THE VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA
October 20, 2014 Volume 41, Issue 6 themedium.ca
“Stupid” bylaw proposed downtown UTSU to vote at AGM on change to include only the voices of marginalized students MENNA ELNAKA ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Voting at next week’s Annual General Meeting of the UTSU has the potential to dissolve the union, say representatives of UTMSU. The meeting’s order of business includes motions on bylaw amendments concerning the board of directors, some of which are required to be approved for UTSU to comply with the Not-for-Profit Corporations Act. Lumped into the motion with the legally required amendments, however, is another amendment to adopt a new structure in the board of directors, which is not required by the act—despite an explicit claim to the contrary by UTMSU executive director Walied Khogali in an email to executives and their associates—and is not marked as necessary in UTSU’s own AGM package. Currently, the UTSU board of directors includes directors from the Faculty of Arts and Science, the Transitional Year Program, the professional faculties, downtown colleges, and UTM.
MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM
Full-time UTM students will be able to vote at UTSU’s AGM at the OISE Auditorium on October 29. The proposed structural change— dubbed the “constituency model”—involves removing the college directors and replacing them with 10 directors to represent marginalized groups, including racialized students, women, international students, students with disabilities, first-year students, ath-
letes, mature students, indigenous students, commuters, and LGBTQ students. If the majority votes in favour of the amendment, the directorate positions representing the seven downtown colleges will be dissolved, along with a number of positions representing pro-
fessional faculties. The change would also mean upper-year students, males, and other students who do not fit into any of the marginalized groups would not have their own representation on the board. Last May, Robyn Urback of The National Post condemned the proposed
structure, calling it “harrowingly stupid”. Urback cited the fact that many of the 45,000 undergraduate students who pay mandatory fees to the UTSU wouldn’t have a category representing them. UTSU published a response to the Post’s article on Facebook titled “Inclusion Is Not Exclusion”, in which they said the proposed structure seeks to address complaints that college and faculty representatives on UTSU’s Board “were not sufficient or representative”. However, the bylaw amendments exclude the directors being replaced. “These groups represent themselves through their own students’ societies, and wanted to interact with us in that way. We wanted to respect these wishes,” wrote UTSU president Yolen Bollo-Kamara, adding that the establishment of a new committee has also been proposed “that would allow direct representation from student societies, without violating new restrictions on representation”. AGM continued on page 2
Student papers hurting from ad losses Market slowly reforming, but poor revenue still forcing papers to cut spending MARIA IQBAL NEWS EDITOR Canadian student newspapers have had a rough time financially for the past year and half in the face of declining ad revenue and the sudden bankruptcy of a major national advertising supplier. Campus Plus (C+) was an advertising subsidiary owned by Canadian University Press, a non-profit cooperative of newspapers at postsecondary campuses across the country. C+ declared bankruptcy in June 2013 as a result of “declining sales caused by a poor economy and a general decline of advertising spending in the industry,” stated MNP Ltd., the trustee appointed to administer the bankruptcy, in its preliminary report. In an email to member papers in March 2013, CUP president Sam
Mental health gets a boost The Ontario government allocates $12 million for programs across the province’s postsecondary schools. Medium News, page 2
Exclusion is not inclusion Student union’s reaction to criticism of its proposed new board structure doesn’t count as genuine debate. Medium Opinion, page 4
You’ve got mail. It’s art DVSSS organizes pen pals at UTM to send each other their impromptu canvasboard projects. Medium Arts, page 5
A real equality defender MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM
Newspapers across the country are cutting circulation in response to a decline in ad revenue. Brooks, who was also CEO of C+, said that C+ was closing down because it had faced losses over three consecutive years. However, other factors also played
a part. “Although our initial intent was to restructure Campus Plus and work towards a place of profitability, the company is too fractured as a result of mismanagement for this to be
possible. Downsizing and preparing to close operations is our only option,” Brooks added. C+ continued on page 3
Rabia Khedr overcomes obstacles in her roles as non-profit founder, racialized woman, and mother. Medium Features, page 8
Five-year plan, UTM-style The coaches are looking for players to build the new varsity teams on campus. Medium Sports, page 11
2
«NEWS
THE MEDIUM 10.20.2014
$12M for mental health Ontario expands fund for projects focusing on student health
October 2, 5:42 p.m. Theft under $5,000 A student reported the theft of his wallet from a locker located in the men’s locker room at the Recreational Athletics and Wellness Centre. October 2, 10:04 p.m. Theft under $5,000 A student reported the theft of his bicycle from outside his townhouse unit. October 2, 10:30 p.m. Controlled Drugs & Substances Act Campus Police investigated a male who was observed rolling a marijuana cigarette. The student was arrested by Campus Police and custody was later transferred over to Peel Regional Police for bail release breaches. October 3, 9:39 a.m. Mischief under $5,000 Campus Police investigated a vehicle that had two tires punctured while the vehicle was parked in parking lot 4, near the entrance to the lot.
October 6, 8:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mischief under $5,000 Campus Police investigated a vehicle
that had a tire punctured while the vehicle was parked in parking lot 4, near the entrance to the lot. October 6, 11:06 p.m. Controlled Drugs & Substances Act Campus Police responded to the report of marijuana being smoked outside a townhouse unit that encroached near an area small children were playing. Area checked and no violators found. October 7, 12:04 p.m. Safety Concern Campus Police investigated the report of a safety concern of a UTM residence student. The student was located and all was in order. October 8, 3:30 p.m. Theft under $5,000 A student reported the theft of cash from his wallet that he inadvertently left behind at the library. October 8, 4:15 p.m. Fraudulent permit Campus Police investigated a vehicle that was displaying a stolen parking permit. The permit was seized. Peel Regional Police is assisting in the ongoing investigation.
These reports are those that have been released to The Medium and do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list. Students can contact the UTM Campus Police at 905 828 5200, Peel Regional Police at 905-453-3311, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
CHRISTY TAM/THE MEDIUM
The HCC currently serves the entire campus population, despite having a limited number of counsellors. ANTON MYKYTENKO The Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities announced an expanded effort toward mental wellness in postsecondary schools last Friday. Over the next two years, the Ontario government has pledged $12 million toward mental health projects across postsecondary institutions. “The safety and well-being of postsecondary students is a crucial responsibility and this latest call for proposals will lead to new projects, which will help identify mental health issues and connect students to supports faster,” said Reza Moridi, Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities, at U of T’s World Mental Health Day rally where he made the announcement. In the past, annual donations of $9 million have helped fund projects like “Good2Talk”, an anonymous, 24-hour
student hotline. More recently, a joint program between York, U of T, and Ryerson was developed to connect with students suffering from mental illness who have been forced to quit their studies prematurely. The project will help students returning from hospitals integrate back into campus life. The primary proposals for the current $12 million are to focus on aboriginal students and students coming straight from high school. Most mental illnesses reportedly occur between the ages of 18 and 24. The NCHA Ontario survey of spring 2013 found that 50.7% of students on average had felt “overwhelming anxiety” within the last 12 months and 40.1% “felt so depressed that it was difficult to function” within the last 12 months. The funding will be used to support
projects between universities and the provincial government. “The government doesn’t just give this money out to whatever universities, they look for bigger interuniversity collaborations,” says Chad Jankowski, a coordinator at the Health and Counselling Centre. However, he added that the projects do take stress off of local mental health offices. “UTM takes on the entire 13,000 student population with an average of 2.2 counsellors,” Jankowski said, adding that the office sometimes refers students to other locations because of the large number of appointments. “We do what we can to take care of the student with immediate problems first, but most of the time we’ll take them in to get on overall view of what’s going on and then decide how to best handle it.”
UTSU could dissolve if motions fail, says Khogali AGM continued from Cover Last April, Benjamin Crase, outgoing co-head of Trinity College, commented to The Varsity that “The introduction of a pseudo-sectarian structure of governance makes little sense and is very worrisome.” The Varsity also published a comment by Rowan DeBues, presidentelect of the Victoria College Students’ Administrative Council, saying that while UTSU’s board of directors does not currently represent minorities and special groups, the proposed restructure would assign voting rights without regard to population size. According to the order of business for the Annual General Meeting, the other bylaw changes include amendments to the roles of the executives, grievance procedures, the invalidity clause, and others. According to the internal UTMSU email circulated by Khogali, if the motion for these amendments does not pass, there would be a risk of losing the UTSU’s status as an in-
corporated entity, resulting in its dissolution as an organization. UTSU members—including full-time students at both the UTM and downtown campuses—can only vote either in favour of all of the amendments or none of them, instead of voting for each amendment separately, creating pressure to vote for the non-required and controversial ones at the same time as the required ones. UTMSU’s email, some of the contents of which were also posted on the UTM MSA’s Facebook page, encourages the executives to “prevent a filibuster” by encouraging “as many UTM students to attend as possible” in hopes of passing the proposed changes and a holding a preparatory meeting beforehand. The “filibuster” likely refers to the procedural delay at last year’s AGM related to removing motions in protest to UTSU having removed the option to not approve its meeting agenda that year. The email also states that if the bylaws motion fails, there will be “devastating consequences” for UTMSU,
which says it receives around 40% of its operating budget from UTSU. The email also says that UTSU dissolves, the services they render at UTM could disappear. The same email also asks the executives and their associates to pick up proxy forms and drop them off when “completed”, i.e. filled with student signatures. Proxies allow one student to vote on behalf of others and are commonly used by UTMSU and UTSU to boost voting power. The other motions mentioned in the AGM order of business include supporting a campaign for international students to sit on the Governing Council and enjoy other benefits, revamping UTSU’s “public relations strategy” in response to criticism of their communication style, and addressing the high cost of on-campus housing, among the annual motion to pass the year’s financial audit. All full-time UTM students are able to vote on the motions at UTSU’s AGM. The AGM will take place on October 29 at the OISE auditorium.
10.20.2014 THE MEDIUM NEWS
Papers receive cheques a year after bankruptcy C+ continued from Cover The Queen’s Journal was one of over 50 postsecondary newspapers to have had its national advertising revenue withheld for over a year following the bankruptcy. The revenue that C+ owed the Queen’s Journal—listed at almost $30,000 on the final dividend sheet—was one of the highest amounts among the papers affected by the bankruptcy. The Varsity had the highest claim at over $50,000. Although the bankruptcy was declared last year, newspapers did not receive their dividends until this June, with amounts equalling 85% of their claims. As a result, many newspapers had to operate under much smaller budgets. Alexander Leger, the former business manager for Carleton’s student newspaper, the Charlatan, at the time of C+’s bankruptcy, said the loss of ad revenue forced the Charlatan to make “substantial pay cuts” last year. “I’ve been working unpaid until we have a decent revenue stream again,” he told The Medium in an interview last spring.
Leger was also elected an inspector for the bankruptcy. “Most other newspapers I’ve spoken to have also had to make cutbacks and retool their advertising,” he said, specifying the student publications at UBC, McGill, York, and Queen’s. “Another consequence is that larger advertising companies no longer trust the market and have decreased their ad campaigns targeted at student newspapers.”
Although C+ declared bankruptcy last year, newspapers did not receive their dividends, totalling 85% of their claims, until this June. Similarly, Dayne Moyer, the business manager of the University of Winnipeg’s The Uniter, is “addressing financial strains” and has not enjoyed nearly as much in national advertising revenue it did two years ago and earlier. Some newspapers, but not all, can survive on local ads.
The Uniter is far from alone. Last year, a number of campus publications across Canada announced reductions to the number of their print editions. Among those was Queen’s Journal, whose co-editorin-chief, Alison Shouldice, said part of the problem was a decline in the advertising market, reported Maclean’s in August of last year. Following the closure of C+, the decades-old Campus Network, along with the brand-new corporation FREE Media, became two of the main major advertising providers for Canadian student papers who were left without a provider. Despite the challenges that student newspapers continue to face, however, business managers are optimistic that campus newspapers can still flourish. “I would honestly say that under proper guidance and with responsible leadership, a university paper has the potential to thrive in today’s climate,” said Moyer. ”Especially since it is subsidized by student fees.” This article is the first in what The Medium anticipates will be an ongoing series.
»
3
»WOULD YOU START SCHOOL
EARLY IF YOU GOT A FALL READING WEEK?
Romeesa Imran 1st year, commerce
Miguel Bona 1st year, criminology
Definitely, so I can cover all my readings.
Yes, I need a break. I’ve read more books in my first week than in my whole life.
Muzna Arif 2nd year, biotech
Emir Topac 2nd year, poli sci
I think I would, because all the other universities start a week earlier.
No. I want a longer summer.
Exploring gambling problems Know the Score 2 discusses student betting on campus
Know the Score 2 visited the campus to spread awareness about problem gambling through interactive booths in the IB atrium, the Meeting Place, and Oscar Peterson Hall earlier this month. Te-Anna Bailey, the KTS2 team leader at UTM, described the goal of the program. “What we’re here for is to provide those resources so that people know what risks to look for, to understand the myths surrounding [gambling], the signs when there actually is a problem, and where to go to get help,” she said. Students and UTM staff worked with KTS2 to organize the initiative.
UTM also made a request for KTS2 to focus more on online gambling during their three-day visit. During their three days at UTM, over 300 students visited their booth to take a quiz. Students completed five multiple-choice questions and went over the answers with a KTS2 representative. Afterwards, they were offered a pamphlet on the program, a water bottle, and a magnet with a local hotline and a free, confidential Ontariowide 24-hour hotline. All those who completed the quiz were also entered in a draw to win an iPad and a $1,500 scholarship in June. “We’re neither pro nor against gambling,” said Bailey. “It should that
be something you choose to do, that you’re doing responsibly.” UTM is one of 21 campuses the group has visited. Students from the campus are hired and specially trained to help representatives like Bailey. Bailey said the organization understands that young adults experiment with new activities in their university years, and that gambling is not an exception, and said that young adults 18 to 24 years old are at “the highest risk of developing a gambling problem […] 6.9% of young adults have moderate to severe problem gambling issues”. More information about the organization can be found on KTS2.ca.
Know the Score 2 educated students about problem gambling.
Comet to zip past Mars in close encounter on Sunday
Forum Research poll shows Crombie leading race for mayor
Hurricane Gonzalo moves east, soaking Newfoundland
Alabama school makes kindergartner sign anti-suicide contract
Body identified as belonging to actress Misty Upham
NASA is on watch for a comet that is to fly past Mars on Sunday, October 19 in hopes of gathering research on the composition of the solar system. With a mile-wide diameter, the comet is believed to have formed over four billion years ago. The comet will brush past Mars at a distance of 141,600 kilometres, and is not expected to collide with the planet.
A Forum Research poll published results last Thursday revealing that mayoral candidate Bonnie Crombie has taken the lead in popular support. The results show Crombie with 56 percent support, ahead of her rival, Steven Mahoney, who is shown at 31 percent. A previous poll from September showed Crombie behind Mahoney by 4 percent.
Newfoundland was hit by heavy rain and winds on Sunday as Hurrican Gonzalo passed below the island. Though the hurricane reached Category 4 when it hit Bermuda, it dropped to a Category 1 hurricane by the time it reached Newfoundland. Its speed is expected to drop further as it continues it eastbound path toward the Grand Banks.
An Alabama school is under fire for making a five-year-old sign an antisuicide contract saying she wouldn’t harm others or herself. The move came after the child allegedly pointed a crayon at a classmate and made sounds resembling shooting. The school also asked the child if she was suffering from depression and recommended she see a psychiatrist.
A body found in a ravine in Seattle has been identified as that of actress Misty Upham. The body was found near the White River by by a relative, though officials say the actress died on October 5. The causes of her death have yet to be determined.
Source: AFP
Source: Toronto Star
Source: CBC News
Source: Mail Online
Source: NBC News
OBAID SAID
MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM
4
«
10.20.2014
MASTHEAD EDITORS Editor-in-Chief Luke Sawczak editor@themedium.ca News Maria Iqbal news@themedium.ca A&E Maria Cruz arts@themedium.ca Features Madeleine Brown features@themedium.ca Sports Jason Coelho sports@themedium.ca — Photo Mahmoud Sarouji photos@themedium.ca Design Mubashir Baweja design@themedium.ca Copy Akshaya Sharma copy@themedium.ca Online & Blog Michelle Bonsu Safia Amin blog@themedium.ca online@themedium.ca ASSOCIATES News Nicole Danesi Menna Elnaka A&E Kathelene Cattell-Daniels Features TBA Sports Eric Hewitson Fergus Talbot Copy TBA Photo TBA To become an associate, begin writing and speak with your section editor! GENERAL STAFF Distribution Manager David Sanchez distribution@themedium.ca Comic Artist Corey Belford BOARD OF DIRECTORS Christine Capewell, Larissa Ho, Saima Khan, Denio Lourenco, Jaime Pokhoy, Obaid Said, Ajay Sharma, Luke Sawczak
COPYRIGHTS All content printed in The Medium is the sole property of its creators, and cannot be used without written consent. DISCLAIMER Opinions expressed in the pages of The Medium are exclusively of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Medium. Additionally, the opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in The Medium are those of advertisers and not of The Medium. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style and coherence. Letters will not exceed 700 words in print. Letters that incite hatred or violence and letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist, or libelous will not be published. Anonymous letters will not be published.
MEDIUM II PUBLICATIONS 3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 themedium.ca
To contribute, email editor@themedium.ca
Face controversy honestly The issues aren’t even the main thing here—it’s the modus operandi Reading an email from the executive director of UTMSU to the executive team and associates is disappointing, but not a huge surprise. It features the usual half-truths and sketchy policies I’ve come to expect in my years here. First, a bit of background. The annual general meeting of St. George’s student union is coming up. We’re members of that union and pay fees to it, so we should care whether they use the money well or squander it. Right now the controversial topic (one is never lacking) is whether they should clear their board—a powerful body—of representatives for each college downtown and replace them with ones for each minority. Sounds good—at first blush. There is some controversy. It’s rarely done, because it’s hard to figure out how the majority of people would have a voice if their representatives were replaced. What if you didn’t have local MPs and councillors (and mayor and premier and so on) but a choice between MPs representing those who identify as women, aboriginal, LGBT, racialized, disabled, youth, or senior? As a (perhaps heated) article put it in The National Post when the union’s proposed structure became public, whose job is it to make sure a pothole on your street is fixed?
Anyway, this isn’t to agree or disagree with the change. It doesn’t directly affect our campus anyhow. But what does is the bullheadedness and questionable tactics propagated to all levels of the union to ram it through. Let’s hear some of the email first. Its writer, Walied Khogali—a paid central figure at UTMSU who’s been in U of T politics for at least a decade— says they have to make this change to comply with an update to Canada’s Not-for-Profit Act: “If UTSU fails to approve the recommended by-law changes (constituency representation rather than a college based model). UTSU risks losing its status as an incorporated entity.” Not true. There are bylaw amendments they have to make, but this is not one of them. There’s not a whiff of it in the act’s section on directors, freely available online. Even the meeting’s own agenda doesn’t label the representation change as recommended by their legal counsel, as it does with the other bylaw amendments. What has happened, though, is that the motion to approve bylaw amendments has both the required ones and the controversial one bundled up, so you have to vote for both if you want UTSU to comply with the act. Um, great.
Much of the rest of the email is a scare tactic about the losses we’ll face if the bylaws aren’t changed and, bamazingly, the government comes after UTSU not to give them a chance but to shut them down. We could lose funding for some services that UTSU helps us out with. Q: How does it do that? A: Largely because we UTMers pay fees to downtown that are mostly rerouted back here. Maybe they could just stay here in that event?
What does affect us is the bullheadedness and questionable tactics propagated to all levels of the union. Actually, this is also the first time I’ve seen an amount put to how much that is. Khogali said 40% of their operating budget is from UTSU. For the observers who were refused access to the contract between the two earlier this year, go ahead and work that out backwards to figure out the proportion of our fees that come back. But why do they want the change to go through? Probably because they’re not happy about colleges being on the
board; the colleges have been increasingly seeking to hold back their fees. No doubt it’s also about image—anything that helps minorities is attractive (but cutting out others isn’t). The worst part, though, is something that’s been clear for years but not in writing till now. It’s proxy forms, which let you vote on someone else’s behalf. Democratic. But what if they’re strategically filled up? The unions love proxies because they save them from being outvoted by dissenters. Not democratic. So, to “prevent a filibuster”, Khogali told the team to pick up proxy forms and complete them—i.e. fill a quota of random students who shrug and sign over a vote (and the anecdotes about this are endless). It’s not even disagreement over the issues. It’s just terrible politics.
YOURS, LUKE SAWCZAK
CORRECTION NOTICE The Oct. 6 article “How I briefly gave up the Internet” was credited to Kimberly Green. It was written by Kimberly Johnson. This name was also cited in the editorial.
10.20.2014
»
5
TA turned award-winning author Former UTM English TA Helen Marshall on her new book Gifts for the One Who Comes After MARIA RUIZ Publishing is the finish line every aspiring writer aims for—those of us who carry a love of words dream of the day we see our names on the cover of a book. But once it’s achieved, it needs to happen again. For Helen Marshall, this success has become more and more frequent as the years go by. In September, Marshall released her second collection of short stories, Gifts for the One Who Comes After, to a stellar reception by critics. She also earned a doctorate in medieval studies at U of T this past June and has worked as a TA for the campus’s English department. She brings her scholarly background to her fiction to lend some surprising realism to her stories, which are sometimes fantasy and sometimes horror. “Studying the past has definitely shaped the way I approach writing,” Marshall said. “The past is endlessly fascinating and endlessly strange. “Writing the first collection felt like driving in whiteout conditions,” she said about how this experience was different from her debut, and added that she has since learned to navigate the “scary middles” of the
HELEN MARSHALL/PHOTO
Marshall has already been praised by Neil Gaiman for her latest work. writing process. What attracted Marshall to a doctorate at U of T was the Centre for Medieval Studies and the opportunities offered there for close work with medieval manuscripts. “The first time I held a manuscript was electric—touching something
so old and realizing there was still something to be uncovered about it,” she said. She views her work as a literary historian not only as a careful analysis of the past, but also as an act of storytelling, using the physical evidence from different periods to
piece together a story about the generations that have come and gone. “What excites me most about storytelling is finding a way to understand the personal narratives of individual lives against the broader canvas,” she said. Marshall combines her academic work with her
creative work through this interest in how one generation can affect the ones that follow, and the question “What is the nature of the legacy we pass on to our children?” is one she explores in all her work. It’s certainly paid off—Marshall’s work has been very well received in the literary world. The reviews for Gifts so far have been overwhelmingly positive—even garnering praise from Neil Gaiman himself— but the cherry on top for her hard work over the past two years has been winning the British Fantasy Award for Best Newcomer. “It was a tremendous thrill to be up on stage with writers such as Susan Cooper and Neil Gaiman, writers whose imaginations shaped my childhood and adolescence,” Marshall said. “The field of literature has always felt to me like a series of ongoing conversations, and it is amazing to think, ‘Okay, I’m in the game now. Let’s go.’ ” Marshall brings a unique voice to this literary conversation. Her stories delve into worlds in which the supernatural is not only possible, but also commonplace. Marshall continued on page 7
Visual Studies: art through snail mail Pen pal project finally develops a UTM-specific branch, involves canvasboard creativity KAITLYN FERNANDES Over the next couple of weeks, more than 80 UTM students will receive a thoughtful and unique creation in the mail, handmade and shipped right to their doorstep from their very own pen pal. At a time when connections are made in the language of tweets and Facebook pokes, UTM’s Department of Visual Studies Student Society has found a way to allow UTM students to connect through art with the launch of this year’s Pen Pal Project. The project involved multiple stages, the first of which was the pairing up of pen pals using a computer program that randomly matched students, faculty, and alumni to their pen pals. Participants were then invited to pick up a free blank canvas board and an addressed, stamped envelope to send to their pen pal. Finally, participants unleashed their creativity on their canvas boards however they wished. After their drawing, painting, or collage was a complete, participants needed only to drop their envelope in a mailbox and wait for their pen
CHRISTY TAM/THE MEDIUM
The Pen Pal Project allows students to write and send artwork to their pen pals. pal’s masterpiece to arrive. Although the Pen Pal Project is not a new event for the university, it’s still fairly new at UTM. The launch of the U of T Pen Pal Project a few years ago actually included a tri-campus art exchange. However, coordination between the campuses
was difficult, which has finally led to the creation of a UTM-specific initiative. “The idea behind the Pen Pal Project was to create community between people in a way that’s kind of strange and kind of unique, and at the very least create a way to con-
nect with [one another],” said Matthew Morales, fourth-year art and art history student and president of the DVSSS. For UTM students who find the idea of a stranger having access to their address off-putting, DVSSS assures that they never had any issues
involving safety in the past, and that if any should arise, they’re prepared to take action to ensure that all personal information is used appropriately. They added that after the Pen Pal Project is over, all the information gathered from students will be erased from their systems. As a participant in the Pen Pal Project myself, it was the chance to relive my days of faithfully watching Art Attack that got me excited to fill my own canvas board. Taking inspiration from the outdoors, I picked up a leaf on my way home, glued it to my board, and painted a fall landscape around it filled with all the vibrant fall colours of our campus. If the idea of a blank canvas is intimidating to you, Morales suggests finding inspiration from the outdoors, TV, books, or simply what’s on your mind. “DVSSS hopes to show that […] art is accessible and something that everyone can participate in,” he said. Whether you’re an avid artist or a classroom doodler, it might be worth taking a small time-out from your day to get those creative juices flowing before your midterms.
6
«ARTS
THE MEDIUM 10.20.2014
Alice in... erotic fan-fic
Taking on darker projects
narratives that shook my memories from 12 years ago. Dorothy’s story, for instance, tells of her rambunctious sexual encounters with three men working on the farm. The witch is her aunt Em, and the Wizard her “uncle” Henry. (I won’t spoil the rest of the plot for you.) Alice is forced into lesbian prostitution by the Red Queen, and Wendy, the most repressed of the group, tells of her encounter in an English garden with the young Peter Pan. She includes competition with Peter’s beautiful sister Annabel, and her fight with the pedophile Captain Hook. The focus here is on oral storytelling: each woman in turn recounts her tale of sexual exploration and loss of innocence. These narratives are interrupted by all the other sex Wendy, Alice, and Dorothy are having: with each other, with men at the hotel where they’re staying, and with the bellhops. Lost Girls is by no means an example of bad writing, but it is tedious. I found the stories themselves intriguing and provocative but the form too repetitive, especially for such a long book. Moore’s alternative reading of these widely known stories was satisfying because it addressed issues that came to my attention as an adult. For example, I have long questioned Peter Pan and Wendy’s relationship as mother and father to the lost boys as well as Dorothy’s being accompanied on her journey by three very willing men. Though not necessarily the best choice of book to be caught reading on the bus, Lost Girls will easily appeal to artists and graphic novel fans.
Latest film by EDSS TV differs greatly from their last one
KATE CATTELL-DANIELS ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR To say that Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbie’s Lost Girls is only a sex book is, in my mind at least, to subscribe to a very narrow perspective. That doesn’t mean that Lost Girls isn’t about sex—it is. From page one nothing happens except sex. But the difference I found between Lost Girls and straight-up pornography is that there is so much sex that Lost Girls becomes almost comedic, almost self-aware. Lost Girls is highly aware of its content, and spends quite a few chapters poking fun at pornographic magazines. Moore and Gebbie are perhaps the most explicit graphic novelists I’ve encountered. Even in the scheme of the graphic novel genre, which tends to show all the gore and sex it can possibly get away with, you can generally count on a shadow or two to cover any full-frontal nudity. I struggle with sex for sex’s sake. Lost Girls operates first as art and then as story, to the point where some of the panels could easily stand alone as erotic artwork, entirely disconnected from the plot. Moore and Gebbie also play with the media of dialogue and visual art. For instance, there is a scene in which what goes on between the character’s shadows on the wall is an erotic echo of the actual scene between them. The plot is structured around the meeting of the adult versions of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, Wendy from Peter Pan, and Alice from Alice in Wonderland. I was intrigued by the morphing of innocent stories into
MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM
Siddharth Singh and Shaquille Hosein are co-directing the latest EDSS TV film. MARIA CRUZ A&E EDITOR EDSS TV was created earlier this year in March by Siddharth Singh, this year’s president of the English and Drama Student Society, who observed that previous EDSS initiatives only catered to English students. “We have CCIT students doing the technical stuff like lighting and sound, TDS as actors, the English and PWC students write the scripts, and we also have students from cinema studies,” Singh said. “We want a diversity with students.” In this incarnation of a campus TV station, scripts are handed to a panel of EDSS members who all have had previous experience working on short films. The scripts are reviewed and, if they make the cut, undertaken. I was invited to sit down and watch their first day of shooting. A group of about 10 students gathered in the Davis Building to shoot a rather ambiguous scene of dialogue between two young men, one of whom seemed to be going through a particularly rough time. The direction by Singh and Shaquille Hosein was great to see; they were professional but encouraging, and everyone seemed to be having fun between takes but took the project very seriously under the lens. This project is a complete 180 from EDSS TV’s first one. Dry on a Sunday was the initiative’s premiere short film and is described by Singh as a “stoner comedy”. But the recent untitled script deals with a student on the brink of suicide after the death of his girlfriend causes his depression. The film was actually drafted just over three years ago by Hosein. “At the time, I wanted to write about the story of a man who intended on killing himself and how his last day would play out before being prevented from doing what
he wanted to do,” he says. “Personvs.-self conflicts really appeal to me more than anything because I’ve always been fascinated with exploring and analyzing different mindsets.” “We often see friends depressed or sad and don’t actually make it better. We ask them if they’re okay and then that’s it,” Singh added. “He’s suicidal but his friends don’t know.” In order to tackle the heavy content, Singh and Hosein needed to prepare themselves and their lead actor, Mohammed. “We explained to [the actors] the weight of the story and for the longest time we were going to the psychology department for information on body language and speech of a depressed person and used this for dialogue,” Singh says. “That’s why we have pauses in some of the lines. We used this to tell our actors how to say their lines and what their facial expressions should be.”
The recent untitled script deals with a student on the brink of suicide after the death of his girlfriend causes his depression. Singh went on to say that through this method, members of the crew were nearly brought to tears during the improved performances. “These members are people who had seen these takes being done before so this isn’t something that should theoretically affect them,” Singh says. “But it just shows Mohammed’s talent when he performs.” Hosein was also the winner of last year’s UTM Film Festival Viewer’s Choice Award for Crave. He also won Best Screenplay at the U of T Film Festival for The Invitation, which went on to win the
Best Film Award at the Mississauga Youth Film Festival. “I started directing my own films and began taking the craft seriously after grade 10, when a friend of mine approached me with an idea of collaborating to create a zombie film. Although the film was scrapped after the script was completed, the idea of creating something from nothing and being excited about working with friends really drove me to pursue it further,” Hosein says. “As a director, I feel that over the years I’ve improved in terms of understanding how to properly prepare for a film shoot, whether it be with organization or management. Gone are the days of working with just a couple of friends on a school project. Now I’m living in a time where film crews are much, much larger and mistakes cannot be made.” He said he would have advised his younger self to share his work with the world earlier and to not be afraid. “There was a gap of almost an entire year when I wasn’t comfortable sharing what I had made in fear of my videos not being good enough,” he says. “When I finally shared my work, people loved it, and in the end, filmmaking is all about entertaining others, right?” Hosein and Singh hope that they will finish shooting by the end of the month and premiere the film at the UTM Film Festival this February. EDSS TV also plans to send out films to other festivals, including the Toronto Youth Film Festival, Mississauga Youth Film Festival, and the Hart House Film Fest. Meanwhile, UTM/TV has also been more active recently. Control of the video production group was transferred to the DEM Society in October 2012, and they are currently producing a “UTM Talks” series. EDSS’s last attempt at video production, WebTV with the series “PranksNews”, has not been updated since April.
10.20.2014 THE MEDIUM ARTS» 7
Marshall merges fantasy with history Marshall continued from page 5 Often in her stories, the supernatural takes a turn into dark, murky waters and explores a side of the genre that leaves behind the good-natured fairies and magic and dives into more sinister happenings. “I suppose I’ve always been attracted to the fantastic,” Marshall said. “When I was a child, I devoured books about mythology and fairy tales. […] It wasn’t until I began to work as an editor for the Toronto press ChiZine Publications that I became fascinated with the darker side of the myths.” These influences are evident in Marshall’s work; stories like “The Hanging Game” and “Crossroads and Gateways” have a mythic feel to them, and many of her stories feature children learning to deal with the world around them and encountering the supernatural in some way that will profoundly impact them. She doesn’t shy away from the dark and gritty, either. Underneath it all, however, are recognizable themes anyone can relate to. “What has always excited me about fantasy and horror is that they aim to evoke wonder and awe, they try to find a way to open us up to the possibility of a world which is larger and more complicated […] than we see in our daily lives,” she said. “I believe that sense of openness to the possibility of the universe is something that readers carry away.”
Trying to ask questions, for Marshall, lies at the heart of her writing process. “I typically like to come up with an idea that sounds very silly […] and then I try to explore the real-world consequences of that impossible premise,” she said. Her work is just as much characterized by the undeniable realism of her characters and her worlds as by the bizarre events or objects in and around them. “The hardest thing about writing is forcing yourself to sit in front of a blank page without knowing how you will fill it,” she said, adding that most crucial thing is to find ways to overcome this fear. “But writing is still tricky. It never stops being tricky. And it never stops being scary. I just try to remind myself, on the bad days, that showing up is enough […] and if it doesn’t work today I’ll still be able to take a crack at writing tomorrow.” Marshall’s most important message for young writers looking to get published and feeling discouraged about it was to keep returning to the blank page. “Write funny stuff. Write sad stuff. Write happy stuff. Write weird stuff,” she said. “Finish what you start. You may not realize it, but there is a gift in writing when no one is paying attention. You can make mistakes and no one knows. So make every mistake you can because that’s how you’ll get better. And then start sending it out into the world.”
Four laureates at once Students get a night of poetry and jazz, almost free SHALINI NANAYAKKARA A buzzing crowd entered the Robert Gill Theatre on October 8, prepared for three hours of music, song, and poetry at the “Four Laureates” fundraiser for United Way of Toronto, sponsored by the Drama Centre. The focus on Canadian art culture was very well done, the quaint little stage stocked with a wooden piano, a double bass, and a jazz trumpet, and zero indication of which members of the crowd were the poets. Indeed, the audience seemed very cultured, with a pleasant mix of venerable seniors and fresh-faced students. The lights dimmed, and the MC introduced himself as Greg Gatenby, the author of Toronto: A Literary Guide, and gave a fascinating background of poetry in Toronto. “The fact that we even have a poet laureate is a miracle,” he said, recalling a time when raunchy plays and poetry recitation near public statues meant arrests for the artists. He promised the audience “a night of poetry, music, and a few surprises”, and the show began. Now, when the MC said “a few surprises”, I thought that meant signed book giveaways. I was later proven wrong. It started with Terry Burns, the fourth poet laureate of Owen Sound. She began as many poets do: ethereal, deliberate, and articulate. With “Road Hockey”, she presented herself as a sophisticated lyricist and with “Waylaid”, a Gatsby-like romanticist. The accompaniment by the jazz band Aurochs was occasionally overpowering but pleasant even so. But the most musically striking of her poems was “An Atheist’s Song of Faith”, in which she punctuated every verse with a few soprano lines of a hymn, substantiat-
ing the juxtaposition of attachment to religious experience despite unbelief. Then enter Dennis Lee, Toronto’s first poet laureate (2001–4), who amped up the energy with air guitar, dancing, and audience participation. The laughter as the crowd shouted back the refrain “Strumming on my air guitar!”—purportedly a translation of a Franz Schubert piece— was electrifying. After the startling poem “Coming Becomes You”, he performed the lengthy “Testament”, about climate change, accompanied by intentional discordance by the band to create an uncomfortable atmosphere.
I wasn’t expecting such a mischievous, rebellious, and revolutionary attitude to poetry recitation. After Lee, the rose-patterned man I had spotted earlier in the crowd stumbled on stage. Pier Giorgio di Cicco was an endearingly casual performer, muttering, “Did I write this?” as he shuffled through his papers. He also stated firmly that he abhorred technology (he called me out on my Snapchatting before the show), evening tossing his own phone away when it suddenly rang mid-performance. But his poetry was nothing to be messed with. “No wonder they believed in two or three gods,” the Toronto poet laureate of 2004-2009 recited in the beat-like and insightful “Married to God”, before going into a Leonard Cohenesque semi-musical performance with the jazz band. Capping off the night were the antics of present poet laureate George
Elliot Clarke. And I say antics in the most admiring and affectionate way, because there’s no other way to describe his playful poems that exalted good times, black pride, and the importance of truth. With poems like “4.3”, where the refrain was “BLACK! is the best chocolate, best sex / BLACK! is glass splinters up your sphincter / BLACK! your ass, your morals”, and other song-poems based around repeated keywords, Clarke proved that you can be clever and bawdy at the same time. The crowd, so filled with those venerable seniors, seemed to have little objection. Towards the end he performed “IX/XI”, which if you can read Roman numerals is “9/11”, a solemn poem that jibed surprisingly with the upbeat excitement of the band. The surprise was the last performance of the night, an impromptu rendition of Clarke’s “Everything Is Free” that included all four laureates at once with the band, having had no rehearsal. Lee danced and threw in a piano riff or two, Burns contributed some wonderful vocal harmonies, and di Cicco grooved on his trumpet while the audience clapped along. It really felt like we were contributing something to the art. Nestled for three hours in a little upstairs theatre (at the downtown U of T Bookstore), I certainly wasn’t expecting such a mischievous, rebellious, and revolutionary attitude to poetry recitation. I talked about it with Clarke during the casual refreshment period, and we agreed that the event fit in well with the trending slam scene, or as he put it, the “rediscovery” of the genre. It is through breaking barriers, breaking expectations, and honouring our human emotions that we can connect with the current Canadian cultural movement.
Discover your options. Emma Gavey PhD candidate, Chemistry. Goal: Improve health care.
Apply for Graduate Studies. brocku.ca/nextstep
For both sides of the brain. Brock University | Niagara | Canada
8
«
10.20.2014
Every obstacle is an opportunity Rabia Khedr, activist and city councillor candidate, never let disability get in the way of change ANDREEA MIHAI The Medium spoke to Rabia Khedr, UTM alumna and candidate for Ward 6 City Councillor for Mississauga in the upcoming municipal elections. Khedr has chaired the City of Mississauga Accessibility Advisory Board for the past eight years. In 2002, Khedr launched her own consulting business, Diversityworx. In 2010, while raising four teenagers and running various non-profits, Khedr went back to school at York to get her MA. A blind Muslim woman of South Asian descent, Khedr is a big believer that every obstacle is an opportunity. The Medium: Why did you choose to come to UTM? RK: I’ve lived most of my life in Mississauga. UTM was small, it was cozy, and it was easy to get to. I had friends going there. […] For somebody with a disability, it was easier for me than managing the massive downtown campus. Back then, there were only three buildings to bother with. TM: What was your experience at UTM? What challenges did you face? RK: I had to depend on a com-
YOUTUBE.COM/RABIAKHEDR/PHOTO
Khedr believes her time as an undergrad at UTM was personally and professionally important. puter as an accommodation. There was technology available to me in a designated space in the library. I had a Kurzweil scanner, which would read out print, and a computer that allowed me to make the print larger on the screen. Technology enabled me to com-
plete my education successfully. However, equipment across the board on campus was not accessible to me. I couldn’t just use any computer in a computer science lab. I couldn’t just use any library system to search for books independently. I built some wonderful friend-
ships. It’s not just what you learn in the lectures and in the papers you write—the social atmosphere on campus really helps you mould and discover who you are. Those years at university were really pivotal in my life, really brought me forward in knowing who I am, what I stand for,
and what I want to do with my future. [Khedr explains that she wanted a job in HR after she graduated and ended up working on a project with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which exposed her to the training and development side of human resources. Along the way, she got married and had her first child. Her contract ended around the same time. After a maternity leave period, Khedr found a job at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.] I had always said that I had enough of a disability personally that I wasn’t going to make a profession out of it, but I guess this was my calling. TM: What led you to start your own consulting company? RK: I worked for an agency that provided employment services early on, but I really felt I wasn’t having the impact I wanted to have directly on the lives of people. That job was too bureaucratic, so I quit it. That’s when I started my consulting company and launched a couple of not-for-profits to raise awareness of inclusion and accessibility. Khedr continued on page 9
eSports phenomenon comes to Ontario What started with a group of friends from high school has grown into a successful start-up MADELEINE BROWN FEATURES EDITOR I am not a video gamer. Let me put it in perspective: my gaming experience ranges from The Sims 2 (with about every expansion pack possible) and Game Boy Colour Pokémon Yellow to Donkey Kong 64 and Spyro the Dragon on the PS2. Basically, I was all over video games circa early 2000 with an older brother (an ’80s baby) guiding the way. That said, I’m friends with gamers, and looking at UTM’s course offerings I’m aware that the phenomenon is only growing as a form of narrative and, apparently, as a professional sport. Right on trend, eSports Gaming Events was formed a few years back in Windsor by a group of eight friends who played video games together through high school. The event company organizes tournaments for PC and console games throughout the province with onsite and online spectators. Where does UTM come into this? A member of the class of 2014 who graduated with an English specialist and professional writing minor, now a law student at McGill, Chris Laliberte is eSports Gaming’s editor-in-chief.
EGEOFFICIAL.COM/PHOTO
Aside from competitors, eSports Gaming Events also attract plenty of spectators to their events. Laliberte has had an interest in video games from a young age. “Growing up, I either had a video game or a book in my hand,” he says. He too realized that the video game industry was picking up. It was engaging an increasing number of people, attracting sponsorships, and becoming genuinely lucrative. He wanted to get involved. Thanks to putting in time over the summers of his under-
graduate degree, Laliberte wrapped up classes last December and, finding that he had some time on his hands, remembered this group of eight from high school. He checked out eSports Gaming’s website and saw an opportunity to develop their blog. Now he oversees a body of writers who attend their events and edits their coverage, and also contributes a monthly (sometimes bimonthly) feature.
This founding body of eight friends established a gaming club at Windsor University as undergraduates, for which they organized regular events and tournaments. They realized that they were turning a profit and decided to take a shot at a start-up. Since then that eight has become four and is now under the direction of CEO Shaun Byrne. Laliberte provided an overview
of competitive video gaming from a global perspective. Canada’s enthusiasm for the sport doesn’t compare to its popularity in China, South Korea, and the United States. Apparently, the US passed legislatures in 2013 to recognize League of Legends players as professional athletes. There are even scholarships for top gamers. After all, he says, some of the industry’s greatest are in fact high school students. (Or maybe this isn’t a surprise when I think back to the hours my high school guy friends spent gaming.) Meanwhile, streaming platforms such as Twitch have replaced TV as the main source of media consumption, having sold out 10,000-people stadiums to watch gamers compete. I have to ask Laliberte, though: can professional gaming exist on the same level as traditional pro sports? He defines sport as a “contest of athleticism and strategy” and argues that competitive video games fit this definition. They include a real-time element with such games as League of Legends and Call of Duty. They require communication, hand-eye coordination, and teamwork.
eSports continued on page 9
10.20.2014 THE MEDIUM FEATURES» 9
Shout-out to gamers Ask First over Green Dot eSports continued from page 8 What sets a professional gamer apart from any old amateur? According to Laliberte, they play a lot and live for the sport. Like you might say of any Olympic athlete, they make up a small portion of the population. They recognize their own faults, can focus on self-improvement, and never shy away from failure. A professional gamer reviews footage and may play for eight to 10 hours a day. ZionSpartan (the handle of Darshan Upadhyaya) is an example of an extraordinary gamer. “He’s been playing pro since during his final year of high school,” says Laliberte. “Even his teachers call him ZionSpartan.” However, Laliberte admits that despite the industry’s growth, it isn’t always possible to survive financially solely as a professional gamer. Teams that qualify for leagues hosted by gaming companies may receive a small salary. Otherwise, the majority of a gamer’s earnings come from sponsorships, event prizes, and streaming. The streaming platform Twitch generates ad revenue and also attracts viewers who can pay subscription fees for things like removing the ads. The platform allows gamers to receive donations as well. At this point, the most a gamer can earn annually might be around six figures—not a shabby income by any means, but not common in the industry. Laliberte also mentioned an incident in which donations became competitive and a gamer earned $50,000 over the course of an hour. There’s plenty of opportunity for
students to get in on the game. Laliberte said there will likely be a series of small qualifying tournaments in Internet cafes across the GTA and suggests keeping an eye on their website and social media pages, and signing up for the e-newsletter to get updates on their upcoming Toronto events. For now, the next confirmed event is a qualifier in London, Ontario in partnership with Project Play on November 23. After the series of qualifiers, there’ll be a provincial championship to determine the best team and individual player of each game (League of Legends, Dota 2, and Super Smash Brothers Melee) in May 2015 with up to $2,000 in prizes. It’s still early in the season, with only two qualifiers having occurred so far. Now two years old, eSports Gaming dreams of hosting a Canadawide tournament someday. Laliberte imagines that as they continue to build interest, receive sponsorships, and develop a small capital, they can develop branches elsewhere in the country and eventually realize this ambition. Putting the future aside for a minute, Laliberte told me his personal favourite game is Dark Souls, and that as far as competitive games go, it’s without a doubt League of Legends. For me, it’s probably a tie between Crazy Taxi and my dear Spyro (up until I hid it from my sister in my sock drawer and never found it again). It looks like I might have a little catching up to do if I ever want to find myself competing in an eSports event. For now, I’m happy just watching.
SAMINA SULTANA UTM has recently shifted away from the Green Dot campaign dedicated to teaching bystanders about the choices they can make and techniques they can use to decrease incidents of violence on and off campus. The university’s assault counsellor, Cheryl Champagne, learned about the program when researching violence reduction strategies in higher education, and UTM implemented it in January 2013. Champagne’s goal was to provide training “to learn how to recognize power-based personal violence, some of the risky situations, and also understand and appreciate what our obstacles are”. The Health and Counselling Centre, Campus Police, and the departments of Student Housing and Residence Life and Physical Health and Education supported the program. However, more recently, UTM switched to Ask First, which focuses on consent to sexual activity, which is emphasized as not only intercourse but also touching, kissing, and the like. “Green Dot experienced significant successes in residence regarding awareness and skills related
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION EVENT MANAGEMENT FASHION MANAGEMENT & PROMOTIONS FINANCIAL PLANNING GLOBAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT MARKETING MANAGEMENT PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
business.humber.ca/postgrad
“It is not uncommon that after a number of years with one program we find that another program resonates more with our students.” According to Chad Jankowski, the health education coordinator at the HCC, Ask First is also coordinated by the assault counselling and education department, as Green Dot was. The HCC also helps promote the campaign in its materials and outreach events. Meanwhile, at the St. George
campus Green Dot has been replaced with Draw the Line, which focusses on sexual violence against women, including empowering everyone to identify and prevent it. “It is not uncommon that after a number of years with one program, we find that another program resonates more with our students,” said Lucy Fromowitz, assistant VP of the Department of Student Life at St. George, in relation to the shift. A third of Canadian women experiencing some form of sexual violence during their lifetime, and the Ontario-developed campaign encourages individuals to speak up. The website features examples of how to “draw the line”, whether it concerns a person of authority, domestic partner, societal norm, online harassment, or other situation, and provides resources for people experiencing sexual violence to get assistance. “Students are engaged in this serious issue and we work with our students to ensure that the programming we deliver resonates with them, and has meaning to them,” said Fromowitz. Time will tell whether these programs have a similar impact or greater longevity at UTM and the rest of the university.
Khedr credits family, faith, and ethics with inspiring her work Khedr continued from page 8
ADVERTISING – MEDIA MANAGEMENT
to the prevention of power-based personal violence,” said Christopher Lengyell, assistant director of residence life. “Now with the implementation of the Ask First campaign we have begun to explore further opportunities to engage students in conversations around consent. For example, […] we included Dissolve, a one-woman play about sexual assault, as a component of our residence orientation and the event was very well attended.”
RK: Diversityworx, my business, is strictly about offering services to governments and to non-profits, to organizations, and to corporations—to look at their organization and see how they can enhance accessibility and inclusion for everybody, around culture, faith, gender, disability, et cetera. I did research projects accordingly. [Khedr explains that as an activist, she took part in founding and operating CAM-D, the Canadian Association of Muslims with Disabilities.] Our goal was to really engage communities that haven’t been engaged in advancing community accessibility issues. Cultural communities and faith communities do a lot of work, give a lot of resources toward work that improves the lives of people, and leverage those resources to improving the lives of people with disabilities. TM: How did you choose the nonprofit organizations you’re part of? RK: If I come across an issue that I can have impact on, I will organize, I will mobilize people, and we will do something about it. I’m a big believer in every obstacle is an opportunity. No barrier has to remain there. I’m an optimist/realist. I put my words into actions. I don’t take no for an answer. TM: Why did you go back to school to get a MA? How was the experience different from UTM? RK: Because I was going to lectures in the MA program anyway
with my BA, I decided it was time to turn it into a degree. Also, as someone who is blind, it’s very difficult for me to get materials that are professional or academic in a format that I can read. Going to university and enrolling in a program would allow me that kind of access. So I said, let me do it, it’s going to force me to read more and write more, give me the credentials I need. I have the expertise because of the work I’ve done around disability rights, but it’s also important to balance that out with a degree. It’s activism to be able to do research on the issues that matter to me, and develop those academic skills to do research that is credible. Materials were a lot more accessible to me. I was not waiting two months into the course to get my reading materials. That was a huge difference. There was a lot more understanding on behalf of the system and within the university setting about people with disabilities and accommodations. TM: How did you make up your mind to run as candidate? RK: This is not a career move; as an activist, this is where I feel I need to be, to be a role model to women, to women with disabilities, or persons with disabilities, and to kids from immigrant communities. It’s really important to feel that you can break through barriers and you can seize opportunities and foster a culture of belonging at a grassroots level. All Mississaugans need to see themselves reflected and respected within city hall. TM: What advice do you have for
UTM students with disabilities? RK: Keep pursuing your education; you have to be better educated, more skilled, and more experienced than able-bodied people in order to get and keep a job. Never give up and definitely keep focused on developing skills and abilities and showcasing those skills and abilities to people out there to make your mark. TM: Looking at all your achievements, why and how do you think you accomplished them? What drove you and who supported you through everything? RK: My parents gave me room to do whatever I needed to do. That made it a lot easier for me. I think a big part of it was knowing who I am, being very clear and firm in my identity. That’s my identity as a racialized woman, a woman with a disability, and a woman who is Muslim and who is visible about it. My faith, my ethics, my vision for the future has been a big part of my ability to move forward, and of course, the people in my life: my family, my husband, my friends. We don’t live in a bubble; it’s not just me, me, me being able to do all this— we are in it together. It’s mutually helping each other to achieve those goals. I’ve had people in my life who have inspired me to go after my dreams, and in turn, I’ve inspired others to not take no for an answer and to follow their dreams. This interview has been edited for length.
10
«FEATURES
THE MEDIUM 10.20.2014
Walk this way with me Discover what UTM’s WalkSafers get up to on the average shift OBAID SAID As I made my way to the Campus Police headquarters, I was greeted by Dario Cervoni, the assistant manager of Campus Police Services at UTM. With a warm greeting, he walked me to his office to discuss the Walksafer program. His sincerity and unmistakable presence later reminded me of the qualities of the program itself. Cervoni eagerly explained the details and motives of the Walksafer program. “Back in 1996, this was a project that was implemented [partly] by Student Services […] to provide an extra sense of safety and security for those people that are here in the evening [and] during the weekdays that want to have someone walk with them,” he said. The program is mainly funded by Student Services, but Campus Police manages the organization, training, and facilitation. Following my interview with Cervoni, I had the chance to go on a walk with two Walksafer employees. We met at the Meeting Place in Davis at 8 p.m.. Sukhpal Kaur, a fourth-year humanities student and an employee of two years with the program, and Kevin Liu, a second-year political science student on his second day of the job, accompanied me. They and other walkers always wear bright yellow vests with reflectors; they carry a flashlight, an employee cellphone, and
a walkie-talkie directly connected to Campus Police. Walkers always work in pairs with one female and one male, and there are 10 walkers in the program so far. We comfortably strolled through the Davis Building towards the Student Centre, walked around Deerfield Hall, and finished by passing through the Instructional Building to the library. I felt safer in the presence of two other UTM students, and it helped to know that they had a direct link to Campus Police. Though the campus was quiet and students were walking freely, the fear of unknown danger can be felt in the darker parts of campus, and you often feel more vulnerable when walking alone.
“If a predator would come out [and] there’s no place for a person to go, what are you going to do?” For those at UTM who walk through campus late at night, especially around the residences, the underground and outside parking lots, and the dark underground hallways of Davis, the Walksafer program can act as a convenient and friendly insurance for your own safety. Even if there’s no immediate danger around you, you
still get peace of mind and comfort. “If a predator would come out [and] there’s no place for a person to go, what are you going to do? You have to have Walksafer people, especially in later times at night,” said fourth-year psychology student Ridwan Baka. The general feedback from UTM students is that it’s a necessary service; however, many find that access to it is lacking. Second-year political science student Mustapha Hashi held this opinion. “You don’t see it around anywhere,” he said. “It doesn’t say ‘Walksafer program—call this number.’ ” “A lot of people […] hear about it because there’s posters, there’s tabling, there’s Campus Police who have been promoting, but people don’t know exactly how to use it,” said Kaur. “They don’t necessarily know what the phone number is.” However, as Liu pointed out, calling is not the only way that you can use the service. You can simply flag a walker down and they will happily escort you. I think the program has the potential to grow. It also pays the students who work in it, feeding even its funding back into the community. If we all had a friend as part of the program, it would become even more of a communal atmosphere. That number, by the way, is 905607-SAFE (7233). Students can also call Campus Police at 905-828-5200 or visit their office in Davis 3116.
Each week, The Medium chats with a
cal Studies shares her love of soups
UTM professor or professional staff
with Blackboard Special this week. “I
about one of their favourite recipes.
love soups, especially in cool weather,
It’s midterm season and as we all
and this soup [recipe below] is very
know, our focus tends to shift from
good when you’re feeling the shorten-
eating healthy and regular meals to
ing of days,” she says. “With its bright
upcoming deadlines and test dates.
colour and flavours, it’s like having
Of course, Mother Nature doesn’t
sunshine in a bowl.”
help us out by lining up the arrival of
Cowan explains that the soup is
fall and shorter days with this time of
also easy to make in large batches
year. If you dare to counteract these
and suitable for many people since it
forces of nature (academic ones in-
happens to be vegan and gluten-free.
cluded) and stand up against another
“I have fed it to TAs while they were
day of random snacks you find at the
grading final exams, so I like to think
bottom of your backpack or buying
that the deliciousness of this soup
lunch on campus for the umpteenth
has already benefited UTM students,”
time—what can and should you eat?
she adds.
Perfectly timed to suit those mid-
If it’s done the trick for Cowan and
dle-of-the-term blues, Professor Mairi
TAs alike, then why “rewrite history”?
Cowan of the Department of Histori-
Get peeling instead!
Sweet Potato Orange Soup with Maple Syrup Adapted from Rose Reisman’s Rose Reisman’s Light Vegetarian Cooking SERVES 4 TO 6 INGREDIENTS
minutes more. 2.Add sweet potatoes and stock.
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) corn oil • 2–3 cloves of garlic, minced
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat
• 1 onion, chopped
to medium-low, cover, and cook for
• 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and
about 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft.
chopped
3.While soup is cooking, remove zest
• 4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock
from two oranges and set aside.
• 3 bay leaves • grated zest of 2 oranges
(Note: Do not use the peel of the or-
• juice from 2 oranges
ange, only the zest.) Collect the juice from these oranges and set aside.
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) maple syrup (or
4.Once sweet potatoes are soft, re-
more, to taste) • salt and pepper
move bay leaves from the soup and
METHOD
discard. Add orange zest and orange
1.Heat oil over medium heat. Add bay leaves and onions. Cook for a few minutes. Add garlic. Cook for a few
juice. Purée the soup until smooth. 5.Add maple syrup, salt, and pepper to taste. Thin the soup if desired.
#Ivotebecause 1st P rize $2,00 0
Tell us why you vote and you could win!
mississaugavotes.ca to learn more.
10.20.2014
»
11
What it takes to make a varsity team Coaches Yearwood and Brown on the players they’re looking for on UTM’s new teams JASON COELHO SPORTS EDITOR Students who are yearning for the opportunity to represent UTM as the Varsity Eagles may be wondering what it’ll take to don the blue, white, and silver and step onto the field. Two of the newest varsity coaches, Robert Brown and Damian Yearwood, are here to give us a better idea. Brown will be leading the first year of the Varsity Eagles men’s indoor soccer team in winter tournaments starting in January 2015, while Yearwood will be doing the same with the women’s indoor soccer team. This is a new level of competition for both coaches, but with years of experience under their belts, both feel ready to help UTM blossom in the OCAA. Damian Yearwood is a former UTM student who began coaching in 2005 for the women’s Division 2 soccer team. After getting his foot in the door with UTM soccer, Yearwood went on to build his coaching résumé by managing every level of both men’s and women’s soccer at UTM, including tri-campus, Division 1, and Division 2. Yearwood was named coach of the year three times, and enters his ninth year as a UTM soccer coach with the Varsity Eagles.
MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM
Robert Brown (right) and Damian Yearwood will coach men’s and women’s varsity indoor soccer. Yearwood understands that the level of play in varsity will be a drastic change from intramurals. “It will be a pretty significant jump in quality compared to the level we play at now,” he says. He understands the demands that student athletes will be facing with their academic schedules, but is also aware of the amount of time other
teams in the OCAA spend practising and training. “[Students] will be expected to be leaders on campus, which means taking on leadership, training courses, volunteering, and fundraising for their respective teams,” he says. Robert Brown has been with UTM since 2008, coaching women’s and men’s teams at the tri-campus and Di-
vision 1 level. Brown believes that the commitment of team management and players is important in creating a successful program that can compete with the best of the OCAA. “I’m looking for smart players who work hard,” he says. “Talent is obviously a given, but I will pick a hardworking smart player over a talented lazy player any day.”
Yearwood echoes Brown’s “smart player” sentiment and adds, “Ultimately, we are looking for people who are self-motivated.” Yearwood looks for the same quality in his staff that he does in his players and has assembled a staff made up solely of UTM alumni, including assistant coach Nik Pavic, team manager Diane Fric, and athletic trainer Nourus Yacoub. The indoor soccer tryouts will begin November 18 for both the men’s and women’s teams. Yearwood states that a typical tryout for a prospective Varsity Eagle will be less structured than the team practices and will involve a full-field game where players will have the opportunity to showcase their skills. There will be four opportunities for players to demonstrate their skills before being selected for the team. UTM has attended OCAA tournaments in the past, so the coaches and some of the players have an idea of what to expect in terms of competition. Although there is some familiarity with teams and their playstyles, the hope for UTM’s first foray into the OCAA is to start building the Eagles program.
Varsity continued on page 12
Inside the life of Rotman returns to UTM Eagles fall to Rotman in a rematch of last year’s Div 1 final a student athlete ERIC HEWITSON ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR Being a U of T student athlete is a title that I see as an honour and a privilege. Even though the two words contradict one another on many occasions, it’s a challenge that I take on with appreciation and happiness. I have had the opportunity of holding the kicking position for the Varsity Blues football program for the past three years now, a position that I take very seriously and sometimes put above my “student” title. In grade 12 I received a call from the university’s head coach at the time, asking me what my marks were. I told him that I have a 74% average and even though my marks weren’t as good as other high school students applying to get into the same humanities program, I received an acceptance for my athletic ability. The athletic department had me accepted into UTM, where I now study English and professional writing with the hope of pursuing a future career in writing. Athletes seem to prioritize their role on the team, which for me was the case initially, but as I made my way
through my first year of university I realized the emphasis on academics at UTM and discovered that my new role as a student was of equal importance. Firstly, every athlete must complete three credits every year to have the opportunity to play again the following year. They must also maintain a 2.1 GPA to keep themselves off a list that would require them to report to academic supervisors that follow their progress and achievements to ensure they stay eligible and pass the minimum required credits. Even though for many students that are primarily academic, a 2.1 GPA is an embarrassment, it isn’t very hard to find yourself in a sticky situation when you’re on an athletic team. Personally, I put in approximately 48 hours a week into football, for things like the dreadful shuttle bus ride to St. George for practice, the hours of meetings needed to prepare for practice and games, and the three-hour practices and games each week. It seems impossible to find time to study during 10 weeks of the year. Athlete continued on page 12
CALEB SUI/PHOTO
Rotman’s defensive prowess once again proved too difficult for the Eagles to overcome. FERGUS TALBOT ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR WITH NOTES FROM JASON COELHO SPORTS EDITOR The revamped Division 1 UTM Eagles basketball team played their third game of the season on Wednesday against reigning champs Rotman A in a rematch of the 2013/14 final in which UTM White fell 62-75. The Eagles were sporting a 2-0 record before Wednesday’s tilt with
hopes of revenge against Rotman, who came to UTM territory to beat them in a heartbreaking final. Despite the Eagles’ hopes, the talented Rotman team edged UTM yet again, winning 81-86. Rotman’s 6’9” big man Duncan Milne singlehandedly beat UTM back in March with a stellar performance on offence and defence, scoring 27 points and blocking anything that came towards the Rotman net. Milne was in fine form yet again Thursday, securing 26 of his team’s points. UTM was unable to find a shoot-
ing rhythm in the first half of the game. UTM’s Zamam Khan found his way to the free throw line early in the game, but the team had difficulty scoring with Rotman’s defence constantly pressuring them, whereas Rotman had no trouble. Baris Ondul was the secondary scoring outlet for Rotman A after Milne, bagging two back-to-back three-pointers and increasing the team’s lead. Eagles continued on page 12
12
«SPORTS
THE MEDIUM 10.20.2014
Athletics narrowly edges out school Athlete continued from page 11 Besides the academics, there’s a financial burden that comes along with playing on the team. Every football player has to pay a minimum of $450 each year to participate, which for some students isn’t manageable. There are players on the team who have to hold part-time jobs, even during the athletic season, to pay the minimum deposits required both to study at the university and to play on the Blues.
Yes, you learn a lot as a student, but how much can you get from a textbook or a classroom? Many student athletes would agree that their classes, essays, tests, and exams become exhausting—the stress builds to a point where they feel like they can’t take it anymore. Imagine going through your class schedule, but devoting seven hours a day to a sport that demands excellence. Coaches expect 100% effort
from every player who steps onto the field, but to bring that kind of effort leads to exhaustion. Besides the burdens of academics and finances associated with an athlete at the university, there are tremendous bright spots that keep us coming back for more. I feel as if I have learned values and lessons that I would not have learned in the classroom, at such an influential point in my life. I have met fine individuals who teach me how to interact with adults and peers on a professional level, working as a team striving for a particular goal. Being a part of a team has taught me what it means to belong to a brotherhood. The love in a locker room is unconditional and genuine. My perseverance in sport has taught me lessons that will help me in life—time management above all else. Yes, you learn a lot as a student, but how much can you get from a textbook or a classroom? Sport has taught me more about life than anything else: that even when you fail a test you can still accomplish something great, and that the hundreds of people on your side will remember your name for the rest of their lives.
Playing on varsity Varsity continued from page 11 Students may be disappointed by the fact that UTM won’t be participating in a full season of play, but the intention of the phys ed department is to avoid throwing players into a forum they were not ready to compete in. Tournaments allow students to wet their feet before participating in league sports. “We have a five-year plan that we believe in, and we have faith in our building process,” says Yearwood, referring to the OCAA varsity plan outlined by varsity program coordinator Jack Krist.
At the moment, the plan is to take a core group of players from UTM’s tri-campus level along with any newcomers eager to display their talent on our biggest sports stage. Although the program is young, the coaches will be preparing student athletes for the future of UTM’s participation in the OCAA. The practices, competition, and expectations will be far more demanding than ever before, but hopefully once the varsity teams start rolling out over the next five years, UTM will be able to look back at where it began and where it’s going.
UTSC edges UTM, 3-2
ZARA RIZWAN/PHOTO
UTM holds a 2-2 record with two games remaining in the season. SIHAN ZHENG UTM hosted UTSC in intramural women’s soccer Wednesday night at South Field, the first game of a double-header with the men’s intramural soccer team playing immediately after. This game is the third game of the season, and the UTM women are up against UTSC, a team that has not yet lost this season. UTM came out with a traditional back four and two strikers up front in a 4-4-2 formation. They played fluidly, with the midfielders dropping back and pushing forward when needed. UTM threatened early with a corner leading to a shot on target, but it was shot directly at the goalkeeper. UTM followed up with another great opportunity near the end of the game. UTM dominated possession early in the game, easily outshooting UTSC. UTSC was forced to counter on the wings, giving UTM quite a bit of trouble as UTM’s back line often pushed forward to support the attack. UTSC struck early, scoring a screamer from outside the box at a very difficult angle. Whereas UTM relied heavily on short, quick passing,
UTSC focused on the long ball with great success. The wet conditions stifled UTM’s passing and caused great difficulties for UTM’s finishing. UTSC played quite physically, forcing physiotherapist Dr. Nourus Yacoub onto the field multiple times. Just before halftime, UTSC scored a second goal in a confused melee when the UTM goalkeeper was drawn out too early. Heading into the second half down two goals, UTM made some changes. UTSC was dominating the wings and the midfield moved from a diamond formation to three in the middle with no wingers. The midfield moved to a more box-to-box playmaking role, freeing up the forwards to press forward earlier and faster. UTSC also stepped up their offence in the second half; their forwards had more flexibility to move up and down the full length of the field, and their playmaking really stepped up a notch as they shot more, from more dangerous positions, in the second half. UTM finally scored in the 50th minute. Attacking midfielder Christina Rico played a brilliant through ball in the 57th minute that led to for-
ward Chantel Pandeirada tapping in the ball in the resulting scuffle, pulling UTM within one goal of UTSC. A few minutes later, UTSC managed to score a total fluke goal on a cross attempt, making the score 3-1 UTSC. UTM switched to a back three with an extra forward in an attempt to chase a late goal. Finally, UTM pulled within one goal again towards the end of the game on a UTSC own goal. Unfortunately, that was the last goal of the match. Despite some brilliant opportunities in the last few minutes, UTM was unable to score that equalizer. The final score was 3-2 in favour of UTSC. Coach Damian Yearwood remained upbeat. “Tough loss? Bad luck. We played very well despite not getting the goals we deserved,” he said. The team performed admirably and created many dangerous chances. UTSC simply had better finishing with their long shots. They only managed one more shot than UTM, and despite the loss the UTM women never looked overmatched. The UTM women will play their next game against UTSC at the Scarborough campus on October 26.
“Dunking” Milne stops UTM Eagles start the season off 2-1 in hopes of returning to final Eagles continued from page 11 Near the end of the first half, Milne once again made it known why he’s the leader of his team, walking through a weary UTM defence and slamming in an emphatic dunk. The second half showed a determined UTM team playing at a quicker tempo and finding ways to get the open shot. Unfortunately for the home team, their shots flew everywhere in the court except into the basket. UTM’s Nana Acquah opened the scoring for his team with five points early in the half. Acquah’s effort brought UTM within a point of their opponent, but the comeback was thwarted by the big man himself, Duncan Milne, who managed to get through some horrible UTM defending for an easy two.
When UTM’s loss seemed inevitable, however, our Haris Nurkonavic made a jaw-dropping block on Milne, sending the ball up the court for a basket in transition, surprisingly giving UTM their first and only lead of the game with 10 minutes left. In the face of Nurkonavic’s efforts, however, coach Juan Nunez decided to take UTM’s only player capable of handling the Milne problem off the court and everything went downhill for the Eagles from there. Nunez spoke about his decision to take out Nurkanovic after the game. “Duncan Milne is a great player with a bright future. He’s played professionally in Bulgaria and Romania and was a major problem for us in last year’s final,” said Nunez. “Haris Nurkanovic was able to keep him at a bay for certain periods through-
out the match, but I pulled him out in the last few minutes of overtime because we needed shooters on the court to get us back in the game. “I am pleased overall with the way in which the boys played today,” he said. “Several of them are first- and second-years whom I am pushing hard to establish a successful longterm squad able to compete with the likes of Rotman and Woodsworth.” Player of the Match: Duncan Milne (Rotman Commerce) His towering presence in both offence and defence showed how crucial of a player he has come to be in the Rotman starting lineup. He tirelessly caused trouble for the UTM defence and managed to dunk three times at the opposite end of the court. He scored 26 of his side’s 86 points—almost a third of his side’s final tally!