Vol 41 issue 17

y b a B

d r a o b n o THE VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

Page 11 February 9, 2015 Volume 41, Issue 17 themedium.ca

Food, parking, res fee hikes passed Motion passes at Campus Council meeting on Thursday, in the face of opposition from UTMSU MENNA ELNAKA ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR The Campus Council meeting last Thursday passed a motion for the 2015/16 ancillary fee increase proposal for parking, meal plans, food services, and residence. It also voted for a 300-place parking expansion.

UTMSU arranged a rally around campus before the meeting. Around 60 students chanted against the proposed fee increases: “Education is a right; we will not give up the fight,” and “Hey hey! Ho ho! Higher fees have got to go.”

The proposal involved a 5.5% increase for residence, 1.5% for meal plans, 2.8% for retail prices, and 3% for parking. The adjustments will be applied on May 1.

Students entered Council Chambers and stood with signs in their hands.

Before the vote on this motion, Ebi Agbeyegbe, UTMSU’s VP external, told the council committee that UTM’s tuition fees are the highest in Canada, and that students are in debt and still trying to get an education.

He showed the committee the over

FACEBOOK.COM/UTMSU/PHOTO

About 60 students joined UTMSU’s “Degree not Debt” rally against the proposed fee increases.

1,300 signatures that UTMSU collected, after seeing the meeting’s agenda, from students opposing the motion.

Finally, he urged the committee to say no to or abstain on the fee increases.

The motion carried nonetheless.

UTMSU and the students were disappointed and thought it was a “shame”.

The proposal was submitted and

recommended for approval by Campus Affairs Committee, responsible of approving the operating plans for all UTM service ancillaries each year, on January 8.

The advisory committees for Student Housing, Food Services, and Transportation and Parking also viewed the proposal and discussed the issues that can affect each ancil-

lary, such as “the mandatory nature of meal plans, the need for building a reserve for an extension onto the existing parking deck, the management of parking supply and demand, and sustaining residence guarantees for new and international students”.

According to Chad Nuttal, the chief housing officer for UTM Residence, unexpected maintenance took place in

the residences in 2013/14, which was expensed for 2015/16 with an advance of $1.3 million that has now been repaid.

Nuttal said the accumulated deficit of $400,000 at the end of 2014/15 would no longer exist by 2016/17.

Additionally, Nuttal said when compared with other local universities like Ryerson and McMaster, UTM’s residence fees are competitive.

The background for the fee increases for food and the meal plans was also discussed.

Vicky Jezierski, the director of Hospitality and Retail Services, talked about food services. She said that there would be a new food services contract as well as the possibility of a separate catering contract.

She also mentioned that the loss of 100 Erindale Hall rooms from now until 2017—due to the transfer of departmental offices to the building in advance of work to be done on North—would have an impact on the meal plan revenue.

Fees continued on page 2

Model UN set back, but carries on Low attendance and absent representatives plague otherwise lively conference UMAIMA GHORI WITH NOTES FROM MARIA IQBAL NEWS EDITOR Students came together for UTM’s first annual Model United Nations Conference to debate solutions to global issues in human rights, technology, and health in an event hosted by the UTM Debating Club.

The club planned the event in collaboration with UTM Partners in Health, ICCIT, and UTMSU for the weekend of January 31—although it was announced 10 minutes before the conference that some UTMSU representatives who were chairing sub-councils would not be attending after all.

“My expectations are to basically bring the idea of MUN on campus […] We’ve never had something like this,” said Talha Mahmood, presi-

Coming a long way Black History Month kicks off with the principles of love, incluson, freedom, and education in mind.

Medium News, page 2

That don’t make no sense Mental health is not about money— and neither (did you see it coming?) is the pub...

Medium Opinion, page 5

It’s old, but it’s still good Anouilh’s translation of the ancient Greek play Antigone on the Drama Club’s stage was fated to be great.

Medium Arts, page 8

Not always ap-parent CHRISTY TAM/THE MEDIUM

The conference moved into a smaller classroom in Kaneff after the three councils were merged. dent of the UTM Debating Club, before the conference started.

Participants had a forum to represent the various countries of their choice and speak about their views

on current global issues while developing their public speaking skills.

The conference was to feature three committees: the UN Human Rights Council, the World Health

Organization, and the Special Summit on Technology.

MUN continued on page 3

What’s it really like to have a child as you go to university? We uncover some touching stories this week.

Medium Features, page 11

I sportsed really good Why the media keeps on asking the same questions and athletes keep on giving the same answers.

Medium Sports, page 17

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«NEWS

THE MEDIUM 02.09.2015

A priest on his own Camino Father Edward Curtis visits UTM for Catholic Students’ Week event

January 29, 7:00 p.m.

Theft Under $5,000 A student reported the theft of her laptop from the third floor of the CCT Building. The items were left unattended as the student attended class.

January 29, 8:45 p.m.

Bylaw Offences A UTM student reported an injured raccoon near Erindale Hall Residence. Mississauga Animal Services attended and removed the raccoon from campus.

January 30, 6:30 a.m.

Property Damage Campus Police investigated a singular motor vehicle accident that caused damage to a light fixture.

January 31, 6:26 a.m.

Theft Under $5,000 Campus Police investigated the theft of a cellphone from the RAWC. The item was left unattended by the student.

February 1, 11:48 a.m.

Call to Service

A power outage occurred in a residence building. The power was soon restored.

February 1, 3:50 p.m.

Medical Call Campus Police transported an ill student to Credit Valley Hospital.

February 2, 9:50 p.m.

Information General A student reported a minor fire in his personal vehicle.

February 3, 3:37 p.m.

Fraud Campus Police investigated two students who had altered a MiWay UPass.

February 4, 8:30 a.m.

Personal Safety Concern Campus Police investigated a personal safety concern that a student had reported.

February 4, 5:05 p.m.

Theft Under $5,000 Campus Police investigated the theft of a cellphone from the RAWC. The phone was left unattended.

These reports are those that have been released to The Medium and do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list.

Students can contact the UTM Campus Police at 905 828 5200, Peel Regional Police at 905 453 3311, or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222 8477.

EILEEN LEE/THE MEDIUM

Father Edward Curtis was the guest speaker at the Catholic Students’ Week event last Thursday.

LUKE SAWCZAK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF University chaplaincies across Canada have finished celebrating Catholic Students’ Week, which at UTM featured a talk by Edward Curtis, a priest and pontifical master of ceremonies for Cardinal Thomas Collins, on walking the Camino de Santiago last summer.

The Camino, a pilgrimage route dated to the 9th century, is a popular trail across northern Spain that ends at the traditional burial place of the Biblical disciple James. The Camino has lately received increasing attention from both religious and secular walkers, including at least five drama and documentary films in the last decade.

Courtney Strom, the president of the Catholic Students’ Club, introduced Curtis, who was born in Toronto, ordained in 2008, and made an assistant pastor at St. Joseph’s Parish in Streetsville before being appointed pontifical master of ceremonies and studying canon law in Rome.

One of the route’s first purposes, said Curtis, was as a penance. “From a psychological point of view, this idea of a penance for something that you did wrong was to help you shed that

part of yourself that is causing you to do wrong,” he said. “It was an opportunity to take the focus off of yourself, to take the focus off of your own ego.”

Curtis spoke about the importance of the pilgrimage as more than a “hike” but rather an intentional act of spiritual development and “encountering God in a different way”.

“A lot of the paths are quite narrow, so it forces you to walk alone,” he said. “It gives you that time for selfreflection.”

Being a priest, Curtis carried a mass kit with him to celebrate on the road. He told an anecdote about a couple who had been on the verge of separating but had decided to walk the Camino together in the hopes of revivifying their marriage. They met Curtis on the road on the day of their 25th wedding anniversary, and they asked to join the mass and renew their vows.

He talked about the hospitality along the route, where €8 would buy a night at a hostel and €10 a full meal and a bottle of wine. “The whole place was set up to cater to your needs,” he joked.

But the walking itself was hard. Pilgrims need to do their laundry every night after walking an average of 20 km. Curtis dropped some of the bag-

gage he had brought with him. “I had a backpack, and when I first set out, it weighed about 35 pounds,” he said.

“After the first day I went through my bag meticulously and started throwing stuff out.”

He summarized the experience as a “metaphor for life”, which is a difficult journey made worthwhile “if it leads towards a goal”.

After the event, refreshments were served and a CSC executive thanked the pilgrim. “It’s very important that we learn to take time, even five minutes out of our busy schedule, and reflect on our life—how we get closer to God,” she said.

The week’s other events included mass, an “Art of Faith” event involving sketching and refreshments to de-stress, and on-campus office hours with a priest.

“During this busy time of year with a heavy load of deadlines and midterms, UTM CSC strives to serve the UTM community by giving the opportunities for the students and staff to be nourished spiritually and with God’s grace,” said Strom of the week.

The UTM Catholic Students’ Club is part of the Canadian Catholic Campus Ministry, with members from over 75 campuses across the country.

Students rally against fees Fees continued from Cover Jezierski also said that based on the 2013/14 marketing comparisons in an annual food price survey with 33 other Canadian universities, UTM food prices came in, on average, at the eighth-lowest.

Further plans for campus food development involve a permanent food court in Davis in 2016, a Tim Hortons in Deerfield Hall, and a support space in the reconstructed North Building Phase Two in 2017, as well as a Starbucks 10-year facelift in 2018.

As for the parking fees, Donoghue said that the campus population is growing, meaning that the parking space will need to be expanded this year—a year earlier than anticipated because of the impending loss of parking lot 1 during the construction of North Building Phase Two. Donoghue said that the proposed parking fee increase will allow the ancillary service to operate without a subsidy from the university’s operating budget and provide for all costs of capital renewal, including deferred

maintenance.

He also talked about a motion detailing the proposed parking lot expansion.

UTM would build a second singlelevel parking deck with 300 spaces above a portion of parking lot 8 at the south end of campus, across from the RAWC and beside the existing parking deck.

By building another level over an existing lot, UTM will reduce the environmental impact and avoid stormwater management issues, he said.

The funding for the project is to come from the UTM Parking Ancillary’s capital reserve and from a transfer to the ancillary from UTM’s general capital reserves.

This motion was also approved.

“We are very disappointed with the outcome of the meeting. We have been trying to lobby the administration to see things our way in regards to fee increases since the beginning of the year. But with the outcome of this meeting, we see our voices and our concerns have been ignored,” Agbeyegbe said in an email after the

meeting.

As for their future actions, Agbeyegbe said that UTMSU will focus on governance reform that will better represent what students want, noting that under the current structure, only two seats on the council are for undergraduates.

Both undergraduate seat holders, Nabil Aref and Alice Li, voted against the fee increase motions at the meeting.

“As a student, I greatly believe that we are the primary stakeholder[s] of this institution,” said Aref. “We should be consulted ahead of time in order to make a just decision when it comes to crucial matters such as these.”

Agbeyegbe said UTMSU will continue to fight fee increases.

In addition, he mentioned the Drop Fees Coalition with meetings held every Wednesday from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Student Centre’s Green Room, calling on angry students and those who want change to come out.

The next Campus Council meeting is scheduled for March 5.

02.09.2015 THE MEDIUM NEWS

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New LIFE for black history MARIUM FAISAL Last week saw the start of Black History Month in the U.S. and Canada.

UTMSU, ECASA, the Somali Students’ Association, and Caribbean Connections collaborated to plan the month’s events at UTM. Although the opening ceremony was cancelled due to the snow day, the rest of the events are still on schedule.

The theme this year is “LIFE”— love, inclusion, freedom, and education.

When asked why they chose the theme, ECASA president Chinelo Okereke said it “really sets this year apart […] we are going back to our roots, we are educating, we are celebrating”.

Okereke said that the collaboration between the groups involved this year “show[s] a greater form of unity amongst clubs on campus”.

Black History Month has come a long way from “Negro Awareness Week” to being recognized officially as “Black History Month” in 1976.

Last week’s events included the Panel on Police Brutality on Tuesday, which featured four panellists from around the GTA who are involved in educating the community on black history and tackling current issues.

The panellists were Digal Halo, a lawyer with the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman; Zakaria Abdulla, an advisor to the UTM SSA who also works

with the advocacy group The Policing Literacy Initiative; UTSU president Yolen Bollo-Kamara, also a community organizer with Black Lives Matter; and La Tanya Grant, a first cousin of Jermaine Carby and the chair of the Justice for Jermaine committee.

Jermaine Carby was shot and killed by the Peel Regional Police last September. Witnesses claim he had his hands up the entire time and had no weapons in his possession.

The event featured discussion on police brutality, the treatment of black students in public high schools, and the treatment of black women.

Bollo-Kamara said she believed strongly that “we [black women] need to be telling our stories”.

Each panellist encouraged raising awareness through social media, letters, and public speaking.

Grant said that the most effective approach is to “change the narrative” and not let others define black people.

Upcoming events include an open mic night, a discussion on how to support black businesses, and art displays by black artists.

The organizers shared the hope of a future without racism.

Okereke said that showcasing “black excellence” will show the world that “we as a collective empower each other and educate ourselves on ways to beat the norm [...] and transform the perceived disadvantage [of black communities] into an advantage.”

The organizers spoke about the importance of the month despite the lack of attention it receives in mainstream education.

Melissa Theodore, of the St. Lucian diaspora, chair of the BHM Committee and UTMSU’s VP equity, says learning black history is necessary.

“Our education system is based on a Eurocentric model that intentionally highlights contributions from white people,” she said. “As anti-black racism is needed for white supremacy to thrive, it is important for black youth, and everyone, to become aware of our past, as it will determine our future.”

Abisola Olaniyi, volunteer coordinator for the Women’s Centre, said the month offers an opportunity to explore a “different section of history that’s not often talked about”.

The UTMWC is also hosting events this month.

“We try and look at sections of identity […] such as how sex intersects with race and gender and [other] political and status issues going on within these communities,” Olaniyi added.

The centre hosted a film screening and discussion on colourism on Wednesday and have an upcoming panel on “Hair and Politics”, examining how hair products aren’t designed for afro-textured hair.

UTMSU, ECASA, SSA, and Caribbean Connections will host the “Black Excellence Ball” on February 27.

»WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR READING WEEK?

Eliza Khan 5th year, theatre & English

Manvir Chaudhari 5th year, life sci

Montreal trip. It would’ve been Blue Mountain but that’s no longer organized.

Go clubbing in Montreal.

Definitely will not watch the Habs game.

Shahzeb Hassan 2nd year, finance

Riya Khaneja 1st year, business

Reading and studying for my finance exam.

I’m going on a family cruise, maybe to Disneyland.

Illegal immigration and cyberterrorism debated Due to the low turnout—22 out of 37 registered participants—including the absence of three UTMSU VPs who were supposed to chair the Human Rights Council—Mahmood and MUN president Bilal Sandeela merged all three committees into a General Assembly and split up the teams into delegates for individual countries.

Mahmood said he was told by UTMSU president Hassan Havili, who participated in the conference, the morning of the event that VP equity Melissa Theodore—who was supposed to chair the council—and VP external Ebi Agbeyegbe were “not feeling well” and that VP university affairs and academics Genny Lawen had prior commitments. Agbeyegbe and Lawen were slated to co-chair the same council.

The assembly was also moved from a large lecture hall in Kaneff to a smaller classroom for the two days.

On the first day, the General Assembly was chaired by Shrey Handa, a fourth-year finance specialist and the director of the conference.

Illegal immigration was discussed in the assembly when the motion proposed by the Iranian delegate to discuss the inflow of narcotics due to illegal immigration was passed.

By the end of the first session, motions were proposed by the delegates of the U.S., the Holy See, the U.K., and India to debate the flow of illegal immigration from Hispanic nations, and consequences such as racist ideologies, terrorism, and tighter border controls.

The motions were passed.

In the second half of the day, delegates lobbied and drafted resolutions

during the unmoderated caucus. Delegates presented their working papers to the General Assembly, after which the final resolution was voted on.

A resolution by Canada and the Holy See to provide basic necessities to illegal immigrants in every state and create an organization to control illegal immigration passed with 10 votes.

The conference resumed the next day, chaired by second-year history and political science specialist Fergus Talbot. Delegates unanimously voted to take up the issue of cyberterrorism.

After the delegates presented their prospective resolutions, the resolution proposed by France was passed, which called for the increased mandate of the International Criminal Court to try cyberterrorists and the foundation of an international organization to track and prosecute cyberterrorists.

Delegates of Canada, the U.S., India, and France committed to form an international organization to deal with cyberterrorists through financial and other means.

After an hour-long break, the award ceremony was held.

First-year student Siddartha Sengupta, representing the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea, received the Best Delegate Award in recognition of his oratory skills. Honourable mention went to sophomore Philip Power (U.S.) and part-time high school, parttime UTM student Hermish Mehta (Holy See, People’s Republic of China).

Asked whether the event was up to his expectations, Talbot said he had mixed feelings.

“On the positive side, the delegates managed to both spark and preserve a lively debate [...] On the negative side,

both the Debating Club and its MUN subsidiary nearly suffered a setback when three VPs from [UTMSU] decided not to commit to the event,” he said, hoping for “more professionalism and increased support” next time.

“A few executives could not arrive because of unexpected events,” said Havili. “I arrived on campus around 8 a.m. and notified members [...] as I was preparing logistics and materials.”

Havili projects that the event will be around on campus for years to come and said it was a great experience.

In a Facebook post after the conference, the UTM Debating Club called it a “unique experience” with “intense, exhilarating and rewarding debates”.

Handa also expressed his satisfaction with the event, adding that the Debating Club will work on making the MUN “bigger and better” in future.

Federal court calls ban on face coverings “unlawful”

U of T researchers call for greater public input for new vaccines

Dixie Outlet Mall will not be demolished, says new owner

U of Guelph seeks to break record for biggest snowball fight

Mayors demand greater funding on the eve of federal election

The Federal Court of Canada has judged “unlawful” the federal government’s ban on face coverings during citizenship ceremonies. The ban was introduced in 2011 by former Immigration Minister Jason Kenney. The court found that the policy violates Canada’s own immigration legislation.

U of T researchers are calling on global health officials to open up consultation on whether new vaccines should be introduced in a country to the public. Among their concerns is that babies now receive many more vaccines than previous generations did and that newer vaccinations are offering protection from diseases that are now considered rare.

Dixie Outlet Mall is not intended to be demolished, according to the company that bought the Mississauga shopping centre last fall. Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust, which purchased the mall from the Quebec -based Ivanhoé Cambridge, is among the largest owners and managers of commercial property in Quebec. The mall opened in 1956 as Dixie Plaza.

The University of Guelph is hoping to break the world record for largest snowball fight. Over 5,834 people must participate in event on Monday in order to break the record. As of press time, the Facebook event had under 1,800 guests expected to attend. Hundreds of U of T students had their own fight on Tuesday, which may become an annual event.

Mayors from cities across Canada are calling on federal parties to provide greater funding to cities. Thursday’s Federation of Canadian Municipalities Big Cities Summit saw 19 mayors, including Bonnie Crombie, discuss municipal issues such as transit and housing. The mayors are expected to draw attention to municipal issues during the upcoming federal election.

Source: Toronto Star

Source: U of T News

Source: Toronto Star

Source: Guelph Mercury & Globe and Mail

Source: Mississauga News

MUN continued from Cover

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02.09.2015

MASTHEAD EDITORS Editor-in-Chief Luke Sawczak editor@themedium.ca News Maria Iqbal news@themedium.ca A&E Maria Cruz arts@themedium.ca Features Madeleine Brown features@themedium.ca Sports Jason Coelho sports@themedium.ca — Photo Mahmoud Sarouji photos@themedium.ca Design Mubashir Baweja design@themedium.ca Copy Akshaya Sharma copy@themedium.ca Online & Blog Michelle Bonsu Safia Amin blog@themedium.ca online@themedium.ca Video Russell Wu videos@themedium.ca ASSOCIATES News Nicole Danesi Menna Elnaka A&E Kathelene Cattell-Daniels Features Andreea Mihai Sports Eric Hewitson Photo Christy Tam Zara Rizwan Nicole Raquinio To become an associate, begin writing and speak with your section editor!

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More to the story than stress Looking at a couple of issues, a pat answer seems more like a dismissal There are a few things on my mind this week, and none really stands out, so I’ll touch on each.

MENTAL HEALTH & MONEY A UTMSU exec wrote a letter (to be read on the facing page) on what he believes is a failing of the university to serve students, instead raising fees.

Okay—same old, same old. But something in there frustrated me. It was the claim that high tuition fees have a direct impact on mental health, and a second time, that it’s “one of the core causes” of mental health issues. This seems to be a page taken from the current VP equity, who last year said on Facebook that high fees were the “root cause” of mental health problems among students.

It would be nice if they could back up generalizations like that. I won’t make a snap judgement on it. It’s a complicated topic. Yes, it’s true that there are correlations between financial difficulties and rates of poor mental health. I’ve known households where financial stresses create volatile family dynamics, and a person’s breakdown can certainly be provoked by instability in the home.

Indeed, even our features section this week includes an article on a study in which researchers found that children from lower-income families

had worse mental health (as measured by their having given less accurate responses to factual questions— an odd metric, in my mind, but then I’m not in psychology or sociology).

But this bare relationship is far from the entire story. For one thing, an application of the pattern to chronic issues is unintuitive. Consider the guest writer of last week’s editorial, Larissa Ho. The implication that situations like hers among students would be greatly alleviated by reduced financial pressure is at best demeaning.

Moreover, the trend of rising mental health issues among students is a massive and frightening one—I’m always reminded of a Maclean’s article (“The mental health crisis on campus”, 2012) in which the use of health and counselling centres by students in crisis situations relating to stress, anxiety, and depression was reported to have doubled or grown exponentially in Canadian (and some American) universities. That pace is far ahead of tuition increases, and is not province-specific, which relates to the oft-quoted statistic that Ontarians pay the highest tuition in Canada.

These facts very strongly point to a deeper, more serious problem. And what frustrates me is that, in this one branch of action, at least, the message from UTMSU isn’t constructive.

Chanting about dropping fees is fine, but does nothing to address the real causes. There are other programs by UTMSU that do a better job of addressing it; great. But this particular line of attack stems from a chronic lack of innovation on the part of student politicians in general to think of other solutions—or rather slogans— than “We want to pay less.”

Besides, the students’ union itself is about to propose fee increases at the Campus Affairs Committee meeting on Thursday. They’re seeking increases to the U-Pass levy, among other smaller things. But they’re not exactly mounting an attack on our health.

KEEP THE PUB OPEN While we’re on the subject of student stress, let’s talk about a longstanding means to unwind: the Blind Duck Pub. It’s been a place to eat, socialize, and perhaps have a beer (depending on your social and religious persuasions, I suppose) for about as long as UTM has existed, although it’s traded buildings a couple of times.

But one thing has changed: in the early days, the pub was open on Friday nights and Saturdays, and was a pretty popular hangout.

It’s not the most important question to ask, but why has that changed?

Why does it close, of all things, earlier

on Friday than on other days?

When I asked last year’s president, Raymond Noronha, about it, he said there wouldn’t be enough students using the pub at those times to make staffing it profitable.

Hmm. Maybe true, maybe not. But why not do a trial run and find out?

And even if those hours are unprofitable, it’s not like the pub is profitable in general. It depends on a massive annual advance of tens of thousands of student dollars from UTMSU that serve as a donation to keep it running. (Yes, you pay for the pub indirectly even if you never eat there.) The least they can do is keep it open for you. Which, by the by, they can afford to do. UTMSU is sitting on a pile of over $1.1 million accumulated student dollars, after all.

Sure, maybe the issue isn’t at the front of students’ minds (except on Friday afternoon when they find the doors closed at 5 p.m.). But if we want a space for UTM students to relax, a place to allow them to engage more easily, a general improvement of the services and quality of life they get, why not deal with it?

Have a good Reading Week!

YOURS, LUKE SAWCZAK

02.09.2015 THE MEDIUM OPINION» 5

Professional wilderness

Students are getting

When teaching matters less and less to the university

a raw deal at UTM

Last December, the local union representing many University of Toronto sessional instructors (including the present writer) filed for conciliation in its ongoing negotiations with the administration. A third-party mediator has been appointed by the Ontario Ministry of Labour in an attempt to help the two sides come to an agreement on a new contract. In the event that an agreement cannot be reached, the union has voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action. All these developments provide a backdrop for what I wish to focus on here.

I would like to draw attention to a much bigger picture by asking a simple question: “Is undergraduate teaching undervalued in North American institutions of higher learning?” My response can be stated briefly: the very existence of a strong trend towards hiring more and more non-permanent educators is the strongest possible evidence for the devaluing of undergraduate teaching in universities and colleges. As modern corporations, institutions of higher learning are finding reasons to “outsource” labour, on the evident assumption that education is just one more “product” on the market that should be produced and delivered as efficiently and profitably as possible.

This has happened because those who are most rewarded by the system (i.e. tenured faculty and senior administration) perceive such an approach as necessary for the continuation of the very institutions that they manage.

As in other sectors of the economy, the out-sourcing of labour is a convenient way of dealing with what are usually presented as unforgiving “fiscal constraints’’.

This approach need not be understood as part of some sort of conspiracy against non-permanent instructors among tenured faculty and administrators. Large institutions, particularly those with a long history, generate their own complex internal culture. Many features of such institutions are simply taken for granted as “the way things are”. Perhaps the emergence of a very large underclass of university educators is unavoidable given current economic conditions.

Then again, perhaps not. Human institutions are built up through the decisions (large and small) of countless individuals about goals, priorities, and the use of resources. These decisions involve values, either implicitly or explicitly held. What we need right now, I would suggest, is a substantial conversation about the values that are shaping undergraduate teaching. It is a modern myth that current economic conditions necessitate the outsourcing of teaching. If the teaching of undergraduates was as valued as it

should be, resources would be allocated. Why is it that we (quite rightly) designate significant resources for the education of children and youth from kindergarten to grade 12, but then decide that learning after high school can be effectively facilitated by educators who are divided between highly paid and fully supported “insiders” on the one hand, and a growing army of poorly paid and contingent instructors on the other? Is it really the case that teaching is of so little value that it hardly matters if many of its practitioners (who have been trained in the same way as tenured faculty) are now consigned to a kind of professional wilderness, never able to be meaningfully integrated into the organization unless they happen to land one of the increasingly rare tenured positions?

They need to wake up to the fact that they are letting the institution to which they have devoted their careers become weaker.

Academic work is traditionally divided into three categories: research, teaching, and administration. What set of values has led North American universities to increasingly rely on poorly compensated and marginalized teachers, while the same trend has not appeared among researchers and administrators? We don’t outsource these two activities because they remain highly valued, whereas teaching is not. What I’m referring to here are the values inherent in the structure of the institution, not those values that individuals within the institution might hold or put into practice.

Anyone who cares about pedagogy and who has some experience in the classroom knows that teaching is a highly complex activity that calls for a great deal of dedication, experimentation, reflection, and patience.

It should hardly need pointing out that good teaching is at least as challenging to develop as good research or good administration. There is a night-and-day difference between an environment in which students genuinely grow in the course of their studies and the all too common scenario in which large numbers of students are merely “accredited”. And yet this important part of the public role of our universities, i.e. the facilitation of real learning, is in the process of being heavily discounted. Research and administration are seen as fully professional activities, whereas teach-

ing is not, at least if we consider how more and more postsecondary educators are actually treated.

Imagine a healthcare system in which specialists were able to say to general practitioners, “We know that you’ve had similar training, but because you’re only providing dayto-day medical care, your compensation is going to be about a third of ours, and you won’t have any say on policy.” To take another analogy, perhaps the teaching of undergraduates is evolving into something like dental hygiene: instructors play a merely supporting role to the main actors. The difference is that dental hygienists are not trained as comprehensively as dentists, but still have a reasonably well-paid and important role inside the system. This sector has not been outsourced to contract labour, for obvious reasons: in such a skilled trade (i.e. that of the hygienist), employers (i.e. dentists) want to keep high-quality personnel. I would suggest that sessional instructors are nowhere near to having this kind of integration in their sector. Given the difficulty and value (is this still the case?) of what we do, this should provoke a wider discussion among the stakeholders of the university system as a whole.

I’m not holding my breath, but those who are in the best position to effect change (tenured faculty and administrators) need to wake up to the fact that they are allowing the institution to which they have devoted their careers to become weaker with respect to its core mission of offering education to the wider public. This growing weakness does not reside in any lack of skill or dedication among the increasing numbers of sessional “faculty”, but is inherent in the structure of the organization itself. Yet surely no institution of higher learning, no matter what might be happening in the economy, has any business compromising its pedagogical culture. University teaching already faces a host of challenges (as brilliantly analyzed in a pair of recent U of T Press publications: Ivory Tower Blues and Lowering Higher Education).

The last thing that the postsecondary teaching profession needs is for universities to continue to cannibalize their own in an attempt to maintain the status quo for a shrinking core of “important” employees. The problems are complex and run deep. One can only hope that all of us who value the university will be able to summon the intelligence and moral courage to think of a better way to pursue our collective mission.

Professor Adam Lehto Department of Historical Studies

I’m writing to inform UTM students that the administration does not care about student debt and they definitely do not care about listening to student voices.

This past Thursday, the members of Campus Council, surrounded by a ring of protesting students, voted to increase parking fees by 3%, meal plan fees by 1.5%, residence fees by 5.5%, and food retail prices by 1.5%.

We at UTMSU knew this vote was taking place this Thursday once we received notice of the agenda the week before. We quickly organized and started collecting petitions. We were able to collect over 1,400 signatures from students in a matter of two days. We organized a rally around campus where we were able to gather close to 70 angry students at the meeting. We stood diligently for two hours as the council went through the process of the agenda. It is important to note that before this meeting there were seven students who requested rights to speak about the particular motion. When we arrived at the meeting, we were told that the Council’s secretary was not in receipt of any such requests and therefore our voices would not be heard. When it came to the motion we were only granted three minutes of speaking time in total. After I spoke, the vote took place and majority of the Council voted to accept these increases. The fee increases will be in effect as of May 1.

The implications of these increases will add on to an already struggling student congregation. Students at U of T pay the highest tuition in Canada. After a brief fee freeze in Ontario in 2006, our tuition has increased every year. Last year, our fees rose 3–5% for domestic students and 10–11% for international students. This year our tuition fees are set to increase again.

Student debt is also at an all-time high with students incurring OSAP debt and credit card debt. Students who take loans end up paying more for tuition, given the interest incurred on the loans. Approximately 60% of the student population on this campus is on OSAP, a statistic well known to the university. The increase in fees also has an impact on students’ academic experience as one is constantly worried about paying exorbitant fees.

If the administration cared about student debt and what students go through, why would they keep proposing these increases and adding to student stress? The mental health of students seems to be a rising concern for the administration. Well, surprise, surprise—not having enough money for education is one of the core factors.

Students have to eat every day and now with an increase to the already

high food prices, it puts a lot of students at a disadvantage. We can predict that the membership of our Food Centre will increase with this price hike.

UTM is a commuter campus and a number of students live far away where public transportation is unavailable, so they are forced to drive.

A number of students who drive are forced to park off campus in places like Erindale Park, South Common Mall, and Square One because they cannot afford to park on campus.

Even when they can, it comes at a very high cost. With these increases we expect a number of students to start parking off campus. We know there is a need for more parking but we do not believe students should front the cost for such capital projects.

As for residence and meal plans, these fees affect international students the most. First-year international students come here and have nowhere else to live. International students already pay ridiculous amounts in order to study here at U of T. On average, an international student pays $35,000 in tuition fees alone. Now, they will have to pay more to live and to eat. This adds pressure on international students to excel and to complete their degree in the shortest amount of time, because their families cannot afford to pay more. This has a direct impact on their mental health.

We did this rally because we wanted the voices of students to be heard.

There are four student seats with two seats belonging to undergraduates on Campus Council. On the other governing bodies, there is more student representation, but they are drowned out by administrative, faculty, and community voices. The governance structure here disenfranchises our students.

Moving forward we will first engage the student population to see what they would like to do. We will focus on governance reform and on fighting the increases to tuition fees.

We as students on campus have been getting the raw end of the stick for a very long time. We want to see reform that places student needs at the forefront without harming students negatively. We also want to get more students engaged in the Drop Fees Coalition. We meet every Wednesday from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Student Centre Green Room. We want students who are angry and students who want to see change to join this coalition and help us as we continue this fight for fairness, because it is not over yet. It just started!

Ebi Agbeyegbe UTMSU VP external

2015 University of Toronto Mississauga Campus Council Elections

Voting Period: Monday, February 9, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. to Friday, February 20, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.

Student Candidates’ Statements. Online voting will take place on ROSI (www.rosi.utoronto.ca).

EMERSON CALCADA My name is Emerson Calcada, I wish to run for campus council the reason I am running is to improve the student voice on campus. The voice on campus is being stifled by the administration and students need to be heard. On campus council I will be the voice of the student. The policies that I will work for is to lower the parking fees, elimination of the exam deferral fee, and push for the 1.0 drop credit to be applied to the students because without someone to stand up and fight we are being taken advantage of.

ALICE LI As the current elected full-time undergraduate representative on UTM Campus Council, I believe I am an excellent candidate because I possess the relevant experience and skills to be a student leader. During my previous 2 years of service, not only did I gain an understanding of how things work behind the scenes at UTM, I also made sure the student voice is heard and represented in university decisions. Campus Council is the highest decision-making body at UTM and I hope to contribute another year of dedicated service to the school. Looking forward to another year of success for UTM! https://www.facebook. com/UtmCampusCouncil

ABDULLA OMARI If I, Abdulla Omari, am granted the ability to sit on the Campus Council then I will strive to ensure that the student message and opinions are clear and without misinterpretation as well as paid the proper respect that the ideas of 13 000 students are due. I would strive to encourage equality and student interests in education and financials are respected and considered at every meeting. I am a year- one student so I cannot claim experience in all matters administrative; but I can certainly claim a willingness to learn and a determination to change the student experience.

Teaching Staff Candidates’ Statements. Voting will take place online on a website designated by the CRO. LEE BAILEY I have been a member of this college for more than 25 years. I teach and hold office hours at UTM five days a week. This schedule will permit me to serve faithfully as a member of this committee. In addition to attending Erindale College Council I have served a Chair of RPPC for 2 terms, as a member of Campus Affairs for 1 term and a member of Campus Council for 1 term. I have never missed a meeting. I ask for your support.

Yours truly, Lee Bailey Department of Economics BERNARD KATZ I joined Erindale College, as our campus was then called, in 1976 and have taught in the Department of Philosophy since then. I served as Erindale Philosophy Discipline Representative (1979-1981), Associate Chair and Graduate Coordinator for Department of Philosophy (199598), Associate Dean, Humanities, of the School of Graduate Studies (1999-2004), and Acting Vice-Dean, Graduate of UTM (2012-13). I have also served on numerous College, Department and University committees.

ANGELA LANGE Angela Lange is a Professor of Biology. She obtained her Ph.D. from York University, Toronto, Canada, prior to taking up an NSERC Post-doctoral Fellowship in the Department of Zoology, University of Toronto. Professor Lange has held a variety of important administrative positions,

including Chair of the Department of Biology and Vice-Dean, Undergraduate, Teaching and Learning and has over the years at UTM been very involved in curricular development. She is currently Associate Chair, Research. Professor Lange served as the Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee for two terms and on the Executive Committee of UTM’s previous governance model.

JOSEPH LEYDON As a faculty member, Joe is very involved in student mentorship through his role as faculty advisor to the undergraduate student society and works closely with the Career Centre to promote student professional development. Dr. Leydon is committed to experiential learning with particular interests in field work, supervision of student research projects, co-curricular activities and community outreach through his management of the Department’s fourth year internship course. Joseph is currently in his second term as member of UTM Campus Council, as well as Chair of the UTM Campus Affairs Committee and member of the University Affairs Board.

JUDITH POË Judith Poë, Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada, is experienced in university governance having chaired the Erindale College Council, served on the Academic Board and currently chairs the UTM Academic Affairs Committee.

She studied at Imperial College, London. A bioinorganic chemist, her current scholarship is in chemical education. An Editorial Board mem-

ber of the Journal of Science Education and Technology and a President’s Teaching Academy member, she has also received the OCUFA Teaching Award and a 3M Teaching Fellowship.

Past- President of the Canadian Society for Chemistry, she is currently Chair of the Board of the Canadian Chemical Education Trust.

HOLGER SYME I have taught at UTM since 2005, and have been the Chair of the Department of English and Drama since 2011. I have served on numerous university and campus committees, and am currently on the Jackman Humanities Institute’s advisory board. As a scholar of contemporary theatre, I frequently explore the intersections of academic work and the creative professions and have a strong interest in public outreach. On Campus Council, I hope to serve as a voice for the Humanities, one of the largest and, thanks to our theatre and art gallery, most publicly visible areas of academic study at UTM. http:// www.syme.dispositio.net/ ANTHONY WENSLEY I have been a member of the UTM community since 1988. I have been consistently concerned to do all I can to make UTM a welcoming and supportive environment for faculty, students and staff alike. I believe that over the years I have demonstrated my commitment to this goal and I would like to have to opportunity to continue to contribute.

2015 University of Toronto Mississauga Academic Affairs Committee Elections Voting Period: Monday, February 9, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. to Friday, February 20, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.

Student Candidates’ Statements. Online voting will take place on ROSI (www.rosi.utoronto.ca).

NOUR ALIDEEB My name is Nour Alideeb and I am a second year student fulfilling a double major in biology and economics. I am running to be your representative on the UTM Academic Affairs Committee. This committee is responsible for the quality of your campus’s “teaching, learning and research functions” and as a member I will fight for your right to the best policies for students on campus. We deserve the best considering that we pay the highest tuition in the country! I believe in fighting for an accessible, affordable and enjoyable education, so please vote Nour Alideeb for a better campus!

BEST ANAELE I am currently a second year student specializing in criminology and socio- legal studies, and I intend to contest for a position in the Academic Affairs Committee in UTM. My interest in this position stems from my desire to be a liaison between the students and the school authority, to be involved and contribute to the governance of the academic affairs

of the school, and to help enhance the overall academic experience of the students in UTM. SARAH AMJAD As we continue to learn and grow it becomes imperative to take academic and financial commitments into account. Each year presents new challenges to consider as we strive to flourish in a promising environment. Students are entitled to voice their opinions and by being a part of the Academic Affairs Committee, I intend to advocate for increased student facilitation, award programs and enlighten fellow UTMers about scholarship opportunities and possible benefits to lighten burdens. It would indeed be an honor to sustain this renowned institution’s euphoric experience; vote for Sarah Amjad.

VANESSA KATTAR As student dedicated to the student movement, I have been involved in many different committees and events on campus to promote and protect student rights. Involved with the UTMSU for 2 years I have been involved in advocating for

progressive academic polices and more student involvement in governance. If elected to the Academic Affairs Committee I will continue to advocate for student rights and fight for a better academic life for all students.

RYAN PERSAUD Hi folks, my name is Ryan Persaud and I wish to be your representative on the academic affairs committee. In previous years, the voices of the students hasn’t been heard as clearly as it should be. I aim to change that. I have spent the last year working in depth with academic concerns that students have and I plan to bring this to the administration if I am elected. I will work towards implementing a better credit/ no credit system, along with better academic rights for students across the campus.

BETSY SUSAN YELDHOSE Full-time 3rd year undergraduate student with Biology for Health Science and Chemistry Major, running for UTM Academic Affairs Committee.

Experience includes Campus Experience Coach

for First Year Experience Program (Student Life), Work-Study student for undergraduate chemistry laboratory, Peer Mentor for AccessAbility, and was a member of Healthy Campus Crew. Elect me, and an effort will be made to add more Specialist and Major Programs and Courses which are more specific to your interest here at UTM!

SAMIHA ZAMAN As a student, I understand the difficulties students go through in university. Many students suffer academically, and I want to help them by giving them ways of overcoming the problems they face. I want to be aware of the Academic decisions made by the university and let others

know of the decisions as well. I want to give students an opportunity to be part of the decisions taken by the university. If chosen as a member of the Academic Affairs Committee, I will make sure all decisions taken are for the betterment of both the student body and university.

2015 University of Toronto Mississauga Campus Affairs Committee Elections Voting Period: Monday, February 9, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. to Friday, February 20, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.

Student Candidates’ Statements. Online voting will take place on ROSI (www.rosi.utoronto.ca).

ALBINA ALMETOVA Greetings, Everyone!

My name is Albina Almetova. I am a second year student. I am working as a Global Connections Leader in International Education Centre. I am a great leader; I plan and organize events on and off campus. My ambition will allow to improve different spheres in UTM. I am able to provide help in an effective manner. Our students will learn about our opportunities. I will maintain the relationship between the units on Campus.

With my experience I would be pleased to work in Campus Affairs Committee. I am able to take responsibility and do a professional job.

NASH CHIKOWORE Hello fellow students, My name is Nyasha Chikowore and I am currently running for 2015 UTM Campus Affairs Committee. As a representative for the students, my goal is to help implement better and cheaper food options on campus, deal with the ongoing issue of parking fee hikes as well as the resident fees that our rez friends deal with. As an ongoing volunteer for UTMSU, I know the issues that the students deal, and my goal if elected is to be the voice of the students and make sure that change comes and our university experience improves.

MAHEEN FARRUKH I am not promising a change in our system but what I can guarantee is making the right decisions by voicing the concerns of the students, the biggest stakeholders of the university. I want to be on the Campus Affairs Committee so that I can ensure that the issues that directly affect the student population are heard and that the Committee’s priorities are in line with the best

interests of the students. I would like to bring responsibility, accountability and integrity to the student role in the organization.

ABDUL HADI TARIQ Hadi Tariq is an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto majoring in biology and chemistry. He is expected to graduate in 2017 and plans to pursue a career in cardiology.

As a member of the Campus Affairs Committee and a current board of director, Hadi will strive to work as part of a team to enhance the quality of student and campus life. He will also work towards progressive academic policies to boost the academic experience of students on this campus. So vote for Hadi Tariq. Vote for a stronger student body.

LINA HASSAN As a member of the Campus Affairs Council, my aim would be to voice student issues and concerns in an efficient and collaborative manner. I would strive to the best of my abilities to enhance student and campus life. UTM students are the pillars on which this university stands and as a UTM student, I will be honored to serve as a medium to cater to the needs of this community. Becoming a part of the student representation would be a privilege.

So if you will; Vote LINA HASSAN! HODA M. KHAN Hello UTMer’s, I am grateful for this nomination and eager to serve if elected. I am deeply committed to excellence in Campus Affairs at all levels by representing students at the Campus Affairs Committee. Currently, I am a senior student pursuing

a double major in Biology and Environmental Sciences. On campus, I have dedicated my time to HCC, The Varsity and served as event planning volunteer with the Union. It would be an honour to represent the diverse constituency as a member on the Committee and I am asking for your vote and support in this leadership position and challenge.

MARIA RABBAT Maria Rabbat is a Syrian Canadian and a graduate of the International School of Choueifat Lebanon where she graduated with an honours baccalaureate degree. She is currently pursuing a degree in Financial Economics at the University of Toronto and hopes to become a TA in her second year for Bailey’s first year economics.

Maria is a determined student who hopes to work hard for herself and the betterment of her fellow UTM first year students. She hopes and plans to be the voice for many undergraduate first years if she gets elected to be part of the Campus Affairs Committee.

TSZ YAN TAM Hi! I’m Tsz, a third year student, running as a full-time undergraduate student for the Campus Affairs Committee. Academics are not the only determining factor of a good university, aspects such as the quality of student and campus life also play an important role. Currently an executive on the UTM Residence Council, I’ve had exposure to UTM’s governance and wish to take my involvement in UTM affairs even further. University is supposed to be “the best years of your life” and hopefully, I can influence the quality of YOUR university life through this committee if I am elected.

Teaching Staff Candidates’ Statements. Voting will take place online on a website designated by the CRO. LEE BAILEY I have been a member of this college for more than 25 years. I teach and hold office hours at UTM five days a week. This schedule will permit me to serve faithfully as a member of this committee. In addition to attending Erindale College Council I have served a Chair of RPPC for 2 terms, as a member of Campus Affairs for 1 term and a member of Campus Council for 1 term. I have never missed a meeting. I ask for your support.

Yours truly, Lee Bailey Department of Economics JENNIFER CARLSON I have been a faculty member of the Sociology Department since Fall 2013 and a member of CAC since Fall 2014. I am committed to contributing to UTM’s dynamism as the campus faces new opportunities and new challenges. For this reason, I am excited at the prospect of enhancing campus excellence as a long-term member of the CAC. CHESTER N. SCOVILLE I have been a member of the teaching staff at UTM for fifteen years; during that time, I have seen the face of the campus change greatly, as new buildings, an expanded student population, and new faculty, staff, and programs have come to enrich the life of the place. My interest in

serving on the Campus Affairs Committee stems from this long experience of UTM and from a desire to assist in guiding the ongoing growth and improvement of the campus for those who live, study, and work here.

JUMI A. SHIN I have been on the CAC since its inception in 2013. I have directly experienced the changes in governance, and have made suggestions to make the new process more meaningful to us at UTM. I started here in 2002 and am now an Associate Professor in Chemical & Physical Sciences.

I have observed how UTM functions and gained insights into how I can contribute, whether concerning child care to infrastructural projects that will meet our growing needs. I have been excited by the changes over the last twelve years, and am excited by the opportunity to contribute to UTM’s future.

STEVEN SHORT I joined the faculty at UTM in 2007 and am an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology. I have always been an active participant in the governance of UTM through attendance at many UTM town hall meetings, and more recently as an elected member of the Campus Affairs Committee. I care deeply about the future of UTM and the role of its Governing Council and Standing Committees as they guide UTM’s ongoing evolution as one of Canada’s leading

universities. I would be honoured to serve as a representative of teaching staff on the Campus Affairs Committee.

GERHARD TRIPPEN I have joined the UTM community over five years ago. I am teaching quantitative management courses, and in particular operations management. I hope that I can use my knowledge to contribute to the management and constructive review of the campus affairs. I have experienced a variety of different campus communities through my teaching at UTSC for two years and my ongoing teaching at the St. George campus.

After being a member of the Campus Affairs Committee for nearly two years, I am hoping to continue my service to the UTM community.

ANTHONY WENSLEY I have been a member of the UTM community since 1988. I have been consistently concerned to do all I can to make UTM a welcoming and supportive environment for faculty, students and staff alike. I believe that over the years I have demonstrated my commitment to this goal and I would like to have to opportunity to continue to contribute.

BYEONG-UK KI N/A.

Questions about the UTM Campus Council elections process may be directed to the Deputy Returning Officer, Ms Cindy Ferencz Hammond (905-828-5233; cindy.ferencz@utoronto.ca) or the Chief Returning Officer, Mr. Anwar Kazimi (416-978-8427; anwar.kazimi@utoronto.ca).

Please visit http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/elections.htm

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02.09.2015

UTM drama turns to classical drama Directors Bryn Kennedy and Rachel VanDuzer bring classic play Antigone to the UTM stage KATE CATTELL-DANIELS ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR Sometimes I wonder why plays as old as Antigone are still kicking around and getting produced. I wonder if maybe it’s because, as people, we’ve just gotten used to having them around, or maybe it has to do with the fact that only a few ancient Greek plays—generally considered the roots of contemporary theatre— have not been destroyed. A powerful argument for classical theatre is that the stories still speak to audiences, showing that people are, essentially, people, and that they don’t really change that much from one millennium to the next.

Directors Bryn Kennedy and Rachel VanDuzer collaborated to bring Antigone to life, using Jean Anouilh’s translation and a striking aesthetic. A predominant theme in Antigone is family and relationships—who is related to whom, who killed whom, and what you’re going to do about it. The pull of family is so strong it’s out of human control, shaped instead by the three fates and chorus members (Alma Sarai, Kyle McDonald, and Emily Clarke), who guide and manipulate the story.

The play opens with the chorus

UTM DRAMA CLUB/PHOTO

Antigone was full of standout performances. sitting at a table, having a drink and cutting pieces of string from a ball of red yarn. The walls around them are black frames crisscrossed by red string. From there, each character is in some way tied with red string, “confined within the walls of their bloodline and the […] pull of their oppressive family ties”. Antigone (Khira Wieting) dares to cross this

age-old system in order to bury her brother, in defiance of King Creon’s orders, and she pays for her choice.

But whether Antigone brings her fate upon herself or Fate inflicts it upon her is not clearly revealed.

According to the directors’ notes, Anouilh’s version of the play specifically calls for spatial and temporal ambiguity. I’ve seen and studied

a lot of realistic theatre in my life, but I continue to enjoy deciphering non-literal staging and costuming.

You don’t have to move a periodappropriate living room onto the stage for me to understand what’s going on. The costumes were equally ambiguous, picking up on both contemporary and classical styles of dress and finding the middle

ground in between.

A result of this ambiguity is that characters formed strong, layered relationships, which I enjoyed watching develop onstage, but also allowed me to understand the layered people whose lives began before the play. Antigone proved a strong ensemble show, and each actor had a very clear understanding of their character’s objectives. The one challenge that was sometimes apparent was the long scenes. Keeping lengthy conversations fresh is not an easy task.

The standout performances included Creon (Brett Houghton), Antigone, and Nurse (Victoria Dennis), all of whom brought life and energy to roles that were, especially in the cases of Creon and the Nurse, quite unlike their own characters.

“Something that was both a challenge and reward of directing Antigone was the amount of creative licence that Jean Anouilh’s adaptation provides,” said Kennedy and VanDuzer. “Using this licence as an opportunity, our goal was to translate the specific world that we had created in our heads onto the stage.”

Antigone was part of the UTM Drama Club’s annual production and ran from February 5 to 7.

Mulock says metal has a place in music Lead singer of the metal band Phear, Patrick Mulock, discusses the genre’s role in the music industry LUCAS DI MASCIO There are metal legends from the UK and the US. Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, and Iron Maiden stand out among many others. But who are Canada’s?

We have always had a large metal scene in the underground of Hamilton, London, and Toronto. But who are our metal gods?

I’ve had the pleasure of not only hanging out with but also playing in a band with Pat Mulock, who I think is a great candidate for a Canadian metal legend. Mulock is the ex-lead vocalist of Eidolon and current vocalist of Phear. I sat down with him to pick his brain on the music industry, metal’s place in the scene, and what it’s like to be a notable metal singer.

The Medium: What do you think of the local metal/music scene?

Pat Mulock: Hamilton isn’t bad—it’s actually pretty good for metal. The scene is rising there. You really have to look for it in Toronto these days, but it is growing. Funnily enough,

ROCKERREVIEW.COM/PHOTO

Patrick Mulock is the current lead singer for Phear.

I’ve noticed more and more women are coming to metal shows, which means more men show up. Montreal, which obviously isn’t really local but is worth mentioning, has a fantastic metal scene—always has.

TM: What are your thoughts on the music industry?

PM: The industry has been in dis-

array—tech moves faster than the business. I mean, this shouldn’t be news to anyone, and yeah, the tech is fantastic for sure, but how do you protect the artist in this day and age?

It’s very tough to make money when recording, playing, or doing anything in music, to be honest. That’s why I say have fun and write from the heart.

Record labels don’t have the money

they had in the past, so it’s hard to invest in new talent, but I think independents have figured it out.

TM: Where do you think heavy metal fits into that?

PM: Well, I think having a Nickelback and Beyoncé on your label will help you pay for your Opeth, if you get what I mean.

TM: What about metal’s place in the wider music world?

PM: Well, I think metal is very underground and I’ve noticed that the crowd is changing. In Toronto, I’ve noticed that the bulk of people going to concerts are gamer-computertype guys showing up that I’ve never seen before. It used to be all bikers, and now it seems to be all gamers.

I think that gamers want their own music; it has to be different from pop, so they’re embracing music outside of the norm. I think that Guitar Hero introduced many gamers to music.

TM: What was your favorite Eidolon moment?

PM: The last show we played was at a place called the Medley in Montreal.

It was sold out. We were playing with Iced Earth, Evergrey, and Children of Bodom. We just totally nailed it. It was the last Eidolon show, and it was just perfect.

Mulock continued on page 10

02.09.2015 THE MEDIUM ARTS» 9

A detective with attitude

Comedic dysfunction Jenny Lawson finds humour in dark times KAITLYN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

TYLERSHIELDS.COM/PHOTO

From Dwight Schrute to Everett Backstrom.

MAYANK SHARMA STAFF WRITER Fox has seen its fair share of success and growth over the past few years, the most prominent one being House, followed by less successful series such as Lie to Me and Rake. Now the creators of Bones have added another intriguing entry to Fox’s lineup: Backstrom.

The plot revolves around detective Everett Backstrom (Rainn Wilson), a cynical, misanthropic, selfish, judgmental, and misogynistic law enforcer who uses his intellect and intuition to solve cases with his crack team at the Special Crimes Unit in Portland.

The series kicks off with Backstrom’s

health being assessed by a doctor to bring him back into the unit to solve a case involving the death of a senator’s son. The unit includes fellow detectives Nicole Gravely (Genevieve Angelson), who sees good in both victims and suspects, forensics liaison Peter Niedermayer (Kristoffer Polaha), a spiritual man, John Almond (Dennis Haysbert), Frank Moto (Page Kennedy), Backstrom’s handyman, and Nadia Paquet (Beatrice Rosen), a civilian assisting the unit.

The case is nothing extraordinary, but Backstrom’s methods give the show an edge. He demonstrates how offensive he can get when he blatantly insults Hindus, all of India, and Native Americans all in the first few minutes.

But there are important moments where Backstrom’s backstory is hinted at, leaving room for an explanation of his mannerisms. That, and the development of the secondary characters, will you leave you wanting to know more.

Wilson’s comedic timing is also put to good use in several scenes, especially those with the doctor (Rizwan Manji). For the most part, though, Backstrom reminds me of House in the way he bases his judgment on lies told by those around him and tries to keep the skeletons in his closet secret.

If you’re getting tired of watching reruns of House or are too impatient to wait for the next season of True Detective, Backstrom is worth a try.

Get your fanny to the festival UTM students get ready for the U of T Drama Festival MARIA CRUZ A&E EDITOR In her second year back at the U of T Drama Festival, fourth-year student Laura McCallum has teamed up with fellow fourth-year Jaime Lujan to enter their play Fanny, Fluff, and Dandruff.

McCallum returns as director (having directed Some Counterspace

by Madeleine Brown last year) with Lujan as playwright. Lujan is also returning to the festival, having directed a piece two years ago.

“I’ve had the character of Fanny in my head for a while: someone who has a laser-like obsession—whether good or bad—that manifests into something tangible,” Lujan says.

“Fanny actually exists in another play of mine and this one is sort of his creation story.”

He explained that every character in this play is forcibly changed through the circumstances they face.

“The characters in the play all suffer from cosmic irony—from situations so specifically tragic to each of them that they (and we) can’t help but laugh,” Lujan says on why he chose the comedy genre. “Usually I fill my plays with subtle selfish jokes that are just for me, but I guess I became a little more generous with this one so that everybody could appreci-

ate how bleak the universe’s sense of humour is.”

Laughter is no work on the part of the audience, but it’s not always easy for the one who has to come up with material that’s both funny and pertinent. “It’s very easy to fall into the trap of caricature and playing for laughs,” McCallum says. “A lot of my direction is based on what I think is humour and entertaining, but if that contradicts the message of the play or the context of the scene, then it’s just surface-level humour and doesn’t really address the irony of the situation.

McCallum believes one of the biggest things that will resonate with the audience is the fear of change.

“It’s been hard to direct lines that are initially funny but actually have a lot of heart to them,” he adds.

The pressures of a high-stakes competition like this don’t just end at directing and writing. “In previous years, UTMDC has submitted three plays to the Drama Festival but due to a number of factors, the execs opted to only submit one play this year,”

McCallum says. “UTMDC definitely shines at this event with so many students from the TDS program taking part, so there’s a reputation to live up to and an expectation that the show will take creative risks yet ultimately be an audience hit.”

McCallum believes one of the biggest things that will resonate with a student audience in this play is the fear of change. “Each of the characters is dealing with the threat that their biggest fear will become a reality, and I think that’s something a lot of students can identify with,” says McCallum. “We’re at a time in life where we have to confront realities about growing up, being an adult, changing bodies, changing mentalities, etc., so I think a younger audience would connect to that.”

With curtain call being so close, both students are definitely feeling butterflies. “We still have props and costumes to sort out, the lights haven’t been programmed…” McCallum says. “In terms of the show’s success, I’m just excited, though. It’s such a fun show to be a part of and I can’t wait to share the characters’ stories with the audience.”

The U of T Drama Festival takes place from February 12 to 14, with three plays shown each night. Fanny, Fluff, and Dandruff is being shown on Saturday, February 14.

After writing my fall exams, Jenny Lawson’s darkly hilarious memoir Let’s Pretend This Never Happened was just the pick-me-up I needed.

The story follows Lawson—widely known for her popular blog The Bloggess—from the time she was a small child growing up in the “violently rural” town of Wall, Texas right to adulthood. Along the way, Lawson finds humour in not only her most traumatic memories, which she is happy to share, but also in her everyday life.

Unlike many other comedic books I’ve read, Lawson’s memoir seemed effortlessly funny. She just happens to have a life filled with enough dysfunction to fill 300 pages.

Rather than an organized description of Lawson’s life, the memoir is mostly a collection of anecdotes in chronological order. My favourite chapter is “A Series of Helpful Postit Notes I Left Around the House for my Husband This Week”, in which Lawson summarizes the passiveaggressive arguments she constantly has with her spouse. One note reads, “Dear Victor, If you leave wet towels on the ground again I will stab you.”

The memoir is non-fiction, but a few events are very out of the ordinary.

Among them is the time her family’s turkeys followed her to elementary school and pooped everywhere in the school’s cafeteria. Anticipating readers’ disbelief, Lawson also includes photos to prove how insane her life is.

Despite the memoir’s comedic tone, Lawson doesn’t skip over the more difficult problems she’s faced, such as her multiple attempts to have children and her struggle with social anxiety.

But rather than dwell on the negative, Lawson overcomes her challenges with resilience—not with stories of heroism or inspiration but with ones of humour that will have you laughing at the most inappropriate of times. She can easily switch from talking about a tough personal problem to joking about all the hilariously strange job applications she encountered while working in HR.

One note Lawson leaves for her spouse: “Dear Victor: If you leave wet towels on the ground again I will stab you.”

For all her blatant swearing and liberal use of caps lock, Lawson is still a fantastic writer. In fact, Lawson’s memoir could just as easily be labelled a tragedy if it weren’t for the way she twists the tragedy into comedy, much like fellow blogger-turned-author Allie Brosh of Hyperbole and a Half. The book has great pacing and is written such that you can read it in one sitting.

More than anything, it was Lawson’s blunt humour and fearlessness to say the outrageous that made this book memorable. MMMM ½

10

«ARTS

THE MEDIUM 02.09.2015

Just a shadow of Bob Dylan?

Is Bob Dylan’s new album a hit or a miss?

The Medium’s Maria Cruz and Chris Antilope weigh in.

CHRIS ANTILOPE ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR

MARIA CRUZ A&E EDITOR Where to begin.

On Wednesday, folk legend Bob Dylan released his 36th album, Shadows in the Night, which consists of Frank Sinatra covers. I know people might think this is an odd combo with such a contrast between the sounds of the two artists, but Dylan isn’t trying to copy Sinatra so much as he is trying to do what folk music does: retell the stories of others.

This album is beautiful. Dylan is connecting with his listeners here; he’s being vulnerable with us, which makes this album seem more personal. For me, these songs represent something in Dylan that the public has never really gotten a taste of throughout his career, which is a softer, more exposed side of him.

This is especially true in “Why Try to Change Me Now”, which sounds like someone confessing he is who he is and yet saying, hey, at 73 years old, why change now?

With songs like “I’m a Fool to Want You”, “Stay with Me”, “The Night We Called It a Day”, and “Autumn Leaves”, listeners really get a completely different side of Dylan.

There are no harmonica solos, no 30-second musical interludes, just Dylan and his stories. I know these are not his stories, but to have a tale be retold and owned by such a powerful artist is something to ap-

preciate. In only 10 songs, Dylan manages to communicate his side of these stories while hinting at Sinatra’s versions.

The original songs featured big sound from Sinatra’s band, but Dylan brings quiet horns and soft electric guitar to the table, taking the songs in another direction entirely—tone that fits miraculously well with Dylan’s voice.

Which brings me to one of the biggest and loveliest surprises on this album: his voice. He gives these songs a persuasive grace that is so beautiful and convincing you’d think he wrote these songs himself. Dylan doesn’t strain his voice on any high or long notes, which was a problem on Tempest. In fact, this album puts to rest the argument that Dylan’s voice is too “nasal” to handle some songs, or that his voice was never as good as his lyrics. I observed this most in “Some Enchanted Evening”, “That Lucky Old Sun”, and “I’m a Fool to Want You”.

This album is a wonderful treat for Sinatra and Dylan fans. His sound may be changing, but his impact on the world of music isn’t.

Do you know that annoying sound that you hear at night when you’re trying to fall asleep, and it’s so irritating that you just can’t rest? It is with a very heavy heart that I tell you that that sound is Bob Dylan’s 36th album.

Yes, the father of modern American folk music’s newest album, Shadows in the Night, was an unfortunate pain to listen to. It features no original songs by the artist, but songs ranging from 1923 to 1951, all made famous by Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra.

Dylan’s album demonstrates that once you’ve turned carbon into diamond, as Sinatra did, the task is much more difficult the second time.

I found listening to this album both tedious and treacherous. Listening to it made me want to fall asleep, but I couldn’t, because the songs either all sounded the same or irritated me with the sound of his aging voice and the twang of the pedal steel guitar. As a lover of all genres of music—from 1920s swing to 1980s classic rock to modern music of almost any sort—I was surprised that I didn’t like this album. Dylan popularized folk, which influenced bands that I love, such as the Lumineers, Of Monsters and Men, and Mumford and Sons. How-

MMMMM

ever, the music that inspired those bands has been lost in the half-century that Dylan has been active.

The opening song, “I’m a Fool to Want You”, does not make a great first impression—the image I get is of an elderly drunk outside a saloon in the ol’ west serenading a young woman dancing with a man her own age. The motif of the aging singer with a nasally, raspy, unfortunately dull voice runs through the album.

Thankfully, there are only 10 tracks.

Unfortunately, I can’t pick a favourite song. Look at it the way you look at movies, specifically ones that have been remade. Take the Star Wars franchise. The originals were incomparably better than the prequels.

When something is good, it’s best to just take the money and run, and just leave it as it is. Dylan disrupts his own success with his unnecessary addition to the multitude of albums that he has released since 1962.

What was perfected by Sinatra and other artists before, including Diana Krall, Eric Clapton, and Harry Connick Jr. (among others), was regretfully tampered with by this new album. Perhaps Dylan can pump out a 37th album sometime soon to reinstate his legacy and put more of his own music on display.

M

A metal star’s advice for students

PAT MULOCK/PHOTO

Mulock gives candid advice to aspiring musicians.

Mulock continued from page 8 TM: Let’s talk about your current band.

PM: Well, Phear is gearing up for an album release by the end of February.

It’ll be up on iTunes. We’re also starting our live prep; we want to showcase our album release and try to record a live DVD of the event. You know how our shows are going to be—lasers everywhere. If you experience seizures, please close your eyes.

TM: What’s the best advice you can give to an aspiring musician?

PM: Well, because of the state of the music industry, I’d say write from the heart; don’t sit there trying to write a hit. Write songs that mean something.

TM: What do you think is the most effective way to market your music?

PM: Seriously, play live as often as

you can. Make sure you interact with your fans, generate Facebook likes, and just use all the social media available to you.

let the job define what you do. Being a role model is all about the person you are—not the job you do.

TM: What advice can you give on touring to a band that’s never done it before?

PM: Watch your habits, don’t blow all your cash, lock your van, and be nice to everyone. You never know whom you’re going to meet.

TM: Who are your biggest influences?

PM: As a drummer, it’s obviously Neil Peart. Although Peter Criss and Roger Taylor are big influences on me, too, I think. As a vocalist: Rob Halford, Freddie Mercury, Bruce Dickinson, Dennis D’Young, and Ozzy Osbourne.

TM: Do you feel that musicians have a responsibility as role models?

PM: Like anything else, there are good and bad role models. I know of musicians who volunteer to play gigs for free, give to charities, and are overall good people. I’m a father; therefore I’m a role model to my daughter. However, I believe that just because you are a rock star doesn’t mean you need to be “badass”. Don’t

TM: Any closing thoughts before we finish here?

PM: Support local talent. Go see live bands and appreciate them. They want to have fun with you and fun translates. Find music that inspires and moves you and be open-minded to all music. There’s no such thing as “right” or “wrong” music; I listen to Duran Duran when I clean my house because it makes me dance.

02.09.2015

»

11

The secret lives of student parents UTM students share what it means to raise a child and attend university simultaneously VALERIA RYRAK These past few weeks have been a revelation. I was able to research a cohort of UTM students whose presence was unknown to me: student parents. I believe I speak for the majority of undergraduates on campus when I say that most of us have never really considered that a number of our classmates have a lot more on their minds than tests, essays, and bar-hopping—namely, their own children.

Let me urge you to drop all notions that you might have accrued about young single parents from closed-minded sources like MTV. The student parents I’ve interviewed are nothing like what our society judges them to be.

In many cultures—mine included—having a child at 18 or 19 is nothing astonishing. But in the West, our generation has become creatures of road-mapping, habit, preparation, and the “one-step-at-atime” lifestyle. But life rarely goes as planned, and when it doesn’t, we let go of the steering wheel and hold up our hands in exasperation, thinking the world is over. The three student

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

Being a student parent gives a whole new importance to crossing the stage at Con Hall. parents I’ve interviewed make me doubt this approach, though, because all three have managed to take charge of the new direction their lives have unexpectedly taken without compromising their own dreams or the well-being of their children.

Patricia Clerigo is a fourth-year

UTM student in CTEP; her dream is to become a teacher. She had her son right after high school and after taking two years off, she decided to return to school.

She said that she had always known she wanted to be a mother, although her pregnancy came as a

surprise. “When I found out that I was pregnant as a very young person [...] It was just like no question—yeah, I’m gonna be a mother,” Clerigo says.

The support of her ex-partner, as well as her parents, was crucial in helping her regain her footing dur-

ing the months following her son’s birth. “I knew that I would have his support,” Clerigo says of her expartner’s attitude about her attending university.

During her first few years at UTM, Clerigo was living in Toronto with her partner and child, commuting each day. “I used to wake up at like 6:30 a.m. just to get the day started, having my son be in daycare by 7:30 a.m., having to get to a 9 a.m. class,” she says.

But as a teacher candidate, she is also expected to be involved in the community through extracurriculars in addition to keeping on top of her schoolwork, and this all needed to be done before picking up her son from daycare at 3:30 p.m. Such tight scheduling made for a marathon every single day.

As she progressed in her degree, Clerigo discovered that she needed to take evening classes. Thus she decided to move closer to UTM and her husband became her son’s primary caregiver, because he was the one with the “stable job”.

Parent continued on page 13

Researching alongside your professors utmONE hosts a panel discussion about the Research Opportunity Programs at UTM FARAH QAISER STAFF WRITER “Get involved—participate!”

As a first-year student, these three words seem to follow me wherever I go at UTM. I’ve managed to hear that statement countless times from upperyear students, professors, and even Principal Deep Saini during his introductory speech on Welcome Day. There is no escaping it.

Experience? Extracurricular activities? Research opportunities?

Thoughts like these plague my mind (and probably every other UTM student’s) on a daily basis as I rush from class to class, completing assignments and studying for my next test. But as a first-year student, what kind of research opportunities are there? Are first-year students even allowed to apply for research opportunity programs?

Questions like these were answered last Wednesday at the Research Opportunity Program Exploration Panel held exclusively for first-year students enrolled in the

PRISCILLA SUEN/THE MEDIUM

Strong relationships with your profs is key to a successful ROP application.

2014 utmONE Scholar’s seminars.

It was an opportunity to chat with ROP professors, former ROP students, and program staff about previous projects and advice.

The panel consisted of Soo Min Toh of the Department of Management, Sanja Hinic-Frlog of the Department of Biology, Arsalan Kahnemuyipour of the Department

of Language Studies, Jennifer Storer-Folt, the experiential learning officer and ROP coordinator, and fourth-year political science specialist and ROP participant Murtaza

Jalali.

Storer-Folt talked about the benefits of participating in an ROP. Aside from the hands-on experience and exposure to ongoing research, she emphasized the importance of the professor-student relationship.

“You need to have typically two academic references, from a professor who knows you well enough to fill out a long sheet on how well you think, the quality of your work, whether you have originality of thought,” she said. “If you haven’t worked with, or at least haven’t had a large number of interactions with a professor, then you’ll have a hard time getting a faculty reference.”

Getting involved with ROPs early on opens up further future opportunities such as possible work-study programs, attending conferences, published credits in research papers, or future ROPs, she said.

As a previous participant, Jalali provided a firsthand perspective on the experience.

ROP continued on page 13

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«FEATURES

THE MEDIUM 02.09.2015

Just one more episode, I promise Study reveals that procrastination itself may not be a problem—it’s our attitude towards it ANDREEA MIHAI ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR As midterm season launches, we’re suddenly hit with that icky feeling that is our own procrastination. The more we do it the worse we feel.

But lead author Leonard Reinecke from Johannes Gutenberg University at Mainz, Germany and his colleagues published an article in the Journal of Communication that explored the potential recovery benefits of media use—that is, of using it strategically instead of giving into the urge to waste time and feeling guilty.

“I sometimes procrastinate when it’s an inopportune time to do something,” says Sukina Dharsi, a thirdyear double major in English and math.

“I’ll watch a movie to kill the time until I’m more productive. For example, if I have an afternoon off, I’ll watch a movie in the afternoon to pass the time until evening arrives.

But then something will interrupt the movie, and I’ll pause it, but then I’ll be like, ‘I have to finish watching it tonight and it will cut into the evening time when I’m more productive.’ ” “It’s like I attack myself,” says Mary Kay Briones, a third-year double major in English and psychology. “I want to relax, but then I’m telling myself, ‘No, you can’t relax, because you don’t deserve to.’ ” The authors write, “Ego-depleted individuals may be particularly prone

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

Go ahead and play another game of Bejeweled. to engage in negative appraisals of entertaining media use, perceiving it as an unjustified form of procrastination that, in turn, evokes guilt and diminished recovery effects.”

The study defines ego depletion as a “temporary reduction in the self ’s capacity or willingness to engage in volitional action caused by prior exercise of volition”.

“Due to their reduced self-control capacity, ego-depleted individuals show a strong tendency to give in to the desire of using media, even in situations where this desire interferes

with other goals such as finishing work or completing other important tasks,” they write.

The researchers recruited participants on a popular German gaming website, 4players.de, and from psychology and communication classes at two universities in Germany and Switzerland. They only analyzed data from participants who had engaged in work (job or school) and had watched TV or played video games the previous day.

To measure participants’ ego depletion, the researchers asked them to

use a scale from one (does not apply at all) to seven (fully applies) when responding to the statements “Yesterday after work/school, I felt like my willpower was gone,” and “Yesterday after work/school, I felt drained”.

They similarly measured participants’ perceived procrastination, their feelings of guilt associated with media use, whether or not this media use made them relax, and finally, their enjoyment of watching TV or playing video games.

Reinecke reports that “ego-depleted participants showed a higher ten-

dency to perceive entertaining media as a form of procrastination […] Perceived procrastination was strongly associated with feelings of guilt.”

He goes on to say that a negative view towards entertaining media “reduced the positive effects of media exposure on psychological well-being”.

So if our guilty attitude towards procrastination both makes us more likely to give in to the urge to check Facebook one more time or watch one last episode of House of Cards before studying for a test or starting an assignment, and yet makes us less likely to actually enjoy it, maybe allowing ourselves some controlled media time is the key.

Third-year English specialist Julianna Chianelli says she’s learned that taking time to relax is really important.

“At the beginning of my university experience, I had so much more energy and I would just buzz through things without stopping, like a machine. I feel like by the time I got to third year I was at the risk of being burnt out, exhausted both mentally and even physically,” she says. “So now this year what I’m learning to do, I’m learning to take the time to recuperate.

“It’s within these times when I relax that I actually get great ideas. I find working out actually helps my mind have these spontaneous essay ideas,” she adds. “When I get my thesis, I’m usually writing it down on a napkin.”

Inequality gap grows Studies find worse conditions for low-income families ARANIE VIJAYARATNAM STAFF WRITER The recent report released on January 19 by Oxfam, a group of almost 20 organizations working in almost 100 countries to fight poverty, reported that the world’s inequality gap is widening.

This gap has now become so wide, according to Oxfam’s study, that by 2016, a mere 1% of the world’s population will own 50% more wealth than the other 99% of the world.

But it’s not just wealth that has Oxfam worried. A new study by Frank Elgar et al., published on Wednesday in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet, shows that mental and physical health are also worse in poorer economic households. The study, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, analyzed data from Elgar’s previous World Health Organization study to reach these conclusions.

The original WHO study, “Behaviour in school-aged children”, looked at nearly half a million children from 34 countries in Europe and North America, includ-

ing Canada. These children, who were between the ages of 11 and 15, came from a mix of schooling backgrounds (public and private) and were nearly equally divided between boys and girls. These children were interviewed on three separate occasions: in 2002, 2006, and finally in 2010.

The team also noted that adolescents from lowerincome families reported suffering from more physical symptoms such as irritability.

With the addition of those results, Elgar and his team asked a few questions to get to understand how mentally healthy the children were based on the accuracy of their responses to factual questions. Children were asked questions such as, “During the past 12 months, how many times did you travel away on holiday with your family?”, “How many computers does your family own?”, and “Do you have your own bedroom for yourself ?” They used

a scale from 0 to 4 to measure the accuracy of the results compared to information they had already collected about the children’s families and their occupations.

For the physical results, Elgar et al. measured the children’s body mass index, weight, and height.

Just like the mental health portion of the survey, children were also asked certain questions, like “Over the past seven days, on how many days were you physically active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day?”

They found that affluent adolescents were more likely to be physically active than adolescents from lower-income families. The team also noted that adolescents from lower-income families reported suffering from more physical symptoms like headaches and psychological symptoms such as irritability.

Elgar stresses that these findings have long-term implications.

Although the participants are still children, they will become adults who face not only wealth inequalities, but also the danger of diabetes, heart problems, and potentially obesity.

02.09.2015 THE MEDIUM FEATURES» 13

Parenthood teaches Parent continued from page 11 When asked how early motherhood has changed her, Clerigo is prompt to reply that it has given her purpose and a firm sense of direction in life. “I’m doing all of this because I want to be successful and because I want to provide for my son,” she says. “Knowing that my education is benefiting him, [and] helps him grow as a person as well” keeps her motivated. “There’s a vision I have for convocation, thinking that he’ll be there, he’ll see me convocate.”

The most important lesson she has learned from her sudden leap into motherhood is that the greatest blessings often come in disguise. “This isn’t the path that my parents imagined for me, nor was it the path that I’ve imagined for myself,” Clerigo confesses. “But this has been the best path to have taken. I could not imagine not having my son.”

When asked about the stigma in our society on young mothers, Clerigo says people would often give her telling looks during her pregnancy, but she says she learned to not let that bother her because she believed in her own ability to make it work.

Clerigo is an ambitious young woman trying to balance childrearing with the start of a career, and thus I asked her whether she believes professional women can “have it all” and combine motherhood with a fulfilling career.

“I think women can definitely try,” she says. “As far as reaching a balance, it’s just knowing that everything you’re doing is intentional.”

If the message is that trying is half the battle, then the story of Nathaniel Voll certainly confirms it. A third-year theatre and drama studies specialist and English minor, Voll unexpectedly became a father shortly after high school.

“I knew that I wanted to be a father—not necessarily the way that

it panned out, but I’m so glad and so blessed to be one now,” he says.

Voll is originally from Kitchener and has been living on campus since he started university. His three-year-old son, Ben, is being raised by his ex-partner in Kitchener, while Voll commutes for home on weekends. He says he relies a lot on his parents and those of his ex-partner and did so especially during the early months following Ben’s birth. “I was just a kid,” Voll explains. “I had to grow up fast.”

“I want Ben to grow up with a dad whom he can aspire to be, someone who is chasing his dreams while being there for his family,” Voll shares Clerigo’s opinion that being a parent helps him be a better student. “It’s all about time management and being able to accept help from others,” he says. Coming to UTM, Voll knew that he “needed to keep [his] priorities in check— family and school were the two biggest things and friends had to come after.”

For Voll, the most challenging part of being a young father has been the self-doubt. “The feeling that I’m a bad dad—the feeling that I was selfish to come here, to let his mom do most of the caregiving” was something he has struggled with over the years.

Voll had to learn to justify his choice of dedicating four years of his life—years when he does not get to spend as much time with his son as he would like—to getting a university education. “It does come down to allowing other people to do things for you, to take that village and use that village in order to raise that child. I don’t want him to grow up thinking that the only

reason why I didn’t chase my dream was because I had him. I mean, what kind of message is that?”

He also takes comfort in the fact that his son will look back on what was a stressful time in his father’s life and realize the sacrifices his father made, including the two-hour trip each way by bus on his only days off to see his son.

Voll’s dream of becoming an actor is as important to him as his dedication to raising his son. Here is a man who feels that contrary to what society may think, the two are not in conflict. “I want Ben to grow up with a dad whom he can aspire to be, someone who is chasing his dreams while being there for his family,” he says.

When asked about the wisdom that parenthood has brought him, Voll is quick to respond. “It’s okay to be vulnerable,” he says. “It’s okay to not be okay all the time. The biggest thing is that just because I’m a dad doesn’t mean that I can’t make mistakes. I’m still a 21-year-old guy.”

Voll agrees that the stigma of being a young single parent is alive and well. “Whenever I tell people that I’m a dad and no, I don’t live with my son full-time, people think, ‘Oh, deadbeat dad, typical male [...] shirking responsibilities.’

I think I did believe that for the first little while and it was tough to tell people that I was a father,” he says. “I was scared what they would think of me, but now I just say it because it is what it is and I’m proud of it.”

Voll says his ex-partner plays a huge part in helping him cope. She was able to complete a degree in nursing while parenting Ben fulltime. Voll calls her a superwoman.

“If Ben’s mom wasn’t in my life, my life wouldn’t be the same. I’m so grateful for everything that she does,” he said.

The online version of this article includes an expanded section.

Communication is key ROP continued from page 11 Jalali’s first ROP was in urban forestry, and he is currently conducting a meta-analysis on hydraulic fracking for his second. He talked about how to balance ROP commitments with studies and what to expect.

“You’re doing the grunt work, basically the legwork of the research,” he said. “Which is fine, because it gives you a chance to get really familiar with the research.

I’ve been reading about urban forestry for over 18 months, so now I know a little bit about that.”

ROP courses are a Y credit that involves about 200 hours in the summer session or one to two days a week in the fall and winter sessions, though the commitment varies by project and professor. But there are no exams, and students

get a credit and invaluable experience that is, in the words of Toh, the best way to learn.

One of Toh’s ROPs focused on how newcomers adapt to Canada and enter the workforce. Her re-

For Toh, the deal-breaker is communcation: applicants should be able to explain why they want a specific ROP. search included contacting adult learning centres in Mississauga and gathering data about these newcomers. Toh’s ROP student made about 200 calls over a three-month period. “It was arduous and definitely not the easiest task to com-

plete,” says Toh. “I was really impressed. My ROP student worked really hard and got to see the dirty side of research—where you have to go out there and get the data.”

The panel discussed the qualities of an ideal ROP candidate. Besides good grades, emphasis was placed on motivation. For Toh, the dealbreaker is communication: applicants should be able to explain why they want a specific ROP. The panellists agreed that research skills are not a necessity, since ROP students will master the skills along the way. On that note, Storer-Folt recommended experiences that develop core skills, such as time management and commitment, and to take part in the PART workshops offered by the Academic Skills Centre.

ROP applications open on February 18 this year.

I watch my fair share of competitive food

cluded borscht, oxtail rice, and peas and

programming—think Chopped or Top

peach pfannkuchen. In the end, it was

Chef—but I’ve never entered a cooking

fourth-year economics student Ayesha

or recipe competition myself, whether

Nadeem’s pogaca that took the win with

to a county fair or to a magazine. I sup-

113 votes.

pose I’ve never found one that I felt was

“Having lived my entire life in a multi-

capable of winning, nor have I noticed an

cultural community back in Saudi Arabia,

opportunity particularly close to home.

I was introduced to pogaca and absolute-

But back in November the Depart-

ly loved its taste, pattern, and texture,”

ment of Student Housing and Residence

she says. “The reason I submitted it was

Life and UTM Dining challenged its resi-

to participate for the first time in a resi-

dents to submit their favourite recipe

dence-based competition and I knew this

from home. The selected entries were

would be an interesting one to submit,

pitted against one another on the depart-

which was evidently well received thanks

ment’s Facebook page, the winner being

to the 100+ Facebook likes it generated.”

the one that got the most likes. Recipes came from across the globe, and in-

On that note, afiyet olsun, and enjoy the pogaca’s cheesy goodness.

Pogaca (Turkish Cheese Pastry) MAKES 11-12 INGREDIENTS

4. Shape the dough into a ball, place

Dough:

it in the large bowl, and cover it with

• 1 sachet dry yeast

cling film. Let it rise in a warm place for

• 3¼ cup all-purpose plain flour

45–60 minutes or until it has doubled

• 1 tsp salt • 1/3 cup plain, whole milk yogurt • 1 egg, beaten • ½ cup mild olive oil or sunflower oil

in size.

5. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the feta cheese and parsley.

6. Once the dough has risen, punch it

• ½ cup warm milk

down and divide into 11 or 12 equal

Filling:

pieces, each about the size of a tan-

• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

gerine. Roll each piece into a ball and

• ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

flatten into a circle with your fingertips,

Topping: • 1 egg, beaten

about 10 cm in diameter.

7. Place a spoonful of the filling at one

• sesame seeds and nigella seeds

side of the circle, leaving space near

METHOD

the edges. Fold the circle over to cover

1. Set oven to 350 F. Grease baking tray.

the filling and form a half-moon shape.

2. Combine milk and yeast in small bowl;

Press down with your fingertips to seal

mix well. Let stand 5 minutes, till foamy.

the dough closed.

3. In a large bowl, stir in the flour and salt

8. Place the stuffed dough on the greased

and make a well in the middle. Add yo-

tray. Repeat steps 7 and 8 with the rest

ghurt, oil, and egg to the middle of the

of the dough pieces.

mixture. Stir in the yeast mixture and

9. Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle

knead well with your hands for a few

with the seeds. Bake on the middle rack

minutes until the dough comes together.

until golden brown.

2015 GOVERNING COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Student Candidate Statements

Please visit http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/elections.htm

Voting Period: Monday, February 9, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. to Friday, February 20, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.

Online voting will take place on ROSI (www.rosi.utoronto.ca), and through a secured website for post graduate medical trainees.

FULL-TIME UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, CONSTITUENCY I (Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Toronto Mississauga, University of Toronto at Scarborough) CONNOR ANEAR I am seeking election as a Student Governor because I am passionate about governance and believe my strong background in student leadership makes me well suited to the position.

Through leadership roles, including my current role as Male Head of College at Trinity College, I have had myriad opportunities to work with students, faculty, alumni, campus administrators, and Governing Council to make policy decisions and create positive change in areas like student representation, equity, and residence admissions. Thus, I believe I have the skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm necessary to be an excellent Student Governor. I would sincerely appreciate your vote. http:// connoranearforgoverningcouncil. wordpress.com/ DALAL BADAWI As a Political Science student, I look at the world and hope to one day be able to change it for the better. Since the beginning of my university career, I have balanced my job, my involvement in University College affairs, volunteering and my education. I am courageous and confident in my decisions in those areas and I carefully consider their implications before making them. I try to be very conscious of how students feel at University of Toronto and am now hoping to use to my determination, courage and empathy to represent my fellow students in the Governing Council. URL: https:// www.facebook.com/VoteDalalBadawi SASHA BOUTILIER I am a second year St. Michael’s College student specializing in Political Science.

I am involved in numerous campus organizations and lead the club AFTER U of T, which seeks to help students plan for their futures beyond U of T. On Governing Council, I will advocate for continued action to address sexual violence, for greater institutional support of student co-curricular activities and career development, and for U of T to take leadership as the first university in Canada to divest from fossil fuels. With my co-candidate Victoria Wicks, I hope we will have your support in representing your interests.

URL: https://www.facebook.com/ events/425024714320997

ADITYA CHAWLA My name is Aditya Chawla, and I am delighted to be running for the Governing Council as a full-time undergraduate student at the St. George campus. Two years ago, I entered this university in appreciation for its vivid history and esteemed international stature. During my time here, I have had the privilege of working with many students who work exceptionally hard to foster an enriching academic community. We will face many challenges and big decisions this new year, and so I will strive to keep the best interests of undergraduate students in mind.

URL: www.adityachawla.me SUSAN CUI Hello Everyone, I am a third year undergraduate full-time student double majoring in International Relations and Economics. Just a few months ago, I had the honour of being part of the Vic Orientation Committee 2014; and currently I am the President of UTFOLD as well as the Campus Organizations Assistant within Ulife/Ulead Office. My platform is as thus: 1. Advocate for the decrease in student tuition fee interest.

2. Continue the fight for International Student status within Governing Council.

3. Advocate for additional resource support for campus groups.

Let me become the governor that represents you. Vote for me.

KRISTIAN KOSCHANY My name is Kristian Koschany. I am an undergraduate student of geophysics at the St. George campus and an ardent supporter of the University of Toronto – a place very dear to my heart. The university is a second, or first, home to so many of us students; it fosters friendships through social interaction and community, it builds knowledge through its world-class education, and makes us tougher with its (sometimes intense) difficulty. I want to give back to this amazing institution by serving on its Governing Council. Please elect me and let me do just that.

MARC MARLO LAURIN The University of Toronto is Canada’s oldest, largest, and highest ranked university. Therefore it is no simple task of upholding our reputation, delivering superior education and also ensuring opportunities for learning and personal growth are available to all students, regardless of status, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual identity or disability. I will ensure the interests of all students are represented when advocating on the issues that affect us. I seek to engage the community and promote positive change through involvement, awareness

and progressive action. My hope is that every student can enjoy their educational experience here at the University of Toronto.

RIDWAN OLOW Hey my name is Ridwan Olow. I am running for Governing Council because I believe I am a strong student voice. I have fought for student rights on many levels, and I am ready for the challenge.

I invite you to give me your voice. Vote Ridwan.

VICTORIA WICKS As former Associate Comment Editor at The Varsity, I’m knowledgeable of various student interests and am committed to an equitable, accessible learning environment. This means I’ll advocate for 1) more transparent, meaningful action to combat sexual violence on campus; 2) increased institutional and financial support of students’ career development; and 3) ensuring a sustainable campus, via fossil fuel divestment. I would also create an interactive social media account, to encourage accountability and keep students involved in the decision making process. I hope my co-candidate Sasha and I will have your support. http://tiny.cc/VicAndSasha4GC LAWRENCE ZHANG HEY EVERYONE. I’m Lawrence Zhang, and I’m going to improve the university for you. My entire campus experience has been centred around making the lives of those around me better, and I want to extend my reach just a little bit more. Together, you and I can make a difference by advocating for lower international student tuition, less grade deflation, and greater availability of research opportunities. That’s not all I care about though -- your vision is my vision, so please don’t hesitate to contact me at any time about absolutely anything. www.votelawrence.com FULL-TIME UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, CONSTITUENCY II (Professional Faculties) FAIZAN AKBANI Hello everyone. I hope you’re all off to a great new year and have an exciting semester ahead. It was my utmost pleasure to serve as the Mechanical representative on the Engineering Society this year. Being a part of EngSoc provided me with a deeper understanding of the problems we face as students. It has also been an incredible experience in governance.

But now it’s time for change. It’s time to expand our horizons and represent

the student body on a larger platform.

I’m excited to work with fellow student leaders and the Governing Council to mould a brighter future.

VIKKI BEKIARIS As an active fourth year student in the Concurrent Teachers’ Program for Kinesiology and Physical Education, I will be a strong voice for professional students at Governing Council. As current President of the Greek Students’ Association and former Executive of the KPEUA Social Committee, I have been involved in social and academic aspects of the student experience. I want to ensure that professional students have access to more inclusive academic policies including grading and academic accommodations as well as better access to elective programs for those who want to pursue interdisciplinary study. On February 9-20 vote VIKKI BEKIARIS on ROSI.www.facebook.com/ votevikki MATHIAS MEMMEL As the Co-President of the Faculty of Music Undergraduate Association, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting students from all colleges and disciplines and I’ve had the privilege of working with my fellow leaders on issues relating to equity, disclosure and accountability over the last three years. I’ve been a student of the Faculty of Arts and Science and a Professional Faculty and I can say that the Professional Faculties are a unique experience at U of T that is worthy of preservation. As a representative, I will be resolved to provide active stewardship and advocacy for the benefit of Pro-Facs.

AVINEET (VINNY) RANDHAWA There really isn’t much that can be said in statements like this, so I’ll keep it short and meaningful. Although our faculty rivalries are fun, UofT is very decentralized so I’ll advocate injecting more effort into creating more campuswide events and the like. And, although you’re probably tired of hearing this by now, I’ll ensure every engineer and professional program has a voice on the campus-wide scale. Finally, being from Vancouver, you can believe I’ve got a vested interest in ensuring campuslife is as great as it can be. Thanks for voting!

RIAZ SAYANI-MULJI As an active student in UT Law, I believe Governing Council needs to emphasize affordability and accessibility. We’ve seen massive tuition rises over the last 20 years, with no end in sight. In addition to the financial burden and corresponding mental health effects, high tuition fees constrain which fields professional students enter upon graduation, as serving the public good becomes less feasible with our debt load. With my experience in student politics and advocacy organizations, I have the tools to effectively represent students across all three UofT campuses at Governing Council. Vote RIAZ for Governor from Feb 9-20 on ROSI. www.facebook.com/voteriaz

ANDREW WATT Greetings Constituency Two. I have been a surgical trainee at U of T since 2008, and have extensive committee experience within the Faculty of Medicine. During residency I have also assisted with the development of educational material at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level. As a medical student I was the Vice President of the Student’s Union. My areas of interest lie in professional regulation and professional responsibility, and as a constituency of future professionals I believe that our voice at Governing Council is both a unique and important one. As your representative I will ensure that it is heard. URL: see me on LinkedIn GRADUATE STUDENTS, CONSTITUENCY I (Humanities and Social Sciences) SANDY HUDSON As an OISE student studying social justice education, I want Governing Council to prioritize students. I will advocate to remove financial barriers to education & to improve the quality of education (smaller class sizes, job security for TAs). I will support lobbying for government funding (especially in humanities & social sciences), and promote an inclusive campus. I will push for meaningful student input in all university initiatives, including the development of strategies on mental health and combating sexual violence.

I support divesting tuition fee dollars from fossil fuels and other unethical investments. Feb 9-20 on ROSI, vote Sandy Hudson. www.facebook.com/ sandy4GC AKBAR KHURSHID My esteemed peers at the University of Toronto. There is a reason why we hold a prestigious rank in the world and that reason is all of you and your voices. I seek your support in my candidacy for the Governing Council. I have always found the idea of making campaign promises pedantic and dishonest.

Instead as your representative, my platform is your platform. I eagerly look forward to implementing the ideas of graduate students. I can be reached at: akbar.khurshid@mail.utoronto. ca. Akbar Khurshid is the candidate of honesty, transparency and action. I look forward to your decision.

ERIC LAVIGNE My foremost goal is to provide Council with the perspectives of graduate students from the Social Sciences and the Humanities, ensuring its capacity to make decisions in the best interest of the University. My previous working experience as Associate Dean in three higher education institutions has provided me with key insights into the workings and the needs of colleges and universities. Furthermore, my education has covered the fields of accounting, management and strategic planning; additional tools that I can leverage effectively on the Governing Council. http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/ericlavigne/8/a4b/44

NIRMALAN VIJEYAKUMAR I would be honoured to serve on the Governing Council as your Governor representing Graduate Students. I am a Master’s in Public Policy Candidate, with a B.A. (Hons.) in Legal Studies from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario.

I have worked in a variety of positions from Chairing a disciplinary committee to volunteering for CIUT 89.5FM. I would like to serve as your Governor as I have a consortium of skills and experience that would add a different perspective to critical issues before Council. For more information I encourage you to visit my website at www.nirmalan4governor2015.com GRADUATE STUDENTS, CONSTITUENCY II (Physical and Life Sciences) ERIKA DALEY The University of Toronto became my new home last May as I began my PhD in inorganic chemistry. As your graduate student representative I hope to influence positive change and improvements throughout the university, with your suggestions and concerns in mind. It is particularly important to have informed, prepared stewards in the academic, strategic, and financial decision-making process for the university. I believe that my extensive involvement in a number of organizations throughout the university and in the community have provided invaluable experiences that I can channel into this position. PLEASE VOTE ERIKA DALEY. To learn more visit http://erikadaley.wix.com/erikadaley ALEX IVOVIC As a fourth-year PhD student, I have been elected as Graduate Students’ Union Representative for the Physiology Department and Internal Liaison Officer for CUPE 3902, where I keep members informed and engaged, and advocate on their behalf. I support fair grading practices, more opportunities for teaching assistantships, increased graduate funding, and better student services. Through my involvement with the Canadian Diabetes Association, I lobby for better healthcare policies on the provincial and national level.

These experiences have given me strong leadership, communication and organizational skills. On ROSI from February 9-20, vote Alex for your Division III/IV representative on Governing Council. www.facebook.com/ votealex4gc

The two Part-time Undergraduate seats have been acclaimed.

Questions about the Governing Council elections process may be directed to the Chief Returning Officer, Mr. Anwar Kazimi (416) 978-8427; anwar.kazimi@ utoronto.ca), or the Deputy Returning Officer, Mr. Patrick F. McNeill (416) 978-8428; patrick.mcneill@utoronto.ca

NOTICE OF ELECTIONS: The University of Toronto Students’ Union is governed by a Board of Directors elected by you.

Our campaigns and services are also shaped by you. Our aim is to provide services that save you money, provide advocacy to improve your education and to enrich your university experience.

WE ARE HOLDING OUR SPRING ELECTIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS: Executive Committee Positions:

SEATS

President

ONE (1)

Vice-President Equity

ONE (1)

Vice-President External

ONE (1)

Vice-President Internal & Services

ONE (1)

Vice-President University Affairs

ONE (1)

Board of Director Positions:

SEATS

Arts & Science At-Large Director

TWO (2)

Innis College Director

ONE (1)

New College Director

THREE (3)

St. Michael’s College Director

THREE (3)

Trinity College Director

ONE (1)

University College Director

TWO (2)

Victoria College Director

TWO (2)

Woodsworth College Director

THREE (3)

Professional Faculty At-Large Director

TWO (2)

Faculty of Architecture, Landscape & Design Director

ONE (1)

Faculty of Dentistry Director

ONE (1)

Faculty of Engineering Director

THREE (3)

Faculty of Law Director

ONE (1)

Faculty of Medicine Director

ONE (1)

Faculty of Music Director

ONE (1)

Faculty of Nursing Director

ONE (1)

Faculty of Pharmacy Director

ONE (1)

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education Director

ONE (1)

Toronto School of Theology Director

ONE (1)

To be eligible for a position, you must be a member of the University of Toronto Students’ Union in the appropriate constituency.

Please note: Executive Committee positions are full-time. The University of Toronto Students’ Union policies require that you cease to be a full-time student should you be successfully elected.

To run for a position, pick up a nomination package during the nomination period at the University of Toronto Students’ Union office. Please keep in mind these dates and deadlines:

Nomination period start: FEBRUARY 26, 2015 – 10:00 A.M.

Nomination period end: MARCH 13, 2015 – 5:00 P.M.

VOTING PERIOD: MARCH 24, 25 & 26 – 9:00 A.M. – 6:30 P.M.

For more information, please email cro@utsu.ca.

02.09.2015

»

17

What athletes say under the gun The media training given to pro and varsity athletes makes interviews safer but blander JASON COELHO SPORTS EDITOR WITH NOTES FROM ERIC HEWITSON ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR Any fan of professional sports begins to notice a pattern among athletes during interviews. The language seems recycled, every athlete talking about either how well the team is doing and what they need to continue doing, or why the team is struggling and where they need improvement.

There is a script that is followed, a formula that allows athletes to mould their answers into generic, vague statements about the state of their team regardless of the question. This script is a way to prevent athletes from speaking off the cuff about how they truly feel about their organization and going against their management’s wishes.

The athletes themselves do not develop these answers. Before meeting with the media, athletes are briefed by team staff who instruct them on what points they should touch on during interviews and what to avoid.

This is known as “media training” and is a necessary part of any athlete’s experience at the professional

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

This tweet has been pre-approved by management. level. With the social media–inundated culture we live in, athletes at all levels are being trained to portray an appropriate public persona.

The media and athletes often ask the same questions and receive the same answers. Many of those who work for various publications are aware of this and are content to use the same recycled lines, but when athletes do go off the script, there is plenty of value to be found.

Take the recent downward spiral the Leafs find themselves in. During a recent interview with Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, Phil Kessel spoke rather candidly about the state of the team and his realization that the team does not have an answer for why they go into long slumps nor do they know how to get out of them. It was a rare moment of honesty from a pro athlete that caused media in Toronto to take a step back just to

process what occurred: an athlete spoke truthfully for once and didn’t mask their answer through a thick layer of vagueness. It was refreshing to hear Kessel say what was on many Leafs fans’ minds, and the interview became a news story of its own.

In today’s culture, athletes are treated as celebrities and are regarded for their opinions. Their perspectives on things have become important even when they have little to do

with their roles as athletes. They are often asked to comment on world events. It’s for this reason that media training comes in handy. Not only do their comments affect the athlete’s own reputation, but they affect the organization they belong to and their owners and sponsors.

Of course it can go awry, as in the case of Seattle Seahawks’ Marshawn Lynch, whose unhappiness at being asked to speak on media day resulted in him simply not answering any of the questions he was asked. But for the most part, it lets the organization breathe easy knowing their athletes aren’t using their celebrity to go against the brand.

That includes those who play for varsity teams at U of T. For post-game interviews or profiles, student athletes receive briefers from varsity staff before meeting with the media to get a sense of what points they should and shouldn’t touch on. “We get a simple reminder of what things should and shouldn’t be said, but I feel like it is mostly common sense on our part as adults and varsity athletes,” says varsity soccer player Claudia Piazza.

Media continued on page 19

It takes more than Deflategate Tom Brady may or may not be guilty, but it doesn’t stop him from winning Super Bowls ERIC HEWITSON ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR Tom Brady broke the sports world two weeks ago like Ellen broke Twitter during last year’s Oscars. Brady isn’t just the face of the New England Patriots or NFL, but also one of the most inspiring athletes we’ve seen over the past couple of decades. He’s up there with athletes like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky, and Muhammad Ali. Interestingly, they all have something else in common, and it’s not the fistful of championship rings or titles won but the controversy.

When you’re on top of the world like Brady is, the media will find ways to bring you down. But there isn’t much that can kill the husband of Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen. Brady battled incredibly hard to become the starting quarterback at U of Michigan, an institution that cares more about football than education—they have 110,000 fans for every home game. After college, he was chosen as the last pick in the final round of the 2000 NFL draft. Beginning his career as a backup quarterback, he persevered like he had in

REVIEWERDISCRETION.WORDPRESS.COM/PHOTO

It might be easier to carry, but it’s not really fair. many other circumstances and won the Super Bowl during his first tilt as a starting quarterback.

Talk about adversity and capability.

The Sunday before last, Brady won his fourth Super Bowl in just his sixth appearance. Super Bowl XLIX wasn’t

his first rodeo. You think Deflategate would have diminished the mental toughness of arguably the greatest quarterback of all time? I don’t think so.

All of Deflategate happened because Brady threw an interception to

D’Qwell Jackson, a defender for the Indianapolis Colts. Jackson noticed the ball was squishier than he was used to, and when officials weighed the ball, they found that New England produced balls for the AFC Championship that had been reduced

by two pounds per square inch from the official 12.5–13.5 required.

After that the sports world exploded, blaming Brady and head coach Bill Belichick for organizing a cheating scheme. If it wasn’t Belichick, it would have to have been Brady who convinced his equipment guy and teenaged ball boys to take air out of the balls, which he wanted to fit his grip more comfortably. Belichick and Brady repeatedly said over the past two weeks that they “knew nothing about the claims we’re being accused of ”, and during the game nobody within the Patriot’s organization could feel any difference in the ball’s air pressure.

While millions of fans accused Brady of cheating after the 45-7 romping of the Colts, the only people that seemed to come to the defence of him and the Patriots were, oddly enough, the Colts. Indianapolis cornerback Dwayne Allen weighed in on the situation, writing in a tweet, “They could have played with soap for balls and beat us. Simply the better team.”

Deflate continued on page 19

18

«SPORTS

THE MEDIUM 02.09.2015

Eagles lay down the law on Woodsworth UTM takes top spot after a dramatic, drawn-out basketball game that keeps enemies out of playoffs

FACEBOOK.COM/UTMATHLETICS/PHOTO

An Eagles player demonstrates the chops the team has displayed in not only making it to the playoffs, but also seizing the top spot in the standings.

ADAM PENKUL On Wednesday night, the UTM Eagles took the court against U of T Law for UTM’s final game of the season in Division 1 basketball action.

The Eagles came into the game with a near-perfect 9-1 record, coming off a hard-fought win against the second-place Woodsworth team.

U of T Law was 2-8 and fighting for a playoff position coming into Wednesday night’s game. Having already secured a playoff position, UTM was only looking to take the top spot in the standings.

As the game began, it was clear

that both teams had come to win.

UTM took the opening tipoff and opened the game with a bucket and foul, and Law responded in a similar fashion to make the score 3-3 early in the game. UTM had an organized attack and scored several baskets, but Law was keeping a strong possession and forcing UTM into fouls. At the five-minute mark, Law sunk two free throws to tie the game up at 10-10. Afterwards, Law seemed to tire out, and the Eagles took advantage of it, scoring four straight baskets to secure an 18-10 lead.

However, Law did not back down

and continued forcing UTM into fouls until they brought the score back to 18-14. The Eagles responded with a couple of baskets, but Law had found a groove and nearly closed the gap, forcing UTM to call a timeout leading by just 23-21.

The Eagles returned with renewed vigour and started with a quick three-point shot. They were clearly refreshed, moving the ball around quickly, scoring baskets on fast breaks, and getting three straight steals to rack up a 31-21 lead. But Law turned around again and scored a couple of three-pointers to tie it at 31-31. After this, the game became very tight, UTM scoring off several steals and fast breaks and Law responding with free throws. The half ended with UTM getting blocked and Law getting a free throw to tie the game once more at 41-41.

The second half began at a much slower pace than the first, both teams focusing on their defensive play. After two minutes of pressure, Law broke the deadlock with

a three-point shot, and UTM immediately responded with one of their own. The pace remained slow, but UTM’s foul troubles kept coming back, giving up several opportunities recklessly and allowing Law a 48-45 lead. UTM responded with a quick bucket and foul to tie the game up once again at 48-48.

This was followed by four scoreless minutes during which both teams looked tired.

UTM once again broke the deadlock on a fast break, and started taking advantage of Law’s short bench.

The exhausted Law players could not contain the speedy Eagles, and after several more steals and transition baskets, UTM had put together a 58-50 lead. Law continued fighting, but they were no longer a match for a more motivated UTM team, who continued to take advantage of any and every fast break, bringing the lead to a compelling 64-55.

There was no stopping the Eagles in the endgame—an acrobatic rebound gave them another basket and the cheers of the small crowd

that had come to watch. Law responded with a three-pointer, but UTM kept laying on the transition points and brought the score to 7058. Law put in one last effort in the final minute of play, scoring another basket, but the Eagles did not let up, and ended the game with a final steal and basket to earn a 76-61 win.

This win secures the top spot for the UTM Eagles and gives them the best possible playoff draw.

The fans are excited that the team has been so successful this season.

“It’s awesome to see the team winning so much; they just always find a way to get the job done,” says Wesley Fabroa, a first-year UTM student. “I can’t wait until playoffs, when they face the best teams in the league. Those will be some fun games to watch.”

UTM has next week off as the other teams finish their regular seasons. The Eagles return to action in three weeks for a semi-final game against the fourth seed of the division.

02.09.2015 THE MEDIUM SPORTS» 19

Social media, squeaky clean Media continued from page 17 Piazza adds that interviews are not the main area of focus for media training at U of T—instead, new light is being shed on social media and how students should monitor their profiles.

With social media allowing athletes to connect directly with their fans, media trainers hope to ensure that everyone keeps a tight rein on their online persona.

As UTM student and varsity basketball player Manny Sahota says, U of T varsity sports is no different from any other pro sports organization in how it handles its athletes. “I have received training from the varsity staff on dealing with the media as well as how to use social media while being cognizant of our position as student athletes,” says Sahota.

The training takes place at the start of every school year and is mandatory for all varsity athletes. “It’s definitely

helpful,” he says. “It gives you useful tips on how to better represent yourself and the university without having the media misconstrue your words or intended message.”

The tips Sahota and other athletes learn during the training include not answering any questions they don’t have an answer to, carrying themselves in a polite and respectful manner, and “being a reflection of the university and its values”.

“I think that dealing with media effectively and appropriately is vital, especially in our culture dominated by technology,” says Sahota. “The transfer of information through post-game interviews or tweets can become widespread so quickly that we really need to be vigilant with our words and actions.”

Nowadays athletes have difficulty monitoring online behaviour. Take Evander Kane of the Winnipeg Jets, a player whose off-ice “punk” antics

landed him in disagreements with his teammates when he didn’t show up to last week’s game on time and was dressed inappropriately. The reason his case was taken seriously and not dismissed was the reputation Kane made for himself with his questionable posts on Instagram.

Kane posted multiple pictures online of himself holding stacks of money. These pictures were in reference to boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather, who posted similar pictures, but since many who saw these pictures were unaware of the tribute he was paying, Kane was branded as a classless brat by hockey analysts across the board.

Varsity Blues manager of events and marketing Mary Beth Challoner says this new form of media training is extremely educational for students, whether or not they’re athletes, since it teaches them about the importance of being cautious of what you post online.

“The training is an important educational opportunity and teaching moment about those pitfalls, what to look out for and how this tool can negatively affect someone now and in the future,” she says.

According to Challoner, the training consists of “continual conversation” with varsity staff to monitor how athletes portray themselves.

Blues football player Anthony Naccarato says that doesn’t always happen. “We only have a meeting at the beginning of the year, but other than that I have full confidence everyone in this room knows the right things to say when asked a question about the team,” he says.

Challoner stresses that the training gives the Varsity Blues organization an opportunity to teach students about their role in the larger program and how their actions have a “trickledown” effect on their team, coaches, the program, and even their family.

Bill Nye calls out Bill Belichick’s science Deflate continued from page 17 At the end of the week, Belichick held a press conference claiming they conducted an in-house study regarding what they believed happened that day of the game. They claim that sub-zero temperatures, rainfall, and dominant Gronkowski touchdown spikes caused the balls to lose air pressure.

He was dubbed “Bill Belichick the Science Guy”, a title that prompted

a response from Bill Nye, who dismissed the head coach’s science as nonsensical. Well, whatever. I side with Belichick, since I’m a Patriots fan and Bill Nye is too old for me anyway.

Luckily, a scandal like this will likely never hit the Varsity Blues—nobody in the locker room even touches the ball before the game, and referees have their hands on the balls at all times.

“Surprisingly no, they just give

you like 20 brand-new balls each game. I prefer a little less deflated. I can’t lie, they’re easier to grip,” says fifth-year quarterback Simon Nassar.

“Throughout the game you notice the balls get a little easier to handle.”

The Patriots still haven’t been convicted of breaking a rule, but if they are, they could face some consequences. They would be obligated to forfeit draft picks from the upcoming 2015 draft and pay hefty fines.

Even if Brady did doctor the balls, how much of a difference would it make? They still played with official NFL footballs. Brady shouldn’t be bullied for doing something he probably didn’t do for the purpose of cheating.

And hey, we all marvelled at his brilliance and passion for the game in last Sunday’s Super Bowl when he deftly deflated the Seattle Seahawks and their dynamic defence.

UTMSU 2015 SPRING GENERAL ELECTIONS POSITIONS AVAILABLE UTMSU EXECUTIVE: -

PRESIDENT VP INTERNAL & SERVICES VP EXTERNAL VP UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS & ACADEMICS VP EQUITY VP PART-TIME

DIVISION DIVISION DIVISION DIVISION

II - BOARD OF DIRECTORS (4 SEATS) III - BOARD OF DIRECTORS (7 SEATS) IV (PART-TIME) - BOARD OF DIRECTORES (2 SEATS) V (MAM) - BOARD OF DIRECTOR (1 SEAT)

ELECTION NOMINATIONS: (ALL POSITIONS) - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD, 2015, 10 A.M. TO FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, 2015, 4 P.M.

SILENT PERIOD: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, 2015, 4 P.M. TO MONDAY, MARCH 2ND, 2015, 12 P.M.

ALL CANDIDATES MEETING: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH , 2015 FROM 2 P.M. TO 6 P.M. - BOARD ROOM

ELECTION CAMPAIGN PERIOD: MONDAY, MARCH 2ND, 2015, 12 PM TO THURSDAY, MARCH 12TH, 2015, 6 PM.

ELECTION VOTING PERIOD: TUES. MARCH 10, WED. MARCH 11, THURS. MARCH 12, 2014 , 9 AM- 6 PM.

ELECTION RESULTS: MONDAY, MARCH 16TH, 2015

To run for a position, please pick up a nomination package during the nomination period from the UTMSU office Room 115, Student Centre. Please keep in mind the dates and deadlines above. For more information please refer to the union’s Constitution and the Election Procedure Code.

Bring your T-Card for identification.

Please note that, at the time of this publication, “University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union” and/or “UTMSU” refers to the Erindale College Student Union Inc (ECSU). For more information, please visit www.utmsu.ca or contact the Chief of Returning Officer at cro@utmsu.ca