Vol 38 issue 1

2

«09.06.2011

MEDIUM NEWS Editor » Stefanie Marotta

New buildings open for business STEFANIE MAROTTA NEWS EDITOR Over the course of two years, the UTM campus has transformed and expanded to a capacity that few students would have believed possible in such a short amount of time. After the elimination of 400 parking spaces and the development of a $6-million parking structure, the Instructional Centre is open for the new school year while the Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex is in its final stages.

The new buildings have neared completion just in time to begin the 2011 academic year with more than 12,000 undergraduate students on campus, the largest enrollment at UTM yet.

The Instructional Centre, with its sleek architectural design and expansive atrium, offers students an alternative to the overcrowded library stacks.

The $70-million structure accommodates 2,500 students and boasts a 500-seat auditorium, numerous tiered classrooms, private and group study rooms, and a 24/7 computer lab. The auditorium was designed with special attention to accessibility and acoustics

EDWARD CAI/THE MEDIUM

The exterior of the Instructional Centre is covered in copper. to provide the benefits of an intimate learning experience similar to that of a seminar room. Lecture halls are equipped with cameras for potential videoconferencing purposes while security cameras in the hallways and atrium provide safety surveillance. To address the lack of common space on campus, the building includes multiple

aesthetically stimulating and optimally situated student lounges with views of the campus landscape and a café with a Second Cup and Panini Fresca.

“The Instructional Centre responds in part to some of the overcrowding and behavioral issues that have arisen in the library,” said Andrew Frontini, the design direc-

tor at Shore Tilbe Irwin & Partners that also designed the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre. “By programming and designing more social spaces for students and more group study spaces, the intent is to take some of the pressure off the library. We are designing these buildings as gateways to the university. The

copper cladding of the Instructional Centre is meant as a response to the wood of the library—two rich, natural materials that are in keeping with the Canadian sense of the landscape.”

The IC not only adheres to UTM’s “grow green, grow smart” philosophy, but has been constructed to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. The building includes solar panels, water-efficient fixtures, reusable and recyclable building materials, energy-efficient lighting with motion sensors, and a geothermal heating and cooling system. (Geothermal heating and cooling uses a ground source heat pump to transfer heat to or from the earth to efficiently regulate the internal temperature of the structure.) The pipes for the system were installed 550 feet below the soccer field adjacent to the North Building.

The federal government announced the $35-million investment in May 2009 as part of the Knowledge Infrastructure Program to improve post-secondary institutions.

Building continued on page 4

ERINDALE COLLEGE COUNCIL University of Toronto Mississauga

The Council of Erindale College, also known as the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), exercises its powers and duties under the University of Toronto Act, 1971, as amended.

NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS: • Full-time undergraduate students – 50 positions available • Part-time undergraduate students – 14 positions available • Administrative Staff (non-academic staff other than department heads) – 2 positions available Nominations may be submitted through the Council website starting September 6th at 9AM: www.utm.utoronto.ca/council/ Questions about the nominations? Contact: 905-828-5233 / council.utm@utoronto.ca NOMINATION PERIOD for Erindale College Council Membership: September 6, 2011 - 9:00 AM to September 16, 2011 - 12:00 Noon Elections*: Friday, September 23, 2011 - 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM Nomination Period for Standing Committee membership for students: (student members of Council are eligible to be nominated onto the standing committees) September 27, 2011 - 9:00 AM – October 4, 2011 - 12 NOON. Elections*: Friday, October 7, 2011 - 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM *If the number of nominations exceed the number of available positions

BE RECOGNIZED

09.06.2011 THE MEDIUM NEWS

Flat fees in full effect at St. George LARISSA HO Students admitted to the Faculty of Arts and Science at U of T’s St. George campus in 2009 or later who are taking more than three credits are now required to pay a flat program fee rather than for individual courses, as they have in the past. Those who have been admitted before 2009 will be exempt from the flat fee implementation until the end of the 2013-2014 year.

For the past two years, the threshold for the flat fee has been four credits, not three. This change was approved as part of program framework on May 20, 2009 and thus did not get its own vote, much to the chagrin of many organized student groups, who criticize the policy partly because they say it discriminates against low-income students.

The Stop Flat Fees campaign, organized by UTSU and ASSU, had collected approximately 4,000 signatures on petition cards prior to discovering that there would be no vote. U of T officials have said they are not sure where the confusion over the vote arose.

According to the Program Fee Monitoring Report released by Governing Council on May 6, 2011, the Program Fee Model pro-

vides universities with “a more predictable and sustainable revenue stream”, which is “essential to enable universities to invest in a quality academic experience for students”.

The resolution also calls for a revision of the flat fee structure based on a preliminary evaluation of the model’s impact in 2011. However, the Program Fee Monitoring Committee concluded in its report that “most of the concerns expressed in the discussions leading up to the policy being approved have not materialized”.

The committee, which was comprised of 10 members, including three students, looked at the impact of the model, during the one and a half years it has been in effect, on students’ academic performance, their involvement in extra-curricular activities, whether the number of completed courses had changed and, of course, the main criticisms of the model. Students have raised concerns that the final report only looked at one and a half cohorts and the overall reliability of the focus groups, but some U of T officials, including Meric Gertier, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, have defended the committee’s work, saying, “None of these people had a vested interest in one set of

findings or another… They have investigated all of the questions that were top-of-mind during the debate and they have reported in a pretty clear, fair, and unbiased way.”

Provost Cheryl Misak, U of T’s chief academic officer, says, “In some way, yes: there is a vote. The facts are looked at by the report of the Program Fee Monitoring Committee and they’re discussed, and if the facts required revision then there would have been a revision; but the facts were really, really straightforward.”

Opponents of the model have stated their intentions to continue lobbying against it, although their campaign tactics, they say, will have to change in order to get the best results for their efforts. Some groups have even tried campaigning at the provincial level; however, a spokesperson for John Milloy, Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities, defended the model because of its potential as a more predictable source of revenue for the university—just as long as the outcome was in agreement with provincial policy, universities have the ability and freedom to set their own tuition fees.

The new model is expected to generate $9.5 million in additional revenue when fully implemented.

UTMSU accuses Dean, funds MAM U-Pass STEFANIE MAROTTA NEWS EDITOR The University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union accused Mark Overton, Dean of Student Affairs, of doctoring minutes from a Quality Service to Students meeting held in February earlier this year. Members of QSS, a council of students and administrators that seek to improve non-academic services, received minutes from the February meeting that deemed the Mississauga Academy of Medicine students eligible to receive the U-Pass.

Since MAM students are enrolled at the St. George campus, they do not pay membership fees to the UTMSU. The only other way to gain access to the U-Pass would be through approval by QSS and then the University Af-

fairs Board.

The amended fees statement was passed at a UAB meeting in March, the final step to legitimize changes or additions to a non-academic fee.

The UTMSU compared the original document from the February meeting to the altered financial statement passed through the UAB and confirmed that a motion was not put forward at QSS to allow the MAM students access to the U-Pass.

UTMSU executives met with administrators three times in May to dispute the altered statement. Each time, the administration insisted that the fee had passed through QSS in February.

Finally, on June 14, the UTMSU submitted a letter—signed by 13 students that were in attendance at the February meeting—stating that university protocol was not

NEWS BRIEFS

followed.

Overton credits the discrepancy to a tracking error on his part. Overton issued a statement recommending that the U-Pass service fee for MAM be revoked and ensuring members that he will “implement a version numbering system” to prevent tracking errors in the future.

UTMSU has since offered to extend the U-Pass to the MAM students for the duration of this academic year, ending in April.

To permanently obtain access to the U-Pass, the Medical Society, based at St. George, can hold a referendum to include the MAM students as members of the UTMSU. UTMSU maintains that they will not support a campus service fee that is provided to full-time undergraduate students that are not members.

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»what’s poppin’ with frosh?

Mark Levy Chemical/Physical Sciences

Kevaughan Shiu CCIT

“Frosh was awesome! I lost my voice.”

“Wooo! I just lost strip poker.”

Lindsay Ray Chemical/Physical Sciences

Tai Nguyen Mathematics

“Frosh was too expensive and I heard it’s not worth it.”

“It was a lot of fun, but really tiring.”

Province funds UTM renovations CHRIS CALLAHAN SPORTS EDITOR In June, the provincial government announced that the North and William G. Davis buildings on campus are the beneficiaries of a $52.5-million investment.

Only four schools—Wilfred Laurier University, York University, Georgian College, and the University of Toronto—were awarded a share of the available $183 million as part of the Government of Ontario initiative to lessen the demand placed on urban schools that are already hard-pressed to accommodate students with the proper amount of learning space.

UTM was the only U of T campus to receive funding.

In the Davis Building, physical science, biology, and chemistry

students can expect the quality of their education to improve due to the addition of brand new laboratories and improved equipment.

As for the North Building, the renovation project seeks to provide students with improved study and common space.

This renovation project is yet another step in the right direction for the rapidly expanding UTM campus. Deep Saini, UTM’s principal, made it clear how substantial this investment is when he commented, “[The project] allows us to start breathing. We have students sitting on the stairs, in the corridors, everywhere. This was a very big issue for us, and the government has stepped up.”

Reno continued on page 4

Babysitter sits on baby, dies

Green Day frontman kicked off flight

Group warns Egypt blogger may die in jail

WikiLeaks publishes all US cables, unredacted

U.S. appeals to Palestinians to stall UN vote

A New York TV reporter came home to find his babysitter collapsed on the couch. After searching his home for his one-monthold son, the reporter attempted to shake the babysitter awake. When he rolled her body to the side, he found his son lying motionless on the couch. Both the baby and babysitter were pronounced dead.

Billie Joe Armstrong was kicked off a Southwest Airlines flight last Thursday for “wearing his pants too low”. After being told by the flight attendant to pull his pants up, Armstrong dismissed the request and was subsequently removed. He did not maske it to Burbank that night.

A media watchdog called for the release of a blogger sentenced by Egypt’s military to three years in jail, warning that he might die after he stopped eating and drinking.

Maikel Nabil Sanad was convicted on charges of insulting the armed forces. He was the first blogger to be held on trial since the ousting of Hosni Mubarak.

Over 251,000 US diplomatic cables were published online by the whistleblowing site on Friday with the names of individuals left unaltered, provoking fears that innocent people could become endangered. The appearance of the cables was announced on Twitter, with followers being encouraged to scour through the documents.

The United States has begun a diplomatic campaign to prevent a confrontation this month over a Palestinian plan to seek recognition as a state at the United Nations. The administration has made it clear that it will veto any request that will come before the UN Security Council. Instead, they have circulated a proposal to renew peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis.

Source: Daily Mail

Source: ABC News, Fresno

Source: AFP

Source: The Independent

Source: International Herald Tribune

4 THE MEDIUM «NEWS 09.06.2011

Froshies conquer the campus CHRYSTAL COLQUHOUN The 1,250 white drawstring bags piled high inside UTM’s Student Centre marked the beginning of a tradition that many first-year postsecondary students look forward to and many upper-year students recall fondly. On Tuesday, August 30, over 1,000 incoming students set foot on the UTM campus for UTMSU’s “Rise Above” Orientation Week.

The first day of Frosh Week gave students a chance to receive cheer training and socialize.

“There are two focusses of the cheers,” said Chris Thompson, VP Campus Life. “Some of the cheers are to pep up the Froshies, who are usually nervous coming in. The other cheers are the competitive cheers, which come out of a long line of friendly competition between the campuses.”

Following the cheer training, students headed to the Mist Theatre to watch the “Dissolve Play”, a skit focusing on harassment.

The play was hosted in collaboration with the Campus Police. In the evening, the CCT atrium was transformed into a lavish setting based on the film Avatar to celebrate the themes for the week: social justice, student power, and sustainability and environment.

“As Frosh Leaders, we have the chance to share our experiences with the new students and teach them what UTM spirit is all about,” said Aaron Tupaz, a fourth-year student and Frosh Leader. “Orientation Week will allow them to enter the school year with excitement and more confidence.”

The second day of Orientation Week included events like a free academic orientation, a carnival, and a talent show. The carnival, which was open to all UTM students and free to attend, featured a 50-foot Ferris wheel, a bouncy castle, rock climbing, and a dunk tank. CFRE radio organized a free music event with performances by Shad, Born Ruffians, Lucie Tic, and Gushee.

After the carnival, the talent

Froshies and leaders participate in a cheer. show was held in the RAWC Gym. After the student performances, a hypnotist took the stage and selected students from the audience to hypnotize. Some people in the audience fell under the hypnotist’s charm. The hypnotist asked mesmerized students to pretend he was invisible, to pretend they were famous dancers, and to speak fluent Japanese.

On Thursday, students were greeted with a packed schedule.

In the morning, UTMSU held a workshop to familiarize students

with its services. The UTM Athletic Council organized games such as tug-of-war, dodgeball, and potato sack races.

In the afternoon, 26 teams competed in a cheer off for the grand prize: VIP tickets to see Shawn Desman at the pub event later that night. The only questionable incident during the cheer competition was when a female Froshie bent down on her hands and knees while one male member knelt down in front of her and another knelt from behind. At the end of

EDWARD CAI/THE MEDIUM

the cheer, the male member kneeling in front of the female sprayed whipped cream into her mouth and on her face.

When asked about equity guidelines at Orientation Week, Ruba El-Kadri, VP Equity of UTMSU, explained that all cheers taught to participants on the first day were screened by an open committee in order to meet strict equity standards. Since teams created original cheers for the competition, the cheers and choreography were not screened beforehand.

Shawn Desman performs at the Pub.

New buildings open at UTM Buldings continued from page 2 The provincial government matched the federal contribution out of the 2009 budget. Bob Dechert, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Erindale, and the Honourable Harinder Takhar, Minister of Government Services and Member of Provincial Parliament for Mississauga-Erindale, were in attendance to celebrate the opening of the IC on August 24.

“This investment at the University of Toronto Mississauga campus not only allows the campus to continue to grow, it also allows students to learn in modern state-of-the-art facilities,” said Takhar. “By building this facility, the University of Toronto Mississauga will be able to at-

tract the best and brightest students to study here.”

To further enhance the campus’ academic facilities, the university received a $14-million investment from the provincial government towards the construction of the $37-million Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex that will be the academic centre of the Mississauga Academy of Medicine (MAM). By adding a fourth medical academy to the University of Toronto, the province intends to increase the number of physicians practicing in Ontario. The remaining cost of the building was provided by donations from philanthropist Terrence Donnelly, for whom the building is named, and Mississauga businessman Carlo Fidani.

The HSC, scheduled for comple-

tion this month, has been designed to enhance scientific research and learning. Each floor is positioned slightly off-centre to provide outdoor garden patios for students and faculty, and the size and positioning of each floor is dictated by its function. The first floor includes lecture halls and seminar rooms to avoid disrupting work on the third and fourth floors, which house faculty offices and research laboratories.

The second floor is dedicated to the MAM, providing the first incoming class of 54 students with a student lounge and classrooms equipped with videoconferencing to connect with lectures based on the St. George campus.

The building won an Award of Merit at Canadian Architect’s 2010 Awards of Excellence program.

Kongats Architects designed the structure with stainless steel panels in efforts to achieve an LEED Gold certification. The panels deflect rain, reflect heat to cool the interior, and allow for greater sunlight exposure.

While students were originally at a disadvantage due to the decrease in parking space as a result of the two construction projects, the result offers solutions to the lack of instructional, study, and leisure space on campus.

“University of Toronto Mississauga has doubled its enrollment over the past decade, so this new facility helps us accommodate current students and sets the stage for future growth,” said professor Deep Saini, Vice-President of the University of Toronto and Principal of University of Toronto Mississauga.

“I want to make sure the cheers are screened by me before they’re presented in front of the whole group, which is something that should have been done,” said ElKadri. “Because of time constraints and because we had warned them beforehand, we were expecting the Frosh Leaders to follow the instructions. But it happens. Everyone has their own idea of equity.”

UTMSU partnered with the Sexual Education Centre and Campus Police to provide leaders with extensive training, which involved three separate training sessions that discussed orientation issues such as equitable conduct and leadership.

After the cheer competition, froshies headed to the pub for the afterparty. One of the opening acts was Iconiq Muzik, who was wellreceived by the crowd.

When special guest Shawn Desman arrived on stage, Froshies erupted into enormous applause.

Desman kept the Froshies intrigued with costume changes, a studded leather jacket that lit up when he sang “Electric”, and an encore performance with his younger brother, Danny Fernandes.

On Friday, students travelled downtown to participate in an Amazing Race and enjoy dinner at Medieval Times.

“The main thing we want to do is foster a relationship between incoming and upper-year students.

What I hope [new students] get out of this is connections with other new students so when they’re walking to class, they see people they recognize. It makes life a lot easier,” said Khusbu Patel, Orientation Co-ordinator. “I hope they also make connections with their Frosh Leaders, so during the year, when they have a question about school or a social event, they can turn to someone who’s already done it, and they’ll have an answer.”

On Friday, September 9, students from all three U of T campuses will parade around downtown Toronto and demonstrate their school spirit.

Campus renovations Reno continued from page 3 Under the leadership of premier Dalton McGuinty, the Ontario government has invested over $3 billion in Ontario colleges and universities since 2003. In the 2011 provincial budget lies a plan for operating support to add space to accommodate 60,000 more students in colleges and universities across the province by 2015.

The renovations of the Davis and North buildings will amount to $75 million, with the provincial government providing $52.5 million and U of T covering the remaining costs.

The McGuinty government has coined the name “Putting Students First” for the initiative.

09.06.2011

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MEDIUM OPINION Editor-in-Chief » Michael Di Leo

A year-long orientation It’s easy to get lost on campus. Try having a non-UTM friend meet you here and you’ll know what I mean. There isn’t very much signage, the building layouts are complicated, and directions are useless when all paths wind and intersect. It takes work to get where you’re going. And a map.

It also takes some experience.

By which I mean knowledge imparted through some (seriously) prolonged and sustained exposure to UTM. The kind of exposure you can only really get after years of studying or working here. The kind of exposure that first-year students lack, but which would drastically improve the quality of their experience. The kind of ex-

posure that some of us think we have—until we learn something new about this university we thought we knew everything about.

If Orientation Week sets out to do anything, it’s to give new students a crash course on UTM. In between the chants, the pub nights, the carnivals, and the Shawn Desmans, there is a theme of familiarity. You are expected to ask questions, to bond with those in your own situation and those who are more experienced. The goal is to get you used to how we do things around here.

All in all, Frosh only lasts one week. And there’s only so much information you can take in before it’s time to get to class.

For the rest of the year, you have us.

In case you haven’t realized it by now, our goal is to keep you up to date and informed on issues that matter to students such as yourself.

More importantly, we hope that this is a step to a more productive, open, and active UTM community, one where students actively take part in shaping the direction of their university lives—both academically and socially—because in the end, that is what will stick with you.

Every one of our editors (myself included) started off at The Medium as a bewildered, nervous volunteer.

I was a terrible writer. I cringe every time I read my first review of Kanye West’s Graduation (though I stand by my 4/5 rating). I remember how Stefanie, now our News Editor,

first became interested in joining us after attending a news-writers’ meeting in her first year, and how I was introduced to both Chris and Amir (Sports and Features, respectively) during their awkward but hilarious election speeches. I remember how Edward, our Photo Editor, started by taking photos of the Eagles’ basketball games when our former photographer couldn’t attend, and how Nives began as my assistant A&E Editor (though she quickly proved she was more skilled at the position than I was).

Most of all, I remember how similar we all were to the firstyears that filled the Student Centre last week. Back then we were anxious and nervous and unsure

of what to do. After Frosh, what guidance was there for us? How would we navigate this campus?

If we accomplish anything this year, it will be to make students more aware of what is happening around them, outside of their class schedule. Who knows? Maybe you will learn something new that changes the way you spend your days on campus. Maybe it will improve your university experience, as it has ours. Hopefully it does both.

Get to know what’s happening during your time here. We’ll help you through it.

YOURS, MICHAEL DI LEO

President’s message Fellow UTM Students, My name is Gilbert (Gil), and I am honoured to serve as the president of your student union, UTMSU. This past year has been an extremely successful and eventful year for UTMSU. Implementing the 8-month and Summer UPasses, advocating the credit/no credit policy, increasing wages on campus to $11, and increasing club funding are just a few of the many accomplishments in the 2010/11 year. This is all thanks to the strength and commitment of the executives, board, staff, and dedicated volunteers. We will continue this year in the spirit of putting students first. We shall continue to collaborate and work with other student unions to better serve our student body. We also hope to build and improve on last year’s work as a team.

Collectively, our efforts have the potential to surpass the landmarks set from the previous year.

As a member-driven not-forprofit organization, the UTM Students’ Union belongs to all students and it is the students’ will that shall dictate the agenda of our student union. So it is up to all of us to make our student experience better by suggesting ideas for events, policies, and campaigns, among other contributions.

To make a positive impact on campus and at U of T at large, I cordially invite you to the UTMSU Commission Meeting to be held on Wednesday, September 14, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., in your Student Centre’s Presentation Room.

At this important meeting the team and I will orient you on the accomplishments of this past summer, and the steps being taken to achieve many of the goals that we have set together for Fall/ Winter 2011/12. The Commission Meeting is an opportunity for you to get directly involved with the work of the union, and even to create a new project of your own.

At this meeting you exercise your democratic vote. At this meeting you will be enlightened as to the strength of your own potential.

At this meeting you will discover the power of the students united!

We believe in the power of representation, and the strength in diverse voices, and therefore it is important that you are involved and make your voice heard.

We shall continue to advocate in public and behind the scenes to make UTM an affordable, student-friendly, safe, and inclusive academic institution.

Along with all this hard work, I promise you that this year will be rewarding, fun, and exciting.

I look forward to listening to your ideas and working with and for you in the upcoming year.

Share your ideas! Together we will accomplish great things.

In student solidarity, Delphino Gilbert Cassar II

COREY BELFORD/THE MEDIUM

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« 09.06.2011

MEDIUM A&E Editor » Nives Hajdin

Fall TV lineup shows some promise Among a slew of returning hit shows, only time will tell if this season’s new programming will steal some of the ratings viewers want it, ABC now offers an update on the classic detective series (Sept. 22, 8 p.m.). Meanwhile, NBC is also sticking with the triedand-true with their adaption of the British detective series Prime Suspect (Sept. 22, 10 p.m.), with Maria Bello (A History of Violence) in the leading role. CBS also offers yet another drama with the CIA thriller Person of Interest (Sept. 22, 9 p.m.).

On the comedic front, NBC’s Whitney (Sept. 22, 9:30) stars comedian Whitney Cummings as a woman in a stale relationship.

Over on CBS a “gentleman” and a slob are paired in the “Odd Couple–esque” sitcom How to be a Gentleman (Sept. 29, 8:30 p.m.).

COLLEEN MUNRO ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR September means back to school for many, but it also marks the start of a new television season. For those looking for new excuses to procrastinate, here’s a peek at the new lineup of fall shows.

MONDAY FOX managed to snatch up one of the year’s most anticipated shows with Terra Nova (premieres Sept.

26, 8 p.m.). The Steven Spielbergproduced series revolves around young scientists who travel back to prehistoric times in hopes of saving a dying Earth.

For those looking for something a bit more provocative, NBC offers The Playboy Club (Sept. 19, 10 p.m.), a drama about Playboy and the mob in the 1960s. Meanwhile, Kat Denning (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) will try her hand at television with Two Broke Girls (Sept. 19, 8:30p.m.) on CBS, which is a comedy about two young waitresses with dreams of starting their own business.

TUESDAY Zooey Deschanel (500 Days of Summer) is just one of the many

FANPOP.COM/PHOTO

Jess (Zooey Deschanel) can be a little too “out there” sometimes. movie stars switching to the small screen this fall. She’ll star as a quirky girl with three male roommates in FOX’s New Girl (Sept. 20, 9 p.m.). The show has the advantage of having the mega-hit Glee as its lead-in (Raising Hope had that timeslot last year, and it became

one of the few rookie shows to get renewed).

ABC also offers a pair of Tuesday night comedies with Last Man Standing (Oct. 11, 8 p.m.) and Man Up (Oct. 18, 8:30 p.m.). The former stars Tim Allen as a family man forced to take on new parental

55 Student Plan includes:

$

• 200 any time local minutes • Unlimited local evenings (6 p.m. – 7 a.m.) and weekends (6 p.m. Friday – 7 a.m. Monday) • 1 GB data (additional data is $0.05/MB) • Unlimited nationwide talk with any 10 numbers • Unlimited text, picture and video messaging • Unlimited Facebook®, MySpace™ and Twitter™ * Offer valid until September 30th, 2011. For full details, please speak with one of our representatives.

St George Campus 214 College St, Koffler Center Toronto ON M5T 3A1 (416) 640 7900 ext 5880

Mississauga Campus Scarborough Campus 3359 Mississauga Rd N, 1265 Military Trail, William G. Davis Building Bladen Wing Scarborough ON M1C 1A4 Mississauga ON L5L 1C6 (905) 828 5246 (416) 724 8213 ext 224

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responsibility, while the latter revolves around three sensitive men who try to become more stereotypically “masculine”. As well, NBC offers a detective drama, Unforgettable (Sept. 20, 10 p.m.), about a woman who literally cannot forget anything. CBC will also air the British medieval drama Camelot (Sept. 13, 9 p.m.).

WEDNESDAY In case you’ve missed Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul since they left American Idol, they now return to FOX with X-Factor (Sept. 21, 8 p.m.). Cowell originally helmed the talent competition in the UK, and he now brings the ratings juggernaut stateside.

Wednesday nights offer a slew of new comedies. One of the season’s more promising shows is NBC’s parenting sitcom, Up All Night (Sept. 14, 8 p.m.), which stars Will Arnett, Christina Applegate, and Maya Rudolph. NBC pairs that with Free Agents (Sept. 14, 8:30 p.m.), which stars Hank Azaria and Katherine Hahn (Hung) as coworkers who begin a rocky relationship. Meanwhile, ABC attempts suburban satire with Suburgatory (Sept. 28, 8:30), and Jaime Pressley (My Name is Earl) plays an overly lenient mother in NBC’s I Hate My Teenage Daughter (Nov. 30, 9:30 p.m.).

The night’s sole new dramatic offering is ABC’s Revenge (Sept.

21, 10 p.m.), a soapy-sounding revenge thriller about life in the Hamptons.

THURSDAY Charlie’s Angels was a staple of ’70s television, and whether or not

FRIDAY There aren’t very many new offerings on Friday night, but there are two new supernatural shows.

On CBS, Patrick Wilson (Insidious, Hard Candy) plays a surgeon who sees visions of his dead wife in A Gifted Man (Sept. 23, 8 p.m.).

Meanwhile, NBC’s Grimm (Oct. 21, 9 p.m.) tells the story of a cop who has to deal with present-day fairytale monsters.

As well, the hotly anticipated new show from Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly), Ringer (Sept. 16, 10 p.m.), will have its Canadian broadcast Friday nights on Global (it first airs Tuesdays on the CW). In the series Sarah Michelle Gellar plays a woman who adopts her twin sister’s identity after witnessing a murder.

SUNDAY ABC offers a pair of new femalecentric dramas on Sunday nights.

First, Christina Ricci takes to the skies in Pan Am (Sept. 25, 10 p.m.). The retro series explores the lives of airline attendants in the 1960s. Then, ABC rolls out its own fairy-tale themed show with Once Upon a Time (Oct. 23, 8 p.m.). The drama stars Ginnifer Goodwin (Something Borrowed) and it revolves around a woman who must free a town full of fairytale characters that live under a spell.

Allen Gregory (Oct. 30, 8:30 p.m.) is a new cartoon on FOX about a snarky child genius, voiced by Jonah Hill (who is also a co-creator, writer, and executive producer on the show). As well, it’s worth noting that AMC will debut a new wild west drama called Hell on Wheels (November 6, 10 p.m.).

One other notable debut is Anderson Cooper’s new daytime talk show, Anderson (as if his schedule isn’t busy enough). Airs daily at 5 p.m. on CTV, beginning September 12.

09.06.2011 THE MEDIUM A&E

I’m with You: Chili Peppers return with new album

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The Style List: back-to-school bags LYSAN SEQUEIRA

ARISTOTLE ELIOPOULOS The Red Hot Chili Peppers haven’t released a new album since 2006— an important fact, as this is the longest hiatus the band has had between albums yet.

The cover of the Chilis’ new album, I’m with You, speaks volumes about the music inside, and it stands in stark contrast to the somewhat tacky cosmic illustration of Stadium Arcadium—something that now seems more suited to the wallpaper of an Apple computer than it does for a hit record.

The Chili Peppers haven’t toned down their ambition, but they have focussed it, taking what they did right in Stadium and their other albums and using it to craft an album to be expected from a veteran band with decades of experience.

I’m with You remains focussed and direct, leaving no room for any funny business among its 14 songs. Keidis’ voice is as strong as ever, and the Chilis don’t try hard to reinvent their sound in any way. Rather, they seem to be giving fans just what they want and expect from them—a well-crafted rock album tinged with elements of pop sensibility. On the lead single, “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie”, the band doesn’t miss a beat and the song uses its slick grooving guitars and cowbells (yes, cowbells) to craft a piece that flows together nicely. Here they create a work with solid production and a suitable chorus that, while never expanding as far as some of the choruses on Stadium did, fits nicely into the song.

The album never strays far from

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the sound of “Rain Dance Maggie”, opening with “Monarchy of Roses”, a song with everything you would expect from the band: squealing guitars, Keidis’ familiar vocals and a nice—but not strong—chorus that you can groove to. “Look Around” contains elements of “Give It Away” from the band’s 1991 album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, but also has enough hand-claps, screeching guitars, and “woo-hoos” to groove to in your car, your favourite record store, or even probably a local Bed Bath and Beyond.

I’m with You is a safe album, but it’s from a band that has nothing to prove—a band that has enough respect and credibility that they could have taken any crazy, new direction they wanted to and gotten away with it. But they didn’t.

And that’s okay because for what the album lacks in originality, it makes up for in cohesion and homogeneity. Like the comforting title mentions, the Chili Peppers are with you, and nothing on this album is complex or scary enough to make you pull away. Except maybe the fly on the cover.

Between all of the textbooks, school supplies, and other random things required throughout the day, every student needs a practical, stylish, and not-too-expensive bag to carry around their essentials.

Still looking for that perfect bag to carry your laptop in style? Check out these not-so-basic backpacks, trendy totes, and must-have messenger bags for the back-to-school season!

Not-So-Basic Backpacks Believe it or not, backpacks are actually going to be super-trendy this season! However, we’re not talking your basic, run-of-the-mill backpacks here. Ever since MaryKate and Ashley Olsen’s fashion line, “The Row”, debuted a $39,000 crocodile-skin backpack, luxe knapsacks have been experiencing a major fashion moment.

Aside from being stylish, a backpack is also perfect for lugging lots of heavy items across campus. Plus, with all of the adorable backpacks in stores now, it’s never been easier to find a style that fits your personal aesthetic.

Trendy Totes Tote bags are always popular because they’re both cute and functional. The perfect tote can instantly make any outfit look über-chic and can be a great way to show off your personal style.

The only downside is that these bags aren’t very spacious and can’t handle heavy loads the same way a backpack can. On the plus side,

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though, a tote can work double duty as a go-to bag to carry around when you aren’t in class, so you’re likely to get a lot of bang for your buck!

Must-Have Messenger Bags Messenger bags represent the middle ground between the first two styles. They have all the practicality

of a roomy backpack, with similar style to a tote. These bags are also a classic, meaning they’ll never go out of style. So invest in a good messenger bag and you’ll have a durable and stylish choice for years to come.

Now all you need are the textbooks to fill them with. Yay?

8 THE MEDIUM «A&E 09.06.2011

09.06.2011 THE MEDIUM A&E

The Toronto International Film Festival seems to have been raising the bar every year, and this time around is no exception. With veterans like George Clooney and Brad Pitt as well as newcomers like Ryan Gosling and Seth Rogen gracing red carpets at this year’s festival, TIFF organizers went all out to bring the biggest stars and best film programming to eager audiences. Check out our preview of some of the festival’s most promising movies, and stay tuned for the verdict next week.

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Programmes Gala: Red-carpet events with the director and actors/actresses in attendance at the premiere.

Special Presentation: Films from the world’s most renowned directors, sometimes featuring a Q&A session with the director and cast.

Contemporary World Cinema: Films with an ethnic twist.

Midnight Madness: Films outside the mainstream that often instill some nail-biting moments.

For a complete list of programs, visit www.tiff.net/thefestival/filmprogramming

50/50 Special Presentation

We Need to Talk About Kevin Special Presentation A deviant child is every parent’s worst nightmare. Surely they won’t remain that way forever? We Need to Talk About Kevin paints a haunting portrait of a couple’s rocky relationship with their antisocial son as he fails to outgrow his abnormal behavioural patterns. The plot takes an especially chilling turn when their only child performs the unthinkable. Based on the best-selling novel by Lionel Shriver. Directed by Lynne Ramsay and starring Tilda Swinton (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and John C. Reilly (Brule’s Rules with Dr. Steve Brule).

Premieres Friday, September 9, Winter Garden Theatre, 8 p.m. and Sunday, September 11, TIFF Bell Lightbox 2, 9:15 a.m.

By Nives Hajdin Designed by Rebecca Arboly

50/50 is a film that treads a fine line between inspirational and crass. It addresses the difficult topic of cancer and what it’s like for a person to know they either have a 50% chance of living or dying, while still maintaining a feel-good vibe through the bromantic chemistry of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen. In an interview with BUZZ Magazine, Rogen said of the premise: “There’s a big margin for error on a movie like this.

A bad cancer comedy’s like the worst f***in’ thing on Earth.”

Directed by Jonathan Levine and also starring Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Bryce Dallas Howard (The Help), and Anjelica Huston (The Addams Family). Premieres Monday, September 12, Ryerson, 6 p.m., and Tuesday, September 13, AMC 7, 2 p.m.

Ides of March Gala

Anonymous Special Presentation

Deep Blue Sea Special Presentation

Martha Marcy May Marlene Special Presentation

Beauty Contemporary World Cinema

Take This Waltz Gala

Sleepless Night Midnight Madness

Albert Nobbs Gala

Following the huge success of Goodnight and Good Luck as George Clooney’s directorial breakthrough, the veteran actor returns to TIFF with his latest film, The Ides of March.

He joins Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine) and Philipp Seymour Hoffman (Capote) in a thriller that emphasizes the media’s overwhelming influence on politics. Gosling also stars in Drive and Seymour Hoffman in Moneyball, both of which are premiering at TIFF as well. Premieres Friday, September 9, Roy Thomson Hall, 9:30 p.m. and Saturday, September 10, Visa Screening Room (Elgin), 11 a.m.

There are countless remakes of classic Shakespearean plays, but few about the man himself, and even fewer that attempt to expose him as a fraud. Was Shakespeare really as gifted and legendary as everyone thinks, or was he just a notorious charlatan who ripped off the work of others? With a political twist in the court of Elizabeth I, Roland Emmerich’s thriller Anonymous poses these questions in an attempt to unhinge contemporary society’s acceptance of the Bard as the greatest writer of all time—one who may not have even existed. Stars Rhys Ifans (The Informers), Vanessa Redgrave (Atonement), and David Thewlis (Harry Potter series).

Premieres Sunday, September 11, Visa Screening Room (Elgin), 9 p.m.; Monday, September 12, Winter Garden Theatre, 4:30 p.m.; and Saturday, September 17, Scotiabank Theatre 2, 11:45 a.m.

In all her regal poise, Rachel Weisz (The Whistleblower) stars as the wife of an influential court official who would never think of leaving him... that is, until a hot, young ex-fighter pilot walks into her life and sweeps her off her feet, while causing a massive uproar in the process. Directed by Terrence Davies. Premieres Sunday, September 11, TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, 9:15 p.m.; Tuesday, September 13, Isabel Bader Theatre, 4:45 p.m.; and Saturday September 17, TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, 6:15 p.m.

Martha Marcy May Marlene features a breakthrough performance from Elizabeth Olsen, younger sister of the Full House fashion duo, as a girl who escapes from a hypnotizing, manipulative cult and seeks refuge on an isolated farm with her sister’s family. She attempts to readjust her life following her past traumas, but things take an unhealthy turn when her new life causes her to suspect that the cult and its leader (John Hawkes, Winter’s Bone) are still after her. Directed by Sean Durkin and also starring Hugh Dancy (Our Idiot Brother). Premieres Sunday, September 11, Ryerson, 3 p.m; Monday, September 12, Scotiabank Theatre 3, 10:15 p.m.; and Saturday, September 17, TIFF Bell Lightbox 2, 9:45 p.m.

Beauty follows the pathologies of a successful, middle-aged businessman named Francois (Deon Lotz) who develops a crazed obsession over his daughter’s new love interest, Christian (Charlie Keegan). From the mere sight of this gorgeous young man, Francois becomes deeply enamoured with Christian and struggles to repress the feelings that are consuming him. Set in the Cape Lands of South Africa, Beauty takes the audience on a psychological whirlwind of envy and clandestine desire, while demonstrating just how dangerous such a temptation may prove to be. Directed by Oliver Hermanus. Premieres Friday, September 9, AMC 2, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 10, Isabel Bader Theatre, 9:30 a.m.; and Friday, September 16, TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, 9 p.m.

Directed by Canadian girl Sarah Polley, Take This Waltz focuses on the sweet and wholesome marriage of Margot (Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine) and Lou (Seth Rogen, Knocked Up). Yet when Daniel (Luke Kirby, Mambo Italiano) moves in across the street, he immediately catches Margot’s eye and their chemistry becomes difficult to ignore. Torn between her devotion to her husband and her lust for this exciting, new man, Margo is faced with one of the most difficult decisions she has ever had to make. Also stars Sarah Silverman. Premieres Saturday, September 10, Roy Thomson Hall, 9:30 p.m., and Sunday, September 11, Ryerson, 12 p.m.

Frederic Jardin’s Sleepless Night is a crime thriller in which Vincent, an undercover cop, lifts a bag of cocaine from under the nose of a drug-dealing club owner named Jose. When Jose finds out that the police deceived him, he kidnaps Vincent’s son and sends the cop on a frantic chase through the crowded and dangerous streets and clubs he busts on a daily basis. Stars Tomer Sisley and Joey Starr.

Premieres Tuesday, September 13, Ryerson, 11:59 p.m.; Wednesday, September 14, AMC 1, 3 p.m.; and Friday, September 16, Scotiabank Theatre 11, 9:45 p.m.

Albert Nobbs tells the story of a woman (Glenn Close, Damages) forced to live her life as a male butler in order to maintain her autonomy in the otherwise destitute setting of 19th-century Dublin. In the guise of a man, she is able to sustain herself in the prim and proper world of Ireland’s privileged classes by working in a swanky hotel. She manages to conceal her true identity for 20 years, but when a dashing young man arrives on the scene, her instincts cause her resolve to weaken and she contemplates shedding her façade once and for all. Does this British period piece have what it takes to be the next The King’s Speech? Directed by Rodrigo Garcia and also starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors). Premieres Sunday, September 11, Roy Thomson Hall, 9:30 p.m.; Monday, September 12, Winter Garden Theatre, 12:30 p.m.; and Saturday September 17, Ryerson, 9 p.m.

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« 09.06.2011

MEDIUM FEATURES Editor » Amir Ahmed

Why study the humanities?

Amir Ahmed FEATURES EDITOR For the past four years I’ve studied English at UTM, and for the past four years, I couldn’t tell you why I did it.

No one tells you why you study humanities when you first go to university. No one gives you a little handbook or even a secret handshake.

What you do get is a question from your friends and family: “So... where are you going with that?”

Chances are that most students entering the HBA stream at UTM don’t have much of an idea either. In fact, the humanities as a discipline seems to lack the manifesto or teleology present in other studies. Sure, English students want to understand literature, but they can read books on their own time. Why study stories in a university? And why study classics or history or gender issues? More importantly, is there an end goal for the use of that knowledge?

There’s a growing sense that the humanities have no point. Aside from the chants at Frosh week, the jokes in our cultural lexicon are endless: humanities majors are stoners. They’re lazy rich kids with Apple computers and the sense of entitlement that only comes from never doing a hard day’s work. They’re headed for employment at Starbucks and McDonald’s, and they probably said something bad

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The Flood Tablet from the Epic of Gilgamesh, the oldest known fictional narrative. about your haircut behind your back.

They’re not perceived well, is what I’m saying.

In 2009, The New York Times published an article by Patricia Cohen titled “In Tough Times, the Humanities Must Justify their Worth”. The article cites shrinking enrollment in humanities programs and suggested that humanities study had become a luxury suited more to “the province of the wealthy” than the rest of us that

actually needed to earn a paycheque.

Humanities supporters have not been silent to these criticisms: Martha Nussbaum’s Not For Profit argues that the humanities degree is vital to a democratic society that requires more than profit to succeed, but also things like free thinking and cultural knowledge. And last February, editors Daniel Coleman and Smaro Kamboureli assembled 12 essays on the subject of the changing nature of humanities

research in a market-driven university environment. The book is called Retooling the Humanities: The Culture of Research in Canadian Universities.

On July 23, Robert Fulford of The National Post criticized Retooling the Humanities for perhaps being indicative of problem with current humanities education. Fulford writes: “The scholars never say what they mean by ‘the humanities’ or why they are worth saving.” Reading his article,

I’m inclined to believe him. Humanities professors, in my experience, are dedicated to their individual field.

They’re brilliant, but when you ask them about the value of the humanities, they refer to the value of their study. Rarely does someone give a definition, and more rarely still do we say why it’s important.

Well, as of June I have a shiny new humanities degree, so let me give it a shot.

Most people assume that the humanities teach people how to think.

Critical reasoning and analytical thought are lauded employable skills currently lauded by the humanities departments. In fact, most of the humanities majors have those very terms on the UTM Career Centre website.

To be fair, it seems that this theory is true to some degree; for example, Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses, the same book that found 36% of students don’t gain a significant improvement in total learning after four years of university, found that the humanities students showed the greatest gains in critical reasoning than any other field of study (the book suggests that these gains are meager on the larger scheme of things, but that’s another article).

Humanities continued on page 12

How to stay sane on residence Living on rez is crazy. You’ll turn crazy too unless you follow some simple rules Carine Abouseif You did the cheers, you danced on tables, you drank too much. Good stuff. Now it’s time to start university and deal with your roommates.

Even though things might seem friendly now, there’s a lot that could cause trouble throughout the coming year between you, your roommates, and the other people on your floor. Here are a few things I wish someone had told me before I moved into residence.

Frosh Week friend awkwardness So you made some friends during Frosh. You told each other all your secrets and now you’re going to be best friends forever. Or not.

The friends you make during Orientation Week, especially on residence, probably won’t be the friends you keep for the rest of your university career.

In the first few weeks of school, people are particularly vulnerable.

They’re scared to be alone so they

make friends that aren’t necessarily right for them. Once the fear of pariah-dom wears off you’ll realize you have nothing in common with these people and go on to make new friends.

That’s only natural, but the problem is that awkwardness will ensue for the next four years. With some people, it becomes so awkward that you start pretending you don’t know each other’s favorite foods, gripes, or sexual preferences. You’ll avoid eye contact with people, even though you’re friends on Facebook.

So don’t tell everyone you meet during Frosh Week everything about yourself. Or at least don’t add them all on Facebook.

Never room with your best friend By this, I don’t mean don’t be friends with your roommate; I just mean don’t room with the person you spend all your time with.

Just because someone is your friend doesn’t mean they have the same living preferences you do.

Also, it’s a lot harder asking your friend not to throw tea bags in the sink than it is a total stranger. A close friend might take criticism about their living habits more personally than someone you don’t spend that much time with.

The reverse of this is also true.

If you have a falling-out with a close friend (probably because you spend so much time together), you don’t want to go home to them giving you the silent treatment. When you lived with your parents you could just go home and it was a safe place where you could relax from the anxiety and the drama. Now that you live on campus, the same should still be true. Your residence room should be a place where you can take a break from your social problems, not a place to hide out until your roommate has left the kitchen just so you can go get some cereal.

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Simple rules continued on page 12

This is what you imagine residence life to be.

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09.06.2011 THE MEDIUM FEATURES

How to survive your The humanities education first week of school Humanities continued from page 10

Larissa Ho For many, even those that have gotten through their first year, the first week of school is a stressful, confusing, and daunting experience. In the weeks leading up to my first year of university, as the to-do lists and lists of things to remember grew along with my anxiety, I repeatedly asked myself a very loaded question: “How on earth do you plan to survive the first week of school?”

I did then what I sometimes do to calm my worried mind: I created a list of things to do to help me get past the first week of school.

Different people depend on different things to get by, but I think these are a few items that everyone should have on theirs.

Pay the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre a visit. When I first found out about the RGASC, I wasn’t exactly crying with relief, but to tell you the truth, I was pretty close. The RGASC offers Facilitated Study Groups (FSGs), as well as one-on-one sessions with learning specialists, writing specialists, and other professionals who can help with note-taking, exam-writing, essay-writing, procrastination, and even reading techniques.

Get yourself organized. Write down all due dates, label your binders, buy your textbooks, get

your U-Pass, and do whatever else you need to do to be prepared. It’s a long list, but it takes such a short time to accomplish each task. So go ahead and do each one. That way, while you won’t exactly be one step ahead, you won’t be one step behind.

Make a promise to yourself not to cram. You won’t keep it, but the guilt will make you study harder.

Find an ideal place that meets your study habits. It may be the library, the Meeting Place in the South Building, your dorm room, Spigel Hall, or a newly discovered haunt in the shiny new Instructional Building. Wherever it is, it should meet your needs for studying well.

Find out where the Health and Counselling Services are so you can find professional help easily when and if you’re feeling down, depressed, and isolated. Take advantage of these professional services offered by the university.

You’ve got nothing to lose.

Expect to feel overwhelmed, under-prepared, and confused in the near future. It WILL happen.

Just remember: you’re not the only one feeling this way during the first week of school. Just keep a clear head and carry on as best as you can, and you’ll be fine.

Don’t give up! It’s only the first week!

But the learning of critical reasoning is not the point of the humanities education; it’s a tool required for the type of thinking students do. It’s incidental in the same way that my calloused gamer thumbs are incidental to my real goal of having fun on the Xbox. If critical reasoning was the point of my English degree, I probably could have learned it in a few logic courses. It’s also a sort of folk belief that humanities teach good writing, which in my experience generally isn’t true.

“Damnit, Amir!” you might say. “This article has gone on for too long already! Get to the point or get out: what does the humanities degree do?”

Let’s start with some history: the humanities as a field started during the Renaissance and the advent of humanist philosophy. These fields were known as the humanitas, because people hadn’t figured out how to speak English in universities yet. The humanitas covered grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and moral philosophy. These fields were responsible for cultivating the individual and allowing them to participate in an active life of citizenry. The humanitas were a common education that allowed people to communicate

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The humanitas covered grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and moral philosophy.

These fields were responsible for cultivating the individual and allowing them to participate in an active life of citizenry.

And as the humanitas expanded into the modern humanities, its function has changed as well.

It’s become a lot broader, and at the same time incredibly simple. Humanities students, as the

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with each other.

In the modern context, humanities covers philosophy, history, classics, fine art, languages, gender science, political science, cultural studies, and even strands of geography and psychology. It’s a grab-bag of subjects influencing and tripping over each other even as new subjects come into being—subjects we didn’t even know existed. I doubt John Strachan, the first President of King’s College in 1843, predicted that we would be studying gender science in 2011. I doubt he’d think there was even anything to learn in the field.

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U of T Mississauga Campus 3359 Mississauga Rd N William G. Davis Building, Main Floor (905) 828-5246

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name suggest, study humanity, and they do it by studying the cultural elements unique to our species, the things that make us unique in the known universe.

Where the sciences look out, the humanities look in.

Both are important. We understand the world through science, and through humanities we understand ourselves.

Without looking in, we cannot know ourselves, where we are going, or where we should go. If we cannot see ourselves, we cannot know what is wrong.

This topic is a lot more nebulous and complicated than I can give justice in the space of a newspaper. In fact, instead of elucidating the value of a humanities degree, I may have just made things worse for all the first-year, non-declared HBA students out there. So, to patch things up a bit, let me give my reasons for studying English at UTM, and why you shouldn’t be ashamed of it.

Because I believe that we are more than squishy clockwork.

Because I believe that life and meaning and justice are more than pretty words. Because I believe that we can develop ourselves, and that we must develop, I studied literature.

Also, some of the books I read had sex scenes. Good sex scenes.

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12 THE MEDIUM «FEATURES 09.06.2011

Simple rules can make your stay at UTM more civil same thing, everyone blinked at me.

“But I always do that,” said the first roommate.

If you have a problem with something your roommates are doing, just tell them and ask them not to take it personally. And the same goes for when they ask you stop doing something that’s bothering them. One of my dons once suggested a “24-hour rule”, where each roommate has 24 hours after the event to tell the other roommates about whatever it is that’s bothering them. Once the 24 hours have passed, you have to let it go. Some variant of this rule seems like a good way to make sure all roommates are being honest and no one is slowly losing their mind.

Simple rules continued from page 10 Get your privacy One of the first things you’ll notice about living on residence is the complete lack of privacy. Now, in a UTM residence, wherever you live on campus you will always have your own room. Still, roommates will see no problem with walking into your room unannounced several times a day. People will see the lights on in your room under the door, or spot you moving through the peephole, and demand to be let in. If you’re really unlucky, your room will become the hangout spot for you and all your friends.

This might seem fun and social at first. But after a semester you’ll start to feel trapped. Not only is your room two feet wide and the colour of dried mustard, but there are always people in it, and your attempts to kick them out have turned into a joke.

While it might be fun to play host for a while, your room should not become everyone’s favourite hangout. Your room should be your space: a space to study, wind down, or sleep without anyone bothering you. So don’t be overly welcoming during the first few weeks of school.

Instead, you can hang out in the common rooms or outside before the weather gets bad.

Learn to say no (or get out!)

The night before my PSY100 final exam, one of my friends decided it would be a great opportunity to watch Rush Hour 3 in my room. I pointed out that I had my PSY100 final the next day, so I wouldn’t be able to watch the movie with her.

When she didn’t get the hint, I jokingly pointed out that she might want to use headphones. She waved me off, saying she didn’t have any.

EDWARD CAI/THE MEDIUM

This is what residence life is actually like.

I didn’t say anything after that because I didn’t want to be rude, and anyway, she would get sleepy and leave eventually... right?

She stayed until 7 a.m. the next morning. My exam was at 8 a.m. It did not go well.

Had I honestly and seriously told my friend to leave that night, I probably would have spared myself three hours of staring blankly at an exam paper. Be firm and serious. Hinting probably won’t get people to leave.

It’ll probably just make you even more frustrated. Don’t worry about offending your friends or being rude. Your GPA (and your sanity) are at stake. So even if you have to physically push people out, don’t be afraid to do it.

Make rules This will probably feel a bit like kindergarten when you first do it—your roommates might roll their eyes at

Creative Corner

Beautiful Things Larissa Ho

The phone call comes at 2 a.m. in the morning on Tuesday as I’m tucked in bed, not knowing the tears I’d soon shed... to tell us that you’re in the hospital and, the doctors say, there is a large tumour growing in your brain, and all other attempts to save your life would be in vain but an operation to remove it at once, and give both you and your unborn baby a fighting chance.

Please, God, let this cup pass from you, I fervently pray!

Let not your life be over this extraordinary day.

But if the Lord your soul must take, my heart won’t break, my faith won’t shake, because your spirit soars up high like it’s on eagle’s wings.

And somehow you’ll come back to us again, in the form of happiness, love, friendship, and other beautiful things.

the idea of a trash duty schedule or a “no dishes in the sink” policy, but once you get busy with school and the dishes start to pile up, a written contract will come in handy. And it doesn’t just have to be about cleaning your living space. These rules can be about anything from when you can play loud music to whose turn it is to buy the toilet paper.

Once you move in, take the time to think about the things that really bother you around the house and write them down.

For example, if you’re a light sleeper, it might be good idea to make sure none of your roommates play music during sleeping hours.

Once you’ve made your list, have a discussion with your roommates and try to come up with some sort of agreement and a set of rules, so that when someone does break them, you have legitimate grounds to be upset.

Deal with pent-up anger I once had a roommate who slammed stuff all the time. It wasn’t just doors; it was cupboards and closet doors and drawers and anything else she could get her hands on. At first, I thought she was just in a bad mood, or in a rush to get somewhere, so I said nothing. When the slamming continued, I thought she would eventually realize how rude she was being and stop on her own.

When it still didn’t stop, I decided to start slamming my own door, in the hope that she would see how loud she was being, but she didn’t.

Soon, there was a door slamming war going on in my suite, and only one side was actually aware of the fighting. Finally, one of my other roommates asked for a house meeting and told me that I was being too loud. When I pointed out that I was only slamming doors because our other roommate was doing the

Don’t do anything you’ll regret later In that same spirit of making friends, some people tend to agree to do things that they normally wouldn’t, or sometimes that they don’t even want to do. For example, you may have made friends who find it necessary to go to a party every weekend. For the first few weeks, you genuinely enjoy going out and socializing every Friday, but a few Fridays later you will come to the realization that you can’t stand yet another long night in an overcrowded, dark room where people are “getting low” and singing about “apple bottom jeans”.

Making and keeping friends isn’t the same as agreeing to everything.

And there’s nothing wrong with going for some pho or playing a game of Monopoly on Friday night. If your friends resent you for wanting to stay in that week, then you’re probably better off staying in anyway and meeting people that have interests that are more similar to yours.

The four types of UTM professors

09.06.2011

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MEDIUM SPORTS Editor » Chris Callahan

The Argos: your friendly neighbourhood football team ISAAC OWUSU ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR A message to first-year students: if you find yourself in the Davis building waiting in the Mr. Sub line, and by chance you become surrounded by a few hulking, athletic guys in white and navy blue sports attire, do not be alarmed. UTM hosts the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts practice facilities, where the players and coaches can be viewed taking part in drills and refining their craft at the South Field just outside the Recreation, Athletic and Wellness Centre (RAWC).

Due to the stresses and demands of student life at UTM, the presence of the Argos is often overlooked, and frankly may come off as intimidating for many students who are not in tune with Canadian Football.

The Medium took it upon itself to be the liaison in bridging the gap between the players on the Argos and the students. Jeff Johnson, the Argonauts’ veteran running back and one of the most tenured players on the team, was asked about what he thinks students can do to embrace and understand the role of the Toronto Argonauts as they share the UTM environment.

“Give it a chance; it’s a great game.

It’s like a giant chess match: it’s a very complex game. A lot of the educa-

ARGONAUTS.CA/PHOTO

Chad Owens: he cannot be stopped, just like students when they hit the books. tional people, I think if they gave it a minute, would go, ‘Wow—there’s actually something quite interesting to this game; there’s a lot of thinking that’s going on.’ Just give the game a chance and we’re here. The guys on our team are always welcome to meeting new fans and we have an open door over here. So come on out, support us, continue to support us if you been on board, and we’re going to start winning games and it’s going to be a great year.”

Students put off by the team’s record might think there is no fun to be had at Argos games, but Andre

The Phillies: MLB’s ‘Dream Team’

Durie, running back and slot back, disagrees.

“Every game, we bring intensity.

We always have exciting games; that’s one thing we try to implement every game that we are on the field— it’s to come out high-energy, highimpact, and finish every play. So regardless of the score, sometimes they don’t turn out your way, but we always give a hundred every game.”

Whether you’re in your first or last year, there will always be adversity to deal with and stresses to overcome; the same challenges exist in professional sports. Playing such

a physical sport presents an assortment of adversities for the players, who come in all shapes and sizes.

Chad Owens, who is listed on the Argos’ team website as 5 foot 8 and 180 lbs., plays very big for his smaller stature. In 2010, he was awarded CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.

Provided on the team website, his favorite quote is: “The greatness of a man should not be determined by his success in life, but by what he is able to overcome.” Speaking to Chad, it is clear that if he knows one thing, it’s overcoming odds. The

Medium spoke to Chad regarding adversity and he provided this to say to students and student athletes.

“It’s a matter of continuing to work, continuing to outwork your opponent, to outwork yourself, and no matter what, that’s all you can do. No matter what, you keep pushing the rock[...]you imagine a big rock. There’s no way it can be moved, but it doesn’t mean you’re not going to try, so you keep pushing the rock. And as long as you keep that mentality, you’re going to stay on top of yourself and you’re going to keep working.”

For UTM students, it is important to understand that the athletic facilities are shared with not only your fellow students, alumni, and sometimes non-UTM associated residents of Mississauga, but also with the Toronto Argonauts.

Their coaches can often be seen and heard around the campus. The players are always happy to meet new people and share thoughts on why they appreciate the game of Canadian football and how students can as well.

If you want to take in some of the excitement of Canadian football, check out argonauts.ca/page/ practice-schedule to see when the Argonauts will be in action during practices, which are located at the South Field, beside the RAWC gym.

renovated y l w e n r u o t i s i r t m a p ent! e D V y r e n

o i t a St IBTIMES.COM

Halladay has led the Philllies to an MLB-best 88-47 record.

CHRIS CALLAHAN SPORTS EDITOR If you polled a group of knowledgeable baseball fans back in the spring when the Major League Baseball (MLB) season began, a clear consensus would have emerged: the Phillies were widely regarded as the most talented team in baseball and the clear-cut favorite to win the World Series. With the fall only a few weeks away, it’s clear that the Phillies are still the team to beat.

With an MLB-best record of 87-46, the Phillies have the wins to validate the spring hype.

The most commonly cited reason for the Phillies’ spring position atop the baseball world was their exceptional pitching staff.

When the Phillies reacquired Cliff Lee this past off-season,

baseball fans around the globe marvelled at the potential greatness of the starting rotation. Put simply, the Phillies arguably have the best starting rotation anyone has assembled in the last 20 years.

Over the summer, the Phillies starters have yet to disappoint. In fact, they’ve added fuel to the fire that was sparked by the additions of Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay over the past consecutive off-seasons.

Halladay has led the starting staff, but with this much talent, a clear ace is not easy to identify; their top three starters would be aces on most other MLB clubs.

Halladay has once again looked like the workhorse that Blue Jays fans grew accustomed to during his 10-year reign as the Jays’ ace.

Phillies continued on Page 14

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14 THE MEDIUM «SPORTS 09.06.2011

The elephant in the room: Crosby’s concussion battle

The Phillies: team of the year?

Phillies continued from page 13

CANADIAN PRESS/PHOTO

MELISSA PERRI Headshots and concussions have been in the news over the past few months, fuelled by the hit that ended the season for Sidney Crosby, arguably the best professional hockey player in the world.

The root of Crosby’s concussion history can be separated into two distinct incidents. The first incident occurred at the 2011 Winter Classic at Heinz Field in Pittsburg, when Capitals forward David Steckel’s shoulder collided with Crosby’s head. The second incident occurred only days later against the Lightning, when Victor Hedman pushed Crosby’s head into the boards.

The two episodes, paired with how closely in time they occurred, caused the end of Crosby’s 2010-2011 season at 66 points in 41 games, a performance on its

way to becoming a career high.

Crosby’s injury has called into doubt whether the star centre will return in time for the start of the season this fall. As for Steckel and Hedman, both hits went without a suspension following from the league office.

Crosby has been given great care on his road to recovery through the development of specialized workout routines and monitored progress over the course of the summer.

The length of time needed for his recovery is unknown since each head injury is different, and this particular injury is being handled with special attention based on the status of the player in question.

With these facts in mind, it is clear that action must be taken leaguewide, even sport-wide, to solve the issue of concussions and prevent further injury. The current mea-

sures undertaken by the National Hockey League are insufficient.

The concussion debate comes in many forms and had been a topic of discussion much long before the incident. The issue for many, though, is the increased attention given to the topic after the Crosby injury became a reality. If the NHL had placed more of an emphasis on the issue several years ago, these incidents may never have occurred.

Most recently, Aaron Rome was suspended for the remainder of the final round of the 2011 playoffs for his hit on Nathan Horton in Game 3. Horton did not play the remainder of the games, a series that went to a Game 7 Stanley Cup Final.

Another hotly discussed concussion case in the league is that of Marc Savard, a member of the Boston Bruins. Savard was blindsided by a hit from Matt Cooke of

the Pittsburg Penguins on March 7, 2010. A statement from Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli was released Wednesday, saying that Savard “will not play this year” and “it’s very unlikely [he] will play again”.

As for development of safer play, the Ontario Hockey League has implemented measures this season to increase safety, such as regulating soft-cap shoulder and elbow pads. This is important progress, because changes made at the junior hockey level allow players to become comfortable at an earlier age.

Further action must be taken to implement rules in the NHL with regard to headshots and concussions in hopes of preventing these situations from occurring again. To see any player affected by a careeraltering injury is difficult to accept, but even more so when it involves a household name like Crosby.

In 27 starts he has logged 196.2 innings and a record of 16-5. His Earned Run Average (ERA) of 2.47, Walks and Hits per Innings Pitched (WHIP) of 1.04, and Strikeouts per 9 Innings (K/9) of 8.7 all represent numbers that are on pace to either come close to or completely shatter Halladay’s career bests in the respective categories.

Lee has been trailing behind Halladay only slightly this year, which in itself is noteworthy because it means the Phillies legitimately have two elite aces on their staff. In the same amount of starts, Lee has posted a very impressive 2.59 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP, and has been striking out batters at a jaw-dropping 9.2 K/9 mark, which leaves him with the second-most strikeouts in the National League (NL) this year.

The fun doesn’t stop there, folks. Cole Hamels, the Phillies’ third-best starter, has once again displayed exceptional stuff this year. Hamels has an ERA of only 2.58, a mind-blowing WHIP of 0.97, and a very respectable K/9 of 8.2 in 178 innings.

The Phillies’ starting rotation has been just as good as advertised, and this played a crucial role in the team’s remarkable performance in the summer of 2010.

»

09.06.2011 THE MEDIUM SPORTS

15

The NFL off-season: reunited, and it feels so good CORY CRABTREE Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or “enjoying your summer” spending time outside, you have no doubt heard of the battle that was the 2011 NFL lockout.

The rather complicated process, which included a union decertification, a district court ruling on the lockout that was overturned, and both billionaires and millionaires crying “poverty”, eventually ended with both sides coming to a new 10-year agreement.

The new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) includes a few key changes to both the economics of the league and the way the game itself is played.

Possibly the biggest change is the rookie wage scale. Much like the NBA’s wage scale, the CBA sets the length of entry-level contracts at four years and makes a draftclass spending cap, which means that rookies make much less than their veteran counterparts.

The most immediate effect being that first overall pick Cam Newton signed for a mere $22 million, although all of the money is guaranteed, over four years.

To the average student this may sound like a lot, but compare that to last year’s first overall pick Sam Bradford’s six-year, $78-million contract, and you can see the massive difference in the way rookies impact the team’s total payroll.

Player safety was a big issue last year, and the desire to look after players’ health is reflected in the new CBA. The most obvious change to the agreement is scaling back the number of both inseason and pre-season practices and increasing the numbers of days off the players have between practices. The thinking behind this is obvious: the less practice the players have, the less opportunity to for a player to be hurt in practice, and the less wear and tear on their bodies.

The actual outcome of eliminating these practices is yet to be seen, but players hope that it will lengthen careers and reduce injury. Moreover, with fewer overall practices, the Patriots will likely have to spend less on blank DVDs and videotapes.

The increased concern for player safety didn’t end with limiting practices, as the CBA included an increase to the benefits and healthcare of retired players.

Over the 10-year agreement, the NFL Players Association and the owners will increase benefits by contributing somewhere between $900 million and $1 billion, with at least $620 million going to players who retired before 1993.

Players, current or retired, will see better post-career medical

OVEROLL.COM/PHOTO

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodel and Excecutive Directer of the NFLPA DeMaurice Smith are relieved to present their new CBA to NFL fans. options. To accomplish this goal, they will receive an improved disability plan and “The 88 Plan”, a benefits package designed to help former players diagnosed with dementia.

The agreement also calls for a $50-million annual fund for medical research, healthcare research, and other charitable organizations, with the costs being split between the two sides.

After both sides signed the agreement and thanked the fans for putting up with four agonizing months of discussion, teams were free to trade, cut, and sign players.

The biggest signing this offseason, or certainly the one that made this writer question his literacy and pronunciation skills the most, was the Eagles’ signing of cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.

Asomugha has for the past four seasons been widely regarded as a top-three cornerback in the league. By pairing Asomugha, a shutdown corner, with Asante Samuel, the king of the interception himself, the Eagles now have one of the most impressive cornerback tandems in recent memory.

Two big-time quarterbacks moved teams as veteran Donovan McNabb became a Viking and his former teammate and 2010 Eagles backup Kevin Kolb was traded to the Cardinals. The deals could not be more different in terms of what the teams paid to get their men. The Vikings only gave up a pair of 6th-round picks for the six-time Pro-Bowler who had an exhausting season in Washington last year.

The Cardinals, on the other hand, gave the Eagles their 2nd round pick in 2012 and Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique Rogers-

Cromartie for Kolb, who as of today has started a grand total of seven regular season games. The Cardinals then signed him to a six-year, $65-million contract.

Did they pay too much for him?

Only time will tell. If you ask me, the answer is yes.

Other big signings and trades include the Patriots rolling the dice on two players who appear to enjoy the spotlight a bit too much and have not always been receptive to coaching. They acquired former Bengal and Twitter darling Chad Ochocinqo, and former

Washington defensive tackle Albert Haynseworth.

Fresh off a stint at Oneida Correctional Facility, former Giants and Steelers wideout Plexico Burress signed with the Jets and hopes to give Mark Sanchez another target for his truly cannonlike arm.

With the lockout over, the players are without a doubt excited to get back on the field. Well, maybe not all of them—I’m looking at you, Chris Johnson. With the threat of the lockout looming over the NFL world for an entire summer, fans may have gained a greater appreciation for the game and are anxious for the season to kick off this week.

Thursday night’s NFL Regular Season opener will feature the defending Super Bowl champions, the Green Bay Packers, in front of their home crowd at Lambeau Field, against the New Orleans Saints.

Most of us fans were frightened to our very core by the image of a fall and winter without NFL football. Fortunately, order has been restored and we can get back to sitting down and enjoying the game we all love.