Volume 45 issue practice

TITLE GOES HERE

TITLE GOES HERE

TITLE GOES HERE

TITLE GOES HERE

TITLE GOES HERE

News, page #

Opinion, page #

Arts, page #

Features, page #

Sports, page #

U of T student arrested in Bangladesh Tahmid Khan was visiting family when police took him into custody WRITER TITLE U of T student held in Bangladeshi jail without a charge University of Toronto student Tahmid Khan has been in custody under Bangladeshi authority for almost two months without any charge, following a terrorist attack in Dhaka.

A Facebook page, Free Tahmid, was set up by friends and family of Khan to urge the Bangladeshi police to free him. The page has collected around 70,000 likes.

“As the authorities continue their investigation, our priority is to make sure the truth about Tahmid’s ordeal as a victim and a survivor are known,” read a statement by the page on August 9.

“We have faith that ultimately the truth shall prevail; we trust the authorities will conclude the investigation, declare his innocence, and Tahmid will be free,” the statement added.

Khan, a permanent resident of Canada and senior student studying global health, was expected to start an internship with UNICEF in Nepal on July 10.

ANUM SYED/THE MEDIUM

Caption.

This was cut short when Khan paid a visit to his family in Bangladesh. On July 1, gunmen attacked a local restaurant that Khan visited and killed more than 20 people, while holding the rest as hostages.

In an interview with The Medium,

one of the administrators of the page, Josh Grondin, a third-year student at U of T studying economics and international relations, stated that the attackers went up to Khan and asked him to carry an unloaded gun, which he refused, but they forced him to

give in.

“The attackers told Mr. Khan and his friends that they would be spared because they were Bangladeshi Muslims […],” stated an article on the New York Times. “[The hostages] said Mr. Khan

persuaded the attackers to spare the group,” the article also mentioned.

Police came to the restaurant on the morning of July 2, killed many of the gunmen, and took the 13 remaining hostages, Khan included. The hostages were released on July 3, but Khan and a man of British nationality were kept as witnesses.

Grondin suggested that Khan being held in custody is mostly due to what the attackers wanted Khan to do.

The Bangladesh law allows police to question someone without an official warrant. The police kept Khan for an eight-day questioning period at first, then decided to extend it. Earlier this month, the investigation became a formal arrest.

“U of T is doing a lot of work behind the scenes. They reached the government of Canada […],” mentioned Grondin.

U of T President Meric Gertler sent a letter to Canada’s foreign affairs minister Stephane Dion.

“I recognize the Global Affairs Canada will be working through appropriate diplomatic channels to ascertain the facts and to advocate Keyword continued on page #

U of T passes democratic policy for student unions The policy has been approved by Governing Council after years of consultation WRITER TITLE U of T approved policy requiring student unions to operate in an open manner.

The Governing Council approved a policy last June that will act as a guideline for student unions to operate in an open and democratic manner.

From a 2013 report by Professor Misak, published by UTMSU, the idea of creating a student-focused appeal board was first put forward at a student summit in 2013-2014, which aimed to bring undergraduate student representatives together to discuss issues concerning the students.

The summit was discontinued due to the withdrawal of various student societies, which resulted in the delay of further policy consideration.

According to U of T News, the finalized policy was the outcome of “more than two years of consultations.”

The draft policy was made available to students as a way of seeking inputs

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

Caption. and feedbacks last February, prior to the proposal at the Governing Council meeting.

UTMSU’s opposition

The policy was met with opposition from a number of student unions, particularly the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union, Scar-

borough Campus Students’ Union, Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students, and the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union.

Nour Alideeb, UTMSU’s president denied being involved during the policy consultation, and sent a letter to the University Affairs Board in June, saying that it is “unfortunate” that the administration proceeds with a policy without their consultation.

Alideeb added that the UTMSU will resort to “legal remedy” in the case that the policy is further implemented.

No legal action has been taken yet.

UTMSU hasn’t responded to The Medium as of press time.

No going back on the policy Althea Blackburn-Evans, the director of news and media relations at U of T verified that the time period for feedback has ended, and that there are no negotiations being made regarding the policy now.

Blackburn-Evans also addressed some potential “benefits” of the new policy, through which students are to be given more power by having their complaints investigated and resolved by a board, the majority of which is made up of fellow students.

Keyword continued on page #

2

«NEWS

THE MEDIUM 09.06.2016

Student Unions oppose new policy Keyword continued from page #

Italicized date.

Bolded offence name.

Regular text for description.

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.

No evidence against Khan

Subsequent to the policy’s approval is the establishment of the University Complaint and Resolution Council for Student Societies or a Student Societies Complaint and Resolution Council.

The CRCSS is composed of four student representatives from the UTSU, APUS, SCSU, and UTGSU, and one non-student selected by the University Affairs Board.

The CRCSS aims to resolve conflicts between the students, student unions, and organizations in an open-to-the-public manner.

“The CRCSS […] will now decide whether student societies are failing to do that. Before the policy, the decision was made by university staff.

The CRCSS is a major improvement,” said UTSU’s president, Jasmine Wong Denike, who issued a claim of endorsement on the policy back in June.

Six-line pull quote.

Six-line pull quote.

Six-line pull quote.

Six-line pull quote.

Six-line pull quote.

Six-line pull quote.

“Is the policy good for student societies? That doesn’t matter. What matters is that it’s good for the members of student societies. The policy makes it harder for student societ-

Bill 132 approved

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

Caption.

Keyword continued from page # Grondin suggested that Khan being held in custody is mostly due to what the attackers wanted Khan to do.

The Bangladesh law allows police to question someone without an official warrant. The police kept Khan for an eight-day questioning period at first, then decided to extend it.

Earlier this month, the investigation became a formal arrest.

“U of T is doing a lot of work behind the scenes. They reached the government of Canada […],” mentioned Grondin.

U of T President Meric Gertler sent a letter to Canada’s foreign affairs minister Stephane Dion.

“I recognize the Global Affairs Canada will be working through appropriate diplomatic channels to ascertain the facts and to advocate with colleagues in Bangladesh for Mr. Khan’s rights, including access to legal counsel and consular services, and to treatment in accordance with internationally accepted principles of the rule of law,” said Gertler in the letter.

“The University of Toronto will be pleased to offer any necessary assistance in these efforts,” he added.

Gertler also sent a letter to the Bangladesh High Commission.

ies to get away with anti-democratic behaviour, and that’s a good thing,” Denike explained.

Blackburn-Evans also relayed the significance of students finding a way to settle conflicts with their societies in private settings.

“It’s always our preference for societies to address complaints themselves,” she said.

According to Blackburn-Evans, the CRCSS is not yet established. A chair will be appointed by the University Affairs Board by early January.

The Provost office will also be requesting student societies to select their representatives to join the CRCSS. This process would likely be completed by November of this academic year.

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

Caption.

Althea Blackburn-Evans, the director of media relations at U of T, told The Medium that U of T hasn’t heard a response from Global Affairs.

“We’re watching the news reports closely along with everyone else, as that’s the only way that anyone is getting information at this stage,” said Blackburn-Evans.

Blackburn-Evans stated that the university didn’t have direct contact with Khan’s family. However, she said that Khan’s lawyer got in touch with the university, requesting their support. They gave it “by way of the president writing a letter to Global Affairs Canada and the Bangladesh High Commission.”

Grondin stated that the Canadian government checks whether there are any violations against Khan.

“Since it took a much more legal approach now, like [the authorities] have done the official investigation, we’re a little bit more relaxed.

Because it’s been two months and they don’t have any evidence against them. We know he’s innocent, so we think that now that they’re doing the official investigation, they’ll find out for themselves too,” said Grondin.

“We’re continuing to monitor the situation. We are concerned for his safety. We’re concerned that he’s treated fairly,” said Blackburn-Evans.

WRITER TITLE U of T accepts sexual violence prevention plan recommendation.

An expert panel has released a report with a 40-point recommendation plan earlier this August for a stand-alone policy to prevent sexual violence on all U of T campuses.

Bill 132 of the provincial law requires universities to have a policy effective by January 2017 that addresses any sexual violence that students experience. The bill also states that there should be a process of how to respond to violent situations.

Three expert panels were established to advise U of T President Meric Gertler and Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr: one panel on sexual violence policies, chaired by law professor and Provost of Trinity College Mayo Moran; one on education and prevention of sexual violence, chaired by professor Gretchen Kerr; and a sexual violence climate survey advisory board, chaired by professor Sandy Welsh.

Among the points made in the panel’s report to U of T was defining sexual violence.

“The [sexual violence policy]

takes an intersectional approach that recognizes that complainants from historically marginalized communities may be especially vulnerable to sexual harassment,” reads the point.

Other points in the report recognize and address the needs of historically-marginalized group members. The report also addresses the confidentiality of students affected by sexual violence, stating that the process would offer “maximal protection” and transparency.

“Through broad consultation with the university community, the panel will develop advice on the reporting process for sexual violence cases and on the investigation, resolution, and adjudication processes for such cases,” stated a memo by Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr last April, prior to selecting the panel.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE SUPPORT CENTRE IN U of T Campuses The university also plans on creating a Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Centre at all three U of T campuses, aimed at easing the process of formalizing reports for the victims.

The centre was one of the recommendations in a report passed by the Presidential and Provostial Ad-

visory Committee to the university last February, before establishing the expert panel. The committee included U of T undergraduate and graduate students, as well as staff and faculty.

CONCERNS ABOUT THE REPORT In an open letter to the university, the Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students addressed their concerns regarding the recommendations made by the committee last February. The letter was signed by UTMSU, Scarborough Campus Student Union, University of Toronto Graduate Student Union, the LGBT of U of T, as well as several other clubs.

Concerns mentioned in the letter included the committee’s “failure to meaningfully engage with marginalized communities.” APUS also thought that the analysis of the report was “limited” and that the report lacked a “broad-based approach to the elimination of sexual and gender-based violence at the university.”

Now that the panel has issued and finalized its recommendations, the university is expected to draft the policy and have it ready and effective by 2017.

09.06.2016 THE MEDIUM NEWS

New UTMSU Executive Director

»

3

»DID YOU ENJOY FROSH?

Khogali has former ties to UTSU and UTMSU

Name Program

Name Program

Answer

Answer

Name Program

Name Program

Answer

Answer

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Caption.

WRITER TITLE Former UTSU and UTMSU executive is now UTMSU’s executive director.

Walied Khogali, UTMSU’s executive director and Nausheen Adam, UTMSU’s services manager have officially resigned from their roles.

Khogali served as UTMSU’s executive director since August 2011 and vacated his position last August to accept a position in the not-for-profit sector of Toronto.

Adam acted as the services manager from September 2014 and vacated her position last August as well.

In an email to The Medium, UTMSU President Nour Alideeb stated that a hiring committee was set up to fill both positions.

Munib Sajjad has been appointed as the new executive director.

Sajjad served as a UTMSU VP external in 2011-2012, UTSU vice president in 2012, UTSU president in 2013-2014, executive director for the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union, and a VP internal for the Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students. “[Sajjad] brings a lot of experience, but is well known for his passion for social justice work,” Alideeb said.

Alideeb informed The Medium

that the UTMSU is in the process of changing staff roles “to better accommodate students and their needs.”

“We will miss both Mr. Khogali and Ms. Adam. We look forward to their advice and support as UTMSU alumni and former student representatives, as well as UTMSU staff,” she said.

“We are confident that they will play a pivotal role in promoting the values and goals of the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union in their new positions,” Alideeb added.

The role of services manager will be filled in the following weeks.

Ulrich Krull named inteirm VP

Krull’s position will take effect in August

New parking deck to open WRITER TITLE

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Caption.

WRITER TITLE

New interim principal following Saini’s leave Professor Ulrich Krull has been appointed as the new interim vice president of UTM until August 31, 2017.

Krull has served the UTM campus for over 30 years as a professor of analytical chemistry as well as other positions including vice-dean for graduates and vice-principal for research.

Prior to his time at UTM, Krull has served positions at UTSG, and is recognized as part of a group of leading analytical chemists in Canada.

Krull said he wants to give a sense that “we’re actually working together as a community.”

He expressed concern towards the tendency of student isolation to increase as a place grows, referring to the rapid growth of UTM and its new buildings.

“What I’m going to be trying to do is ensure everybody here, whether it’s a student, staff member, faculty, understand that they are part of a community,” he said.

Krull stated that there will be monthly town hall meetings, so that students can discuss their concerns.

“I’m going to be much more visible than has happened in the last few years,” he said.

Krull will use this year to address significant growth adjustments, including addressing the need for extra space in science labs, hiring world-leading faculty, improving the academic programs, and showing that the research at UTM can com-

pete with the best universities in the world.

According to Krull, this year is an “opportune time” for the UTM community to work its way toward future success, adding that Canada’s 150th anniversary celebration coincides with the 50th anniversary of UTM’s campus.

“People should feel that they are not just part of, but visible and their voice counts,” he said.

After Krull’s term as principal, the search committee, comprised of stakeholders, representatives from UTM such as faculty, staff, and students, as well as representatives from the UTSG and UTSC campuses, will be assembled by U of T’s president, Meric Gertler.

The search committee will then search for someone to fill in the permanent principal position for a term

New parking deck to open this week.

The lower level of UTM’s new parking deck will open on Tuesday, following a lack of parking spaces on campus.

The two-storey parking deck, located across the Recreation, Athletics and Wellness Center, has been under construction since the beginning of May. Paul Donoghue, UTM’s chief administrative officer, told The Medium that there has been a construction delay due to the late delivery of the precast concrete pieces that were needed to complete the construction of the deck.

“All kinds of things can go wrong in the time of delivery because our schedule is so tight,” Donoghue explained, adding that if it were not for the late delivery, the parking would have been ready as expected by the end of this summer, and not many students would have needed to be waitlisted.

Due to the construction of the Phase 2 North Building, other parking spots were lost as well, including Parking Lot 1 and several spaces in lots 4 and 8. This resulted in a loss of approximately 230 parking spots compared to last year.

Lot 11 would have acted as temporary alternative parking. UTM was also arranging other spots, including that on the South Field.

Many more students were waitlist-

ed this year on the parking permit list due to the loss of the spaces.

Donoghue said that the parking

Six-line pull quote.

Six-line pull quote.

Six-line pull quote.

Six-line pull quote.

Six-line pull quote.

Six-line pull quote. shortage applied to everybody, but he explained that faculty and staff members have the chance to buy the parking passes earlier than students, as they have to be on campus every day.

Donoghue stated that he received complaints from students regarding the shortage of parking spots.

“As it always is in the first weeks of September, parking will be crowded, but the major shortage has been avoided,” he said.

He also recommended that students show up early if they can, to try and avoid shortages.

Parking in the residence lot is forbidden, and parking near fire routes will result in an immediate towing of the car.

The upper level of the deck has experienced no delays, and is expected to open this November as planned.

09.06.2016

»

5

Divine art: illustrations of spirituality Art Gallery of Mississauga exhibition draws inspiration from Tantric Buddhism and Sanskrit culture EDRIC BALA Currently on display at the Art Gallery of Mississauga is Youngo Verma’s exhibition, Kundalini: Union of the Divine. The display features a collection of drawings, paintings, and sculptures that span over 40 years.

Kundalini is a Sanskrit word, kund meaning “to burn” and kunda meaning “to coil” or “to spiral”. Verma’s artwork is designed to reflect “the concentrated field of intelligent, cosmic invisible energy absolutely vital to life.” The title of the exhibition implies that the Kundalini is the union of the will, knowledge and action leading to the union of the divine.

Verma (1938-2014) spent approximately 40 years in isolation working on his craft. During this time, he examined and explored the idea of Tantra and its connection to cosmic energy. The Tantric method includes contemplation and ritual practices, which desire to convert the divine energy of the macrocosm into the human microcosm to achieve Moksha: a state of freedom, self-actualization, and self-knowledge. Verma’s paintings resonate with Tantric Hinduism beginning in the fifth and sixth century, whereas his drawings reflect Tantric Buddhism.

SAMUEL KAN/THE MEDIUM

Youngo Verma’s Kundalini: The Union of the Divine explores antiquated spirituality.

Kundalini: The Union of the Divine displays three diverse and vital periods of Verma’s work. Like many other artists, Verma kept secret artwork. His figurative illustrations were discovered after his death in 2014. They were completed in Germany in the 1970s, yet remained hidden from the public until his passing.

These extraordinarily original drawings explore the concept of duality, as they portray humanlike alien figures, grounded despite their wings, with lively forms of energy that jump out at viewers.

Verma created his sensual and mystical Tantric paintings and drawings in Canada in the 1980s. They

represent a distinct evolution from his earlier work. The minimalist and abstract paintings explore spiritual linking between the divine figures, Shivalingam and Om. These paintings pay tribute to early abstract paintings from India, which were used chiefly for reflection and represented deities as geometric and

richly-hued forms. The early Tantric paintings were inspired by the handwritten Tantra treatises from 6 B.C.E. They were duplicated many times throughout their existence until the 17th century, when they developed into a multifaceted symbol of cosmology.

Verma’s third period of work includes a small number of illustrations completed in the last 15 years.

They signify an in-depth examination of cosmic energy through the medium of graphite on paper. Verma illustrated relentlessly, sitting crosslegged on the ground with classical music playing in the background.

During this period, he said, “Every day after breakfast, I sit in Tapasya and paint what comes to me. I am thinking of the skies, cosmic energies up high above, and my hand moves automatically. This is a process during which I don’t think of Earth and earthly things. At that point, I only know that my hand is moving. I am a fakhir. This is the great advantage of me being in solitude. I can get absorbed in this without being disturbed.”

Kundalini: Union of the Divine is on display at the AGM until September 11.

Blurring the division between species

Blackwood Gallery exhibition questions the human-primate distinction through performance art KRISTIN LADAS

The current exhibition at the Blackwood Gallery is titled The Cage is a Stage: A Project in Five Parts, presented by Southern Californiabased artist, Emily Mast. Aside from art, Mast is interested in anthropology, with a focus on primates. She studies the interactions between humans and animals, particularly the behaviours that arise from animals in captivity. Mast created and performed in The Cage is a Stage alongside Heyward Bracey, Kiara Gamboa, Garrett Hallman, Angelina Prendergast and Joe Seely.

The Cage is a Stage is a five-part performative project that debuted at the Blackwood Gallery on June 25 and at the Harbourfront Centre Theatre on June 29. It continues as an exhibition curated at the Blackwood Gallery and UTM’s e|gallery

by Christine Bradshaw and Julia Paoli.

Each part of the exhibition is interconnected. As visitors move through the sections, the performative art progresses as a chronological story. Ideas from this project are based on the 1977 essay by John

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Emily Mast’s five-part project probes into the deeper questions of animal ethics.

Berger, “Why Look at Animals,” in which he compares zoos to art galleries. In Mast’s exhibition, primates are the artistic platform that appeal to the audience’s genetic similarities.

What defines a human being?

How are humans different from animals? Why do we feel a sense of authority over animals? These are some of the questions Mast asks.

The Cage is a Stage offers a platform in which these questions can be answered.

“Part 1: PROOF.” Apes gibber and objects fall. The noise grows louder as I near a cardboard wall. Standing in the dark is a tall, wide box. I step around it and open a door, moving into a makeshift cage of animal sounds and video recordings.

As I stand in the middle of the cardboard box, four different videos play on each wall. On one wall, there are people costumed as bright pink apes, crawling and jumping around a room. Cardboard rectangles are strewn across the floor, along with pink medicine balls and pink rocks. Curtains painted to resemble leaves hang in the background. On another wall, a child is dressed as a tree. He stands and watches the apes closely. The third wall shows continual camera movements, and the fourth displays the ending, where the actors remove their masks and reveal their faces as they sit on cardboard chairs.

“Part 2: BLEED.” The walls of the e|gallery are bright pink as I enter and stand before a wall of poetic writing. The music intensifies and softens, back and forth. The actors in the room pluck cardboard pieces off the floor and drag them to different areas of the gallery. The speed of their movements follow the tempo of the music.

Throughout the performance, the actors change positions and speeds constantly, all while holding the cardboard pieces. Audience members are encouraged to participate.

Cage continued on page 6

6

«ARTS

THE MEDIUM 09.06.2016

Hip’s emotional soirée Kingston band pays tribute to a holistic Canadian experience ADELAIDE ATTARD ASSOCIATE ARTS EDITOR On August 20th, The Tragically Hip stepped onto the stage at the Rogers K-Rock Center in Kingston, Ontario for their final concert. For many, The Hip’s music paints a landscape of the Canadian experience. With how they reference familiar places such as Toronto, Bobcaygeon, and Saskatchewan in their songs, the band makes fans proud to be Canadian.

After frontman Gordon Downie was diagnosed with brain cancer in December 2015, fans across the world were moved by the inevitable closure that was soon to come for the band.

Since their formation in 1984, The Hip has translated Canada into poetry. It was no surprise that citizens across the country tuned in to CBC’s live broadcast to hear the group perform.

Any viewer could see the love that night as Downie kissed every band member before walking on stage.

Dressed in a silver leather suit, a top hat with black and white feathers, and—in keeping with Downie’s fashion taste—a Jaws t-shirt, Downie walked on stage. The offbeat outfit

brought sparkle and punch to what was undeniably a difficult night for many.

They opened with “Fifty Mission Cap,” one of their well-known songs.

They played hits such as “Bobcaygeon,” “Ahead by a Century,” and “New Orleans is Sinking.” The band tried their best to keep their emotions under control but at any given time, one could glance at guitarist Paul Langlois and see that he was struggling with the band’s conclusion after 32 years.

Among those in the crowd was none other than Prime Minister Trudeau, who Downie praised several times.

In the middle of “Grace, Too,” Downie broke down with unapologetic emotion and sweat dripping from his face. Signature screams in the song became more angry than usual, followed by a mic-drop. He then wiped tears from his face as the camera panned to audience members

doing the same.

Among those in the crowd was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who Downie praised several times during the concert. He celebrated Trudeau for acknowledging Canada’s past treatment of Indigenous peoples and commended him for his efforts. He told the audience to “hold [Trudeau] to it.”

As Downie acknowledged Trudeau for a second time, mentioning, “He’s going to take us where we need to go,” the camera panned to Trudeau, who began tearing up at Downie’s praise.

Two hours into the concert, the band arrived at the end of their setlist.

But it didn’t end there. They performed not one encore, but three. On behalf of The Hip, Downie said they were “Officially into unchartered waters. We never do third [encores].”

The evening ended with “Ahead by a Century”. Dripping with sweat, each band member huddled together to say their final goodbyes to their vast audience. The Hip’s final show was a historical night for Canada. Despite Downie’s illness, he powered through the three-hour show, armed with will and determination, and grace, too.

Fresh knacks on stage UTM hosted its own rendition of America’s Got Talent

REWIND AYESHA TAK

University students often feel frustrated trying to remain sane under the burgeoning stress of academia.

As we try to balance school, work, extracurricular activities, friends, family, and other personal concerns, we begin to question our motivation.

This thin line between sanity and insanity makes the theme of Ken Kesey’s novel-turned-movie, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, relevant to university students.

Directed by Miloš Forman, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest follows the story of McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a convict who transfers from a prison farm to a mental institution.

His charisma and wit are key features to his character. He manages to outsmart all of the institution’s employees, including the doctors. When he first arrives at the mental hospital, it’s mentioned that he’s convicted for seducing a teenage girl. Despite his promiscuous behaviour, you’ll be shocked at how quickly you start to cheer for him, which is a testament to Nicholson’s performance.

He is grouped with fellow “psych mates” Chief (Will Sampson), Dale (William Redfield), Billy (Brad Dourif), Charlie (Sydney Lassick), Taber (Christopher Lloyd), and Martini (Danny DeVito). McMurphy befriends this offbeat group of patients, and together they rebel against the institution.

If this cast of Hollywood stars won’t convince you to watch the movie, its noteworthy praise might.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

swept the 48th Academy Awards in 1976, winning Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Screenplay.

The film’s questionable aspects of racism and sexism—keep in mind, it was released in 1975—did not detract from its powerful meaning. The film draws attention to the marginalized people of society: Outcasts on the brink of insanity.

This classification of sanity versus insanity led me to wonder: Who am I, or society as a collective, to decide who is insane and who isn’t?

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest aged gracefully. When I watched it in 2016, the themes, characters, humour, and plot all appeared relevant to the present day. Issues such as mental health, isolation, anger, suicide, institutions, oppression, selfworth, and labelling are aspects of society applicable to any generation.

There’s a reason this film swept the Oscars.

At the beginning, I didn’t believe any of the patients acted in a way that warranted psychiatric treatment. Their supposed illnesses included effeminacy, anxiety, sadness, and other characteristics that deviate from political and social norms. This classification of sanity versus insanity led me to wonder: Who am I, or society as a collective, to decide who is insane and who isn’t?

Gallery showcases animal art Cage continued from page 5

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Performances included singing, dancing, and musical acts.

NICOLE SCIULLI Last Tuesday, the UTMSU kicked off Orientation Week with UTM’s Got Talent, a talent show designed to boost school spirit for first-year students. The event showcased a series of performances by students, putting UTM’s enthusiasm on full display.

The night began with Drake’s “One Dance” blaring through the speakers, which prompted students to cheer and dance. The crowd wore paintsplattered frosh t-shirts and wide smiles as the excitement grew for the upcoming acts.

The show began with two firstyear students (insert names), who sang Charlie Puth’s “One Phone Call Away.” Although they only had five minutes to prepare, their enthusiasm

was infectious.

One highlight of the evening included UTM’s RHYTHM club. The team performed a mix of both mod-

“Being the best at whatever talent you have, that’s what stimulates life.”

—Tom Landry ern and international dances to a medley of K-pop, Bollywood, and pop music. They incorporated dance moves from music videos such as Big Bang’s “BANG BANG” and Sia’s “Cheap Thrills.”

Two notable singing acts that awed the crowd were (Name’s) performance of “Beautiful Girls” —a Psy rendition of Big Sean’s classic hit—and (Katrina something’s) performance of Jazmine Sullivan’s “Bust Your Windows.”

Their vocals impressed the judges and left the students speechless.

The evening also included solo dance routines by Keiko(?) and Chef Q(?). Both performances received standing ovations for their hip-hop and techno dance moves.

Students and volunteers alike believed the talent show to be a successful introduction to Orientation Week.

“It was an amazing and refreshing experience,” comments volunteer Hasshita (missing information?). “It makes me want to relive my frosh.”

“Part 3: FLEURON.” The billboard outside of the Davis Building advertises The Cage is a Stage.

I wonder what’s happening in the photo and how I’m meant to feel.

The image shows four figures, two male and two female. Two of them hold pieces of cardboard to their faces, blocking their features. One figure stretches their arms outward and looks down. The last figure is bent over. Each person moves in the same direction, to the right.

The word “TOP” is written on one of the cardboard pieces. Three figures wear light pink shirts and the fourth wears a gold one. Mast describes this image as an “emblem for the entire project.”

Mast’s exhibition compels the audience to appreciate the emotions of primates and consider the bond between humans and animals.

“Part 4: BLOCK.” This particular performance was presented at the Harbourfront Centre Theatre at the Power Plant on June 29 and 30.

“Part 5: Physical Publication.

“The fifth piece in Mast’s project is a short booklet comprised of quotes, excerpts, and images from various articles of literature pertaining to zoology, anthropology, and biology. Each chapter of Mast’s booklet focuses on interaction, sexuality, bodily functions,

What defines a human being? What makes us different from animals?

Why do we feel a sense of authority over animals? animosity, evolution, and the comparison of the human species to animals. Mast completed a tremendous amount of research and investigation to unravel the mystery behind “emotional expression in animals.”

The Cage is a Stage runs until September 18 at the Blackwood Gallery.

8

«

09.06.2016

Max’s Big Ride returns after 600 km Similar to last year, Semihradsky and Max started biking in Ottawa at Parliament Hill, on Father’s Day FARAH QAISER EDITOR For the second year in a row, Andrew Sedmihradsky (the global motility coordinator at UTM’s International Education Centre) and his five-yearold son, Max, together biked 600 kilometres, from Ottawa to Hamilton, in order to raise awareness about Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and fundraise towards finding a cure.

Affecting 1 in 3,500 boys, DMD is a fatal disease that causes muscle degeneration. Those with the disease generally have an average life expectancy of about 25 years.

Andrew’s son Max suffers from D MD—but that hasn’t stopped him from taking the front seat on his father’s bike and leading the way on their annual ride.

Similar to last year, Max’s Big Ride started in Ottawa at Parliament Hill, on Father’s Day. However, this year, the duo pedaled along the Waterfront Trail and completed the journey in seven days, instead of 11 days.

“This year, there was a lot more time spent on the bike,” says Andrew.

“The weather made it challenging.

We had four days in a row where it was close to 40ºC […] But there’s certainly nothing to complain about—I hope it doesn’t come across that way.

It was a very enjoyable thing and I look forward to doing it again next year.”

CHRISTY TAM/THE MEDIUM

Andrew Semihradsky and Max together biked 600 kilometres, from Ottawa to Hamilton.

What was also different this year was the recognition that Max’s Big Ride received—particularly the acknowledgement from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

This acknowledgement was made possible through Karina Gould, the MP for Burlington.

Following the bike launch at the Urkai store in Burlington, Gould approached Andrew and offered the possibility of having a reception at Parliament Hill with 40 invited MPs before Max’s Big Ride officially kicked off. Andrew agreed immediately.

“I was really impressed. We didn’t

even ask her to do anything. Normally, I was bothering people to do stuff!” he says.

Unfortunately, Parliament unexpectedly broke up a few days before Max’s Big Ride.

“I was so involved in planning Max’s Big Ride that I didn’t even know that Parliament had broken up,” says Andrew.

However, a smaller meeting still took place at Parliament Hill, where Max’s Big Ride received certificates signed by various MPs and a statement from the Prime Minister.

“I looked at it about five times be-

fore I even read it,” says Andrew. “I kept looking at the signature, opening and closing it up. It wasn’t even a letter—it was a speech. […] It was really [written] to Max—it was cool.

But it was a speech, and not a letter.

So I was thinking: oh my God. He was supposed to be there to mark the beginning of the ride.”

“I was just thinking: is this really happening? It’s very surreal to think that we made this website in my basement, and then 18 months later, the leader of Canada knew about it […]

It shows that we’re doing something right.”

This year, funds raised through sponsors and donations went towards two causes: funding DMD research (via Jesse’s Journey) and the cost of the drug Translarna.

“Max gained access to a drug called Translarna, which has not been approved here in Canada,” says Andrew.

While Translarna is not a cure for DMD, it does address the underlying cause of the disease. When Max gained access to the drug, it made the Sedmihradskys the fifth family in Canada to do so.

“We had to strike a deal with the drug company. The drug is worth about $300,000 a year, and we needed to pay a [proportion of that], which is confidential, in order to keep getting that drug.”

Through a GoFundMe page, sufficient money was raised to secure the drug for Max by April 2016. Then all efforts were directed towards raising money for Jesse’s Journey (a Canadian charity dedicated to funding research for DMD around the world).

Over the last two years, Max’s Big Ride has raised over $100,000.

Max’s Big Ride ended on Canada Day. However, that was not the end of their biking adventures for the summer, as the Sedmihradskys went on to hold Max’s Big Climb a mere three weeks later at Sydenham Hill in Dundas, Ontario.

Max continued on page 10

Celebrating student research at Smarti Gras

Student researchers demonstrate summer research projects, through either presentations or posters AYESHA HASSAN, AMNA AZHAR, KRISTEN LADAS, AYESHA TIRMIZI WITH NOTES FROM FARAH QAISER EDITOR The Smarti Gras event was held on August 16 at Deerfield Hall. This summer research celebration was a chance for student researchers to demonstrate their research projects, through either presentations or posters, to other students, faculty, friends, and family. There were research projects from various programs, including biology, religion, psychology, and ICCIT. The Medium spoke to a few research students to find out more about their projects and what their next steps are.

Project: Effect of C-peptide and Co-peptide from the insulin precursor on muscle activity in the disease vector, Rhodnius prolixus As the majority of UTM’s student population disappeared for the summer, third-year comparative physiology student Mahnoor Ayub remained on campus and conducted research on insect physiology. Based in Professor Angela Lange’s lab, Ayub specifically

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Ayub dissects kissing bug larvae under the microscope in Professor Lange’s lab worked with the organism Rhodnius prolixus, a small blood-sucking bug that transmits the parasite (Trypansosoma cruzi) responsible for causing Chagas’ disease.

Chagas’ disease is one of the leading causes of death in South and Central America. If untreated, the parasite infection can remain for several years and may be life-threatening.

Ayub discovered this research

opportunity through a post on the UTM Biology website. While she did discuss it with her friends, she only considered taking it up after she met Lange at Meet The Profs night, organized by the Biology Students Association.

“I wanted to do research in the lab.

Luckily I met her there and talked to her, and she told me about the different opportunities that lie ahead,” said

Ayub.

A major portion of the research in the Lange lab centers around a peptide called the insulin-like peptide.

This peptide is very similar to human insulin in terms of its DNA sequence and the functions that it carries out, such as growth and reproduction.

Ayub’s project was specifically concerned with a section of proinsulin, called C-peptide. Her objective was

to determine the effect of C-peptide on the muscle activity of R. prolixus.

“Recently, there has been a significant body of research that says [that] C-peptide in itself also has a physiological effect, and that is what we tried to find,” she said.

While other members of the Lange lab investigated different sections of the insect, Ayub was responsible for investigating the function of the muscles—specifically the hindgut, and how both C-peptide and Co-peptide affect it.

Ayub found that C-peptide increases muscle contractions.

“It’s very small in terms of what more you can find, but what we saw now was that we can speculate that the C-peptide is opening some sort of channels, because it is increasing contractions. Previous research shows that C-peptide opens potassium and sodium channels.”

She further added that vertebrates have specific receptors that recognise C-peptide, so the next step was to see whether the same thing is true for R. Prolixus. As the results showed, it was the same as in vertebrates.

Summer continued on page 9

09.06.2016 THE MEDIUM FEATURES» 9

Pokemon Go: a global search sensation Following the release of Pokémon GO on July 6, data suggests that the number of players are falling DEVANSHI ADHVARYU Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about Pokémon GO by now. According to TechCrunch, the application created

by Niantic has gained global recognition as the most downloaded application after its initial release.

Pokémon GO is an augmented reality game that brings all the beloved Pokémon creatures from the original series to life. The objective of the game is to catch all of the available Pokémon in the game—summarized by the series’ well-known catchphrase: “gotta catch ‘em all”. The Pokémon that can be found depend on the location—in fact, some Pokémon are exclusive to certain regions.

In order to “catch ’em all”, the player must interact with their environment in real time.

While being the most downloaded game, not all users of Pokémon GO seem to have played the original Nintendo games.

Meenah Saravanabavan, a thirdyear statistics major, said, “This is my first experience with Pokémon ever.

I’ve never played any of the originals—I just picked [Pokémon Go] up because it seemed fun.”

Others have watched the Pokémon cartoon series and played the original games during their childhood,

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

The release of Pokémon GO has prompted players to step outside and “catch ‘em all”. which drew them towards the app.

Navdeep Bhatoa, a second-year mathematical science major, stated, “I felt like my childhood was back.

[I] grew up watching and playing [Pokémon Go], and then completely forgot about it—and then suddenly there’s this augmented reality game that brings it all back! It’s awesome!”

Here at UTM, you will notice that there are various PokeStops that are predominantly buildings on campus.

Navigating from PokeStop to PokeStop is easy, considering most of the stops are close to each other.

“I usually keep it on when I’m in the library. […] [The] PokeStop [restarts] every few minutes,” said Saravanabavan. While every building on campus has its own PokeStop, the library is a major hot spot for most players.

This unique augmented reality game has had a lot of positive feedback since its release. Unlike other mobile games, Pokémon GO requires its players to engage with their environment, creating new face-toface interactions with other players.

However, there are pros and cons to

everything, and the same rule applies to Pokémon GO. When I asked Saravanabavan why she likes Pokémon GO, she said, “I think it’s easy and fun to play. You can play it with other people, and it makes you explore parks and cities which you usually wouldn’t explore.

My initial complaint was that it used data, but it really doesn’t take up much data at all. I only get 200 MB of data a month, and can play quite a bit with that data.”

There are PokeStops in the game that are usually monuments or land-

marks, where the players can collect items such as Pokeballs, which are required in order to catch the Pokémon. Recently, a few PokeStops in the game have received some controversy. According to various articles (such as Mashable’s “10 very inappropriate locations for PokeStops in Pokémon Go”), there are PokeStops drawing players to cemeteries, while other players are trespassing private property as they track a Pokémon down.

These sort of incidents have become normal to the game. So the question is, can these incidents create further complications to the game?

Recently, there seems to be a decrease in the number of daily users.

In fact, according to a recent Bloomberg article (“Pokémon GO usage has peaked”), data collected from various sources suggests that there is an increasing downward trend in the usage and time spent on the app—as well as the number of Pokémon GO daily users.

Whether Pokémon GO is just a passing fad remains to be seen. What is important to remember is that whether you are an avid Pokémon trainer or just trying out the game for fun, remember to keep an eye on your surroundings—and your data plan.

Decisions and stress - keeping your cool Summer continued from page 8

Project: The Person Behind The Badge: Relationship Between Compassion Fatigue, Operational and Organizational Stress Among Police.

Informational poster boards line the first floor of Deerfield Hall. Student researchers present to other students, faculty, friends, and family about their research projects. The Summer Research Celebration, called Smarti Gras, was a collection of students’ research in various programs including biology, religion, psychology, ICCIT, and many more. The event took place on August 16.

Yuchen Wang is a fourth-year psychology student who participated in this year’s Smarti Gras.

Wang, along with his colleagues’ Devikaa Anandjit, Natalie PadronAlarcon, and Jacqueline Zurowsk, worked under the supervision of Professor Judith Anderson of the psychology department and Konstantinos Papazoglou, graduate student coordinator of the Police Research and Training Projects, to collaborate with local police officers. Their research project, titled “The Person Behind the Badge: The Relationship Between Compassion Fatigue, Operational and Organizational Stress Among Police,” focuses on the effects of serious training and on-the-job stress and suffering that officers endure.

Their research is based on The International Performance Resilience and Efficiency Program, which hosts training sessions aiding first responders through high-stress situations.

The program teaches first responders how to develop their decision-mak-

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Wang presents findings demonstrating the relationship between training and decision-making. ing skills and control their physical reactions.

Wang and his colleagues hypoth esized that officers will be highly affected by stressful training, causing irrational decision-making, high cortisol levels, and an increased heart rate.

Throughout the eight-day process, 57 participants were placed in multiple scenarios with varying levels of difficulties. The goal was to measure decision-making strategies, stress levels, compassion fatigue, operational stress, and organizational stress. Compassion fatigue can be defined as the experience of emotional distress that affects a person helping another in a stressful situation, causing themselves to feel trauma.

Wang says, “From past studies in compassion fatigue, some of the stress from medical professionals comes from organizational stress,

like hospital rooms.” Organizational stress has to do with an individual’s work environment. Operational stress is due to the work an individual does.

“We wanted to look at physiological data as well as survey data to look at how they interact,” says Wang.

Wang mentions that the group made correlations primarily through survey data, because it was less timeconsuming to obtain in comparison to physiological data (resting and maximum heart rate, cortisol levels, etc.).

Wang says they found that compassion fatigue is “moderately related to both stress and cortisol levels in police officers. It suggests that they have high levels of compassion fatigue and stress.”

However, Wang says they were not surprised by what they found, as it was close to what their hypothesis

and referenced literature suggested.

Wang says that the project was difficult because of the time it took to go through each procedure and collect all of the data. “It takes a lot of planning, a lot of background work with prior research and making sure things happened… I never realised how much forethought goes into all of these projects.”

“We know that a lot of jobs deal with high stress, and this research proves that police officers feel the same effects as paramedics, doctors, military officers, etc.”

To sum up his project, Wang says, “People are affected by stress.

We know intuitively that these are stressful jobs, and it can be difficult sometimes to be in those positions because it is so stressful. We know that and sometimes we forget. The training itself was effective with the stress responses, cortisol, and deci-

sion making.”

Project: The effect of parental discipline on children’s moral development Victoria Troisi is a third-year psychology specialist who worked in Professor Tina Malti’s Social-Emotional Development and Intervention lab this summer.

Troisi’s research focused on the various disciplining strategies parents use, and how these strategies affect children’s sympathetic behavior.

So how did Troisi find her way into a psychology lab? The answer lies with Troisi’s PSY210 course instructor: Professor Elizabeth Johnson.

Johnson’s constant encouragement that students should seek research opportunities to explore their interests led Troisi to apply to volunteer at the SEDI lab. She started as a volunteer in February 2016, and then applied for a position at the SEDI lab through the Research Opportunity Program as soon as the position posting went online.

By May 2016, Troisi was an ROP student at the SEDI lab. According to Troisi, what made her experience most enjoyable was the supportive environment and independence within the lab.

This summer, Troisi was responsible for analyzing data collected by SEDI lab members throughout the 2015-2016 academic year. Troisi’s analysis was carried out under the supervision of Malti and with the support of Ph.D. student, Sebastian Dys. The SEDI lab members are studying the behavior patterns of children and adolescents. Their study focused on children of ages four and six.

Summer continued on page 10

10

«FEATURES

THE MEDIUM 09.06.2016

Researching children, stories and languages Summer continued from page 9 During the data collection, researchers asked the parents to complete a questionnaire in order to categorize parental disciplining strategies.

The questionnaire contained hypothetical scenarios regarding children’s negative actions. Parents were asked how they would discipline children in response to such actions.

Based on parents’ responses, researchers categorized parents into four groups, distinguished by different disciplining strategies: induction, power-assertion, love-withdrawal, and parental disappointment.

Induction refers to “putting the child into someone else’s shoes”, or encouraging them to view the situation from the perspective of those they may have wronged. Power-assertion is the means to control children by, such as the use of physical punishments. Love withdrawal refers to removing parental support, for example, by ignoring the child. Finally, parental disappointment is the overt expression of disappointment in the child.

To “measure” children’s sympathetic behavior, researchers asked parents how often their child acted sympathetically towards others.

Induction was the most frequentlyreported style of parenting.

Results demonstrated two significant findings. Primarily, only induction showed a positive correlation to sympathetic behavior in children, while the other groups showed no correlation.

Secondly, parents used the strategy of induction significantly more often for six-year-olds than for four-yearolds, based on the assumption that four-year-olds would not be able to understand the value of induction techniques.

However, Troisi’s study shows that

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Rehmaan was the only student presenting research in the religion category at Smarti Gras. “induction works just as well across four and six-year-olds.”

Previous scientific research also supports a consistent positive correlation between induction and children’s moral behavior.

According to Troisi, this study suggests that “implementing induction at a young age could predict moral development.”

However, in contrast to Troisi’s study, previous research shows a negative correlation between the use of power assertion and children’s moral outcomes. The results of studies on love withdrawal sway between a negative or absence of correlation.

Finally, although research on parental disappointment has not yet been carried out extensively, it often shows a positive relationship with children’s moral development.

As an aspiring clinical child psychologist, Troisi was thrilled to have had the opportunity to share her findings with her peers and professors amongst other audience members at the Summer Research Celebration.

Troisi referred to them not as the audience, but as current and possible

Riding for awareness Max continued from page 8 Sydenham Hill is an iconic location.

The 143-metre-high hill is particularly well-known for serving as a training ground for Clara Hughes, the sixtime Canadian Olympic medalist in cyclic and speed skating. In fact, there is currently a plaque dedicated to her (“Clara’s Climb”) on Sydenham Hill “[The idea] just struck me one day. I was in Toronto, celebrating my birthday and our wedding anniversary […]

I felt like this was a good idea [that] has some potential,” says Andrew.

“Max’s Big Ride appeals to people who want to help out with the charity and it has to be something they can relate to […] whereas the Climb was a competitive event where we ask cyclists to come out and race.”

Max’s Big Climb was set to occur on a one-kilometre course along Sydenham Hill. Participants were divided into two categories (men and women), then subdivided into seven age categories (14-15, 16-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60+) and then subdivided once more by licensing (OCA-licensed racers and nonlicensed riders). Initially, for each subcategory, each rider was allowed to ride twice. Using their fastest times, riders were ranked according to their age and gender groups. The fastest rider in each category was recognized.

Additionally, the fastest four men

and women competed in a Semi-Heat race. The resulting winners (two men and two women) then participated in a final race, where winners of each category would be crowned ‘King’ and ‘Queen of the Mountain’ respectively.

Max’s Big Climb was held on Saturday, July 23, where a total of 55 cyclists participated and raised over $4,000 for DMD research through pledges and registration fees.

“We had a guy go up [the hill] on a unicycle—which was crazy. He wasn’t the last person [in the race] so he did quite well,” says Andrew. “He was also riding the unicycle down the hill, which was insane.”

Andrew is keen on repeating Max’s Big Ride and Climb next year—especially in time for Canada’s 150th anniversary. However, he now wants to focus more on raising awareness about DMD. “The money that we raised is great and very much appreciated, but it’s a drop in the bucket in terms of the money that is required to run research labs and bring these changes about,” says Andrew.

“I felt the need to do something but it’s also [been a] kind of cathartic experience. You can’t just sit and wait for this to happen—you’ve got to fight it. Well, we’re fighting it, but we’re not fighting it enough. So I keep thinking that we’ve got to do more.”

future parents.

Troisi also shared with The Medium that the SEDI lab will continue to conduct this test on other age groups of children and adolescents.

Regarding the research process, Troisi says, “You have to be patient with something like this. It may take a long time, but it’s really worth it at the end. It’s all about the process.”

In terms of what field of research to pursue, she adds, “No matter what kind of research it is, there’s going to be a lot of trial and error. You don’t have to find your exact interest right away. Any experience is valuable. You need to take the initiative.”

Project: Stories Make Us Human Among the talks, oral presentations, and poster exhibitions, second-year student Zeahaa Rehmaan, double majoring in linguistics and professional writing, was the only student with research in the religion category.

As a part of the summer Research Opportunity Program on Urdu literature led by Professor Shafique N. Virani, Rehmaan read Urdu texts, in-

cluding Gulzar-i Shams (Rose Garden of Shams) by Mulukshah and Bustani Khayal (Garden of Imaginations) by Muhammad Taqikhayal.

“Both of these are really old texts.

They were originally in Persian and then translated to Urdu. There aren’t any printed copies of them in English, so the general public doesn’t even know about them. It contains really hard Urdu. As you know, Urdu changed over time, so it was hard for me to adjust to that,” she explains.

Bustan-i Khayal is a dastan. This form of Urdu prose developed from oral storytelling that was done by professional narrators and was widespread near Middle East and South Asia as a form of art back in the 13th century. Dastans are characterized as being extremely lengthy heroic epics, filled with supernatural, fantastical adventures and high, unrealistic romances. ”They contained really exaggerated stories about kings fighting wars, rescuing people from evil trolls, marrying queens, you know, stuff like that,” laughs Rehmaan. “But they were really enjoyable to read.”

Through her experience in the ROP, Rehmaan learned how to translate and transliterate Urdu text to English, proofread old existing translations, and make digital copies of the manuscripts by typing the Urdu text from manuscripts onto Word files.

“I’m really fluent in Urdu, but there aren’t a lot of opportunities for me to use this skill,” says Rehmaan. “I’ve been trying to get back into my native language because I felt I was losing it. So when I found out about this, I thought I could reconnect with my language through this research opportunity, so it was perfect.”

At the event, Rehmaan explained the research that she was a part of.

“People came up to me and asked me where they could read these stories. These books are still in the process of being published in English, as they are really huge, so it was nice to know that there were people interested in them and actually wanted to read them.”

“The point of this research in Urdu literature specifically was that in North American media, the majority of the Muslims from Middle East and South Asia, and the religion Islam itself, are not painted in a positive light—so these stories are a great way to get to know more about the religion and the culture of South Asia and Middle East,” explains Rehmaan.

“Professor Virani hopes that in the future, people can read these stories which feature Muslim protagonists in a positive light, and this way the stories would humanize Muslims and allow people to know them better.”

“I’ve been reading Urdu stories ever since I was a kid; that’s why I thought this research was a great way to get back into that old habit. I don’t really have any previous involvement with translation, but this was a really novel and enjoyable experience for me.”

08.27.2017

»

11

The art of surfing in sunny California UTM students travel to california to refine their surfing skills in the beautiful Pacific Ocean VANESSA CESARIO SPORTS EDITOR The Pacific Ocean waves in California are among the most famous in the world. You learn quickly that the waves are unforgiving. A surfer understands that there are many more opportunities to fail than there are to succeed. They must be decisive and attentive, splash away doubts, and carry unrelenting confidence.

After my days surfing in the Pacific Ocean, I no longer associate surfing with the cowabunga-surfer-dude persona and familiar shaka sign. Men and women of all ages look to enhance their level of physical fitness and mental fortitude by tackling powerful waves. For me, what’s most beautiful about surfing is how you find solace feeling minuscule in the vast body of water that can swallow you at any moment without hesitation.

While you’re bobbing on the still water waiting for the next tide to come in, you look out and realize that surfing isn’t just a sport, it’s a religion.

Like all games, there needs to be a meditative aspect for someone to feel passionate about what they’re trying

UTM’s Nader Hadi catching some big waves in the Pacific Ocean. to accomplish. The greatest athletes in the world are as great as they are because they want to practice not just with their team, but also when they’re alone. Think about any great poster athlete from any era—their work is their meditation, and they work mostly when others aren’t watching.

Surfing cultivates and demands a certain level of mindfulness and awareness, which is arguably the greatest tool an athlete can have in their arsenal.

I wasn’t alone in challenging the waves. Fourth-year UTM student Nader Hadi surfed along the coast

JEANLOUIS REBELLO/THE MEDIUM

of California as well. “My perception of surfing has changed; it takes a lot more than great surfer hair and a relaxed attitude to master the sport,” he says. “Even though I feel physically drained, I’m mentally satisfied after catching that first wave knowing I did something new and exceptional.”

Surfers executed several impressive moves throughout our time on the waves. However, the surfers who perfected the Hanging Ten were the ones who mesmerized Hadi. In this manoeuvre, a surfer stands at the tip of their board with their toes hanging off while riding a 10-foot wave. Years of gruelling practice has enabled surfing athletes to walk up and down their board, riding waves smoothly.

To participate in surfing, you need a baseline level of physical strength and conditioning. You aren’t simply relaxing on a giant board, soaking in the sunshine; your arms will get exhausted and sore—you’ll feel aches you’ve never felt before. It’s no wonder why the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan will recognize the sport for the first time.

The key to surfing is to remain relaxed. If you are timid, your muscles will tense up, and you won’t be able to execute the proper technique that is needed to ride the big waves. Mental acuity is a significant part of surfing; you must create the conditions to facilitate success.

Surfing continued on page 12

Renewed hope and fortified chemistry The UTM men’s soccer team has high expectations going into the 2017/2018 outdoor season VANESSA CESARIO SPORTS EDITOR Last season, the men’s varsity soccer team finished fourth among their central division opponents Ontario Colleges Athletic Association. The first-year squad surprised many with their performance at the end of the regular season and in the playoffs.

The Eagles (2-5-3) didn’t have any serious expectations going into the playoffs. They were up against defending champions Algonquin College in the quarterfinals, but dethroning them made for a Cinderella story that should continue all the way through the 2016 season.

A season riddled with injury and a relatively small squad is what brought down last year’s team but coach Robert Brown has high hopes for the group of men. “We will be holding a bigger squad this year; that way if injuries creep up on us like they did last year, we should be able to mitigate that risk.”

With UTM having become a member of the OCAA last year, achieving seventh place is not something the Eagles should be embarrassed of. “I feel like this program could be one of

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

The UTM men’s soccer team gearing up for their first game of the season against Humber. the best in the province. It will take some time, as the program matures along with the mentality from the boys. [Despite only having one year of experience in the OCAA], I feel like the team has adjusted,” coach

Brown says. He also believes that this season, the varsity team will be able to make the provincials and earn a better rank. Last season, Sheridan College was UTM’s top rival. A 2-0 loss in their opening game against

Sheridan College made a dent in the squad’s confidence. However, the organization doesn’t believe this trend will continue. As the Eagles begin to strengthen their chemistry with one another and the fans, many within

the organization believe that both the men’s and the women’s team can become one of the strongest lineups in the OCAA. UTM Varsity program administrator Jack Krist believes that the group of men have proven that they can compete against the best headed into next season. “Our men’s varsity team went to the OCAA provincial championships in only their first year of play—a feat almost unheard of,” says Krist.

Krist gave additional insight on what is happening to the men’s coaching staff this season. “We have hired a recent alumni and former player, Gio McDonald, who will be Robert Brown’s new assistant coach and the head coach for our development team.”

Coach Brown’s main priority this season is to build on concepts the players learned in their freshman season. McDonald will no doubt be beneficial to this program with all of his experience, which he can pass on to the players. With new leadership, bigger hype, and enthusiasm from the fans, the Eagles’ can become a powerhouse this season.

12

«SPORTS

THE MEDIUM 09.06.2016

UTM surfs in California

Looking to rebound

EDWARD CAI/THE MEDIUM

The Varsity Blues football team joining together in a pre-game huddle.

VANESSA CESARIO SPORTS EDITOR

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

UTM’s surfing team poses on California’s Laguna Beach.

Surfing continued from page 11 Surfers’ skills are tested by their ability to control their board when faced with challenging waves. There is more to surfing than just riding the wave.

Turning the board back to the breaking wave, riding the top of a breaking wave, and surfing inside the wave as the mouth attempts to swallow you whole are a few techniques that a surfer must learn.

Smaller men and women surf better because their centre of gravity is closer to the water, decreasing the likelihood of falling into the ocean.

Most, if not all, competitive swimmers have a very lean athletic frame, enabling them to manoeuvre and torque their bodies to float along the tides.

You’re going to get frustrated repeatedly. You’ll howl at the moon to pull the waves less, or smack the water for making you fall. One thing you’ll always have with surfing—other than failing—is the opportunity to get back on the board and try again. What are you willing to struggle through to get the results you want? Through failure is opportunity, and through opportunity is a connection to the bedazzling sport of surfing.

There’s a small platform within the World Surf League for surfers to compete and show off their skills. The WSL runs an annual championship tour, hosting top surfers in some of the most lucrative surf spots around the globe.

The Varsity Blues football program fell short in their first game of the 2016 season to the Guelph Gryphons 41-22 on Sunday, August 28 at Alumni Stadium in Guelph. It was a slow start for the Blues squad as they saw themselves down 36-1 at the half, but they rebounded in a strong way in the second half, outscoring the defending Yates Cup champions 21-5.

Fourth-year Florida Tech transfer Kaleb Leach had an impressive showing in his first CIS game. Leach tallied 149 all-purpose yards, including 79 rushing yards on five carries for one touchdown. Leach has made the big jump from NCAA football to CIS football, but looks like he hasn’t missed a beat showing off his American prowess on the turf.

Fifth-year quarterback Marcus Hobbs received the nod as the Blues’ first-string quarterback before this season. Hobbs was 19-of-35 for 261 yards with one rushing touchdown.

In an online interview through the Varsity Blues team website, head coach Greg Gary showed confidence in his decision to put the veteran behind the front line: “Marcus Hobbs has been with the program for five years. Marcus is going to be our starter. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to as far as his preparation goes.

His confidence level is high. We feel really good.”

Adrian Bernard, a third-year political science student from UTM is looked upon as the captain of the defense going forward in this season. “Adrian Bernard is going to be that motor, he’s someone that we rely on to bring that high energy. So far, from the mike [Linebacker] position, we see him being a very productive leader,” says coach Gary. Bernard led all players with ten tackles in the loss.

The Blues set their sights on winning their first game of the season at Tim Horton’s Field on Monday, September 5 against the McMaster Marauders. The Marauders are an incredibly talented team filled with

tremendous confidence from their two Vanier Cup appearances in the last five years. The Western Mustangs have held first place and been seen as the most dominant team in the past for a long time. However, the Marauders play exceptionally deep in the season when the games matter most, allowing them to knock off any talented team that gets in their way.

The Blues are a team filled with rich history and incredible accolades.

The Blues won their first Grey Cup in 1909, while amounting 25 Yates Cups and two Vanier Cup titles to their name. The Blues feel as though it is time that they make another dent in their success story this season.

“I think every team that gets good and eventually stays good goes through these tough valleys, and I think we had a valley last year not being successful in our final game.

I think that adds that hunger, so we want to be hungry. We want to be competitive in every game, but we want to win football games,” says coach Gary.