Vol 38 issue 21

March 19, 2012 Volume 38, Issue 21 www.mediumutm.ca

Are we disengaged?

UTMSU All-Candidates Debate fails to draw attention from students at the Blind Duck STEFANIE MAROTTA NEWS EDITOR Students munched on burgers and chicken fingers with little regard for the UTMSU All-Candidates Debate on Wednesday afternoon at the Blind Duck Pub. UTM Engage and independent candidate Thomas Kristan took the stage without microphones and unsuccessfully attempted to grab the attention of the bustling pub.

The debate is a forum for candidates to explain their platform points and for students to ask questions. About eight students (including three covering this story for The Medium) sat in the first row of tables in front of the stage to listen to the candidates and participate in the debate.

UTM Engage, led by current VP Campus Life Chris Thompson, is the only slate running for election to fill six paid executive positions

EDWARD CAI/THE MEDIUM

Few students paid attention to the candidates speaking on stage. at the local student union. Running independently for a second consecutive year is Thomas Kristan, who is vying for the position of VP Equity.

Candidates moved their chairs closer to the edge of the stage to better hear the questions over the noisy lunch rush at the pub. Instead of a debate, the event turned into

one-on-one discussions with particular candidates.

Despite the poor turnout, the debate lasted an hour with attendees demanding answers and explana-

tions of platform points.

OHIP for international students VP External candidate Grace Guo emphasized her desire to advocate for the inclusion of international students under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. Several students brought up the topic at the debate.

An attendee asked why international students should receive OHIP coverage from the tax dollars of families that have contributed for many years.

Guo stated that international students are a part of the community and in any case should receive free provincial healthcare because they pay HST and income tax if they are employed. The Ontario Health Premium, which partially funds the province’s healthcare budget, is a portion of income tax. As full-time students, international students file income tax returns.

Debate continued on page 2

Getting young people to vote UTM Liberals host a discussion with former Liberal MP Omar Alghabra JERICHO TAN The UTM Liberals organized a discussion with former Liberal MP Omar Alghabra on Friday afternoon in the Student Centre.

Alghabra addressed the continuing need for students to be involved in and aware of politics.

He emphasized that a possible reason for low youth involvement is the lack of representation of the interests and needs of students in academic institutions.

Alghabra stated that students need to be aware of what are achievable and possible goals when discussing student issues, such as tuition fees and employment. Students brought up low youth employment rates at the discussion. Alghabra said that society is quick to establish scapegoats in the problem of un-

Envirolympics Residence Council hosts event to encourage sustainability.

Medium News, page 3

The Independent The Medium discusses the UTMSU elections with the only independent candidate, Thomas Kristan.

Medium Opinion, page 5

Mindwaves launch Professional writing students presented their work to a packed audience.

Medium A&E, page 7 AYMAN KHAN/THE MEDIUM

Students discussed politics with the former Member of Parliament. employment. He also said that a contributing factor was that Canada faces the challenge of an aging population and the need for new immigrants.

On the subject of immigration, Alghabra sympathized with new immigrants and stated that the

dynamics of employment for new immigrants and citizens have changed, with extra focus on language skills, and said there was a need for a better immigration system. New immigrants need to be educated to help them integrate into Canadian society.

“Canada must continue to improve its system of cultural integration of new immigrants in helping them transit into Canadian society smoothly and respectfully,” Alghabra said.

Politics continued on page 3

Kony revisited A new look at the controversy from an actual Ugandan.

Medium Features, page 8

The end of a dry spell The UTM men’s volleyball team takes home the Division I championship.

Medium Sports, page 11

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«NEWS THE MEDIUM 03.19.2012

standardization Envirolympics Fee dismissed as rumour Residence Council hosts event to encourage sustainability

Province increases tuition cap instead LORI-LEE EMSHEY ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

JUNAID IMRAN/THE MEDIUM

Participants cleaned up campus after the event.

JAI SANGHA The UTM Residence Council held the “Envirolympics” in the Council Chambers of the Davis Building on Friday.

Participating students listened to keynotes by Deep Saini, the vice-president of U of T and principal of UTM, and by James Temple, the director of corporate responsibility at Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Students also participated in two team competitions.

“One of the key things nobody is discussing is the issue of population,” said Saini. “We have stopped looking at population as a burden on the Earth’s resources and have started looking at it as human resource. As we move towards a nine-billion population, this outlook has to change.”

After the speech, students broke into groups for the first competition. The groups raced to different stations in the building, where they played games like

Jeopardy and garbage-sorting, collecting points for prizes.

“One thing that stood out for me was a question in the Jeopardy game about how many trees go into making diapers every year. I was shocked that the answer was one billion,” said Debbie Ma, a third-year commerce student.

James Temple, a former TEDx Talk presenter, spoke about corporate responsibility in the workforce.

“Whether you’re passionate about the environment or giving back or making a difference, it doesn’t mean everybody else in the world is, because life isn’t perfect. The attitude we need to have is embracing change and embracing difference and how we can bring people back along with us,” said Temple. “You need to ask the right questions to influence the right thinking.”

The students broke into teams again for a garbage collection

competition. After an hour of picking up litter around campus, the teams had collected more than 6,000 pieces of garbage, of which 4,315 were cigarette butts.

“I was surprised at the number of cigarette butts that were collected,” said Vanessa Hussain, an accounting student. “When we walk around every day we don’t pay that much attention, but when you really look, there are so many of them everywhere.”

The event was sponsored by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Certified Management Accountants, and Microsoft.

“We wanted to give students incentives to come to an environmentally focussed event. So we had food, fun activities, and a chance to network with our sponsors,” said Qian Dong, the VP Finance of Residence Council. “The goal of this event was for students to think about things they can do for the environment as students.”

Several Greater Toronto Area news outlets announced that Ontario’s government planned to implement a standardized tuition rate for Ontario universities, only to have the announcement dismissed as a rumour by Glenn Murray, the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, last week.

Several media outlets, including the Toronto Star and Study Magazine, published stories stating that Ontario’s government was going to impose a flat rate of $5,366 for tuition fees for arts and sciences programs at all universities in Ontario.

U of T’s Arts and Science Student Union’s president, York University’s president, University of Windsor’s president, and several other Ontario university presidents all weighed in on the alleged standardization.

Some balked at the increases they would need to make, while others complained about the thousands of dollars they would lose, but all were confused as to why the Ontario government would suddenly seek to take away universities’ already limited tuition-setting autonomy.

The source of the alleged proposal remains unnamed. Ontario officials declined to comment.

The next day, both the Globe and Mail and Maclean’s discredited the Toronto Star article after Murray called the newspaper report “false”.

The claim may have come about in anticipation of an update on the tuition policy plans by the provincial government, which was due later this month.

The actual plans, detailed in a news release from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, include allowing universities to increase tuition fees by up to five percent. This is the seventh year

in a row the tuition cap has been raised.

The Canadian Federation of Students, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, and many university student union presidents expressed disappointment, outrage, and confusion at the apparently contradictory policy of the Liberal party. They hoped for a more comprehensive long-term plan for tuition, but instead saw the tuition cap renewed and extended for another year.

The actual plans, detailed in a news release from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, include allowing universities to increase tuition fees by up to five percent.

The news release stated that the possibility of a tuition fee moratorium would not be considered until at least 2013. The idea of standardized fees may be appealling, but policies will need to be put in place beforehand to protect students from being unfairly charged.

A flat tuition rate would mean students pay the same fees per year, regardless of how many credits they take. This could disadvantage students who cannot take a full course load because they have to work or have other commitments, for example.

In the face of the tuition cap raise, the policy also stated that the 30% tuition rebate for eligible students promised during the election campaign would continue next year.

UTMSU election debate fails to draw crowd Debate continued from Cover International students were covered under OHIP until the service was cut in the 1990s in response to the province’s fiscal crisis. Since then, the government of Ontario has continued to run a deficit and announced last month that it will be pursuing austerity measures to alleviate the problem over the next five years.

Part-time students The Erindale Part-time Undergraduate Students reorganized this year and will soon undergo negotiations with Mississauga Transit to approve a part-time UPass. In 2007, EPUS disbanded and UTMSU created a seventh executive position for VP Parttime Affairs to ensure that parttime students are represented on

campus, even though the union is funded only by full-time students.

With EPUS having been reestablished this year, UTM Engage was asked why they will be preserving the position of VP Part-time, allocating a salary to the position and a budget to the Ministry of Part-time Affairs, when that money could be used to provide services for full-time students.

Part-time students pay membership fees not to UTMSU but to the Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students, which manages the part-time students of all three campuses.

Both VP Part-time candidate Sabiha Sumra and presidential candidate Chris Thompson sidestepped the question and stated that UTMSU will continue to provide guidance for EPUS and

that it needs to maintain the salaried executive position and funding for the ministry.

Campus accessibility A student posed a question to the two VP Equity candidates— independent Thomas Kristan and UTM Engage’s Yasmine Youssef—about the steps they would take to make the campus more accessible, in particular at the North Building.

Youssef stated that she wants to advocate for an elevator, gender-neutral washrooms, and a wheelchair ramp to the cafeteria.

Kristan stated that he will provide student insight on the renovations planned for the North Building. Earlier in the year, Kristan took part in a challenge to navigate campus in a wheelchair. He stated that the Student Centre is also difficult to access.

Board minutes Much like last year, the minutes of the Board of Directors meetings were rarely posted online.

The monthly minutes from first semester were posted on the UTMSU website in December and subsequently were removed just before the election period.

The minutes provide students with information on the services, programs, and events to which UTMSU plans to allocate its funds.

When Thompson, current VP Campus Life, was asked why the minutes were removed from the website before elections, Chief Returning Officer Babatumi Sodade—the person responsible for overseeing the elections—intervened and stated that the issue was not included on Thompson’s platform and he should not have to discuss the matter.

VP Internal candidate Raymond Noronha promised, similiarly to promises made in previous years, that the minutes will be updated regularly and asserted that transparency is a priority.

Deregulated tuition fees A student commented that while Guo’s platform includes initiatives to advocate for OSAP reform and OHIP for international students, it leaves out many students that pay high deregulated tuition fees in programs such as commerce and CCIT. Guo stated that deregulated fees are a recent change and that she will look into the matter. The student corrected Guo: CCIT was deregulated in 2002.

Students can vote at the polls next week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in North, Davis, IB, and CCT.

03.19.2012 THE MEDIUM NEWS

O Holy Night

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»Are you voting in the UTMSU elections?

SEC hosts the annual Sex Pub at the Blind Duck

Haofei 4th year, finance

Avalon 2nd year, accounting

“If I know when to vote, I will. Well, actually, I don’t really care.”

“Yes, it’s important to get the right candidates. Not many people know they can run for UTMSU.”

Klarice 2nd year, DEM

Jen 2nd year, CCIT

“Yes, I’ll be voting to express my opinion. It’s the Unity group, right?—Oh, they’re downtown...”

“Yes, I’ll be voting but I definitely need to do some research and figure out what’s going on.”

EDWARD CAI/THE MEDIUM

Students danced with people and plastic dolls.

TIFFANY HORTA From sexy cowboys to “morning after” girls to nuns, Sex Pub was one of UTM’s most anticipated and attended annual pub nights.

The event was hosted by the Sexual Education and Peer Counselling Centre, a student-

run organization that provides resources and peer counselling for students at UTM. It also holds numerous events throughout the year, Sex Pub being the most recognized.

Students have been inquiring about Sex Pub as early as September and tickets sold out at

the info booth within the hour on the first day.

The night included music, drinks, and pole and go-go dancers. Four students dressed as nuns showed up and won many of the night’s competitions, including best costume and best orgasm scream.

Stem cell donations UTM destresses on campus with TREWO SANA HAQ

UTM’s Lifeline held the second annual Stem Cell Research Donation event on Tuesday in the Student Centre, CCT, and the Davis Building. The goal of the event was to collect DNA samples from students in order to help find a donor for patients registered with Canadian Blood Services’ OneMatch. Few students were aware of the event and only about 50 students donated.

The DNA samples were taken by a swab of saliva by members of UTM’s Lifeline. Students wishing to volunteer their DNA had to undergo a health screening survey about any diseases or past illnesses they had. This year the Lifeline committee

targetted Asians, stressing the lack of Asian-matching donors. Stem cells can be recovered from red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. In a transplant, a patient’s diseased bone marrow is replaced with healthy stem cells from a donor.

Numerous studies prove that there is significant potential for new medical treatments using stem cells.

“We need people,” said Maheshi Wanasundara, an executive of Lifeline. She stated there is a limited awareness of stem cell donation. One student said, ‘They will suck my blood out’!”

The donation itself is a very simple, painless procedure. Donors briefly swab the inside of their mouths to procure a sample.

ROWAN EL SHABASSY The Ripple Effect Wellness Organization, in collaboration with UTM volunteers, hosted the “Beat It!” event last week. The group hoped to raise awareness about the importance of staying healthy and maintaining a lifestyle that allows not only for physical but also for mental and emotional health.

After opening musical performances by students from the UTM Music Club, UTM’s principal, Deep Saini, welcomed TREWO to campus.

Dr. Kwame McKenzie and Dr. Manish Maingi proceeded with engaging and informative talks about mental and physi-

cal health and about heart disease, respectively, explaining to students how to seek help for problems they might be facing. They also gave advice on coping with stress and anxiety.

TREWO aims to raise awareness of both general health issues and specific heart disease.

At the end of the event, the hosts held a raffle of iPads, ebooks, and movie tickets, and the attendees enjoyed the music—a small way to cope with stress.

For more, visit mediumutm.ca

Former MP talks politics Politics continued from Cover Alghabra encouraged students to develop their own ideas on politics.

He said they should continue to be committed to their own causes and beliefs.

“Students are bringing a positive outlook into the future and a powerful desire to make the world better,” Alghabra added. “Education should be made affordable, and the[re is a] need to create accessibility for all students and for local students to vocally and physically support the concerns of international students, as they play a very important role in U of T’s student body and representation into tuition fees.”

Alghabra, once an international student from Syria, was elected MP for the riding of Mississauga-Erindale in 2006 for the Liberal Party of Ontario.

Bony 2012: Invisible Students in London Children co-founder set van on fire on masturbated in public St. Patrick’s Day

Man poses as a woman to receive medical care

Romney’s wife appeals to women voters

Clooney refuses to leave Sudanese embassy, is arrested

Jason Russel, a co-founder of Invisible Children, was detained for public masturbation and intoxication on Thursday at Pacific Beach. The San Diego Police Department received several phone calls describing a man undressed, screaming, and running through traffic. Russel was taken to a medical centre.

Celebrations turned ugly when a crowd of about 1,000 people surrounded a TV news truck that was tipped over and set on fire. People threw beer bottles at police and firefighters to keep them away from the truck. Police arrested seven Fanshawe College students. They were charged with unlawful assembly, assaulting police, and resisting arrest.

A homeless man in San Clemente, California has been stealing a woman’s identity for the past 13 years and has claimed over $100,000 in health care expenses. Police found the man sleeping in a public area, wearing a hospital wristband with a name that was not the one he provided.

The victim has been to court several times to settle arrest warrants.

Ann Romney expressed her dissatisfaction with Obama’s policies to about 200 people at a pancake breakfast in Moline, Illinois on Sunday. She steered away from her usual stories about her role as a wife and mother, talking instead about discussion among women about the economy. A recent Fox News poll shows that women are more loyal to Obama than men.

#freeclooney became a Twitter sensation after actor George Clooney, his father, and congressmen were arrested for refusing to the leave the Sudanese embassy grounds. They were released shortly after. Clooney, who has been advocating against the genocidal regime in Khartoum for years, met with President Obama earlier in the week to discuss concerns over the rising conflict.

Source: NBC San Diego

Source: CBC

Source: Huffington Post

Source: National Journal

Source: Globe and Mail

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03.19.2012

MEDIUM OPINION Editor-in-Chief » Michael Di Leo

Debating student politics What a sad state of affairs.

I found last week’s UTMSU debate a perfect symbol of how our union continues to operate and the role they play in representing students. Just plain sad.

I wonder if the “Engage” candidates were able to step back for a second, like Thomas Kristan, and recognize the absurdity of the situation. The debate (if you can even call it that) was more of an inaudible conversation between a handful of stubborn people—all hand gestures and half-understanding— made even more awkward by the fact that the conversants were sepa-

rated by about four feet of stage, and the majority of the attendees were people from this newspaper who were covering the story.

And the irony. Who could forget that? A team whose primary promise, as far as I can tell, is to “engage” students, spent over an hour in the pub looking like those lonely guys at pub nights who stand in the corner and pretend to send fake text messages. The real kicker: it’s their pub. You can’t make this shit up.

I know I’ve been critical of the union this year. But that belies the fact that, for the most part, I truly respect the work they do. I be-

lieve that those in office really care about helping students and I know they work exceptionally hard. But there’s something fundamentally wrong with the way they go about it. And you need look no further than their elections to see that.

When an incumbent slate has been running unopposed for four of the past five years, you should be worried. I’m not saying the process is undemocratic; it’s actually quite easy for anyone to run for a position, and everyone on campus gets a vote. I’m saying there’s a culture of succession, one that our union has done nothing to renounce. It’s

this culture that dissuades different students from running. Thomas Kristan is an exception, but you get the sense that any independent opposition is a lost cause, no matter how qualified they are.

The result is that our union is hardly representative of students.

No matter how many different points of view or cultural backgrounds VP candidates may collectively represent, no matter how many “debates” they hold, and no matter what experience they may have, we still have no real choice about who gets the job. And that is a serious problem. For elected of-

Disappointed with the union Dear Editor, I am graduating in June this year.

I wanted to take the opportunity to express my experience as an engaged student at UTM and my disappointment with UTMSU. On November 25, 2011, the UTM Women’s Centre and UTMSU collaborated for the annual Montreal Massacre Memorial.

Ruba El-Kadri was asked to be the student speaker for the event, and had requested examples of speeches from previous years to refer to as a “template”. I emailed her a copy of the speech I gave for last year’s memorial, with the assumption that she would form a speech of her own and use my speech as a “template”. Unfortunately, much of her speech was directly copied and only contained additions when required to address the UTMSU’s “efforts”. This speech was important to the Centre and to me, and many of my sentiments were expressed as her own. Later on in the event, Ruba informed me that she did in fact “use” the speech, not referring

to it as a “template”.

I find this extremely unethical, because it wasn’t appropriate to inform me of this in front of our guests. If certain parts of my speech were to be used, I should have been asked prior to the event. I was disappointed because not only was my work copied without proper consent, but UTMSU was not prepared on their own merit. The union committed to help with the memorial but was not as prepared as I had hoped they would be. I would also like to note that the UTMWC had maintained consistent contact with Ruba regarding the event. This is an important event for the Women’s Centre and Ruba displayed a lack of respect for my team, the Centre, and the sentiment of my speech.

My disappointment with the union was reaffirmed after the lack of involvement with our benefit concert for the global organization Keep a Breast Canada. Ruba did not take an initiative as VP Equity to be more involved with the Women’s Centre and be a part of this event with the union. Further, there was

no attendance by her or any other union executive at the event. Our event clashed with the Raptors vs.

Celtics game, for which UTMSU organized tickets; therefore, I understand the lack of attendance by more executives. However, not even one executive was present at the concert in spite of knowing the importance of their attendance.

I fail to understand why the union cannot address their duties to the organizations and students of UTM. I often find there is a partiality to certain events, maybe if it is entertaining or to their benefit, but do they really get paid that much money to have a good time—or to do their job?

I would like to greatly emphasize that this is purely my opinion and my experience with UTMSU. I am certain that I am neglecting particular facts that reflect their finest abilities. But I choose to focus on these concerns because I find it shocking how issues like plagiarism or lack of preparation and attendance for events should occur in an organization that students

ficials, nothing is more delegitimizing than that.

Something has to change. A good place to start would be for our union to remove itself from the wider political spectrum (think Drop Fees and all that other nonsense) and focus on student affairs at our campus. Maybe then more students would care about what’s going on, and when that happens there could be room for some real debate.

YOURS, MICHAEL DI LEO

Reasonable accomodation

elect and give their trust to. I also find that people consistently have negative feedback about the union because, in my opinion, the union members forget their primary duties towards students. Again, this is what I perceive and has only been proven by my own experience. If a student wishes to be involved on campus academically, sports, etc., it is an “initiative” taken for their interests and passions. Therefore, where is the “initiative” of the “student” union when engaging with and representing students?

That is what I wish to end with. I know there is not much to gain out of this letter, especially since I am graduating and any positive change will have no impact for me. But I do think it is important to make people aware of what can be changed for the better. I also know I might be badly refuted for this letter because my opinion may affect the way the union is perceived. I simply hope that my own opinion can be respected. Thank you.

Dear Editor,

—Antara Ashra

Equity continued on page 5

It has recently been brought to my attention that some leaders in our campus community have, on occasion, blatantly refused to consider the diverse needs of fellow students, some of whom have different abilities, when undertaking certain decisions. While this accommodation is required, by law, to be “reasonable”, it can often be unclear what this term extends to and encompasses.

Whether it be Friday prayers in school cafeterias, 90% workweeks for working moms, or permitting service animals in the workplace, accommodations have to be—and have been—made, in order to ensure that everyone feels welcome and valued as a contributing member of society. I believe that UTM and university campuses in general are as close to the ideal as we can possibly attain in terms of upholding the principles of equity.

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03.19.2012 THE MEDIUM OPINION

For a second year in a row, Thomas Kristan is running independently against a full slate in the UTMSU elections STEFANIE MAROTTA NEWS EDITOR The Medium: What experience do you have that qualifies you for the position?

Thomas Kristan: I was a Division III director for the UTM Students’ Union. I went to the meetings both here and downtown, so I was responsible for representing UTM students at the downtown campus as well.

After that I wasn’t re-elected, but I was involved in a lot of union campaigns, such as Drop Fees. I was also an active member on the Accessibility Committee. Outside of the union I’ve been involved in other things, such as assisting students transition from high school to university. I feel that if I’m elected I can concentrate on helping students a lot more, because it’s a job, experience, and having fun all at the same time.

After that experience, what inspired you to run for the VP Equity position and contribute to the union?

On the one hand, I don’t think that it should just be the incumbent slate that’s made up of UTMSU’s re-running vicepresidents, associates, and close friends.

There should also be someone with a different view, because it’s like I tell people: I’m not there to necessarily be a “no” man and vote against everything they say. I think there needs to be somebody who’s not entirely assimilated into the student union.

There needs to be an outside voice that can

bring up issues [with] a motion that’s being considered. I noticed that you either had people from the union who were entirely for a motion and didn’t really acknowledge issues for the motion [or] then you would have people who would take up the issue and be completely against it. I tried to go back and forth and I think that’s one of the reasons I felt so out of place. I didn’t have a niche with pro-union members or the guys that are there to raise a fuss over everything. I feel that I can give a non-biased view on issues.

This is your second consecutive year running as an independent candidate.

After losing last year, why did you decide to run again?

Running the campaign was difficult because, similar to this year, people say that they support me but at the same time they don’t think that it’s possible to beat the incumbent team. As a result, I don’t have any volunteers. I have to do everything myself out of my own pocket with a very small budget. It has been difficult, but I felt like it was possible to win last year and I remember seeing the results and saying, well, that’s not too bad considering the budget and the amount of work I was able to put in versus everyone else on the entire team directing all of their efforts against me because I was the only competing executive candidate. This year, I think that I have the opportunity to do it again. Hopefully students remember me.

How are you funding your campaign?

It’s all out of my own pocket. Each candidate can spend $400 dollars, so I’m against a team that has a budget of thousands of dollars all printing off the same flyer. The odds are really against me because everyone is seeing my opponent on a team flyer.

You list points on your platform that are

similar to those of UTM Engage, along with some new proposals. Why do you think those issues are important for students to know about?

One of the important differences that I try and show people is that if you get a card from my opponent Yasmine, it shows all the points that the team wants to do—but they’re not specifically related to the VP Equity portfolio. The thing is, when I present a flyer to somebody and they ask why I haven’t proposed some of the more popular things, like the drop credit, I don’t think those are issues that the VP Equity specifically should focus on. As the VP Equity candidate, I want to focus on equity-related issues, such as accessibility, fighting discrimination—that sort of thing. I was able to tie in international tuition fees because I think that’s a form of discrimination.

Several things that I put on there might seem small, like putting an elevator in one building. But Roy Iverson Hall doesn’t have an elevator, just stairs. If someone is assigned a room [there] who uses a wheelchair, or even if there is someone who is temporarily disabled, such as if they break their leg, what will they do? There are a lot of small things and then things that match, because I think that if there’s a good idea, you should go with that.

You participated in the All-Candidates Debate and you saw the poor turnout.

What do you think that says about the quality of UTMSU elections and student apathy?

I think it mirrors the kind of attitude I get from students when I try to campaign.

There’s a lot of annoyance. I could also see some people at the back of the pub that would either laugh or would have this annoyed look, like, “Why are these people disturbing me during my lunch?”

Unfortunately, I think that students have developed this idea that you just can’t beat

the union team. It is quite unfortunate, and I hope that by me running two years in a row it shows that it’s not true—that there are people that are willing to run as independents and not as a team.

UTMSU has a strong body of volunteers. Why do you think more of those volunteers don’t run for a position or attend the debate?

Probably because many of them were out campaigning. I can’t say that for sure, but I noticed that many of them were out campaigning for executive candidates and they were wearing their yellow shirts.

Why do you refer to UTM Engage as the “incumbent” and “union” slate?

I know that my language in this interview will probably get me into trouble with some people and they’ll say this isn’t true.

Unfortunately, I think that’s the way it is because every year we see that there’s one team made up of previous members of the administration of the student union.

Sometimes it’s executives that run again, sometimes it’s board members that were very close to the VP associates. I seem to notice that if you go through this list of people, most of them are associates. It really looks more like a chain of succession.

It’s hard to see them as anything else. I don’t see them as independent candidates with their own points. Many times you’ll see that their points mirror the previous administration. Equity officers, drop credit, food options—many times they say the same thing, and it’s hard to distinguish them. If you go and listen to them when they talk, they say, “We were responsible for delivering you this.” How can they say that and then at the same time say they’re

5

not the incumbent team?

As I said earlier, it’s true that some individual members campaigned for certain goals, but when you work as a team and the whole team takes collective responsibility when they didn’t all necessarily get involved in those campaigns, I think that they’re trying to get it both ways. They’re trying to say that they’re not necessarily a continuation of the previous union, but at the same time, look at the things we did for you.

What do you think of the politicization of the student union and taking activist stances against the government?

I feel strongly about this. You’ll notice that when they lobby against tuition fees it’s collecting petitions and protesting, so it’s not something they can actually promise.

It takes a lot of negotiation with the administration and political parties. I think we need to have more focus on student services and things that the student union can promise. Events focus on outside issues. Over the years there have been many things related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to the conflict in Sri Lanka. I’ve always supported the student union in getting the word out as a part of social advocacy, but I think it’s very one-sided.

You’ll notice that these campaigns are generally left-wing—and I’m left-wing myself, so I’m not attacking it—but the events themselves are very pro-Palestinian. You have things like Israeli Apartheid Week.

It might be run by the downtown student union, but there are definitely members here that take part in it. There were a lot of Jewish students that felt uncomfortable about Israeli Apartheid Week. Political one-sidedness needs to stop.

Editor’s Note UTM Engage was invited to take part in an all-candidates discussion but declined the opportunity.

Accessibility falls short on campus Equity continued from page 4 Why, then, are individuals with different abilities still refused reasonable accommodation on campus outside of academics, particularly during their involvement in invaluable skill-building activities, such as extracurriculars?

I may be wrong, but I think this could be as a result of the absence of a clear definition of what it means to accommodate “within reasonable limits”.

The definition is, of course, purpose-

fully vague, to allow for flexibility on a case-by-case basis. But I also think certain guidelines do need to be set out.

To me, accommodation, with regards to differently abled individuals in particular, involves the extending of understanding to another person with a valid concern or criticism of how things are currently conducted, within an organization, for example. This may require that things be done a little differently.

Accommodation also means that I ask this individual to recommend how

we can remedy the situation so that it takes their particular concerns into account. I then try to implement these recommendations as much as I possibly can to ensure a mutually beneficial experience. For this to be “reasonable” requires that both parties involved approach the issue from a rational position, each recognizing the limitations and requirements of the other, so that “undue hardship” is not imposed on either.

Is this such a difficult thing to ask of

employers and organizations?

I would also like to take this opportunity to point out that accommodation in the workplace, or in an organization, does not mean that the job doesn’t get done. It simply requires dialogue and understanding that leaves everyone better off, because the job is done, but without compromising the principles of equity and without making another person feel incapable or less worthy than those who are considered “normal” by society. To do otherwise

than to accommodate in a situation where this is required would be a failure to provide another person with their basic rights, approaching what we classify as discrimination, which is entirely unacceptable.

This is a friendly reminder to all of us here at UTM, just in case we had forgotten.

Sincerely, Sanaa Ali-Mohammed UTMSU Accessibility Coordinator

6

« 03.19.2012

MEDIUM A&E Editor » Nives Hajdin

Painting the gallery red Students showcase artwork in annual graduate exhibition at the Blackwood Gallery COLLEEN MUNRO ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR The end of the school year marks the start of the annual grad exhibition at UTM’s Blackwood Gallery. The show celebrates the art and art history graduates from the UTM/Sheridan program and offers a diverse look at the talent our campus offers.

The show is split into two halves.

The first exhibition opened with a reception in the Blackwood Gallery on March 14 and will run until March 25.

The second half of the exhibition will run from March 28 to April 8.

Entering the Blackwood Gallery for this first half of the exhibition, I was struck by how full the space seemed despite the relatively small number of pieces on display. This isn’t a bad thing; each piece stands out thanks to this minimal display approach, and it prevents the gallery from seeming cluttered.

The diversity of the work on display is also immediately evident. The pieces come in all different shapes, media, and subject matter. From abstract shapes to portraits to the WuTang Clan, this graduating class clearly has a wide range of interests, and each

Edward Cai/The Medium

Professor John Armstrong of the joint Art & Art History program with Sheridan congratulates the graduating class. viewer is likely to find at least a couple of pieces that make an impact on them.

One very arresting piece: Katherine Adams’ “Levitating Larra” series. Her four large “Larra” pieces, displayed vertically on top of each other, depict a small “levitating” female character in a variety of settings.

Her work is described as “an ongoing project”, and her use of found wood,

spray paint, and ink makes it easy to believe that the collection could be destined to expand into something even more prolific.

Ruth Ho also presents her work in a series, though on a considerably smaller scale. Her four black and white prints on paper have an organic, slightly amorphous feel to them, yet they all feel perfectly linked. Another ambigu-

ous work comes in the form of Ebony Jansen’s “Couple: Face to Face”. The technique Jansen uses, copper plate embossing, creates a fascinating effect. At first, the piece looks completely blank, but on closer scrutiny textures and forms begin to appear. The piece suggests different things from different angles, and it’s easy to get caught pacing back and forth and squinting at

the wall, trying to figure it all out.

Easier to decipher but equally fascinating is Paulina Lwowska’s “Warm Paradise”. Her large impressionistic oil painting is striking immediately as you walk into the gallery. It depicts a canoe in a gorgeous warm climate, and her use of vibrant blues and greens for the water makes her work very inviting and pleasant to look at.

The first exhibition also features Samantha Banyard, Laura Biggs, Adam Boyce, Cory Burlingham, Joshua Duchesne, Shannon Goodhead, Dorothea Hines, Amanda Marino, Hannah Murray, Lauren Smart, Sarah Vassallo, and Kyle Weber. The second half of the exhibition will feature Lauren Baker, Sera Bannon, Ashleigh Barry, April Braund, Elizabeth Connell, Daniel Deus, Stephanie Hagendorn, Sarah Lalonde, Katy Montica, Alicia Poirier, Katherine Salgo, Lesley Savoie, Melina Sevilla, Sandra Wezowicz, Nikki White, and Andrea Zadro.

The exhibition also extends into the e|gallery in the CCT building.

The opening reception for the second exhibition will take place in the Blackwood Gallery on Wednesday, March 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

3.14 reasons to love pi(e) The Department of Visual Studies Student Society organized a pie-making session and a lecture on—you got it—pies MATTHEW BUTLER Last Wednesday, the UTM Department of Visual Studies Student Society celebrated National Pi Day on campus with its very own Pi Day events. The afternoon included an assortment of sumptuous offerings, including a pie-making workshop and guest lecture on the significance of the day. The events centred on dessert, but the day holds a double meaning for those celebrating it.

Structured as a luncheon picnic, students headed over to McLuhan Court with sleeves rolled up, eager to learn how to make their very own pie. With the gorgeous spring sun casting its rays over the picnic tables set up alongside the residences, the students were cheerful to get to work on their creations. DVSSS representatives, including Dorothea Hines, provided the tubs of dough, bowls of apple slices, bags of berries, and the containers of sugar and cinnamon. The delicious smell of pre-pie supplies fit beautifully with the weather. Sticky hands were the norm as students expressed their pie creativity.

Many students had not made a

pie from scratch before, but quickly dug into the idea with eager fists, as they mashed and prodded the dough. The amateur bakers quickly realized that the thick dough was easily malleable and transported their delicious creations into circular pie tins. Many students signed their names and made markings to personalize their edible “canvases”.

Next was the most tantalizing part of the process: the tasty addons. Handfuls of apple wedges were thrown into the centre of each prebaked crust. With a dash of sugar here, some cinnamon on top, and a few berries for good measure, the pies were ready to face the fire. The key to pie-making: do not let your dough get too thick or it won’t cook, and do not have pieces of crust hanging off the edge of the container. This could be dangerous.

Approximately 3.14 minor oven fires later, the pies turned golden brown. The air was filled with intoxicating aromas, wafting through kitchen windows into the breezy spring air. All it took was a few baking guidelines from DVSSS to allow students to expand their creativity into a delicious new art form.

Pie-making was from 12 to 2 p.m.

While the pies warmed in the oven, students took off to the Student Centre to participate in a special lecture on pie culture by professor Amish Morrell. Morrell is special lecturer in the Department of Visual Studies and the editor of C Magazine. He is a self-proclaimed expert pie-maker and uses his creativity as an artist to inform his baking. His secret to a good piecrust is having cold hands, cold utensils, and lots of butter.

His lecture was a fascinating and detailed history of pie-making, pie culture, and the uses of pie around the world, including eating contests and pie-throwing. Particularly engaging was his discussion of pisexuality, which included an accompanying video of people getting pied in the face. He lectured on the unique origins of many different pies, including humble pie, sinister pie, frugal pie, bride pie, mermaid pie, pestle pie, stargazy pie, lampry pie, prison pie, shoe-fly pie, and, of course, apple pie.

He also went into a bit of history, saying that the increase of potatoes in the United Kingdom actually led to a decrease in demand for pies.

Junaid Imran/The Medium

Leave the calculator. Take the apple pie.

There was plenty of demand among the students who were ready and excited to devour their pieces of art. As Morrell said, the apple

pie holds a special place in North American culture, and by that same token, Pi Day will be a tasty memory for UTM students.

03.19.2012 THE MEDIUM A&E

»

7

Kaiser Chiefs—Start the Revolution Without Me ALEXANDRA BALAJ The lads from Leeds are back with Start the Revolution Without Me, the second album released since their three-year hiatus that ended in 2011. For those of you who remember, last year, after releasing The Future is Medieval, the British multi-genre band, Kaiser Chiefs, made a “Create Your Own Album” application on their website so their fans could shuffle through the 20 new tracks and order their own 10-song arrangement—or just buy the CD. STRWM features eight songs from TFIM and five new songs, including the much-anticipated “Kinda Girl You Are” (which was meant to be added to TFIM but wasn’t ready in time).

“I think we’re a bit more relaxed now than with the last album. Our previous songs tended to have a certain amount of urgency to them…

[Now they] are more mature,” said Andrew “Whitey” White, the guitarist and background vocalist, to Interview Magazine.

Relaxed? Not really. While a few of their songs are indeed mellow and get as close

to lullabies as the Kaisers are ever going to get—like “Man on Mars”, sung by drummer and background vocalist Nick Hodgson (the one with the adorable Beatles ’do)—most of them imitate the electric guitar solos and upbeat drum accompaniments of their older hits, like “Everyday I Love You Less and Less” [sic] from their 2005 debut album Employment, which was without question their most successful. If anything, they’ve been experimenting, as their few yet very catchy chorus lyrics must battle to be heard above the powerful asynthesized beats (think David Bowie circa Scary Monsters).

After a few listens, you get the gist of their alternative style. Their signature electromix openings set the beat for each song. Next, a rough electric guitar and drum combo ignite the beat and extend it, you could say. Maybe not as rhythmic as the Killers, but you get the idea. Usually, the Kaisers begin with a stanza of non-rhyming lyrics that probably don’t mean what you think they mean.

Take “Little Shocks”, the combined effort of the band and producer Tony Visconti—

who is best known for “helping out” David Bowie in over 15 of his singles. This song’s lyrics go, “I’ll be a somebody, I found an empty glass today at home, / give me ability, turn up the pedal away from his hand.”

Live-in alcoholic, maybe? And what about “What the driver saw through the letter box of number four”? Well, maybe that one clears the waters a little. “Little Shocks” is a dark, low-pitched number where the guitar takes centre stage. Perfect for those end-of-the-day moods when the regrets starts to resurface and you need to feel that you’ve accomplished something and want to listen to something loud and a little aggressive.

Then there’s “Cousin in the Bronx”, where we find the lyrics that claim the honour of giving the album its title.

To be honest, it’s no jewel in their crown. The drum rolllike opening beat gives way to deep bass guitar strums, which merge into heavy electric guitar riffs. Now that’s all swell, but meanwhile the title lyrics are repeated until they sound like they belong in a campfire sing-along. If only the echoing background “oohs” could make up for what can only be de-

Making waves This year’s Mindwaves editorial team received over 150 pages of submissions from students of different academic backgrounds Andrew Dmytrasz Last Wednesday inside the MiST Theatre, Mindwaves contributors met to present their newest issue to a packed audience. Currently in its sixth year of publication, Mindwaves is a collection of short stories put out by students in the professional writing and communication program. This year they received about 150 pages of submissions, more than double the number in previous years, according to student editor-in-chief Adam Erb. He described the process as “arduous”, but said it was rewarding seeing all the hard work pay off at the book launch.

Tracy Moniz, the faculty advisor for the book for the past three years, said every year has been unique, since each year the writers and the student editing team is different. In her opening speech of the night, quoting the foreword of the book, she said, “Mindwaves is the celebration of what new writers can achieve.” This year’s authors showed what writers can accomplish.

While most writers are in the

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scribed as an annoying drone.

The only absolute must-hear songs of the album are “On the Run” and “Heard It Break”, both extremely foot-tapping, due to the extra electronic twinkle in the former and the tasteful zest of steel drums in the latter.

While there are no guarantees that fans will be satisfied with their comeback—

although they’d have good reason to be—we must nod our posh little heads at the new arrivals to Kaiser Chiefs’ collection of retro tracks. They took all the best aspects of their old guitar and drum hits and infused some new, if at times odd, electro-pop energy that is sure to wear out replay buttons everywhere.

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This year’s Mindwaves release drew a packed crowd at MiST. PWC program, there are some who aren’t, like Michael Dzingala, whose story “The Shield” made this year’s cut. He is a third-year student majoring in comparative physiology.

He said WRI203, “Expressive Writing”, was “just a course he had to take”, and that he didn’t know he had it in him to be a writer.

Dzingala does not plan to continue writing, but there was one author this year who said his life was turned around

because of writing. Shane Driver, with his story “Davy Boy”, is a 29-year-old first-year in the PWC program. When asked what it meant to him to be published, he replied, “This meant a lot to me. I had some health problems and needed to have a couple surgeries done.

If it was not for this, I would have still been in bed at home in chronic pain. Writing has really changed my life and inspired me to do more and continue to write.”

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« 03.19.2012

MEDIUM FEATURES Editor » Larissa Ho

Strategy of oversimplification Kony 2012 gives a distorted picture: insight from an actual Ugandan Gwera Kiwana Almost every digitally connected individual in the world has heard about Joseph Kony, the big bad man in Uganda, a landlocked country in East Africa a quarter the size of Ontario with roughly the same population as Canada.

Kony 2012, a video that went viral within days, calls attention to Kony. The video was filmed and released by Invisible Children, an American non-profit charity organization whose work focuses on social development in Northern Uganda.

Invisible Children aims to help those struggling from a war started by Kony’s rebel group, the LRA (Lord’s Resistance

Army), 26 years ago—and the children who have been affected.

The LRA operates in east and central Africa, including in Uganda, southern Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their infamy comes from their treatment of children. They are known for turning young boys into killing machines and girls into sex slaves.

Kony 2012, at half an hour long, highlights the atrocities carried out by the LRA. The video was posted with an expiration date and a call for celebrities and plain folk alike to “make Kony famous”— a strategy devised by Invisible Children to end the bush war in northern

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Uganda.

The film itself has received plenty of criticism with regards to its accuracy and its point of view of a war that has raged for over two decades. Some claim the video has oversimplified and glossed over the complexities of a war filled with messy contradictions and other key individuals and bodies involved.

The video gives no context or allusion to other contributing causes, instead leading viewers to assume that once Kony is caught and brought to justice, or even killed, Uganda’s troubles will end. The video’s expiry date reinforces this notion and gives us all a date to mark on our calendars as the day that we stopped an African warlord.

According to the Ugandan army spokesman, Lt. Cl. Felix Kulayigye, “Uganda welcomes all campaigns which seek to raise awareness and make known the struggles of those affected by the LRA.” He adds, “Any campaign should fully take into consideration the current

realities of the situation.”

The video should have been posted with a disclaimer stating that that is what used to happen and is not the reality in Northern Uganda today. Ugandan newspapers report on Kony as much as The Toronto Star reports on little Sally stealing Billy’s sandwich. Kony has been relatively under the radar for almost half a decade and northern Uganda no longer suffers from the looming fear of having their children abducted and abused.

It is a region striving to rebuild itself. The government and other charitable organizations have worked hard to stabilize the region and Invisible Children is one that has played a key role in the rehabilitation of the region.

The video’s critics include the people that have been and continue to remain invisible: the victims. A public screening was set up a week after the video’s release in the town of Lira. A riot broke out before the end of it. Among the viewers were some victims of the LRA who

found the film to be distasteful and insulting. The concept of glamourizing Kony struck a chord with a lot of them and came across as an exploitation of their struggle as a means of mobilizing funds. Others didn’t like the fact that no Ugandan voices were represented.

Aid from the West might only succeed in throwing an already weak community into chaos.

And when the government and the infrastructure break down, the region has a tendency of generational dependence and people living hand to mouth.

I am a Ugandan and I’m writing this article in the hope of setting a few things straight. My family lives in Uganda and I go back there at least twice a year, so I’m quite familiar with current Ugandan affairs. This isn’t a scholarly article, and I don’t intend to change any minds or offer revelations. I just want encourage readers to focus on the issue from the point of view of an actual Ugandan.

And no, we don’t live in trees.

»

03.19.2012 THE MEDIUM FEATURES

9

The quest for the perfect child Is it ethical for parents to be able to choose what their baby will be like through embryo screening?

Emily Acheson associate features editor It sounds like science fiction. A scientist surveys a new human embryo, extracts one of its cells, amplifies its DNA, and screens it for mutations. When the scientist finds the DNA that appears to be mutation-free, the embryo is implanted into a woman’s uterus. And voilà. A healthy, heritable-disease-free baby.

It’s called embryo screening.

Having a say in a pregnancy’s outcome is not a new concept. Old wives’ tales taught that if you eat a lot of salt you’re more likely to give birth to a boy, but eat a lot of dairy products and you’re more likely to have a girl. Other theories claimed that if you used the right position while trying to conceive, or tried to conceive at the right time of a woman’s cycle, you could favour one sex over the other.

And once you had conceived, you could predict the unborn child’s sex by swinging a needle on a thread over the palm of the mother’s hand.

Swinging back and forth? It’s a girl.

Spinning in a circle? It’s a boy.

Needless to say, conceiving children and determining their sex before birth has come a long way since then. The first new science was artificial insemination, i.e. impregnating a woman with donated sperm.

The sperm is frozen, thawed when it’s called to do its duty, and eventually inserted into the woman’s cervix or uterus using a catheter.

Artificial insemination was first successfully performed on farm animals in Russia in 1899. The first human artificial inseminations were experiments in the Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Records do not indicate whether or not successful births resulted.

Then came in vitro fertilization.

In vitro, Latin for “in glass”, is fertilization done in a test tube. First, the woman’s ovulation is hormonally controlled to find the optimal time for extracting eggs from her ovaries. Next, scientists fertilize the egg cells with sperm. Finally, they implant the embryo into the mother’s uterus. IVFs were first successfully done in England in 1973.

Today’s even newer science is a combination of IVF followed by embryo screening.

Is this “unnatural selection”?

Yes, in a manner of speaking. Is it wrong? That’s harder to answer.

Some people, especially religious groups, condemn the developing science as “playing God” or interfering with how a baby is allegedly supposed to develop. Some scientists, however, applaud it. They argue that a parent’s goal in any species (according to the laws of evolution) is to improve the species as much as possible, and that that should be our goal, too.

Scientists are already helping parents screen embryos to “design” their future baby with the least likelihood of inheriting disease. At least, that was the initial goal.

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The goal of “unnatural selection” is to choose the most perfect baby available—but is it right?

The birth of embryo testing was in a London hospital in 1989. Its aims were noble: to eradicate hereditary diseases like muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, and TaySachs disease. In each case, the disease was attributable to identifiable parts of the genetics. Simple, right?

Look for the mutations in the embryo’s DNA and make sure you don’t pick them.

Soon, however, this goal evolved into the pursuit of the so-called “designer baby”. Soon parents, at least half of whom were perfectly fertile, were flooding the scientists’ phone lines with questions about eye colour, height, and intelligence.

Could you make her pretty? Can she get my teeth? My family really wants it to be a boy. Can you make him really smart? One famous singer asked if her baby would inherit her vocal talents. A sports star asked if his baby could be tall.

Can he be superman?

In Canada, the Supreme Court still prohibits selecting a child’s sex.

Some Canadian parents travel to genetic engineering labs in Mexico for the expensive treatments.

What may seem surprising in all of this is how quickly genetic engineering has developed. People are so eager to create the perfect child, although the science itself—a science still in its infancy compared to many others—needs to work out all the kinks.

For example, consider Megan and Morag.

(Who?) Megan and Morag, two littleknown sheep in Scotland, were the first mammals successfully cloned from embryonic cells in 1995.

Strangely, they did not nearly garner the same international attention, nor fuel the same fierce debate, as did the cloned lamb Dolly a year later. With Dolly, the world asked: What are the health implications of the clone? Can she live as normal a life as her natural brothers and sisters? Can we do this with humans? Should we?

Scientists at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland, cloned all three animals. The scientists proudly declared that all three animals were healthy, with Morag giving birth to a healthy lamb 18 months

after her own birth. But the scientists don’t claim that Megan and Morag happened easily.

The two genetically identical sheep were the only two survivors of many more genetically identical fetuses. Two lambs died within minutes of birth and a third died 10 days later. Then there were the karyoplasts (nuclei with a plasma membrane and a bit of cytoplasm—

just in case that helped) that did not develop into embryos, the foetuses that did not come to term and died, and the complication with Dolly.

Dolly died prematurely, at six and a half years old, in 2003. Sheep like Dolly live for 11 to 12 years on average. Post-mortem analyses of Dolly showed that she had developed a progressive lung disease. She also suffered from arthritis, which

usually does not develop in her species until much later in life.

Dolly’s early death fanned the flames once more in the scientific community concerning the health of genetically engineered mammals.

Of course, there have been countless success stories, including icons like Celine Dion, who recently gave birth to healthy twin boys via in vitro fertilization. What is less publicized is that before she had her twins, Dion lost four children to IVF. These kinds of losses pile another huge ethical question on top of the first one.

“I was enamoured by the science,” said Dr. Jeffrey Nisker, a Canadian researcher working on genetic engineering of embryos.

“But, you know, I had never really thought about where it was going.”

As parents continue to sign up for embryo screening, many scientists continue to give them what they want.

“I don’t see myself as a rebel,” said Dr. Steinberg, a leading scientist in the screening of embryos. “I’m just offering what the science allows.”

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10 THE MEDIUM «FEATURES 03.19.2012

A traditional white wedding and a fairytale ending Part two of a three-part series: a self-proclaimed “serial monogamist” spills about marriage and relationships Valeria Ryrak I am sitting with Rochelle Petrovsky in a psychedelically yellow hallway behind the stacks on the 12th floor of Robarts Library. She has just flown in from New York after shopping for the dress. She is effervescent, her life seems a fairytale, and I am trying to convince myself that miracles really do happen to ordinary people.

“I was a serial monogamist since I was 13,” Rochelle begins, grinning, her eyes a bit mischievous, but always sincere. She’d been dating since that time, and had to go through a few boys before life gave her Caleb as a reward for her persistence.

Rochelle was in grade 12 and dating someone else when Caleb sat behind her in English class for the first time.

She and her best friend turned around and simultaneously mouthed, “Dibs!” After attending a Billy Joel concert together as friends, Rochelle was dazed by the new student.

In her words, it was the most fun she’d ever had with any-

one in her entire life. Why was this, she pondered, if he wasn’t her boyfriend, or even her best girlfriend? Then there was a Friday night party some time later, and Rochelle went in the hope of seeing Caleb. He wasn’t there, so she stole her grandmother’s car and drove up to Kitchener. By the time she was outside his door, it was 2 a.m., but that, ladies and gentlemen, is how history is made. That was the night of their first kiss.

From there, things went like they do in extraordinary circumstances. The two just “fit”.

Like two halves of a zipper aligning. Like puzzle pieces creating an image. Five years of this synchronicity without any hang-ups, and they’re set to be married this July.

According to Rochelle, though, it would have been earlier, much earlier—“I would have rushed off to City Hall much earlier if I had the chance”—if not for her mother. But both parties wanted the approval and support of the parents, especially since Rochelle’s parents have asked to pay for the wedding. So it will be a traditional white wedding

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with people to please, yes, but in no way does this detract from the story.

After attending a Billy Joel concert together as friends, Rochelle was dazed by the new student.

In her words, it was the most fun she’d ever had with anyone in her entire life.

Are there any differences between her and Caleb, I ask?

Yes. She’s an extrovert who does a million things at once, and he takes forever. (She calls him “Snaileb”.) She’s a poet and a musician, graduating this year from U of T with an English degree, while Caleb is applying to law school for the social justice stream. They may have to move depending where he gets accepted, but Rochelle isn’t daunted. As long as there’s an artistic community, she’s game. Just as long as they’re together.

Was there a specific time when she knew that he was “the one”? Probably when it started becoming apparent that they were each other’s everything.

There was a time when Caleb had to travel to Australia for a month of study, and that was weathered by the couple like it was “no big deal”. “We’ve been together for five years,” says Rochelle. “Why would we think we’re in danger of breaking up?”

Interesting points to consider: Rochelle says it’s important to have your own life outside of your fiancé’s. She has her own friends that are more hers than his, and so does Caleb.

Jealousy is out of the question because there is so much trust in their relationship.

I ask her why she thinks there’s so much divorce in society today.

“It’s because people don’t put the effort in, because they don’t put the other person first. So I put Caleb first, and he puts me first.” So there is no subservience—or even better, there is mutual subservience.

Everybody wins... I see!

We then spoke about some

of the commonalities among people who marry young (Rochelle just turned 22). The replies were some that I had anticipated. Solid stability of the relationship over a period of time. No evidence to give one doubt about the success of the relationship. Financial security—a job, supportive parents, or both. Being part of a religion that encourages lifelong unions (Rochelle grew up Pentecostal, and now attends a nondenominational church).

Parents who are happily married. And, of course, unconditional love for the other person.

“There is a dream guy for you all out there, so don’t settle,” was her encouragement for Larissa and me. I nodded blithely and felt like an eightyear-old in Disneyland.

But Rochelle left me with a note of caution: some girls of religious background in longterm relationships could feel pressured to get married before they were ready because of the chastity observance, and, well, people want to have sex.

Hey, she said it, not me. I’m still in Disneyland.

Wheat: a hard drug Wheat seems to act on the brain the same way addictive drugs do Carine abouseif associate features editor Why do we crave muffins, bagels, cheese croissants, and buttered baguettes? According to Dr. William Davis, author of Wheat Belly, we want these foods because wheat acts on our brains the same way addictive drugs do. Davis based his thesis on the results of several studies that looked at the relation between wheat and schizophrenia and that between wheat and autism, and the effect of wheat proteins on lab rats.

The first attempt to study the effect of wheat on the mind came right after World War II. Dr. F. Curtis Dohan observed that fewer European and North American schizophrenics were hospitalized during the war than after the war.

He hypothesized that the decrease in wheat consumption during the war had something to do with it.

Almost a decade later, Dohan and a team of researchers removed all wheat from the diet of a group of schizophrenia patients and then reintroduced it a month later. The team observed the behaviours of the schizophrenia before, during, and after the wheat removal and reintroduction. They found that the patients exhibited behaviour more symptomatic of schizophrenia (delusions, hallucinations, disconnection from reality) when they ate wheat than when they didn’t.

Years later, another researcher, Dr. Christine Zioudrou, decided to test the effect of a particular wheat protein—gluten—on rats. Zioudrou and her team exposed gluten to stomach enzymes and digestive juices and gave the proteins to the rats. When they did this, they noticed something strange in the brains of the lab rats.

The parts that made up the gluten seemed to float across the blood-brain barrier. In the central nervous system, the blood-brain barrier shields brain fluids from the circulating blood outside. In particular, it protects the brain from other molecules drifting in circulating blood.

When the wheat components crossed the barrier, they clung to receptors in the brain, particularly opioid receptors. (These receptors deal with morphine, heroin, and other opiates.) My psychology textbook tells me that cell receptors are molecules outside cells that receive signals and deliver messages. When a chemical binds with a cell receptor it can order the cell to open its gates, to multiply, or to die. In this case, the effect of the stray wheat components was to cause the sensation of pleasure.

For this reason, Davis dubs wheat an appetite stimulant. He says that the chemical components of wheat have changed over the years. Nowadays, whether it’s wheat from a cheese Danish or wheat from a whole grain wrap,

it’s still bad for you.

After watching several of his own patients cut out wheat and then experience better moods, fewer mood swings, fewer cravings, better concentration, diminished rates of diabetes, dropped blood pressure, and dramatic weight loss, Davis proposes the elimination of wheat from our diets.

Followers of the “no carbs” diet might scoff at this. They’ve been doing this all along, some with good results and some with no change. Others consider the no-wheat rule a little far-fetched.

After all, what about the minerals, vitamins, and (good) fats in wheat?

Davis’s book, Wheat Belly, alleges the whole gamut of nutritional downsides of wheat, including excess fat, blood sugar spiking, and glycation (trust me, it’s not good). But as with all natural foods, most people believe that eating wheat in moderation should not have adverse effects on their bodies, and Davis admits that some people did not experience the withdrawal symptoms and final relief when they abstained from eating wheat.

Wheat Belly is less than a year old. And the field of nutrition, it turns out, is only about 200 years old. Whether or not you feel like forgoing wheat, there’s still a lot to learn about what foods our bodies want and need—or should avoid.

03.19.2012

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11

MEDIUM SPORTS Interim Editor » Anna Bediones

UTM volleyball crowned Where are all intramural champions the women?

After a seven-year dry spell, UTM finally took home a Div 1 championship title after defeating PHE 2–1.

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION/PHOTO

ANNA BEDIONES INTERIM SPORTS EDITOR This was it. This was the Div 1 championship that has eluded our men’s volleyball team since the 2004/05 season. This was their time.

On Tuesday night, the team, along with fans, travelled to St. George for the U of T Intramurals Div 1 final against PHE. UTM, ranked second in the league, was up against the team

ranked number one. “We beat them during the regular season, so we knew we could win,” said team captain Justin Nguyen.

“We came in there confident, knowing it was possible.”

Their confidence was evident in UTM’s game. The players rotated and worked seamlessly throughout each set.

Nguyen is only in his second year, but he shows maturity in his leadership. He admitted that the previous seasons have

not been easy, but said the team has grown a lot since last year.

“We learned how to play together… we complemented each other. After the season, we became really good friends, and that’s what helped us this time around.”

The season may be over for the boys, but September is not so far away. Though some key veterans will graduate after this term, the younger players have a promising future ahead of them.

UTM’s women’s programs lack participation INGRID MELDRUM “Due to limited female participation, our Women’s Campus Rec Program only consists of Women’s Campus Rec Tournaments and Coed Leagues,” reads a sign posted in the women’s changeroom at the RAWC. For the female students at UTM who do play sports on campus, it’s an ongoing frustration.

Tryouts for women’s sports are held at the beginning of each semester, and it’s always a struggle to get enough players to field a team.

The term “tryout” can be intimidating, but due to decreasing numbers, cuts are rarely made. One would think that with the number of women working out at the gym, there would be no problem finding enough to play for intramural teams. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and thus many recreational programs have been changed to coed sports.

One of the main problems is that many students are unaware that

these programs exist, and therefore do not participate in their study years. People don’t know what’s going on at the gym unless they’re there often or they visit the website.

Most posters for the events at the gym go unnoticed.

This year the RAWC has introduced a women’s-only fitness class, “Strength and Stretch”, which runs every Friday from 9:10 to 10 a.m.

The class is held in an isolated area of the fitness studio at the gym. The fitness class isn’t the only allotted time for women’s-only activities at the RAWC; there are also two recreational sports times in Gym C and specific times set aside at the pool. Participation in these classes is on the rise, especially at the pool.

Perhaps the increased participation in women’s-only classes at the RAWC will bring more female students out to team sports as well.

Until then, women’s sports teams at UTM will be desperate for participants—and coed sports will have to suffice.

Men’s basketball falls short UTM Blue was on a strong push for the championship title. They ranked fourth in the league but breezed through the playoffs, including last week’s 17-point win against PHE. However, their journey ended in a horrific 76–47 loss against Woodsworth.

The Eagles struggled on offence.

Their shots wouldn’t fall and they missed layups. As for defence, they challenged Woodsworth but could not stop them.

“They were hitting everything,” said Faiz Ahmed. “It wasn’t our best effort on D, but they were on fire.”

Help recognize teaching, research and staff service excellence at U of T Mississauga

Submit a nomination and have an outstanding faculty, teaching assistant and/or staff member recognized for their excellence. The winner in each category will be recognized at a reception convened ! by the Vice-President and Principal in the fall and will receive a special award plaque.

Nominations from groups and individuals are invited for four awards: • Teaching Excellence Award for Faculty • Teaching Excellence Award for Teaching Assistants • Research Excellence Award • Staff Service Award Nominations from students are encouraged.

To nominate an outstanding faculty member, teaching assistant, and/or staff go to http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/governance/awards for important information on how to assemble a nomination package.

Deadline for submissions: Friday, May 18, 2012

12 THE MEDIUM «SPORTS 03.19.2012

The athletic pedestal

Health on campus

Taking a look at society’s crazy obsession with stardom and celebrities

Most students are unaware of HCC’s services

ISAAC OWUSU ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR

MICHELLE DUKLAS ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR

Stars are created, only to be destroyed for the sake of entertainment. This statement holds true in the media—music, television, and movies—where those who make it big are being placed on figurative pedestals.

Their excessive love affairs, among other extravagances, only lead to harsh descents, which are well publicized. But perhaps this phenomenon is most prominent in the ESPN- and TMZ-driven modern world of sports.

Crazes such as Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow’s “Tebowmania” and New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin’s “Linsanity” not only exploit and hinder a casual viewer’s perception of professional sports leagues, they create herds of new naïve “fans” in each sport.

To watch professional sports is to see a dream that, for many, can’t be physically fulfilled, but bonds form anyway from things like an athlete’s performance, personality, or cultural relation. Or that’s how it used to be.

Now, it’s the rise of new reality-based dysfunctional programming on TV that generates the most interest for many viewers.

Years ago, it was simple. Fans watched games and supported their favourite players and teams, and that was where a person’s allegiance lay.

Now, with the widespread use of new

Around the corner from the bookstore is the Health and Counselling Centre. It’s not well known to the students at UTM, possibly because most students commute. But the centre does much more behind the scenes than you’d think.

The HCC was created when UTM opened in 1967. Back then, it went by a different name: the University Health Service. It had was one full-time registered nurse, and a local doctor came in for a few hours each week.

Much has changed since then.

Allison Burnett, the director of the HCC, says, “[The Centre] moved to its current location in 1973 and today is staffed by a full-time director, three part-time nurses, five part-time family physicians, one part-time psychiatrist, two administrative staff, one part-time dietitian, three counsellors, and a health education coordinator. We also have a team of approximately 40 students within the health education program.”

The HCC offers year-round service through the fees it collects from student tuition. The government covers the cost of the doctors through insurance plans such as OHIP. Most days, the HCC has

ORLANDO SENTINEL/PHOTO

NFL superstar Tim Tebow in the act of “Tebowing”. communication sharing tools like Twitter, it’s a matter of keystrokes, clicks, or screen taps to “retweet”, “follow”, or “tweet” directly to teams and athletes. Professional athletes and teams have lost their superhero status, now seeming more mortal than ever. On the surface, this should be great publicity, but when it becomes a matter of missing a game-winning shot or dropping a wide-open pass, players lose the privacy of comfort after a day on the job.

The connection to stars through the ability to track their every move fuels the dark tabloid-style side of

media, a light that has become a dangerous to whomever it shines on.

This time of year more and more bets are placed on college basketball, NHL hockey, NBA basketball, and soccer leagues all over the globe. In every game there is a winner and a loser. Some finishes are thrilling and others controversial, but the newest danger to an athlete’s health may be the fans. Players and teams are held accountable for each performance and owe it to fans to be perfect as entertainers, only to be destroyed every time they come up short. Fans need to remember that players are human.

two nurses, two doctors, and two counsellors on hand to respond to students’ needs.

Some of the most common occasions for student visits are colds, influenza, STI testing, and birth control prescriptions. Burnett says there’s an even bigger trend: “One of the biggest areas is for mental health-related concerns. [These include] stress, anxiety, and depression.”

The HCC has five studentled teams to educate the campus about health-related issues, including mental health. These teams run workshops, update HCC’s social media (such as their Facebook account, “UTM Health & Counselling Centre”), and collaborate with campus groups and clubs.

“Most days of the week you find a peer health event or display on campus. We use a peer-based approach for health education; it’s been well researched that individuals are more receptive to this information from their peers,” says Burnett.

What should you do if you get sick and the HCC is closed? Burnett says that if it’s an emergency, you should contact Campus Police, and to go a walk-in clinic in non-emergency cases. The closest walk-in clinic is in South Common Mall.

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Bianca Nagy: My name is Bianca Nagy and I know I would make a great candidate for the position on The Medium’s Board of Directors. The Medium is more then just a newspaper – it represents the students on our campus and allows for our student body's voice to be heard. I am running for a position because I want to help the Medium further the great work it has been doing and to help foster a space where members of the UTM community can share their stories.

Notice: The Medium’s 2011-12 Annual General Meeting is taking place this Tuesday March 20, 2012 in DV3093 at 5 p.m. All full- and part-time students are welcome to attend. Agenda is available online at www.mediumutm.ca, Board of Directors tab.