The Queen's Journal, Volume 145, Issue 8

the journal

Queen’s University

Vol. 145, Issue 8

Thursday, Oct 5, 2017

since 1873

ASUS Equity Commissioner petitions for Indigenous land recognition on Queen’s sign

Page 5 PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

Laura Anderson pictured with the Queen’s University sign at Union Street and University Avenue

Residence Life makes alterations to residence conduct system

The new conduct policy will minimize the involvement of Residence Facilitators in the disciplinary system S arina G rewal Assistant News Editor Residence Life has modified their conduct policy and procedures to align with changes made to the Non-Academic Misconduct system last year, leaving Residence Facilitators with diminished authority.

Prior to the 2016 changes, Non-Academic Misconduct (NAM) cases were largely handled by fellow students through the AMS Judicial Affairs Office. NAM cases are now primarily handled at the university level through their NAM Intake Office.

The Board of Trustees also established a NAM Sub-Committee in May 2016 charged with the responsibility of “policy review and oversight of the University’s

non-academic misconduct system,” according to the Board’s website.

It was the NAM Sub-Committee that recommended changes be made to the residence conduct system. According to Bruce Griffiths, ResLife Executive Director of Housing and Ancillary Services, the sub-committee suggested the changes be made to “align the residence conduct system,” with the University’s revised NAM system.

According to the 2017-18 ResRules Handbook, violations are addressed as either level one, two or three in nature. A student receives one “point” against them for a level one infraction, two for a level two infraction and so on.

Last year’s ResRules Handbook indicated residence infractions were handled by Residence Facilitators when the student in

question has accumulated five or fewer points. If the student had six or more, the case was handed over to Residence Life Management, a body that consists of permanent Queen’s staff.

However, the recent amendments have left facilitators with less authority when handling these cases. Now, they will handle any first instances of level one or two infractions, or the first three occurrences of a level one violation.

Once a resident has accumulated three points, or a second level two violation, the case will be handled by a Residence Life Coordinator (RLC), who is a member of Residence Life staff.

After a student accumulates six or more points, the case will go to the Residence Life management staff.

Essentially, this new conduct system means administrative intervention occurs much earlier in the conduct process than in previous years, thus mitigating the role of Residence Facilitators.

Residence Society President Jake Roseman was contacted by The Journal multiple times to discuss these conduct system changes. No reply was received.

According to Griffiths, the NAM Sub-Committee suggested earlier intervention by the University “to address issues of recidivism and, as conduct is often an early sign of students in distress, provide an opportunity for support to students in distress.”

Griffiths went on to explain that the new conduct system will place less emphasis on punishments like bonds and fines, measures that

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he criticized for being “inherently punitive,” and inconsiderate of “a student’s personal or financial situation.”

Instead, Griffiths says educational sanctions will be prioritized as the primary means of disciplinary action in order to “promote learning and demonstrate an understanding of community standards.”

Griffiths expressed that the aim is to give students the opportunity to reflect on their infraction, as well as its impact on the residence community as a whole.

These changes have been newly introduced this year. According to Griffiths, Residence Life will soon meet to discuss their reception, and “review the impact of the changes.”

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News

Queen’s undecided on status of Aung Sun Suu Kyi’s honorary degree International outcry for Myanmar leader to be stripped of awards, Queen’s says “no process exists” to rescind honorary degrees

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BUSINESS

Queen’s students win $125,000 first prize in Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition Business idea gains international acclaim in Singapore pitch contest raechel huIzInga Contributor

Aung Sun Suu Kyi.

Since late August, nearly half a million Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh, escaping As Myanmar leader Aung persecution and violence in Sun Suu Kyi continues to face Myanmar. The situation flared as widespread condemnation from Rohingya militants attacked police the international community, stations in the country’s western conversations are starting provinces earlier this summer. In regarding the revocation of response, Myanmar’s military took her awards and distinctions. sweeping action in what the UN Currently, Suu Kyi’s honorary described as a “textbook example” degree from Queen’s remains in of ethnic cleansing. her possession.

Suu Kyi failed to condemn Suu Kyi has been criticized in violent Buddhist nationalists and recent months due to her response Myanmar’s military for their role to the mass displacement of the in the crisis until recently.

Rohingya minority in Myanmar’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Rakhine province. Calls to have faced pressure in parliament this Suu Kyi stripped of awards and fall from Conservative MP Garnett honours over her response to the Genuis, who raised the issue of crisis have taken center stage as Rohingya displacement 13 times the crisis intensifies. in the commons.

The Journal asked Principal As well, a petition calling on Woolf about the status of Suu Trudeau’s government to revoke Kyi’s honorary Doctorate of Law, Suu Kyi’s Honorary Canadian awarded by Queen’s in 1995. citizenship, awarded in 2007, has “Should a longer view of gained over 7,000 signatures. events determine that rescinding Suu Kyi was awarded her an honorary degree might be honorary degree from Queen’s warranted, the facts surrounding while she was still in custody and that decision would need to be was unable to receive it in person. duly considered [by the Senate Her response to the violent clashes Honorary Degrees Committee],” between Myanmar’s military and Woolf wrote. the Rohingya have prompted Long seen as Myanmar’s icon international calls for her of human rights, Suu Kyi was honourary degrees to be rescinded placed under house arrest in from several institutions.

1989 for speaking out against Recently, Oxford University, the military junta leader Ne which awarded Suu Kyi an Win, who had been running the honorary degree in the 90s, country for over a decade. Over removed a portrait of her from the next 21 years, Suu Kyi spent campus. As well, Oxford’s city 15 of them in custody, making her council has stripped her of the one of the world’s most famous Freedom of Oxford award. political prisoners.

However, The Oxford Mail After her release in 2010, Suu reported the University has “no Kyi entered the national spotlight, plans” to strip Suu Kyi of her winning a seat in parliament. honorary degree.

In 2015, she led the National Queen’s Secretary of the League for Democracy to a University and Corporate Counsel landslide victory in parliament Lon Knox told The Journal that to become the country’s first to his knowledge, Queen’s hasn’t democratically- elected leader. rescinded an honorary degree Though Suu Kyi leads Myanmar’s since it began awarding them government, the country’s in 1872. military is widely regarded as “There is no process that exists to an independent entity with its rescind honourary degrees but any own agenda. such decision, if taken in respect of IaIn SherrIff-Scott Assistant News Editor

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY WIKIMEDIA

any individual honourary degree holder, would be made by the Senate,” Knox wrote.

According to Knox, Queen’s awards honorary degrees to individuals who have “made outstanding contributions to society on a national or international scale.” Degrees are handed down by the Honorary Degree Committee, chaired by Principal Daniel Woolf.

Queen’s hasn’t “ rescinded an honorary degree since it began awarding them in 1872.

”

“Current events can sometimes lead well-intentioned people to feel the revocation of an honorary degree is warranted or expedient,” Woolf wrote to The Journal. “[Y]et often times there is information surrounding a situation that may be unclear or obfuscated and only made clear with time.”

The Spectra Plasmonics team.

think it gave us a lot of confidence going forward that we may have something special.”

For Spectra Plasmonics, the Raman Spectrometer is their special device which, according to Baldwin, can be used “to detect samples such as illicit drugs at extremely low levels.”

The device was invented by Hannah Dies, Meds’21, Aristides Docoslis and Carlos Escobedo, all members of the Department of Chemical Engineering.

After winning $15,000 in this summer’s Dunin-Deshpande pitch competition in Kingston, a team of Queen’s students ventured to Singapore in September to compete at the international level. There, the team earned an additional $125,000 in funding for their company, Spectra Plasmonics.

The Spectra team won first place at the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition on September 14. The team We have a very members include Yusuf Ahmed, concrete vision of Sci ‘18, Malcome Eade, Artsci ‘18, where we want to take Christian Baldwin, Sci ‘19, Tyler this company in the Whitney, Comm ‘17/ArtSci ‘18 next few years. and Ryan Picard, Sci ‘17.

Baldwin described Spectra Plasmonics as a “chemical detection —Christian Baldwin, company commercializing Sci ‘19 technology from researchers in the Department of Chemical According to Baldwin, the Engineering.” The team developed Raman Spectrometer has great the business this past summer as a potential to affect a wide variation part of Queen’s Innovation Centre of industries, from “forensics to Summer Initiative (QICSI). food and beverage safety.”

The team was chosen as the Baldwin and his team intend first prize winner in their category to use the prize funding to at the Lee Kuan Yew competition, develop Spectra Plasmonics as well as the grand finalist of the even further. entire competition. They were up “We have a very concrete vision against teams from universities of where we want to take this like Cambridge, MIT and Harvard, company in the next few years and earning success for Queen’s on the now it’s just [a matter of] executing global stage. on that vision,” Baldwin wrote.

“We are extremely humbled “The money will be spent on the to win the event, especially with necessary tasks to get there, such the calibre of competition we as further product development were up against,” Baldwin wrote and production.” on behalf of his team via email. “I

“

”

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY CHRISTIAN BALDWIN

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Sustainability Week persists following dissolution of Commission of Environmental Affairs Zoe Walter says dissolution was “big blow” for sustainability on campus PHOTO BY NICOLE LANGFIELD

Sustainability Week sign on the JDUC.

caSSandra lIttlewood Staff Writer The dissolution of the AMS Commission of Environmental Affairs last school year left many students concerned about the role of sustainability on campus.

Months later, Queen’s is celebrating Sustainability Week in the absence of the commission.

Running from October 1 to 5, Sustainability Week is an initiative that brings together clubs to host events and information booths to promote a more sustainable campus.

The discussion around sustainability on campus was complicated this January when Commission of Environmental Affairs was dissolved to the disappointment of many students.

The decision to dissolve the Commission was brought to a January 19 AMS Assembly, but the Speaker eventually imposed a one-minute time cap on comments

from students at large.

The limit placed on open discussion, along with the perceived lack of consultation with students prior to the decision, prompted criticism from students involved in the Commission.

The following week, three students — Charlotte Heller, Monique Ling and Amy O’Rourke — wrote an opinion piece for The Journal saying the decision “weaken[ed] the solidarity and communication of student groups working toward a sustainable campus.”

Zoe Walter, Vice-President of the Society for Conservation Biology told The Journal that the decision was a “big blow” for sustainability on campus.

“I think Queen’s wants to market itself as a sustainable university but there’s still a lot of things to improve upon,” Walter said.

While she believes Queen’s has made good strides in terms of sustainability, she said the school

has the potential to make more of a positive impact.

Queen’s wants “toI think market itself as a sustainable university but there’s still a lot of things to improve upon

”

—Zoe Walter, Vice-President Society for Conservation Biology “We’ve done really well with getting compost in everywhere and we have water bottle filling stations … but there are a lot of other really important aspects of conservation that Queen’s could adopt.”

According to Walter, conservation refers not only to our carbon footprint, but also our surroundings on campus. A project that Walter thinks Queen’s should

Ontario e-registration voting tool targeted towards students Almost one million voters in Ontario missing voter profiles

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

The Ontario e-registration website.

JaSnIt Pabla Assistant News Editor Ontario’s Chief Electoral Officer Greg Essensa believes voting in the province has taken a major

step towards modernizing with the introduction of an e-registration system.

The Ontario Election’s website has implemented an online registration process

that incorporates five identity verification steps that will take the user less than 10 minutes to complete. It also features a video tutorial for registering to vote in the general election next

take on is native landscaping.

“Instead of using ornamental landscaping species that don’t provide the right forage for pollinators … use native species that are just as cost-effective that can attract more pollinators that are better for the soil,” she said.

When asked if the efforts of clubs and individuals on campus were sufficient in lieu of a consolidated environmental commission, Walter said they were feeling the absence.

“I think a consolidated body would be really nice,” she said. “I think a lot of separate clubs have been working towards sustainability to begin with, but more headway can be made if we have a dedicated group for it and I think it is in the university’s best interest to do so as well.”

Regan McFarlane, ArtSci’18 and Deputy Commissioner of Environmental Affairs to the AMS Social Issues Commissioner,

also commented on the lack of consolidated decision-making, but felt that efforts were being made to compensate. “It’s unfortunate,” she said in an interview with The Journal. “But we are still holding weekly meetings to make sure we’re all on the same page with environmental issues on campus.”

Walter stated that she and her fellow leaders will keep working towards sustainability through Sustainability Week and other initiatives. She’s excited for what they have in store for the future.

“There [are] lots of cool initiatives already happening so it’s a really exciting time for Queen’s to become a more sustainable university,” Walter said.

“We have an amazing group of leaders on campus in clubs,” McFarlane added. “Environmental initiatives and services have branched out on campus.”

spring, as well as registration for individuals age 16 and 17 interested in being voters in the future.

“In just a few easy steps, Ontarians can verify or add their information to the voters list,” Essensa told The Journal via email.

Individuals who complete the online registration will receive a voter card closer to the date of elections that directs them to their designated voting booths. Submitting updated voter information by paper remains an option for those who choose not to utilize the online function.

“The 18 to 24 age group is the least represented on polling day,” Essensa wrote. “This age group is busy and mobile and we need to be able to effectively reach them.”

According to statistics published by Elections Canada, voters age 18 to 24 produced the smallest voter turn-out in the 2015 general election, totalling a 57.1 per cent turn-out. However, this was a significant jump from the 2011 elections, when the same age group only produced a 38.8 per cent turn-out.

The goal of the e-registration system is to ensure younger voters are motivated by the ease

of the process. Upon registration, they will be mailed their Voter Information Card (VIC) cards directly, allowing for a more refined registration process and hopefully larger turn out.

The 18 to 24 age “group is the least

represented on polling day.

”

—Greg Essensa, One of the major concerns during election period is the lack of complete voter profiles that result in these cards not being mailed out. Per the Ontario Voters list, inaccurate or missing information is the case for almost one million voters not receiving their cards.

“With up-to-date voter data verified by voters themselves, Elections Ontario can more successfully deliver the VIC to the right person at the right address before the next provincial election,” said Essensa. “The voter information card is the key to an efficient election.”

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OUSA

Ontario Undergraduate Society Alliance Director visits Queen’s Helpard discusses OSAP, hears student concerns JaSnIt Pabla Assistant News Editor In a visit to campus on Wednesday, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) Director Sophie Helpard predicted another productive year of post-secondary education-related policy recommendations.

“Our home office is currently conducting campus visits for member institutions, talking to students about their concerns and meeting with administration,” Helpard said in an interview with The Journal.

OUSA was informally assembled in 1992 and serves as a lobby group to provincial government representatives, namely the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development Deborah Matthews. The alliance now includes Queen’s, Brock, Waterloo, Laurier, Laurentian, McMaster, Trent and Western, representing almost 150,000 students.

“We have to work on all levels to make sure that whether it’s putting an issue on the government’s agenda, making sure it gets the investment it needs, or actually seeing it through implementation, that we are engaging where we need to be,” Helpard told

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

Sophie Helpard (left) and Victoria Lewarne (right).

The Journal.

For the 2017-18 school year, OUSA’s attention will be directed towards four broad topics: open educational resources, Indigenous students, accountability and system vision. The topics were presented to AMS Assembly on October 4 and will appear before OUSA General Assembly in late October.

Among OUSA’s major accomplishments are the recommendations that helped formulate the new OSAP program, which has made post-secondary education more accessible to students of lower-income families this year. The Ontario government invested $365 million of tax credits towards student grants to make this possible.

This year, OUSA has made policy recommendations to provincial representatives that concern mental healthcare, resulting in a province-wide investment of nine million dollars in mental health care workers on campus and a $10,000 increase in the OSAP repayment threshold.

“At the end of the day, OUSA as an organization is one of the government’s most trusted stakeholders on

post-secondary issues,” Helpard said.

end of the day, OUSA “Atasthe an organization is one

of the government’s most trusted stakeholders on postsecondary issues,

”

— Sophie Helpard, OUSA Executive Director OUSA’s general assembly incorporates a nine-member Steering Committee, primary delegates for the member institutions and more representatives proportional to institution population size, with Western holding the most delegates. Each institution, however, still holds one vote within the Steering Committee.

Victoria Lewarne, AMS Commissioner of Academic Affairs, represents Queen’s alongside Vice-President of University Affairs Palmer Lockridge on the student Steering Committee.

“We are students ourselves, we are here

every day on campus and we’re seeing the issues the students are bringing to us,” Lewarne said. “We are able to come together and find a common ground on all of them.”

In an attempt to remain as diverse and true to student needs as possible, OUSA’s general assembly incorporates students from a broad range of “lived experiences and education backgrounds,” Helpard said.

“We also incorporate first-year students to ensure their experiences on campus are heard too.”

Queen’s students can reach out to OUSA through Lewarne and the AMS, or directly through contact information available on the association’s website.

According to Helpard, OUSA will meet with parliament members at Queen’s Park for Advocacy Week in November to “do some external advocacy on campus to ensure all student voices are heard.”

“We’re all looking forward to the year ahead,” Lewarne concluded. “It’s such a wonderful opportunity to work with OUSA, they do so much for the students, and it’s great to be a part of it.”

AMS sees five resignations from managerial or higher level this year AMS remains operational, executive to provide experiential learning opportunities for staff SarIna grewal Assistant News Editor This article first appeared online on October 3.

In light of five resignations from managerial and higher-level AMS employees, Team JCP maintains the society will continue to operate as usual. However, this trend isn’t new to the AMS, which has seen multiple resignations every year since 2015.

During the 2015-16 school year, four salaried AMS staff members resigned. Last year, three salaried staff members left their positions. The TAPS Head Manager also left her position following an incident of hazing during staff training, though The Journal reported it was unclear at the time whether she was “terminated or forced to step down from administrative pressure to react to the incident.”

The string of this year’s resignations began early in the summer with the resignation of former Talent Acquisitions Manager Delyth Phan and former Director of Clubs Emmy Vassos, who both resigned in July.

These were followed by elected Vice-President (Operations) Brian McKay

tendering his resignation in August.

Last month, TAPS Marketing Manager Marshall McCann left his position on September 18 and most recently, P&CC Head Manager Samantha Lall resigned on September 29. This has marked the second year in a row where the Head Manager of the P&CC has left.

These jobs are rewarding, “but they can also be very demanding. ” — Team JCP

The AMS office is located in the JDUC.

So far, vacant managerial roles have been AMS executive Team JCP addressed filled and the team “will continue to do the numerous resignations in an email to so if needed.”

The Journal.

According to a 2015 Journal article, “These jobs are rewarding, but they the 2015-16 AMS executive intended to can also be very demanding. It is always “review the roles and responsibilities of its unhappy to see our peers move on from salaried positions” as a result of the many the AMS, but it’s a fact of life that sometimes resignations that year. other priorities and opportunities When asked if there is anything that take precedent in their lives,” the could be done to alleviate chances of team wrote. possible future resignations, the current The executive also stated that the services AMS executive wrote that they can’t account have continued to operate smoothly and for any future resignations that may or may uninterrupted despite employee turnover. not occur.

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

“The simple fact is that sometimes life gets in the way, and there is no accounting for those surprises,” they wrote.

Team JCP noted that they’ll focus on providing quality experiential learning opportunities for students employed with the AMS for as long as they are working there.

“We [the AMS] do our best to accommodate everyone’s personal, academic, and professional challenges. We must also recognize that sometimes it’s not the right time for someone to be working in the AMS.”

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News

Inscription to create more welcoming campus for all Continued from front anna reynoldS Contributor One of campus’ oldest signs could be getting a revamp following the popularity of an online-petition.

Created on September 27 by ASUS Equity Commissioner Laura Anderson and AMS Indigenous Affairs Deputy Taylor Bluhm, the “Petition to Engrave an Indigenous Land Recognition on the Queen’s University Sign� requests the addition of Indigenous land recognition on the Queen’s University sign.

Located at University and Union, the sign that currently reads “Queen’s University� is a popular spot for students and visitors on campus to take photos.

Through the petition, Anderson and Bluhm are advocating for the inscription to read “Situated on the traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe� beneath the existing “Queen’s University� text on the stone.

As of October 2, Anderson’s petition has over 2,500 signatures. “I believe that the inscription is a key step in setting a precedent for reflection in one of the most high-traffic areas on campus,� Anderson told The Journal via email.

When first years come to “Queen’s, or when folks come

tour the university, I want them to see this sign and feel that they deserve to be in this space

�

— Laura Anderson, ASUS Equity Commissioner “When first years come to Queen’s, or when folks come tour the university, I

want them to see this sign and feel that they deserve to be in this space, be proud of who they are, and that allies here understand the oppression that has been interwoven into the history of Canada,� she continued.

Anderson referenced the Truth and Reconciliation Committee’s 2017 report as one of the inspirations for her proposal.

The TRC report recommended Queen’s to “enhance the visibility of Indigenous communities at Queens and promote inclusive learning in community spaces on campus‌ including Indigenous language on welcome signs.â€?

Anderson believes the land recognition inscription will act as a tangible first step in acknowledging and reconciling the University’s colonial past.

According to Anderson, her role as Equity Commissioner for ASUS further inspired her to create the proposal. “As the Equity Commissioner in ASUS, I have the responsibility of making sure that Arts and Science students feel comfortable on campus, and this starts with creating a welcoming space for students who identify [as Indigenous],� she wrote.

The petition is posted on Change. org, a website that allows for commentary and distribution through social media.

According to Anderson, it was created to “highlight student and community engagement with this initiative,� and the student engagement statistics will be shared with the University in support of Anderson and Bluhm’s proposal.

At the University’s first Senate meeting of the year on October 3, Senator Rachel Tung brought the petition to the attention of Senate. Provost Antoine-Benoit Bacon, who had not yet been made aware of the petition by the AMS, said he would be very interested in discussing the request in the future.

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University Council to monitor diversity & inclusion reccommendations University Council on Anti-Racism and Equity expected to meet in December IaIn SherrIff-Scott Assistant News Editor This article first appeared online on October 3.

Last week, the University announced the creation of a new council to facilitate the recommendations put forward by the Principal’s Implementation Committee on Racism Diversity and Inclusion (PICRDI).

The new University Council on AntiRacism and Equity (UCARE) is expected to hold its first meeting before the end of the year.

Teri Shearer, the deputy provost (academic operations and inclusion) told The Journal the council is responsible for “coordinating, reviewing and reporting on the progress of the university� in the implementation of the PICRDI diversity and inclusion recommendations.

PICRDI was formed in response to racially charged events off and on campus last year, notably the costume party that gained national media attention and was dubbed “the racist party.� The 118-page PICRDI report, released in April, details how the university plans to address issues of racism and diversity on campus.

PICRDI recommends the University implement several new programs like establishing the Alfie Pierce Student Centre for Racial Equity and Social Justice, similar to the Four Directions Aboriginal Student Centre.

As well, the report tackles hiring, training, education and accountability for high-level administration members.

The UCARE council will total 17 members at its first meeting. Members include the Principal, the Provost, the Director of the Human Rights Office, the Vice-Provost, Dean of Students, the Chair of the Senate Educational Equity Committee, the AMS Commissioner of Social Issues, the SGPS Equity and Diversity Commissioner, three members of faculty, three members of staff, two students at-large and two members of the Kingston community or Alumni.

The council is accepting applications for faculty, staff, student and community members until October 22, with their membership announced in November.

According to the Gazette, the council will maintain “at least 51 per cent representation from racialized groups.�

UCARE is expected to work in partnership with student, faculty and staff groups on campus to facilitate PICRDI’s recommendations and create new initiatives that promote inclusion. The council will form sub-councils responsible for addressing specific areas of need, such as curriculum diversification, Shearer said.

Shearer thinks the council will be a “very positive� influence on campus and will be “quite instrumental� to the promotion of diversity and inclusion at Queen’s over the next several years. “We’ve seen a lot of positives come out of the work of the Aboriginal Council at Queen’s.

I see the UCARE group as being capable of similar things. It creates a community to look at the issues that we face, find creative and best ways to address issues and move forward,� Shearer remarked.

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Features

IN-DEPTH STORIES FROM AROUND CAMPUS AND IN THE COMMUNITY

God and man at Queen’s The life and times of religious students on campus The interior of Newman House, the Catholic hub on campus.

Clayton Tomlinson Assistant Arts Editor

Although it’s hard to believe, before 1912 Queen’s was a religious institution.

From 1841 to then, Queen’s was under exclusively Presbyterian leadership and had a mandate in place to train the clergy of the Church of Scotland.

During this time frame, the Theological College at Queen’s trained Presbyterian ministers who spread their religious values across Canada.

When secular values became increasingly dominant at the beginning of the 20th century, the Ontario government vowed against providing financial assistance to religious higher education.

In order to stay afloat, Queen’s became a secular institution.

Before secularization, religious life was as important to students as their social life. And though there’s no longer a religious current running through the student body as there once was, there are still hubs of religiosity to be found.

Within the University today, there’s the Office of the Interfaith Chaplain, which was founded in 1946. Headed by Kate Johnson — a Quaker and registered social worker — the Office offers services related not only to religion, but also to the general pressures of student life.

According to Johnson, “[her] main role is to be around for students for whatever they want to talk about … sometimes it’s spirituality and sometimes it’s for financial issues.”

“

Whatever they want to talk about ... sometimes it’s spirituality and sometimes it’s for financial issues.

”

— Kate Johnson, Interfaith Chaplain

Johnson says there are challenges to being religious on a university campus today. She often feels as though people see academia and religion as incompatible, something she believes causes people to hide their religion from others.

The chaplain’s office is meant to serve the needs of any religion, representing the diversity of beliefs that exists on campus

today.

“We are here to help make religion practical for people and to make them comfortable with themselves,” Johnson said.

Today, there are many different faiths represented on campus.

The major religions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam all have large organizations which offer students the ability to explore their religious identity in an open and accessible way.

In terms of the student experience, many of the religious clubs on campus cater to the newly religious, providing just as much of a social experience as a spiritual one.

Christianity

Like Canada, Queen’s is still predominantly Christian amongst those who call themselves religious. There are clubs for most denominations of Christianity connected to local places of worship close to campus.

Like the Catholic Newman House, many Christian clubs offer meals and activities meant to introduce like-minded students to their beliefs. Sherley Vo is one of four missionaries at Newman House who are from the Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO).

At the Queen’s Roman Catholic Chaplaincy, or Newman House, Vo helps Father Raymond, a Queen’s Professor and priest on Wolfe Island, with administering religious duties and other events for students.

One of the ways Newman House reaches students is through a faith study. According to Vo, most of the students are involved through the Discovery six-week faith program. Here, students learn a practical understanding of God in their life and show them how best to orient themselves.

Students like Megan Kenney, Arts ’18, got involved with Newman House through the Discovery program. “I had just been going to Church, rosary and all that stuff, before I got involved here,” Kenney said.

While in high school, Kenney found religious life to be a burden. Compared to those around her — who enjoyed the mix of their spiritual life with school — Kenney made the decision to make a change at Queen’s.

She said she decided to prioritize religion

in her life at a CCO conference. Here, she said “people [shared] their faith with their friends and led them through Discovery.”

At first, she said she was really scared to introduce her religious side to others because she felt that many used it to paint her as narrow-minded and treat her differently.

Kenney eventually decided to be more open because “God is so all-loving and leads to being truly happy, [so] what would stop me from sharing that with my friends?”

“It was amazing … the girls I asked were all Christian but not involved in Newman House like they were before [Discovery]”, she said. For Kenney, the experience of being a Christian was enriched because she shared it with friends.

Kenney and Vo both mentioned that Catholicism is a way to center their lives around a set of beliefs which help them deal with the temptations of student life. Kenney, though, says she probably will not be as involved in the Church in the future and plans to work outside of religious life.

Vo says of being a Christian missionary on campus, “it’s like having someone who’s always there and we want to help show people that.”

like having someone who’s “It’s always there and we want to help show people that. ” —Shelley Vo, Catholic Missionary Judaism

For Jewish students at Queen’s, the two organizations that provide a cultural and religious education are Hillel and Chabad.

Like CCO, Hillel is a chapter of a larger group represented on campuses all across Ontario.

The group’s intention is to create an environment for people to explore Jewish traditions and beliefs in an inviting and accessible environment.

Leah Lindy, ArtSci ’19, attends the occasional Shabbat dinner at Chabad and observes some Jewish holidays.

“Chabad gives me a community reminiscent of home. Being with my peers and celebrating Jewish holidays is a cultural experience for me”, she said.

SUPPLIED BY KATIE MORETTA

Groups like Chabad and Hillel host Shabbat dinners, which is a Friday night dinner held to usher in the Sabbath, the Jewish day of rest. They also host dinners for holidays such as Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana, among others.

The organizations also provide Jewish cultural and educational events such as Holocaust Education Week which allow students to explore their cultural identity and connect with other Jewish students.

Islam

On campus, Islam is represented by the Queen’s University Muslim Students’ Association (QUMSA).

The group provides an awareness of Islam to students through prayer teachings and Ramadan services, as well as meal services.

On their AMS website, QUMSA lays out their goals.

These are, among others, the dispelling of misinformation and misconceptions about Islam and Muslims. They aim to strengthen bonds between Muslim students and provide a space to meet, discuss and celebrate Islamic activities.

Mona Rahman, the Coordinator of Research Activities and Communications in the Office of the Vice-Principal (Research) and a founding member of QUMSA, has been involved in the campus Muslim community since her student days here.

“There is a rich history between the university and the Muslim community which makes our experience a bit unique, particularly those of us who have been around since before the Islamic Centre of Kingston was built in 1996”, she told The Journal over email.

The establishment of QUMSA and the Islamic Centre has given Muslim students a sense of community and identity of their own on campus.

Such a factor is reflected not only in the representation of Islam in the staff of the Chaplain’s office, but also by offering students a place for Friday prayers on campus, as well as places of worship open to all.

The effects of having a voice in the Queen’s institution allows the needs of the religious students on campus to be heard.

Thursday, Oct 5, 2017

queensjournal.ca

EDITORIALS The millennial vote goes deeper than surface level politics

The Journal’s Perspective

Despite being over two years away from the 2019 election, the debate surrounding candidates and their appeal to young Canadians already seems to revolve around who is the trendier choice. But millennial voters deserve more credit than that.

According to a CBC article, millennials and Generation X will represent two-thirds of Canadian voters in 2019. For the first time, millennials will have the largest voting bloc in Canada, meaning the young vote will be more important to win than ever before.

That being said, arguing that young voters will be easily swayed to vote for the most stylish choice is an oversimplification of this generation’s interests.

Newly elected NDP leader Jagmeet Singh became a trending topic across social media when a video of him peacefully dealing with a racist heckler at one of his meet and greet events went viral. It made Singh an overnight household name in Ontario and Canada.

H o w e ve r, It’s an oversimplification to assert that this was the only reason Singh won the NDP leadership. It’s equally naïve to assume he’ll be a strong competitor for the millennial vote in 2019 simply because of his social media presence.

This isn’t the first-time Canada has had a young charismatic leader with a progressive platform. When Justin Trudeau was campaigning in 2015 he won over younger voters with a left leaning platform that promised change. Two years later, he has yet to deliver.

•7

THE QUEEN’S JOURNAL Along with a lack of policy changes, the broken campaign promise of electoral reform has left many young liberal voters feeling duped after the 2015 election. Following the Trudeau governments failings, millennials will need more than a great PR campaign from Jagmeet Singh to really be convinced to vote NDP in 2019.

There’s going to be some hesitation to jump on board with a candidate who seems as perfectly appealing as Trudeau once did.

Because Singh hasn’t yet proven himself as an effective policy maker, it’ll be difficult for millennials as a whole to trust his campaign promises will be kept.

It’s time to give young people in Canada a bit more credit when it comes to how they vote.

They’ve had time to learn from the disappointment of the Trudeau government and will likely be cautiously optimistic when it comes to Jagmeet Singh and the National Democratic Party.

Having a Snapchat account isn’t going to be the way politicians swing young voters, authenticity is.

— Journal Editorial Board

Volume 145 Issue 8 www.queensjournal.ca @queensjournal Publishing since 1873

Editorial Board Joseph Cattana

Editor in Chief Managing Editor

Meg Glover

Production Manager

Justice king Lydia Noureldin

Digital Manager

Maureen O’Reilly

News Editor

Sarina Grewal

Assistant News Editors

Iain Sherriff-Scott Jasnit Pabla

Alex Palermo

Features Editors

Brigid Goulem Ashley Rhamey

Editorials Editor

Nick Pearce

Arts Editor

Clayton Tomlinson

Assistant Arts Editor

Sebastian Bron

Sports Editor

Matt Scace

Assistant Sports Editor

Shivani Gonzalez

Lifestyle Editor

Josh granovsky

Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Julia Balakrishnan

Photo Editor

Nicole Langfield

Assistant Photo Editor Video Editor

Max Silverberg

Assistant Video Editor

Amelia Rankine

Editorial Illustrator

Stephanie Jiang Rebecca Frost

Graphics Editor

Copy Editors Meredith Wilson-Smith

Contributing Staff Staff Writers Vishmayaa Jeyamoorthy Cassandra Littlewood Eily Shaw Pamoda Wijekoon Contributors Michelle Boon Jake Bradshaw Julia Göllner Raechel Huizinga Anna Reynolds Katie Moretta

Business Staff Business Manager Head Sales Representative

Shivani Gonzalez

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

Planned Parenthood needs to expand in Canada

Planned Parenthood needs more funding, clinics and employees in Canada to be as effective for reproductive care as it is in the United States.

Planned Parenthood offers birth control, emergency contraceptives, STI testing, prenatal care, HIV help, pregnancy testing, women and men’s health and abortion services.

While there are clinics in Canada’s bigger cities such as Ottawa and Toronto, they aren’t accessible for the people living in rural areas.

According to an article in the Regina Leader-Post, Planned Parenthood Regina had to turn away 1,287 women in 2016 — all because there wasn’t a nurse or physician available. This means there are a considerable amount of women attempting to get services from Planned Parenthood.

A bill was passed this past March for Planned Parenthood in Ottawa to receive $285,000 of federal government aid over the next three years to help women who have experienced gender-based violence. This

is definitely a step in the right direction, but the funds still won’t cover the cost of the other services that Planned Parenthood provides.

When a friend of mine recently tried to get a general appointment with an OB/GYN in Kingston, the wait time she was given was five years.

Additionally, services on campus like Student Wellness Services can’t provide referrals to gynecologists. That means if there really was something wrong with my friend’s reproductive system, she potentially wouldn’t have gotten the help she needed.

If there had been a Planned Parenthood in Kingston, she would’ve been able to visit the clinic, schedule an appointment and be covered

by OHIP. Two things need to be changed for the future of Planned Parenthood in Canada. The first is opening more clinics around Canada — especially in university towns where the need for sexual health services is likely

ILLUSTRATION BY STEPHANIE JIANG

more necessary.

According to a study by the Kinsey Institute, people ages 18-29 are having sex on average 118 times annually in comparison to the average of 77.5 times per year for ages 30-49. This means people our age are having sex on average twice a week, as opposed to less than once a week in the other age range.

The second is allotting more government spending to Planned Parenthood. If more than a thousand women were turned away in one year in Regina alone, Planned Parenthood needs more funding to ensure that more people can be taken care of.

Planned Parenthood is an amazing service that provides help to millions of people. With necessary services at costs affordable to the average person, this important service could continue to expand in Canada as well.

Shivani is The Journal’s Lifestyle Editor. She’s a fourth-year Politics Major.

Abby Choudhury LeeAnn Sverko

Sales Representatives

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.

190 University Ave., Kingston, ON, K7L 3P4 Editorial Office: 613-533-2800 Business Office: 613-533-6711 Fax: 613-533-6728 Email: journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca Please address complaints and grievances to the Editor in Chief.

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Contents © 2017 by The Queen’s Journal; all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of The Journal.

Circulation 3,000

8 • queensjournal.ca

Thursday, Oct 5, 2017

OPINIONS

Jake Bradshaw, ArtSci ‘20

“Mom, I need to come home.”

It has now been two weeks since I made the decision to come home for the semester. Although barely any time has passed, it feels like a lot has happened since I made that call to my parents.

Despite the short period of time, I learned a lot about myself, my friends and the pressure that we’re all under as university students.

My hope is that in explaining my experience struggling with a mental illness, it will allow other students to feel comfortable taking the appropriate steps they need to get better.

hope is that “inMyexplaining my

experience struggling with a mental illness, it will allow other students to take the appropriate steps to get better.

”

Your Perspective

PHOTO BY NICOLE LANGFIELD

Stepping away from campus I made the decision to take a break, and you can too but I ended up with a lack of confidence in myself as well as in my future.

I had doubts about all aspects of my life. I doubted my major and career path, my friendships, my decision to go to Queen’s and ultimately how well I actually knew myself. This led me into some dark times where I felt alone, unsure and scared that I would feel this way forever.

Eventually, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, which proved to be a lot to deal with.

While being away from home, I found it challenging to manage school work, a new social scene, finding time for myself and trying to take care of my mental illness.

Nevertheless, I got through it, ended the year feeling happy about where I was at mentally and proud of what I had accomplished.

“

This can mean either getting I had doubts about the help they need at school in all aspects of my the form of social supports and life.

I doubted my counselling, or making the decision major and career to take a break. The important thing is to recognize that you’re path, my friendships, struggling and to prioritize your my decision to go to mental health.

Queen’s and ultimately If I was still on campus, I would now be in my fourth week of how well I actually classes as a second-year economics knew myself. student. My first year was a little rocky and I struggled through lots of different challenges. There were Unfortunately, the summer moments where I felt alone, unsure came with its own set of challenges. of myself and hopeless about my The lack of activity and not having future. people around me all the time Looking back, what was I was a large adjustment. Although I supposed to do? I was a first- was happy to be home, I fell into a year arts student who hated slump that I was determined to get all of the courses I was in. The out of. With time, I did just that. challenges I faced manifested At first, I started by running themselves in different ways, every morning. I meditated. I did

”

about my decision, I was met with a lot of different reactions, but one message seemed to repeat itself.

The large majority of people I told said they had seriously considered taking a break on multiple occasions. They said there were multiple times where they felt stressed and overwhelmed.

Everyone had their own way of dealing with stress, but for some people who were overwhelmed, taking a break didn’t seem to be an option. That’s because people think it isn’t a “normal” thing to do. Well, I’m here to tell you it should be.

So please, if you’re

cognitive behavioural therapy. I blue and I didn’t know how to deal did everything I possibly could to with it. I would be sitting in class, get better, and I had the time to not understanding something, do it. Alongside all of this was a when my mind would tell me, solid nine-to-five job which gave “you’re a failure who will never me something to focus on during amount to anything.” the day.

These feelings would make In the end, the summer flew me nauseous and my heart by. Looking back on it, I was would start to beat rapidly. It hopeful about my future and I was overwhelming. It got was excited by the numerous to the point where it would opportunities that laid ahead happen every morning in class, Everyone had their of me. even if there wasn’t a reason own way of dealing By the end of the summer, I behind it. with stress, but for was raring to go back to school. I In my mental state, I wasn’t okay some people who couldn’t wait to live in my own with not understanding everything house with my friends, participate perfectly on my first try. I figured were overwhelmed in extra-curricular activities and out that I wasn’t in the right mindtaking a break didn’t learn as much as I could from set to learn. seem to be an option. my classes.

But it didn’t go as I had planned.

That’s because The first night back at Queen’s, everything I had dealt with in first I felt like I needed to people think it isn’t a “normal” thing year came right back. I ended the go home, I couldn’t go night in my room anxious, unsure to do. through what I went about my ability to get through through in first second year. I felt like I needed to go home, I couldn’t go through overwhelmed, struggling with year again. The what I went through in first a mental illness or just need a confidence I felt year again. break, I would seriously suggest in the summer The confidence that I felt in the taking some time off. It may feel summer disappeared. I felt unsure like you’re the only one who has disappeared. about my ability to accomplish ever decided to take a break from my goals.

Eventually, I realized I really university, but you’re not. At the I tried to establish a routine like wasn’t in a good place to be end of the day, your health is the I had in the summer. I started going at university. most important thing and taking to the gym and meditating, but it Don’t get me wrong, I love an extra semester isn’t the end of didn’t seem to help.

Queen’s and the people there, so the world.

I didn’t know what to do. I felt this decision was really hard for Looking back, it wasn’t an easy helpless. I was in crisis and I knew me. But I decided it would be better decision to make but I know it that something had to change. for me to take time off so I could was the right one. Unfortunately, Looking back on those couple go back feeling closer to 100 per the right decisions tend to be of weeks at Queen’s, I can pinpoint cent and be able to enjoy it more. I the hardest to make. that my anxiety was focused know that at home I can prioritize So do whatever you feel you around my doubts about being my mental health just like I did in have to do, don’t let anyone tell able to do well in my classes, finish the summer and get back to my you otherwise. It’s your life, not my degree and then eventually routine of running, meditating and anyone else’s. have a successful career. challenging my anxious thoughts Jake Bradshaw is a second-year When classes started, this to feel like myself again.

Economics major. anxiety would hit me out of the When I told people at Queen’s

“

“

”

”

11 •queensjournal.ca

Thursday, ocT 5, 2017

Sports

COACHING PROFILE

Queen’s only female varsity coach to retire this spring Brenda Willis wraps up 31 years at Queen’s, 44-year-long coaching career

Maureen O’reilly News Editor As of March 2018, men’s volleyball head coach Brenda Willis will be retiring from Queen’s after 31 years with the school. Her decision effectively leaves the university with no full-time female head coaches on its staff directory.

Willis came to Queen’s in 1987 after a pair of coaching stints at the University of Guelph and Wilfred Laurier University, beginning her coaching career as late as 1973 — taking only a short break when her children were born in the early 80s.

Over her 31 years in Kingston, Willis has seen her program grow

Ryan Ratushniak in 2015.

and evolve. Looking back on when she first arrived as the head coach, Willis said it was a “10-year battle,” to book equal practice and game times in the PEC’s Bartlett Gym. “Now it’s … the complete opposite. We’re very much a high performance program and all of the 13 [varsity] teams are treated very equally — no more battles,” Willis said of the program’s standing within the Queen’s Athletics department.

With the opening of the Innovation and Wellness Centre scheduled for this spring, Willis added that she expects the team’s access to courts and practice time to become only more accessible.

“I’ll be gone by then, but I

SUPPLIED BY VOLLEYBALL CANADA

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

New look for Gaels behind bench

With a fresh face pacing the sideline, the Gaels are ready to take a leap forward SebaStian brOn Sports Editor With an offseason of uncertainty looming, the women’s volleyball program found themselves at a standstill this summer.

Michael Ling — the team’s head coach from 2014-17 — resigned in early May, leaving Athletics with just five months to hire a replacement who, once acclimated with the job, would be pressed for time to build a roster and lobby recruits.

In late July, Queen’s filled their vacancy behind the bench with Ryan Ratushniak. After a five-year playing career at the University of Manitoba, Ratushniak segued into an assistant coaching role for

the Canadian women’s and men’s national volleyball team, coaching in 50 different international games around the world.

When Ratushniak arrived to Kingston in mid-August, he was surprised with the quality of team he inherited.

“I kind of knew what I was getting into,” Ratushniak said, alluding to the research he’d done on the school and the state of the program prior to interviewing for the position. “[B]ut at the same time, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.”

A healthy mix of lower-and-upper year players is something the first-time head coach “couldn’t be happier with.”

“I’m really impressed with

Brenda Willis has a 315-145 record as Queen’s coach.

SUPPLIED BY BRENDA WILLIS

think it’ll be much better for the athletes … It’s short-term pain for long-term gain.”

Looking back on her career, Willis said a few seasons in particular stand out as exceptional.

These include the 1999-2000 season — when she won the first OUA championship of her career — and the 2011-12 season, when Queen’s hosted the CIS championship, as something she wouldn’t forget. It was a major milestone for the school as well, as it was the first time the University hosted a national championship event for an indoor sport.

During her time as head coach, the team also only experienced two losing seasons.

After winning five OUA Coach of the Year awards, Willis reflected on some of the hurdles she faced in being one of very few female coaches at the university level in Canada.

“Being the only female coach in the entire country at this level, that was a hurdle in itself,” Willis said.

She added that during her early years in coaching, some athletes came to Queen’s and tested her capabilities as a coach.

“Over my 31 years in volleyball,

there’s been two other [women in Canada] that were assigned to a team at one point or another.

They lasted only a few years… For the last decade or so, I’ve been the only one.”

Willis said she’s not sure why there’s a lack of women coaching at the university level.

“We’re having trouble getting women to coach at the elite level, even coaching women’s [teams],” she said. “There’s only, I think, four or five females on the female side of the game at the university level.”

“The life of a varsity coach is evenings, weekends, a fair bit of pressure to win, and keep[ing] a team of guys motivated and driven … and that’s not necessarily in most women’s comfort zone,” she continued. “We’re socialized to share and be nice — I’ve always been very competitive and a straight shooter, and that’s better received in men than women.”

After her retirement in March, Willis is aware that Queen’s will likely be left with an all-male coaching staff.

“And that’s sad,” Willis responded to the idea that varsity teams’ head coaches will be

without a woman. “I know our athletic director is committed to gender equity, but the women have to be applying and they have to be applying with resumes that can compete reasonably with the male applicants … you want to get the best coach you can.”

According to Willis, a recent search for a women’s volleyball coach yielded only about five per cent female applications.

To combat this, Willis is currently involved in a program with the Coaches Association of Ontario called “Changing the Game, Changing the Conversation”.

Here, she works as a female mentor to women coaching in an effort to develop their confidence and expertise.

Her work mentoring female coaches and supporting the men’s volleyball team will continue following her retirement — but she knows it’s time for her 44-year coaching career to come to an end.

“You kind of know when it’s time, and I can look back and think that I accomplished the things I set out to,” Willis said.

the group of players we have.

[It’s] a good group of players, and there’s a mixture of veterans and young players — so there’s a good balance on the team,” he said.

Under Ling’s tenure, the Gaels experienced three consecutive winning seasons — but come postseason, they floundered, losing in the first round of the OUA playoffs in each of those years.

During his tenure, Ratushniak said he wants the team to forget about their past. Setting end-of-year goals isn’t a theme he wants the program to adopt because it could “bring a little bit of anxiety [for players].”

“One of the coaching philosophies I have is to be in the moment — just focus on what we’re doing right now,” he said.

“It’s a process to where we want to be at the end of the season but I’m optimistic.”

Ratushniak hopes to keep players comfortable and focused.

But he also wants the team not to lose sight of their on-court potential and capabilities.

“It’s something I’m starting to talk about to the team — what we’re trying to accomplish and how we’re trying build and build and build [toward] the playoffs in February and March,” the coach said. “Competing for an Ontario championship and making it to nationals … this team has the opportunity to do that.”

The Gaels’ fast-paced offense last season fared well in OUA competitions, and it’s a point of emphasis Ratushniak will look to hone in on during his first season.

“Volleyball’s a fast game, a dynamic game, so I really want a faster offense,” he said of how he’d like to see his team play in the upcoming season. In 2016-17, the Gaels ranked second amongst OUA teams in assists and assists per set and third in kills and kills per set.

Ratushniak further explained

how his experience in international coaching exposed him to diverse styles of play and approaches that provincially domestic players are often unfamiliar with.

Embracing a freer, more unconstrained style of play, for instance, are some changes he hopes the Gaels will welcome this season.

“I believe in taking risks … In different parts of our game, I’d like us to take a little bit more risks,” Ratushniak said. “[But] it’s about calculated risks — it’s not an all-ornothing type of approach.”

The Gaels usher in the new season against crosstown rivals RMC on October 29, a game the program hopes will be the first of many for its promising new head coach.

“If we do all the right things and stay in the moment, our success is going to take care of itself,” Ratushniak said about this season’s prospects.

SportS

Thursday, ocT 5, 2017

queensjournal.ca

• 12

POINT/COUNTERPOINT

The case for and against Queen’s Athletics’ team and club systems Two Journal staffers debate the current Queen’s athletics division of team sports

Matt Scace and claytOn tOMlinSOn Journal Staff For the system At Queen’s, there’s a divide that exists between varsity teams and clubs and the school has chosen to do this methodically through many years of market research and professional advice.

The Queen’s Model for Competitive Sports, which was released by the Athletics and Recreation department in 2010, outlines their market-driven teams. These teams are basketball, football, hockey and volleyball (all men’s and women’s leagues with the exception of football). Through this document, Queen’s has defined their priorities, categorizing their sports into market driven, high performance and competitive.

The teams previously mentioned have not only provided strong results for the school in the past, but own a long history of popularity at Queen’s. Football won its first championship in the 1893 Grey Cup while the women’s hockey team traces back to the 1890s, being one of the first Canadian universities to hand women a pair of skates.

This deep history has caused these sports to become a part of the Queen’s fabric, making the team’s sporting events an inevitable part of every student’s experience. This is what the athletics department has recognized, leading them to make sports games money-generating events.

JOURNAL FILE PHOTOS

Pair of Journal staff dish their takes on the state of club and varsity programs.

It’s something that would be much more difficult for Athletics to do with a club team who has little recognition across the country, let alone Queen’s.

On top of this, a school’s athletic department only has a certain amount of resources they can distribute to the teams of their choice. While these were likely difficult decisions to make, Queen’s can’t forget that they have a bottom line to protect. If money-generating projects are abandoned to put all teams on the same level of importance, the athletics department will

be searching for money they don’t have.

As Queen’s pool resources continue to grow, it’s possible for a successful club team to transition to being market-driven team who can provide the school with financial growth. But for the time being, those teams are just going to have to wait.

—Matt Scace Against the system

There’s a divide between varsity clubs and teams at Queen’s — that much, at least to me, is clear.

A lot of variables are at play, but it boils down to a matter of varsity teams receiving a greater amount of institutional support than club teams.

One of the biggest glaring differences between clubs and teams is in terms of finances.

While some varsity athletes receive some sort of scholarship to play for Queen’s, club athletes

experience almost the reverse opposite — having to pay a fee to play for their teams.

Rising tuition rates have been a longstanding problem for plenty of students on campus, and charging athletes who are financially insecure to register for an athletics team is unreasonable.

Ultimate frisbee, for instance, is a varsity club that performed and excelled at as high of a level as any varsity team did in the past two years. Although the team is back-to-back national champions, Queen’s Athletics still requires the program’s players to pay a yearly fee.

Moreover, the school could improve its support of club programs by further promoting its teams and athletes. If you were to go to the Queen’s Athletics and Recreation website, you would mostly find information on the varsity teams.

There’s a healthy and timely stream of varsity team articles posted to the site. For example, game recaps are posted less than 24 hours after games end. Club articles, however, are published only when it’s big news — including features and player and coaching profiles.

Athletics ought to respect the students dedicating themselves to athletics day in, day out despite there being no incentives for them like their varsity team counterparts.

—Clayton Tomlinson

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Gaels look to shine under the lights

Night game against Waterloo could end Queen’s playoff hopes SebaStian brOn Sports Editor It’s do or die for Queen’s football this week.

And even their head coach, Pat Sheahan, sternly agrees.

“No question,” Sheahan bluntly told reporters during a Wednesday afternoon press conference.

“We’ve exhausted all of our free space — we absolutely have to win.”

The team’s season, he added, hinges on the outcome of Thursday night’s home game against the Waterloo Warriors who, after going 0-8 in 2016, took the OUA by storm and opened their season on a four game win streak.

Queen’s finds themselves with very little — if any — wiggle room in their scrap for a playoff spot. The team is currently 1-4 and with only three games left on their schedule, they have quite the uphill climb to make the playoffs.

According to Sheahan, hosting a tough opponent like Waterloo won’t make their push for the postseason much easier.

“You got to take [Waterloo] seriously … there’s no questioning about it there,” he said, adding that it’s imperative for the Gaels to be cognizant of the Warriors’ year-to-year improvement.

“They’re good enough now [to compete], so, if you don’t bring your A-game, it’s a ball game.”

The Gaels go into Thursday’s matchup riding a 54-10 blowout against Windsor for their first win of the season.

The team scored its most and allowed its least points during a game this season and posted an OUA season high 778 total yards on offense.

“It was one of those things — everything worked.

Everything that we designed to attack worked, [and] how often does that happen?” Sheahan said.

Men’s football got their first win last week.

“We were due for one of those.”

Displaying such dominance on offense, he continued, plays into how the team’s performance could carry over into future weeks. But for now, Sheahan said the win itself was enough to boost his players’ confidence.

Against Waterloo, Sheahan said Queen’s has been preparing for their opponent’s consistent run game. Although the Warriors rank second in the OUA in both total yards and yards per game, Sheahan said they aren’t too worried about their ground game. “[Their running backs] do some things, but our team has been pretty stout against the run all year,” he said. “They’ve got their [strengths], they’re going

to be an entertaining team to watch, and our defense is going to have to play well to keep them in check — or at least slow them down.”

Getting their offense to a quick start, along with handling the Warriors’ run game, will be a focus for the Gaels from the outset.

“Start fast and play well, [manage] their big explosion plays, slow them down on offense and get after it.”

Going into the game, Queen’s will be without running back Jonah Pataki who went down with an injury against Windsor. Even with this, Sheahan said the team’s improved offensive line will keep defenders at bay.

SUPPLIED BY QUEEN’S ATHLETICS

Through the first three games of the season, Queen’s conceded 26 sacks — good for a league high — and quarterback Nate Hobbs was under heavy duress.

In their last two games, however, the Gaels have suffered only two sacks, including zero in their win against Windsor.

Sheahan credits the sound play to simply running the ball more often and taking less stress off their quarterback.

“When you run the ball a little better, the first thing it does is eliminate sack opportunities,” he said. “The guys are starting to click on offense, they’re starting to get it, they’re in sync with the system — it’s just that sometimes that takes time.

SportS

13 •queensjournal.ca

Thursday, ocT 5, 2017

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Gaels raring for OUA glory Gaels looking to build on season that saw them place sixth in country Matt Scace Assistant Sports Editor The women’s hockey team’s 2016-17 campaign was a wild ride. In a season with impressive winning streaks, lengthy overtime games and a trip to the U Sports Championships as the host, Queen’s made their mark on the Canadian university hockey scene.

Going into their upcoming season, the Gaels are aiming to build on the foundation that helped them succeed last season.

“I think that there is great excitement about this year,” head coach Matt Holmberg said, who is returning for a 12th season behind the bench.

In a regular season of ups and downs, Queen’s finished in a tie for fifth in the OUA. During the provincial playoffs, the Gaels dropped their quarterfinal match-up in a highly contested three-game series against the University of Toronto.

After being awarded the distinct honour of hosting the U Sports Championships prior to the season getting started, Queen’s was given automatic entry

into the tournament. Although they lost 2-1 in the first round, the hosts put up an inspiring showing against the top-seeded UBC Thunderbirds. Once it was all over, Queen’s finished in sixth place.

Without automatic entry into nationals this year, Holmberg believes the team has a more clear direction that they want their season to go.

“Last year was a fantastic year and we were very privileged to host nationals, but that was always layered on top of everything we did. This year it’s very simple: we need to win an OUA championship to go to nationals,” Holmberg said.

The Gaels enter this season with a unique variety of youth and experience. To complement their five recently acquired freshmen, Queen’s has 15 returning players who have a wealth of experience from playing on the national stage.

Left wing Addi Hallady believes last year’s opportunity will have a big factor in the team’s success this season.

“The games we had at nationals were awesome games…with the amount of girls coming back that got to experience that, we can

Women’s hockey finished sixth at last year’s U Sports championships.

kind of tell our first years what the experience was like. It was a great experience and we want to build off of that,” she said. Halladay was the Gaels’ leading scorer last year with 13 goals. She finished the season with 16 points.

Progress will also be one of the main themes for the Gaels this year. Each season, it’s a staple for the team to cultivate a team mantra that encapsulates the mindset they want to achieve on a daily basis. This season, it is “greater than yesterday.”

“To us as a team, that means building off the things

we did the day before or the game before,” Halladay said.

The Gaels are already embodying their mantra, as they’ve already put up strong preseason performances that have given Holmberg an early sense of positivity.

“The players are certainly living that model early…there’s a great arc that’s happening and yet the team isn’t satisfied with where it is right now in terms of our p ro g re s s i o n ,” Holmberg said.

Because of the early structure of the team’s season being solely

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

focused on improving each day without looking towards a long-term goal, Holmberg is tentative to make a championship season the sole determinant of success.

But from evaluating the Gaels’ first impressions, he has a tremendous amount of belief in his team.

“We as a team never set wins and losses as a part of our team goals…[but] there is early confidence that we do in fact have the pieces in place to earn an OUA championship,” Holmberg said.

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LIFESTYLE

PHOTO BY JUSTICE KING

Shivani Gonzalez Lifestyle Editor If you haven’t yet heard of the Instagram account Queen’s Baddies, you’re probably one of few.

Queen’s Baddies is an Instagram account notorious for posting pictures of supposedly “beautiful” students, baddies if you will, who go to Queen’s. Students are able to submit their own pictures or those of their friends to Queen’s Baddies’ DMs to be featured on the page and viewed by their peers.

Posting their first Instagram photo in December of 2016, the account has since garnered upwards of 20,300 Instagram followers with more than 200 posts with students featured.

Since the person behind the Queen’s Baddies account remains a mystery to most of us, we decided to get in touch through their requested means of contact — Instagram DM — to learn more about this now-iconic

SOCIAL MEDIA

Exclusive interview with Queen’s Baddies The story behind Queen’s most famous anonymous Instagram social media sensation.

Unfortunately for my inner investigative journalist and your own curiosity, the mastermind behind the Instagram account remains anonymous to me and the rest of The Journal staff, so from here on out we’ll refer to this mystery person as QB. The renowned Instagram account is currently run by QB with some lucky advisors carefully selected to help out.

The Queen’s Baddies Instagram first started when QB noticed the many “beautiful” people around campus. Inspired by the style of

the famous Humans of New York photo blog, QB set out to create a similar social media platform for Queen’s students.

“Most schools already had an [Instagram page] recognizing people on their campuses,” QB said. “I decided to create a page to let them all know that Queen’s doesn’t have just good-looking people, we have baddies.”

The website has gained lots of traction since it started just under a year ago, with their Instagram followers consistently increasing by the thousands.

“Compared to when I started

this just nine months ago, the overwhelming response and the participation of the Queen’s and Kingston community in submitting countless people via [direct messages] and email so that they can be featured has been awesome.”

One of the myths about Queen’s Baddies is that it exclusively features students who are considered the most attractive on campus. However, QB insisted this isn’t the case.

“Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t just based on looks and Instagram followers — we like Michelle Boon Contributor

SUPPLIED BY PIXBAY

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Green tea takes over the world What is matcha and why is everyone so obsessed?

Have you noticed lately that all your favourite foods are turning green? First it was your tea, then your smoothies and now your donuts. What is the culprit of this food revolution? The answer is matcha.

Matcha is a fine powder made from ground green tea leaves that is traditionally dissolved into water or milk. Originating in sixth-century China, matcha was popular amongst Zen Buddhists for its calming, meditative properties.

Now, matcha is commonly beloved for its mild, earthy flavour that can be served hot, cold or as an additive flavour agent to existing beverages. It’s essentially green tea Nesquik.

Matcha was once used solely by a few people in the know, but in recent years has garnered a mass country-wide obsession.

Now, donuts, Kit Kats, ice cream and almost any other food or drink item is available in matcha flavour.

This attention can largely be attributed to the powers of social media. Matcha’s boundless applications make for a myriad of vibrant green-hued confections that are both tasty and essential for the perfect Instagram picture.

Similarly, matcha aligns with the healthy living trend that’s becoming increasingly important

to feature people that bring something unique, whether it’s their aesthetic, dressing style, or popular demands.”

The choice selection for people featured isn’t an easy task either.

“There is a committee of advisors who all agree on who should be posted. So, anyone who gets posted has been exclusively picked and decided on upon by a group of people.”

With all the DMs submitted and new followers joining in on the fun every day, it seems that Queen’s Baddies is going to continue featuring students from around campus and be an unstoppable force on social media.

QB’s biggest purpose for the Instagram account?

“We are doing this to provide a platform to celebrate the amazing people that go to Queen’s, and to show how diverse our community is and to give more reasons to be proud of the school we call our own. Cha Gheill!”

to the average millennial.

Fitness and plant-based diets are becoming more popular and progressively more glamorous thanks to influential lifestyle bloggers such as Niomi Smart and Blogilates taking over the internet.

In addition to its social media popularity and influence, matcha is valued because of its many natural health benefits like increased metabolism, halting of cancer cells and abundance of antioxidants.

The consumption of the powder is also traditionally associated with meditation due to its abilities to combat inflammation and lower heart rate. Matcha is considered a nutrient-rich super food that can be added to beverages or beauty products — ranging from a vegan smoothie to a detoxifying face mask. Overall, they benefit both your health and well-being.

Lifestyle blogs make the vibrant green Japanese powder look like a magic beautifying elixir, so it’s no wonder we’re obsessed.

The astronomical hype may deter some people from experiencing the wonder that is matcha. But with its popularity, matcha has produced a variety of experimental beverages, desserts and beauty products that you won’t want to miss out on.

With so many different ways to get your matcha fix, what are you waiting for?

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Julia Göllner Contributor At first glance, Kingston might appear to be in short supply of trendy spots for a romantic evening. Visiting as a kid, I never realized the amount of authenticity and charm that downtown Kingston’s cafes and bars really had. But upon further discovery, Kingston has proved to be home to an abundance of options that will almost guarantee a second date — no matter what kind of atmosphere you’re looking for.

Drinks If you’re hoping for a more mellow night out with a first date, I’d recommend grabbing drinks at a laid-back establishment like the Kingston Brewing Company or Stone City Ales. Both places offer a variety of lavishly delicious menu items and specialize in a variety of local craft beers, guaranteeing a fun, unique and casual experience.

Coffee For a stress-free daytime date, heading to Princess Street to grab a coffee is the perfect plan. Balzac’s welcoming environment creates a relaxed space that’s ideal for a first

or second date. Not to mention, the baristas are all friendly and sociable — key for breaking any awkward pause in conversation.

Music Musiikki’s outdoor patio is often scattered with couples enjoying the live jazz music and intimate environment. And if you’re not looking to stray too far from campus, the Grad Club is another place that frequently hosts musicians passing through our limestone city.

Outdoors Taking advantage of the warmer weather while it lasts, heading to Wolfe Island is a great way to spend the day outside. The ferry is free, and plenty of local stops on the island are within walking distance for an easy and informal date.

When the weather does turn, an extremely popular winter date idea in Kingston has always been to go skating in Springer Market Square. Skates are inexpensive and easy to rent — and seeing as most people only skate for around 30 minutes tops, Sipps Coffee and Dessert Bar is conveniently placed right next door to the square

KINGSTON

Best date spots in Kingston Sidestep campus and explore Kingston for the perfect first date spot

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

and has the best hot chocolate in Kingston.

Fancy Dinner If you’re willing to increase your date budget (or split the bill), both Tango Nuevo and Chez Piggy

VOLUNTEER

How to give back to our community A guide for time-and-cash-strapped students

PHOTO BY NICOLE LANGFIELD

eily Shaw Staff Writer Between our midterms, readings, intramurals, social lives and the occasional Netflix binge, it may seem like you have no time to give back to the community. It’s also really challenging to find ways to contribute to your favourite causes when there’s no room in your budget for donating money.

Rest-assured, there are many great ways to create positive change and meaningfully contribute to the things you’re most passionate about in, all while having fun and making friends along the way.

If you’re low on time: Are you like me and put all of your change into a piggybank so you don’t have to hear it jingling around in your pockets? Do you inevitably forget about it too? Put those 18 quarters, 24 dimes and 11 nickels to good use and give them away. Look for donation bins in restaurants, stores and, when November rolls around, poppy boxes. Every little bit helps.

As for the money in your wallets, put it to good use by repping your favourite causes with some cool merch. This purchase will double as a responsible way to spend your money (who doesn’t

Thursday, OcT 5, 2017

need clothes?) and will also be free promotion for the organization you support. Check out the website of a charity you like or a local political group. Odds are, most of the proceeds from your purchase will directly support them. It’s a win-win.

like-minded people.

If you’re low on both:

are more formal date spots and have some of the most amazing food in the city. Tango is trendy and interesting — but I wouldn’t recommend going there when you’re hungry because of the tapas style of smaller portions.

Chez Piggy is a Kingston staple and family-run restaurant that serves locally-sourced and organic food. If its formal dinner setting is still too elaborate, Pan Chancho Bakery & Café sits a few blocks down as the company’s lunch location and another Kingston favourite.

By student standards, going to the movies is a feat that not many are willing to face, especially as Decluttering is a (basically) free way to find things to donate to charities, shelters and organizations who need it most.

Get rid of those hats you never wear, an ugly scarf you got for your birthday or those questionable clothes you still have from your early years of high school. Go through your pantry shelves as well for those (unopened and non-perishable) food items you

many of us don’t have a car to reach the Cineplex Odeon. But the Screening Room and The Grand Theater are two movie theatres that are much closer to campus than most realize. You may have to skip the box office hits as the two frequently show older or alternative films, but the vintage ambience will add a certain charm to your evening.

As long as you know where to look, there are dozens of small places in Kingston that will allow for a perfectly romantic evening.

Unfortunately, the date spot can only do so much — the rest is up to you. never got around to eating.

Once you wardrobes and cupboards are cleared, get the word out on social media. This one’s totally free and definitely won’t take more than a few minutes.

Regardless of your financial situation or hectic schedule, if you’re passionate about a cause, there’s always a way to give back to your community.

If you’re low on cash: This one’s easy. Why not volunteer your time — it’s free.

There are literally countless ways to lend a helping hand to those who need it most. Great opportunities in the Kingston area include volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club, the Humane Society or Martha’s Table (a free-of-charge restaurant for those who may not otherwise have a way to feed themselves). Even if you only have a spare hour or two, every bit counts.

If you’re looking for a cause to contribute to, new friends and things to add to your resume, a great place to start is by being involved in the various humanitarian clubs on campus.

There are tons of groups on campus focusing on practically every cause and special interest under the sun. Check out clubs like Queen’s Room to Read or the QU Blood Team.

You’ll find many ways to give back and meet plenty of

fill a gap in your program

Athabasca University has over 850 courses for you to choose from to meet your needs. Monthly start dates of undergraduate courses fit into your schedule so that you can work at your own pace.

Fill the gap and save a semester.

www.athabascau.ca/course

LIFESTYLE

Thursday, OcT 5, 2017

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• 16

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

Sarina with supportive friends.

POSTSCRIPT

The panic of losing control Learning to be open about my experiences with panic attacks Sarina Grewal Assistant News Editor The last time it happened was on the night of September 26, around 10:30pm.

I was going about my business at home when I was hit with a sudden feeling of intense fear.

I knew what was coming, so I quickly said goodnight to my housemate — at a time noticeably earlier than when I usually call it a night — went into my bedroom, and locked the door.

I sat down on my bed and felt a wave of dizziness. My throat closed up and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. My heart was pounding, my body was shaking and I was immobile, frozen in position as I struggled and failed to concentrate on slowing down my breathing.

I was in the midst of another panic attack.

When I finally felt myself calm down, I checked my phone. Although it felt like an eternity, only 14 minutes had gone by.

The worst part was, I didn’t know why it had happened.

A panic attack is defined by the Mayo Clinic as a “sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause.”

I’ve been experiencing panic attacks for almost two years now.

They happen sporadically — I once went two months without it happening. It once happened three times in one week. Sometimes they’re short and sometimes they last a long time. Sometimes I could tell you exactly why I think one happened.

But most of the time, I can’t explain anything.

As someone who likes to have my days planned out, who values

control over her life, this hasn’t been an easy issue for me to deal with. Not having an explanation for my panic attacks meant I had no way of remedying the problem, and it wasn’t something that sat well with me — it still doesn’t.

Not having an “explanation for

my panic attacks meant I had no way of remedying the problem

”

I hated that one day I was having a normal day at work when I felt it coming, and had to take a longer-than-appropriate bathroom break as a result.

I struggled with the fact that I once had a great night out with my housemates, only to succumb to an attack in the darkness of my bedroom later that night.

I can’t plan for them, I can’t avoid them, and I have no say in how long they last.

According to various mental health and medical publications, researchers still don’t know exactly why panic attacks occur.

Sometimes they have a root cause or trigger, sometimes they don’t. I’ve probably scoured through articles from every major mental health organization and research institution to find out why they occur and how to deal with them, only to find there’s several factors that come into play.

When it happens, you’re advised to practice relaxation and calm your breathing. From what I’ve read, therapy and medication have been suggested.

But it’s easier said than done.

When I’m struggling to breathe and I feel like I’m drowning, focusing on my breathing is the hardest possible thing to do.

But I think the biggest struggle I’ve had has been admitting it — to doctors, to the people around me and most of all, to myself.

When it first happened in March of 2016, I tried to brush it off as a freak occurrence. That was easy enough to do.

Between various extracurricular activities, my job and classes, it wasn’t hard to distract myself and pretend it never happened. My default reaction when I’m struggling with anything is to throw myself fully into whatever tasks I have to get done, so I can block things out of my mind, and that time was no different.

But after it happened a few more times between early March and the end of that school year, I could no longer delude myself into thinking I didn’t have a problem.

It took me a while to finally speak to a doctor about it, and I only finally saw a physician about a year later. He explained to me his belief that my panic attacks were happening because of my tendency to internalize my stresses.

Whether he’s correct or not, I still don’t know, but internalizing my problems is something I’ve fallen into a bad habit of doing for years now, and changing that takes time. He booked me a psychiatrist appointment for September 6, so that I could maybe get to the bottom of it and face the problem head-on. On September 5, I cancelled that appointment, and have yet to re-book it. Maybe I will.

But maybe I won’t.

I’ve always prided myself on being able to handle many things at once. I have a reputation

amongst my friends as being mostly unaffected by stress and as a person of high energy.

One of my biggest fears has always been that admitting to having these attacks would shatter that image. It’s one that I value more than what’s probably reasonable, but that I’ve held onto nonetheless — as long as other people saw me as capable and headstrong, I would remain that way.

I initially embraced a kind of ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ mentality about my issue: if I could pretend it wasn’t happening long enough and if I didn’t talk about it, then it would eventually go away. I didn’t tell my family, I didn’t tell my friends or housemates — no one knew, up until a couple days before I decided to write this.

to them “Admitting openly meant

admitting that I lack control over my life in a significant way.

It means admitting there are times where I feel like I’m completely losing it.

”

Close to two years since my first panic attack, I’ve finally accepted that my way of thinking needs to change. I’ve never been ashamed or embarrassed about them — for me, it was more that admitting to them openly meant saying that I lack control over my life in a significant way.

It means admitting there are times I don’t feel full of energy.

That there are times where I feel like I’m completely losing it,

and when these attacks occur, I kind of shut down: sometimes for half an hour, sometimes for several hours. The after-effects of my panic attacks often make me feel irritable, drained, tired and a bit hopeless.

But I’m learning that that’s okay.

I started to think more and more about why I felt the need to keep it from the people around me for so long, and I saw why it wasn’t good for me. Talking about my own problems has never been my strong suit, and it was definitely a gradual process; it took me over a year and a half to be able to talk about it, but I’ve finally gotten there.

I still hesitated to write this article. A friend of mine told me if I was going publish a piece about my panic attacks, it meant being okay with anybody knowing. My friends, coworkers, peers and even my brother who goes to this school — all people who don’t know as I’m writing this right now.

For a lot of people, that kind of public exposure might not be a big deal, but for me, it’s been terrifying to consider. But she also said that she thought I knew what I wanted to do: I just had to do it.

So, here we are. I’m Sarina. I experience panic attacks on an irregular but constant basis. I don’t usually know why they occur, and I have no control over when they’ll happen next. I hate the fact that they happen to me, and they terrify me each and every time they do.

But almost two years later, I’ve learned to accept that this is one area of my life I can’t completely control. It’s no longer a secret to keep behind closed doors.

I can talk about it.