June 17, 2015

What are K-W’s best patios?

pages 6-7

LOCAL

ARTS & LIFE

OPINION

SPORTS

Redesign for King Street reaching final stages

Analyzing outrage culture and the art of forgiveness

Caitlyn Jenner is more than just her physical characteristics

Performance enhancing drugs still have a place in Canadian football

page 4

page 8

page 10

page 12

THE CORD

THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926

VOLUME 56 ISSUE 2 JUNE 17, 2015

EVALUATING LAURIER’S RESPONSE TO SEXUAL ASSAULT Campus, page 3

2 •

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2015

VOCAL CORD

COVER PHOTO BY ANDREAS PATSIAOUROS/PHOTO EDITOR

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

What is your favourite patio in K-W?

“Huether Hotel.”

–Jade Vandescheur, third-year business

“I’m not sure. I don’t go to a lot of patios.”

–Logan Terron, firstyear archaeology

“Veritas Café.”

–Deega Mussa, thirdyear global studies

JESSICA DIK/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Editor’s note: Sexual assault SHELBY BLACKLEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

By the time you read this editor’s note, you’ve probably already gasped at the cover or questioned the story that is adjacent to this on page three.

This month, we’re reporting on a story that took the Wilfrid Laurier University community by storm

“Shoeless Joe’s.”

–Laura Douglas, fourthyear business

“Barley Works.”

–Taylor Van Aaken, fourth-year business

at the beginning of June — The Record reported on the court proceedings of a sexual assault case from January 2013 and their story was shared widely.

While this instance became the focus of media and the community, it is not isolated. Many people are fearful and this is just one part of a bigger story and bigger problem on university campuses.

It is systemic; an ongoing issue and our cover this month speaks to the consistent fear students may feel.

Our piece objectively and fairly looks at the university’s undertakings of this particular case, as well

as how members of the community feel about sexual assault and its current place on university campuses nationwide. We interviewed countless individuals to get a full grasp of the situation, as well as situations that go unreported on a daily basis.

I said last month our job as Laurier’s official student newspaper is to give you, our dear readers, the truth. We’ll give you the truth no matter how harsh, crazy, insane or hurtful it may seem.

We would not be doing our jobs if we sat back and did nothing and did not bring light to this issue.

The Cord’s editorial board and senior staff worked tirelessly to make sure we could put together a story that encompassed what the Laurier community needed to know, and to create discussion.

But we also know that by doing our jobs, there is probably going to be feedback, both good and bad.

And we welcome it. If you would like to express your concerns, please feel free to email Bryan Stephens, WLUSP president and publisher at president@wlusp. com, myself at editor@thecord.ca or submit a letter to the editor at letters@thecord.ca.

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Compiled by Heather Davidson Photos by Jessica Dik CORD STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Shelby Blackley sblackley@thecord.ca CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lena Yang lyang@thecord.ca CREATIVE DIRECTOR Joshua Awolade jawolade@thecord.ca MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Mynt Marsellus mmarsellus@thecord.ca CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR Kaitlyn Severin kseverin@thecord.ca

LOCAL NEWS EDITOR Erika Ymana eymana@thecord.ca FEATURES EDITOR Bethany Bowles bbowles@thecord.ca ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Zach Guitor zguitor@thecord.ca OPINION EDITOR Mitchell Consky mconsky@thecord.ca SPORTS EDITOR Drew Yates dyates@thecord.ca GRAPHICS EDITOR Vacant

PHOTO EDITOR Andreas Patsiaouros apatsiaouros@thecord. ca

COPY EDITING MANAGER Caitlyn Sageman csageman@thecord.ca

PHOTO EDITOR Will Huang whuang@thecord.ca

CONTRIBUTORS

VIDEO EDITOR Brian Phillips bphillips@thecord.ca LEAD REPORTER Maddy Cutts mcutts@thecord.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Jessica Dik jdik@thecord.ca

Laila Hawrylyshyn Don Morgenson Josh Peters

COLOPHON The Cord is the official student newspaper of the Wilfrid Laurier University community.

Started in 1926 as the College Cord, The Cord is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors.

Opinions expressed within The Cord are those of the author and do not necessarily refl ect those of the editorial board, The Cord, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. All content appearing in The Cord bears the copyright expressly of their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent.

The Cord is created using Macintosh computers running OS X 10.10 using Adobe Creative Cloud. Canon cameras are used for principal photography.

The Cord has been a proud member of the Ontario Press Council since 2006. Any unsatisfied complaints can be

sent to the council at info@ ontpress.com.

The Cord’s circulation for a normal Wednesday issue is 6,000 copies and enjoys a readership of over 10,000. Cord subscription rates are $20.00 per term for addresses within Canada.

The Cord has been a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) since 2004.

PREAMBLE The Cord will keep faith with its readers by presenting news and expressions of opinions comprehensively, accurately and fairly. The Cord believes in a balanced and impartial presentation of all relevant facts in a news report, and of all substantial opinions in a matter of controversy.

The staff of The Cord shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism.

When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly. When statements

are made that are critical of an individual, or an organization, we shall give those affected the opportunity to reply at the earliest time possible. Ethical journalism requires impartiality, and consequently conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest will be avoided by all staff.

The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so The Cord will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on Wilfrid Laurier University, and the community of Kitchener-Waterloo, and with a special ear to the concerns of the students of Wilfrid Laurier University. Ultimately, The Cord will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate.

The Cord has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through The Cord’s contact with the student body.

The Cord will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of the student press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.

Quote of the week: “How big do you want it?”

- Opinion Editor Mitchell Consky responding quickly to Editor-in-Chief Shelby Blackley’s request to make the unsigned big

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2015

Campus

• 3 CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR KAITLYN SEVERIN kseverin@thecord.ca

SEXUAL ASSAULT

Response to conviction questioned Community says change needed after university criticized for its handling of sexual assault case KAITLYN SEVERIN CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR

On June 1, Waterloo’s regional newspaper, The Record, published an article after Justice Elliot Allen criticized Wilfrid Laurier University for their handling of a sexual assault case, allowing a student to continue his studies at the school while facing sexual assault allegations against a fellow female student.

The victim, who remains unidentified, found her perpetrator, Adam Hughes, in her dorm room the morning after a night of drinking in January 2013.

Hughes has been sentenced to 18 months behind bars and three years on probation.

“Wilfrid Laurier University was apparently more concerned with the welfare of Mr. Hughes than that of his victim,” the judge told the court.

On June 2, Laurier released a statement responding to the news report. The university said they “upheld conditions of the perpetrators release from police custody after he was charged, including that he have no contact with the survivor and he be removed from her residence.”

On June 4, Laurier published a second press release asserting that ongoing support was extended to the survivor of the sexual assault case.

“Every effort is made to be supportive and sensitive to the needs of the survivor while also considering the fundamental legal principle that an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” the press release said.

According to the release, 28 months passed between the assault and the conviction of the perpetrator in court. During that time, Hughes continued to work on campus and finish his studies.

Helen Ramirez, a contract academic staff in women and gender studies, has been hearing stories of sexual assault on campus for years.

ANDREAS PATSIAOUROS/PHOTO EDITOR

Several university communities have expressed the need to stop sweeping sexual assault cases ‘under the rug.’

According to a study done by the CBC in February 2015, Laurier reported 11 incidents of sexual assault from 2009 to 2013.

“We have risen all of our concerns with the administration over many, many years trying to get the administration more actively engaged in doing something, but also change is very slow,” said Ramirez.

Laurier’s dean of students, Leanne Holland Brown, said there are a series of steps once a student becomes a victim of violence. The school must review Laurier’s nonacademic code of conduct, which elaborates on what the process would look like once a student proceeds with a complaint.

“The first and most important step is to make sure that the victim or the survivor, depending on what kind of context you’re talking about, gets the immediate support that they need,” Brown said.

Brown explained the victim would get personal and academic support, as well as required services in or outside the university. “[We] really focus our attention on what the survivor needs for per-

sonal success, academic success and overall wellness,” said Brown.

If the victim requests the perpetrator to be dealt with, Drew Piticco, student conduct administrator, will begin the code of conduct process based on all the information reviewed from both parties.

Results differ and can include expulsion from the university.

The university can demand coordinated access to the school, such as restricted time to the library and classes, if both the victim and perpetrator remain on campus.

In her victim impact statement, the female victim explained there were a couple of encounters with her attacker on campus despite attempts to keep them apart while the case was ongoing.

“I never got anxious before this and now I do a lot,” the young woman wrote in a victim impact statement. “I’m always scared I will see him.”

“I think that in terms of university, we need to be … held accountable,” said Ramirez. “What the judge said was right that this

student, after experiencing a rape, should not have had to walk the hallways and around campus wondering whether or not her safety once again was at risk and that this other person had the right to just carry on as per usual without any kind of accountability or responsibility directed by the university.”

The Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union has said they are committed to bringing more awareness to gendered violence.

The Students’ Union joined the gendered violence steering committee, an idea that came out of the Gendered Violence Task Force.

“We have working groups on it surrounding policies, survivors rights, education, training, awareness and communication,” said Olivia Matthews, Student Union’s president, chief executive officer and student representative of the steering committee.

According to Matthews, the Students’ Union plans to train firstyear students on sexual violence, awareness and consent during Orientation Week this fall.

“When we start with first-year

students they’re going to learn that and they’re going to keep learning that we have a zero-tolerance policy for it.”

Along with Laura Bassett, vicepresident of university affairs and Chris Hyde, director of policy, research and advocacy, Matthews appeared before the Select Committee on Sexual Violence from the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on May 20. The Union is currently advocating for Laurier to be one of the first universities in Ontario to release a direct policy around sexual assault and harassment, including a survivor’s rights section.

“Enough is enough — we’re ready to deal with this and we’re ready to be a part of the change with the university”, said Matthews.

Ginette Lafrenière, associate professor in the faculty of social work, believes there needs to be a shift in how students deal with sexual violence on campus.

“This is not going to happen in four days, it’s not going to happen because a judge said [Laurier] did a terrible job — this is going to take years and years of hard work before we actually have a change of cultural and organizational change within the context of our university,” said Lafrenière.

Andrea Gunraj, communications specialist of Toronto’s Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children (METRAC), believes post-secondary campuses should review their own policies and practices and examine its benefits with students, staff and security systems. Gunraj said policies may be in place, but response lacks when it comes to actually dealing with sexual assault.

“This is a thing that a lot of the times may not be on campuses, they might have policies and practices but not training on what those policies and practices are and what somebody could do if they were assaulted and what everybody’s responsibilities are,” said Gunraj.

ENROLMENT

Admissions trending for Ontario universities MADDY CUTTS LEAD REPORTER

Wilfrid Laurier University has experienced a large jump in enrolment of incoming students for the 2015-16 year.

Data released by the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre on June 12 reveals admissions acceptance is trending for schools across Ontario.

Despite a continuing downward trend in the secondary-aged demographic across Canada — a trend expected to continue in the years to come — Laurier’s recruitment team saw a 21.7 per cent increase in enrolment.

“Everything from the Ontario University Fair, open houses, to the number of students we were seeing in high school visits, all of

the indicators were very positive throughout the year, so we knew we were having an impact, though we didn’t expect that it would be this large,” said Jennifer Casey, acting assistant vice-president of enrolment services and registrar.

Hardly an isolated occurrence, numbers were up across departments and faculties, a welcome sight to many at the institution.

There was also a rise in the university’s faculty of arts, which rose 22.9 per cent from last year’s numbers — a positive sign in light of a growing media trend towards the dismissal of the merits of an arts degree.

“Laurier has always been such a strong proponent of the skill set and the opportunities that are available in arts, that’s a big part of who we are,” said Casey. “Students,

no matter what home faculty they’re in, the skills they develop even through an arts elective, it’s a skillset that a lot of employers are looking for.”

Laurier’s Brantford enrolment was also a surprise, as numbers were expected to fall after the announcement of the University of Nipissing discontinuing the concurrent education program after the cohort of 2019 graduates were complete.

Laurier is confident the numbers are a reflection of the “university as whole,” with its academics, student life, engaged learning approaches and innovative programming all contributing to the rise in enrolment.

“Laurier, at both campuses, always had that really strong academic and institutional reputa-

tion, and you know we’ve always believed in that — our alumni speak to that, our current students speak to that,” said Casey. “We’ve really taken the time to reflect back on why students are choosing us; talking to our current students, talking to our alumni and then really involving the entire campus.”

Though the increase in numbers may seem to many as a saving grace following financial issues,

JOSHUA AWOLADE/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Casey warns a single elevated incoming class will not reverse all of the institution’s difficulties.

“Certainly being successful this year does help us, but it doesn’t eliminate our challenges. We need to continue to build upon that, and be as innovative as we can in all of our approaches across the institution and continue to be as efficient as we can in our delivery of service.”

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2015

4 •

Local

LOCAL NEWS EDITOR ERIKA YMANA eymana@thecord.ca

CONSTRUCTION

King Street redesign underway

Implementation of joint project in final stages and will aid cyclists, pedestrians and students ERIKA YMANA LOCAL NEWS EDITOR

The City of Waterloo is well on its way to implementing a major redesign of King Street to incorporate safe cycling, landscape and pedestrian interaction with local businesses.

The process of design and gaining approval began in 2010 and is officially in its final stages of approval this month.

The new layout will include improved lighting, wider side walks and will decrease traffic lanes from four to two lanes.

The redesign came from a multitude of smaller projects only looking to fix infrastructure, but after several assessments and forecasts, it was determined an overall change was needed leading to the creation of a bigger plan set in motion.

Eric Saunderson, project manager for the Region of Waterloo, highlighted a number of reasons as to how each improvement will lead to an overall higher quality of living and travelling experience in Waterloo.

One of these reasons is the extensive pedestrian movement as students continue to visit Uptown Waterloo. The redesign plans to enhance those facilities by widening sidewalks and to install bike lanes

JOSHUA AWOLADE/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

to encourage and promote cycling.

In addition, Saunderson said the redesign plans will complement ongoing private developments of high rise buildings in the area.

“We want to create an environment that is going to really cater to the type of people that are going to

be living in these units,” he said.

As for the project’s impact on parking and traffic, there will be parking spaces on the west side of King St. that are planned for removal or relocation elsewhere in the Uptown area. This is to accommodate off-road segregated

cycling, which can be unsafe with the presence of parked vehicles.

Saunderson said in a broader context, the number of spaces that will be removed is 0.5 per cent in comparison to the number of parking spaces available.

“Cycling on-road in this environment with parked vehicles is uncomfortable and can be unsafe.

We’re certainly looking for ways to improve that for everyone, recognizing that we’re trying to promote cycling ridership as well as pedestrians … these are the people who are going to be shopping at these businesses,” he said.

He also adds that King St. is currently operating under capacity, as the volume of traffic is under what is required for a four-lane roadway.

Looking at a forecast of traffic volume in the future, Saunderson said that the volume of traffic, which exists today, will be the same 20 years from now. This volume of traffic can be accommodated on a two-lane roadway with left turn lanes in Uptown Waterloo, as only 33 per cent of commuters plan to go to Uptown Waterloo as a designation while the rest are simply passing through.

“It is not designed to be a higher speed roadway, it is designed for a much slower speed,” he said.

The Region of Waterloo has also considered the opinions of the

“It is not designed to be a higher speed roadway, it is designed for a much slower speed.”

-Eric Saunderson, project manager for the Region of Waterloo

community and including them in the process by holding several public consultation centres and workshops. Representatives from the university have also been involved to engage students.

Gary Nower, assistant vicepresident of physical resources at Wilfrid Laurier University, said that it is a great opportunity for the institution to work with the region on this project. Laurier plans to incorporate design standards for landscape, lighting and furniture to include as part of the Laurier campus. According to Nower, the same project was implemented on St. George street through the University of Toronto.

“We think it will set the boundary for the university district. So you will really get a sense that you are entering a campus as you come along the street, that’s our hope,” said Nower.

FUNDING

More funding for local artists artsVest provides a total of $93,000 ERIKA YMANA LOCAL NEWS EDITOR

16 local arts organizations have received funding from artsVest, whose purpose is to build capacity and spark engagement in arts organizations.

Along with the funding, the program also consists of sponsorship training and mentorship, which aims to provide these organizations with a strong foundation that will last well beyond the program.

The cities of Kitchener and Waterloo applied jointly to the program, and were eligible for up to $75,000 as a starting point in matching funds, but exceeded the target and ended up receiving $93,000.

According to Amy Ross, culture plan implementation lead, the total economic impact for both Kitchener and Waterloo with all new partnerships and matching funds included is $287,183.

The program begins with a live sponsorship workshop, in which the organizations will learn the process of sponsorship — from searching for businesses that fit with their organization to meeting with these businesses.

Claire Hefferon, artsVest national program director, states that sponsorship is a way to create meaningful partnerships with

businesses that will last for a long time.

“So rather than get a donation from businesses where the tax receipt is given and it’s sort of a gift … it will give them freedom of diversity of income, and just generally speaking builds capacity in their organization,” said Hefferon.

The application for matching funds is based on a conditional grant, meaning the organizations will only receive the funds after they have gathered the same amount from sponsorship with businesses.

Organizations have six months from the start of the program to create sponsorship relationships.

Hefferon said this method is a way to incentivize and put their training into action.

During that time, organizations are mentored by 20 corporate sponsorship experts, in which they can ask questions pertaining to corporate sponsorships that are specific to their organization, as each one is different.

Hefferon believes this program allows for a new revenue stream, since arts organizations tend to run on earned revenue.

“The need for it [corporate sponsorship] arises from needing new forms of revenue … so this is adding a new revenue stream into the mix, and the more differ-

WILL HUANG/PHOTO EDITOR

Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery received the highest amount of funding from artsVest to help spark engagement.

ent streams you have, the more healthy the organization will be,” said Hefferon.

ArtsVest operates with funding from Canadian Heritage along with local funding. For example, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, amongst others, is used.

This funding helps the program to run provincially, and allows artsVest to help new Ontario communities ever year.

“So we [artsVest] come in for a year and equip these organizations with training and with skills that last the test of time. So it will allow them to continue these relationships and give them the tools they

need to forge ahead,” she said.

Ross said this program pairs well with the Waterloo’s 10-year culture plan of pursuing opportunities to build relationships and partnerships between the culture sector and other sectors in the economy.

She adds there are comparisons between arts groups and tech startups in terms of their business model.

“Participating in the program has heightened awareness as the importance of arts and culture within the community and building partnerships is great for business but it is also great for the arts groups,” said Ross.

“Building partnerships is great for business but it is also great for the arts groups.”

-Amy Ross, culture plan implementation lead

GAMES • 5

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2015

Dear Life Dear Life is your opportunity to write a letter to your life, allowing you to vent your anger with life’s little frustrations in a completely public forum.

All submissions to Dear Life are anonymous, should be no longer than 100 words and must be addressed to your life. These are not edited for proper spelling or grammar. Submissions can be sent to dearlife@thecord.ca no later than Monday at noon each week.

Dear Life, No wonder the Milton campus expansion proposal was denied – we can’t even maintain the campus we already have! How about we start by examining current state of our campus signage?

Sincerely, Misguided priorities.

Dear Life, Why is there a stick of deodorant on the kitchen counter? Why is there a pile of socks in the living room? Why are there beer bottles in the bathroom?

Sincerely, Living with boys Dear Life, Why is it only sunny on days when

I’m working and miserable outside when I make plans?

Sincerely, Rainedoutsummerplans Dear Life, To Leave a Legacy First You Must Leave Sincerely, Grad of 2015 Dear Life, I don’t even know how I can express my anger and disappointment towards the administration at Laurier, and Max Blouw personally, for their mishandling of the recently highlighted case of sexual assault by Andrew Hughes, student and employee of WLU. (Please print his name, it is a matter of public record, deserves to be known.) They allowed him to continue working on campus, and attend the university after he was charged in a violent rape of a fellow student. His victim had to continue to attend school knowing she would see him. The actions of Blouw and the administration directly made her life a living hell – I have no idea why this isn’t a bigger deal. More people should be pissed off about this. The judge who sentenced Hughes to 18 months in jail stated he showed no remorse for his actions, and highly criticized WLU for their handling

of the situation. Whether or not you’re a Laurier student, as a human being, you should be upset by what Laurier did here.

Sincerely, A still disappointed and now pissed off almost grad Dear Life, Is my tuition not significant? Why does the university ask for donations when we’ve just finished and are trying to find jobs and dealin with debt? Geez, come back and ask me again in 5-10 years.

Sincerely, Class of 2015 Dear Life, My best friend broke up with her boyfriend two weeks ago… TWO WEEKS! and she already has a new man on the line. And I’m just sitting here with …. no boys at the yard.

Sincerely, I CLEARLY need better milkshakes Dear Life, Finally talked to the cute boy at my work, only to discover that he’s three years younger than me.

Sincerely, He is technically legal …..

Dear Life, Pretty sure I proved to my roommate’s boyfriend that big girls DO

cry.

Sincerely, The Sex and the City Finale is not to be taken lightly Dear Life, I worked out for 15 minutes so that justifies 30 minutes in the massage chairs at Goodlife, right?

Sincerely, My body is a temple (of fudge) Dear Life, I don’t know if I’m obsessed with Captain America because Chris Evans is really hot or because I really love the story.

Sincerely, I mean, they’re one and the same, right?

Dear Life, Mono should not continue to exhaust me 3 months later. I know that’s how it works, but it fucking sucks Sincerely, I want to go for a walk and not need a nap afterwards Dear technology, Can you cut me some slack at some point or will you keep finding ways to make my life miserable? This love-hate relationship is toxic.

Sincerely, Just not meant to be.

Dear Life, Why are my fellow students such pigs? Waterloo has garbage scattered everywhere!

Sincerely, Pissed off Dear Life, or more specifically the WLUSU Board Chair, Why is there only one female on your Board? You ran on equal representation the first time you ran for the Board, yet this year there is only one female. And to the President, why are their no guys on your management team? Your entire team of VPs is female. So much for gender equality eh?

Sincerely, No girls in governance, no men in operations.

Dear Life, Send some signals already! Will I pass my finance class? Does that super cute senior like me too? Will I ever be able to take that trip to Cancun?! Does my fwb actually want something more than hookups?! When will I get that sexy red dress I bought online? ANSWER ME!!!!

Sincerely, Does 11:11 count as a signal?

Sudoku

Last month’s solutions

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6 •

FEATU

FEATURES EDITOR/BETHANY BOWLES/BBOWLES@THECORD.CA

Your guide to s

Features Editor Bethany Bowles reviewe for you to check

115 King Street N., Waterloo Why you should go: Ethel’s is the dive of all dive bars, but that’s why it has a special place in all of our hearts. Their patio has a decent amount of seating and is the perfect place to go for after work drinks. For everyone who has come to Waterloo from a small town, Ethel’s definitely has that small town, poorly kept bar feel, but that’s why so many people love it. It feels like home.

What to order: Taco Tuesday at Ethel’s is a reason to look forward to Tuesdays. You can get four tacos for a toonie, with the purchase of a drink. This is a starving student’s paradise. You can’t live in Waterloo without experiencing Taco Tuesday.

59 King Street N., Waterloo Why you should go: The Huether’s patio is hands down the best patio in Waterloo. It’s raised, so you don’t feel like you’re eating your dinner on the side of a busy road. Umbrellas and a retractable roof also nicely cover the tables. If you burn easily, the Huether allows you to eat outside while also saying safe from the sun and protects you from any summer showers.

What to order: The Huether has awesome mixed drinks that are served in adorable mason jars. My personal favourite is the cranberry mojito. For all you beer drinkers out there, The Huether is home to the Lion Brewery as well, where awesome in-house beers are offered daily. As far as food goes, their spinach and artichoke dip gives Wilf’s a run for its money and is definitely worth a try.

15 King Street S., Waterloo Why you should go: Famoso’s patio is small, but because it’s located on the side of the building, there is a sense of seclusion from the hustle and bustle of King Street. The patio is well kept and the sleek glass fencing gives it an upscale feel. This patio is minimalist, but sometimes those are the nicest ones.

What to order: Famoso is a pizzeria, so if you aren’t craving pizza, it may not be your best option. They offer awesome lunch-sized pizza and salad combos. The best pizza I have had so far was just the Quattro Fromaggi (four cheese). It’s served with a lemon wedge and is perfectly light for summer.

75 King Street S., Waterloo Why you should go: Beertown’s patio is right in the heart of uptown Waterloo, but once again, is far enough back from the street to offer customers a sense of privacy. Beertown’s patio also has picnic tables, which gives it a casual, cottagey feel without having to leave town.

What to order: Beertown has an extensive beer list, so if you go, expect to be offered beers that you may have never heard of before. This is perfect if you like trying new things, but their beer can also be a little expensive because most of it is imported. My recommendation is to start off with a paddle, which includes a few small samples of different beers so you can be sure of which one you like. As far as food goes, I order the warm cheese dip and pretzel board almost every time I go to Beertown. It’s an awesome appetizer that’s perfect for sharing. Beertown also has a few different taco choices on their menu, which make the best summer lunch.

URES

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2015 • 7

summer patios

ed the best patios in Kitchener-Waterloo out this summer

272 Kings Street N., Waterloo Why you should go: Morty’s is a classic Waterloo favourite and is known for their good food and cheap beer. Their patio however is far from special. It’s right on the street, making conversations difficult. There is also a bus stop right beside the patio, so you could be eating your dinner right beside someone who is waiting for a bus. It’s slightly invasive. Morty’s patio kind of feels like you’re in a fish bowl with everyone watching from the outside. The only reason I would visit this patio is for the great food and beer, not the atmosphere.

What to order: Morty’s wings are legendary. If you haven’t had them, you need to get some as soon as possible. They offer their wings at a discounted price twice a week, on both Monday and Thursday. They also have a burger special every Sunday, which is worth checking out.

253 King Street N., Waterloo Why you should go: The patio at Shoeless Joe’s is awesome. It’s on the top floor of the restaurant, so it’s actually a rooftop patio that overlooks the central hub of the Laurier community. Being high up definitely offers more seclusion and privacy, while also cancelling a lot of the street noise.

What to order: I’m not a huge fan of the food at Shoeless Joe’s. It’s extremely mediocre, quickly prepared and chain restaurant food. In my opinion, skip the food and just go for an afternoon pint or cocktail and soak up some of those rooftop rays.

125 King Street W., Kitchener Why you should go: Bobby O’Brien’s patio is basically a playground for adults. There’s an outdoor bar, live music and even beach volleyball. Its location is very centralized to downtown Kitchener, making it an easy stop while bar hopping.

What to order: Bobby O’Brien’s hosts Taco Tuesday, a night that is very near and dear to all university students. On Tuesdays, you can get two tacos for $5. They also have other student-friendly deals including a free pound of wings with the purchase of a drink on Fridays.

20 Heldmann Road, Kitchener Why you should go: Although it’s a bit of a trek from the Laurier neighborhood, the patio at Moose Winooski’s is phenomenal. They have tables with actual fire pits in the center and an outdoor bar. There is also tons of greenery, so even though the Moose is in a fairly commercial part of Kitchener, there is still a Northern Ontario cottage feel.

What to order: The Moose has fantastic food. Their menu offers three different kinds of poutine as well as a wide variety of sandwiches and burgers. My personal favourite is the buffalo chicken sandwich. This sandwich makes it worth the drive.

PHOTOS BY WILL HUANG/PHOTO EDITOR AND HEATHER DAVIDSON/CORD ALUM GRAPHICS BY LENA YANG/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

8 •

Arts & Life

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2015 ARTS & LIFE EDITOR ZACH GUITOR zguitor@thecord.ca

MUSIC

Local band ‘destined for great, big things’

Group Love Banshee hopes to strike gold in the Bay Area ZACH GUITOR ARTS & LIFE EDITOR

TORONTO, Ont. — The City of Waterloo has incredible music, you just have to listen a little closer.

In a desperate Google search for local bands, I stumbled upon Waterloo-based Love Banshee, a group rooted in folk, 20s jug band and garage rock music. Tragically, this Waterloo outfit goes largely ignored by the student population.

The band’s discography spans decades of influence, from “groddy rolling” folk tunes to “slither lump” rock and roll, as the band has seen numerous lineup changes.

“We’ve had all kinds of line ups … three guitars, bass, drums and eight violins,” guitarist Bill Howard said.

The band recently played a show in Toronto at the novel Dundas Video. The venue is outfitted with familiar tungsten lighting, a staple for any hipster dive bar and a chalkboard in constant rotation of Ontario craft beer. Clichés aside, Dundas Video sticks out from the crowd with its inclusion of vintage arcade and video games strewn sporadically throughout the space, making this a hotspot for local nostalgia-seekers to geek out.

Love Banshee shuffled into the dimly lit bar carrying vintage equipment and instruments.

Singer D.H. Thompson positioned his chrome microphone, a piece

likely twice his age, at the base of the stage. The tone of the microphone emulated the warm, trebled reverb that dominates their latest release “Fog.” In fact, the overall sound of their set stayed true to the warm lo-fi tone of their studio releases, largely due in part to the band’s use of analog tape for all their recordings.

“You don’t have to look at a screen all day, it’s all in your ears, just push a button,” said Howard.

Thompson opened the set with a signature howl, undercut by the infectious backing vocals of drummer Willie Ames. The timbre of their voices possessed an innocent romance that upheld the entire set, giving each song a sense of warmth and meaningful presence.

Manning the spotlight with impressive stage presence was bassist Marc Adams, who’s strutting bass lines pulsated energy throughout the set. In stark contrast to Thompson’s rolling strum was Howard’s slithering and crunching lead guitar that consistently impressed, and emerged the standout feature of the performance. Howard’s soulful intuition was evident as his hands glided over his fret board.

The set was dominated by the sounds of garage-rock and noise pop, surprising given the strong folk roots of their latest release.

Speaking to Thompson, the singer motioned that two new songs planned for release are a departure

from the folk sound.

“The last album was more like a folk album, and primarily acoustic … this one is all electric, garage and pop,” said Thompson.

Despite plans to release the songs as a seven-inch, the singer pointed out that the music scene in the Kitchener-Waterloo region has hit a slump in recent times, leading the band to consider a drastic overhaul.

“It sucks to be our band in our city,” said Thompson.

Harsh, but not unfounded.

The K-W music scene is certainly not what it used to be, as many of the once prominent underground groups have either relocated or dissolved. Given this, the band is planning to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area indefinitely.

Leaving behind their post at The Duke of Erb studio, the four-piece will journey in search of audiences to inspire and experiences to shape their creative output. The Bay Area is certainly a place where bands that share the same “do it yourself” spirit can flourish and succeed without compromising their craft. While sad to see them go, Love Banshee is destined for great, big things.

In Waterloo, great, big things come in tech startups and nuclear families. Losing one of Waterloo’s finest may just motivate residents to support the city’s growing arts scene.

ZACH GUITOR/ARTS & LIFE EDITOR

NXNE

Trying to survive in an age of outrage MYNT MARSELLUS MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

“Don’t get me pissed off, fuck around rip your tits off, still getting head, even if my dick’s soft.”

Those are lyrics to the controversial song “Consensual Rape” by the controversial rapper Action Bronson, who was controversially removed from the public lineup at the North by Northeast festival which starts today in Toronto.

This controversy almost crosses into the same absurd levels as GamerGate, and political correctness on university campuses.

Here’s how it usually goes.

One group interprets something someone did as controversial.

Another group finds the outrage of the first group to be controversial in itself, which the first group then responds to with even more controversy.

Neither side wins anything; the original bearer of controversy is generally held accountable as long as the memories of the outraged last.

It’s enough for some people to swear off outrage all together. Jerry

JOSHUA AWOLADE/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Seinfeld recently courted his own controversy with his comments about political correctness within stand-up comedy.

He complained people are too sensitive and becoming outraged about minutiae.

The consequences of controversial antics can be very harsh, as many people saw when Laurier alumnus Shawn Simoes was fired from his job at Hydro One after

publicly and drunkenly defending the use of the “FHRITP” trend.

The storm that rained down on him left him jobless, but those who were outraged likely didn’t see that less than a week later an apology to the journalist he harassed was sent, which she described as “very sincere.”

Taking the Seinfeld route and stripping one’s self of the impetus of outrage feels like the easiest

solution to the problem of outrage culture and socially enforced morality.

But really that’s just a mask to your outrage at the outraged.

There is another way to combat the problems with outrage culture and it is one that doesn’t strip people of their ability to express themselves: forgiveness.

This is significantly harder than the other route because it requires

that we remain invested. But our culture’s reluctance to forgive is simply more notorious than outrage culture could ever be.

People are keen to call others out on things they’ve done and when the called out apologize, the calling out doesn’t know what to do with themselves.

Just like when someone commits a crime and is released after having “paid their debt to society,” many treat them as if they still owe us more.

Action Bronson’s lyrics, while reprehensible to the vast majority of people, are not deserving of a lifelong sentence to the dog house.

Losing his spot at NXNE actually feels rather appropriate because it puts the ball in his court.

Does he apologize? Does he care about the ears of those who protested his spot in the festival?

Does he continue to go about his life and career unrepentant?

Those are the questions, which he has to answer before our forgiveness or continued outrage is really merited.

The actions that merit an endless outrage are few and far between and generally come with a prison sentence called “life.”

Maybe we should take a step back and think about what the goal of our outrage is, and when the statute of limitations on it runs out.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2015

Editorial

• 9 OPINION EDITOR MITCHELL CONSKY mconsky@thecord.ca

Better response needed by university on sexual assault Does “innocent until proven guilty” protect the students of Wilfrid Laurier University or keep them within harm’s way?

Adam Hughes, the perpetrator of a sexual assault in January of 2013, was recently sentenced to 18 months in jail and three years probation. 28 months passed between the assault and the conviction and has sparked controversy about the decisions that were made within that gap of time.

Did the university handle the situation to the best of their ability, or did they leave the victim of a sexual assault vulnerable and in danger?

Because Hughes was not proven guilty, Laurier’s non-academic code of conduct permitted him to carry on with his life on campus without much interference. There were changes to his residence and class schedule to avoid direct contact with the victim.

However Hughes was able to continue working at his job, attend classes, maintain a social life and go about each day despite his criminal allegations.

Larger schools like York University and Ryerson University, which from a report published by the CBC in February 2015 both have higher numbers of sexual assaults reported, have similar policies to Laurier when dealing with accused perpetrators on campus.

Both schools are significantly larger than Laurier and because of this, victims of sexual assault are much less likely to cross paths with their alleged perpetrators.

That certainly doesn’t mean it can’t happen, but the chances are reduced.

Because Laurier is such a small campus, it is necessary for different precautions to be implemented.

As this particular case has proven, it is very likely the victim and the perpetrator can cross paths on campus. Despite the attempts to change the possibilities of interaction, it is not an effective method.

Unlike other schools, Laurier is a condensed confinement of extended buildings. What you see is what you get.

Classrooms are close together, most residences are no more than five minutes away from one another and the main restaurants are side by side.

If you see a face, it’s more than likely you’ll see that face again.

The university seems to be constantly aiming ahead with preventative measures. They have expressed a zero-tolerance for sexual assault in press releases, have planned to re-evaluate the procedures taken for these instances and have issued training on sexual violence, awareness and consent for first years during Orientation Week.

However they have not managed to address the particular issue at hand: the assailant was able to go on about his life completely unaffected by his actions, while the victim likely lived in fear, shame or possibly even hiding.

The university’s actions have typically been based on prevention rather than response.

The institution may have taken proper actions on the scale of legality, but they did not take the steps necessary to make students feel, or potentially be, safe on campus.

JOSHUA AWOLADE/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Being friendly doesn’t have to be a chore BETHANY BOWLES FEATURES EDITOR

This unsigned editorial is based off informal discussions and then agreed upon by the majority of The Cord’s editorial board, including the Editor-inChief and Opinion Editor. The arguments made may reference any facts that have been made available through interviews, documents or other sources.

The views presented do not necessarily reflect those of The Cord’s volunteers, staff or WLUSP.

THE CORD IS PUBLISHED BY WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY STUDENT PUBLICATIONS 205 REGINA ST. N., WATERLOO

WLUSP ADMINISTRATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR Bryan Stephens VICE-CHAIR Abdiasis Issa DIRECTOR Rafey Sattar DIRECTOR John Pehar

DIRECTOR Tom Lillo DIRECTOR Angela Foster DIRECTOR Fred Kuntz DIRECTOR Gary Doyle

FINANCE MANAGER Randy Moore randy@rcmbrooks. com ADVERTISING MANAGER Caroline Schummer care.schummer @wlusp.com

PRESIDENT Bryan Stephens president@wlusp. com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Bryn Ossington bryn@wlusp.com

Picture this: you’re in your hometown for the summer, and you see someone you went to high school with for four years of your life in the mall.

You know their name, were maybe biology partners at one point and you even went to a party at their house one time.

You guys weren’t friends, but you definitely know each other.

Still, you walk past each other in the mall, clearly making eye contact, but not saying hi.

You pretend you don’t know each other.

We’ve all been in this position before. You see someone in public that you clearly know, but you choose to pretend you don’t.

The best is when there is actually forced interaction.

For instance, I work in retail, so people who clearly know who I am will come to my checkout and will pretend that they don’t know me on a personal level. I’m handing them back their change, while just last week we were partners in a tutorial.

We’ve all been victims of this strange social contract, but we’ve also done it, as well.

There’s been several times where I see someone I kind of know,

maybe I met them at a party while they were half in the bag.

Or maybe they’re my friend’s roommate who I’ve only met in passing, but for some reason, saying hi and being rejected in return is just about the most terrifying possibility to face.

No one wants to be overtly forward and say hi to someone who could have forgotten who you are.

There’s nothing more humiliating than being asked, “What was your name again?” or “How do I know you?”

The strange thing is however that the fear and anxiety of being rejected seems to outweigh the human desire to be courteous and friendly. We would rather be rude and ignore another human being, who, chances are, knows exactly who you are, than take the risk to just say hi.

Some people are bad with names and faces, but most of the time I think being “bad with names” is just an excuse for being an asshole.

If I met you once, and we had a conversation, the least you can do is try to remember the general outline of my face and not be a total dick if we happen to run into each other at Starbucks.

I’ve recently been hyper-aware of how much this social contract annoys me.

In the past year, I have consciously tried my best to not ignore people I know when I run into them in public.

So far, the response from other people has only been positive.

The second you ignore someone you clearly know, you’re throwing away those chances of having positive interactions.

I find when you finally build up the courage to just say hi, you can almost see the relief in the other person’s face. Instead of being rude, just get it over with. Help them out by relieving any anxieties they may have and I guarantee you will make their day a little but brighter just by being kind.

We move through life making interactions with people everyday.

To me, that’s what leading a good life is all about: building positive interactions with others.

The second you ignore someone you clearly know, you’re throwing away those chances of having positive interactions.

Instead you’re becoming a turtle, someone who just seizes up at any slight chance of awkwardness.

I don’t care if we only met once.

There’s nothing wrong with saying, “Hey, I think I met you last weekend at Chainsaw! How are you?”

It’s not awkward, it’s being human.

And being human is better than being a turtle.

10 •

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2015

Opinion

OPINION EDITOR MITCHELL CONSKY mconsky@thecord.ca

Learning patience in a fast-paced world We must decrease our need for immediate gratification with the importance of knowledge and responsibility

DON MORGENSON COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTOR

Looking out their prison’s windows, father and son, Daedalus and Icarus, planned their escape.

Waxing feathers to their arms they would fly their way to freedom.

Daedalus instructed Icarus: “Whatever you do, do not fly too low … for once you pass the seacoast, the salt spray from the waves of the sea will wet the feathers and make them too heavy to lift. Nor should you fly too high otherwise the heat of the sun will melt the wax, the wings will collapse and you will plummet into the sea and die.”

Father and son leaped into the air. However impulsive youth that he was, Icarus ignored his father’s advice and soared higher and higher, drunk on the pleasures of flight. Higher and higher he flew and just as his father had warned, the sun’s rays melted the wax and he plummeted to his death into the sea.

Daedalus, the brilliant inventor erred as he emphasized his invention’s efficiencies, but ignored the naiveté of his son’s use of the waxed wings. Daedalus had put his invention in the hands of someone unable to understand the limits of that power.

Our obsessive devotion to speed today can be compared to any of Daedalus’ remarkable inventions.

Rather than falling into the ocean,

Our quest will pose many moral challenges, chief among them how to create a civil and humane society.

could it be that our mindless speed forward represents several steps backward in our moral or spiritual development?

It is a story as old as the discovery and development of nuclear fire by 20th-century scientists: will such fire be utilized to burn away cancerous cells or will it be used to incinerate innocent populations?

Regarding such a question, some years ago, then presidential candidate for the United States Adlai Stevenson said, “We have wrested from nature the power to make the world a desert or make a desert bloom. There is no evil in the atom … only in our souls.”

Addicted to moving swiftly without much reflecting on questions of “ought,” we become impatient with workmates or playmates. Our impatience means we are much less likely to devote time to any activity without an immediate reward, forgetting that some of our most significant relationships require a prolonged investment of effort and time — being a good teacher, being a steadfast friend, being a devoted mother or father — in fact, doing anything competently involves such a time

investment.

The speedy transfer of information — not knowledge — is at the expense of wisdom, because the now counts for everything and the then — past history, great literature, noble traditions are the first casualties. Some experts suggest that in our information society, we may have “surrendered our historical consciousness,” a consciousness now replaced by a computer “culture,” leaving us starved of existential meaning.

Jane Jacobs’ “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” makes a similar point when she argues when people collectively lose their memories and suffer a “cultural amnesia,” such suggests a “dark age ahead.”

The most important questions are moral questions and no technology, even a very sophisticated one, can provide answers to moral questions.

The unfinished nature of our development, learning and of our society means that an ever thoughtful community can best reflect on and articulate the worrying consequences of our many choices. But most important, our quest will pose many moral challenges, chief among them how to create a civil and humane society.

And those insights will mean not only accepting our profound strengths but also acknowledging our many vulnerabilities, as we navigate a cautious course between the two — neither flying too low (where the ocean’s salt spray may soak our feathers), nor soaring too high (where the blazing, unforgiving solar heat may melt the wax on our wings).

HAVE AN OPINION? WANT TO WRITE ABOUT IT? EMAIL mconsky@thecord.ca

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

The heart of Caitlyn Jenner LAILA HAWRYLYSHYN OPINION COLUMNIST

After years dealing with gender dysphoria and hormone therapy, former Olympic medalist and reality television celebrity Bruce Jenner told the world he was transitioning to a woman. On an interview with Diane Sawyer, Jenner ended months of speculation from the public. Earlier this month, Jenner debuted her new name and image on the cover of Vanity Fair.

This issue featured the story of Bruce as Caitlyn Jenner, her transition process and her life.

Fans embraced the former Olympian’s transition by sharing support messages on social media.

On Facebook, Jenner gained over 180,000 followers. On Instagram, over 350,000. On Twitter, she gained 1 million followers in 4 hours, beating President Barack Obama by an hour. Millions of tweets have been posted, including support from the KardashianJenner family, making the hashtag #CallMeCaitlyn popular.

However Jenner’s transition has also received a reasonable amount of criticism. An online petition is calling for Caitlyn Jenner to be stripped of her Olympic gold medal. It claims that Jenner’s victory was a violation of the committee rules of women competing in men’s sports. As a result, this petition started an outrage on social media and supporters of the transition posted their opinions with the hashtag #dontgivebackthegold.

Criticisms have also been made on the manner in which Jenner was re-introduced to the world.

Posing in the sorts of clothes her stepdaughter, Kim Kardashian, is likely to be seen in, Jenner received comments about her beauty. This reveals disturbing truths about what is valued and admired in women.

Her courage to accept her true self and share it publicly is what makes her outstanding.

Whereas before Jenner was thought of as a hero for performing greatly in the Olympics and being the voice of reason in the show Keeping up with the Kardashians, she is now referred to by her postsurgery physical characteristics.

Does this mean we live in a world which requires women to comply with certain demands in order to be admired in the public eye?

In an interview, Laverne Cox, transgender actress from Orange is the New Black, made an important point. It is true that Jenner’s successful surgery has turned her into an admirable looking woman, but people should focus on her heart rather than her looks.

Her courage to accept her true self and share it publicly is what makes her outstanding. Regardless of her gender, Jenner has always loved and devoted herself to family. This is clearly seen in the show and by the support she has received from her family.

There is an important lesson to be learned from Jenner’s transition.

There is a need for a more diverse representation of transgender people in the media.

Though Jenner was able to afford her transition, not all are. Most importantly, not all transgender people receive the amount of support in their transitions as Jenner did. There are still various barriers to social integration in society.

There is also still a major need for policies aimed at supporting and protecting the lives and well-being of transgender people. Caitlyn Jenner’s battle may be nearing its end, but for many, it continues.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2015

Sports

• 11 SPORTS EDITOR DREW YATES dyates@thecord.ca

BASEBALL

Planning for the future Laurier’s baseball recruiting focused on depth, character JOSH PETERS STAFF WRITER

HEATHER DAVIDSON/FILE PHOTO

Laurier is looking to bounce back this season after falling short last year.

As the echoes of playoff disappointment fade into the background, the Wilfrid Laurier men’s baseball team is starting to put the pieces back together for the 201516 season.

The club fell short to the Waterloo Warriors this past year while attempting to defend their Ontario University Athletics championship, despite posting a 14-4 regular season record.

At first glance, the Golden Hawks roster looks to be almost identical.

The lineup looks to have the same pop, as former male athlete of the year and all-star outfielder, Jonathan Brouse will be returning, as well as other key offensive pieces like fourth-year outfielder Alexander Kupchak and third-year first baseman Adam Shaver.

On the other side of the ball, fourth-year starters Jordan Petruska, Adam McBride, and third-year Andrew Ziedins will all be taking to the mound again this year.

However there is one notable absence from the pitching rotation with the departure of fifth-year starter Brett Van Pelt, leaving some large cleats to fill. The Hawks ace graduated and moved away from the program, leaving an all-starsized gap on the diamond.

Despite the loss of Van Pelt, head coach Scott Ballantyne is optimistic about the summer and the upcoming year.

“We have seven or eight pretty good recruits that are committed to us at this point, and we’ve got two or three other potential transfer students that we’re still talking to that we hope to secure over the next couple of weeks,” he said.

“We’re pretty happy with [the] core of incoming freshmen coming directly from high school. We feel like they are going to be able to contribute to us right away.”

The incoming freshmen include pitchers Austin Hassani, Tanner Goldsmith and Jordan Ferrazzo, first baseman Nic Lannutti, as well as three catchers in Connor Patterson, Ethan Kopel and Ryley Davenport.

The depth at the catching position is something Ballantyne had been looking to address after some injuries and shakiness in the position last season.

“We had Daniel Apostoli who was our starting catcher last year, partway through got hurt and was obligated to not 100 per cent of his true self. He still played but, if we had a little more depth in that area we feel we would have been a little better off coming into the tournament,” he said.

According to Ballantyne, recruiting is a science that has a lot more

to it than just raw talent screening — it’s about the intangibles.

“We’re not looking for guys who are only in it for themselves, we’re looking for the ‘we’ kind of guys,” he said. “We’re really looking for good character people who we think are going to be good ambassadors for our program, and giving into the community.”

Ballantyne has been forced to apply that formula to a larger sample size in the last couple of years due to the current success of the program.

“You get a lot more interest in your program, so we haven’t had a lack of interest of high school players wanting to come play for Laurier. Great school, great reputation and when your team’s successful that certainly helps,” he said.

As the season approaches, Ballantyne is confident the club can make it back to the top of Ontario university baseball once again.

However he is cognisant of the effort and persistence required to make it to that level.

“I’ve been around this program for 16 years and we’ve been successful once,” he said.

“I feel this will again be another good year that we feel like we’re going to be right there, and if we catch a couple breaks, and we’re hot going into the playoffs, which is always our goal, then we’ll have a good chance.”

12 •

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2015

FOOTBALL

Performance drugs still a problem CFL regulations leave CIS athletes with mixed messages DREW YATES SPORTS EDITOR

Every year, more and more football players are slipping through the cracks and turning to performance enhancing drugs.

With the chance of making it professionally on the line, many players have been giving in to temptation and using PEDs to skyrocket their results.

Defensive back Kayin Marchand-Wright, receiver Melvin Abankwah, and linebackers Jonathon Langa and Marvin Golding from the Saint Mary’s University Huskies, as well as Laval Rouge et Or receiver Matthew Norzil, all tested positive for performance enhancing drugs at the CFL draft combine held last March.

All five players were able to report to CFL training camps when they began in June despite testing positive.

The Canadian Interuniversity Sport also found nine potential anti-doping infractions by the University of Waterloo football program in 2010, leading to a oneyear suspension of the entire team by the university.

Warriors receiver Nathan Zettler

was also arrested for possession and trafficking anabolic steroids during this time.

Wilfrid Laurier University head coach Michael Faulds stresses the importance of keeping clean from performance enhancing drugs to his players, with the strict testing regulations that the CIS imposes on university football programs.

“Our players are constantly reminded that testers can come by at any point. Four times throughout the year we have to give the CIS players’ updated weightlifting numbers, bench press, squat, anything that we have to test them on for strength,” he said.

“That’s one way we regulate it — make sure our players are always on edge, always sure they know what they are putting in their bodies.”

The Laurier bench boss is also present at every weightlifting session, constantly getting numbers from the strength and conditioning coach, tracking everyone’s progress and looking out for any warning signs.

According to Faulds, even cold remedies that people can get at the store can result in a positive test, so all players are given a full sheet

“Ultimately, there are no cutting corners in this game. It’s the time you put in the weight room that’s really going to pay off.”

-Michael Faulds, men’s football head coach

from the coaches in training camp that they have to abide by.

“The fact that it’s at random scares everyone enough that they’re going to be really concerned with what they are putting in their bodies,” he explained.

Faulds is concerned by the lax regulation at the CFL level sending contradicting messages to players looking to turn pro after university.

“The issue we have as head coaches of the CIS is we are undermined by the CFL,” Faulds explained.

“Last year was a perfect example. A player tested positive and was drafted a few days later. This year, all five guys that [tested] positive were in CFL camps. If players are going to see that they are still going to get rewarded even after an

JOSHUA AWOLADE/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

infraction, that’s not good messaging.”

Despite the inconsistent lanes of communication between the two organizations, Faulds is confident that reinforcing positive messages and keeping players educated about performance enhancing drugs will deter players from temptation.

“I think the key is constant

reminders and properly educating your players to do the right thing, and making sure that they know that you truly do care about it, that you’re concerned about what they are putting in their bodies,” Faulds said.

“Ultimately, there are no cutting corners in this game. It’s the time you put in the weight room that’s really going to pay off.”

BUDGET

The calm before the financial storm Athletics and recreation prepare for first wave of university-wide budget cuts with risky strategy “I can have a rain day on a football game and you lose substantial gain. And we only have the four dates.”

-Peter Baxter, director of athletics and recreation

JOSHUA AWOLADE/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

DREW YATES SPORTS EDITOR

According to Peter Baxter, director of athletics and recreation at Wilfrid Laurier University, the department of athletics and recreation has been able to keep their ship on life support after the first year university-wide budget cuts.

The proposed budget cut for 2015-16 is five per cent, totalling to approximately $139,000.

Additionally, the university has also proposed a four per cent budget cut over the next three years.

According to Baxter, athletics and recreation has been using a

“revenue maximization strategy” in order to generate enough revenue to combat the cuts. However the strategy is risky and maintaining revenue generation could be a challenge, as the facility is nearing maximum booking capacity.

“We’re at $1.7 million in revenue, and the students contributions from their fees will be $1.5 million, and the university contribution will be down to $1.3 million contributions, into the overall spending that you have,” Baxter said.

The $1.7 million in revenue that the department has to generate is based on activities, rentals of

the facilities, student fees, user fees and fundraising activities in order to support the workings of athletics.

“Now the focus in on revenue is a dangerous strategy because there’s a lot of risk involved. I can have a rain day on a football game and you lose substantial gain.

And we only have the four dates,” Baxter explained.

The department has been able to keep their revenue up despite keeping student fees down.

The average student fees at Laurier are $164 to athletics, as opposed to their counterparts at Queen’s University, where stu-

dents pay as much as $280, according to Baxter.

“We’re at the bottom of the [Ontario University Athletics] in terms of per student funding, so we’re very efficient at what we do. In fact, I think the number $1.7 [million] sort of speaks to the fact that we’re generating more than the base budget funding of the university and the students.”

The last time athletics had to withstand budget cuts was back in 2008 when a $250,000 cut was needed.

The result was cutting into programming and services, and ending the volleyball program.

“Our staff has done a job of making sure we meet things with minimizing the pain,” Baxter said.

However as in 2008, the revenue maximization strategy leaves little breathing room, especially in regards to the strain of replacing capital equipment in the facility.

“We’re lucky when we bought all the machines in the facility, but on an ongoing basis, we have little [to] no funding for capital replacement. We still have to operate. We still have to fix machines,” Baxter explained.

“Likewise, we still have high-

ticket maintenance items like replacement of the turf at Alumni Field, stadium, closing down the pool, long term sustainability [and] intercollegiate costs.”

According to Baxter, Laurier prides itself on focusing on the student experience and the retention and recruitment of the university — something that is crucial to keeping the ship afloat.

Athletics and recreation also plays a critical role in bringing in students to the university.

“Laurier is known as a welcoming community and a big part of that is their experience within athletics and recreation. It’s not for all students but it’s in the majority, we’re the largest access point for the student experience,” Baxter explained. “Athletics and recreation is the biggest part of the student experience. But it’s a huge part of recruitment and retention.

If our mission in the university is the student experience, and you start to lessen that, that impacts retention and recruitment.”

According to Baxter, learning outcomes also play a crucial role in bringing students to Laurier and keeping up with recruitment and retention of the university.

That will be the main focus of withstanding these budget cuts; recruitment, retention and keeping Laurier strong.

“We’re at a point where we’ve been able to maintain things at a certain level but it’s very precarious now — if we go deeper, then there will be major cuts to programs and services that will affect not just athletics, but it will affect recruitment and retention of the university,” Baxter said.