George Brown’s students is a priority, and accessible resources help students like you and I stride toward that success.

Yes, maybe the argument could be made in favour of those without access to the services our learning commons offers. Outside of the college, something as basic as a computer or stable access to the internet may not be available to some. Still others might say that they pay their tuition just as you and I pay ours and should therefore have the privilege of gaming in our learning commons.

The problem with this is that in GBC’s case, all three of our campuses are located in downtown Toronto.

Students going to school in Toronto are not restricted to their college’s learning commons and they have access to other facilities that can accommodate their gaming needs while not interfering with the success of other hard-working students.

For internet and computer access, you can go to any of the many internet or gaming cafes that are downtown such as Gigabites Internet on Bloor Street West near Honest Eds, Net Effect on Isabella Street, or Smart Access on Wellesley St. East.

Use the library to study hard and to get your assignments done on time, and keep your video games out of our LLC!

EDITORIAL New $500 deposit fee is too high for students The new $500 deposit fee is too much to pay three months prior to the start of the school year.

Starting in September 2015 semester, students who decide to register for full-time classes will have to pay a $500 deposit as part of their tuition fees.

This will force students who can’t afford the deposit to reconsider going to college.

Although this non-refundable fee is applied towards a student’s tuition fees, it’s too much to be paying upfront three months prior to the beginning of the semester.

According to the College Student Alliance (CSA) report: Mature Students in Ontario College, one of the primary reasons for nine per cent of mature students’ withdrawal from college is due to financial difficulties.

“Money—or lack there of—is a stressor in many students’ lives, but especially for mature students,” says the CSA. One reason being that the provincial financial assistance is not suited to the needs of mature students who may

not be eligible for OSAP and cannot access the 30 per cent off Tuition Grant.

The CSA adds that, “college students from low-income families cannot afford a large payment for their tuition fees, especially without OSAP aid.”

Low-income and juggling family finances is a major source of stress in a student’s life and is a serious issue when considering college, and this $500 deposit fee is making the struggle harder.

To top it off, the college will charge a late penalty of $150 on top of an overdue tuition payment.

The government solved the problem of institutions charging students deferral fees who hadn’t received OSAP yet and couldn’t pay their tuition well in advance of the semester.

But now the government has created another problem by allowing them to charge a $500 deposit fee, which in many ways is an even bigger barrier than the previous system.

Editorial Cartoon SAM BULLIS ART DIRECTOR

Comments On the College Council meeting Grant says peer-evaluation was dropped “for the simple reason that students lie” in order to get better grades. #collegecouncil –The Dialog @DialogGBC

Re:best places to make out at GBC They just baited out every good spot.

–Ramis Adeeb on Facebook

@DialogGBC whoa...that’s offensive and rude. Hope there’s an apology!

–Kyle Rodgers @Rylar_G_Cosplay

Re: GBC rejects idea of stand-alone nursing degrees @DialogGBC Actually, our proposal includes allowing college-university partnerships to continue –Colleges Ontario via Twitter

Re: Toronto Global Game Jam This is an amazing video, thank you so much for taking the time and the interest!

–Randy Orenstein on Facebook Re: Hate literature found at George Brown College So sad that ignorance is found in institutions of higher learning.

–Curtis Nixon on website

Ew wth.. Go have some decency.

–Camille Celeste Lombardi on Facebook

We want to hear from you.

Email us your opinion at dialog@georgebrown.ca

“OH, THAT SOUND? JUST A BUNCH OF STUDENTS SCREAMING ABOUT SOME GUY HOGGING A COMPUTER OR SOMETHING. YEAH, CAN YOU CAST A HEALING SPELL PLEASE?” PHOTO ELEMENTS: FLICKR USER DANIEL X. O’NEIL (CC BY 2.0)

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ARTS & LIFE

Mar. 2–15, 2015

GBC mental health tool receives funding DEEPTI BATRA STAFF REPORTER

Have an impact on your mental health Having a more positive outlook on life can help students academically and personally TINA TODARO ASSISTANT EDITOR

“Just because we’re not suffering from anxiety or fearful of something, doesn’t mean we’re mentally healthy, doesn’t mean we are flourishing,” says Robert Malowany, student success co-ordinator at George Brown College (GBC).

Staying positive is hard for many students with the pressures of program demands, but understanding how to cope with negative emotions and how to make positive changes, can help students develop a more positive well-being.

Flourishing means that you are feeling good and doing something that makes you happy, something that many students aren’t doing, rather they are languishing, which refers to struggling with anxiety or things that may be bothering you that you can’t or have difficulty escaping.

“I think people who flourish are able to understand better what’s affecting them. I think if you are languishing it’s a lot harder to look at yourself and see the challenges you’re faced

with,” said Malowany.

From increased levels of well-being and success at work, school, in relationships and with your health, having a positive outlook not only affects our abilities to handle different situations, it promotes healthier immune, cardiovascular and emotional systems.

Students who are flourishing have been observed to be feeling less depressed and become happier, and in Ontario only 43 per cent of students are flourishing, according to Corey Keyes, a researcher who used the stat in a conference called Flourishing Campuses.

A common trait observed in students who are languishing is procrastination, and Malowany often asks himself why there are things we procrastinate about and others that we don’t.

“Why do people who enjoy playing video games, don’t procrastinate in playing them?”

“Why do we not procrastinate going out for a coffee with someone we enjoy being with?”

It’s the things that energize us in some way that we choose not to procrastinate in doing.

“While some people turn to maladaptive things, whether they be drug use or careless sexuality, sometimes we turn to things that create more problems because it’s an attempt to energize ourselves,” said Malowany.

While flourishing allows people to become better aware of negative areas in their lives, negative emotions are still important.

When students are languishing they may also experience low personal growth initiative, poor academic performance and suicidal behaviour. Malowany described this during Mental Health Awareness Week using a picture of a battery, depicting a person’s high or low charge—portraying times of flourishing and languishing.

Lucas Wade, a peer coach in the PAL Centre, says he connects with students not only on an academic level, but on a social level as well.

It’s those times when students can “unplug and enjoy themselves,” at events and other gatherings, that they are more able to care for their mental health and well-being.

Negative emotions are not always bad, but sometimes they “tend to keep us closed or narrow, and dull our focus, thinking and perspectives,” according to an MIT experiment conducted by Daniel Pink.

Situations that contribute to survival such as fear can lead us to escape or feel anger.

There are situations where negative emotions can be considered appropriate, they don’t necessarily lead to positive mental health.

“You need to recognize negative emotions are important, that they are healthy but sometimes they are not,” said Malowany. “It’s not about escaping negative emotions, it’s about making sure you have enough of the positive emotions.”

On Jan. 16, Premier Kathleen Wynne declared additional financial support under the provincial program Open Minds, Healthy Minds.

The funding is part of Ontario’s multi-year comprehensive mental health and addiction strategy that started in 2012.

George Brown College (GBC) in association with Seneca College, Queen’s University, Stella’s Place, Toronto District School Board and Gerstein Crisis Centre will develop an online platform called iConnect.

This online tool will be a web-based platform and mobile application, providing accessible services for youth with mental health issues. iConnect would also provide connections, assessments, peer support and recovery services, and its service will be available to current and potential college students as well as university students.

“Online support platform for mental health is a very cool idea. Online access for every student whether they’re dealing with mental health or not, is a ray of hope for everyone with easy access to counselling and other related support information online,” said Tianna O’Reilly, a special events planning student. “For most of the youth online access is available 24/7 and thus to get support at the very moment one needs it, is the need of the hour. For sure, online access would be the better for the students going through the transition (at various personal and professional levels) at community colleges like ours.”

Reports show that more than 70 percent of mental health and addiction issues initiate when people are young. Further, investing to improve post-secondary student’s mental health is a component of Ontario’s government’s plan to invest in people’s talents and skills.

Kim Dayto, a community worker program student, says, “I think that having online access is an intelligent strategy to communicate with the youth,” as many post-secondary students today would rather use electronics and handheld devices to access information.

Provincial investments have totalled $9 million annually, which includes $6 million for the Mental Health Innovation Fund, according to Ontario. This year 14 more new projects got approval from the premier, making it a total of 32 supported projects at the college and university levels across Ontario.

The Dialog • dialog.studentassociation.ca 11

ARTS & LIFE

Mar. 2–15, 2015

Eight GBC students win YMA fashion scholarship

Cara Pifko, GBC alumna Sarah Sherman, and Gord Rand explore love and loss together in Abyss.

BRITTANY BARBER STAFF REPORTER

PHOTO: CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN

Abyss premieres at the Tarragon Theatre After a mysterious disappearance, a search for a missing girl reveals a complex love triangle ANEESA MUSTAPHA STAFF REPORTER

Next to George Brown’s Casa Loma campus, Tarragon Theatre has premiered the English-language version of Abyss.

The play, written by Maria Milisavljevic and directed by four-time Dora award winner Richard Rose, is set in the German city of Berlin. The plot is narrated by a young woman whose character is only labelled as “I” (Cara Pifko), whose close friend Karla suddenly and inexplicably disappears.

Karla’s boyfriend of four years, Vlado (Gord Rand) referred to as “HE” and Sophia (Sarah Sherman), Karla’s roommate and sister of the narrator, referred to as “SHE” help in the search. All three have roots that lie in Serbia and Croatia and now live in Berlin.

As the action begins, Karla has just gone out to the corner store to get cheese for the pizza that she, Vlado and the nar12

rator are planning to have for dinner— but she never returns.

Slowly the story begins to unravel and reveal itself, and while Karla is Vlado’s girlfriend, the narrator is his long-time lover.

The police are unhelpful during the first week of Karla’s disappearance, so the three friends take it upon themselves to find her. Tensions rise, mysteries reveal themselves and the bonds of relationships are tested throughout the course of a very cold and bleak month.

The mystery of finding Karla travels across the European underworld and Russia, where Vlado knows many people in that world who will try to solve the mystery of his missing girlfriend.

The three actors hold hands throughout the eighty-minute performance, occasionally shifting position but never letting go until something happens. Each of them literally work as one throughout the entire piece, co-ordinating their every word, movement and gesture.

Adding to the existing mystery of the play is the minimalistic set. The three stand on a raised platform that makes it look like they are floating on this small area, on some vast darkness.

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Sarah Sherman, who played Sophia or “SHE”, is a graduate of George Brown College’s theatre school. She describes the play as being deep and complex, saying, “it’s more than a love triangle, it’s a complicated relationship between these young people who are kind of like a little family.”

Sherman played the widest range of roles, from the neutral voice of a rabbit killing manual to the narrator’s sister. She also plays Karla’s mother, Varvara, a woman in the Russian quarter who sees a man with Karla’s bag and Goran, a man in the Russian quarter who is the eyes and ears of the area.

“It was definitely difficult learning all the lines and not getting confused switching between characters,” said Sherman. “In the entire play I navigate between five or so characters, so that was definitely a new challenge for me in preparing for this role.”

Sherman also offered a piece of advice to students currently at the theatre school, “Keep your notes. I found myself going back to my old notes from school to prepare for this role,” said Sherman.

Abyss is playing at the Tarragon Theatre at 30 Bridgman Avenue until March 15.

Discounted tickets are available with your student ID.

The Young Menswear Association (YMA) Fashion Scholarship Fund swept through George Brown College’s (GBC) fashion program with eight students winning $5000 awards.

The YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund is a non-profit organization that has a long history of providing financial support to American students.

The schools that are incorporated into the YMA also have endorsements from American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA). George Brown is the only Canadian school to be represented in both.

A total of 46 schools are involved with the YMAs and each school is allowed 10 delegates to apply for the scholarship fund.

Each delegate is then given the opportunity to complete a case study comprised of redesigning a business plan, going into detail about product development, marketing, merchandising, analyzing finances, performance and target markets.

From approximately 460 applicants, only 150 are awarded $5,000 U.S., an opportunity for a fashion internship and a mentor for one year to answer any questions and guide them in the right direction.

One of the eight GBC winners, Rosemary Melnyk, a second-year fashion management student, said she applied for the scholarship to “really set me apart on my resume and applying for jobs.”

Dylan Dias, another YMA winner has dedicated his time in the fashion management program to a stronger business sense in fashion.

With passion in his eyes, Dias quit his part-time job for the YMA’s because he couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

All 150 winners of the YMAs were flown to New York City to attend a gala and attend an industry-networking event. Students had the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the top 10 per cent of people in the fashion industry such as Vera Wang and Michael Kors.

The experience of the YMAs for any student has its rewards and is not all about the money.

“Anything you can do to broaden your repertoire and to broaden your skill set is the smart thing to do,” said Dias.

ARTS & LIFE

Mar. 2–15, 2015

GBC confessions page gives students a place to vent A new confession page has launched on Facebook for GBC students, giving them an anonymous outlet DORA LIU STAFF REPORTER

#83:To the girl with the Starbucks going up in the elevator this morning around 8am (Tuesday) you’re so beautiful. Keep smiling! :) #64: To the tall Russian lady with the short hair wearing a tall jacket today in the SJ library. You were swearing so loud and being very racist. You need to chill the f out before someone knocks you out.

These are just two examples of messages on the newly launched “George Brown Confessions” Facebook page, where numerous laughable, sweet, warm, angry, resentful and

sorrowful messages have been posted.

The page was started in January, and since then has accumulated 424 likes and 89 messages as of Feb 24.

According to the Facebook messages and email interviews with the page’s administrator, who declined to disclose her name but let us called her “A”., she is a woman studying in the school of computer and information technology program at GBC. The George Brown Confessions page is run exclusively by her. In an email, she said that “I felt like GBC students were not connected. I wanted to create a space where everyone could connect in a place where you could confess everything and anything you wanted.”

In fact, the confession page is not a new concept. It has become a trend among schools and universities in North America since 2013, as well as in Europe and Asia.

All the posts are anonymous, and a lot of social networking websites have been set up a similar page for their users—Face-

book is one of them.

However, regarding the anonymous nature of posts, the confession messages are often sexual in nature and some colleges and universities have banned such pages to avoid harassment of students and staff.

On this argument, A said that her policy is not to post things that go against people’s moral ethics.

“I read all the posts before they are posted,” wrote A. “I make sure that anything I post won’t hurt another person, and if I find something like this I immediately delete it.”

She admitted that some people did say rude things but most of the confessions were positive, like the ones that are currently on the page.

The confessions page was established with the name of the college, but wasn’t registered by the college and they have no connection to one another.

“They don’t need to (register the page).

We don’t really care about it. A lot of social media forums have those similar pages, so we

don’t pay special attention to it,” said Brian Stock, director of communications at GBC. Stock said it is a good thing for students to express their opinions, but they don’t track this page as long as GBC receives no complaints.

To see other posts visit the George Brown Confessions page on Facebook.

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The Dialog • dialog.studentassociation.ca 13

LOVE & SEX Mar. 2–15, 2015

GBC students weigh in on 50 Shades of Grey Students offer their perspectives on the depiction of BDSM and relationships in the series TINA TODARO When it was decided that 50 Shades of Grey would be made into a movie, there was a lot of hype and excitement. But since its release on Feb. 14, it has been given mixed reviews and negative criticism.

From disappointed fans to unhappy feminist groups, George Brown College (GBC) students weighed in on what they believe is wrong about this series.

Elizabeth Orbe Donoso, child and youth worker student, is concerned about the book’s origins as Twilight fan fiction.

“If anyone’s read the twilight books, both of the guys or main characters are pretty abusive, and these relationships are ones that you want to stay away from,” she says.

Described as a rich man in the book, Christian Grey comes from a troubled past and a childhood full of turmoil and unfair treatment. Some feel that the book has portrayed troubled childhoods as an excuse to become sexually violent in adulthood.

“It’s not true that people who are abused as children turn out that way, not everyone who is abused turns out like Christian Grey,” said Orbe Donoso.

The series is famous for its portrayal of BDSM sexual activities. Sarah Rayner, LGBTQ support staff at the Community Action Centre, explains the meaning of the acronym as being: B&D for bondage and discipline, D&S for domination and submission, and S&M for sadism and masochism. It is used in both the book and movie and according to Rayner it misinforms audiences who may not be familiar with the term.

When talking about the relationship between Grey and Anastasia Steele, Rayner

says that, “based on what I do know, the relationship between Christian and Anastasia is abusive and isn’t a proper sub (submissive) and dominant dynamic.”

The sub and dominant dynamic as illustrated by Rayner is meant to be a relationship in which both people are consenting and aware of what is going to be taking place. “A dom/sub relationship requires communication and trust,” she says. Orbe Donoso adds that, “the sub is usually in control because they are the ones to use the safe words,” having the power to stop any activities.

However, in the movie the dominant is portrayed as ‘in control.’ According to Rayner, there is one point where Steele says stop and Grey refuses.

Shay Sanders, the Student Association’s LGBTQ representative, weighed in, saying, “the use of a safe word in BDSM is great, but the dominant still has a responsibility to pay attention to the submissive partner’s reactions.”

Without safe words or consent, it is no longer considered BDSM. “If there is no consent, it’s rape,” said Rayner, adding that, “there’s nothing wrong with both the book and movie being a guilty pleasure for people, but the issue is that for many people this is their first glimpse at BDSM and they accept every flaw as reality. BDSM is being framed as abuse, and abuse is being framed as love.”

While many like Sanders believe the book was poorly written, “with overused phrases and a female lead that repeatedly ignores her own feelings in order to meet Christian’s demands.”

“The book relies on the inexperience of Ana in order to further the story,” said Sanders, and to anyone who understands the dynamic of an abusive relationship would find Grey’s behaviour, disturbing.

Fearing that this story will end up as a romantic ideal, Sanders also notes that women may ignore real red flags like the ones depicted and romanticized in the book.

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PUZZLES & FUN Mar. 2–15, 2015

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7 9 1 2 5 4 3 8 6

3 6 5 8 7 1 9 4 2

2 4 8 3 9 6 5 1 7

8 7 3 5 1 2 4 6 9

Puzzle by websudoku.com

9 2 6 4 8 3 1 7 5

1 5 4 9 6 7 2 3 8

6 1 9 7 4 5 8 2 3

4 8 2 6 3 9 7 5 1

5 3 7 1 2 8 6 9 4

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The Dialog • dialog.studentassociation.ca 15

2015 SPRING ELECTION NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN

MONDAY, MARCH 2 AT 10 A.M.–FRIDAY, MARCH 13 AT 2 P.M. NOMINATION PACKAGES CAN BE PICKED UP AT YOUR CAMPUS STUDENT ASSOCIATION OFFICE.

VACANT POSITIONS: EXECUTIVE MEMBERS DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS LIFE • DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERNAL AFFAIRS • DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION • DIRECTOR OF EQUITY • DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS CAMPUS DIRECTORS ST. JAMES CAMPUS • CASA LOMA CAMPUS • WATERFRONT CAMPUS • SATELLITE CAMPUSES (RYERSON, SUNNYBROOK, DISTILLERY ETC.) EDUCATION CENTRE REPRESENTATIVES ARTS AND DESIGN • BUSINESS • COMMUNITY SERVICES • CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING • HEALTH SCIENCES • HOSPITALITY • LIBERAL ARTS AND PREPARATORY STUDIES CONSTITUENCY REPRESENTATIVES ABORIGINAL • ACCESSIBILITY • INTERNATIONAL • LGBTQ • WOMEN AND TRANS PEOPLE GBC BOARD OF GOVERNORS STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE

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