The McGill Tribune Vol. 40 Issue 15

The McGill Tribune TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021 | VOL. #40 | ISSUE #15

Published by the SPT, a student society of McGill University

McGILLTRIBUNE.COM | @McGILLTRIBUNE

EDITORIAL

FEATURE

SPORTS

Moving past academic austerity

To shred or not to shred

PG. 5

PGs. 8-9

The looming issue of McGill athletic games attendance PG. 15

(Jasmine Acharya / The McGill Tribune)

Meals For Milton-Parc adapts to tightening public health measures

PG. 7

Student groups write open letter on concerns regarding Religious Studies professor Students have made complaints of homophobic sentiments in Professor Farrow’s courses

Maya Mau Staff Writer Five McGill student organizations—Religious Studies Undergraduate Society (RSUS), Theological Undergraduate’s Student Association (TUSA), Arts Uandergraduate Society (AUS), Student’s Society of McGill

University (SSMU), and Union for Gender Empowerment (UGE)— have signed an open letter outlining concerns about Douglas B. Farrow, a professor in McGill’s School of Religious Studies (SRS). The letter was spearheaded by RSUS, which said they had been receiving complaints about Professor Farrow’s conduct for years. It states that Farrow repeatedly

makes discriminatory comments about 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and calls on the SRS to assign other faculty members to teach three of his courses, which are required for the Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.) program. Furthermore, the letter urges the SRS to remove his work from the William and Henry Birks Building lobby display cases.

PG. 3

From research paper to academic journal article

How McGill’s undergraduate research journals show off students’ best work Maya Mau Staff Writer Often, the life of an undergraduate research paper ends after it

has been graded and relegated to a forgotten Word document.

At McGill, however, undergraduate students can have their best papers published by one

of dozens of scholarly journals that are completely authored, edited, and published by undergraduate students.

PG. 10

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021

NEWS

McGill Senate approves creation of a Global Engineering program Progress on Fiat Lux construction project is proceeding as planned Sarah Farnand Sports Editor The McGill Senate held their monthly meeting on Jan. 20, presenting two motions that were passed as well as an update on the ongoing Fiat Lux project.

McGill Provost and VicePrincipal (Academic) Christopher Manfredi began the meeting by presenting a motion to create a Joint B.Eng. program in Global Engineering with CentraleSupélec France. Students who elect to take the four-year program will spend the first two years in France and finish the final two years at McGill.

The program will begin in the Fall 2023 semester at the earliest and aims to accept approximately 70 students, with each student afforded the opportunity to specialize in one of nine streams.

“The aim of this new Bachelor of Engineering [program] is to train engineers who will be able to work in collaborative and interdisciplinary teams, in global settings,” Manfredi said.

Although the Senate approved the motion, the program still needs to be approved by the Bureau de Coopération Interuniversitaire (BCI), a private organization that acts as a coordination forum for all Quebec universities.

Manfredi brought forward

resource for students during the remote semesters.

“This report doesn’t capture [...] the very important role that the libraries have played during the pandemic,” Buddle said.

“Both in terms of the availability of resources for researchers and

students [...] and the way the libraries have been used as study hubs and [are] ongoing in that way.”

The Fiat Lux project will place emphasis on creating more space for students and unique study spaces.

MOMENT OF THE MEETING In her opening remarks, Suzanne Fortier noted that McGill Nursing students have been asked to pause their studies for the Winter 2021 to help with vaccine distribution, in exchange for a bursary. (Elissa Dresdner / The McGill Tribune) another motion to rename the Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics to the Department of Civil Engineering.

He explained that the new name would more accurately represent the scope of teaching and research done in many Civil Engineering sub-disciplines, such as Environmental or Structural Engineering. Manfredi hopes that the change will alleviate confusion, as it will better align with the actual title of the undergraduate degree—B.Eng. in Civil Engineering. The motion was approved and will soon be considered by the McGill Board of Governors.

Associate Provost (Teaching

and Academic Programs) Chris Buddle presented an update on behalf of the Committee on Libraries concerning library usage during the pandemic and the progression of the Fiat Lux project.

The Fiat Lux project will redesign and rebuild the McLennan-Redpath Library Complex and is proceeding as planned, with the storage building that will house Rare Books and Special Collections scheduled to finish by Fall 2022. The phased renovation program is scheduled to start in the winter of 2023.

Buddle discussed the Committee on Libraries Annual Report and how library usage during the pandemic has remained the same and been an important

At the beginning of the meeting, Senator David Eidelman and Senator Jim Engle-Warnick presented touching memorials for Dr. Clifford Kirk Osterland, from the Faculty of Medicine, and Dr. Barbara Nichols, from the Faculty of Social Work, respectively. Both Osterland and Nichols who passed away in 2020 were notable McGill professors who paved the way for future generations through their research and teaching.

SOUND BITE “Minister of higher education Madame [Danielle] McCann is hopeful that the [COVID-19] situation will improve, particularly if we can accelerate the vaccinations of the vulnerable part of our [Quebec] populations. [The government is] looking for at least some light at the end of the tunnel. Apart from [...] ensuring the health of the population and ensuring that we are all able to stay healthy, the government is very worried about the mental health of the population and particularly of students [....] For these reasons, we are very strongly encouraged by the minister and the premier to increase the opportunities for our students to be present in-person on our university campuses.”

-Suzanne Fortier, McGill Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University

Professor rosalind hampton hosts talk on building anticolonial strategies Hampton’s book exposes the intersection of colonialism and higher education Elizabeth Strong Contributor In combination with the Subcommittee on Racialized and Ethnic Persons (REP) and the Black Students’ Network (BSN), professor rosalind hampton hosted a virtual book talk and conversation on Jan. 20 to discuss her new book Black

Professor hampton says students should come together around our shared struggle and build good relations as friends. (utorontopress.com)

Racialization and Resistance at an Elite University. The book details the experiences of Black people studying and teaching at McGill University and examines how those experiences have been shaped by settler colonialism and racial capitalism.

“Black people have attended and worked at the university since the 19th century,” hampton said. “As in Canada more broadly, this presence and the contributions of these people have largely been erased and excluded from institutional histories. My book contributes to correcting this erasure.”

Khalid Medani, associate professor in the departments of Political Science and Islamic studies, chair of the African Studies program at McGill, and member of the McGill Black Faculty Caucus, introduced professor hampton. “[Professor hampton’s book] gave me an understanding of the real struggles, marginalizations, [and] violence meted out against Indigenous people not only historically, but also in the university.” Medani said.

Medani commended hampton’s work on dispelling the division between African and Black studies.

“Rosalind hampton allows us to be both African and Black, and both Black and African in a seamless way,” Medani said. “There are lots of structural, racist, and other institutional, historical barriers [...] that have kept Africans and African studies apart from Blacks and Black studies.”

Hampton then opened the discussion to the audience and answered pre-submitted questions from attendees curated by BIPOC student moderators.

One audience member asked about the greatest challenge to Black and Indigenous inclusion at McGill University, noting the university’s history of exclusion.

“Colonialism is the greatest challenge,” hampton said. “[It is] colonialism and the logics of European enlightenment

around humans and around civilization and the ways in which the colonial project contradicts those ideals.”

Hampton elaborated on the inherent contradiction in colonial systems and institutions attempting to now include Black and Indigenous people.

“If we think about the university and all of its wonderful liberal ideals, they can’t apply to Black and Indigenous people or it calls out the whole colonial project, or the whole project of racial capitalism that keeps racial hierarchy in place,” hampton said. “The way the institution of the Canadian university has dealt with that historically is just to leave us out of the picture, to pretend we’re not there because it’s too messy and complicated.”

Hampton also took issue with the idea and terminology of “inclusion” itself.

“Do we really want to be ‘inclusions’?” hampton said.

“Do we want to enter into a university that otherwise is the same old university doing that harm? Do we just want a seat at that table or do we want a profoundly different university?

[Instead,] I think that we come in and we do claim space and we do fight for the opportunity to do the work that we want to do, but on the terms that start with us.”

Jadyn Normore, U2 Medicine and Health Sciences and member of the Qalipu First Nation, was one of the student co-moderators of the event. Normore said she left the event feeling empowered and more knowledgeable.

“The conversation that was had over the two-hour event made me realize the amount of microaggression and underrepresentation that occurs at my own university,” Normore said. “It is definitely something that everyone should be thinking and talking about, and this book should be on everyone’s reading list for the near future.”

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021

NEWS

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Student groups write open letter concerning Religious Studies professor

Students have made complaints of homophobic sentiments in Professor Farrow’s courses Maya Mau Staff Writer Continued from page 1.

The letter further alleges that much of Farrow’s academic writing reflects discriminatory views and that in supporting and displaying his work the SRS is endorsing those views. It claims that both his class lectures and published work create an exclusionary environment by denying the legitimacy of 2SLGBTQIA+ identities.

Mo Rajji Courtney, BA ’20 and UGE’s outreach coordinator, wrote in the letter that the UGE has also received a growing number of complaints about Farrow during the past several years, and especially since the McGill Preferred First Names Policy (PFNP) was implemented in 2013.

“Students, particularly queer and trans students, told us that they didn’t feel safe in his classes [...] and that it was seriously affecting their mental health,” Rajji Courtney wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune.

The letter mentions students’ frustration with Farrow’s disregard for the PFNP, noting that in the section of Farrow’s RELG 333 syllabus about the policy, he says nobody has to use language that they disagree with. The

letter argues he is implying that someone could “disagree” with one’s preferred first name or pronouns.

Brooklyn Frizzle, U2 Arts and SSMU Vice-President University Affairs, believes that homophobic and transphobic conduct should be the concern of all

widespread attention thanks to the tireless efforts of marginalized students.”

Alexander Plant, U3 Theology and TUSA President, says that although professors should be allowed academic freedom, it should not be at the expense of students feeling welcome in the

Professor Farrow has taught at McGill’s School of Religious Studies since 1997. (Leanne Young / The McGill Tribune) McGill undergraduates.

“It’s more important now than ever for all of us to consider how academic freedom is defined,” Frizzle wrote. “I think it’s also important to remember that concerns over bigotted teachers, whether racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic, have always existed [....] It’s only now that these concerns are gaining

classroom.

“Professors have the right to free speech and to argue whatever academic point they wish,” Plant wrote. “However [...], free speech does not mean the freedom to say anything you want.

Rather it is the freedom to express one’s ideas and thoughts in a composed and thoughtful manner. It also means allowing

opposing views the chance to be heard and responded to with respect.”

Matthew Hawkins, U3 Arts and RSUS VP External, who took one of Farrow’s courses, noticed the behaviour of the Farrow that was highlighted in the letter. “[Professor Farrow] made it very clear that his opinion on subjects such as trans rights, [2SLGBTQIA+] rights, and reproductive rights, were the correct opinion, not just in a certain academic line of thinking [...], but as a deeply held conviction that he expected us to agree with de facto,” Hawkins wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “Further, when he voiced those views, it was clear that it was also a statement on how he regarded the students of varying identities within his classroom.”

Professor Garth Green, director of the School of Religious Studies, will soon talk to representatives of the student societies involved and colleagues in the administration.

“The School, no less than the Faculty and the university as such, takes this open letter, and the charges within it, very seriously indeed,” Green wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “Just as it takes its responsibility to cultivate [a] continually safe and respectful and challenging and rewarding learning environment for all of its students [seriously].”

Divest McGill holds workshop on climate justice and divestment

Divest has been pressuring McGill to sever ties with the fossil fuel industry since 2012 Lily Cason Contributor Divest McGill held a virtual workshop titled “Divest 101” on Jan. 20 to educate students about divestment and encourage them to take action. Two representatives of Divest McGill, Zahur Ashrafuzzaman, U1 Arts & Science, and Millie Murray, U1 Arts, led the presentation by outlining the ethical, social, and financial incentives for divestment from the fossil fuel industry.

Ashrafuzzaman and Murray began the workshop with a land acknowledgment that explained the ties between Indigenous communities and climate justice.

“Climate change is something that disproportionately affects people of marginalized communities, Indigenous communities, and the global South,” Murray said.

Ashrafuzzaman said that Divest McGill believes institutions need to separate themselves from fossil fuel companies due to the irreversible damage that steadily rising land and sea temperatures cause the Earth.

“We can only afford to burn about 200 gigatons of carbon to stay below 1.5 degrees Celsius of

warming,” Ashrafuzzaman said.

“Or, about 560 [gigatons] to stay below two degrees, which, at this point, is what most scientists are shooting for.”

Murray claims that fossil fuel companies have skirted government regulations for decades due to the industry’s grip on governments’ and regulatory bodies’ finances.

“The fossil fuel industry [...] is one of, if not the most, powerful institutions that exist today,” Murray said. “Fossil fuel companies have the influence and power and money to essentially tell our democratic institutions what to do and what not to do.

A great example of that is that Exxon, [...] one of the largest petrol companies, [...] knew about climate change as early as [the] 1970s and paid to cover it up and essentially pushed back climate science and our ability to counter climate change [...] because it would negatively affect their ability to be profitable.”

Ashrafuzzaman explained that divestment is also a powerful statement because it has historically been a way to stand in solidarity with Black communities.

Divestment movements have their foundation in the anti-Apartheid

activism of the 1970s, when Black organizers boycotted Polaroid for selling technology to the South African government that was used to implement the racist Pass Laws, an ID system used to oppress Black South Africans.

In addition to the many ethical reasons for divestment, Murray believes that it is actually a logical financial decision for universities to make.

“Fossil fuel prices have been dropping, with COVID-19 only accelerating that, and recently the University of California has [...] committed to divest for purely financial reasons,” Murray said.

Divest believes that by pulling out of fossil fuel investments— which make up at least seven to eight per cent of the university’s endowment—McGill could send a strong message to fossil fuel companies that it will not tolerate harming the planet and thereby worsen social inequities.

“By divesting, we are telling the fossil fuel industry that what they are doing is not okay, and we’re not going to allow them to continue doing it,” Murray said.

In spite of the McGill Senate voting to support divestment in 2018, the Board of Governors (BoG) subsequently decided

In February of 2020, Divest McGill blockaded the administration building to protest the university’s investment in TC Energy. (Jinny Moon / The McGill Tribune) to uphold the investments.

Following this decision, Divest McGill protested against BoG’s decision and spread awareness of the situation.

“It’s not [the Senate’s] mandate, but in effect, having so many corporate members on the highest board [...] with only two faculty allies [and] only two voting students, [the BoG is] not democratic,” Ashrafuzzaman said.

Divest McGill is currently focussed on boycotting the grocery store chain Metro Inc., which BoG Vice-Chair Maryse Bertrand has personal investments

in. The group is also working to increase student representation on the BoG and planning in-person action as public health authorities permit.

McGill student Evelyn Morehead, U2 Science, attended the event to learn how to channel her outrage into action.

“I only recently found out about McGill’s investment in fossil fuels,” Morehead said.

“This really angered me, so I wanted to attend this workshop to learn more about the work being done to divest and learn how I can help make positive change.”

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021

NEWS

McGill adjusts teaching guidelines as second online semester begins

Students and faculty cite experiences from the Fall 2020 semester Maya Watt Contributor After collecting feedback from both students and teaching staff about the Fall 2020 semester, the McGill administration has updated its teaching guidelines with the hopes of improving the educational experience for staff and students while continuing to operate remotely.

Last semester, to avoid overburdening students during a global pandemic with heavily weighted assessments, professors were encouraged to assign several lowweighted assessments to their classes resulting in testing on a more frequent basis. However, many students reported feeling overworked as they were constantly being assessed.

In an email to The McGill

The McGill administration is encouraging students to communicate with professors if they’re feeling overworked. (Jinny Moon / The McGill Tribune)

Tribune, McGill Media Relations Officer Frédérique Mazerolle described the changes made in the new Guidelines for the Remote Teaching Context W2021 and how the McGill administration hopes these adapted guidelines will impact students and staff in Winter 2021 semester.

“We fully acknowledge that many in our community have felt overwhelmed and overworked during the Fall 2020 semester,” Mazerolle wrote. “There has been close collaboration with Faculties in their preparation of the on-going semester and special attention has been being paid to the well-being of students, faculty, and staff. This includes looking at how to adapt course workloads to help students balance learning responsibilities with their personal lives.”

Another update to assessments this semester will limit the “no review testing” method, a form of testing that prevents students from moving backwards on MyCourses quiz pages. Additionally, a new “no penalty late period” will allow for the submission for final assessments after the last day of classes, but not

exceeding the end of the final exam period, without any form of penalty.

Brendon Gillon, a professor in the Department of Linguistics, discussed how he adapted his teaching style for this semester by implementing changes in everything from class interaction with students to grading schemes.

“When it comes to teaching, there have been a few small advantages and some substantial disadvantages,” Gillon said. “One important disadvantage is that [it is challenging to] interact with students personally. Another [challenge] is grading. Grading papers online takes more time, at least with the software we have. Indeed, in the large class I am about to teach, I am going to try to make as much [material] as possible machine gradable so as to lighten the work of the TAs.” Despite experiencing setbacks, Gillion acknowledged the ways in which this unprecedented time for professors and students can be seen as an opportunity to expand his knowledge and skills as a professor.

“I have been forced to learn more about online teaching,” Gillion said. “That is good in the sense that

it broadens my perspective and compels me to see new ways of doing things. If I end up finding some of these tools useful and adopting them, that will be [for] the good.”

Auston Sinclair, U3 Arts, told The McGill Tribune that online education has challenged his routine as a student.

“For me, online learning has been an exercise in building and adhering to a routine without any outside structure,” Sinclair said.

“Being constantly at home has meant being entirely in control of how I spend my time, in a way that I have found more daunting than liberating.”

Despite these challenges, Sinclair says that he is hopeful the online school experience will change for the better during the Winter 2021 semester.

“I hope to regain the sense of productivity and accomplishment that I felt I was missing in the fall semester,” Sinclair said. “Hopefully, that exercise of self-control and discipline is something that I can take with me moving forward, because I now know how idle I can feel when I don’t make the effort.”

Tribune Explains: McGill’s procedure for responding to sexual assault

Cases of sexual assault fall under the jurisdiction of the Code of Student Conduct Hanna Hipwell Serfaty Contributor

an incident happened for reporting an act of sexual violence.

The survivor reserves the right to contact external legal aid or law enforcement authorities. Survivors can pursue private legal action alongside filing a report at McGill.

Upon completing the investigation, the Special Investigator submits a final report to the Provost and gives a copy to the survivor and the respondent. The report will also include recommendations on the measures that should be taken, disciplinary or administrative, to address the report.

Content warning: This article discusses sexual violence Recent events from within the McGill community have sparked conversations about McGill’s existing sexual violence response framework and its efficacy in delivering justice to survivors. The McGill Tribune looked into how the university’s Policy Against Sexual Violence relates to the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures (the “Code”), and how these policies handle sexual assault allegations.

What are the possible consequences and discipline outcomes?

What is the difference between a filing disclosure and filing a formal report?

To file a disclosure, a survivor shares an instance of sexual violence with the Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support and Education (OSVRSE). Disclosing does not trigger an investigation, nor does it require the survivor to describe the incident. Filing a disclosure does not automatically make it subject to the Code—it is up to the survivor to choose whether they wish to proceed with this step.

A report refers to a formal account or statement about sexual violence to university authorities, who will then begin a standard process of investigating the allegation.

If a survivor wishes to file a formal report, the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures is used as the disciplinary framework. The disciplinary measures outlined in the Code are only applicable if the survivor elects to file a formal report, not if they only file a disclosure.

What is McGill’s policy for responding to disclosures?

McGill responds to disclosures filed through OSVRSE, although filing through Security Services or the Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS) are other possible routes. Upon receiving a disclosure, the university

Survivors are not required to be present at disciplinary interviews itself: Only the Disciplinary Officer and the student alleged to have violated the Code will be present. (Sabrina Girard-Lamas / The McGill Tribune) works with the survivor and the appropriate university authorities in the time between disclosing and responding to ensure a safe living and working environment for the survivor.

The university may also grant reasonable accommodations to the survivor, including exam or assignment deferrals, late withdrawal from a course without a transcript “W,” tuition reimbursements for withdrawn courses, priority access to Counselling Services, or a change in university residence.

What is McGill’s policy for responding to formal reports?

Reports of sexual violence are filed with a Special Investigator, a McGill-employed, impartial, trauma-informed person tasked with examining formal reports of sexual violence. The Special Investigator conducts and completes an investigation within 90 days of the date that the report was filed. The survivor always retains the right to not participate in the investigation. There is also no time limit of how long ago

Disciplinary actions will vary according to the nature and severity of the incident. The survivor has the option to express the impact that the sexual violence has had on their life through a written statement that can be submitted to disciplinary authorities.

If the respondent is a student, disciplinary outcomes as defined in the Code can include an admonishment, a reprimand, limiting or removing campus duties and privileges, suspension, and even expulsion. Additional outcomes, such as education, training, counselling, and supervision, may also accompany the disciplinary measures. Before deciding whether to implement the measures, the university will consult with the survivor.

What happens in the interim between receiving a report and coming to a resolution?

If a disclosure or report requires that immediate measures be put in place to ensure the safety of the survivor, the university will consult the individual before authorizing measures. Some measures may include voluntary actions agreed on by the respondent, limiting communication between the respondent and the complainant, devising alternate academic, extracurricular, residential or work changes, and temporarily excluding the respondent from campus.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021

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EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Helen Wu editor@mcgilltribune.com Creative Director Aidan Martin amartin@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors Katia Lo Innes kinnes@mcgilltribune.com Nina Russell nrussell@mcgilltribune.com Sophia Gorbounov sgorbounov@mcgilltribune.com

News Editors Maya Abuali, Kate Addison & Sequoia Kim news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editors Jonah Fried & Kennedy McKee-Braide opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editors Madison Mclauchlan & Shafaq Nami scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Life Editors Alaana Kumar & Leyla Moy studentlife@mcgilltribune.com Features Editor Kevin Vogel features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editors Vanessa Barron & Jonathan Giammaria arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Adam Burton & Sarah Farnand sports@mcgilltribune.com Design Editors Ruobing Chen & Chloe Rodriguez design@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editor Jasmine Acharya photo@mcgilltribune.com Multimedia Editors Sarah Ford & Alexandre Hinton multimedia@mcgilltribune.com Web Developer Benjamin Alexandor webdev@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Jackie Lee copy@mcgilltribune.com

OPINION

Moving past academic austerity Students returned on Jan. 7 to remote classes and the biting cold of yet another brutal academic winter. Unrested after a break that felt too brief—even after the threeday extension—and unassured

by McGill’s short-term solutions, many will continue to suffer from the same predicaments that arose in the fall. From declining mental health to surging financial insecurity, a whirlwind of student problems was unleashed when the pandemic punctured the overpressured hot-air balloon that is higher education. A new teaching model must emerge from the ruins of the old: Universities, and society more broadly, must recalibrate standards of success and embody compassion into education rather than perpetuating academic natural selection for “best.”

Many students have struggled with online learning, and even those who have seen their grades improve are haunted by insecurities about it.

After all, it is unclear how grades obtained this year will be evaluated by law, medical, and other postgraduate programs.

Although McGill has reimplemented an emergency Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory (S/U) policy to ease students’ burdens, future admissions

OFF THE BOARD Kate Addison News Editor

Social Media Editor Marie Saadeh socialmedia@mcgilltribune.com Business Manager Marilie Pilon business@mcgilltribune.com

TPS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Helen Wu, Caitlin Kindig, Ezra-Jean Taylor, Tara Alami, Yara Shaheen-Abuelreish, Deana Korsunsky, Sequoia Kim, Kennedy McKee-Braide, Shreya Rastogi, Marilie Pilon, Heela Achakzai

STAFF Sepideh Afshar, Reza Ali, Margaret Askey, Zoe Babad-Palmer, Eve Cable, Rory Daly, Ella Fitzhugh, Defne Gurcay, Signy Harnad, Lucy Keller, Deana Korsunsky, Erika MacKenzie, Maya Mau, Adam Menikefs, Ella Milloy, Naomi Mirny, Matthew Molinaro, Respina Rostamifar, Brian Schatteman, Noah Vaton, Josephine Wang, Xiaotian Wang, Margaret Wdowiak, Lowell Wolfe, Wendy Zhao

CONTRIBUTORS Lily Cason, Emilia Chavanne, Sabri Conde-Yassin, Eliza Dresdner, Abby de Gala, Bronte Grimmer, Hannah Hipwell, Cyril Kazan, Daria Kiseleva, Maya Mau, Jinny Moon, Namrata Rana, Michelle Siegel, Elizabeth Strong, Maya Watt

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In an apparent effort to attract support and attention for a white nationalist group claiming an affiliation with McGill, flyers began to appear around McGill’s downtown Montreal campus in December 2020. The group quickly garnered substantial negative attention online. Spurred on by a tidal wave of public outrage, the actions of this thinlyveiled white supremacist group soon made headlines in several prominent local news outlets, such as CTV News Montreal, the Montreal Gazette, and an independent student newspaper at Concordia University, The

councils may hold it against them.

McGill should ensure that its admissions officers are mindful of the pandemic’s dire consequences for students’ performance. McGill alone cannot uproot the vicious sink-or-swim mentality that has long characterized academia: All educators must recognize the immeasurable toll that remote learning has taken on students’ well-being.

Yet this understanding cannot be forgotten once in-person learning resumes. Because usual study habits are often not conducive to remote learning, students—notably first years who have taken important prerequisites and other courses online—may be left to flounder if the old metrics of examination are reinstituted again. Any return to the classroom must be forgiving to accommodate this period of realignment. Instructors should continue to use alternative modes of assessment, such as offering essays or projects in lieu of exams, not just to account for different learning styles but also to give students time to relearn old habits.

Meanwhile, outside of the classroom, hundreds of internships and fellowships were cancelled due to the pandemic. Thousands

of students who depend on them for professional advancement will be disadvantaged as a result—especially considering that students’ resumes may be weighted heavier by employers and admissions committees in the future, as the remote conditions may undermine the perceived value of transcripts. Moreover, numerous universities have eliminated— possibly for good—certain graduate programs, particularly in social sciences and humanities. For many McGill graduates who relied on paid internships, scholarships, and bursaries to remain afloat, the consequences could be devastating, as the simultaneous depletion of the job market may leave them entirely dependent on government aid, which may not even be available to some international students.

Remote learning has also stifled networking opportunities and other means of career development. This has rendered students highly dependent on McGill’s Career Planning Services (CaPS), faculty advisors, and other services that were underfunded as well as overburdened before the pandemic—and which are now increasingly inaccessible.

Consider that those who

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EDITORIAL can afford unpaid internships or have professional connections are privileged over minorities and other economically disadvantaged persons. The same holds true of disparities in study environments, including internet access and other resources.

Universities are not powerless to mitigate this crisis. For example, they can open up library spaces for students taking standardized exams such as the LSAT to counter internet inequalities. McGill could invest more resources in career development to properly arm students to find internships and work in spite of the pandemic. But it should go even further and rethink antiquated practices, perhaps following the lead of universities like Concordia in establishing coops for students in Arts disciplines and expanding research outlets for STEM students.

Above all, students need to be assured that their work will count for something and that they are not alone in their struggles. The pandemic must force academia to evolve past the doctrine of survival of the fittest, and McGill can take the lead by ensuring their students survive remote learning and the pandemic economy.

Learning from the media’s failures Concordian, despite reassurance from the Students’ Society of McGill University that the group was not a registered student group.

Purposely provocative actions and statements, such as publicly recruiting for a white nationalist group, have long been a hallmark tactic of far-right extremist groups. Incendiary costumes and inflammatory spectacles like those practiced by the Ku Klux Klan in the Reconstruction period and civil rights era, were designed to attract public and media attention.

Thus, it is unsurprising that media coverage of such offensive, attention-seeking stunts have served to normalize and even legitimize the most fringe sectors of right-wing extremism.

One could argue that this article falls into the same trap; however, at a moment when rightwing extremism is becoming more common, it is crucial for student journalists to take this opportunity to partake in a discussion about understanding and interacting with extremist movements. By questioning the practices of our media institutions, we may better understand the ramifications of our own actions in shaping our political and social realities.

While the salacious headlines that extremism produces may generate clicks, retweets, and shares—and thus capital for news

organizations—media outlets must acknowledge the fact that they possess enormous reach and therefore need to carefully consider to whom they spotlight.

This is not to say that rising levels of extremism in Western society should be allowed to go unchallenged, ignored by journalists out of fear of giving extremists a platform. Instead, student journalists must learn from the media’s past failures and seek to improve upon those foundations of journalistic integrity that have been laid. This means prioritizing social responsibility over profit and thus withholding a public platform to those with bigoted views.

Journalism is a powerful tool, and it must be used responsibly.

The essential issue that characterizes how newspapers address issues of extremism is their tendency to present these so-called movements as novel or “click-worthy,” rather than components of larger social and political problems. It is common for journalists to consider acts of hate, like the creation of a white-nationalist group, without adequately considering the context from which these actions arise, instead focussing on their shock value. While reporting on attention-seeking extremism may seem inconsequential on its surface, this oversimplifies and

often ignores the origins of hate groups while disseminating their message to a large audience. By interviewing a white supremacist about his motivations, CTV News Montreal permitted this individual behind McGill’s white student union to frame himself in his own words, thereby endowing him with sympathy and divorcing him from his position as a cog in Canada’s long history of racism and bigotry.

Instead of falling prey to the outrage white supremacists or other alt-right movements foster, journalists must not shirk their responsibility to report the full story of extremist movements. We should not resort to sensationalism to boost readership, but educate the public on the history of hate groups and why they exist today in addition to condemning them.

With the rise of the “fake news” conspiracies and the issue of social media misinformation, the power and reputability of journalism is hanging in the balance. Students wishing to pursue careers in journalism will soon be responsible for addressing some of these issues themselves, and to do so, they must learn from the failures of those who came before them. For student journalists, this means realizing the power that the industry holds in shaping social and political realities.

6

OPINION

COMMENTARY

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021

If McGill refuses to protect students, it should at least protect its reputation

Rory Daly Staff Writer On Nov. 30, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) published an open letter regarding McGill’s Statement on Academic Freedom, arguing that the statement’s unclear wording allows professors to engage in bigoted behavior under the guise of academic freedom. SSMU demanded that McGill do more to protect students from discriminatory language, and requested that McGill strip Philip Carl Salzman of his title Professor Emeritus in anthropology, citing several prejudiced and discriminatory pieces he has posted to public forums in the past several years. His articles direct harmful rhetoric towards minorities, especially Muslims and Arabs. The university’s retort two weeks later defended Salzman’s speech as his academic right, but students remain concerned by their response and lack of action. McGill should be incentivized to remove the title of Professor Emeritus from Salzman, if not because they care about defending students from racism, but because it is in their own self-interest. The issue has put McGill in the centre of a controversy that threatens the university’s reputation, one they would seek to preserve even as they prioritize a twisted form of free speech over their students.

Among some of Salzman’s articles published in the last five years are titles such as “‘Islamophobia’ Invention Has Served Its Purpose Spectacularly Well,” and “Arabs Strive for Honor, Not Peace,” which clearly single out Muslims and Arabs. The texts themselves are even more disconcerting—the former piece claims that Islamophobia is a creation to silence dissent towards Islam in its first sentence. Not only is that an extraordinarily racist view on the subject, but it ignores significant acts of violence towards Muslims, such as the Quebec City mosque shooting in 2017.

COMMENTARY Sepideh Afshar Staff Writer Living in student residences is an experience that many first year McGill students cherish, and for the 2020-21 incoming class, one of the only in-person aspects of McGill left. Yet for many women in New Residence Hall this year, living in residence quickly became a painful part of their first year experience.

In mid-December, students began a justice campaign when multiple women came forward with allegations of sexual violence at the hands of a fellow student in residence.

McGill’s response to this was disappointingly inadequate. While McGill is bound legally from sharing information about the proceedings, acknowledging how damaging this experience is for women in residences is necessary. With the new COVID-19 restrictions in place, McGill’s negligence is more shameful than ever.

After the women’s stories came out, students flooded the comment section of McGill’s official Instagram page, demanding action from the university. Meanwhile, a petition started by the survivors reached over 50,000 signatures, amounting to much more than the total student population at McGill. McGill made an unsatisfactory statement stating

The debate over academic freedom versus inclusion and respect has been a key concern for many students this year.

(Brian Schatteman / The McGill Tribune)

Although Salzman’s works are harmful to the university’s reputation—and more importantly, to its students— McGill declined to take action on the matter in a response penned by Provost Christopher Manfredi on Dec. 15. In fact, the controversy triggered a wave of opinion pieces, including one published in the Montreal Gazette, which defended Salz-

man’s writings as part of a necessary diversity of thought in society and academia. A petition was also made that directly asked that McGill make a “public vindication” of Salzman.

Despite having been started by the nonpartisan-sounding National Association of Scholars (NAS), the group is actually a conservative, American non-profit that champions the teaching of “Western civilization and American history.” The term “culture war” was coined in the 1990s to describe a phenomenon where the left and right struggle for cultural consensus on controversial topics, such as free speech. The fact that culture war obsessives like the NAS have picked this controversy to focus on should worry McGill’s administration, as they are drawn into a political fight that could damage the university’s reputation.

Salzman’s writings cross a moral boundary that harms students, but if the university refuses to acknowledge that, it must think of this situation from a pragmatic standpoint.

SSMU’s letter does not necessarily call for radical change: It seeks to clarify the academic freedom policy rather than letting it be used as a blanket defense. Clarifying what McGill views as protected speech will serve to avoid such issues in the future. Such simple steps should not be rejected as carelessly as in the Provost’s statement addressing the situation.

McGill’s administration may view itself as being neutral, but neutrality is a matter of perception, and their inaction will continue to harm students. It is not as if academics being stripped of titles will stop them from publically espousing toxic views. Famous geneticist James Watson has claimed race is linked to intelligence, and the subsequent stripping of his titles has not stopped him from making these comments repeatedly over the last two decades. So by allowing Salzman to keep his title despite making similarly racist claims about Arab culture being warlike and cruel, all McGill is doing is making itself a target in this case and in future cases.

Residence should be a safe space for students that they are aware of the allegations and looking into the situation.

Now, a month later, the women still need to be on alert to spot an alleged predator in their classes. As an institution that demands tolerance and respect from those staying in residences, as well as all students, this is unacceptable. The fear amongst students, especially those living in residence, will not be mitigated until McGill takes action by removing this student from McGill classes if evidence holds. Additionally, a better statement could make clear the consequences of predatory behaviour on campus without sharing private information.

McGill’s silence has resulted in not just anger and fear amongst students, but has gone even further to jeopardize the academic performance of women in residences.

Feeling unsafe in residence means feeling uncomfortable in your home: The very environment where students study, socialize and sleep.

Enabling predators to inhabit these spaces results in increased stress amongst the residents. This stress can lead to isolation, decreased sleep quality, and difficulty concentrating in classes. McGill is supposed to foster a space where students can succeed. The university can offer services like OSVRSE for victims of sexual violence, but until

McGill has frequently been criticized for its poor handling of cases of sexual violence. (Jasmine Acharya / The McGill Tribune)

they demonstrate that they wholly condemn predators, those services are inadequate.

Montreal’s new COVID-19 regulations further exacerbate the situation at hand. Quebec recently implemented a curfew, lasting from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. each day, confining those living in residence to a home where they feel unsafe. While the curfew disproportionately affects women, McGill has the power to do something to remedy the situation

in residences. Students should not be riddled with anxiety or fear at the thought of leaving their rooms to go to the cafeteria, especially when that is a place they need to go.

Students in residence are now stuck there for at least nine hours of the day; not to mention that other than walks, there are few opportunities to spend time outside during Montreal’s frigid winters. McGill’s first years need support, and the new lockdown has added another layer

of urgency. The university’s inaction is affecting students’ mental health and potentially even their academic record, a permanent reflection of their studies. McGill should be mitigating its students’ stress, not adding to it. Women at McGill deserve answers. This is the administration’s opportunity to show students at McGill that sexual violence on campus will not be tolerated and that victims who speak out will be heard and protected.

STUDENT LIFE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021

7

Meals For Milton-Parc adapts action to tightening guidelines

The new organization’s activism has changed to address curfew inequities Lucy Keller Staff Writer When Sophie Hart, U3 Arts, first developed Meals For Milton-Parc, she focussed on providing food and care packages to unhoused neighbours and highlighting the systemic issue of Indigenous overrepresentation in the unhoused population. Since The McGill Tribune last spoke with Hart in early October, the organization has distributed over 1,000 meals to unhoused Milton-Parc community members along with weekly care packages consisting of sanitary supplies, blankets, tents, and winter clothing.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, however, the organization has had to constantly adapt to both the Legault Government’s COVID-19 guidelines and the cold weather.

Since the drop in temperatures, Meals for Milton-Parc has been operating within local shelters, using their facilities to prepare food for their meal sharing initiative. Because of the surge of COVID-19 cases in the unhoused community since December, the government moved to limit shelters to operate at 20 per cent capacity. In the months since, Meals for Milton-Parc has shifted gears to find new ways to support and advocate for the unhoused community outside of the shelters.

“Since the outbreak in December, everything has had to change,” Hart said in an interview with the Tribune. “I am so grateful for our incredible volunteers for being so open to the constant changes of our organization and their roles, because there is no way to have a structured plan during COVID-19.”

The initiative is operating with the safety of both their volunteers and the community members they serve in mind.

To adjust to the complications of the newly imposed curfew, Meals for Milton-Parc is now handing out care packages three times a week, each containing a $15 gift card, two face masks, and two snacks. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, volunteers walk from Avenue des Pins to

Sherbrooke Street, all the way down Parc Avenue, towards the downtown core. Each unhoused community member they come into contact with receives one care package. On these walks, volunteers also check in with community members to ensure that their efforts are best serving their needs.

“This is super important because in this process we are showing our faces and showing that we care, and in doing

Since the drop in temperatures, Meals for Milton-Parc has been operating within local shelters, using their facilities to prepare food for their meal-sharing initiative. (Facebook.com/mealsformiltonparc) this, we are hoping to create bonds and a community between housed neighbors and unhoused neighbors,” Hart said.

Hart also discussed the problems that the 8 p.m. curfew presents for unhoused community members. Instead of operating at their typical winter hours, shelters are now closing earlier and many are no longer offering overnight emergency beds due to the new guidelines.

This includes The Open Door, a shelter located in the Milton-Parc neighborhood, which is now mandated to close at 9:30 p.m. While the city has made beds for the unhoused community members available in different locations throughout Montreal, including the East End, they are not accessible to the unhoused Milton-Parc community. As a result, many members have elected to sleep outside instead of leaving their neighborhood. John Tessier, an intervention worker at The Open Door, spoke to the Tribune about the city’s ill-designed plan.

“The problem is that the government has people in offices, with no connections to the people we are serving and who do not know their needs, making the decisions,” Tessier said. “Instead, they should be trusting the people on the ground, the people who are well acquainted with the day to day problems and the needs to make these decisions.”

Since the implementation of these public health regulations, there have been fatal and devastating consequences. On Jan. 16, just hours after The Open Door shelter closed due to public health regulations, Raphael Andre, an Innu unhoused community member, froze to death only a few meters from the shelter. According to Tessier, Andre was the last person out of the shelter everyday for the past week and asked if he could stay overnight on Jan. 16.

“There are so many different layers to this that are so unacceptable,” Hart said. “There is a lack of dignity and respect for our unhoused population and it needs to change on many levels within our community.”

After public scrutiny, the government is allowing The Open Door to remain open overnight starting the week of Jan. 25. However, only 25 beds are allowed to be used, even though the shelter has the capacity to fill their 65 beds while remaining COVID-safe.

To learn more or donate, visit Meals For Milton-Parc’s website.

Persevering in a plant-based lifestyle

The Herbivore Society encourages meaningful dialogue about plant-based diets

Josephine Wang Staff Writer With the new year well upon us, many have set resolutions to adopt new habits and achieve certain goals. One popular resolution is starting a primarily plant-based diet or living a vegan lifestyle, which is why, on Jan. 13, the Herbivore Society for Peace and Justice (HSPJ) held a virtual discussion, titled “Transitioning to a (More) Plant-Based Diet.” HSPJ is an organization that focusses on reducing the consumption and use of animal products to foster more ethical and sustainable personal practices. Throughout the month of January, HSPJ is hosting a month-long campaign, known as Veganary, to educate students about veganism and plant-based diets.

The virtual event allowed people of all diets to engage in casual conversation and share their experiences with a plantbased diet. Students discussed their reasons for having plantbased diets, swapped fun recipes, and exchanged ways to stay motivated. Gabriel Yahya Haage,

Going vegan or vegetarian requires consistency, habits, and a support system to keep accountability. (Herbivore Society / Facebook.com) HSPJ’s Communications Head Organizer, shared some advice with the Tribune for someone new to veganism.

“Finding the right substitutes in cooking can make the shift a lot easier,” Haage said. “Connecting with a vegan community is quite useful, as they can offer advice, both about cooking, as well as other aspects of avoiding animal products.”

The decision to transition from a meat-based to a plantbased diet is the often easiest part, but the meagre plant-based options at most restaurants and fast-food joints can make it hard to adhere to one’s goals. Even

students who have been vegan for years can find it challenging to maintain this way of life. As with any other lifestyle change, going vegan or vegetarian requires consistency and a support system to maintain accountability.

Jasmine Coulombe, U3 Science, shared how she has maintained her vegetarian diet for 12 years.

“I always remind myself of why I initially became a vegetarian: To help stop animal cruelty. Watching documentaries and reading about animal farming and slaughterhouses really changed my perspective on eating meat,” Coulombe said. “However, it does get hard

sometimes, especially at social gatherings. It’s important to remember that even if you fall off the wagon and eat meat, you shouldn’t feel guilty about it.

Being vegetarian or vegan isn’t about being perfect, but rather just being more conscious of what you eat.”

The lengthy list of “can’t have” foods can be intimidating for new vegans. Cutting out meat, ice cream, and pizza deters many from going vegan because it feels extreme. Natalie Warren, HSPJ’s events head organizer, discussed the importance of transitioning slowly and finding a support system.

“I wish I was more open to having conversations with other vegans when I was transitioning,” Warren said. “I wasn’t perfectly vegan, so I felt bad asking for advice. In reality, it’s not about being the ‘perfect vegan’ or ‘100% plant-based.’ I spent a lot of time looking at YouTube recipes and vegan YouTubers.

This helped to an extent, but I [...] don’t have access to the same foods. I could have learned a lot more food hacks and advice from the people around me.”

For those starting their plantbased journey, HSPJ is a great resource for staying accountable, learning new recipes, or talking to other like-minded people.

Since members come from different backgrounds, cultures, and diets, it offers access to a wealth of perspectives on plant-based living. HSPJ will be hosting plenty of virtual events for vegans, vegetarians, and curious meat-eaters in the coming weeks of Veganuary.

If you are interested in getting involved with HSPJ, send them a message through Facebook or an email at mcgill.

To shred or not to shred

Shining a light on McGill’s skiing community Sophia Gorbounov Managing Editor

mountain surrounded by

When I reached the ripe age of three, my dad plopped me into my first pair of skis. As I slipped and slid down the bunny hills, there was no way of knowing that skiing, and later snowboarding, would become my only hobby.

Growing up in Ontario, winters were an unavoidable yearly occurrence. Even bundled in snow pants and three different scarves, I dreaded the cold. I greatly preferred summer to winter and counted the weeks until the temperature reached double digits. But, when I was eight years old, I made the switch from skiing to snowboarding. Suddenly, my enjoyment of winter increased, and I had something to look forward to during the cold months.

Every year, my family went on ski trips to New England. The mountains were big, and the snow was plentiful, allowing my younger self to learn and perfect her snowboarding.

After many falls and a few near-death experiences, I became surer on my feet (or rather, one long foot). My standing-to-falling ratio steadily increased while my passion for the sport grew. I was finally on par with my older brother’s skiing speed and I started looking forward to the weeks spent on the

snow.

With everyone in my family skiing in different comfort zones, I was often left to face the slopes alone. However, snowboarding on my own did not hinder the times I spent carving down hills. The current pandemic has put a long pause on many sports, especially team sports, but snowboarding has remained a source of solace and consistent bliss, even as the rest of my world continues to change every day.

Winter sports are a privilege I was lucky enough to have. Moving to Montreal, I learned about the numerous skiing and snowboarding communities at McGill and throughout Quebec. Student groups, like the McGill Outdoors Club and the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Ski and Snowboard Club, also offer discounts to offset the costs of these activities. Even if skill levels vary between every person, the love and enjoyment of winter sports is something we can all share.

“ I definitely consider skiing a hobby, and I love it for numerous reasons,” Vikstrom said.

“Cross-country skiing for me is something to be enjoyed as a lifelong sport, either with companions or individually.”

When it comes to cross-country skiing, Vikstrom says both the physical and mental health benefits are a clear front-runner.

“Similar to running, cross-country skiing is a great sport to just plug in some earbuds

skiing and downhill skiing throughout her life.

To her, cross-country is an activity for all ages, and racing is a unique and rewarding experience.

Although perhaps less accessible than cross-country, which requires no mountain, Vikstrom still feels strongly about downhill skiing and thoroughly enjoys it.

“Ultimately, I feel like downhill skiing is a great bonding activity and a way to be outdoors in the beautiful snow of winter,” Vikstrom said.

Julius Stroock U2 Arts and Science

Stroock is the captain of McGill's Nordic Ski Club. Stroock started classic cross-country skiing when he was very young, going with his parents, but he only started competing

Abigail Vikstrom U2 Engineering

Skiing has been a part of Vikstrom’s life since she was a toddler. She had her first cross-country ski race when she was seven, and in high school, Vikstrom was a varsity captain and raced competitively. Nowadays, she skis recreationally.

and get into a rhythm,” Vikstrom said.

“Luckily, living [in the Milton-Parc community] means I am a three-minute walk away from Mount Royal, which boasts 22 kilometres of cross-country ski trails.”

The pandemic has put many hopes of competitive cross-country skiing on pause, but Vikstrom still hopes to resume her passion in the future.

Unlike her lifetime involvement with cross-country, it was not until coming to McGill that Vikstrom began visiting mountains more regularly for downhill skiing. She joined the SSMU Ski Club in her second year, finding it to be a perfect opportunity for sampling different mountains in Quebec.

Vikstrom has enjoyed both cross-country

when he came to McGill. Cross-country skiing can be divided into classic and skate skiing; Stroock participates in both.

“One of [the] things I really value about cross-country skiing over a lot of other winter activities is that, especially in Montreal, you can just go out and do it,” Stroock said. “You don’t need to prepare, you don’t need to drive out somewhere far [….] I could go out on the street right now, find some unplowed streets and just go for it.”

Understandably, the exercise from cross-country skiing is valuable to Stroock.

“It’s an amazing workout,” Stroock said.

“Especially for times like right now, with COVID and remote learning, it allows me to go out and get some serious exercise in a

time where I could just as easily be stuck inside doing nothing [.…] It makes the rest of the day feel like you’ve done something.”

With the competitions currently halted, Stroock explained that skiing has transitioned from a lifestyle to a hobby, but only temporarily.

“In a normal year, [the Nordic Ski Club] would have races every weekend,” Stroock said. “We generally race in a U.S. circuit, so normally we’d be racing every weekend and crossing the border every weekend. Right now, it’s very much just something I do for fun and to relax.”

Stroock particularly holds backcountry skiing, or skiing on unmarked terrain, dear to his heart.

“Being able to go out on trails, where you’re the first person on that snow […] whenever there’s opportunity to break your own track and be in the wilderness with the silence of fresh snow in the woods, nothing makes any sound, that’s one of the experiences I value most with skiing,” Stroock said.

Win Felgenhauer U1 Science

Felgenhauer only started skiing three years ago. Originally from North Carolina, moving to Montreal made the sport much more geographically accessible for him.

“There’s barely any skiing in North Carolina. You have to go really far to the West, and even then, it’s nothing compared to Tremblant,” Felgenhauer said.

In fact, it was those that Felgenhauer met at McGill who encouraged him to dive into skiing.

“Once I came [to McGill], I met all the ski club members from Frosh,” Felgenhauer said. “Then,

even though I had almost zero experience skiing, I signed up to be a first year rep which really got me into it.”

In three short years, Felgenhauer has sharpened his skills, now holding the VicePresident (VP) Finance position of the SSMU Ski Club. Though the club’s social aspects are a plus, Felgenhauer enjoys the solitude of skiing alone, and the rewarding feeling that shredding provides at the end of a long day.

“You get into a sort of meditative mindset,” Felgenhauer said. “It’s so relaxing. After skiing, I sleep so well every single time [….]

I like the people you meet, but it’s the exercise and relaxation of it [that makes skiing enjoyable].”

Despite the adrenaline rush from speeding down the mountain alone, Felgenhauer still emphasized the community that he gained, regardless of anyone’s skill level.

“You have people where it’s their first time skiing ever and you also have people who are born and raised in Whistler, but everyone can still get along [and] there’s always stuff for everyone to do,” Felgenhauer said.

Speaking to the memories he has made since beginning his skiing journey, Felgenhauer recalled coaching his friend during her first experience on a run.

“One of my favourite parts of last year was taking one of my friends who was skiing for the first time [.…] We got there, and I said, ‘Let’s go to the top and I’ll teach you on the way down,’”

Felgenhauer said.

Needless to say, this strategy did not go smoothly at first, but was

nevertheless fun for everyone. It did not matter that their skiing levels were so different— Felgenhauer maintained that teaching his friend was as rewarding as the sport itself.

Ethan Cox U2 Arts

Cox is the VP Events for SSMU Ski Club, and has been skiing his whole life. Growing up, Cox would visit his cousins in Utah and enjoy skiing in solitude. Hailing from Connecticut, Cox said moving to Montreal was particularly exciting. “[Montreal has] some of the best East Coast skiing, even some of the other hills that don’t seem too big coming from Whistler, but you start to love the East Coast and the way people ski out here,” Cox said.

Skiing was a hobby for Cox, but becoming an executive member of the SSMU Ski Club turned the winter sport into a lifestyle.

“This year, my entire academic schedule is basically [structured] around opening days [of mountains] so that I can ski,” Cox said. “Growing up, [skiing became] almost [a] habit. Oh, snow? I should go ski. I also play hockey, so unlike most people I like winter the most.

My best activities are during the winter.”

Being a university student in a community full of regular skiers, silly stories build up over time.

In his first year, when Cox was getting to know the SSMU Ski Club executives, they took him under their wing. “[My friend] had the great idea of going down the mountain with our butts hanging out […]”

Cox said. “We were in Bromont and there was a nice quiet hill, so we decided to go tarps off. That’s the kind of stuff that brings [skiing with friends] together at the end of the day, making friends with [people in] the ski club, especially McGill’s ski club.”

The social aspects of Cox’s experience with SSMU Ski Club play a large role in his love of the sport.

“It’s so easy to just get on the bus and be able to meet new people where you obviously have at least

o n e thing in common,” Cox said.

Like Felgenhauer, Cox explained that skill level is not a barrier to enjoying yourself on the hill.

“Even if you’re sitting with someone who has skied their whole life and it’s your first run ever, you’re still skiing,” Cox said.

It can be challenging to

start a new activity, especially one as daunting as skiing or snowboarding. The necessary purchases can be expensive and the learning process discouraging.

However, Cox maintained that the key is to persevere.

“It can be really frustrating when you first start, especially with snowboarding,” Cox said. “But that’s another part of it. [You] go out two or three times, and from there, you’re only going to get

better.”

Skiing and snowboarding are not easy to master. The effort that goes into perfecting the craft is both energy intensive

and time consuming. However, the reward is immeasurable, and the experience unforgettable.

“You don’t get to go that fast usually, unless you’re in a mechanized vehicle, so going down the mountain, it’s exhilarating,” Cox said. “It’s tiring, but at the end you feel so good.”

Design by Ruobing Chen, Design Editor

10

STUDENT LIFE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021

From research paper to academic journal article

How McGill’s undergraduate research journals show off students’ best work Maya Mau Staff Writer Continued from page 1.

Of the 29 departmental associations under McGill’s Faculty of Arts, 18* responded to an email from The McGill Tribune stating that they have an undergraduate research journal. For most of these publications, submissions go through an extensive selection, peer review, and editing processes before they are published.

The process of running a journal can be daunting as the publication process is complex and it is somewhat uncommon for undergraduates to have their work published. However, the McGill Library staff is committed to assisting undergraduates with research publication. Jessica Lange, scholarly communications and repository librarian, has worked at the McGill Library since 2009 and has seen a significant shift in the undergraduate research journal landscape.

“In around 2012, there was noticeably growing interest in undergraduate research,” Lange said. “It is not just graduate students and faculty that are interested in conducting research, so we began running workshops for undergraduates interested in research.”

Sandy Hervieux, McGill’s liaison librarian for Political Science, Philosophy, and Religion, assists with the McGill Journal of Political Studies’s publication process.

“Working with students writing papers for a course is very different from working with students publishing research journals,” Hervieux said. “In courses, it is about teaching students how to effectively do research and evaluate information. With editorial boards, it is more about the process of how a journal comes together and how to evaluate all of the different submissions that the editorial boards get.”

Lange agreed, emphasizing the significance of undergraduate research in broader scholarship.

“It’s important for editorial boards to understand their connection to the greater scholarly ecosystem,” Lange said. “We see our role as not only helping these editorial boards understand the process but also providing a continuity that journals have a difficult time maintaining when there is a new set of editors every fall.”

Michael David Miller, McGill’s associate librarian and liaison librarian for French Literature, Economics, and 2SLGBTQIA+ Studies, believes that the library has an important role in helping student-run editorial boards and authors understand the legal implications of publishing.

“At the beginning, none of the journals had copyright laws,” Miller said. “Sometimes, seasoned politicians don’t want their undergraduate work to be published for all to see, so understanding the implications of putting things online is very important. Students have to be as good [at understanding the legal implications of online publication] as professional journalists because it’s being broadcast to the entire globe.”

Miller still stressed the value of getting published as an undergraduate.

“A lot of students that decide that they want to be published in an undergraduate journal will probably end up going on to graduate

school, so they get a taste of what a master’s or PhD program might be like, because it’s going to require extensive research and disseminating their ideas,” Miller said. “At the undergraduate level, the stakes are lower and they are finding their academic voice. This makes them more comfortable in a master’s program.”

Although publishing a journal requires significant effort, McGill students should not

and be written for a 300-level class or above.

“I had a paper published in the McGill Journal of Economics, so I’ve been a writer, an editor, and now the editor-in chief,” Vochelet said. “Whereas most students focus on research in graduate school, I love that undergraduates at McGill can build a passion for a topic through research. This often helps students narrow their academic interests and encourages students to continue their studies.”

have been learning a lot about the process of publishing a journal as we go.”

Uhuru’s only criteria is that academic papers receive a grade of B+ or above. The journal accepts any essay, piece of literature, short story, or poem related to African or African American Studies.

“Papers do not have to be written for an ‘AFRI’ course,” Hogan said. “Being in a very small program is both a blessing and

Most journals publish once or twice annually. (apa.org) shy away from the challenge. With so many undergraduate research journals, each writer and editor’s journey will be gratifying in a different way.

One such journal is the International Development Studies Students’ Association (IDSSA) journal Chrysalis. Although the journal is associated with the aforementioned students’ association, there is no stipulation on what department the papers must be written for, and the publication receives submissions across all departments, from Management to Islamic Studies.

Robin Vochelet, U4 Arts, started working with Chrysalis in his second year when he was looking to become more involved on campus and saw a posting for Chrysalis editors.

After a last minute application and two years as an editor, Vochlet now leads the Chrysalis team as editor-in-chief.

“There are not a lot of editors, so the experience is very homey,” Vochelet said.

“I love being the editor-in-chief because we receive all these papers on so many different topics that I wouldn’t necessarily stumble upon in my classes.”

According to Vochelet, International Development Studies is one of the most highlyenrolled programs in the Faculty of Arts. In order to be considered by Chrysalis, papers must have received a grade of at least an A-

Vochelet encourages all students who have written a paper fulfilling the criteria to submit to the publication and says that fear of rejection should not be a barrier.

“As lenient as your professors or teaching assistants might be, there is a reason you got that high grade,” Vochelet said. “At the end of the day, you miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take. Even though it sounds cheesy, it’s always true, and it could lead to something great.”

Ruru Hogan, U1 Arts, became the editorin-chief of the African Studies Students’ Association (ASSA) undergraduate journal during her second year at McGill. As an Anthropology and International Development double major with a minor in African Studies, Hogan has been able to examine African Studies from a variety of lenses. She loves that through the program she has been able to study Africa outside the focus of development.

Unlike some of the more established undergraduate journals on campus, Uhuru is only three years old. In addition, while most other journals are affiliated with a departmental student group, African Studies is not a department at McGill. Rather, it is considered a program under the jurisdiction of Islamic Studies.

“Professor Khalid Medani has been at the forefront of ASSA’s growth and pushed for it to have a journal,” Hogan said. “We

the curse. The community is intimate enough that we are able to reach out to students in the program whom we know and ask them to submit. However, one of the biggest struggles we have faced is publicizing our journal and encouraging people to submit their work.”

Growing a young publication and spreading awareness of its existence are difficult, but Hogan has nevertheless found the experience extremely rewarding.

“I love that being part of the journal allows me to be both academic and creative, and I love that being on the Uhuru editorial board has brought me into this very tight knit community,” Hogan said. *The undergraduate research journals affiliated with Arts undergraduate associations are: Branches (Environment), Canadian Content (Canadian Studies), Canons (Religion), Cannon (Art History and Communications), The Channel (English), Chrysalis (International Development), Fieldnotes (Geography), Field|Terrains (Anthropology), Fragments (Philosophy), Hirundo (Classics), Historical Discourses (History), JournalLing (Linguistics), Maktoub (Middle East), McGill Journal of Economics (Economics), McGill Journal of Political Studies (Political Studies), McGill Journal of Undergraduate Mathematics (Mathematics), PSI Journal (Psychology), and Uhuru (African Studies).

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021

The 123’s of the ABC’s

Judith Flanders discusses new book on the history of alphabetical order Michelle Siegel Contributor Amidst the final days of the add/ drop period and reshuffling schedules, the McGill Library has brought a different type of organization to the forefront. On Jan. 22, the McGill Library hosted a Zoom discussion by social historian and author Judith Flanders on her latest book, A Place for Everything: A Curious History of Alphabetical Order. Flanders spoke about how she became interested in the subject, as well as the historical basis of the written word, the development of different systems of organization, and the autonomy and ambiguity of alphabetical order as we know it.

Flanders fell into the subject in a way many students can likely empathize with—through Wikipedia.

While reading a review of a book about the online encyclopedia service, Flanders was intrigued by the reviewer’s disdain for the author, whom the reviewer claimed did not address how Wikipedia’s system of organization proved that encyclopedias no longer needed to be alphabetized. Around a month later, at an art exhibition, Flanders gained a renewed interest in the historical past and differentiation of information

Although the alphabet is integral to reading and writing, Judith Flanders’ new book highlights how attempting to find meaning in the alphabetization of the letters is effectively pointless. (considerable.com) classification, and came to find that Wikipedia’s method of organization was not as innovative as the reviewer believed.

Early in the talk, Flanders established the important distinction between the English alphabet and alphabetization.

Although any alphabet is integral to reading and writing, attempting to find meaning in the alphabetization of the letters is effectively pointless. The alphabet has an established order, but it means

basically nothing, since it does nothing to teach people how to read and write.

“It’s interesting that we go back to meaning, since alphabetical order as a sorting tool is meaningless,” Flanders said.

Flanders explained that there is no available historical evidence to explain why the English alphabet is ordered the way it is; there is only evidence demonstrating how it became such an integral system of organization, which it wasn’t always

seen as. For centuries, other methods of organization, such as chronological, geographical, and hierarchical order, were perceived as more natural and therefore favoured over alphabetical order.

“When you ask somebody today to put the days of the week or the months of the year in alphabetical order, you have to think quite hard to do it,” Flanders said.

While those methods might be more naturally apparent and do not necessarily require any knowledge of the alphabet, they eventually became more laborious to use because they required significantly more effort and knowledge to access information.

Flanders fleshed out this notion with the example of a doomsday book detailing land occupancy in England and Wales in the 11th century—it was organized first by status, then geography, then back to status, and lastly by wealth. It was originally commissioned by William the Conqueror, the king at the time, for tax purposes. Future readers looking to understand the information needed to develop a complex knowledge of the hierarchies and groups within each of the geographical regions. In contrast, alphabetical order requires no substantial previous knowledge of

history and society.

Towards the end of her talk, Flanders spoke on the duality of alphabets and alphabetical order in the world.

“Alphabetical order is both omnipresent and invisible,” Flanders said. “It’s something that everyone knows how to use and something nobody knows anything about.”

The system is ingrained in modern society and culture, but its existence and role in the world creates a massive contradiction: While the lack of inherent meaning or bias makes the order amenable to many contexts, it also could be seen as too meaningless to be important.

When answering a question from an audience member about the potential longevity of alphabetical order, Flanders observed that the system was not widely used until the 13th century and that there is a very likely possibility that it will become obsolete in the future. But despite the existentialism behind questions of what a world without mass alphabetical order would look like, Flanders seemed excited to see where it goes.

“Will [alphabetical order] end up being a phase?” Flanders asked. “An 800-year phase, maybe!”

The ‘Steel Magnolia’ Ms. Dolly Parton

Having just celebrated her 75th, Parton’s influence remains stronger than ever Matthew Molinaro Staff Writer As she celebrates her 75th birthday, Dolly Rebecca Parton, of Pittman Center, Tennessee, remains one of the finest country music stars. To some, Parton is simply that: A star.

But to others, her body of work is above simple concepts of “stardom.” In 1989, well after the successes of albums Jolene and Coat of Many Colors, Parton starred in Steel Magnolias as a small-town beautician. The film’s title refers to its characters, who are tough as steel yet sweet as magnolias. But the reference goes past the characters; it defines Parton in her personification of the all-American feminized good.

Parton’s upbringing was difficult, as she grew up impoverished in rural Tennessee. Due to this background, Parton faced criticism and judgment, and was called superficial insults like “trailer trash” or “hillbilly.’ Her famous look, marked by her blond wigs and figure-hugging outfits, also attracted an outpour of misogynistic and classist remarks. This never fazed Parton, and she would never disavow her home or appearance. Her upbringing molded the iconic Southern Belle ideal of politeness, respect, and hard work we know today. In shaping her look around her hometown’s “town tramp,” embodying a type of shunned sexuality, Parton supports women unfairly judged by circumstance and subverts the common idea of an “angel’s” look.

Through the ‘60s and ‘70s, Parton’s career flourished with hits like “I Will Always Love You” and “Here You Come Again.” Along the way, she helped foster the careers of other female musicians such as Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt and collaborated with Donna Summer. Her openness to collaborate with other artists and genres led to successes in the pop and bluegrass charts, fulfilling Parton’s childhood dream of making as many people happy as she could.

That dream was fruitful. Appealing to the public usu-

ally requires a celebrity to avoid all controversy, often leading to an apolitical, neutral stance. Yet, Parton balances having mass appeal while firmly keeping her integrity and beliefs.

Parton is a child-literacy philanthropist, a long-time supporter

Over 75 years, Dolly Parton holds close to her coat of many colours singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, icon - each contributing to her long-lasting and continued success. (Xiaotian Wang / The McGill Tribune) of civil rights, and uses the Dollywood foundation to aid her hometown with counseling and food resources. During the pandemic, Parton donated one million dollars to research for

the Moderna vaccine.

As the United States has become increasingly polarized, celebrities have either entered into political conversations or remained silent on partisan topics. For the entirety of her career, Parton has remained in the second camp, eternally elusive on her political leanings. For some, Parton should get involved in politics, given the outright, politicallyaligned principles grounding her work. In an economically and racially diverse state like Tennessee, where Democratic strongholds like Memphis and Nashville are at odds with the rural remainder of the state, Parton’s influence could wield significant sway.

On the other hand, Parton’s philanthropy could be the reason why she avoids political interference. Perhaps her focus is on real change; not questionable lip service, but rather on the tangible benefits that come from her donations.

Rather than working inside of the system like the celebrities at the Democratic National Convention, this outsider approach makes a visible change to Tennesseans’ lives. From being a sympathetic employer to a quasi-librarian, Parton’s work directly affects issues of education and literacy, which cycles back to employment. Whether she is a “cut-from-thecloth” conservative or a “til-the-sun sets” socialist, Parton enacts an agenda for the common good, which is more than an endorsement could ever do.

Parton’s global impact is timeless. She will always remain relevant to this generation—not just because of the anticapitalist, pro-worker message of “9 to 5,” the subtle queer undertones of “Jolene,” or her heartwarmingly protective relationship with god-daughter Miley Cyrus, but because of her unabashed perseverance to be herself against all expectations. Parton’s kind, altruistic, and hard-working authenticity makes her a Steel Magnolia like no other. As she celebrates her 75th year, having given the world so much, it is only fair that we celebrate her, too.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021

MMFA’s ‘Survivance’ lives on through virtual exhibition Manuel Mathieu’s paintings remain as vibrant as ever Emilia Chavanne Contributor While we run out of Netflix shows to binge, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) offers us a new source of virtual entertainment: Art exhibits. Of the five very different exhibitions currently available, ranging from Riopelle ‘s landscapes to Signac’s pointillism paintings, Manuel Mathieu’s seemingly expressionist Survivance installation is not to be missed. The Haitian-born Montreal artist’s approach to art stands out, expressing emotions through vibrant abstractness, made even more visible through the new medium of the virtual exhibit.

The MMFA’s virtual experience allows the viewer to discover the exhibits as if one was pacing the museum, walking from one gallery to the next. The platform’s features are easy to manage, though there are some technical glitches, such as audio tracks appearing in front of paintings. Patience is required when moving one’s cursor to observe each painting through different angles. Yet, there is considerable effort by the MMFA to incorporate visual and auditory details in order to recreate an in-person museum experience that would otherwise be lost to the

Mathieu gives an importance to his art and its role in his life, as well as to its public. (Clovis-Alexandre Desvarieux / mbam.qc.ca) viewer on an online platform.

Survivance is shown as it is displayed in the gallery, allowing viewers to zoom in to see the details of the paintings up close. The audio recording gives descriptions of the artwork and insight into Mathieu’s thought process.

Though one may still miss the sensation of strolling in the museum, the virtual counterpart immerses visitors with features that are only accessible through our computers.

Mathieu’s exhibition displays 20 paintings presented in Canada for the first time with a special installation created for the MMFA. Mathieu’s paintings at first appear as an abstract mix of colors that lack shape or sense. The audio features here are practical, describing

Mathieu’s thoughts and interpretation of his painting, giving the audience a new perspective to the piece.

Survivance focusses on pivotal moments of Mathieu’s life.

After surviving a major motor vehicle accident in 2015, he pushed himself to make his art more important and impactful. Mathieu depicts this incident and his recovery in Rempart 2018. On the canvas, it is difficult to discern any shape from the juxtaposed strips of colors, leaving it up to interpretation. The upper part of the painting is covered with stacked rectangles, giving the illusion of a wall, which, Mathieu describes in the voiceover, represents his grandmother, who supported him

after the accident. Nonetheless, as the artist represents his own memories and emotions in a vivid chaos, it lets the audience associate with art through their personal recollections.

The imposing structure, Ouroboros 2020, is still quite impressive, even through a screen.

Large white canvases are aligned one layer after the other, burnt in the center to create a void. The work consists of a play between appearance and disappearance, how one moment can be ephemeral and disappear. Mathieu gives an importance to his art, a role in his life as well as to its public.

This installation allows viewers to look at it through various angles, where the sculptures take different forms and shapes to change one’s perspective of the art. These details create a homogeneity ruptured by the burnt centers which represent infinity and life.

As we live through the pandemic, MMFA’s virtual tours provide a limited escape: It only works if visitors ignore that they are once again in front of their screens. Yet, Survivance expresses emotions and memories by demonstrating the transcendent power of art, and how these tumultuous times could later be portrayed by artists.

Home Yoga with Mia Velez

Beginners-friendly! Time to destress and stretch January 31, 11:00 a.m.

Free Online (RSVP)

IndieNight at Montreal Improv Come check out some of the city’s best longform improv January 30, 8:00 p.m.

Free Online (Link on Facebook Page)

Queer McGill Zine Launch and Open Mic Hang out and enjoy lots of creative content: Student writing and performing January 29, 6:30 p.m.

Free Online (Facebook)

MSA X MORSL Multifaith Trivia Night Trivia on all things related to faith and spirituality. What is a great way to spend your Thursday?

January 28, 7:00 p.m.

Free

Pop Rhetoric: How TikTok democratized Broadway during a global pandemic The musical super-success of ‘Ratatouille’ reimagines the idea of Broadway Naomi Mirny Staff Writer The first musical of its kind, Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical served up a delicious community-baked Broadway treat this January. Based on the DisneyPixar 2007 film Ratatouille, the project began last year on Aug. 10 when TikTok user Emily Jacobsen posted a TikTok of her squeaking out a high-pitched ode to Remy, the film’s rat protagonist. A few months later, on Oct. 19, composer Daniel J. Mertzlufft adapted the song, adding orchestration to create a full-blown musical finale. The idea grew from a simple meme to a creative prompt—hundreds of theatre-minded creatives followed with their own songs, dance choreographies, stage sets, lighting designs, costume ideas, puppets, and even theoretical playbill designs.

Some particularly outstanding songs were those written by Gabbi Bolt, such as “Trash Is Our Treasure,” (and its tragic reprise) for Django, Remy’s father.

Bolt was also easily matched by the songwriting superpower of 17-year-old Blake Rouse, who astounded with multiple com-

positions such as the “Finale,” an upbeat number for Remy’s brother Emile, “The Rat’s Way of Life,” and the electrifying, tension-filled “Colette’s Tango,” featuring a pas-de-deux between the fiery Colette Tatou and the clumsy Alfredo Linguini. Many other artists and composers contributed to the musical repertoire, most notably Sophia James, RJ Christian, Nathan Fosbinder, and Katie Johantgen, among countless others.

But they weren’t alone. The project quickly enticed many Broadway superstars, including the likes of Dear Evan Hansen‘s Andrew Barth Feldman and Hollywood veteran Kevin Chamberlin. Only a few days after graphic designer Jessie Siswick posted her playbill, the company itself reached out to her and requested to repost it on their website. A few hours later, Disney and Pixar tweeted it. Two days after Disney’s tweet, two-time Tony-award-winning Broadway producer Ken Davenport posted a TikTok expressing his interest in producing the musical on the big (computerized) stage.

Just like that, an idea that started as a joke and simmered as a community project of cre-

The first musical of its kind, Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical served up a delicious community-baked Broadway treat this January. Not long after, other musical creators took to TikTok to continue the work. (Abby de Gala / The McGill Tribune)

from atives around the world had dished out the first virtual, TikTokproduced, Broadway spectacle ever made. The performance was streamed on TodayTix.com from Jan. 1-4, and even had an encore performance, raising a total of two million dollars for The Actors Fund. As such, Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical served the industry in two ways—as an entertainingly delightful production for musical-deprived drama lovers everywhere, and as a revolutionary work of theatre.

Broadway has always been a cutthroat industry. It is not unheard of for actors seeking a paying career to attend top-tier performing arts academies or conservatories, relocate to New York City, and spend years of their life and exorbitant sums of money for a chance to step foot into the audition room. Even with experience under their belt, only 10 per cent of musical theatre performers get cast. multi-million-dollar The success of Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical has demonstrated,

to some extent, the gratuitous needlessness of these institutions. Performers of many ages, backgrounds, and levels of training were able to collaborate on a musical from the comfort of their own homes thousands of miles across the globe.

Already, artists are working away on a Bridgerton musical that similarly started as a joke posted by creators Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. It quickly gained the attention of choreographers, singers, songwriters, graphic designers, and intimacy directors—ultimately being picked up by the BBC and Playbill just thirteen days later. Had Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical not been the magnanimous, unforeseen sensation it had been, there would absolutely not be the same level of trust in small creators to produce a musical.

If Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical has done one thing, it has reminded us that at its core, success in musical theatre does not, and should not, depend on the dog-eat-dog institutions from which it is born, but rather on the radical joy of community, grassroots art-making. After all, as Chef Gusteau always said, “Anyone can cook.”

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021

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When the world of dinosaurs was rocked, so was the climate Exploring the climatic changes that occurred following the dinosaur extinction Margaret Wdowiak Staff Writer As tropical forests are cleared for agriculture and coral reefs overheat from rising temperatures, thousands of species vanish into oblivion, unable to survive the rapid climatic and environmental changes of the Anthropocene—the age of the sixth mass extinction. The Anthropocene epoch is an unofficial unit of geological time used to describe the current historical period where human activities have massive climatic and ecological ramifications.

To fully understand the current climate crisis, we must turn to the Earth’s last mass extinction: The Cretaceous-Paleogene period. The environmental changes of the asteroid impact that caused this extinction have long been an enigma. However, the mystery has finally started to be unveiled.

In a new study published in Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology, a group of McGill researchers shed light on this mystery by exploring the secrets buried inside Canadian rocks. To examine how the dinosaur extinction transformed the surrounding environment, the team extracted plant wax samples

from river sediments in southern Saskatchewan.

“Plant waxes are small molecules found on the surface of plant leaves.

They help protect plants from being dried out,” Dr. Peter Douglas, an

can be preserved there for millions of years. They are like molecular fossils that we can dig up and examine later.”

The researchers extracted samples spanning the CretaceousPaleogene boundary, the time period

The asteroid impact 66 million years ago wiped out 75 per cent of all plant and animals on earth. (Sabri Conde-Yassi / The McGill Tribune)

assistant professor in McGill’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “They are useful to geologists because when they are washed into sediments in rivers, lakes, and the ocean, [where] they

between when dinosaurs were alive and after they went extinct.

These plant wax samples allowed scientists to reconstruct changes to plant ecology as well as carbon and water cycling within this timeframe. The researchers estimated

the precipitation and vegetation patterns of the era by measuring the ratios of carbon and hydrogen isotopes.

The team found that local ecosystems and plant communities experienced a long-term shift from aquatic to terrestrial plants. They speculated that this shift was due to the extinction of large plant-eating dinosaurs, allowing terrestrial plants to expand their reach unchecked on land. The changes in precipitation patterns, which were found to be relatively minor and short-lived, could possibly be due to changes in either vegetation or isotopic fractionation related to soil evaporation and transpiration.

Overall, these findings have significant implications for the future of paleontology and add to knowledge on the CretaceousPaleogene extinction.

“I think coupling these kinds of molecular methods with traditional paleontology has a lot of promise for better understanding how environmental changes were linked to the extinction of different species,” Douglas wrote.

Despite its focus on the past, the study has important implications for the present.

“Trying to understand future changes in precipitation is a really important goal of climate science, and looking at past changes of precipitation when the Earth was warming or cooling can help us better understand this,” Douglas wrote.

While the past might help in understanding the world today, it is important to remember that a direct comparison cannot be drawn between the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event and the ongoing Anthropocene extinction.

These insights can help determine the ways in which current climatic changes might alter precipitation patterns and affect ecosystems. For example, changes in precipitation levels, like droughts, can be very harmful to wildlife.

Additionally, the study can also shed light on how the disappearance of large herbivores like zebras might affect the health of our ecosystems.

“Our results are also consistent with a lot of other research that shows extinction of large herbivores can cause big changes in plant ecology,” Douglas wrote. “This could have implications for the widespread extinctions happening on Earth now, which will likely have important effects on present-day plant ecology.”

Top Quebec discoveries of 2020 feature McGill brain cancer Two studies provide insight into childhood brain tumours and glioblastoma Daria Kiseleva Contributor For the year 2020, Quebec Science magazine’s annual list of top 10 scientific discoveries featured two studies on brain cancer led by McGill researchers. The list was selected by a jury of scientists and journalists and the top discovery will be determined by a public vote. Votes can be cast online until Feb. 8.

“We found that several of these tumours originate in the earliest stages of cell differentiation, and that in some cases, the mutations are likely prenatal,” Kleinman wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune.

Additionally, the failure of origin cells to

may be possible to reverse the “Peter Pan” effect.

Since tumour survival is only dependent on the cell of its origin for a limited time, a better understanding of this dependency may help in the design of therapies that target specific types

Peter Pan cells initiate childhood brain tumours A major challenge in treating childhood brain tumours, the deadliest form of childhood cancer, has been the shortage of knowledge about the origin cells of tumour subtypes and their development, especially in contrast to normal brain cells.

Research led by Dr. Claudia Kleinman of the Lady Davis Institute at the Jewish General Hospital, Dr. Nada Jabado of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), and Dr. Michael Taylor of The Hospital for Sick Children used powerful highthroughput technologies to analyze the individual characteristics of hundreds of thousands of brain cells.

The team created a comprehensive atlas of cell types that are present during the normal development of the pons and forebrain—key brain regions vulnerable to tumours. Data from several tumour types were mapped onto this atlas to successfully trace the origin cell populations where the cancer-causing mutations first occurred.

Brain tumours can dramatically affect physical and cognitive abilities. (blog.care.fit)

differentiate during development—change from one type of cell into another—has been identified as a common source of several types of brain tumours.

“Like Peter Pan in Neverland, once the mutation happens, these cells refuse to progress into a mature state, ultimately leading to cancer,” Kleinman wrote.

The researchers observed that the removal of the mutation in one cell type of cancerous origin allowed the cells to progress further towards their normal development, demonstrating that it

of childhood brain cancers at their earliest stages.

A method to the madness of glioblastoma Cancer therapeutics aim to exploit specific vulnerabilities of cancer-causing cells, but a major challenge is that tumours are generally heterogeneous, meaning they contain a diversity of cell types with different sensitivities to treatment. Glioblastoma, the most common adult primary brain cancer, has a survival rate of only

10 per cent, five years after receiving treatment.

Research led by Dr. Kevin Petrecca of the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital of McGill University investigated the organization of different glioblastoma cells and their similarities.

Genetic data obtained from tens of thousands of single glioblastoma cells was analyzed to compare the development of clustered types of glioblastoma with that of normal cells. “[We discovered that] there are many types of glioblastoma cancer cells within each tumour, and these cell types follow a pattern of organization and evolution that recapitulates normal brain development,” Petrecca wrote in an email to // The McGill Tribune//.

Furthermore, the analysis identified a type of progenitor glioblastoma stem cell (GSC) that initiates a hierarchy of cell lineages of glioblastoma.

“Cancer stem cells give rise to four lineages of differentiated cancer cells,” Petrecca wrote.

“Critically, the stem cells are the most proliferative.”

The high proliferation rate of GSCs—the fact that they divide most rapidly and contribute disproportionately towards tumour growth— makes them a promising target for therapy.

While GSCs were shown to be the most resistant to Temozolomide (TMZ), the current chemotherapy standard of treatment for glioblastoma, leveraging a compound that inhibits the function E2F4—a protein family that GSCs rely on for survival—has significantly reduced tumour growth and increased survival in a mouse model.

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021

Trained Immunity: The immunologic memory that humans have always had McGill collaborates with the RIKEN institute to research the immunological memory

Namrata Rana Contributor Memory is invaluable when it comes to the immune system. The immune system is the body’s natural defence mechanism against infection or foreign pathogens and is made up of two key systems. The innate immunity is a rapid, non-specific first response to pathogens or tissue injury. In contrast, adaptive immunity provides a highly specific and prolonged response by remembering attacking bodies and eliminating recurring infections.

For several years, researchers have maintained that immunologic memory is exclusive to adaptive immune cells called lymphocytes. Trained immunity, however, challenges this dogma by suggesting that the body’s immediate responders, innate immune cells, are also capable of immunologic memory to a certain degree. It proposes that the body’s innate immune system is able to adapt and resist subsequent infections with a more potent, persistent response than previously thought.

In partnership with the RIKEN institute, McGill Microbiology and Immunology professor David Langlais looks to explore the mechanisms of trained immunity by using an interdisciplinary approach of genomics and immunology.

Immune cells are often regulated by signalling pathways. Cell signalling, a form of cell-to-cell communication, is responsible for coordinating functions between multiple cells.

“It has been known for a while that a combination of signal inputs from different cells can influence a different output,” Langlais said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “Trained immunity is the product of these input interactions that can change how the cell adapts itself to the next signal it receives.”

The functional reprogramming of innate cells was first

observed in plants and invertebrates, organisms that lack an adaptive immune system. It was noted that foreign triggers could boost recurring immune encounters by enabling stronger, more rapid responses. Response molecules called cytokines were released upon exposure to subsequent challenges. These reactions are hypothesized to stem from modifications in mechanisms responsible for gene expression, known as epigenetic regulation, instead of the genetic code itself.

“Rather than changing the DNA sequence of the genome, knowing when and how a gene is expressed [...] can not only explain reprogramming of cells, but also raise questions on the possible trans-generational and disease-causing effects it may carry,” Langlais said.

The challenges of elucidating the mechanisms of gene expression are mainly due to the limited tools available for isolating trained immunity within individual cells. Langlais believes that McGill’s collaboration with RIKEN could change that.

“We are restricted to studying chromatin changes to cell clusters, which is not as effective as being able to see how each individual cell’s DNA expression is being altered to reprogram current and future innate immune cells,” Langlais said. “Using the resources of both institutions, we will use single-cell genomics to develop a new bioinformatics tool to address this limitation.”

Researchers are actively investigating trained immunity in the context of the current pandemic. A preprint study reported on the potential effectiveness of leveraging nonspecific innate immunity to protect against COVID-19 by providing a booster dose of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, usually used against tuberculosis bacteria.

None of the 71 participants who received the booster vaccine fell sick.

“The role of the BCG vaccine trials in [fighting] COVID-19 is not to generate a specific response against

Currently, trained immunity for COVID-19 is being tested in clinical trials across the U.S. (Eve Cable / The McGill Tribune)

[the coronavirus],” Langlais said. “It is being used to change the functional state of the innate immune system at the genomic level so it can adapt its existing response to a second infection by giving a higher magnitude and modified speed of response.”

Indeed, a higher infection rate of 8.6 per cent was observed in the unvaccinated group. Although the tuberculosis bacterium and SARS-CoV-2 virus are different pathogens, these results show that mobilizing the immune system against one could potentially protect against the other.

While COVID-19 has brought more attention to trained immunity, research on this subject is often forgotten due to the lack of resources available to produce more relevant, accurate evidence on its impacts at the genomic level. With increased funding in this domain, researchers can not only improve upon classical immunology but provide new approaches to treating inflammatory diseases.

Factors affecting COVID-19 vulnerability

New research finds that oxidative stress increases risk of COVID-19 if

Cyril Kazan Contributor Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, observations have shown that the virus does not affect everyone equally.

Humans, cats, and dogs can get infected, but not cattle or swine. Additionally, some experience mild symptoms, while others must be hospitalized and can even succumb to the disease. A recent study led

by McGill researchers provides a possible explanation behind these discrepancies.

The study examined the site of primal interaction between the viral particle and the host cell. At this location, the virus’ infamous spike proteins interact with the angiotensinconverting enzyme 2 (ACE-2), a receptor used as the coronavirus’ entry point into the cell.

If the spike protein binds properly to ACE-2, the viral membrane fuses with the host membrane, and the virus successfully infects the cell. If this primary binding does not occur, the virus will be unable to infiltrate the cell. According to the study, this is why some species can be infected while others cannot.

Led by Dr. Jaswinder Singh, a redox biologist and associate professor in McGill’s Department of Plant Science, the study found that viral binding relies on the presence of disulphide bonds between small subunits of proteins called cysteine residues. These are strong bonds that create a loop conformation within the structure of proteins, allowing the virus to hold onto the

Along with public health protocols, eating foods rich in antioxidants could lower one’s risk of contracting COVID-19. (www.vecteezy.com)

host cell and penetrate it. Without disulphide bonds, the virus cannot infect the cell.

“When we tested the ACE-2 protein sequence for different animal species, we found that some of them are different,” Singh said in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

The research revealed that some animals lack one specific cysteine residue, and therefore cannot form disulphide bonds.

These animals, which include cattle and swine, are also impervious to COVID-19. In animals that possess both cysteine residues in their ACE-2 receptor, like humans, cats,

and dogs, the disulphide bonds can form, and the spike protein can attach to the cell.

COVID-19 pathogenesis and severity within the human population is also determined by other factors. Older adults tend to have a more depressed immune system which makes them more vulnerable, but this is not the only explanation. Singh and his team demonstrated that a larger determinant of susceptibility is the oxidative stress within immune cells. This refers to the presence of free radicals: Toxic compounds which can damage the cell’s machinery

not counteracted by antioxidants.

The study revealed that the disulphide bonds identified as critical for the virushost interactions are redox-active, so they can form and break depending on the oxidative state of the cell.

“This study is unique in a way that we are the first to mention that the coronavirus interaction with this receptor is redox-dependent,” Singh said. “In a more oxidative cellular environment, which we see in old people and those with underlying health conditions, we found that disulphide bonds can form more easily, which will help the interaction.”

In short, ageing and disease cause the accumulation of oxidative stress in cells, facilitating the formation of disulphide bonds at the virus-host interface and the entry of the virus into host cells. This leads to faster and wider proliferation of coronavirus throughout the body and thus a more severe infection.

The study draws attention to new horizons in COVID-19 treatment and prevention. For instance, increasing the expression of thioredoxin, a chemical that provides electrons to reduce reactive oxygen species in the cells, thus lowering the oxidative state, can be a possible preventative measure along with other antioxidant therapies.

Singh explained that simply increasing antioxidant intake in our diets by consuming more dark chocolate, berries, and vitamin D can be of help, but is not the sole preventative measure.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021

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The looming issue of McGill athletic games attendance

Despite talent and team successes, McGill home games are sparsely attended

Zoe Babad-Palmer Staff Writer McGill Athletics and Recreation boasts stellar facilities, including the Memorial Pool, an indoor and outdoor track, outdoor tennis courts, and squash courts. The university’s Molson Stadium is also home to the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes. McGill has 29 men’s and women’s varsity teams across 17 sports, over 25 intramural teams, and 14 sport clubs.

These athletic offerings are some of the best in Canada, so one might expect these activities to attract attention from the 40,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students who attend McGill.

Despite the sheer number of McGill Students, most of the attention that McGill Athletics and Recreation has received from students over the past few years has been connected to the Change the Name campaign, which has inadvertently cemented many students’ negative views of McGill Athletics.

Attendance numbers at sports events reflect this attitude. Love Competition Hall, where McGill’s basketball and volleyball teams play, has a capacity of 950 people, but the average attendance for men’s basketball games only broke 300 attendees three times in the past seven years. The highest attendance at a McGill Men’s Varsity game in the 23,420-seat Molson Stadium in almost 60 years was 6,218 during a 2008 “Fill the Stadium” match against Bishop’s University. In a Facebook survey of 49 McGill students and recent graduates, over one third reported never having attended a varsity, intramural, or club event.

The reasons students gave for not attending were mixed: Aside from students who simply are not interested in sports, obstacles included not knowing when events were happening, living too far from campus, being too busy with schoolwork, seeing the environment as “super unwelcoming,” and experiencing “no hype.” One student reported attending a varsity basketball game in their first year after winning free tickets, but said that they were unwilling to pay the five-dollar student entrance fee themselves to attend more games.

When students do attend games, their experiences are anything but uniform.

“Those in my social circle have only positive things to say about McGill Athletics,” Hailey Evelyn, U3 Nursing, wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “I enjoyed the atmosphere of each game and it was nice to feel part of such a large crowd.”

One student in McGill Fight Band said they had fun, but wished the crowds were bigger and more enthusiastic.

“The atmosphere of games can often feel a bit dispassionate [....] [Fight Band] often [comprises] a majority of the ‘spirit’ in [smaller] audiences,” India Ainsley, U4 Arts and Fight Band member, said.

Unlike other schools, athletics are seldom perceived as part of the McGill experience.

While Canadian universities do not have an equivalent of the sprawling American NCAA games, Queen’s University’s Homecoming is known for its attendance, garnering between 7,000 and 9,000 fans each year since 2013.

A 2019 game between McGill and Laval University in Quebec City drew 14,169 attendees. “[Athletics] are not necessarily part of McGill’s history,” Sarah Canzer, McGill

Although Molson Stadium can fit over 23,400 people, it has never come close to even half capacity.

(Aidan Martin / The McGill Tribune) Athletics Social Media, Community and Fan Engagement Administrator, told the Tribune.

“It’s not a huge part of our culture historically.”

Although attending games is not McGill students’ forte, the school itself has produced 121 Olympic athletes, countless professional athletes in several leagues, and the creators of modern forms of basketball and ice hockey. Despite beliefs that McGill teams often lose, the men’s ice hockey team won championships every year from 2008 to 2012, and the women’s team were very successful from 2006 to 2010. The men’s baseball team

won a record-breaking four championships in a row between 2014 and 2017. Clearly, McGill students are not lacking in athletic talent, but students still seem apathetic about watching their teams play.

The problem of attendance is not a recent phenomenon. The Tribune has published several articles dating back decades remarking on the lack of attendance. McGill Athletics and Recreation faces obstacles that students fail to consider and, as a result, efforts to increase attendance have varied. With so many campus events, clubs, and activities,

opportunities to attend sports events often slip off students’ radar because the range of choices feel overwhelming.

“With our limited resources, we can’t promote every single game,” Canzer said. “So we choose every week the game that we’re going to highlight and push, and then it’s up to the students, the athletes, other than that.”

According to Canzer, the most successful promotions are the ones done with the support of students. The International Student Network, with the help of McGill Athletics, often organizes an event in which international students attend a free pizza party hosted by the women’s hockey team, learn the rules of the sport, then watch a game. Several years ago, the men’s soccer team attended an intramural soccer game, cheered on the teams, and handed out free tickets to their next game.

Collaborative events allow students to take an active role in the McGill Athletics community, helping them connect with the athletes they are rooting for.

When events do not involve students, however, they are less successful. “[McGill Athletics] really seems to like the idea of bringing outside activity coordinators or DJs to fill up time between periods of play,” Ainsley said. “It might behoove them to try and get more activities or events offered by student groups in order to reach out to the general student population.”

From attending a tailgate in a small town, to massive university homecoming games, to cheering on the Habs from the nosebleed seats with a group of friends, the social aspect of sports is one of its biggest draws. For McGill students who do not personally know any athletes, this incentive to support their peers is missing, limiting attendees to friends, family, and hardcore sports fans.

“People typically go to sports games as more of a social thing, or to cheer on their athlete friends as opposed to going to see McGill win,” Annina DeLuca, U2 Management, said.

Most of the initiative in collaborative athletic events is taken by students, whether they are promoting events themselves or organizing events like the International Student Society. To increase attendance at regular events, McGill Athletics should reach out to student organizations for help with promotion or entertainment.

Poor attendance at games is a selfperpetuating cycle: Students do not enjoy games with no crowd energy, so stands remain empty. McGill students who are unaffiliated with the athletics department could benefit from taking a risk by leaving their comfort zones and becoming engaged. A crucial part of the McGill experience is independence and exploration; attending sports games or joining an intramural or club team should be a part of this just as much as exploring the Plateau or taking a night off from studying to go to Blues Pub. “It is refreshing to come to sporting events and see a bunch of McGill students from different years and programs,” Evelyn said. “It reminds me that I belong to a larger community and I enjoy being part of the crowd cheering for the same team.”

Despite what the mere attendance statistics say, McGill students want to support each other—and McGill Athletics could help them to do that.

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 2021

NHL season preview: The Canadiens off to a strong start

The Colorado Avalanche are current Stanley Cup favourites, but a lot can change Sarah Farnand Sports Editor The NHL season began on Jan. 13 under very different circumstances due to the ongoing pandemic. The league has been split up into the North division, encompassing all Canadian teams, and the East, West, and Central Divisions splitting the eastern, western, and central United States.

The season will also be much shorter than previous seasons, with 56 games instead of 82.

Going into the season, the favourites in the North Division were the Toronto Maple Leafs.

However, with Joe Thorton and Nick Robertson currently injured, the season could take a very different turn. In the East Division, the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, and Washington Capitals

The Montreal Canadiens have started the season strong with a 4-0-2 record in their first six games. (Getty Images)

all have promising Stanley Cup prospects.

The New York Rangers are not favoured to make it far in the playoffs this season, despite their first overall selection of Alexis Lafrenière in the 2020 draft. After much anticipation of his premier season in the NHL, Lafrenière has yet to tally any points in the four games he has played with the New York Rangers. Although he has been given plenty of time on the ice and has even played on the Rangers’ first line, he is facing an issue uncommon for most star hockey players: Passing too much. Lafrenière has made a mere five shots in his first four games, and while he is known for his playmaking ability, the Rangers current 1-2-1 record could definitely benefit from some more shots on net.

In the Central Division, the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning, are favoured to repeat their success.

Finally, in the West, the Vegas Golden Knights and the Colorado Avalanche are teams to keep an eye on.

When staffers made their Stanley Cup predictions on the NHL website, 12 of the 15

believed the Avalanche would be the champions. After five games, the Avalanche have a 3-2-0 record, ranking them in the middle of their division. However, there are still over 50 games left in the season, and plenty is bound to change. The Avalanche are a skilled team led by superstar Nathan MacKinnon and other high performers like Nazim Kadri and Mikko Rantanen. Their team is significantly deeper than last season, making them a force to be reckoned with.

Although the Montreal Canadiens are not favourites to win the Stanley Cup this season, they have had a strong start. With an impressive 29 goals-for and 18 goals-against, the best goal differential in the league right now, and with 10 points, they are currently ranked first in their division and the league.

However impressive their early performances, the Canadiens are known to start the season strong and fade as it progresses. With the shortened season, the Canadiens may be able to hold onto their momentum long enough to be in a good seed for the playoffs.

The Canadiens have added

some power to both their offensive and defensive lines. Tyler Toffoli, traded from the Vancouver Canucks, has boasted five goals and eight points in six games, including two goals in a 7-3 victory against his former team.

The Canadiens have also acquired Corey Perry from the Dallas Stars.

In his debut in a Habs’ uniform on Jan. 23, he scored a goal and had four shots on net.

In terms of defence, it appears that the Canadiens may have finally found a trustworthy backup goalie in Jake Allen. Allen, who has started in two of the six games so far, has won both games with four total goals-against. Allen was a starting goaltender for the Saint Louis Blues until the 2018-2019 season when Jordan Binnington took over the position, helping the Blues to their first-ever Stanley Cup victory. While Allen may have lost the spotlight, he has not lost any of his talent. Allen finished last season second in the NHL for his goals-against average of 2.15 and fourth for save percentage with .927. Ideally, Allen will be able to give goalie Carey Price the ability to rest without worrying about the fate of the team without him.

130 years ago, McGill alumnus Dr. James Naismith invented basketball Naismith created the game of basketball as a simple distraction for his students

Reza Ali Staff Writer McGill students are known for their ingenuity. Succeeding at this institution requires exceptional problem solving abilities. Dr. James Naismith, member of the McGill class of 1887, invented one of the more creative solutions to a problem, a solution that is now the seventh most popular sport in the world: Basketball.

On Dec. 21, 1891, Naismith was simply doing his job as a teacher at the Springfield YMCA gymnasium when he invented what would come to be known as basketball. The winter weather had kept his students from outdoor activities, and all other sports were too dangerous to be played indoors. Under orders from his superior at the time, Dr. Luther Gulick, Naismith was given 14 days to create an “athletic distraction” for his students, who were restless from constantly being indoors.

Naismith revisited his childhood activities and remembered a game called “duck on a rock.” This game was more about dexterity than strength and involved tossing small stones to knock over a large rock, known as “the duck,” from its place on a tree stump.

Newly inspired, Naismith retrieved a soccer ball and two peach baskets. He cleared the court, and mounted the baskets on opposite sides. He divided the students into two teams of nine and told them the goal was to get the ball in the basket. And so, “basket

ball” came to fruition.

The original rules stipulated that the ball could be thrown or batted in any direction, but not with a closed fist. Additionally, most physical contact was banned as well as running with the ball. Infractions were punished with fouls that either removed a player from the game or gave points to the other team. Simplest of all, whichever team got the ball in the basket the most won.

The game grew in popularity as

Naismith’s students continued playing and other schools began to look for indoor sports.

As it spread through colleges, the game evolved, with additions such as backboards in 1895 and dribbling in 1901.

The game spread during the First World War, bringing basketball overseas. In 1919, the Inter-Allied Games were held following the end of the war, where 18 countries sent players to compete in the first official international basketball games.

James Naismith, McGill class of 1887, invented basketball, now the seventh most popular sport in the world. (McGill University News and Events)

In 1936, basketball became an Olympic sport, where Naismith threw the tip off and awarded the medals to the winning team. By 1949, the Basketball Association of America had merged with the National Basketball League to form the National Basketball Association, or the NBA. Naismith’s accomplishments go far beyond the basketball court. At McGill, Naismith was also involved in football, soccer, gymnastics, and lacrosse. He was a three-year starter on the football team, in addition to participating in the first ever formal American football game. He also received the Wickstead Silver Medal and Wickstead Gold Medal for gymnastics in his junior and senior years.

In addition to his sporting achievements, Naismith was incredibly gifted in academics.

He graduated top 10 in McGill’s class of 1887 with an Honours B.A. in Philosophy and Hebrew. After graduation, Naismith earned another degree in theology. This became one of 11 academic degrees he would receive, including an M.D. from Gross Medical College in 1898 and an honorary Doctor of Divinity from McGill in 1939.

Naismith’s legacy is best summed up by a simple anecdote: When basketball was first created, his students urged him to call it “Naismith Ball.” Naismith refused and used the name he preferred: “Basket ball.”

In the face of popularity, Naismith remained focussed on his initial task of solving a problem as simply as possible.