Acadia’s Student Newspaper since 1874 Febuary 5th , 2015 Issue 77. 7
CBA Q&A: Page 2 CBA Infographic: Back Cover
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a Call For Critical Thought The Editorial Team The Athenaeum
The Acadia University Faculty Association (AUFA), and Board of Governors returned to the table January 30th to continue their negotiations, when negotiations broke down for the second time. Anxieties on campus are tangible as students wonder what this The Athenaeum Acadia University’s Student News Paper Issue 77.7 ASU Box 6002, Acadia University Wolfville, NS, Canada B4P 2R5 Editor In Chief: Stephanie Bethune email: eic@acadiau.ca SUB room 512 EIC Office Hours: Sunday 2:00-5:00 Advertising Enquiries: mark.pound@gmail.com Business Enquiries: 116765m@acadiau.ca Editor In Chief Staff Writers Jocelyn Wilkie Stephanie Bethune Jalen Sabean Section Editors Art: Riley MacKinnon Will Cann News: Alex Quesnel Andrew Haskett Opinions: Tess Pooran Christian Vail Contributors Sport: Laura Jeha Malcolm MacKenzie Production Manager Megan Stanton Don Corkum Blake Robert Photo Manager Robin Lawson Jon Smith Copy Editor Lydia Jones Dewey Dunningtpm Trevor Braxton-Barto Online Manager Emma Hachey Cameron Davidson Deirdre Campbell Cover Art: Advertising Manager Mark Pound Caitlin Ward Business Manager Robyn McMillan
The Athenaeum is the official student newspaper of Acadia University and is published in print and online year-round at theath.ca. The opinions expressed herein do not represent the Acadia Students Union or the staff of the Athenaeum, they are held by the individuals who contribute to the Athenaeum as essential members of our completely studentrun newspaper Articles submitted will be published at the discretion of the editorial board. If there is content that we feel will not add to the philosophy, dialogue, or tone of our newspaper, it will not be published. That being said, all of our staff members look forward to working together with writers to improve their quality of writing, and to make sure the Athenaeum remains professional and well-rounded. The Athenaeum may accept submissions from any student or member of our campus, present and past, and is always looking for more writers and photographers. If you are looking for coverage of an event or story, would like to notify us of a complaint or correction, or would like to submit a letter to the editor, contact Stephanie Bethune at eic@acadiau.ca There are open story meetings every Saturday at 6pm in the Athenaeum office, room 512 in the SUB—all are welcome, and we encourage you to come!
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means for them. Students can visit theath.ca for up to date media releases from both parties. We encourage students to critically examine the information they are being presented, and to ask questions about the motivation and standpoint of this information. The need for this critical examination is exemplified in the
CBA Q & A Alex Quesnel News Editor
New statements concerning the faltering Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations appear on almost a daily basis. This onslaught of information might have left students confused about the intricacies of the talks and the potential ramifications a strike or lockout might have on students across campus. This article aims to specify some of these essential questions that may be on students’ minds. Both parties – the Acadia University Faculty Union (AUFA) and the Board of Governors (BoG) – agreed to participate in this Q & A discussion. Peter Williams, spokesperson for the Administration Negotiating Team, as well as Andrew Biro, spokesperson for the Faculty Negotiating Team, were kind enough to take the time to answer the following questions. When is the soonest a strike or a lockout might occur? Andrew Biro: A legal strike or lockout cannot happen until after the provincially-appointed conciliator (Jarrod Baboushkin) files a report with the Minister of Labour. He has not yet done so, and will not do so until he determines that no further progress in negotiations is possible. As long as negotiations are ongoing (and they are resuming Friday January 30),
students, and without the students, there is no Acadia. Being kept in the dark during this process has not been in the best interest of the student body, which we believe should be considered during these discussions. We encourage the ASU, the Board of Governors, and AUFA to continue to communicate openly with students about issues that affect their education. We commend AUFA’s commitment to maintaining the academic integrity of Acadia, and support any actions that promote sustaining Acadia’s reputation as an institution of high quality, libThe Athenaeum is the voice of the eral arts education. Board of Governors’ media release stating that their proposal of increasing the faculty complement from 144 to 152 was a 5.6% increase, as with further research we discovered that the current complement is set at 182, with the current number of faculty at 144 due to vacancies left by faculty retirements. This means that although the complement difference can be framed as an increase of 5.6% from the current number, it can also be framed as a 17% decrease from the current agreed upon number of faculty.
he will not file his report. If and when he does file his report, there is a 14-day waiting period before a strike or lockout can legally begin. Peter Williams: Once the conciliator files his report, there is a 14day “cooling-off” period during time which neither party may initiate either a strike or a lockout. Following the “cooling-off” period, the party that intends to initiate a labour interruption must give the Nova Scotia Minister of Labour 48 hours notice.
cause the end of semester and/or convocation to be delayed. Faculty strikes/lockouts in Canada have never caused students to lose a term. PW: This is also a very difficult question to answer. No academic terms have been lost due to recent labour interruptions at any universities in our region. How will a strike affect students’ financially? Will they be reimbursed for any wasted expenses?
If some sort of labour action – either a strike or a lockout – were AB: AUFA has no control over tuto take place, how long might it ition and related policies. Only the last? administration can answer questions about reimbursement. AB: A strike or lockout will typically last until a contract agree- PW: Again, this question is difment is reached. How long this ficult to answer as both a labour will take is impossible to pre- disruption and its potential length dict, unfortunately. Most faculty are purely hypothetical at this strikes/lockouts at Canadian uni- time. Any consideration of reviversities, when they have hap- sions to tuition policy would ultipened, have been a matter of days mately be based on an evaluation or weeks. Sometimes an agree- of the length of the disruption and ment is reached in the last hours its impact on the academic term. before the deadline. Will campus be closed in the PW: This question is very difficult event of a labour action? Can to answer and is best addressed to students still access buildings and the party that initiates the action. contact professors? Would a strike adversely affect graduating students? Do they have any particular cause for worry?
AB: The administration does have the power to close the campus, if they choose to do so. Picketers have a legal right to slow down access to a work site being pickAB: Depending on the length of eted. Some people refuse to cross time, a strike or lockout could continued on page 3
ath athnews continued from page 2 picket lines in recognition of the principle of solidarity. In the two past AUFA strikes, we recognized that students and many other members of the campus community have legitimate reasons to be on campus, that don’t have anything to do with the services of faculty that are being withdrawn. Students and non-AUFA staff generally had access to the campus during both past strikes. Students can always try to contact professors, although in both past AUFA strikes, AUFA members were locked out from their “acadiau” email accounts. AUFA doesn’t control who its members talk to. During a strike, workers are withdrawing their labour ser-
Fighting evil in Nigeria: why the West should help Malcolm MacKenzie Contributor
“I enjoy killing anyone that God commands me to kill - the way I enjoy killing chickens and rams.” This is evil rhetoric of Abubakar Shekau, the hard-line militant, leader of Boko Haram and selfappointed caliphate of Africa’s richest and most populous country, Nigeria. Shekau, a butcher and murderer of school children, pregnant women and kidnapper of young girls, poses as an Islamist. While much of the world has been focused on the rise of the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL) another posturing Islamic state has been waging a campaign of terror. Since 2009, Shekau has led this makeshift army of Islamist fighters through years of barbarism and escalating attacks on civilians, government personnel, religious leaders, young students, crowded mosques and marketplaces. Shekau’s army equips itself with stolen guns, vehicles and weaponry from terrified Nigerian government soldiers.
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vices. Many professors will interpret that to mean that they won’t discuss course work with students during a strike. But in my experience the vast majority of professors are happy to talk to students about just about anything else. PW: Campus will remain open. Residences, meal hall, and recreation facilities will remain open. The extent to which academic buildings will remain open will be determined at the time. If there is a strike, faculty will have withdrawn their services. Only faculty can answer the question about their willingness to be in contact with students. What implications will AUFA’s lim terrorist group, has recently been ravaging villages in Northeast Nigeria. The Islamist militants are notorious for gruesome attacks on innocent civilians, as well as mass kidnappings. Mohammed Yusuf founded this organization in 2002 in Maiduguri, the capital of the Northeastern Nigerian state of Borno. This organization attracted poor Muslim families and offered them basic living needs. It began as a fairly moderate Islamic party with the central leaders having political aspirations of forming a self-operating Islamic state. The poverty, lack of education and lack of opportunity endemic in Northeastern Nigeria has made the party very attractive, thus explaining its rapid growth throughout the region. However Yusuf, the original leader of Boko Haram, began broadcasting his zealous messages, leading to his eventual arrest by Nigerian authorities. Nigerian policeman later murdered Mohammed Yusuf in prison. This caused in an uproar amongst his followers and resulted in the ultimate metamorphosis from a relatively peaceful Islamic organization into a bloodthirsty terrorist group.
Abubaker Shekau, who was second in command to Yusuf, soon took over as leader and set Boko Haram on a violent path waging war against the Western world. Boko Haram, a radical Mus- Boko-Haram literally translates
recent change in leadership have for financial matters. A successful university requires both high qualifor the talks? ty academic programming and the AB: Eric Alcorn’s resignation of financial capability to support that the AUFA Presidency and Rachel programming. Clearly, there is a Brickner’s stepping into that role balance that needs to be achieved happened for reasons unrelated to between these two mandates. The contract negotiations. The change Boards goal is to achieve a collecin leadership has no implications tive agreement that supports the mission of Senate to the greatest for the talks. extent possible without imperiling What is the BoG’s biggest con- the financial sustainability of the cern for the collective bargaining institution. We cannot spend more money than we receive. Finally, agreement? the administration team is hopePW: Acadia University has a bi- ful that a collective agreement cameral governance structure, can be reached without a labour which consists of the Senate and disruption. We wish to avoid the the Board of Governors. The Sen- impacts that would be associated ate is responsible for academic with such an event for students. policy and the Board is responsible to the following: “Western education is forbidden.” Shekau strongly opposes the Westernization of Nigerian culture and has gone to extreme lengths to dismantle this way of life. Shekau and his followers have faced little resistance, conquering town after town in Northeastern Nigeria. The Nigerian military, once viewed as a force of stability in the country, now struggles to keep security within its own borders. Its response to these increasing terrorist attacks has been disorganized and inconsistent in part due to lack of investment in training and equipment. Despite the military’s failed attempts to contain this growing Islamic state, hope lies within the victims of these attacks. Nigeria’s vigilante citizen groups and women activists are a promising development. Just last week, the Islamic militants were finally driven back from a stronghold and experienced significant losses. As the group attempted to invade Maiduguri – the community where Yusuf founded the organization twelve years earlier – they experienced heavy fire from vigilantes who fought alongside the military. Aba Aja Kalli was one of the vigilantes involved in the battle. When asked how they were faring she said: “We are doing fine, we pushed them back. They did not enter the city.” Kalli, like other residents, has had enough of the military’s feeble
response to the growing Boko Haram insurgency. In response, she has helped form the Civilian Joint Taskforce. This is a brigade of volunteer fighters organized to defend their homes from the Islamist militants. Combat resistance lead by the Nigerian military in concert with the coalition of armed citizens is certainly a step in the right direction. But this is not the whole solution to the problem, says Samphe Lhalumpa, an International Development Specialist with thirty years of experience with the United Nations. Boko Haram was formed in part as a consequence of poor economic and political conditions in Northern Nigeria. Therefore it can only be combated by dismantling the very conditions that lead to its origin. Underemployment and lack of education has left many Nigerians with few opportunities for work and ultimately survival. This has led them to turn to violent organizations like Boko Haram. Lhalumpha, who was in Abuja during several high-profile bombings and the kidnappings of 200 schoolgirls last spring, reminds us that “this phenomenon hasn’t risen yesterday.” Given the legacy of colonialism, the West has to bear some responsibility and make amends for the poverty and disenfranchisement of Africans. This holds true not only in Nigeria, but also throughout the whole continent.
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ASU ELECTION PROFILES
President Candidate: Liam Murphy My name is Liam Murphy, I am a third year sociology honours student and I’m running for President of the Acadia Students’ Union. The President’s job is a broad one,
responsible for ensuring our union runs efficiently and that all students are represented effectively. I have plenty of experience with the ASU, as I was the Vice President Academic this year, so I know what it takes to make sure the student voice is heard on campus and in the town, as well as provincially and federally. My main focus as a Presidential candidate is on Federal Elections, town relations, and programming.
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For these profiles in their enitirety (and more) please visit the ath online at theath.ca tion of the position Vice-President Communications during the Acadia Students’ Union 2015 General Election. VP Communications is responsible for acting as a liaison between the students and the union, as well as faculty and administration, by facilitating the flow of information.
My experience as a current executive of the students’ union will enable me to enhance the communication with students in the future. While voting on February 10th, I will work incredibly hard for all please consider my passion, exstudents at Acadia. Please considStudents of Acadia! My name is perience and dedication to the VP er voting for me on February 10th. Suzanne Gray and I am a third Communications role. Thank you! year student studying business administration with a major in French. I am running for re-elec-
VP COMMUNICATIONS: Suzanne Gray
gave me great insight into various programming activities within the ASU. I have been involved in all of my Welcome Weeks here at Acadia as a first year student, and then House Council President, and then a Welcome Week Leader. I also serve on the executive board of the Acadia Business Society and Enactus Acadia. I believe that building a sense of community is a crucial aspect of being a student at Acadia and that’s one thing that sets Acadia apart from many other schools. Successful programming is a vital component of commu- Hey Acadia! I am running for Hey Acadia Students! My name nity building the Student Board of Governors is Jessica Boone and I am a third Representative position for the year Business student majoring in By applying my past experiences 2015/2014 academic year. I am Employment Relations. I am runI believe I can successfully fulfill from Halifax, Nova Scotia. I am a ning for VP Programming in the this position. If you have any ques- third year Marketing student and I upcoming election. tions about what I can bring to the am your current Board of Govertable don’t hesitate to contact me! nors Representative and take phoLast year I was elected as Cutten tos of the Varsity Athletics games. House Council president which
Board of Governors Candidate: Evan Phinney
VP PROGRAMMING: Jessica Boone
academic concerns. I Science Senator Candi- regarding am learning a lot about the inner of the university by sitdate: Ryan Densmore workings ting on the university senate and
"Hey everyone, my name is Ryan Densmore and I am in my third year of a Bachelor of Science Double Major in Chemistry and Biology. I am running for the Faculty of Pure and Applied Science Student Senator position for a second year, as I thoroughly enjoyed my experience this year. I currently hold this position and it has been my job to represent the collective voice of all science students at Acadia
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many senate committees. I plan on continuing my work on exam schedule and timetable issues, as well as focusing on the Fall Study Week to ensure the mental health of students is the priority.
VP Programming: Nick Lowe
As an Acadia legacy I know how important events and programming are to our university experience. After three years of programming and event coordination for a variety of clubs and societies, as well as club teams, I have both If you have any questions or con- the knowledge and experience in cerns, feel free to send me an working with the ASU and the stuemail at 113205d@acadiau.ca or dent population to create events find me on Facebook!" and experiences for every member
I would love to be re-elected to the Board of Governors Representative position, because I want to continue learning about how Acadia is run and give more input and help give the students a voice on various issues that are discussed. Having so many friends and family attend Acadia, It really makes the university a part of my family as well. With my father being on the Alumni Association, Acadia traditions have been in my blood ever since I could walk. I would love to have the opportunity to continue representing the Acadia students on the Board of Governors, so do not forget to vote on February 10th!
of our Acadia community. Moving forward I would like to increase the amount, frequency, and quality of Student Union events while attempting to lift the financial burden of those events from the students. If you would like to have an incredible year, vote for Nick Lowe for Vice president Programming. #Vote4Lowe
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Students encouraged to partake in ASGA conference Alex Quesnel News Editor
The Acadia Graduate Students’ Association (AGSA) recently issued a campus-wide call for papers to be submitted to their 2015 Acadia Graduate Student Conference. This event will be held on February 27 and 28 at the K.C. Irving Centre. Acadia University students from all disciplines are invited to attend. The theme of the conference will be “Towards a Better Future,” a title which AGSA hopes students will consider prior to attending. When presenting their papers, students will be expected to relate their research back to this overarching theme.
Nutrition and Dietetics will present the event’s keynote address. Morley's research centres on the use of the arts, including film and visual media, in nutrition education. She also focuses on how we can be moving forward in this regard, both as students and researchers.
The symposium is a mean to give students the chance to convene and discuss their graduate level research and papers. What is more, the conference is not strictly limited to graduate students. The AGSA also wishes to encourage upper level honours students Acadia University’s own Dr. Cath- to apply. This way, the conference erine Morley of the Department of would reflect a joint effort be-
tween undergraduate and gradu- clude a first and last name, field ate students. of study, academic institutional email address, academic instituAs Barb Baker explained in a recent tional affiliation (including current email to Acadia students, “This a status in graduate program), name great opportunity, especially for and email address of supervisor, those students considering gradu- title of proposed paper and an abate studies.” The AGSA maintains stract of no more than 200 words. “presenting at the student con- Proposals must be submitted no ference offers students the op- later than Sunday, February 1. Noportunity to receive feedback on tifications will be sent out to stutheir research and presentation dents on February 5. Finally, regfrom a scholarly audience while istration and final papers will be also engaging in networking op- due on February 20. portunities to build key contacts and further their own professional A registration fee of $10.00 is also development.” Evidently, students required. This will include exwill benefit from participating in penses for all academic sessions, this conference. coffee, snacks and a conference package. Furthermore, it will also There are certain stipulations re- include a ticket to In Vino Veritas, garding the research presentations. a local wine and cheese event feaEach one must be approximately turing live music. This is sched15 minutes long. This leaves 10- uled for the evening of Sunday, 12 minutes for presenting and 3-5 February 28 and will be open to minutes for questions from the the public. audience. The proposals must in-
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PhotoCredit: Christian Vail
hardcore amour:
Enema of the state
Christian Vail Staff Writer
I do not have time for people who tell me that they “grew out of” blink-182. There are two things I cannot stand in this world: punks who make fun of people who like blink-182, and Tom DeLonge, their lead singer and guitarist. I do not care if you do not think there is a place for blink-182 in an article series dedicated to hardcore punk and its offspring, this band is how I and many others were introduced to punk music. Just recently their glorious reign of punk instrumentals, pop melodies, and toilet humour have come to a sad and disappointing end, and so we mourn blink-182 as we know it by looking back on one of their crowning achievements: “Enema of the State.” Most people who love blink-182, as I do, will tell you that bassist Mark Hoppus is the real heart of the band. This man loves the band more than his collective fans and will do anything for it. Then there is lead singer and guitarist Tom DeLonge, who loves to destroy dreams and break hearts. He has now left the band, leaving Mark and drummer Travis Barker to carry on without him for as long as they can. Sure, we have Angels & Airwaves, but I would rather have Yoko Ono sing-narrate my entire life than listen to any of their music. So now my dreams of hear-
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ing the words “watching, waiting, commiserating” horribly mispronounced in a concert setting have been crushed and I look back at some of their finest moments with more tears in my eyes than there are fart jokes in their early albums. Much of our generation’s first contact with blink-182 came from their 1997 album “Dude Ranch,” which I debated covering when I first derailed my entire Manic Street Preachers article upon hearing the news of Tom’s departure (Manics are next, this is like, my 4th time trying). The classic “Dammit” was my introduction to blink-182 and remains my favourite of their songs, but “Enema of the State” defines the band more than any of their efforts before or after its 1999 release. Go anywhere on campus on a weekend and chances are you will hear one of its tracks blaring out of someones room. Especially this weekend, when you can hear it remixed with my gross sobbing. This album is, from start to finish, pure enjoyment. If you wanna rag on blink for not being “punk” enough or if you just live to hate “pop-punk”, I hope someone takes all of your Descendents records away from you because you do not deserve them as far as I am concerned.
One of the defining images of blink-182 is that of Mark, Tom, and Travis running naked down the street to the age-defying fun of “What’s My Age Again?” - a song whose chorus has made me resolve to spend my 23 birthday getting a blink-182 tattoo. The songs mix of clean guitar riffs in its more relaxed verses contrasted with its fast and distorted chorus bring to mind the Pixies if they were more into prank calls and watching TV. This song continued the band’s long standing tradition of making humour a major priority in their music, like a pop-punk Frank Zappa without the musicality. This trend continues in their most recognizable track, “All the Small Things”. The satirical music video, the stadium-sized guitar riff, and the impossible to forget pre-chorus that lead into everyone’s favourite chant of “NA NA NA NA” are impossible to forget and the song still sounds as fresh and exciting as they did 16 years ago. It is a song that no one would complain about or refuse to sing along to at a party, unless they are “too cool” for it. Love them or hate them, this song was a major part of growing up for most people who can still at least somewhat remember their musical taste in the late 90’s. Personally, this song came up on the mixtape my mom made for my Bugs Bunny walkman right between N*SYNC and the Backstreet Boys. That sounds like a pretty safe mix, but blink-182 would later lead me directly to Bad Religion, Black Flag, and the Descendents. Sorry, mom.
worth, whether or not the music is simple and whatever the rest of the album’s subject matter is. However, despite its touching nature, “Going Away to College” has got nothing on “Adam’s Song”. This is a song so damn sad that one of Morrissey’s many sources of grief is probably that he did not think of it first. Much like “Going Away to College”, “Adam’s Song” evolves throughout one’s life and defies any set age group or target audience. A devastatingly sad depiction of teenage depression, the song is often exploited as a romanticism of depression and suicide. However, tumblr users who make the gifs that focus on those parts of the song and claim it is its message, they do not seem to have ever listened to the song all the way through. By the final chorus, the song’s lyrics have changed to express a newfound hope that is more uplifting than any “feel good” song I have ever heard. Ultimately, the point of these articles are to get you, the reader, to listen to these albums you may not have heard. In this case, however, I am fully aware that most of you have heard this albums and that is why I just focused on a few of my favourite songs. The point this time isn’t for you to discover this band, its for you to listen to them again. A major part of our musical lives is possibly dissolving and they should not be forgotten, whether or not you are still able to laugh at their absurd humour. I owe a LOT of my musical taste to blink-182, and have never shied away from my love for them. As I write this now, blink-182 is still together as Mark and Travis, but those three guys are what makes blink-182 (even though I am mad at you right now, Tom). Who knows, by the time this actually is printed, they might have worked something out. But for the time being, play this album this week and do not forget blink-182.
“Enema of the State” also showed off blink-182’s softer side and proved they could tug at your heart strings as much as your funny bone. “Going Away to College” may sound like immature and adolescent subject matter, but four years into university I still listen to it on constant rotation every September. A song that we who listened to it as kids represented what it would be like to leave ev- TOP 3 SONGS: erything behind when we grow up and go off to school has taken -Adam’s Song on new meaning as it represents any major change in anyone’s -What’s My Age Again? life. That is a sign of real musical -All the Small Things
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First WAVE POST-ROCK Don Corkum Contributor
Any genre with the word “post” in front of it excites me. From post-punk to post-hardcore, you are usually in for a bit of a surprise. This is especially true for post-rock music; mostly because of how different post-rock music is from most rock music, but also because of how different postrock bands can sound from other post-rock bands. I think it would be fair to say that Godspeed You! Black Emperor is the most popular post-rock band, although bands like Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky, and Sigur Ros are also quite popular. In todays terms, post-rock describes any instrumental band that essentially copies Godspeed’s epic crescendos and use of musique concrete, usually in the form of spoken word samples, and has thus stagnated a bit in recent years. However, the term was much more nebulous when it was first used in the early 90’s, basically as a means of describing a group of bands playing atmospheric textural music, but with varying approaches. Funnily enough, most of this music has vocals, despite post-rock’s reputation for being instrumental. This is what is referred to as “first wave” post-rock. 1997 might be a good cutoff point for what should be considered first wave, as Godspeed and Mogwai’s first albums came out in that year, but like most historical periods, the dates are rather arbitrary. For the purposes of this discussion, this is the date I will use though. Oddly enough, the very first band to play post-rock music started as an 80’s new wave outfit. Britain’s Talk Talk originally began playing fairly generic synth pop, producing hits like “It’s My Life” (the song No Doubt covered, not the Bon Jovi song), before migrating to more sophisticated and atmospheric styles. By the late 80’s Talk Talk had morphed itself into essentially a chamber jazz group, with the core band being augmented by about a dozen brass and woodwind players, largely
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sound exactly like some of the more modern post-rock bands, their approach, which stressed atmosphere over aggression, was clearly influential. I heard these albums in high school, and liked them, but never really adored them until a few years ago, so fear not if you are not totally into it at first. It may well take you five or more listens to actually remember which song is which, because the atmosphere is so consistent. This music demands a lot of patience, but trust me when I say that the payoff is absolutely worth it.
becoming the studio project of singer Mark Hollis and producer Tim Friese-Green. This configuration of the group released a pair of albums, Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock, which blended jazz, classical, ambient and rock music, and thus defined some aspects of the sound of first wave post-rock. The albums cover sonically similar ground, and are very complimentary, but are both quite Between the release of Spirit of unique from each other upon ex- Eden and Laughing Stock, postamination. rock’s second band, Bark Psychosis, emerged with a string of Spirit of Eden is a very quiet and singles and EPs, later released toatmospheric album. The only time gether on the Independency comthe band spends truly “rocking pilation. Their front man Graham out” is during the incredibly dy- Sutton was a huge fan of Talk Talk, namic “Desire,” which most defi- which is entirely evident upon nitely defined how every post-rock listening to their music. The title band to follow viewed dynamic track to their first EP, 1989’s All change. Dynamics are played with Different Things, essentially disall over the album, to amazing ef- tills Talk Talk’s love of dynamfect. The use of space and silence ics and ambience into 8 minutes, is absolutely brilliant, especially with its minimal verses, exploon album opener “The Rainbow”. sive choruses, and lengthy amThe song opens with nearly two bient noise outro. The choruses minutes of quiet ambient cham- are almost shoegaze, so like all ber music before incredibly tri- shoegaze-esque music, I recomumphant-sounding chords rise out mend listening with headphones of the din, much like a rainbow as loud as possible (the ringing in cutting through fog after a storm. your ears is normal), and let the Clearly post-rock got some of its sound envelop you. Their second love of ambience from these mo- EP, Manman, features the surprisments on the album. In “Eden” the ingly danceable title track, and the band starts playing around with stunningly beautiful “Bloodrush”. the idea of short builds, which “Bloodrush” is a fairly quiet song, Godspeed later stretched out and with a great textural arpeggiated made their trademark. Mark Hol- guitar part that a band like Explolis’ frail warble acts as a guide sions would take note of. Their through the jazzy ambient instru- 1992 “single” Scum is a 20-minmentals. ute jazzy exploration, taking a cue from my beloved progressive Laughing Stock by contrast is rock and giving post-rock its first much more “active”, while still “epic”, something that became maintaining the incredible sense Godspeed’s stock and trade. of atmosphere and dynamics shown on Spirit of Eden. This is Finally the band released their seen on the explosive, but still debut album, Hex, in 1994. Hex very restrained and jazzy “Ascen- has the incredible honour of besion Day”, another rare instance ing the first album to actually be of the band allowing themselves described as post-rock, by critic to “rock out.” Elsewhere on the al- Simon Reynolds. Only he knows bum, we get the incredibly beauti- what he was really referring to, ful textural guitar on “New Grass” but the name clearly stuck. While and the more pensive “Taphead.” the album is slightly more active than a Talk Talk album, it is still While Talk Talk’s music might not fairly quiet, jazzy and textured
compared to most rock music. Take “Fingerspit”, probably the most extreme instance of this quietness. Between the post-rock I have covered so far, you could make the greatest bedtime playlist ever. This definitely is not driving music, unless you are on a highway in the dark, in which case it is absolutely perfect. Hex makes use of more guitar textures, like those on “A Street Scene” and “Absent Friend,” but the debt to Talk Talk is obvious. Sutton even tries imitating Hollis’ delivery with his own breathy whisper of a voice. The last band worth mentioning in any discussion of first wave post-rock is Swans, and their absolutely epic 2-hour double album Soundtracks For The Blind. Swans’ history is much too long to get into here, but suffice to say that the band has changed style a number of times over its career, eventually arriving at something resembling post-rock by 1996. This album is much closer to Godspeed’s style of post-rock, with epic crescendos like those in “Helpless Child” or “The Sound”, and tracks of musique concrete and spoken word samples like on “I Was A Prisoner In Your Skull” or “Minus Something”. The resemblance is uncanny. If you took away the vocals at the beginning of “Helpless Child”, you essentially have a Godspeed song. While “I Was A Prisoner In Your Skull” might not be as dramatic as the “thousand lonely suicides” monologue from Godspeed’s “Dead Flag Blues”, it is no less chilling. If this is the first time you are hearing about Swans, I feel bad for introducing you to their most difficult album to get into, but if you like Godspeed it should be right up your alley. Learn from my mistake though, and never listen to all two hours at once. It is one of those artsy “statement” albums, and is thus quite hard to digest at once. It took me so long to digest that I only moved onto the rest of their diverse discography a few years ago. The diversity of the early post-rock scene is actually quite surprising considering how homogeneous the genre has become. It was not continued on page 8
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Brew Review: Festbok Gets You Extra Drunk Jon Smith Contribtor
Beer: Holsten Festbock Easily-drinkable, inexpensive, high-alcohol beer is definitely a major staple of the university experience, easily seen from the popularity of Busch Ice, Molson Dry Ice and whatever the hell Coors Altitude is even supposed to be. However, if you want to get drunker off of less beer, and you have a crazy love affair with all things German, you would normally be out of options. Luckily
for us, Festbock is a thing that exists. Festbock has gained a beautiful reputation among my friends, with the phrasing 'having a Festbock night' being synonymous with 'I am going to be goddamn hammered tonight'. The beer pours with a dark reddish-brown colour and a one-anda-half finger head that dissipates quickly. The scent is kind of weak, with just a hint of malt and a touch of sadness, so this is the kind of
The Brogue Saxophone Quartet to perform at the K.C.I.C. Riley MacKinnon Arts Editor
The Brogue Saxophone Quartet to perform at the K.C. Irving Centre Garden Room Monday February 9 at 7:00 pm WOLFVILLE, NS—The campus of Acadia University will be awash in the sounds of saxophones and more as the Brogue Saxophone Quartet brings their upbeat brand of woodwind music to the Irving Centre Garden Room on Monday February 9, at 7:00 pm. Admission is by donation. The Brogue Quartet is a newcomer to the Atlantic Canadian chamber music scene. After an initial meeting brought about by tenor saxophonist Brad Reid in 2013, a December concert in Halifax inspired further investigation into the group's potential. In 2014 the quartet had summer performances at Halifax's Tunes at Noon series and a featured evening performance for the Nova Scotia Choral Federation in Berwick, NS. Now reaching full momentum in 2015, the quartet has prepared an all-new, highly entertaining program that demonstrates their motto— “because toes are for tapping”. Brogue launches its 5-con-
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cert tour February 4th in the intimate Visual Voice Fine Arts Gallery in Truro, NS, and follows with performances in Anitgonish; Wolfville; Sackville, New Brunswick; and Halifax. Named for the mix of languages, dialects, and traditions called a brogue, the Brogue Quartet applies the same approach to it’s blending of musical styles and traditions. Appropriately the members themselves seem to embody the same mandate. From the seasoned James Kalyn (Mount Allison University, tours with the Cleveland Orchestra), to the youngest member Catherine Hatt (Band of the Ceremonial Guard, Ottawa), the members bring a wide range of experiences and traditions into the group. Stylistically, alto saxophonist and Acadia saxophone instructor Tristan De Borba considers himself a strictly classical player (recent soloist with the Acadia band and upcoming performance with Symphony Nova Scotia), while Brad Reid (Neptune Theatre - Avenue Q, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd), the ensemble's tenor saxophonist brings his jazz background and woodwind doubling to the mix.
beer you want to drink from the can. The mouth-feel is oddly light for a beer this dark, but the bonus alcohol is certainly present. The taste is very biscuit-like, with caramel malts coming through at the forefront. It is, admittedly, a little bit sour, which is unpleasant but will not prevent me from drinking the stuff. The light body makes it a fairly drinkable beer, and good for a session. The aftertaste has an extremely mild bitterness, and it hangs around like that one guy at the party you swear is like 26. As is the case with any bock style beer, the hint of a banana bread flavor is present throughout, but it is a bit less obvious in this bock than with others. This makes me sad, because I, like many other red-blooded humans, enjoy ba-
nana bread. Festbock is a solid beer, with its primary selling point being that it is the best tasting of the standard 'get extra drunk' beers. Most other high-alcohol craft beers are also very delicious, but they are generally expensive, filling, and may make some people call you pretentious. One of the main draws of Festbock is that it is inexpensive, not filling, not terrible, and will get you appropriately drunk. For those that notice that 'it gets you drunk' is one of the comments in the conclusion for almost all my reviews, I thank you for reading more than one of my reviews. Get quenched, folks. Summary: It is like the German Busch Ice but not quite as trashy. continued from page 7
Also a doubler, Kalyn brought up the idea of incorporating other instruments into the quartet, and beginning with this program audiences will in fact see all members of the Brogue Saxophone Quartet playing more than one instrument on some arrangements. The repertoire includes a variety of what they call "really good crossover selections.” The program will include suites by Gordon Goodwin, David Kechley, and Bob Mintzer, as well as Thierry Escaich's Tango Virtuoso, and even a piece by Saturday Night Live’s legendary band leader Lennie Pickett. Original arrangements by Kalyn and Reid will also be featured, as well as a few surprises.
so much a unified sound as it was an approach to making incredibly original and sometimes challenging rock music. In this respect, Godspeed followed this pattern; the only problem is that everyone decided to copy Godspeed! Still, the early post-rock scene is a wellspring of highly original sounds, of which I have only covered a few key bands (certain internet circles would crucify me for not mentioning Slint, Disco Inferno or Tortoise – I will leave these groups for you to discover yourself). The first wave of this incredibly interesting subgenre certainly hits the spot for a jazz, classical, progressive and experimental music fan such as myself.
Recommended Albums: Talk Talk’s Find more info online at www. Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock; broguequartet.ca, or contact Brad Bark Psychosis’ Hex and IndepenReid, (902) 830-1167, reidmusic@ dency; and Swans’ Soundtracks gmail.com. For the Blind.
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Tom Regan:
a fourth year reflection Riley MacKinnon Arts Editor
When I started at Acadia in the fall of 2011, I had no idea what the Tom Regan concert was. Like any other music student, I quickly scribbled down which concerts I wanted to attend for the Performing Arts Series, which included the mandatory Tom Regan concert. What was this concert? Once the second semester began, I had already been to two PAS concerts, both of which I loved. This is when the buzz started happening. Are you going to Tom Regan? Who do you think is going to be in it? Once again, the question popped into my head: What was this concert? The Saturday of the concert ar-
rived. Ticket in hand, I made my way down to the Festival Theatre to attend what I assumed was a regular PAS show. I was proven wrong, though. The concert was fantastic. My fellow peers and professors took to the stage in a mesmerizing way. The students were upper-year, people I had not had the chance to speak to yet, and it was such a great moment to see them showcase all their hard work. At that moment I realized how lucky Acadia is to have such a talented faculty and school. The dedication that was put into the performances inspired me to do my best in the years to come.
went. The auditions brought a wealth of nerves, but those who were successful would remember that feeling of pride and success for years to come. Both years produced greater performances from my fellow classmates and professors. Once again, I felt immense pride to be a part of Acadia and its School of Music. Last weekend, I attended what could be my last Tom Regan concert. This concert felt different than the others.
Two of my classmates, whom I have shared numerous moments and classes with, did absolutely fantastic performances. Everyone in the show left their heart on the stage. When Tom Herman took to the stage before the second half, he shared a few words about Tom Regan, his importance to Acadia, and the importance of this concert. His words really stuck with me this time: this concert has students and faculty coming togethThe following two years, the au- er under a love of music and sharditions for Tom Regan came and ing. The concert was so diverse in
styles, genres, and eras, but was brought together under that love of sharing music. In our day-to-day lives here at Acadia, it is easy to forget why we are here studying. Only this year, with my upcoming graduation, did I sit back and reflect on the past few years and really question what and why I am studying here. As a music student, I often forgot my goal of working with current popular music in my future while I was studying Baroque or Classical music. I often got frustrated with my studies. I often wondered if this was the right degree for me. Seeing my peers take to the stage Saturday night brought me back to the day I realized I wanted to come to Acadia. While my days as a student here coming to a close, I am glad that I can think back on moments like the annual Tom Regan concert to help me remember the pride I feel as both an Acadia student, and a member of the School of Music.
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What Drives You? Andrew Haskett Staff Writer
A thirty-five year old bus tumbles down the tarmac of the Trans-Canada highway, traveling through time at a slippery one-hundred and five kilometers an hour. The bus rounds a bend, and then another, and before you know it the sound of the bus’s six-stroke diesel engine is as rhythmic as the beat of your own pulpy heart. This bus is lethargic and worrisome and bored. It has experienced this route too many times and it can’t take much more of this shit.
and crushed spiritually and physically in yards of steel, and is then made into other newer, shinier, yet still miserably ancient shells. The lifespan of a bus in North America is approximately 84.7 years for females, and 83.14 years for males. Reproduction is never an issue because there are always newer, sleeker, more physique-worthy automobiles ready for a life of abuse. Nobody ever sees them at birth. Salted, oiled, burned, rebuilt and recycled.
The life of a bus is one of revision and complication. Flat tires, sore axels, frame pains, and finally, a slow, creaking, rusting death. Sometimes it is broken up
The hopes and dreams of a twotonne carriage don’t matter to “normal” people. They climb aboard at the most absurd hours of the day, they smoke, they drink,
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and they vomit on the feet of the bus. They consume drugs and they feed on the energy that this modern day horse-and-carriage provides them. Needles, rubbers, shoes, garbage, sorrow: these are the things people leave on the bus. And these things affect the energy of the bus that these people feed off of.
Go die somewhere else I woke up to a knock at my door. Puzzled and dazed, after completing my first exam of the semester, I threw myself out of bed to answer the visitors. Far from a stressed out friend or friendly Residence Assistant, I was greeted by the manager of Residence Life and the director
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of the Student Resource Centre. I was being evicted without notice. Their phrasing, that I was “being asked to leave,” hardly comforted me. I had been suffering through a severe bout of anxiety and depres-
It will ask you trivial things and important things, about yourself, about your spouse. It will treat you like a shy accomplice as it transports you thousands of kilometers through the snaking tunnels of asphalt that were built for your grandparents Prime Ministers. Admirable in action, accommodating in stature. There is no music playing on the bus’s burnt out speakers. Bring your own. The television hasn’t worked since the Soviet Bloc.
Treat a bus well and it will treat you in kind. It wishes for companionship that will never arrive, for love that is a distant façade over the sand dunes. Treat it badly and it will growl and snarl like a wolf trapped between the hunter and the nest. Its conductor will treat you like the garbage that you are and will ultimately fire you out of the doors at a speed faster than it can possibly travel. It will break Foreign and familiar. What more down, it will cry. And it will de- do you want? stroy. Sit still, be calm, compla-
sion, unfortunately all too common among university students. At Acadia we are no different. Most of us are touched by mental illness in some way; even those of us free of it often witness the struggle of friends and loved ones. Tragically, sometimes an illness becomes horribly dangerous, resulting in the serious harm or even death of someone we hold dear. Suicide is not an issue Acadia is unfamiliar with, but it remains difficult to understand. Why would someone choose to end her life? In my case, I felt worthless. Sometimes I even felt as if life were no longer real. I was lonely and isolated even in the midst of friends, lacking the energy, motivation, and appetite to enjoy the things I once did. My classes gave Photo Credit: Chase McRobie me purpose and something to keep my mind occupied, but I felt hopelessly cloaked in darkness and I lacked the means to lift the veil. Depression insidiously warped my very identity and view of the world. There was only so much I could do myself: I reached out for help.
Blake Robert Contributor
cent, cool, and you and the bus will get along swimmingly. It will shower you with quiet compliments, ask you about your hair and your family and your hopes for a cleaner future.
At first I spoke only to peers, but when I realized the severity of the situation, I decided to contact a Residence Life don to be directed to mental health resources. After some email correspondence, I met with the don in person, and we ended up discussing my serious thoughts and intentions of suicide. The don made me feel as safe as
possible given the situation, and got me an appointment with a counsellor at the Student Resource Centre. I felt supported. I felt hopeful. I felt like I could get through this and focus on recovery after exams. I was reminded that I have a life ahead of me, that it didn’t have to all end here. Two days later, I heard the knock. My visitors had just come back from a safety and security meeting where my situation was discussed. I was told I wasn’t safe and was being “asked to leave”. They assured me I would still be given the opportunity to complete my exams. My home was less than an hour away, so my mother was contacted at work to retrieve me. On her way to Dennis, I was given time to pack my bags and talk to the director of the Student Resource Centre, who is a counsellor. We discussed her theoretical background. I was told I was essentially experiencing a fight-or-flight response and thus my thoughts were not important. I needed to evaluate my emotions, but I didn’t feel anything. I didn’t know what to feel at the time. My thoughts ran in loops. I felt helpless and hopeless. I thought I would receive help, but instead lost my privilege to even live at Acadia. I was expelled from continued on page 11
athopinions continued from page 10 the residence community. I lost the social support of my friends. I no longer had the opportunity to go to the counselling appointment I had the next day.
mission informed us that only a letter from my psychiatrist would’ve been enough to see my return, but Residence Life is not too familiar with human rights, as you will see.
Like an informal criminal proceeding, Residence Life’s manager quoted passages from my emails with the don as evidence against me, evidence that I was an unacceptable threat to the safety of other students and to myself. With life-threatening physical illnesses, you receive support, are sent to the hospital, and then reintegrated into school life if possible, if you wish to return. With life-threatening mental illnesses, Residence Life’s management labels you a threat and ejects you, separates you from the population of students under their care so you can’t harm them by harming yourself. You have to prove you are no longer a “threat” to get back in. If this seems like a It was profoundly painful. They double standard, that’s because would allow me to die, as long as it is – a common sign of mental it was off-campus. There was no health stigma and prejudice. warning and no opportunity to advocate for myself: I was disap- The specious reasoning behind peared from residence. The fol- maintaining this double standard lowing day, I went to the hospital. is to minimize the psychological I spoke to a psychiatrist who I still effect of a student’s suicide, somesee now. On our second meeting, thing profoundly distressing, more he qualified Residence Life’s ac- so than the death of a student by, tions as the worst case of discrimi- say, cancer (though try telling that nation he has ever seen. My case is to the people that have lost a loved not unique. Though he would not one to that horrible affliction). Resprovide a number, the manager idence Life’s strategy is hopelessly admitted that on a case-by-case ineffectual. If someone you knew basis, suicidal students are evicted committed suicide, would you be from residence just as I was. My comforted by the fact that it didn’t parents and I succeeded in orga- happen on campus and instead she nizing a talk with the manager of was sent off in time to die someResidence Life, director of the Stu- where else? Suspending students dent Resource Centre, and execu- for being at risk of suicide does tive director of Student Resources not protect others from the effect a for discussion and clarification. possible suicide would have, it only protects suicidal students from a At this appointment, I was expect- supportive community. ing to be informed of the reasoning behind my eviction and to be The manager, with a two-day suisomewhat appeased, but it turned cide detection course under his out to be a disciplinary meeting. belt, saw my overt suicidal ideation and acted quickly to surgically I was suspended from residence remove the cancer to the student until September or until such time community before I could metasthat I could prove I was mentally tasize. I was not, and will likely not well enough to return. There was be, the only tumour removed. This no opportunity for appeal; the manager, on a case-by-case baResidence Life manager’s decision sis, makes decisions with his colwas final. I would have to sign a leagues to suspend students from release to have my private medical residence who are at an arbitrarily information shared with the Stu- high risk of suicide, instead of dodent Resource Centre director. The ing what they can to help them. Nova Scotia Human Rights Com- They have not told students this be-
“I thought I would receive help, but instead lost my privilege to even live at Acadia. ”
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cause we may be anxious to seek help. We should be anxious to seek help through them. Mental illness stigma has very clearly influenced Residence Life’s management. So many resources have been dedicated to fighting the stigma, but we still have a long way to go. There is still prejudice against those of us with mental illness.
They are not landlords; they are caretakers of a community. During our meeting, the manager brought up the notion that Residence Life’s staff is essentially composed of landlords and thus ought not be expected to care for students with mental illnesses like mine. I’m currently living in a house off-campus to continue my studies. My landlady cannot legally evict me without notice and certainly not for the reasons Residence Life did. They are not landlords; they are caretakers of a community. One could easily argue that there should be a limit to what kind of burden should be imposed on them by students, but a discussion about this should be public, involving students, not between a few people in the upper echelons of Students Services’ management, and the burden certainly does not justify treating people such as myself like second-class citizens. Had I committed a crime even as abhorrent as rape, had I actually broken clearly expressed rules, or otherwise willingly threatened the safety of other students, I would have been afforded due process through Non-Academic Judicial, perhaps involving the RCMP. But suffering from a life-threatening mental illness is apparently seen as such an egregious crime and so dangerous that Student Services’ executive director, in charge of counselling, accessibility services, Residence Life, etc., found it acceptable that I was promptly ejected from campus without warning.
My parents and I asked that the manager of Residence Life give us his decision and the reasoning behind it in writing. The letter I received had a completely shifted narrative from that of the meeting. I was not evicted because I was a threat to other students or because they shouldn’t have to deal with me, I was evicted because Residence Life required time to evaluate its ability “… to provide a safe and supportive housing option for [me].” “We are all pleased that you have been able to access positive support this past week and hear that you have a plan to move forward. Acadia University is committed to student success for all students living on and off-campus and provides access to resources and staff supports on an ongoing basis.” I tried to access these resources and instead encountered an institution seemingly far more concerned with its own protection than that of my life. The absurdly transparent bureaucratic rhetoric in the letter did little to alleviate my concerns. It did include an offer to answer my questions and provide clarification, but I had completely lost faith in Residence Life as a supportive institution, at least with regard to mental health. Following an alcohol-related death on campus in 2011, Acadia launched a comprehensive reform of its alcohol management policy in order to help ensure safe drinking habits. “A number of dedicated and committed people from students, faculty and staff, to parents and community leaders, to health care professionals and policy makers helped Acadia develop this comprehensive strategy and I am grateful for their important contribution,” proclaimed Ray Ivany, President of Acadia University. A report by Dr. Robert Strong, our province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, included many references to mental health as a major concern in developing a policy, likely because substance abuse is a key contributing factor to mental illness and significantly increases the risk of suicide. Residence Life was involved in Acadia’s updatcontinued on page 12
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Though, apparently some have.
ed strategy and its policy can be found in the Residence Life Hand- In a recent investigative report by book. Unfortunately, it includes no CTV’s W5, it’s revealed that the reference to mental health. mental health activist Erin Hodgson of jack.org who graduated Does Residence Life believe it’s not from the University of Toronto was important enough to discuss? Why evicted by a vote of her peers severis it that they are so open about al years ago after attempting to end alcohol policies but not mental her life. It was an experience likely health policies? I and likely all the far more traumatic than mine, but other suicidal students suspended the same would have happened from residence had no idea this to her had she gone to Acadia, by could happen to us. Why the timid- the decision of the Residence Life ity in discussing such an important manager instead of her peers. issue and making sure that the most vulnerable students are prop- There are universities that have erly informed? Why not inform treated life-threatening mental illthe general population of students ness in outrageously callous ways, and parents how they deal with us and one would hope at least most “threats”? Why the opacity with of them have changed. Why is Resithis issue but not dangerous alco- dence Life so far behind with menhol use? If Student Services’ man- tal health, yet so up-to-date with agement is confident this is the alcohol safety? As an institution, best posture they can adopt, why it is a crucial part of the mental is it not public when this posture health support puzzle, while every could greatly impact the choice other relevant institution at Acadia of students to live in residence? It seems to play its role better. The may be because it’s a disgraceful Counselling Centre is fantastic, posture to adopt. in my experience, and the Mental Health Society has made signifiIn the far more litigious nation of cant contributions to the mental the United States, some students well-being of the student body. For evicted for attempting suicide as instance, they organize things like early as 2004 have successfully Mental Health Week, they provide sued their schools for human rights a personal support line, they have violation, specifically discrimina- a safe space in the Student Union tion on the basis of mental disabil- Building that anyone can visit, and ity. This, along with some court they’re providing mental health rulings and bad national press, training to many students that will led many American universities surely save lives. to seek better means of caring for students in danger of harming How could Residence Life possibly themselves. It seems most univer- save the lives of those that went sities in Canada have not adopted through what I did? If anything, that regressive and aggressive pos- they significantly increased my risk ture of evicting suicidal students. of suicide. This has happened to
P.S. It Will Be Ok, We Are Only a Phone Call Away: Acadia Personal Support Line Emma Hachey Contributor
Sadness, nervousness, and feeling alone are just some of the things that can race through your mind as a university student. You are being placed under academic pressure, you are away from your parents and family, and you are becoming an adult with all the
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responsibilities and privileges that that entails. Students face many of these problems each day at Acadia. According to a psychology honours thesis written by Alexandra Law in 2013, “the majority of [Acadia] students report experiencing some symptoms of anxiety
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other students, and it will continue happening until someone dies after being evicted or until Residence Life is forced to change. I for one would prefer the latter. I have depressed friends that are now seriously concerned about their ability to stay in residence. In writing this, I’m afraid of instilling this anxiety in other students living on campus, which is why included in this issue of the Athenaeum is a list of mental health resources you can access confidentially. I cannot stand for Residence Life’s odious actions behind closed doors and do not believe opacity does anything to help students: it serves only to protect public image. As of January 6, the Equity Officer has been conducting an investigation into Residence Life, but she agreed with their unofficial policy of simply barring students like me from living on campus. A Cana-
dian Mental Health Association representative I spoke to found Residence Life’s actions appalling and a clear case of discrimination; I was given valuable advice on how to handle the situation. But why should severely depressed students need to go to outside institutions to get any kind of effectual advocacy? Why should they ever feel the need for advocacy? I’m grateful that I’ve been able to receive counselling this term through the Student Resource Centre, but I can safely say Residence Life has been the greatest threat to my mental health. It should not have been that way and should not be that way for other students that ever find themselves in a similar situation. The go-die-somewhere-else attitude of Residence Life’s management is absolutely reprehensible and has to change.
Resources On Campus
Off Campus
Acadia Pride (pride@acadiau.ca) Community Health Clinic 542-2266 585-2165 Nova Scotia Human Rights ComAcadia University Equity Office mission 1-877-269-7699 (equity@acadiau.ca) 585-1298 Valley Regional Hospital 678-7381 Safety and Security (security@acadiau.ca) 585-1103 Wolfville RCMP 542-3817 Women’s Centre (womens.centre@ Nova Scotia Mental Health Crisis acadiau.ca) 585-2140 Line 1-888-429-8167 Acadia Personal Support Line 902- Mental Health Mobile Crisis Team 300-OKAY 1-902-429-8167
and sometimes a two week wait time is too long to wait. The Personal Support Line is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings from 7pm-1am where student volunteers take anonymous and confidential calls that can relate to a wide variety of issues from deThis year, a new service has been pression to abuse and anywhere introduced to Acadia’s students: in between. the Personal Support Line. The Personal Support Line aims to All volunteers are trained in Peer fill a void of resources available Support Training from the head of to students when the counselling the counselling department, Erica centre is not open. Every day prob- McGill, and Applied Suicide Interlems and mental health issues do vention Skills Training, a suicide not come up during the conve- first aid course developed by Livnient business hours of Monday ingWorks Education. This training continued on page 13 to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm (81.8%) and depression (64.5%).” As someone who has also struggled with mental illness and who has also seen friends suffering, this is not surprising, but it is reassuring to know we are not alone in our struggles with mental health.
ath athopinions continued from page 12 equips the volunteers to be able to listen empathetically and reflectively to their callers, point them in the right direction of resources for their problems on and off campus, and provide suicide intervention if need be. The phone line is a safe space for callers to talk about what has been going on in their life and to have someone to simply listen to them when they do not know whom else to talk to. The aim of the line
is not to provide advice or share personal stories with the callers, but to listen to the caller and to help them find what way they wish to cope best with their situation at hand. The line just launched on January 9th but we have already been getting calls. My team and I are so excited to be able to provide students with the support they need and to help them find the resources they’re looking for. Our team of volunteers are passionate, empathetic, and caring. They truly embody the core val-
An Invitation for Solutions Dewey Dunnington Contributor
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ues of the Personal Support Line, an email at pslacadia@gmail.com. which are Compassion, Respect, Our full resource guide for on and and Person-Centred Care. off campus supports is listed on the PSL website under resources. If you or someone you know is struggling and would like to talk to someone, please call us at (902) If you would like to speak to a 300-OKAY Thursday, Friday, or professional counsellor, please Saturday evenings from 7pm-1am. email counselling@acadiau.ca to book an appointment. For a menFor more information on the Per- tal health emergency, please call sonal Support Line, please visit the NS mental health crisis line at our website at pslacadia.ca, visit 902-429-8167 or 1-888-429-8167 our Facebook Page at “Acadia U (toll free). Personal Support Line�, or send us ty Association acquiesced to even more cuts), I returned to Acadia as a graduate student. In the years following the economic downturn of 2008, Acadia was hit hard with declining enrolment and loss of investment income, of which at least enrolment has recovered. Some upper-year classes are twice as big as when I took them five years ago, which translates into a proportional increase in the marking load. In some cases support staff has also been cut, putting more administrative duties on professors as well. As the resources invested into faculty and staff decline (and it's worth noting that this process is very slow), each professor is asked to do more for the same pay. It is a subtle trend, but if professors are continually asked to do more, the things that make Acadia unique suffer: opportunities for undergraduate research, small classes, professors with time to meet with students, timely marking, and quality of teaching.
at Acadia, the Acadia Faculty voted to strike. At issue were largely the same problems cited by AUFA in the current set of negotiations and a few more: less tenure track positions being replaced by contract positions, lack of child care, and pay below the national average. As an 18 year old who had only been in school for about a month before the strike started, I had very little idea what this meant. The strike lasted about four weeks, during which time I went home, came back, watched seven seasons of Scrubs, and successfully avoided the campus-wide outbreak of chlamydia. Classes resumed without any more work than usual, and my worst regret is that I missed a field This is no secret to anybody. As All cards on the table, I am a grad- trip on metamorphic rocks. with the negotiations seven years uate student in science and should ago, the Faculty Association is enthere be a strike I will probably be It is worth explaining here what the tirely correct in pointing out that one of the least affected among difference is between tenure track the image Acadia flaunts to the us. I have one class and one TA and contract positions. It may be public is absolutely dependent position, and a strike for me really a slight simplification, but tenureon the amount of resources it inmeans that I spend less time mark- track positions are full-time posivests in its faculty and staff. The ing and more time writing my the- tions paid by salary and benefits, University continues to claim it sis. I am far from wanting a strike and contract positions are partcan not afford this (and it may be to happen (as is every professor I time and paid on a per-course bacorrect, I am no expert). The Stutalk to), but I still see the merits in sis without (or with less) benefits. dents' Union continues to be irrelwhat the Faculty Association is try- It is, of course, cheaper for the evant by producing rhetoric about ing to accomplish. As students we university to hire professors on a how we should find a solution that are understandably shortsighted, contract basis, at the price of these maintains our quality of education, we spend four years of our lives professors being poorly compendoesn't hinder the University's fihere often unaware changes that sated and having to renegotiate nancial sustainability, and does take place over years and decades their contracts every year. not involve tuition increases (this is within the University. obviously what everybody wants, Seven years and two collective and as much as the ASU will tell In 2007, when I had just arrived agreements later (where the FaculThe Students' Union has recently been urging on behalf of students that the University and Faculty Association stop bargaining on students' backs and hammer out an agreement that keeps our classes small but does not lead to us paying more. As students we have a place in this discussion between the University and its professors, but the neutral position advocated by the ASU is far from it. I started my experience at Acadia seven years ago with a previous Acadia strike, so in this piece I hope I can articulate a little bit about what the last strike was like, what this negotiation means, and what our place is in it.
you it is not a neutral position it absolutely is). As students, we do have a place in all of this - the ASU is correct that the negotiations are taking place on students' backs and without our input. Sometimes we forget that the University is run by old people that are removed from the student experience, and our voices are far from irrelevant (even if the words of our union have been so far). Whether it's the group of ten dedicated volunteers that ensured that water fountains got installed on campus, the few students that petitioned Technology Services to stop wasting paper, or the four students that persuaded the University to allot land for a community garden (and there are many, many more examples), it is all evidence that Acadia is a dynamic institution that will change if we as students care enough to ask it to.
I told you at the beginning that I hoped I could share what the last strike was like, what's at stake in the collective agreement, and what our place is in the negotiations. I hope I have shed some light on the first two points, and as for the third I hope the implications are obvious: if we as students can propose priorities, solutions, and directions in the negotiations, our university will listen. I write this not because I have a solution but because somebody else may, and because if we can not propose solutions (as students or a union), complaining about a strike will accomplish little. Nobody wants a strike, and everybody needs a solution. Consider this an invitation to be part of one.
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Photo Credit: Acadia Athletics
Coach profile:
Elliot Richardson Cameron Davidson Contributor
A former defensive star and AllCanadian with Axemen football, Elliott Richardson now works as Acadia Athletics Strength and Conditioning Coach. Along with working with all varsity teams, Richardson also founded Acadia Performance Training, the training hub of elite youth athletes throughout the Annapolis Valley. Richardson credits a series of fortunate events that led him to the Acadia Athletics coaching staff after his three-year CFL career from 2009-2011. “After I was released from Saskatchewan for the second time, I wanted to go get some experience [in Strength and Conditioning] and came to Acadia to help out with the football team specifically,” said Richardson. “At
that point I had an opportunity to either continue to pursue football, or potentially create an opportunity for myself here at Acadia as a Strength and Conditioning Coach.” Richardson took on four more teams in addition to working with the football team that winter. In April, he then became the first full-time Strength and Conditioning Coach at Acadia University. “That pretty much closed the opportunity to continue on as an athlete; and focus on making athletes better,” said Richardson.
ciation. “This fall, I’m looking at starting a Masters in Strength and Conditioning,” says Richardson. He would take the course online from either the UK or Australia.
Prior to his coaching career at Acadia, Richardson was a standout on a very talented Axemen football team from 2005-2008. The opportunity to play at the Free Safety position and get the chance to play early on in his career influenced Richardson to first come to Acadia. “And then when I stepped on campus, [I] absolutely fell in love with the place,” Richardson adds. “Pretty much by the first morning I called home and told my parents ‘This is the place I want to go to school.’ After that I cancelled a lot of the other visits I was planning on taking to schools in Quebec, Ontario and out west.”
Richardson’s business, Acadia Performance Training, has expanded incredibly since its origination in 2012, when just five athletes trained with Richardson. From the summer of 2012 to 2014, the program took off, purely through word of mouth, with approximately eighty rising stars turning to Richardson for training over summer of 2014. Acadia Performance Training continues to grow as great results and reviews are being poured in. “I just want to make better athletes here in the Valley,” Richardson says about his goals with the business. “I think that there’s definitely an opportunity for them, and I think they need to understand that there’s a lot more out here than just being ‘good in the Valley’. To be able to make that next step they need to not only outwork people in their community, they need to outwork people in the province, and across the country if they want to make it to the next level.”
To go with his on-field success while playing with the Axemen, Richardson was also a two-time Academic All-Canadian while studying Kinesiology. Richardson took the exercise science route, and then became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Asso-
It can be easy to overlook the importance of strength and conditioning, and the benefits Acadia Athletics reap from having an excellent Strength and Conditioning Coach such as Richardson. Understanding that this can get overlooked, Richardson says, “The way I try to explain it is that adding strength to your body and
Smart Snacking
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strength to your game is like putting a bigger horsepower engine in your car. If you’re able to do that, you’re able to operate at a higher level. You’re able to do everything that you do easier.” He also adds in that, “Regardless of skill, if Jeff Gordon and I switched vehicles, I’d be able to beat him pretty good in a race, simply because I had bigger and faster engine. I think overall people just undervalue the properties of strength, which is really power, and what that can do to impact their game.” Now that he is beginning to see graduating classes of varsity athletes that he witnessed come in as rookies and improve, Richardson says the most rewarding part of his job is, “Seeing athletes improve, becoming more confident, becoming more successful, [and] reaching their goals on a dayin and day-out basis; and seeing them change as people in two to three to four years.” Richardson said that what makes Acadia Athletics special is, “The people. The people and Wolfville, that’s what drew me to Acadia in the first place.” Pointing out that even though Acadia Athletics may be considered understaffed, Richardson says it just makes each individual work harder. Highly praised by colleagues, coaches and varsity athletes alike, Coach Elliott Richardson continues to help Acadia Athletics rise to an all-around CIS powerhouse.
Step 3: Seasoning add-in, to taste Hummus (optional) The basic ingredients: Ground cumin 1 clove of peeled garlic Cayenne pepper 2 tbsp olive oil Smoked paprika Lidia Jones ¼ cup of tahini Chopped cilantro Contributor ½ the juice of a lemon (or more, Chopped parsley to taste) Directions: There comes a time in the semes- about a week, and the Chili Lime ½ tsp salt (or more, to taste) ter where you are sitting in your Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) will stay In a food processor or blender, study space of choice, and the feel- fresh for about 2 weeks if stored Step 1: Choose a base add tahini and lemon juice, blend ing hits: you NEED a snack. When properly. Both recipes include chili 1 15oz can of chickpeas (half for 45 seconds. Add the olive oil midterms roll around, it can be re- powder, which is known as one of drained) and garlic, blend for 30 seconds. ally tough to be a fully functional the world’s healthiest foods. Chili 1 15oz can of black beans (half Add in your base of choice, blend student. More importantly, it is pepper is not only an immune sysdrained) for 1 minute. If you have chosen hard to find time to cook. It is for tem builder but is an antioxidant, Step 2: Choose a booster (optional) a booster, add it in, and blend for 30 seconds. If you have chosen to this reason, why I am sharing some which also boosts metabolism. 1 avocado, peeled and pitted of my favorite study snack recipes, Happy snacking! ¾ cup of chopped roasted red add some seasoning, add it to the blender, along with the salt and which are easy and quick to prepeppers (from a jar) blend for 10 seconds. pare in advance. My Hummus recContinued on Page 15 ipe (and its variants), will keep for
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Thinking about becoming a physiotherapist? Laura Jeha Sports Editor
As second semester moves into full swing many graduating students may be asking themselves : what am I going to do when I graduate? Physiotherapy is one career path that students, especially those studying Kinesiology, might be considering. I sat down with Jenny Dea, one of the physiotherapists at Acadia’s Sports Therapy Clinic, to learn what its like to be a physiotherapist and how you can help beat study stress. Jenny completed her undergraduate degree at Acadia, double-majoring in kinesiology and biology. She initially wanted to go into medicine, but decided it was not for her and was unsure about what her next step would be. Following graduation, Jenny got a job working for the Common Wealth Games in Southern Africa. Jenny’s role was to help implement long-term athlete development programs in Zambia. From her experience working at the Commonwealth Games, Jenny realized that she wanted to be involved in sport, but the administrative side was not where her interests lied. She decided she wanted to work in health care, and that physiotherapy would be a good fit.
Jenny completed her physiotherapy degree at Queen’s University in Ontario. Physiotherapy is a 24-month program, that includes five six -week clinical rotations. Programs are competitive, “one of the administration ladies told me once that they’re getting 500, 600 applicants for program where they offer 60 spots”, Jenny tells me. When I ask her how she would describe the program, “intense” is the word she uses. “You have to know you want to be a physio…you have to love what you’re doing otherwise you won’t have the dedication to do it”. You do not necessarily have to have a kinesiology background to apply, as long as you have taken the required courses such as human anatomy and physiology, you are eligible, but keep in mind that the GPA standards are high.
The good news is that, once you are a physiotherapist you will not have a problem finding a job. “There are physio jobs everywhere, any province you want to work in,” Jenny tells me. In a time where jobs for those coming out of university seem scarce, this is reassuring. Physiotherapy is a publiclyfunded service, so you can choose to work in either a public, or priContinued from Page 14 vately owned clinic. Not all clinServe with sliced pita bread, or ics uphold to the same standards, vegetables of choice. “there are some clinics that don’t have very good patient care, and Chili Lime Pepitas they are trying to make as much Ingredients: 1 ½ cups of raw, shelled, Pepi- money as they can..for people that want to give their patients the best tas (pumpkin seeds) care possible, that’s the hard part ½ tbsp chili powder about the job search, yeah there 1tsp salt are definitely jobs, but you need to 1tbsp olive oil be able to weed out which are the 3 tbsp fresh lime juice bad ones.” Place pepitas in a pan over medium heat. Stir or shake pan often, until There are many aspects of physyou hear the seeds start to crack- iotherapy that you learn in school, le or pop, then remove from the and then afterwards you specialize. stove. Place the seeds in a bowl The five main categories are: carand toss with the the olive oil, chili dio-respiratory; pediatric; geriatric; neurological; and orthopedic. powder, salt, and lime juice. “A lot of people, especially where we are in an active community, Cool then serve.
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the field, or the rink,” Jenny tells me. Another hard part about the job is accepting when you can’t help someone. Not every issue can be fixed by physiotherapy. Jenny tells me that a multidisciplinary approach works best, “you have to know what to suggest, whether it is getting their physician involved Physiotherapy work can be strenu- or recommending another health ous, but is definitely not boring. care professional.” “I’m on my feet 8 hours a day, constantly seeing a wide range of cli- I ask Jenny if there are any injuries ents with orthopedic and sport-re- she sees specifically in students, lated injuries,” says Jenny. Because and she tells me there tend to be of the physicality of the work it a lot of back and neck related isis important to “stay strong” and sues “especially around exam time learn proper techniques. Jenny when people are stressed, doing a likens it to working at a Michelin lot of sitting and studying, it's not plant, “you have to have proper uncommon.” Some of this is due body mechanics and lifting tech- to technology. Constantly being niques…you can injure yourself on your phone, computer, or tablet, where you are hunched forward quite easily.” can put a strain on your neck. A Jenny also plays a role in helping to lot of the time this results in tenteach Acadia students that are tak- sion headaches that make studying ing the Sport Injury Assessment difficult. Jenny says it is good to Management class that is offered “wake up the muscles every 20-30 by the Kinesiology department. minutes.” Small exercises you can Part of the course requires them to do at your desk are “more practido clinical hours at the sports ther- cal for students than to take a cofapy clinic, and it is a great opportu- fee break every 30 minutes...when nity for students to apply what they you’re in the zone you can do these things without even having are learning. to break your concentration,” JenHowever, it is not the physical ny explains. Exercises include rollpart of her job that Jenny finds ing your shoulders back, squeezing the toughest. She tells me that the you shoulder blades together, or hardest part is keeping up to date retracting your chin towards your on new information and treat- neck to make a “double chin”. Jenment techniques, ”because it is ny also suggest bringing something a health-care profession and we to support your back, like an extra use evidence-based practice, the sweater, or to try stacking your laptreatment techniques have been top on top of textbooks so that it is researched and are all supported at eye level. She also stresses that by literature, so we have to con- it is important to never be in one stantly keep up to date on the lat- position for too long, and that stuest research,” Jenny explains. This dents should try and switch their means reading medical journals on position or stand up periodically your off time and attending confer- when sitting for large amounts of ences and symposiums, you have time. to constantly be expanding on your education to make sure you Lastly, I ask Jenny what advice she do not fall behind. You can also has for those about to graduate complete certificates in topics like and embark into the “real world”: sports physiotherapy, manipula- “my advice to graduating students tive therapy, acupuncture, and ad- is not being afraid of not knowing vanced taping techniques to add to what you want to do,” she says, “if you go into something like a health your arsenal of tools. care profession its very likely going However, all this hard work can be to be what you do for the next, ten, rewarding, “it's always encouraging fifteen years of you life, you want when you can get someone better. to be sure it is what you want to Whether it's getting someone bet- do.” For those interested in going ter in time for their playoff game, into physio Jenny suggests, “learnor whether they have had a major ing as much about the profession surgery and have been working as you can...a lot of people think on their recovery for months and that physiotherapy is sports injuries finally get back onto the court, or and sprained ankles, but there is so much more to physio.” think physiotherapy is just for injury... but there is so much more to physio,” say Jenny. Jenny specializes in orthopedics and sports injuries herself, but you can also work with people who have lung disorders, or neurological diseases, like Parkinson’s and ALS.
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The collective bargaining agreement outlines the terms of employment for both admin and faculty. ex: pension plan tenure track positions
May 1st 2014: New Contract Negotiations Begin
What is
Collective Bargaining and what happens next?
Faculty outlines concerns and desired changes to AUFA. AUFA brings these proposals to the bargaining table with the BoG.
June 30th 2014: Old CBA Expires
Dec 5th 2014: Conciliator Appointed
No agreement could be reached between the two parties. A concilliator is appointed to help negotiate an agreement.
Jan 16th 2015: Conciliator Declares an Impass
Jan 30th 2015: Negotiations Begin Again
The concialliator decides that no agreement can be reached between parties. *This does not mean any party has walked away, there is just no agreement.
Parties returned to bargainng table. Negotiations break down by end of the day.
Feb 2nd 2015: Conciliator Files Report
What happens next?
TERMS TO KNOW AUFA - Acadia University Faculty Association BoG - Board of Govenors Concilliator - A professional mediator that facilitates discussion between the two parties
The report is filed with the Minister of Labour and Advanced Education, initiating the 14 Day waiting period before a strike can begin.
The earliest date a strike could begin is Feb 16th.