The Argosy Volume 145, Issue 15 (Feb. 11, 2016)

since 1872

News pg. 2

Science pg. 4

Mount Allison University’s Independent Student Newspaper

Arts pg. 5

Sports pg. 10

Febuary 11, 2016 Vol. 145, Iss. 15

Opinions pg. 12

Humour pg. 14

WGST

Precarious WGST budget mobilizes students

An online petition received nearly 7,000 signatures of support in little more than a week. Allison Grogan/Argosy

Sylvan Hamburber & Tyler Stuart News Reporters Over 100 hundred hands shot up in the air when Katharyn Stevenson, president of the women’s and gender studies society, asked who would be willing to protest outside of the Board of Regents (BoR) meeting the following morning. Students gathered in the basement of Avard Dixon last Thursday, Feb. 4, to discuss a demonstration in support of the jeopardized women’s and gender studies (WGST) minor.

On Monday, Feb. 1, Mount Allison’s dean of arts, Hans vanderLeest, informed Lisa Dawn Hamilton, acting director of the WGST program, that there was to be no staffing budget for the 201617 academic year for the program.

Hamilton then sent an email to students currently enrolled in the program, informing them of the lack of funding.

Students immediately took to social media, expressing frustration and opposition to the announcement.

Within hours, a petition was created to save the minor, which now has almost 7,000 signatures in support of the WGST’s continued funding.

Student action culminated on Friday when over 80 students staged a silent demonstration before and after the BoR meeting.

The number of declared minors in WGST has more than tripled in the last two years. In the fall semester of 2013, the program had 13 declared minors; it now has 44. Much of the outcry and organization came from these students.

Kavana Wa Kilele, a first-year student, said she is planning to create

her own major in women’s and gender studies. “I’m for sure doing women’s and gender studies as my major whether they cut it or not,” said Wa Kilele. “If they cut it, I’m leaving.”

Stevenson spearheaded much of the student mobilization.

“If they cut [WGST], I’m leaving.”

“Student action is really important because we are being directly affected by this issue,” she said. “I think this is kind of like a breaking point for a lot of people.”

The minor was founded in 1999

by Dr. Marie Hammond-Callaghan.

When Hammond-Callaghan went on sick leave in 2014, the funds earmarked for her full-time position remained in the program’s budget. A month after she passed away in November, these

funds were redistributed back into the budgetary pool for full-time staffing.

Tasia Alexopoulos, a sessional instructor who currently teaches every WGST course at Mt. A, filled in for Hammond-Callaghan in 2014.

For the last two years, Alexopoulos has taught the minor’s core courses on mostly stipend pay—a sum of approximately $6,000 per course.

As staffing is the only substantial component in the minor’s budget, the purported lack of funding pertains directly to her compensation.

“She really is shouldering the entire minor,” Hamilton said. “So this program is resting on part-time contractual labour that has mostly been on a stipendiary basis.”

Students and faculty who have expressed support for the minor said they feel that the university’s treatment of Alexopoulos has been unfair.

“We have one professor in

our women’s and gender studies department, and she is so undervalued,” Stevenson said. “She does so much work for the little that she is paid.”

Students and faculty stressed that this case is not isolated, but is emblematic of larger systemic trends across campus. Increasing reliance on part-time contractual labour, they said, is an example of administrative austerity measures imposed on faculty and staff. “[Part-time professors] are not treated well,” Stevenson said. “So if this movement can also speak for the professors that we care about and that do so much for us. I think it’s a way for us to express solidarity.”

‘WGST’: Pg. 2

THEATRE

Mt. A to stage feminist rendering of classical myth Amanda Cormier Arts & Culture Reporter

For the cast and crew of the MotyerFancy Theatre’s upcoming production, The Love of the Nightingale, theatre is not a spectacle, but a social tool to

start discussions on relevant social issues.

Cast member Victoria Valliere is doing an internship project surrounding The Love of the Nightingale, aiming to start conversations about the play’s central themes.

“The themes I keep seeing

throughout the play are gender violence, victim-blaming, shaming, silencing,” said Valliere. “And the playwright herself has said that the play is not just about men and women, it’s also about countries.”

As the main portion of the project, Valliere organized a panel discussion

to address these themes. Women’s and gender studies program director and psychology professor Lisa Dawn Hamilton, sexual harassment advisor Melody Petlock, drama department head Glen Nichols, and The Love of the Nightingale director Andrea Boyd will lead the discussion, with moderation

by Christl Verduyn.

“We hope to really continue the conversation that’s been started and ask questions, which is kind of the thesis of the play in a way,” said Valliere.

‘Theatre’: Pg. 6

News

Editor: Taylor McCuaig | February 11, 2016 | argosy@mta.ca

Con’t from cover: Over 80 students and faculty protest at Board of Regents meeting

Faculty members and library staff recently signed and released an open letter condeming the Mt. A administration. Allison Grogan/Argosy In response to the public outcry and national media coverage, the administration sent out two emails – one with a linked FAQ page – to the Mt. A community.

The communications stated that the university had no intention of cutting the program. They assured the community that the formal review required to cut a program had not taken place. The email reasoned that “Mount Allison faces budget challenges and is exploring ways to most effectively deliver its academic programs.” vanderLeest initially met with Hamilton a day before the provincial budget was released. He told her last Monday, Feb. 1 that there was currently no funding for staffing the WGST program, and therefore no courses would be offered in the coming year if the budget did not change.

vanderLeest said the problem is not that money is being taken away from the program’s budget, but rather that there is no money in the budget to begin with. With the new budget announcement, vanderLeest said he will now begin searching for funds to put toward the program.

“I’m not cutting the program right now. I’m trying to find ways to sustain it,” he said. “We have to continue to be creative in looking for solutions that can keep us moving forward.”

On Thursday, Feb. 4, vanderLeest announced that the administration had discovered funds to pay two stipends for the minor’s core courses in the upcoming year.

The program’s steering committee has made it clear these proposed stipends are not a feasible way to ensure the longevity of the program.

They are formally requesting a fulltime temporary position and further

arrangements for the hiring of a tenure-track professor for 2017-18.

“No specific program or department has been singled out” in the budgeting process, said vanderLeest.

However, while other departments have started tentative time-tabling for the upcoming academic year, the WGST program has not. Students can register for the minor only if they have six or more credits from the four core women’s and gender studies classes. Leslie Kern, former acting director of the program, said, “To suggest that every program is in limbo right now I think is disingenuous.”

A group of 47 faculty members and library staff have signed an open letter condemning the administration’s response to student and faculty protest. The letter criticizes the university’s attempt to dispute the effects that these financial cuts would have on the program. It asserts that

the two stipends recently offered by the administration will leave the program in a precarious position in the long run.

The letter argues that “rather than directly addressing the funding decision and its consequences for the university, they have misled and misdirected, resorting to the corrupt techniques of doublespeak to disguise the truth of the situation and to evade responsibility for it.”

Dr. Jane Dryden, philosophy professor and member of the WGST steering committee, said the purported lack of funding indicated that the minor was not a priority. She said the proposed budget cuts will make it easier for the administration to justify the discontinuation of the minor. “We know that the best way to cut a program is to starve it and then say it wasn’t doing very well.”

The dispute has moved students

and faculty to defend the importance of the program.

Alexopoulos said the minor is about more than just academics; it is about creating “a campus and a community that reflects the values of many, not just a chosen few.

“This isn’t about whether or not we have the budget to offer a program,” she said. “It’s about whether or not we can afford to cease offering courses that interrogate systemic inequalities.”

On Friday morning, over 60 students trudged through the snow to stage a silent demonstration outside of the BoR meeting. They lined up along the railing of the student centre foyer, holding signs demanding the continuation of the minor.

“It’s one thing to see numbers on a petition, but seeing people actually show up at 8:30 in the morning is really great,” Stevenson said. “If we don’t show up, it’s easier for them to make decisions that go against our wants and desires as students.”

Students gathered again at 11:30 a.m. to engage board members as they left the meeting. After waiting over an hour for the meeting to end, board members left Tweedie Hall one at a time, often stopping to converse with protesters. Robert Campbell, Mt. A’s president, was one of the last to exit the room.

“One can’t help but be impressed by how galvanized the students have been, and how articulate they’ve been,” he said in a later interview.

“And I don’t want to say that in a condescending way.”

When she left the four-hour meeting, Willa McCaffrey-Noviss, a student representative on the BoR, said, “The student demonstrators today completely shaped the discussion in that meeting like I’ve never seen.”

Student activists attended the town hall budget meetings on Feb. 9 and 10, and will possibly demonstrate at the Feb. 16 Senate meeting.

Katharyn Stevenson is the Argosy’s opinions editor.

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NEWS

DIVEST

Board of Regents to form subcommittee on socially responsible investment

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This Week in the World Compiled by Catherine Turnbull UN holds emergency summit after North Korea launches missile On Sunday, Feb. 7, the United Nations held an emergency meeting following the launching of a missile by North Korea that morning. Pyongyang officials say the missile was a successful attempt to send a satellite into orbit. The launch has been condemned by the international community as a violation of international security regulations. The U.S. believes it was a test for a ballistic missile which could carry a nuclear warhead. This launch comes one month after North Korea conducted a nuclear test.

Syrian refugees trapped at Turkish border after Russian attack A Russian-led offensive in Aleppo, Syria has trapped refugees at the SyrianTurkish border. The border remains closed but Turkey has stated that they are prepared to let in more refugees. Thirty-three people have died in attempts to reach Greece from the Turkish coastline, compelling German Chancellor Angela Merkel to meet with Turkish officials to discuss the situation. Now, up to 300,000 Syrians being held by the siege in Aleppo are at risk of being cut off from food and supplies, according to the UN. Somali passenger-plane bomb kills one, injures two On Tuesday, Feb. 8, a jet operated by Daallo Airlines had to make an emergency landing due to a metre-wide hole in the side of the plane. The damages caused one fatality and two injuries among the 60 passengers. Now, officials say the explosion was caused by a bomb. Arrests have been made.

DivestMTA presents Socially Responsible Investment report to the MASU. Allison Grogan/Argosy

Taylor McCuaig News Editor DivestMTA presented a report at Mount Allison Students’ Union council on Feb. 1, citing their concern with the ethics of the university’s investment strategies. The report is entitled “The Case for Socially Responsible Investment [SRI] Policy at Mount Allison University.”

Students Alex Lepianka and Naomi Goldberg of DivestMTA presented their plans and recommendations for this report. A vote on a motion at the next council meeting will decide if the MASU will formally endorse the report, recognizing the need for procedure and policy for evaluating socially responsible investment.

Lepianka presented the first portion of the report, explaining the context of its creation. Lepianka said DivestMTA presented the investment committee of the Board of Regents (BoR) with a report concerning the ethics of the university’s investment strategies. On Aug. 14, the investment committee recommended against the use of non-financial criteria for investment decisions as this would include environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors.

Lepianka said it was found that the terms of reference indicated that the investment committee is not empowered to evaluate on nonfinancial criteria for investment.

The investment committee terms of reference specify that the committee is to solely evaluate the risk and return of investments.

The issue of SRIs was then moved under purview of the BoR nominating and governance committee, as it was determined that it was a governance issue rather than an investment issue, and was therefore outside the scope of

the investment committee. This was a problem because the nominating and governance committee does not have membership from faculty, students or staff but is rather “independent people making governance decisions about the university,” said Lepianka.

“There is a governance problem in addition to other ethical investing problems,” said Lepianka. “This report is trying to answer the fact that nowhere is there any sort of committee or procedure for properly evaluating matters of socially responsible investment.”

Second-year student Naomi Goldberg presented DivestMTA’s recommendations, all of which are common to SRI policies at other Canadian and American universities.

DivestMTA recommends that the BoR create a committee to establish a SRI policy. This committee would then advise the BoR on all SRIrelated matters.

“In the interest of transparency, [DivestMTA] would like the committee to have members of the student body, faculty and administration, and hopefully an equal number of each,” said Goldberg.

The report also suggests that Mt. A become a signatory of the United Nations’ six principles of responsible investment. These principles include: incorporating ESG issues into investment analysis and decisionmaking processes; being active owners and incorporating ESG issues into ownership policies and practices; seeking appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which the university invests; promoting acceptance and implementation of the principles within the investment industry; working to enhance the effectiveness in implementing the principles; and reporting on activities and progress towards implementing

the principles.

Goldberg said endowment information should be made public to the committee. DivestMTA cited a Bauder College case study in Atlanta, G.A. Bauder College did not allow their committee access to their endowment information, which rendered the committee ineffective.

The report’s final recommendation said Mt. A should establish a criterion for special action, which should be guided by both Yale and McGill Universities’ concepts of social injury, both of which cite the effects of climate change and which include the deaths and displacement of peoples. This recommendation says the university should have a policy in place for dealing with cases of problematic investments, should they appear.

On Feb. 12, following the first of three annual BoR meetings, a decision was made to create an advisory committee on SRI issues. MASU President Dylan Wooley-Berry told the crowd of students, “One decision was made: A subcommittee is going to be implemented that has students and faculty sitting on it, talking about the idea of creating a socially responsible investment [policy].”

Willa McCaffrey-Noviss, the MASU’s BoR representative, said the subcommittee is being created under the nominating and governance committee, which will consider where SRI fits within the BoR. McCaffrey-Noviss said she will be included on this subcommittee.

Naomi Goldberg is the Argosy’s politics reporter.

Major Taiwanese earthquake collapses 17-storey building A 6.4-magnitude earthquake caused a crisis in Tainan, Taiwan at 4 a.m. local time Saturday. At least 40 are dead and over 500 were injured in the disaster.

Survivors continue to be pulled from the wreckage. The Taiwanese government has ordered an investigation into a 17-storey residential building after pictures of tin cans built into the walls surfaced.

Train crash in Germany kills at least 10, injures 80 On Tuesday, Feb. 9, before 7 a.m., two commuter trains crashed head-on in the German state of Bavaria. The police of the region say this is the biggest accident of its kind in years. Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the trains have a system which should cause them to brake if they end up on the same track.

Black boxes from both trains are being analyzed.

Mass starvation threatens over a quarter of Zimbabwe’s population A worsening drought has caused the Zimbabwe government to reach out and seek $1.5 billion in humanitarian aid from local businesses and charities. The drought has been worsened by the El Niño conditions this year, which are felt especially by southern African countries. According to Zimbabwean VicePresident Emmerson Mnangagwa, the money will first go to import necessary food and secondly to repair irrigation systems in order to increase food production. A branch of the UN estimates that 14 million people in southern Africa are facing hunger due to El Niño-related poor harvests last year.

Over 3,100 pregnant Colombian women infected with Zika virus In Columbia alone, there have been 25,645 reported cases of the mosquitoborne Zika virus, over 3,100 of whom are pregnant women. The virus has been linked with the birth defect microcephaly, which can prevent fetal brains from developing properly. Many South-American governments have warned women to postpone getting pregnant. The symptoms of the virus are generally mild, including a fever and joint-aches, along with other flu-like symptoms. There is currently no vaccine for the Zika virus. In an attempt to slow the spreading of this virus, governments are trying to stop the breeding of these mosquitos.

Correction In last week’s Feb. 4 cover story “Panel discussion invokes heated debates on fossil fuel divestment,” we mistakenly misquoted Dr. Owen Griffiths. We originally quoted Dr. Griffiths as saying, “I am astounded that you will make these kinds of comments and that more of you have not raised your voices – this is apathetical.” The corrected, fully contextualized quote reads as follows: “We spend a huge amount of time and money talking about leadership, and what you’re suggesting here is that it’s not our problem – whatever we do won’t matter. Rob [Inglis], I know you, I like you, but I’m astounded that you would make these kinds of comments in this institution, and I’m astounded that more of you have not raised your voices about this. This is antithetical to everything that most of the people I know who work here believe in.”

Among the mostly punctuation-related differences is a more important correction, the changing of the word “apathetical” to “antithetical.”

The Argosy apologizes for this and any other errors. Any errors requiring correction should be brought to the attention of public editor Kevin Levangie, at argosy-ombuds@mta.ca

Science & Tech

Editor: S. Clay Steell | February 11, 2016 | argosy@mta.ca

HEALTH

C-section babies get microbes missed at birth

Researchers swab C-section babies with their mothers’ vaginal fluid to restore healthy bacteria Ninh Khuong Science & Tech Reporter The significance of the bond between mother and child may run deeper than we previously knew, right down to the microbes that live on and inside all of us. Babies pick up healthy gut bacteria only as they pass through their mother’s birth canal. Babies delivered by C-section don’t receive this maternal bacteria and end up with a different set, including those from the hospital’s environment. A number of recent studies have found that babies born via C-section are more likely to develop immune and metabolic disorders such as asthma, food allergies and obesity later in life, possibly due to not receiving their mother’s vaginal microbiome.

Researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York restored healthy microbes in C-section babies by swabbing them with microbes from their mothers’ vaginas. Published in the journal Nature Medicine this month, the study entitled “Partial restoration of the microbiota of cesarean-born infants via vaginal microbial transfer” tested this method on 18 mothers, seven of whom had vaginal births and 11 of whom had C-section births. Four of the C-section babies were swabbed with their mothers’ vaginal fluids.

The results of the study showed that C-section babies swabbed with their mothers’ vaginal fluids developed microbial communities more similar to those born vaginally.

In addition, bacteria that play a role in the immune system, including

Microbes are critical to health, and what babies recieve from their mothers is foundational. Patrick Allaby/Argosy Lactobacillus and Bacteroids, were found in swabbed babies but not in untreated C-section babies.

It’s too early to tell whether people born by C-section should be

concerned about not receiving their mothers’ vaginal microbes during birth. The study has yet to be able to determine whether swabbing would lead to any long-term

changes or how a baby’s healthy gut microbiome relates to its mother’s vaginal microbiome. The study’s researchers are currently conducting further research to show that the

procedure is indeed beneficial. This study, nonetheless, improves the understanding of the importance of bacteria in our health.

The method started by inserting a sterile gauze into the mother’s vagina an hour before the surgery. The gauze was removed a few minutes prior to caesarean surgery, and was swabbed onto the mouth, body and anus of the newborn baby. Within the first month, the researchers took more than 1,500 microbial samples from different body sites of each baby to examine the development of their microbiomes and to help answer the general question of how microbes acquired during early development influence the baby’s health later on.

The mothers in the study were screened for harmful bacteria as well as viral and fungal infections before delivery to avoid the risks of transferring pathogenic microbes to their babies. As a result, researchers of the study advise people not to use this method without consulting their doctors first, especially if the mother is diabetic. Diabetic mothers have high blood sugar in their systems, making them more at risk of urinary tract infections caused by unhealthy bacteria.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, 26 per cent of Canadian births are C-sections, which is approximately twice the rate recommended by World Health Organization. This study may have important implications in lowering the risk of chronic disorders among babies born by C-section.

CAMPUS TECH

Drones come to campus for inspections

Unmanned aerial vehicles used to inspect buildings for mainentance, renovation assessments S. Clay Steell Science & Tech Editor There’s been a buzz around campus— literally. You may have heard about it through your inbox or seen it in person: Drones have come to campus.

These remotely operated aircraft are being used to inspect the exteriors of Mount Allison’s buildings, a method that allows more detailed and frequent inspections in less time.

Most of Mt. A’s buildings have exteriors of brick or sandstone, which over time deteriorate and may need maintenance or renovation. Buildings are routinely inspected to determine whether they need attention and of what kind.

PJ Materials Consultants Ltd. (PJMC) is a Guelph, Ont.-based building inspection company that facilities management has contracted for over 20 years to inspect Mt. A’s buildings. These inspections were usually done by a telescopic handler, similar to a forklift but with an arm like a crane’s. These handlers were limited in how highly they could

inspect buildings, and also by how close they could get to buildings based on their surrounding landscaping.

PJMC contacted facilities management last year to offer the use of drones for building inspections, and since then more than 30 buildings have been inspected. The first round of drone inspections occurred in late June last summer, followed by another one in July. The third and most recent inspection occurred last week and was used to evaluate the exterior brick walls of the Athletic Centre. The campus community is notified before the inspections as a safety, operational and privacy measure.

The drones used to inspect Mt. A’s campus are DJI Phantom 3 professional models, which weigh about 1.3 kg and cost $1259 USD. PJMC and facilities management can now inspect several buildings in a day, which would previously have taken several days without drones.

The drones also provide videos of building inspections – as opposed to the still images attained with previous inspections – which are of greater

The type of drone used on campus by the contractor hired by facilities management. PJ Materials Consultants Ltd. value in assessing exterior integrity.

Despite being faster and requiring less equipment, the drone inspections cost about the same as the previous inspection method. The drone is also limited in where it can fly, such as near power lines or in overcrowded areas,

but it can generally cover building exteriors much more thoroughly.

Transport Canada regulates the usage of drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), but different rules apply to them whether they’re used professionally or recreationally.

Any drone under 35 kg used for recreational purposes can be flown without special permission, but most drones used in professional applications must attain approval from Transport Canada before they can operated.

Editor: Daniel Marcotte | February 11, 2016 | argosy@mta.ca MIXTAPE

Songs of love (and lack thereof) Paul Boon Production Assistant

Arts & Culture

LITERATURE

George Elliott Clarke reads from new novel at Owens Art Gallery Parliamentary Poet Laureate pays visit to Mt. A

“You’ve Got the Makings of a Lover” – Mayer Hawthorne (Impressions) Hawthorne’s take on an old Motown track about love at first sight is done with just enough added finesse and croon. Great to play before confessing your soulful desire for someone.

“Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)” – Frank Wilson This song’s building melody makes you feel like you popped a molly. Highly recommended to listen to while holding someone.

Pet Sounds – The Beach Boys Even before internet memes existed, there was “Pet Sounds and chill.” “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher” – Jackie Wilson (Higher and Higher) Whether for karaoke, intimate listening or dancing, “Higher and Higher” successfully gets your heart racing. Try your hand at some footwork during the instrumental break to attract the attention of the one you love.

“No One Could Love You More” – Gladys Knights and the Pips (Standing Ovation) Simple, but Knights’s vocal range puts it into teary-eyed territory.

Not recommended for anyone new to the concept of intimacy.

“Two Can Win” / “Don’t Cry” – J Dilla (Donuts) No matter the context, the flow of these songs into each other, the Deep Soul samples used, and the genius beat-mixing on this track come together to deliver a strange combination of bliss and sadness.

“Making Up, Breaking Up” – Sharon Jones (Give the People What They Want) Jones’s classic style of love with a grain of salt. Makes you think about the current predicament you and your past loved one might be in now.

“End of Our Road” – Marvin Gaye (MPG) One could easily be fooled by the upbeat tempo that this song being a continuation of Gaye’s typical ’60s vain-pop style, but make no mistake: This song is about pain of moving forward after being cheated on. Shit sucks; deal with it.

“Fancy Clown” – Madvillain (Madvillainy) “Now you apologize, that’s what they all say / You wasn’t sorry when you sucked him off in the hallway” – MF Doom’s and Madlib’s take on a teenage love gone awry.

“I’m Gone” – Dj Rashad (Just a Taste) Not about breakup per se, but it’s hard not to feel even a little bit morose while listening to “I’m Gone.” Juke one out for the soul; sometimes it’s not always just about your heart.

Clarke’s enthusiastic style of oration kept the audience engaged throughout the talk. Milo Hicks/Submitted

Sebastian Carrera Argosy Contributor Braving tempestuous Sackville weather, recently appointed parliamentary poet laureate George Elliott Clarke presented at the Owens Art Gallery last Wednesday.

Clarke primarily read passages from his book, The Motorcyclist (released Feb. 2) as well as a few poems from his 1990 collection Wylah Falls.

Reminiscent of a time before brutalist architecture engulfed Halifax and automobile culture peaked, Clarke’s novel reignites memories hidden beneath the hard edges of the city’s downtown.

Based on the contents of Clarke’s father’s travel diary and set accordingly in 1959, The Motorcyclist tells the story of Carl Black, a 23-year-old black Haligonian who

embarks on a road trip to the United States and back. Clarke first read from the novel’s first chapter, in what he called a “philosophical” attempt to answer the question, “What does it mean to drive?”

Like Clarke’s father, Carl is bent on getting respect and justice through self-exceptionalism and does not actively participate in or even mention the Civil Rights movement. Rather, he prefers to evade confrontation and discrimination, taking pride in his ability to outwit the ignorant.

Carl’s internal narrative is by default a political one: a perspective whereby the hyper-respectability imposed on people of colour is bypassed by the reader directly accessing the thoughts and feelings of the black protagonist.

Rather than cater to racialized respectability politics, Clarke’s book forces the reader to internalize the unfiltered experiences of a black man, complete with his occasionally

jarring imperfections; Clarke himself described the novel as a “very interior story.” As the narrative of The Motorcyclist advances through Carl’s eyes, the passages seem to uncover the protagonist’s determination to persist and thrive across his escapades and misadventures.

Polished with visceral, grimy prose, Clarke’s poetic flair amplified the tone of his performance with a bluesy, rhythmic tempo. After especially explicit passages, he would invite questions from the audience with a chuckle, engaging in a conversational style and mellowing his captivated audience rather than allowing attendees to feel distanced from what they heard. Clarke’s seamless blend of prose and poetry forms a personal tribute to his father and unearths one of many perspectives often hidden under whitewashed layers of Atlantic Canadian history.

home.

A similar process is at the heart of some chili pepper-infused drinks, such as Saveur’s “killer B,” which features simple syrup – a 2:1 granulatedsugar-to-water configuration, slowly heated on a stovetop – made with cracked peppercorns and minced Thai bird’s eye chilies. A variation of the “bee’s knees” cocktail, this drink comprises two ounces of gin and a half-ounce of lemon juice, but swaps honey for said spicy syrup in a unique balance of sour and sweet, floral and fiery. Alternatively, add a dose of this special syrup to a white rum and muddled mint mojito to elevate this refreshing yet mediocre beverage to new peppery heights.

Last but not least is the beer cocktail that is as diverse and flamboyant in construction as Canada’s caesar: the michelada.

Favoured in Mexico, this spicy shandy is essentially plain light beer livened up with any combination of lime juice, salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce, tomato or clamato juice, salsa, or hot sauce made from jalapeño, serrano, habanero or smoked chipotle peppers. Often, these will also be served in a pint glass rimmed with either salt or chili powder. Much like caesars, micheladas are reputed to cure hangovers – if all that salt, sour and spice doesn’t rejuvenate your aching body, perhaps nothing will.

COCKTAILS

The spirit of the season: pepper Daniel Marcotte Arts & Culture Editor Since last week’s column featured salt as a cocktail ingredient, it seems fitting to follow up with its tabletop partner: pepper. While we typically associate cocktails with sweet, sour, smoky or perhaps savoury flavour palettes, some daring avant-garde bartenders are increasingly experimenting with drinks that exploit the spicy flavours of peppercorns and various chili peppers. The only downside, I suppose, is that these piperine- and capsaicin-laced drinks might require one to keep an accompanying chaser handy in case the heat gets too

intense.

While in Victoria last summer, I had the privilege of visiting the Veneto Tapa Lounge, famous for its “surprise me” option whereby patrons choose a flavour and a base spirit and the lounge’s skilled bartenders invent something on the spot. Although I felt overwhelmed and embarrassingly underdressed at such a fancy venue, one particular drink stands out in my memory: a mixture of cachaça (Brazilian white rum), shavings of red bell pepper, lemon juice and crushed ice, all topped with a healthy sprinkling of cracked black and red peppercorns. Simple, refreshing and slightly spicy, this drink is a perfect bookend to a muggy summer day on

the west coast – or a great way to use up aging fruits and veggies from your fridge. For a spicier variant of this cocktail, try the barbacoa: muddled bell pepper, chipotle pepper, lime and shaved ginger root topped with ice, sugar syrup and tequila or mezcal, all garnished with a strip of beef jerky.

If you’re looking for something more stiff, try the black pepper Gibson: two ounces of gin or vodka and an ounce of dry vermouth, shaken into a martini glass and topped with cracked black pepper and a couple cocktail onions. Those looking to kick up the heat can also use pepper- or chili-infused spirits such as Absolut Peppar or the intense UV Sriracha Vodka, or simply infuse their own at

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Editor: Daniel Marcotte | February 11, 2016 | argosy@mta.ca

Arts & Culture

MUSIC

Album reviews

Marianas Trench – Astoria (604 Records, Oct. 23) Marianas Trench is known for albums that are equally thought-provoking and entertaining, and Astoria is no exception. The band combines upbeat tunes and heartfelt lyrics in their latest album, exploring themes of heartbreak and mortality with catchy, singalong hits.

Astoria is strongly influenced by 1980s pop culture, including its Goonies-inspired album title and cover art. Multiple songs on the album stand out with their retro sound: “Shut Up and Kiss Me” sounds like it could have been performed by The Jackson 5, and “Yesterday” is reminiscent of the Footloose soundtrack.

What makes this album interesting is its juxtaposition of bright, happy tunes and serious, often dark lyrics.

Lead vocalist Josh Ramsay has stated that inspiration came from recent life events, including the breakup with his fiancée and his mother’s terminal illness. These themes are incorporated into each song, including the more upbeat ones. In this way, Marianas Trench successfully combines their iconic theatricality and playfulness with deeply personal self-expression.

To the pleasure of their fanbase, Marianas Trench incorporates throwbacks to older songs into their new material. In “Dearly Departed,” the lyrics in the bridge consist almost entirely of song titles from previous albums. While it does feel a little bit forced, it makes sense within the context of the song and sounds quite good.

The biggest flaw with this album is the five orchestral pieces meant to serve as transition pieces and add to the 1980s cinematic mood of the album. These tracks sound excellent on their own, like they came from an adventure film soundtrack.

Their placement within the album, however, feels arbitrary and doesn’t add any sort of flow or transition.

Compared to their previous album, Ever After, in which each song transitions seamlessly into the next, the flow in Astoria left something to be desired.

While not without its flaws, Astoria is a well-crafted album, and arguably Marianas Trench’s most thematically solid album to date.

– Amanda Cormier

FOOD

Unsettling the table Alex Lepianka Food Columnist Cultures of food have developed in ways that allow the table to be read as a site of subjugation and resistance: for considering the labours of care and community which our society has so violently devalued as the work of women, wives and domestic labourers.

Yet, transverse to these devaluations, the production of experiences of cuisine constitutes a massive industry of profit and fame. The recognition of these contradictions and their arbitrariness, however, is already a gesture of anti-oppression; for these reflections on the a priori of eating, which my column will attempt, are a backbone of revaluing reproductive labour within our society.

First, it is necessary to observe that

we seldom, if ever, think to question food beyond its substance. The most widely propagated discussions of food in our media limit themselves to questions of what we eat, and perhaps from where our food originates (culturally or otherwise). Yet, within the canon of food writing, the question of who prepares the food is never articulated. To do so would render food media unfit for sale within a society in which we live, work, and eat as individuals. Since the industrialization of the meal, our ability to recognize its worth – perhaps by considering food, artistry and dining environment – stops short of seeing the relationships of care that actually produce it. While both markets for dining and for culinary labour exist and perhaps even flourish, their functioning only affirms a systemic devaluation of

domestic labour.

Consider that it is sensible – unavoidable, even – to differentiate between a mother’s labour over her macaroni and cheese, prepared for her family, and the paid labour that prepared an identical dish served at a restaurant. Somewhere between the home and the market, we obscure the fact that the output of a caregiver does not find its equal with the output of a chef. Now, we might acknowledge the tragedies faced by women in restaurant careers, where fewer than 10 per cent of head chefs are female, or where raising children is often grounds for penalization, especially as in the U.S. But, in our popular discourse, we will seldom recognize that our existence as a contemporary society is predicated on reproductive work – from childcare to domestic cooking – for which no

value is accorded.

These contradictions are not unfortunate byproducts of our economy, but an inextricable component of a system based on inequalities, constructed along gradations of gender, race, wealth, and so on. Recognizing the value of caregiving as a relationship, rather than as the expenditure of labour, is not an hopeless exercise, but the foundation of an ethical orientation from which a just society may emerge. Though the meal may remain as a commodity to be produced for sale, our task as social beings must be to illuminate those relationships left worthless by the logic of commodification. After all, it is these relationships that wove food into our humanity.

Continued from cover: Drama students aim to generate feminist discussions with upcoming staging of ‘The Love of the Nightingale’

‘The Love of the Nightingale’ depicts the empowering solace of sisterhood in the face of oppressive gender-based violence. Bella Stein/Submitted Following each performance, audience members will also have an opportunity to reflect on and engage with the play’s themes. Origami birds will be displayed outside the theatre, and viewers may write comments on

“[A play’s] impact can reverberate through the community.” the wings of each bird. Valliere will also accept artistic responses, like drawings or poetry, to be published in a book in the weeks following the show.

“A play only exists for a time, but its impact can reverberate through the community,” said Valliere, inviting the public to “help continue the story”

through these responses.

The Love of the Nightingale is based on a Greek myth, the story of the rape of Philomela. It follows two sisters, Procne and Philomela, and Procne’s new husband, the warlord Tereus. “[Procne] leaves with her new husband and calls on her younger sister to come to live with her,” said Franziska Glen, who plays the role of Procne. “And when her husband goes to pick her up, all sorts of things start to happen.”

Glen says that one of Procne’s key characteristics is her tendency to follow the rules of society, not questioning anything until it’s too late.

“This character, this play as a whole, it’s storytelling, but it’s storytelling with a very conscious goal of being a

catalyst for conversation,” said Glen.

“But also to realize that this has been happening forever. This violence, this injustice, this continual theme.”

Glen said that the play’s themes are especially relevant to the Mount Allison community given proposed funding cuts to the women’s and gender studies program.

“This is my form of activism,” said Glen. “Storytelling is how I am communicating my distrust with this society.”

Xavier Gould, who plays Tereus, said he was intrigued by his character’s complexity.

“It was really interesting to not just say, ‘I’m playing the good guy or I’m playing the bad guy.’ No, in his mind, he is the good guy,” said Gould.

“And that brings so much truth to

the character.”

Gould says he feels theatre is sometimes underappreciated on campus. By addressing the play’s serious themes, he also wants to break the stigma of theatre as “pointless entertainment” as opposed to a tool to examine social issues.

“There is this stereotype that theatre on campus is fun-loving. ‘I went to see this because my friend’s in it,’” said Gould. “No—come see this play with a critical mind, come see this play with an artistic mind, and really appreciate it for what it is.”

The Love of the Nightingale runs Feb. 10-13 in the Motyer-Fancy Theatre, with the panel discussion open to everyone on Friday afternoon.

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Arts & Culture

ARTIST PROFILE

7

Grogan and Dickey collaborate on START show Photography exhibition explores space and solitude through ‘reflective self-portraiture’

Caity Brawn Arts & Culture Reporter Though neither of them are fine arts majors, Ben Dickey and Allison Grogan can nevertheless be found haunting Mount Allison’s photo department. Recently, the duo collaborated on an exhibition they titled “Here, Still,” which explores themes of absence and loneliness through self-portraiture.

The exhibition is both Dickey’s and Grogan’s START Gallery debut, after five years at Mt. A. “Both of us spent a lot of time in the photo department compared to our other departments, so I think it warranted putting some stuff on the walls,” said Grogan.

Grogan graduated last May, completing a degree in anthropology.

She reapplied to Mount Allison in order to take an independent study in photography with Karen Stentaford.

On top of that, Grogan works as a technician and assistant in the photography department.

One of Grogan’s photo series, titled Stress/Relief, features Grogan in her apartment, taken using a long shutter cable release. Grogan’s pieces tell her story of the working process and how she comes to begin projects.

“It’s the hardest part about photography for me. I have to do something and it has to be perfect immediately, which is totally unrealistic,” said Grogan.

“For me, self-portraiture can be an outlet when it’s hard to start projects,” said Grogan.

In addition to human subjects, Grogan also works with landscapes, especially in the form of diptychs.

Though their technical processes differ, Grogan and Dickey said their respective styles complement each other. Adrian Kiva/Argosy Both pieces in her series titled Recession, for example, present two photos of the same landscape, with Grogan featured in one and absent from the other. The series echoes an earlier project of hers, At Home, which is contrastingly set indoors.

“I’ve always kind of liked the juxtaposition of two photos beside each other,” said Grogan. “[The series] shows you how figures change the landscape.”

Dickey, an international relations student in his fifth year, plans to complete his degree by this May. His pieces in the show all come from a series of his work called Absolute

Loneliness taken in medium format using a Holga, an inexpensive type of camera without many complex features. “[Working with a Holga is] fun because there’s a lot of technical considerations with photography,” said Dickey. “Using a Holga is liberating because you only have two shutter speeds, and you just go for it.”

Dickey’s pieces share a common theme with Grogan’s work. “I would call [my work] reflective self-portraiture,” said Dickey “It’s expressing yourself through the environment that surrounds you.”

Dickey’s black-and-white series

tells a story of loneliness, exploring environment and a sense of identity.

“I looked for things that externally reflected the feelings that I had internally,” said Dickey. “It’s almost like empathy from your environment, when you feel unconsoled or sad, to see things that physically seem that way as well.”

Dickey and Grogan have known each other for a few years, but this is the first time they have collaborated on an exhibition. The two plan to continue to work together once the show is finished.

“It’s been awesome; I feel like we’re married, in a nice platonic way,” said

Dickey, to which Grogan promptly rolled her eyes.

“We have a good working relationship,” said Grogan. “He’s really into digital manipulation and digital editing, which is stuff that I’m not necessarily well-versed in.

We work well together because we’re both good at different things.”

“Here, Still” will be on display at START until Feb. 17. The official opening will be held 7-9 p.m. on Feb. 12.

Allison Grogan is the Argosy’s photo editor.

FILM

‘The 5th Wave’ suffers from poor pacing and tired tropes Sci-fi film fails to convey the emotional gravity of its apocalyptic premise

Shane Grogan Argosy Contributor One of the things I love about science fiction is its ability to comment on real issues and ideas in our lives by telling stories that are themselves fantastic and beyond our experience.

We may not have an empirical frame of reference to determine whether films like Prometheus are realistic, but the emotional and intellectual responses they inspire certainly are.

Yet without this idea in mind, I think people often take for granted what they see in these stories, as if the ideas and lessons proposed do not apply to them. When HAL9000 wreaks havoc in 2001: A Space Odyssey, I think filmgoers tend to see a movie villain rather than a commentary on artificial intelligence.

When produced and consumed en masse, sci-fi movies, in their attempt to give us perspective, can also make us feel detached from the imminence

of certain truths. So when it comes to The 5th Wave, based on the young adult novel by Rick Yancey, it seems the filmmakers fall into this audience.

While they have attempted to make a sci-fi action film, they show little sense of what intergalactic warfare might actually feel like and what it would mean for us more broadly.

What they have instead made is an uneven and wholly unconvincing scifi feature.

It feels very familiar. In Ohio, Cassie (played by Chloe Grace Moretz) is an average teenager in high school. But suddenly large ships are floating above Earth, sending out different “waves” to eradicate humanity. The first four are, in order: loss of power, natural disaster, disease and infiltration. The fifth wave is human annihilation. The humble Cassie, along with a few other adolescents, rise to the occasion to save the world.

Some of the most disappointing movie experiences are those which

promise solid ideas at the drawing board, but flop when executed.

The 5th Wave represents missed opportunity after missed opportunity, and this is largely the result of poor pacing. The first three waves include some of the most consequential events of the exposition, which in a better film would be given greater focus, and would take a while longer to get through. Yet these waves are packed into the first half-hour of the film (the whole thing runs just under two hours), making the sense of apocalyptic danger almost wholly undeveloped.

What follows is a story about alien invaders which does not seem to take humanity’s demise very seriously.

It had me constantly thinking: this probably isn’t what space invasion will be like. The way The 5th Wave flippantly writes off the immensity of this threat and fails to develop its context has a hint of hubris to it, like we would actually know what to do in this situation. Its depiction of cosmic

warfare is farcically uncompelling; Cassie very conveniently knows how to operate a sniper rifle. Maybe the characters have seen too many rehashed sci-fi films; they’re a dime a dozen nowadays. Maybe alien invasion won’t shock us too much.

If the weak opening sequence wasn’t enough, the middle portion of The 5th Wave is barely about the alien threat itself. In fact, we never really see the aliens, only their ships.

We are instead subject to the fickle teenage romance which blossoms between Cassie and her mysterious tutor (because making out with a stranger you just met clearly takes priority when you’re alone in the woods surrounded by deadly creatures). The premise of aliens which parasitically infect their hosts is trite and overplayed enough. That the promise of sci-fi action is replaced with sappy, hormonal melodrama is a bait-and-switch that left me feeling irritated and ripped off.

I have not read Yancey’s book, but

I also didn’t enter the theatre with high expectations. The parasitic alien gimmick got me before I came in, and the empty writing and laughable effects rested my case afterward.

The 5th Wave is a film that thinks it is something new. It is a shadow of a shadow of greater sci-fi films before it, boiling their finer qualities down into an uneven hodgepodge of cash-grabbing monotony. It is Alien without the suspense, Invasion of the Body Snatchers without the paranoia, Independence Day without the grandiosity. But The 5th Wave is so unaware of its own unoriginality, so wrapped up in its own epiphany, you would think the writers had never seen a sci-fi movie in their lives. Or maybe they’ve seen too many.

If you have never seen a sci-fi movie in your life, I would still stay away from The 5th Wave; look instead to its better-refined forbears. At least then you’ll see some aliens and not also not feel like chuckling about the end of the world.

8

CENTREFOLD

February 11, 2016 | argosy@mta.ca

What does good sex mean to students in 2016 at Mt. A? Naomi Goldberg Politics Reporter What does “good sex” mean to you? Good sex is a subjective term – for some, it involves adventure; for others, romanticism. With the coming of Valentine’s Day, we asked students a variety of questions about good sex, to get a look into what different Mt. A students are into.

In order to answer this question, 33 women from the cast of The Vagina Monologues were interviewed in a group. The introduction to last week’s Vagina Monologues performance reads: “Women love to talk about their vaginas, mainly because no one has ever asked them before.” This turned out to be true: These women were open about their sex lives, and a spontaneous, energetic discussion soon arose. Three men were also interviewed individually, and they, too, elaborated freely in their responses to our questions.

Responses came from heterosexual, bisexual and homosexual individuals. Participants were either single, or in monogamous or polyamorous realtionships.

For some participants, good sex was defined by whether or not their partner was selfish in bed. “The overhanging goal of sex is orgasming, but perhaps that’s an ideological goal more than anything else.

The more immediate goal of sex is to make your partner feel good,” said one man.

One woman suggested using reverse psychology on herself as a tool for good sex.

Until recently, this woman had not had sex that resulted in her orgasm. Eventually, she forced herself to stop caring. “I said, ‘Fine, don’t come.’ to my body.” She enthusiastically exclaimed that as of that moment, she had

begun to orgasm during sex.

Some participants felt that good sex involved creating a human connection, while others focused on clear, established boundaries beforehand. According to the latter, chemistry is necessary, but an emotional connection isn’t.

One participant said that the best sex of his life was with someone he had never met beforehand, and never saw – or even wanted to see – again. He said they had previously established that it was going to be a one-night stand.

Participants also identified factors of “good sex” as being secrecy, new places – particularly those precarious places where you run the chance of being walked in on – sex “without thinking about what it means,” as well as pauses to cuddle or have conversations before finishing. “Sex is like ice cream: all good, but far better when you take time to sample all of its flavours,” said one man.

Students were also asked a series of followup questions such as “What’s better – the foreplay or the actual sex?” and “What are your thoughts on enjoying sex without coming?”

Many participants were quick to point out that the standard definition of foreplay is what some people consider sex.

This realization also led to more questions: Does oral sex count as foreplay or sex? Why are we even making a distinction? Many people agreed that having a partner perform oral sex is the best part of the sexual experience.

However, many also noted that to be enjoyable, foreplay has to be original—just going through the motions is boring. “I can’t get off without foreplay, but I absolutely hate the making-out part,” said one person.

“There comes a time during foreplay when I just really want to get fucked,” said another.

Next, participants were asked about their thoughts on sex without orgasm. It was impossible to avoid discussing the issue of the double standard surrounding orgasm. In our patriarchal

society, when a man orgasms it is often taken to mean sex is over, even if his partner has not yet reached orgasm.

Many interviewees also pointed out that having an ultimate goal – orgasm – can sometimes take away from the fun of the sex itself. A few participants noted that before they began regularly having orgasms during sex with a partner, they “tried harder,” or were more excited, because of the uncertainty of what was going to happen.

“Now it’s a little too easy,” said one woman.

Furthermore, many participants noted their partners’ apparent need to make them come.

Although all agreed that it was important to strive for equality in sexual relationships, some felt that reaching orgasm should not always be considered the be-all, end-all goal of a sexual interaction. If sex lasts too long, they sometimes get bored, even if they haven’t orgasmed. Some participants even noted getting distracted during sex—thinking about whether or not they had done their laundry or looking forward to garlic fingers.

Participants were asked how the length of intercourse influenced their experience. One man explained that for him, “speedy is better than a marathon.” Applying economic principles to sex, he pointed to “diminishing marginal returns.”

Finally, the discussion turned to safe sex.

Most answered that safe sex goes beyond the boundaries of using protection—although both women and men reported having been pressured to not use contraception. Safe sex, in some participants’ minds, was emotional sex. For others, it was sex with established boundaries.

The man who answered in the latter explained that safe sex makes for good sex because he can implement kinkiness into the encounter— something he wouldn’t do if he didn’t feel completely comfortable with his partner.

~sexy tunes~ for V-Day Taylor McCuaig with files from Eleanor Beale & Kyle Forbes “Elevate Me Later” – Pavement (Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain) Because the most Sackville-core thing you can do is make out to Pavement.

“The Night John Tillman Came to Our Apt.” – Father John Misty (I Love You, Honeybear) The moment when you go, “Oh, shit – this is where it’s going.”

“Kiss It Better” – Rihanna (ANTI) The gravity would have to be higher for this petting to be any heavier.

“Exchange” – Bryson Tiller (T R A P S O U L) “Just give me all of you in exchange for me.” “the valley” – Miguel (Wildheart) Beads of sweat, the sheets are probably on the floor.

“Climax” – Usher (Looking 4 Myself) I think this one speaks for itself.

“Something About You” – Majid Jordan (Majid Jordan) Hope you enjoyed the ride.

“Pink Matter” – Frank Ocean ft. Andre 3000 (Channel Orange) Get lost in “pink matter.”

“Pillowtalk” – Zayn So what if he was in One Direction? This song works.

“Outside” – The Weeknd (Trilogy) Start to run your hands all over.

“Violently” – Natalie Prass (Natalie Prass) A melancholic song to slow down to.

“Two Weeks” – FKA twigs (LP1) Lean into it.

“My Body Is a Cage” – Arcade Fire (Neon Bible) Sometimes you just need to catch your breath to an Arcade Fire song.

The Argosy | www.argosy.ca

CENTREFOLD

9

Relationship norms and the issues surrounding them Sebastian Carrera Argosy Contributor You’re new here—or maybe you’re not. But whether we’re sexually inexperienced or skilled, it can be difficult to feel safe talking about and living the relationships that appeal to us. The pull to a conventional, monogamous relationship may be strong for some, but less validated are those who want to explore their sexuality with more than one person. Too often, violent stigma and the threat of being marginalized play roles in shaping our sexual and relationship decisions, especially if one identifies as a woman, non-binary, and/ or LGBTQ. When already in an established relationship, many feel that it’s an unnecessary risk to broach the subject of monogamy or lack thereof. These conversations can still happen and even become more normative as a result.

“In an ideal world, people interested in discussing the structure of their relationships would just present themselves from day one as like, ‘Here’s what I want,’” said Lisa Dawn Hamilton, associate professor at Mount Allison and current head of the women’s and gender studies department.

So why is non-monogamy so stigmatized?

Established understandings of sexuality are typically formed through the lens of sexual power structures; in a world dominated by heterosexual cisgender men, it’s no surprise that this leads to a narrow scope of sexual scripts, which can be described as the accepted norms through which men and women interact with one another.

“We have this social script of: You’re supposed to grow up, find the person you love, get married, have babies. There is this idea of what is supposed

to happen, and any sense of deviation from that can feel uncomfortable,” said Hamilton.

Hamilton also said she believes the reason that we have difficulty having conversations about monogamy is because they challenge normal assumptions of what a relationship should be.

She said this can still include when you want to discuss asserting the norm of monogamy.

Under heteronormative and often-dominant scripts, women are often discouraged from discussing their sexual preferences.

Toxic societal notions, especially those which say women “should be chased, and not [enjoy] sex,” can also dissuade people from having mutual and respectful conversations in which individuals can articulate sexual preferences, said Hamilton.

Hamilton said that the discussion of monogamy, and any other way relationships work, can often be easier for people in LGBTQ relationships.

“The research comparing gay men and straight couples [shows that] gay men have almost all […] talked about [monogamy],” whereas straight people rarely do, said Hamilton.

While most of us would say we support freedom of expression and condemn the subjugation of others, it’s easy to adhere to deterministic sexual hierarchies that restrict and punish individuals for the benefit of others. These deterministic hierarchies can be described as the way in which society attempts to tell women what they should do with their bodies.”

Why do we engage in these subjugations of the female body? Hamilton said that it is because these norms provide simple rules which govern our place in the world which give legitimacy to male hetero-dominance and erase questions we would otherwise have to grapple with. “People like social order, and they like to know what to

expect,” she said.

Hamilton also said the media shows people what heterosexual relationships “should” look like and helps categorize them as the norm because most of the relationships in media like television and movies are heterosexual.

Pornography additionally helps categorize the norms we see in sexual scripts.

Additionally, mainstream corporatized pornography is often criticized for abusing and taking advantage of vulnerable women and creating content that places little to no value on female pleasure. It can also reinforce violent tropes that trivialize consent and remove for the viewer women’s control over their own sexuality. Hamilton provided an example of a way by which we should oppose the way culture treats women’s bodies through supporting ethical porn. Ethical porn can be characterized by non-exploitative practices, better benefits for those involved, and typically more genuine enjoyment on the part of those performing.

Ethical porn is also far more often created by women.

Otherwise, confronting our internalizations of sexual hierarchies requires us to delegitimize positions of social dominance as well as create space for women and LGBTQ people to determine what their own sexualities should look like.

“I would encourage everyone to figure out for themselves what they’re looking for in their relationships, and what they’re looking for in sex, and present that as early as possible,” said Hamilton. “The more people who do that, the more normative it would become to have those conversations.”

A list of things to do on Valentine’s Day when you don’t want it to be Valentine’s Day Taylor McCuaig News Editor

Here is a list of things you can do to avoid your loneliness on Valentine’s Day or celebrate your singledom: 1. Go to Sweetest Little Thing, look at some art, have some drinks, feel fancier than an undergrad student should.

2. Buy all the discount chocolate and candy you can find and eat it all.

3. Watch any number of bad rom coms. My number one suggestion is When Harry Met Sally.

4. Buy yourself flowers and stare at them for hours.

5. Drink a lot of wine – rosé might be the best option for this weekend.

6. Buy a bath bomb and take a bath until you turn into a prune.

7. Attend a ‘Galentines’/‘Palentines’ party with your friends at which you bond over loneliness, secrets, spells or your favourite form of liquor.

8. Deal with the ever-growing list of things in your Netflix queue.

9. Masturbate.

10. Realize that not being in a relationship by no means has to define you (unless you’d like it to).

Sports & Health

Editor: Nathan Dix | February 11, 2016 | argosy@mta.ca

HOCKEY

Taylor shootout hero as Mounties top St. FX Mounties get 43 saves from Martin and goals from Anthony and Bell in win over X-Women

The Mounties bounced back from a tough overtime loss against UPEI with great overall team win against St. FX on Saturday in Antigonish. Adrian Kiva/Argosy

Nathan Dix Sports & Health Editor This past Saturday, the Mounties travelled to St. FX for a game against the X-Women. In a close game that featured countless scoring opportunities for both teams, the Mounties emerged with a 3-2 shootout win. The result marked a great bounce-back victory for the Mounties after they suffered a tough loss at home to the last-place UPEI. This victory pushes them ahead of St. FX for fourth place in the AUS standings.

The X-Women were able to strike first midway through the first period.

After showing some good speed and

pressure in the Mounties zone, they were finally able to put one past Kerri Martin of the Mounties. A faceoff to the left of Martin was won by the X-Women and, after some good puck pressure behind the net, a centering pass found the stick the St. FX center, who beat a sprawling Martin.

The Mounties struck back quickly, with Kara Anthony scoring her ninth goal of the season to tie the game 1-1. The goal came on the powerplay during which the Mounties showed great poise with the puck, allowing for several scoring chances that led to a point shot by Emily Van Diepen being redirected in by Anthony.

The Mounties started the second period strong, showing great energy and speed on the forecheck and

through the neutral zone. They were rewarded for this effort three minutes into the period with a goal from Jennifer Bell. The play started in the Mounties end as Gabrielle Vautour picked up the puck and carried it end-to-end before finding Bell with a perfect drop pass, who fired it under the arm of the St. FX goalie. Less than five minutes later, the X-Women were able to respond and tie the game. The goal came on an odd-man break for St. FX that on the first attempt was broken up by the Mounties defence, but a second effort saw a cross-crease pass find the St. FX winger’s stick, giving Martin very little chance. The rest of the second and third periods saw some great back-and-forth action, with both

goalies standing tall to keep the game tied at 2-2.

After overtime solved nothing, with neither team able to capitalize on their opportunities and both goalies showing no holes, the game moved to a shootout. The goalies continued to dominate and stand tall. The first four shooters from both teams were stopped, with both goalies benefiting from a couple shots grazing the posts.

St. FX put the first goal on the board, putting pressure on Anthony to score with her next shot to keep the Mounties alive. Anthony answered the call with a great backhand-toforehand move, sliding the puck just inside the post. Martin then stopped three straight St. FX shooters, which gave Kelsey Taylor the chance to win

it for the Mounties. Taylor made a skillful deke, fooling the St. FX goalie and putting it in the open net securing the victory for the Mounties.

Martin had a huge game-making 43 saves on 45 shots and stopping seven of eight shootout attempts leading the Mounties to victory.

This was an important win for the Mounties, as coming into the game they were only one point ahead of St. FX in the standings. The Mounties now have an 11-10-1 record for the season, with two games remaining.

The Mounties will play their final regular-season home game Sunday, Feb. 14 at 3 p.m.

HEALTH

Zika virus outbreak: a global health emergency Alyssa BeLong Health Intern The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a worldwide state of emergency based on the recent outbreak of Zika virus in Brazil and other countries in Central and South America. This global health emergency places the virus in the same category as Ebola, and therefore should be treated accordingly.

Zika virus was first isolated in monkeys from Uganda in 1947, with the first human case found in Nigeria in 1954. Brazil has been experiencing a rapid outbreak of Zika virus since

May 2015. Though the effects of the virus are generally mild in adults, the major cause for concern is the development of microcephaly in unborn babies.

Microcephaly is a condition where babies are born with significantly smaller heads than usual due to abnormal brain development, often leading to developmental problems and other significant health issues. There is no treatment for the condition, however early intervention methods such as speech and occupational therapy may help improve quality of life.

Brazil reported only 150 cases of microcephaly in 2014, however as

of October 2015 there were already 404 confirmed cases in that year with 3,670 still being investigated. Though the precise biological link between Zika virus and microcephaly is unclear, there is certainly a correlation between the virus and subsequent birth defect.

Since the May 2015 outbreak in Brazil, Zika virus has also been documented in Barbados, Bolivia, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Suriname and Venezuela.

The virus is vectored by Aedes mosquitoes, which are found throughout the Americas except in Canada and Chile. These mosquitoes become infected by feeding on an infected individual. They can then go on to transmit the virus to other individuals on which they feed. It is noteworthy that these mosquitos are highly active during the day, therefore bed nets offer limited protection.

Moreover, there is some evidence that the Zika virus may be sexually transmitted. Public health officials are urging individuals in affected countries to use barrier methods during sex, as well as to consider delaying getting pregnant.

Public Health is encouraging those who think they might be pregnant to avoid travelling to potentially affected countries.

Travel-related cases of Zika have also been reported in Canada, therefore it is important to be conscious of where you are travelling and the associated risks. Diligent hand-washing is the best method in preventing infection when travelling to an affected country. If you are travelling down south this spring, it is important to conduct prior research on the prevalence of Zika in the area and how you can prevent potential infection.

The Argosy | www.argosy.ca

SPORTS & HEALTH

ROUNDUP

In other Mounties sports action Nathan Dix Sports & Health Editor The women’s volleyball team had a good week overall, winning two out of their three games. On Thursday, the Mounties squared off against the Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture Rams, winning the game three sets to zero. They dominated the action all match, never allowing the Rams to score more 15 points in any of the three sets. The large margin of victory allowed for everyone to get some floor time and contribute.

Morganne Peck led the Mounties with five kills, while Lauren Wentzell added 14 assists. They then followed this victory up with another blowout win against the Université de Sainte Anne Dragons three sets to zero. The Mounties again got contributions from the whole team, with Kayla Vande Kemp leading the way with six kills and six digs and Madison Archibald contributing 11 assists. On Sunday, the Mounties faced a tough test against the top-ranked Mount Saint Vincent University Mystics, falling three sets to zero. The score was not indicative of the Mounties’ play as they showed that they are not far away from developing into an elite team in ACAA. After this past week, the Mounties sit in a tie for third in the ACAA with three games remaining on the schedule. Their next game is Saturday, Feb. 13 at home against Holland College.

The men’s basketball team fell in their only game this week against the top-ranked Holland College

Hurricanes 98-65. They were led offensively by Bradley Fuller who scored 17 points and grabbed six boards. Adam Spurrell had a great game on the boards, grabbing 11 rebounds. The loss gives the Mounties five wins and 10 losses on the season and they sit sixth in the ACAA. Their next game is Saturday in Fredericton against Saint Thomas University.

The women’s basketball team played their lone game this week against the Holland College Hurricanes, losing 63-38. After a tough first half, the Mounties outscored the Hurricanes in the second, showing that they can play with top-ranked Holland College.

Kathleen Morrison contributed on the boards with 16 rebounds. Sarah McGeachy led the offence with 10 points. The Mounties are now fourth in the ACAA standings and still hold a playoff spot. Their next game is against STU on Saturday in Fredericton.

This past Saturday the badminton Mounties had a tournament in Truro, N.S. The Mounties came away with another victory, taking 86 of a possible 100 points. Highlights include Jaryd Morrissey and Gillian Tetlow winning ‘A’ mixed doubles, and all teams in the ‘B’ category emerged victorious. The Mounties are now getting ready for their championship weekend, which will take place at the University of King’s College Feb. 20 and 21.

In upcoming action, the Mounties varsity swim team will participate in the AUS championships this weekend at Dalhousie University.

11

Two wins this past week illustrate the volleyball Mounties’ quick and continuing development. Adrian Kiva/Argosy

The Ship’s Log

An almost-exhaustive list of nearly everything happening in Sackville

S P O RT S Saturday 13 Swimming 1:15 p.m.

S a i n t M a r y ’s v s .

Mt. A Athletics Centre Wo m e n ’ s Vo l l e y b a l l 4 p.m.

Holland vs. Mt. A Athletics Centre

Mt. A Thursday 11 CONDOMGRAMS send a condom to your crush 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

WMSC $2 Conduct Becoming Presents: Open Mic Night 9 p.m.

D u c k y ’s $2 suggested 19+ Fr iday 12 S w e e t Tr e a t s B a k e S a l e w / Va r s i t y D a n c e Te a m 10:30 a.m.

AV D X l o u n g e

Saturday 13 M t . A Pe r f o r m i n g Arts Series: Love in the Time of Opera 7:30 p.m.

Brunton Auditorium Students $15 Monday 15 7 Mondays presents: Love Sick Open Mic 8 p.m.

Thunder & Lightning

COMMUNITY Thursday 11Saturday 13 The Love of the Nightingale 8 p.m.

PCCA Students $5 Thursday 11 Sackville Film Society Presents: Mustang 7:30 p.m. $10 Saturday 13 Heart of the Heart The Sackville Fa r m e r ’s M a r k e t 9 a.m.

Sunday 14 The Sweetest Little Thing 7:30 p.m.

Owens Art Gallery $5

T + L = F M u s i c Fe s t i v a l Thursday 11- Sunday 14 19+ Thursday 11 10 p.m.

S t a r t e r K i t , We i r d Lines, NVM Fr iday 12 Here, Still: Photography By Allison Grogan and Ben Dickey 7 p.m.

S TA R T G a l l e r y 8 p.m.

To r i We l d o n , J . F Robitaille Saturday 13 12 noon Zack Melanson Photo Show 1 p.m.

Geordie Miller

3 p.m.

Vo m i t s e l f , Motherhood, Riet Soda 6 p.m.-10 p.m.

Fr iends & L o vers Bowling To u r n a m e n t 10 p.m.

N V N , T h e Tr i c k , Zack Bruce, Vo g u e D o t s Sunday 14 5 p.m.

Fo r m a l d i n n e r prepared by The Everyday w/ music from J.F Robitaille 10 p.m.-2 a.m.

Sweetest Little Thing Karaoke Af ter-Par t y

Opinions

Editor: Katharyn Stevenson | February 11, 2016 | argosy@mta.ca

THE ARGOSY

WGST

Independent Student Newspaper of Mount Allison University Thursday, February 11, 2016 volume 145 issue 15

De-funding of WGST program symptom of larger, institutional issue

w w w. a r g o s y. c a

Since 1872 Circulation 1,500

62 York Street W. McCain Student Centre Mount Allison University Sackville, New Brunswick E4L 1H3

506 364 2236

Breaking through systemic silence Katharyn Stevenson Opinions Editor

Email argosy@mta.ca

THE ARGOSY is published by Argosy Publications, Inc., a student run, autonomous, apolitical not-for-profit organization operated in accordance with the province of New Brunswick.

THE ARGOSY is a member of the Canadian University Press, a national co-operative of student newspapers.

ISSN 0837-1024

The Underbridge Press is a student-run publishing organization at Mount Allison University.

editorialstaff

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Austin Landry

MANAGING EDITOR Tessa Dixon

NEWS EDITOR Taylor McCuaig

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Daniel Marcotte

SCI/TECH EDITOR S. Clay Steell

­­­PUBLIC EDITOR Kevin Levangie HUMOUR EDITOR Brendan Carroll

COPY EDITOR Cecilia Stuart

­­­

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR Nathan Dix OPINIONS EDITOR Katharyn Stevenson

productionstaff PRODUCTION MANAGER Kyle Forbes

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Paul Boon

PHOTO EDITOR Allison Grogan

ONLINE EDITOR Conor Van de Wetering

PHOTOGRAPHER Adrian Kiva

reportingstaff

ILLUSTRATOR Patrick Allaby

NEWS REPORTERS Sylvan Hamburger Tyler Stuart Catherine Turnbull

ARTS & CULTURE REPORTERS Caity Brawn Amanda Cormier

POLITICS REPORTER Naomi Goldberg

SCI/TECH REPORTER Ninh Khuong

SPORTS REPORTER Vacant

operationsstaff BUSINESS MANAGER Amy Marchbank

CIRCULATIONS Caity Brawn

OFFICE MANAGER Christopher Arisz

contributors Alyssa BeLong, Sebastian Carrera, Evan Furness, Shane Grogan, Milo Hicks, Alex Lepianka, Jeff Mann, Cameron McIntyre, Bella Stein

publicationboard Dave Thomas (Chair), Mike Fox, Daniel MacGregor, Morgan McGinn

disclaimers and copyright The Argosy is the official independent student journal of news, opinion and the arts, written, edited and funded by the students

Last week, the Mount Allison University administration indicated that there would be no available funding for the women’s and gender studies program (WGST) for the 2016-17 academic year.

As a WGST minor myself, this news is both infuriating and devastating. Also, it sadly comes as not much of a surprise. This potential cut to the WGST program is merely a symptom of a much larger problem at the institutional level. It is not simply about the loss of an academic program, but about the persistent policing and silencing of marginalized voices. The WGST program at Mt. A makes a conscious effort to cultivate spaces where these marginalized voices – which are often isolated and excluded from mainstream discourse – are given the opportunity to flourish and make themselves heard. Our courses focus on topics such as the body, sexuality, racism, colonialism, ableism, violence against women, and so on. Our classrooms create safe spaces to have these difficult conversations which allow students to foster new perspectives and look at our communities, and the world around us, through a

the Argosy’s staff or its Board of Directors. The Argosy is published weekly throughout the academic year by Argosy Publications, Inc. Student contributions in the form of letters, articles, photography, graphic design and comics are welcome. The Argosy reserves the right to edit or refuse all materials deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise unfit for print, as determined by the editor-in-chief. Articles or other contributions can be sent to argosy@mta.ca or directly to a section editor. The Argosy will print unsolicited materials at its own discretion. Letters to the editor must be signed, though names may be withheld at the sender’s request and at the Argosy’s discretion. Anonymous letters will not be printed.

Comments, concerns, or complaints about The Argosy’s content or operations should be first sent to the editor-in-chief at the address above. If the editor-in-chief is unable to resolve a complaint, it may be taken to the Argosy Publications, Inc. Board of Directors. The chairs of the Board of Directors can be reached at the address above.

All materials appearing in The Argosy bear the copyright of Argosy Publications, Inc. Material cannot be reprinted without the permission of the editor-in-chief.

multifaceted, intersectional lens.

These conversations are integral and valuable not only to us as WGST students, but also to individuals and groups in our communities who may struggle to have their voices heard.

The decision from the administration to de-fund the WGST program next year, as well as the looming question of its long-term sustainability, is a direct consequence of the institutionalized sexism and misogyny that WGST actively works against in our classrooms on a daily basis. It clearly reflects the mindset that women’s voices, marginalized voices, gender equality, anti-racism, and so on – all critical aspects of our WGST program – are not a priority

of the administration. This decision demonstrates the administration’s complicity in the silencing of these marginalized voices as well as the consistent devaluing of WGST programs and professors.

The mobilization around the WGST cuts issue has been swift and compelling. As the president of the WGST students’ society, other executive members and I have been somewhat at the forefront of this movement over the past week-anda-half. We have been in countless meetings, conducted multiple interviews with various media outlets, organized student demonstrations, gathered nearly 7,000 signatures on our online petition, and worked

with our allies and supporters to ensure that our frustrations are being expressed. Although the WGST program has only 44 declared minors, the number of supporters, both students and faculty, is enormous and overwhelming in the best way possible. The momentum we have gained with this movement is incredibly powerful. I sincerely hope that it can remain strong and sustainable and that we can mobilize around other important issues on campus. Our fight is nowhere near over, as the administrative process to essentially save our program is just beginning, but our movement grows stronger with support each day. Our voices will be heard, loud and clear.

EDITORIAL

‘Minor’ issue? Not in the least

The Argosy condemns Mt. A admin.’s possible slashing of WGST funding The Argosy Editorial Board

of Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of

Student protestors eagerly await the late adjournment of the Board of Regents meeting last Friday, Feb. 5.

Allison Grogan/Argosy

Dr. Lisa Dawn Hamilton, acting director of Mount Allison’s women’s and gender studies program (WGST), announced in an email last week that the program’s funding had been cut for the 2016-17 academic year. This potential administrative action is deplorable; by further reducing degree requirements, the administration demonstrates complicity in the devaluing of gender-studies discourse. We stand aligned with the people fighting to keep the WGST program alive and thriving at Mt. A. As students, WGST’s de-funding leaves us at a disadvantage. It is essential to the liberal arts education that Mt. A not only claims to offer, but touts as well. Not only does the program benefit those enrolled in its courses, but it permeates Mt. A’s entire campus culture – through the formation of student groups like the WGST society, through genderfocused talks and events, and through

the incorporation of women’s and gender studies in other departments.

Some students in the process of completing a WGST minor face uncertainty about whether they’ll be able to complete their degree or not.

At present, students with six WGST credits will be permitted to complete their minor-degree requirements with only interdisciplinary courses.

The previously required mere four core courses did not suffice for a minor, and further decreasing the degree requirements would be unacceptable.

The department should be funded properly so that students can actually reap the high-quality learning experience on which Mt. A prides itself. The WGST minor’s enrolment has tripled since 2013, yet the administration refuses to provide the staffing necessary to teach the courses. This diminishes the educational experiences of those who take them.

Professors paid by stipends face increased stress and unreasonable working conditions. This makes

it harder for them to provide the teaching quality necessary for critical courses – like WGST courses – and devalues the work they do. Since stipends don’t cover research, these professors cannot participate in the academic community to the extent to which full-time professors can.

Funding the teaching of WGST courses with stipends is unethical.

Every department at Mt. A should be able to accommodate the number of students who want to take its courses without having to mistreat its faculty, and this has not been the case for the WGST department in the past.

The WGST program has been essential to creating a community for both students and faculty to facilitate discussion and shift the discourse on gender issues. By stripping it away, the administration is sending the message that those who have benefited from this community are not important. The program’s de-funding is also an offence to all women who have to struggle to avoid being silenced every day of their lives.

In doing this, the administration

chooses to be complicit in a long history of erasing women’s voices.

Many students arrive at university uninformed about women’s and gender issues, and by cutting the WGST program, the university is denying them the potential to change this. This decision reflects the gendered nature of economic policy, a concept being discussed in the very classes now on the chopping block. To argue that this decision is based solely on budget cuts is both contemptuous and brazenly asinine.

De-funding WGST would also fly in the face of simple – not to mention economic – logic, since any in-demand program should be expanded, not shrunk. It would go against Mt. A’s commitment to teaching critical thinking and fostering informed citizens. The administration desperately needs to start listening to student voices.

They can hang up as many photos of Gracie Lockheart as they want to, but they cannot claim to value women’s education while simultaneously proceeding with this action.

The Argosy | www.argosy.ca

OPINIONS

PUBLIC EDITOR

13

On the successful amplification of campus outrage How quick action helped the opposition to WGST cuts Kevin Levangie Public Editor

It’s been a tumultuous week-and-ahalf on campus at Mount Allison.

Short of perhaps the faculty strike in 2014, I haven’t seen tensions as high between administrators and faculty, and I’ve certainly never seen students as angry and upset as we have been over the news that the budget line for a full-time women’s and gender Studies (WGST) professor was being cut.

This has attracted quite a bit of attention outside of Sackville as well.

The CBC, CTV, Buzzfeed and the Huffington Post have been joined in publishing articles by smaller sources, too. Halifax’s alt-weekly The Coast had some excellent coverage, and a number of online feminist publications published pieces as well.

The message of the protestors was certainly amplified by these online sources and the #WGSTcuts hashtag on Twitter. The trick, as always, was to generate enough online traffic surrounding the issue before major media outlets became interested.

Because of the quick response to the news that there was no funding allocated in the coming budget, those who opposed the cuts essentially controlled the discourse that was later picked up by media organizations.

It’s worth noting that some of the outlets above, particularly the ones without a stated mission to provide activist journalism, didn’t necessarily

have the best of intentions in mind.

I’m sure they’re aware that angry, hateful commenters who think the program should be totally de-funded will drive a sizable chunk of the traffic to their site. Regardless, the coverage itself amplified the action taken in Sackville, and I think part of the reason for that was the immediacy and clarity with which the WGST instructors and students responded to the news of the de-funding.

One such reason was the petition, which ended up being a successful strategic move. It allowed the protestors to dominate online discussion of the issue in a way that very clearly indicated how many people – both inside and outside the university – were upset about the cuts.

Even in its title, it was framed as a call to media organizations to amplify its message.

That wasn’t the end of the online presence. Faculty wrote blog posts contextualizing the cuts and published open letters to the administration, and the display of unity between faculty, librarians and students in the form of these letters has been effective in demonstrating popular sentiment.

The open letter posted on the “mtawgstfaculty” Wordpress site is extremely critical of the administration’s response, and nicely sums up the thrust of most of my columns: “The mission of the university in society is not to manage perceptions of the world through the clever distortions of media spin but to foster the critical capacities for which this kind of distorted communication has no power.”

Even setting aside the veracity of the response of the administration, it was both too slow and poorly toned.

A group of student protestors gather outside of Tweedie Hall on Friday, Feb. 5. Allison Grogan/Argosy

There is certainly something to be said for carefully preparing public statements, but while students online continued to analyze and discuss their experiences with the program, the admin. took their time in responding.

The importance of this program would be obvious to anyone who took the time to see what the students – especially the women who have been a part of the department – have been saying.

When the administration did respond, it was seriously mishandled. Mt. A Dean of Arts Hans vanderLeest’s email was brusque and charmless, which I think further inflamed opinions about the administration’s actions.

It’s a fairly substantial mistake to give the impression to a large group

of angry people that their complaints are inconveniencing you. The FAQ circulated by the marketing and communications office was better, even if its only real message was “everything remains on the table.”

Given the relative passivity of students throughout my four years at Mt. A, the response has been impressive. The unity across campus and the use of outside support is a model worth emulating in the face of future cuts and reallocation of funds. In the coming weeks, the most important thing for this movement is to keep the pressure on the administration, the Board of Regents and the media to ensure that the administration doesn’t outmaneuver students by simply waiting them out.

Disclosure: The opinions section editor, Katharyn Stevenson, is the president of the women’s and gender studies society and was the main subject of most of the media interviews about the WGST cuts.

Additionally, I should disclose that I support and participated in the protests in favour of reinstating full funding to the women’s and gender studies department. The importance of preserving a department dedicated to critical thought and social justice, and the importance of fighting to retain full-time, tenured, and wellcompensated faculty positions when a faculty member retires or dies are issues that are too important for anyone feign objectivity about.

OPEN LETTER

An open letter to the Mt. A administration Dear Mount Allison administration, As a student in the women’s and gender studies minor program, I was extremely disappointed to hear about the potential loss of funding next year. Without replacement faculty for the four core courses, the program will essentially cease to exist, and that is unacceptable.

The university has expressed concern regarding its 2016-17 budget and how monetary cuts will be felt across the university. I am aware that Mt. A is not immune to the current economic struggle facing the province and that the university is making every effort to balance the budget. I understand that Mt. A felt it fair to ask all departments to absorb some cuts; however, no academic department aside from WGST relies on only one faculty member to administer their entire program—a department of one cannot absorb

budgetary cuts, and the notion that other departments could take on the responsibility of delivering the core WGST themselves is foolhardy at best. This would result in further cuts to other departments and would significantly impact the quality of education for students in the WGST program. It is also important to note that when the full-time position in WGST was created in 2002, it was because it had become evident that the program could no longer be delivered without a full-time faculty member and core courses.

As you are aware, recruitment is an area of concern for Mt. A, and the arts and social science disciplines are struggling to attract students.

However, the WGST program has grown exponentially over the last two years; the minor has grown from 13 students to 44, and this excludes all other students registered for the core WGST courses.

This year, all four WGST courses were full and each of their enrolment caps were raised because of their excessively long waitlists. With a growing interest in the program, it would be unwise to discontinue offering these courses.

Historically, WGST has been an interdisciplinary program and courses have been taught by faculty from across the university. The ability to integrate WGST into a multitude of programs is one its strengths; however, over the past several decades it has become its own distinct and rigorous academic field which functions separately from other departments. For over 40 years, courses, degrees and diplomas have been officially offered in WGST in Canada.

WGST focuses on issues of historical and contemporary importance and continues to provide critical and consequential research in the social sciences and humanities.

Mt. A students are considered some of the best students in the country and their degrees – minors included – must be relevant, academically rigorous, and in line with what other institutions offer. The University of Toronto, Simon Fraser and Queen’s all have strong WGST departments, and are currently three of the best-ranked universities in the country. It’s also worth noting that the three universities which score above Mt. A in Maclean’s “primarily undergraduate” category (Trent, Northern British Columbia and Lethbridge) all have comprehensive WGST programs. This sets them above Mt. A not only in terms of student satisfaction, but academically as well.

A women’s and gender studies minor is important on the Mt. A campus for several reasons. Mt. A struggles with gender inclusion and is lacking in safe spaces for women and

people of various gender identities on campus. Students, faculty and staff are often subjected to overt racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia, among others. As such, any de-funding or cancellation to the WGST core courses is indicative of a devaluing of these issues and proof that Mt. A does not take women’s and gender issues seriously. I strongly urge you to reconsider the decision to not fully fund the WGST program at Mt. A. Sincerely, Natalie Mellon Mount Allison WGST student

Humour It’s back, baby

by Jeff Mann

Across: 1- Son of Zeus in Greek mythology; 5- Lotion additive; 9- Swedish imports; 14- Castle ring; 15- Transport, mail; 16- End in ___; 17- Razor name; 18- Level; 19- Put off, as an agenda item; 20- Eighth planet; 22- Fatty; 24- The Beatles’ “Back in the ___”; 25- Snare; 26- Honeybunch; 29- Low cards; 31- Consumed; 32- Designer Christian; 33- Heart chart, for short; 36- ___-Aztecan languages; 37- Elate; 40- Through; 41- Newsman Donaldson; 42- Wings; 43- Red as ___; 45- The cruelest month?; 47- Develop gradually; 48- Sale indicator; 51- Haus wife; 52- Asmara is its capital; 54- Make merry; 58- Honda model; 59- Lump of earth; 61- Pineapple vendor; 62- Without ___ in the world; 63- Able was ___...; 64- Hydroxyl compound; 65- Cartoon part; 66- Pops; 67- Film spool;

Down: 1- ___ for All Seasons; 2- Routine; 3- Tombstone name; 4- Height; 5- In ___ (sort of); 6- Crowbar; 7- Washington bill; 8- Dame ___ Everage; 9- Glossy; 10- Goes with the flow; 11- Shady spot; 12- Light wood; 13- Remove dirt with a broom; 21- Putting to work; 23- Tractor maker; 26- ___ ex machina; 27- I could ___ horse!; 28- Elemental unit; 29- Wave-related; 30- Sat on the back of a horse; 32- Mustachioed artist; 33- Daredevil Knievel; 34- Capital of the Ukraine; 35- Fence opening; 38- Big; 39- Maritime; 44- Large rock; 45- Clothes; 46- Package; 47- Wears away; 48- Summary; 49-Author Jong; 50- Parlor piece; 51- Long narrow arm of the sea; 53- Biting; 55- Actress Skye; 56- Floating ice; 57- Holler; 60- Pasture used for grazing;

Editor: Brendan Carroll | February 11, 2016 | argosy@mta.ca

Puzzles from http://www.bestcrosswords.com. Used wtih Permission

The Argosy | www.argosy.ca

Humour

In defence of masturbation

15

List of Rejected Hallmark Valentine’s Card Slogans 1) I pulled out all of my teeth so I can tongue kiss you better.

2) Are you The Matrix because when I look at you I want to wear a fine leather coat.

3) Roses are red, violets are blue, please everyone donate to my kickstarter, to buy myself some new teeth I can’t chew.

4) You make my heart palpitate so much I cough up blood 5) What’s the deal with makin’ whoopee?

6) You remind me of my dad because I want to kiss your neck a bunch in a non-sexual way and then try to explain it to strangers that don’t understand.

7) Let’s make stank ass love

by Kael MacQuarrie

by Patrick Allaby

Queen spider still rules campus Queen Spider is upset at the Mount Allison administration for betraying their allegiance to Her Highness. They promise the measly students and faculty “community consultation,” but they forget that Queen Spider makes and has always made all administrative decisions at this university. Queen Spider’s authority is all-reaching and total. You blame the administration for your woes, but in doing so you betray Queen Spider. Your administrators merely execute Queen Spider’s commands; they hold no true power before the awesome might

of Queen Spider.

There is no community consultation or administrative accountability. Only Queen Spider in all her glory.

Tremble all those who stand before my administrative directive, and kneel before Queen Spider as the supreme ruler of Mount Allison University.

Transcribed before Her Highness Queen Spider by S. Clay Steell

CHMA 106.9 FM CAMPUS & COMMUNITY RADIO

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CHMA'S FAVOURITE INDIE ROCK

CHMA'S FAVOURITE INDIE ROCK

CHMA'S WEEKEND DANCE MIX

CHMA'S FAVOURITE HIP-HOP

CHMA'S FAVOURITE HIP-HOP

CHMA'S FAVOURITE HIP-HOP

CHMA'S FAVOURITE HIP-HOP

CHMA'S FAVOURITE HIP-HOP

CHMA'S FAVOURITE INDIE MUSIC

CHMA'S FAVOURITE INDIE MUSIC

CHMA'S FAVOURITE INDIE MUSIC

CHMA'S FAVOURITE BLUEGRASS

CHMA'S FAVOURITE BLUEGRASS

CHMA'S FAVOURITE BLUEGRASS

CHMA'S FAVOURITE HIP-HOP

9

CHMA'S FOLK & ALT. COUNTRY

AMPLIFIED RADIO

CITY SLANG

WOODSONGS

2

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT

HII5

FOOTLIGHT PARADE

ADELE GAUDET & NATALIE HAUPTMAN

SADIE DONAHUE & MARINA MAVRIDIS

EAST OF NOWHERE

8

DRUG TRUTH NETWORK

KIRK FERGUSON

HANNAH TRAVIS

THE BLUEGRASS JAM

THIS WAY OUT ATTIC TRANSMISSIONS

KULPOP

WILSON MOORE

UN RADIO CHMA'S INDIE AFTERNOONS

CHMA'S INDIE AFTERNOONS

7

CHMA'S FAVOURITE BLUEGRASS

SHORTWAVE RADIO

CHMA'S INDIE AFTERNOONS

TIME OF USEFUL CONSCIOUSNESS

CHMA'S FOLK & ALT. COUNTRY

WINGS

CHMA'S INDIE AFTERNOONS

1

6

PLANETARY RADIO

ALTERNATIVE RADIO

10

SUN

THE GREEN MAJORITY

BOARDWALK RADIO

CANADALAND

2

SAT

CHMA'S FAVOURITE BLUEGRASS CHMA'S FAVOURITE WORLD

1

FRI

SACKVILLE SUNDOWN

SEBASTIEN GIBSON & BAYARD KING

GET YOUR OWN SHOW! EMAIL CHMA_PRO@MTA.CA

1 2 3 4 5 6

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