Volume 45 issue 3

THE VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

October 1, 2018 Volume 45, Issue 4 themedium.ca

UTM’s parking crisis

Vote for our Board

Nuit Blanche takes Toronto

Aiding the refugee crisis

Homecoming inspires spirit

News, page 2

Opinion, page 4

Arts, page 5

Features, page 8

Sports, page 11

Students to pay for future expansion?

The UTMSU detailed how the expansion would be paid for during their first commission meeting of the year MDUDUZI MHLANGA

UTM held its first “mega” commission meeting of the year, comprised of the Student Life commission, Services Commission, and the Campaigns and Advocacy commission last Monday.

The meeting created multiple working groups and offered many opportunities for attendees to contribute to the planning of upcoming events and campaigns the UTMSU will be working towards in the coming year.

The main point of discussion during the meeting was on the proposed Student Centre expansion.

During the commission meeting, attendees and executives discussed the plans for the York University’s Student Centre expansion. Preliminary construction plans indicate that the new building will provide twothirds of multi-purpose rooms on the campus, an urban plaza, thirty-six additional club office spaces, and will house seventy per cent of the multifaith prayer spaces on campus.

UTMSU President Felipe Nagata stated that he has been commu-

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Money for the expansion would come from the student body, says UTMSU President Felipe Nagata. nicating with the President of the York Federation of Students, Rawan Habib, who recommended a studentled strategy of “getting students to pay for it to make them feel like they’re building something that’s bigger than just a building, but like a legacy.” Na-

gata says the issue is that the UTMSU might have to pursue a different strategy on account of the fact that York achieved their expansion through a student referendum to have a levy.

When asked how his executive team is in a better position than last

year’s executive team to ensure the expansion happens, Nagata highlighted how the current executive are focused on approaching students as opposed to the university administration. ”This year is a lot about community-building,” he continued. ”We’re fo-

cusing on students more. Everything that we do is for students first. We try to get students’ input and involvement in everything.”

Nagata told The Medium he is more hopeful regarding the expansion because he sees more enthusiasm among students regarding the expansion. “People don’t usually like their tuition increased but I feel like this year everybody’s so excited to help out and they wouldn’t even mind giving a little bit more money to expanding the centre.”

He added that the money for an expansion would come from the student body, but his executive team would pursue other options like donations from sponsors and the administration once a more concrete idea is presented.

According to Nagata, the next step is to approach students and see how they feel about the idea in a referendum. “I personally think we aren’t ready this year. I think we need the students not only to know a little more about the issue but be sympathetic to the cause as well. We are definitely not there yet.”

Expansion continued on page 2

UTM parking criticized for lack of space Students complain that the university has oversold parking passes for the current academic year KAYVAN AFLAKI ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR UTM’s shortage of parking spaces on campus has caused complaints amongst students who have paid for parking passes, many of who are calling for more space and more reasonable fees.

Zainab Qureshi, a third-year Psychology student and UTM commuter, is one of many students becoming frustrated with the university’s parking situation. As a parking pass holder, she travels to UTM regularly for class but has told The Medium that she is “no longer guaranteed a parking spot.” Qureshi elaborates that while she never experienced issues with parking on campus in the past, this year has proven different.

“I’ve spent over $700 for a ‘maybe you’ll get a parking spot’,” she explains. “It’s unacceptable.”

Commuter students like Qureshi have voiced complaints at the lack of progress being made to alleviate the inaccessibility of parking on campus.

She asserts that the UTM administra-

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Students havbecome frusrated with the university’s parking situation. tion should be taking steps to resolve the matter.

“I believe they should have designated parking areas for people to payand-display. The rest for parking pass holders.”

She contends that the problem may also be linked to the high volume of students enrolled for the 2018-2019 school year. This year, UTM has enrolled over 14,000 undergraduate students.

“If the university knows that they plan on accepting more students, then they should have planned to add another parking lot.”

“If they can build an entire new building, they can add more parking,”

she adds, citing the construction of UTM’s new North Building. The price tag of the new North Building was reported as $121.2 million according to a 2014 UTM Campus Council public agenda.

The 2018-2019 ancillary budget approved by the Campus Affairs Committee mandated a three per cent hike in parking permit prices, with the pay-and-display maximum increasing to $15 effective September 1st.

In a 2017 interview with The Medium, UTM’s former Chief Administrative Officer Paul Donoghue stated that the price increase would be used to repay the debt of the previous parking decks that were developed adjacent to the RAWC. Other students, along with Qureshi, continue to raise their concerns to The Medium on the campus parking problem. Sasha McCaughey, a fourth-year Biology for Health Science major, echoed Qureshi’s dissatisfaction with the high cost of parking permits and the limited space to park.

Parking continued on page 3

2

«NEWS

THE MEDIUM 10.01.2018

September 21, 2018 Motor vehicle accident Campus Police were advised of a vehicle that hit the fire route gates located near Erindale Hall. No injuries reported.

September 21, 2018 Police assistance A Campus Police officer noticed a student looking unwell. The officer called ECSpeRT to attend and it was determined EMS not required.

September 25, 2018 Theft A student reported the theft of her laptop after it was left unattended in the library.

University will give $2M

September 21, 2018 Theft A student reported the theft of his backpack after leaving it unattended on the 4th floor of the library.

September 25, 2018 Theft A student reported the theft of her laptop from the library. The student was studying on the second floor and left her belonging to use the washroom. When the student returned, her laptop was gone.

September 25, 2018 Fraud A student reported to Campus Police that they received fraudulent email asking for credit card information to their U of T account from another U of T account. The student was also advised to report the incident to the IT department.

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.

Anyone with information regarding any of these incidents, or any other incident, is requested to contact the UTM Campus Police at 905828-5200, Peel Regional Police at 905-453-3311, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

HUMANS OF UTM

“You sometimes get stuck in these weird times where the bus doesn’t come and it’s not just one bus that doesn’t come, it’s two buses, three buses. All of a sudden, you’re now an hour behind your schedule. Those times are when you hate commuting because you have no control now.

Buses aren’t showing up. I can’t reroute myself. Honestly, if I could walk to my destination, within reasonable time, I would walk. Because I can depend on my legs more than I can depend on any other transport system. In winter, I only commute part way and then I just walk through the snow all the way back. The amount of time it would take for me to wait for the bus, I could be home. I don’t care if I have to walk through three feet of snow.”

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Principal Ulrich Krull says that a minimum of $2 million will be provided by the university.

Expansion from page 1 In an email correspondence with The Medium, Principal Ulrich Krull stated that “the expansion of the Student Centre has been discussed for some years already, and there are preliminary layouts of the space so that rough cost estimates can be calculated.” Krull further added that the “the UTM administration continues to hold some funds in reserve to help support the construction should a student referendum indicate that such construction should proceed.”

Krull stated that at a minimum, the university will provide $2 million.

Aside from the Student’s Centre expansion, the commission meeting also provided students information on what the three commissions would be doing for the rest of the

year.

The Student Life Commission established a working group for Halloween events and Pub nights, and established the Wechat committee, which will work to assist and organize events for the Chinese community such as Chinese Cultural Week.

The Services Commission presented a bi-weekly project called OnePeace which will allow students to come together for meditation and yoga in the students’ centre. The UTMSU also informed attendees about the Food Pantry available for students and locals.

The Food Pantry is a volunteeroperated program that can be found in room 2102 of the Davis (DV) building. It provides amenities such as cooking classes, hygienic products, and food coupons.

The Campaigns and Advocacy commission established the mental health working group, which will look at policies such as the university’s mandated leave of absence policy and ensure greater student involvement in the creation of such policies.

Finally, the WUSC local committee was created in the commission meeting to look for ways to improve outreach and coordination services in the UTM refugee pathway program.

The UTMSU’s volunteer coordinator Juliana Salsa told The Medium that the UTMSU is “still looking for a lot of students that want to pitch ideas […] I don’t want the student’s union to be run by the staff there, I want it to be run by the students.”

Parking not part of the plan

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

The university sells more parking passes than there are available parking spots.

Parking continued from page 1 “If you arrive on campus any time after 9 a.m., you’re guaranteed not to find anywhere to park. It’s annoying knowing that we need to pay hundreds of dollars for a spot that might not even be available by the time I get to campus for class.”

McCaughey says that she commutes into UTM almost daily and encounters the same the problem on nearly every occasion. “People pay a lot of money just to park and they show up to find every lot totally full.

I shouldn’t have to stress out about finding somewhere to park at the start of my day when I have classes to get to.”

McCaughey also questioned the price of the parking permits, adding that they are “overpriced” and seemingly “worthless” given the difficulty of parking despite having one.

According to Megan Evans, Manager of Parking and Transportation on campus, the university has always sold more parking passes than there are available parking spots.

In an interview with The Medium, Evans stated, “Oversell is a common industry standard, and is practiced at most major universities and colleges.” Evans went on to say that because of the vary schedules of university students, they are required to be on campus at different times of the day.

“Not everyone will be on campus

on the same days, during the same times,” continued Evans. “Because of this turnover, additional permits can be sold to maximize lot usage and service as many campus members as possible.”

The industry standard for overselling is generally twenty to forty per cent.

When asked about whether the parking office planned to expand available parking space in the near future, Evans stated that they were not, but “are considering various opportunities for expanding in about five years.”

“This is a topic that we review annually and discuss if and when this type of build could be feasible.”

4

«

10.01.2018

MASTHEAD EDITORS Editor-in-Chief Mahmoud Sarouji editor@themedium.ca Managing Editor Alicia Boatto managing@themedium.ca News Ali Taha news@themedium.ca A&E Paula Cho arts@themedium.ca Features Jessica Cabral features@themedium.ca Sports Vanessa Cesario sports@themedium.ca — Photo Yasmeen Alkoka photos@themedium.ca Design Alexa Neves-Hua design@themedium.ca Copy Mahnoor Ayub copy@themedium.ca Online Olivia Adamczyk online@themedium.ca ASSOCIATES News Kayvon Aflaki Melissa Barrientos A&E TBA Features TBA Sports TBA Photo TBA Copy TBA GENERAL STAFF Webmaster Lyndon Amat web@themedium.ca Distribution Manager Adam Sarouji distribution@themedium.ca Ads Manager Mayank Sharma ads@themedium.ca Cartoonist Anthony Labonté COPYRIGHTS All content printed in The Medium is the sole property of its creators, and cannot be used without written consent.

DISCLAIMER Opinions expressed in the pages of The Medium are exclusively of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Medium. Additionally, the opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in The Medium are those of advertisers and not of The Medium.

All articles published in print are also posted on our website themedium.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style and coherence. Letters will not exceed 700 words in print. Letters that incite hatred or violence and letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist, or libelous will not be published.

Anonymous letters will not be published.

MEDIUM II PUBLICATIONS 3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 themedium.ca

To contribute, email editor@themedium.ca

Vote in The Medium’s Board of Directors Election October 1 @ 8 a.m.—October 5 @ 11:59 p.m.

Visit voting.utoronto.ca to cast your ballot.

Open to all registered UTM students.

5 candidates are running for five seats on The Medium's board of directors. Add your voice to the corporate and financial governance of your student paper.

AUSTIN BEATTIE I am running for a position on The Medium’s board of directors to personally support creativity, expression, inclusivity and equity. As a member of the board, I intend to bring my experience and passionate way of being to an admirable organization that is a foundational part of our university.

This is an opportunity to apply the skills I learn, and refine the knowledge I gain through my program (DEM), to support an organization I believe in, and the people within it. This is an opportunity to work and grow together! I bring effective communication, integrity and efficiency, all within a context of collaboration.

My time as a team leader at Mentor Discover Inspire (MDI) gave me the opportunity to hone my ability to ‘lead leaders’, and helped me understand the importance of collective effort and leadership to the success of an organization. I look forward to a new opportunity to serve a community that is so important to me and many others.

HARRIS WATKINS My name is Harris Bajes Watkins, I am a third-year student in the Political Science Specialist program and I am running to serve on The Medium’s Board of Directors for the 2018/2019 academic school year.

I am seeking this position because I want to assist in ensuring the long-term viability of The Medium. As someone who believes in the power of media as a tool of expression for all, The Medium serves a vital (and, albeit, under-appreciated) role on the UTM campus as a disseminator of important information to the student body and faculty alike. If elected, I am sure to dedicate my time to all matters and responsibilities of the role as a member of the Board for The Medium, while simultaneously contributing my writing abilities for reporting news when possible. I seek to earn the trust of all those I work with in my goal of ensuring that The Medium remains a free, open, and sustainable information source for everyone at the University of Toronto Mississauga!

Direct any questions to cro@themedium.ca For more info, visit themedium.ca/ elections

CESAR AUGUSTO LOZANO HERNANDEZ Hello! My name is Cesar Lozano, I am a third year student in Commerce specializing in Marketing with a major in Economics. I am running for a place in the Medium’s board of Directors because I feel this is a unique opportunity to give back to our campus.

I believe I can be a voice that is informed and knowledgeable of its own community, and that understands the student perspective.

Drawing experience from my involvement as a Don in the Residence Department and executive positions with the Innovation Association and the Latin American Students’ Association, I have gotten the chance to develop my ability to apply classroom concepts in real life, teaching me how to be a better team player, leader and problem solver.

I am excited to work alongside the Medium’s team and learn more about the newspaper business. Let’s help The Medium keep being the voice for our current generation of students, just as it has been for the many that passed and the more that are to come.

Thank you!

STEPHEN MAPPLEBECK As an avid reader and student at UTM, I appreciate The Medium for the outlet it provides for student interests. From the entertaining to serious, The Medium is a needed complement to the purely academic side of university life. My passion for journalism and literature is longstanding having co-founded my high-school newspaper. In addition, pursuing a business degree has granted me insight into the fundamental financial and legal concepts vital to the management of any organization. Specifically, my understanding of financial statements, and business practices differentiates me from my fellow candidates.

Moreover, my program has given me an in depth understanding of the role the Board of Directors plays in the successful growth of an organization. I pride myself on being detail-oriented and enjoy broadening my perspective through new endeavours. To apply the skills I have developed over my time at UTM toward a cause I strongly value would be a privilege. My experiences and enthusiasm lead me to believe in my ability to contribute to the growth of The Medium, and in turn, UTM.

MUHAMMAD ZAID ARIF I have a variety range of interests. Music (keyboard), Photography, Swimming, Travel, Culture and Writing top the list.

I am very fortunate to come from a close-knit family, which values academic, culture, volunteering the most and also support and encourages us to experiment and develop our talents & skills. Academically, I have participated in a number of event – such as Waterloo math competition and received awards. In the extracurricular, my band “Margalla Kid’s Blizt” was the runners up in the Interschool “Battle of the Bands”. Photographing for the World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) my photo on “pollution” won a prize. I will be playing (music) at the University of Toronto (Pakistan Students Association) event in October 2018. Coming to Canada has been especially great for me. I sharpened my photography skills in a course at the Living Art Center, Mississauga; and advanced my art/design skills in “Photoshop” at the Seneca College. In music I am currently working with my brother on reviving old hits, using a mix of western and eastern instruments, and the modern computer Audi-visual technologies.

10.01.2018

»

5

Nuit Blanche: a sleepless night of art From sunset to sunrise, Nuit Blanche Toronto exhibited artwork from over 300 artists and curators PAULA CHO A&E EDITOR

Insomniacs and art admirers alike were called upon to attend the 13th annual Nuit Blanche Toronto, an allnight celebration of contemporary art. Consisting of projects by over 300 local, national, and international artists and curators, the festival explores an overarching theme of the evolving and storied landscape of what Toronto is, and what it can be.

As the festival’s visitors brave long line-ups and view remarkable artwork throughout the night, we are pushed to think of our roles as individuals and as a collective in this moment.

Wherever we are around the world, we see the same sky when we tilt our heads up to look. One Sky, an installation by SYSTEM Sounds, allows viewers to experience a starry map of Toronto’s night sky as depicted via an auditory planetarium show. Upon entering the large black tent, I find myself under a geometric, dark blue dome, dotted with specks of bright light resembling stars. The symphonic sounds directly reflect the stars, according to its temperature and brightness, such that the lower the temperature of the

DELANEY ROMBOUGH/THE MEDIUM

Nuit Blanche runs through the entire night. star, the lower the pitch. One star blinked brighter than the rest at one point, prompting a sound of higher volume. Though a simulation, stargazing as a collective bunch whilst listening to serene music was memorable for me.

Bright lights and calming sounds also seemed to be a theme of the night as incorporated in Passage

by Mississauga-based artist group smjilk. Transforming an ordinary

alley near Bloor Street, smjilk built an interactive pathway of light and motion. The sculpture is framed with mirrors along the sides and bound with white string surrounding visitors whom walk through. Passage removes us from the urban setting we are accustomed to and represents the ways we may challenge and shape it.

All four of the Bata Shoe Museum’s current exhibitions were open for the duration of Nuit Blanche.

Starting her internationally-acclaimed collection of footwear as a personal passion project, Sonja Bata established the specialized museum in 1995 that chronicles the evolution of shoes and related artifacts. The architecture of the building itself was designed in a shoe-box shape, fitting for all the shoes it houses. The museum’s oldest piece of footwear, dating back to 3100 BCE, is a shoe reminiscent of a modern-day clog:

it belonged to the Ötzi Man and is made of bearskin and twined linden bark. For every major time period since, a model of the typical shoe reflective of the time’s culture is displayed, including chunky platforms from the Renaissance era and glamorous stilettos from the 50’s.

Another installation located in the museum was Interwoven, performed

by Hajar Moradi, which aims to visually and symbolically connect our various narratives and backgrounds.

Throughout the night, Moradi weaves a Gabbeh: a tribal woven run specific to the nomads of Iran, and invites us to participate in its creation. Each viewer would choose five coloured stickers to place on provided cardstock that represented our story or just spoke to us. My colour palette consisted of cream, green, lavender, red, and the cream color again, while my friend chose all red.

We dropped our cards in a basket next to Moradi, and she would weave our colours into her rug. Her project helps illustrate that wherever you are from and however your personality and story shapes who you are, we are all interwoven.

Nuit Blanche Toronto 2018 ran from sunset to sunrise on September 29-30.

Welcome to the Anthropocene epoch Anthropocene, the AGO’s major fall exhibition, explores the impact humans are having on Earth VICTORIA DANESI Anthropocene, a new exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) by photographer Edward Burtynsky and filmmakers Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier, explores the impact humans are leaving on the world.

Through a multimedia presentation, the artists travelled to 20 countries and captured the effects of human-caused environmental issues such as population density, mass consumption, and non-renewable resource extraction. The exhibition is a part of the multidisciplinary initiative The Anthropocene Project, which works alongside scientists around the globe who form the Anthropocene Working Group. The purpose of the project is to change the current geological epoch, which is a subdivision of the geological timescale that is longer than an age but shorter than a period, from Holocene to Anthropocene, acknowledging the impact humans are having on Earth.

As you enter the exhibition, you are instantly faced with a video installation of the Dandora Landfill in Nairobi, Kenya. The video follows

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Anthropecene featured a video installation of a landfill in Kenya. a local worker walking through the landfill, with mountains of plastic and garbage surrounding them. The landfill was started in the 1970’s and was at capacity in 2001, but 2000 tonnes of waste are still dumped daily. The amount of garbage seems never-ending, immediately demonstrating the effects humans have on the environment.

Alongside short video clips are Burtynsky’s large scale photographs.

The landscapes reveal areas around the world that have been changed by industry and human intervention.

A notable image is “Lithium Mines #1, Salt Flats, Atacama Desert, Chile, 2017.” The photo is a stunning landscape of the world’s largest source of lithium, which is needed to make items such as batteries, glass, and even medication. The salt flats are whimsical shades of neon blue, yellow, and green, reflecting

the different stages of extraction.

The allure of Burtynsky’s images are due in part to their grand scale.

They capture locations that very few can personally witness, with viewpoints that capture infinite amounts of land. One example is the piece, “Tyrone Mine #3, Silver City, New Mexico, USA, 2012.” The wavy patterns and textured detail in the photograph of the mine are awe-inspiring, but this feeling changes after

considering the long-term damage to the land’s ecosystems due to human activity.

A unique aspect of the exhibition is the use of film extensions and Augmented Reality. By downloading the app AVARA on a cell phone or tablet (iPads are also provided throughout the exhibition), visitors can interact with certain pieces.

Another large-scale photograph is entitled “Carrara Marble Quarries, Cava di Canalgrande #2, Carrara, Italy, 2016.” The image captures Carrara marble quarries in Italy, with an excavator in the centre of the photo. Pointing a device to the image using the app begins a video of the excavator at work, digging up the non-renewable resource. This adds another layer to the image, as you are watching humans directly interact with the environment, altering it forever. The technique is also used in “Mushin Market Intersection, Lagos, Nigeria, 2016,” a mural-sized image demonstrating population density. The film extensions reveal the bustling streets of Lagos, as thousands take over the area.

AGO continued on page 7

6

«ARTS

THE MEDIUM 10.01.2018

Meet Alexis Whelan: actress in Level 16 Whelan studies environmental science at UTM and stars in a film premiering this month at VIFF KEENA ALWAHAIDI A second-year environmental sciences student at UTM, Alexis Whelan makes her debut in the feature film Level 16, a movie that questions femininity and highlights the oppression women struggle with in the face of chaos. The movie has been compared to The Handmaid’s Tale and will premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival this month.

Whelan remembers herself as an “overly-dramatic child” with theatrical tendencies looming in every which way. “I was always the class clown, everyone laughed at me, in a good way! I’ve just always wanted to entertain, but I didn’t necessarily want to do anything with it. I was just having fun doing it.”

In Level 16, Whelan plays Ava, who she describes as a “complex” character. She tells me: “You’ll like her at times, you’ll hate her at times, and so she may not be your favourite—but I like her.”

She explains to me that the film is run by females, with the exception of a couple of major roles played by males. “The director, Danishka Esterhazy, prides herself on creating female dominated movies, which have done super well.”

Whelan has starred in numerous commercials, including ones by Sirius XM and Rogers. She also had a role in Steven Spielberg’s Lucky 7—which she describes with great enthusiasm but sadly tells me it was

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Alexis Whekan is an actress and student at UTM. cancelled in short order. “That was depressing,” she tells me. “I was like Steven, where are you?”

This project, however, seems to be going in a much better direction.

Already premiered in Brooklyn, Berlin, and San Antonio, Whelan is excited for what the film will continue to bring to the big screen—and to the viewer’s attention.

“We are a bunch of girls who are orphans, who have been collected at a young age. We’re never allowed to go outside in this academy where we are being conditioned with feminine values and cleanliness and virtues

that we have to live by. [We are] being convinced that all of this is going to contribute to us being adopted by elite families, which is not the case.”

Although happy with her role as Ava, Whelan reveals that this wasn’t the role she had auditioned for originally. However, the secondary role she received worked out well in her favour.

“I didn’t defer my semester—I was going to but I didn’t. If I got the main role I would have had to because I would have had to be there everyday. The audition process was actually one of the best I’ve ever

[been through]. I didn’t mean to but I cried. Being emotional finally pays off. [There was] something about this role, I just really wanted it. The plot got me—it made sense.”

Although trying to become an A-List actor and graduating with a good degree is something Whelan is striving for, balancing both at the same time poses its challenges.

She explains that if she can’t get her work done in time or if she’s not on top of it right away, she experiences tough anxiety.

“It’s definitely all about the mindset because […] it was pretty stress-

ful, I’m not going to lie to you.

There was one day where my mom dropped me back off at campus because I was staying on residence— she dropped me off at 7:00 because I finished at 6:00 and then I had an exam at 2:00.”

In regard to her acting training, theatre school at the academic level has not been in her plan—and all for the right reasons. I ask her whether or not she’s considered UTM’s TDS program, or any university acting school for that matter.

She considers this carefully, and then tells me, “Everyone’s going to hate me for this—I actually don’t like theatre. I’m not the biggest fan of theatre. I will watch it, and there are some good plays and some good musicals—but it’s not my favourite. I think theatre is a little too over-exaggerated for me. I like the discipline of film. Film and theatre people, you wouldn’t think, are so drastically different.”

Whelan plans on making a living off of her talent, but not without something to rely on first. “Am I trying to make a career out of [acting]?

Yes, but U of T is really my plan B that I’m having to do on the side, because once I’m done here, I can work all year round if I want to. I need something to fall back on, for sure—I mean, I’m not in Hollywood yet. A bachelor’s in science wouldn’t hurt.”

Level 16 premiers at VIFF on September 30.

A new home for contemporary art The Museum of Contemporary Art had its grand opening September 22 in Toronto’s Junction Triangle MEGAN ATHAIDE

A new home for contemporary art has opened in the up and coming area of Toronto’s Junction Triangle.

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) has grown out of its humble beginnings in Queen West and is now situated in what used to be an aluminum factory, called the Tower Automotive Building, that made products for both World Wars. The heritage of the building juxtaposes the current artworks inside, making for a unique museum experience. The main goal that MOCA strives to accomplish is being a destination of exchange, whether that be from artists to visitors, the art to the visitors, or visitors to the art and artists. Currently, MOCA has six exhibits that are currently on view and they all take on different themes and work with different mediums.

BELIEVE is a groundbreaking exhibit that features 16 artists depicting how we believe and perceive the systems that society is built upon.

These depictions are in the forms of textiles, sculptures, film, printmaking, photography, animation, and performance. Upon entering MOCA, visitors are greeted by artist Kendell Geer’s neon artwork BE:LIE:VE, 2002. This piece functions to get viewers thinking about the contradictory notion that the word “believe” has the

FRANCE-VICTORIA DRYSDALE/THE MEDIUM

MOCA currently has six exhibits on view. word “lie” within it. The artwork sets the stage for storytelling about the concept of belief.

On the second floor of MOCA formally begins the BELIEVE exhibit. As the doors of the elevator open, a wall of 12 brightly coloured photo-based etchings by Carl Beam are displayed and collectively named “The Columbus Suite.” The etchings depict notable historical figures who were prosecuted for their beliefs. Among these portraits are Martin Luther King Jr, John F. Kennedy, and Abraham Lincoln. This series of work examines co-

lonialism and the various ideologies of society in an intriguing way.

Rehearsing Disagreement is another thought-provoking exhibit at MOCA that is incredibly relevant in the context of the current political climate. It uses an interactive format for visitors to be hands on with the artwork. This exhibit is reflective of MOCA’s goal of creating exchange through art. Artists Hiba Abdallah and Justin Langlois came together to create pieces that start productive conversation by delving into disagreements and contention.

Through the installation, “Decisions, Decisions (it’s all about you),” visitors are faced with four posters, each with a statement in bold black font about how one conducts themselves in disagreements. At the bottom of each of the posters are the words ‘agree,’ ‘disagree,’ and ‘ambivalence.’ The audience is given the opportunity to indicate where they stand on the statement by placing a sticker next to the chosen word. It is fascinating to have a visual of the ways in which individuals perceive arguments.

“Striking a Balance” is a sculpture that is a functional see-saw with a scale of agreeance. Spectators can become an active part of the art by hoping onto the see-saw and acknowledging how the weight of our bodies change the scale in terms of agreeance. This is a fun way for the audience to engage with discourse on our differences and the division of taking a particular position.

Laws of Motion in a Cartoon Landscape is an exhibition by Andy Holden. The premise of this exhibition is to share the physics of cartoon action.

Holden breaks down the deviations from real-world physics to physics in cartoons, and how they are used for comedic and artistic purpose by distinguishing ten laws. The centerpiece of this artwork is an animation of Holden himself explaining the laws by giving examples from classic cartoons such as Bugs Bunny and Road Runner. This exhibition provides a remarkable analysis and education of animation and the ways in which it plays with physics. All of the pieces exhibited in MOCA are accompanied by brief, comprehensive excerpts of the background and purpose of the work. This is a great feature that makes the art more relatable as well as less intimidating to the general audience. MOCA is certainly worth a visit to gain new perspectives and a museum experience like no other.

REWIND MAYA SUPER

Directed by Tony Scotts, Top Gun (1986) is a fun, adrenaline-pumping movie starring America’s former golden boy, Tom Cruise. Set against the backdrop of TOPGUN Naval Fighter Weapons School, the movie is a nationalistic tribute to the American army and sacrifices one makes for his country.

Tom Cruise plays Maverick, a headstrong and oftentimes reckless pilot who seeks thrills in the air due to his father disappearing at a young age.

He is part of the “one per cent chosen” to fly at Top Gun, where talented fliers learn how to improve their skills and win the title “Top Gun.” His best friend and fellow pilot, Goose (Antony Edwards), follows him there.

The film begins with the song “Danger Zone” (Kenny Loggins) which contributes to the nationalistic, pro-U.S., and pro-military themes in the film. The rest of the soundtrack is excellent too; it builds tension and dramatizes tragedy when necessary.

Harold Faltermeyer composed the music with Steve Stevens on guitar.

Aside from the soundtrack, the love story between Maverick and Charlie (Kelly McGillis) is enduring and full of chemistry. Young Cruise has a confident swagger: his masculine character becomes the pinnacle of hyper-masculinity and bravery in the army. Yet, this movie is not your typical action movie with a back-

ground love story. Friendship is just as important throughout the film, as depicted via the bond between Maverick and Goose. The friendship is portrayed as natural with each actor bouncing off the other’s energy.

The script itself is filled with oneliners that are truly memorable. Iceman (Val Kilmer), playing opposite Cruise, is the perfect antagonist. The two have a complicated relationship throughout the film, yet their ability to work off one another is admirable.

Each actor gives an incredible performance, thoroughly convincing us that they are actually in the midst of the drama surrounding TOPGUN. The story is captivating, using techniques of tension and humor to keep the audience interested. There is not a single moment where any character is underutilized nor underappreciated.

Cruise shines as a rebellious thrillseeker, almost foreshadowing his future roles in Mission Impossible. The cast is perfect and the soundtrack is both catchy and playful.

Top Gun is one of Tom Cruise’s best moments as an actor. It is a brilliant balance between what makes a movie timeless and what makes the audience’s heart pound. I would recommend watching Top Gun after a week at university as it is an extremely cathartic process. The movie will leave you begging for more of young Tom Cruise and romantic action dramas. It is a feel-good film to watch no matter your mood.

10.01.2018 THE MEDIUM ARTS» 7

The human-influenced era

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Anthropocene used various mediums to present its message.

AGO continued from page 5 The Augmented Reality portion of the exhibition highlights aspects of the environment that have already disappeared. Directing your device’s camera to a box with the image of a rhinoceros, it transforms into a 3D sculpture of Sudan, the world’s last male northern white rhino who died last March. A similar box shape is on the opposite side of the exhibition with images of illegally poached elephant and rhino tusks that were confiscated

by the Kenyan government. The tusks appear 3D like Sudan, but

“The landscape shots reveal areas around the world that have been changed by industry and human intervention.” once you put your device down and look on the wall behind it, a video of the tusks being burned plays on

a loop.

Anthropocene seamlessly integrates various mediums to present the impact we are having on the world. As you exit, information about decreasing your carbon footprint is shared along with an interactive question that asks how the exiting patron felt after viewing the exhibition in one word. At the time of my visit, the most popular response selected was “worried.”

Anthropocene runs at the AGO until January 6.

Nuit Blanche at the AGO The AGO hosted its own installation as part of Nuit Blanche

NATALIE NG

WENDELL MACAPAGAL/THE MEDIUM

The installation featured a video projection of a forest.

DELANEY ROMBOUGH

As part of Nuit Blanche Toronto 2018, the Art Gallery of Ontario hosted an immersive exhibit called Ancient Forest Alliance by Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier. This installation was a video projection of a forest on all four walls of a room in the AGO. The description of the installation said it was “a unique and compelling immersive experience of both oldgrowth forest and deforestation on Vancouver Island that invites viewers to consider the profound effects we have on pristine environments.”

Because this was an immersive exhibit, it felt like you were surrounded by forest. The projection closer to the ground was zoomed in on the forest floor, making you feel small, which was quite a strange feeling. However, if you go higher, and the room had a few different levels, you felt like a nor-

mal-sized person. As you got closer to the ceiling, the treeline opened up as if you were outside and you could see a tiny bit of sky. There was also a faint soundtrack, so it sounded like you were in a forest, though you had to listen carefully because of all the people.

This exhibit asked people to consider the impact they are having on the local and global environment.

Recently, environmental issues have been at the front of people’s minds.

For instance, banning plastic straws has become one of 2018’s biggest causes according to CNBC. By zooming in close to the forest floor, making us feel small, we get a sense of what animals feel like when they lose their homes. We also get to walk through these pristine forests as humans in this installation and view it for ourselves. Although this exhibit is just a video projection of an old-growth forest, it’s still beautiful and makes

you appreciate that there are only a few of these forests left so we do need to protect them. Upon leaving the exhibit, you are left to reflect on these and other environmental issues, and how you can help because even though you weren’t actually in the forests, it felt like you were.

Ancient Forest Alliance was not the only environmental exhibit at Nuit Blanche this year. Just down the street from the AGO, Greenpeace had an exhibit of an octopus covered in garbage to discourage single-use plastics and to show how they are polluting the oceans and hurting sea life.

With thousands of people viewing them, hopefully these exhibits will inspire all of us to change our behaviour towards the environment and adopt more environmentally-friendly practices so that we may keep environments like the old-growth forests pristine for generations to come.

The episode titled “Truth and Lies” of the TED Radio Hour podcast delves into understanding the grey area between fact and fiction. Why do some people believe in false information despite lack of strong evidence? And why can facts still be deemed fake when clear evidence is presented? The online world has given us the convenience to communicate and socialize around the globe, but it also seems to be depleting our ability to distinguish between what’s true and what’s false.

The first speaker of the episode is a historian and professor of Emery University, Deborah Lipstadt, and her discussion revolves around the Holocaust. She mentions how some deny the Holocaust had ever occurred. Amongst those misinformed is author David Irving, who has written articles using illegitimate and falsified information, claiming that Nazis couldn’t have completed massacres of Jews in the closed camps of WWII. He brings up nonsensical claims such as the impossibility of gas chambers and that survivors made up their stories to appear as victims.

Lipstadt guides us through how she traced back the evidence written in the references of his articles and exposes his falsities. She makes a significant point wherein “lies aren’t just made up in bare feet but are truths

that are perversely rewritten and entitled as reality.”

The second speaker is Michael Specter, a staff writer for The New Yorker. He wrote a book called Denialism, in which he points out that “everyone is entitled to their opinions, but no one is entitled to their facts.” He talks about various popular denials on viruses and vaccines, genetically modified food, and climate change. He goes on to discuss how vaccines have saved many lives and admits that although there are small numbers of people who may have encountered the unfortunate side effects of vaccines, we shouldn’t forget the statistics that have shown the majority of people who have been saved from deadly viruses.

Next up is cybersecurity expert, Laura Galante, who suggests that “people are more fused into smartphones than what’s happening on the street, as the cyberspace is all the reality.” As Galante continues, she highlights that we are increasingly cherry picking what we believe in as the world moves rapidly towards to the Internet. People are more inclined into believing things that seem contradictory and striking, as it stirs controversy. Galante mentions the Russian intrusion of the US presidential election as an example.

Read the rest of this article online at www.themedium.ca.

8

«

10.01.2018

Aiding the Rohinyga refugee crisis Sadia Zafar Chowdhury spent the past summer volunteering at a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh FATIMA ADIL

For Sadia Zafar Chowdhury, this summer was unlike any other. Chowdhury, a second-year psychology student at UTM, spent a portion of her vacation this year volunteering at a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh. In an interview with The Medium, Chowdhury recounts her experiences.

“There are a lot of people in the world [that are] suffering. Since we don’t see them [and] their condition, we can’t really understand it,” says Chowdhury.

Chowdhury explains how the Rohingya, an ethnic group who have lived in Myanmar for generations, have been forced to leave their homes due to their faith. The Myanmar government, which is primarily Buddhist, does not consider the Muslim Rohingyas citizens. The Myanmar army is torturing the Rohingya, leaving them with no choice but to flee to the neighbouring country of Bangladesh. Chowdhury explains that “[the Rohingya] were tortured. I talked to a couple of people. Their houses had been burned. Their daughters were raped in front of them.”

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Sadia Zafar Chowdhury encourages students to help others.

In Bangladesh, the Rohingya reside in an overpopulated and hilly area in “shelters” which have been built by Bangladeshi soldiers. These shelters are at constant risk of damage from the monsoons and cyclones which frequently plague the South Asian region from July to October. Makeshift medical clinics have been formed by NGOs—non-governmental organizations—to meet the medical needs of the large refugee population. Chowdhury’s aunt works as a surgeon at one of these clinics called the Friendship Comprehensive Maternity Centre.

As soon as Chowdhury learned

about her aunt’s experiences, she instantly wanted to help. “I contacted the [clinic] directly and told them that I am certified in CPR and Standard First Aid. They informed me that they are willing to hire me as a volunteer.”

Worried for her safety, Chowdhury’s mother, Shamsad Jahan Chowdhury, accompanied her to the camp.

Upon arrival, they noticed the large number of patients and realized that the refugees “need[ed] as much help as [they could] provide.” Chowdhury’s mother decided to aid her daughter and together, they spent the

next five days assisting the doctors in their attempt to provide basic healthcare to the persecuted Rohingyas.

“I managed the patients. It was a 24/7 clinic so there were a lot of patients and [it was] difficult to manage.

We gave the patients a serial number just to follow how many patients came in and how many were left,” Chowdhury recalls. “My mother helped me in doing that. One of the other things I did is assist in surgeries. The doctors were really nice, supportive, and caring with the patients. There used to be 40 to 50 patients at a time and only four doctors so it was very stressful.”

Two moments from the experience remain clear in Chowdhury’s memory, including the horrifying image of a man who limped into the clinic with his leg split in half.

“There was a guy and his leg was literally divided into two pieces. We tried to help him but we [didn’t] have the equipment. It was shocking.”

The second memory involves Chowdhury’s assistance with a Caesarean section, “[The women] were happy because they are safe from [the Myanmar soldiers]. The thing I was really happy about was that these surgeries are completely free for them.”

When asked how one can help, Chowdhury urges everyone to donate to societies such as UNICEF and the World Food Programme as she has observed firsthand how the Rohingya depend on the resources provided by these organizations for survival.

To her fellow students, Chowdhury finishes with a gentle but passionate reminder: “It’s important to help others [who are] not as happy in their life. Just because we’re happy, doesn’t mean that we can ignore those people [who do] not even have the basic [amenities]. We have to help them, it’s our responsibility as human beings.”

From Rome to New York, and back again Evonne Levy spent the 2017-2018 academic year in Rome, Italy as the Wittkower Guest Professor JESSICA CABRAL FEATURES EDITOR

In the year between high school and university, Evonne Levy, a professor of Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture at UTM, travelled to Italy where she focused on her interest in studio art. Throughout her trip, she learned Italian fluently, spent her time drawing, and completed a project on the city of Genoa, Italy, where she selected historical buildings and painted watercolours of them. During the 2017-2018 academic year, she returned to Italy to serve as the prestigious Wittkower Guest Professor at the Bibliotheca Hertziana, at Max Plank Institute of Art History, located in Rome.

As a studio art student at Brown University, Rhode Island, Levy didn’t realize she was interested in art history until she took a course in third year that shifted her academic path.

“My professor encouraged me in an art history course to do a creative project and I ended up making these very complicated collages which had a whole argument behind what they meant,” Levy recalls. “But then I had

MUHAMMAD ZAID ARIF/THE MEDIUM

Evonne Levy is a professor of Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture at UTM. to write a five-page essay to explain them and I realized that what I really wanted to do was write about these things. I became really interested in this discipline that I really had no exposure to before I went to university.”

After completing her master’s degree in a joint program during the final year of her undergrad, Levy

questioned whether she wanted to pursue a Ph.D. Instead of continuing her studies right away, Levy journeyed to Manhattan and worked as a guard at Rizzoli Bookstore in Soho for a few months, then landed a job filing photographs, and finally ended up at a gallery where she worked as a guard until she was recognized for

her ability to do research.

“I was asking myself, what are the ways you can be an art historian in the world? Is academia the only way to be an art historian?” Levy says.

“One day a group from Yale came through the gallery, two professors and their students, and they were organizing an exhibition of seven-

teenth-century paintings and they wanted to look at some works in the gallery, and I kind of trailed behind them like a puppy and I just knew that’s where I belonged, so I went to graduate school.”

Currently, Levy is finishing her research project on a classic art history text titled The Principles of Art History by Heinrich Wolfflin. Published in 1915, Levy co-edited the newest English translation of the work. For the past ten years, Levy has been studying the history of the discipline of art history through the way this book has been globally dispersed and translated into over 20 languages.

“It’s one from the handful of books that every art historian can discuss worldwide, even if they haven’t read it they know what it’s about, and that’s the important part of it,” Levy explains.

In addition to this, Levy supervises an ongoing research project titled “Canada: A History of Art History” that she developed with her undergraduate students. The project tracks the history of art history as a discipline from 1940 to today.

Rome continued on page 10

10.01.2018 THE MEDIUM FEATURES» 9

Could the method alter the meaning?

“Classes without Quizzes” event featured a discussion on the link between McLuhan and Machiavelli KEVIN KIM

Last week’s “Classes without Quizzes” event featured Dr. Adriana Grimaldi, a lecturer in the department of language studies, discussing the connection between philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli and theorist Marshall McLuhan, and their impact on society.

Scholars consider both Machiavelli, the Italian Renaissance philosopher, and McLuhan, the twentieth-century media theorist, as prominent public contemporaries of their respective times. Grimaldi recognized the two individuals as “products of their time […] they were very good observers, very astute observers of what was going on in their day and were able to analyze and evaluate the importance of that.”

McLuhan, a Canadian professor and a sensational figure in media studies, is perhaps most widely known for his perspectives on “mediums” and their ability to alter the particular message being observed, or, in McLuhan’s own words “the medium is the message.” Grimaldi explains that McLuhan’s quote is so highly integrated into his common identity that “it is the shorthand that we use for McLuhan, they become synonymous with each other.”

To provide some context to this famous quote, Grimaldi presents an analogy focused on the methods used when breaking up with a

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Dr. Adriana Grimaldi led the discussion. partner. “The message is you’re trying to break up with someone [but] how is that message changed, how is that message perceived differently, depending on what method of communication you choose to use?” asks Grimaldi She presented attendees of the lecture with four options to communicate the break up: phone call, e-mail, text, or a post on social media and asked which would be most or least hurtful to the receiver of the unfortunate news. Many found the phone call to be the most intimate method. Regardless of the audience’s individual answers, Grimaldi emphasized that the medium used

to communicate a message is important.

Grimaldi notes that a medium is “something that we put in place outside of ourselves to help us understand the world at large.” She mentions mediums of immense proportions, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and their effect on how information is spread.

McLuhan anticipated this phenomenon when he said that “the new electronic independence re-creates the world in the image of a global village.” The arrival of electronic media and the communicative power that it grants an individual would allow for interconnectedness in a

manner unprecedented in history.

Many believe McLuhan to have predicted the existence of the Internet decades before its first rendition through his insights into the “global village,” the idea of condensing the whole world into one “village” through electronic media, and what that might entail.

Despite the positive connotation that concepts like interconnectedness might hold, social mediums such as Facebook have, in truth, made the general community antisocial.

“Social media was supposed to enhance our ability to socialize. But what it did do was maximized the

quantity of the encounters, yes, but it minimized the quality of those encounters,” Grimaldi explains.

Grimaldi considered these friendships analogous to exhibits in a museum; one can examine their “friends” at a superficial level, but can never hope to interact with something that is not truly real past that level. “You’re not friends with people; you’re friends with the heavily curated images of these people— images that they themselves want to project.”

Machiavelli, despite having existed in a time period centuries before McLuhan, possessed similar, even interchangeable ideas to him.

A significant factor in Machiavelli’s popularity today can be attributed to not just what he wrote and spoke about, but how he conveyed such information. Grimaldi elucidates that “Machiavelli intuitively understood how to engage his reader; by making him or her feel like an accomplice to his theory, and not merely a consumer of it.”

What connects Machiavelli and McLuhan, two seemingly arbitrary figures of history, was their willingness to be useful to society. Grimaldi elaborates on their ability to both see and predict what was occurring in their environment and translate that ability into written works; mediums intended to aid the public.

And unlike social media, these particular mediums have never strayed from their intent as time passes.

UTM ASA offers space for Shia students Fatima Al-Ali, president of ASA, explains why she wanted to create a new faith-based club on campus SYEDA HASAN Home to more than 100 organizations, UTM can proudly claim that it has plenty of different resources and extra-curricular activities to cater to the needs of the growing student population, ranging from academic societies, sports clubs, to faith-based clubs. As the diversity of incoming students increases, so does the diversity of clubs formed on campus. Last October, a group of students created a new faith-based club, UTM AhlulBayt Student Association (ASA), that aims to fulfill the spiritual needs of Shia students at the university.

Fatima Al-Ali, a third-year life sciences student ad president of the club, explains that “Shia” refers to Muslims that belong to the branch of Islam which believes in the spiritual and political authority of the Prophet’s family consisting of his daughter, her husband Ali, and her two sons Hassan and Hussain, and emulates their teachings, as well as those of the Qur’an. Al-Ali felt that Shia students needed a space to revive, preserve, and spread their faith. Along with a few other students, Al-Ali set out to form a club that would help achieve these goals.

According to Al-Ali, the Arabic term “AhlulBayt” translates to

AHLULBAYT STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION AT UTM/FACEBOOK

UTM Ahlulbayt Student Association (ASA) aims to fulfill spiritual needs for Shia students.

“People of the House” which encapsulates the true essence of the Shiism as it refers to the family of the Prophet Muhammad upon which the faith is based.

Al-Ali explains that the foundation of UTM ASA involves endowing Muslim students with an Islamic heritage and cultivating an informed and balanced Islamic understanding according to the teachings and lifestyle of the AhlulBayt.

“We hope to educate the university community on Islamic values and culture through the teachings of the AhlulBayt, and to foster a greater acceptance of Shia students in particu-

lar, and Muslim students in general, as integral members of the campus.

We also aim to develop and improve relations amongst Muslims as well as with non-Muslims through engaging in intra and inter faith dialogue in order to achieve peace, harmony, mutual respect, and greater understanding,” she says.

Running the club allowed the team to gain a greater sense of appreciation for their values and beliefs. Feedback from the Shia students on campus allowed them to understand what areas they needed to focus on in-depth.

In the past year, the club has

managed to host a variety of different events. “We hosted weekly prayer programs last year, and other events with scholars that allowed us all to better our understanding of our faith. This included an event focusing on preparing for the spiritual Islamic months, as well as commemorations and celebrations,” says Al-Ali. The team also hosted sessions where they gave tips for balancing extra-curriculars, and faith-based activities with the busy schedules students have.

For this year, UTM ASA hopes to add new events to their agenda.

Last week, the club hosted the Ashu-

ra Awareness Campaign. Ashura refers to the Islamic day on which the Prophet’s grandson Hussain ibn Ali was killed along with the men of his family by Yazid, the ruler of that time, for standing up against the oppression, tyranny, and distortion of Islamic values promoted by his government.

“The idea behind the Ashura Awareness Campaign is to educate the greater public about the sacrifice that Hussain made 1400 years ago.

He gave up his life in order to stand up for truth and justice. We want to inform people that Hussain isn’t a figure that is exclusive to Islam, and his sacrifice does not just serve as an example for Muslims, rather within this unique historical event there are timeless messages for all of humanity,” says Al-Ali. The event saw a large turn-out as many students from different races and religions stopped to discuss what values they would be willing to sacrifice for.

Although UTM ASA has been formed by Shia students, its activities are open to everyone. ASA aims to dispel myths created by the media about Shias and Muslims through the various workshops, activities, and events and wishes to promote peaceful coexistence within the university and the larger society.

10

«FEATURES

THE MEDIUM 10.01.2018

Meet a Pearson scholar Aishwarya Arun Nair is one of 7 scholarship winners at UTM

State of Equilibrium AMANDA HOMSI THIRD YEAR, FRENCH STUDIES

MUHAMMAD ZAID ARIF/THE MEDIUM

Nair’s diversified interests made her an ideal candidate for the Pearson International Scholarship.

MUHAMMAD ZAID ARIF

Each year the Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship, a competitive scholarship that covers tuition, books, incidental fees, and full residential support for four years, is awarded to outstanding students around the world. This year seven of the forty recipients attend UTM. One of this year’s scholars is Aishwarya Arun Nair from Singapore International School, India.

In an interview with The Medium, Nair reveals that she has always done well in academics, achieving the highest grades, but that is just one part of her personality. From an early age, she participated in sports and cultural activities. She enjoys singing, sketching and was an active member of the school basketball team. Nair credits her IB high school program

for helping her actively participate in community service and achieving a well-rounded profile.

Her diversified interest from sports to social work to academics made her an ideal candidate for this award. She has entered the discipline of psychology but intends to specialize in behaviour genetics and neurobiology in advanced levels.

When asked about her post-secondary pursuits, Nair said that she always wanted to come to the University of Toronto and initially did not know about the award. Learning about the scholarship helped facilitate her decision to come to U of T and made the choice easier.

Nair explains that she had always wanted to come to Canada for her studies. Even before she found out that she had been selected for the award, Nair had made up her mind to study in Canada and had hoped

to attend U of T since it is one of the best universities in the country. She also chose U of T because the specialist program that she wants to pursue is not offered in any university other than U of T. Nair is passionate about these studies because they offer her an avenue to explore the lives and experiences of real people, instead of simply studying abstract concepts and theories. Nair said that she is “overjoyed” to have been selected for the scholarship, as it is another honor to add to the list of her achievements and will help her to achieve her goals.

Talking about her impressions of the campus so far, she smiled, “Everyone, the students, the staff, and the faculty, is so friendly and welcoming, that I have not felt homesick at all, and I look forward for the most exciting and productive four years and beyond.”

Travelling from city to city in Italy by train Rome continued from page 8

Over the past few summers, undergrads have been conducting research on art history statistics and thought about how to format this information as a visual resource. Their project highlights gender ratios in the discipline, how many professors specialize in Indigenous art, and which universities teach Canadian art, among many other topics.

“I’ve done a lot of research projects with undergrads and I have found it really important and fruitful to develop projects in research at that level,” Levy explains. “I find that this project is a real testament to what can be done at the undergrad level.

I think it’s been one of the things I’m most proud of.”

After three years completing her dissertation in Rome, Levy hadn’t spent much time in the city since then.During her recent guest professor position, she organized a trip to Northern Italy for the Bibliotheca

Hertziana, participated in events, and advised many doctoral and postdoc students.

“I have to say there is something I’d call ‘art history muscle memory,’” Levy laughs. “When I first walked in the city, it all came back to me. [But] there had been a lot of changes in

“I find that this project is a testament to what can be done at the undergad level. I think it’s been one of the things I’m most proud of.” - Levy Italian society. Rome as a city is almost unchanged because there’s not a lot that you can change in a city like that. It’s more about how the city works, like whether Italians go home for lunch which they don’t do anymore.”

When asked about her most memorable experience as the Wittkower

Guest Professor, Levy explains that one aspect in particular stands out the most: the ease of travelling by train to new and unfamiliar cities in Italy, especially Northern Italy.

“Every little Italian city has its own character and it was a joy to discover new cities and see things that I’ve studied for many years but never seen in real life,” Levy says.

For Levy, she hopes that through the study of art and art history students can enjoy learning about these topics and realize that they’re worthwhile and relevant: “With our screen culture as it is developing, art history has become a super important discipline. Students know a lot about images and what I really hope, at the end of the day, is that students can get excited about deepening their knowledge about the history of the way those images function in our society and to enrich what is already a really deep practical knowledge of images through the study of art history.”

I’ve had a part-time job since I was 17.

I spent grades 10 through 12 working evenings and weekends at my local Shoppers Drug Mart. In my teens, my parents encouraged me to work. They believed working would help me gain some responsibility and financial independence by using the money I earned to pay for my own phone bill.

Quickly, I became used to the cash flow and became hungry for more.

That hunger pushed me to work more shifts, work longer shifts, and even work a second job. I picked up a little gig at the mall selling shoes for a few months just to try something new and get in a few extra hours of work.

I liked working, it was something to get me out of the house. At work, I could learn new things and meet new people.

When I started at UTM I assumed that I would have no issues continuing my existing routine, and that the flexibility of a university schedule would allow me to work an extra day and make some more money. For the first couple of months I went to my classes and worked during the evenings and on most of my days off.

I’ll be honest, the routine got really difficult on some nights when I would end work late and had assignments due or tests coming up, but I kept reminding myself “This is just the hustle.” I kept going.

My decision to prioritize work caught up with me by the end of first year. While I had managed to scrape by on quizzes and assignments, I completely messed up on two out of

five of my first year exams. At that point, I knew I needed to make some sort of change. I tried focusing more on school and working fewer hours to allow for real studying. But something didn’t feel right. I just could not sit at home reading and writing notes when I knew I could be making money.

I started really struggling with schoolwork, my weight, my relationship, and my family. Again, I realized my routine wasn’t right. My social life was strained and my skin was out of control. I took the summer break and just mindlessly worked. When September rolled around again, I decided to take a lighter course load because I was in such a broken-down state. I took about a 75% course load. This provided me some relief and I was still able to work a sustainable amount for my lifestyle. I ended up with the best sessional GPA I had ever achieved in my time at UTM. Unfortunately, my choice to take a reduced course load has extended my time until graduation but I wouldn’t go back to the way I was doing things before. Now, I’ve started to get my health back on track, I am able to work and obtain good experience for my resume, and I still have enough time to put into my relationship while achieving the grades I want and always knew I was capable of.

It’s not easy to find an appropriate balance, and the one that works for me might not work at all for someone else. But that’s the beauty in balance, by definition it is the distribution of weight that allows one to remain upright, which is all we are really trying to do.

10.01.2018

»

11

HCC hosts successful wellness event Be Well UTM was a huge event hosted for the first time by the Health and Counselling Centre AMRISH WAGLE

On Thursday, September 27, the HCC took over the entirety of the RAWC for their massive carnival of Be Well UTM: Resource and Activity Fair. As part of their campus wide initiative to raise awareness for mental and physical health, they went above and beyond to crank the volume all the way up, with a well-executed strategy of shock and awe.

As a whole, this is UTM’s first community wellness event, compartmentalized into five essential components, each of which proved to be wildly popular with UTM students, staff and faculty.

The first component of this master plan was to imbue the audience with inspiration. This was delivered through a series of presentations by experts on how to best achieve health and happiness. The lineup included Cat Criger, Principal Ulli Krull, Professor Jennifer Stellar, Harriet Ekperigin of the Big White Wall Program, and of course the keynote speaker and the star of the show, Neil Pasricha.

Pasricha is an award-winning happiness expert, author of The Book of Awesome and a Harvard MBA graduate. As a master presenter, he led the mesmerizing keynote with sheer charisma. The most mind-bending fact was that Pasricha’s spouse had just given birth to their newborn baby boy

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Disa Kauk from Thinklink Graphics worked on a piece dedicated to the Be Well event. at 2:33 am on that exact same day, and yet he was at UTM, pitch perfect and ready to present.

As an expert on happiness, his philosophies dictate that society has many of its core cultural norms backwards. One such is the notion that we work hard, get a job and consequently gain happiness. Another key norm is that if we can do something, and we want to do it, we do it. Pasricha says that these notions are backwards and understanding them in this reverse logic provides the true solutions to

happiness. Moreover, his best tips for containing stress are to take nature walks, journaling and reading fiction.

Although these may seem simple and unnecessary, according to Pasricha, they are supported by a plethora of research and reasoning that explain why they work.

The second piece of this event was information. Gym A/B was swarmed with legions of information tables where the HCC had invited organizations in the community to exhibit wellness resources and programs.

This zone consisted of the Wellness Resource Fair where the HCC had stationed a variety of exhibitors including, Trillium Health Partners, Canadian Mental Health Association, Assaulted Women’s Helpline, Spectra Helpline and Good2Talk, along with a whopping 64 other organizations to present their services. Their message in this zone was clear: the opportunity for help is everywhere.

A third dimension added to this fair was the initiative for physical health. The Wellness Ambassadors

had organized several heart pumping activities to get the participants moving. Some students joined biology professor Sanja Hinic-Frlog on a campus nature walk, while others attended the Introduction to Bhangra Dance class. Adding a colorful twist was the class for Introduction to Caribbean Dance by Carnival Spice, a fitness and entertainment organization that celebrates the Caribbean culture through lively spectacles. The rest of the event included RAWC tours, spin classes, 5-minute power walks and personal trainer consultations.

Second to the last layer of this fair is the creative wellness workshop, designed to awaken the dormant Van-Gogh within all of us. UTM’s registered dietitian, Kimberly Green led the way on a Build-Your-Own Breakfast, while UTM’s Lead Counsellor conducted the Introduction to Art as a Vehicle for Self-Expression class. Not to mention, the lobby of the RAWC was sprinkled with delightful stations for free manicures, massages, henna paintings, a high-tech photobooth and the cuddly therapy dogs from St. John’s Ambulance. Of course, Hart House was there as well to immerse everyone into arts and crafts and bring out our inner child. It was a tribute to the age-old relationship humans have had with art as a form of self-expression and self-care; a true tonic for mental health.

Be Well continued on page 12

Missed opportunities and bad luck for UTM Last Wednesday, September 26 UTM suffered a tough loss at home against the Sheridan Bruins MIGUEL DASILVA

This past Wednesday, September 26th, the UTM Eagles men’s soccer team were unable to ride the momentum from their previous win, falling 3-1 to the Sheridan Bruins in a tense but evenly matched game.

The first half was scoreless and uneventful. The Eagles mounted promising attacks from the back line through the midfield but fizzled out in the final third of the pitch. Sheridan came with high-pressured defensive tactics that the Eagles numbed with simple easy passing and physical ball control. The teams were in a stalemate but into the last fifteen minutes of the half, the pendulum swung in Sheridan’s favor and the Eagles defense led by their powerful centreback, Eric Halar, was put to the test. They held their line turning away the barrage of Bruins chances with admirable and well-organized defensive play that took the game into halftime.

UTM ATHLETICS/FACEBOOK

UTN Men’s soccer lost 3-1 to Sheridan Bruins.

Zimba Galloway and Sanjar Kalrosh were solid in the midfield controlling the centre of the pitch, forcing turnovers and moving the ball into

dangerous offensive positions leading to many goal-scoring opportunities for their forwards.

Pawandeep Sandhu took a free

kick from twenty yards out that bounced past the Bruins goalkeepers finger tips but just trickled by the outside post, while an offside call that

erased an amazing header goal by Adam Czerkawski added to the growing frustration the Eagles faced. The captain, Aaron Peters, did not hang his head and was vocal in keeping his team together and ready to capitalize on the next chance.

The Eagles’ bad luck and missed opportunities came to haunt them early in the second half after an unconvincing defensive clearance found the feet of a Sheridan attacker and beat the otherwise stellar Peters for the match’s first goal. Sheridan scored their second goal from a penalty kick in the 67th minute and their final in the 80th minute to put the game on ice.

The UTM men avoided a shut out in the 85th with a beautiful low cross that found Daniel Koszela in the Sheridan box who buried it calmly while the student filled bleachers erupted.

Though it was not enough to spark a comeback, this was a bright spot for a UTM Eagles team that worked hard and deserved a closer score line than the one they earned at full-time.

12

«SPORTS

THE MEDIUM 10.01.2018

Breakfast is so Ooo-La-La Community wellness event The Ooo-La-La breakfast bar takes over Booster Juice’s old spot

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

The new Ooo-La-La Breakfast Bar serves omelettes made on the spot.

YASMEEN ALKOKA PHOTO EDITOR YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

The main event was held in Gym A/B. Be Well continued from page 11 The last component of this health marathon was the valiant effort to combat a soaring epidemic of loneliness, most keenly felt through UTM’s infamous lack of community. Almost a third of Gym A/B was dedicated to the CCR Community Cafe: an area designed to deviously lure students in with an endlessly free supply of coffee and tea, along with delicious chocolate chip cookies. People dropped by to chat with Wellness Ambassadors about achieving their wellness goals and filling out a self-reflection for their own mental and physical health.

Overall, the real crown jewel of this wellness fair was the free BBQ. Participants could visit the various zones in the fair and collect approval for

their visits on the “passports” provided. After simply attending a specific selection of three zones, successful participants received a feast of free BBQ hamburgers along with brownies, lemonade, corn, watermelon and various other goodies. It is an HCC trade secret that nothing attracts undergrads better than free food, and this event just serves as testament to this insatiable appetite.

The HCC in conjunction with the Wellness Ambassadors plan to host various events throughout the academic year and have definitely started off with a bang. The singular message piercing every one of these efforts is a reminder to always prioritize your mental and physical well-being amidst the endless pursuit of the day’s to-do list.

With Booster Juice’s relocation to the RAWC, Ooo-La-La Breakfast Bar stands in its old spot. The new food option created an excited buzz among students. Suddenly our voices were heard and we were granted one more option besides pizza and burrito bowls by some magic wave of a wand.

The breakfast bar features a few omelette options, along with crepes, waffles, assorted pastries, fruits, bagels, and coffee. All of the items on their menu are vegetarian. Some of the pastries up for grabs include butter croissants, poppy seed muffins, caramel muffins, blueberry danishes, lemon danishes, and chocolate chip banana muffins—all at $2.49 each.

They’re a little more expensive than the ones at Tim Horton’s just around the corner, but at least you get to skip the long line-up. Janani Subramanian, a fourth-year political science student, says she likes “that it has vari-

ous options and it doesn’t have a big line which is a major plus.” There are also pastries and fruits which are selfserved so it’s easy to just grab and go straight to the cashier.

Another food item available at Ooo-La-La is the “Med Wed” omelette. It comes with spinach, tomato, pesto, and goat cheese—but you can switch the cheese with a different kind. They cook it right in front of you and ask you if you’re happy about the amount they put on as they make it. The lineup is usually clear, but at prime breakfast, brunch, and lunch hours, it takes a little longer. Personally, I found it to be quite worth it. It was delicious and very filling—worth my eight bucks as well. The other omelettes are: “California” which includes avocado, Pico de Gallo, and Monterrey Jack cheese, and “Veggie” which has mushrooms, peppers, spinach, and onions. “[The food] was really good and had really fresh ingredients. I was honestly surprised,” says Emma Leschak Klugman, a third-

year DEM student.

Jesse Garcia, a fourth-year forensic biology specialist student, says “I love breakfast, so this is perfect for me.”

A breakfast bar is completely new at UTM, as the other food places are either lunch, or a café like Tim Hortons, Second Cup, and Starbucks. Students who live on residence have Colman Commons in OPH where there is breakfast, lunch, and dinner served at different times of the day.

While only two people waited for omelettes, I noticed there were five students waiting on crepes and waffles. The desserts tend to be more popular and have a longer wait time, but they are unique because there aren’t any other similar options in TFC. Breakfast is known to be “the most important meal of the day.” The new Ooo-La-La breakfast bar provides one more option on campus dedicated to that first meal. The best part is—you can eat breakfast at any time of the day.

A solid homecoming turnout for UTM UTM had their homecoming this past Saturday, September 29 from noon until 8 in the evening LABINA KHALID

This past Saturday, September 29 was UTM’s homecoming. It was a full day affair, starting at 12 p.m. and ending at 8 p.m. There were quite a few activities for the whole day including two soccer matches, a residence and social media challenge, food stations, UTM bookstore pop-up shop, and two basketball games.

Brittany Tierney, the varsity program administrator, said this homecoming was an attempt to “get the alumni to come out and support our varsity program.” Tierney explains that the goal was to build a sense of community on campus and ignite the UTM spirit since the St. George sports teams tend to gather a larger audience. Brittany points out that students need to feel that UTM “is their home, UTM is where they can have school spirit.”

As per Brittany’s words, the activities around campus really were an attempt to ignite the UTM spirit.

Although the results of the two soccer games were not in UTM’s favour,

BRITTANY SEMPLONIUS/THE MEDIUM

The women’s basketball match played at 4:00pm. there were still quite a few students who came out to watch. The women’s soccer team lost 5-0 to Humber and the men’s soccer team lost 4-3 to Humber.

Students could also get their faces painted at Oscar Peterson Hall by two resident Dons, Caitlyn Pires and Si-

enna Woodhall. There were also free hair extensions and beaded necklaces.

Pires and Woodhall were also coloring people’s hair blue with washable hair spray.

Outside of the OPH entrance, UTMAC members were handing out free t-shirts and had an area where stu-

dents could make their own posters for the basketball games. The turnout was quite low compared to previous years. UTMAC was even giving information to students about how they can get more involved with athletic activities on campus.

There was also a social media chal-

lenge happening on Instagram. The challenge was easy: get involved in an activity, take a picture, and post it on Instagram with the hashtag #MyUTMAC. After the challenge, there was a parade from OPH to the gym, where everyone started lining up and waited for doors to open. The doors opened at 3:30 p.m. The first 50 people in the line got a UTM hat and the next 50 people got UTM water bottles.

The women’s basketball match started at 4:00 p.m. UTM cheerleaders performed in between quarters and there were musical chairs during halftime. UTM won the match 43-39 against Georgian College.

Men’s basketball started shortly after. During their halftime, raffles and prizes given out. The UTM men defeated Georgian College 79-65.

There was quite an audience for both the soccer and the basketball games. There were parents, children, families, friends, and even other varsity team members such as athletes from the cross-country team. Everyone enjoyed themselves, occasionally leaving to get food and returning to watch the rest of the match.