the newspaper
25 March 2004 Vol. XXVI No. 26
U of T’s Independent Weekly
on the inside •Welcome to the deep freeze • Does U of T need a new stadium? •
Abortion display raises eyebrows, ire by Joe Kerr
WEDGE ISSUE BUREAU
The University of Toronto Students for Life (UTSFL) group held a GAP (Genocide Awareness Project) display at the Sidney Smith building on 17 and 18 March. Boards displaying “GAP Signs,” which are available to pro-life groups through The Center for Bioethical Reform, were used because they “demand discussion [about abortion]” according to Elaine Barber, president of the UTSFL. Pictures displayed on the boards were graphic in nature, and controversial to some.
The event was given the goahead despite a warning from Professor Wayne Sumner UTSFL is a campus group that promotes a pro-life viewpoint. It currently has a mem-
the newspaper bets on
bership base of 150 students and opposes “acts which fail to protect and affirm the dignity of human life.” Hillel at U of T, a Jewish students’ campus organization, has filed a request for an apology both from the UTSFL as well as the university’s administration for allowing the event to be held. Lisa Baumal, head of the Wolfond Centre, said that several students who had seen the display were “upset and offended” over the depiction of Holocaust imagery at the event. Barber says that the UTSFL has no intention of writing an apology to either Hillel or U of T. “We will not give an apology because we cannot apologize for showing the truth,” said Barber in a phone conversation. Also present during the days of the display were pro-choice group representatives, who were on hand to provide their own pamphlets on the issue. Chloe Tunis, a second year student participating on behalf of the prochoice group, says that she and her fellow pro-choice reps were given warning that the “CBR (Center for Bio-ethical Reform) Continued on Page 3
SARAH POLLEY PAGE 4
the newspaper presents
JASON IN COLOUR.
Believe it again. PAGE 6
THE ILLUSTRATION: ROSENA FUNG
Belling the Curve Student wins 8-month fight to have grade changed by Peter Josselyn NEWS BUREAU
Think that your professor got your mark wrong? Don’t keep that rage bottled—launch a complaint. That’s the lesson Michael Malleson, a U of T alumnus, learned from his dealings with the economics department. Malleson was surprised by his final mark in an environmental economics half-course taught by Prof. Matthew Turner (ECO 313H). He wrote the professor a letter to see what had happened, since his mark on the final exam and other assignments added up to 5% more than his final mark.
His mark—and the marks of all students in the class—had been adjusted by 5%. Prof. Turner rejected his complaint: “The fact that Mr. Malleson is accustomed to getting A’s does not mean that he is entitled to them. I handed out a lot of A’s in this class, all to students whose performance was superior to his,” Turner wrote. What the letter does not mention, but which Malleson soon discovered, was that Turner had, after handing back all assignments, decreased all marks in the class by 5%. He claimed that this was to conform with guidelines set out by the Faculty of Arts & Science that state no more than 50% of students in one class can get As and Bs—the marks on the exam were unex-
pectedly high, Turner claimed. Malleson was not satisfied with this result, so he complained to the department. The Associate Chair, François Casas, reviewed the case and sided with Turner. “This completes my review of your appeal and hope it brings this matter to an end,” Casas wrote. Commenting of how grades are a secondary aspect to study Casas ended his letter “As pointed out by Prof. Turner, a university education is meant to teach students how to figure things out.” Malleson was not impressed with this stern rebuke or the assessment, and appealed to economics department chair, who again sided with Turner. Finally, Malleson appealed to the Faculty of Arts & Science in December. By then, Malleson had graduated and was a student at Cambridge University. Amazingly, in early March Malleson received an email from acting Assistant Registrar Paul McCann saying that his mark—and the marks of all students in the class—had been adjusted by 5%. In an interview with the newspaper, McCann was adamant that this does not signify a change in Faculty policy. “It was specific to one class,” he said. “Course instructors take a look at this [whether to adjust marks] throughout the year, but in this case marks were returned to students and changed after,” he said. Profs. Turner and Casas could not be reached for comment. Students interested in the issue can read the Policy on Grading Practices in the student handbook.
Cults: You belong here by Clare Tattersall
FUZZY LOGIC BUREAU
On any given day a cult recruiter could approach you. Cult recruiters do not look any different than you and me. Oftentimes recruiters are students; students who want to be your “friend.” This allows them to walk about the campus undetected. Typically a cult’s headquarters is located off-campus, and the leader sends recruiters on campus to find new members. Until recently, cult activity on university campuses has not been a major concern. In the last few years people have
become more concerned about aggressive recruiting behaviour. People believe aggressive recruiting has increased over the years. Susan Addario, Director of Student Affairs, confirmed that they do receive calls about aggressive recruiting. Student Affairs is inundated with calls in the fall, in the middle of the school term, and around the holidays. “We typically hear from students who are annoyed,” explained Addario. Students are tired of being stopped by people who just want to chat. The conversation inevitably leads to an invitation to a group meeting. Students feel they cannot tell
recruiters to get lost because the recruiters are so polite. Addario rarely hears about serious incidents, though the odd one pops up now and then. Though everyone is at risk of recruitment, some students are more vulnerable than others. According to Addario, “recruiters are trying to pick up people who might be feeling a little lonely, a little isolated, a little unsuccessful.” Students living away from home for the first time, and students struggling with grades and personal issues fall into this category. Most students don’t believe it could happen to them. U of T students appear to be
more susceptible to recruitment than other university students. Unlike Ryerson and York universities, U of T is scattered across a large area. The university is not confined to a couple of large interconnected buildings. Consequently, there is not a strong sense of belonging at U of T. As concern about aggressive recruiting has mounted, U of T has tried to raise student awareness. According to Addario, “the ‘Getting There’ Student Guide provides the best information for students.” The guide warns students that they might encounter some high-pressure religious Continued on Page 3
Everything Is Under Control Ionesco’s Bald Soprano mentioned & Jack or the Submission reviewed by Edward Gebbie ARTS BUREAU
Eugene Ionesco’s The Bald Soprano and Jack or The Submission end their run at Hart House this week, with performances until Saturday. The playwright has always been popular with students, and seems to be enjoying a renaissance in Toronto. This is the second Ionesco production in the city in the past year. While both tackled Ionesco’s classic The Bald Soprano, director Dan Leberg chose to pair Ionesco’s signature piece with the more rarely performed Jack or the Submission. Why the resurgence of interest in these labyrinthine productions? Part of the answer lies in the subject matter. Like most
of Ionesco’s work, Soprano and Jack deal with issues of control, with satire directed at the feckless middle-class and their evil and thoughtless social grasping. Subversion, especially subversion articulated by torrents of nonsense prose (Ionesco’s absurdist calling-card) seems to strike a chord in these regimented times. In any case, Leberg is to be credited with ambition. The programme’s director’s notes mention his desire to “take two one-act plays (with more in common then you’d think) and turn them into the first and second acts of something larger whilst preserving the individual integrity of each piece.” A tall Continued on Page 4
THE PHOTO: COURTESY OF DOUG FLOYD
Some of what we missed: The Bald Soprano