Acadia University’s student newspaper since 1874. September 24th, 2013 Issue 76.2
Uncovering
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STUDENTS’ MENTAL HEALTH on our campus the resources available (or unavailable)
Time to talk about Mental Health
TO SAVE IT P3
Counselling methods need reconsideration
P9
ath letters & editorial
Editorial
In preparing our newspaper each week, the editorial board of The Athenaeum has been forced to confront an increasingly prevalent problem, one that makes us re-examine the role of our paper, journalism, and campus culture. An increasing amount of submissions—especially for the Opinions section—are being submitted anonymously. This not only dampens the arguments of the writer with disclaimers, vague quasi assertions, and accusations, but seems to indicate that the writers themselves refuse to take responsibility for their own arguments, or hold others directly accountable for theirs. When an article gets published anonymously, there is an automatic insinuation that the author does not care as much about the accuracy or quality of what they have written, nor its reception from their audience. We are not implying that the entirety of our readership and our writers share this fear, as there has been little hesitation in the past for the attacking of an author of a controversial article in online discussions, and there have
been numerous consequences for those that have written them. In one situation last year, an employee of The Athenaeum was unable to continue working for this newspaper, and even risked facing serious long-lasting consequences and disciplinary actions with his career after a complaint was sent to his authorities by a perturbed student. Publishing your voice in a small fishbowl environment that is happy to attack and silence is scary, and anonymity is not an unreasonable strategy. This strategy, however, is an issue to the editorial board of The Athenaeum. We must further examine the reasons why an individual would choose to voice an opinion in anonymity as opposed to in full disclosure. Perhaps passive outrage is a symptom of the world we grew up in. We are a generation that, to a large extent, grew up on the cathode ray nipple of the internet. It is obscenely easy to post an extreme comment on last week’s Youtube video, sometimes merely for a reaction, without feeling any consequential pangs. By constantly
divorcing ourselves from our opinions we are allowing our thoughts to run wild without ever having to stand up for them or experience damage to our reputations. Statements such as “This is just my opinion…” are now commonplace in our everyday speech. We have grown up being allowed to wear a mask of anonymity or inconsequential ‘opinion’ and thus never matured to a level where we would actually invest a personal stake in expressing our thoughts and arguments. Opinions, in this climate, are worthless. Why would we ever want to take an argument seriously if the author themselves are unwilling to associate themselves with it? It would be foolish to completely blame this pandemic of anonymous writing solely on the authors of such work. There are reasons other than a want to express an opinion one simply does not choose to invest oneself in. This is where the blame may shift from those who write to the readers who respond. The spike in individuals who prefer to publish anonymously is indicative of a culture of silencing
that has grown on a campus famous for its histor y of freedom and acceptance. Silencing means more than simply authoritative censorship, though certainly there are legal and ethical guidelines which constrain any periodic publication. The type of silencing that has grown on campus has occurred through the reaction of readers to arguments or opinions they do not necessarily like or agree with. These reactions do not attempt to engage in intellectual discussion of the subject, but seek to undermine the individual who expresses them. At an institution of higher learning we should be engaging in these sorts of public dialogues. If universities are, as Acadia president Ray Ivany put it, supposed to be “fundamentally about the generation of new knowledge,” then why are we completely unwilling to hear something that we might not find favourable. Not only are we stifling the individual’s expression, but we are stifling ourselves by denying our chance to engage in a dialogue about a subject. If we are struggling to feel a need
to engage ourselves in public dialogue in a mature way at university then how are we going to do it once we leave our institution of higher education? How degraded will public debate be by the time we are determining the future of our society? If we are unwilling to engage in conversations at school of issues that affect us, how will we engage in public conversations as a productive citizenry? If you truly believe something is right, it will never be “Just your opinion.” Rather than attempting to destroy the reputations of others, perhaps you should publicly, rationally, and with an openness to intelligent conflict, engage with them and seek to generate that knowledge we are all here for. The Athenaeum will continue to publish anonymous articles by those offering a unique and positive contribution to campus dialogue or who rationally perceive a threat from their peers, professors, and society, should their voice be made public.
Low expectations for The Athenaeum were poorly written, with numerous grammatical errors. Other articles were so disrespectful that they should have never made it to print, as they broadcasted inappropriate and sexist values that were not only hurtful, but harmful to the ideals of our community. For example, the infamous article, “The date rape debacle: feminism at its worst” caused an immediate uproar over its assumptions regarding gender and consensual sex. The article stated that ‘feminists’ rely on inequalities among genders in order to exaggerate the consequences of date rape so that they gain an unfair advantage for women over men. I understand the importance of debate; however, such
an ignorant and blatantly hateful article should never have been published. While the opinions of an author do not necessarily reflect the views of the organization, The Ath is responsible for values broadcasted under its name. I understand the need for social and political exploration, but this is different from creating controversy for the sake of controversy. The purpose of an article should be to explore socially relevant events that showcase the dynamic viewpoints of the people and culture that are associated with them. An article should not rely on the pure outrage of the public in order to gain readership. Words have implications, and the abuse of that power is not only dangerous, but unethical. Articles should report an issue with reasoned facts in a way that is both
objective and professional. I want to be able to trust the authenticity of what I’m reading from a newspaper and trust that the content will be in good taste. Even though I have low expectations, I hope that The Athenaeum will choose to improve itself this year by publishing the
The Athenaeum kind of high quality articles that are demanded of any newspaper. The Athenaeum has held the position of Acadia’s school newspaper for a hundred and thirty nine years, and I hope after that all the time The Ath will publish articles worthy of that privilege.
editorial staff
production staff
contributors
photo credits
Jenn Galambos Contributor A newspaper article is something that purports to report the facts and opinions of a specific topic. Here at Acadia University, we have The Athenaeum for our official student newspaper. Members of Acadia, whether student or staff, rely on our student run newspaper to report the stories that are relevant to our lives here in Wolfville. We rely on The Athenaeum to keep the student body up to date on university life through the sharing of experiences and concerns. Unfortunately, after many of the articles that were published by The Athenaeum last year, I cannot say that I am a fan of our student newspaper. Many of the articles
the athenaeum Tuesday, September 24, 2013 Issue 76.2 ASU Box 6002, Acadia University Wolfville, NS, Canada B4P 2R5 email: eic@acadiau.ca SUB room 512
Editor-in-Chief News Editor
Creative Editor Opinions Editor Arts Editor
EIC Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00-5:30 Managing Editor Hours: Tuesdays 5:30-7:30
Sports Editor Science Editor
Iain Bauer
eic@acadiau.ca
Jacob Verhagen
Managing Editor
Stephanie Gumuchian
athmanagingeditor@acadiau.ca
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Joe Armstrong, Stephanie Brown, Peter LaMarre, Emily Gray, Amber Corkum, Darcy Shea, Emily Kennedy, Hailey Winder, Jacob Dawe, Kendra Petrie, Sarah Mackinnon, Sarah Williams, Jenn Galambos
Cover: Cully Simpson (Model / Photographer), Nathan Kaulback, Wikimedia Commons Art Credit: India Gailey (centerfold)
Nathan Kaulback
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If you would like to contribute to the Athenaeum please contact Iain Bauer (eic@acadiau.ca) or Stephanie Gumuchian (athmanagingeditor@acadiau.ca)
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Time to talk about mental health
now and I can’t go to class.” That’s one of the reasons we are doing the panel. We have people that are opening up and saying this is me, this is who I am.
peter lamarre staff writEr A mental health panel is taking place on Sept 26th at the KCIC auditorium. It includes several students who are ready to talk publicly about their struggle with mental health. Joining them are Terry Lane, Lisa Price and Sarah Lawheed, as well as Glen Berry. They are mental health professionals that work inside and outside of the Acadia community. A student society, recently formed, has been involved with putting up posters and raising issues. Jill Davies sat down with Peter LaMarre to talk about the panel and the state of mental health on campus.
Do you think you can make a real human difference with [the panel] or is it just an academic exercise?
I guess my first question for you is what do you do at Acadia? Two things, maybe three. First of all I’m a counsellor and that would be kind of an umbrella over everything else. I also oversee disability access services, and it’s in that context that this panel discussion will be organized. And then one of the fun things I do that you may have been privy to is that I organize the arrival and survival show which goes on the beginning of the year. That’s my fun, “woohoo” at the beginning and then the rest of it is a bit more serious. What exactly is the mental health panel that is going on? Mental health has finally made it into the consciousness of the average person. Certainly it’s on our radar here, and it has become clear within the committee that a lot of us didn’t realize that mental health issues were dealt with in disabilities services. This is probably something that the student and faculty population doesn’t know either. They think all we deal with is learning disabilities. We do a panel on mental health and sponsor it and get that message out. And we also dovetailed into the interest on campus. That was in April, and my proposal at that time was that we get a panel that consisted of mental health delivers. Part of the reason mental health has taken such a long time to get on the radar at Acadia or anywhere is that there tends to be some shame connected with depression/anxiety particularly, the ‘common cold’ of mental health issues. Certainly People tend not to present themselves and if they come into my office to talk to me it’s not because they want to talk to 150 people. So I thought, “deary me what I have done?” Anyway,
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I contacted people I know who have come for counselling here, and everybody I contacted said yes. Which I thought was pretty cool! These are people for which depression and anxiety have been long term battles, 10- 15 years for two of them. They are ready to go public and talk about what it’s like to juggle these kinds of mental health issues. I was very touched. If you do register yourself as having a mental health issue that is a permanent disability, is that like a black mark or something you should try to avoid on your record? Is that going to limit you? Absolutely not. Anything that you register with disability services, or if you come without registering for counselling, is confidential. You still have to speak to your profs and make sure they know what you are talking about is legit. I encourage students to talk to their professors about what the disability is they are registered with. It would be a confidential conversation but generally the mental health issues are the ones that [a student] are least
likely to disclose. But it’s relevant because virtually 99% of the people we are working with on campus are invisible. I find when you have a mental health problem the last thing you want to do is talk about it. I’ve seen lots of people slip through the cracks because rather than talk [to someone] they stop going to class. That’s absolutely true, if you have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression before you come here—or if it’s triggered [after] you arrive you’ll usually end up in counselling fairly quickly. If you have a long term diagnoses you understand the benefit of the accommodations that we provide. If, however, you have your first anxiety attack or your first bout of depression when you get here, generally you don’t know what it is, and then you start to shut down. You either sleep all the time, or don’t sleep at all, you don’t go to classes, and things start to catch up with you. It’s hard to say, “I have cyclical depression that’s fighting me
I don’t think it’s an academic exercise at all. I wouldn’t do the work I did if I didn’t think I could make a difference. Do I think that one panel discussion will change the direction of life at Acadia in terms of our openness to mental health issues? No I don’t. However, I believe it’s a first step and I don’t think it’s a baby step. We’re publicizing this, we’re beating the bushes to death. If you make it to September 26th and you don’t know this is happening you really aren’t paying attention. If there are people in the audience who have mental health issues that have never been diagnosed or who are very ashamed of them, I think it will help to normalize it. I can’t imagine there won’t be people who will be incredibly touched by what they hear. I’ve been touched just by talking to people before we’ve even done this. There shouldn’t be bravery that has to be involved, but there is. I think there is an understanding that the human rights code is involved here and an awareness that this isn’t something weird and unusual, this is part of life. If we are going to function as an institution we are going to have to be aware that people’s well-being involves their mental health as well. I remember making a quip to a friend the other day: “Stress is to mental health what salt is to dialysis” It’s very, very hard to stay mentally healthy when you are under [acute] stress.
Suddenly you’re taking responsibility for yourself, you’re living alone, there is all the temptations we address on arrival and survival, some that we don’t. You’re suddenly thrown off the boat, and 80% of the university students figure out within the first few months how to swim. That means a whole bunch don’t! By Christmas there are a whole bunch of people in academic difficulty. So you’re absolutely right, we take life and compress it into 12 week terms, and we give people a set of rules they’ve never had before and say: “Cope!” If you’ve never had anxiety or not been subject to depression it might come to bite you. And if you have been subject to it, you’re kind of waiting for something to come along to trigger it. It’s the salt in the wound so to speak. Okay, just generally do you have advice for students who are struggling with mental health? You’re not alone. I don’t know if you saw the arrival and survival show this year, there are several issues that are things that we deal with in here. One was anxiety, and [a student with] generalized anxiety disorder said “I want to talk about anxiety with my character.” I thought, “you’ve got guts kid”, and he did. And he talked about how awful it was for him and what the symptoms were, and how he sought help and how the counselling was helpful and how it was nice to know he wasn’t alone. And he stood up in front of 800 screaming frosh and told this story. [...] I guess the bottom line is that mental health is gradually coming out of the closet. There’s more awareness, there’s probably not a family on the planet that doesn’t have some form of an issue with mental health. If they don’t think they do it’s because they don’t know, and that it’s okay and lots of other people are in the same boat. There are strategies for coping that can be passed on and cultivated in counselling. Come. Well, thanks for your time. Yeah, nice to meet you! [This interview is edited extensively for spacing issues. Jill Davies expresses her thanks to Matt Rios for being concerned about mental health on campus and getting the ASU to step up to the plate and fund another counselor for students]
The thing is there are so many transitions at university—we are going to talk about that on the panel. You leave home, and your community, and all the things you’ve known.
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Acadia Mental Health Club Emily Gray & Amber Corkum Contributors
Author: Emily Gray and Amber Corkum are the acting co-presidents of the Mental Health Club at Acadia University The student life has countless perks and, as we have been told many times, our years at University will likely be the greatest of our lives. Despite the freedom, self-exploration and adventure that comes with it, being a student is hard. Trying to balance papers, midterms, assignments, eating, sleeping, and that small bit of a social life can be extremely stressful and draining. As a result, we are prone to mental health problems that we do not often consider. Many of us already have mental health issues before entering university, making our years as students even more challenging. In 2011, the University of Alberta Health Survey found that students experienced the following mental health issues at some point within the previous 12 months: 51.3% of students felt things were hopeless, 34.3% felt so depressed that it was difficult to function, 52.1% felt overwhelming anxiety, and 1.2% attempted suicide. So why do we not talk about these issues? We often use the word “stressed” around campus, but rarely do we portray our problems as mental health issues. Some of us might not realize our problems are mental-health related; however, some of us are fully aware of
our mental health problems and choose not to talk about them. Why? Partners for Mental Health calls mental health one of the last social taboos. The societal stigma that exists denies us the ability to discuss mental health related issues openly, comfortably, and without judgment. It is for these reasons that the Mental Health Society was formed
David Pilat here at Acadia University. The Mental Health Society is a new club that aims to bring the discussion of mental health to the forefront of campus. Throughout the year, we will work towards making mental health an issue that students are not afraid to talk about. Working with the national, nonprofit organization, Partners for Mental
ath news Health, as well as leaders here at Acadia University, we will be campaigning to challenge the negative stereotypes and attitudes that exist around mental health. We hope to inform all students struggling with mental health issues at Acadia that they are not alone and there is no shame in how they are feeling. In addition to fighting the stigma around campus, the Mental Health Society will be working to raise funds for mental health services in the local community. The Government of Nova Scotia has recently developed its first mental health and addictions strategy to improve mental health and addictions care for Nova Scotians, highlighting the gaps in mental health care in Nova Scotia. The Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia works to reduce these gaps by funding vital mental health programs and services in Nova Scotia. The Mental Health Society will be working with the foundation and will be holding fundraisers to help support such programs. All funds raised by the Mental Health Society will be donated to the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, which will be designated to a program in the Annapolis Valley. If you are interested in joining the fight against the stigma with the Mental Health Society, please e-mail Emily Gray at 102653g@acadiau.ca or Amber Corkum at 088269c@acadiau. ca. You can also find us on Facebook under Open Groups at Acadia and on Twitter at @AcadiaMHS. We are all touched by mental illness, whether it is you or someone you love. We should not be afraid to talk about it. We should support it.
Students gather for candlelight vigil on suicide Darcy Shea Staff Writer Over thirty students gathered on the front steps of University Hall on Tuesday night, Sept 17th, to commemorate those who have been affected by suicide. This day was Suicide Prevention Day, and the students gathered, lit candles and remembered those lost, those affected, and those who will continue to be affected by suicide. Student Union President Matthew Rios assured students that this was the beginning of various initiatives that would be happening this year. He noted that students were important in making changes and, if not leading those changes, participating in them and supporting them. Emily Gray spoke of the stigma that surrounds mental health. She ensured that by coming together as a group and talking about mental health and suicide, the keys were in place to start reducing the stigma. The students then finished the night with a moment of silence, honouring those who have passed. Mental heath continues to affect students today and as students, it is important we work together and support each other. If you want to get involved with the Mental Health Society, email Emily Gray at 102653g@acadiau.ca.
Make space for wild ones Sarah Williams Staff Writer On a summer evening this year, some friends and I sat in a field in the Annapolis Valley, around a bonfire. It was a full moon. The night was clear as the fire reached its golden tentacles upwards to meet the indigo sky. Our tents lined the edge of the forest, situated, you might say, on the precipice of darkness. As the night waned on, the sound of our various voices rolled through the Valley. When we were warmed by good conversation and camaraderie, the silvery yip of our invisible neighbour, the coyote, pierced the summer air. And through the thin walls of the tent, I could hear coyotes begin their nightly hunt close to where I lay sleeping. In recent years, much attention has been paid to the coyote population within this province. The media response began back in 2009 with the death of
a young singer, Taylor Mitchell, in the Cape Breton Highlands. However, according to statistics, the fatal coyote attack in 2009 was only the second that was recorded in all North America, the first one occurring in 1981. We have all felt apprehensive while reading a fantastical article or watching the news. Now, it would seem Nova Scotians have become preoccupied with their reluctant neighbour. Of course, this has manifested itself in many ways. Being familiar with one’s neighbour can often prove to be beneficial. However, early European settlers, no matter where they settled, did not always favour such an approach. Undeniably, colonization has pushed many species to extinction. One does not need to look far to see evidence of ecosystems being changed for the worse by human activity. History has shown that when an ecosystem is disrupted, such as when a species is eradicated, everything else within
that ecosystem is affected. This is the reason why coyotes have found a home in the forests of this province. Simply put, they were driven out of their native habitats of the west by development and pushed to Nova Scotia. Here, the living was made easy, as inhabitants had already eradicated one of their main predators, the wolf. Humans tend towards being fearful creatures. The coyote, who rests by day in the dark of the woods, is becoming the object of much hatred. Even the language used to describe these creatures is a definite product of fear. The province has even gone so far as to create a coyote pelt incentive. Beginning in 2010 an agreement was made by the DNR (department of natural resources) wherein a hunter can be paid twenty dollars for each coyote pelt he procures. According to the DNR, 3340 coyotes were killed by licensed trappers during the 2011-2012 season. Interestingly,
those who are legally qualified to hunt coyotes for their pelt are deemed, unceremoniously, as “licensed fur harvesters.” The macabre truth of this title speaks volumes. And, one has to wonder what integrity such a pelt incentive has, in a world where only 10% of land is considered wilderness. Certainly humans must be cautious of these creatures. But we must not misplace hatred. The pelt incentive has done little in the past to reduce unwanted coyote populations. Such
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Flikr findings have been found throughout North America. In ways, the plight of the coyote is similar to that of humans. We are both being encroached upon, as urban sprawl devours what little “wild” space is left on this planet. Our way of life, like that of the coyote, must change to adapt to a new, and sometimes unsettling, environment. One thing is certain: mutual respect is required to ensure the health of both species, the coyote and the human.
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First SRC meeting Jacob Verhagen News Editor The Acadia Student Representative Council met Monday, September 16th for the first time this school year. The SRC is mandated to be the legislative body of the Acadia Student Union through the ASU constitution, and includes the members of the Acadia Student Union Executive (President Matt Rios and the various vice presidents), various elected councillors, the Equity Officer, and members of the Acadia University Administration. While the public meeting saw attendance from the elected representatives of the University population, there were only six visitors including the two Athenaeum editors in attendance. The Student Union is subsidized by a 160 dollar fee extracted from each student,
each year. The Student representative council, and the union executive (all of whom receive either a salaried pay or honoraria) are both answerable to the student body which elects them as their representatives. The topics discussed at this meeting included the capital project involving the renovations to the Axe Lounge including the building of an in bar restroom facility, the state of projects regarding mental health, and the work revolving around a university lease agreement to negotiate more equitable terms for students who choose to live off campus. First came the reports of each of the Student Union Executives. The VP Academic Darcy Shea has put plans for a student leadership conference
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on the back burner, and she discussed the progression of the Student Bill of Rights as coming slowly but surely. The Student Bill of Rights, if enacted, would be an especial rarity in the Canadian University scene. It would be a student written document towards which students could refer to learn their rights and responsibilities. The VP Finance Andrea Jeffs announced that she had acquired $37,000 in sponsorship for Welcome Week and that she has also acquired $45,000 in sponsorship for the year. VP Programming Colton Fagan discussed that his work has been primarily focused on Welcome Week activities and planning for homecoming. VP Communications Lindsay Doucet discussed her work in organizing clubs and club policy; she has also been building stronger ties with the town of Wolfville by diligently attending all town meetings and being part of planning committees. Doucet has also
reworked the Student Union website and crafted the Student handbook, however criticism was raised that the distribution of the handbook had not been carried out properly, particularly to the Chipman residence. Another topic discussed was the upcoming provincial election on October 8th. Matt Rios made sure to emphasize that this is the first time in 20 years that a provincial election has been held during a school year. The Student Union emphasized that there is a need for students to vote and politically assert their interests. Matt Rios recommends that students visit nsstudentsvote.ca to learn how the various party platforms regard students. There will also be a polling station set up in the Acadia Student Union as well as a registration area. There was also discussion regarding how Honouraria is calculated and paid for members of the Representative Council and for the ASU executive.
Honouraria is different from a paid salary and is meant to represent reimbursement for extra work done. President Rios claimed that there is a need to re-evaluate how honouraria is given as it should reflect the qualitative aspects of work done as opposed to simply the quantitative. He used the example of someone who poorly represents the union publicaly yet does extra work: this example was to illustrate that honouraria should be distributed based on qualitative assessments as well as the quantitative aspects of the work. Currently Honouraria is distributed as 700 per Councillor, 1000 for the equity officer, and for various agents of the representative council. This concluded the first meeting of the SRC for the year. There will be a by-election for councillors on Friday Sept. 27th students are encouraged to either run in the election, or research and vote for who they wish to represent them in the union.
First international philosophy symposium at Acadia Eliza McGuire Sports Editor Acadia will be hosting an international philosophy conference Saturday, September 28th, and Sunday, September 29th in the K.C. Irving Centre. The twelve speakers are from around the globe and will all be presenting personal papers on the theme “Theories of Causality in the 17th and 18th Centuries,” with time for discussion and questions following the lectures. The Keynote speaker, Tad Schmaltz, from the University of Michigan, will be presenting his paper
“Descartes’ Critique of Scholastic Teleology” on Sunday at 6:00pm to close the event. The Symposium on Causality in Early Modern Thought, as the conference has been named, will be the first international philosophy conference that Acadia has ever hosted. Students and faculty are encouraged to attend, as the twelve presentations are comparable to a month of lectures, absolutely free of charge. Even those not especially interested in
philosophy as a discipline would benefit from listening to speakers who are prominent in their fields, as it is an opportunity to learn about exactly what it takes to be a professional academic. However, anyone with any interest in Philosophy, or who wishes to learn about it, should come out this weekend to listen to world renowned academics from Groningen, Netherlands, to Berkeley, California and many top universities in between.
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ath creative Poems by Matthew Kohlenberg
Published in memory of Matthew Kohlenberg
--Metaphor: Truth, Stars
She died easily, of a broken heart, there was no pain. “And you haven’t forgotten to send flowers, have you?’ Gone. I think I am afraid of death; I cannot bear to be forgotten. But behind so much of what we are is what we want to be, And who wouldn’t rather be in love? ---I have no time for those who drink of deep cups And care not to ask, “Will this make me well”.
We can see them but we do not impact them, we cannot change them, they are objectives. Some are clear and distinct, some are far away and difficult to see, but that does not mean that they do not exist or that they are impossible to know. there are as many Truths as Stars in the sky. I am afraid of my own Knowledge’ I am afraid of these thoughts of mine, In a world where even silence says something I fear what my words do not say, The sentences between the thoughts which are mine…
---Imagine a road which does not end Stretching out from where it does not begin, which never winds back upon itself. Each step taken is a measured piece of action. And you could (can) walk this road forever. Up here where the air grows thin around your head, Yet the grass grows green and stiff about your feet. The universe in it’s preferred state.
---Logic and reason are tools. They allow us to realize and make connections between different concepts and ideas. They allow us to put ideas together to make theories and if we follow them carefully, if we are attentive to how our reason and logic link up these ideas, then we cannot err in our judgement. Logic and reason are like the hammer and nails with which we construct a house. If there is a fault in the outcome, we have either overlooked important elements or misused the tools at our disposal. If we find a judgement to be cruel or perverse, we must not blame it on the hammer and nails of which it is held together but the rotten wood from which it is constructed.
Poems by Jack Golding Self-Improvement There are tricks you can learn like finding space in a small town or thinking in a noisy coffee-shop or new ways to fix broken cigarettes
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Hmpf Life happens while you make other plans hmpf that’d be alright if what happened didn’t seem to come
from someone else’s plan Oh, academia cover my inadequacy with a fabric of tautology
all these beautiful, intelligent people looking with dismay at their starting salaries
swimming in syntax pointed grammar spiting communication,
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Big Tide Mira Dietz Chiasson Creative Editor
Standing under a radiant sun, facing Blomidon, watching shorebirds travel back and forth and forage in the mud. The grass is soft and warm under my
bare toes, and the dikes that form the barriers against the tides fade into the distance, like long earthy snakes. Stone statues, built by the children,
Mira Dietz Chiasson stand guard like sentinels, watching the comings and goings, bearing witness to the dramas and tragedies of their small corner of the world.
Rusty mud dominates the landscape, rivaled only by the strikingly blue sky above it. It’s everywhere, on our hands, on our boots, on our shovels, even on our faces. It dries on my skin and cracks, falls off in flakes. I lean on my shovel, feel the heat of the sun on the top of my head. Some of my friends are already sitting in the grass, with their children and their wives. The kids run after butterflies or play tag, running up the sides of the muddy dikes. The layer we added this morning is already drying, cracking and blistering under the merciless sun. Cracking and blistering, like the skin of my hands, I think as I look at them grimly. A sound, carried by the wind, loud and clear comes from the village. It’s Grand Pré’s church bell, striking noon. Jacques slaps me on the back. “Come eat, Germain. You can daydream later.” I smile, drop my tools and join him and the others. Conversation is light and everyone seems happy. We exchange friendly banter, smile into the sun and watch the kids play their games. But we all know that tonight will tell whether all our work has been in vain. Tonight, the Big Tide will resolve whether the dikes will hold, whether our crops on our fields are
safe. Tonight will put our work to the test and determine whether Grand Pré will flourish, and become, like they say, a new beginning. Un nouveau commencement. “Why so grim, Germain?” Jacques’ face comes into focus. “I’m just not sure it will hold.” I say, sizing up the wall of earth. I squint at the mud that will easily be washed away by the water if it is not packed hard enough and dry when the big wave comes. “It will hold.” Jacques grins at me with his ever-confident smile, a flash of white teeth in his sun-tanned face. “You worry to much, p’tit frère. If it doesn’t hold, we’ll move on. On ira plus loin. ” “I don’t want to leave.” I mutter, more to myself than to anyone else. From where I’m sitting I can see the tip of the church. Behind it is the rest of the village; the few houses we built, and then, closer to the dikes, the fields we ploughed and planted, all with our own hands and the sweat of our brows. And this within only a few months. Grand Pré is my home; I’ve never worked so hard for anything in my life. My eyes find the blue horizon. Only time will tell if we’ll be able to stay.
Waterfront Mira Dietz Chiasson Creative Editor The old railroad tracks along the water are slowly falling apart, the metal rails brown with rust, the wooden sleepers cracking and splitting. Shrubs and trees lean in on either side. Along the water, a group of startled sandpipers take off, veering in a wide arc and resettling further along to feed on mud shrimp. Across the Wolfville harbor (incidentally, the smallest registered harbor in the world), flags flutter in the wind, planted in the marsh, currently submerged by the high tide. The familiar red and white for Canada, Nova Scotia’s blue and white, and further in the back, a small blue, white, red with the yellow star, for the Acadians, builders of dikes. Just west of the harbor, the modern dike is being built up, with dirt and rocks, higher and higher to keep out the relentless Fundy tides. With trucks and backhoes, building dikes is undoubtedly a much different job nowadays. Two bald eagles circle in the sky above, drifting in the wind, perhaps a parent teaching a juvenile how to hunt. On the ground, tiny sweat
bees poke their heads out of holes in the dry mud. Their surreal metallic green heads contrast with their black and yellow abdomens. Straight ahead, Cape Blomidon stands watch, a striking landmark and solid presence. Sometimes a distant, hulking shadow in the fog, other times, surprisingly near and clear. In winter, capped with white, in spring a rusty red topped with green. Winter on the Wolfville dikes brings
a wind that blows off the coast and whips across the open space, bites and chills to the core. In the winter the colossal tides rip apart giant ice sheets and leave them stranded on the shore, caked in mud. It looks like a disaster zone, strangely beautiful and compellingly wild. The harbor always changes, within a few hours it empties and fills, birds come and go and the wind whips up the clouds into strange shapes. A walk on the dikes is always an adventure and a scene of nature’s awesome displays, gentle moods, brooding storms, and powerful tides.
date
FINE ART
SEPT. 25 - 27
FANTASY
place
STUDENT CENTREMAIN LEVEL
WILDLIFE
GIANT-SIZED POSTERS
hours
MUSIC
9-8 last day
FRAMES & HANGERS
9-5
PHOTOGRAPHY
FILM
1000S OF POSTERS
THE
POSTER SALE Mira Dietz Chiasson
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ath arts
Life after Acadia: Karlee’s story
Stephanie Brown Staff Writer
This September hundreds of new students started their first year at Acadia. Before they arrived on campus there were many decisions the high school graduates had to make. One of
Stephanie Brown their biggest decisions is what major they will immerse themselves in once they get to Acadia, leading to what they will do after they graduate. For some, the decision is easy; they have a clear
Movie review:
Nostalgia de la Luz Joe Armstrong Staff Writer
“Nostalgia for the Night” is an emotional and deeply involving meditation on the different ways we search the past for truth. It is an unusually poetic documentary reflecting on the personal, political and philosophical. Patricio Guzmán, a Chilean filmmaker best known for his documentaries The Battle of Chile and the Pinochet Case, returns to his principal interest of revealing Chile’s past. Guzmán takes an unusually lyrical approach, channeling his message through the stark barren landscape of the Atacama desert. Described by Guzmán as Earth’s “brown spot” at 10,000 ft above elevation, the Atacama Desert is the only place on earth with 0% humidity. It has no plants, birds or animals. As a result, the sky is incredibly clear and open. It is these unique qualities that allow it to be a gateway attracting three distinct groups who search the past for differing purposes that nevertheless inform each other. Opening with a lovingly shot montage of an early 20th century telescope, Guzmán poetically describes his childhood love of astronomy and shows us the astronomers who
come to the Atacama to study the stars. The desert’s extremely dry and transparent air make it ideally suited to telescopes, catching radio signals emitted hundreds thousands of years ago from distant stars. “Nostalgia” intersperses beautiful images of the cosmos (most I think were probably from satellites rather than any terrestrial telescope) and interviews with deep thinking scientists who tell us that astronomy is truly a study of the most distant past and that the present does not truly exist. However, the Atacama desert also attracts more terrestrial based explorers of the past. Archaeologists come to study the rock carvings left by preColombian shepherds that date to more than 10,000 years ago. We are shown depictions of people and llamas, carved onto rock faces and boulders, that appear as if they could have been carved yesterday. One boulder is even seen to be within earshot of an whitedomed observatory. The Atacama is also shown to be the resting place of ancient mummies naturally preserved in the desert sand, older than any mummy found in Egypt. Guzmán emphasizes that one of the sad paradoxes of Chilean life is that
plan of what they want to do. Some students decide not to declare a major until much later on. And some students take it a day at a time, figuring it out as they go. Karlee Perry is a frosh from Digby, Nova Scotia. She fell in love with Acadia when her older sister started university here, so she had no problem deciding what school to attend. She had always wanted to be a teacher as she loves working with children, having taught youth dance classes and worked as a day camp counsellor in her community. Her mom is a teacher and her sister just graduated with her Bachelor of Education, so it seemed like a natural decision. Hearing some stories from her mother and sister would occasionally make her doubt if teaching was the best route for her but she was firm in her mind that teaching was her path. She was unsure of what she would like to teach but since she was a French Immersion student all throughout high school it made sense to utilize that and teach French.
There seems to be a deep pressure for students in high school who decide to go to post-secondary to know what they will be taking and what career that path they will follow after. Most high schools do not offer the extent of programs that universities do, so it can be a bewildering experience to choose blindly. Karlee felt that same pressure and made a decision quickly, not doing any research into what else was available. Her mind was made up, or so she thought. Karlee started her first week of classes as a French major and right off the bat she was not sure if it was the right choice. Looking at her outlines, the courses were not what she had expected. French was not a passion of hers, but she had chosen to major in it as she thought teaching one of Canada’s official languages could have some good job opportunities. She began to think that this was not the path she wanted to take after all, so she decided to look into other options. Her sister recommended that she take
Recreation Management; her friends had taken it while she was at Acadia and she thought it suited Karlee perfectly. Karlee did some research and a light bulb went on in her head. Rec Management was perfect for her. She was excited about all the different job opportunities it offered, including teaching. After attending only a few classes, she fell in love with the program. Karlee is still unsure of what she will do when she graduates, but she looks forward to the journey. Her words of wisdom to any students who are in her shoes are to seek more information about what they are taking or want to take, and to talk to people in that field and gather as much knowledge about the potential jobs as they can. Karlee is excited to see where her degree will take her after Acadia and although she usually needs to have a plan, she is content knowing that she will find something that will make her happy.
in contrast to all the attention given towards the distant past, Chile has yet to confront its more immediate past, to investigate or release information on the thousands of political prisoners that were sent to camps or “disappeared” as a result of Augusto Pinochet’s oppressive regime. It turns out that the Atacama desert was home to Chacabuco, one of the largest concentration camps in Chile, which was once a saltpetre mine. “They didn’t have to build any new buildings, for the block housing had been built for slaves” notes Guzmán in his narration. Here a group of prisoners secretly established an astronomy society. We meet one of the survivors who took part, telling us that staring at the stars gave him a greater inner freedom that could not be contained by the prison walls that surrounded him. The third group of searchers are the aging relatives of those who disappeared, sifting through the sands looking for the remains of their loved ones, even if it is nothing more than fragments of bone. The Atacama is also shown to be the disposal ground of the bodies of thousands of political prisoners. Many were churned up by the Pinochet regime with construction equipment, reducing them to thousands of fragments of bone that continue to blow through the desert. The connections between these three groups, as well as the striking nature of the desert environment and images of the universe is a large part of what gives the film it’s power.
Guzmán’s camerawork and editing is often rather amateurish, though credit needs to be given to his narration and the articulate individuals whom the director interviews. He is able to spring out startlingly thought-provoking comments as well as their very personal agonies as he asks them to examine their searches and contrast them with others. This remarkable film should be seen and reflected upon and despite some
weaknesses in execution. “Nostalgia for the Light” stands as a powerful statement for searching our past for truth, in the distant and not-so-distant past, so that we may retain a memory of who we are, both on a personal and cosmic scale. Showing Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 7:00PM at the Al Whittle.
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4/5 stars
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Counselling methods need reconsideration Joe Armstrong Staff Writer With Acadia’s upcoming mental health panel discussion, the question of the efficacy of Acadia’s mental health services is one worth examining. University is a very stressful place, and whether this is due to workload, living far from home, personal tragedy, or illness, these services are an essential platform for supporting students in need. However, it seems that Acadia’s counselling service has an inconsistent reputation among students. I have personally used Acadia’s counselling services for a number of reasons and have had very inconsistent experiences. Though I had sessions with one counsellor that were both positive and helpful, I had others that were very unpleasant. I felt like I was being made to feel guilty rather than being given advice or suggestions for improvement, and I was very tempted to leave the room. I felt somewhat insulted, especially given that I had been extraordinarily frank and open
with the situation I was dealing with. I have had some reluctance in using their services since. I have spoken to other students about their experiences with Acadia’s counselling service. Many had similarly negative experiences. “They had said they were going to make arrangements for me, but they failed to do so,” said one student I spoke with. “They couldn’t even respond to my emails in a timely manner. They just didn’t seem to care”. Another student I spoke with felt they were not taken seriously. “I asked a sincere question and the counsellor actually laughed at me.” These are not experiences conducive to effective counselling. When looking at these negative experiences, however, it’s worth considering the potential for perspective bias. Sitting down for counselling is a difficult thing, as a student must open their heart up to a total stranger. Defensiveness can be expected in this
delicate state of mind. As a result, it is understandable that a student might feel like they were treated poorly, or like they were not understood or taken seriously. However, these experiences should not be trivialized. A person who seeks counselling at the very least wants to feel like they are cared for. If the counselling service scares away the people who need help, the consequences will be disastrous for the health and well being of students. I do not doubt that the counsellors are sincere in their desire to help, and the upcoming panel shows in part their commitment to making sure that mental health issues are understood and addressed on campus. But besides discussing mental health issues in university generally, they need to be discussing their methods in dealing with those who seek counselling and re-examine their tact in working with these students. Showing a bit more delicacy and sympathy as well as a more considerate approach are just a few of the steps that will help to create a more positive environment. This is well within their capabilities and is not an unreasonable request.
Nathan Kaulback
Join the reVilution! Stephanie Brown Staff Writer
Acadia students, above the age of nineteen, the time has come. We can be idle no longer; we must rise up and make a change. Partiers from far and wide, hear your calling. If the beer boot fits, we want you. We must defend
our rights! Stay strong, it will not be easy, but it must be done. Stand for something you believe in, and revolt against the five dollar cover at the ‘Vil. Our reputation, our pride and our wallets are at stake. How can we sit
Your newest mission, if you choose to accept it, is to go to the ‘Vil on Thursdays and Fridays, and the Axe on Saturday. Do not do this for you, do this for the generations coming after you who need to save their five dollars bills for groceries and laundry. Each five dollars spent at the ‘Vil doors is a lost meal or a pair of underwear that will not get washed. Do not believe the propaganda that will tell you this is for your own good. They will tell you that your five dollar cover gives you a free drink ticket, and so you should not complain. They are trying to take away your freedom of choice! We pre-drinkers must be united and let them know that we do not need a drink ticket! We have already consumed all that was necessary for the night and we want to save our money! The business savvy students may brainwash you and say it makes sense from a business point of view, but do not listen to them! A major that does Taylor Brown not have classes on Fridays cannot be back and have five dollars taken from trusted. us on a Saturday night? Our financial This revolution must be done for freedom is being compromised, and the sake of incoming students! Could we cannot be silent. The routine of you look into the eyes of an eager ‘Vil, Axe, ‘Vil has been aborted and frosh and tell them that their Saturdays a new plan has been put into action. will result in a five dollar hole in their
pocket? I know that I could not do such a thing, fellow students. Because when that same frosh says they will rebel and go somewhere else for the night, I will have to tell them “good luck”, as there are not enough students at this school to fill two bars in one night. If that is the future you want for this school and generations to come, then go ahead and bring your toonies, loonies and bills to the ‘Vil! Stand in line and hand over your hard earned money for a chance to experience the ‘night club’ inside. But if you cannot take this sitting down, then put on your best dance clothes and join the cause. Rally the brainwashed youth in line at the ‘Vil on Saturday night and lead the revolution to the Axe! In our scuffed sneakers and too-high-heels we will march through the town and make history. We will be the heroes of our generations, those who risked their fun night out to put a stop to the madness! This act of courage and selflessness will be truly rewarding. If you answer the call you will be part of a movement that defends the rights of cheap partiers everywhere. Go forth and join the reVILution!
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WADA, are you listening? Eliza McGuire Sports Editor Following Silken Laumann’s 1995 Silken Laumann’s Pan American Games drug scandal, intent was removed from the anti-doping rules and a hard line was drawn: no matter the circumstances, the athlete is responsible for what goes into their body. Here is where Dmitry Shulga, a recently graduated Atlantic University Sport (AUS) swimmer, ran into trouble when he failed a drug test in February. The result was a ban from all Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) sport for 11 months. Shulga was taking a supplement that had NSF: Certified for Sport mentioned on it fraudulently. To make matters worse, the company is suspected of intentional contamination. The compound found in the supplement after investigation was completely synthetic, making the chances of accidental contamination very slim. “Apparently, speaking with some supplement industry people, this is very common... Companies are
involved in intentionally spiking their products routinely. I was not aware of this before, but I learned it the hard way”, says Shulga, who hopes to raise awareness and aid other athletes in avoiding the tribulations that have destroyed his career and reputation. Alas, as Shulga discovered, approval is useless if there are no controls on the companies slapping the seal on their product. While the NSF are taking action against the company, this does not change things for the athletes already caught in the trap. Canadian sport often refers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for information. FDA approval
David Pilat lets athletes know that there are not any ingredients banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in a given product. However, what the FDA does not guarantee is the product is safe for consumption— cross contamination may occur in the factory where the supplement is being produced and/or packaged. Nevertheless, the athlete is still considered responsible for what they ingest. It does not make sense as to why there is not an easily accessible list of products that are acceptable to take. Instead of just a search within the NSF or WADA websites, where
Getting high off cheating payoffs may reinforce certain types of offenses, Ruedy says. Her team found that college students and volunteers recruited online predicted that they or others would feel bad if they were to cheat on a laboratory task or pad a time sheet at work to earn a bonus. Yet those forecasts did not pan out in a new experiment where 179 participants unscrambled as many of 15 words as possible in four minutes. Every correct word was worth one dollar. Work sheets were stapled on top of two sheets of carbonless copy paper inside a folder. Upon finishing, volunteers tore off their work sheets and handed the folder to a researcher, not knowing that they had forked over a record of their responses. Participants then used an answer sheet to check their own work in private before turning it in. Comparisons to copy paper responses showed that 71 volunteers cheated by inserting
very difficult, as few people can get everything their bodies need in such intense training programs. Injuries, illnesses, and fatigue are three of the biggest reasons an athlete might fail to reach their goal, and the higher the level, the higher the stakes and the higher the pressure to succeed. As it turns out, there is a list of companies and products to avoid. Shulga has it now, after his meeting with the CCES. Other athletes do not have access to this list, and will remain ignorant of it unless, like Shulga, they fail a drug test. This is too late. Why this list is not mainstream? Capitalism. The people with the big bucks cannot afford to have this list get out, because if it did then who would buy their products? Apparently the idea of selling clean products in the first place has never occurred to them. Drug companies need to be held accountable for the dreams they crush when they seek only the bottom line. The consumer is not nameless or faceless, and they do not exist to help the company make money. The company ought to exist to help the athlete reach their goal, yet our current system of catching those doping protects only the companies, instead of integrity. It is time for a change.
ath science “Contrast stealing a pen from work with embezzling thousands of dollars,” Gray says. “The latter may be accompanied by significant fear,
Niraj Nitheanandan Science A new study is suggesting that people who act unethically without obvious harm to a victim, such as plagiarizing a term paper or stealing office supplies at work, get a “high” after they have committed these acts. The existence of such “cheater’s high” challenges influential theories holding that any wrongdoing triggers guilt, shame or remorse, says psychologist Nicole Ruedy, of the University of Washington in Seattle, and her colleagues. Although people expect to feel guilty after breaching ethics, cheaters temporarily bask in the glow of having gotten away with forbidden acts, the researchers proposed in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. That will not surprise shoplifters, joy riders, and con artists who make no secret of savouring their swindles. But scientists have largely ignored the emotional upside of unethical behaviour. Immediate emotional
the information is often garbled or hidden amongst an overwhelming amount of data, why not take the top 10 vitamin brands, and the top 10 protein powder brands (to list a few examples), and guarantee their purity from the beginning of production to consumption by the athlete? Let the athletes know that there are companies known for having unclean products, and keep the lists updated, just as the list for suits is kept updated. Instead of just trying to catch those who are doping, why not attempt to make the sport a little easier to not cheat in? Going into the tribunal for Dimitry Shulga’s appeal, there were three things that the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) agreed on: how the substance got into his system, that there was no intention to enhance performance, and that he could not have known the substance was in the supplement. His ban remains despite this. Athletes are provided only limited information by WADA, FDA, NSF and the CCES. Still, they are forced to make a decision that they will have to bear the full consequences of. Yet the risk is high regardless of whether one takes supplements or not. Being an athlete without supplements is
additional words from the answer sheet. Afterward, cheaters on average reported a larger boost in excitement and other positive feelings than their honest peers did, with no change in negative emotions. Further experiments indicated that a “cheater’s high” didn’t require financial rewards. Positive feelings even occurred among volunteers who did not actively cheat, but were randomly assigned to solve problems with a partner who lied about the duo’s performance. The biggest mood boost appeared among participants who were told that researchers could not check the accuracy of the word scramble scores. Low-stakes deceptions may yield a cheater’s high, but high-stakes ruses probably cause a complex emotional aftermath, comments psychologist Kurt Gray of the University of North Carolina.
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guilt and paranoia.” For the full study visit: http://psycnet. apa.org/psycinfo/2013-31042-001/
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Axewomen dominate the pitch at Home Opener Hailey Winder Staff Writer Wednesday night saw another big win for the Acadia varsity women’s rugby team over the Saint Mary’s Huskies on home-turf. The Axewomen, fresh off their 4413 victory over the reigning CIS champs—the St. FX X-men—only a few days earlier, were visibly energetic during the pre-game warm-up, despite the humidity and haze that evening. “We are going to play smart and strategically… tonight’s game isn’t going to be a pushover,” Coach Durant admitted to me prior to the game, “we are competing for a [CIS] medal from the get go.” These women are motivated and determined, a point that was more than evident from the initial kick-off for the home opener against SMU. Acadia was the first to light up the score-board with tries by Natalie Silver and Emilie Chiasson in the first half, with one successful conversion by Chiasson allowing the home team to end the first 40 minutes with a 12-0 lead over the Huskies. The second half saw much more excitement with two tries a piece from Allison Jordan (Subway player of the game) and Janna Slevinsky who made two spectacular runs to the try zone that were both over 20 yards. To complete the 56-point total of the Axewomen were single tries from Veronique Russell, Kristine Lovatt and Maddie Fray, complete with two
more successful conversions from Chiasson. The noticeably shaken Huskies responded with panicked play that resulted in a single, unconverted try with eleven minutes left on the
board—ending the game with a 56 to 5 Acadia win. Solid tackles, long runs, and strong, supportive rucks were just few of the reasons that Acadia dominated
the pitch and the scoreboard with 41 unanswered points. “We play our game,” explained Chiasson, who is cocaptain and kicker for the Axewomen, “We are positive on and off the field.”
Eric Cederberg
The level of intensity at the game was not only seen on the pitch— the crowd of Acadian fans was loud, lively and enthusiastic for the entire game. Family, friends and supporters of all ages were present at the game, which made for a great feeling of community and support for the Axewomen as they tallied up points throughout the evening. The sound of cheers, applause and the occasional blare from a foghorn were audible all throughout the campus and downtown Wolfville. With these two significant wins early on in the season, Coach Durant believes that the Axewomen, who should move up from their current ranking of 5th in the CIS following this victory, are well set-up for an undefeated season. There is no doubt that this team will see much more success throughout the rest of the year. With such intensity, strength and teamwork—this is a team to watch out for. “We are aware it is just the first [few games],” admits Chiasson, “but we just have to play every game like it is our last game, every minute like its our last minute,” who is already looking forward to their next game on September 22nd against St. Thomas Tommies. They will play SMU once more before returning home on Sunday, September 29th to host the Tommies at 3:00 PM on Raymond field, so come out in your Acadia colours to support the home team!
Interview with Matthew Durant Hailey Winder Staff Writer After a whirlwind start to the 2013 season, the women’s rugby team are tearing through the conference with many big wins early on. Since beating STFX 44-13, the Axewomen have yet to play a game with a score differential closer than 50 points. Interviewing Matt Durant, the women’s Rugby Head Coach, is Hailey Winder, who is trying to discover just what has changed to make this Acadia team so much of a powerhouse this year, and how they intend to keep on winning for the rest of the season. What is the upside and a downside of such a successful start? The upside [is the] rookies develop confidence. The downside [is that] competing on a national level is going to be much harder than that.
About the win at St. FX—that was huge. What were the key factors? Our girls have never been as prepared as we were against St. FX. The underdog is the most desirable position. [We] won’t be able to take that team by surprise again. Also, [there was] enough veteran leadership to know what it takes to be successful on a national level. Before the games, how do you keep the team on a roll? Heading to STU—we set very specific goals for ourself. Perfecting a certain aspect of our game… Developing certain skills. Scoring a certain way. What were your thoughts on the exhibition game against UNB (79-0)? [It was] just rookies—I am feeling very good about that. [Our first years are]
not going to suffer about self esteem issues. [We need to] frame the games properly—we are getting the rookies field time to improve their self esteem and confidence to move forward in their careers. What do you credit the team’s success so far to? What has changed since last year? The reason we’ve been so successful is because we have been given the resources to compete successfully. Kevin Dicky believes in the program and is ver y supportive. Elliot Richardson as the “strength and conditioning coach” [has made a] physical and tangible changes in our girls. [We’re] bigger, stronger, and more physical. It is also a very committed team. [We’ve] managed to populate the program with girls who are very competitive and they want to be the best players and the best team
in the country. Have you made any changes as a coach? I have been pretty consistent in my coaching style. It’s my fourth year, and I know and have personally recruited most of the girls on the team. There were 29 girls in my first year… now there is between 70-80 girls competing for 40 spots. The level of competition has increased. I have increased the level of competition in training camps.
leadership. Physically a very small player but her communication and confidence has been very important to the team. [Also] Jana Slovinsky (3rd year) is consistently one of the hardest workers and most productive players... one of the quietest players, but she plays loud and big.
Are there any players who have really stepped up (expectedly or unexpectedly)? I expected Emillie Chiasson, Allison Jordan [to step up] more by their play than by their words [and to] lead by example. The unexpected—Kate Amirault (3rd year) has really come into her own and taken a strong
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Inside the athlete Sarah Mackinnon Staff Writer Acadia University is home to a variety of varsity sports. Everything from outdoors to indoors, on ice or on turf, there are athletes who proudly represent our school in their sport. Each of these athletes has a story on how they began their passion and what led them to Acadia University. The Athenaeum will be taking a closer look at these athletes all year to help understand their journey. Hayden Adams is a second year swimmer Varsity swimmer at Acadia. He was named Rookie of the Year last season for Acadia swimming and
wanted to keep getting better and I knew Acadia would be a safe and reliable route to meeting that goal. On the education side of why I chose Acadia, I’ve loved the town of Wolfville all my life. The small, busy atmosphere that Wolfville provides is one I cannot seem to get away from”. Hayden’s favourite memory as a swimmer is when he made Senior Nationals for the first time in the 800 meter freestyle. He explains that he was not even looking to qualify in that event so it was a joyous surprise when he looked at the board. As for
Gary Manning has qualified for the Canadian World this season, Hayden is quite clear on Championships. Hayden started his goals. He wants to qualify for CIS swimming in the summer of 2005 after watching some friend’s swim practices. He decided it might be fun to try so he signed up for the Windsor Bluefins Summer Swim Team and the sport just clicked with him. Hayden could have gone almost anywhere to swim and to continue his education. When asked about his choice being Acadia, Hayden explains that it was his coach that led him in this direction. “I had total faith in my coach. He coached me through to Age Group Nationals, The Eastern Canadian Championships, and more recently World Trials and Canada Games. I
nationals before Christmas so he can start training for that meet right away. At CIS he wants to place in the top 16 at least once. You can come watch Hayden and the rest of the Acadia Swim Team November 2nd when they host the Jack Scholz Invitational. Alana Fairfax is a fourth year soccer player who has been an Academic All-Canadian athlete three years in a row. Most recently Alana has won the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Student-Athlete Award for women’s soccer and was named a top 20 twentysomething by Halifax’s The Chronicle Herald. Alana is currently Captain of her Axewomen team and has now been playing soccer for fifteen years. She explains that she began playing when she was five years old with Timbits Soccer, like many other children. When it came time to choose a university, a variety of factors came into play. Alana is from Somerset, Nova Scotia, which is about twenty minutes away from Acadia. Alana is very close to her family, which was part of her reasoning for choosing Acadia. Another reason was that Acadia was one of the only Universities that would allow her to play another sport she enjoys—ringette. Not wanting to give up ringette, she chose Acadia so that she could continue with both of her passions. Alana is very clear on her goals for this season as well; she wants to win the AUS Championships with her team. Her favourite moment
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prior to playing for the Axewomen was playing on the 2009 Canada Games team in Prince Edward Island. When Alana is not on the soccer field she likes to go to the library, read, go for runs, and volunteer—which she has done extensively at Acadia. Alana aspires to
be a doctor one day, after she graduates from Acadia this spring. You can watch Alana and the rest of the Axewomen take on Moncton Friday, October 18th.
ACADIA
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cajun’s and
Herbin Jewellers
453 Main St. Wolfville 542-5705 info@herbinjewellers.com herbinjewellers.com
in the
VOTE ASU By-elections September 27th, 2013 12
www.theath.ca