The Queen's Journal, Volume 142, Issue 23

T h u r s d ay , F e b r u a r y 1 2 , 2 0 1 5 — I s s u e 2 3

j the ournal Queen’s University — Since 1873

Two Queen’s researchers found new evidence of climate change. page 2 HOMECOMING

AMS to seek $12.50 festival fee

Fee would be mandatory and cover most of the ReUnion Street Festival’s costs B y M ishal O mar Assistant News Editor The AMS is asking for a $12.50 mandatory student fee to help cover the costs of next year’s ReUnion Street Festival, intended to become an annual event.

The fee proposal will be voted on by members of Assembly on Thursday and, if passed, will go to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 10, to be voted on by all AMS members in attendance.

AMS President and CEO Allison Williams said the fee would be used to cover a portion of the festival costs next year.

The ticket cost for alumni, graduate students and community members to go to the licensed area of the festival would also be $12.50, where alcohol would be served.

The total cost of the festival is estimated at $311,250. The student fee, if passed, will

cover $208,750 of that and the remainder of the amount needed will come from ticket sales and corporate sponsorship, said Williams, ArtSci ’14.

A $12.50 mandatory fee put forward by the AMS would pay for part of ReUnion’s $311,250 expected price.

The AMS originally requested the University to front $75,000 in operational

costs, but the administration declined due to what Principal Daniel Woolf previously said were “remaining concerns” from community partners and that there were still “far too many” people on city streets.

“We won’t see an event going forward that doesn’t have a substantial contribution outside of student fees, so the fee that we’re proposing is no larger than what we feel is a fair contribution from students,” Williams said She said so far, the University has provided the AMS with a lot of support for the ReUnion Street Festival, including the help of departments in providing expertise, time and input into every aspect of the festival.

According to experts the AMS has been consulting with, the fee may not be necessary within five years if the event continues annually, Williams said.

Sports: Bouncing back from injury page 10

See Assembly on page 5

AMS

Board of Directors bars guests

Board looks to avoid inaccurate information; will continue to release reports B y C hloe S obel News Editor

Postscript: To express love or not page 16

The AMS Board of Directors decided at its Jan. 12 meeting to restrict students from attending its bi-weekly meetings.

Tuba Chishti, the chair, told the Journal via email that Board will determine who is relevant to a meeting based on the agenda topics and “whether or not they’re confidential”.

The Board of Directors deals with strategic management, financials and support of the AMS. Members are elected annually at the Corporate General Meeting by incoming and outgoing members of AMS Assembly,

and Board is made up of six student directors, three non-student directors, the AMS executive, three AMS service directors and the AMS General Manager.

Board meetings have generally been open to all AMS members, excluding closed session, which Board members vote to enter, according to past chairs.

In an email Chishti, ArtSci ’15, sent to the Journal Editors in Chief explaining the decision, she wrote that shareholders are “in general” not permitted at Board meetings.

Board policy — which outlines its mandate and operational procedures — makes no mention of guest attendance or the Journal covering meetings,

which has been prohibited according to Chishti.

“While we are a student government first, we are also a corporation that works with a lot of high level confidential matters that encompasses anything from the risk level of the ReUnion Street Festival,” she wrote, “to service goal plans and budgets to the long term future of each individual service and everything in between, like personnel matters and remuneration.”

She added in the email that having discussions tweeted and reported on “sometimes inaccurately by guests” — including the Journal, which has attended See Board on page 5

LIFESTYLE

16 •queensjournal.ca

Thursday, February 12, 2015

POSTSCRIPT

Say that you love me It’s easy to tell significant others you love them, but expressing non-romantic affection is a different story

While Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to open up to your romantic partner, we rarely take the time to do the same with our other loved ones.

B y K ate M eagher Assistant Lifestyle Editor My brother is one of the people I love the most. My family knows it. My friends know it. I’m pretty sure everyone knows it, except my brother.

That’s because I haven’t told him. I think it would be awkward.

Don’t get me wrong — we hang out all the time and text almost every day. I don’t generally feel awkward, but I do when it comes to my feelings.

Maybe it’s a quirk of our relationship, but I’ve got a hunch we aren’t the only ones.

Romantic relationships are privileged when it comes to telling our loved ones how we feel. Anything that’s not romantic often gets sidelined. We even have a whole day — Valentine’s Day — centred around telling our significant others how much we love them.

The Greeting Card Association estimates that about 145 million greeting cards will be purchased for Valentine’s Day this year. But when was the last time you sent a friend or family member a card just to say you love them?

Probably on their birthday.

That’s because it can be difficult for people to express affection in any non-romantic relationships.

Rory Grant, who helped create Queen’s first Maskulinity Summit last year, said that many men are less comfortable demonstrating affection than women.

“Guys fear losing social status by telling someone that they love them because they look down on that,” said Grant, ArtSci ’15.

“They need to be tough, they need to be strong and on the offensive. They can’t bring people in. So, it’s rare.”

Grant noticed this hesitance cropping up as early as elementary and high school. It’s particularly evident in boys who are taught from a very young age to conform to traditional ideals of masculinity.

These values forced boys to be more reserved in their social interactions and led to an

environment that was implicitly or explicitly homophobic.

“There was this discomfort associated with hugging between men or with saying ‘I love you man’ … and this discomfort with being possibly perceived as gay,” Grant said.

It goes without saying that the consequences of homophobia are much more harmful than this possible awkwardness. Yet it seems plausible that subconscious homophobic values prevented some individuals from expressing themselves emotionally.

After all, most of us have probably worried that we’ve led someone on when we’re just being friendly. But just because someone doesn’t say they love you outright, that doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t telling you how they feel.

Gary Chapman, author of a series of books on “The Five Love Languages”, came up with the idea that we’re more comfortable and skilled at expressing our love in certain ways.

Chapman suggests there are five languages: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time and the physical touch. Using t h e s e languages, we’re able to express our love.

Some of us may simply s p e a k s o m e languages b e t t e r than others, though.

A quiz on Chapman’s website allows you to determine which language you speak best. It turns out that I score highest on quality time, which means that I’m best at communicating my love for someone by just spending time

with them.

The quiz indicated that I also feel most loved when others take time to spend with me.

Just because my type isn’t very good at telling people we love them doesn’t mean we aren’t expressing that love in a meaningful way.

But if we’re expressing our preferred love language in romantic relationships — but not platonic ones — there’s still a disconnect.

Kyla Craig has felt that disconnect since becoming involved with her boyfriend of over a year.

“It’s always been super easy for me to be emotional with him … but pretty much [with] my whole life with my family, I’m just not an emotional person with them. I can show affection, but I just find most of the time it makes me uncomfortable and I’d rather not,” said Craig, ArtSci ’17.

“So I had always assumed that once I had a romantic relationship, it would be the same, but I was surprised by how easy it was to be emotional.”

PHOTOS BY ARWIN CHAN

She thinks that part of that other people.” gap might come from romantic If we’re mostly seeking trust in relationships being based on loving interactions, it makes sense commonality, where families have that we might find it easier to be potentially more diverse interests. fearlessly affectionate.

“Maybe it’s because I just In any event, it’s important to feel like sometimes I’m a very develop the courage to be loving in different person from my parents, our relationships, romantic or not. for example.”

According to Blair, the benefits of Where it can be difficult to doing so might outweigh the risks reach out to our families even of opening up. when we want to, Craig said the “Supportive and loving opposite problem can creep up relationships provide a great variety when it comes to platonic friends. of benefits to the people within the Rather than seeking out more relationships,” Blair said. effective communication, it’s Even just one affectionate sometimes hard to tell friends we act can give instant benefits love them if we think they might to recipients, she added. misinterpret our affection. Craig “The actual act of physical touch had this experience with a close between partners has been shown male friend she’s known since to have positive and immediate high school. health benefits,” Blair said.

“He has always really meant a A 2003 Behavioral Medicine lot to me, but I get really awkward study suggests that individuals when I try and tell him that in stressful scenarios experience because I’m afraid he might think less stress when holding their that I mean something more, when partner’s hand, compared I don’t,” she said. to those who undergo the Worrying about how you will process holding the hand of a be perceived might keep people stranger to whom they had no from expressing themselves, emotional attachment. according to Karen “In a more day-to-day setting Blair. It’s especially you could imagine this taking place relevant to between partners when facing any communicating sort of stress,” Blair said. love.

“Perhaps one partner is waiting Blair, who to write an exam and the other is currently a offers a comforting touch on the post-doctoral shoulder, a hug, or a hand to fellow at the hold — if this reduces their exam University of writer’s stress responses, this is Utah, said that good for their health, and probably developing also good for the outcome of trust with their exam.” your partner During the stressful midterm in any season, it’s hard to imagine a relationship better incentive to open up to our is integral to loved ones. expressing affection.

“Sharing affection can open you up to rejection, so that is why trust can be an important factor,” Blair, PhD ’12, told the Journal via email.

“A great deal of our ability to share affection has to do with our levels of trust that we have for

Follow @QJLifestyle for recipes, travel, fashion and more.

LIFESTYLE

Thursday, February 12, 2015

queensjournal.ca

COLUMNS — QJ SEX

Keep bleeding love

Don’t let menstruation put a hold on your sex life

B y T he E xpert S expert Staff Writer If you menstruate or have sex with someone who does, listen up.

The SHRC used to play an instructive game in residences about healthy relationships called “Steps to Intimacy”.

We included several potential milestones in relationships, such as adding each other on Facebook, meeting friends, kissing on the lips, giving oral sex and having sex during menstruation. The last milestone almost always elicited an, “Ew, gross! Never!”

But a person’s sex drive doesn’t stop just because they’re on their period. For a lot of people, the hormones involved with menstruation can increase libido.

If a person spends approximately one week per month menstruating, then that’s presumably 25 per cent of their lives where they’re assumed not to be a sexual being.

Having sex while on your period won’t necessarily hurt you. In fact, some people find that orgasms can decrease cramping and headaches associated with PMS. Orgasms tend to temporarily relieve the menstrual flow.

Menstrual blood is a natural lubricant, making the whole process a lot more comfortable for many people.

Some people find that they’re just too tender to enjoy it, and that’s okay, too.

Don’t forget that while the chances are lower, there’s still a possibility of getting pregnant during this time of the month, so ACROSS 1 Make fun of 5 Quick cut 9 Slight touch 12 Religious symbol (Var.) 13 Passport endorsment 14 Right angle 15 Bollywood costume 16 Grandson of Eve 17 “Skip to My—“ 18 Harmonization, briefly 19 Jekyll’s workshop 20 Harbor structure 21 Crazy — 23 “I Camera” 25 Yell “You’re not funny!”

28 Porter 32 Sports venue 33 Saw 34 9-Down offering 36 Fungus affecting timber 37 Swindle 38 Uncooked 39 Uncontrollable 42 Keglers’ org.

44 Gluttons 48 Mac 49 Imperfection 50 Help a hood 51 Lemieux milieu 52 Relaxation 53 Scoop holder 54 Biblical possessive 55 “Your Erroneous Zones”author 56 Maintain DOWN 1 2 3 4

Not notice “Why not?”

“Hee Haw”humor With 20-Down,

make sure to use proper protection.

You might have to take some extra precautions, like laying down a towel, or making the cleanup and sexy times all-in-one by getting it on in the shower.

If you want to reap the benefits but don’t want to clean up the mess, you can buy special menstruation cups called Softcups that allow for penetrative period sex. They’re easily accessible — even Shoppers Drug Mart sells them.

You don’t need to have penetrative intercourse to relieve sexual desires, though. Manual or oral clitoral stimulation doesn’t require penetration and can be reciprocated for your partner.

Anal sex also remains an option during menstruation.

Periods are often an unpleasant topic of conversation. They can be messy and inconvenient, and cause horrible cramps or migraines.

There are plenty of reasons for legitimately disliking periods.

The stigma of being on your period is no reason to feel shame

during sex, or to avoid talking about alternative menstrual options.

One alternative product that’s often overlooked is the Diva Cup. It’s a silicone menstrual cup that’s sold at the SHRC for $31.

They catch menstrual blood and prevent leaking, but don’t absorb the blood like tampons. It’s therefore mess-proof and doesn’t cause Toxic Shock Syndrome.

It’s also reusable — simply empty the Diva Cup into the toilet and rinse it out. It should be sterilised in boiling water or in a dishwasher between menstrual cycles.

The cup can’t be worn during sex, but it can be used during oral sex or manual clitoral stimulation.

It’s definitely an option if you’re concerned about making a mess.

Don’t look at your period with a sense of dread — and remember, you don’t have to stop having fun during that special time of the month.

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14 •queensjournal.ca

Thursday, February 12, 2015

LIFESTYLE STUDENT LIFE

Speakers inspire student leaders The Queen’s Canadian Leadership Conference invited national figures to motivate delegates B y J enna Z ucker Staff Writer

little guys” that she hopes to help.

For example, Sarah travelled to Ethiopia with Plan Canada to The Queen’s Canadian Leadership document and raise awareness for Conference (QCLC) saw 11 families suffering from drought Canadian leaders, four Queen’s and malnourishment. alumni and two television By airing her experience on personalities come together to MuchMusic, Taylor reached out inspire students to incite social to a demographic that wouldn’t change across the world. necessarily be aware of these issues The opening ceremony otherwise. She goes above her own introduced the theme of breaking job description to report on what barriers — the idea that you should she feels is important. stop at nothing in order to achieve Already feeling empowered, your dream. This theme weaved its the delegates welcomed the next way through each of the keynote keynote speaker: Jay Rosenthal. speakers’ and panelists’ personal As the Program Director of Public stories, culminating in an incredible Impact Lab, he explained the two-day conference. harsh reality that people are more The weekend kicked off with likely to do positive things in the the fun, motivating and incredibly world when there’s a personal fashionable MuchMusic VJ incentive involved.

Sarah Taylor.

He paralleled this statement SUPPLIED BY KATY MACLACHLAN After undergoing a “spiritual with an example of young people The QCLC hosted a number of notable speakers, including military veteran Jody Mitic. epiphany” following a near-death being reluctant to vote, but if experience from a brain injury, bribed with a free beer in exchange shot they gave in Canada. to get his life back on track 100 per cent of who you are,” Taylor highlighted the “power for their vote, turnout would be Next up was Canadian Armed after the tragedy and all the Brown said. of adversity” in bringing about much higher.

Forces veteran and Amazing Race accomplishments he achieved. For “Whatever the thing is you love significant change.

Rosenthal pointed out that competitor Jody Mitic. While on example, he’s a marathon runner to do, you can’t regret doing it with As a VJ, Sarah harnessed her people looking to effect social his tour of duty in Afghanistan, and outspoken advocate for 100 per cent of the effort.” relationships and resources to make change work within this model. Mitic lost both of his feet after veterans’ rights.

In other words, any time spent emotional videos that allowed For example, Rexall sponsored a stepping on a landmine.

The audience was riveted by working towards a goal is always her audience to “learn about the free flu shot in Uganda for every flu Mitic spoke about his journey Mitic. His story was a concrete worth it. Brown explained the example of what people are importance of doing what you love capable of if they’re prepared in order to live a fulfilling life, a MUSIC to persevere. sentiment that truly inspired the As the first black Canadian whole room. woman to win a medal at the Other speakers and panelists Olympic winter games, bobsledder included Jan Caruana, Asad Shelley-Ann Brown passed on Chishti, Tim Evans, Maria Nasr, some valuable advice during a Wendy Cherwinski and Blair panel discussion.

Adamache, all of whom were “Pursuing your passion is equally motivational.

Reading Week roadie playlist The perfect score to accompany your next long trip B y S ean S utherland Sports Editor

make for great driving songs. A perfect tune for the road is fun to sing along to and probably has great guitar riff.

I’ve always found that classic rock songs tend to be the best for long drives, so here’s a list of five songs to throw on your iPod for wherever you’re headed this break.

With Reading Week fast approaching, most of us are planning some sort of trip. Whether it’s a week-long jaunt with some buddies to Montreal or just a long drive back to your hometown, no trip is complete without the right music.

“American Girl” — Tom Petty and Great songs don’t necessarily the Heartbreakers

Any road trip that doesn’t kick off with this song shouldn’t really count as a road trip. It’s not meant to get you over-excited; instead it just ensures that the long trek in front of you won’t be an impossible task to complete. The jangly guitar riff at the start of “American Girl” has to rank among the best of all-time. The chorus is just as catchy and makes for an awesome sing-along song.

The right selection of songs can keep any road trip from veering into dull territory.

PHOTO BY ARWIN CHAN

“Free Bird” — Lynyrd Skynyrd

third verse of the song.

Skynyrd are the kings of driving “Bohemian Rhapsody” — Queen songs. “Sweet Home Alabama”, “Simple Man” and “Tuesday’s Although a cliché at this point, Gone” are all classics, but none of “Bohemian Rhapsody” is still the those can come close to topping best song to sing along to in any “Free Bird”. situation. I doubt there’s anyone Clocking in at over nine who doesn’t know every lyric off minutes — more than half of by heart. which come in the form of an It’s best-suited to driving with unreal dual guitar solo — it’s by some buddies, since you’re going far the longest song you’ll have to want to work in tandem to hit all on your playlist, but it’s perfect the notes. Throw in the chance to for late-night driving. The song’s mimic Wayne’s World and you’ve intro is instantly recognizable and got a near-perfect driving song. while it feels like it takes some time for the song to kick into high gear, “Radar Love” — Golden Earring the lyrics are perfect for anyone yearning for a little freedom over “Radar Love” takes the best the break. parts of the other four songs on this list and adds lyrics that “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If are actually about driving. It’s You Wanna Rock ‘n’ such a well-regarded tune that Roll)” — AC/DC Top Gear magazine named it the second-best driving song of As Queen’s students, there’s all-time. a special place in our hearts for Any song that’s about bagpipes — or at least in mine. “It’s communicating with your a Long Way to the Top” might be significant other via telekinesis the only great song to prominently and has an amazing guitar sound feature the instrument, doing a has to be on your playlist, no call and response with Angus and matter what. It’s an undisputed Malcolm Young’s guitar work. Bon must-have if you plan on driving Scott’s growling vocals aren’t the anywhere — even just around easiest to mimic, but with AC/DC’s the corner. typically infectious sound, you’ll be trying to do so by the second or

Sports

Thursday, February 12, 2015

queensjournal.ca

• 13

Early exits expected Continued from page 11

first round, where the Gaels (15-4-3) and the Windsor Lancers (13-5-4) will likely square off for the third consecutive season. If that’s the case, Queen’s should be able to best the Lancers once again.

The greatest threats to another provincial championship are the Western Mustangs (18-1-3) and Guelph Gryphons (16-3-3).

Both teams have post-season experience, though they lack the consistency Queen’s has.

While the Gaels can get by Western — as they showed in a 2-1 overtime victory on Nov. 30 — Guelph might be too much in a potential semi-final. The Gryphons beat Queen’s twice this year, and the Gaels will have to play near-perfect hockey to reverse that trend.

That, of course, is something they’re always a threat to do come playoff time. A third straight OUA finals appearance and a trip to the CIS championships should be in the cards — and the provincial title is theirs for the taking.

Men’s volleyball If results from earlier this season are any indication, Queen’s ticket to the OUA Final Four has already been punched.

The Gaels (12-8) have met their first playoff opponent — the York Lions (13-7) — twice this year, and came away with wins in both matches.

Their post-season meeting takes place on Saturday, but the outcome might not duplicate the regular season.

The teams have headed in opposite directions over the last couple weeks.

Queen’s snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Guelph Gryphons in their season finale, while York ended the year by

‘‘

winning five straight matches.

The Gaels will need to find the form they had in their four-set victory over the Lions on Nov. 29. Outside hitter Philippe Goyer will be the key, having totalled 32 kills against York this year.

Queen’s has already shown they can win in York’s gym, and if Goyer can halt his late-season slump, the Gaels will be able to do it again.

From there, a match with the top-ranked McMaster Marauders (19-1) likely awaits. As well as they can play, the Gaels aren’t on the same level as a McMaster squad that swept them twice this year, and won’t be able to snag OUA gold.

Women’s volleyball If Queen’s played in the OUA West division, a trip to the OUA Final Four would be all but guaranteed.

Unfortunately for women’s volleyball, the conference’s power imbalance means they finished fourth in the hotly contested OUA East. It will be a near-impossible task to best the Toronto Varsity Blues (18-1) on Saturday, forcing the Gaels (12-7) into an early off-season.

The Gaels only won a single set against Toronto in their two meetings this season, and saw their passing game struggle in their second matchup, on Jan. 24.

If Queen’s has any hopes of beating the Blues, they’ll need their defensive game to be on point. Both Becky Wilson and Brett Hagarty rank among the OUA’s top 10 in digs, while Niki Slikboer sat tied for fifth in blocks.

Toronto showed chinks in their armour by losing to the Ottawa Gee-Gees (16-3) last weekend, but they’re still on a tier the Gaels haven’t reached just yet. Expect a first-round exit for Queen’s this season.

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Sports

12 •queensjournal.ca

HOCKEY IN BRIEF A late-game goal put men’s hockey in a hole to start their OUA East first-round series against the Laurentian Voyageurs.

Queen’s dropped the series opener 2-1 on home ice Wednesday night. Laurentian forward Dylan Fitze beat Gaels netminder Kevin Bailie with just under three minutes remaining in the third period for the deciding goal.

With the loss, Queen’s will have to win twice consecutively in enemy territory to advance to the second round of the playoffs.

The Gaels held the lead heading into the final period, thanks to a

Rough journey Continued from page 10

the season, because they definitely deserve it.”

With Bullard’s roller-coaster ride with the Gaels coming to an end, it will be the intangibles she brought to the team that will persist after she graduates, according to her coach.

“She’s been the mentor to a number of other players on the team, [and a] great help to the coaching staff in terms of her knowledge and insights to the game,” Wilson said.

“She’s helped bring a winning attitude and a winning commitment to our program.”

power play marker from forward Darcy Greenaway with 1:04 left in the first frame. They surrendered that advantage slightly over two minutes into the third, when Laurentian forward Sebastian Leroux scored on the power play.

Bailie made 23 saves in a losing effort. Voyageurs backstop Alain Valiquette turned away 25 of the 26 shots he faced.

Game two is slated for Saturday at 8:30 p.m. in Sudbury. Game three, if necessary, will take place the next day.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Bounceback campaign Continued from page 10

Singh’s goal was to get back to a place where he could help propel his team deep into the post-season.

Last year, the Gaels were kicked out in the first round of the OUA East playoffs by the third-seeded Ryerson Rams.

While his teammates were gearing up for 2014-15, Singh knew he wouldn’t get to play until after winter holidays.

The Gaels dropped their first five games of the season and went — Sean Sutherland into the break with a 2-5 record.

“It’s the worst feeling,” Singh said. “You’ve got to watch your team out there and when they’re struggling, you know you could be out there making a difference.”

Singh debuted in Queen’s Jan. 9 game against the Nipissing Lakers — almost exactly six months after his surgery. He scored 16 points in 20 minutes of action.

The recovery process wasn’t fuelled by any sort of sensational inspiration, Singh said, besides wanting above all to return to the court.

“My inspiration and motivation

Gemma Bullard’s injury timeline • Age 13: Torn ACL

• 2011-12: Torn ACL

• 2013-14: Torn rotator cuff

Bullard’s first major injury.

She reinjured the knee in her second and third years at Queen’s.

Bullard lost her entire season thanks to a training camp injury to the same knee she had surgically repaired several years earlier. She focused on schoolwork during the six-month recovery period.

Bullard missed three games throughout the year, in part due to a bout with mononucleosis.

She played through the shoulder injury, but underwent surgery to be ready for the 2014-15 pre-season.

• 2012-13: Torn meniscus

• 2014-15: Concussion

Bullard found out she’d suffered this injury mid-season in January 2013, requiring her third knee surgery. The injury shut her down for the second half of the year. The Gaels had been 6-6 with her in the lineup, but won just once in eight games after she went down.

After hitting her head on the floor while taking a charge in a pre-season game against the UBC Thunderbirds, Bullard missed the first nine games of the regular season. She has battled shin splints since returning to the lineup last month.

• 2010-11: Concussion In her third regular season game as a Gael, Bullard suffered a concussion in her hometown of Guelph, Ont. She had planned on attending her high school commencement that night, but headed to the hospital instead. She missed six games.

Test Drive Your Career

was just getting back out there, doing what I want to do and what I love every day,” he said. “To have that taken away, that was kind of my motivation to get back.”Since coming back, Singh has averaged 27 minutes of court-time, while tallying 11 points and five rebounds per game.

He also hit the game-winning shot in Queen’s 75-74 victory over the Western Mustangs on Jan. 31 — an end-to-end floater with a defender in his face, completing a madcap second-half comeback at the buzzer.

At 5-10, the Gaels are one win ahead of the Toronto Varsity Blues for the OUA’s final playoff spot.

The teams will meet in the final game of the season on Feb. 21.

“It’s going to come down to that last game when we play them at U of T,” Singh said. “We’re in that playoff mentality. We’re going to get there. I know we will.”

Now healthy and back in action, Singh has already decided to come back for a fifth year in 2017, in the hopes of being part of a deep Gaels run.

“I just don’t want to leave here, especially without getting to where I want to get,” he said. “I don’t want to leave here till I get that nationals.”

Follow @QJSports.

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Sports

Thursday, February 12, 2015

queensjournal.ca

• 11

SIDELINE COMMENTARY

Women’s puck top playoff contender With three winter teams already in the post-season, the Journal’s Sports Editor predicts how all six will do B y S ean S utherland Sports Editor Men’s basketball Any hope for men’s basketball going further than one-and-done in the playoffs doesn’t exist.

The Gaels (5-10) have recovered from a brutal five-loss stretch start to the season, but their hold on the OUA East’s final playoff spot is incredibly flimsy. With four games left on their schedule, Queen’s holds a one-win lead over the Toronto Varsity Blues (4-11) in their division.

It will be a tight race with Queen’s facing the top three teams in the CIS over the next two weeks. They host the Carleton Ravens (13-2) and Ottawa Gee-Gees (14-1) this weekend, before travelling to take on the Ryerson Rams (15-2) on Feb. 20.

The post-season race will come to a head one day later, when the Gaels and Varsity Blues battle in the season finale. Queen’s will make the post-season if they can come away with a win there.

After that, it should be an early exit. The Gaels will most likely be OUA’s 12th and final playoff seed, and facing the province’s fifth-best team will prove too much for them this year.

Women’s basketball It’s still up in the air as to whether Queen’s can recapture last year’s magic.

The Gaels (9-6) have had an up-and-down season, after winning the OUA East title in 2013-14. Coming into the year

with high expectations, they’ve been slightly disappointing, especially in last Saturday’s 74-45 blowout loss to the McMaster Marauders (12-4).

Still, Queen’s is guaranteed a playoff spot, and other than a loss to the Brock Badgers (7-9), all of their defeats have come against the OUA’s top five clubs. They’ve beaten the teams they were supposed to beat and, until the McMaster loss, played some of their best basketball of the season over the last few weeks.

If they can beat both the Carleton Ravens (7-8) and Ottawa Gee-Gees (10-5) this weekend, they’ll make a good case for the province’s sixth seed and home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs.

With a trio of battle-tested veterans in Liz Boag, Jenny Wright and Gemma Bullard, last year’s championship run gives the Gaels the experience necessary to upset a top-four team in the second round. That will be as far as they go in 2015.

season — Queen’s racked up 88 goals, while Laurentian scored 89 times. It will be the Gaels’ superior defence that powers them past the Voyageurs.

Second-year netminder Kevin Bailie hasn’t played at the same level he reached when he was named the 2013-14 CIS Rookie of Year, but he’s been more than dependable.

Bailie’s .922 save percentage was tied for fourth in the OUA, and he ranked seventh in goals against average.

Last weekend’s 4-3 shootout victory over the third-seeded UQTR Patriotes (19-4-3) proved the Gaels can hang with the conference’s big dogs. Still, it won’t be

enough to carry them past the OUA’s best and into the division final.

Women’s hockey If there’s one Queen’s team that can capture OUA gold this winter, it’s women’s hockey.

They boast a roster strong in both depth and experience, with scoring able to come from anywhere on the ice. Eight Gaels already have an OUA championship to their name; centres Shawna Griffin and Fiona Lester have both captured a pair.

Experience will pay off mightily in the See Early on page 13

Men’s hockey Head coach Brett Gibson and his players should be able to win a playoff series for the second straight season.

The Gaels (13-12-1) didn’t snag home-ice advantage in the first round like they did last season, but they finished fifth in the OUA East, setting up a matchup with the Laurentian Voyageurs (14-9-3). They lost the series opener 2-1 last night, but still have the talent to move on to the second round.

The two teams were virtually identical offensively during the regular

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO Men’s hockey topped the RMC Paladins 5-1 last Thursday in the Carr-Harris Cup. They’re down 1-0 in their first-round playoff series with the Laurentian Voyageurs.

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10 •queensjournal.ca

Thursday, February 12, 2015

SPORTS

On the rebound A pair of Queen’s basketball players make their return from serious injuries as playoffs loom

Men’s basketball guard Sukhpreet Singh returned from a torn hip labrum — the rim of cartilage that holds the thighbone within the hip socket — this January, while women’s basketball forward Gemma Bullard has recovered from four different major health concerns during her five years at Queen’s.

Sukhpreet Singh: men’s basketball B y B rent M oore Assistant Sports Editor When Sukhpreet Singh started feeling pain in his hip before last season, he assumed it was just wear and tear.

The men’s basketball guard, then in his second year, played all 22 regular season games in 2013-14 — despite getting an MRI midway through the season and learning he had a torn labrum.

The injury would require surgery and six months of intense physiotherapy. The clinic Queen’s Athletics referred Singh to after his MRI, meanwhile, had a six-month waiting period for the operation.

Singh decided to play through the injury. He finished 2013-14 averaging 12.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game — then underwent the surgery in July, kickstarting an extended, laborious recovery.

At first, the Toronto native was bedridden for a week.

“That was rough,” Singh said. “I couldn’t even move my leg without my mom or a

friend coming down and helping me get out of bed just so I could use the bathroom or get some food.”

He hobbled on crutches for a month and began extensive physiotherapy — initially made up of basic movements like leg raises, leg slides and movements for the lower back and core.

Once Singh felt confident with those, he moved onto agility drills. Three months after surgery, strength gains became his next objective.

It wasn’t until November that the slippery point guard returned to the court — shooting around and performing basic basketball movements. He was back, but wouldn’t be at full strength until after the Christmas break.

It was both exciting and infuriating.

“You’re finally out there again and it’s such a blessing to be able to play and do what you love every day,” he said. “But it’s also frustrating, because you can’t move like you used to move, and if you try to, it hurts the next day.”

See Bounceback on page 12

Singh has averaged 11 points and five rebounds in eight appearances for the Gaels this season.

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

PHOTO BY ALEX PICKERING

Gemma Bullard: women’s basketball B y S ean S utherland Sports Editor As Gemma Bullard’s head hit the floor during a pre-season game in October, she knew she’d suffered another serious injury.

There had already been a concussion in her first year that knocked the women’s basketball forward out of six games; a torn ACL in training camp that ended her next season before it even began; and the meniscus tear that wiped out the second half of her third season.

This concussion was her fourth major ailment in five years with the Gaels. She faced the prospect of missing much of her final university season.

“It’s very hard not to be, ‘are you kidding me? Is this a joke?’” Bullard said. “You just have to stay positive. Fortunately, a lot of people came and saw me, and it keeps you a little bit busier. When you sleep for 16 hours a day, you can get kind of bored.”

The injury kept her out of the lineup for the Gaels’ first nine games this season, before she returned against the York Lions on Jan. 17.

Thanks to her laundry list of injuries, Bullard has played just 53 of a possible 101 games since she joined the Gaels. The worst was the torn ACL she suffered at the outset of her second year.

Missing the game was incredibly frustrating. After conferring with head coach Dave Wilson, Bullard decided to take some time away from basketball entirely.

“I had a conversation with Dave and said, ‘it’s really depressing going to practice every day and being on crutches,’” she said. “I kind of focused on school that whole year.”

Bullard rebounded strong in 2013-14, coming back after injuring her knee one more time. She took the court in 19 of 22 games — a reasonably healthy campaign by anyone’s standards.

She was playing through a torn rotator cuff.

“I am one of those people that will do absolutely anything to win,” she said. “If you told me ‘you have to break your arm to win the national championship’, sign me up.”

2013-14 proved to be a banner year.

Bullard and the Gaels reeled off nine straight wins to end the season, claiming the OUA East title and a berth in the CIS national championships. Bullard was named an OUA Second-Team All-Star after averaging 11.4 points per game.

In addition to the All-Star nod, Bullard received the CIS Tracy MacLeod Award, presented annually to a women’s basketball player for showing perseverance and determination.

It was an honour that brought her to tears.

“It’s not something that everyone mentions. It’s like ‘you got hurt, I’m really sorry to hear that,’” she said. “Then you come back and have a great season, people kind of forget what you had to go through and they focus on the positives.”

The biggest positive of last year, she said, was the Gaels’ overtime victory over the Carleton Ravens in the OUA East final — played at the ARC, in front of the team’s family and friends.

The championship had been a long time coming for the Gaels’ veteran core. Thanks largely to injuries, Bullard, guard Liz Boag and wing Jenny Wright had never reached the pinnacle of the OUA before.

The title run put the Gaels under increased pressure to win. Bullard said the heightened expectations made her time on the sidelines this season even more frustrating.

Now back in the lineup, she’s playing limited minutes as she deals with shin splints, and has averaged 5.2 points in six appearances. Queen’s sits seventh in the OUA with a 9-6 record; they’re 3-3 when Bullard has suited up.

Bullard will play her final regular season game at the ARC this Saturday, when the Gaels host the Ottawa Gee-Gees. It promises to be an emotional affair.

“I don’t know what Dave’s speech is going to be like, but it will definitely be a very sad day for a lot of people,” she said.

“Standing up there with Jenny and Liz — we’ve been through a lot together, going from first-round playoff losses back-to-back years and all this stuff. I’m hoping for all three of us that we can bring the team up and have a run at the end of See Rough on page 12

Arts

Thursday, February 12, 2015

queensjournal.ca

•9

PLAY REVIEW

A new spin on an old classic ”Elizabeth-Darcy: An Adaptation of Pride and Prejudice” brings audiences to their feet Two actresses put on larger-than-life performances in an unconventional play rendition of Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice.

The production is a two-woman show — hosted at the Frontenac Club Inn — starring Hallie Burt and Kate Werneberg, playing all of Jane Austen’s classic characters, from Elizabeth Bennett to Mr. Collins.

Burt and Werneberg met at Ryerson Theatre School in 2005 and are typically Toronto-based producers and actresses. Since Jan. 29th, their show is being presented by Theatre Kingston.

The duo co-created the play — formally titled “Elizabeth-Darcy: An Adaptation of Pride and Prejudice — in Sept. 2012.

The play was a wonderful and true account of Austen’s, as they used a lot of the original novel’s dialogue.

As if switching characters for every scene wasn’t challenging enough, the show is also run in a site-specific style. The actresses perform each scene of the play in a different room of the Inn and audiences are ushered into the varying rooms by the show’s stage manager, Steve Vargo, to watch.

The actresses’ energy in each

of their scenes engaged the audience and made viewers eager to follow them around Kingston’s historical house.

“It’s pretty rare in theatre that a show has so many lives and we’re in our fifth,” Werneberg said.

“We have certainly fought for that hard, but we’ve had tons of support along the way, so we feel really blessed and lucky.”

Burt and Werneberg made it seem easy to play so many characters, as they smoothly transitioned between roles.

Burt took on the role of Elizabeth Bennett and Werneberg played Mr. Darcy. From there, they divided up the rest of the characters based on necessity in the scenes.

“We have both played male characters in the past and really enjoyed it. We also had an interest in playing multiple characters,” Burt said.

Full costume changes weren’t necessary for the actresses to distinguish the character they were playing to the audience.

Through distinct voices and physical movements, the duo moved seamlessly from one character to the next with full understanding from the audience.

It was also helpful that their play stayed true to the novel’s dialogue.

“Jane Austen actually writes a lot of her novels in dialogue,” Burt said. “It’s nice for us because we

were able to draw a lot of it straight from the novel, and it was a matter of cutting and keeping the essentials of the story.”

Their impressive adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is the result of dedication, hard work and massive amounts of inspiration.

“Something I learned while doing this is that if you really want to, nothing can stop you,” Burt said. “When we were developing this play we had no money and no time, but we knew we wanted to do it.

“You can accomplish a lot if you really, really want to do it and enjoy it.”

The show will be playing at the Frontenac Club Inn until Feb. 16.

ARTS CALENDAR Thursday, Feb. 12

Grand Theatre 7:30-10 p.m.

Lost Cousins + Juice (19+) The Brooklyn 8 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 15 Drawing Workshop for Figures and Landscapes Wallack’s Art Store 12-5 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 13 The Roosevelts RCHA Club 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 16

Saturday, Feb. 14

“The Old View From Nowhere” Exhibit Modern Fuel 12-5 p.m.

Beside Each Other (Contemporary Dance)

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Thursday, February 12, 2015

SPOKEN WORD

A passion for storytelling

ARTS

Viva Voce initiative hosts event of seven acts telling personal stories

B y K ashmala O mar Arts Editor With an audience immersed in the words of ardent story-tellers, “passion” was a fitting theme at this year’s fourth Viva Voce.

Held in a cozy, radiantly-lit room in the Kingston Frontenac Public Library, the event held over 60 guests, including performers, audience members and event organizers.

Viva Voce is a group initiative in Kingston that started in July and aims for the voices of youth to be heard through story-telling that often borderlines on poetry, in a series of local coffeehouse-style events.

The event — curated by Melissa Prince and Stephanie McColm, both ArtSci ’17 — hosted seven acts of stories told my people with different takes on “passion”.

“[The theme] ‘passions’ just kind of gets the ball rolling,” McColm said. “At this point, they don’t really have to talk about passion specifically. It just went so far.”

Among the acts was Kingston resident Rebecca McQuaid, who spoke of her passion for teaching and the importance of it today. It was obvious that the subject was close to her heart based on the simple, yet powerful words she spoke on the topic.

The final act, George Woodhouse, ConEd ’15, kept the crowd laughing while still teaching a lesson about the passion of love.

He used weather as a metaphor for love, and left the audience smiling with a personal song depicting his experiences.

First-time curators McColm and Prince want Viva Voce to extend further out into the community to show the significance of storytelling

PHOTO BY KASHMALA OMAR

Viva Voce formed in July and hosts events throughout the year.

to youth.

“We’re trying to spread it out more — since we’re both Queen’s students, we draw in the Queen’s community,” McColm said. “But we’re going to be doing one this summer so we’ll branch out more into the community.”

The tradition of oral storytelling should remain, and Viva Voce aims for that, Prince added.

“It’s supposed to reach out to the whole Kingston community and encourage story-telling for the

MODERN FUEL

Talking contemporary

youth, and get back to the original oral traditions,” Prince said.

“But we also love to see singing and dancing.”

The people who apply as storytellers get to interpret themes as they wish, she added.

Audiences were very positive and provided physical feedback during stories, as a form of encouragement to the performers.

Each performer had their own way of telling stories. Some were borderline poetic and others incorporated abstract dancing into their tales, such as Sarah Roche, ACE ’16, who told a tale of a man facing a tiger, utilizing the stage with strong dance motions.

The process for choosing storytellers is very general — the directors let people pitch ideas to them and choose the ones that they feel fit best with the theme.

“We have an interview process where we set up times, and people come talk to us, and tell us their idea of what they want to talk about,” Prince said.

“I think being around the time of Valentine’s Day, [the theme] was fitting,” she added. “All the storytellers interpreted the word ‘passions’ differently — we only have one love one — and it’s just amazing to see how one word can be interpreted and performed in so many different ways.”

Artist duo gives background on their theoretical artwork B y O livia L oncar -B artolini Arts Editor Conceptual artists Marilou Lemmens and Richard Ibghy presented their contemporary theoretical artwork at Modern Fuel Gallery’s new space in the Tett Centre on Wednesday.

The presentation, a part of Modern Fuel’s Purview speaker series, will continue through Thursday with an interactive workshop held by Lemmens and Ibghy.

The workshop will focus on performative uses of the body, including actions, to explore the practice of making.

Wednesday’s talk — which

lasted just over an hour — focused on Lemmens and Ibghy’s work, showing samplings of multimedia art they created from 2008-14.

The artists alternated back and forth as they made their way through their portfolio, explaining each work and the intentions and meanings behind it.

Ibghy started the talk, showing an untitled video montage entitled “Credit Crisis” which the pair created in 2008, during the time of the global financial crisis.

The video featured a 10-minute sequence of yellow words on a coloured background.

The words, which alternated paces and intonations throughout the duration of the video, were

Lemmens talking about the pair’s artwork, entitled “The Prophets”.

economic terms like “absolute advantage”, “opportunity cost” and “depreciation.”

“We really wanted to tell a narrative,” Ibghy said. “By using these words which were commonly heard and representative of the time of the economic crisis and changing the pace and tone we were aiming to put people in that time.”

Lemmens then began discussing “The Prophets” — an ongoing exhibition that currently sits in the Norwegian Museum of Contemporary Art. “The Prophets” consists of over 400 small handmade sculptures laid out beside one another along a table. Lemmens said they still plan

Lemmens and Ibghy present in the gallery.

to add pieces to the exhibition.

The structures are each based on various models commonly used in political and economic sciences — such as “deadweight

PHOTOS BY MICHELLE ALLAN

loss” or “total welfare loss” — from the 18th century up until 2008.

Each model is based on a theory or data that is recorded graphically.

“We wanted to bring something that was two-dimensional and make it three-dimensional, which introduces a tangible quality to the work,” Lemmens said.

“This way, the viewer can look at them from all angles and examine the textures and shapes of the economic theories instead of just looking at a two dimensional graph.”

Ibghy added that the goal of the work was to “bring the abstract to materiality” by taking ideas and making them into a recognizable visual representation of theoretical numbers and ideas.

Overall, Lemmens and Ibghy provided attendees with insight into their creative processes.

Like most contemporary art, what makes their work unique has more to do with the creative process involved, and the ideas employed, rather than aesthetics.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

queensjournal.ca

•7

Opinions — Your perspective

EMPLOYMENT

Internships: friend or foe?

Three contributors discuss ArtSci degrees and Queen’s career services PHOTO BY ARWIN CHAN

Kevin Donaldson (left), Emily Lewis (centre) and Aleksandra Popovik discuss the possibility of more internship opportunities at Queen’s.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT Aleksandra Popovik, ArtSci ’17

faculty head and ask if any professors are interested in having students work with them in the summer.

The best way to demonstrate value as a prospective intern or employee is to not only rack up “resume” skills, but to also pay attention to personal skills an employer could see as unique — a second language, time spent abroad or management experience, among others.

Students should have more career resources, but it’s ultimately up to them to start knocking on doors for opportunities.

Canada are vague, leaving room for interpretation. Employers are supposed to receive little benefit from the intern, as the student is considered to be “training”.

This isn’t always the case, as internships are often advertised as a legitimate opportunity to do real work that will ultimately benefit the company. There’s also the possibility the intern could be taken on in the place of hiring fulltime employees who’d be paid a full salary.

The purpose of a liberal arts degree is to learn to be critical of the greater society around us.

It teaches students how to expose and demonstrate flaws in our society, and to deconstruct how beautiful and horrifying the world is. As liberal arts students, we learn to criticize society, and not to carry the slippers of corporate bosses.

I believe we should boycott internships, as they exist primarily to benefit businesses that don’t need anyone’s help, and to take advantage of students who are willing to work for free.

Queen’s should focus its career development efforts on hosting speakers and holding networking events, which would allow students to build connections without having to push paper for months on end.

An internship program at Queen’s may seem beneficial at first. But it will only grow the pool of free labour that Bay St. gets to dip its hands into.

practical, marketable skills due to their work. the looming prospect of entering a If students have the opportunity competitive job market. to receive academic credit and Internship programs can help acquire a paid internship, it’s undergraduate students stand out strange that QUIP has only and develop skills that supplement produced “over 900 interns since their degree plan, like managing 1989”, according to their website. budgets, analyzing data, organizing This is approximately 34 students and managing research projects engaging in QUIP per year. and much more.

QUIP may be less appealing The University and its than Queen’s work-study programs, faculties need to create and which allow students to complete emphasize the option of their degree in four years. QUIP internships — beyond the Queen’s requires students to take an extra Undergraduate Internship Program year of school.

(QUIP) — in order If QUIP was restructured to for students to seize make the time commitment more these opportunities. flexible, it could become more The Faculty of Arts and Science, accessible to students and produce in particular, would benefit from more interns. these programs, as it would mould These types of programs are more competitive graduates and also an opportunity to entice future alumni. Current students future students. would be better prepared to enter When I was volunteering as a the workforce, and future students Queen’s ambassador at the Ontario may be enticed by the prospect Universities’ Fair in September, of gaining practical workplace students often approached me to experience as they complete inquire about mandatory co-op their degree. Queen’s currently placements or the availability offers some opportunities to gain of internships. skills outside the classroom.

The lack of placements QUIP offers paid work and promotion of internships experience over a period of 12-16 seemed to disappoint many months. In comparison to a potential candidates. If promoted four-month co-op position, adequately, internships and students in QUIP are able to engage department-specific work-study in projects that require a long-term placements could become a key commitment, and are immersed factor in marketing the University. into the workplace as if they’re an The Faculty of Arts and Science entry-level employee. needs to focus on promoting a These students can develop conception of academia that goes software, become an equipment beyond higher learning. They diagnostic technician or work as a should provide students with global operations systems associate, practical skills in order to produce among other potential jobs. competitive graduates.

Within the Faculty of Arts With career-specific experience and Science, QUIP students enhancing their degrees, graduates are eligible to receive credit can more readily integrate into equivalent to that of an their desired industry. independent study course, if they’re approved by the associate Emily Lewis is a third-year global dean of studies and if a faculty development studies major. member agrees to supervise

There’s a certain stigma attached to graduating with an Arts and Science degree.

This reputation is centred on the perception that these students won’t have ample job opportunities after graduation. While studying liberal arts is worthwhile due to its emphasis on critical thinking, research and writing skills, applying the degree to a future career can be daunting.

To help smooth the transition Aleksandra Popovik is a second-year from school life to work life, the political studies major and Faculty of Arts and Science should economics minor. offer and advertise internship opportunities pertaining to DON’T WORK students’ fields of study and focus FOR FREE on preparing students for careers before they leave Queen’s.

The faculty should place Kevin Donaldson, ArtSci ’17 a greater focus on providing students with career development Back in the 1970s, my father got a information, by hosting seminars job out of high school at McLeod and disseminating written material Young Weir Limited, a major about internships. brokerage firm in Toronto.

Queen’s offers some support My dad became employed for Arts and Science students in without any real finance experience, building skills employers might and was paid while he was trained want, but it could do more. to do it.

Career Services offers drop-in Today, though, jobs in the career advising and coordinates field a student wants to pursue events and workshops, including can seem scarce — even with an the Summer Job Fair held annually undergraduate degree. in the ARC. These are catered In October, Canada’s youth to helping students navigate the unemployment rate was at 13 job market. per cent, double the national But those jobs are mainly geared average. Young workers trapped in Kevin Donaldson is a second-year towards temporary work that may low-paying or part-time global development studies major. not help students advance in their jobs that don’t match their desired careers. qualifications doubled the youth PAID Career development seminars unemployment rate.

EXPERIENCE that relate to each Arts and Students that graduate from Science major could help Arts a social science or humanities and Science students making program are “out of demand” to Emily Lewis, ArtSci ’16 informed decisions about their employers, according to a 2013 career, further education and CIBC World Markets report. It Students often look to gain employment goals. seems the job market isn’t as Career Services could let hungry for workers armed with students know these seminars are liberal arts degrees. available through email or social Understanding all of this, it woman is doing the best she can media, and their employees could sounds like internships and Don’t Blame Torcolacci with what she’s got. No, the fault lead these workshops for interested co-op programs would be a lies with an administration that students based on demand. great addition to the Faculty of Arts Melody Torcolacci is a distinguished hires Phys Ed coaches, expecting Providing students with and Science. But this would only athlete of proven personal and them to do things they are not information about internship expose students to labour without moral integrity. Hired at Queen’s qualified to do. opportunities specific to their pay. In the end, time matters the to coach track and field, she finds An administration does that program of study, would help most — and an internship would herself teaching, in her own words, when it is not willing to pay the direct students towards potential be a waste of it. “due to budget cuts.” price it costs to hire people who career goals.

Companies directly benefit off Her lecture slides contain gross are qualified to do those things.

A more aggressive career of your desperation for experience. fallacious statements, to be sure.

This is because it spends inordinate counselling presence would help Students are exploited, used and She obviously ignores the sums of tax and tuition money on link students with prospective not paid a cent for their time. quintessential difference between ever-increasing levels of superfluous, employers. Members of Queen’s In Canada, interns are correlation and causation. unproductive, and grossly overpaid Student Alumni Association could often overworked with little to But why on earth should we administrators. It’s at this that be paired with current students as no pay on the basis of gaining expect Olympic athletes and students' rightful anger should part of a mentorship program. invaluable experience. Between coaches to have honed critical be directed.

Along with these opportunities 100,000-300,000 Canadians work thinking and research skills and to When university leaders create at Queen’s, students should be without pay, according to a 2013 have been educated in even basic massive incentives to cut corners, proactive in setting goals for their CBC report. verities about statistics? they have only themselves to blame own future.

The legal regulations The real fault here does not if corners are cut. With education as Students could contact their surrounding unpaid work in lie with Torcolacci. I’m sure the with all else, you get what you pay

LETTER TO THE EDITOR for — except with administration, where clearly you don’t even get that. A growing proliferation of bird courses at Queen’s is only to be expected, along with the inevitable concomitant devaluation of a Queen's degree.

The real shame belongs to Queen’s administrators. It’s at them that students' rightful anger should be directed. Had they done their jobs in heeding student complaints in the first place, Queen’s and Torcolacci — not to mention our distinguished Medical School — would not be the butt of jokes in the press and popular imagination today.

Adèle Mercier Department of Philosophy

6 • queensjournal.ca

Thursday, February 12, 2015

DIALOGUE

Editorials — The Journal’s Perspective

“

It’s in the very name of advertorials to dangerously blur the line between the editorial and business sides of a newspaper.

” If you’re going to advertorialize, do it right JOURNALISM

Last summer, the Globe and Mail sought to join the ranks of newspapers that have turned to advertorials for funding.

The outlet wanted to task its editorial staff with the responsibility of writing and editing advertorials — advertisements written like a regular news article. Unwilling to sacrifice their integrity, unionized Globe staff voted to strike instead.

It’s in the very name of advertorials to dangerously blur the line between the editorial and business sides of a newspaper, placing impartial reporting at risk of financial influence.

Advertorials are meant to deceive readers by appearing to be legitimate, impartial content.

This deception counters the fundamentals of journalistic ethics and integrity.

Between the public’s increased unwillingness to pay for news content and the rising competition within the journalism industry, premier publications like the Globe, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal have turned to advertorials as a seemingly necessary evil.

Ideally, no one would publish advertorials, but financial pressures are pushing newspapers between a rock and a hard place. If outlets don’t diversify their revenue streams, there won’t be a paper to release every morning.

If news outlets are going to turn to advertorials, they need to be implemented in a manner that doesn’t completely compromise the public’s trust, the integrity of the publication and the reputation of its journalists.

Obvious visual and written distinctions need to be made between native advertisements and news articles online and in print, to mitigate any potential confusion.

Advertorials should be

produced by an organization external to a newspaper — but if producing advertorials internally generates substantially more revenue, then news outlets need to draw clear boundaries to avoid cross-contamination between financial and editorial considerations.

No editorial staff members should write advertorials. Instead, outlets should create entire separate departments under the

business side.

The Globe should never have asked its reporters to produce advertorials. Unions aren’t the solution to every problem, but they played an important role in this case, by ensuring that journalists — who already lack job security — weren’t forced to choose between quitting and sacrificing their integrity.

— Journal Editorial Board

ILLUSTRATION BY MICHAELLA FORTUNE

Kate Meagher

It’s not enough to get angry Characterizing university students as apathetic is so ubiquitous that it’s become deeply clichéd.

Many observers of us “millennials” would be quick to say we don’t care, whether that’s about each other, those in need, our own futures and so on.

But I don’t buy it.

It’s not that Queen’s students don’t care — it’s that many of them care for the wrong reasons.

Ask students about the administration, the AMS, their faculty society, the Journal or any other high-profile group on campus,and the majority will respond with neither ignorance nor indifference. They’ll know what

Editorial Board Editors in Chief

Nick Faris Vincent Ben Matak

Production Manager News Editor

Sam Koebrich Chloe Sobel

Assistant News Editors

you’re talking about and they’ll be angry about it.

When these groups — political, social or otherwise — are functioning well, they generally go unnoticed.

So long as students aren’t a member of the organization, club or team, most won’t be aware of good, effective work done by their peers.

It’s only once a committee or project intersects with a student’s life that they stop to take notice.

Sometimes, something has to go wrong for the interaction to make a real impact.

One negative interaction with an unprepared or unpleasant representative can tarnish a Opinions Editor Olivia Bowden

Arts Editors

Olivia Loncar-Bartolini Kashmala Omar

Sports Editor

Sean Sutherland

Assistant Sports Editor

Brent Moore

Natasa Bansagi Mishal Omar Jacob Rosen

Lifestyle Editor

Sebastian Leck Laura Russell

Photo Editors

Anisa Rawhani

Assistant Photo Editor

Features Editors Editorials Editor

Chloë Grande

Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Kate Meagher Arwin Chan Alex Pickering

Michelle Allan

student’s impression of the group as a whole — sometimes irreparably.

This process fails to acknowledge the good work our fellow students are doing, even when they churn out positive results to a much greater degree than they slip up. Reducing the work of others to a handful of mistakes that you happen to be aware of is disrespectful of their efforts and successes.

Focusing on the negative might prevent real, constructive collaboration on the part of students who don’t currently engage much with campus initiatives.

Even though the AMS works every day in ways that profoundly affect the lives of students, some Graphics Editor and Editorial Illustrator Michaella Fortune

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Leigh Cameron Christine Ellis Chandra Erickson

Contributing Staff

Staff Writers and Photographers Lauren Luchenski Jenna Zucker

Contributors

Kevin Donaldson Emily Lewis Aleksandra Popovik

feel they needn’t actively engage with student politics on a consistent basis. They already think of themselves as informed by virtue of the one unflattering thing they know.

If you have a problem with the work anyone is doing on campus, the only solution is to do something yourself to fix it.

My challenge is for students to learn one good thing about every group they currently only know bad things about — and if you can’t find one, make one.

Kate is the Journal’s Assistant Lifestyle Editor. She’s a third-year philosophy major.

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Fraser Bruce Katelyn Martinko Jacob Rumball Teddy Taggart Thursday, February 12, 2015 • Issue 23 • 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

TRANSPORTATION

Uber not so über for Kingston As a de facto ridesharing company, Uber has a decent model, but it’s unlikely to thrive in Kingston.

Uber is a worldwide, app-based taxi company. Through the app, prospective passengers are connected directly to drivers, have the opportunity to provide feedback and can split their fare with strangers.

The company has been the subject of backlash, partially because it eschews the taxi licensing and regulation systems of the cities it operates in.

Uber’s drivers range from professional chauffeurs with commercial licenses to 21-year-olds looking to make some money on the side.

They’re now looking to make a move on the Kingston market.

This will help increase competition, which could prompt standard taxi companies to make concerted efforts to improve.

Uber would have a limited pool of users if it expanded into Kingston. A large portion of the city’s population is made up of transient students, urban-sprawl residents with cars and seniors who aren’t likely to have smartphones.

With the popularity of ridesharing among students, though, there’s an opportunity that the app will catch on. Students would have the chance to set their own prices and drive or be driven by their peers.

While Uber has a user-friendly model, there are aspects of the company to be wary of, especially its ignorance of established regulatory systems.

The onus is on the company, despite not being subject to pre-existing taxi laws, to ensure the safety of its users.

—Journal Editorial Board be reproduced without prior permission of the Journal.

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 24 of the Journal will be published on February 27, 2015

News

Thursday, February 12, 2015

queensjournal.ca

Assembly to vote on festival fee Thursday Continued from page 1

“There usually is a progression from no sponsorship in an initial event, to local sponsorship, to large corporations several years out,” she said.

She added that the AMS has been consulting with students to gain feedback about whether or not this fee should pass.

“Assembly members have an obligation as well to be consulting with their constituencies, which I know a number of that have done — so that’s what will bring them informed into the assembly this week,” she said.

“Prior to AGM, that would be where we see the crux of the consultation occurring, just because until then, we don’t even know if it’ll be on the agenda,” she added.

“If it is on that agenda, then we certainly will have a large strategy to make sure students are aware and that they’re there to vote — in either way.”

She added that the festival is the only way to have a safe and successful Homecoming, as it responds to the needs of students, alumni and the City.

“For all these reasons, we certainly believe the University has reason to support the event

financially as well as all the in-kind support that we’re certainly appreciative of and very much recognize,” she said.

Recently, some students, including Brendan Goodman, who ran for ASUS vice-president earlier this year, took to social media to express disappointment that the fee is going through to the AGM rather than a referendum.

“Incredibly disappointed in the @QueensAMS for sending such a massive, mandatory fee to AGM rather than referendum,” Goodman wrote on Twitter.

Goodman declined interview requests from the Journal.

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Attendees at the inaugural ReUnion Street Festival last fall.

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

Board will continue to provide meeting reports Continued from page 1

and live-tweeted meetings several times this year — doesn’t allow for “critical and meaningful discussion and engagement” or “better external coverage”.

“As a Board, we absolutely have a responsibility to our shareholders and the wider student body, and as we have done so for years, we will continue to provide full reports to the assembly of the discussions and decisions made at Board,” she wrote.

Chishti told the Journal in the email interview that although guest passes were issued last year,

they rarely had people coming to meetings.

“Typically in the summer when we have a lot of service cap expenses coming through so we may get service managers, as election season approaches — ­ we sometimes get candidates but it’s typically no guest at all.”

Chishti said they’re unlikely to edit the policy to include references to the Journal, other media coverage or students-at-large.

“We always have been very open in terms of providing information to Assembly or to the Journal (and anyone else who asks), so we’re not exactly closed about any of our

results or processes,” she said.

She added that their decision was based around balancing potentially inaccurate guest coverage with “transparency to the student body”. “[W]e did decide that we do provide reports that are public every 2 weeks and don’t keep anything that’s not confidential or personnel related to ourselves,” Chishti said.

“Allowing for the Board to speak more freely and actually make decisions that are in the best interest of the student body and the AMS Corporation is incredibly important.”

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Bat spotted in Jeffery Hall Continued from page 4

Custodians continue to collect waste and recycling from classrooms, laboratories and other common spaces.”

Dan Langham, director of Environmental Health and Safety, told the Journal via email that it’s common to have an increase in pest-related calls during the change

in seasons, adding that they’re working to fix the problem.

“The Department of Environmental Health & Safety has been alerted to the mouse situation in Watson Hall and has been working with the departments affected and our contractor to resolve the situation,” he said.

Langham later said that mouse activity in the building continues

to decrease.

Recently, fourth-year statistics PhD candidate Josh Pohlkamp-Hartt posted a picture on social media of a bat in Jeffery Hall drinking water from a leaking hole. Pohlkamp-Hartt declined to comment regarding the bat.

Langham said to his knowledge, this incident wasn’t reported to Environmental Health and Safety.

business.humber.ca/postgrad

•5

News

4 •queensjournal.ca

Thursday, February 12, 2015

WASTE

Mackintosh-Corry, Jeffery Halls see custodial issues Department of Geography, history professor report separate problems B y M ishal O mar Assistant News Editor Over the course of the last year, more than one building on campus has found itself battling an infestation of flies, mice or bats.

Criticism has come from the Queen’s University Faculty Association, United Steelworkers Local, the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Department of Geography’s Graduate Student Council (GSC).

In a letter to Principal Daniel Woolf, the GSC said the new waste collection plan that Queen’s implemented in the summer of 2014 is a hazard to the health and safety of students, staff and faculty.

Since the summer, 27 custodians have been laid off, and several others have had their work hours reduced to almost half of what they once were.

The GSC also complained about that the fact that the non-administrative personnel who were hired to cover some of those hours are only paid minimum wage and aren’t trained to carry out waste-collection tasks — which is against the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The complaint added that in the geography wing of

Mackintosh-Corry Hall, there are overflowing garbage cans, fruit flies, odours and stains. The washrooms are cleaned less often and often lack soap and paper towels.

As a result, some department members have resorted to purchasing their own garbage bags and cleaning equipment.

Sean Arruda, a Master’s student in the department, said his office has been neglected since the new plan was implemented.

“Since I’ve been here in September, I don’t think anyone has ever come into this office to take garbage, or swept and mopped or anything,” he said.

“That’s just in my office. I’m sure it’s going on in all the other offices in this hallway.”

Issues of lack of waste disposal and cleaning aren’t only faced by the geography department.

History professor Harold Mah told the Journal via email that he was teaching a class in Jeffery Hall room 115 that was infested with small flies. The infestation disrupted the classroom to the point where he had to find an empty room to teach in.

He said he assumes the flies came from a large hole in the ceiling surrounded by water marks.

Mah also said Watson Hall has

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mould and a mice infestation.

“It clearly disrupts my teaching and I find I always have to check the physical condition of class rooms to ensure that any mould or a loud quaking air conditioner for example might present a problem,” he said.

“Let’s just say it’s not a really optimal situation.”

John Witjes, associate vice-president of facilities, told the Journal via email that the flies are unrelated to the maintenance

PHOTO BY ALEX PICKERING

The ceiling in Jeffery Hall room 115.

problems that have arisen from the new waste collection plan.

“With regards to fruit flies in Jeffery Hall, our area maintenance manager did become aware that some food waste had not been picked up in a room in Jeffery

prior to the Christmas shutdown,” he said.

“This incident is not related to the central waste collection program as this program only applies to individual offices.

See Bat on page 5

News in brief HLTH 102 professor takes leave of absence

New employee resource group will support young female employees

Following controversy over HLTH 102 slides that some students say teach anti-vaccination theories, Melody Torcolacci has left the course, and a new professor will teach it for the rest of the year.

According to an email statement from Rosie Hales, a Queen’s communications officer, Torcolacci requested and was granted leave from the class for the rest of term.

“Discussions around her other classes are ongoing,” Hales added.

Queen’s student Michael Green tweeted screenshots of slides from her lectures last week, criticizing Torcolacci for correlating vaccines with increased prevalence of autism.

When the slides were reposted in a Storify made by former student Isabelle Duchaine, national media picked up the story, and it came to light that several students had complained about Torcolacci to the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies (SKHS) and the AMS Academic Affairs Commission throughout the past four years.

Provost Alan Harrison said he’d been tasked with investigating whether claims about Torcolacci’s teaching could be substantiated.

Sarah Lawrence, a student in the class, said the course’s new “coordinator” is Stevenson Fergus, who is SKHS’s Acting Associate Director and Graduate Coordinator.

Fergus will coordinate the overall delivery of the course, while SKHS faculty members will deliver lectures. The lectures won’t be based on Torcolacci’s syllabus; students were provided with a new, revised syllabus.

“I believe their lectures will be based on their specialties,” said Lawrence, ArtSci ’15.

Brendon Gurd will teach a lecture on physical activity and health; Steve Fischer will teach on occupational health; Jeffrey Masuda will teach a class on environmental health; Samantha King will teach a class on gender and health; and Elaine Power will teach a class on nutrition and food.

The exam format and test formats will remain the same, Lawrence said.

Meagan Suckling got the idea to start a resource group for young women at the kick-off meeting of the women’s Employee Resource Group (ERG).

The ERG — the first at Queen’s and one of two in Canada — was in the works for two years before launching last November. The ERG is a partnership between the Equity Office and Human Resources and was met generally with support from employees.

Suckling, the marketing and communications coordinator for the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, coordinated the Young Women at Queen’s (YWQ) initiative.

Suckling said the ERG kick-off meeting was where she got the idea to start an initiative that would focus on professional development, networking and mentorship for young women ages 20-35 working at Queen’s, including faculty and staff.

Right now, she said, there are no specific plans for the group and the members will wait to hear feedback at YWQ’s first meeting before deciding what specific goals the group will aim to accomplish and how it will plan to accomplish them.

“What we hope develops at the first meeting is deciding exactly what sort of events that young women want to see,” she said.

“That could be anything from a social group, just getting everyone together, to a mentorship kind of group where we have older mentors working with younger women.”

Suckling said the University has been supportive of female staff.

“Queen’s has provided fantastic opportunities for everyone that works here — this is just a way that we can continue to develop Queen’s as a vibrant and innovative place where people can really thrive,” she said.

“The support is great and we’re just hoping to move forward and be progressive.”

So far, there are approximately 15 registrants for YWQ’s first meeting, which will take place Feb. 20 from 12-1 p.m. in Mackintosh-Corry Room B176.

— Chloe Sobel

— Mishal Omar

New transition program in works A new program for Grade 12 students who experience mental health issues is in the works, aiming to equip them with the necessary knowledge to transition easily into post-secondary education.

The Regional Assessment and Resource Centre (RARC) at Queen’s University has partnered with Northern Ontario Assessment and Resource Centre (NOARC) at Cambrian College to develop the program, funded by the provincial government’s Mental Health Innovation Fund (MHIF).

The Successful Transition Online and Mentoring Program (STOMP) will be modeled on RARC’s On-Line to Success (OLTS), a web-based course offered to Grade 11 and 12 students in the Kingston and surrounding area with learning disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

OLTS is offered for free, but updated psycho-educational assessments, which are necessary in order to receive accommodations at most post-secondary institutions, aren’t covered by the current program.

The new program will be developed over the next several months, with RARC and NOARC working closely with local school boards and mental health organizations, the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) and Kate Harkness, a Queen’s psychology professor.

The program will offer 30 Grade 12 students the opportunity to attend a two-day session at Queen’s, where they’ll meet other students and listen to panel discussions by current university students with mental health issues.

Students will also have the chance to meet with a psychologist to review their learning profile.

After the session at Queen’s, students will complete an online course and receive a comprehensive mental health assessment to help their transition into everyday life at university or college. Mentoring will be offered continually throughout their first year.

STOMP will be available for free beginning in March 2016.

— Jacob Rosen

Thursday, February 12, 2015

queensjournal.ca

•3

FEATURE TECHNOLOGY

Student entrepreneur to speak at TEDx Afraj Gill gives advice and insight into the fields of technology and education B y L aura R ussell Features Editor When Afraj Gill emigrated from India in 2000, he never thought he’d write for The Globe and Mail while in university.

Gill, Comm ’15, is a budding entrepreneur that has cultivated experience in the fields of technology, politics and writing.

The 22-year-old is scheduled to speak about education at the TEDxQueensU Conference on March 29. TEDxQueensU is an AMS club that hosts speakers who share their knowledge of different subjects with conference delegates.

Gill has experience in spades.

He received his pilot’s license at the age of 17, and used to work as a campaigner for former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and for two Members of the Canadian Parliament — Ujjal Dosanjh and Sukh Dhaliwal.

He’s since gone on to focus his attention towards his true loves — technology and education.

Gill has worked for Google and co-founded two technology companies: GammaSocial Inc., an online advertising network, and Annofy, the world’s first image-annotation social network.

He also wrote about education and entrepreneurship for The Globe and Mail and Business Insider in 2013.

Gill spoke with the Journal earlier this week to share his experiences and advice for prospective entrepreneurs.

English, who could barely read and write in English, all the way to somebody who can communicate properly. And to somebody who writes for a national publication, which is something that I couldn’t have even dreamt of in grade 12.

It was overcoming the social barriers when immigrating to Canada — that’s probably my biggest accomplishment.

My biggest accomplishment in technology is accepting failure and moving on. My second company didn’t work out and instead of starting another company for the sake of starting something, I decided to go work at Google and get some experience.

You’ve written for The Globe and Mail and Business Insider. How did you start doing this?

I was an opinion writer. I started blogging and education was a topic that was close to my heart.

Because of all of this writing, I decided to reach out to an editor at The Globe and Mail and said that I have these thoughts that I want to share about education and my own story. I graduated with this high percentage in high school, but I don’t look back at that experience with pride anymore, so I wanted to write about it.

They basically gave me one shot to write an article and it took off, and a few months later they reached out and wanted me

to keep writing. I’ve been on a writing break right now for a while because I’m focusing on my entrepreneurial pursuits.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned through your experience?

The most important lesson has been that suffering and curiosity are probably the most important prerequisites to exceeding a self-aware mindset, and the reason is because suffering builds character and curiosity builds a very necessary foundation off of which you can gain a ton of knowledge.

That’s probably the most important lesson. The reason that’s important is because if you don’t suffer, it’s like living an easy life, and suffering is subjective to everyone, but suffering helps people build character.

When I see someone suffering with something or struggling to some extent, I think I always try to remind them that you’re suffering, but it’s something that’s going to change you as a person if you choose to make the best of the experience.

Why did you decide to speak at the 2015 TedX conference? What will your talk be about?

There are a lot of debates happening in education, happening from general student health to standardized testing and tuition.

The spectrum is extremely wide when it comes to the debates about education.

What I think is missing in education to some end is a high-level view about what would really transform education. My talk is primarily going to focus on trying to answer, “how do we make education more accessible, how can we level the playing field in education?”

A lot of people say that the technology world will devour the existing education system, but that’s hard to believe. The core structure of education, having a professor teach a group of students, has been around for hundreds of years and it hasn’t changed.

The foundation is still there, and it hasn’t changed not because we’re lacking technologically, but there’s something about that model that’s extremely powerful.

So the question is not how can we replace that model with technology, but how can we offer that model of education through technology and make education way more different than it is? In other words, make education accessible.

What are you planning on doing after you graduate from Queen’s?

My goal has always been to work on a start-up — that’s what I’m passionate about. But that’s not my

mission; my mission is to create an impact.

Right now, I’m working with two Queen’s Commerce grads, filtering through a bunch of ideas to see what sticks and we’re hoping to start a start-up and that’s my plan. If I want to, I can go to a big company and work there and I have in the past, but I think I want to reserve my early 20s for taking a lot of risks.

A lot of people say to go get experience, but the best type of experience you can get is through taking a lot of risks by trying to start your own thing. I think that’s really underrated, so I’ll be doing that for a few years after school instead of following the conventional recruiting path and getting a conventional job.

What advice would you give to students who want to be an entrepreneur?

The most important advice that I would have is to seek the truth.

That means be extremely self aware, understand yourself as a person, and what that requires is for you to take a step back away from all of the noise and really ask yourself who it is that you really are. It’s very easy to say seek the truth, but it’s very difficult to execute it.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

What was your first start-up company?

My first start-up was when I was 17 years old and just finished high school. The company was called GammaSocial, a virtual currency monetization platform. It was an online advertising company and we helped game publishers monetize their virtual currency.

What that means is instead of using your credit card to purchase virtual goods, you would complete targeted advertising offers that would be provided by our advertising partners in exchange for virtual goods. Instead of you paying a dollar to get 10 virtual coins, you watch a commercial and get those coins.

What’s your biggest accomplishment?

When I came to Canada, I couldn’t speak English as an eight-year-old kid, and up until the age of 16, 17 even, I had a very strong accent and I was horrible at English. Reading, writing and speaking were horrendous.

As a result, I used to get bullied and called names, and so for me, the biggest accomplishment was pulling from somebody who could only speak the fundamental

Afraj Gill has written for The Globe and Mail, worked for Google and campaigned for former Prime Minister Paul Martin.

PHOTO BY ARWIN CHAN

News

2 •queensjournal.ca

Thursday, February 12, 2015

RESEARCH

In the Andes, new evidence of climate change Faster rate of warming than global average led Queen’s researchers to lakes in Ecuadorian national park B y N atasa B ansagi Assistant News Editor Queen’s scientists published a study earlier this month that shows new evidence of climate change in tropical Andean lakes.

Neal Michelutti, lead author and a senior research scientist at Queen’s Paleoecological

Environmental Assessment and Research Lab (PEARL), and John Smol, co-author, Queen’s biology professor and the Canada Research Chair in Environmental Change, travelled to Ecuador to examine three lakes in Cajas National Park.

The research, published on Feb. 3 in the journal PLOS ONE, presents data collected

CORRECTIONS Dani Keren was a student speaker at AuthenticallyU’s “How to Help a Friend With an Eating Disorder” talk.

Amanda Shamblaw, who presented at the “Education and Experience Evening” on Monday, Feb. 2, was misidentified as Alison Lynne and as having a PhD. Shamblaw is a nurse and clinical psychology master’s student.

The name of the blog that published findings on women professors in tech-related fields at Canadian universities is The 10 and 3, not The 10 and 13.

Incorrect information appeared in the Feb. 6 edition of the Journal. The Journal regrets the errors.

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A research sample taken from an Andean lake.

in the summer of 2011 and looks primarily at “diatoms” — a common form of algae.

Michelutti and Smol were part of a team that also included Alexander Wolfe from the University of Alberta, Colin Cooke from the Government of Alberta, William Hobbs from the Washington State Department of Ecology and Mathias Vuille from the University at Albany, State University of New York.

One of the biggest challenges in ecological or environmental work, Smol said, is the absence of direct measurement for long-term data, particularly in remote areas.

Collecting mud from the bottom of the lake is one way to overcome this, he added, as sediment contains fossils of organisms that once lived in the lake, for example.

“And if that mud’s not disturbed — and we have ways of determining if it’s disturbed — it’s like a history book or a museum, if you like,” Smol said.

“If you can remove that history book, it’s full of information.”

The research team pushed tubes into the lake, before matching the samples, or “cores” to historical time periods using radioisotopes.

“We section [the cores] into typically half centimetre or sometimes even finer intervals — the deeper you go, the older it’ll be,” he said.

“So we can say, this is about the 1850s, this is about 1910, this is about 1980s in the core.”

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Smol said a large change in the lakes’ fossils was found to coincide with timing thought to be associated with global warming. While similar changes have been observed in other places, like Ontario, he said it was interesting to see these changes occur in “highly remote, highly sensitive lakes”.

“Basically greenhouse warming doesn’t have a passport — it goes wherever it goes,” Smol said.

Michelutti said environmental changes in the region over the last century spurred the team to study these lakes, adding that over the past several decades, the rate of warming in the Andes has been two times the global average.

He said an increase in temperature has resulted in “very noticeable and dramatic ecological effects”, including vegetation shifts, changes in cloud dynamics and glacier retreat.

“Many of these glaciers are predicted to disappear within the next 50 years. Some of these big ones that have stood for thousands of years are already completely gone,” Michelutti said.

Michelutti added that evidence of thermo stratification in the Ecuadorian lakes — a process whereby different layers form in a lake, with less dense, warmer ones located on top of colder layers — was inferred from the lakes’ algae.

“What we think that we’re seeing in these lakes now, is with this change in algae, we’re seeing algae that prefer to stay in the stratified – this thermally stratified water column,” he said.

“So as it warms up, the surface waters of these lakes are warming, they’re beginning to stratify, and that’s changing the algae.”

Since algae are located at the bottom of the food chain, Michelutti said this change has implications for other organisms like zooplankton — which feed on the algae — and fish.

“If lake is stratifying more, the lake is not as easily mixed. So these nutrient rich bottom waters don’t get brought up into the surface,” he said.

“So then you have less food for the algae, then there’s less for the zooplankton … which means then they’re less food for the fish.”

With plans to return to Ecuador this summer, Michelutti said his team will remove “temperature probes” they set up in lakes last summer and take more “core” samples in an attempt to look back further than the approximately 200 years examined in the published study.

“The lakes in the area are about 12,000 years old,” he said.

“If we got long enough cores, we could say just how unprecedented these changes are or if there have been similar-type changes in the past.”