The Dialog Jan 29 to Feb. 12, 2018 by The Dialog

ISSUE 9 / JAN. 29–FEB. 13, 2018 GBC Student Newspaper • Founded 1982

NEWS / PG. 2

ARTS & LIFE / PG. 11

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / PG. 13

CNC students rage for their machines

Can't miss activities and events for Black History Month

Top mobile mindfulness and meditation apps

"THE CRITICISM THAT THEY WOULD GIVE YOU WASN'T CRITICISM, IT WAS LIKE BULLYING" PAGE 8-9

NEWS

THE DIALOG • dialognews.ca // Jan. 29–Feb. 12

LETTERS & COMMENTS Re: Students campaign to end the sale of bottled water at GBC "The purpose of the Green Team sub-committee that I mentioned is to evaluate all options and I am keeping an open mind. That's why I stated "that the college’s “green team” is discussing the possibility of banning the sale of bottled water in February and may recommend to the college’s management that bottled water no longer be sold at GBC. For example, if we remove single serve water bottles altogether as a beverage option, it is possible that even more students will start drinking more soft drinks and fruit juices, which contain a lot of sugar and are not as healthy as water. I just wanted to clarify my position." Stephanie Foster, GBC Green Team Re: Study Tips "Some of these tips make me face palm." Nicolas Jauvin-O'Rourke, on Facebook "LOL, 'don't get high for your exams'." Belal Faquiri, on Facebook Re: Covering the college strike "You actually reported news! Autonomously and without prejudice. It reminded me of what news used to be like. Kudos to you and your team. I know many of us on the picket line were so thankful you were there. And like you, we are glad it's over." Diane, on Dialognews.ca Re: Arbitration adds academic freedom for faculty "Headline makes it sounds wayyy better then what it actually is." Meghan Kerry, on Facebook

Squeaky students get the grease CNC and precision machining students band together, get program to add more teachers and re-do welding course MEGAN KINCH REPORTER-EDITOR STEVE CORNWELL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

When students in CNC precision machining (T173) program returned to George Brown College (GBC) in November after the faculty strike, they were already unhappy with the program. Staring down a condensed semester, understaffed classes and noting what they called a "deep frustration" with the program in a Dec. 7 letter to GBC president Anne Sado, the students started to advocate for themselves. “We've been having problems since the first year with understaffing, that's the main issue," said Devreet Minhas, a T173 student. "We were told that there used to be teaching assistants for shop classes like machine and CNC which we did not have." The strike made things worse, but there were deeper issues that needed to be addressed. One was a required welding course that Minhas said was teaching dated techniques that are not used much in the field today. According to T173 student and former The Dialog reporter-editor Alex Resendes, the students succeeded in getting explicit and subtle changes to the program, including having the option to take the welding course again the winter semester at no extra cost, and generally making faculty and administrators more mindful of student concerns. "I have no doubt that none of

@DialogGBC

www.dialognews.ca Read this issue and back issues online at https://issuu.com/dialog

STEVE CORNWELL/THE DIALOG

this would have happened in the time frame that it did without making some noise about it and trying to have our concerns heard," Resendes said. Resendes added that getting the changes required persistence and making the faculty and administrators of the program understand that the students weren't going away. For Adel Esayed, the dean of GBC's centre for construction and engineering technologies, one of the reasons that the program couldn't address the concerns right away was because the T173 students did not use their college emails to lodge their complaints. In their letters addressed to GBC president Sado, which were also sent to The Dialog, the students used a generic Gmail account called "T173Students." Esayed said that it was the wrong approach to use an anonymous email account and claim to represent all of the students in the program. But after deciding to run the welding course again, hiring more staff to help students operate the machines and extending the hours the shop is open to from three to eight hours every Monday, Esayed is confident that the college has satisfied the students' concerns. "I think we resolved the issue and it seems to me that they are really happy with the resolution," he said. For CNC student Daniel Rebeldo the changes to the program were too little and too late. "We were promised a lot of things and those things didn't happen," said Rebeldo. "Bottom line, I

/dialognews

Adel Esayed, dean of the centre for construction and engineering said he thinks the issue with the CNC students is resolved and they're happy.

"I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN THIS TIME FRAME WITHOUT MAKING SOME NOISE ABOUT IT" made the decision of withdrawing from the program." Rebeldo said he felt that he "wasn't learning anything properly (the) whole semester," including how to set up a machine and run it

@thedialog

properly. He is now working as a lot attendant at a car dealership, though he hopes to return in September to finish the program.

/TheDialog

EDITORIAL

OPERATION

CONTRIBUTING

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Editor-in-Chief Steve Cornwell. . . . . . . . . . . . . .dialogeic@sagbc.ca Managing Editor Mick Sweetman. . . . . . . . . . . . . .communications@sagbc.ca Art Director/Designer Manar Hossain. . . . . . ..dialogdesign@sagbc.ca Podcast Host/Producer Manseeb Khan . . . . . .dialogpodcast@sagbc.ca Videographers Devante Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .dialogvideo@sagbc.ca Gurdas Singh Panesar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .dialogvideo@sagbc.ca Reporter-Editors Lidianny Botto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .dialogreporter1@sagbc.ca Chau Nguyen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..dialogreporter3@sagbc.ca Megan Kinch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .dialogreporter3@sagbc.ca Matthew Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .dialogreporter4@sagbc.ca Afra Hossain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .dialogreporter5@sagbc.ca Carolina Toca Perea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .dialogreporter6@sagbc.ca Ad Sales Phillip Chung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .dialogads@sagbc.ca

The Dialog newspaper is published by The Dialog with the support of the Student Association of George Brown College. The Dialog 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, the Student Association of George Brown College, or its editorial staff.

Contributions to The Dialog are always welcome. We request that articles be submitted as digital copies in plain-text (TXT) or rich-text (RTF) format. Letters to the editor can be sent in an e-mail message to: dialog@sagbc.ca. Images should be in EPS format for vector files or in TIFF format at 300 dpi for raster files.

We acknowledge that the work we do happens on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and most recently, the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation. The territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, and is also covered by the Upper Canada Treaties. The meeting place of Toronto is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island.

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

NEWS

THE DIALOG • dialognews.ca // Jan. 29–Feb. 12

Gimme a break George Brown one of 16 Ontario colleges that retained winter reading week

TUE

MANAR HOSSAIN/THE DIALOG

Consequences of the five-week college strike will continue to be felt as the school year moves along. But for some students, this might be especially true when the winter intersession week happens, or not, at their college. The week-long winter break, also called reading week, was cancelled at eight out of 24 Ontario colleges as they reshaped their academic schedules coming out of the strike. Some of the schools that cancelled the full break, like Fanshawe and Durham Colleges, have opted to extend the Family Day long weekend instead of the full weeklong break. Others, like St. Clair and Confederation College will keep a one-week break, but it won't begin until March as their winter semester started later. George Brown College (GBC) is keeping the intersession week as scheduled from Feb. 26 to March 2. But back in November, the college announced that it planned on cancelling the break. The decision to reinstate the week came after pushback from the Student Association of GBC, which funds The Dialog, including an open letter to the college's senior management. "We did originally think about canceling the winter break week but we had several consultation

EVENTS CALENDAR JAN

MATTHEW GREEN REPORTER-EDITOR

meetings with our SA, and they felt strongly that the week should be kept in," said GBC president Anne Sado. "And they mentioned student mental health as a strong reason for maintaining the break, so we decided to do it." Many studies have found a link between taking breaks, mental health and productivity. Some post-secondary schools have added a fall break in recent years to help students. A Queen's University task force recently found that the number of students seeking support from student wellness services increased significantly beginning around week six of the fall term. In a survey of just over 7,200 students, faculty, and staff, 34 per cent ranked a fall term break as most important over orientation days, pre-exam study days, and instructional days. The 2017 report recommended implementing a two-day break on the Thursday and Friday of week seven for next year. Tiffany White, the SA's director of education, said that the intersession week is not just a break but an chance for students to catch up. "A lot of students have different learning styles," she said. "For myself, I know I use that week to catch up on things like any assignments that are coming up that I haven't had time to work on because I've been too busy studying for the five

tests I have that week." For colleges that are not having the winter intersession week, the reasons vary. Dan Lessard, Cambrian's manager of communications, said the college was concerned about extending the school year beyond April. "We canceled the winter intersession to help avoid having to extend the academic year into May, which students indicated would be a greater burden than missing a spring break," he said. "We also used the occasion to recoup some class time." As for implementing some of the alternatives to a week-long break at GBC, Sado said that the college was aware of other models but choose, "what we thought would work best for us." Having the one-week recess can also offer other positive options for GBC students, according to Tenniel Rock, manager of counselling and student well-being at the college. "Students are like 'I actually now have time to come to a Peerconnect workshop. I actually now have time to access counselling,'' she said. "So it's a really important time in college for people to be able to take stock of what's going on, maybe get some extra support and then figure out how they're going to manage the rest of the semester."

OPSEU files charter challenge MATTHEW GREEN REPORTER-EDITOR

As far as the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) is concerned, the fight is not over. OPSEU, which represents 12,000 Ontario college faculty, has filed a charter challenge over government legislation that ended the five-week strike in November. The union alleged its "rights and freedoms have been denied" under

the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Labour Dispute Resolution Act, also known as Bill 178. When the legislation was passed, the union vowed to fight and the necessary documentation was filed on Jan. 23. "I'm not convinced we'll win but I'm not convinced we'll lose and I like our chances at winning," said OPSEU president Warren (Smokey) Thomas, "I think it's tilted our way but I'm quite sure the government thinks it's tilted their way. This is

an opportunity to clarify the situation to avoid it in the future." In December, a new collective agreement between the union and the College Employer Council, which represents the province's colleges, was awarded. Thomas explained the union is seeking to have the agreement deemed "expired." "The parties would go back to the table to bargain," said Thomas. "That's the standard request. I don't know what we'd get, if we'd get anything."

30 WED

31 FEB THU

Hands on Exotics: campus animal visit @ Main Lobby, Waterfront, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hands On Exotics will be visiting campuses with their furry friends. Come play with skunks, macaws, exotic cats (either Bengal or Savannah), tortoises and more. Hands on Exotics: campus animal visit @ Kings Lounge, St. James, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Women's Basketball: Durham vs. George Brown @ Casa Loma Gymnasium, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. SA board of directors meeting @ Casa Loma Student Centre, Games Room, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Don’t be shy! A visit to a board meeting for the first time may seem intimidating. Just remember, board members are your fellow students. They are there to answer your questions and are accountable to you.

FRI

Battle of the Campuses: Paintball Outing @ Sgt. Splatters Paintball, 54 Wingold Ave, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Casa Loma vs. St James vs. Waterfront vs. Ryerson Tickets are only $10 for GBC students / $15 for guests. Price includes: semi-auto paintball marker, mask, coverall Tickets available from all Student Association offices. Casa Loma: E100 / St James 147 / Waterfront 033 / GBC Ryerson 612 SAT

Volleyball: Centennial vs. George Brown @ St. James Gym, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Women’s game: 1 p.m. Men’s game: 3 p.m.

SUN

Basketball: Canadore vs. George Brown @ Casa Loma Gymnasium, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Men’s game: 1 p.m.

FRI

Basketball: St. Lawrence vs. George Brown @ Casa Loma Gymnasium from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Women’s game: 6 p.m. Men’s game: 8 p.m.

SAT

Volleyball: Canadore vs. George Brown @ St. James Gym from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Women’s game: 1 p.m. Men’s game: 3 p.m.

THU

We're All Mad Queers @ St. James, Community Action Centre,Room 165B from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

03 04 09 10 15

Group for folks who identify as Mad and Queer. Space to build/share community, creativity, interdependence, experience and existence. February Theme: Community Care How to ask for the care you need. How to give the care people ask for. Hosted by the Community Action Centre Questions/Accommodations: disabilities@sagbc.ca

NEWS

THE DIALOG • dialognews.ca // Jan. 29–Feb. 12

Part-time support staff at Ontario colleges unionize

OPSEU

Multi-year effort to unionize parttime support staff sees 84 per cent vote to unionize, says OPSEU STEVE CORNWELL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Around 20,000 part-time support staff at Ontario colleges have unionized. The ballots were cast in a representation vote back in June of 2016. Following a year and a half of the votes being sealed and uncounted, the Ontario Public Service Employee Union (OPSEU) said that 84 per cent of part-time support staff voted to unionize. In a release, OPSEU president Warren (Smokey) Thomas called the unionization “a magnificent victory for part-time college support staff and for all the people who worked hard for so many years to win union rights for them.”

Part of the delay was due to the requirement of the Ontario Labour Relations Board to determine whether OPSEU had 35 per cent of eligible part-time college staff sign union cards. In December, the board determined that the 35 per cent threshold had been met, and it began to count the results of the 2016 vote. Under the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act, part-time support staff are regularly employed for no more than 24 hours per week or for a non-recurring project in office, clerical, technical, health care, maintenance, building service, shipping, transportation, cafeteria and nursery staff positions. There is no date set to begin talks to establish the first contract between part-time support staff and Ontario colleges. The negotiations

Warren “Smokey” Thomas, president of the Ontario Public Service Employees’ Union, announcing the part-time support staff unionizing drive at George Brown’s Waterfront campus in 2015.

will bring OPSEU and the College Employer Council, who represents Ontario's 24 colleges back to the table after the two sides failed to agree on a contract leading to the longest strike in Ontario college history. Thomas said that OPSEU and the Council are on bad terms but,

"when bargaining is over, it's supposed to be over." "Mature people say, 'alright it's over, let's move on.' I'm interested in relationship building, I believe it in completely." Don Sinclair, CEO of the College Employers Council, did re-

spond to a request for comment by publication time. OPSEU is also organizing to represent around 20,000 contract faculty at Ontario colleges. That vote, which took place in October 2017, has yet to be counted by the Ontario Labour Relations Board.

New senior leaders at GBC to focus on digital revolution LIDIANNY BOTTO/THE DIALOG

Three new vice-presidents are tasked with the mission of a digital future for students, faculty and staff LIDIANNY BOTTO REPORTER-EDITOR

Anne Sado, president of George Brown College (GBC), met the three new vice-presidents of academic, student success and strategy and innovation—Cory Ross, Chris McGrath and Rick Huijbregts—recently to talk about how the college can meet the needs of the market, students and faculty in a world of rapid change. "It's time to start engaging all the members of our community to start thinking 'what is that? What are we going look like as an institution in 2030? How are we going to make sure that we are addressing the needs of the economy and industry partners in the best way possible?'" said Sado. Ross, the new vice-president of

academic, says that it is important update teaching methodologies and the ways professors and students interact. "The introduction of technology will be important," Ross said. "However, technology will only be in service of pedagogy. Nothing can replace the relationship between a student and a teacher." According to Ross, who was most recently the interim executive dean at GBC, the college is focused on creating foundational pillars that will push the curriculum into the future, respecting the different level of understanding of technology between students and faculty and trying to balance it. McGrath, the new vice-president of student success, has 18 years of leadership experience in student affairs and was most recently a vice-president at the Canadian Me-

"HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE ECONOMY AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE?" morial Chiropractic College. McGrath joined George Brown with the mission to lead a portfolio of programs and services to provide a best-in-class student experience. Hijbregts, the new vice-president of strategy and innovation, has an extensive professional background linked to the information technology industry, having spent 12 years with Cisco Canada, most recently as vice-president of digital transformation and innovation. Hijbregts knows the importance

The new GBC vice-president of strategy and innovation, Rick Huijbregts looks for partnerships with leading companies in the market.

of the college being part of the technological revolution. "In nursing, you think about how three-dimensional visualization or things like virtual reality are changing in (health) care, how technology is making nursing more mobile in hospitals, how big data, analytics and artificial intelligence is changing health care—it's the same in business." said Hijbregts. To help GBC become more digital, Hijbregts said that he will be

focused on increasing strategic partnerships and working closely with industry to identify what improvements need to be implemented in at the college. Sado and Hijbregts also highlighted that the academic institutions are an important piece of the digital revolution, being responsible for preparing students adequately for the labour market.

NEWS

THE DIALOG • dialognews.ca // Jan. 29–Feb. 12

TTC Riders hands out ‘overcrowding relief kits’ to commuters

CAROLINA TOCA/THE DIALOG

Yonge subway line over capacity during the morning rush CAROLINA TOCA REPORTER-EDITOR

On Thursday, Jan. 18, the same day Toronto Transit Commision (TTC) was discussing the future of Line One, the transit advocacy group TTC Riders handed out "overcrowding relief kits" to passengers at King Station. “The Yonge line is dangerously overcrowded, and riders are in desperate need of relief,” said Shelagh Pizey-Allen, executive director of TTC Riders in a statement. “The TTC board must consider the actions for the future over TTC lines, we all need to see all the levels of governments functioning to fund construction of the relief line as soon as possible,” said Pizey-Allen. Inside the kit, there was a breath mint, a transit-themed crossword puzzle and a guide on how to relieve

overcrowding. The guide urges commuters to call Mayor John Tory and Premier Kathleen Wynne, demanding to fund and build the relief line as soon as possible and included their phone numbers. “TTC Riders is campaigning for lower fares and better services on the TTC, and we are working towards to a world-class, affordable public transit system” said Pizey-Allen. A report called Managing Crowding on Line One by TTC chief operating officer Mike Palmer states that “Finch to Union Station is the busiest section of any transit line on the TTC network, carrying 450,000 customer trips per day.” The report says use of line one has grown during the last 15 years exceeding the capacity during the morning rush. The report also recommends implementation of automatic train control at the end of 2019, which

will permit trains to run closer and safer. It also suggests implementing a customer awareness campaign about emergency alarms, the work on the relief line, the purchase of new trains, and congestion fare pricing as a medium-term solution. “The city and province need to fund better TTC service and start building the relief line as soon as

possible to end the dangerous overcrowding on the Yonge line” said Pizey-Allen. In addition to the construction of the relief line, TTC Riders wants the city to increase the subsidy for the TTC. “The TTC is the least funded transit in North America with an average of $2.60 per ride. In 2017,

the TTC received a city subsidy under $1 per ride,” said Pizey-Allen. TTC Riders is planning a transit day of action on Jan. 30 and are calling for the creation of two-hour transfers, a low-income transit pass and better service, according to Pizey-Allen.

Online voting to continue in SA general election

MANAR HOSSAIN/THE DIALOG

Chief returning officer recommends lowering demerit point threshold to disqualify executive candidates STEVE CORNWELL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Online voting, which was an option for the first time in the Student Association's (SA) fall byelections, will continue in the upcoming spring general election. The SA, which funds The Dialog, held byelections that ran nearly four weeks longer than originally scheduled in the fall semester. Tiffany White, the SA's director of education, said that the online voting helped engage students in the election during the strike. But White, who is on the SA's elections committee, said that due to the faculty strike, the new system wasn't properly tested in the fall byelection. "(The strike) really skewed how a normal election process would typically go," White said. "This was

by far the most different election we've ever had." But she added that online voting will continue to be an option for students in the upcoming spring elections. "It would be nice to be able to actually pilot it properly, so I would be in favour of continuing it," White said. Out of 1,537 ballots cast in the byelection, 1,215, or 79 per cent, were online. Physical polls at the Kings Lounge at St. James and the Student Centre at Casa Loma attracted the most paper ballots, with 85 and 139 respectively. Chief returning officer (CRO) Charles Wilson made 16 recommendations in his elections report, including a suggested timetable for the upcoming spring elections, continuation of both online and in-person voting methods, and a review of the CRO and deputy returning officer's

compensation, "to better reflect the responsibilities of the position." Wilson also recommended lowering the threshold for executive demerit points, which the CRO assigns to candidates who have violated SA bylaws and election regulations. Currently, the SA's bylaws allow for up to 35 demerit points for executive candidates and 20 for non-executive candidates before disqualification. In the report, Wilson recommends that every candidate have a maximum of 20 demerit points before disqualification, an idea that White said she is "on the fence" about but would like to try.

"I think that we shouldn't put too many barriers in place to stop students from running," she said. "But you also want to make sure that there is fair play." In order to change the maximum number of demerit points, a motion to change the bylaws would have to pass the upcoming SA Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Feb. 13. The agenda for the AGM has not been released as of print time. Kushagra Manchanda, who was elected as the SA's director of operations, had 31 total demerit points during the byelection. The points were given on five separate dates and included three separate viola-

tions for "campaigning in a restricted area" and a fair play infraction stemming from comments Manchanda made about his opponent Brenda Agyei while campaigning. Manchanda previously told The Dialog that some of the rules weren’t completely clear, and his missteps during the campaign were genuine mistakes. “All of the mistakes that I made, weren’t out of intention,” he said in December. “They were out of a lack of knowledge and I do assume the responsibility.” With files from Lidianny Botto and Afra Hossain

SPORTS

THE DIALOG • dialognews.ca // Jan. 29–Feb. 12

Women's basketball team suffers first loss of the season

MATTHEW GREEN/THE DIALOG

Seneca teams defeat Huskies squads in East division heavyweight battle MATTHEW GREEN REPORTER-EDITOR

It lived up to the hype. It's hard to imagine any of the fans at a packed Newnham Centre coming away disappointed Jan. 23 after watching the host Seneca Sting and George Brown Huskies go toeto-toe in both men's and women's action. Simply put, these games had a playoff atmosphere all over it as the two schools added another thrilling chapter in this intense rivalry. The stakes were high as George Brown and Seneca are locked in a tight battle for top spot in the East Division on both the men's and women's side. Head coach Warren Williams' Huskies have been tearing up the women's competition,

arriving at Seneca with a 10-0 record. After being even 39-all at halftime, the George Brown women's team would be done in by their offence, which shot just over 29 per cent in the second half on the way to a 77-73 defeat. Williams was impressed with the Sting and how they came at his club early. "I think in a game where we punch, they punch, we punch, they punch, they had the last punch and they came out victorious," he said. "All the credit should go to their effort. It's something we can learn from and get better from." With Seneca's victory, the race atop the division tightens up. Despite the loss, the Huskies like what they see in the big picture going forward. "Offensively (and) defensively I think we're going in the right place," said fifth-year captain Aprille Deus, who posted a team-high 22 points versus the Sting. "We're also not peaking too early which I think is key. If we peaked too early like we did last year, I think we'd be in some real big trouble for playoffs." As for the men, a heart-breaking 78-76 loss prevented the Huskies from overtaking Seneca atop the the east standings. The Sting imposed their will early in the game, shooting an im-

pressive 55 per cent from 3-point range in the first half. At one point, Seneca was up by 14, putting the men's team in a big hole. Down by seven at the half, George Brown rallied. After trading the lead multiple times in the second half, the Sting escaped with the victory when the Huskies DJ James' tying shot did not go. "That shot I had at the end, I hit that same shot two years ago to win the game," said James, who led George Brown with 23 points. "It's a tough loss but it's a learning experience." James added that once the emotions from the loss settle, the team will review the game tape and move forward. Like coach Williams, men's head coach Jonathan Smith likened the game to a boxing match where the comeback was incomplete. "We wanted to throw the first punch but unfortunately, Seneca did," he said. "I think we came back in the middle rounds and had a chance to throw the knockout punch at the very end." As for James, Smith said, "he's a tough competitor, he makes those one out of two shots so I'll live and die with him, no problem." The men's team will benefit down the stretch as they conclude the regular season with three straight

Women's basketball were downed by the Seneca Sting 77-73, stopping their perfect regular season record.

"I THINK IN A GAME WHERE WE PUNCH, THEY PUNCH, WE PUNCH, THEY PUNCH, THEY HAD THE LAST PUNCH AND THEY CAME OUT VICTORIOUS" games at home. With over 60 per cent of the season gone by, James noted the improvement in his team, specifically, being less selfish with the ball than earlier in the season. The men's Huskies went without a win in the regular season versus Seneca. But James anticipates seeing the Sting again on the way to the national championships. "We went to nationals last year, we saw what it takes to get there

and we're just trying to get back there," he said. "But right now it's going to run through Seneca and we expect to see them in the finals." The men's provincial championship opens on March 1 at Niagara College. The women's teams compete for the Ontario crown at Humber College beginning on March 2.

Men's volleyball primed and positioned PHILIP IVER/GBC ATHLETICS

Huskies men's team in battle for division title, women's team still seek first victory as season enters the final stretch MATTHEW GREEN REPORTER-EDITOR

Down the stretch they come. The battle for men's volleyball supremacy in the East Division is shaping up as a compelling two horse race between George Brown and Georgian. Both the Huskies and Grizzlies have separated themselves from the pack in their division. George Brown is surging following a trio of impressive mid-January victories. That three-match stretch saw GBC post 3-0 sweeps over Durham and La Cité and a five-

set win over Algonquin. The Huskies have been led in large part by Dart Jackman, who averaged over 13 points per game in the recent run. As both the Huskies and Grizzlies have a handful of games left, the East Division crown could very well come down to a Jan. 31 showdown at Georgian. "We have our goal for number one on the east side," said Jackman. "I think it's going to come very close. If we can close out our side, I think things will play out in our favour, hopefully. But for now, we're going to take care of our games ahead."

Dart Jackman (centre) has been leading the men's Huskies on their climb to the top of the East Division.

Of note, life on the road has been kind to the Huskies who own a stellar 7-1 record as the visitors. The Huskies women's volleyball team enters the final couple of weeks of the season still searching for their

first victory. The club has shown improved performances of late in hard-fought defeats to Durham and La Cité. The Huskies have looked to fifth-year veteran Julia Vit, who averaged 12.5 points per contest vs.

"WE HAVE OUR GOAL FOR NUMBER ONE ON THE EAST SIDE" the Lords and Coyotes. With eight first-year players, head coach Daphne Choi likes the direction her club is headed. "We've made it a really good point to change the momentum of our team," she said. "We've been working really hard at trying to present ourselves as a different team and to ensure that every single time we go out we don't look the same as we did the last time." A key stretch for the Huskies will come at the end of the regular season when Choi's club finishes up with three straight matches on the home court. The Ontario College Athletics Association championships begin

SPORTS

THE DIALOG • dialognews.ca // Jan. 29–Feb. 12

Huskies begin badminton playoff push

SCORES MEN'S BASKETBALL

GBC ATHLETICS & RECREATION

George Brown heading into East Regional Feb. 2-3 with a deep roster MATTHEW GREEN REPORTER-EDITOR

The dress rehearsal is over. After four months of action across Ontario, George Brown's badminton team heads to Centennial College to begin their post-season journey at the East regional. The expectations are high for this group with five singles, three doubles (men's and women's), and two mixed doubles titles over the past season. For the Huskies, who are ranked fourth nationally, expect a strong showing at the regional tournament. Each school can enter a maximum of two singles players in each of the men's and women's fields and

one team in doubles. The top three in each discipline from the East and West regionals will advance to the provincial championship. While badminton head coach Will Schram wouldn't tip his hand on his roster heading in, he is confident in his group. "The majority of our team should do quite well," he said. "Overall, in my opinion, I think almost our entire team should advance from regionals to provincials. Finishing top three is very doable." All eyes will be on first-year Huskies standout Yuge (Ace) Zeng who has simply dominated men's singles play. Zeng captured gold at all four tournaments he entered and added a men's doubles title on his home court in December. Despite all the success, Zeng isn't about to rest on his laurels. "I can't be too relaxed because many players are training so hard to play with me, so I can't look past them," he said. "He's won every single tournament so far this year," Schram said. "We definitely have a lot of high hopes for him to do very well, to

Jan. 19 George Brown . . . . . . . . . . 92 Durham. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Jan. 23 Seneca. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 George Brown . . . . . . . . . . 76 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Jan. 20 George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . 78 St. Lawrence (K) . . . . . . . . . .75 Jan. 23 Seneca. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . 73 MEN'S VOLLEYBALL Jan. 13 George Brown . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Loyalist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Huskies Ace Zeng has won four singles titles this season.

finish strongly in regionals and provincials and go nationally." On the women's side, the Huskies will look to veteran Yunji Kim. The fifth-year player is returning to the scene of some recent success, winning a singles title at Centennial in mid-January. Kim also picked up a silver in singles at Fanshawe in November. In men's doubles, Alex Chao and Yang Jin are a threat as they teamed up to take top honours at Centennial. On the women's doubles side, Angeline Alviar has a gold and two silvers this year. As for the competition, it's at

Jan. 17 George Brown . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Durham. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

the provincials where the Huskies see their biggest test. "Our main competition is Humber," said Schram, adding that a top-two finish at the provincials is the goal. As for the regionals, he is quite confident. "Regionals we should do quite well based on the fact that at Centennial, for example, when Humber wasn't there, which is our stiffest competition, we won everything," Schram said. "It depends on what Humber does but our goal is to finish top-two at provincials and then nationals."

Jan. 20 George Brown . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Algonquin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Jan. 21 George Brown . . . . . . . . . . . 3 La Cite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL Jan. 13 Loyalist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 George Brown . . . . . . . . . . . 0 Jan. 17 Durham. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 George Brown . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Jan. 20 Algonquin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 George Brown . . . . . . . . . . . 0

Winter is coming and they keep going

LIDIANNY BOTTO REPORTER-EDITOR

It's winter and we have felt extreme temperatures. Some days are so cold that all you can think is how difficult layering up and going to the college will be. And don't forget to add the heavy layer of your backpack too. During this time, doing everything feels like a big deal and you can neglect your fitness. For example, you get too lazy to leave home and carry an extra bag for the gym. Sometime you can end up making excuses to slow down or even stop your physical activities during the winter, right? Not for these George Brown

College (GBC) students. Michael Roberts, a GBC student in electrical techniques, knows that sometimes it's hard to keep your exercise routine. But he doesn't give up. He's tried to come to the gym at Casa Loma campus four times a week for one or two hour long training sessions. And when he can't keep that schedule, he works out at home. "At the end of the day, it's all about consistency on the gym," Roberts said. "If you are determined enough to make it here every day, it's more satisfying when you finish it. You feel like you've accomplished more because of all the things that tried to stop you from getting here." Amanuel Yosief tries to use the gym at Casa Loma at least once a day. The fourth semester heating, refrigeration, and air conditioning technology student plays basketball with his classmates as a way to have fun on breaks. "The space is really good," Yosief said. "We get to interact, we get to talk and it's a great way to meet new people." The Casa Loma and St. James gyms offer activities like basketball and volleyball. Fitness classes are

Jan. 21 La Cite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 George Brown . . . . . . . . . . . 1 BADMINTON Centennial Invitational Jan. 12 - 14 Men's Singles Ace Zeng (1st)

LIDIANNY BOTTO/THE DIALOG

For these George Brown students, the cold is not an excuse to stop exercising

George Brown students show that there is not bad time to keep moving their bodies.

available at both gyms as well. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the St. James fitness centre has a women and trans only hour from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Ben Anderson, a GBC athletics and recreation co-ordinator, said that George Brown students should enjoy the facilities that the college provides because during the winter there are less activities available outside.

"It's a great opportunity to get out with some friends and get out of the daily routine of class, go home, class, go home," he said. "You can kind of break that monotony and come out to the gym and have a good time." The complete recreation schedule for the winter semester is available on George Brown's athletics page.

Women's Singles Yunji Kim (1st) Anh Hoang (2nd) Men's Doubles Alex Chao / Yang Jin (1st) Women's Doubles Angeline Alviar / Anh Hoang (1st) Amy Ding / Yunji Kim (2nd) Mixed Doubles Alex Chao / Yunji Kim (1st) Angeline Alviar / Mike Ra (2nd) MEN'S INDOOR SOCCER Centennial Invitational Jan. 13 Semi-final Guelph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 George Brown . . . . . . . . . . . 1 WOMEN'S INDOOR SOCCER Jan. 13 'C' Final George Brown . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Centennial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

FEATURE

THE DIALOG • dialognews.ca // Jan. 29–Feb. 12 GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE

FORMER STUDENTS CALL ON THEATRE SCHOOL TO CHANGE ITS ACT

Several former students of George Brown's theatre school, located at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, have come forward with allegations about faculty at the school.

GEORGE BROWN SPOKESPERSON SAYS COLLEGE BELIEVES STUDENTS STEVE CORNWELL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

he year is still young, but for George Brown College's (GBC) theatre school it's already been a long one. First, four female actors filed civil lawsuits against Albert Schultz, the artistic director of Soulpepper Theatre, which is also being sued. In the Jan. 2 statements of claim, each of the actors allege that Schultz groped and made sexual comments towards them and Soulpepper knew or ought to have known about it. Two of the claimants said that they met Schultz while still GBC theatre school students. Soulpepper is a longtime partner with the GBC theatre school. None of the allegations have been proven in court and Schultz has said he will "vigorously defend" himself. Ten days later, controversy moved a little closer to the school. In stories by the CBC and Toronto Star, several former students alleged inappropriate conduct by theatre school faculty, including harassment and sexual comments during class. Brian Stock, GBC's director of communications, said that the reputation of the theatre school has been solid over the years, and the stories of students facing harassment in classes "doesn't do that any good." "We accept that there is going to be some impact to that and we have to work especially hard to counter those past experiences by making sure our theatre school is among the safest and most supportive in the country," he said. If the stories of harassment surprised some, for Patrick Cieslar, who graduated from GBC's theatre school in 2006, they were all too familiar. In January 2007, Cieslar wrote a letter of complaint to Dale Hall, George Brown's human rights advisor at

"I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THE EXPERIENCE THAT STUDENTS HAVE AT GEORGE BROWN TODAY IN THE THEATRE SCHOOL IS QUITE DIFFERENT" the time, saying that some theatre school professors acted in ways that showed "a deliberate attempt to undermine the self-esteem and general well-being of its (siq) students," among other allegations. According to Freedom of Information (FOI) documents obtained by The Dialog, the college also received at least 21 letters of concern from former theatre school students that February. In March 2007, Hall met with the co-ordinating director of the theatre school and the director of business and creative arts at GBC and outlined several initiatives the college would undertake at the theatre school, including examining the audition process and providing faculty with development opportunities focusing on giving and receiving feedback. After hearing of the school's plans to address the

FEATURE

THE DIALOG • dialognews.ca // Jan. 29–Feb. 12

"IT WAS THE FACULTY SO THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WE COULD REALLY DO ABOUT IT"

Patrick Cieslar filed a complaint about the theatre school in 2007, alleging that some faculty acted in ways to "undermine the self-esteem and general well-being of its (sic) students."

"I KNEW IF I HADN'T ALREADY ENDED MY CAREER, I WAS DEFINITELY ABOUT TO THEN" issues raised, Cieslar wrote to Hall saying he was "very impressed and very delighted" by the steps taken. But by 2008, Cielar said he believed that there was no progress in improvements to the program and no one was taking the matter seriously. In April 2008, Cieslar sent a document that he said contained excerpts from the complaints of 21 other former students to theatre school faculty, GBC senior administration, talent agencies and other theatre schools. He said distributing the document was a difficult decision. "I knew if I hadn't already ended my career, I was definitely about to then," Cieslar said. "I was opening myself up to all kinds of potential dangers." A few days after Cieslar sent the document, he said that he was "withdrawing from the debate" in a letter to the college. Reflecting on that time, he said he stopped his efforts to change the theatre school in 2008 because he received negative feedback from students in the program. Cieslar said he was also concerned about legal action, which the FOI documents show was being considered by the college. "I had backed down with the understanding that none of the abuse was continuing," said Cieslar. "I would like to think that the experience that students have at George Brown today in the theatre school is quite different from the experience that students had back at the time of the original (2007) allegations," Stock said. "And I actually hesitate to use the word allegations because, we believe them."

The more recent spike in stories from the theatre school kicked off following the publication of Megan Robinson's 2017 article, Confessions from Theatre School, which Stock called a "fairly thinly veiled resurfacing" of the experiences of the 2007 complaints. In the article, Robinson describes an exercise where students each go to the front of the room to tell a personal story, which the teacher would respond to. Robinson wrote that the teacher "stared me down" and said "So you're, like, the funny fat girl?" Stock said this exercise was completely unacceptable, and will not be continuing going forward. As recently as 2015, former theatre school student Jessica Hunt said she experienced the same exercise. In a story she wrote on the website George Brown Theatre School Survivors, which was started by Cieslar, Hunt said that she got through unscathed but was disturbed by the teacher's comments towards others. "Many of his comments horrified me, and I watched my beautiful and vibrant classmates swallow these comments bitterly before sitting down and waiting for the next person to take that solitary spot in the middle of the room," she wrote. Hunt left the program in less than a year, and said she mostly avoided the "crosshairs" of faculty in the program but she said she wanted to come forward for her former classmates who can't. "The criticism that (faculty) would give you wasn't criticism, it was like bullying," Hunt said. "But it was the faculty so there was nothing that we could really do about it. So we just dealt with it." Rachel Fernandes, a GBC theatre student from September 2009 to December 2010, said she recalls feeling intimidated, scared and on edge about being let go from the program. "(I was) afraid that I would get cut from the program and then being told by the faculty that doesn't really happen," she said. "I felt kind of gaslit the entire time." Fernandes, who also posted a story on the website, said she came forward because she was inspired by other students sharing their stories, which were similar to hers. "It was something that I felt really strongly about,

and that there was something wrong with the way that they do things at the theatre school," Fernandes said. Cieslar, who is now an outreach worker for people experiencing homelessness, said that the college "should be taking responsibility for its failures and apologizing." He would also like a change in how the students in the theatre school are taught. "I've had some really amazing insightful acting teachers, especially in the improv community, who possess incredible insight, skill and ability to tailor their feedback to get the best performances out of their students," said Cieslar. "This concept of humiliating, berating and embarrassing students in front of their colleagues is junk science." For Fernandes, part of changing the dynamic at the theatre school means having the college get more involved in the day-to-day running of the program. "The theatre school itself is so far removed from anything else college affiliated," she said. "We never saw anybody really from the actual college, there was nobody who came in and audited classes or checked up on any of the teachers that I know of. We were really isolated from all kinds of college life." Stock said that there has been a strong effort to create an open dialogue with theatre school students over the past two to three years, and the college has learned to be proactive rather than waiting for formal complaints.

Jessica Hunt, a GBC Theatre School student between 2015 and 2016, said that the criticism faculty would give students "was like bullying."

"I think the learning that we all have, any organization these days, is that just because you don't have any complaints doesn't mean that you don't have a problem," he said. "It's not acceptable anymore to do it that way, to rely on complaints as your only means of taking action." Stock added that George Brown is obliged to ensure that students can be heard in ways that are not threatening, intimidating and that doesn't "put all the onus on them."' "I can never say that we've absolutely solved all problems but I do believe that we're in a position where the experiences of students are not the way they were," said Stock.

ARTS & LIFE

THE DIALOG • dialognews.ca // Jan. 29–Feb. 12

Tax tips students should know Get your taxes filed and learn how to do it CAROLINA TOCA REPORTER-EDITOR

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—for accountants. And as a student getting money back from your taxes doesn’t hurt either. Bienvenido Isla, a professor in the school of accounting and finance at George Brown College (GBC) spoke with The Dialog and shared some tax tips any student should know. STUDENTS SHOULD ALWAYS FILE TAX RETURNS

In the Income Tax Act, a general rule requires all persons to file a tax return. For students, many reasons are listed, but the most commons are, to get a tax refund, to build RRSP contributions regardless of age, to register for benefits once they

turn 19, and to claim tax deductions, credits, and expenses reducing the amount of tax to pay. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS MUST FILE A TAX RETURN

Canada determines the obligation of filing tax returns by residency, not citizenship. Canadian residents are required to file a Canadian tax return for their world income. International students who are residing in Canada and earn income, must file a Canadian income tax return. YOU DON'T NEED ANY INCOME TO FILE AN INCOME TAX RETURN

There’s always an opportunity to get some tax refund without even having any income to report. Essentially, students with no income will get between $400 to $500 by way of entitlement to a federal GST/HST and Ontario property tax credits. TAX CREDITS FOR STUDENTS

Students may be eligible for refundable tax credits such as GST/HST, provincial or territorial benefits; non-refundable Canada child ben-

efit, tuition, public transit passes and eligible electronic payment cards for public transit, (up to June 30, 2017) interest paid on student loans, and disability tax credits. THE ONTARIO TRILLIUM BENEFIT

If you are paying rent, or own a house and pay property tax, you may be entitled to the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB). However, the OTB is not an automatic tax benefit, students have to apply by filing a tax and information return to receive it. STUDENTS CAN TRANSFER OR CARRY FORWARD AMOUNTS

If you don’t use the full amount of federal tuition fees, and applicable provincial and territorial tuition, education and textbook amounts, you can transfer them to your spouse, parents, grandparents, or your spouse’s parents or grandparents to a maximum of $5,000 of the current year’s federal tuition amount. Since Jan. 1, 2017, the federal education and textbook tax credits were eliminated, but students can still carry forward unused

education and textbook credit amounts from years prior to 2017. COMMON DEDUCTIONS FROM INCOME

The most common deductions that apply to students are moving expenses and child care expenses. Moving expenses can only be deducted from the taxable part of scholarships, fellowships, bursaries, certain prizes, and research grants. Also, moving expenses can be deducted if moving to a new location is a condition of employment. STUDENT TAX CLINIC

Overwhelmed already? Don't worry, the Student Association (SA), which funds The Dialog, will run a free income-tax clinic for students with a modest income from March 12 to 23. Around 40 to 50 GBC student volunteers will receive training by the SA in partnership with the Canada Revenue Agency's Community Volunteer Income Tax Program and help students file their taxes. For Ronnie Cruz, the SA's community services co-ordinator, an essential part of the clinic is educat-

ing students on how to do their taxes. “I made sure that the volunteers are also teaching (the students) because it's honestly really, really simple." said Cruz. "They think it's so complicated but it's so damn simple that they can do it on their own." Cruz, who is running the tax clinic also had some tips for students. • Gather all of your documents before your appointment so there are no delays at the clinic, and no problems if you are audited in the future. • Open an Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). It allows you to save money on your taxes and plan for your retirement. The income-tax clinic will run at St. James campus in the Quiet Lounge, room 150F, and at Casa Loma campus in room E116, Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit the SA

ARTS & LIFE

THE DIALOG • dialognews.ca // Jan. 29–Feb. 12

Black History Month events and activities you can't miss KPCOFGS/CREATIVE

Journalist and activist Desmond Cole has been a prolific force for Black and other racialized communities. Come see him deliver a youth-oriented talk. Free.

From sessions with Desmond Cole to Afrofusion dance lessons, here are The Dialog's top picks for Black History Month PERFORMANCE

STACY LEE

Thursday, Feb. 1 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Toronto Reference Library 789 Yonge Street Poetry and Jazz. Canada's poet laureate George Elliott Clarke and 2010 World Poetry Slam Champ Ian Keteku and more perform with some smooth grooves. Free.

Monday, Feb. 12 7 p.m. to 8 p.m Toronto Reference Library 789 Yonge Street

Tuesday, Jan. 30 to Wednesday, Feb. 17 Crow's Nest Theatre 345 Carlaw

Sunday, Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Comedy Bar 945 Bloor W

What came before Drake? Lots. Join the Rascalz's Thrust and music producers Mr. Attic and Nick Holder as they speak on the history of Toronto's hip hop vinyl scene. Free. Robyn Maynard, author of Policing Black Lives, is speaking on Feb. 6 as part of the Toronto Public Library's Black History Month event series.

A CONVERSATION WITH CHARLEMAGNE THA GOD

Thursday, Feb. 1 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Casa Loma Student Centre E building, First Floor 142 Kendal Ave.

A chance to meet and speak to Charlemagne Tha God, co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show, The Breakfast Club. He will also sign and discuss his New York Times bestseller Black Privilege: Opportunities Come To Those Who Create It. Brandon Ash-Mohammed (left) and Hoodo Hersi are hosting The Ebony Tide at Comedy Bar on every Sunday in February.

Tired of white bread/dude/dad jokes? Check out comedy nights the organizers are calling a "celebration of the magic of melanated comedians." Hosted by Brandon Ash-Mohammed and Hoodo Hersi. $5.

The International Festival of Authors is hosting authors Simone Dalton, Rinaldo Walcott and Whitney French, who will talk about writing and authorship, opportunities and impediments to success in the book industry. The discussion is hosted by David Bradford. Free. BEFORE THE 6IX: NORTHERN TOUCH

THE WATAH THEATRE AT CROW'S NEST THEATRE

THE EBONY TIDE

Wednesday, Feb. 7 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Harbourfront Centre 235 Queens Quay East

DISCUSSION

JAZZ VALENTINES

The radical queer Black feminist Watah Theatre is taking over Crow's Nest with a double bill by performer d’bi.young anitafrika and writer Najla Nubyanluv. $25-30.

IFOA CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH

POLICING BLACK LIVES

Tuesday, Feb. 6 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Toronto Reference Library 789 Yonge Street Author Robyn Maynard, civil rights lawyer Anthony Morgan and the Toronto Star columnist Shree Paradkar discuss the complex relationship between police and Canada's Black communities. BLACK HISTORY MONTH PRESENTS DESMOND COLE

Wednesday, Feb. 7 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Annette Street Library 145 Annette Street

COLOUR BETWEEN THE LINES: BIPOC BOOK GROUP

Wednesday, Feb. 21 Community Action Centre St. James A Building, Room 165B 200 King St. East

For the month of February, engage in a thought-provoking poetry discussion with BIPOC Book Group about “Bone” by Yrsa Daley-Ward and “Salt” by nayyirah waheed. A limited number of free copies of the book are available at the Community Action Centre.

MOVIES HIDDEN FIGURES SCREENINGS

Monday, Feb. 1, 2018 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Kings Lounge St. James A Building, Room 150 200 King St. East Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Casa Loma Student Centre E Building, First Floor 142 Kendal Ave. Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018 10:30am to 12:30pm Concourse Level stairs Waterfront campus 51 Dockside Dr. If you haven't watched Hidden Figures, now's the time. The movie tells the inspiring story of three

Desmond Cole will be speaking at the Annette Street Library on Feb. 7 as part of the Toronto Library's Black History Month event series.

female African-American mathematicians working at NASA during the space race, and is coming to a campus near you. Free. TORONTO BLACK FILM FESTIVAL

Wednesday, Feb. 14 to Monday, Feb. 19 7:30 p.m. Isabel Bader Theatre 93 Charles St W. Want to dig a little deeper than Black Panther? Check out some flicks at the Toronto Black Film Festival, which is opening with The Rape of Recy Taylor, a true story about a Black woman who fiercely confronts white men who sexually assaulted her in Alabama. GBC PRIVATE SCREENING: BLACK PANTHER AT CINEPLEX

Thursday, Feb. 15 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Don't miss the chance to watch the movie Black Panther, and get to know how T'Challa, faced with a powerful old enemy, releases the full power of Black Panther and changes the fate of Wakanda and the entire world.

FOOD, FUN & ETC TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN

Tuesday, Feb. 6 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Main Lobby, Waterfront 51 Dockside Drive Wednesday, Feb. 7 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Casa Loma Student Centre E Building, First Floor 142 Kendal Ave. Thursday, Feb. 8 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lower Lobby - Student Life space St. James A Building 200 King. St. East

Thursday, Feb. 22, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ryerson SHE Building, fifth floor atrium 99 Gerrard St. East As part of Black History Month, come and help yourselves to a variety of Caribbean foods during the Taste of the Caribbean events at each George Brown campus. AFROFUSION DANCE CLASSES

Saturday, Feb. 6, 13, and 20 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts 1 Front E, Toronto, Ontario How are your Afrofusion moves? Learn or brush up on a blend of traditional and contemporary African styles fused with hip hop, dancehall and more with choreographer and dancer Esie Mensah. Free, registration required. MAWD

Friday, Feb. 23 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Kings Lounge St. James A Building, Room 150 200 King St. East Why stay at home on a Friday night when you can come and party with the best Reggae and Soca DJs in Toronto? Be there. Free for GBC students. $5 for guests. BLACK BUSINESS FAIR

Thursday, Feb. 8 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lower level, student life space St. James A Building 200 King St. East An opportunity for students to support Black-owned businesses. For more GBC events, check out our events on p. 3

ARTS & LIFE

THE DIALOG â&#x20AC;˘ dialognews.ca // Jan. 29â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Feb. 12

Students share study tips Everyone has their own strategies for studying from study-groups to making sure you are eating and sleeping properly CAROLINA TOCA REPORTER-EDITOR

Studying can be stressful for any student and everyone has their own specific learning styles and techniques that help to achieve your goals. Some George Brown College (GBC) students shared pieces of advice with The Dialog to students in studying crunch time. GET ORGANIZED

Studying a lot does not mean you are doing it well. "Organize, figure it out all you need to prepare, go step by step and in between, take a lot of breaks, eat a lot and sleep if you can," says

Ankita Dhiman, a fashion business industry student. "Something you shouldn't do is pulling all-nighters two or three days before the exam," said Mayooran Athithan, a architectural technology student. "Rest is important because it helps with the learning process."

DON'T GO IT ALONE

STUDY IN A GROUP

Being part of a study group is an excellent technique that everybody can get, but it only helps if you choose the right people to do it with. "When studying in groups, make sure you are with other people that are focused and have the same goals in mind, so everybody in the group studies well together and are on the same page," said Michael Roberts, an electrical techniques student.

"ORGANIZE, FIGURE OUT ALL YOU NEED TO PREPARE, GO STEP BY STEP AND IN BETWEEN, TAKE A LOT OF BREAKS, EAT A LOT AND SLEEP IF YOU CAN"

STAY HEALTHY

Eating and drinking a lot of water, while you are studying, contributes to keeping your body fed and hydrated.

"Always eat because it affects your gastrointestinal system, and drink a lot of water," said Victor Osawaru, mechanical engineering technology design student.

Look for support and ideas from your friends, classmates, professors, and Peerconnect, the assistance service for GBC students; it will help you to get several learning and study strategies that you can apply on your daily study routines. Some of Peerconnect's tips include reading your course outlines, do your required readings, and attending class so you can ask the professor if you don't understand something.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

THE DIALOG • dialognews.ca // Jan. 29–Feb. 12

Mobile mindfulness The top five meditation apps to help you chill out MEGAN KINCH REPORTER-EDITOR

Has the phone you have in your pocket turned you into a prisoner? It can also be the tool for liberation—even from your phone itself. Meditation apps have taken off

lately, and mindfulness meditation has been shown to improve focus and emotional stability, which are good things for studying and dealing with life. Here’s my top five, and yes I actually tried them all.

HEADSPACE

Headspace is the app that kicked off the meditation app craze. It's has a nice, stripped down interface, with different courses that start at three minutes a day. There are little cartoon videos briefly explaining meditation concepts, but it's mainly founder Andy Puddicombe walking you through it. Puddicombe studied meditation as a Buddhist monk for 10 years, mostly in Tibet. The intro course is free but it's $10 to $15 a month to access everything. This is the app that got me building a meditation practice and I’m still super happy with it. 10% HAPPIER

This is the YouTube of meditation apps. If you want lots of info, a nice walled garden full of fun videos and information along with some really amazing meditation instruction, then 10% Happier is for you. It's part of the whole 10% Happier empire by TV talking head Dan Harris, which includes two excellent books and a podcast. You also can chat with a live med-

THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD. PEOPLE WHO ARE INSPIRED BY INSPIRATIONAL POSTERS, AND PEOPLE WHO HATE INSPIRATIONAL POSTERS. itation coach. This is a great app if you like videos and want a curated selection of meditation coaches and courses that's not overwhelming. The intro coach Joseph Goldstein is amazing, he’s the real deal. Again, the beginner course is free but it's $8 to $15 a month to access everything. CALM

There are two kinds of people in this world. People who are inspired by inspirational posters, and people who hate inspirational posters. The Calm app is the inspirational poster of meditation apps. People who love it really love it and people who hate it, well you get the picture. It has atmospheric background music and standard meditation instructions, and also focuses on content for sleeping. Lots of the features are free, but you can subscribe for $4 to $14 a month. INSIGHT TIMER

You want to meditate but you already know how to do it. Insight Timer is the app for you if you got

this down, but you want a little help and a nice timer. It's a good second-level app after you’ve finished with a beginner one. They have nearly 7,000 free meditations and the timer is free so this is a good one if you hate paying for things on principle, or don’t have a credit card, but you could get overwhelmed by choice CONSCIOUSNESS EXPLORERS CLUB

Okay this isn’t an app, this is a club that meets up in real life on Monday nights at various places in the city, mostly in the west end. Some of their exercises are a bit wacky, but it's also grounded in a very serious exploration of different meditation traditions. Sitting with other people is a great way to learn meditation. The community and real-life guided meditation means that you might actually sit for longer than when you're alone in your bedroom, and you can talk to people about whatever issues you might be having. Visit cecmeditate.com.

BREAKING NEWS THE GEORGE RESIDENCE FALL 2018 APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW! Our modern, fully furnished, two-bedroom suites, complete with a kitchenette and private bathroom, are available for eight month terms, with an option to stay over the summer. The residence also boasts first-rate common spaces that include a BBQ patio,community kitchens, relaxation lounges and a games room. Wi-Fi, local calling, and cable television is included in each room.

georgebrown.ca/residence

Summer Residence for just $850/month

Apply now to reserve your space!

Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018 Casa Loma, Student Centre *Free Event* Book Signing Meet & Greet: Starts @ 5:30 p.m. Speaking Engagement: Starts @ 6:30 p.m. Followed by social inside La Dolce Vita (Student Centre): 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Pre-register for event on www.showpass.com/gbcevents for a chance to win 1 of 30 Charlamagne Tha God’s New York Times Bestseller: Black Privilege – Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It.

#blackexcellence

STUDENTASSOCIATION G E O R G E B R O W N C O L L E G E

Come learn more about clubs and other college services! CASA LOMA, 2ND FLOOR CAFETERIA TUESDAY, FEB. 13, 2018 // 11 A.M. – 1 P.M. ST. JAMES, 2ND FLOOR PATIO, LOWER LOBBY WEDNESDAY, FEB. 14, 2018 // 11 A.M. – 1 P.M. RYERSON CAMPUS, 5TH FLOOR ATRIUM THURSDAY, FEB. 15, 2018 // 11 A.M. – 1 P.M. WATERFRONT, MAIN LOBBY THURSDAY, FEB. 16, 2018 // 11 A.M. – 1 P.M. For more information: Please contact our Clubs Coordinator at clubs@sagbc.ca

PUZZLES & FUN

THE DIALOG • dialognews.ca // Jan. 29–Feb. 12

5 3 1 Aries (March 21-April 20) Your instincts are good. Or bad. Keep that in mind. Taurus (April 21-May 21) When’s the last time you went outside and really took in some nature? Get some sunshine on your cave-dweller face, wade into a half-frozen lake. Get green!! Gemini (May 22-June 21) Listen, it's obvious that you don't like your friends. Just go on one last bank-busting vacation with them and shut it down. Cancer (June 22-July 23) This is a great time to put on your softest pair of pants and go to the Mandarin buffet. Leo (July 24-Aug. 23) Not sure what direction your life is headed in? Throw the wrapper from your third Filet-o-Fish sandwich (yeah, we know) into the nearest fire and seek your answers in the ashes. Virgo (Aug. 24-Sept. 23) Whatever happened to superstar cannibal Shia LaBeouf? Yeah, I’d sleep with one eye open. Libra (Sept. 24-Oct. 23) Pay attention to the signs around you. “Stop.” “Yield to pedestrians.” “Time isn’t real and you should stop worrying about it running out as fast as it is.” Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Love is in the air! Or is that the smell of projecting onto the nearest semigroomed friendly person? Good luck figuring that out. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) You need to focus more on yourself. I mean, there is just so much to work on here... Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) Time management is a lot like swimming in a public pool. You struggle to keep your head above water, your eyes sting like hell and there’s a little pee in here, isn’t there? Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19) For some strange reason, people will look to you for advice and leadership in the days to come. Let them down spectacularly so at least it’ll all be very memorable. And change your name after. Pisces (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Your emoji game is sad, weak and more than a little confusing. Or you’re on some next level of satirical and absurd emotional icon relaying. If so, who we are to question your genius?

7 6

8 9 1

9 2 5 3

9 6

1 9 4 2 8

8 2 7

ISSUE 8 SOLUTION

4 8 7

5 6

1 6 5 7 8 4 9 2 3

Puzzle by websudoku.com

4 8 3 2 6 9 5 1 7

9 7 2 3 1 5 6 4 8

3 5 8 9 2 6 1 7 4

2 4 7 8 5 1 3 9 6

6 1 9 4 3 7 8 5 2

5 2 1 6 7 8 4 3 9

8 3 4 5 9 2 7 6 1

7 9 6 1 4 3 2 8 5

Puzzle by websudoku.com

PUZZLE CONTEST

Complete a puzzle from this page and drop it off at any Student Association (SA) office* for a chance to win a $10 Tim Hortons gift card! First Name Last Name Phone # Email

*SA OFFICE LOCATIONS Casa Loma Campus St. James Campus 142 Kendal Ave, Room E100 200 King St. E, Room 147 Waterfront Campus 51 Dockside Dr, Room 033

Ryerson Campus 99 Gerard St. E, Room 614 ACROSS

WANT YOUR AD IN OUR NEXT ISSUE? Contact us at dialogads@ sagbc.ca or (416) 415-5000 (ext. 2462). Colour ads and a variety of sizes are available.

1- Big gulp; 5- Seat; 10- Soviet news agency; 14- Eliel Saarinen's son; 15- Major artery; 16Purina competitor; 17- Gardner and others; 18- Doctrine; 19- Chinese weight; 20- Bright bunch; 22- Controversial; 24- Support beam; 27- Boot bottom; 28- Enliven; 32- Suckle; 35- Rockers Steely ___; 36- Conductor Solti; 38- Farm birds; 40- Falsehoods; 42- Take ___ for the worse;

44- Kind of jockey; 45- Not odds; 47- Fishhook line; 49- Japanese computer giant; 50- Muse of poetry; 52- Liquid hydrocarbon; 54- Graph prefix; 56- Recipe amt.; 57- Catch; 60- Femme fatale; 64- Ark-eologist?; 65- Teacher; 68- Zero; 69- Hooked on; 70- Black-wooded tree; 71- Sale sign; 72- Hey, over here!; 73- "Inferno" writer; 74- Scottish boys; DOWN

1- Tailor's line; 2- ___ Only Just

Begun; 3- Teheran's country; 4- Idle talk; 5- Cmdr Data's was named Spot; 6- Garden tool; 7- "Artaxerxes" composer; 8- Anatomical passages; 9- Allotted amount; 10- Ragged; 11- Jai ___; 12- Blueprint detail, for short; 13- Fa follower; 21- You're making ___ mistake!; 23- Fake coin; 25- Space; 26- Mob scenes; 28- Lazy, inactive; 29- Gullible; 30- Scoff; 31- Main stem of a tree;

33- River that flows through Paris; 34- City on the Ruhr; 37- Welcome; 39- ___ homo; 41- Photograph; 43- Workers' rights org.; 46- Ollie's pal; 48- A pitcher may take one; 51- Gave a speech; 53- Of the backbone; 55- Caribbean island; 57- Seemingly forever; 58- Turner and others; 59- School founded by Henry VI; 61- Parks on a bus; 62- Children's author Blyton; 63- Scottish loch, home to a monster!; 64- Pinch; 66- Toronto's prov.; 67- Deli bread;

HEY, YOU

IT’S TIME TO TAKE OUR 2018

dialognews.ca/loveandsex

ANNUAL

GENERAL MEETING

TUESDAY, FEB. 13, 2018 11 A.M. – 1 P.M.

The Student Association of George Brown College (SA) invites all full-time students—SA members—to participate in our Annual General Meeting.

George Brown College St. James campus (Kings Lounge, room 150, SJA Building) 200 King Street, Toronto, ON M5A 3W8 AGM packages with motions, proxies, and proposed changes to the bylaws are available for pickup at all Student Association front offices during regular office hours. Please join us, and learn more about your Student Association.

LUNCH PROVIDED AT 1 P.M.