The Queen's Journal, Volume 142, Issue 18

page 10

F r i d ay , J a n u a r y 1 6 , 2 0 1 5 — I s s u e 1 8

the journal Queen’s University — Since 1873

AMS

CBW acclaimed as new executive

Chinniah, Beaudry, Wright win after submitting only nomination package B y C hloe S obel News Editor The AMS acclaimed Team CBW — Kanivanan Chinniah, Kyle Beaudry and Catherine Wright — as the incoming 2015-16 executive team late Wednesday night.

Chinniah will serve as president, and Beaudry and Wright as vice-president of operations and vice-president of university affairs, respectively.

CBW was the only team to fulfill the nomination and eligibility requirements by the close of the nomination period at 4 p.m.

Wednesday. The requirements are 800 signatures of current AMS

members, payment of the AMS specific fee, membership in an AMS-constituent student society and attendance at a mandatory all-candidates meeting.

Also present at the all-candidates meeting was a Team BTB, consisting of Dylan Braam, Steven Bruch and Jessalynn Tsang. However, BTB failed to submit a nomination package and were ineligible for consideration to be put on the ballot, AMS Chief Electoral Officer Chris Casher said.

Casher, ArtSci ’15, added that BTB confirmed they were no longer seeking to run.

He consulted with Chief Returning Officer Tyler Lively See CBW on page 5 PHOTO BY ARWIN CHAN

From left: Catherine Wright, Kanivanan Chinniah and Kyle Beaudry.

TOWN GOWN

City Council votes to improve foot traffic Council looks to add diagonal crosswalk on campus B y J acob R osen Assistant News Editor The University District may see an improvement in pedestrian traffic and the University may receive a new crossing at a heavily trafficked intersection, thanks to two motions that passed at City Council last month.

The two motions, which were brought forward by Williamsville District Councillor Jim Neill and seconded by Sydenham Councillor Peter Stroud, focus on improving pedestrian traffic in the University District by broadening pedestrian priority sidewalk snow removal and exploring the feasibility of a “scramble crossing” at Union St. and University Ave. A scramble crossing is a pedestrian crossing system that allows pedestrians to cross in any direction simultaneously — including diagonally — while stopping all traffic.

“It’s a good way to start off a new term.

Everyone is sort of on the same page,” Stroud said.

A report about the feasibility of the scramble crossing will be brought back to Council “no later than June”, according to the motion, with the potential project implementation in September.

Stroud said recommendations usually get passed, but Council must take into account provincial laws dealing with traffic

and infrastructure before implementing the project. Stroud added that although Toronto already has scramble intersections, they fall under a separate transportation act than Kingston’s would.

If the project is rejected under provincial law, Stroud said, “We’d have to lobby our provincial representative to try get an amendment for that law … hopefully that doesn’t happen.”

Stroud said the scramble and snow removal projects are important because of the high density of pedestrians in the University District.

“When you get jaywalking, it’s an indication that your existing traffic laws are either inadequate or you have massive amounts of scofflaws,” he said.

The scramble crossing is supported by the University, as well.

“The addition of a scramble crossing at the intersection of Union Street and University Avenue aligns well with the Campus Master Plan, which recommended several changes to help improve pedestrian safety at priority intersections on campus,” Deputy Provost Laeeque Daneshmend told the Journal via email.

Daneshmend said the AMS played a significant role in moving this initiative forward with the City of Kingston.

AMS Municipal Affairs Commissioner See Next on page 5

Students often jaywalk at University Ave. and Union St., regardless of traffic lights or official crossings.

PHOTO BY MITCHELL GLEASON

Feature: Blue lights not yet off-campus page 3

Sports: Coaching’s hill and valleys page 14

“Being part-time, you totally burn out.”

— Gary Gilks, men’s rugby head coach

News

2 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, January 16, 2015

ENROLMENT

Queen’s exceeds enrolment target University enrolment is over target by 226; target will increase to approximately 23,000 next year

GRAPHIC BY MICHAELLA FORTUNE

Queen’s went over its enrolment target for 2014-15 by more than 200 students.

B y M ishal O mar Assistant News Editor According to the 2014-15 Enrolment Report submitted to Senate in December, Queen’s slightly exceeded its enrolment target for this academic year.

With an enrolment target of 21,441 students for 2014-15, Queen’s has an actual headcount of 21,667 students.

By 2016, the University will see enrolment increase to approximately 23,000 students.

Alan Harrison, provost and vice-principal of academics, told the Journal via email that the University is prepared for the higher number of students coming into the school.

“Multi-year planning ensures the university is prepared for, and responsive to, changes in enrolment, as well as program and student population mix,” he said.

Harrison said the University will accommodate increased enrolment with 550 beds in two new residences, 18 more common rooms and a new food outlet on campus.

“Any planned increase in first-year enrolment will be more than accommodated by the two new residences,” he said.

According to the report, the University implemented targeted recruitment and outreach activities to increase Aboriginal enrolment beginning in 2011-12.

Since then, Aboriginal enrolment has increased by 93 per cent.

Harrison said these recruitment and outreach activities include school and community visits, attendance at educational and

career fairs for Aboriginal youth, targeted social media campaigns and partnerships with community groups.

Applications from self-identified Aboriginal students have increased by 30 per cent so far, and for the academic year of 2015-16, Harrison said that percentage is up.

Harrison said increasing the enrolment of international students at Queen’s has been a priority for the University. Queen’s is looking to increase the proportion of international undergraduate students to 10 per cent of the undergraduate population.

“Queen’s aims to strengthen its international prominence by supporting the engagement of students, staff and faculty in international learning and research, both at home and abroad,” he said.

In the 2014-15 academic year, there are 1,963 undergraduate and graduate international students, who make up 8.3 per cent of the Queen’s population.

In order to increase international enrolment for coming years, Harrison said the University is developing a comprehensive international plan that will focus on research engagement, international student and faculty mobility, student recruitment and internationalization at home.

Harrison said the University has a full-time recruiter based in Shanghai, and that undergraduate admission staff visit high schools and attend post-secondary fairs across Canada, as well as in seven U.S. states, India, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and Turkey, as part of their international recruitment activities.

CORRECTION Peter Smolej is a student senator for the Faculty of Arts and Science.

Incorrect information appeared in the Jan. 9 edition of the Journal. The Journal regrets the error.

The university also has “webinars” for prospective students who can’t come to campus, which were introduced in the fall.

Harrison said overall, growing enrolment is a positive thing, as it will help protect financial stability for the university and allow for further investment in areas like faculty renewal and student services.

“Given the declining demographic of university aged applicants in Ontario, our position reflects continued strong demand for our programs and our unique student living and learning experience,” he said.

AMS Academic Affairs Commissioner Colin Zarzour said although it’s not necessarily a positive thing when universities are under or over their enrolment targets, it’s incredibly difficult for Queen’s to predict enrolment numbers in the first place.

Zarzour, ArtSci ’15, said he disagrees with Harrison that the new residences will be enough to accommodate the larger number of students enrolling at Queen’s.

He also said the University isn’t hiring enough faculty members to accommodate increased enrolment, echoing a White Paper on enrolment drafted by current AMS President Allison Williams and released by the AMS in Oct. 2013.

“If we want to continue increasing enrolment as a university, if we have to do that, we need to acknowledge that other things need to scale appropriately,” Zarzour said.

“That includes student services and support like the shared services — obviously HDCS is a big one on students’ minds.”

— With files from Natasa Bansagi

ELECTIONS

Two to face off in trustee race

Mike Blair and Jennifer Li seek position

B y N atasa B ansagi Assistant News Editor Mike Blair and Jennifer Li were named as candidates on the 2015 Undergraduate Student Trustee ballot at AMS Assembly Thursday evening.

The Undergraduate Student Trustee, a position currently held

by Andrew Aulthouse, sits on the Queen’s Board of Trustees for two years with the purpose of bringing a student perspective to the Board, which is responsible for the overall operations of the University. The Undergraduate Student Trustee is also an ex-officio member of AMS Assembly.

Blair, Sci ’17, told the Journal after Assembly that the Board of Trustees has a great impact on students.

“I think it’s really important for a credible student representative to be at the board, in such a way that they can really communicate what’s going on in these very complex and detailed decisions of the Board and translate them back down, gather information, talk to their constituents, and then bring it back up,” he said.

“Being a credible student role model is really important in order to ensure that your one of 25 votes

in the Board have a deep impact.”

He said protecting students and enabling dynamic learning are two parts of his platform and that he’ll be campaigning through social media, visual content and class talks.

Li, ConEd ’17, said she’s running because she’s passionate about students.

“Because I would be an elected representative, I want to do my best — and I will do my best — to represent the students and actually engage with them, and make sure that any discussion and any thought that I put forward has been well-prepared and well-discussed with the students,” she said.

She said approach — consisting of positivity, reliability and accessibility — as well as financial accessibility and enrolment are three things that describe her platform, adding that she’ll be campaigning through on-campus booths and social media.

“It won’t be about personal opinion,” she said.

“It’s going to be about what the students want.”

Campaigning begins Friday and elections will be held on Jan. 27-28.

Friday, January 16, 2015

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•3

FEATURE SAFETY

Hope dims for off-campus blue lights AMS, Campus Security devote greater focus to mobile safety app B y N atasa B ansagi Assistant News Editor Stationing blue lights around campus has made them ideal for accessing emergency services — but there are currently no lights off-campus.

There are 149 blue lights across Queen’s campus: 75 outdoors and 74 indoors. Outdoor lights include a red button which, when pressed, connects the individual via phone to Campus Security, whose staff then respond to the call immediately.

As part of their platform, the 2013-14 AMS executive — Eril Berkok, Nicola Plummer and Thomas Pritchard — proposed a plan to install blue lights in the University District by the summer of 2013.

Beginning with a pilot project in Victoria Park and City Park, the off-campus blue lights would have been under the co-jurisdiction of Campus Security and Kingston Police. As with blue lights on campus, Campus Security would serve as first responders.

The Journal reported at the end of Team BPP’s term that efforts to implement the plan had stalled due to coordination challenges with the stakeholders involved, including the University, Campus Security and the City of Kingston.

AMS Municipal Affairs Commissioner Ariel Aguilar Gonzalez said BPP wasn’t the first group to introduce the idea of an off-campus blue light expansion.

Cost and the question of responsibility, however, rendered the project “sort of infeasible”, he said.

A single blue light costs approximately $10,000 — which is expensive, but “not prohibitive”, according to Aguilar, ArtSci ’16.

Determining whether Campus Security or Kingston Police would respond to calls that originate

from an off-campus blue light phone also posed a challenge.

Calls can be made when someone witnesses a crime or accident, feels threatened or anxious or wishes to request a safe walk home.

“How will different command centers of Kingston Police and Campus Security coordinate and sort of follow up and make sure the call’s been taken care of?” he said.

“These issues have been brought up and there hasn’t been an effective answer to them.”

Aguilar said Kingston Police hold responsibility for monitoring off-campus areas, but added that Campus Security can also respond if called to these locations as part of the Off Campus Response Program, which responds to noise concerns raised

by Kingston residents.

In the absence of blue light expansion off-campus, key members of Queen’s safety community have emphasized the role of technology — in particular, the University’s mobile safety app.

The app, SeQure, acts like a “mobile blue light”, Aguilar said, in that it can be accessed from anywhere and includes a variety of safety features and information.

SeQure was launched in 2012 and includes Queen’s-specific safety resources — including emergency phone numbers for the University, Walkhome and Student Health Counselling Services — as well as tips and safety information for homes, cars, residences, computers and bicycles, among others.

Campus Security can also be contacted via the app.

“The focus and resources were redirected to the SeQure mobile app and that really went ahead really well and has been adopted really well,” Aguilar said.

The SeQure app has been downloaded more than 6,000

times, according to Roxy Denniston-Stewart, associate dean of student affairs and chair of the Campus Safety Working Group (CSWG).

Funded by a Campus Women’s Safety Grant — which covered start-up costs and maintenance fees for three years — SeQure was developed by the CSWG; Chris Sinkinson, ArtSci ’02, MBA ’11, and co-founder of AppArmor Mobile; and David Sinkinson, ArtSci ’11 and MBA ’13.

Denniston-Stewart told the Journal via email that the app’s features are reviewed by the CSWG every year, and new links and information are added where appropriate. In 2013, this included additional information about mental health resources, while new links to student support services were added this summer.

focus and resources “wereTheredirected to the SeQure mobile app. ” — Ariel Aguilar Gonzalez, AMS Municipal Affairs Commissioner, ArtSci ’16

Highlighting recent Student Affairs surveys — which show that a high percentage of students carry mobile smart devices — Campus Security Director David Patterson said that the University is looking beyond the traditional blue lights method to respond to emergencies.

“We haven’t relied on one method of connecting with our students and have implemented additional technology,” Patterson told the Journal via email.

“As a result we focused on developing new methods for students to reach services like Campus Security, Kingston Police, health counseling services, and that through a mobile app called SeQure.”

GRAPHIC BY MICHAELLA FORTUNE

Last year’s AMS executive proposed expanding blue PHOTO BY MICHELLE ALLAN lights into the University District, starting with City Park and Victoria Park.

Patterson said trained Campus Security staff consistently conduct safety audits around university property, adding that verifying “effective lighting” and improving sightlines is part of the day-to-day routine.

He said security is closely linked to campus construction, citing two blue lights that can be found at the recently opened Isabel Bader Centre. Construction of a new athletic stadium on West Campus, he said, could also lead to an adjustment of blue light locations, as work on the project progresses.

A total of 772 blue light activations were recorded between Jan. 2013 and last month, according to data from Campus Security. Sept. 2014 had the highest number in the data set — 79. The second-highest figure was from the previous September, when 77 activations occurred.

Figures from Jan. 2013 to Dec. 2014 also show that 89 total activations took place between 1-2 a.m. — the highest number in any given hour — followed by 64 activations in the 12-1 a.m. time slot.

Patterson said there have been challenges in regards to installing blue lights off-campus, adding that response capacity to these locations has historically been a concern of Campus Security’s.

“Campus Security and Emergency Services does not have any legal authority to respond or act beyond the confines of our campus and would take direction from our City of Kingston partners,” he told the Journal via email.

Kingston Police Media Relations Officer Steve Koopman said while the police are involved in the blue lights process, responding to calls isn’t their direct responsibility.

The blue light emergency phones are a “two-call service”, where — if required — Campus Security can contact the police after receiving a call from a blue light phone.

Koopman said installing blue lights off-campus could bring about further questions about providing “fair, reasonable and equal representation” to the whole community.

“So, it would then beg the next question — do we now need to offer those same exact services to St. Lawrence College, another institution, any other schooling services? It suddenly opens up a much larger picture,”

Koopman said.

He added that new technology — including police response and location-tracking mobile apps — could “potentially” substitute for some physical infrastructure, such as new blue lights off-campus.

“If this was proposed back in the year 2000, we may have said, ‘well, this may be the only viable service for those that are in a potential area that they feel would be conducive to have a blue light system’,” Koopman said.

“The maintenance of it and the potential for abuse in regards to false notifications is almost nullified when almost a vast majority of people — especially students — have cellphone technology right in their palms.”

Campus Security and “Emergency Services does not have any legal authority to respond or act beyond the confines of our campus.

”

— David Patterson, Campus Security Director

But Koopman added this technology has also brought about concerns of false notifications through “pocket dials”, adding to the strain on the already high volume of calls received by Kingston Police — 40,000 per year, averaging approximately 110 each day.

The 9-1-1 system, he said, is ultimately the most dependable means to use in an emergency.

“I think if we started having to police the blue lights systems — not only for front-line response but also from a communications and emergency notification perspective — there may be too much of an onus and too much call service for us to be able to properly give evenly distributed response to the City,” he said.

“We’ll always support the system and we’ll always be there to assist Queen’s Campus Security if required. We just don’t feel that we have to take on the role and responsibility that Queen’s Campus Security and the administration already takes upon themselves.”

— With files from Laura Russell

News

4 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, January 16, 2015

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental illness initiatives healthy at Queen’s Website launched to help recognize mental illness in individuals; professor develops ways to end stigma B y N atasa B ansagi Assistant News Editor As the conversation around mental illness and stigma continues, Queen’s is part of two initiatives designed to help identify sufferers of and combat stigma around mental illness.

In early December, a Queen’s-specific website was launched to help students, faculty and staff recognize, respond and refer individuals experiencing mental health issues.

The site, “More Feet on the Ground”, is part of a broader collaboration between Brock University and the Council of Ontario Universities and was backed by the province’s Mental Health Innovation Fund.

Ontario universities were invited to take part in the project and comment on the site’s material as it developed. There are currently 19 post-secondary institutions in the province that have their own subsidiary pages.

Ann Tierney, vice-provost and dean of student affairs, said the site is targeted toward the entire university community.

“For some students, it’ll be helpful for themselves personally; for others, it’ll be helpful for them to help a friend; or for faculty and staff to help their students,” she said.

In addition to offering quizzes for people to “self-check” their knowledge, the site provides information on mental health, various disorders, stigma, recovery and details on recognizing, responding to and referring people in need.

While most of the content is shared between the various universities, other components — for example, on-campus

resources, contact information and referrals — differ from school to school.

Tierney said the website was a great collaboration among Ontario universities.

“From my point of view, you want to have institutional specific things, but you want to really benefit from, and not re-invent the wheel, when the sector can do something that is shared,” she said.

She said the website complements existing mental health resources on campus and, in particular, adds flexibility and accessibility.

“This gives just another way of getting some mental health training and awareness and information in a flexible environment — flexible for students, faculty and staff — and I think that’s what this particular piece adds,” Tierney said.

The website also complements the national Bell Let’s Talk campaign, which this year will utilize anti-stigma guidelines developed by a Queen’s professor.

Since 2012, Professor of Community Health and Epidemiology Heather Stuart has served as Bell Mental Health and Anti-Stigma Research Chair — the only person in the world to hold this post. Stuart’s office is on campus, but her work extends across the country and the globe, including a recent 15-country study on the images of psychiatry and psychiatrists.

The position involves implementation-based research, including looking at anti-stigma work that others are doing and evaluating it to determine toolkits and resources surrounding best practice.

This year’s Let’s Talk campaign by Bell Canada, the fifth annual national conversation about mental health, will include some of Stuart’s ideas.

Heather Stuart developed Bell’s five ways to end mental illness stigma.

Bell’s five ways for ending mental illness stigma — language matters; educate yourself; be kind; listen and ask; and talk about it — originated from a Bell public lecture where she co-presented, she said.

The media’s role coupled with research coming from a position like hers makes for “a nice set of bookends,” she said.

“We’ve got the media stuff coming down, creating awareness, giving people things to do, and then we’ve got the grassroots and the community-based coalitions and networks developing.”

PHOTO BY NATASA BANSAGI

She added that it’s important for students to have a voice moving forward with mental health activities on campus.

“I think that the kind of student-led, student-empowered activities are going to be important in the future,” Stuart said, particularly in regards to young men, who she said are less likely to talk about mental health issues.

Queen’s “More Feet on the Ground” website can be accessed at https://queensu.morefeetontheground.ca.

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Friday, January 16, 2015

CBW “humbled” by election Continued from page 1

and the Elections Team before acclaiming CBW as the incoming executive.

“The event of only one team running is never explicitly explained within AMS executive elections policy,” Casher said.

“What is there is a provision that in the event that a situation arises which is not explicitly explained by the policy … I’m permitted to make a decision based upon the intentions of the executive elections policy, and election by acclamation meets all of these intentions.”

Casher said the “overriding intention” of election policy is to ensure a level playing field so that

the elections are fair for all teams.

“Election by acclamation represents a fair election process because all students who are AMS members were eligible to run in the process,” he said, adding that the elections process was “properly advertised” and all information was available to all AMS members.

“We feel that it’s unfair to create special circumstances when one team has taken all the appropriate steps and has fully completed all of the requirements that they have to in order to run,” he added, referring to the possibility of reopening nominations or holding a vote of confidence.

Braam, Sci ’15, told the Journal via email that BTB couldn’t fulfill

nomination requirements because of confusion around certain dates, and Tsang was unable to run.

“Stephen and I were actually looking for a new candidate by the time the All-Candidates meeting came around, but were unable to find someone else who would have been a good fit with our group,” Braam said.

“Subsequently, we put Jessalynn’s name down with the intention of changing it, but Jessalynn was not at the meeting.”

He added that they were “disappointed” they couldn’t run in this year’s election.

The last time an AMS executive team won by acclamation was in 1990, after one team dropped out

queensjournal.ca

of the race following allegations of sexual assault made against the presidential candidate. The 1983-84 AMS executive were also acclaimed when the second team was disqualified for not meeting the minimum signature requirements.

Instead of debates, the incoming executive will host public forums to meet with students and discuss future initiatives.

“This opportunity is going to be something different for us than we were expecting and we’re going to use it to consult as many students as we can … and really gauge as much feedback from students as we want,” said Beaudry, Comm ’15.

“And we can hear what they want from their AMS too, and we’re going to try to do that to the best of our ability over these next 10 days.”

•5

Chinniah, ArtSci ’15, added that the team was “very humbled” by their election and excited to consult students through the public forums.

Their platform will be made publicly available, but they declined to discuss what’s in it.

“Unfortunately right now, I don’t think we’ll delve into that, but it will be released before these public forums,” said Wright, ArtSci ’15.

“Students will have the opportunity to take a look at our ideas and then be able to ask us questions on it, and suggest new ideas perhaps.”

The public forums will be held on Jan. 19 and 20 in the JDUC.

Next step is formalizing plan Continued from page 1

Ariel Aguilar Gonzalez said snow removal is a large part of the AMS’s municipal platform, and as discussions came up around snow removal, the crosswalk was tied in.

“The benefit of us going forward and ‘making noise’, essentially, is that it forces staff to really recognize

that there is such a high pedestrian traffic” that’s made up of more than just students, said Aguilar, ArtSci ’16.

The city has broadened pedestrian snow clearing routes and has been monitoring current situations to bring to discussion for next year. Kingston Public Works will ask for capital increase in order

University Ave. and Union St. may receive a scramble crossing in September.

to purchase new equipment, which Aguilar said will help in discussions with the City.

“You can definitely tell that they have increased their activity around the University District,” he said.

“The next step is to formalize that in their official winter control plan.”

PHOTO BY MITCHELL GLEASON

Mike Blair, left, and Jennifer Li, the candidates for Undergraduate Student Trustee.

PHOTO BY ARWIN CHAN

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Friday, January 16, 2015

DIALOGUE

Editorials — The Journal’s perspective

“Incorporating Indigenous contexts in all disciplines is paramount in decolonizing the academic sphere.”

SEXUAL ASSAULT

UOttawa lawsuit warranted but preventable “Win as a team, lose as a team” is an admirable motto — but such sentiments should be left on the ice rink.

The class-action lawsuit filed by members of the 2013-14 University of Ottawa men’s hockey team against their university is warranted, and perfectly demonstrates why it’s integral that the University improve their sexual assault policies.

The University suspended the team until the end of the 2013-14 season last March, after two players allegedly sexually assaulted a woman during a February road trip to Thunder Bay. The school extended the suspension through the 2014-15 season last June.

All members of the team — except for the two players, who were charged with sexual assault in August — are seeking $4 million for damages they suffered to their reputations.

While initially suspending the team for the 2013-14 season was the right call, the University’s extension of the suspension wasn’t.

Throughout the University’s internal investigation, reports continuously framed the entire team within the allegations, rather than just the two individuals who were eventually charged.

Extending the team suspension to cover 2014-15 only further prolonged the association that other, innocent players had with an assault they weren’t involved in.

For the anxiety and social stigma these players have experienced, filing a lawsuit is well within their rights, and support needs to be extended to them.

Assault cases can’t be dealt with on an arbitrary basis. Strict procedural policies need to be established not only to protect survivors and those unfairly associated with incidents, but to protect the University itself.

The team’s now-fired coach, Réal Paiement, should be particularly condemned for not immediately reporting the February 2014 incident.

His dismissal was one facet of the investigation that the University got right. Hopefully, in their review of their policies, the school will learn from its larger mistake.

ILLUSTRATION BY MICHAELLA FORTUNE

INDIGENOUS STUDIES

Decolonize academia

Queen’s needs to better incorporate Indigenous subjects in its academic programs.

McGill University officially launched its Indigenous Studies program on Dec. 10. The interdisciplinary minor is a part of the university’s efforts to decolonize McGill, by removing the colonial lens that persists in countless academic disciplines.

Indigenous subjects are often tucked into other courses. By creating a distinct program, McGill is formally considering them to be a discipline in their own right, rather than supplementary material whose inclusion is left to a professor’s discretion.

The program’s interdisciplinary nature ensures that while it’s its own discipline, it isn’t separated entirely from other fields of study. It also emphasizes the foundational nature of Indigenous history in Canadian post-secondary education.

McGill’s commitment to preserving and developing fringe academic programs is admirable, as is the strong push the program received from students.

As a university that resides on Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee territory, Queen’s has a particular obligation to ensure Indigenous subjects are a part of its students’ education.

— Journal Editorial Board While Queen’s offers an Indigenous Studies minor, and

Editorial Board Editors in Chief

Nick Faris Vincent Ben Matak

Production Manager News Editor

Sam Koebrich Chloe Sobel

Assistant News Editors

Natasa Bansagi Mishal Omar Jacob Rosen

Features Editors

Sebastian Leck Laura Russell

Editorials Editor

Anisa Rawhani

Opinions Editor

Olivia Bowden

Arts Editors

the Four Directions Aboriginal Student Centre has been active on campus, the administration and faculties should do more to move Indigenous education in from the periphery.

Incorporating Indigenous contexts in all disciplines is paramount in decolonizing the academic sphere.

The University should offer such credits starting at the first- or second-year level, to introduce students to these subjects early on. Queen’s should also consider taking a leaf out of McGill’s book by looking for Indigenous professors to teach these courses.

Fringe programs, especially for ethnic studies, are critical for preserving memory and understanding of these cultures.

Implementing these programs is important to ensure more Indigenous students seek post-secondary educations and are able to formally learn languages that are a part of their history.

As calls for an inquiry into murdered and missing Aboriginal women persist, it’s clear Indigenous issues continue to be inadequately addressed in Canada. It’s as pertinent as ever for students to learn about these issues and their history.

Sports Editor

Sean Sutherland

Assistant Sports Editor Lifestyle Editor

Brent Moore

Chloë Grande

Assistant Lifestyle Editor Photo Editors

Kate Meagher Arwin Chan Alex Pickering

Assistant Photo Editor

Michelle Allan

Graphics Editor and Editorial Illustrator

Michaella Fortune

Don’t separate the art from the artist

Bill Cosby. Woody Allen. Al Gore.

Roman Polanski. Mike Tyson.

Bill Murray. Sean Bean. Charlie Sheen. R. Kelly. Nicolas Cage. Sean Penn. Tupac. Terry Richardson.

Jian Ghomeshi. Chris Brown.

John Lennon.

What do these men have in common? Besides their obvious fame, they’ve all been accused or convicted of committing violence against women.

Even if convicted in a court of law, they often aren’t convicted in the court of public opinion — not forever, at least.

It’s easier to forget what they’ve done. After all, Bill Cosby is — Journal Editorial Board America’s dad; John Lennon was

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Fraser Bruce Katelyn Martinko Jacob Rumball Teddy Taggart Friday, January 16 • Issue 18 • Volume 142

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.

Contents © 2015 by the Queen’s Journal; all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of the Journal.

in the Beatles, an internationally beloved band; Woody Allen directed many of the 20th century’s classic films.

But 27 women have accused Cosby of rape; Lennon admitted in an interview to beating women; Allen was accused of sexual abuse by his ex-stepdaughter.

It leaves a bad taste in my mouth to know the first accusation against Cosby was made in 2000, not 2014. It feels worse to realize he may not remain convicted in the court of public opinion, since we’re all too willing to forgive talented people time and time again.

Think about Woody Allen.

Mia and Dylan Farrow brought allegations of abuse back into public consciousness last year, though the world first heard them in 1993.

For a few weeks, everyone had an opinion about Woody Allen.

And now he has a television deal with Amazon.

Before I knew anything about Allen’s personal life, I loved watching his films. It’s hard to see your heroes as not only fallible, but despicable.

While I’d love to separate art and artist, I can’t with these men.

It seems that society can, though. The “24-hour news cycle” moves so fast that it’s easy to move on to the next scandal or tragedy.

The media is briefly saturated with Woody Allen one day, and the next it’s silent. We forget to keep thinking about what Dylan Farrow accused him of — except when he’s brought up, and then we remember long enough to express disgust.

Then we forget again.

I’m not saying the only things we should ever think about are accusations and convictions against famous men, but we can’t keep remembering and forgetting, again and again.

The women they abused don’t forget what these men did. We shouldn’t either.

So keep talking about Bill Cosby.

Talk about Woody Allen, Sean Penn, Al Gore and all the others.

Don’t forget what they did. Don’t let anyone else forget, either.

It’s the absolute least we owe to their survivors.

Chloe is the Journal’s News Editor.

She’s a fifth-year history major and Jewish studies minor.

The Queen’s Journal is printed on a Goss Community press by Performance Group of Companies in Smiths Falls, Ontario.

Contributions from all members of the Queen’s and Kingston community are welcome. The Journal reserves the right to edit all submissions.

Subscriptions are available for $80.00 per year (plus applicable taxes).

Please address complaints and grievances to the Editors in Chief.

Please direct editorial, advertising and circulation enquiries to: 190 University Ave., Kingston, ON, K7L 3P4 Telephone: 613-533-2800 (editorial) 613-533-6711 (advertising) Fax: 613-533-6728 Email: journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca The Journal online: www.queensjournal.ca Circulation 6,000 Issue 19 of the Journal will be published on Friday, January 23, 2015

Friday, January 16, 2015

queensjournal.ca

•9

Opinions — Your Perspective

ENVIRONMENT

Queen’s gets dirty with oil The University should divest from environmentally harmful companies

PHOTOS BY ARWIN CHAN

Ryan Broe argues that Queen’s must divest in companies that harm the environment to solidify that it’s a “green” campus.

Ryan Broe, ArtSci ’15 By investing in companies that degrade and pollute the environment, Queen’s has shown it isn’t committed to sustainability on campus.

The University as an institution behaves as though it values that principle. Queen’s created a Sustainability Office in 2008, which claims its purpose is to “advance the university’s green initiatives.”

Yet Queen’s is heavily invested in environmentally damaging and socially irresponsible fossil fuel extraction companies. By doing so, Queen’s is condoning the socially injurious actions of these companies and adding to the forces that stall climate change action.

Not only do the actions of these companies damage the environments they operate in, but they also have a detrimental effect on the health and livelihoods of the people that live near them. The companies Queen’s invests in have shown a particular disregard for Canada’s Indigenous population by ignoring treaty rights.

Current investments in the University Pooled Endowment Fund (PEF) — a collection of investments the University uses for scholarships, academic chairs and other university programs — include Canadian Oil Stands LTD, Cenovus Energy and Imperial Oil. The University currently invests in 19 fossil fuel companies, with its financial stake totalling $25.3 million.

Imperial Oil has consistently denied proven allegations of unsafe soil contamination with heavy metals in residential areas of Calgary and appealed orders to clean their pollution in 2002. The Alberta Environmental Appeals Board claimed there was “no doubt” that hydrocarbons that had appeared on residential land came from Imperial Oil’s practice of land

farming prior to 1977.

Through this statement, of social justice. Companies People living downstream of post-secondary institutions have in the Canadian oil sands oil sands operations are exposed promised to create an “institutional disproportionately affect the to higher than normal rates of climate action plan” that uses their livelihoods of Indigenous peoples heavy metals and toxins in the research abilities and education to in the north of Alberta and other soil and water, which contributes develop climate change solutions. frontline areas. to health issues. The Alberta Queen’s also promised to work Indigenous treaty rights and Cancer Board found that odours with governments and educational basic dignities are simultaneously and effluence from oil operations institutions at all levels toward ignored and insulted by have potential to cause symptoms solutions to climate change government at multiple levels, such as “tiredness, coughs, issues. This can be seen through by steamrolling projects through diarrhea, … as well as illnesses such its inclusion in the 2014 City of without their consent. The Beaver as asthma, heart disease, diabetes, Kingston Climate Action Plan.

Lake Cree nation of northern and stroke.”

But any vision of a green Alberta has been in a legal battle A project proposed by Cenovus campus can’t be fully realized until since 2008 with operators in the Energy — a Canadian oil company divestment occurs. oil sands over violations of treaty that works with Alberta oil Divestment from fossil fuel rights and land use. sands — was rejected by the federal industries is an inherently divisive The Beaver Lake Cree argue government in 2012, as Cenovus issue. Queen’s profits from its that operators in the oil sands aimed to drill 1,275 gas wells in investments in these industries. are violating constitutionally a national wildlife area that was Imperial Oil’s website says it entrenched Indigenous rights to previously designated as protected. provides “millions of dollars” to the land they live on, and the Queen’s administration can’t universities such as Queen’s. provincial and federal governments ignore that human-driven climate But evidence shows that are culpable for allowing it. change is a pressing issue, and fossil-free portfolios aren’t any Oil sands operations damage that these companies should be riskier. In recent years, they’ve water, land and wildlife, held responsible for their negative brought in greater returns than making traditional ways of life impact on the environment. those containing companies more difficult to maintain by Principal Daniel Woolf addressed that operate in the oil sands depleting essential resources this by signing Queen’s onto the or elsewhere. and nutrients.

University and College Presidents’ Collusion with fossil fuel The value of oil is falling.

Climate Change Statement companies isn’t only an Studies from the Carbon Tracker of Action for Canada in 2010. environmental issue, but one Initiative say that the oil sands

Talking heads

Liam Watt, Sci ’18

Ryan Broe is a fourth-year political studies major.

... around campus

How do you feel about the Bill Cosby “joke” from last weekend’s Golden Globes?

“Bringing [assault] up at an event like that feels kind of inappropriate.”

becoming economically viable will “require [a price of] over $95 [per barrel]” of oil.

This is financially irresponsible, as the current price has dropped to below $50 per barrel.

Queen’s can no longer be involved in these industries. There are simply no more excuses to stay invested in fledgling, socially unjust companies.

There are innumerable alternatives to fossil fuel industries that Queen’s can work in concert with. Fossil-free portfolios show that investment in sustainable, “green” energy is providing better returns, and social opinions are continually turning against fossil fuel operators.

As an institute of higher education, Queen’s is supposed to foster innovative thinking to solve problems around the world — and it prides itself on doing so. It’s time for the University to align its actions with those ideals.

“It’s important to talk about [assault] in a public setting but maybe not to make a joke.”

Alex Scott, ArtSci ’15

“It’s good to raise awareness, but it was inappropriate to talk about it as a joke. It could affect victims.”

Sarah Whibley, ArtSci ’18

PHOTOS BY OLIVIA BOWDEN

“I don’t think that’s the right event to bring it up at. A lot of young girls were watching.”

Vienna Vendittelli, ArtSci ’18

10 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, January 16, 2015

STEREOTYPICALLY QUEEN’S VIEW THE FULL LONGFORM EXPERIENCE AT QJLONGFORM.COM. B y L aura R ussell Features Editor When Megan Quin came to campus in 2011, she noticed a distinct stereotype.

Queen’s is often typecast as a wealthy and predominantly Caucasian university, according to some students and professors.

Quin said it’s hard to homogenize an entire institution, but by walking through campus, she added that certain shared products and behaviour can make it evident.

“There are times when the University is living up to its standards,” Quin said, “especially when you see in the winter time that there’s a lot of the same winter jackets, or you’re in the library and there’s a sea of MacBooks and iPhones. [It’s] startling that it’s all the same.”

In the 2013 Applicant Equity Census, it was noted that 28.5 per cent of Queen’s undergraduate first-year registrants were visible minorities, representing 600 students who weren’t Caucasian.

According to the 2011 National Survey of Student Engagement,

$125,000 or higher, compared to 24.8 per cent between $75,000 and $124,999 and 21.4 per cent between $0 and $74,999. Nine per cent didn’t respond.

Of 1,149 graduating students that returned Queen’s 2013 Exit Poll survey, 37 per cent said they would graduate with no debt — down eight per cent from 2012.

The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) has helped Quin pay tuition, as has her part time job as an in-class tutor at an elementary school.

OSAP compares the cost of a student’s post-secondary education with their available income to determine the funding they’re eligible to receive. The maximum amount a single student may receive is $350 a week, or $11,900 for a 34-week school year.

In 2013-14, 5,600 undergraduate Queen’s students accessed government loans and grants like OSAP — or 34 per cent of the undergraduate student population.

But Quin said she still struggles financially. There have been times,

— that doesn’t bother me,” she said. “I don’t know if I would say uncomfortable so much as just envious of their financial security.”

Cara Brandon also relies on OSAP to pay for her tuition and living expenses.

“There’s no way I would have been able to even begin paying for tuition without the government loans,” said Brandon, ArtSci ’14 and MSC ’17, adding that her biggest struggle will come after she’s completed her studies.

“It’ll hit me more when I’m thousands of dollars in debt.”

Certain products — like Lululemon attire, Canada Goose jackets and Apple products — often support the stereotype that Queen’s students are wealthy, Brandon said.

“Looking around in a classroom

plans to do things with people who don’t face a n y

financial obstacles.

In 2013-14, more than 6,300 undergraduate students received some financial aid from Queen’s, making up 40 per cent of the undergraduate student population.

With a total disbursement of more than $22 million, the average amount each student received was

Kobayashi contributed to the Henry Report, which reviewed surveys conducted in 2003 and 2004 about the experiences of visible minority and Aboriginal faculty members at Queen’s.

Frances Henry, a professor emeriti at York University, wrote the report after it was requested by then-Vice Principal of Academics Suzanne Fortier in 2001. The report was presented to Senate in March 2006.

Of 270 faculty members that responded to the survey, nearly two dozen said they were treated differently at Queen’s because of their ethno-racial status. It was reflected in the surveys that Caucasian students often challenged the expertise, authority and competence of non-Caucasian professors.

One anonymous faculty member stated in the report that “there is the perception that if you go to Queen’s it will be all Canadian or all White;

In 2013-14, almost 40 per cent

Based on data from 2001-02,

The maximum amount a

With a total disbursement of

of the undergraduate student

expenditures on student

single student may receive

more than $22 million, the

population received some

financial assistance at Queen’s

from OSAP is $350 a week, or

average disbursement to each

financial aid from Queen’s.

have increased 40 per cent

$11,900 per school year.

recipient amounted to more than $3,500.

after inflation. meanwhile, 80 per cent of that year’s first-year class was Caucasian.

In 2013, 44.9 per cent of new undergraduate students marked their family’s gross income as

she said, when she’s opted not to buy groceries in order to go out with friends on the weekend.

“I’m okay with not having the same things as other people

and seeing what people are wearing and that there are a lot of Apple products everywhere,” she said.

“Seeing a lot of white faces as well, it does reinforce the stereotype.”

Brandon said she was surprised to learn that some of her closest friends c o m e from a higher

economic background, adding that she’s experienced awkward moments when she There are 1,679 for-credit

In the 2013 Applicant Equity

77.5 per cent of first-year

international undergradu-

Census, six per cent of

undergraduate students come

ate and graduate students at

first-year undergraduate

from Ontario.

Queen’s from more than

registrants’ parents had no

70 countries.

post-secondary education.

roughly $3,500.

“It’s a surreal feeling when you know that someone’s relationship with money is so different from your own,” she said. “It’s like a different world.”

About 10 years ago, geography professor Audrey Kobayashi conducted a survey research project of students of colour at Queen’s.

“I found that the overwhelming majority said that they had had racist experience[s], and these varied tremendously,” Kobayashi said.

Kobayashi declined to share her findings with the Journal, noting that she hopes to eventually publish the findings, but said some students experienced overt incidents like taunting on the street or name-calling.

“I discovered that ethnic minority students are often not included in the social networks that start in first-year in the same way that white students are,” she said.

“What tends to happen is that the minority students tend to seek one another out.”

In 2013, 44.9 per cent of new undergraduate students marked their family’s gross income at $125,000 or higher.

that’s because the students here are used to all White ideas, they were used to having their values reflected ... they did not want to see anybody that had different values.”

Kobayashi said Queen’s reputation of being wealthy and Caucasian doesn’t fully reflect reality.

“Queen’s has a history of being a white campus. It’s much more diverse than the past, but nonetheless, the whole Queen’s culture is very white,” she said.

“This is not something that is consciously reproduced by individuals, but is the result of generations and decades of reproducing white ideals and white practices.”

Ethnic minority students, Kobayashi said, often seek out clubs and groups to feel less isolated.

“We have a lot of groupings and associations of students of colour who provide support for one another.”

Paighton Newmarch, ArtSci ’15, said she has occasionally felt uncomfortable at Queen’s because of her ethnicity.

Friday, January 16, 2015

From 1849-52, Robert Sutherland attended Queen’s and was the first student and

queensjournal.ca

In 1995-96, Queen’s elected its first black AMS president.

graduate of colour in Canada.

“My father is white and my mother is black,” Newmarch said. “A lot of people w h o aren’t familiar w i t h

racial minorities would probably look at me right away and just say I’m black.”

Newmarch said she has faced overtly uncomfortable situations on campus, such as calls of “Oh, mulatto!” and “Oh, black booty!” directed at her by other students.

These incidents occur every few months, she added.

“It’s usually at night when people are drunk and don’t have many inhibitions,” she said. “I usually don’t have time to react initially, but a bit afterwards I feel uncomfortable for a little while.”

Newmarch said these situations

In the 2013 Applicant Equity Census, 2.5 per cent of undergraduate registrants were Aboriginal.

bothered her a lot more when she first came to Queen’s, making her feel isolated.

She has also felt uncomfortable at times because of her financial situation, she added. Newmarch pays for tuition herself, and although she has applied for OSAP, she was declined because her mother is in a high-income bracket.

Instead, she has supplemented the rest of the costs herself, taking out a bank loan and holding summer jobs to pay tuition.

Newmarch said she had no idea Queen’s had a reputation of being wealthy and mostly Caucasian until she came here.

“Like all stereotypes, I guess there’s a little bit of truth to it,” she said. “Yes, there are mostly white people here, but even they are diverse in their ‘whiteness’. There are people from a bunch of different backgrounds.”

When students of non-Korean ethnicities see Queen’s Koreans in Canada (QKIC) club signs, they assume the club is only for Koreans, according to Hyun Nam. But Nam, QKIC’s co-president, said the club advertises to students of every race — specifically, anyone interested in Korean culture, or any Korean students looking to find a space to socialize.

Nam, ArtSci ’15, said he joined QKIC when he came to Queen’s to make a group of friends and to connect with the Asian community.

“A lot of the students join the club to just have that connection with the community, while at the same time having a set of friends outside of that Asian community,” he said.

There are approximately 21 ethnic-based clubs sanctioned by the AMS, including the Spanish and Latin American Students Association, the Pakistani Students Association and the Chinese Students Association.

Nam said ethnic clubs are a good starting point for students looking to befriend people similar to them.

“I was worried when I first came here,” he said, “but when I joined QKIC and was able to start relationships and see other people of my same status, I was able to branch out. I felt a lot more comfortable at Queen’s.”

Audrie Noh, ConEd ’16, said that most people, when told that she attends Queen’s, ask if she’s the only Asian there.

“A lot of my housemates came from small, predominantly Caucasian towns,” Noh said. “When I first met them at Queen’s they were like ‘Oh my gosh, you’re my first Asian friend’, so if you’re not exposed to it at a younger age, it’s more of a shock

later on.”

Noh said Queen’s is more multicultural and diverse than some people think — but there are still aspects of the reputation that tend to emerge.

“I’ve been told ‘you’re Asian, but you’re actually pretty white — you’re very white washed’,” she said. “I’m pretty white washed, but I can see how people could be offended by it. It’s seen as a positive thing to be white washed.”

Noh said she grew up in a very multicultural city, so she was open to a lot more opportunity t o

communicate with a lot of different ethnic groups.

“People are comfortable with what they’re familiar with,” she said. “When you make friends and if you’re used to being only around Caucasians, you would veer towards them, but if you were used to a multicultural community, it wouldn’t be as big of a difference.”

Unlike Noh, some non-Caucasian students have faced racism at Queen’s and been offended.

Yema Quinn, education co-officer of the African and Caribbean Students Association (ACSA), said each of the group’s 80 or so members has experienced some form of micro-aggression.

“Micro-aggressions are those everyday indignities that the people [who] say them don’t think that they’re harmful, but they are harmful to the person,” said Quinn, ArtSci ’16. “I hear those things all the time every day, and after while it, [it] does pile up.”

Quinn said it’s harmful when people tell her that she’s “pretty for a black girl” or when someone asks her if she can twerk — experiences she’s previously had at Queen’s.

“Some people’s are heavier than others and some are lighter,” she said, “but everyone has experienced some degree, either of micro-aggression or discrimination and systematic oppression.”

Quinn said groups like ACSA offer a safe space for students to feel comfortable and welcomed, adding that people should have a community they can turn to.

“These groups encourage friendship and community within,” she said.

“Being part of a marginalized group around campus can be kind of lonely if you don’t see yourself reflected in lecture or at University [Ave.] and Union [St.], and it’s good to have a place where you can go with people that understand you.

“When you’re in a place or surrounded by a group of people who more accurately represent who you are and your heritage,” she added, “it’s easier to exist in a place that is rich and white.”

The top three countries of citizenship among international first-years are China, United States and South Korea.

• 11

A HISTORIAN’S PERSPECTIVE University Historian Duncan McDowall believes the stereotype of Queen’s being a white and affluent school is a dated and false image.

“Queen’s reputation well after World War I was that it was a poor boys’ university,” McDowall said. “It brought young men in from the farms, quite literally, from eastern Ontario and exposed them to modern education.”

Two of Queen’s most prominent figures, McDowall said, were William Mackintosh, who was principal from 195161, and John Deutsch, who was principal from 1968-74.

Both came from lower-income families that lived in rural areas.

Queen’s image began to change in the 1960s, McDowall said, when Canada became progressively more urbanized.

Students who attended during the 1960s tended to be from well-off families, he said.

“Toronto and Montreal were the largest cities in Canada, so Queen’s admissions started to draw its students from these larger cities,” he said. “There’s some truth in the labelling of Queen’s as a WASP university for affluent students, especially if you looked at the profile of students in the ‘60s and ‘70s.”

McDowall said Queen’s began changing the way it reached out to potential students in the 1980s and 1990s.

“Even though we’re stuffy in our ways, there was a latitude in the way Queen’s people looked at things,” he said. “We were tolerant, we would accommodate difference and that became apparent in the 1980s.”

The University began to realize that history is multicultural, McDowall added, which resulted in programs like Jewish Studies being added to the curriculum.

“Queen’s has gone through a tremendous socioeconomic evolution in the last two or three decades,” he said. “The old barriers certainly fell down and minorities by and large were no longer sent this message that Queen’s was a WASP enclave.”

McDowall said Queen’s is as open to non-Caucasian students as any other university, and that the stereotype of the university is now false.

“I don’t see why every Canadian university should be an exact replica of the demographic and racial distribution of the Canadian census,” he said, “and I don’t think Queen’s should still be a country club for WASPs. “I think a lot of water has gone under the bridge here and people who say that Queen’s is still in WASP values haven’t looked very closely,” he added.

“They haven’t walked around and spoken to people at Queen’s — haven’t looked at who’s been in charge, who’s been Rector, who’s been AMS president.

Things have changed a lot.”

— Laura Russell

12 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, January 16, 2015

THE ARTEL

Alternative tunes

ARTS

Avante-garde music and an eclectic array of performances at The Artel B y O livia L oncar -B artolini Arts Editor Local sound artist Big River Dream “makes strange sounds and probably nice ones too,” according to the Facebook description of the event I attended on Tuesday evening, and I tend to agree.

The Artel is a local artist-run collective, and on Tuesday night it hosted an evening of aural art.

Big River Dream — the stage name of Greg Wilson, ArtSci ’16 — was one of three acts.

Whereas Wilson is based here in Kingston the other two performers Noordwiijk and Hazy Montagne Musique came to The Artel from Montreal.

Wilson opened with his strange sounds, setting the tone for the evening. His performance resonated throughout the room, flowing through the space and enveloping the modest crowd of listeners within its auditory environment.

“Big River Dream frequently dreams of water,” it says on the Facebook page, and certainly the performance was hydrating, washing away the dimly lit room and replacing it with its own organic habitat.

The trick to enjoying sound art, I think, is to let it saturate you, to get lost in its flow. You have to let down your sensory guard a little so that your ears can guide you into whatever experience the music evokes.

For me, Wilson’s performance transformed the space into natural environment, a forest, and The Artel’s versatile performance space and casual atmosphere made this

transformation easier.

The audience gathered in the living room portion of the space, facing the dining room. Not only was this a relaxing and intimate arrangement, it made it easy for the artists and audience to mingle together between sets and after the show.

Noordwiijk performed next.

His set was harmonious with Wilson’s. It was an organically woven journey — because of its relationship with passing time, sound art has the unique ability to create intricate and intense sonic experiences that move you.

The juxtaposition and mingling of different tones and rhythms can give rise to a diverse palette of feelings sometimes surprising, playful, relaxing, or even intimidating. Though not necessarily always musical, sound art is entirely expressive.

That said, the final performance was a little more conventional, musically speaking. To describe his sound, Hazy Montagne Musique uses words like “dream pop” and “mystique shoegaze”. I was drawn in by the rhythm, which was more regular than in the first two performances, but it was the use of vocals that really brought it to life.

Part of the success of Tuesday’s show came from the venue itself.

The Artel is a homey place, and not just because it literally occupies a house.

With its chilled-out vibe and the open atmosphere, The Artel is unlike many other art spaces in that it doesn’t ask too much of you. As it says on the event page, “Come as you are or not at all”.

The artists came together with a variety of sounds to brighten the Artel.

PHOTO BY ARWIN CHAN

BAND PREVIEW

New band brings the heat Logan Brown takes his band NUBS across town B y K ashmala O mar Arts Editor Rock singer Logan Nubs Brown sold out his debut EP at his first show with his newly-formed band NUBS last summer.

The experienced Kingston-based musician formed the band in 2014 as a vocalist, writer and guitarist with bass guitarist Mitch Hawkins and Dustin Black on drums.

Over the past five years, Brown has focused on refining his rock sound and incorporating original music that is unlike anything that many audiences may have heard.

“I used to be in a heavy metal band, but in my last years of high school I realized that I wanted to both mature as a person and as an artist,” Brown told the Journal via email. “So I left the band and started my solo project which is NUBS.” Brown has since become the band leader, and has been able to work with many of his

favourite musicians.

The band, sticking to their quirky sound, plays a variety of music when performing, including indie-rock, scat-jazz-funk and traditional rock.

Although the artist doesn’t perform as much with an acoustic sound anymore, he uses acoustic overlays in his musical recording to create a more rich sound.

“While I don’t perform with the acoustic anymore, I still rely on it heavily for recording,” he said. “Cutting guitar tracks with an acoustic adds that beautiful funk rhythm to the music that I crave to hear when I listen back to a track.”

When the band formed, they quickly began writing original material after warming up with shows singing their blues favourites.

Soon after, the band had formed their first small EP, entitled NUBS. In terms of their future musical plans, Brown and his band-members have already headed to the studio to record

more music.

“My trio and I are going into the studio next weekend to record our first single,” Brown said. “We’re gonna take our time with this record and make sure it’s the best it can possibly be. When it’s done it should have 10-12 tracks on it. I’m very excited.”

Brown’s most valued aspect of being a musician is the connection between the music, people and nature that’s present when he’s performing, he added.

“To be one with nature expressing itself the same way it expresses itself when a tree grows — music is without a doubt the greatest artistic medium,” he said. “To watch just one person groove to my interpretation of that medium is such a spiritual experience.”

NUBS plays at The Toucan on Jan. 17 at 10 p.m.

Brown formed NUBS in September 2014.

SUPPLIED BY LOGAN NUBS BROWN

Arts

Friday, January 16, 2015

queensjournal.ca

• 13

ART TALK

Panelists discuss architecture and surveillance “Early Warning Systems” panel talk between Charles Stankievech and David Murakami Wood B y O livia L oncar -B artolini Arts Editor Little did we know how much surveillance technology, architecture and the history of warfare had in common until Charles Stankievech and David Murakami Wood came together.

On Jan. 14, Agnes Etherington Art Centre (AEAC) saw over 50 people crowd in to hear the panel discussion between Stankievech and Murakami Wood on “Early Warning Systems”.

Early Warning Systems refer to the functions of surveillance and intelligence. They’re commonly used to gain information on an event beforehand using advanced predicative technology.

Stankievech conducts independent research on surveillance and architecture, which influences his artwork. His work focuses heavily on images of discarded World War II bunkers, exploring the broader context of their architectural design through conceptual representation.

Stankievech often references the centered “chunk” shapes of the bunkers in his scale models.

He also uses the abandoned bunkers in their natural habitats as his muses for black and white

photography and videography.

“All of the architecture I’m showing you was kind of a failure,” said Stankievech during a power point presentation on the WWII bunkers, which display an “inside looking out” form of surveillance in their construction.

“But one of the important things we can learn out of this is the [systems] that were built out of these.”

Stankievech focused much of his talk on panopticon, which refers to the transference from a centralized action of sensing to a decentralized action of sensing.

He referenced a jailhouse designed by architect Jeremy Bentham in 1787, which was set up so that the prisoner could be observed without knowing. He discussed the idea of the “modern psyche which is under surveillance” and the subsequent effects on our everyday life.

Stankievech also said fieldwork is the most important part of what he does when researching the WWII bunkers, which he considers his muses.

“There’s a value to physically going to these sites and understanding them,” he said.

After Stankievech finished his talk, David Murakami

David Murakami Wood is a research chair in Queen’s department of surveillance studies.

Wood, a research chair in the department of surveillance studies at Queen’s, took the stage. He offered insight into the modern

surveillance centres that exist, pinpointing different examples in England, Japan and Australia on Google Maps.

Murakami Wood’s presentation further enhanced the ideas that

PHOTO BY ALEX PICKERING

Stankievech discussed. By giving the audience modern-day examples of surveillance technology, he was able to draw a connection between the abstract concepts and real life usages of Early Warning Systems.

Do you have a passion for art, theatre or music? Email: journal_ae@ams.queensu.ca to contribute.

Stankievech’s work on display at the AEAC.

Follow us on Twitter: @QJArts

PHOTO BY ALEX PICKERING

14 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, January 16, 2015

COACHING

A lot more to the job SPORTS Whether full-time or part-time, passion drives Queen’s coaches B y B rent M oore Assistant Sports Editor Gary Gilks understands the balancing act his players go through.

Just as varsity athletes juggle sports with academic obligations, their coaches are watching tape, formulating game plans, recruiting high talent and — in some cases — working other jobs.

Gilks is a subcontracted carpenter for a local interior design company, in addition to his duties as head coach of the men’s rugby team.

“Being part-time, you totally burn out,” Gilks said. “The on-field stuff is what I enjoy, obviously, because that’s coaching, but because we’re at an elite level, there’s a lot of prep that goes into it.”

As part of the high-performance sports model Queen’s Athletics adopted in 2010, Athletics committed to providing 13 varsity teams with “top-level leadership”.

Six teams currently play under full-time coaches, while seven have part-time bench bosses. Rowing will see a full-time coach installed before next season; part-time coach John Armitage is set to step down in April.

Gilks, for his part, arrives a half-hour early to men’s rugby practices and stays a half-hour late.

With practices running as long as two hours and additional time spent preparing drills, he devotes as many as five or six hours a day to coaching.

One thing Gilks doesn’t have to worry about as much as other varsity coaching staffs is recruiting, thanks to the men’s rugby club system.

Instead of fielding just a single team, men’s rugby has as many as six reserve squads at their disposal. “[Former head coach] Peter [Huigenbos] and I never really did any recruiting,” Gilks said. “We’re

both family guys and for us to travel on top of what we already do… we don’t want to do it.

“I’m away from my family all the time — my kids hate it.”

For Gilks, being part-time means he’s constantly juggling his personal, coaching and professional lives — and this, at times, prevents him from focusing on any one particular thing.

“If I was full-time, managing my time and getting things done would be a lot easier, and I think I’d be able to focus on the things I think would really help us as a team,” he said.

Despite this, men’s rugby has remained one of this university’s most successful programs in recent years. Gilks led the Gaels to their third straight OUA championship this season, in his first year as head coach.

Gilks said the time and effort put in by part-time coaches is often not recognized or understood.

“People just assume we make a ton of money at our other job anyway, and you’re just so happy to be out here [coaching], when that’s not the case at all,” he said.

“It’s a lot of sacrifice — but that’s what we do.”

Brett Gibson is in a similar situation. The men’s hockey head coach must balance coaching duties with parenting two young children and his job as an administrator at a long-term care centre in Gananoque.

On weekdays, he works mornings before driving to Kingston for practice. He spends four hours or more with the team every weeknight during the season.

Gibson said support from his family allows him to manage his hectic schedule.

“My wife is my rock in my family, without her I would not be able to do what I love to do and that is to Coach Hockey,” Gibson told the Journal via email.

Gibson noted that time management and multi-tasking are critical, as “there’s no down time.”

Unlike Gilks and Gibson, working for the Gaels is a full-time gig for men’s volleyball head coach Brenda Willis.

Her desk in the ARC is covered in game plans — slim collections of annotated attack schemes, solutions to various rotations and notes on upcoming opponents.

Her computer is clogged with edited game footage. Each week, Willis doctors the film from two previous matches, turning what was a two-hour game into 30 minutes of material for her players to pore over.

“I probably spend two and a half days a week just on that stuff,” Willis said. “There’s quite a bit of detail involved, at this level, in trying to be competitive.”

For many years, Willis balanced coaching with teaching in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies and performing administrative work for Athletics and Recreation. Men’s rugby head coach Gary Gilks spends up to six See Full-time on page 16

PHOTO BY MICHELLE ALLAN

hours a day coaching, on top of working and raising two boys.

ATHLETE PROFILE

Kingston connection Old Fronts remain together as they join forces on men’s hockey B y A dam L askaris Staff Writer At any level of sports, seven consecutive seasons is a long time to be teammates.

It’s a feat men’s hockey players Darcy Greenaway and Warren Steele will likely attain — but their partnership nearly stopped this year.

The pair spent three seasons as teammates with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and are now just

over halfway through their first year playing for the Gaels.

“I can’t seem to get away from Darcy — the guy follows me everywhere,” Steele said.

Steele’s jab at his close friend needs a bit of context. When Greenaway committed to playing for Queen’s last spring, it appeared Steele would be back with the Frontenacs for a fourth full season.

Instead, 20-year-old defenceman Evan McEneny returned to the club, and Steele saw himself as the odd man out due to an OHL

Defenceman Warren Steele (left) and forward Darcy Greenaway were teammates on the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs for three years before joining the Gaels this season.

PHOTO BY ARWIN CHAN

rule prohibiting teams from signing more than two 20-year-old players.

After being released in mid-September, Steele could’ve asked to be traded to another OHL team, but he decided to stay in Kingston and play for the Gaels.

Steele joined the squad under unique circumstances. Since he enrolled at Queen’s during the school year, the defenceman had to launch an academic appeal to the University, allowing him to pick up more classes and become eligible to play varsity sports.

While being cut came as a bit of a surprise, Steele said he’s loved Queen’s so far.

“I’m biased, but you can’t get a better school than Queen’s,” he said.

Head coach Brett Gibson said he believes Steele and Greenaway are going to be a few of the cornerstones of the team in the entirety of their careers at Queen’s.

Both of them, Gibson added, are examples of a model OUA player.

“They’re very similar,” Gibson said. “Their talent level is through the roof, they’re able to do things some of the other guys in this league simply can’t do. Their maturity and mental preparation for the game allows them to play like they do.”

As they’re both in their first year, the impact the former Frontenac tandem has been immediately noticeable.

Greenaway has provided a fireball to the Gaels’ offence; his team-leading 11 goals and 21 points have helped raise the team’s average from 3.00 goals a game in 2013-14 to 3.32 this year.

Steele’s 13 points rank second See Still on page 16

Sports

Friday, January 16, 2015

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• 15

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

Miklas-McCarney Field was the second of three Queen’s turf fields when it was built in 2011. The new Richardson Stadium will be the fourth turf field when it’s built.

SIDELINE COMMENTARY

Turf move right call for Richardson The Journal’s Sports Editor argues the switch to artifical surfaces will keep Queen’s close to OUA trends

B y S ean S utherland Sports Editor When the new Richardson Stadium opens in the fall of 2016, more than just its structure will change.

The Gaels have hosted games on natural grass for the football program’s entire history,

but the revitalization project means Queen’s will become the final OUA school to make the shift to artificial turf.

Purists may be against the idea of playing on an artificial surface, but the benefits of making the move outweigh the possible negatives. It plays into the favour of Athletics and Recreation, as well as the athletes who will be playing in the new stadium.

Installing an artificial turf field is a cost-effective route for a university athletic department to take. Instead of having to maintain a grass surface, which can easily be damaged by overuse or the weather, schools can allocate finances to other areas

SPORTS IN BRIEF Mullins receives Alessio scholarship While men’s basketball couldn’t pull out a win last Saturday, one Gael did come away with something special.

Queen’s matchup with the Laurentian Voyageurs was the sixth annual Marco W. Alessio Memorial Game, and prior to tip-off, second-year guard Mike Mullins was awarded the scholarship named after Alessio.

The award is granted to a member of the men’s basketball team who demonstrates both athletic and academic distinction.

Mullins was an Academic All-Canadian last year; he has played in seven games this year after battling early-season injuries, averaging five minutes per game.

The memorial game was first played in 2010, when a pre-standing award was renamed in Alessio’s honour.

Alessio played for the Gaels between 1986-89 and eventually became a teacher working overseas. He died in 2009 at the age of 43 while living in Madagascar.

The memorial game regularly draws basketball alumni to Kingston, particularly those who played with Alessio.

— Brent Moore Women’s squash competes in Dread Cup The women’s squash team had their first taste of 2015 competition last weekend in a successful trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake.

The event was Squash Ontario’s first tournament of the new year and saw the Gaels face off against athletes from across the province.

Sisters Alysha and Natasha Anzik competed in the “A” bracket, placing second and fifth, respectively, with Natasha winning the consolation finals.

Nora Kamol placed second in the “B” division. She was followed closely by fellow

Gaels Sadie Wilson and Sabrina Carew, who finished third and fifth, respectively.

The Dread Cup is the last stop before the OUA finals, held this year from Jan. 30- Feb. 1 at the University of Waterloo.

The women’s team finished one point shy of the podium at last season’s championships, while the men’s team wound up tied for third with the Waterloo Warriors.

The women shut out Waterloo at the end of November, as well as the Laurier Golden Hawks and McMaster Marauders at a tournament in Toronto.

At the same tournament, the men beat Laurier and the Guelph Gryphons, but lost to Waterloo, McMaster and the Western Mustangs.

of concern.

The other 10 OUA schools that support football — and all nine teams in the Canadian Football League — play in stadiums with artificial turf, as part of an overall shift towards the playing surface.

In Queen’s case, several varsity teams have recently moved to turf. Nixon Field, Tindall Field and Miklas-McCarney Field were all built with artificial playing surfaces or made the shift from grass to FieldTurf in the last seven years.

When Kingston Field was redeveloped into Nixon Field, it was originally intended to remain a natural grass field. That changed when the International Rugby Board gave their okay for rugby matches to take place on turf.

It’s also part of the reason why OUA and CIS schools are making the shift, helped out by the financial benefits that come from it.

With the possibility of increased use, Queen’s would be able to make money off their turf fields that they couldn’t with grass.

Athletics can enter rental agreements, similar to the deal they have with Kingston FC of the Canadian Soccer League.

One concern of switching to turf is that the shift would be hazardous to player safety.

This issue was brought forth by American female soccer players during the lead-up to this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, which is being held in Canada.

As a less forgiving playing surface, injuries

are slightly more prevalent on artificial turf.

That said, modern turf fields are far different from ones installed in the 1960s, which were responsible for severe injuries.

The risk for injury still remains, but it exists regardless of the field of play. Every Gaels soccer game is played on turf, as are the football team’s four regular season road games.

The only negative impact the Gaels will face is losing the shock factor of playing football on natural grass. After teams have become accustomed to playing on turf fields, the difference felt going back to playing on grass can be a home-field advantage.

Despite losing that element of play, the decision to go to turf when the new Richardson is built is in line with what the rest of the league is doing. It’s the move that makes the most sense.

Follow @QJSports.

— Brent Moore Fencing on track for OUAs Queen’s fencing team snagged four medals at the Carleton Invitational in Ottawa last weekend.

On the women’s side, the Gaels were successful in all three categories, reaching the podium in each.

The sabre team of Lily Jiang, Julia Meerakker and Helen Percival captured gold, while the Gaels women’s team added a silver medal in foil and bronze in épée.

The men’s team earned a bronze in foil.

They also finished fourth in sabre and fifth in épée.

The women’s team will travel to York on Jan. 31 as they look to defend their OUA championship. Last year, the Gaels won their first overall women’s title since 2004.

The men’s provincial competition begins on Feb. 21 in St. Catharine’s. Queen’s captured three straight OUA championships from 2011-13.

— Brent Moore

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Sports

16 •queensjournal.ca

Full-time focus Continued from page 14

Since Queen’s adopted its high-performance sports model in 2010, she’s been able to focus on coaching full-time.

The competitive sports model means Athletics now has two full-time strength and conditioning coaches, as well as a pair of employees who assist varsity team coaches with recruiting.

At this time, most of the OUA’s men’s volleyball programs are managed by full-time coaches — a switch that has only taken place over the last decade.

Before that, CIS-bound OUA

teams were the proverbial David to the better-staffed western Canadian schools’ Goliath.

“Men’s volleyball has certainly seen an evolution across the league,” Willis said.

Coaching full-time does have its downsides, Willis said, but these are far outweighed by the positives.

“During the season it’s very tough to have much of a personal life,” she said. “[But] you’re dealing with people who want to be there.

"It’s a pretty exciting thing, I think, when you can turn your hobby into your career,” she added.

“You’re one of the lucky ones.”

ON DECK CIRCLE MEN’S BASKETBALL Saturday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m.: Gaels (3-6) @ York Lions (5-5).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Saturday, Jan. 17, 6 p.m.: Gaels (6-3) @ York Lions (2-8).

MEN’S HOCKEY Saturday, Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m.: Gaels (8-10-1) vs. Waterloo Warriors (12-6-1).

WOMEN’S HOCKEY Saturday, Jan. 17, 2 p.m.: Gaels (11-2-3) @ York Lions (8-6-2).

Friday, January 16, 2015

Still teammates Continued from page 14

on the team in scoring amongst defencemen, meanwhile, and his 11 assists are third among all Gaels.

He has also made key contributions on special teams.

While Steele took an untraditional path to find his way onto the Gaels, Greenaway has had few issues so far. The centre is long-time friends with second-year netminder Kevin Bailie, who introduced him to Gibson and the program.

“Knowing a lot of the guys on the team before made that transition easy for me,” Greenaway said.

Like Steele, Greenaway reflects fondly upon his days with the Frontenacs.

“I have nothing but good things to say about the organization,” he said. “I made a lot of good friends there — guys still swing by and hang out with us. It’s fortunate

enough we’re still in the same city.”

But while there’s been many positives along the way in their three and a half seasons together, there’s one task the two have yet to accomplish. Neither player won a playoff series with the Frontenacs, who haven’t won one as a team since 1998.

Though their junior days are now over, they’re attempting to create something special at Queen’s.

The Gaels won a playoff series under Gibson for the first time last year, and currently sit tied for sixth in the OUA East.

With Greenaway’s offence, Steele’s defence and 19 of the team’s 30 players in their first two years, it looks like the team is just getting started at showing its ability.

“We’re learning from some of the older guys here now,” Greenaway said. “We’re trying to be leaders.”

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL Friday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.: Gaels (8-4) @ RMC Paladins (0-12).

Sunday, Jan. 18, 3p.m.: Gaels vs. McMaster Marauders (11-1).

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Last year, Brett Gibson led the Gaels to a 17-6-5 regular season finish. So far this year, the men are 8-10-1.

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

Saturday, Jan. 17, 3 p.m.: Gaels (9-4) @ RMC Paladins (2-11).

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

Darcy Greenaway recorded 62 points in 67 games for the Kingston Frontenacs last season. This year, he has 21 points for the Gaels.

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Sports

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Friday, January 16, 2015

HUMANITIES

LIFESTYLE Technology takeover Print-based fields of study are taking digital media by storm B y K ate M eagher Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Tiffany Chan works with digital humanities at Queen’s.

PHOTO BY MICHELLE ALLAN

QJ COLUMNS — SPORTS

Critiquing QBs A key position player shouldn’t be judged merely by their team’s success B y A dam L askaris Staff Writer Championship Sunday is an annual tradition for many NFL fans.

Just four teams remain and two games are played back-to-back, with the winners of each conference advancing to the Super Bowl. It doesn’t get much more exciting than that.

Quarterback, as always, is the most crucial position on the field — so it makes sense that the four remaining teams typically feature some of the league’s best.

This year proves the trend right.

This Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts’ Andrew Luck will face off against Tom Brady of the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game. Over in the NFC, Russell Wilson and his defending champion Seattle Seahawks will play host to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.

Among the four, Luck has the most to prove — he’s the only one yet to win a Super Bowl championship.

Inevitably, once the two semi-final matchups and Super Bowl finish, the media, fans, coaches and followers of the game will all be quick to point to the results and proclaim the victor as the best quarterback in the NFL. But the issue is, judging a player solely by that criteria doesn’t tell the whole story.

The trickle-down effects are massive. Does that mean the second-best quarterback is the one who loses in the Super Bowl?

Are the top four quarterbacks the four who make the conference championship?

What about the quarterbacks who don’t even make the playoffs?

Typically, a few very talented and accomplished pivots miss the post-season each year. The New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees and Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers are just two examples from this season.

The one-game elimination

format of the NFL playoffs fosters an environment that allows people to make such rash judgements. Joe Flacco of the 2013 Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens is a glaring example of this, where he was proclaimed by many fans and pundits to be an “elite” quarterback.

Since winning the Super Bowl just two years ago, Flacco ranks 15th in the league in passing touchdowns over the past two seasons and 11th in passing yards.

They’re certainly not horrible numbers, but they’re not elite by any stretch of the word.

There’s always more to look at, but the isolation of wins alone blinds many into believing.

No quarterback plays with the same teammates or the same coach, and few play the playoff games in the same weather conditions.

Of course, the objective of the game is to win, and for many fans, individual players will be valued higher based solely on whoever is able to achieve victory.

But by valuing playoff wins above all else as a measure to evaluate a quarterback — or any player, in any position, in any sport — you’re really missing the point.

You might not think your history degree would ever have you digitizing the x-rays of a sarcophagus, but with the rise of digital humanities, it could be a reality.

This area of study looks at the intersection between computing and humanities.

It’s a lens that allows people to interact with important, but often inaccessible, artifacts.

Because of their historical nature, items like original manuscripts or ancient artwork are often just as informative as they are easily destroyed. Digital humanities (DH) seeks to digitally render what’s instructive about these objects, while safely preserving them.

Digital humanities allows students to quickly see otherwise intangible information. Digital maps, for instance, can communicate how far characters in a book travel more accurately than one’s imagination, lending the fictional journey more meaning.

Tiffany Chan works as a digital humanities student assistant in the special collections at Douglas Library. Her work is with stereo cards — pairs of images that, when viewed through a particular device, render a three-dimensional image.

Chan’s work requires significant creative thought on her part to communicate digitally what’s so striking about these visuals in person.

“Just having a 2-D picture of these stereo cards misses the 3-D part of it, so part of what my project does is using animated GIFs to get some of the 3-D effect in,” she said.

Follow @QJLifestyle.

Although the process sounds undeniably cool, it may not seem especially applicable to your humanities lectures and seminars.

Even so, you might be surprised by where digital humanities can take you.

For Chan, it’s easy to see how a number of students in humanities could one day end up doing work like hers. The prevailing thought is that academic careers shouldn’t be limited to professorship.

Libraries, museums and academic publications all offer research opportunities to explore the digital humanities.

Beyond the implications of digital humanities on our academic futures, it can be prudent for students to consider this field right now.

“There’s a lot of criticism focused on our generation that we use all these technologies, but we don’t think about them,” said Chan, ArtSci ’15.

Digital humanities can be a way for us to think more mindfully about the technology we use every day and how it enhances our interaction with the study of humanities.

Chan got her start at the digital humanities field school offered at the Bader International Study Centre under the professorship of Shannon Smith.

The field school offers an immersive course as an introduction to digital humanities and privileges hands-on, experiential learning. As it turns out, most students already have some familiarity with this kind of work.

“Generally speaking, I think students might be more aware

QJ COLUMNS — HEALTH

Resolve to achieve success

Get yourself resolution-ready for 2015 B y C aela F enton Staff Writer If done properly, the beginning of a new year offers a great opportunity for a fresh, successful start.

Remember that you define success. If your resolution is to improve your grade point average from a 3.0 to a 3.7, does a 3.5 count as a success? I think it does.

Here are some tips to help you have the greatest chance possible at achieving your resolution.

Make it specific

All eyes are on the QBs of this year’s playoff teams, including Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts.

SUPPLIED BY SCHULTZ

of, and exposed to, Digital Humanities methodologies, critical frameworks, and projects than they realise, especially as we all are, to some degree, more active in digital culture more generally,” Smith told the Journal via email.

“Chances are, if you have taken a few [humanities] courses, you’ve brushed up against some aspect of broader digital culture, and maybe even DH specifically. I don’t think it’s as much about awareness as it is about helping students to see what they might already be familiar with in a DH-oriented framework.”

In addition to introducing students to the area of study, the field school readies participants to take on positions like Chan’s, who work to digitize real artifacts.

The biggest selling point seems to be that, because things are always changing, there’s always something new to learn and even from unexpected sources.. “[Digital humanities] is a very diverse field and being a part of it has helped me build connections across disciplinary boundaries, but also across other boundaries ... I’ve had my own research practice enriched by scholarly exchange with colleagues at the Bodleian Library at Oxford University, and the Digital Labs in the British Library in London,” Smith said.

For students interested in more information, the Queen’s University Library, in partnership with the field school, will be hosting a series of talks as part of the “Demystifying the Digital Humanities” initiative. The first talk will be held in Stauffer Jan. 19.

The huge, open-ended resolutions are the ones that are most likely to fail — lose weight, save more money, eat healthier, do better in school, etc. These resolutions are terrifying in their size and need to be scaled down. You wouldn’t try and eat a burger all in one bite, right?

Your resolution needs to be

realistic for your lifestyle. If your overall goal is to lose weight, make it your resolution to get your butt to the ARC three days of the week.

Pared down, this idea becomes less intimidating and more achievable.

The huge idea of eating healthier can be cut down to only eating dessert one night of the week or only drinking alcohol on weekends.

Doing better in school can be reduced to making sure that you stay on top of weekly readings or resolving not to skip class.

In each case, giant goals can be whittled down into more realistic ones you’re more likely to keep.

Tell someone Use your support network to help you along the way and offer the same help to your friends. Chances are, you have at least one friend who will be on board to join you at a weekly yoga class or a See New on page 19

LIFESTYLE

Friday, January 16, 2015

New Year, new goals Check in

Continued from page 18

housemate that wants to make healthier meals together.

Studies have shown that telling other people about our goals motivates us more than if we keep them to ourselves.

Not keen on sharing? Write it down and that way you’re at least accountable to a paper version of yourself.

Think beyond traditional resolutions

It can be easy to make a resolution, let it fall by the wayside and then, eventually, let it go.

If you keep an agenda, write yourself a note once every week or two.

This can help you remember why your resolution was important to you in the first place, as well as the little steps you’ve planned to get yourself there.

Don’t have an agenda? Try using the calendar app on your phone to set reminders.

You don’t need to lose weight, eat healthier Be positive or be smarter and richer just because those are popular resolutions. At this Stay optimistic about your own resolutions, time of year, there’s a lot of pressure on but also those of others. I’m guilty of resolutions with regard to appearance and complaining about the packed ARC in societal expectations.

January, but if those are people trying to How about making a resolution to make a positive change, who am I to criticize? meditate for five minutes when you wake Try and support your friends and family up each morning? Or resolving to try and in whatever goals they have set, whether or make at least one person smile each day? not you think they are realistic.

These are both worthwhile and admirable Similarly, be understanding of yourself resolutions, but the kind that tends to get through the ups and downs of your own lost in our current material-focused society. resolution. Things don’t always go up in a straight line, but if you stick with your plan, you can achieve big things.

ACROSS 1 Doctrine 6 Garlic pieces 12 Feral 13 Least ordinary 14 Fridge, once 15 Sunspots’ centers 16 Mediocre 17 Cab 19 Historic boy king 20 Tuckers’ mates 22 Copper head 24 PC maker 27 Sticky substances 29 Last writes?

32 Nursery rhyme baker 35 Luminary 36 Recognized 37 Cleo’s slayer 38 Take a whack at 40 Dunkable treat 42 Slight touch 44 Davenport setting 46 Laptop connection 50 Palin territory 52 Adenoid neighbour 54 Esteems 55 “Strange Interlude” playwright 56 Sign up 57 Odin’s worshippers

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 18 21 23 24 25 26 28 30 31 33 34 39 41 42 43 45 47 48 49 51 53

Mexican entree Prior nights Big shot Id counterpart Classic, as an example Heart of the matter Vampiress Scepter topper Spine component Jacob’s brother Undo a dele Sasha, to Malia From this moment on Car starter (Abbr.)

Feathery accessory Mensa stats However Pizza topping Marriott rival “Monty Python” opener Recipe meas.

Screw up Ram’s ma’am ”Holy mackerel!”

Landlord, e.g.

Comic Letterman Greenspan or Der showitz Brewer’s oven Wife of Osiris Hard drive item Under the weather — generis Lennon’s lady

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20 •queensjournal.ca

LIFESTYLE

Friday, January 16, 2015

POSTSCRIPT

Less drama, more dharma

Meditation offers mental relief for students dealing with stress and anxiety B y B lake C anning Staff Writer Stressed? Try doing nothing.

Meditation is often associated with yoga, tantra or other eastern practices, but it’s made a stunning transition to western culture since its popularization in the 1960s.

The practice works by transforming the mind to create an internal environment of peacefulness and joy, which can provide relief during difficult times.

It’s integral to the Buddhist religion as a method of transcending the anxiety, sorrow and confusion of human life. But it’s inaccurate to characterize meditation as essentially “eastern” or tied to Buddhism.

It’s now commonly used as a calming exercise and stress reliever for anyone, from nuns and monks to extremely busy undergrads. By concentrating on virtuous things like love or compassion, the practice is meant to clear your mind of negative thoughts.

The best part about meditation is that there’s no need for high-tech gear or draining membership fees.

All you need is a peaceful space and an open mind. For most of us, the practice is simple enough to even do in our dorm room.

I was first introduced to meditation in a Buddhism course last year. I enjoyed it enough to

start taking classes at the Kuluta Buddhist Centre on my own. My experiences at the Kuluta Centre and in my own private meditations have drastically improved my struggles with anxiety and anger.

To learn more about the finer points of meditation technique and background, I spoke to one of Queen’s own specialists in the field, professor Ellen Goldberg.

Goldberg teaches multiple courses in the department of religious studies, including Buddhism in the Modern World and Yoga in India and the West.

Many of her courses also include a meditation component.

“I have had a lot of feedback on meditation from students over the past 20 years and I have to say that all of it has been positive,” she told the Journal via email.

There are many different approaches to meditation, but Goldberg personally favours quiet serenity.

PHOTO BY ALEX PICKERING “I prefer private meditation. In Students interested in meditation can get their start at the Kuluta Buddhist Centre. my view, privacy is essential for the mature practitioner,” she said. Kuluta Buddhist Centre on to drastically improve someone’s closet,” said Clarke, ArtSci ’17.

“So my hobbies are kind “However, group meditation can Wellington St. They’re then walked life through commitment and be extremely beneficial as well, through their first breathing devotion, but can start with the of limited to the space. I love exercises, in addition to learning simplest of exercises. meditating though — I do it especially for beginners.”

“All our emotions are connected every morning.”

During the meditation various meditation postures with our breath, so when our Clarke has been practicing component of Goldberg’s classes, and settings.

One exercise, called black breath becomes steady and calm, meditation for nearly three years she often b r i n g s and white breathing, encourages our mind and emotions settle and doesn’t start his day off students students to visualize breathing in along with it,” she said, referring without it.

“Every morning I shower, stretch to the white smoke and breathing out to the beginner’s exercise of black smoke. As they breathe, concentrating on your breath. and sit down on my floor in front they’re told to imagine inhaling While it may seem boring to of the mirror for about 15 minutes good energy and exhaling simply do nothing but breathe for every morning. That’s it,” he said. bad energy. an extended period of time, Denpa “It’s insanely easy to do and has Another beginner posture is quick to prove otherwise. helped me so much.” is half lotus, which resembles a “I find that most people do Like Denpa, Clarke finds cross-legged position with the not naturally have the ability to himself in an overall healthier state hands in prayer position. focus on anything for more than a of mind.

The Buddhist Centre is a second!” she said, laughing.

“I’m less tired, I’m more relaxed. place for quiet group meditation It’s a statement that rings truer I had a really big problem with under the guidance of the resident with university students more than anxiety before I started and I find Buddhist nun. many others, who are constantly I am a way less angry person now,” Nun Kelsang Denpa has bombarded with deadlines and he said. “I honestly don’t count my presided over the Kuluta Buddhist crammed schedules. day as having started if I have not Centre for the past three and a “I think that is the most important meditated first.” half years. Denpa discovered realization though, is to come to While he’s firmly supportive of meditation through the Buddhist some understanding of what state all religions, Clarke said he doesn’t religion upon moving to Kingston your mind is in, and what the personally affiliate himself with from the Maritimes, and has solution is. I know my mind was religion as a concept, and doesn’t never looked back since. full of distractions at first,” she said. apply it to his meditating either.

“It was actually at “I could not sit and simply enjoy my “It’s just something I’ve always Ban Righ [Centre for mind, which I can now.” done,” he said. “It’s something I Women],” she said, Denpa describes her new mental like doing and it makes me feel over a steaming cup state as more accepting. happier, so that’s why I do it. I of tea. “I met a “I tend to now simply take things know some people think it has woman who gave as they come. All things are just to be related to some religious me a brochure appearances that are arising, and experience but that’s really only if for the Kuluta whatever appears is okay,” she said. you choose to pursue it in that way.”

Centre and “We are happy with Although it may seem like just that’s how I got whatever appears.” another ball to add to your weekly here. I suppose As I was leaving the Kuluta juggling act, meditation can have a if I hadn’t gone Centre, Denpa offered one last lasting impact. to Ban Righ imparting of wisdom on the Nearly everyone I talked to that day, well, who practice of meditation and her attested that just 15 minutes of knows.”

Buddhist teachings. meditation a day left them feeling Her state “I now know that one cannot more calm and energized. Even of mind has find happiness out there at the if meditation acts as an outlet for c h a n g e d mall. It has to come from inside. anxiety or anger, it can easily be significantly That’s the most important thing integrated into your everyday life. s i n c e for everybody to know,” she We’re lucky to have resources d i s c o v e r i n g said. “Everything improves from available at Queen’s, such as the meditation and that point on. I find it’s just an Meditate At Queen’s Facebook her new religion. easier way to live: less drama, group, which organizes weekly “I was miserable more dharma.” meditation meetings. There’s also and angry before I came If there’s anyone on campus in the Kuluta Centre’s free weekly to Kingston. Now, I am any position to find the happiness classes at Ban Righ. happier than I have ever in peace of mind alone, it’s Whatever your skill level may been.”

Gordon Clarke. be, it’s never too late to start taking ILLUSTRATION BY MICHAELLA FORTUNE For Denpa, meditation “Well, I live in the smallest room control of your mental state. is a practice that has the power of my house, which is basically a