The Fulcrum - Volume 78, Issue 11

VOL. 78 ISSUE 11

Nov. 13, 2017

SFUO SHAKEUP PG. 5 & 15

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In this week’s issue...

Students voice concerns at SFUO meeting P. 5 Debate over additions to SFUO policy manual U of O prof shows off his composing skills P. 8 Prof partners with U of O orchestra to play newest work, 2017 Is a PhD worth it? P. 10 What it means to take a PhD today Women’s rugby win national championship P. 12 After years of coming close, women’s rugby take U Sports title

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Motion to redefine executive roles a step in the right direction P. 15 Thoughts on the SFUO governance review Fitting it in P. 17 Scheduling sex into your busy life

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NEWS

NEWS EDITOR Anchal Sharma

news@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0061 @anchalsharma_

Nov. 5 BOA sees student opposition to proposed motions SFUO passes governance review, new equity policy, student outreach committee anchal sharma news editor

T

he Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO)’s Board of Administration (BOA) meeting saw a high student turnout in opposition to a proposed equity policy that called for the federation to take a pro-Palestine stance in the IsraeliPalestinian conflict.

EQUITY POLICY MANUAL MOTION

This motion, proposed by vice-president equity Leila MoumouniTchouassi, called for the SFUO to take a number of political stances, as the U of O campus “has seen hate crimes, discrimination, (and) racism,” and because the university “(makes) decisions not in the best interest of marginalized communities.”

One of the sections of the motion in question that prompted outrage read as follows: “Section 47 be named BDS Movement and read ‘The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa will support this movement as well as take a Pro-Palestine stance.’”

Moumouni-Tchouassi, who said she received death threats over the proposed motion, held that the idea for the policy manual was inspired

by Ryerson University, and that its purpose is to guide the student union and its actions, particularly in terms of purchasing. She also brought amendments to offending sections, including the pro-choice section.

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Some students voiced concerns over potential violence and anti-semitism on campus that could be born from this motion. One of the proposed amendments read, “section 47 renamed ethical investment: the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa will divest from industries and companies who actively support war and occupation, including the apartheid regime of the state of Israel against the Palestinian (population),” to try to meet these concerns, however many students still felt that it embodied the BDS movement.

One student pointed out that 18 and 19 yearolds should not feel comfortable taking this political stance, adding that it seems naive to lump this conflict in with an otherwise antidiscriminatory motion.

Students also expressed feeling targeted since the Jewish club Hillel, was disbanded, though Moumouni-Tchouassi later mentioned that it was brought back to campus.

Other complaints regarding the amendment had to do with wording choice, opening up a debate on whether the word “apartheid” should be included to describe the situation.

Moumoun i-Tchouassi proposed a further amendment to the section as follows: “section 47 be named Israeli Palestinian conflict and read: the SFUO will do all in its power to promote peace in the Israeli Palestinian conflict,” at which point students were satisfied and the board voted in favour of the amendment.

After amending the wording to section 48 to “be named pro choice and

read: the SFUO affirms a person’s right to choose.

No SFUO resources, space, recognition or funding will be allocated to enhance groups/individuals with the primary/sole purpose of anti choice activities,” and section 51 to be named Decolonizing and Indigenizing and read: The SFUO will support Indigenous led collective action movements (such as Idle No More) as well as other decolonial work around indigenization and reconciliation that includes and centres Indigenous peoples,” the board voted to pass the rest of the motion.

GOVERNANCE REVIEW MOTION One major motion at the meeting centred on the governance of the federation, including new executive titles with updated job descriptions.

SFUO president Hadi Wess, who proposed the motion, explained that it would improve efficiency within the governing body, as well as consistency across all boards, as the SFUO’s governance hasn’t been under review for a long time.

According to the motion, the president portfolio will expand to include the duties of a press secretary and will be in charge of all offices of the SFUO, including reception, the health plan, all federated bodies, the University of Ottawa Student Emergency Response Team (UOSERT), and will also intervene in emergencies and sit in on the University Centre managing board.

The position of vicepresident finance will be renamed to vice-president operations, and the current

Students joined SFUO executives and board at RGN on Nov. 5 to protest proposed motions.

duties under the finance portfolio will be redistributed. Wess explained that “it doesn’t make sense to have an 18-19 year-old make this huge budget that got the SFUO in trouble in the past.” As such, the vicepresident operations will no longer be in charge of human resources or budgeting, and instead will manage issues pertaining to the U-Pass, chair the federated body money roundtable, oversee the accounting department, manage the business director, meet with administration, and be responsible for the SFUO’s collective agreement with the U of O. The vice-president university affairs will be renamed vice-president external, and will be responsible for federated bodies, faculty associations, chief returning officers in general elections, the SFUO’s scholarship program, all board meetings, and taking minutes and maintaining the SFUO’s governance binder.

The vice-president services and communications will be renamed vice-president internal, and will be in charge of organizing and chairing the communication and internal roundtable

(CIRT), be responsible for the creation of the SFUO executive videos and executive blogs, oversee the federation’s Student Refugee Program, ensure all BOA meetings are livestreamed, and oversee all SFUO clubs, along with previous duties under the communications portfolio.

A few substantial changes have been made to the vice-president equity position, such as overseeing all student services, barring UOSERT and the student rights centre, and will no longer manage SFUO clubs, while the position of vice-president social will remain largely the same.

Wess clarified that these changes will take effect as of May 2018, and put in place for next year’s executives. The motion originally contained a requirement that in order to run for president, students must have at least six months of executive experience, however the board voted against this stipulation.

The board passed this amended governance review.

ELECTIONS COMMITTEE REPORT Wess read the elections report, opening with

Photo: Eric Davidson.

news that the federation will be making an external hire for chief returning officer for the February general election, with the nomination period beginning on Dec. 1.

Wess then read the report for the recent by-election, which took place Oct. 17-19. According to Wess, this by-election received the highest turnout for by-elections so far. As the position of vice-president social remains vacant, Wess said he will continue to take on the responsibilities of the position.

Following this, a newlyelected Faculty of Health Sciences director, Simran Aggarwal, was voted in and ratified by the board.

STUDENT OUTREACH COMMITTEE Vice-president services and communications Kathryn LeBlanc proposed a motion that aimed to combine a new outreach committee with the existing General Assembly committee to ensure meetings will be held from August to April yearround. The motion passed.

The next BOA meeting will be held on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 1 p.m. with a location to be announced at a later date.

NEWS | 5

U of O ranks in top 10 research universities across Canada

Students attribute success to readily available, top notch equipment Ellie Sabourin

associate news editor This year, the University of Ottawa placed ninth overall in the Research InfoSource University rankings, which compare and rate researchintensive universities across Canada.

According to their website, Research InfoSource is a source of “ranking information on research universities, corporations, hospitals and colleges that are used and followed by the research and innovation community, opinion and policy leaders in the government, research, corporate, higher education and nonprofit sectors.”

Néomie Duval, manager of media relations for the U of O told the Fulcrum that the university didn’t publish anything on the ranking this year because the general ranking remained the same as last year.

However, there were a few small changes among the sub-

categories. The U of O moved up to sixth place in research intensity, up from eighth last year, and is now in the top 2.2 per cent of universities in research revenue according to the Research Infosource university ranking.

“This 10.8 per cent increase makes us a top performer which is excellent progress for the University,” Duval explained.

For second-year nursing student Nicole Demers, the results don’t come as a surprise.

“I would definitely assume that the U of O is one of the top research institutes in Canada,” she said. “We have a lot of facilities and infrastructure that I think would help us rank highly, like the Heart Institute or some of the technology that they have in the SITE building.”

Kelsey Fournier, a first-year master’s student studying chemistry and biomolecular sciences, another research-

intensive program, also felt that the ranking was well deserved.

“Over recent years, the university has taken many strides to become a more research-intensive university. One example is introducing the translational and molecular medicine undergraduate program that gives students more hours in doing research in a laboratory,” she said.

Other examples of equipment that have helped guide research at the U of O include the Advanced Research Complex (ARC), which houses a number of advanced equipment, such as the accelerator mass spectrometer, that will help boost current research in advanced photonics and geoscience. The new STEM complex will also improve on interdisciplinary research.

According to Fournier, equipment available to her at the university, such as high resolution microscopy includ-

The university maintained its status among one of the top research universities in Canada.

ing Atomic Force Microscopy, Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy, and Total Internal Reflection Microscopy used for single-particle catalysis have helped bring her research to the next level.

Another large component of research that can get over-

looked, according to Fournier, is the opportunity to work with, and learn from a number of other professors and researchers.

“Whether it’s from working with and interacting with visiting guests, working on collaborations with other fac-

Photo: Dasser Kamran.

ulties or collaborating with hospitals (or) businesses, these types of opportunities have really helped me learn and grow as a researcher,” Fournier said.

“Based upon my experience as a student researcher, I would definitely agree with the U of O being in the top 10.”

SFUO fall 2017 GA preview OC Transpo investigates SFUO U-Pass use

Upcoming General Assembly to see no motions 2016-17 exec accused of improperly taking bus passes GRaham Robertson

managing editor The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO)’s fall 2017 General Assembly (GA) takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the Alumni Auditorium of the University Centre.

The GA is an opportunity for students to propose motions and familiarize themselves with the workings of the federation. General Assemblies consist of executive updates, a presentation of the annual budget, a question and answer period, and, if the assembly meets quorum, the opportunity to vote on motions.

Each GA since its institution in Nov. 2014 had failed to meet quorum, save for the latest assembly on March 14, where over 280 students filled Marion Auditorium, many of whom were in opposition to a motion passed by the Board of Administration (BOA) to raise the executives’ salaries by 18 per cent, or $6,200.

The historic GA saw students vote to overturn this motion, but at

a meeting on April 26, the board voted to raise executive salaries by $2,000, from $33,500 to $35,500.

General Assembly quorum currently sits at 0.75 per cent of the student population (roughly 230 students), after it was lowered from one per cent (around 350 students) at a Jan. 15 BOA meeting.

The deadline for motions for the upcoming GA were

due to the federation on Tuesday, Oct. 31. In an email to the Fulcrum on Nov. 10, SFUO vice-president services and communications Kathryn LeBlanc revealed that no students have submitted motions for the Nov. 14 assembly.

For live updates of the Nov. 14 General Assembly, please visit the Fulcrum’s Twitter page.

The SFUO met quorum for the first time at their winter 2017 GA. Photo: Kyle Darbyson.

Eric DAvidson

editor-in-chief In an interview with the Fulcrum on Oct. 31, University of Ottawa president Jacques Frémont and media relations manager Néomie Duval discussed an investigation by OC Transpo into whether or not members of the 2016-17 Student Federation of the University (SFUO) executive had improperly obtained U-Passes.

Last year, the SFUO’s Board of Administration (BOA) disciplinary committee looked into whether or not some members of the executive had improperly given themselves U-Passes.

Since members of the executive are not allowed to to take more than two classes per semester, that would mean they got the U-Pass as a part-time student.Only full-time students can obtain U-Passes.

According to the disciplinary committee’s report, separate complaints were made against former vice-president social and incumbent president Hadi Wess, returning vice-president finance Rizki Rachiq, Vanessa Dorimain,

current executive coordinator of the SFUO and former vicepresident university affairs, and Morissa Ellis, former vicepresident equity.

The BOA’s disciplinary committee found that Dorimain had a U-Pass despite not being qualified for one. However, the committee said it was obtained under special circumstances, taken from a group of passes that were not distributed due to errors.

In the end, the committee recommended no penalties for executive members.

In last week’s interview, Duval told the Fulcrum that OC Transpo conducted an investigation into the incident, and is examining the finances of the program for the 2016-17 school year. She added that when the report is complete, OC Transpo will provide the university with guidelines and next steps.

OC Transpo is looking into SFUO executive U-Pass use.

6 | NEWS

Photo: Parker Townes.

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U of O prof studies patterns of depression

Research shows increase in early death for women, shorter lifespan for youth ellie sabourin

associate news editor Despite an increase in awareness of depression, and other mental health issues, it remains one of the largest contributors to early death, and according to a new study by professors at the University of Ottawa, the risk for women has significantly increased in recent years.

“Depression and mortality in a population-based longitudinal study: 1952 to 2011,” published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Oct. 23, 2017, is a research project with contributors around the world, including minds from right here at the U of O. The team, including Dr. Ian Colman, Canada Research Chair in the School of Epidemiology at the U of O, looked at 60 years of mental health data for 3,410 adults during three periods: 1952– 67, 1968–90 and 1991–2011 from a region in Atlantic Canada, and linked the data

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to deaths in the Canadian Mortality Database.

When the study initially started in 1952, the team focused on the link between depression and increased risks of death among men.

However, they began to focus on the risks associated with women in the 1990s.

“Most disturbing is the 50 per cent increase in the risk of death for women with depression between 1992 and 2011,” Colman said.

According to the study, “the risk of death associated with depression appeared strongest in the years following a depressive episode, leading the authors to speculate that this risk could be reversed by achieving remission of depression.”

Findings from the research, which may hit particularly close to home with university students, suggest that young adults with depression could have a shorter than average lifespan.

“The lifespan for young adults with depression at

age 25 was markedly shorter over the 60-year period, ranging from 10 to 12 fewer years of life in the first group, four to seven years in the second group, and seven to 18 fewer years of life in the 1992 group,” Colman said.

Although the cause of depression has been previously linked to many contributing factors, such as lack of exercise, poor diet, substance abuse, and chronic health conditions, according to the research, these did not explain the increased risk of death associated with depression in this study.

The study suggests that “societal change may help explain the emergent risk of death for women with depression.”

“During the last 20 years of the study in which women’s risk of death increased significantly, roles have changed dramatically both at home and in the workplace, and many women shoulder multiple respon-

Photo: CC, Pexels.

sibilities and expectations,” Colman said.

The authors of the study suggest that family physicians monitor patients for mood disturbances, espe-

cially recurrent episodes of depression, so that they may offer treatment and support to prevent these events in the future.

The U of O has several

services in place for students with mental health issues such as depression, through the Student Academic Success Service and U of O Health Services offices.

NEWS | 7

A&C EDITOR Ryan Pepper arts@thefulcrum.ca

ARTS&CULTURE U of O professor debuts new composition, 2017 (613) 695-0062 @pep_ryan

John Gordon Armstrong sees new piece as ode to late father Alex Szigeti

staff contributor

J

ohn Gordon Armstrong, a professor of composition at the University of Ottawa’s Department of Music, can’t overstate the skill of the University of Ottawa Orchestra.

In fact, he thinks so highly of the student orchestra that he is trusting them to play his newest piece 2017, on Nov. 10 at St Joseph’s Church.

“The university symphony is fabulous,” said Armstrong.

“They might not be quite as good as the National Arts Centre Orchestra, but it costs a lot more to go see them, and the cost dif-

ferential is a lot greater than the sound differential. (The University of Ottawa Orchestra) always rise to the occasion.”

Professor Armstrong—a trained guitarist—went into university with the intention of becoming a high school music teacher. But as the years went by, he found himself wondering whether he would end up studying the guitar or composition after he completed his undergraduate studies.

“It’s hard to pin down the exact reasons why I did what I did, but I chose to study composition,” Armstrong said.

A University of Toronto alumnus, Armstrong moved on to the University of Michigan to complete his doctorate, and eventually found his way to the University of Ottawa in 1993.

Armstrong began writing 2017 four years ago in August 2013. His compositional process typically involves starting one piece, finishing it and then

moving on to the next, but for 2017, he wrote seven or eight pieces in between. Doing that, he finds, can be frightening.

“When you’re working on something, if you leave it, and then come back to it, you got to figure out where you were, and restart, and there’s always the danger of it becoming incoherent,” he said.

The piece is very personal.

As he was nearing completion, Armstrong found one of the moments reminded him of Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, which brought back memories of his father—who used to work listening to opera.

This led Armstrong to realize that not only had he turned 65 this year, but his father would have been 100. Being a monumental year for both of them, it was only fitting for the title to be simply 2017.

Speaking of his compositional process, Armstrong said that “a composer’s greatest tool is a

John Gordon Armstrong is the composer of 2017.

very large eraser.”

While Armstrong may no longer use pencil and paper, he transfers his same techniques to the notation program Finale.

So while the technology has changed, the music has not necessarily followed. The particular compositional method—the

Photo: Christine Wang.

way in which a work is created— is not as important as most people believe.

“A lot of people talk about compositional method as if that’s important,” Armstrong said. “What’s really important is that you don’t sign your name to it until it’s good.”

Professor John Gordon Armstrong’s composition 2017, premiers on Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. at St Joseph’s church, performed by the University of Ottawa Orchestra, alongside pieces by Stravinsky and Shostakovich. The performance is free, though donations are appreciated.

Wrapped in Culture recreates traditional Indigenous art in Ottawa Australian Aboriginal and Canadian Indigenous artists team up to make traditional robes Marina Ghebrial Fulcrum Contributor

Ten Indigenous artists have come together from across Canada and Australia to create two traditional robes with the community of Ottawa—a Blackfoot buffalo robe and an Australian Aboriginal possum cloak.

The project hopes to sew together the distinct cultures of the Aboriginal Australians and Canadian Indigenous artists, as well as the non-Indigenous community of Ottawa, who are invited to come and help with the process throughout the three-week period.

An artist talk was held on Nov. 8 in Morisset Library in preparation for the ‘creative sessions,’ which begin on Nov. 15, where members of the public will be able to help in the creation of the robes. The creation process involves cutting and sewing panels, choosing and creating designs, and painting the robes as a community.

Buffalo robes are made of thick, stretched-out hide, with the animal’s fur on one side. Since possums are considerably smaller, a possum cloak is made up of many panels that are sewn together. The robes were most

8 | ARTS & CULTURE

The long traditions of buffalo and possum robes were discussed at the artist talk on Nov. 8.

often painted with decorative designs of geometric patterns, religious symbols, winter counts, and rituals records, but most commonly pictographs of warriors and battle scenes.

“It’s the telling of stories, the transfer of knowledge. The warrior would have on their robe a depiction of their

battles, and then wore it within the camp—like a walking encyclopedia for the tribe,” said Blackfoot artist “Buffalo Boy” Adrian Stimson. “It’s the regeneration of culture because the children would see their history all around them and they would remember it, and pass it on.”

Photo: Parker Townes.

Historic buffalo robes have become highly sought after, and are found in collections across the world, distant from their places of origins. Their value largely lies in the community in which they were created. Having them displayed in museums means that they become “static things to

look at,” as Stimson said, and no longer feed back into the community where they are needed.

Mitch Mahoney, a 20-year-old artist explained his possum coat design, saying, “The eggs in the centre represent society and the patterns all around them symbolizes what nurtures society. This water pattern represents women because of the connection to the ocean, [and beside it], this earth pattern represents the men, the hardness and those who work under the sun.”

“The idea is that the women and the men who are in our society help protect what is sacred. But here, this pattern is scales—in Australia we have these giant lizards that are armoured and practically bulletproof.

That’s the idea of being able to withstand the negative things in life,” said Mahoney.

Creation sessions are open to public participation and will be taking place at Carleton University Art Gallery through Nov. 15–17 and 21–22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with artist talks on Nov. 13 and 20 at 6 p.m. The final product will be on exhibit at the Ottawa Art Gallery in 2018.

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U of O prof sheds light on Irish historical fiction

Sile Concannon discusses lack of women representation, focus on masculinity in novels Artyom Zalutskiy Fulcrum contributor

On Wednesday, Nov. 8, Síle Concannon, a professor of Irish language at the University of Ottawa through the Irish Canadian University Foundation, gave a glimpse into the role of women in Irish-language historical novels in a lecture at the U of O. Concannon became interested in the subject while writing her Ph.D thesis on modern Irishlanguage historical novels, where she was drawn toward the lack of female voices in the genre.

Though there was a surge in the the historical fiction genre after 1993, the role of women in Irish historical novels remained very minimal. “(The stories contain) warfare, action, and adventure as the primary themes, with a conservative, nationalistic narrative with men almost always being the main charac-

ters,” Concannon said.

The underrepresentation is partially because women were historically not a part of the adventurous, and often warlike, settings of the stories, but sexism and the oppression of women throughout history is also to blame.

“Women were under the proverbial control of men, and kept in distant areas, where they would not be disruptive to men,” said Concannon.

Therefore, in historical fiction, women either do not show up at all, or only show up as small background characters, who Concannon said were usually portrayed as “fussy and troublesome.”

She used an example from a novel called 1260 AD, in which a troublesome woman flirts with a monk, and when he rejects her, she kills herself; no other characters, however, pay any attention to her death.

Concannon shared how talkative female charac-

ters were always creating problems for men, and women’s only role within the society of the genre was to give birth to a son.

Concannon also noticed that the women in these stories were always giving birth to sons, failing to find a single mention of a mother and daughter relationship.

“Female character archetypes are limited,” Concannon said.

Concannon also mentioned that the underrepresentation of women in Irish-language literature goes beyond the lack of female characters—there is also a lack of female authors. Out of all the prominent, modern authors from the genre, only one is a woman, and even she writes stories from a male perspective, without ever having any female protagonists in her work. Concannon said that “women were left in one side of history, in the margins of society,” and that such bla-

Professor Sile Concannon revealed the absence of women in Irish historical fiction.

tant sexism is displayed throughout modern Irishlanguage historical novels.

Concannon remains skeptical that this situa-

tion will ever change—she believes that since women were marginalized in the past, they will remain marginalized in Irish-lan-

Photo: Parker Townes.

guage historical fiction, at least until the distant future when the historical subject of such novels is the present day.

Sociology and Anthropology Students Association hosts gala

Event aims to demonstrate connection between fine art and social sciences The Sociology and Anthropology Students Association (SASA) hosted an evening gala that sought to show the artistic side to the social sciences on Thursday, Nov. 9.

The night began with a panel discussion by successful graduates from the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Social Sciences, where they discussed career prospects in sociology and the role of the social sciences in the development of artificial intelligence and automation. With an increase in automation and AI, the panelists reasoned, the social sciences have a responsibility to shape a society that works with AI in beneficial ways.

Photography played a large role in the gala. Angel Li, a fourth-year sociology student and president of SASA, said that photography and the social sciences are more complementary than most would initially assume.

“It’s very relatable, sociologically and anthropologically. Because it’s all about how you look at the world, through which lenses you choose to analyze the world,” said Li. “So photographs allow

us to merge what we study in a way that lets us engage with students and profs in a really unique way.”

The event featured a photo contest, and the gala aimed to see the social sciences through an artistic lens, using photography to analyze the inherent complexity and beauty of human interaction. Some pieces criticized the dehumanisation of urban life through bleak images of towering apartment blocks, while others examined the millenniaold bond between humans and animals. The diversity of entries matched the breadth of the social sciences.

Other entrants took a more traditional approach, with recurring themes being globalisation, international inequality, and consumerism. Shots of desolate Botswanan airstrips sat next to frames of modern-day monks and windswept streets. The photo captions provided additional context and allowed browsers to appreciate the work and thought that went into each piece.

The photo contest and gala are only a small part of SASA’s activities on campus. The federated body aims to expand the professional and academic opportunities of sociology and anthropology

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Eric Davison

Fulcrum freelancer

The gala was held on Nov. 9 and ended with the selection of the contest winner.

students through networking and skill development opportunities.

Li believes that students don’t often realize how many activities are available on campus and urges students to take full advantage of the opportunities university life gives them.

“Essentially we are an association that helps students get around campus,”

Li said. “So we organize events for frosh week, but we do a lot more than that through the school year. Really we just aim to make things a little more interesting and productive in the community.”

The U of O’s student experience was recently panned by Maclean’s magazine, coming in last place out of the schools ranked. But students might just

Photo: Parker Townes.

be looking in the wrong places. Organizations like SASA and other student associations always have activities running on campus if you know where to look.

To find events around the University of Ottawa, including guest speakers, handson workshops, and professional development events, visit the uoCal website.

ARTS & CULTURE | 9

IS A PHD REALLY WORTH YOUR TIME AND MONEY?

Eric Davidson editor-in-chief Illustration: Alina Wang.

Grad students weigh in on the challenges and benefits on the road to a PhD Investing in a PhD is a big decision. It usually means pushing an already long academic career in post-secondary education up to the 11-year mark, at least. In the words of one professor, it can mean “working for years for very little money while you watch your friends get rich.”

Not only that, the PhD itself is in flux. Academic jobs, the stereotypical application of the degree, can be hard to come by. Universities get strong, qualified applicants all the time, and yet many of these job seekers leave disappointed, or suspended in part-time positions with little job security.

And yet the number of students starting their doctorate has been rising steadily for years.

While the PhD is changing, the shifts are far more complex than the changes in academic employment. For many students, it means more work and a more creative approach, but not necessarily a sense of impending doom.

It turns out that the potential outcomes from PhD students are myriad, but the challenges they must face are no less numerous.

As for the reasons why people decide to extend their academic lives, in the lab or in the library—well, there are plenty of those, too.

WHY TAKE A PHD? The number of students enrolled in PhD programs in Ontario nearly doubled between 2000 and 2013, according to Statistics Canada, swelling to around 20,000 students.

So what is it that’s causing a growing number of students to take the plunge?

For some, it’s about their career. If you want to work in some high-level jobs in academia, or in the private sector, especially on the science side, you need the fancy degree.

And of course, the prestige doesn’t hurt. For others, passion is the catalyst.

Jennifer Dumoulin is doing her PhD in the Department of Communications at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Arts. “I was in law school, and I had the idea for the topic

that I ended up working on now, and then I saw an advertisement for the communications (PhD) program,” she said.

“I just kind of had this feeling that that’s where I should be.”

Alexandre Sicard, a PhD student in chemistry, says that for him, the thrill of discovery is a big driver. “When you get a great success, it feels amazing, you feel like a brilliant scientist,” he said. “You’ve created a new compound, you’ve combined the elements in such a way that have never heretofore been combined, you have something to stamp your name on that is yours.”

This passion extends to a wide swathe of fields. And while social sciences and the physical and life sciences make up a large chunk of Ontario doctoral students (around 20 per cent each), there are people taking PhDs in fields from architecture to visual arts.

While all these fields have their own distinct paths, there are challenges that affect students across all disciplines.

BUT WILL IT GET ME A JOB? One thing’s for sure, the myth of the PhD being a clear, non-forking path leading to a cushy, full professorship has been busted.

According to research from the Conference Board of Canada, only around 19 per cent of PhDs end up as full-time university professors, and more than half don’t end up in academia at all.

Jennifer Polk is a PhD graduate in history from the University of Toronto who runs a company called Beyond the Professoriate, which is designed to help PhD students find careers. She says that while in many cases the PhD is useful in getting these jobs, in some cases it isn’t the leading factor in gaining employment.

Polk says that when people end up working in fields different from what their PhD was in, the degree doesn’t necessarily give them an advantage. “I don’t think that the way the PhD programs are structured now are doing as good a job as they could at giving PhDs skills that are transferable to other industries.”

In other cases, it just might be a longer path to get where you want to go. Christelle Paré, a part-time professor at the U of O’s Department of Communications, is teaching one part-time class, while doing a postdoctoral fellowship, and teaching at the École nationale de l’humour in Quebec. She eventually plans to get a full-fledged professorship, but she says it can be a tedious path, even for part-time gigs.

“You need to find an opening in your field, and not only in your field, but with your profile,” she said. “You can be very competent, be extremely smart, have a very nice resume, but if your personality or your research projects do not fit with some of the professors’ ideology or priorities, then they will pick somebody else.”

Dumoulin says she’s heard all about the problems with getting a job with a PhD in Communications. “In the PhD world, they talk about ‘publish or perish,’ they talk about how professors aren’t hiring, that it’s really hard to get tenure, and the issue with the part-time professors now,” she said. “There’s all kinds of negativity around there.”

But on the other hand, depending on your field, a PhD might give you a competitive advantage. Bela Joos, assistant chair, academic (Graduate Studies) and full professor in the Department of Physics at the U of O, says that in some cases, people use the technological knowhow gained in a PhD to start a company of their own, or transition into industry in some other way.

“You discover a new way of doing things,” he said. “If you push science to the limit, answering questions which are of interest, then you can advance technology.”

Sicard said that while a PhD can be hard in the shortterm, it can be the only way to open some doors in your future, both in academics and in industry. “When you do your PhD it’s inherently a long game proposition,” he said. You’re knowing that you’re going to suffer in the trenches for a little bit longer early on, but when you leave and then you go and find a job—for certain kinds of jobs—there can be a bit more vertical mobility in STEM fields.”

By all accounts, demand for a specific field of study affects if a PhD leads to a job.

But one student says it’s foolish to let that be the deciding factor. Dumoulin says that whether or not there’s a clear demand for her specific area of studies, studying the use of metaphor in fiction to discuss diseases like HIV/AIDS, she plans to take an entrepreneurial approach and show her desired employers why they do, in fact, need her skills after all.

“I don’t think there is a traditional career path after a PhD program,” she said. “Maybe teaching at a high-level university isn’t the way to go, maybe you want to teach at a smaller place first, or maybe you want to teach college courses, or maybe you need to be creative and teach online classes… I

don’t really buy into the negativity.”

But getting the job isn’t the whole story. It can be the case that a PhD gets you a job, but not one you find fulfilling.

“It can be depressing if you don’t get the job you want,” said Tom Baker, a professor in the Department of Chem-

istry at the U of O. “You could get to a job where you’re maybe just making chemicals every day and that’s not what you want, you really want something that has more of a research component, a problem solving component.”

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF FINISHING A PHD There’s only one thing standing in the way of walking away with that prized piece of PhD paper—the small matter of dedicating four years (maybe more) to rigorous, self-directed academics, often while only scraping by financially.

First things first, let’s talk about the almighty dollar. In terms of short-term finances, the prospects aren’t great.

Even if a PhD happens to open up more career options, it definitely doesn’t guarantee you a huge starting salary.

A report from the Conference Board of Canada found that the average starting salary for a PhD is around $5,000.

“It’s a sacrifice … they’re not making very much money,” said Baker. “It’s just enough to keep the lights turned on in your apartment, and usually you would need a little supplemental help from your family.”

“It is hard to see people who you did your bachelor’s with, and see them have ‘grown-up jobs’,” said Sicard.

“They’re working for a bank, or a law firm, and they’re having a mortgage, and you’re thinking, ‘gee, I’m still in school, struggling, with a project that’s not even working.”

But he says that feeling can be worth it in the long-run, knowing that without a PhD, he wouldn’t have access to some of the higher-end jobs he seeks.

Many doctoral students are also keeping a close eye on the clock during their studies, because after the standard four-year time frame the funding starts to dry up.

Timothy Stanley, a professor in the Faculty of Education, says that in many cases the scholarship system for PhDs in Ontario is only set up for people who take four years to finish their PhD. However, he says that many students end up taking longer.

“What happens to a student when they get to their fifth year is they’re out of money, and often have to go back to work, or do a lot of part-time work, all of which takes them longer to finish.”

In addition to their cash, PhD students must be judicious with their time. Managing academic work along with networking and attending conferences, TA positions, research grants, and other elements of the position requires some attentive planning.

“A lot of people can get overwhelmed that they have

to set up five or six (chemical) reactions in a day, and they have to do marking, and TA-ing, and take courses and eventually worry about your seminar,” said Sicard. “And so eventually it appears to be so much work, so if you don’t have the practice in managing your time properly you can get easily overwhelmed.”

Perhaps even more important than managing time is motivating yourself to follow through, according to some students. This is especially true when you aren’t having any breakthroughs, and can’t even be sure any are forthcoming.

“Depending how uncharted territory your project is, you have to deal with a lot of failures and a lot of coming to terms with the fact that no matter now excited you were about your idea, it could just be a dud,” said Sicard. “At least half of the time I invested in my master’s degree resulted in a project that was eventually abandoned.” He said the process can be similar, or worse at the PhD level.

THE STATE OF THE SYSTEM Completing a PhD is in many ways a solitary task, so it’s easy to forget there is an entire academic system that surrounds these students.

The goal of the system is to get students through their doctorate degrees, but the prevalence of several common issues affecting students is leading some professors to think the system needs serious adjustment.

One important piece of the puzzle is mental health resources for PhD students.

A survey done by the University of California, Berkeley found that, of those surveyed, 47 per cent reached the threshold considered depression. This was a higher level than seen in master’s students, which was 37 per cent.

The report found that the number one factor determining levels of satisfaction with life and depression was career outlook, followed by physical health, living conditions, academic engagement, social support, and financial confidence.

“I think that as a university, we’re only beginning to see how challenging it is to deal with the mental health challenges of our graduate students,” said Michael Orsini, vicedean of graduate studies in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the U of O. He also says that in some cases, there’s an implicit assumption by some people that grad students should be able to handle themselves. “Somehow there’s an assumption that you can’t be a graduate student but also experiencing these mental health challenges, and I think that’s wrong.”

Orsini said the PhD process can be difficult in itself, especially the periods of isolation that can come with it. “It’s not surprising that we’re encountering students who are really struggling,” he said. “I really do think it’s one of the biggest challenges facing us in graduate studies right now.”

Another factor is the gap in costs for international students, who face significantly higher tuition rates than domestic students at Canadian universities. This means they may not be able to attend them, and even if they are able

to go, professors with research budgets may not be able to afford to take them.

“It’s hard for (international students) to actually afford to go here,” said Baker. “When they apply, I write them back and say, you realize you’re going to have to pay all this money, I can’t give you more money so you can cover three times the tuition, so then I don’t hear from them again usually.”

Yahya Albkari, a PhD student in chemistry who originally hails from Libya, said it was hard to find a supervisor when he was applying. “You have to find a supervisor, it’s very difficult because of the tuition fees,” he said. While some professors have research budgets to pay PhDs, the high cost of international students can get in the way.

“Most supervisors can’t do that, so it’s very, very tough to get accepted, especially here in Canada for international students.”

Baker said that the lack of international students in PhD programs is not ideal for him. “I would like to have some of the best students from other countries as well, because you’re really looking for the quality student, and other people who want to succeed,” he said.

“It’s just an unfortunate thing for the international students, because they’re excited to come, and then I have to tell them ‘maybe you want to go to a different university.’”

SO… IS IT WORTH IT? So, after contending with all these factors that are affecting today’s PhD students, what’s the final verdict? Is it worth it?

Well, anyone at least partially steeped in the world of academia won’t be surprised by the answer—it depends.

The fact is, outcomes vary widely based on the the topic of the PhD, the person themselves, and other factors like a chance scientific discovery. But it can’t be denied that there are serious challenges students have to overcome to finish and profit from their doctoral degrees.

There are many factors to consider beyond if you like the subject or want a job in it. Studying the job market and how it might change is important, as is learning about the lifestyle of those taking and graduated from the PhD program. There are still large problems to be fixed, like the lack of full understanding of how to adapt to people’s mental health needs. And in some cases, like those of international students, you may not even be afforded the choice of completing a PhD in Canada.

The decision to get a PhD is more complex than ever. So if you are considering it, make sure to study up.

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR sports@thefulcrum.ca @FulcrumSports

Gees make history winning first U Sports National rugby title

Women’s squad avenges last year’s finals defeat with historic victory Zack Goobie

Associate Sports Editor

T

he University of Ottawa Women’s rugby team took on fellow Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) rival l’Université de Laval Rouge et Or in the U Sports National Championship game on Nov. 5. The big game was not unfamiliar territory for the GeeGees as they settled for silver a year ago.

However this year was different, and even the snowcovered field in Lethbridge, Alberta couldn’t stop the GeeGees, who headed into their last game undefeated in the tournament. The only loss that the Gee-Gees suffered all year was against the Rouge et Or,

and this game proved to be as close as expected.

The Gee-Gees got the ball first, and Samantha Alli got the Gees their first big run as they tried to press early. After an early offside

by Laval, the Gees placed a good kick to give them field possession on the throw, but the Rouge et Or stole the ball and looked to run. After a Gee-Gees infraction, Laval put the first points on the board less than five minutes in, going up to 3-0.

A dropped ball by Laval off a U of O penalty kick gave the Gees a chance to strike with good field position inside the Laval 20 with 15 minutes left to play in the half, but a penalty negated the Gee-Gees momentum and the Rouge et Or regained possession.

Daniella Ellis made a great run dragging defenders before Breanna Phillipps scored the first try of the game in a huge crowd of players. The convert was placed at a tough angle and

it fell short. The Gee-Gees took a 5-3 lead with just over five minutes to play.

After an offside by Laval, the Gee-Gees were awarded a scrum within 10 yards of the try-zone. Dria Bennett got a great pass, jogging into the scoring zone to score the Gee-Gees’ second try to go up 10-3 with no time left to play in the first half.

Laval got their first good opportunity in the Gee-Gees’ end six minutes into the half off a big run and a punch in soon after. The convert was good and the game was tied at 10-10.

Following a breakdown penalty, the Gee-Gees elected to try to split the uprights.

Emma Sandstrom hit the left post as the snowy conditions continued to be a factor.

A try for the Gee-Gees 15 minutes into the second half after a long injury timeout was scored by Danielle Erdelyi as she put her head down and found a way to touch the ball

The Gees won the U Sports national title after years of near misses.

down in the try-zone. The convert fell short and the Gees held a 15-10 lead.

A big defensive stand by the Gee-Gees halted the Rouge et Or as they were no more than two meters from the try-zone with less than 20 minutes left to play.

As the final minutes ticked

off the clock, the Gee-Gees’ defence would not give an inch. That defence turned into quick offense once they got a turnover and ran the field to pin the Rouge et Or in their end before Phillipps punched in her second try.

As the clock ran to 80 min-

Photo: Courtesy of Jennifer Elliott.

utes and the referee called the game, the Gee-Gees won their first Monilex trophy as the best team in the nation with a 20-10 victory.

The U Sports National Championship MVP was Dria Bennett who was a force all game and tournament.

Women’s basketball team loses in double overtime

Gees can’t handle long-range shooting by Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks Zack Goobie

Associate Sports Editor The University of Ottawa Women’s basketball team took their 1-1 record into foreign territory to take on the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks on Nov. 10. Following an up and down first weekend the Gee-Gees were looking to show that they were a force in Ontario University Athletics (OUA).

The Gee-Gees took a first quarter lead 19-17 after a big bucket by Aliisa Heiskanen to end the quarter.

As the second quarter started, the Gees turned the ball over and Laurier gathered an offensive rebound, but missed both shots. Amelie Hachey got the Gees on the board in the second with a nice jumper to go up 21-17.

The Gees had trouble handling the ball early on as turnovers were giving the Golden Hawks an opportunity as they hit a three-pointer to go down 23-22 with six minutes to go.

Another three-pointer from the Golden Hawks gave them a 27-23 point lead with just over three minutes to go.

A big three-pointer by Hachey gave the Gees a 31-29 lead with 1:30 left in the first half. The Golden Hawks came right back with their own three to give Laurier a onepoint lead. The Golden Hawks got an easy layup to go up 3432 going into the latter half.

Hachey led the Gees with eight points at half and Brigitte Lefebvre-Okanku had seven.

Laurier hit a three just after three minutes in, going up 4138 to continue to show their shot accuracy from long-range.

The Garnet and Grey had some difficulty handling the ball in the second half, which gave the Golden Hawks a 47-41 lead.

The Golden Hawks continued to hurt the Gees with threes to go up 59-51 with a minute left in the third quarter.

The third quarter ended 59-53 with Laurier carrying the pace. A big steal by Lefe-

The Gees lost a close game in overtime.

bvre-Okanku gave Brooklynn McAlear a layup to make the score 59-57 for the Golden Hawks. McAlear hit a nice layup for to go up 62-61 with six minutes left as the game continued to go back and forth.

Photo: Parker Townes.

Great defence by the Gees kept stopping the Golden Hawks, and the Garnet and Grey held a slim 66-65 lead with 1:40 left to go. A strong pass from Hachey gave Lefebvre-Okanku a great layup to

go up 68-67 lead with just 30 seconds remaining.

After two missed shots by the Gees, the game headed to overtime after a free-throw from Laurier.

Laurier put the first points

12 | SPORTS

on the board in overtime with a three-pointer to go up 71-68 with 3:45 left on the clock. Timmons responded with a layup to reduce the lead to 72-70 after two free-throws from the Golden Hawks. Lefebvre-Okanku responded for the Gees, tying the game with 1:31 to go.

The Golden Hawks hit a jumper with 19 seconds left to tie the game up 76-76. The GeeGees scored their first bucket of their second overtime to reduce the Golden Hawks’ lead to 79-78, but the Golden Hawks hit a three-pointer right after to go up 82-78.

Laurier got a layup with 45 seconds left to go up 86-81, basically closing the game for the Hawks. Hachey tried a threepointer with seconds left on the clock to tie the game, but her shot went long. The Laurier Golden Hawks won 87-83.

The Gee-Gees next home game will take place on Nov. 17 at Montpetit hall against the University of Western Ontario at 12 p.m.

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THE BOXSCORE: BYTOWN BATTLES BASKETBALL(W) BASKETBALL(M) HOCKEY(M)

HOCKEY(W)

FRIDAY, NOV. 10, 2017

FRIDAY, NOV. 10, 2017

FRIDAY, NOV. 10, 2017

FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2017

Gee-Gees

Gee-Gees

Gee-Gees

Gee-Gees

AT

LAURIER

83 87

AT

LAURIER

75 80

VS

CARLETON

2

4

TBD

AT

CONCORDIA TBD

TUESDAY, NOV. 14, 2017

TUESDAY, NOV. 14, 2017

FRIDAY, Nov. 17, 2017

SUNDAY, NOV. 19, 2017

Gee-Gees

Gee-Gees

Gee-Gees

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CARLETON

TBD

TBD

AT

CARLETON

TBD

TBD

AT

CARLETON

TBD

TBD

vs

CARLETON

TBD TBD

For detailed game coverage check out the Fulcrum’s website at www.thefulcrum.ca.

FulcFit food series

The best vegan burgers In the Fulcrum’s recent Green Thumbs Issue, we shared how animal agriculture and factory farming can have detrimental impacts on the long-term sustainability of our planet.

But making the switch toward a plant-based diet can often be a challenge for many people. Don’t worry—this week, we have a recipe for a vegan burger that’s easy and delicious, and certain to have you questioning why you didn’t make the switch sooner!

Graham Robertson &Savannah Awde Managing Editor & Features Editor

During the school year, it’s all too easy to let your eating habits slip.

To get you back on track, the Fulcrum has some essential recipes so you stay full and fit all year long.

Ingredients • Your favourite vegan patty (Yves or SOL Cuisine have some great options if you’re looking for a brand at your local supermarket) • Half an avocado • Two slices of tomato • A handful of spinach • A handful or slice of vegan cheese (Daiya is a great place to start if you aren’t familiar with vegan dairy replacements) • A handful of collard greens • A vegan sauce of your choice Directions Step 1: Grill your patty on medium until it’s brown on both sides, roughly 5-10 minutes per side.

Add your cheese to the patty and cover with a saucepan lid so it melts evenly.

Step 2: Plate your burger and enjoy!

Tip For a low-carb, high-protein meal, use lettuce leaves instead of a traditional burger bun. If you want to get extra creative, swap out those avocado slices for some homemade guacamole. All you’ll need is avocado, tomato, cilantro, minced garlic, chopped red onion, lime juice, a jalapeño, salt, and pepper. Mash it all up and you’re set! Scoop it on your burger with a splash of hot sauce

Everyone loves a good burger, why not make your own ?

Photo: Savannah Awde.

for an added kick that’s sure to get your tastebuds singing.

THEFULCRUM.CA

SPORTS | 13

OPINIONS

OPINIONS EDITOR David Campion-Smith

opinions@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @davidcs96

SFUO governance shakeup a step in the right direction

Motion makes exec positions clearer, reorganizes clubs and services eric davidson editor-in-chief

T

he Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO)’s last Board of Administration (BOA) meeting on Nov. 5 received significant attention from students, mainly dealing with the addition of political positions to the SFUO policy manual.

But one part of the meeting that didn’t get any spotlight was when SFUO president Hadi Wess announced a motion that would completely shake up the governance structure of the SFUO. The motion, which passed, looked to clarify and revamp the roles of the executive of the SFUO. And, by the looks of it, it’s

a great idea.

The motion is comprehensive, renaming some positions, shifting clubs and services so they’re not as dispersed across different executive portfolios, and ensuring the job descriptions are up to date. Some of the roles will be changing, for example the president will become the spokesperson for the federation at large, and not just the BOA as was previously the case.

Considering that the SFUO constitution is often out of date, having updated, clearly-defined roles is a great way to ensure people on or hoping to join the executive have a clear idea of what’s expected of them, and lets students know who’s responsible for which aspects of their experience.

In his presentation, Wess also mentioned a greater use of staff in some situations, like preparing the budget, where he said the vice-president finance (soon to be called vice-president operations) would give more

of the responsibility to the accounting department.

Relying on staff for things like the budget is a great idea, because it ensures consistency.

Since it’s a student position, the vice-president finance job is naturally beholden to a high rate of turnover. But by having staff, who stay for longer periods of time, involved in the role, you ensure consistency, which is much needed in the SFUO’s budgeting process after its recent financial issues.

Another good thing the motion does is it centralizes control of more of the SFUO’s services under the vice-president equity, while taking the clubs portfolio away from equity and moving it to the new vice-president internal position.

The organization of clubs has been a perennial issue for the SFUO, and this move could go a long way to fixing the problem, since they won’t have to compete for attention with services under one vice-president.

The Nov. 5 motion would streamline SFUO management.

One thing the SFUO can do going forward to build on this successful motion is to clarify the roles of key staff members, especially the executive coordinator, as they play an important role in the federation’s governance. This will become

more important as staff members are given a greater role in the governance process.

While it’s true that staff are internal and not directly elected, the fact that the elected officials will be leaving key aspects of their portfolios to

Photo: Cailey Fletcher.

staff, which is a good thing, also means that students are entitled to know more about the roles and expectations of those staff members.

But overall, this governance motion is a step in the right direction.

Paradise papers remind us that privacy benefits the wealthy

Offshore tax havens aren’t being used by the 99 per cent Connor Chase

Staff Contributor Last week over 13 million files were leaked from Appleby, an offshore law firm. The Paradise Papers, the name given to the leak, revealed that many of the world’s elites are hiding their money offshore and evading taxes.

The leak covers a wide range of figures and companies, from the Queen of England to Loblaw and former Canadian prime ministers. What leaks of this size show is that those at the top of pyramid are benefiting more from privacy than you and me.

Data leaks have been remarkably controversial, as in the case of the WikiLeaks document release during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and the Edward Snowden leaks.

The partisanship in these two separate moments was

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striking. Republicans (for the most part) celebrated Wikileaks because it targeted Hillary Clinton, yet complained about patriotism and treason when Snowden betrayed the government. In the same sense, Democrats (for the most part) cheered on Snowden and criticized the shady political maneuvering of Wikileaks. Leaks like the Paradise Papers offer an exception to this partisanship.

Across the board, people despise the way the elites of the world game the system in a manner which epitomizes greed, selfishness, and corruption. But the papers do bring up a question we as a society will have to face.

With the internet being the most powerful tool in modern society, to what extent ought we to value privacy when using it? The thought of the government watching everything you do online is

worthy of skepticism. But the Paradise Papers prove you have to look past that intuition. With full internet privacy we wouldn’t know who was using these tax shelters.

In many ways, your information is not nearly as private as you think. Megacorporations like Apple and Google are in the business of collecting your information and selling it to companies for more effective advertising. The government may not directly have your information, but you can be sure it is in a data bank somewhere, capable of being accessed and leaked (just like the Paradise Papers) by anyone with the means and intent to do so.

Secondly, such an emphasis on privacy is what enables the elites of the world to keep their trillions to themselves.

It goes without saying that such a quantity of money

Queen Elizabeth II was just one elite named in the Paradise Papers .

could greatly benefit even you individually. Since 2011 Canadian tax holes enabled corporations to avoid paying taxes on $55 billion in profits.

Just for scale, the federal deficit last year was a measly $17.8 billion. An

economist at the University of California, Berkeley estimated there could be up to $7.6 trillion hidden in tax havens across the globe. What it does tell us is that we are dealing with trillions of dollars not contributing what-

Photo: CC, UK Home Office.

soever to society. The majority’s attraction to internet privacy is certainly reasonable. But the Paradise Papers show that the elites of the world might be benefiting much more from ‘privacy’ concerns than you.

OPINIONS | 15

U of O content with students’ dissatisfaction Administration working to make students even more unhappy While construction was Jake Collie Tomato contributor a significant factor in the

The annual Maclean’s university ranking recently revealed that the University of Ottawa sits at last in the country for student satisfaction, as revealed by university president Jacques Frémont at the Oct. 30 Board of Governors (BOG) meeting.

The rankings claim that 67 per cent of students at the U of O feel some sort of dissatisfaction, a whole 51 per cent higher than the average Canadian university.

“We tell everyone that the constant construction is to make campus better for future classes, but it’s actually to keep people unhappy,” said Frémont. “We’re thinking of changing our motto to ‘We’re not happy until you’re not happy.’”

lack of student satisfaction, a number of students cited other reasons such as the lack of green space, harsh winters, and most recently, the strike by part-time professors that was just narrowly avoided. “Pushing the final outcome to the last minute was honestly part of a plan to keep students guessing,” according to U of O negotiator Mandy White.

“We knew days before that there wouldn’t be a strike, but we wanted our students to think they could actually enjoy life for a few days.”

“We’re very happy with the improvements we saw in this year’s survey, as students graded us even worse in several categories, such as ‘lack of self worth,’ ‘number of existential crises on cam-

pus,’ and ‘feelings of isolation,’” said Frémont.

While many professors were reluctant to comment on the lack of student satisfaction, students themselves were elated to speak on their sense of dissatisfaction.

Fourth-year engineering student Hailey Stevens noted how impressive it was that the university was trying to make the campus worse for her, saying, “This does not surprise me one bit. I have been here five years and not a single building project has been completed.” Conversely, first-year English student Peter Turnbull boasted how about how important the dining hall is to his weight loss routine, “I have lost over twenty pounds since I began my meal plan, the food is almost non-existent and when it is there it is terrible.”

President Jacques Frémont plans on eliminating U-Pass, cancelling snow removal.

To keep students unhappy, the administration has planned a series of ways to make U of O even more unbearable. Some of the pro-

posed suggestions include eliminating the U-Pass, cancelling all snow removal policies, and beginning coal mining around campus.

Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

However the strongest proposal is to simply stay the course; little to no improvement should keep students dissatisfied, right?

ULimited of O solves low student satisfaction with fossil fuels study space, lack of cafeteria options among issues tackled

Graham Robertson Managing Editor

At the University of Ottawa’s Oct. 30 Board of Governors (BOG) meeting, university president Jacques Frémont revealed that a recent Maclean’s university ranking puts the U of O last in the country for student satisfaction. A week of brainstorming by the university administration has resulted in one simple solution: fossil fuels.

In an email to students on Sunday, Nov. 5, Frémont wrote that the decision came to him almost instantaneously one night after an extended BOG meeting to address the issue.

“It was as if someone flipped a switch and a light bulb turned on above my head,” Frémont wrote in the email. “I am certain the use of fossil fuels will solve our school’s low student satisfaction.”

Frémont’s announcement comes after United States En-

16 | THE TOMATO

ergy Secretary Rick Perry said that fossil fuels can prevent sexual assault.

“When the lights are on, when you have light that shines, students see just how great this university truly is,” Frémont announced at a press conference on Friday, Nov 10.

It appears that students are already buzzing with excitement following the implementation of fossil fuels around the U of O. Travanna Sawde, a fifth-year student at the Telfer School of Management told the Tomato, “With all these lights on, I’m finally able to find more study spaces around campus!”

Students have also given more positive reviews about the food at the university’s 24hour dining hall, stating that the increased lighting around campus has led to cafeteria workers actually seeing what they put in the food, and experimenting with new and ex-

Coal mining is taking place around the U of O campus.

citing meals.

“The food just tastes so much better, and there’s far more variety now! I’m a big fan of the shawarma enchiladas. They sound strange, but once you try one, you’ll be hooked!” said Saddiqi Raelyn, a master’s student

Photo: CC, RobCA, Vector Free Images. Edits: Christine Wang.

at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, between bites of the Middle Eastern-Mexican hybrid meal.

“This truly is multiculturalism at its finest.”

Even the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa

(SFUO) has implemented fossil fuels to combat the dissatisfaction that they, too, have experienced by students.

“Right now we’re drilling into the university’s green space to extract coal. Fossil fuels are a great idea as far as I’m concerned,”

said SFUO vice-president finance Richie Lachic. “Increased lighting means I’ll be able to see the numbers I’m working with while preparing the budget, so we don’t end up ridiculously overspending in any areas.”

Kathryn LeSwank, SFUO vice-president services and communications told the Tomato, “My phone has been blowing up with all the students tweeting about how happy they are with the federation. I’d attribute it to my good comms, but really, it’s those fossil fuels.”

The latest Maclean’s university ranking, published on Sunday, Nov. 12 revealed that the U of O now sits at first in Canada for student satisfaction. David Ericson, editor-in-chief of the publication told the Tomato, “I guess yoga scandals, a supposedly corrupt student federation, and a not-so-green green space are no match for fossil fuels!”

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DISTRACTIONS DEAR DI

FEATURES EDITOR Savannah Awde

features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @s_awde7

Dear Di,

Between school, work, volunteering, and planning for my transition into grad school, I’ve been struggling to find time for my girlfriend.

I’m exhausted from the moment I get up to the moment I go to bed.

How can I stop thinking about sex as just another chore on the list?

—Needing some cum laude

Dear NSCL,

Dishing with Di: Food for thought The founder of Kellogg’s cereals was actually a prominent scientist in his day.

However, what led Dr. John Kellogg to create cereal might have you scratching your head. Kellogg believed that hot, meat-filled breakfasts was what led to masturbation. He even went so far as to advocate circumcision for boys to stop masturbation, and conducted experiments where he burnt a woman’s clitoris with phenol. He invented cereal with his brother partly to provide a breakfast option that would supposedly decrease the urge to masturbate.

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While it’s really common for students to have intense workloads like yours, we often take for granted factors like our mental health. First things first, you need to evaluate if you should cut something out from your busy schedule—whether that means breaking up with your girlfriend, or cutting back your work or volunteer hours, or lightening your course load.

First, you should evaluate whether it’s just your sex life that’s being compromised by your hectic schedule, or if it’s being felt in other parts of your relationship. Are you struggling to make time for your girlfriend entirely? If so, it may not be fair to you or your SO to continue your relationship in its current state.

If you choose to break up, don’t worry, it’s completely normal to want to focus on your personal and professional development if you feel like you can’t commit 100 per cent to a relationship. It might hurt to lose the emotional support, but it will feel better in the long run.

But if you do choose to stay in your relationship, why not inject some heat into your sex life? It can be easier than you think. First off, sex can be a great study break as it gets your blood pumping and releases tension. Instead of waiting until the end of the night when all you want is to curl up in bed, have sex earlier in the day before you get into your work for the evening.

You could also try to schedule at least weekly dates with your girlfriend where you turn off your phone and stay focused on your partner. So, even if you find it stressful to squeeze in sexy times during the week, you’ll still have some one-onone time that you can look forward to. While it might seem a little monotonous to schedule in sex, talking with your partner about what kind of sex, with what toys, and where you want to do it, can increase the build up and make the payoff more than worth it.

If you have trouble finding time to meet up IRL you can also try sending some steamy texts to your girlfriend between (or let’s face it, during) lectures, or any other time when you have a few minutes to spare. Letting her know that you’re thinking about her during your busy routine is a simple way to keep the passion alive.

Finally, plan something big for the two of you to look forward to. It can be a vacation over winter break to a gorgeous beach destination, a cozy weekend at a ski resort, or a visit to somewhere local that she’s been dying to go. With just a little work, even the busiest bees can keep the birds-and-the-bees alive.

Love, Di

DISTRACTIONS | 17

NOV. 13-NOV. 19, 2017

THRYLLABUS

MUSIC EATS SPORTS FUN THINKING ARTS

18 | DISTRACTIONS |

Monday Nov. 13 Policing Black Lives in Ottawa, Canada and Beyond, Ottawa Public Library—7 p.m.

Muggy Mondays, free coffee for whoever brings a reusable mug, Faculty of Social Sciences building 2nd floor landing—8:30 a.m.

Wednesday Nov. 15 Free home-cooked, healthy, and vegan meal, hosted by the People’s Republic of Delicious, Deja Vu kitchen (between Thompson and Morisset)—9 a.m.

Managing Worry and Anxiety, part one of a four-part workshop, Marie Curie building room 432—10 a.m.

Tuesday Nov. 14 Videogame Competition and Expo, first day of free event, University Square—5:30 p.m.

Wapikoni film screening, as part of CRM Week: 150 years of [De] criminalization in Canada, Faculty of Social Sciences building, room 4004—7 p.m.

Thursday Nov. 16 Contemporary Security Politics, lecture by Sebastian Schmidt of Johns Hopkins University, Faculty of Social Sciences building, room 5028—2:30 p.m.

Skye Wallace, Bar Robo—8 p.m.

Friday Nov. 17

Peaks, Live! on Elgin—8 p.m.

Motherland, Dreaded Rebels, A Year in Review, and Bikini Atoll, $10 advance tickets and $12 at the door, Café Nostalgica—8 p.m.

Saturday Nov. 18 SwimAbility raffle and coffee house, all proceeds towards teaching children with special needs to swim, Happy Goat Coffee Co.—8:30 p.m.

Homesick: Emo Night, The 27 Club— 11 p.m.

Sunday Nov. 19 Shrek the musical, Centrepointe Theatre—2 p.m.

James Keelaghan, National Arts Centre—3 p.m.

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EDITORIAL Volume 78, Issue 11, Nov. 13, 2017 Investigative journalists since 1942.

Phone: (613) 695-0061 | Fax: (613) 695-9006 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this paper or we’ll expose your offshore accounts.

Eric “Keith Urban” Davidson Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Jaclyn “Fernando Alonso” McRae-Sadik Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Graham “Martha Stewart” Robertson Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Anchal “Queen Elizabeth II” Sharma News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Ryan “Brian Mulroney” Pepper Arts and Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Savannah “Madonna” Awde Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca David “James Sassoon” Campion-Smith Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Christine “Lewis Hamilton” Wang Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Dmitri “Charles, Prince of Wales” Bakker Social Media Manager social@thefulcrum.ca Ellie “Justin Timberlake” Sabourin Associate News Editor associate.news@thefulcrum.ca

THE SFUO TOOK POLITICAL POSITIONS—AND THAT’S FINE

The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) faced a strong student reaction at their last Board of Administration (BOA) meeting on Nov. 5 over a series of amendments to their policy manual.

Students unhappy with some of the proposed changes made various arguments against the SFUO’s decision to update their policy manual, one of these arguments being that the federation shouldn’t take political positions.

While there should always be an avenue for debate among students on the stances the SFUO takes, there’s nothing wrong with the idea of the SFUO taking political stances in the first place—in fact, it’s important.

For some context, the motions were to amend the policy manual, which is separate from the constitutional bylaws. As opposed to the constitutional bylaws, which outline specifically how things need to happen, like regulations for a General Assembly or election, the policy manual is much more gen-

eral, outlining the organization’s guiding principles.

For example, the policy manual already contains such principles as working towards sustainability by supporting “projects which seek to create an environmentally friendly Campus.” It also says the the SFUO is in favour of checks on tuition.

In addition to the policy manual, the SFUO makes political statements in other ways. For example, it released a statement on its website in 2016 stating that the SFUO opposed the construction of the Trans Mountain and Line 3 Pipelines, and another that it supports making the city of Ottawa fully bilingual.

These public postings did not provoke a significant backlash, despite the fact that they are political in nature.

Even at the meeting, it’s hard to argue that it was the idea of the SFUO taking a political stance at all that led to student outrage.

Many of the motions passed easily, if not unanimously. For example

the policy manual amendment saying that the SFUO would support any “decolonial work including the Indigenous population” passed without complaint, even though it’s political in nature.

The fact that there was not opposition to all of the political motions supported by the SFUO, just specific ones, shows that the focus of debate should be on individual political stances the SFUO proposes, not debating whether they should hold any political views at all.

So what’s the benefit to having the SFUO hold political opinions?

Well, whether you like it or not, there are people who look to the SFUO as representing students at the U of O, especially in Ontario.

The SFUO also brings its opinions to the larger Canadian Federation of Students, which lobbies provincial and federal governments.

If the views of students are going to be brought forward to Canadian government, student unions do have a part to play.

One big way for students to ensure that the SFUO’s positions reflect them is to participate in elections.

In fact, the reality that it takes an astonishingly low number of votes to elect a BOA member means that students can feel confident they can make the difference in electing the best candidate to represent their views.

Of course, the system could still be improved. One change that would make this system much stronger is giving more power back to the General Assembly, so students can feel more confident in seeing action come from their opinions.

However, even as this needs to be improved, forcing the SFUO to eschew all political positions in the meantime will not help anyone, it will only prevent students’ voices being heard on a larger scale.

And while there may be arguments along the way, that’s not a bad thing. In the end It’s better to have this than an SFUO that stands for nothing at all.

Nadia “Shakira” Drissi El-Bouzaidi Associate Features Editor Zack “Rex Tillerson” Goobie Associate Sports Editor associate.sports@thefulcrum.ca Parker “Jean Chrétien” Townes Staff Photographer photographer@thefulcrum.ca Videographer videographer@thefulcrum.ca Chafik “Julio Iglesias” Kassis Head Web Architect webmaster@thefulcrum.ca Lucas “Nicole Kidman” Ghosn General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca Kaylum “Keira Knightley” Bobal Advertising Representative ads@thefulcrum.ca

Contributors

Alina “Shaukat Aziz” Wang Connor “Alfred Gusenbauer” Chase Jake “Yukio Hatoyama” Collie Alex “Paul Martin” Szigeti Marina “Gerhard Schröder” Ghebrial Artyom“Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani” Zalutskiy Dasser “Sachin Pilot” Kamran Cailey “Gerhard Schröder” Fletcher Eric “Wilbur Ross” Davison

Board of Directors

Raghad “Wesley Clark“ Sheikh-Khalil Katelyn “Gary Cohn” Murray Jonathan “Jon Huntsman Jr.” Rausseo Fadi “Randal Quarles” Azzi Spencer “Micky Arison” Murdock Kim “Germán Efromovich” Wiens Marguerite “Lino Saputo” Gollish Cover Credits: Christine Wang.

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Photo: Eric Davidson.

EDITORIAL | 19

November 16, 2017 Speak up, take action, and help your campus become tobacco-free for 1Day!

1DAYSTAND Make your post-secondary campus tobacco-free for a day by: Encourage students who use tobacco to quit for the day, with an aim to quit for good.

Get students’ opinions towards tobacco use on campus.

Raise awareness of the benefits of tobacco-free campus policies.

Promote the adoption of permanent tobacco-free policies.

Visit our booth in UCU on November 16th!

Between the hours of 10 am to 3 pm For more information on Tobacco-Free Campuses go to: www.leavethepackbehind.org/policy