UTMSU’s GTA UPass survey
Share your knowledge
Cosplay the right way
Crawford’s road to UTM
ACL recovery experience
News, page 2
Opinion, page 4
Arts, page 5
Features, page 9
Sports, page 11
UTM aims to grow graduate research UTM’s newly appointed Principal Ulrich Krull details plans for UTM’s development in medicinal studies ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR Ulrich Krull, the newly appointed vice president of the University of Toronto and the new principal of the University of Toronto Mississauga, listed expanding graduate research and research facilities for the science and medicinal studies as part of his long-term goals for the UTM campus, in an interview with The Medium. Krull served last year as the interim principal of UTM when his predecessor, Deep Saini, left. In the interview with The Medium, Krull described his wish to see UTM expand its research initiatives. “The University of Toronto is internationally known for research,” said Krull. “That’s supposed to be a good thing for the students because you’re getting instruction from those thought leaders who are actually changing the world. But on this campus, that investment hasn’t taken place.” “My mandate perspective of what
OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM
Krull anticipates expansion in graduate research as UTM’s population continues to grow. I am going to bring forward is more of an investment in terms of the research presence. You’ll see this immediately because it’s already started. We’ve something called the Centre for Medicinal Chemistry.”
Krull cited UTM’s professor Patrick Gunning as the focus of the medicinal centre. Gunning is working on cancer therapeutics and his compounds have created great international interest, according to Krull.
While the product of Gunning’s research is gaining notoriety, Krull stressed the way the research is being conducted as a point of focus for future research. “The way this is being researched, the methods that are
being used, are actually shortening the discovery period tremendously,” he said. “Putting all these things together, we really have an opportunity to push the sciences forward and what we’re going to do is use this Centre for Medicinal Chemistry as an anchor to build a much larger set of research labs around it. So we’re building a science building and the science building will house, at its core, the Centre of Medicinal Chemistry. But around that will wrap the wide variety of laboratory infrastructure,” he continued. Krull mentioned the possibility of a robotics facility on campus as a way to bring engineering to UTM, and eventually, expanding infrastructure to a new arts centre for the humanities. Several infrastructure changes, such as the construction on the Phase B of the North Building and the renovations soon to take place in the Davis building, signify UTM’s changing façade, according to Krull. Research continued on page 3
U of T begins bargaining with labour union CUPE Units 1 and 3 are seeking to renegotiate the terms of their collective agreements with U of T FATIMA WASIF WITH NOTES FROM ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR
Around 6,000 teaching assistants and sessional lecturers forming Unit 1 of the local labour union, CUPE 3902, are expected to return to the bargaining table to renegotiate contracts with the University of Toronto administration starting on September 25. CUPE 3902 is working in collaboration with other resident labour unions, including those representing childcare, maintenance, building, trades, and library employees, and the United Steel workers, as part of the “2020 Vision” alliance. This alliance places forth nine demands for the university management to reach by the year 2020, including steps taken by the university to ensure that job security exists through lasting employment. During the bargaining process, those specific members to CUPE
MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM
CUPE 3902 is currently working in collaboration with other resident labour unions. 3902 will bargain for at least $20,000 per annum for graduate students, and for student appraisals to be excluded from appointment and advancement decisions due to their
undependable nature in general, and bias against certain marginalized communities. The union also expects to attain a $10,000 rate for contract course instructors.
“This would mean, for our members, that finally a contract faculty member teaching a full-time course load would earn a decent, middleclass salary. This is the minimum
we should all expect for full-time academics with Ph.D.’s teaching at Canada’s top university,” said CUPE 3902 Chair Ryan Culpepper in an interview with The Medium. The UofT administration stated to The Medium that they are not permitted to discuss terms of the bargaining process while negotiations are underway. As for Unit 3, which comprises roughly of 1,500 contract teaching staff, they have already begun negotiating with the university as of July 31st. According to the university’s director of media relations, Althea Blackburn-Evans, in an interview with The Medium, the administration is currently meeting daily with Unit 3 of CUPE 3902. “We are always bargaining with the hope that we’re going to have productive conversations and we’re going to work very collaboratively with our union partners to reach a collective agreement,” stated Blackburn-Evans. Contracts continued on page 2
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THE MEDIUM 09.11.2017
UTMSU’s legal battle continues UTMSU’s dispute with the UTMSFL continues for another year
August 31st, 2017 Police Assistance Campus Police were called to attend residence for an intoxicated student. Campus Police called EMS to attend as well. The student declined transport to hospital.
September 4th, 2017 Police Assistance A student reported to Campus Police that they were receiving unwanted phone calls from the U.S. Campus Police advised the caller that the number is no longer assigned to their friend and to stop calling it. The caller apologized and stated they would delete the number.
September 6th, 2017 Theft under $5,000 Campus Police received a report of theft from the library. The student had gone to the washroom and upon their return, they found their belongings missing.
September 1st, 2017 Police Information Parking office reported to Campus Police the resale of a CCT parking permit advertised on social media. Campus Police spoke with the seller to remind them that the resale of UTM parking permits is prohibited as per the UTM parking rules and regulations. September 5th, 2017 Trespass to Property Campus Police received reports of a male sleeping in the Student Centre. Campus Police attended and also requested EMS and Peel Police to attend as the male was not responding to officers. The male eventually woke up and declined EMS services. The male was trespassed and escorted off campus by Peel Police. September 6th, 2017 Police Assistance Campus Police were called to attend the Instructional Centre for a student experiencing distress.
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.
MESHA GHAYUR/THE MEDIUM
UTMSFL had been denied the status of UTMSU club in 2016. DISHA PATEL The lawsuit between the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union and the pro-life group, UTM Students for Life, is still ongoing with no verdict or change in court proceedings. The lawsuit was filed in early 2016 after the UTMSU administration had denied UTMSFL any club status, claiming that the club represented the restriction of women’s choice. As previously reported by The Medium in January 2016, Russ Adade, the VP of campus life had stated during a UTMSU board meeting that “Students For Life, which has been recognized by UTMSU in the past, was not recognized for the upcom-
ing school year due to their stance on abortion, in terms of being prolife and using their platform to tell women what they should do in those situations.” UTMSFL had then filed the lawsuit claiming that the decision to deny club status was a violation of free speech and their Canadian rights. In spite of the denial of club status, the pro-life group continued to campaign around the UTM campus last year, advocating to make abortion illegal in Canada. “All I can really say about the case is that it is ongoing and we are hopeful that the case will end in our favour,” stated UTMSU’s president, Salma Fakhry to The Medium. “At this point, I cannot say too much as to the prog-
ress of the case and where things are at. We have not been in contact with anyone other than our own legal counsel, as the process for the case is ongoing.” The lawsuit with UTMSU is similar to one at Ryerson University that also took place last year. The Ryerson Student Union denied club funding to a pro-life group on campus. However, a judge ruled in the union’s favour to deny the group’s club status on the grounds. It remains unclear whether the UTMSFL team will continue to advocate on campus throughout the year. The Medium reached out to Chad Hagel, UTMSFL’s president, for a comment, but did not get a response as of press time.
Labour union strike UTMSU negotiates GTA U-Pass remains a possibility UTMSU is in talks with Metrolinx to survey GTA U-Pass demand
OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM
The contract for CUPE Unit 1 is set to expire on December 31st. Contracts continued from cover “Collective bargaining is always difficult. Our members are overworked, underpaid, and lacking job security. As such, they need, and insist on, meaningful improvements to their standard of living,” Culpepper stated, “so I think the negotiations may be tense, and they may take a long time, and they may lead to a labour disruption.” Both sides acknowledge that a strike is always a possibility but as a last possible resort. “Our members are dedicated teachers and researchers, and they want to be at work. But our demands are real and serious, and we have demonstrated that a strike is not something we’re afraid of,” said Cul-
pepper. During the last round of bargaining with CUPE in 2015, both sides were unable to reach an agreement, which resulted in a strike that lasted just over a month at all U of T campuses, disrupting some lectures, tutorials, and labs for the term.
“Our demands are real and serious, and we have demonstrated that a strike is not something we’re afraid of.” The collective agreement for Unit 1 is set to expire on December 31st of this year.
Transit surveys were distributed along with this year’s U-Pass, as requested by Metrolinx. MICHELLE ROCIO CARDOZOIGLESIAS The University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union is currently undergoing negotiations with Metrolinx regarding providing students with a GTA U-Pass. During the 2017 spring elections, the winning-slate, Fresh UTM, advocated for a GTA U-Pass as part of their electoral platform. Salma Fakhry, UTMSU’s president, stated to The Medium that although discussions with GTA transit companies are ongoing, no definite agreement has been obtained yet. “Last year, the exec[utive] team had a chance to sit down with transit authorities, such as MiWay and Metrolinx, to discuss concerns of a commuter campus like UTM,” Fakhry said in an email to The Medium, “What
came out of it [the discussions] was that they wanted to know more about where students were coming from when they went to UTM, which is why Metrolinx gave us the instruction to release the GTA U-Pass survey.” Fakhry stated that her goal is to expand the current U-Pass to encompass transit lines such as TTC, Brampton transit, Zum, Halton, Oakville transit, and YRT. “To make it as cost effective and efficient as possible, a lot of research and work needs to go into this, rather than band aid results,” Fakhry continued. Upon discussion with Metrolinx, a survey was requested in order to determine the level of demand for the transit pass at UTM, according to Fakhry. During the U-Pass distribution, volunteers for UTMSU handed out surveys to students, which ques-
tioned their transit usage, commuting times, distance from campus, and how much students were willing to spend to implement the new pass. With the growth of the UTM population, several new bus routes, such as the Brampton 199 route, have been added to the campus, although it is not covered by the current pass. Fakhry stated that the GTA U-Pass is an ongoing discussion among students, although no details were provided what would happen to students who have the current pass if the UTMSU succeeded in an expansion. Fakhry added that she and the rest of UTMSU’s executive team hope to update the U-Pass membership in any possible way this year. Meanwhile, the current U-Pass distribution will continue until September 15th in the Student Centre.
Administration strives for closer campus community
09.11.2017 THE MEDIUM NEWS
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»WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT RETURNING TO CAMPUS?
Telwasa Akbari 4th year, Biology
Nour Abu-Ali 4th year, PWC
“Seeing the positivity before the stress.”
“The fact that I’m graduating.”
David Zheng 1st year, Commerce
Brendan Doyle 2nd year, Comp. Science
“Seeing the nature around campus.”
“Getting to see the deer.”
OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM
Town Hall meetings aim to encourage frequent dialogue between students and the administration. Research continued from cover UTM’s incoming undergraduate students will begin to see the changes taking place around the campus, as departments expand with new programs and study options, as well as having more graduate study opportunities arise as the school expands beyond the focus of undergraduates. “We’re looking to build up the graduate student presence here,” explained Krull, “Many of the TAs that the undergraduate students see, they’re the graduate students, so if we improve both the number and the quality of the graduate
students, it improves directly the teaching assistant in front of the students to help them move forward.” “As you think about UTM, it’s not the buildings, it’s the people inside the buildings. It’s what you do that’s so important,” he added. Elaborating on UTM’s vision for the future, he stated that the vision creates a strategy, and the strategy then gets implemented into a plan. “So we’re at the point of actually completing an implementation plan. My hope is that it will then go back to the departments where the nuts and bolts of the implementation will take place,” he said.
Krull also stressed the concept of eliminating perceived distance between the wants of students and the senior administration, and cited monthly town hall meetings as a productive way to derive solutions for student concerns. “I need students to understand that they’re part of a family. Students shouldn’t be shy about talking to the senior administration,” he said, “we’re here to facilitate their success.” The town hall meetings are held at the end of every month and are open to all members of the community.
CRO selected remains unknown
VP affairs resigns Search begins for new a UTSU executive
UTMSU has not announced the details of the new CRO yet
UTSU.CA/PHOTO
Zhang (back, center) recently resigned from her position. OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM
The details regarding UTMSU’s hiring of a new CRO remain unknown. KAYVAN AFLAKI
The University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union hired a new chief returning officer for their fall by-elections as of August 21st. Details regarding the CRO chosen or the hiring process remain unannounced. According to the initial job posting, “The CRO will be required to oversee the successful operation of the 2017 fall elections and referenda for a dynamic and diverse students’ union of over 14,000 undergraduate UTM students.”
The CRO is responsible for “ensuring that the election process is organized in a fair, non-partisan manner without bias and strict enforcement of all election rules and guidelines as outlined in the U.T.M.S.U. Elections and Referenda Procedures Code,” the posting read. Vacancies for UTMSU’s board of directors’ fall by-elections include a total of five seats divided among Divisions I, IV, and V. Divisions I and IV, first-year representatives and part-time directors respectively, have two available positions for the 2017-2018 academic
year. Division V, which is the Mississauga Academy of Medicine Representative, has one vacancy. The election nomination period, which is scheduled to begin on September 11th, will run until September 15th. Campaigning will effectively begin September 18th for a ten-day period, concluding with the voting period from September 26th to September 28th. The Medium asked UTMSU’s president Salma Fakhry about the results of the hiring process and the selection of the new CRO, but did not receive a response as of press time.
ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR The vice president of university affairs at the University of Toronto Students’ Union, Carina Zhang, has resigned her position through an email on September 3rd. According to Mathias Memmel, UTSU’s president in an email to The Medium, Zhang resigned her position due to personal reasons. “I was aware of her personal situation and she was given every accommodation, but she didn’t inform us of her intention to resign until Sunday evening. I ask that her privacy be re-
spected,” Memmel wrote. In light of Zhang’s resignation, the UTSU will be hiring a new vice-president of university affairs. According to Memmel, a shortlisting committee will interview potential applicants. “If an executive resigns after 31 July, the Board of Directors appoints a replacement,” explained Memmel, “The committee is normally composed of both executives and directors. The process will start at the next board meeting, on 20 September.” As of press time, Memmel did not specify how long the process is expected to take or the exact date when a new executive will be announced.
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Make use of your knowledge Superiority and your ego will not get you far, be humble and spread your knowledge. This was definitely a week of varying emotions. It took me a while to think about what I wanted to write about, and it varied from topics that needed a lot of research and knowledge in order to do it justice. However, I decided that this week I needed to explain something that I believe we constantly overlook. Last week, I wrote about the importance of keeping yourself informed and constantly using knowledge to better yourself. Although this is true, it is so important to not be selfish about the knowledge you have. Look—what use is the knowledge you have if you never allow those around you to have it? If you’re a specialist in a certain skill, or if you’re working with a team of people who all contain a different skill, and you decide that it’s best to just not help those around you, then you’ve failed to help those around you grow. You’re going to be given a wealth of knowledge. Your selfishness will not make you a better person. It’s tough because you may want to spread your knowledge to others because you know it’ll absolutely help those individuals in their lives. But then comes those individuals who will ostracize you for making the decision to spread your knowledge. People who make you feel bad, or bring you down because of your consistent efforts to inform and
teach those around you because they feel that your knowledge is superior to everyone, are people whose opinions you should not be basing your actions on. I’ve caught myself in fear of even explaining to people or going to people to teach them something new. I’ve found that I continuously keep my mind set on that individual or group of people who ostracize me, to the point where I lose my sense of focus on my ultimate goals. Just this week, I’ve been dealing with this mind battle of wanting to spread knowledge to a group of people, while also considering that I’ll be shunned if I do it. I know that I’m not doing anything wrong, and that the knowledge I have will benefit the people with whom I share it. Despite this, I can’t help but feel guilty, regardless of how good my actions may be. I get so caught up in the potential of being ostracized that it almost freezes my ability to even make a decision about anything. All because someone decided that the knowledge I have is superior to those around me. It ruins you and makes you feel like trash. It really does. I have a lot to work on, mentally, when it comes to this topic. It’s definitely a work in progress, but I know that one day I’ll realize that spreading the knowledge I do have, and will have, is probably one of the most
important things I can do for myself, and for the people who want to learn and grow. You cannot let those who believe that they are superior to everyone else be the people that decide your actions. People will never remember the ones who kept their knowledge to themselves. Those that believe they are superior will definitely have people who believe that, and fall for the trap of believing in their constant goal of proving that they are better than everyone. Though, eventually that following will wither away, and that person’s superiority complex will be crushed. No one is superior to anyone else. The best leaders are those willing to spread their knowledge to those around them. At the end of the day, what’s the point of living and putting yourself in fear of individuals who want to hide you away and to keep you away from allowing knowledge to spread. If you have a wealth of knowledge, spread it. You’re going to teach someone something that’ll change them, even the slightest bit, and being afraid to spread that is no way to live. Realistically, no one should care about how you spend your free time and what you do with it. Your life is your life. Your actions will define you—they will. If you want to spread the wealth of knowledge you carry in
order to help progress those around you, then go ahead. Be you and do you. Which brings me to my next point—our egos. Wonderful little things we have. Our egos constantly define who we are. I’ve written about this before, but I strongly believe that being humble about yourself, your accomplishments, looks, personalities, and whatever else, will set you apart from those that use their egos to boast to the world about who they are and what they’ve done. Those who aim to bring you down and make attempts to tell you that your knowledge should not be shared, are people who you should not base your actions off of. Spread knowledge, be you, and let your actions define you—not your ego.
YOURS, MAHMOUD SAROUJI
CORRECTION NOTICE The Sept. 5 article, “UTM athletics: past, present, and future” has been corrected. The article originally stated that the men’s basketball team will be competing in Varsity while the women’s team will continue to have a d-league team and the men will not.
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So, you think you know how to cosplay? In need of some cosplay guidance? UTMLA and UTM Anime Club cosplayers have the answers cause I do tend to dress more as League characters than any others,” stated Shih-Lau. For Chan, her tastes draw from a broader range of sources, “Personally, my inspiration comes from a variety of places. So anime, movies, TV shows.” Cosplayers tend to have a variety of characters to choose from when it comes to cosplaying, but of course there will be preferences. Individual preferences can vary depending on trends, peresonal favorites, or the type of event.
KIMBERLY DAY
Cosplaying is the art of dressing up as a character from a movie, TV show, anime, video game, or another source of entertainment. Given the high degree of creativity involved, some may even call it a form of art. Some cosplayers enjoy it as a daily activity, while others prefer to keep it as a hobby. Either way, cosplaying allows individuals to build communities. At cosplaying events or photoshoots, cosplayers can admire each other’s work, and enjoy the praise received from others who simply like viewing the creations. To get a more detailed perspective on the topic of cosplaying, The Medium interviewed two cosplayers: third-year DEM specialist Valerie Shih-Lau, and third-year art and art history specialist Natalie Chan. THE PURPOSE OF COSPLAY “It’s like a family,” said Shih-Lau. “Everyone’s so friendly and understands the whole process behind cosplaying.” Shih-Lau and Chan both agree that
AIMEN ALI/THE MEDIUM
Various characters were brought to life during clubs week through cosplay. cosplaying and cosplay communities are close-knit in that everyone shares the same passion for recreating characters. People from all walks of life come together at cosplaying events
to discuss their characters, how they made their costumes, and the materials involved in the process. Cosplayers give each other tips, advice, and praise for great costumes. These dis-
cussions are invaluable for cosplayers who want to improve their techniques by learning from what other cosplayers do. “I suppose I’m kind of biased be-
MAKING THE COSTUME What Shih-Lau and Chan agree upon is that a lot of time and effort is needed in order to cosplay. The whole process itself is one that requires patience—and sometimes the vision you have of a costume will come out differently once it’s created. Especially when the props involved defy the laws of physics—an unrealistic weapon, for instance. In cases like these, cosplayers have to improvise. Cosplay continued on page 7
Zooming in and out: life from a new lens Four photographers, one medium, and an evening of open-ended intellectual back and forth KEENA AL-WAHAIDI The Art Gallery of Ontario held a talk that delved into a conversation about contemporary photography and art on a global scale. The talk, lead by the AGO’s photography curator Sophie Hackett, introduced four photographers: Liz Johnson Artur, Raymond Boisjoly, Taisuke Koyama, and Hank Willis Thomas, who were all shortlisted for the AIMIA AGO Photography Prize. The four finalists are a diverse group. Emerging from Ghana, Haida Nation, Japan and the United States, these photographers imparted their cultural perspectives in their portfolios. Hackett emphasized the importance of realizing that artists cannot do what they do without financial means. He stated that the prize was worth $90,000. However, the entirety of the prize money doesn’t go directly to the sole winner of the award: $50,000 goes to the winner, $5,000 to the other shortlisted photographers, and $25,000 to a scholarship program for photography students in Canada. The goal of the prize is to help budding photographers. Dreams can only be dreams, and without the push of financial help, photographers are just left with their hope.
AIMIAAGOPHOTOGRAPHYPRIZE.COM/PHOTO
This year’s shortlist for the AIMIA AGO Photography Prize includes four artists. The event was not so much as a talk, as it was a debate. Issues, challenges, and problems were raised, and this fuelled hunger for more answers. Artur claimed that despite what people may think, she does not always have a camera at hand, and this drew laughs from the audience. Hav-
ing a camera at all times and snapping whatever is in your realm is not a claim to photographic artistry. What is more important is what you do with it and the meaning behind the shot This, it seems, was a challenge shared among all the artists. However, Thomas was quick to jump to
the positives of this issue. He was persistent when claiming that photos are proof of something. It means that there was a time where someone was at a certain place. When asked what kind of reality he was referring to, he insinuated that perhaps photography was meant to show instead of see. It’s important to
find someone, take their photo, and begin to question: What’s behind that smile? What’s going on behind her? Why is she standing like that? This is how you begin to know people. This is how art brings us together on an equal scale. There seemed to be a debate on how well images communicate themselves, and whether or not they can do that on their own. Hackett drew an example from Koyama’s untitled 2015 exhibit, which showcased images with prints of words that were larger than the photographs themselves. As it displayed on the screen next to her, Koyama defended the idea behind this. Koyama relayed that images, although powerful and striking, do not always have the means to convey their own messages. He felt that although his images did not necessarily need words beside them, he included them to add ambiguity to the photographs. In the end, talking about photography is as profound as the experience of viewing it. The discussion left the audience with insight into the complexities of a photographer’s thought. Voting for the AIMIA AGO Photography Prize ends on November 5.
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THE MEDIUM 09.11.2017
UTM, let’s get creative
Contemporary movement aims to foster campus talent YASMEEN ALKOKA
Ever wonder what lies in store for the dormant talents and creativity at UTM? Creatives for a Change is an initiative started by co-presidents Tala Alkhaldi, a secondyear DEM specialist, and Maryam Radwan, a third-year CCIT and art history student. Alkhaldi explained that the purpose of the club is to motivate a creative movement on campus. “There’s something missing on campus—this passion for art, for music, this creative part, you know? I feel like once people come to university, they lose touch of this inner child that they have because they’re studying and stuff. So our club is all about reigniting the passion people have for art, and poetry, innovative thinking, and we also added a humanitarian purpose to it,” Radwan expounded on the humanitarian purpose. She explained that by breaking social taboos, art has the ability to change the world perhaps in a more positive way. Artists tend to confront social norms and attempt to push down the wall that society puts up. Radwan also observed a political message behind controversial works of art, “Artists are there to make people think differently. It’s all about thinking outside the box,” she said. The initiative’s basic goal is to provide an escape for students. Alkhadi noticed that students on campus required a creative solace, since university life can be stress-
JANINA MALAPITAN
OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM
CFC gives students the opportunity to release their creativity.
ful.
“We really want to see people smiling,” said Alkhaldi. Starting with the lives of students, Creatives for a Change wants to make a difference outside of the university, as well. The club pans to donate to Syrian refugees by tailoring events during mental awareness month to certain charities. Later, the club aims to support causes as they become relevant in the school year. Last year, Caribbean Connections hosted an art gallery event at UTM where they featured student artwork and allowed artists
to speak about their work on stage. Inspired by these sort of events, Radwan expressed an interest in collaborating with other clubs. The club also seeks to provide opportunities for students to share their artwork and creativity, and to establish connections. “We can give the opportunity to people like this, to give you a connection to a gallery, to expose what you do—we want that,” said Radwan. This year, the club plans to host photography contests, creative videos, art-related events, and more.
The Hound Tall Discussion Series is a monthly comedy podcast hosted by comedian Moshe Kasher at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles. Hound Tall, which is a spoonerism of “town hall” and a pun of “town hall meeting”, usually begins with Kasher introducing his panel. There are experts in the field of the chosen topic and two to four comedians. Reoccuring experts include astrophysicist Dr. Sean Carroll and animal brain expert Dr. Aaron Blaisdell. Reoccuring comedians include Reggie Watts and Jenny Slate. For the next hour, Kasher and his panel delve into the topic of the discussion. These topics have been an eclectic mix ranging from homosexuality, history of hip hop, scientology, sex, and the occult. Kasher offers thought-provoking questions that engage the audience with the topic. Though the discussions sometimes verge on sombre subjects, like the third episode on death, it doesn’t bore the listener. Kasher is deft in asking the expert, whether a professor from the University of California Los Angeles, or a mortician, a serious question about their field of expertise and getting his panel of fellow comics to make humour of the discussion. This balance of education and comedy can be found in perfect form on episode 35, “Time Travel”. On the panel is UCLA philosophy professor Katie Elliott, who is joined on the
stage by comics Kurt Braunohler and Nate Bargatze. Kasher doesn’t even finish introductions and all of them have already dived right in, talking about the tragic nature of romance in time traveling universes. Professor Elliott, who specializes in time travel and metaphysics, excellently sets up the discussion by simply laying down the foundations of metaphysics, which gives both the comedian and audience members the background knowledge needed to follow the discussion w ith ease.
What pulls the show together from tangential rants and sometimes jargon-heavy explanations is Kasher and his skill in guiding discussion. This is the key element to Hound Tall’s success. The experts’ knowledge make the esoteric topics seem understandable to the everyday listener; the comedians’ relentless jokes and absurd what-ifs posed to the expert make learning about these topics interesting and gut-wrenchingly funny. However, what pulls the show together from tangential rants and sometimes jargon-heavy explanations is Kasher and his skill in guiding the discussion. He provides insight that pulls from both the expert’s information and the comics’ punchlines in a droll and a pun.
The fine line between personal narratives Art Gallery of Mississauga exhibit deconstructs physical, ideological, and geographical borders NICOLE SCIULLI
Excitement was buzzing at the Art Gallery of Mississauga with the opening reception of three new exhibitions: Border Crossing, Souvenirs, and walking across, talking through. Created by Sharada Eswar and Sonja Rainey, Border Crossing is an interactive community engagement lab. Guests share experiences of crossing borders of a geographical, ideological, or personal sense. The exhibition was made up of several interactive workstations. In one area, guests wrote down their experience of border crossing on a sheet of paper and shared it with others. Other stations included video recordings, map-making, and designing a piece of artwork that represents personal border crossing journeys. I enjoyed creating my own piece of work. It was not only therapeutic, but it forces one to confront personal struggles of border crossing such as immigration, aging, or class mobility. The underlying message is that borders are social constructs, and that we all have the capability to
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Border Crossing gets interactive with video recordings and mapmaking stations. cross them if we are determined to. However, I would have liked to see a station where groups of people
speak about their experiences with one another while being recorded. I think audio can be useful with
crossing borders, since it can build a sense of community as people find unity in their sympathy with the
same stories. The exhibit walking across, talking through by Dana Claxon, Lisa Meyers, Malani Nalani, and Sumaira Tazeen detailed the migration experience of the artists’ families. The works of art portray how narratives for migration are created and how the migration stories shift and change with time—similar to the physical borders migrants cross. Viewers of the exhibit walk away with an understanding of migrant stories stemming from differing perspectives. My favourite piece of work in walking across, talking through was Sumaira Tanzeen’s “Sabz Bagh III.” It is an installation of vintage suitcases with audio recordings of women from South Asia telling their immigration stories to Canada in their native languages of Gujarati, Punjabi, and Bengali. This installation brings the reality of the immigration story to light. It shows how a person can step away from everything familiar and trek into foreign territory in search for a better life. Border continued on page 7
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A dose of art philosophy in a nutshell Dr. Belinda Piercy spills the beans on her research and gives an account of aesthetics for neophytes KASSANDRA HANGDAAN A&E EDITOR What makes an artwork beautiful? Why does Duchamp’s Fountain, essentially a urinal, count as a piece of art whereas urinals in a public washroom are not? These are some questions that lie in the domain of aesthetics. Dr. Belinda Piercy, who teaches philosophy of art courses at UTM, gives a broad overview of her research and aesthetics’ typical questions. The Medium: I heard you study Kantian aesthetics. How did you get interested in this? Belinda Piercy: “I took a Kant course in my last semester of undergrad, and we read his three big critiques that Kant wrote. The first part of it is about beauty and judgments of beauty. I remember putting up my hand and asking why we we’re reading this. Isn’t beauty a fluff topic? We read Kant about the nature of the world, morality, and now beauty seemed like a strange thing to end on. But, I actually found that Kant’s views on beauty take up questions that he started in his earlier critiques, and it’s fascinating that he thought he could answer some of these questions by talking about beauty. I wound up studying Kant’s aesthetics for the next ten years.” TM: You mentioned in a class that you volunteered at the Museum of Inuit Art. What was that experience like? BP: “There’s actually a complicated history between the Canadian
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Piercy discusses forefront questions in aesthetics, such as the evaluative criteria of artwork. government and the Inuit. I appreciated the opportunity to understand the complexities of [Canadian identity] more. I was never a huge fan of minimalist art, but my favorite artist at the museum was Lucy Tasseor Tutsweetok. I bought myself [one of her stone] pieces. The stone from that part of the arctic is very hard, and the style is minimalistic.” TM: What are you currently working on in terms of research? BP: “Most recently, I’m working on aesthetic attention. There’s a contemporary philosopher, Bence Nanay, who works on attention and gives a philosophical account of kinds of at-
REWIND KEENA AL-WAHAIDI In About Last Night, Deborah (Demi Moore) and Danny (Rob Lowe) are part-tragic, part-dramatic lovers in Chicago. When they meet at a local bar and they question what it means to balance physical intimacy and the idea of love. Love, to Danny and Deborah, is not always synonymous with the possibility of sexual desire. The first time I picked up the VHS copy of About Last Night in my house, I can recall that the movie’s casting director, Gail Eisenstadt, wasn’t looking for edge. Neither was he searching for something different, spontaneous, nor shocking. It was supposed to be a typical love story, one that goes awry and is misunderstood. When we tend to think of love, we have conventional ideas of what that may be. Maybe you’re supposed to meet someone. Perhaps we are supposed to fall for their riveting sense of adventure. Then, next thing you know, you find a way to invite everyone to your wedding two summers from when you both met. Bam— you’ve achieved some kind of desired domestic bliss. In About Last Night, love is not supposed to fall into any of these ste-
reotypical categories. Love is hard to maintain and sometimes, we don’t even realize when it’s there. I think what stuck out to me about this movie was the young Demi Moore. This was filmed prior to her divorce, plastic surgeries, and preAshton Kutcher phase. She’s soft and light-hearted. Deborah is too pretty for Chicago. Chicago is musty with a hint of self-loathing from characters around her. The characters all go to baseball games, drink after work, and find entertainment in searching for mates. However, they pity themselves so much that they don’t seem to want anything more than that. It’s hard to watch a confused Deborah sit on that line—we don’t know what she wants, but everyone in her scope seems to be fixed on what they want. In one of the final scenes, Deborah screams: “You don’t know what love is. You’ve gotten everything you have always wanted and now you’re feeling sorry for yourself because there’s something you want and you can’t have it. But you had it! I gave you love. But you asked me to leave and I left.” She leaves a devastated Danny, now transfixed, to contemplate a new realization of what love is.
tention. In philosophy of art, there has been this idea that we pay attention to artworks in a particular way, and that paying attention to them in that way is part of what it’s like to have an aesthetic experience. Ordinarily, [when we] go around the world, we have a practical orientation when we pay attention to things. We pay attention to them enough to carry out the thing we need to do. You pick up the book just to read it. But when we come to aesthetic experiences, they can capture us. We look and we look and there seems to be something there that absorbs our attention.” TM: What are some common defi-
nitions of what makes art? Is readymade art, like Duchamp’s Fountain, considered art? BP: “There’s a very old idea that artworks imitate real things. This is a very old idea that goes back to ancient Greek philosophy that artworks are copies of real things in the world. But there are a lot of problems with that view. For example, mirrors reflect things but aren’t artworks. Also, as the history of art progressed, artists no longer tried to imitate real things, particularly once the camera was developed. Then you get abstract works—sometimes they can be a bit ugly, so the idea that artworks had to
be beautiful changed.” “So, when is Duchamp’s urinal a work of art? We still have this strong idea that art is a craft that involves a skill. So when Duchamp snuck in this urinal into an exhibit, he was pushing the boundaries—can art be something you didn’t make yourself, but something you chose? There are still philosophers who disagree with this. Some still hold that art involves making. But what is ‘making’?” TM: Is there a purpose to art? Is there a political or moral purpose to art? BP: “A part of [Kant’s] view is that judgments of beauty are not governed by a practical purpose. Kant’s example is to look at a beautiful palace. There’s a lot of [practical] questions you can ask about. Is this really a nice place to live in? How much did it cost to make it? Who made it? But these questions seem to be separate from whether or not it’s beautiful. That seems to be something you can assess independent of its practical, political context. This idea was really shaken up in the twentieth century with political motivated artworks. Is it really art if we make it for a political purpose? There’s a comment that if [something] has a political agenda, it can’t be art.” TM: Is there any value to seeing art at an exhibit, or is seeing a reproduction (e.g., a photograph of a painting online) the same? This article has been shortened for print. The full-length article can be accessed online at The Medium’s website.
Behind the scenes of cosplay Cosplay continued from page 5 Shih-Lau stated that research is important for cosplaying, in order to determine which character to choose. A cosplayer needs to take into consideration the ease of creating a specific costume, as well as the materials which might have to be used, and the time it would take. In addition to in-depth research, cosplayers must try their best to come up with materi-
als that can fit into their budget, while maintaining the purpose of the prop. However, costumes may require fixing throughout an event and so cosplayers must prepare for such a scenario. In addition to in-depth research, cosplayers must try their best to come up with materials that can fit into their budget, while maintaining the purpose of the prop. However, costumes may require fixing throughout an event and so cosplayers must prepare for
such a scenario. However, despite some unglamorous aspects of cosplaying, ShihLau and Chan agree that it is a generally positive experience. “What’s not so fun is definitely the fact that we have to carry around these huge props that can sometimes be really heavy,” ShihLau said. In response, Chan added that people are always willing to help out when they find a cosplayer struggling.
AGM exhibit goes above and beyond physical boundaries Border continued from page 6 However, as heard with the sad and wistful tone of the women’s voices, the fulfillment of these hopes is uncertain, suggesting that the title of the installation, “The grass is always green on the other side,” is not always the case. Finally, there was Hiba Abdallah’s Souvenir Shop, which simulates a souvenir shop of t-shirts, hats, and mugs which has the word “remember” printed in the lan-
guages of Chinese, Punjabi, Arabic, Polish, and Anishinaabemowin in the place of official logos.
The three exhibitions challenge the observer with unique and thoughtprovoking art pieces to redfine borders. The idea of wearing a certain
product has the potential to create a network of people through their understanding of the same language. These three exhibitions challenge the observer with unique and thought-provoking art pieces to redefine what borders mean and how borders change. These pieces of art establish communities by sharing relatable stories. The exhibitions will continue to be on display until October 22.
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A journey across time: Japan to UTM UTM anthropology professor, Gary Crawford, shares how he discovered his passion for archaeology JESSICA CABRAL Gary Crawford, a professor in UTM’s anthropology department who specializes in archaeological botany and environmental archaeology, holds an interest in time and is fascinated with discovering the history behind the cultures of the world. These interests sprung from his childhood curiosity in astronomy and his family travels to Europe. Later on, as an undergraduate with an open mind and a bit of luck, Crawford stumbled upon a life altering opportunity—the chance to participate in archaeological research in Japan. From an early age, astronomy captivated Crawford. Although the topic was not part of the conventional elementary school curriculum, Crawford was drawn towards the science and was determined to learn what made the universe work. “I remember in elementary school my grandmother giving me a gift of an astronomy book, it was a pretty technical book, but she was confident in me,” Crawford recalls. “I started reading it and it was challenging, but I knew that some of the answers about the universe were in there.” Around age seven, Crawford’s fa-
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Gary Crawford, professor in the anthropology department at UTM, studies ancient East Asia. ther, a member of the Canadian Air Force, was promoted to an officer position and the family was required to relocate to a base in France. Despite the tension of the Cold War, Crawford’s parents were determined to introduce their children to the passion and excitement of history. The family travelled across Europe, visiting locations like Rome, Venice, Spain, and landmarks such as cathedrals and Roman ruins. Crawford admits
that he “[doesn’t] remember ever being bored with it.” “I remember standing on a street in Rome and looking down from the modern street level to the excavated floor of the Roman plaza, and asking my father what was going on. He explained to me that we were essentially looking back in time to 2000 years ago,” Crawford remembers. “And at that moment, I became fascinated with going back in time.”
As a high school student in Kingston, Ontario, Crawford excelled in the sciences and eventually pursued his undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto St. George campus. As an undergraduate, he enrolled in a range of courses that sparked his interest including ecology, general biology, human biology, and archaeology. By his third year, Crawford focused on the relationship between botany and archaeology, realizing
that he wanted to not only study science, but human history as well. In the fall of his final year of undergraduate studies, Crawford encountered one of his professors while walking across campus. They discussed their summer vacations and Crawford’s plans, which included graduate school at the University of North Carolina, when his professor offered him an invitation to join an archaeological research project in Japan the following summer. “I always tell my students that if an opportunity arises, think seriously about jumping on it, even if it doesn’t fit with your plans because plans don’t often work out. You have to be prepared to grab an opportunity,” Crawford says. Within seconds, Crawford accepted the offer, enrolled in a Japanese language class, and, by chance, found himself with the potential for an exciting topic for his graduate thesis. The next summer, he spent three to four months working on a site approximately 5,000 to 6,000 years old, and collecting data on the culture that inhabited the land. In the area, Crawford learnt that very little had changed. Ancient continued on page 10
The search for a parking space for lease Four wheels, solar panels, and 8x12 feet: the tiny house movement advocates smaller living spaces MARIUM FAISAL The tiny house movement, a name coined in contrast to the current “normal-sized” house, is the architectural and social movement that advocates living minimally in small homes. While family size decreased, the average North American house grew to 2500 square feet. A living space under 500 square feet is referred to as a tiny house. While most university students are just now learning the importance of being financially responsible, Kieran Macleod, a second-year student at UTM, and Meghan Robson, an industrial design student at OCAD, have saved up and invested over the years to become the proud owners of a tiny house by mid-October. “I found out about it five years ago, been researching it for two years [but] I’ve been convincing [Meghan] for the last three years so it has been a long project,” Macleod laughs. Macleod and Robson put up advertisements on Facebook, GumTree, Kijiji, and the basement of the Davis building where we learned of their tiny house. The ad asked if anyone
PHOTO COURTESY OF KIERAN MACLEOD & MEGHAN ROBSON
Kieran Macleod and Meghan Robson claim their tiny house is completely “off the grid.” would allow them to “live” or park on their land. The Medium sat down with Macleod to learn more about the whole process; more importantly, why were they choosing to do this? “Selfsustainability,” he stated. Avoiding the rent trap was his driving force amongst others. While most university students have OSAP to pay off
and mortgages to take on, Macleod and his partner plan to live a relatively debt-free life for the next three to four years that he plans on being in Toronto. Macleod explains that not only was this a fiscally freeing decision, but there is an environmental factor at play too. Macleod and Robson describe how they both lead relatively
minimal and eco-conscious lifestyles: buying from bulk barn, using reusable containers, and generally being waste-free. “Being completely off-grid, that has a lot of benefits. Most of our power in Canada is generated from coal and oil, only a tiny percentage is renewable so [this way] we can be completely renewable, pretty cheap,” says Robson.
A tiny house also gives you the freedom to go wherever you want without the financial pressures of hotels and flights, Macleod explains. It’s like an RV, but one which you live in full-time. Commenting on how their tiny house is in fact less than 100 square feet, Macleod explained how they have only seen two other people in the world who have constructed houses that small. It’s been six months since they started, “the whole house is completely custom, so you have to understand every aspect of it—from the trailer, to the insulation, to being off-grid. So you need solar panels and a composting toilet. You have to talk zoning and where you want to live, and maybe talk to the councils so there is a lot involved.” Macleod discusses how the first contractor they were with had preset designs, and they ended up going to another contractor because they downsized even further and wanted it to be extremely customized, which involved having to know everything they wanted beforehand. Homes continued on page 10
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Is conventional television doing fine? In contrast with what students generally think, viewership for conventional television is not declining SHANZA AYUB A few years ago, people could only watch shows when they were broadcasted on television at their designated time of the week or day. Online streaming on Netflix and YouTube, available on multiple devices, has changed the way we watch TV. TV shows streamed online can be watched from anywhere at any time. Some believe the television set has been reduced to largely an aesthetic in the living room, and broadcast TV is on a decline. But is it really? “Personally, I don’t know many people with cable TV,” said Erika Roldan, a co-president of the ICCIT Council at UTM, “in my opinion, conventional broadcast TV seems to be declining in popularity, mostly because of online streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu.” Roldan’s opinion was shared by the president of the UTM Anime Club, Brian Vu, who added that the flexibility and freedom that comes with online streaming is making people move away from cable TV. “Shows come at certain times on particular days of the week. Most people can’t take time out of their schedule to watch them on their specific times, and so prefer to stream them online.” Vu describes how this flexibility gives people “the option to watch, what they want, when they want, however much they want and with minimal interruptions.” Vu and Roldan’s views seem to be
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Streaming services have helped boost viewership for conventional television, claims John Doyle. represented by information presented in Henry Blodget’s 2012 article, “Don’t Mean To Be Alarmist, But The TV Business May Be Starting To Collapse” in the Business Insider. Blodget compared the downfall of TV in the face of rising number of users taking advantage of online streaming, to the downfall of newspapers with the introduction of the Internet. He writes: “Newspapers were screwed. It just took a while for the changing user
behavior to hammer the business. The same is almost certainly true for television.” Blodget explains that live sports, especially during events such as the Olympics, live news, times of crisis, and special events, seem to be the only things people watch TV for. However, even that seems to be changing with online article postings, along with some news and sports channels offering streaming
services. A report from Nielsen in 2011 showed that the percentage of people who watched TV at least once a month dropped from 90 per cent to 83 per cent, with 17 per cent of people never watching TV. While on the other hand, the percentage of people who watch a video online is 84 per cent, higher than the percentage of people who watch TV. Where services such as Netflix and YouTube seem to be causing the de-
cline of conventional TV, John Doyle argues, in his opinion piece titled, “Conventional television is doing just fine, thanks for asking” in The Globe and Mail, that these services are helping to keep the business alive. Although Sarah Kim, president of UTM/TV, a broadcasting and media production club at UTM, comments, “Professional broadcasting networks need to learn how to adapt and expand into the digital media if they want to keep doing well,” Doyle argues that networks are in fact doing just that—and succeeding. He mentions how networks that have figured out how to monetize the digital world and have profited with niche shows and advertisements directed to the viewer bringing in greater value. Netflix and other streaming services have made people more willing to watch TV on all types of devices, Kim observes. Networks that have taken advantage of this, such as the NBC, have seen an 8% increase in advertising support for their shows, Doyle writes, adding further how, “far from the enemy, streaming turned out to be the kick that conventional TV needed.” Online streaming seems to be more popular among students in comparison to conventional TV, but it has not sealed its fate just yet. TV businesses, whether network or cable companies, might rise to the challenge and emerge stronger than ever, or fail to do so. What happens next remains to be seen, so stay tuned.
Learning from the past Is small better? Ancient continued from page 9 “This culture in Japan lasted maybe 14,000 to 15,000 years. We’re so used to society changing. Every 6 months there’s a new piece of technology, but in Japan 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, it was ‘How do we sustain our lives?’” Crawford says. “People lived in the same types of houses, made the same kind of pottery and tools, and ate similar food. Rather than that being a failure, we have all come to realize that what that means is that these people were successful. We need to know more about these ancient success stories because they were doing something right, and we can learn from that.” The ancient community had transformed the Japanese islands to create an environment best suited to their needs, Crawford explains. They produced their own food, planted nut trees, and used lacquer trees to paint and preserve their wood and pottery in vibrant shades of red and black. Today, Crawford looks at plant domestication and agriculture. He also works towards identifying plant remains from archaeological sites and figuring out what kind of insights they give us about humanity’s past. Along with archaeological excavation in Ontario, Kentucky, and Wisconsin, Crawford continues his research on ancient East Asian cultures in Japan and China. In a week, Crawford is heading
to China to establish a test pit in a 9,000 year old site and for collecting sediment, plant, and pottery samples in an attempt to figure out how this site was structured. Crawford explains that the people of this region were some of the earliest rice farmers in the world, but the land is not an area where researchers would have predicted people were using rice. This is the question Crawford plans to investigate. “It wasn’t just rice; it looks like they were growing other plants too. You begin to see Chinese cuisine flourishing over 9000 years ago. That’s just incredible to go back in time. Local indigenous people made some profound developments that affected human kind and they had no idea. This old idea that people develop agriculture because hunting and gathering was failing is over simplifying,” says Crawford. One of the major discoveries for Crawford came in the 1980s when he explored an ancient farming complex in Hokkaido, located in northern Japan. In textbooks, the indigenous people of Hokkaido, the Ainu, are frequently described as primitive hunters and gatherers. However, while excavating an ancestral site on the Hokkaido University campus, Crawford realized the myth about the Ainu was far from the truth. Their population consisted of farmers with a sophisticated relationship to the land and
agriculture. “We came to a more profound understanding of indigenous people in northern Japan and to some extent the history books got it all wrong. That’s what makes [the job] worth it. We’re constantly reassessing what went on in humanity’s past,” Crawford explains. Crawford also discovered some charred pieces of corn along the Grand River in Ontario during the 1990s that led to another significant revelation in his career. Crawford and his team were trying to determine when corn, a new world crop originating in Mexico, had come to Ontario. After radiocarbon dating the findings, the results revealed the corn to be from 600 A.D, about 500 years earlier than expected. “Our whole view of what had been happening in the prehistory of Ontario flipped,” Crawford recalls. Alongside his research, Crawford teaches a variety of courses at UTM that range from ancient human ecology to the critical analysis of hoaxes and myths within ancient worlds. “I think students should be willing to keep an open mind about humanity. If we can maintain some humility about our place in the world, we’re better off,” says Crawford. “Through studying the past, we can really help ourselves and our future.”
Homes continued from page 9 This included drawing sketches and creating a walkthrough design that represented what they wanted their tiny house to look like. “All the paper work, blueprints, and floorplans takes two weeks. And after that, for them to actually build it, it takes four to six weeks.” They still have four to six weeks until they sign off on the final design. FENIX NTM, a material that has only been used for counters and walls was used for the entirety of Macleod’s tiny home. It was used for the cabinetry, the shower and possibly the ceiling. “If you cut into it or heat it up, the particles will realign and it will heal itself. Basically, can’t damage it. It’s waterproof, fingerprint resistant, heatproof, all the proofs,” Macleod exclaimed. A tiny house can cost from $20,000 to $60,000. The cost for Macleod and Robson’s tiny house is projected to be toward the lower end of the spectrum. “We’re considering it a tiny home, but about a hundred years ago, these were just normal sizes.” Macleod and Robson have received about a hundred emails just expressing support, and forty people willing to give them a place to park their tiny house. In the context of the recent debate on whether the tiny house movement can be a solution for homelessness, and the problems faced when looking for affordable housing, Macleod says
that, “counties in the US are implementing tiny homes for the homeless. [...] It costs some cities 10 to 50 grand a year just on average to deal with the homeless, whereas they could house these people for a fraction of the cost and that would be including water, power, and light.” However, it isn’t all black and white. According to the website, homelesshub.ca, tiny houses are not a complete solution to the problem. “Many criticisms of tiny houses relate to the fact that they could be considered cramped, cold, and a health and safety risk to residents. In a Canadian context, tiny houses would need to be heavily insulated, well heated, and dry throughout the winter. The Dragonfly, a 160 square foot tiny house by Robinson Residential Design in Regina, was designed with this consideration in mind and can withstand winter temperatures as cold as minus 40 Celsius. “At $75,000, the Dragonfly appears to be more affordable than most houses on the market, but still expensive for low-income or unemployed individuals,” the article reads. Conversations then shift to whether housing is treated as a commodity or as a necessity. According to Leilani Farha in her United Nations report, “Homelessness occurs when housing is treated as a commodity rather than as a human right.” The Medium is hoping to follow up with Macleod and Robson by midOctober when their house is ready.
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De Andrade’s road back to the pitch UTM women’s soccer member, Kristina De Andrade, sits down to discuss her road to recovery VANESSA CESARIO SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR
Every athlete’s worst nightmare is undergoing the dreaded anterior cruciate ligament tear. For varsity women’s soccer member, Kristina De Andrade, it was no different. De Andrade has played soccer since the age of seven, and roughly four years ago, she got the unfortunate news that she had torn her ACL. She describes the tearing of her ACL as a “two-week process.” De Andrade was playing in a co-ed league at the Hershey Centre and says that “[the] first game I was going into a tackle and I had a knee on knee collision with another guy. [I] didn’t think anything of it, [but] my knee was sore for the rest of the week. The following week, I went to go play again and I tried to avoid a tackle so a girl slid, I jumped over her foot and as soon as I landed my knee just gave out.” De Andrade waited about three years before receiving the surgery because of a job opportunity that presented itself. Her first time returning to the pitch was last January with the UTM varsity women’s indoor soccer team. The ACL is a ligament that runs
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De Andrade returns to outdoor soccer for the first time in four years this September. diagonally inside of the knee. It connects the femur to the tibia and helps with the rotational movement of the knee, such as pivoting in basketball or soccer. An ACL tear is most common in sports with a high amount of rotational or twisting movements, like soccer, basketball, baseball, and
football. De Andrade explains that “the road to recovery is a struggle because your other muscles aren’t where they need to be.” The road to recovery is long, frustrating, and very tiresome. You will find yourself going through so many different emotions, and at times
you will feel hopeless, and as if you will never be able to return to your sport again.” She explains the importance of going to physiotherapy, as well as doing exercises on your own time at home to ensure a successful recovery so that you can return to your sport.
She also goes on to discuss the mental aspect of tearing your ACL, and explains that “[there are] up and down battles for sure. It’s definitely depressing… especially going to watch your team play and you can’t play, being on the bench.” Tearing your ACL is a long and difficult process, but with the right support system and training, you can get back to the player you once were. De Andrade closes off with some advice to fellow athletes undergoing a serious injury like hers—“it will get better. It’ll take time but you’ll get there through training and physio and practice. You just have to be determined and over time you’ll get there.” Staying positive and really focusing your attention on strengthening your leg will help the recovery go more smoothly. De Andrade will return to the outdoor season for the first time in four years this September. She explains that a personal goal of hers is to score goals for her team and work on becoming the player she used to be. While she does not feel that playing without her custom ACL knee brace is the right move for her at this time, she definitely wants to strive towards that in the future.
Fats and oils: the good versus the bad West examines the different types of oils and fats we consume and which ones are good versus bad HALEY WEST
Our bodies run on energy. Everything from a work out at the RAWC to a study session requires energy. Fat, carbohydrates, and protein are the three major fuels from which our body draws energy. Fats have a bad reputation, though. Everyone needs a small amount of fat in their diet for healthy functioning. Oils and fats supply necessary calories and essential nutrients needed for the body to absorb vitamins. Kimberly Green, a registered dietician working at the Health and Counselling Centre says, “Fat that we consume, from added oils or naturally occurring in meats, dairy, nuts, and other foods, have many roles in the body; including the creation of hormones and cells, and the uptake of certain vitamins like A, D, E, and K.” The necessity of fats and oils does not mean you should eat fast food every day. Fats can be both good and bad so, while necessary, it is imperative to be aware of the choice of healthier unsaturated fats. Saturated
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Oils and fats supply necessary calories and nutrients for the body to absorb vitamins. fats, a “bad” fat, are commonly found in highly processed foods and are a major component in the Canadian diet (“Fats and oils”, 2017). While processed foods are typically easier to prepare, especially when rushed for time as university students sometimes are, they are not worth the
damage in the long run. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, “highly processed foods include hot dogs, burgers, deli meats, cookies, donuts, cakes, chips, french fries, and other snack foods. By avoiding these highly processed foods, consumption of saturated fat
will decrease, as well as sugar, sodium, and trans fats” (“Fats and oils”, 2017). Trans fats are the other highly recognized “bad” fat. They are typically found in deep-fried foods from fast food outlets and many commercially packaged baked goods, such
as crackers or cookies. Foods with vegetable oil shortening or partially hydrogenated oil in the ingredients should be avoided as these are products high in trans fats (“Fats and oils”, 2017). While being aware of “bad” fats is important to healthy eating, it is also important to recognize “good” fats and where you can find them. Monounsaturated fats are a “good fat” and they are known to improve blood cholesterol levels. They are found in canola, olive, and peanut oil, as well as avocadoes, almonds, pistachios, cashews, and pecans. Omega-3 is a commonly known type of healthy, polyunsaturated fat, commonly found in cold-water fish, and is an excellent source of “good” fat. According to Green, most experts agree that fat on its own does not lead to health problems. Greater concern is related to the increasingly common occurrence of people eating more food than they need. This leads to a greater intake of calories than expended, gained from a combination of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, leading to health concerns. Fats continued on page 12
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THE MEDIUM 09.11.2017
Pedaling away from your stresses The RAWC offers group fitness classes, such as indoor cycling, for students as a way to destress NICOLE SCIULLI
A healthy person between the ages of 18-65 should be getting at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, five days a week. Between studying, cramming for mid-terms, and other extra-curricular activities, it is a challenge for some university students to find ways to exercise throughout their hectic day. However, UTM has a solution to get you moving even if your schedule seems impossible to work around. The RAWC offers free drop-in classes for all UTM students that need a quick workout between classes. They offer a variety of group fitness classes to choose from. If you enjoy team sports—the gym always has intramural games, like soccer or basketball. For drop-in fitness classes, they have yoga, pilates, boot camp, and more. Group fitness is great for motivating one another to achieve our exercise goals. I recently went to an indoor cycling class in the fitness studio. I severely underestimated biking and thought it would be a relaxing and slow class. The instructor would time the workout according to the intervals of different exercises. The first ten minutes of biking started off slow.
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Indoor cycling a great form of exercise to elevate your heart rate. We had to maintain a steady speed and then increase the tension as we continued. Then it became increasingly more difficult. For some sets, we had to increase pedalling speed. I could feel my calves burning, but the instructor encouraged us to continue, despite how badly we all wanted to
stop. If you stop, then it causes you to lose momentum and therefore, it becomes much harder to start up again. For other intervals, we would stand while pedalling for ten seconds at a time. By the time we cooled down, and did our final stretches, my entire body ached, and I could hear my
heart beating out of my chest. But I felt accomplished that I met my daily exercise quota, while learning to perform better at a form of exercise. Indoor cycling is a great form of aerobic exercise that keeps your heart rate up for 40 to 60 minutes. Continuous cardiovascular exercise over time
can help reduce your blood pressure and your overall resting heart rate, and reduces the risk for diseases such as coronary heart disease. All forms of exercise have lasting benefits for the body which can help you perform better at school. Exercising can help people de-stress because of the release of endorphins to the brain when you work out. It also helps to sharpen judgement skills and reduce the risk for depression. It can be difficult to get back into a daily regimen of exercising after a long summer break, but don’t worry, you don’t have to go full force right away. It is best to ease your way into it to eliminate your chances of “burning out,” which will cause you to become too tired to exercise. Start off slowly at 30 minutes a day doing a mix of aerobic and anaerobic exercises and build from there. Create goals for yourself each week and don’t be afraid to try new forms of exercise, especially around campus where there are many resources and instructors at the RAWC to help you with your exercising endeavours. So whether you’re a seasoned athlete or giving a go at the gym for the first time, starting to exercise is the first step to living a healthy life and improving your personal well-being.
Healthy and Hawks defeat Eagles unhealthy fats The UTM varsity men’s soccer team had their first home game
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Even good fats must be consumed in moderation. Fats continued from page 11 Students should make sure not to overindulge. While the stress of university can lead to stress eating or rushed food choices, it is important to recognize when stress or a lack of time may be causing you to eat something that will greatly increase your intake of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. While fats are necessary, even the good ones are high in calories, and should be eaten in moderation. It is important not to rely solely on exercise to counteract poor food choices. Healthy eating goes beyond calories and fat. While exercise is an important part of health, it will not reverse the effects of “bad” fats on your body. When it comes to healthy eating habits, the most important element is balance. According to Green, a balanced
meal includes “a source of protein [such as] meat, fish, beans, tofu, eggs, nuts, a source of whole grains [such as] whole wheat, oats, brown rice, barley, quinoa, and veggies or fruits […] it is important to have at least one fruit and vegetable every day—even better to have it at every meal if possible! The benefits of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre from vegetables and fruit are so important, and often lacking in the usual ‘fast food.’” It is almost impossible to have a perfect diet, and truthfully speaking, eating should be enjoyable. We do not have to eat solely healthy food all the time—we are allowed to cheat sometimes too. But it is important that students are ensuring their diets are mainly filled with the nutrients they need and not just the quick and easy foods high in fat.
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The UTM Eagles lost their first game of the season to Humber Hawks. SHAYNA JAN
Sunday afternoon was an exciting day for the UTM varsity men’s soccer team, as they readied themselves to face Humber in the first home game of the season. It was a beautiful day out on the pitch and the bleachers were filled with eager UTM students ready to cheer on their team. Once the game began, the atmosphere was contagious, and the Eagles immediately took possession of the ball, playing an offensive game for the first ten minutes. UTM wasn’t giving Humber
a chance to score, but unfortunately at the fifteenth minute, their first attempt was successful. Despite this small setback, the crowd’s unfaltering hope was evident in the stands. It wasn’t until Humber scored a second goal at the thirty-ninth minute that the overall morale became subdued. However, this silence among the crowd was short-lived, as newcomer Zimba Galloway elevated spirits in the second half of the game with his goal at the fifty-second minute mark. Although this ended up being UTM’s only goal, it was a testament to the team’s overall solidarity,
as Galloway himself insisted that “the goal was a build up from the back line and it was a team effort the whole 90 minutes.” Although Humber scored shortly after in the fifty-fourth minute, this was soon overshadowed by their second yellow card of the game in the sixty-seventh minute. The Humber Hawks had possession of the ball for the majority of the second half, but the UTM Eagles continued to fight hard up until the final whistle blew. Despite their 3-1 loss, it was a good game, and they set the stage for what looks like a promising season.