The Queen's Journal, Volume 145, Issue 27

Inside: Students look back on the undergrad experience. Queen’s needs to disclose research on animals.

Athletes celebrated at Colour awards. Vicious cycle of bike theft on campus. Stephen Heighton visits campus.

the journal Vol. 145, Issue 27

Queen’s University

T h u r s d ay , M a r c h 2 9 , 2 0 1 8

since

1873

Clubs on campus struggle to deal with sexual harassment page 8

ILLUSTRATION BY AMELIA RANKINE

Provincial poll shows Search for new principal demand for job security continues, consultation for university professors firm hired OCUFA reveals Eastern Ontarians want “equal pay for equal work” for professors

Recruitment process facing criticism due to large committee size and externally-focused approach

S arina G rewal Assistant News Editor

S arina G rewal Assistant News Editor

The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) has released the results of their 2018 poll, which aimed to gauge Ontarians’ perspectives on the current state of precarious employment faced by many university professors in the province.

The OCUFA represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians in Ontario, all of whom work with 28 different provincial faculty associations, including the Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA).

The survey was conducted by Mission Research — an external research firm — from Jan. 22 to Feb. 4, and surveyed 2,001 people. Five-hundred of these respondents reside in Eastern Ontario, which includes Kingston.

During a media event on Mar. 27 at the University Club, OCUFA and Mission Research presented the findings of the poll. Among a larger pool of statistics, it was revealed that queensjournal.ca

65 per cent of Eastern Ontarians want to see university professors who teach classes have job security and adequate benefits.

Among high school students looking to go to university, this number was 71 per cent.

A majority also believe that while universities provide high quality education, there’s some cause for concern.

However, most believe that professors can be trusted to address issues related to education quality.

Eighty-six per cent of Eastern Ontarians were also shown to support equal pay and equal access to benefits for contract professors who teach the same courses as their full-time colleagues.

At the media event, OCUFA President Gyllian Phillips said she believes that Ontario hasn’t invested enough resources into full time faculty. Ontario gets the least per-student funding in Canada, according to Phillips.

“We’re advocating for increased funding to @queensjournal

In the months since Principal Daniel Woolf announced he wouldn’t be seeking a third term as principal, the search for his replacement has become active. The recruitment process, which officially began in January of this year, is now fully underway.

According to a Mar. 20 release from The Queen’s Gazette, executive search firm Perrett Laver has been hired to facilitate the process. Consultations are set to occur with internal and external stakeholders, including senior administrators, Board of Trustee members and alumni.

A public survey can also be found on the school’s Secretariat website, where Queen’s students and community members can provide their thoughts on the new hire.

As per The Gazette, the timeline for the appointment of the new principal is as follows: “The Joint Board-Senate Principal See Contract-based on page 5 Search Committee is aiming to identify a @queensjournal

@queensjournal

first group of interviewees in the summer, and it anticipates interviews will take place in September and October. The committee will then work toward recommending a candidate to the Board of Trustees in December.”

However, not everyone is satisfied with the methodology used by the University in their hunt for Woolf’s replacement. In a Mar. 17 opinion piece to The Globe and Mail entitled “Why the hiring process for university principals could use a revamp,” Harvey Schachter criticized the committee for its size and outlook. Schachter is a Kingston-based writer who specializes in management issues.

In his piece, Schachter stated that more effective committees for appointment decisions average at about four or five people. As a result, he argued that the larger 19-member size of this search committee poses many problems.

See Principal on page 5

@thequeensjournal

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Thursday, March 29, 2018

PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS

Close race projected for provincial seat in Kingston and the Islands Iain Sherriff-Scott Assistant News Editor

Riding “too close to call” in latest poll

According to a new Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy (LISPOP) poll released last week, the provincial race for Kingston and the Islands MPP has no clear frontrunner. So far, none of the four candidates have established a lead of over five per cent.

Across the province, the poll projected a sizable Progressive Conservative (PC) majority, with the remaining seats split almost evenly between the Ontario Liberals and the New Democrats.

Following the Progressive Conservative leadership race earlier in March, four new polls were released, “all of which confirm the basic trend pointing to a majority victory for the [Progressive Conservative] party,” according to Associate Professor at Wilfred Laurier University Barry Kay. The LISPOP poll was based on over 4,300 weighted interviews held between Mar. 11 and 14.

According to Kay, the aggregate distribution of party support was Conservatives at 43 per cent, Liberals at 27 per cent and NDP at 25 per cent across the province.

In a statement accompanying Mar. 11 to 14 popular support results from the LISPOP poll.

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43%

Queen’s student writes award-winning essay honouring trustee Pind’s essay on Ernie Checkeris recognized by Government of Canada Jasnit Pabla Assistant News Editor Following his submission of an essay on the late Ernie Checkeris, Queen’s Curriculum Studies PhD student Jackson Pind won a Government of Canada History Award and a $2,000 cash prize.

After spending 55 years as a member on the Rainbow District School Board, Checkeris was the longest serving school trustee member in Canadian history. He was the Chairman of Ontario’s first Advisory Committee on Multiculturalism and the first Chairman of the Native Task Force in Ontario. Throughout his career, he advocated for equal access to education and for Indigenous history to be introduced into school curriculums across Canada.

In October of 2014, at age 89, Checkeris passed away. A new Sudbury elementary school and a theatre at Thorneloe University are named after him.

In an email to The Journal, Pind wrote that he began his research for the essay in the fall of 2016 while at Laurentian University.

Pind’s Master’s thesis was also Pind’s inspiration to write on Ernie Checkeris after his about Checkeris came from the supervisor Sara Burke introduced legacy the trustee member created him to the topic. He completed for himself: being an advocate his undergraduate and Master’s for Indigenous people and the degrees at Laurentian. educational system reform as “I then dove into the local early as 1968. archives and found more “His comments still echo true information about his life and today, nearly fifty years after he the large impact he had made began his work for equal schooling in northern Ontario’s education in northern Ontario,” Pind added. system,” Pind wrote. “In addition, For Pind, one of Checkeris’s I travelled to the provincial most significant contributions archives in Toronto to gather was his involvement in the more information about his life Hall-Dennis Report. Officially as he constantly participated titled “Living and Learning: in a number of important The Report of the Provincial provincial committees.”

Committee on Aims and His research also included Objectives of Education in oral interviews with colleagues the Schools of Ontario,” the and family members of the late 1965 report recommended Checkeris, including former important reforms to Ontario’s Ontario Premier Mike Harris. education system.

“One surprising find was a Upon entering his essay time capsule that he had buried into the 2017 Government of in the 1980s with a collection Canada History contest at the of papers from other educators graduate level, Pind — and 191 about the future of Canadian other recipients — received society,” Pind revealed. He added a cash prize, a certificate and that the capsule wouldn’t be the opportunity to appear in a opened without the blessing CanadaHistory.ca publication. of Checkeris’s family.

Pind intends to use the prize

GRAPHIC BY REBECCA FROST

the poll, Kay wrote, “this isn’t a future prediction, and customarily election races tighten up over time.

However, for the Conservatives to fall out of majority territory, it would probably require a vote swing away from them of at least 5 per cent.”

Currently, incumbent Liberal MPP Sophie Kiwala is defending the riding of Kingston and the Islands. On June 7, Kiwala will face NDP candidate Ian Arthur, PC candidate Gary Bennett and Green candidate Robert Kiley for the seat.

In 2014, Kiwala took the riding by 6,022 votes from runner up Mary Rita Holland of the NDP. The riding itself has had a Liberal MPP since 1995. If elected in June, Bennett, the former Mayor of Kingston, would be the first Progressive Conservative candidate to win the riding since 1975.

When asked if students can make a difference in the race, Associate Professor at Queen’s Jonathan Rose told The Journal they could make a significant difference in a close election.

Despite t his, Rose acknowledged that due to the June 7 election day, the bulk of students may not be present in the Kingston and the Islands riding to cast their ballots.

News in Brief Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre expands to the castle The Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre (DDQIC) has announced it will expand its summer entrepreneurship program abroad to the Bader International Study Centre (BISC).

The Queen’s Innovation Centre Summer Initiative (QICSI), which is held annually, will be held on the University’s main campus for a week before students travel to the castle, where they will continue the experience for another week. The University hopes to attract 20 students for the first offering of the program.

It will implement entrepreneurship and innovation courses, networking opportunities and mentorship from DDQIC’s Global Network London chapter.

The program will conclude with a pitch competition with a seed-funding price for the winners’ businesses.

To accommodate students, to travel to New York City to present an expanded paper at the Society for the Study of Curriculum History.

“This has been a great experience for my first year at Queen’s PhD program in education and will motivate me to continue

the castle will be implementing working and makerspace on the castle grounds.

In an interview with the Queen’s Gazette, Executive Director of DDQIC Greg Bavington said “This new offering combines cutting-edge training and skills with the strengths of our historic environment and tight-knit campus community, as well as access to Queen’s alumni network in the U.K.” He added the experience abroad for students would be important.

“Many Canadian undergraduate students have not had the benefit of an international experience necessary to be successful in entrepreneurship abroad,” Bavington told the Gazette. “The [program] is intended to give them that experience and gain a historical and international context for innovation and entrepreneurship in London, the cradle of the industrial economy.”

—Jasnit Pabla

my work here researching the history of Indigenous day schools in the province,” he wrote. “Moving forward I hope to uncover more stories about Ontario’s educational history which can inspire future students into following the vision of equal opportunities for all.”

News

Thursday, March 29, 2018

queensjournal.ca • 3

INDIGENOUS STUDENTS

Sarina Grewal Assistant News Editor In light of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee Task Force (TRCTF) final report released in April 2017, the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) has introduced new initiatives aimed at enhancing support for Indigenous graduate students on campus.

According to Deputy Provost (Academic Operations and Inclusion) Teri Shearer’s report to Senate on Mar. 13, there are a number of TRCTF initiatives ready to be implemented.

Her report detailed that the SGS will introduce Indigenous Travel Awards which will support masters and doctoral students who write theses that involve Indigenous research.

These academic projects often involve travel to engage with band members in other parts of the country.

In addition, the 2017 revision to the regulation of thesis format has been updated again. As Shearer’s report details, this was done in an attempt to acknowledge “the importance of providing an opportunity for student reflections on their experience.”

In order to recognize, “different types of research, means of knowledge dissemination/ mobilization, and ways of knowing that constitute scholarly work,” the original regulation was revised to provide structural and compositional flexibility.

The SGS has also increased the monetary value of entrance scholarships for Indigenous students and has partnered

School of Graduate Studies increases support for Indigenous grad students Initiatives include travel awards, increased scholarships, new Indigenous Student Admission regulation

According to a document provided to The Journal by Brouwer, factors such as “Indigenous candidates’ academic, cultural, personal and professional background, and other factors indicative of capacity for graduate level study and research” will be looked at and appraised on a case-by-case basis.

“This is important work that contributes to increasing the number of Indigenous Masters and PhD graduates with advanced training is an area of study and the skills to translate their academic knowledge and skills into multiple settings inside and beyond the academy,” Brouwer wrote.

[B]y increasing “ the diversity of our

graduate population we all benefit from the diversity of perspectives, experience and learning.

”

— Brenda Brouwer, Dean of the SGS

The School of Graduate Studies is located in Gordon Hall.

with the school’s Aboriginal Council to augment research collaboration training with Indigenous communities.

In an email to The Journal, Vice-Provost and Dean of the SGS Brenda Brouwer wrote, “[t]here has been added impetus

to enhance support resources for Indigenous graduate students, take steps to remove barriers to access, recognize and support Indigenous knowledge, and enhance awareness of what equitable research means in the T:10” context of conducting research

PHOTO BY NICOLE LANGFIELD

with Indigenous communities.”

Effective immediately, the Indigenous Student Admission regulation has been improved to increase accessibility for self-identifying Indigenous students who want to pursue graduate studies.

“Furthermore, by increasing the diversity of our graduate population we all benefit from the diversity of perspectives, experience and learning,” she continued. “Indigenous scholars are important role models and can lead us to understand, support and embrace different ways of knowing and engage with community to conduct respectful and meaningful research with ndigenous people and communities.”

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Thursday, March 29, 2018

Raechel Huizinga Staff Writer Between 40 and 100 bicycle thefts have been reported every year on campus since 2000.

This year, a group of Health Studies students have set out to teach the Queen’s community how to protect themselves.

Emily Kellway, Joseph Lee, Samah Zahran and Pavla Zabojnikova, all ArtSci ’18, have been working with Cycle Kingston since September as part of HLTH 415 — Program Design and Evaluation. The group has been working to create an infographic about the different resources available for students to avoid losing their bicycle to theft on campus.

“Our role was to promote the Queen’s Bicycle Registration System, number one,” Lee told The Journal. “Number two, to really promote the Queen’s Secure Bike Parking facility in Mac-Corry.”

“From our initial assessment in mid-November at the Queen’s Health and Wellness fair, we realized that most students didn’t know how to lock up their bike properly, didn’t know how to locate the serial number on their bicycles and didn’t know about the existing resources [on campus] to prevent bicycle theft.”

The team placed their infographic in heavy traffic areas on campus like the JDUC and the

Students work to reduce bicycle theft on campus Infographic placed around campus on how to prevent bike theft

PHOTO BY NICOLE LANGFIELD

One student’s bike locked on campus.

ARC. It includes a demonstration on how to properly lock a bicycle, information about the Queen’s Bicycle Registration System website, where to locate a serial number on a bicycle and steps to recover a stolen bicycle.

The HLTH 415 project, which requires students to apply what they’ve learned in lectures to

a community effort for healthy living, was originally designed by Carla Teixeira. Teixeira worked as a teaching assistant for the class in 2016-17 and received her Master’s degree from the Queen’s School of Kinesiology and Health Studies last year.

Now a board member of Cycle Kingston, Teixeira told The Journal

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in an email that she “thought that a project like this would be a good fit for the course” and that it’s “important for people to know how to properly lock up their bike to reduce the chances of [it] getting stolen.”

there are “hundreds of reported incidents of theft, or theft of parts, every year.”

Even though the onus is on the owner of the bike, Scott, who helped create the free Queen’s Bicycle Registration system in 2015, believes the University can do more to prevent bicycle [G]etting a bike stolen theft. These options include “providing adequate bicycle racks can be a deterrent around campus for students for people choosing to use [and] secure bicycle cycling as a mode of parking on campus, and raising transportation. awareness about how to prevent theft.”

— Carla Teixeira, “It’s important from a safety Cycle Kingston Board Member perspective,” he continued.

“The more we deter thieves “Whether for recreational, by registering bikes, the more, fitness, and/or transportation hopefully, we can deter bike theft. purposes, cycling is good Everybody can contribute.” for a person’s physical and mental health,” she wrote, adding that, “getting a bike The more we deter stolen can be a deterrent thieves by registering for people to choose cycling bikes, the more, as a mode of transportation.” hopefully, we can deter Neal Scott, an associate bike theft. Everyone can professor in the Queen’s Geography Department, has been contribute. the president of Cycle Kingston for six years. In a phone interview — Neal Scott, with The Journal, he also talked Associate Geography Professor about how a fear of bicycle theft discourages students from cycling Murray Skeggs, who has been to campus. working for Queen’s Security and Emergency Services for 18 years, believes bicycles are stolen It’s one of the major because thieves view them as an reasons why you hear easy target.

“The property that is stolen people say they don’t is often left unattended,” he told want to cycle to Queen’s, The Journal via email. “Not using because they’re afraid a lock to secure [a] bicycle” is an example of why bicycle theft is of having their bike so common on campus. stolen or vandalized.

“Theft is a crime of opportunity,” — Neal Scott, Skeggs continued. “Our goal Associate Geography Professor is to remove that opportunity by arming our community “It’s one of the major reasons with knowledge and, hopefully, why you hear people say they reducing the chances of being a don’t want to cycle to Queen’s, victim of crime.” because they’re afraid of having Information about how to their bike stolen or vandalized,” register your bicycle can be found he said. Scott added that “bicycle on the Queen’s Bicycle Registration theft is a huge problem,” and System website.

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queensjournal.ca • 5

Contract-based professors demand equal pay for equal work Continued from front universities, funding that particularly invests in faculty renewal and fairness for contract faculty,” she said on Tuesday.

“We want funding that invests in research and the high quality education that our students deserve and thrive on.”

Kayll Lake, a Queen’s professor in the physics department and president of QUFA, stressed the importance of Queen’s role in the local community. She said the University “plays a vital role in our community and is ultimately the single major driver of the Kingston economy.”

But Lake also said the University

administration needs to do better to support their professors, who drive research and are a large part of why students are drawn to the school.

Jordan Morelli, who also works in the physics department, described his time as a continuing adjunct professor at Queen’s, which is a contract faculty position. It took Morelli 15 years to get tenure. He said that while he loves his job, the years of precarious and unstable employment took their toll.

Principal Daniel Woolf.

“It is difficult knowing that every four months you might be unemployed. It makes it hard to plan your future, settle down, and start a family,” Morelli said.

Principal appointment process criticized Continued from front

PHOTO BY SARINA GREWAL

The OCUFA held a press conference on Tuesday Mar. 27.

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Schachter also critiqued the outside-appointment trend that has presented itself in the selection processes of the past three principals. Woolf, as well as his predecessors Karen R. Hitchcock and William C. Leggett, were found by external search firms and had been individuals external to the administrative side of Queen’s.

“Picking a principal is a huge responsibility. But starting with a large committee and a desire to scour the world for candidates rather than fairly evaluate what’s close to hand could use some rethinking,” Schachter wrote.

In a statement emailed to The Journal, Chancellor Jim Leech, who also serves as chair of the committee, said they’re

considering both internal and external replacements. He also commented on the University the 19-representative committee composition, which has been used for almost five decades. He believes this format has “served our community extremely well.”

“It is important to understand that hiring a leader for one of Canada’s preeminent universities; one that has a history dating before the time of Confederation, is a thoughtful process that can take time,” Leech wrote in the statement. “Selecting the individual who will lead such a longstanding and distinguished institution, with a population of students, academics and staff that rivals many mediumsized towns in this country, requires the utmost care and thought.”

Principal Woolf’s current term will end on June 30, 2019.

University releases new Strategic Research Plan Report reflects on strengths and priorities for 2018-23 moving forward Jasnit Pabla Assistant News Editor On Apr. 17, Senate will vote to approve a new Strategic Research Plan (SRP) put forward by the University on Mar. 26.

Not only does the report focus on outlining areas of strength for the University, but it also identifies priorities going forward.

The SRP is part of a “broader integrated institutional planning that includes the Academic Plan, the Strategic Framework, as well as a variety of strategic documents that emerge from individual faculties and elsewhere,” according to the report.

Its release follows a year-long consultation period with Queen’s community members and was reviewed by the Senate Advisory Research Committee.

According to the report, it indicates that among Queen’s greatest strengths is the staff, students, faculty and contributors to “innovation and scholarship” at the University.

The six primary research themes the report puts forward include: Securing Successful and Just Societies through Scholarship, Governance and Policy, Fundamental Principles of Nature: from Discovery to Application and Innovation, Mobilizing Creativity and Enabling Cultures, Health, Wellness and the Determinants of Human Health,

Sustainability, Environment and Resources and Interdisciplinary research in materials, computational analytics and humanmachine interactions.

The report also acknowledges the presence of Canada Research Chairs (CRC) at the University and hopes to increase diversity among chair holders through a Dec. 2017 Queen’s CRC Equity Action Plan.

It further hopes to expand the presence of Queen’s on the national stage by continuing engagement with national organizations and research groups, inclusive of the Canadian Cancer Trials Group, Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health and the Canadian Biomarker Integrated Network in Depression.

In acknowledging the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report and the Principles Implementation Committee on Racism, Diversity and Inclusion Report — both released in April of 2017 — the report “embraces and advances the recommendations” put forth.

“Equity, diversity and inclusion are foundational in achieving excellence of ideas, scholarship and innovation within the university research environment,” it reads. “[A]nd in the creation of opportunities for students and with our international research peers.”

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Thursday, March 29, 2017

EDITORIALS Advice from alumni can only benefit current students

The Journal’s Perspective University marketing is always going to be focused on the goal of selling an education.

If alumni and students were given the chance to talk to each other, it could open up a more honest and blunt conversation that could end up being both positive and constructive.

During the most stressful points of the academic year, U of T, Western and McMaster have all implemented programs that give current students words of encouragement in the form of letters and notes from alumni.

A similar campaign at Queen’s could only serve to benefit students who may be struggling to persevere, or students who are questioning their degree path.

While attending university, students often are absorbed in their own perspective. The time spent obtaining any degree is a transitory and often difficult period to work through alone.

Hearing from alumni who’ve been through the same thing — down to the same program — can offer a degree of relief and comfort that an impersonal ‘you can do it!’ never could.

Engaging alumni in this way gives them a fully formed connection to

THE QUEEN’S JOURNAL current students. For more recent alumni, many of whom are not yet in the financial position to make donations, a letter writing campaign gives them an opportunity to get involved at a lower cost.

Alumni have been through the good and the bad of university and connecting them to current students — even with something as simple as a letter — creates a greater sense of community.

In any program, a student may ask themselves, “Why am I doing this?” Hearing from someone who’s also been at that point in their education and made it through can give students a sense of confidence to pursue their degree. It could also help them decide whether or not this path is the best choice for them.

A third party is key to keeping notes and letters from alumni to students authentic. If a program like this is run exclusively through the University, they may need to screen notes for heavier criticism.

There are more Queen’s alumni out there than the Smiths and Baders of the world and this is a way to show off those people and what they have to tell us.

— Journal Editorial Board

Volume 145 Issue 27 www.queensjournal.ca @queensjournal Publishing since 1873

Editorial Board

Joseph Cattana Meg Glover

Editor in Chief Managing Editor

Maureen O’Reilly

News Editor Assistant News Editors

Sarina Grewal Iain Sherriff-Scott Jasnit Pabla

Features Editors

Alex Palermo

Editorials Editor

Ashley Rhamey

Opinions Editor

Caleigh Castiglione

Brigid Goulem

Nick Pearce

Arts Editor Assistant Arts Editor

Clayton Tomlinson Sebastian Bron

Sports Editor

Matt Scace

Assistant Sports Editor

Shivani Gonzalez

Lifestyle Editor Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Josh granovsky

Julia Balakrishnan

Photo Editor Assistant Photo Editor

Nicole Langfield

Video Editor

Max Silverberg

Assistant Video Editor

Amelia Rankine

Editorial Illustrator

Stephanie Jiang Rebecca Frost

Graphics Editor Copy Editors

Meredith Wilson-Smith Ejaz Thawer

Contributing Staff

Contributors

Dylan Moffatt

Staff Writers and Photographers

Josh Malm Maggie Gowland Raechel Huizinga Sebastien Molgat Yixuan Lin

Business Staff

Business Manager

Abhishek Choudhry

Head Sales Representative LeeAnn Sverko

ILLUSTRATION BY ASHLEY RHAMEY

If Queen’s wants to prevent the spread of misinformation and build a reputation as a responsible research institute, it needs to be more open about what goes on in their animal research labs.

While many Canadian research institutes have increased transparency around animal research, Queen’s has shied away from similar progress.

Using animals for research and educational purposes has been scrutinized ethically for as long as these studies have been conducted.

Currently, Queen’s has no publically available information about the species used, the amount they have or the uses of the animals they have in their care. This lack of transparency creates barriers to the public’s understanding of animal research purposes and prevents the University from being held to a standard of care for animal subjects.

The University of British Columbia continually publishes

details about all their initiatives involving animal subjects on a website dedicated to animal research. The report includes information on which types of animals UBC has in their care, how they were involved in research and even ranks the category of invasiveness of the procedures used.

In this ethical leadership step, UBC has shown they’re truly dedicated to the refinement, reduction and replacement model adopted by Canadian research institutions that use live animals. Providing this detailed information allows students and community members to better understand what goes on behind closed doors on campus.

The use of large mammals, especially primates, has been of particular concern to the Canadian public in recent years. In 2012, Air Canada issued a statement noting that they refused to transport primates intended for research.

A 2012 Maclean’s article showed that Queen’s tried to

fight this decision. Queen’s was using primates in their research projects at the time and argued that other transportation methods would cost up to 15 per cent more and would also force the animals to travel by truck, which would cause unnecessary distress. Statements like these are some of the only information we get from our University about research on primates.

At the very least, being honest about the status of animals in a research institute’s care shows an earnest effort to make decisions that reduce suffering.

It’s time for Queen’s to turn a critical eye to its non-disclosure policy on animal research. It’s in the best interest of researchers to have information available to students if they want to prevent misinformation from spreading and if they want to build a reputation as a responsible, ethical research institute.

Alex is one of The Journal’s Features Editors. She’s a fourth-year biochemistry major.

Alex

Palermo

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Robyn McMurdy Kiera Sitzer

Office Administrator

Faith Villanueva

Want to contribute?

For information visit: www.queensjournal.ca/contribute or email the Editor in Chief at journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca Contributions from all members of the Queen’s and Kingston community are welcome. The Journal reserves the right to edit all submissions.

The Queen’s Journal is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University, Kingston.

Editorial opinions expressed in The Journal are the sole responsibility of The Queen’s Journal Editorial Board, and are not necessarily those of the University, the AMS or their officers.

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Animal research practices need to be transparent

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Opinions

•7

Your Perspective

Why non-binary gender identification is impractical in Canada The practical application of such identification creates consequences that make the idea illogical

DYLAN MOFFAT, ARTSCI ’21 In 1955, psychologist John Money introduced the concept of sex and gender as being distinct from each other. Since then, a progressive shift in the ideology of self-identity has led to an interesting discussion about gender roles and the interchangeability of sex and gender.

In my opinion, sex and gender are inherently distinguishable insofar as the former refers to the biological function of an individual, while gender refers to people’s social roles in society. However, I don’t see the concept of non-binary gender identification (NBGI), as valuable.

Gender identification is a modern-day issue that divides the population of Canada fairly evenly. This is generally split between two sides: one believes in traditional gender identification (male and female) and the other believes in NBGI (identities which aren’t exclusively male or female). According to a study conducted by the National Post in July of 2017, roughly 49 per cent of Canadians think that allowing NBGI is a good thing, while the other 51 per cent disagree.

Often, when people argue about gender identification they rely on two propositions. First, they believe there is or isn’t a difference between sex and gender. Second, there is or isn’t something inherently right about limiting gender identification to male and female.

For example, one may argue in favour of NBGI by explaining that while one’s sex is a result of biological functions, people’s gender is a product of one’s social roles, relationships and feelings. This means one should be able to socially identify in ways that aren’t restricted to biology.

This is a coherent argument; certainly it makes sense that one should be allowed to self-identify in whichever manner they see fit.

However, this argument is theoretical. It’s reasonable to allow individuals to self-identify, but the practical application of such identification creates consequences that make the idea illogical.

In Canadian politics, conservatives and liberals see the state as the chief authority in defining “identity” and how it may be classified. Optimally, the state wouldn’t be concerned with matters of self-identification and allow people to personally conceptualize their own ideas of identity. This would allow

Dylan on Queen’s campus. individuals to assess their identity — and that of others — in a way that makes them feel comfortable and included.

However, the role of society isn’t to make people feel comfortable and included; it’s to maintain peace between citizens.

If the state doesn’t define identity, it may not appropriately afford essential rights to its citizens. A lack of essential rights — such as the right to the absence of prejudicial action — doesn’t promote harmonious living.

In Canada, it’s clear the state has chosen NBGI as the correct means of gender identification.

NBGI has already begun a process of state legitimization through Bill C-16 — an act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code. Bill C-16 passed the legislative process in the House of Commons and the Senate and became law upon receiving Royal Assent on June 19, 2017.

The enactment adds gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination. This means that not using a person’s choice of preferred pronoun is now considered discrimination.

Therefore, in accordance with the amendments to Section 718.2 of the Criminal Code of Canada — which add gender identity and expression to the list of punishable motivations for hate speech — one may lay

criminal charges against anyone who doesn’t adhere to the personal pronoun which they demand to be addressed by.

This begs an important question: should people have the legal right to forcefully insist which pronouns they can be addressed by? The reasonable answer is no.

It’s nonsensical to be able to legally and forcefully demand someone to address you in a certain way, especially when that address isn’t derivative of some inherent quality. In Canada, every single other quality that requires legal and forceful demand is inherent in nature; with language, colour, religion, sex, age as just a few examples. By institutionalizing NBGI through state legitimization, we’re sending the message that it’s perfectly okay for people to tell others what they’re allowed to say and what they’re not.

Many proponents of NBGI purport it to be objective, even though they claim NBGI to be self-determining. This sense of objectivity is affirmed by the state through law. However, NBGI is really subjective — there’s no way to accurately define it. In Canada, there’s no agreed-upon language to recognize legitimate gender identities and thus the only thing stopping infinite multiplication of gender identity is whim.

This doesn’t make for a productive or efficient society; especially when one considers they must abide by discrimination

Talking heads ... what is your plan for Easter weekend?

“I’m Jewish so I’m going to two Seders!”

“Going home, I have a few job interviews.”

“My parents are coming to Kingston.”

Jordan Pike ArtSci ’21

Iain Cameron Eng ’21

Patrick Tyrrell ENG ’21

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

law that enforces the use of limitless language.

NBGI can’t properly serve society’s interests. Identity is a tool that one uses to effectively navigate social interactions. Due to the limitless and subjective nature of NBGI, most people won’t be able to understand the social functions associated with one’s specific gender identity and social interaction will become more complicated than it already is.

NBGI also limits the concept of identity agreement. Identity agreement is a psychoanalytic concept which states that one’s identity is a constant negotiation between social interactions and other people’s perceptions of such interactions. Social interactions allow people to form a gender identity for others based on what they believe to be true. Just because you don’t want somebody to think something about you doesn’t mean they can’t or they won’t.

The assumption that one person’s subjective opinion about themselves completely defines who they are doesn’t make much sense. Consider reputation. Just because you want to be viewed in a certain light, it doesn’t mean that you will be. By forcing people to view you in a certain way, it’s limiting people’s ability to form their own conclusions about social interaction.

Dylan is a first-year student in the faculty of Arts and Science.

PHOTOS BY NICOLE LANGFIELD

“Going home for a big brunch on Sunday morning.”

Rebecca Lebel ArtSci ’21

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Thursday, March 29, 2018

Queen’s International Affairs Association saw three high-level terminations for sexual harassment last year Former Core Executives detail prominence of sexual harassment in one of Queen’s’ largest clubs

Iain Sherriff-Scott Assistant News Editor This article talks about sexual harassment and may be triggering for some readers.

According to several former Queen’s International Affairs Association (QIAA) Core Executives, the club experienced three terminations based on allegations of sexual harassment in 2016-2017.

Over the course of multiple interviews, the former Core Executives told The Journal the terminations occurred following “patterns of behavior” which were brought to their attention by other members of the club. The former Core Executives spoke on condition of anonymity because of concerns about the identities of the victims and the subjects of the allegations.

During the 2016-17 academic school year, two of the cases were brought forward to the AMS Clubs Human Resources Coordinator and the club’s leadership. One case however, was appealed through Non-Academic Misconduct (NAM). All three cases resulted in terminations and club-wide bans.

As defined by the Queen’s University Policy on Sexual Violence Involving Queen’s University Students, sexual harassment is referred to as “a course of unwanted remarks, behaviours, or communications of a sexual nature and/or a course of unwanted remarks, behaviours or communications based on gender — where the person responsible for the remarks, behaviours or communications knows or ought reasonably to know that these are unwanted.”

The allegations in each case were different and varied in intensity from making inappropriate comments to incidents involving alcohol and more sexually suggestive behaviour. No allegations of sexual assault were made.

With over 250 members across the organization’s dozens of committees and initiatives, QIAA is one of the largest clubs at Queen’s.

Several former QIAA Core Executives told The Journal these allegations of harassment were related to events in Kingston as well as in one case abroad at a conference.

Despite these allegations being focused at events, the former Core Executives said the club’s experience with sexual harassment goes beyond the terminations and may represent a more systemic issue.

It turns out that she had gone to a “member’s house. The door was closed

and she was trying to find a way to get out of the member’s room.

”

For example, one former Core Executive said many women in the club could either relate an event they had personally experienced involving harassment or had heard of allegations from others. ***

One case, described by a former Core Executive, involved an individual who was terminated from

the Club in the fall of 2016 after complaints were made to both the AMS Clubs Human Resources and the club’s leadership.

According to a former Core Executive, one of these incidents occurred after a club social event. Following the event, former Core Executives who spoke to The Journal said they made a “concerted effort” to walk everyone home. During this time, they “noticed that a certain young woman was gone.”

“It turns out that she had gone to a member’s house.

The door was closed and she was trying to find a way to get out of the member’s room,” one former Core Executive alleged.

It wasn’t until former club staff “went to the house” and left with her to walk her home that this incident was concluded. After the incident, the former staff said they didn’t know what to do. There was no allegation of any inappropriate physical contact.

The former Core Executive also told The Journal this wasn’t the only situation in which the accused made others in the club feel uncomfortable.

An earlier incident involving the same individual occurred in the fall of 2016. The individual is alleged to have made a derogatory sexual comment about another executive member at a social event. Coupled with the event mentioned earlier, the individual’s case was brought to the executive’s attention.

Moreover, according to former Core Executives, there were allegedly other reports of similar offensive comments being made “about members that were hired (and) other executive members.” “We had to just deal with it,” they said, referring to the terminated individual’s behaviour.

Despite being dismissed, an email provided to The Journal by a former Core Executive shows a complaint lodged with the AMS Clubs Human Resources Coordinator involving the terminated individual attending a QIAA conference as a delegate during the Winter term in 2017.

[One member] was actively trying to be “sexist in meetings (and) actively trying to

It’s just something that is swept under the “rug because there is nothing to protect the girls that are trying to speak out against it. ” The former Core Executive said, “given that [they] still had a QIAA-wide ban at that point, in my opinion it was not something [they] should have been able to do.” ***

Another case occurred in the fall of 2016, after an individual was terminated for “acting inappropriately with several women by asking them on dates repeatedly, making targeted comments while at a conference and belligerent behaviour while at an external conference.”

The decision to remove this individual from the club came following discussion amongst the QIAA’s leadership and the Core Executives. ***

The third termination was vigorously opposed by the

individual who appealed their termination from the club to the University’s NAM Committee. In a statement to The Journal, the individual claimed to have done nothing wrong and categorically denies the allegations against themself.

According to those in the executive who dealt with the termination, a number of reports were brought forward alleging the making of repetitive, demeaning and sexist comments about a number of women from September to November of 2016.

According to a former Core Executive, the individual’s actions included “actively trying to be sexist in meetings (and) actively trying to make the females in the meeting uncomfortable.”

It wasn’t until after the club’s elections took place in March of 2017 that a number of the allegations began to surface. After consultations with the AMS Clubs Human Resources Coordinator, a decision was made to terminate the individual from the club’s leadership and to ban them from QIAA. Despite the club-wide ban, a number of former Core Executives told The Journal this individual has attended official QIAA socials this year.

A former Core Executive said in an interview, “to this day, [they] still shows up to events.” “[They were] at the General Member Homecoming Social; [they’re] in pictures. [They were] removed from the club in an official capacity and that should be respected,” the former Core Executive member continued.

make the females in the meeting uncomfortable.

”

When asked why the individual had been allowed to attend an official QIAA social this year, current QIAA President Jonathan Salna said “[they] likely shouldn’t have been at that social.”

However, recently one former Core Executive told The Journal the ban on social events had been lifted by the President himself. In addition, according to other former Core Executives, the club’s current directors and the vice-presidents weren’t consulted about that decision.

In response, Salna said the decision wasn’t made by himself. “This was a decision by leadership after the entire first semester of looking into this … It wasn’t a decision I made lightly in any respect.”

Salna stressed that the individual still isn’t allowed to return to their former team. “[They’re] not being allowed to attend meetings as an attendee or an observer,” he remarked. “[They] aren’t banned from QIAA events; [they] are allowed to attend as a general participant,” Salna continued.

In an interview, a former executive said they “completely and utterly disagreed” with the decision to lift the club-wide ban. “[QIAA leadership] had the full support of the Clubs Office last year,” when this individual was dismissed.

When asked about the case, Salna stated he “wasn’t comfortable” with enforcing a club-wide ban.

He said the ban “seemed to be enforced on shaky grounds without any sort of appeal or investigative

Thursday, March 29, 2018

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Features

ILLUSTRATION BY ASHLEY RHAMEY

process whatsoever.”

In his opinion, Salna said the individual’s initial dismissal was illegitimate. “The way that [their] case was publicized through, essentially unofficial channels, through chats and what not. This very vitriolic rhetoric used about [them],” he said.

When describing the nature of the complaints, Salna said they were “concerning, sure, but I don’t think they necessitated a cause for dismissal.”

Reflecting on the case, Salna, said “I saw [them] doing something that should be reprimanded sure, saying something very stupid, very inappropriate, but I don’t think that it necessitated the response that [they] got.”

I saw [them] doing something that “should be reprimanded sure, saying

something very stupid, very inappropriate, but I don’t think that it necessitated the response that [they] got.

”

— QIAA President, Jonathan Salna

When contacted for comment about the allegations, the individual told The Journal “following an investigation by the Club Executive I was cleared of wrongdoing and fully reinstated in QIAA.” ***

Last year, in response to issues of sexual harassment, former QIAA leadership moved to amend the club’s constitution to establish a sexual harassment and assault policy. The changes were ratified after last year’s incoming executive team took over.

One former Core Executive, who worked on the policy change, said Bystander Intervention training was made mandatory “for every single team member, executive member, every person in the club,” or members aren’t allowed to attend conferences or events.

Though the club shifted its own policy, former Core Executives expressed dissatisfaction with current AMS policy. “Why is there no AMS clubs policies to back us up when there is a year of harassment and actual cases where people were removed?” one Core Executive asked. “There is no sexual assault policy for clubs” at large.

Clubs are ratified by the AMS, but operate autonomously under their own constitutions and are free to make any personnel decisions they want.

Given the AMS’s role in ratification, the question has therefore been raised as to whether the society should be out front in a leadership role on this issue.

Currently, the AMS only provides a referral role to official reporting services to assist clubs in dealing with complaints.

For two of last year’s terminations, Core Executives and club leadership relied heavily on the AMS Clubs Human Resources Coordinator for consultation and advice when making personnel decisions. In addition, on several occasions, complaints were submitted directly to the Clubs Human Resources Coordinator.

Despite this, AMS Vice-President (University Affairs) Palmer Lockridge insisted in an interview that “the Clubs Human Resources Coordinator would have only been involved in any situation as a resource, such as referring a student to support on campus, or reviewing with clubs potential steps to take moving forwards.”

“In all cases, clubs maintain their autonomy and make their decisions through the processes established through their club constitution and policy,” Lockridge remarked.

The position of AMS clubs Human Resources Coordinator was “transitioned” to the Clubs Logistics Deputy at the beginning of the 2017-2018 academic year.

Lockridge told The Journal in an interview that “the title of Logistics Deputy more accurately reflects the fact that we only refer clubs to resources and are not involved in the independent decision making process of clubs.” “[T]he AMS is not the body that is responsible or able to investigate or make determinations around issues of sexual violence or sexual harassment,” Lockridge explained. “What our goal should always be is to try to get those students to professional supports and professional reporting mechanisms.”

However, former Core Executives explained they felt ill-equipped and lacked enough training to handle disclosures of sexual harassment or assault.

“It was very draining to have to hear that these things were happening,” one Core Executive said. “You feel like you failed in some way in your leadership position because you didn’t see these things going on,” they continued. “Being in a position of leadership and not seeing those things, it affects you personally.”

The same Core Executive stressed though the club mandates Bystander Intervention training for all members, there’s “not enough education” for those in leadership roles on how to deal with disclosures of sexual harassment and assault.

“It is something that happens more than you think,” they said.

“When you first receive a disclosure from someone, your initial reaction has a huge impact on that person.

You don’t know what to do in that situation, you don’t know what the options are,” they said. “If there were a free or low cost [disclosure training] option for directors of clubs and people on club executives to do, I think it would go a long way,” they added. ***

One former Core Executive explained that issues of sexual harassment in QIAA and in clubs at Queen’s go beyond the cases described.

Former Core Executives expressed that “multiple” people didn’t return to the club this year because of past issues surrounding sexual harassment.

All Core Executives who spoke to The Journal expressed a similar sentiment about sexual harassment in clubs on campus.

“It’s just something that is swept under the rug because there is nothing to protect the girls that are trying to speak out against it,” they said.

Editor’s Note Although our sources were able to identify the three people terminated from QIAA based on allegations of sexual harassment, we have decided not to name them in this article.

This wasn’t a decision that was made lightly. We want to make it clear to our readership that we didn’t come to this decision with intentions to ignore the very real stories which were brought to us. Rather, we want to focus on shedding light on the reality that sexual violence is a very serious problem in our society and on Queen’s campus.

During our time as members at The Journal and as students on campus, we’ve witnessed how student leaders and other members of the Queen’s community have worked to ensure victims and survivors are supported.

As student journalists, we need to ensure we handle all cases of sexual violence with the agency of the survivor in mind. If naming individuals causes them more harm, we will not do it.

Sexual violence has been and remains an issue at Queen’s University. In recent months, our society has seen a great deal of momentum on the path towards accountability. As a paper that seeks to represent its readership, we try our very best to amplify the voices of all students at Queen’s. We commend every individual who has come forward to tell their story, to help break down barriers and place light on this systemic issue.

In doing this, we have always tried to leave the agency of the story with the survivor/victim. Their stories have shown us the undeniable resiliency of many of our peers. But most of all, they have shown us that the path towards justice is different for every survivor/victim of sexual violence. With this in mind, we have decided not to publish the names of those individuals accused of sexual harassment.

Although our term is ending soon, our paper will continue to publish stories about sexual violence and ensure that we support survivors and victims to the best of our ability. As a small team, we appreciate any information or assistance the community is willing to provide.

Sincerely, Joseph Cattana and Meg Glover Editor in Chief and Managing Editor We would like to close this statement by directing all students who are affected by this issue to the Peer Support Centre that is available from 12-10 p.m., 7 days a week in JDUC room 034. You may also contact Barb Lotan, the Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Coordinator at bjl7@queensu.ca.

Arts Eloise grapples with her loneliness and isolation in Harmless Little Home.

MUSICAL REVIEW

Queen’s Students on Broadway hits ‘Home’ Student musical is a heartfelt exploration of roots C layton T omlinson Assistant Arts Editor From March 22-25, Queen’s Students on Broadway’s Harmless Little Home questioned if a person can really return to their roots.

The musical introduces Eloise, a city lawyer suffering from homesickness, who moves back to her small hometown in Prince Edward Island with her live-in partner Luke. However, after trading in a high-rise for a house in the woods, she continues to feel directionless and lonely.

Once back in her hometown,

C layton T omlinson Assistant Arts Editor

On March 26, author and alumnus Steven Heighton returned to his literary roots with a reading in Watson Hall as a part of Queen’s Reading Series.

Heighton shared a selection from The Nightingale Won’t Let You Sleep, his most recent work in a career that spans decades, 15 novels and numerous short story and poetry collections. “[Queen’s] is where I first started writing,” he said to The Journal over email of his days as a student. Heighton began working with professors and mentors at the University, including creative

Heighton as an extra in Crimson Peak.

Eloise, played by Delaney Lathigee, runs into her old friends and gets reacquainted with an old boyfriend from her high school.

Reminders of the past leave Eloise feeling unsettled, telling the protagonist her return may not be the solution to her dissatisfaction.

The problems she once had with her town resurface and she realizes her loneliness isn’t so much caused by the location

as it is by herself.

Eloise is ill no matter where she goes — a feeling that intensifies when she’s changed too much to feel at home with her old friends.

These scenes in P.E.I. showcased the rest of the cast who sang more than spoke and whose skilled portrayal of well-meaning townspeople allowed the play to fo c u s on d eve l o p i n g Eloise’s character.

A clear highlight of Harmless Little Home this weekend was Lathigee’s outstanding performance. Lathigee grounded her character’s sudden departure from the city, making for a realistic depiction of a person making sense of her career and life. Both her acting and singing captured Eloise’s distress while avoiding melodrama.

Meanwhile, Brandon Lee’s Luke reliably delivered strong comic relief. He helped move the story forward by encouraging Eloise’s

decision, all while remaining aloof and slightly clueless. Their eventual breakup — when she moves back to her hometown and he remains in P.E.I. — solidified the characters as authentic, evolving people.

The break-up and her return to the city made the ending, which left Eloise’s sense of home somewhat unresolved and all the more captivating. The audience was left to wonder what Eloise was searching for.

Town life continued normally in her absence and Eloise’s unsuccessful return meant she still couldn’t turn back time; she had changed too much to feel at home.

Instead of an overly neat conclusion, the musical’s plot focused on uncertainty and emotional growth.

This was the main draw, but the cast and set design made it all the more memorable. The limited furniture appears sparse and isolating in Eloise’s apartment, suggesting her problems didn’t

ALUMNI

Steven Heighton closes out campus reading series Alum and author talks about his career as a writer and poet writing professor Carolyn Smart who introduced him at the reading on Monday.

“Kingston has been a good place to make a life as a writer. I chose it (in 1988, after travelling and working in Asia for two years) because I liked the city, it

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY STEVEN HEIGHTON

was equidistant from Toronto and Montreal, and it was relatively cheap (I knew I wanted to write full-time),” he wrote.

Heighton explained he’s been profoundly shaped by his life here in Kingston and sets his stories around the town.

His most recent short story collection is set in Skeleton Park, his “neighbourhood park.”

“Being a student taught me to live frugally and I haven’t really stopped since,” he wrote, telling The Journal he still opts to buy his clothes from Value Village and Phase Two. Meanwhile, one of the other habits Heighton picked up as an English student — fiction writing — has also stayed with him, though not without difficulty.

For Heighton, novels lose a lot of their appeal after the second or third draft.

“Novels are impossible. Over the course of 300 pages, there are a thousand ways to blow it — and that fact weighs on anyone who’s struggling to write

one,” Heighton wrote over email.

His newest book clocks in at 352 pages.

Poetry comes easier to the author. Heighton said a dream will occasionally inspire him, forcing him to wake up in the middle of the night to document his ideas.

“I’ll push through the fatigue so that I can scribble whatever’s in my head down,” he said at the reading.

Heighton opened the event with several examples of his poetry, ending up reading more poems than his actual novel.

One poem, called “Fake News,” describes a bodyguard in Trump’s detail and the personal antipathy he has for the President despite being professionally dedicated to his protection.

Another, titled “Christmas Work Detail: Samos,” profiles two Greek workers tasked with burying three refugees who drowned and washed up on a beach of the titular Greek island.

These pieces presented on Monday highlighted Heighton’s tendency to take an emotional

PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY STUDIO Q

stem from her surroundings but rather herself.

Narrowing the audience’s attention to just a few props and characters allowed the musical to give the focus to an honest and heartfelt character-driven plot.

As a result, Eloise’s concerns began to seem like the only thing in her life — crowding out her boyfriends, family and friends.

Through the use of staging, the show was able to explore the struggle that Eloise faced of finding meaning while superficially having it all.

The musical hinged on this successful exploration of its plot and characters. While not a new storyline, Harmless Little Home was an engaging and thought-provoking take on homesickness and adulthood.

This success owed a great deal to the performance of leads Lathigee and Lee. This musical was comfortable leaving questions unanswered, making growth an ongoing process that could speak to any audience member — no matter where they’re from. approach to current events. He writes from a point of sympathy for the characters in his works who’ve undergone trauma, pain and suffering from larger sweeping political change.

Highly political works characterize Heighton’s recent output — his new novel is about a Canadian soldier under treatment for PTSD and on leave from Afghanistan who ends up living in a deserted Greek town in Cyprus.

At his reading, Heighton read a passage between the soldier and the soldier’s doctor. The doctor has started to become so affected by the post-traumatic stress of his patients that he finds himself reliving the horrors they recount to him.

After reading the passage, Heighton admitted to the crowd that he only researches his books after he writes them to check if he’s close to reality. A man in the audience, during the following question period, said he had worked as a psychologist with returning vets and had experienced the same recurring dreams and post-traumatic stress as the doctor in the novel.

From his beginnings at Queen’s to later settling in Kingston, Heighton continues to strive for literary excellence.

On his early writing career at Queen’s, Heighton told The Journal, “Support at any stage is helpful, but early support is essential, and I got it here.”

Arts

Thursday, March 29, 2018

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NEW EXHIBIT

Union Gallery exhibit uses art to explore the creative process ‘Course of Action’ is a meta love letter to visual art J osh M alm Staff Writer Course of Action, Union Gallery’s most recent exhibit, makes art out of an artist’s challenging creative process.

Although not thematically linked, the works in the exhibit capture the physical, intellectual and emotional aspects of artistic creation through an emphasis on different artistic techniques and how they deliver a message.

Brush strokes, edited video, text and sculpted material are essentially a visual means of communication. That message, analyzed and interpreted by both the audience and the artist, makes art possible.

The pieces in Course of Action, although showcasing breathtaking works of art, also strip the artistic process to its bare bones so we can observe how ideas and concepts are generated in the mind of the artist.

This is what makes

this exhibit so unique and thought-provoking. Course of Action uses art to illustrate what goes into the making of a great work of art. For instance, Chelsea Saunders’ “Interlude” consciously leaves brush marks visible, allowing the viewer to examine the trajectory of the painting.

Through techniques such as this, the viewer garners an understanding of the experimentation, decision-making and emotional changes inherent to creating art.

Many of the pieces showcased in Course of Action are both conceptually challenging and beautiful to look at. Some of the best works include Ramolen Laruan’s “Untitled”, Haley Menard’s “Silence is Golden” and Shaylyn Myshrall’s “Rotten”.

Laruan’s “Untitled” is an eye-opening series of 12 picture frames containing the written thoughts of the artist herself.

The piece is arguably the most conceptual, with an emphasis on

Queen of Katwe details a young girl’s rise from poverty to world chess master.

FILM FESTIVAL

Course of Action explored the steps behind artistic creation.

the self-doubt of the artist and the challenges of authentically conveying vulnerability to an audience through artistic creation.

As viewers, we’re free to appreciate the end result of an artist’s work without seeing the difficulties of the creative process.

Laruan gives us a vivid and often unexplored glimpse into the entire process.

Menard’s “Silence is Golden” uses plaster, acrylic paint and string to convey the idea of censorship, more specifically, the difference between being silenced or being free to express yourself.

The piece shows two hands sewing a mouth shut using

SCREENSHOT FROM YOUTUBE

Queen’s hosts first Diversity and Inclusion Film Festival Week-long film festival focuses on portraying various cultures S hivani G onzalez Lifestyle Editor From March 20-28, the Diversity and Inclusion Film Festival (DIFF) hosted a tour of world cultures from Queen’s University International Centre (QUIC) Hall in

the JDUC. The event featured five films: Bran Nue Dae, Queen of Katwe, About Elly, Confucius and Cairo Drive, each one set in a different country, representing a variety of different cultures from around the world.

According to DIFF organizer Atul Jaiswal, the new film festival had the intention of promoting diversity and inclusion on campus.

As SGPS International Student Affairs Commissioner, Jaiswal was originally inspired to organize

PHOTO BY SEBASTIAN MOLGAT

string. The materials used in this piece are also integral to understanding the concept, as the string and plaster generate a tension whereby the string is unable to pierce the plaster.

My favourite piece in the exhibit is Myshrall’s surrealist painting “Rotten”. The piece depicts bioluminescent fungus growing on an unsettlingly cooler and water-stained background depicting the cyclical nature of life and death.

The beauty of the green fungus is countered by the dread-inducing colour pallet and decomposing background, generating a feeling of intrigue.

Through focusing on a species of plant-life that typically grows at the base of rotting trees in Brazil, Myshrall conveys the ability of certain species to form and thrive

through the decomposition of another organism.

“Rotten” uniquely addresses how we feel about death — taking a subject that is inherently frightening and ugly to most, and presenting it as a natural, symbiotic and even beautiful process. This work shows the necessity of knowing what it takes to make yourself thrive in life — regardless of how that might seem to others.

Although the works in Course of Action are diverse in both their medium and message, they all explore the individuality that underpins an artist and their works.

Each piece gives a peek into the artist’s mind, and into the decisions which led to the pieces on display.

the festival because of his role in the support and advocacy for students on campus. He noticed an abundance of unique cultures present at Queen’s but not a lot of space to share that.

To remedy this lack of cultural representation, DIFF was set up in collaboration with QUIC and Four Directions. The students involved hail from Africa, China and the Middle East, reflecting the cultures onscreen.

The week’s films were selected by the groups to showcase the diversity present at Queen’s.

The intention was to increase awareness and sensitivity for students from cultures outside of mainstream Canadian culture.

“We intend to use movies as a tool to showcase the culture unique to a specific region so people can appreciate each other’s culture and start accepting and including everyone,” Jaiswal told The Journal over email.

Although the festival’s line-up was thematically diverse, each film featured different regions of the world and the norms that exist in those places. They worked to tell a wide range of stories, from an Aboriginal Australian youth in the 60s to the legendary Chinese philosopher Confucius.

The movies in DIFF were all accompanied by following a panel discussion. The moderators made up of local and international students were given a chance to use the films shown as a catalyst

for being able to speak about their cultures.

“Each film screening is accompanied by a panel discussion led by students and faculty facilitators from the same culture to engage audience on the cultural understanding — for example, for the first movie, Bran Nue Dae, we had an Indigenous faculty member at Queen’s, Dr. Karine Bertrand along with Laura Maracle from Four Directions Aboriginal Student Centre as our facilitators,” Jaiswal explained.

When choosing the movies for the week-long festival, it was important to Jaiswal and the remaining organizers that the films accurately portrayed the portraits of people from each region.

“In this technology - driven world, we were mindful of choosing a movie that has some meaning, i.e. portrays the real life of people of that world, and engages the audience so that they want to know more about it”, Jaiswal commented.

DIFF worked to present an authentic look at the diverse cultures represented by the student body. According to Jaiswal, the event was a success, and well received by people on campus.

“With the support of our current collaborators and student volunteers, we hope to make this “Diversity and Inclusion Film Festival an annual event at Queen’s,” Jaiswal concluded.

12 • queensjournal.ca

Thursday, March 23, 2018

Sports

Varsity clubs shine at Colour Awards Women’s squash take home top team award, female athlete Matt Scace Assistant Sports Editor On Tuesday night, varsity club athletes celebrated a year full of achievement at the 82nd annual Colour Awards.

The annual ceremony honours the year’s best performances, most memorable moments and every effort put into Queen’s Athletics programs. Over eight months, many of these teams travelled across the continent to represent the University against some of Canada’s best student athletes.

Award of Merit for Top Team: Women’s Squash

After winning OUA gold for the fourth year in a row, the women’s squash team has proved themselves to be one of the most dominant athletic teams at Queen’s. En route to the championship, the Gaels ended the season with a 41-4 record.

“To get to see the team get so much recognition this year, we’ve had an amazing four years,” Marion Ross Trophy winner Nora Kamal said after the ceremony.

To make the OUA Championship win even sweeter, the Gaels won this year’s provincial championship in the ARC. Winning this championship at home will remain one of Kamal’s fondest memories at Queen’s.

“It was great to win on home court and see the athletes and students come out and cheer … that was really nice,” Kamal said. Next season, the Gaels will be chasing an illustrious fifth consecutive OUA title.

Marion Ross Trophy for Top Female Athlete: Nora Kamal — Squash

In her final season at Queen’s, Kamal established herself as one of the OUA’s strongest female squash players. Named to the OUA Women’s All-Star team, Kamal has been a part of Queen’s four straight provincial titles.

“It really means a lot. It’s really an honour and it’s amazing to be recognized,” she said.

Kamal, who will graduate in the spring, reflected fondly on her time as a part of the squash team.

“Squash occupies a special place in my heart. I didn’t start playing until really late in high school, so I didn’t get to play much, so it’s nice to see most of my memories come in university,” Kamal said.

“It’s really cool to see how far I could go with it.”

Spending this season as the

ATHLETICS

team’s co-captian, Kamal said she’ll be leaving Queen’s with a smile on her face.

Jack Jarvis Trophy for Top Male Athlete: Zachary Baum — Sailing

In his fifth and final year with the sailing team, Zachary Baum was integral to Queen’s winning their seventh straight national championship. Also acting as the team’s co-president, Baum said a lot of hard work has gone into bringing the team to where it is now.

“It means a lot this year for me to see the recognition for all the work I’ve put in … I accept the award is not just [for] me, there are other people in that boat,” Baum said.

The Gaels’ victory at nationals saw them barely break a tie with McGill in the final race.

Baum said it will be one of his fondest memories of his time at Queen’s.

“When we crossed the line and had the confirmed victory, we all kind of just freaked out a bit and jumped into the water even though it was just five or six degrees.”

Even though Baum is no longer eligible to race, he will return to the Gaels next season as an assistant coach while he completes his Masters degree. With a wave of 24 rookies coming in this past season, Baum is looking forward to

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

Queen’s athletics increase gender inclusivity LGBTQ+ workshops delivered to raise awareness on sport inclusion

Maggie Gowland Staff Writer While athletic performance is at the core of the Queen’s Athletics department, the University has made it clear that they want to create an inclusive environment on campus. Queen’s Athletics furthered these steps this week, as they hosted Stephanie Sapienza to run LGBTQ+

awareness workshops on campus.

Currently, Sapienza is the Sport Inclusion Coordinator for the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity (CCGSD). Her workshops are aimed at addressing and raising awareness about homophobia and transphobia within sports and athletic communities.

Since the program’s inception in 2015, these workshops

Nora Kamal and Zachary Baum.

mentoring them next season.

“Being able to not only see them for one year, but see what they can accomplish in two years is really special.”

Alfie Pierce Trophy for Top Female Rookie: Kiah Shanks — Lacrosse

Kiah Shanks played a critical role in the women’s lacrosse 2017 OUA campaign, which saw the Gaels finish with a 10-2-1 record and win an OUA silver medal.

“It was a really successful season and I’m really thankful to have all my teammates and coaches with me. They were really supportive and we worked really hard all season,” Shanks said.

During her first season, Shanks was one of three Gaels attackers named to the OUA All-Star First Team. Following the colour awards, Shanks was full of emotion.

“I didn’t expect to get this award so I’m really thankful. There’s a lot of amazing athletes here.” have been provided at Queen’s University, the University of Ottawa and Algonquin College.

In an interview with The Journal, Sapienza said athletes can benefit from taking part in her workshops.

According to Sapienza, each one will vary slightly in content depending on the audience and the questions that they ask. By the end of all of her workshops, Sapienza hopes she can pass on the tools necessary to challenge everyday actions of exclusion and create inclusive spaces within athletics and recreational sports in Canada.

Not only geared towards students, Sapienza said there’s also a discussion on how coaches and staff can be more supportive towards athletes and better handle any issues that may arise within a team, including on-team relationships.

Some of the workshops also discuss gender verification testing, which many female athletes must undergo to compete at the Olympics. Even though the International Olympic Committee allowed trans athletes to

SUPPLIED BY QUEEN’S ATHLETICS

Alfie Pierce Trophy for Top Male Rookie: Alex Collins — Squash

In his first season at Queen’s, Alex Collins was an integral member of the men’s squash team, which won bronze at the OUA Championships.

Making an impression across the province, Collins was named OUA Rookie of the Year.

“The squash team has been doing pretty well this year and it’s great to be a part of it,” Collins said following the awards ceremony.

“We have a really amazing, positive culture going there so it’s really fun.”

The squash team’s roster was a fountain of youth this season, with Collins belonging to a group of rookies that made up more than half of the roster. As they look to build on their experience from this year, Collins believes the Gaels can continue their success into next season.

“I think we’re going to be really strong and be a great team going forward,” he said. participate, the Olympics have yet to see a trans athlete compete.

After her workshops on campus, Sapienza hopes she can return one day to speak again.

“I’m hoping to maybe tackle that in the next couple months,” Sapienza said of the opportunity to speak with all of Queen’s varsity athletes as opposed to just the coaches. “[I hope to] at least have the opportunity to speak with some of the teams at Queen’s University.”

Through her workshops, Sapienza wants to help break the stigma towards LGBTQ+ people in society. If this happens, she believes athletes who are non-binary or gender fluid can safely participate in sport.

“At the end of the day, they’re choosing not to participate because of the exposure that they’re given. There are no changing rooms, no bathrooms, no leagues,” Sapienza said.

“The more knowledgeable we are as a society, the more awareness we’re given to a topic, and the more normal it will become.”

Sports

Thursday, March 29, 2018

queensjournal.ca

• 13

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Julia Wiercigroch blazes trails in rookie season

First-year outside hitter racks up awards in rebound season for women’s volleyball Matt Scace Assistant Sports Editor As she dived towards her 20th dig of the match against the University of Toronto during her rookie season as a Gael, Julia Wiercigroch was confident. Playing in the starting lineup — let alone this well — was something the first year knew was uncommon for someone her age.

“I was like, ‘hit it at me one more time, I got you,’” Wiercigroch told The Journal as she reflected on arguably her strongest game of the season. Playing at this level was something Wiercigroch said she never visualized this prior to the season.

“To be honest, I didn’t expect much … I just wanted to compete for a spot and learn from the veterans,” she said.

By the end of the women’s volleyball season, the Gaels game against U of T acted as just one example of how Wiercigroch developed into one of the top rookies in Canada. After finishing in the OUA’s top 20 for points per set (3.1), kills per set (2.65) and hitting percentage (0.204), she was named the OUA Rookie of the Year in the conference’s East division.

She was also named to the OUA Second

All-Star team and U Sports All-Rookie team.

While Wiercigroch is aware of the work she put in to reach this success, she credits much of her development to women’s volleyball head coach Ryan Ratushniak. “[He] gave me the opportunity to work my way up and to stay in the starting lineup,” Wiercigroch said. “He’s a great coach … I don’t think I’ve ever experienced someone like him.”

“I just wanted to compete for a spot and learn from the veterans”

— Julia Wiercigroch For Wiercigroch, who represented Team Ontario at this year’s Canada Games, the opportunity to play volleyball and study at Queen’s was a two-pronged decision.

“I liked the balance between academics and athletics,” Wiercigroch said. “I was going to do engineering and volleyball anywhere, Queen’s was the best choice.”

In addition to the school’s strong academic and athletic standing, Wiercigroch

After a career year in his fifth and final season with the men’s basketball team, Mike Shoveller is going to represent Canada abroad.

The Gaels center, who averaged 11 points and 6.7 boards in 23 games in 2017-18, was selected to represent Team Canada at the Commonwealth Games. The tournament is set take place from April 4-15 in Gold Coast, Australia.

In 2016, Shoveller tore his ACL before making a full return to the court this season, where he started in all 23 games for the Gaels.

In his final year, Shoveller was third in the OUA with 45 blocks on the season. Queen’s finished the season with a 11-12 record, which was good for sixth in the OUA East.

It’s only the second time the sport of basketball will feature at the Commonwealth Games and the first time it will host the Canadian basketball team.

The men’s tournament is divided into two pools of four teams, with Canada set to play the host Australia, alongside Nigeria and New Zealand.

— Sebastian Bron

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

had no interest in playing for the OUA’s best teams such as McMaster and U of T. In the last five years, these two teams have won four of the province’s championships.

“I want to be on the team that takes those teams down and people are not expecting it,” Wiercigroch said. “I want to be the underdog and just work towards taking down the big names.”

In her first season, she and the Gaels did just that. After finishing the previous season 10-10, Queen’s finished the 2018 season with a 13-7 record, which included a pair of dominant wins against McMaster and U of T. After being named to the U Sports AllRookie Team, Wiercigroch travelled to Quebec City to receive the honour at the U Sports Championships. While she was there,

SUPPLIED BY JULIA WIERCIGROCH

Wiercigroch watched the nation’s top teams battle it out for a national title.

“I think we have a chance any day competing with the teams out there,” Wiercigroch said. “The teams I saw there aren’t any better than we [are] and I think we could outperform them.”

With the confidence the Gaels have built this season under Ratushniak and a strong group of veterans returning, told The Journal she’s confident in her team’s ability to improve on the past season. Similar to many varsity athletes, she will live in Kingston this summer to train.

“We’ve accomplished so this much this year — who knows what can happen next year,” she said. “We’re going to be a way stronger team and we’re going to compete hard.”

Sports in Brief

Shoveller to play for Canada

Mike Shoveller.

Wiercigroch was recently named OUA Rookie of the Year.

Athletics to partner with Nike, T. Litzen in 2018-19 On Tuesday, Queen’s Athletics announced a multi-year agreement with Nike Team in a partnership that will supply over 1,200 of the University’s student-athletes with sponsored uniforms, apparel and accessories.

“We are thrilled about this new partnership with Nike, a company renowned for the style and quality of its athletic apparel,” Leslie Dal Cin, executive director for Queen’s Athletics, said in a media release sent to The Journal on Thursday afternoon.

The agreement will be serviced by T. Litzen Sports, a Canadian sporting good supplier and the exclusive distributor of Nike Team in Canada. The national brand will visit Queen’s in early April to reveal its sponsored gear to athletes and coaches.

By late April, Nike-Queen’s sporting apparel is expected to be for sale at the Queen’s apparel store in the ARC. Queen’s current agreement with Adidas is set to expire at the end of the current 2017-18 academic school year.

“We look forward to bringing together these highly recognized brands to our Athletics and Recreation program and to working with T. Litzen Sports to take our apparel to an exciting new level,” Dal Cin said.

— Sebastian Bron

Hargreaves remembered at Royal Military College The late Doug Hargreaves was inducted into the Royal Military College (RMC) Athletics’ Wall of Distinction on Mar. 21 for his significant contributions to the school’s football and basketball programs from 1965-70.

Hargreaves, who was both a student and coach at RMC, led the college’s football team to its first and only national top-10 ranking in 1969.

After a short coaching stint with Dalhousie in the early 1970s, the Kingston Sports Hall of Famer was hired as Queen’s football’s head coach in 1976.

He held this position until his retirement in 1994.

Hargreaves spent 19 years with the program, surpassing the legendary Frank Tindall as the Gaels’ all-time winningest coach, finishing with a record of 110 wins, 59 losses and three ties. Hargreaves led the team to 16 consecutive playoff berths, eight conference titles, and hoisted the Vanier Cup twice.

Hargreaves was inducted into the Queen’s Football Hall of Fame in 1995, and each year, the most outstanding offensive Gaels football player is awarded the Doug Hargreaves Award in his honour.

Hargreaves passed away in July of 2016 at the age of 84.

— Sebastian Bron

14 • queensjournal.ca

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Lifestyle (Left to right) David Hogg, Yolanda King Jr, Emma Gonzalez and Naomi Wadler making speeches at March For Our Lives in Washington, D.C.

POLITICS

Shivani Gonzalez Lifestyle Editor

March For Our Lives touched on more than just school shooting violence

This Saturday marked a new era for gun control.

Students from the recent Parkland shooting hosted a march in Washington, D.C. on Mar. 24 to show politicians they’re serious about fighting for changes to gun legislation.

The march brought out an estimated 200,000 people, included celebrities Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Kim Kardashian and North and Kanye West.

In the days counting down to the march, I thought I knew exactly what to expect — powerful performances, impassioned speeches by the brave students from Stoneman Douglas High School and absolutely no recognition from GOP politicians.

And I was right about most things. Parkland shooting survivors and vocal advocates

Speakers also discuss how gun violence affects the African American community of gun control David Hogg and Emma Gonzalez gave goosebump-worthy speeches, Demi Lovato killed it at her performance of “Skyscraper” and President Donald Trump took the day to golf at his Mar-A-Lago estate.

What really took me by surprise was the range of speakers and the diversity of issues their speeches worked to address.

The march was obviously

Representing the effects of TV ratings.

TV

ILLUSTRATION BY SHIVANI GONZALEZ

How do networks decide to renew or cancel TV shows?

A deep dive into the factors used to measure show's worth Josh Granovsky Assistant Lifestyle Editor As our winter semester comes to a close, it turns out students won’t be the only ones signing off for the summer.

Many of our favourite fictional friends will also soon sign off as most TV shows air their season finales in what the entertainment industry calls "May Sweeps."

Once shows end their season, broadcast networks band

together to renew or cancel every program in their lineup before the advertising presentations known as the "Upfronts" start in May. The annual May Sweeps process often results in popular series getting renewed, less-watched shows being cancelled and a few heartbreaking surprises being left for those stuck in the middle.

While some shows — including This Is Us and The Good Doctor — already know they'll be back in September, the future

initially inspired by the desire for gun reform after the Parkland shooting. Though this was a heavy focus of the day, the speakers invited to the march also focused on the need for change in the shooting of African American people.

This comes just days after an African American man was shot to death in his backyard because police mistook his iPhone for a gun.

The notable speakers included Naomi Wadler, an 11 year old who organized a walkout at her school following the Parkland shooting.

As well as touching on the experience of coordinating this protest, Wadler’s speech focused on how African American

women are disproportionately represented when it comes to gun violence.

In her speech, Wadler proclaimed, “I am here to acknowledge and represent African American girls whose stories don’t make the front page of every national newspaper, whose stories don’t lead on the evening news. I represent the African American women who are victims of gun violence, who are simply statistics instead of vibrant, beautiful girls full of potential.”

Given this march was arranged directly in response to the epidemic of school shootings in the United States, it was even more incredible to see the organizers of the event make sure to include other pressing

for most others is completely up in the air, with the exception of the already-cancelled Once Upon a Time and The Mayor.

There are numerous ways television networks measure their shows' performances to determine whether they’re worthy of staying on the screen. Here are some reasons your favourite show may or may not be coming back later this year.

country's population.

Out of the 118 million households in the United States — the largest exporter of television shows — that have televisions, only around 50,000 houses have these boxes measuring their viewership.

Similarly, around 3,000 households in Canada have their TV habits measured to represent the 12 million households with televisions. This sampling of viewers, which is supposedly wide-ranging enough to accurately portray entire countries' watching patterns, is then calculated to determine how much of the country watched a specific show when it aired live.

The most important metric used to decide a show's fate from these findings is how many people between the ages of 18 and 49 — the prime audience for advertisers — watched live.

Since commercials are how shows primarily earn revenue, companies will often value this number above overall ratings.

Once the overall viewership numbers come in and 18 to 49-year old viewership is translated into a percentage of

Overnight ratings

This method of measuring a show's popularity is seemingly self-explanatory. Overnight ratings refer to the amount of people who watch a show live, as it airs. For decades, TV networks have used these numbers as their guiding light. High overnight ratings are good, low overnight ratings are a death sentence.

The method of obtaining these numbers, however, isn’t as straightforward as you may think. Nielsen, the premier data measurement company, installs measurement modems called "black boxes" in a select number of diverse households that are used to represent a

SCREENSHOTS FROM YOUTUBE

concerns of gun violence.

Another significant speaker on the day was Martin Luther King Jr.’s granddaughter, nine year old Yolanda Renee King, who chanted “spread the word, have you heard?

All across the nation. We are going to be a great generation.”

Other parts of her speech included mentioning King Jr., and saying “my grandfather had a dream that his four little children will not be judged by the colour of their skin, but the content of their character.

I have a dream that enough is enough. And that this should be a gun-free world, period.”

I think it’s safe to say the world was expecting the march to be a very powerful day. What made it even more impactful was the organizers of the event commitment to including speakers who voiced the different issues gun violence can have on different groups of people.

People like David Hogg, Emma Gonzalez and Noami Walder were already being lauded as future politicians and change-makers prior to the march. The fact that they were so thoughtful when planning Saturday’s event and ensured to address diversity only speaks more to that. how many people in the age group with televisions watched a show, Nielsen delivers the ratings to the broadcast networks.

More eyeballs watching a show means a better chance to sell the products advertised in commercial breaks, so low-rated shows are typically discarded regardless of their quality.

DVR and online viewership

A few years ago, TV networks would've based a show's renewal prospects solely on how many people watch it immediately.

However, as our watching habits shift, so do the methods of measuring and monetizing them.

Live TV viewership has been on the decline for years and the standards for how many people need to a show for it to be popular are constantly changing.

The drop of viewers over the past decade is so drastic that Riverdale, a very popular show by today’s standards, is averaging a rating 40 per cent lower than the lowest-rated show of 2011.

See This on page 15

Lifestyle

Thursday, March 29, 2018

queensjournal.ca

• 15

TV's international impact on ratings Continued from page 14

INTERNET PHENOMENON

This change has bolstered the importance of those who watch shows on their DVR or on official streaming sites. New metrics, like the "Live+3" or "Live+7" ratings, now measure how many people view an episode of a show within three days and a week of its airdate.

For some shows, this measurement can be their saving grace. A recent episode of Criminal Minds scored a 0.9 per cent in 18 to 49 ratings — a record low for the 13 year old show.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOSH GRANOVSKY This rating increased by 89 per cent after three-day viewership Justin and David have both was factored in and could taken different things out of their easily be the reason the show experiences of being catfished. lives to see a 14th year.

Though the circumstance he was in was jarring at the time, Justin International appeal isn't discouraged from meeting other people online. David, on the Another huge source of other hand, has become warier income for broadcast networks about this kind of interaction. in Canada and the United “I’m definitely less trusting States is the money they off the bat, I’m sure I’ve built up get for selling shows to other a thick skin … I think catfishing networks across the world. problems in the past have just Sometimes, if a show is popular made me more insistent that I see overseas, a network will more proof that who I’m talking to continue producing episodes is real.” even as its homegrown popularity Still, both David and Justin wanes. This strategy allows aren’t completely opposed shows like Elementary and to meeting people online in Quantico — both of which are the future. wildly popular across Even though Nev and Max Europe — remain alive despite were the ones that popularized abysmal ratings in the US. the practice of catfishing and still Whether your favourite show work to expose some of the worst makes it out of this TV season cases, catfishing exists in our alive or not, we can all have own backyard. some peace of mind knowing Whether you're trying to make May also brings announcements of friends on the internet or looking next year's new shows. for love online, social websites If none of those interest you, may present the opportunity for the new season of Game of people to manipulate and deceive Thrones is just a quick other users and we at Queen’s year-and-a-half-wait away. aren’t immune to this deception.

A story of a real life 'Catfish' Real life stories mimic the famous TV show

Anonymity online.

Shivani Gonzalez Lifestyle Editor It turns out that Nev and Max’s hunt for internet frauds on Catfish isn’t just the basis of an American reality show. It also happens in our very own Queen’s community.

For those who haven’t had much experience with online dating, ‘catfishing’ is a term used to describe the phenomenon where someone lies to another person online about who they are. They often cultivate a relationship with them regardless of this deception.

The concept really became common knowledge when MTV released a TV show called Catfish.

On the show, hosts Nev and Max aid people who think they’re being catfished by using online sleuthing to find the person catfishing them and shamelessly confront them for their deceit. The show currently has seven seasons so there’s evidently no shortage of people who find themselves in this unique situation.

Honestly, I didn't know if it existed in our community. But after I posted on “Overheard at Queen’s” and asked whether catfishing exists for people at our school, I received lots of messages from people sharing their

experiences, confirming that yes, indeed it does.

Justin* met someone online when he was in grade 10. The person claimed to be Russian royalty and even though he was skeptical, Justin ended up being convinced.

“He had a full profile and the way he talked he was so convincing and knowledgeable.

I started off thinking it was a joke but it became increasingly possible that he was real as we talked more,” he said.

The story ends up being full of twists and Justin’s catfish ended up admitting he wasn’t the person he said he was. After this confession, the two decided to meet up to make amends.

“Eventually he told me it was fake and he told me his true identity. He was [allegedly] a year older from a different school and lived close to me. We ended up meeting up and playing video games. It was normal.”

At that point, Justin thought the situation had resolved itself to be nothing more than a strange online interaction — but it wasn’t the end of the story.

Justin soon realized his catfish had lied about his identity once again.

Crossword

“My friends and I played a prank on a restaurant and the manager (my Russian royalty video game friend) came running out and grabbed a metal rod and chased us away … my friend said that the guy was five years older and terrorized his sister and some other people.”

In Justin’s case, what seemed like a normal friendship turned into a much scarier encounter with a catfish.

“This was the guy that I had recently hung out with and claimed to be one year older than me … not five,” he concluded.

While it was a scary experience, Justin didn’t completely give up on meeting people online.

David, another student who reached out for the article, disclosed he’s encountered multiple catfish, mostly from the website Grindr and other online dating platforms. David explained that over time, he’s learned how to spot a catfish.

“Sometimes I catch on when they would refuse to take a selfie or something suspicious like that. Other times I’ve had guys show up who are absolutely not who they said they were and I usually leave in those circumstances.”

*Last names have been omitted for privacy purposes.*

ACROSS 1 The girl 4 Possesses 7 Man of morals?

12 Crone 13 Oklahoma city 14 Give birth to,

on a farm 15 Fix the outcome 16 Record-setting fastballer 18 Craft from far off 19 Jack 20 Ricochet, in biliards 22 Bachelor’s last words 23 TV clown 27 They’re between mus and xis 29 Someone who carries a torch?

31 Some skirts 34 Passenger 35 Easily built home 37 Held a meeting 38 Abhor 39 Carte lead-in 41 Dreyfus defender

45 Go 47 Sharp turn 48 She played Granny Clampett 52 Sapporo sash 53 Heals 54 Id counterpart 55 Negative prefix 56 Heron’s cousin 57 In medias ___ 58 Work unit DOWN 1 Bush 2 Israeli port 3 Incite 4 Williams of country 5 Handsome youth 6 Dieter’s lunch 7 Dermatologist’s case 8 Listener 9 Wily 10 Eggs 11 Nerd-pack occupant 17 Acknowledge

21 Bowie’s weapon 23 Shut out 24 Peculiar 25 Last letter 26 Bobby of hockey 28 Can. neighbor 30 Geological period 31 Speedometer abbr.

32 Playwright Levin 33 Trawler need 36 Boxer Max 37 Ferocious 40 See 42-down 42 With 40-Down, depleted atmo- spheric region 43 Toil 44 Gerontologist’s study 45 For fear that 46 Grandson of Eve 48 Lemieux milieu 49 Carpet 50 Mess up 51 Born

Lifestyle

16 •queensjournal.ca

Thursday, March 29, 2018

POSTSCRIPT

Life lessons from Queen's University Journal staff look back on the last four years

Starting at Queen’s, everybody tells you that graduation will come sooner than you can imagine. But when you’re a nervous frosh juggling countless hours of new classes and commitments, the end seems like it couldn’t be further away. With less than two weeks of school left, leaving this place seems more impossible than ever.

We talked to Journal staff who are graduating this year about what they learned from their time at Queen’s.

“Of course after majoring in English Literature in university, I learned academic skills I’ll carry with me after I receive my degree.

But what matters most is that I learned what it’s like to have and be a good friend. I got my degree in sushi on Sunday afternoons, in identifying my friends just by the sound of their laughter or footsteps, and in fitting seven girls in one bed to debrief a night out. I’m graduating with the ability to support my friends through their lowest points and celebrate their highest ones, with enough embarrassing photographs to cover every wall of my new home and with enough memories of “the good old days” to endlessly annoy my kids with.

Most importantly, I learned that the people you surround yourself with make or break your experience here.

Lucky for me, I chose the best of the best.”

—Maureen O’Reilly, News Editor

“At the risk of sounding like a yearbook quote, I’m glad for a lot of the time I wasted at Queen’s.

I didn’t spend a lot of it beaming in front of Ontario Hall while wearing a rugby shirt like in the brochure and I spent even less singing the Oil Thigh.

I spent way more time being with my friends or procrastinating-by-meme in the library. All the nerves of high school are still there in university and the same uncertainty shows

up too — September’s going to roll around and all the hallways and classrooms I’ve gotten used to are going to be gone.

The difference is, University gives you the chance to decide how you want to shape your life and choose what you think about. That process I started in high school thankfully didn’t end there.

University allowed it to grow and build around my relationships.

As graduation approaches, and I find myself busier than I even thought was possible in high school, I’m glad it happened and I’m reassured that it wasn’t picture perfect.

Wasted hours spent figuring out what I was going to do ended up building the skills and relationships I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.”

—Nick Pearce, Arts Editor

“During my time at Queen’s as a politics major, I learned about political polls, the process of impeachment and international security policies after 9/11. But the life lessons I learned far outweigh what I learned in my classes.

I learned that it really is the people that make the place. I have a group of people surrounding me who have made my day, every day for the last four years. Whether you're complaining about exams or dancing on a night out, having good people around you makes every different type of experience a positive one.

Knowing that I have people around who will rush over to my house with a bottle of wine, a hug or a whole pizza when I need them makes me feel at home no matter what I’m going through.

I love Queen’s, but when I really think about it, the reason I love the school is because of the people in it. If you surround yourself with good people, things in your life will turn out that way as well.”

—Shivani Gonzalez, Lifestyle Editor

“Everyday, I inch towards becoming a more honest and refined version of myself. When I first came to Queen’s campus as a twelfth grader, I was confused and scared and not really sure about what was to come. Now that I’m graduating, I can honestly say that I’m still confused, scared and not really sure about what is to come — but I also know that it’s going to be okay.

You’re never going to feel totally ready for anything, and life is always going to be a bit crazy, but that’s the way things are supposed to be.

Sometimes you just have to go with your gut no matter how terrified you are, chase your passions and hold close the people you love.”

—Julia Balakrishnan, Photos Editor

“Your grades don’t matter as much as you feel like they do. I don’t mean that you shouldn’t try or that certain grad schools don’t have GPA cutoffs, but your marks

shouldn’t be the most impressive thing about you. Your grades don’t matter like your well-being does.

And it’s true what they say about not being able to remember your GPA 20 years from now.

If you get straight Ds, you’ll still survive.

You might even laugh about it with your wife in 20 years. You need prioritize things if you want them to happen. I can’t count how many people told me I wouldn’t sleep well at university. Or that I wouldn’t have time to run, cook or go on day trips outside of the city.

The truth is that everyone has busy times at school where you genuinely have little time outside of studying, but for the most part, the free time is abundant.

Do the things that are important to you. Get a solid nine hours of sleep every night. You can do it if you make the time for it.”

—Alex Palmero, Features Editor

“The beauty of being on a university campus is that there’s really no one right way to go about your time here. No one dictates what you do.

Your decisions should be for you, and whether you’re involved with 10 different clubs or one, whether you have your life planned out or not — as long as it’s good enough for you, it should be good enough for everyone else.

Choosing to never go out doesn’t make you boring, just as going out often doesn’t make you irresponsible. Being single all four years isn’t a bad thing, nor is preferring a relationship an anomaly.

If your grades don’t match up to those of your peers, that does not mean you’re a subpar student or any less competent. If you’re working hard and trying your best, that’s all anyone can ask of you. You’re good enough for whatever path you choose to take.

As you get into the upper years of your degree, you’ll start to see your classmates pursue a variety of different postQueen’s paths.

But whether you’re aiming for grad school, taking a fifth year or taking a year off, no one gets to decide what’s best for you, except you.”

—Sarina Grewal, Assistant News Editor