January 20, 2014 by The Varsity

VOL. CXXXIV, NO. 15

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1880

$42 million for online learning

INSIDE NEWS

Pedestrianizing St. George Both the university and the City of Toronto say they’ve never been contacted by the utsu about trying to close St. George Street to cars. The closure was a key campaign promise of utsu president Munib Sajjad, and his predecessor Shaun Shepherd.

Theodore Yan & Iris Robin VARSITY STAFF

The Centre of Excellence for Online Learning (Ontario Online) is a new, $42 million initiative aimed at providing quality post-secondary education online. Courses accessed through Ontario Online will be transferable between all participating universities via ontransfer.ca. Critics cite concerns about the quality of education and underlying motivation of the proposed program. Brad Duguid, Ontario’s Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities, announced the creation of Ontario Online last Monday. ontransfer will be a partnership between post-secondary institutions in Ontario that will attempt to streamline credit transfers. Duguid explained that students would simply have to enter their credentials and click a button to see which of their completed credits would be accepted at which universities and colleges in the database. The eventual goal of the initiative is to ensure that students do not have to waste money and time redoing completed learning. Graeme Stewart, communications director of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (ocufa), is lobbying for more faculty input on the Ontario Online project, as there are currently no seats allocated to faculty members on the Board of Directors overseeing it. “I think that there are a few important stakeholders — admin, students, online learning experts — but it’s the actual faculty members who know best how to deliver the best quality experience,” said Stewart.

CONTINUED ON PG 6

20 JANUARY, 2014

PG 4 COMMENT

OPED: Homophobic graffiti unacceptable On November 24, 2013, the lgbtq & Allies in Science and Engineering (lgbtqase) mural, located in the pit of the Sandford Fleming Building, was vandalized with homophobic language. When I found out that evening, I was horrified.

PG 10

SCIENCE

The buzz on colony collapse disorder

PG 12

LANES, CHAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES

Imagine that you’re a beekeeper. The bees are buzzing, the sun is shining, the flowers are in full bloom, and you’ll have a plentiful harvest at the end of the season. Then one day, a massive number of bees just disappear out of the blue, never to return to the hive.

PG 19

Vol. CXXXIV, No. 15

THE VARSITY VOL. CXXXIV No. 15

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VARSITY NEWS WHAT’S GOING ON

THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS

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Writers Geoffrey Baillie, Victoria Banderob, Benjamin Chung, Alexander Cohen, Emma Compeau, James Flynn, Lisa Freeman, Emma Hansen, Ali Harkness, Aisha Hassan, Stefan Jetvic, JP Kaczur, Ushma Kapure, Leila Keshavjee, Olga Klenova, Daniel Konikoff, Trevor Koroll, Jacob Lorinc, Anthony Marchese, John Marshall, India McAllister, Bradley Mulder, Li Pan, Phyllis Pearson, Helen Picard, Corinne Przybyslawski, Iris Robin, Mary Scourboutakos, Amitpal Singh, Aidan Slind, Dan Smeenk, Shradha Talwar, Marcus Tutert, Katrina Vogan, Jordan Voith Photo and Illustration Designers William Ahn, Julien Balbontin, Kawmadie Victoria Banderob, Wendy Karunanayake, Emerald Misquitta, Gu, Nancy Ji, Mashal Khan, Timothy Law, Carolyn Levett, Dan Seljak, Shaquilla Singh, Denis Osipov, Ann Sheng, Alexandra Wong, Bohan Xing, Mari Zhou Alice Xue, Elaine Zhu Copy Editors and Fact Checkers Armen Alexanian, Reshara Alviarez, Lois Boody, Karen Chu, Lucy Genua, Sneha Gujadhur, Jennifer Hurd, Olga Klenova, Sacha Morettin, Malone Mullin, Linh Nguyen, Daniella Pereira, Helen Picard, Mark Recto, Nicole Sconza, Jonathan Soo, Rose Tornabene, Kelly Turner, Catherine Virelli

Business Office Business Manager Timothy Sharng

I need to pee but I have no idea where the washrooms are in this library @ GrahamLibrary #uoftproblems — Monday, January 13

NANCY HUYNH @NAAANCYH Suicide mission walking across kings circle... #slippinandslidin #uoftprobs — Tuesday, January 14

arts@thevarsity.ca

Science Editor Katrina Vogan

Illustrations Editor Nancy Ji

the week in tweets CASSANDRA DI CEGLIE @CASSSSANDRAA

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Managing Online Editor Murad Hemmadi

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Advertising Manager Victoria Marshall advertising@thevarsity.ca Advertising Executives Stephanie Lau stephanie@thevarsity.ca terence@thevarsity.ca Terence Leung vanessa@thevarsity.ca Vanessa Wen The Varsity is the University of Toronto's largest student newspaper, publishing since 1880. The Varsity has a circulation of 20,000, and is published by Varsity Publications Inc. It is printed by Master Web Inc. on recycled newsprint stock. Content © 2014 by The Varsity. All rights reserved. Any editorial inquiries and/or letters should be directed to the sections associated with them; emails listed above. The Varsity reserves the right to edit all submissions. Inquiries regarding ad sales can be made to ads@thevarsity.ca. ISSN: 0042-2789 Please recycle this issue after you are finished with it.

JEHAN RIZVI @JEHANN_XO A show by the Humber Contemporary Jazz Ensemble, featuring music by Canadian jazz composer Kirk MacDonald.

Is my prof seriously doing a 3 hour class with no breaks?! #UofTProbs #Longest #Day #Ever #Tuesdays #SAVEMEH

January 23, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm 145 Queen Street West, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts: Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre Free

KRISTY COOK @KRISTYYY123

CONTEMPORARY CURRENTS

ARMED CONFLICT AND FOOD INSECURITY: A GLOBAL CHALLENGE

ASTRONOMY & SPACE EXPLORATION SOCIETY 11TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM

Lecture from Mustafa Koç, Professor of Sociology at Ryerson University on food policy, globalization, and sociology of migration.

Lectures on cosmology from internationally recognized astronomers and researchers.

January 23, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm 15 King’s College Circle, University College (UC 179) Free

January 24, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm 1 King’s College Circle, JJR MacLeod Auditorium (MS 2158) Free

MANULIFE WALK FOR MEMORIES

SEXUAL AWARENESS WEEK Week-long series of events organized by the Sexual Education Centre (SEC), including field trips, discussions, and dance parties.

Annual walk to fundraise for the Alzheimer’s Society of Toronto while remembering those with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. January 25, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm 181 Bay Street, Brookfield Place Free

January 19 – 25 21 Sussex Avenue. Unit 612 Cost varies by event

SIX WAYS TO KEEP IN SHAPE IN THE WINTER

2. Watch what you eat. With the more sedentary lifestyle typical of January, it’s easy to spend most or all of your time feeling way too full and generally awful. Moderate yourself at mealtimes, and challenge yourself to occasionally eat meals that are at least 70 per cent things that photosynthesize. - 40° days are even less fun when you have scurvy. 3. Grab some friends and play some indoor sports, like basketball, squash, or badminton. If you are all terrible (which you likely are), half the fun can come from constantly informing that one friend who is playing decently that she is terrible and needs to stop trying so hard. An additional benefit is that bears are known to have great difficulty opening doors to access the insides of buildings.

Woooooo only had like 3 breakdowns today #uoftprobs #gimmemymarks — Tuesday, January 14

CHRISTINA DOAN @CHRISTINADOANN Lol Lams math class is getting their tcards checked cause so many ppl sneak in... #uoftprobs — Wednesday, January 15

JULIA PUPULIN @JULIAAPUPULIN We just watched a clip of disney’s Hercules in my classical mythology class and I am just dead like omg I love this class — Wednesday, January 15

THE EXPLAINER

1. Do cardio regularly! Keeping your heart healthy by running and swimming at the AC or Hart House will help keep your energy levels up during the lethargic winter months. Also someday you might need to run away from a bear and where will you be then? Thanking The Varsity for reminding you to work out your heart, that’s where.

— Tuesday, January 14

4. Try lifting weights. Not just for lumberjacks and that one guy you know who’s constantly asking everybody he meets if they want to lift with him, stronger muscles burn calories passively and also let you lift more of the things you have to lift in your daily life (groceries, books, bears, etc.). 5. Some days, King’s College Circle freezes over completely, hilariously impeding the progress of countless pained students falling onto their dumb faces. On one of those frigid days, wait ‘til nighttime and bring some skates and some people that you don’t hate to the front campus. Lace up and glide effortlessly under a night sky in which stars that should definitely have been obscured by light pollution are miraculously visible. Laugh when your stupid friend who gets a little too confident inevitably trips over a patch of grass. Yell at innocent passersby on the street who did not have this brilliant idea. Forget about time and remember that maybe, just maybe, life is in the smallest way beautiful. Promise to bore your grandchildren with stories about this night someday. Forget that, too. 6. Bears.

ASHLEY WESTOVER @XOX_WESTIE_XOX Finally time for bed.... Still super behind but at least I can cross a few things off my list! #uoftproblems — Wednesday, January 15

TYSAN SATHASIVAM @TYSAANNS My prof said “do you get the general idea” today in class and all I could think about is HIMYM LOL — Friday, January 17

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VARSITY NEWS

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2014

COSS rejects increases to student levy for fifth year in a row Student-dominated committee votes down fee increases for Hart House India McAlister VARSITY STAFF

This year has gotten off to a bumpy start for the Council on Student Services (coss). The first meeting was polarized, featuring student representatives and members of the university administration butting heads over issues surrounding fee increases. The introduction of a pro-rated $80 summer user fee at Hart House for all graduate students was the first contentious issue. Aman Gebru, from the GSU, stated that he believed the administration circumvented proper procedures, and did not act in good faith when discussing and implementing this new fee. Hart House representatives countered Gebru’s statement by asserting that they followed all proper protocols. Hart House warden Bruce Kidd, said that graduate students had been given ample opportunity to discuss this fee increase, but representatives were only present for two out of eight Board of Stewards Meetings. The dean of student affairs at utsc, Desmond Pouyat, stated that he believes student leaders are ideologically opposed to fee increases, and thus block all budgets that come before coss. “We’re really creating a situation of spinning our wheels on ice. It seems somewhat fruitless,” he said. During Pouyat’s statement, Munib Sajjad, president of the University of Toronto Student’s Union (utsu) called for Pouyat to be censured because he referred to student leadership as “an infestation.” The chair conceded that this language was not appropriate. Yolen Bollo-Kamara, vice-president, equity of the utsu, argued that voting down

The Council on Student Services meets for the first time in 2014. ELAINE ZHU/THE VArsITy

the budgets was not a waste of time. “I do hope that this sends a clear message that students do oppose increasing our tuition fees,” she said. Kidd defended the proposed increases in ancillary fees, arguing that institutions like Hart House require further funding to keep up with increasing costs. “The only way our budgets have increased is by increasing enrollment. That causes other capacity issues,” he said. Susan Froom, president of the Association for Part-Time Undergraduate Students, said that instead of going to

students for funding, the administration should be proactively seeking more from outside sources. “coss is a terrific body it provides an excellent service,” said Pouyat. “It’s hard to speak about these issues. You speak the truth and you kind of get slammed.” coss chair Brad Evoy, an executive on the GSU (gsu), emphasized that: “Each year, all such parties have made clear their commitments to these services, but in the end are divided by their perspective — as is often the case in governance.”

Made up of 17 voting members, coss is the only central university body with a majority of seats held by students. Hart House, the Council of Athletics and Recreation (car), and the Office of Student Life (osl), whose ancillary fee budgets must be approved by coss, also have representatives. Under the Ontario government guidelines, it is mandated that students be involved in decisions to increase non-tuition ancillary fees. In an effort to increase transparency, the has opened up all coss meetings to the general public for the first time in four years.

David Miller criticizes closing of Cities Centre Closure part of standard re-organization, claims administration Aidan Slind & Alexander Cohen VARSITY CONTRIBUTORS

U of T’s recent decision to defund the Cities Centre — an institute that deals with community outreach and social inequality in urban settings — continues to attract criticism from several prominent individuals, including former Toronto mayor David Miller. One critic, Dr. Mariana Valverde, a professor of criminology and sociolegal studies, suggested that the move may have been motivated by financial considerations, citing the fact that the centre’s dependence on grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (sshrc) made it impossible for it to generate a profit. She stated that many who were close to the centre and its work weren’t surprised by the move: “For a long time, people knew this was coming.” Valverde also claims that, in addition to U of T faculty and students, municipal authorities have a stake in the centre because of the work it did. In this regard, those opposing the closure have found an ally in former Toronto mayor David Miller. Miller commented that the centre’s closing is “a significant loss to the University. The Cities Centre has done important work on economic, environmental, and social justice issues, and, in recent years has been an important connector with the City of Toronto.”

David Miller, former mayor of Toronto. MEdIA pHoTos

Miller, a U of T alumnus and current President and ceo of World Wildlife FundCanada, went on to praise the centre as a

force for progressive good in the city, saying its de-funding would be a greater loss to Toronto than to the university.

When asked to comment on the former mayor’s statement, U of T president Meric Gertler, an urban geographer, did not specifically address Miller’s comments. Rather, Gertler stressed that the centre’s closure was an administrative move, and emphasized the university’s commitment to urban studies. Gertler claimed that the “plan to incorporate the activities of the Cities Centre into the recently established Global Cities Institute is part of a broader University-wide initiative to rethink our approach to urban research, teaching and outreach.” He also pointed to the resources U of T devotes to urban studies, highlighting the recent decision to create 21 new positions across the university’s three campuses in what he called “urban teaching.” Addressing concerns that the centre’s closure will reduce U of T’s role in conversations on urban studies, Gertler stated that he believes the changes will “enhance, not undermine, the University of Toronto’s participation in current scholarship and public debates concerning the full spectrum of urban issues.” As for the president’s personal involvement in the closure, Gertler said that while decisions pertaining to the reorganization of academic units are ultimately the responsibility of deans, he was “kept informed of the plans pertaining to the Cities Centre as they evolved, and has been satisfied that they are consistent with the institution’s broader goals in urban scholarship and outreach.” He did not offer comment on whether the centre’s lack of profitability played a role in its closure.

VARSITY NEWS

Vol. CXXXIV, No. 15

news@thevarsity.ca

City, university, have not heard of UTSU’s plans to pedestrianize St. George Street Key UTSU advocacy effort of Sajjad, Shepherd draws skepticism from U of T, City of Toronto Trevor Koroll

VARSITY STAFF

The University of Toronto Students’ Union (utsu) is continuing its campaign to pedestrianize a portion of St. George Street, but are facing an uphill battle with university administration and the City of Toronto. The utsu has been raising this issue for over two years. Under current president Munib Sajjad, the utsu began to study the issue in March 2013. Previous president Shaun Shepherd campaigned for the change in the spring of 2012. Neither the university administration nor the city has heard of any recent developments of the campaign. They also stated that there are no active plans to pedestrianize St. George Street. “The only thing I’ve heard about it I’ve read in The Varsity,” said Scott Mabury, vice-president, university operations. “We have no plans, not studying, not looking into closing St. George because of the overall potential ramifications to the campus.” The university considered pedestrianizing St. George Street, Devonshire Place, and Willcocks Street in a pilot project four years ago. The university’s plan for St. George Street called for a closure north of Russell Street up to the loading dock of the Sidney Smith and Ramsay Wright laboratories. The problem was that the traffic would spill onto Huron Street, a narrow street with parking on one side. “We did not implement at that time anything on St. George be-

cause the potential disruption factor was just huge. Having a change to St. George that makes something else much more materially worse is not something that we can easily go into,” said Mabury. A portion of Willcocks Street has now been permanently closed to traffic. Once more, the university is looking into pedestrianizing a part of Devonshire Street, which was closed due to construction of the Goldring Centre, said Mabury. Despite the obstacles, Sajjad said that there may be some in U of T’s administration that support the idea. He plans to introduce the idea to U of T president Meric Gretler when the utsu meets with him later in the term. “It’s all about raising the fact with the administration,” said Sajjad. “If there’s a fear of increase of traffic and endangering streets, we are going to show how it’s going to go and how safe it’s going to be.” The proposal would have to be approved by City Council, and prove that the pedestrianization of St. George Street would be useful for the community. “Looking to close St. George, that’s a major exercise,” said Fiona Chapman, the City of Toronto’s pedestrian projects manager. Chapman said that this would involve looking at local traffic laws and the local traffic network to see the feasibility of such a project. While there is no one way to begin the process, the recommended first step is to approach the local city councillor.

WENDY GU/THE VArsiTY

Sajjad said that Adam Vaughan, the Ward 20 councillor, supports the idea. Vaughan could not be reached for comment as of press time. Even with the local councillor’s backing, Chapman said that the decision would ultimately rest with City Council, and that they would likely not support the closure. “It can be a challenge to try and close a street in Toronto and then find that it’s not heavily used by pedestrians,” said Ward 27 councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, who is the local councillor for Ryerson University. Wong-Tam worked to close Gould Street, which bisects the campus. She said that closing Gould Street was a long process completed in increments, with

a lot of consultation with local business and community groups. “Gould Street works so well because of the heavy density of pedestrian traffic,” said Wong-Tam. She added that St. George Street does not have the same pedestrian density at all times of day, and therefore may not be as successful as a pedestrian-only zone. Tim Grant, chair of the Harbord Village Residents’ Association, agrees. He said that while St. George has heavy pedestrian traffic during the day, it is nearly empty after 9:00 pm. Grant said that the ideal proposal would keep the street open at night when there is less pedestrian traffic, and include bike lanes during the day.

“The problem with all these things when you put time limits… is the changeover. It’s five minutes to [the changeover], five minutes after, where cars aren’t sure where they can go,” said Grant. Despite his concerns, Grant supports the idea. Paul Kulig, principal of Regional Architects — which was associated with the St. George Street redesign in 1997 — said that the full pedestrianization of the street may not be practical. “The most successful streets are ones that allow for a mix of uses but where the pedestrians are still dominant,” Kulig said. “We felt [the design] found a balance that maintained the vitality and life in that street.”

U of T lab prints 3D sockets for prosthetic limbs Dan Smeenk

VARSITY STAFF

Critical Making, a University of Toronto lab at the Faculty of Information, has developed 3D-printed sockets for prosthetic limbs. These limbs will be sent to Corsu, a hospital in Uganda, as part of a partnership with international ngo Christian Blind Mission Canada. The construction of the limbs begins with taking a scan of a person’s residual limb. The scan is then sent back to the lab, and a designer creates a 3D model of an artificial limb. Finally, this scan is sent to the hospital in Africa, where it is printed. Critical Making only makes the socket into which prosthetic limbs are installed, with each socket depending on the individual person’s physiology. “We’re only making the socket, because those are actually customized. The socket is the most time-consuming part of the process,” explained

Ginger Coons, a phd student working at the lab. “We use the process which is supplied by the Red Cross, who have books and guidelines for how to make a prosthetic limb. They are also the supply chain that gets all the supplies through,” said Coons. The program currently suffers from a lack of prosthetic technicians available in the developing world. According to coons, the World Health Organization estimates that there are only 50,000 technicians in the developing world, which it considers insufficient. The laboratory has been using 3D printing since 2009, according to the lab’s head Matt Ratto, a U of T professor with the Faculty of Information. Critical Making Laboratories also received attention earlier this year for producing “the Liberator,” a 3Dprinted handgun. Ratto notes that the process of making a prosthetic limb is effectively similar, and both products have the same implications. Both Ratto and coons describe Critical Making Laboratories as a social

science laboratory whose focus is on the social effects of technology. When asked about the effects of 3D printing in the next 10 to 20 years, Ratto said that he sees promise, but also that the technology has limits: “There’s this idea that some people have that you can have a 3D printer in your home, and you can print out Tupperware instead of buying it from the dollar store. But it’s overkill to get mass produced products through a 3D printer, because injection molding is so inexpensive. The only way you’d use a 3D printer is for something very specialized. A cell phone cover made specifically for your phone, for example, or a replacement knob to a door from the 1940s, customized objects.” “Even if in the future there were drastic improvements to the technology, 3D printing is better for one object than for a million. Sometimes you can use injection molding in 3D printing. But the predictions are comparable to when people said that online digital printers would be replacing paper.”

NANCY Ji/THE VArsiTY

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MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2014

UTMSU to re-run referendum on levy increase Previous attempt ruled invalid because of alleged UTSU breach of confidentiality Amitpal Singh VARSITY STAFF

The University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (utmsu) will hold a re-run of a referendum that failed ratification in January 2013. From January 28–30, students will have a chance to vote for or against the prospect of fee increases to cover the costs of expanding the utm Student Centre. If passed, the motion would raise levies to $50 per semester for up to three years to cover the building’s development. Executive members of the utmsu decided to rerun the referendum after gathering student input. The week-long campaign for the referendum kicked off this Monday. Expanding the Student Centre is seen as a welcome addition to a campus with a robust commuting population, according to the utmsu. In an interview with utm’s campus newspaper, The Medium, Raymond Noronha, utmsu president, said that priorities included

multipurpose rooms and club and society offices. He also highlighted improving food and other services as key in making the Student Centre more of a student activity hub. The Student Centre was built in 1999 for a population of about 6,000 students, less than half of current enrolment. The university has promised to match student contribution dollar for dollar up to a maximum of $2 million, for a total of $4 million towards the expansion. The student contribution has been capped at $2 million to maximize the ratio of university to student contribution. Last year’s referendum failed ratification due to a human error attributed to then-chief returning officer Babatumi Sodade, who resigned his position over the incident. The University of Toronto Students’ Union (utsu) had provided the utmsu with a T-card scanner by the University of Toronto Students’ Union (utsu), loaded with a list of students that included those enrolled at St. George campus, who are not members of the

utmsu, and thus were ineligible to vote. The wrongly loaded list was used by the utsu at its annual general meeting held that November. Last year, U of T’s vice-provost, students, Jill Matus, said that the utmsu had requested a passwordprotected cd filled with student numbers for their voter list on January 7, 2013. She explained that this was not picked up or used by the utmsu. This is the university’s preferred method of providing student information for in-person voting. Supplying the TCard scanner constituted a breach of confidentiality agreements on the part of the utsu, according to Matus. The utsu denied these allegations. Although it was not ratified, last year’s referendum received 60 per cent support in favour of the fee increase, with an 18 per cent turnout amongst utm students. 1,368 of 2,258 full-time students voted yes on the referendum. A minimum of five per cent turnout of the 13,000 students enrolled at the Mississauga campus will be necessary for the referendum to be deemed legitimate.

Lucinda yae-rim ro/THe VarsiTy

Alexis Ohanian holds book signing at Bahen Centre Co-founder of Reddit discusses entrepreneurship, the Internet, and freedom of information Dan Smeenk

VARSITY STAFF

Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, held a talk and book signing at the Bahen Centre on Monday, January 13. His first book, Without Their Permission: How the 21st Century Will Be Made, draws on Ohanian’s experience to advise aspiring entrepreneurs about the value of the internet as a tool for democratically disseminating information. The book signing began with everyone present texting his or her cell phone number to him. If, as she socialized in the auditorium, an audience member’s phone rang, she would know her book was ready to be signed and that a photo could be taken with Ohanian. The unconventional style of the book signing encapsulated Ohanian’s message. The event was presented by The Hatchery, a group associated with the Engineering Society at U of T. The book was released in October of last year. Ohanian remains on the board at Reddit, while maintaining high positions in other start-ups. Currently, he is an investor, consultant, and the host of the television show Small Empires. Ohanian recounted his personal experiences as an Internet entrepreneur, including his role in the founding of Reddit as a 22-yearold. He gave practical advice for

how to create a start-up company. Ohanian was particularly adamant about the need to take risks and learn from failure. “I used to play video games as a kid when they were hard. One of the things I noticed is that whenever you die, you also resurrect. That is a metaphor for life,” he said. In addition to his professional work, Ohanian is a prominent advocate of Internet freedom causes such as net neutrality and open access. He spoke about his activism in an interview after the talk. “These days in the US, privacy is a growing concern. Net neutrality is uncertain because of the presence of Internet Service Provider (isp) lobbyists. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (tpp) which has been pretty scary-looking. I help where I can,” explained Ohanian. He was also a friend and business partner of Aaron Swartz, whose company Infogami merged with Reddit in 2005. Swartz committed suicide in January 2013, two days after his lawyer issued a plea bargain over controversial charges against Swartz for wire and computer fraud, amongst others, for which he had previously spent six months in federal prison. Swartz, like Ohanian, was an activist and an advocate of open access. “We weren’t terribly close towards the end, so I can’t speak too much to what he was doing in those years. The federal government absolutely overreached;

Alexis Ohanian speaks to students. denis osipoV/THe VarsiTy

the punishment did not fit the crime. I just hope Aaron’s Law gets passed and I hope that something good can come out of this,” he concluded, referencing a proposed amendment to the Com-

puter Fraud and Abuse Act, which would exclude terms of service violations from the act and from the statute on wire fraud. The talk also prominently featured Ohanian giving an inter-

view with Yuri Sagalov, a U of T engineering science graduate who dropped out of the first year of his master’s program to found the start-up company AeroFS. Ohanian is an investor in Sagalov’s company.

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New American funding model based on outcomes not enrollment Model rewards universities for success of graduates, not number of students enrolled Aisha Kakinuma-Hassan VARSITY STAFF

As enrollment for post-secondary education rapidly increases, so does the struggle to efficiently distribute funding. This year, Ontario will explore moving to a differentiated system. This would require post-secondary institutions to identify a certain area to specialize in — such as a specific subject area, research intensity, or vocation — as funding will be allocated based on these specialties. In Tennessee, foregoing enrollment-based funding completely for an outcome-based funding formula has proved to be a more successful method for publicly funding education. An outcomebased funding model distributes funds based on the productivity and efficiency of institutions. This is measured through variables such as graduation rates: number of degrees given at the bachelor’s, master’s, and phd levels, as well as program and student accreditation and satisfaction. Such a model encourages institutions to shift priorities to maximize the success of currently

enrolled students, rather than simply enrolling more students. Currently, full-time enrollment is a primary factor in distributing funds, with over 90 per cent of Ontario’s Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ grants going towards the operating budgets of post-secondary institutions, distributed according to enrollment rates. The rest of the funds depend on factors such as meeting certain government objectives and research intensity. U of T, which has the highest enrollment rate in the province, receives up to $616,772,000 — more than double that of York University, which receives the second-highest amount of funding from the province. Enrollment-based funding is a common system across North America, and while it has been successful in increasing accessibility to post-secondary education, it is becoming gradually less effective as institutions are beginning to prioritize enrollment over providing value to current students. In Ontario, an outcome-based model would benefit schools like Ryerson University, which currently receives the seventh-highest amount of funding from the province, despite granting the third-highest number of bachelor’s degrees. In the

long run, such a system may shift the motivations of all institutions to focus on their graduation rates. Before implementing the outcome-based model, Tennessee experienced what Ontario currently faces — growing enrollment accompanied by rapidly increasing operating budgets of institutions. The model is now going into its fourth year and Russ Deaton, the associate executive director for finance and administration at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, says that it has been a success so far, as the economic incentives of institutions have become aligned with student success. Institutions have initiated various measures to focus on the needs of students more through academic advising and counselling designed to assist students who are falling behind. However, the outcome-based model is not without its criticisms. The model works similarly to Ontario’s recently proposed differentiation framework. In Tennessee, the outcomes are weighted differently depending on the mission of the university — larger, more complex universities that have a higher degree of production are weighted more heavily than smaller, regional schools.

In Ontario’s proposed framework, U of T would be in a category on its own simply because it is so much larger than any other university in the province — both by enrollment, and research volume. When asked about whether such a system would continue to restrict smaller institutions from progressing towards a higher level, Deaton said that this was not the case in Tennessee, and that: “In fact, the best performance school in the last four years of the outcomes model has been one of our smaller bachelor’s degree-granting institutions.” Another major concern of relying on outcomes is that institutions will eventually become degree mills, and that the quality of education will decline as increasing graduation rates becomes the primary goal of institutions in order to attain funding. Deaton acknowledges that this is a common concern of the model, but added that: “We have not seen any evidence so far that there has been a deterioration in quality. Our campuses tell us that they haven’t experienced it so far. I think that it’s a theoretical concern that we’re watching that just has not played out in a negative way here.” Deaton credits the success of this funding formula to the efforts of

CONTINUED FROM COVER Duguid, in response to these concerns, said that the ministry has reached out to all concerned constituents, and has assembled the most experienced board that it could. He believes that the product it provides will be valuable enough that faculty associations will be pleased with it anyway. In addition to the issue of faculty inclusion, Stewart has political concerns: “I support the goals and principles of accessibility and flexibility; it will really help students who maybe live far away from campus or have other responsibilities, but I am skeptical about the motivation.” He added: “If the government is looking to cut costs and avoid investing in higher education, it won’t work.” Amir Eftekarpour, president of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (ousa) does not believe that lack of university instructors on the Board of Directors will compromise the quality of education available through the project. “I don’t see why we should have to choose between accessible education and quality education. We think there needs to be a sector-wide discussion to ensure that the quality is the same and that all students get the same access to faculty and the same access to support programming,” he said. “Student executives on the ground are working with administration through their councils and student unions to make sure that principles of equality and accessibility are upheld,” said Eftekarpour, adding that he was pleased to see the provincial government make a commitment to enhancing online learning. Eftekarpour said that his primary concerns lie with per-student funding, as well

campus leadership and communication with the various institutions. Throughout the process of creating the system, Deaton says “efforts to involve our campus presidents and leadership into decisions when we made the model was critical.” If this is the case, Ontario has taken a step in the right direction with its Strategic Mandate Agreement (sma) proposals in the fall of 2012. Institutions were asked to determine what they considered to be their mandate — their goals, strengths, and the future of their institution. Althea Blackburn-Evans, ActingDirector, Media Relations for U of T, says that discussions between the university and the ministry are ongoing, but that overall, the university is supportive of a differentiated system. When asked about whether an outcome-based model would work in Ontario, the ministry responded that it was “aware of the Tennessee performance funding model, and welcomes any discussion centred around improving student outcomes and making post-secondary education in Ontario as innovative, accessible, and affordable as possible. The ministry will continue to work diligently to ensure that the evolving needs of Ontario’s postsecondary sector are met.”

BY THE NUMBERS Cost of program: $42 million OCUFA: Founded in 1964 Represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians in 27 faculty associations across Ontario. OUSA: Represents over 140,000 professional and undergraduate students, full and part time, at eight member associations across Ontario TIMOTHY LAW/THe VArsITY

as the direct impact on overall student learning experience. Fifteen out of 20 Ontario universities are participating in the database launch; U of T is not among them. Duguid questioned the wisdom of this decision: “I think there’s going to be a lot of pressure on any institution that doesn’t participate — either in the Ontario Online, or in the ontransfer initiative — because they’re going to be at a competitive disadvantage,” he said. “Institutions want students to transfer to them, and if they’re not marketing themselves on this guideline, if they’re not part of the guideline, they’re going to be very conspicuous by their absence.” Sioban Nelson, vice-president, academic programs at U of T, explained the omission. “The credit

transfer issue is something that we have been heavily involved in, and we have taken a cautious approach, built on where we know that we have a large volume of students who are interested in credit transfer and working on procedures for those students,” she said, referencing the seven-member University Transfer Credit Consortium. The consortium comprises U of T, the University of Waterloo, Western University, the University of Ottawa, the University of Guelph, Queen’s University, and McMaster University. Under the current system, students can automatically acquire transfer credits for 30 first-year U of T courses by taking their equivalents offered by other members of the consortium. If a student wishes

to transfer any other credits (including all credits from other institutions), he or she must submit an application. Credit transfer applications are reviewed on a caseby-case basis. Nelson notes that the administration is concerned that if U of T were to automatically accept transfer credits for too many courses, although they may save time and money, they could be at risk of failing second year courses. “If the students fail the second-year course based on the first-year course, it doesn’t really help students much at all,” she said. The Ontario Online project will launch in time for the 2015-2016 academic year, with the funds being expended gradually over the next three years.

ONLINE: In 2011 alone, Ontario post-secondary institutions oﬀered approximately 20,800 online courses and 780 programs online. Almost 500,000 online course registrations in 2011. In 2010, Ontario colleges and universities oﬀered 18,000 online courses with 500,000 online course registrations

VARSITY NEWS

var.st/news

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2014

International students need not apply

Agreement, but little action, as candidates announced for Governing Council Anthony Marchese

THEâ&#x20AC;&#x201E;GOVERNINGâ&#x20AC;&#x201E; COUNCILâ&#x20AC;&#x201E;

VARSITY STAFF

On January 16, the University of Toronto released the list of student candidates running for one of eight spots on next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Governing Council, the body overseeing all university affairs. As usual, however, international students are not eligible to run, causing many to repeat their calls to change the Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s structure. At last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Special General Meeting of the University of Toronto Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union (utsu), the unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s membership called for international students to be included on the Governing Council. Numerous student governors have pledged to work on getting international students representation. The Governing Council is composed of 50 members, including students, staff, alumni, and government appointees, and gets its authority from the provincial University of Toronto Act. The Act includes the requirement that â&#x20AC;&#x153;no person shall serve as a member of the Governing Council unless he is a Canadian citizen.â&#x20AC;? As 15 per cent of U of T students are not Canadian citizens, the requirement is controversial for many, Monica Layarda, a student from Malaysia, finds the requirement ridiculous: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every student should be given equal opportunity to pursue what he or she desires. Since the population of international students at U of T has increased substantially in recent years, they should be given access to a greater representation. I can see no real reason why nationality or citizenship should stand in the way.â&#x20AC;? Layardaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s frustrations are shared by utsu vice-president, internal & services Cameron Wathey, also an international student. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe that we should have a democratic say in the highest decision-making body at U of T. We pay the largest tuition fees in Canada ... and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen an increase of higher than 50 per cent in international tuition fees. International students should be able to participate in the democratic structure of the institution that we provide so much rev-

ĂĽ 8LI LMKLIWX KSZIVRMRK FSH] EX XLI 9RMZIVWMX] SJ 8SVSRXS IWXEFPMWLIH F] XLI 9RMZIVWMX] SJ 8SVSRXS %GX ĂĽ 3ZIVWIIW XLI EGEHIQMG Ă&#x2122;RERGMEP ERH WXYHIRX EĂ&#x203A;EMVW SJ XLI YRMZIVWMX] ĂĽ 6IWTSRWMFPI JSV ETTVSZMRK SV VINIGXMRK HIGMWMSRW SR! EGEHIQMG TVSKVEQW JYRHVEMWMRK WXYHIRX PMJI ERH XYMXMSR JIIW ĂĽ %TTSMRXW XLI TVIWMHIRX ĂĽ %TTSMRXW TVSQSXI WYWTIRHW ERH VIQSZIW JEGYPX] ĂĽ 'SQTVMWIW QIQFIVW GSQTSWIH SJ EPYQRM WXYHIRXW JEGYPX] XLI 'LERGIPPSV XLI 4VIWMHIRX ERH SXLIVW NaNcy ji/THe VarsiTy

enue to,â&#x20AC;? said Wathey. Some student representatives of Governing Council are against the citizenship requirement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am troubled that international students donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a formal voice at this level of governance, given that they are a substantial and vital component of the community,â&#x20AC;? said Alexandra Harris, a graduate student governor. Aidan Fishman, a two-term undergraduate governor, also expressed concerns: â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you are a student at this university, studying at this university, paying fees at this university that are higher than those who are Canadian citizens, you have a right to serve on Governing Council.â&#x20AC;? The University of Toronto Act, last amended in 1978, has yet to adapt to changes at the university, which explains the lack of international representation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;[An international student] who is not a citizen, in the same way they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t serve as mayor or a member of Parliament, shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t serve on Governing Council,â&#x20AC;? said Fishman, describing the rationale behind the rule. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The vast majority of governors and administrators at the university recognize that it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make a lot of

sense for international students not to be represented, and there have been some legal questions about what can be done.â&#x20AC;? Despite widespread opposition towards the requirement, little has changed. A 2010 Council report concluded that there was nothing compelling to change, and that its representation should be preserved. However, with the increase of international students and the efforts of student unions, such as the utsu, the issue has become more apparent. Louis Charpentier, secretary of the Governing Council, highlighted the October 2013 Council, where chair Judy Goldring â&#x20AC;&#x153;initiated a processâ&#x20AC;? to look into the role of international students, with the results to be released in February. Harris also highlighted a scheduled meeting between student leaders and U of T president Meric Gertler to address various issues, including the international student experience. Any changes to the Governing Council will require provincial support. Fishman argued that the Governing Council is nervous of reopening the debate on the U of T Act. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Especially in a minority gov-

ernment situation, where the government that opens legislation doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily have control over the final outcome of that legislation, the administration is nervous about asking for the Act to be amended, because once itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open for debate, parties could start trying to make different impositions,â&#x20AC;? said Fishman. In a statement, the office of the Ministry for Training, Colleges and Universities said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We would be happy to review any proposal that the University of Toronto would like to put forward on this, or any other matter.â&#x20AC;? Although there is widespread agreement on the need to include international students, the same cannot be said when it comes to the question of increasing the number of student seats. The utsu promotes the view of â&#x20AC;&#x153;the more student representation, the better,â&#x20AC;? and a more proportional representation. Fishman says that while government is needed to make changes, â&#x20AC;&#x153;there is no appetite on the administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behalf for a Council where half the seats are student seats.â&#x20AC;? This controversy is similar to the related issue of student repre-

ĂĽ WXYHIRX QIQFIVW! JYPP XMQI YRHIVKVEHYEXI WXYHIRXW KVEHYEXI WXYHIRXW TEVX XMQI YRHIVKVEHYEXI WXYHIRXW ĂĽ %PP QIQFIVW QYWX FI 'EREHMER GMXM^IRW ĂĽ %TTSMRXIH QIQFIVW ERH IPIGXIH EPYQRM XIEGLMRK ERH EHQMRMWXVEXMZI WXEĂ&#x203A; WIVZI JSV XLVII ]IEV XIVQW 7XYHIRXW EVI IPIGXIH JSV SRI ]IEV XIVQW ĂĽ 1IIXW ETTVS\MQEXIP] WM\ XMQIW TIV ]IEV SR 8LYVWHE]W EX ! TQ MR 7MQGSI ,EPP sentation on the Governing Council in general. Students pay a total of 53 per cent of U of Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 2014 operating budget, but are only allotted eight out of the 50 council seats. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think most students, especially most undergraduate students, have the breadth and depth of knowledge to deal with those issues in the same way that professors, alumni or even government appointees might have,â&#x20AC;? said Fishman. Elections for the 2014 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 2015 Governing Council run from February 10 to February 21.

U of T awarded $500,000 for new mental health facility New facility to promote mental health through physical activity Marcus Tutert

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (cfi) recently awarded over $500,000 to fund the Mental Health and Physical Activity Research Centre (mparc) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a new exercise space in the Athletic Center (ac) at U of T. The purpose of this planned development is to provide

a space specifically for those among populations at risk of mental health issues related to inactivity, including recent cancer survivors and mental health service users. The three researchers who received grant money are Guy Faulkner (lead researcher), Catherine Sabiston, and Kelly Arborâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; Nicitopoulos, who submitted a grant to the Leaders Opportunity Fund, a subsidiary of the cfi. The

Leaders Opportunity Fund is a research fund that offers to provide infrastructure and grants to undertake new research at various institutions. The grant money will be used to renovate 2,700 square feet of existing space in the ac. In addition, the grant money will be used to make use of its existing infrastructure to provide its participants with exercise areas specifically allotted for data analy-

sis, interviews, and group focus discussion, as well as user-friendly and supervised exercise programs. The space will also make use of its recently acquired â&#x20AC;&#x153;Curvesâ&#x20AC;? machine and other new equipment in order to better provide care and treatment to its users. Faulkner was thrilled with the funding, stating that â&#x20AC;&#x153;this funding will allow us to conduct more rigorous intervention and ex-

perimental research in the area of physical activity and mental healthâ&#x20AC;? as well as to â&#x20AC;&#x153;strengthen our Facultyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partnerships with key Toronto collaborators including the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Princess Margaret Hospital, and the potential to contribute to large-scale, international studies and attract top graduate students and researchers to the university.â&#x20AC;?

Vol. CXXXIV, No. 15

VARSITY NEWS

news@thevarsity.ca

Student unions seek to change blood donation policy Five-year deferral period for sexually active homosexual men called ineffectual, discriminatory Emma Compeau VARSITY STAFF

On July 22, 2013, Canadian Blood Services (cbs) lifted a thirty-year-old policy forbidding men who have sex with men (msm) from donating blood, only to replace it with one that prohibits them from donating blood if they have had sex with another man within five years of donation. The policy does not take into account a person’s ability to produce clean blood tests. Student organizations are speaking out against the policy, including the Canadian Federation of Students (cfs), and U of T’s lgtbout. The motion to instate the five-year deferral period for msm began in 2011, following a 2010 Ontario Supreme Court ruling that stated that there was insufficient evidence to support a lifetime ban, but upheld the ban anyway. While cbs says that the new policy is a step forward, many have criticized the policy. The cfs, alongside the Canadian aids society, has launched a campaign against the policy entitled “End The Ban.” The campaign aims to eliminate the discrimination that prevents msm from donating blood. It raises several points as to why the policy is both unfair and ineffectual. It claims that at-risk behaviours practiced by heterosexuals are overlooked, that the policy ignores the present blood donor shortage, and that it lacks sufficient scientific evidence. Alastair Woods, a chairperson for the cfs, opposes the ban. “Ideally, we want the ban to be overturned entirely and for the cbs to move towards a risk-assessment model that targets unsafe sexual practices regardless of the sexual orientation of the persons involved,” said Woods. U of T’s lgtbout organization is also critical of the ban, calling it a fake fix. Corey Scott, lgtbout’s public relations officer, said that the ban actually worsens the situation: “Instead of being banned for life, men who have had sex with men are being asked to reform their lifestyles, abstain, or lie about the last time they have had sex.” Scott said that the focus of the issue should shift to promoting safer sex supplies. “Ultimately there are better screening methods to ensure blood donations are safe. This really shouldn’t have to be a queer issue — cbs needs to get with the times.” Doctor Mark Downing, the chief of infectious disease at St. Joseph’s Health Centre, says that while msm continue to be a high-risk group for hiv infection, it is important to consider the lifestyle of every individual involved when assessing the risk of having blood disease. “Part of it is going back to the ‘80s — when the epidemic started it was identified with msm, so it has been stigmatized over time.”

Student unions are opposing the blood ban on gay men. CArolyn levett/tHe vArsity

Downing praised the new policy. “The issues that blood services face is the window period between when an individual gets infected and when the test is positive. I think that the move to the five-year ban was a good one. I can see where they are coming from and why cbs is taking gradual steps towards moving forward. It is unfortunate that msm are stigmatized, but the issue is that cbs is looking at all sorts of groups and it can be difficult to determine what is reasonable and what is not,” he said. Criteria for the eligibility of blood donors differ globally. In Britain and Australia, the deferral period for msm is one year. In Italy and some other European countries, there is no ban on blood donations from msm. Instead, one’s ability to donate blood is based on whether or not they are engaged in unsafe sexual behaviours. In contrast, the United States maintains a permanent ban of blood donation from msm.

NEWS IN BRIEF Hotel Waverly and Silver Dollar Room to New federal education strategy aims to University of New Brunswick instructors on stay: proposal for private student housing double number of foreign students in strike Canada by 2012 rejected by the city On January 15, the city rejected the Wynn Group’s proposal to build a 22-storey student housing facility at College Street and Spadina Avenue. The planned development site is home to the historic Hotel Waverly and the Silver Dollar Room music venue. The Wynn Group has owned the land since 1985. The building designs would house 200 students and also include a fitness studio, a juice bar, and a complete remodeling of the Silver Dollar Room. Toronto’s Heritage Preservation Services has yet to make a decision on whether the two buildings qualify as a heritage site. According to the city and the East York Community Council, who rejected the proposal, the proposed building’s height was four times over what the zoning allows. This is the second private student housing proposal to be recently rejected by the city. The Wynn Group plans to appeal the decision to the Ontario Municipal Board.

On January 15, International Trade Minister Ed Fast unveiled an education strategy that would nearly double the number of international students in Canada, from 265,000 in 2012 to 450,000 by 2022. The ambitious plan focuses marketing efforts on students in six countries, including Brazil, India, and China. Paul Davidson, president of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, applauded the plan, calling it: “an important advance in branding Canada as a destination of choice for top students and researchers around the world.” University leaders also applauded the plan, but raised concerns that existing supports are not sufficient to serve the influx of students. Stephen Toope, president of the University of British Columbia, noted: “We cannot simply bring in a bunch of people and throw them in without support mechanisms.” Brad Duguid, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, said Ontario “will do our very best to make sure that the capacity’s there.” The plan estimates that attracting more international students could generate over 80,000 jobs and add $8 billion in annual spending to the Canadian economy.

Instructors at the University of New Brunswick (unb) are on strike following failed negotiations with the university. Talks between the Association of University of New Brunswick Teachers (aunbt) and university negotiators last week failed to produce new higher-wage contracts. The strike started on the morning of Monday, January 13. Strikers were locked out by university administration the next day. The union claims it is seeking equal compensation in comparison to other Canadian universities. The aunbt sought a lower increase than their previous offer of 26.5 per cent, over four years, but the university’s offer of a 9.5 per cent increase over the same period did not budge. On January 17, academics from 12 Canadian universities attended a rally in Fredericton to show their support for the aunbt strikers. In an effort to make up for student inconvenience, the university is allowing semester tuition payments to be pushed back indefinitely. The unb Student Union remains neutral on the issue. unb president Eddy Campbell called for consideration of back-to-work legislation.

— Alessandra Harkness With files from the Toronto Star

— James Flynn With files from The Globe and Mail

— Helen Picard With files from Post Media News

COMMENT VAR.ST!COMMENT

JANUARY

2014

comment@thevarsity.ca

U of T Cities Centre closing Closure negatively affects the research and learning environment on campus Lisa Freeman

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Instead of opening its doors to new urban research students and faculty this January, the Cities Centre at the University of Toronto will be closing them. On November 29, 2013, the Cities Centre released a final news bulletin, reporting that the university administration had shamefully cut the centre’s funding. This move represents a huge loss to the university community and the City of Toronto. Furthermore, it is yet another example of unilateral decision-making and the pervasive neoliberal governance of U of T. The Cities Centre was one of those rare parts of the university that was firmly rooted both within the city and academia. Members produced research that was useful for scholars, policy makers, and community organizers alike. Centre researchers tackled the difficult issues of inequality and access in the city, raising important questions about homelessness, suburban poverty, accessibility, immigration, and gentrification. Most importantly, it supported critical and progressive research by working with diverse community partners to address changes and challenges facing urban neighbourhoods and residents. It is frustrating and disheartening that the university would abolish such a pillar of progressive urban policy and urban studies. This move, and the opaque decision-making process, has

not gone unnoticed. Influential individuals in urban policy and planning — like Toronto’s former mayor David Miller — have written letters in support of the Cities Centre. On December 16, 2013, the Toronto City Council received a motion — moved by councillor Joe Mihevc and seconded by councillor Mike Layton — concerning the closure of the centre. The motion called attention to the important work done by the Cities Centre, and expressed a desire to “see a strong funded and interdisciplinary research centre” continue at U of T. It was forwarded to U of T president Meric Gertler, and has been referred to the city’s executive committee. The closure of the Cities Centre not only negatively affects the research and learning environment at the university, but it also impacts individual students and scholars. During my graduate studies in the Department of Geography and Planning, the Centre’s work was particularly important. Several studies provided the foundational research needed to conduct my doctoral work on illegal rooming houses and municipal bylaws in Toronto’s inner suburbs. In addition, the centre published research on pertinent urban issues that resulted in vigorous debates in graduate seminars and undergraduate lectures alike. The centre's impact extends beyond the classroom; its innovative research directly informs urban policy and planning in Toronto. Furthermore, the centre created a hub for scholars from diverse disciplines to collaborate on projects

U of T's Cities Centre located at 455 Spadina closed its doors this past November. carolyn levett/the varsity

and find a home for their work. I was fortunate enough to work with several faculty members associated with the centre, and welcomed the emails informing me of events, panel presentations, and publications. As I embark on my academic career, I wonder where I will turn when researching and publishing new work on contemporary progressive urban issues in Canada. By cutting the funding to the Cities Centre, U of T is following a dangerous and ideological trend. Neoliberal governance is increasingly the norm at most North

American universities, and U of T is no exception. The university administration has referred to undergraduate students as "basic income units," conducted lengthy negotiations with unionized workers, and moved towards hiring more contract faculty versus providing stable tenured positions. Cutting funding to a centre that supported critical urban research, dialogue, and community partnerships aligns with this trend. The lack of consultation and the proposed "merger" with another urban centre is indicative

of a disturbing pattern in U of T's administration. Decisions are made with no input from the affected parties, consultation, or formal external review. It is an appalling way to govern a university. Unfortunately, the Cities Centre is only one of many causalities. The closure ends an era of groundbreaking urban research, partnership-building, and direct research-to-policy influence, and it will be greatly missed. Lisa Freeman is a recent graduate and PhD in geography and planning.

U of T’s tarnished ethical reputation University’s response to Gildan Activewear wage revelation is a disappointment Li Pan

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

In a recent report, Worker Rights Consortium (wrc) reprimanded Gildan Activewear, a supplier for the University of Toronto’s name-branded apparel. According to the report, major garment factories in Haiti — including those subcontracted by Gildan — are systemically paying their workers 32 per cent less, on average, than the minimum wages of $7.22 US per day. Gildan has subsequently promised to remedy the situation. It seems outrageous for a university that places such a premium on ethical practices such as accessibility services and green initiatives to be unconcerned by the situation. However, one must realize that it is a lot easier to spend money on solar panels than to give it to Haitian workers. The problem of endemic low wages in the garment industry relates more to the economics of supply and

demand than to the principles of ethics. Ultimately, it all boils down to the oversupply of cheap labor in the developing world. To illustrate the situation, consider the following thought experiment: suppose students all agree to pay $1 extra for t-shirts. Further suppose that the U of T bookstore passes that dollar on to the factory owners, with the condition that it be paid to the workers. Haitian workers currently receive $2.52 for every box of 72 t-shirts they process. This $1 premium could easily double their daily wages, even if only a fraction is passed onto them. However, it’s unlikely they will ever see a cent of this money. Haiti has an unemployment rate of 40.6 per cent. With such an oversupply of cheap labor abound, the factory owners have zero incentive to increase the current wages. Furthermore, there is little infrastructure in place to enforce the condition that the money be passed on, or to even implement the local minimum wages law, as

Gildan Activewear has been accused of underpaying its workers. carolyn levett/the varsity

the wrc reports point out. Even if we take the rampant corruption out of the equation, garment factory owners wield tremendous lobbying power in Haiti. Haiti’s top three exported goods are tshirts, sweaters, and men’s suits — a combined 76 per cent of its

total exports. With that much of the labor market share in hand, factory owners can easily defy the government by simply threatening to relocate. Haiti cannot afford to lose this industry. A $7.22 per day job is awful; having no job at all is far worse.

The university should pressure Gildan to ensure that its subcontractors abide by local minimum wages law. However, the university should also consider moving to fair trade apparels. The fair trade model would require exporters to pay a minimum price for the goods, and an additional premium that will be used to improve the local community. Looking at pictures of the shacks many Haitians live in — and even just imagining a life on $7.22 a day — should be enough to convince anyone to pay more for their clothes. However, the economic reality of the situation is a lot more complex than just paying up. The root of this problem of oversupply of cheap labor lies in the extreme poverty of Haiti. To do its part for the plight of the Haitian people, U of T could consider switching to fair trade apparel. After all, it isn’t without precedent; York University made the switch in 2011. Li Pan is a second-year student majoring in economics and mathematics.

10 Vol. CXXXIV, No. 15

VARSITY COMMENT

comment@thevarsity.ca

York University’s ethical dilemma Distracted by irrelevant details, university made the wrong call Phyllis Pearson

VarsitY ContriBUtor

A recent case involving a student from York University who requested an alternative assignment for religious reasons has spurred a controversial debate on best practices when specific rights conflict with one another. While any situation where rights appear to be in competition is bound to be complicated, the issue becomes needlessly complex when irrelevant parts of the story are mistaken for significant information. By requiring that the course administrator comply with his student’s inherently sexist proposal, York University sanctioned sexism, and none of this case’s specific features function to exonerate such a response. Earlier this year, a student at York University who was enrolled in an online course requested special accommodation for the completion of a group assignment because his religious beliefs prevented him from interacting with female classmates. While the professor of the course decided not to comply with the student’s request, both the Dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and the university’s Human Rights Centre asserted that the professor was required to accommodate the student on the basis of his right to freedom of religion.

In defense of their ruling, York stressed that if the course had not been an online course, their position would have been different. York is a publicly funded, secular institution that is committed to gender equality. Naturally, York is equally committed to supporting religious freedom, however there is a difference between allowing for freedom of religion and instituting systematic discrimination in order to accommodate a particular individual’s requests. York should not act in such a way that women feel they are considered second class citizens. York's case is that because it was the student’s expectation that he would not be required to meet with other students, his request should be honoured. The reasoning behind this argument seems to be that because the student was not made aware that he would be required to work with women for an assignment, he should be allowed an alternative method of assessment, given that with full knowledge, he would have enrolled in a different course. While it may be the case that the student was unaware that he would have to work with women, this does not make it permissible to subscribe to patriarchal thinking in order to accommodate his request. Whether or not the student knew he would be required to work with

female students upon enrolment in the course is extraneous to the issue of what to do when basic human rights conflict. Once all irrelevancies are stripped away, the only question remaining is whether or not one individual’s basic human right to exercise freedom of religion should be accommodated over the rights of female students to equality. This question is messy, but not tremendously so — in fact, it’s far neater than has been portrayed. The Ontario Human Rights Commission clearly states, “The core of a right is more protected than its periphery”. Preventing women from being systematically devalued is certainly a core concern motivating rights protecting gender equality. The York student’s requested application of the right to religious freedom is not nearly so central. While the right to receive accommodation in cases where one’s religious beliefs prevent them from participating to the fullest of their capacity is an application of the right to religious freedom, it is a periphery one. A periphery application of the right to religious freedom should not be accommodated over the core rights of another. Solving these problems is not a matter of pitting one freedom against another to establish a deeply offensive hierarchy of importance.

York U is tangled in an ethical mess after reconciling competing rights claims. mEdiA PHOTO

Rather, it’s about seeing if one of the opposing rights is being applied in a way that is more intimately associated with the reasons for which that right was instated. This is something that can be accomplished if there is a clear view of what is at stake. The recent York University scandal is a case of misapplied protocol

resulting from a failure to consider the salience of particular features. Perhaps such a mistake could have been avoided if the university had made a less chaotic appreciation of the situation. Phyllis Pearson is a philosophy student at Victoria College.

Homophobia is an unacceptable norm Vandalized mural on campus makes it that much easier to spread hate Benjamin Chung

Co-President LGBtQase

On November 24, 2013, the lgbtq & Allies in Science and Engineering (lgbtqase) mural, located in the pit of the Sandford Fleming Building, was vandalized with homophobic language. When I found out that evening, I was horrified. Living in Canada, we sometimes forget how privileged we are to be in a society that embraces diversity so openly that it is considered to be a part of our national identity. We are seen as a bastion for lgbtq rights, having been among the first to legalize same-sex marriage, beginning in 2003. Pride Week in Toronto remains one of the largest lgbtq pride festivals in the world, and our city is being internationally recognized as the host for WorldPride 2014, taking place this summer. Unfortunately, international prospects for lgbtq rights have not been as progressive. From the Russian ban on gay propaganda to India’s reinstatement of Section 377 recriminalizing sexual acts “against the order of nature,” and even Nigeria’s newly signed antigay law, it is clear that worldwide lgbtq equality has yet to be realized. So maybe it’s not surprising that such a malicious and cowardly act was perpetrated on our own campus, despite being in a society that is generally more accepting.

The reality is, homophobia exists. It doesn’t have to be physical harassment or so-called gay bashing, homophobia can be subtle and much more sinister. The vandalized mural is toxic in its very nature, because those attitudes end up permeating the community, making it that much easier to spread homophobia and hate. The issue is even more contentious within the discipline of engineering. Already a male-dominated field, the stereotype is that engineers display a degree of hegemonic masculinity and in particular, tend to be homophobic. “That’s so gay” is thrown around to express dissatisfaction, but the inaccurate use of the word only acts to cement its meaning in association with negative connotations. We have also witnessed instances in the past where homophobic statements were made. They’re often thinly

veiled as a "harmless" joke, and it may very well be just that to the person saying it, but not always to the lgbtq individual who hears it. Similarly, the vandalism could also be dismissed as a non-issue, since it wasn’t very visible anyway. Could you imagine how an lgbtq student in engineering, already feeling alienated, would feel upon seeing that? This is what equality ultimately boils down to: the golden rule, to treat others as you would like others to treat you. Surely, none of us would wish that feeling of isolation upon anyone. This incident and its ramifications are relevant to all of us, regardless of our sexual orientation or identity. I would like to think that, in general, the university community is accepting of sexual diversity. Having this reputation tarnished by a homophobic act should make us take a step back, and reconsider

the vandalized mural (left) and enlarged photo of the graffiti (above). PHOTO COURTESY LGBTQASE

the need to speak up against this type of behaviour. While confrontation is usually uncomfortable for all parties, it is a necessity. I implore everyone, especially allies of lgbtq people, to take the initiative to challenge any statement or action that is homophobic in nature, as lgbtq individuals often feel unsafe doing so themselves. We must remember to always speak out against oppression, before it becomes the norm. The morning after the mural was vandalized, a few lgbtqase executives and I went to paint over the offending language. It is difficult to say if this was the right decision — should we have left the vandalism as is, and perhaps provoked discussion throughout the community? Or would that risk catalyzing fur-

ther homophobic acts on campus? We can’t say for sure, but I really do believe that lgbtq-supportive individuals on campus outnumber those that are not. If you would like to learn more about how you can support lgbtq individuals, lgbtqase will be hosting a discussion on this incident and homophobia in general within Science and Engineering on February 6, 2014 at 6 pm. Pink Shirt Anti-Bullying Day will also be celebrated on February 26, 2014. Locations have yet to be determined. Please refer to our website www.skule.ca/lgbtqase for more information. Benjamin Chung is the president of the LGBTQ & Allies in Science and Engineering (LGBTQase).

EDITORIAL VAR.ST!EDITORIAL

JANUARY

2014

comment@thevarsity.ca

New centre an innovative step to improve mental health services WENDY GU/THEVARSITY

This time of year is notorious for exacerbating metal health conditions. The academic schedule also provides many stressors — including dropped waitlists, new schedules, and the ever-present pressure to succeed academically. While U of T students are fortunate to study at a university that recognizes the significance of mental health and tries to help its students, the university’s attempts to do so have often been the object of well-founded criticism. The creation of a new Mental Health and Physical Activity Research Centre (mparc) proposed by professors Guy Faulkner, Catherine Sabiston, and Kelly Arbor-Nicitopoulo, is a further positive step, and presents an opportunity to use the outstanding mental health expertise of our faculty and researchers to help students who suffer from mental illness. To date, the university’s on-campus mental health facilities have fallen short of satisfying the accessibility needs of some students. Those who seek help through Counselling and Psychological Services (caps), the university’s sole facility for formal psychological counselling with practicing psychiatrists and psychotherapists, often experience long wait times before getting access to professional help. caps also limits students to a maximum of 12 sessions through the service. Although caps counsellors can direct students to external mental health resources, students have no guarantee that they will receive treatment once their allotted time at caps has come to an end. It is hard to fault the caps staff, who appear to be struggling to meet overwhelming demand with insufficient resources; the fact remains, however, that students sometimes reach out for help and do not get what they need. The mparc project is the latest of U of T’s endeavors to expand and improve the quality of on-campus mental health services and facilities. It is also the first to propose taking advantage of the possibilities for collaboration between the academic work being done in the field of mental health and the university’s mental health services. The university’s unsatisfactory mental health resources have stood in sharp contrast to the high quality of research that its staff and students conduct in psychology and other fields related to mental health. This evident disparity between the landmark research conducted at the university in the mental health field and the lacklustre services that are actually offered to students is quite troubling. An institution of U of T’s calibre, which dedicates resources and time to the study of mental health, should also be able provide more adequate services to affected students. The university has recently taken some initiative to spread mental health awareness around campus, including the “Blue Space” initiative — which promotes stigma-free spaces on campus where students can openly discuss mental health issues and seek support — and the Provostial Mental Health Committee. This committee will seek to identify gaps in the current system, particularly those involving caps — and take steps to mitigate them. Various student groups around campus, such as Peers are Here, also act as resources for students with mental health issues, providing programming and peer support. However, the establishment of the mparc will be the first concerted effort on the part of the university to compound research with student services. In an interview with U of T News, Faulkner says one of his main goals is to work with “U of T students who have been wait-listed to receive specialized mental health care”; he and his team hope to “provide exercise as an intervention tool while these students are waiting to receive specialized support.” Faulkner also cites enhanced relations with other mental health facilities, such as the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (camh) and Princess Margaret Hospital, “the capacity for large-scale, international studies,” and “ [the attraction of] top graduate students and researchers” as benefits of the project. The new centre will also encourage research into the development of mental health crisis interventions. The decision to develop the mparc is an encouraging sign that the U of T administration is not only acknowledging the insufficiency of the mental health care options that it currently provides, but is taking proactive and productive first steps towards fixing this problem. By enhancing its partnerships with prestigious mental health facilities in the city, the university can provide new opportunities for its own research professionals to explore. In order to serve the mental health needs of its students effectively, U of T must continue much-needed improvements of its mental health resources and should take advantage of the opportunity to combine studying mental health and helping students. The Varsity's editorial board is elected by the masthead at the beginning of each semester. For more information about The Varsity's editorial policy, email comment@thevarsity.ca.

LETTERS TO

THE EDITOR Vol. CXXXIV, No. 14 | January 13, 2014 Re: Behind the Blackboard I would like to respond to the recent article entitled "Behind the Blackboard." I'd like to do so as the senior administrator responsible for the University's Learning Portal (which uses, in part, Blackboard's LMS software). The tools the author refers to are well-documented teaching tools, which some instructors use to improve the learning experiences of their students. These tools are among the very reasons schools choose to buy or deploy this kind of software. They allow instructors to understand what's going on in class (especially large classes) — what materials are being successfully used, which ones are problematic (where students keep coming back to them). It allows instructors to see patterns related to workload (for example, if most students are not able to complete the readings, or if the majority are cramming, does that mean there is a problem with how the course schedule is designed?,) etc. In addition to helping instructors teach, some of these tools can be used for assessment purposes, but when used in this way, instructors would declare that in syllabi. But most importantly, these tools help instructors identify students at risk. The author asks: "does (it) really allow learning and teaching to be enhanced?" The answer is most certainly

yes. Seeing that a student may be having trouble with course materials or workload allows an instructor to approach a student and offer assistance — both with the course itself, and sometimes with other issues affecting the student. Empowering an instructor with learning analytics tools gives them a chance to personalize a student's experience. Instructors look for these patterns all the time; in a small class, where they can know every student by name, they do it intuitively as part of their face-to-face interactions. In large classes, providing instructors with teaching tools that allow some of those same opportunities is imperative. I do appreciate one important point in the article. Clearly we have not done enough to promote the value that teaching and learning tools bring to students and instructors alike. I take that message to heart, and will be actively working with my team to do a better job of communicating the benefits of these innovations to the community. Readers who are interested in the topic of educational technologies and learning analytics might be interested in several graduate programs that explore these topics — for example, at OISE or the iSchool. — Dr. Avi Hyman, Director of Academic & Collaborative Technologies, University of Toronto

Letters to the editor should be directed to comment@thevarsity.ca. Please keep letters to 250 words. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Lanes, chains, and automobiles

VICTORIA BANDEROB explores Toronto’s growing cycling community and downtow

33.

n orchestra of bells, baskets, and bolts echoes in the streets of Toronto as cyclists sight-read the white painted lines on the asphalt and improvise in response to the clunking of streetcar tracks and shutting of taxi doors. The bicycle, a single frame on two wheels, is an inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and convenient mode of transportation in a congested city like Toronto. However, dwindling support for implementation and improvement of necessary infrastructure limits the growth of the city’s cycling community. Biking in Toronto is a relatively up-and-coming phenomenon. The first bike path in the city, the Beltline Trail, was reluctantly built in the shadow of the Belt Line Railway when it halted operation in the early 1970s. The first marked bike lane was not installed until the late 1970s, under the supervision of Parks Commissioner Tommy Thompson. It was not for another 40 years that the first separated bike lane was built in 2012, running north-south on Sherbourne Avenue. A BICYCLE-FRIENDLY CITY? The Toronto City Cycling Committee was founded in 1975 to encourage biking and bike safety. In 2001, the Toronto Bike Plan was established by City Council to promote cycling and reduce injury. In the plan overview, the initiative sought to achieve these goals with a view towards actualizing “a vision of a more Bicycle Friendly City” by both managing “existing programs and infrastructure” and fostering “new and or improved cycling programs and facilities.” These goals have not been achieved entirely, however. There is currently a staggeringly small number of bike lanes in the city, with 110 kilometres of urban bike lanes in a city with 5,617 kilometres of road. Even though Toronto has North America’s thirdlargest public transportation system, cycling infrastructure is virtually non-existent, even at a time when bike culture is rapidly expanding. In recent years, three bike lanes were removed on Pharmacy Avenue, Birchmount Road, and Jarvis Street. Safety is also a concern. From 1986 until 2010, there were 31,481 bicycle collisions reported in Toronto, some of which resulted in major injuries and fatalities. Overall, however, few cyclists are involved in collisions annually in Toronto, with just 1,200 reported incidents per year. This number has not improved in recent years, and many collisions are not reported. CYCLING CULTURE The number of people riding bikes in Toronto increased by 30 per cent from 2001 to 2006, and continues to rise — an effect of cycling becoming much more than a means to commute in the city. Cycling is now invested with a growing downtown

Victoria BanderoB/tHe Varsity

community of green, health-conscious people of all ages. Group rides organized by organizations such as Chain Reaction and Dark Horse Espresso Bar gather cyclists together to rove the city with like-minded company. Various blogs are dedicated to cyclist culture, showcasing the street style of cyclists and recent technology and gear. Such blogs include bikingtoronto.com, which includes events listings and lively discussions and 416cyclestyle.com. iBikeTO.ca is a communityrun blog run by Herb van den Dool, a Toronto cyclist. This site includes a map feature called “Ride the City,” also available as an iPhone app, which searches for the safest or most direct bike lane route to your destination. Dandyhorse is a print-based magazine dedicated to cycling in Toronto. Various eclectic bike shops in the city also serve the cyclist community. Young people are among those joining in on this culture, as busy students lugging books and bags use the bike as a mode of commuting and running their errands. Saving on the cost of a transit pass also entices students to employ bikes for transportation. Bikechain, a levy-funded service offered at U of T, provides students with tools and education to service their bikes cheaply on campus. However, saving time and money are not the only motivating factors for students who bike, however. “Despite the lack of infrastructure, [biking] is probably the best way to get around,” suggests Alex Tizzard, a fourth-year student and cycling enthusiast in Urban Studies at the university. He adds, “Right now… it’s obvious that cities have been built and rebuilt to accommodate the car. Now, there is an increased desire and awareness to create more complete streets… I think there needs to be more of a balance, which there clearly is not.” BELLS ON BLOOR With rising popularity and a cycling community of almost 1 million people, the cycling population, although a minority, is too large to ignore. Still, cycling safety is not prioritized in municipal government, and existing infrastructure fails to create a safe environment on the road. Bikes share the road in uncomfortably close proximity with large, heavy vehicles, posing challenges to both cyclists and drivers who struggle to share lanes. Cyclists in Toronto are in agreement that the change that needs to occur to achieve better bike infrastructure in the city is an overall increase in bike lanes. Albert Koehl is the founding member of Bells on Bloor and a board member of the Annex Residents Association. He comments, “We need a lot more bike lanes. We have 110 km of bike lane on a road system that is over 5200 km. We have virtually no bike lanes, we have no bike network at all. You can ride up and down Sher-

bourne, but what does it connect to?” The lack of connecting lanes is a major issue, as there currently is no separated east-west bike lane that spans the downtown core. Koehl adds, “It’s a question of making a network and getting people to where they are going.” Bells on Bloor advocates for an east-west route on Bloor Street as a main artery for an improved bike lane system. Bloor Street is a continuous road with no streetcar tracks and a subway line running right under it, rendering it an ideal route for cyclists. Continuity allows for a direct route without twists and turns. The lack of streetcar tracks eliminates the risk of bike tires getting caught in the tracks, trapping cyclists in dangerous positions or swerving them off the tracks into oncoming traffic. The proximity of the subway allows commuters from the surrounding suburbs without cars to easily transport their bikes downtown. The proposed Bloor Street bike lane pilot project would stretch from Sherbourne Street to Shaw Street, passing St. George Street. Other stretches of road in Toronto have also been suggested as potential routes for bikes, including a lane on nearby Dupont Street stretching from Dundas Street West to Yonge Street. RESISTANCE ON CITY COUNCIL Recently, the Toronto Public Works Committee approved a $450,000 environmental assessment (ea) for the proposed bike lanes on Bloor Street and Dupont Street. Although this was presented as a major development, according to Koehl, an ea is not a requirement for the construction of a bike lane. Bells on Bloor reached out to City Council to point out this discrepancy, stating in a email that, “…the construction of a bike lane is considered pre-approved, and only requires public notification prior to implementation.” The proposed lanes would remove two of the four car lanes on Bloor Street, replacing the twenty-four hour parking spots along the road with bike lanes. The ea will also look at the impact of implementing a Dupont Street bike lane. An ea, which Koehl’s groups suggests is unnecessary, is an expensive study that will not begin until fall 2014 and will take a year to complete. Discussions of actually installing the Bloor Street bike lane will be delayed until 2015 as a result of this undertaking. City councillor Mike Layton of Ward 19 TrinitySpadina challenges this view, suggesting that an environmental assessment, which includes looking at economic and social factors, is necessary because of the many factors involved that need to studied, including the impact on local businesses and the arrangement, unidirectional or bidirectional, that would be most appropriate.

34. 35. In an interview with The Varsity, Layton adds, “If you just go ahead and put a lane in, you don’t address the needs of the people.” The importance, he expressed, lies in “creat[ing] acceptance for the bike lane and support for it.” The ea for the Bloor Street lanes was halted in 2011 when Mayor Rob Ford gained power, but as his power waned, Layton notes, “We got it back,” particularly with the push from councillor Adam Vaughan of Ward 20 Trinity-Spadina. City councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, chair of the Public Works Committee, is the only city councillor that voted against the EA for the Bloor Street bike lanes, stating in a council meeting that it is, “the wrong street to put bike lanes on.” He added, “Congestion and gridlock are a real problem in this city and adding more bike lanes and decreasing capacity on an important arterial road that runs from one end of the city to another will make it even worse.” MinnanWong’s office declined to comment. Layton suggests that most councillors are aware of the need for bike lanes — just not in their ward: “A councillor’s position about bike lanes has a lot to do with the area they represent.” Loss of parking, Layton suggests, is the major source of complaints in response to bike lanes. He adds, “Bloor is a vibrant and commercial street and it depends on parking to a certain degree.” However, Bloor West Village drivers provide only an estimated 10 per cent of business to shops and restaurants along Bloor Street. The rest of the business comes mostly from cyclist and pedestrian traffic. Layton says it’s now a matter of proving these figures to store owners that would be directly affected by loss of parking spaces. TOWARDS A FRIENDLIER CITY As an alternative to the ea study, Bells on Bloor has proposed a pilot bike lane project that would run the length of Bloor Street, including past U of T’s St. George campus, connecting to St. George bike lanes and increasing access to the Grace and Shaw north-south lanes. Koehl notes, “A pilot would show people what it would look like… [it’s] a way to deal with people who are fearful and reluctant.” With a pilot, Torontonians can be provided with firsthand evidence of the impact of implementing the full bike lane, rather than with the expensive cost of a study that is not legally required in order to put paint to pavement.

wn bike lane controversy

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Koehl also suggests that the study is repetitive, given that a 1992 study already deemed BloorDanforth an ideal east-west bike route. Council is taking a step forward now with current plans to install a separated bidirectional bike lane on Harbord Street. The frustration surrounding this issue among cyclists, advocates, and councillors alike is obvious. “Putting a bike lane on Bloor is no complex thing — you paint a line and you’re done,” Koehl claims. Layton contends, however, that the addition of the bike lane requires careful consideration. The strongest consensus in the bike lanes debate is the necessity of improving infrastructure for cyclists. Layton suggests that Toronto would reap the benefits of bike lanes, which “help our economy, get people out of cars, alleviate gridlock, keep a healthier society, and decreases money we spend later in life because it’s an active form of transportation.” He adds that the critical step needed in order to push the city to implement more bike lanes is to increase constituents’ enthusiasm for the project: “As more people look into cycling as a more feasible way of transportation in their neighbourhood, their attitudes will be changing.” On his commute from Christie Pitts to City Hall, Layton knows it takes a fraction of the time to bike than to take the ttc to get to his workplace, and predicts it would take twice as long by car. Not only that, but, “you tend to get to work and school less stressed out [when you bike].” Michael Ly, a second-year molecular genetics and microbiology specialist at U of T says he rides his bike “...because of the enjoyment [he gets] out of it. The fresh summer wind blowing on your face and the freedom to perform any maneuver are examples of reasons why bike riding is incomparable to other methods of transportation.” Despite safety concerns and the lack of bike lanes, dedicated cyclists will continue to fight for their place on Toronto’s streets. Toronto will be a friendlier, more harmonized city when all modes of transportation are accommodated. With the implementation of carefully planned bike lanes, rather than endanger one another, cyclists, pedestrians, and vehicles alike will be able to safely share the road in Toronto. Tizzard reflects, “Both cars and bikes have their place in the city. It’s about creating streets that accommodate [both].”

The proposed Bells on Bloor pilot bike lane would run from Shaw Street to Sherbourne Street. A completed bike lane on Bloor would run from west of Keele Street to east of Sherbourne Street, serving as an east-west connection for the north-south lanes along St. George Street and Shaw Street. The latter is the route that the EA will investigate.

1. Rogers Road: Old Weston to Oakwood, 2.44 km 2. Vaughn Road: Winona Drive to St. Clair West, 1.65 km 3. Davenport Road - Old Weston to Bay & Yorkville, 6.44 km 4. Annette Street: Jane Street to Landsdowne Avenue 5 & 6. Russel Hill / Boulton / Poplar Plains: St. Clair to MacPherson, 2.27 km 7. Christie Street: St. Clair to Dupont, 1.17km 8. Bedford Road / Prince Arthur Avenue: Davenport to St. George & Prince Arthur, 794.38 m 9. St. George Street / Beverly Street: Dupont to Queen, 3.04 km 10. Montrose Avenue: Harbord to Bloor, 400 m 11. Grace Street: Bloor to Harbord, 400 m 12. Harbord Street: Ossington to Borden, 1.43 km 13. Harbord Street / Hoskin Avenue: Spadina to Queens Park, 681.65 m 14. Wellesley Street: Queens Park to Parliament, 1.79 km 15. Sherbourne Street: Elm to Queens Quay, 3.5 km 16. Bloor Street E: Sherbourne to Broadview, 1.8 km 17. Shuter Street: Yonge to River, 1.93 km 18. Chester Hill Road: Cambridge to Broadview, 96.61 m 19. Cosburn Avenue: Broadview to Haldon, 3.73 km 20. Strathcona: Carlaw to Jones, 568.98 m 21. Jones Avenue: Danforth to Queen, 2.01 km 22. Greenwood Avenue: Danforth to Queen, 1.95 km 23. Knox Avenue: Queen to Eastern, 191.31 m 24. Carlaw Avenue: Gerrard to Dundas, 300 m 25. Dundas Street E: Broadview to Kingston, 3.4 km 26. Eastern Avenue and Logan Avenue: Leslie to Lakeshore, 1.5 km 27. Yonge and Queens Quay: Front to Parliament, 1.86 km 28. Simcoe Street: Front to Bremner, 276.06 m 29. Queens Quay: Stadium to Spadina, 827.19 m 30. Fort York: Lakeshore to Bathurst, 704.93 m 31. Wellington Street: Niagara to Bathurst 32. Strachan: King to Lakeshore, 856.97 m 33. Dundas Street W and College Street: Sorauren to Landsdowne, 484.72 m 34. Queensway / Stephan: Stephan to Claude 35. Colborne Lodge Drive: Queensway to Lakeshore, 206.12 m

ONLINE: A how-to guide to winter cycling with advice from stylish Toronto bikers

Victoria BanderoB/tHe Varsity

ARTS & CULTURE

VAR.ST/ARTS

JANUARY

2014

arts@thevarsity.ca

The second coming of punk rock Pussy Riot is a return to the roots of political music

julien BalBontin/the varsity

Jacob Lorinc

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

When considering the recent impact that Russian punk band Pussy Riot has had on its nation's politics, think about this: in the past year, Russia’s illustrious leader Vladimir Putin has mentioned its name no less than six times in his speeches. According to journalist Masha Gessen, that is more times than he has mentioned any one country or person — including US President Barack Obama. As many of us already know, Pussy Riot is the all-female, eleven-membered (approximately — nobody’s quite sure) punk band that is known for its outspoken stance on lgbt rights, women’s rights, and why Putin may very well be the embodiment of evil. Their hefty resumé consists of performing a "punk prayer" in an Orthodox church, two years of imprisonment, and being officially declared

"hooligans" by the Russian government. If given a grade, Pussy Riot undoubtedly scores an A+ on the punk rock scale. It has made its mark in Russia as a band that protests the homophobic acts of a corrupt government. In doing so, they have revived the authenticity of a genre that seems to have lost substance over the past few decades. During the genesis of punk rock, while the war in Vietnam neared its end — and Britain’s economy began an alarmingly steep decline — groups of disaffected youth started creating music that spoke directly to the higher authorities. The music usually focused on topics such as unemployment, scandals surrounding politicians and government officials, and other types of injustices. Known for their elaborate hairdos and their habit of spitting on their audience as a form of greeting, one could say that the punks were a slightly more intimidating version of the hippies from the years prior.

Nevertheless, this coterie protested some of the many injustices that affected their everyday life, and in doing so, created a genre of music that matched its oddball subculture. Bands like The Clash sang about problems with the law and its enforcement in England, while the Sex Pistols and Black Flag attacked social conformity and strongly encouraged mayhem-induced rebellion. Even in America, Charged gbh and gg Allin expressed anti-war sentiments in their songs (as well as a vague desire to kill the then-US president). Later on, in the short-lived “grunge era” of the early '90s, bands like Nirvana got their say on the state of American society. Unfortunately, it was also around this time that punk rock petered out, giving way to a new influx of punk-related bands like Blink 182, Green Day, and Ajax’s very own Sum 41. The bands from the '70s and '80s that had made a name for themselves by taking strong political stances all seemed to disappear, causing a de-

cline in politically based punk music. Instead, sub-genres of punk that were less focused on the political, and more focused on making unpleasant guitar noises and being aggressively loud gained ground. Many would say that this is the time when punk rock kicked the bucket. After years without a significant punk rock scene to be heard of, the Russian collective is everything that genuine punk music was originally meant to be, and more. The lengths to which it has gone to protest the horrifying situation for the lgbt community in Russia has elevated it from musicians to full-scale activists. Its determination to protest landed the members' in jail, sparking a couple of lengthy hunger strikes. Despite the obvious setbacks, the band continues to spread the message, with anti-hits like “Putin Has Pissed Himself” or “Putin Chickens Out." Now finally freed, we can only assume Pussy Riot will continue to wreak havoc until justice is served.

var.st/arts

VARSITY ARTS & CULTURE

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2014

The auteur's vision

Martin Scorsese’s latest crime film expands his horizons as an auteur Bradley Mulder

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

The auteur theory, coined by the earliest French critics of Cahiers du Cinéma, states that a director is the sole creative agency behind his or her films, and that there are underlying themes and conventions recurring throughout their filmographies. This auteurist mandate is especially applicable to Martin Scorsese, whose filmography consists largely of “gangster” films that usually play out as critiques of capitalism and the American Dream. Scorsese’s latest film, The Wolf of Wall Street, complements his 1990 film, Goodfellas, in many ways. The Wolf of Wall Street takes the generic conventions of Goodfellas and resituates them within a modern context in which the characters are less hardened criminals than seemingly contributive members of society. What Scorsese emerges with is a white-collar crime film — a lavish display of greed and corruption in the financial sector. The word “display” is of the essence here, for Scorsese neither celebrates nor indicts capitalism; he simply shows us the wild debauchery and lets us make of it what we will. Goodfellas and The Wolf of Wall Street feature very similar protagonists: both are self-made capitalist

WILLIAM AhN/The vArsITY

heroes whose only character flaws are that they become increasingly more detestable. In Goodfellas, protagonist Henry Hill is a young, wannabe gangster who eventually works his way into the Lucchese crime family. In The Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan Belfort is an aspiring New York City stockbroker whose insatiable desire for money escalates into ceaseless partying and a drug addiction. In The Wolf of Wall Street, Scorsese’s founding principle of crime film is evident: integral to the American Dream is a sense of illegality. Sometimes, in order to succeed, one must first be prepared to lie, backstab, extort, and steal; such success inevitably comes at the expense of other people. This principle is most pronounced in the scene where Belfort and his associates are huddled around the telephone, coercing uneducated people into investing in penny stocks. Scorsese paints a portrait of the American Dream that is pointedly unromantic. Even when Belfort and Hill have obtained their wealth, it only buys them an opportunity to indulge in more illicit behaviour, whether it be with drugs, alcohol, or prostitutes. The end quickly becomes more illegal than the means, identifying an unsettling possibility: perhaps the American Dream is more accessible through corruption than honesty and hard work.

Belfort does not suffer the same fate as Hill, who goes into witness protection and is forced to live the rest of his life as a schnook. It is a testament to the perversity of society that he remains a millionaire and motivational speaker on sales, begging the question: “Who, after bearing witness to his aberrant behaviour, could possibly idolize Belfort?” The film’s final shot — a group of calm, attentive faces, all eager to learn Belfort’s strategies and perhaps even become like him — communicates this idea perfectly. Belfort is not the exception, but the rule — there is an entire culture of people that worship and admire him. From an auteurist's perspective, Scorsese has evolved as a filmmaker, expanding the conventions of his organized crime films in a way that is more relevant to contemporary society. Crime does not just take place among seasoned criminals, but in the work place, too, and is deeply embedded in the capitalist system. Whether Scorsese portrays Belfort in a positive or negative light hardly seems to matter, with Belfort clearly having embraced his bad-boy persona. At the beginning of the film, Belfort’s first wife insists: “There is no such thing as bad publicity.” It is safe to say, judging by what followed, this quickly became his motto.

The problem with Community The setting of Community has become its focus JP Kaczur

VARSITY STAFF

The new season of Community is kind of a bummer. It’s not because Dan Harmon — the creator of the show who was fired for season four — has returned for its fifth and likely final season. After the mediocre fourth season, it's clear that Harmon's scatterbrained genius has always been what makes Community’s gleeful meta-references and genre bending sing; it’s definitely not because the new season has been bad. Harmon’s return has lifted it back up to, if not past, its previous levels of excellence. The real problem with Community is that it’s setting has become its focus. Community takes place at Greendale Community College — an institution plagued with indifferent management, apathetic teachers, and terrible cafeteria food. The characters/students in Community have always complained about their campus, lacklustre teachers, and student debt, which made them relatable to college students in real life. But lingering beneath the complaints was hope for the future: Abed dreamt of being a filmmaker, Annie wanted to be a hospital administrator, and Jeff was going to be a lawyer again after

leaving the profession in shame. The hope that its characters had for their future gave the show a layer of positivity that jived well with its other components, like its genre homages and meta-comedy. Now in season five, Community has returned with the genre homages and meta-comedy toned down in order to focus on the current state of student life. The first episode begins with the study group, led by Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) post-graduation and struggling to find jobs because they were not adequately prepared for the workforce by their Alma Mater. Abed, for example fails to follow his dream of being a filmmaker and concocts a get rich quick scheme with Troy involving the creation of a social network. The hardworking Annie doesn’t find a job in hospital administration, despite her perfect gpa, and pushes prescription drugs, instead. Finally, Winger finds the economy has not been kind to the legal profession. After briefly contemplating filing a class-action lawsuit against Greendale — cognitive estrangement at its finest — the gang decides to come back to the institution that failed them. Bringing the study group together for one more go of it before a likely cancellation would normally seem like a desperate move by a television show in the twilight of

NANCY JI/The vArsITY

its run. But it’s actually made the show more challenging. Truth be told, it has been awkward watching the harsh realities of student life

unfold in comedy form. Community — with its paintball exploits and epic film plot lines jammed into 23-minute episodes — used to

be an escape from the anxieties of student life. But now after shifting its focus, it has begun to feel a little too familiar.

Vol. CXXXIV, No. 15

VARSITY ARTS & CULTURE

arts@thevarsity.ca

The heat of July in Winter Week July Talk performs in Hart House’s great hall

Daniel Konikoff VARSITY STAFF

Those who know me know that I love Tom Waits. So it was either by divine providence (or mere chance) that, last year, I stumbled upon the Bandcamp page of a group whose sound was likened to “Tom Waits and Amy Millan shouting whiskey-soaked lullabies while backed by Crazy Horse.” Wholly enchanted by their harsh-throated Waits-incarnate vocalist, the band’s roots in Toronto were just, metaphorically speaking, the sonic icing on an already delicious musical cake. Formed in 2012, July Talk has made good use of their brief time together, touring with the likes of Billy Talent, the Arkells, and Sam Roberts, and releasing their self-titled debut lp in October of last year. Consisting

of singer/guitarist Peter Dreimanis, singer Leah Fay, guitarist Ian Docherty, bassist Josh Warburton, and drummer Danny Miles, July Talk tore up Hart House’s Great Hall this past Thursday with a blistering hour-long set, infusing utsu’s Winter Week of Welcome with a welcome dose of hardhitting alt-rock. The band pounded through originals from their lp with all the gusto of seasoned professionals. Their stage presence was electrically frantic, and the hypnotic chemistry between Dreimanis and Fay was palpable. The evening’s most memorable moments were from Fay — starting the set by singing from a tower in Great Hall, she soon called out students watching the concert through their phones because “the photographers would have better pictures,” and told the audience of how her parents met in Robarts Library.

July Talk performing at Hart House (above left and above) MashalKhan/The varsiTy

Fay also sang from the audience, pulling up a student to dance onstage, and preceded her encore performance with a wet t-shirt contest involving two all-too-willing male participants. After the set, the band waited by the merchandise table, signing vinyl lps and printed tees. Before being carried away by

the flow of autograph-hungry students, I was able to get a brief word or two from Dreimanis, who said, politely and pithily, that, “[Great Hall] is a beautiful room, and we had a blast playing at U of T.” The honour, of course, was all U of T, who received the crackling electrical warmth of July in a frozen January.

The city catches its tempo What Drake's contribution to the music industry did for Toronto Corinne Przybyslawski

ASSOCIATE ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Toronto is a name with many faces, depending on which district becomes responsible for your impression of the city. As disjointed as our cultural identity may be, at least our music scene is en route to becoming as recognizable as those in major music locales like the progressive, lo-fi electronica trademark of Los Angeles. It occurs by a chain of succession. To make it in the industry, you have to take what’s been proven successful and rewrite it into something uncanny. You’ll draw people in on a sense of familiarity — but remember to implement a slight distinctiveness to brand yourself as an individual artist. Once it sells, artists on the rise will likewise try to reproduce the successful elements of your work, perpetuating the cycle of creating their own “new classics.” What gives a city or a district its trademark sound is when a single artist rises to critical acclaim, giving a concentrated number of artists in one specific locale a reason to begin producing a similar sound — with minor individual

variations, of course. This consistency gives the style of production its own "cult genre." Drake, one of Toronto’s most renowned recording artists, experienced incredible success when he contested the aggressive, lyrically-driven model of ‘90s old school with his introspective, r&b-infused hip-hop over artistically engineered beats. Though Drake is not exclusively featured in Toronto’s repertoire of successful artists, being one of the first internationally recognized names of our generation, he does play a significant role in founding the overtones of Toronto’s distinct brand of music. Simply put, he reinvented the conventions of hip-hop, softening them up a little, which leaves us trying to make shoes out of the footprints he's left behind for the city. With how substantially singing choruses and rapping the verses distinguished him within the industry, it has become second nature for artists in Toronto to implement Drake's poetic oversharing complemented and 40's re-purposing of soulful samples in their own work. Abel Tesfaye, performing under the pseudonym The Weeknd, is a Scarborough

native. His lyrical crooning over women is thematically comparative to Drake, only with a darker ambience that moves out of Drake's champagne and stage lights, and into the sinister atmosphere of the dimly lit after-party. His trilogy of mix tapes, House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence, embraced Drake's unrepentant, navel-gazing lyricism, but with the proven success of sung choruses to flourish the aggression conventional to the hip-hop genre, Abel, like Drake knew to market his powerful falsetto. The same falsetto is thematically different when paired with the woozy, lush compositions by the producers, Doc McKinney and illAngelo. Where Drake's signature over-indulgence had more romantic connotation and context, The Weeknd harbours his overtly sexual atmosphere on predatory. Again, the industry received a hip-hop/ R&B artist from Toronto who put as much emphasis on the artistic direction of his aural elements, as well as the vocal and lyrical aspects of his sound. In recogniz-

ing the key contributors to Drake’s success and implementing the tactics into his own work, the chain of succession allows those listening outside of Toronto to discern what the 416 sounds like. And Party Next Door, a 20-year-old who hails from Mississauga, perpetuates it, especially in signing to Drake's ovo Sound label. He compounds the crepuscular ambience of The Weeknd and the egoistic bravado of Drake’s hype lyricism into a cohesive sum of his predecessors’ parts. His self-titled debut mix tape, released by ovo Sound renders him as the third major successor in the tier of Toronto’s urban talent. Toronto has been under the radar for years as a cultural hub, but with musical talent to put it on the map, the coming years may see a vast change to Toronto's reputation. The talent that surfaces from a city plays an incredibly important role in the way the city’s brand is received internationally. Local recording artists with distinct and consistent soundscapes have the ability not only to command the attention of the industry, but inspire a pursuit for the locals from their hometown.

VARSITY ARTS & CULTURE

var.st/arts

REVIEWS ALBUM: BEYONCÉ —Beyoncé In the opening seconds of her selftitled album, Beyoncé is asked: “What is your aspiration in life?” In response, she answers, “To be happy,” making it clear that her vision of happiness is being able to navigate her career on her own terms. BEYONCÉ was released through iTunes on December 13, with its arrival strangely unheralded by any promotional material whatsoever. Each of the thirteen tracks on the visual album is accompanied by a conceptual music video, making it an ode to the years of perseverance that turned Bey into the pop juggernaut that she is today. The album features clips of Beyoncé competing in childhood talent shows, and cutting her teeth as a teenager in bedroom rehearsals for the now defunct Destiny’s Child. The release of the visual album proves that, a decade into her solo career, Beyoncé truly has become her own boss. —Geoff Baillie

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2014

Nothing is beautiful, only man: on this piece of naivete rests all aesthetics, it is the first truth of aesthetics. Let us immediately add its second: nothing is ugly but degenerate man - the domain of aesthetic judgment is therewith defined. — Friedrich Nietzsche

NIETZCHE WAS A BIT OF A PRAT, RIGHT? WRITE YOUR OWN THEORY OF AESTHETICS, WRITE FOR ARTS ARTS@THEVARSITY.CA

ALBUM: Wig out at Jagbags — Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks Stephen Malkmus will never make the solo album that you want him to, but — if you can get past the pervasive silliness — Wig Out At Jagbags has its own quiet appeal. Gone is the pointed apoliticism of his '90s heyday — his music has since been characterized by a knee-jerk flippancy that ends up feeling frustratingly inconsequential. Between no-shit syllogisms (“you’re not what you aren’t, you aren’t what you’re not”) and inane imagery (lotion deficits, surreal teenagers), Malkmus seems just as unconcerned about making statements, as he did a decade ago. Yet, it's impossible for Malkmus to shirk melody for an entire album, with “Lariat” and a few moments of “Surreal Teenagers” attesting to the power of his one-liners. Still, after a year of superb albums by other career artists, woaj underwhelms. — Jordan Voith

BOOK: Little Failure — Gary Shteyngart Gary Shteyngart’s new memoir, Little Failure, explores the hilarious line between humour and humiliation embodied by the title itself – a pet name given by his mother, ‘failurchka’ or ‘little failure’. Little Failure presents itself as an examination of identity. Igor Shteyngart, an asthmatic seven year old, arrives in Queens, New York during the late '70s. A near-sighted Russian boy with little grasp on the English language, he supposedly changes his name to Gary in order to avoid any semblance with ‘Ygor’, the hunchbacked assistant to Frankenstein. The memoir spans Gary Shteyngart’s years of psychoanalysis, his disillusionment from the Orthodox Jewish roots of his family, and his eventual return to Russia and subsequent immersion in his family’s ancestry. It is said that standup comics write comedy in order to control the reasons why people laugh at them. As seen through Little Failure, apparently novelists do too. — John Marshall

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SCIENCE VAR.ST!SCIENCE

JANUARY

2014

science@thevarsity.ca

Creating an ethical malaria treatment

RESEARCH RECAP

First-year life sciences student discusses her patent-pending malaria treatment Emma Hansen

ASSOCIATE SCIENCE EDITOR

Malaria is responsible for over one million deaths each year, particularly in developing nations. Despite the efforts of non-governmental organizations and global health bodies, the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of malaria still are not adequately addressed in the areas with the most need. Recently, Médecins Sans Frontières and other organizations have been fighting to stop the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership from barring access to generic drugs, which are much less expensive than their brand name counterparts. For one young researcher, however, moral interests are far more important. Jessie MacAlpine is a first-year life sciences student who has developed a treatment for malaria. She has filed for a patent on the treatment, and she plans to facilitate its distribution so as to maximize access to it. MacAlpine’s project, Mustard Oil as an Apicomplexan-targeting Drug Therapy for Plasmodium falciparum, was extraordinarily successful at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, where she won Best of Category for Medicine and Health Sciences. Most recently, MacAlpine was the Canadian ambassador at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists, where she won the International Cooperation Prize. The Varsity spoke with MacAlpine about scientific discovery, research, and the current climate of the biomedical field. The Varsity: Could you describe your research? Jessie MacAlpine: I began doing research at the age of 12, completing the majority of my work in my own basement as well as at a laboratory at Western University. I was always a very curious child, and after seeing a poster advertising the CanadaWide Science Fair in my elementary school, I was very excited to begin doing my own scientific experiments. In high school, I was an active member and later co-president of a club which worked with Free the Children to break the cycle of poverty in developing countries. In the spring of 2012, we were discussing potential health initiatives we could undertake in the following school year, which made me question why it was so common to fundraise for mosquito nets instead of for actual medications or vaccines. I went home to complete a simple internet search to see what drugs were available to combat global health problems and came across a newspaper article describing the potential of herbicides to treat malaria. Having spent the past two years creating a bioherbicide, I thought it would be interesting to see if I could transform the compound into an antimalarial medication. I then started

A group of astrophysicists at the U of T have recently discovered a mysterious object, named roxs 42Bb, located 500 light years away from the Sun. Despite having 7 years’ worth of information on the object, ranging from its mass to its molecular composition, scientists have been unable to classify it as either a planet or a failed star (also known as a “brown dwarf”). According to U of T post-doctoral fellow Thayne Currie, classifying the object is difficult because of two facts: on one hand, the object is 9 times the mass of Jupiter, but still below that of a brown dwarf; conversely, it is located at a distance 30 times greater from its host star than Jupiter is from the Sun. This represents an unknown area on the spectrum of planets and brown dwarfs. Objects with a planet-to-star mass ratio 10 times that of Jupiter, and within 15 times its distance from the Sun, are labelled planets. Those located from their host star at distances 50 times greater than that between Jupiter and the Sun are considered to be brown dwarfs. The mysterious roxs 42Bb is beginning to fill the spectrum between these two classifications, and Currie believes that this will “spur new research in planet and star formation theories” — Stefan Jetvic

my research in May of 2012 at the McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health at MaRS Discovery District, where I was supervised by both Dr. Ian Crandall and Dr. Kevin Kain. TV: How are you planning to make your discovery available? JM: I am currently working on in vivo studies to confirm the drug’s efficacy within a mammal model. If this experiment returns results as promising as the in vitro studies, the hope will be to conduct clinical trials before establishing potential distribution channels. The drug itself is very inexpensive — the necessary dose costs approximately a millionth of a cent — resulting in the major inhibitor to treatment being distribution. Potentially partnering with organizations such as the World Health Organization or Malaria No More could allow the inexpensive drug to reach those who are most affected by the disease. As well, because mustard oil is readily available in many malaria-endemic regions, these organizations could potentially run awareness campaigns to ensure the public is informed of the oil’s antimalarial properties. TV: Why have you chosen to patent? JM: As the research moves forward in its development, I chose to patent for a variety of reasons. The first was to ensure the drug remained in my name so that a larger pharmaceutical company couldn’t get hold of the information and claim the idea. The second was to make it easier to approach investors and potential laboratories to facilitate clinical trials, who are often more willing to take on a compound that has been patented. TV: What would happen if a pharmaceutical company discovered your treatment first? JM: If a pharmaceutical company had discovered the treatment first, they would have had the right to file for patent and potentially transform it into an expensive, brand-name medication for wealthy travellers visiting developing countries. My purpose for patenting was thus to discourage pharmaceutical companies from exploiting the efficacy of the compound for unnecessary profit. As an antimalarial treatment aimed at developing countries, the medication’s purpose is not profit, and a patent was filed to ensure I remained in control of the compound. TV: What are your thoughts on the current state of the pharmaceutical industry? How are existing healthcare products distributed in developing nations? JM: I believe that the pharmaceutical industry could benefit from a few major changes. The commercialization of pharmaceuticals has resulted in a loss of access to basic health care, which was the original purpose of mass drug development.

Houston, we have a … planet?

Child abuse can obstruct rates of remission in depression as adults

Jessie MacAlphine has developed a treatment for malaria. Courtney hallink/the Varsity

It appears that companies are increasingly focused on developing an excessive number of drugs instead of improving existing treatments or modifying the prescription process to reduce resistance. As well, there is significantly more research and funding available for studies related to Western diseases and conditions which have the potential to make pharmaceutical companies large revenue. From an ethical perspective, pharmaceutical companies appear to be losing the moral standards of modern medicine. Existing healthcare products are distributed in developing nations by a variety of charity organizations. Unfortunately, despite funding and existing medications, many people continue to go untreated. Using malaria as an example, there are still many places in Africa where a single nurse has to diagnose and treat over 200,000 people. Often, this nurse lacks proper training and has to diagnose patients using visual symptoms and a thermometer. Drug resistance continues to be a major concern, as patients are given small dosages of medication and are unable to take treatment to completion. This en-

courages resistance and has resulted in the inefficacy of many promising drugs in the past. TV: What’s next? JM: The next step is to finish in vivo trials. If the results continue to be promising, it will then be a matter of locating a lab to facilitate clinical trials. I may also run an observational study in India, where the oil is already largely used for cooking. Despite my research focusing on the efficacy of the raw oil, it is possible that there is still a degree of antimalarial efficacy observed with consumption of the cooked compound. An observational study would hopefully allow a trend such as this to be determined. Finally, if all stages of drug testing return positive results, I will have to partner with a global health organization to organize awareness and distribution channels. This interview has been edited for length. The complete interview is online. MacAlpine will be speaking about her research and the process that led her to it at the TEDxUofT conference on March 8, 2014, which you can read about in The Varsity.

According to a new study by professors at U of T, individuals who suffered abuse as children show hindered recovery from depression as adults. Co-author Professor Emertiti Tahany M. Gadalla explains, “three quarters of individuals [in this study of 1, 128 individuals] were no longer depressed after two years.” However, in the group of adults who suffered abuse as children, these rates were not seen. Lead author Esme Fuller-Thomson says, “The average time to recovery from depression was nine months longer for adults who had been physically abused during their childhood and about five months longer for those whose parents had addiction problems.” It has already been established that children who suffer abuse have a much higher chance of depression as adults. However, this study illustrates another effect. Although there is no definite answer as to why this may be occurring, some speculate that it could be because negative experiences may inhibit the typical development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (hpa Axis). Co-author Sarah Brennenstuhl explains, “This link is an important avenue for future research.” This is just another reason why child abuse is such an important issue. A child’s brain is so sensitive that negative influences can affect development, and their future in unexpected ways. — Shradha Talwar

VARSITY SCIENCE

var.st/science

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2014

An event worthy of its buzz Toronto Beekeepers Co-operative offers popular Beekeeping 101 workshop this winter Olga Klenova

VARSITY STAFF

The Toronto Beekeepers Co-operative (tbco-op), born of a joint effort between FoodShare Toronto, AfriCan Foodbasket, the University of Guelph, and the Heifer International Foundation, is holding an ‘Urban Beekeeping 101’ workshop for the public on Saturday, February 1, from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. The workshop will take place at FoodShare (90 Croatia St.), and will provide a wealth and variety of apiary knowledge — including information on beekeeping basics, hive maintenance, and apitherapy. It will even allow attendees to get hands-on with the co-operative’s hives and equipment. The co-op will also allow individuals to apply for a limited number of membership spots to help it manage its hives in 2014. While the concrete labyrinth of Toronto may not seem a likely place to find thriving agriculture, the city is proving to be a very favourable environment for urban beekeeping — the science and art of managing bee hives and bees in an urban setting. tbco-op is at the forefront of apiculture in the city, and champions the role of bees and knowledgeable bee husbandry. Far from being a niche environmentalist interest, apiculture is integral to a prosperous agriculture and economy. According to a 2012 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada report, “In 2010, the total value of honey produced in Canada was $146 million.” More

importantly, the report states that “the value of honey bees to the pollination of crops is estimated at over $2 billion annually,” with vital commodities such as fruits, vegetables, and canola depending on a strong bee population and on beekeepers proficient in keeping their colonies thriving. Given that our city has been grappling with questions of sustainable and local food production to enable its residents — especially those made vulnerable by poverty — access to healthy food, the economic value of bees cannot be underestimated by Torontonians. To that end, tbco-op — operating independently since 2002 — harnesses the power of collaboration. Starting from just three hives at the intersection of the Gardiner and the Don Valley Parkway, the co-operative now has links with well-known sites such as Evergreen Brickworks, Downsview Park, and the Toronto Botanical Garden through which the majority if its growing number of hives is distributed. But apiculture is not just serious business; a surprising partnership with the Fairmont Royal York has produced a thriving rooftop apiary managed by tbco-op members. You may not guess such a small agricultural oasis could even exist as you stroll down Front Street, but it has inspired the Fairmont chain to begin similar beekeeping programs at its hotels as far away as Kenya and China. As well, Fairmont honey proudly took first place in the Amber Category at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in 2012.

ANN SHENG/THE VArSiTy

So if you are passionate about urban food sustainability, and if you like your cup of tea with some honey in it, you are encouraged to check out the Toronto Beekeepers Co-operative “Beekeeping 101” workshop this February. As this popular event sold out quickly last year, those interested should rsvp promptly, and note that the attendance price is $45, which includes a vegetarian lunch. The coop may provide scholarships where finances are limited. With files from torontobees.ca, agr.gc.ca, and fairmont.com

Where’d the bees go?!

Check online for a follow-up with U of T B.E.E.S. this Thursday

Colony collapse disorder dwindles bee populations Ushma Kapure

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Imagine that you’re a beekeeper. The bees are buzzing, the sun is shining, the flowers are in full bloom, and — if everything goes well — you’ll have a plentiful harvest at the end of the season. Then, one day, a massive number of bees simply never to return to the hive. Naturally, you are shocked and confused — you need the bees to pollinate your crops and for their honey. You must either buy new bees or rent them from other farmers at a high premium. You now end up with a measly harvest compared to the bumper crop you had anticipated, in addition to the financial burden of procuring new bees. Losing a large portion of bees in a hive is nothing short of a tragedy for the farmers and beekeepers

whose livelihoods rely on them. Unfortunately, the occurrence has become much more frequent than one would like. Over the past six years, the number of bees disappearing from hives has risen substantially. This change has been steadily progressing, regardless of seasonal shifts. This is known as Colony Collapse Disorder (ccd). ccd is characterized by hives that have very few worker bees remaining, but still have a living queen. While they are largely bereft, some hives may still have honey left in them. Despite the free food available, other insects seem to be wary of entering a hive that has been subject to ccd, which has been attributed to an as yet unknown factor scaring them away. The phenomenon has become incredibly widespread, with regular reports of ccd ap-

pearing in North America and Europe. While historically there have been other instances of bees disappearing, none have been as severe or widespread as the current outbreak. ccd is a major concern for the agricultural industry, as well as for everyday consumers. Bees are necessary for pollinating a vast number of farmed crops — including many fruits, veggitables, flowers, tree nuts, berries, and for honey and beeswax. You have almost certainly consumed multiple items today that those buzzy busybodies played a vital role in creating. It is evident that ccd has had a catastrophic impact on food production, consumption, and the economic stability of the agricultural industry. It is still not clear why ccd occurs. Several theories and causes have been proposed,

but the disease seems to be the result of numerous factors acting in tandem to drive the bees away. Suspected culprits include a parasitic mite called Varroa destructor, habitat loss, and pesticides such as neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids have been the subject of controversy over the past couple of years, resulting in a European Union ban until there is more research on the extent of harm they cause. The rise in urban beekeeping may also play some role in ccd due to greater competition for limited plant resources. So what can we do to save the bees? At this point, further research is the best option that we have. Other than that, plant more flowers — bees will appreciate the nectar and pollen, and you, in turn, can enjoy their delicious honey.

VARSITY SCIENCE

20 Vol. CXXXIV, No. 15

science@thevarsity.ca

“Once you open your eyes to the universe, you’ll never want to stop looking” asx hosts eleventh annual free cosmology symposium lenges in cosmology. Cosmology is the fundamental study of the physical universe. It investigates the distant past, the far future, and literally everything around us. Unfortunately, cosmological theories are notoriously inaccessible. It is tragic that the most fundamental physical details of the world around us are also some of the most difficult to understand. We have therefore selected speakers not just for their cosmological expertise, but for their ability to communicate it. In short, we chose cosmology because it is both profoundly fundamental and wildly inaccessible. We want to make it more accessible.

Katrina Vogan

SCIENCE EDITOR

On January 24, at 7:00 pm, U of T will host “Into the Cosmos,” the eleventh annual Astronomy & Space Exploration Socieety (asx) symposium. Over three hours, three of the world’s foremost cosmology experts — Professor Anthony Aguirre from the University of California, Santa Cruz; Professor Matt Dobbs from the University of McGill; and Professor Rafael Lopez-Mobilia from the University of Texas at San Antonio — will present on the mysteries of the universe in the JJR MacLeod Auditorium. The event is free for students with student id. The Varsity spoke to Samuel Baltz, the secretary of asx, about his organisation, and why you should attend the symposium next week. The Varsity: What is ASX? Samuel Baltz: asx is the Astronomy & Space Exploration Society at the University of Toronto. We are a non-profit club run by students. asx exists to educate and excite the public about astronomy and space exploration. We have run an annual symposium every year since 2003, featuring three astronauts, astronomers, or space industry leaders. During the year we host local astronomers in our “Star Talk” lecture series, show spacethemed documentaries, and run a monthly space newsletter. Ultimately we just want more people to understand how amazing the universe is.

PHOTO COURTESY ASX

TV: What are the goals of the symposium? SB: The symposium seeks to educate and inspire people. Our symposium series is called “Expanding Canada’s Frontiers.” Metaphorically, we want to expand people’s understanding of the universe. To that end, we invite communicators who know about space, who want to explore space, or who have been to space. More literally, the ultimate

goal is to help physically expand Canada’s frontiers. The symposium has often been a soapbox for people — like past axs guest Commander Chris Hadfield, who understand Canada’s proud history of space development, and who push for more.

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TV: Who should attend the symposium? Is it accessible to nonscience students?

DENTAL CARE

SB: asx deliberately selects speakers both for their knowledge and ability to communicate. The symposium is an outreach event, designed to be accessible to everyone. TV: The theme is “Into the Cosmos” — what’s the significance of the theme? SB: “Into the Cosmos” will explore both advances and chal-

TV: Attending the event enters you into a draw for a Khan Telescope. Why choose that prize? SB: The Khan Scope Centre is sponsoring the event, by donating an awesome telescope. The event is also generously sponsored by td Bank, the Dunlap Institute, the U of T Astronomy and Astrophysics Department, and U Life. Regarding Khan, we have raffled off one of their telescopes at our symposium for several years, because, honestly, what’s cooler than owning a telescope? Last year, a little kid won his own telescope, and that was one of the best parts of the symposium. For Khan, there’s a longterm benefit beyond the obvious publicity: events like this make people look up. The fact is, once you open your eyes to the universe, you’ll never want to stop looking.

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JANUARY

2014

sports@thevarsity.ca

David L. MacIntosh Clinic one of the best in the world U of T students and community members have a unique opportunity to be treated by worldclass therapists and doctors in a historical clinic Leila Keshavjee

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

From an evening walk-in clinic with one doctor and a few therapists to a clinic that sees 150 patients a day and operates 2,700 hours a year, the David L. MacIntosh Sport Medicine Clinic has been treating sports-related injuries for over 60 years. Located in the basement of the University of Toronto’s Athletic Centre, this clinic is the oldest dedicated sports medicine facility in the world. In the 1990s, the clinic was named after Dr. David L. MacIntosh, a pioneer in the area of orthopaedic surgery, who began working at Hart House in the 1950s. MacIntosh was the first in the world to develop acl injury diagnosis and acl repair surgery. In addition, he was a physician for the Varsity Blues’ football and hockey teams for 25 years. Marcel Charland, a certified athletic therapist and sport massage therapist, explained what makes the clinic unique is that “the comprehensive care an athlete receives at the MacIntosh clinic is world-class. Very few clinics have physiotherapists, athletic therapists, massage therapists, physicians, and orthopaedic surgeons all working together towards a common goal.”

Sandy Heming, another physiotherapist, said that she applied for the position because the opportunity to be in a clinic and on the field made the position a dream job. “It’s a great clinic to work at. I have been here 12 years… it is a unique place; it is different. The atmosphere is fun here because everyone wants to get better and get back to doing what they want to do,” said Heming. Clinic Manager Marr Kelly describes the staff as “a pretty tightknit group of people, because we have such a small space to work in, and that makes this place unique.” Kelly began working at the clinic as a student at U of T, and has continued working there since then; she now oversees the clinic’s operations. This clinic also serves as a teaching facility for kinesiology, athletic therapy, physiotherapy, and medical students. Charland did his placement as an athletic therapist student at the clinic in 1982; now, he mentors and teaches students. “One of the things that makes this job so great is we not only have the opportunity to be in the clinic or on the field, but you also have the opportunity to mentor students and teach them,” said Charland. “By teaching, you are also learning and the students also keep you current to a certain extent. It’s a great clinic for that —

The clinic is the oldest dedicated sport medicine facility in the world. CAROLYN LEVETT/THE VARSITY

always having new students and new ideas.” The clinic also includes a concussion clinic, which started around 1999 as solely a research effort. Dr. Michael Hutchison, the director of the concussion program, describes a concussion as “a type of traumatic brain injury [that] is recognized as a clinical syndrome of biomechanically induced alteration of brain function.” Concussions can result from a direct blow to the head or the body. Other members of the research team include Dr. Doug Richards, Dr. Paul Comper, and Dr. Lynda Mainwaring. The clinic has been providing com-

prehensive care for sport-related concussions for approximately three years. In the 2012–2013 year, the clinic saw over 250 sport-related concussions. The staff has experience working with athletes coming from a wide range of sports, and sees all manner of patients from weekend warriors to Olympians. Dr. Ian Cohen, one of the sports physicians, joined the clinic staff in 1990 and has been working in sport medicine ever since he began practicing. Cohen’s experience as a sport physician extends from the Varsity Blues men’s ice hockey team and the national sailing team to the Toronto Argonauts.

Cohen was also a member of the medical staff at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, along with MacIntosh clinic colleague Dr. Mark Leung. Leung is currently one of the team physicians with the men’s national basketball team. Meanwhile, Charland attended the 1988 Winter Olympics and 2000 Summer Olympics as a therapist, and has been selected as an alternate therapist for the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Other staff members have also been selected as part of Team Canada’s medical staff at national and international levels of competition, such as the Pan Am Games and the Commonwealth Games. In addition to their responsibilities at the MacIntosh Clinic and working with varsity teams, some members of the staff are also involved, or has been involved, with national teams or professional teams — including the Toronto Raptors, the Toronto Argonauts, and the Toronto fc. For the staff at the MacIntosh Clinic, the job is not simply a 9–5 occupation; it involves weekends, mornings, late nights, and travelling with the assigned teams. Despite Charland’s vast accomplishments and memorable moments in his career, he says that it is always great when he rehabilitates a patient and is able to see them back on the court, the field, or the ice.

The benefits of yoga A means to student success via the union of mind, body, and spirit Mary Scourboutakos VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

ARNOLD YUNG/THE VARSITY

When it comes to discussing yoga, there tends to be three groups of people: those who love it, those who hate it, and those who have never tried it. If you fall into the latter category, keep reading; whether you’re struggling with anxiety, seasonal affective disorder at its peak, or want to get rid of the lingering holiday pounds, yoga may be the solution. I was a yoga skeptic until I took my first “hatha” class at Hart House during my second year of undergrad. Though I wasn’t completely sold on it at the outset, I couldn’t ignore my improved test-taking ability. While the yoga instructor’s constant reminders to “clear one’s mind” and “focus only on the breath” first struck me as annoying, this simple skill became a game changer when it came to writing multiple choice tests. Suddenly, a flood of thoughts could no longer distract me during an exam; with a simple inhale and an exhale, I was focused.

Shannan Grant, a phd student from the Department of Nutritional Sciences who is also a yoga instructor, similarly stated that; “Yoga helps with being present in your work, that’s a big struggle with all of the multiple mediums that we communicate with… to be able to be so present on just one task is so crucial.” Furthermore, Grant — who has been practicing yoga since the age of 13, and tries to practice at least every other day — said that she notices how her productivity and patience decline on days when she doesn’t practice. Scientists have been studying yoga since the nineteenth century; there are even accounts of physicians taking up residence in ashrams to conduct research. Scientific interest has led to the uncovering of yoga’s effect on decreasing cortisol levels — and increasing dopamine release in the brain — while improving musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary function. There are many different types of yoga; not all are intended to have the same effects, and no two classes are exactly the same. Therefore,

yoga isn’t the kind of thing that you can try only once. Furthermore, as Grant emphasized, “yoga doesn’t have to be what you think of as a traditional yoga class. It can simply be awareness, wherever you find peace, wherever you balance out the physical and spiritual parts of you, yoga in a classroom setting is not necessarily for everyone, but awareness is.” Overall, yoga is in many ways an antidote to university life. While students are continuously striving in academic, athletic, and extracurricular realms, yoga is not at all about pushing oneself or trying to achieve something. Yoga, which means “union,” is centered around the unification of the three tenants of one’s self: mind, body, and spirit. Through yoga’s ability to focus one’s mind, strengthen one’s body, and restore one’s spirit, yoga is a means by which one can become the best version of himself or herself. The semester is still early, and Hart House classes begin this week — why not try yoga?

22 Vol. CXXXIV No. 14

VARSITY SPORTS

sports@thevarsity.ca

Men’s volleyball plummets to ninth place in the OUA After a three-set loss to the first-place Marauders, Blues drop in OUA standings JP Kaczur

ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR

The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s volleyball team lost to the undefeated McMaster Marauders in straight sets (25–20, 25–10, 27–25) on Friday night at the U of T Athletic Centre. Although the Blues lost in three sets, the match was tightly contested throughout the majority of the game. The first set went back and forth, with the Marauders eventually winning 25–20. The second set did not go as well for the Blues; the Marauders won 25–10. The Blues were undeterred by the dominance that the Marauders demonstrated in the second set; they found themselves down 8–3 early in the frame, but showed impressive resolve for a ninth–place team by sticking with the Marauders, eventually taking the lead 16–14. In a tight end to the frame, the Marauders eventually overtook the Blues, 27–25, with the first-place Ontario University Athletics (oua) team needing to go into extras to seal the win. Veteran left-side hitter Jake Dysselhof was noticeably absent from the court; he was seen in a suit on the sideline cheering his team on. Dysselhof was missed on a night where the

THE WEDDING SINGER

Matthew Vares dives for the ball. CAROLYN LEVETT/THE VARSITY

Blues showed they could compete with the best teams in the oua. Dysselhof leads the team in kills, aces, and digs (115, 15, 77). In his absence, the team fared well, with fellow veteran left-side hitter Dave Merritt leading the Blues with six kills on the day, while rookie right-side hitter Will Colucci chipped in four kills and three blocks. With the loss, the Blues drop to ninth place and the Marauders stay undefeated and atop the oua. The Blues take on Windsor and Western at home next weekend with hopes of keeping their slim playoff hope alive.

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VARSITY SPORTS

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2014

Blues women’s volleyball post close 3-2 win over Gee Gees Varsity Blues women’s volleyball plays its first five-set match of the season in a win over first-place team JP Kaczur

ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR

Saturday night was unique for the Varsity Blues women’s volleyball team. The team defeated the first-placed Ottawa Gee Gees 3-2 (17–25, 25–29, 25–18, 24–26, 15–11) in the team’s first five-set match of the season. “Every match has a life of its own,” said coach Kristine Drakich. “You have to respond to what the life of the match is.” The Blues entered the game in third place, after finishing tied for first place before holiday break. The drop in standings resulted from their second loss of the season to their uptown rivals the York Lions last weekend. The Blues did not get off to a good start. Ottawa won the first set 25–17. The Blues responded by taking the second set 25–19, showing no lingering effects from the previous weekend’s loss. The third set featured a dynamic rally from both teams that saw the ball almost hit the basketball

net hanging well above the court. The extended rally ended with an emphatic spike from rookie Tessa Davis. The fourth set featured stronger play from the Blues. The Blues started off with a 13–10 lead before an Ottawa timeout. After regrouping, the Gee Gees managed to tie the game at 15–15 with some strong play from their fourth-year star, Myriam English. English is in the top-five in the Ontario University Athletics (oua) in kills, aces, and points. The two teams continued going back and forth until the Gee Gees came one point away from taking the set at 24–22. The Blues played most of the same lineup throughout the game. Despite their best efforts, they fell 26–24 to Ottawa, setting up a deciding fifth set. The Blues looked visibly dejected after the set, but with the men’s game delayed, the fifth set got underway fast enough before they could get too down on themselves. The Gee Gees had appeared to get off to a decisive

11–5 start because of a scoreboard error. After the coaches alerted the scorekeeper, the score was corrected to 9–6. With a manageable three–point margin, the Blues chipped away at the lead, eventually tying the Gee Gees at 11 points. The Blues then reeled off four unanswered points to win the game, thanks to a strong play by veteran Charlotte Sider (leading the game with 15 kills). After the game, Drakich said: “After losing that fourth set, we didn’t let that get to us. We got back our game, our tempo.” After making adjustments throughout the game, Drakich emphasized the balanced nature of her team. “From day to day it really depends. One of the beauties of our team is that we have a number of players who can play. I think that’s a tremendous strength of our team.” The Blues continue next weekend with a homestand against Windsor and Western, playing for a chance to regain the first-place position in the standings. Charlotte Sider leaps into action. CAROLYN LEVETT/THE VARSITY

DIVERSIONS

24 MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2014

CROSSWORD by lovatts media 1

thevarsity.ca

ACROSS

DOWN

1. Curative place 4. Medicinal leaf 8. Cracker’s box? 12. Astaire specialty 13. Composer’s creation 14. Sticking point, metaphorically 15. Chalet backdrop 16. Comes down with 17. A lot, for many? 18. Like some paths 20. Equip for battle 22. Bifocal, for one 23. Winner’s cry 27. Cancel, NASA style 29. Have a hand out, say 30. CA landing spot 31. Phobos, to Mars 32. Something to chew 33. Colt carrier? 34. Opposite of neg. 35. Non-pro? 36. English subjects? 37. New York Bay island 39. Emulates Eve 40. In a rage or all the rage 41. Tip of the House 44. Giving ground? 47. Let out 49. Showgirl’s accessory 50. Penultimate storybook word 51. Unduplicated 52. Fuel in a cylinder (abbr.) 53. Classify 54. Play a carnival game 55. Briefest acceptance speech?

1. Desperation guess 2. Show fright, maybe 3. Cowboy’s horse 4. Convincing, as an argument 5. Some tournaments 6. Director’s directive 7. Analyzed in a lab 8. Disney pup 9. Circumference section 10. Where achievers go 11. Lady of the pen 19. Fork-tailed flier 21. Convoy member 24. Believably 25. Bring home 26. Extinguished flames? 27. Concert array 28. Mukluk, e.g. 29. Burger base 32. Tourney 33. Be a downer 35. Firm head 36. Port on the Loire 38. “So ___!” 39. Muddies the waters 42. Jogger’s gait, perhaps 43. Doesn’t keep up 44. Attained, as a goal 45. Collegiate climber 46. Part of a gym set 48. Farm call

Last issue’s solutions are now online: var.st/crossword