January 22, 2018 by The Varsity

Vol. CXXXVIII, No. 15 January 22, 2018 thevarsity.ca —— University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880

“Un-Canadian”: Justice for Soli event addresses mental illness, correctional system Death of mentally ill man in custody prompts brother to lead campus speaking tour Kathryn Mannie Varsity Contributor

Call and response

PHOTO BY HENRY CHAN, COURTESY OF BLACKWOOD GALLERY

Blackwood Gallery exhibition features public programs alongside Indigenous artists

page 15

International PhDs to pay tuition equivalent to domestic students Graduate students respond to changes in academic rates Ilya Bañares Associate News Editor

Come September, domestic and international PhD students at U of T will pay equivalent tuition. This breaks from the status quo of international students paying much higher rates than domestic students. At present, most international fees are $21,560 per year, in comparison to the domestic rate of $6,960 for a majority of programs. Rose Liu, an international student and Masters of Pharmacology student, said she believes that the move was reasonable. “It doesn’t make sense for them to pay a whole lot extra.” Minyi Xie, a graduate student at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, highlighted that the announcement was good for research initiatives. “If schools can reduce their tuition fees they can pay more money for their research.” The announcement came on January 16. In a statement posted on U of T News,

Joshua Barker, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Vice-Provost of Graduate Research and Education, said that the university “[strives] to remove any barriers, financial or otherwise, that graduate students might face as they look to attend our university.” Barker later told The Varsity that the move was to make higher education more accessible to a larger pool of students. “We know that international students will always be looking carefully at the fees that they will be paying,” he said. “Reducing it to domestic level will improve our capacity to recruit the best of the best.” The plan technically won’t kick in until after a student’s fourth year of study in their doctoral program. Currently, both international and domestic students are provided a funding package, comprised of grants and work opportunities, that does not require them to pay fees out of pocket for the first four years. Starting in their fifth year and any other time after that, students will have to pay fees.

“[Students will be affected] when they finish the funded portion of their degree, and we’re going to absorb the costs of that through our normal budget process,” said Barker with regard to the specific details of how the university will offset this financial change. The announcement comes two weeks after the deadline for doctoral programs passed, and some international students are saying that the expensive fees factored into their decisions to not apply. “We’re only able to make the announcement when the decision has been reached within the university, and we have agreement from the various faculties within the university,” said Barker. Liu also noted how this might promote meritocracy. “If supervisors know that they don’t have to pay for international PhD students, they could probably decide to take a certain international student instead of compromising for domestic students.” Tuition, page 4

Soleiman Faqiri was a mentally ill man who died under suspicious circumstances while under detention at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ontario. A campus speaking tour led by his brother, Yusuf Faqiri, is putting the spotlight on mental illness in the Canadian correctional system and calling for justice. The Justice for Soli organization hosted an event in the Multi-Faith Centre at UTSG on January 18, the second stop on its U of T tour. Yusuf spoke at the event, sharing details of Soleiman’s case and his family’s search for closure. A year after Soleiman’s death, the family still does not know the full details of the investigation or why charges were never brought against any of the correctional staff involved. Soleiman was arrested on December 4, 2016 on charges of assault and uttering threats. On December 15, 2016, he was found dead in his cell after an altercation with prison guards. A coroner’s report detailed more than 50 signs of “blunt impact trauma” found across Soleiman’s body. The report stated that Soleiman was pepper-sprayed twice. Following the pepper spray, a “code blue” — indicating that an inmate is being aggressive or a staff member is in danger — was initiated. Soleiman was bound with cuffs and leg irons, his head covered with a spit hood. After the initial guards’ shifts ended and new guards arrived, Soleiman was observed to have stopped breathing. His death occurred 11 days after he had arrived at the correctional centre and days before he was meant to be moved to a mental health facility. Despite these findings, the official cause of death was “unascertained.” After 11 months of investigation, the Kawartha Lakes Police Service (KLPS) concluded that “no grounds exist to process criminal charges against anyone who was involved with Mr. Faqiri prior to his death.” A week after the KLPS released its statement, the coroner’s office announced Soli, page 4

COMMENT

SCIENCE

SPORTS

Securitization is dangerous

Pace yourself

Making space for women

Academic institutions should not be complicit in anti-Black racism bias

Professor pilots self-paced mastery learning in computer science course

The sports media complex should take concrete steps toward gender inclusion

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Photo of the week

Brrrrrr. FRANK HUNG/THE VARSITY

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UTMSU‘s Multicultural Week Cultural Carnival Location: UTM Student Centre Time: 11:00 am –3:00 pm

Food Fair Location: UTM Student Centre Time: 11:00 am –3:00 pm Price: Free

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Events around U of T

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David Frum on Trumpocracy 2018 Hart House Hancock Lecture Location: Hart House Great Hall

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Culture Show

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JANUARY 22, 2018 • 3

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Intersectionality, awareness at fore of Hart House Debate on mental health Speakers address accessibility shortcomings, importance of focus on marginalized communities Silas Le Blanc Varsity Staﬀ

“The Future of Canadian Mental Health,” hosted by the Hart House Debates & Dialogue Committee, focused on the shortcomings of the country’s mental health treatment options and the importance of viewing mental health the same way as physical health. The January 15 panel featured prominent figures in the Canadian mental health scene. Catherine Zahn, the President of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), noted that there have been great strides in opening up conversations around mental health. “In the past 10 years, we have seen this emergence of groups and individuals feeling confident to actually

speak, themselves, about their own experiences.” She broadly lauded the shift in mental health initiatives in bringing the conversation to children and youth and widening services available to young people in Canada. Still, Zahn argued that there remain obstacles to universal access to mental health services. Intersectionality was another important point of discussion for the panel. Carol Hopkins, Executive Director of the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, a health organization that focuses on First Nations and Inuit peoples, said that treating mental illnesses varies across cultures. As someone who worked for over 20 years in the field of Indigenous mental health, she explained that this variation is partially due to how people from different cultures feel a

Catherine Zahn, President and CEO of CAMH. PHOTOS BY NATHAN CHAN, COURTESY OF HART

Carol Hopkins, Executive Director of the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation.

HOUSE DEBATES AND DIALOGUE COMMITEE

sense of belonging in different ways. Hopkins said that renewed conversations about reconciliation with Indigenous communities is beginning to make a difference in terms of resources available for treatment. “We didn’t have any investments on reserve for mental health services until we started talking about reconciliation.” She highlighted the importance of focusing on Indigenous communities, citing the high suicide rates among Indigenous populations. Another speaker at the event was David Wiljer, a member of the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, a U of T organization that brings together people in the health industry. Wiljer raised a number of points about the double-edged relationship between technology and mental health. He said that technology and the ways in which it is used can negatively affect mental health. However, he added that “technology used in certain ways might be able to break down some of the isolation that people are feeling and actually help improve access.” He noted social media campaigns’ ability to spread awareness about mental health issues and improve people’s understanding of how to access services. Louise Bradley, President of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, said that mental health initiatives in universities were lagging behind initiatives happening in the workplace. She also added to Wiljer’s comments about technology, saying that it can help reduce wait times for people to receive mental health services. Bradley said that in forming mental health initiatives in university, it’s crucial to think of all members of the community, not just students. “I think that’s not just looking at the mental health of students, although that’s extremely important, it has to go to faculty because the faculty and university

staff aren’t paying attention to their mental health.” The speakers repeatedly spoke about how many people still do not have access to what should be universal mental health care. Dr. David Goldbloom, Professor of Psychiatry at U of T, said that living in a rural area makes it much more difficult to obtain mental health services. “There are barriers of language, or culture, of poverty, of housing that deprive people from accessing the services that are on paper, universal healthcare services,” said Goldbloom. “But they are not universal.”

Michael Wilson, Chancellor of U of T.

UTSU to pilot online grocery store project with FoodReach Full program rollout at Student Commons expected September 2018 Ilya Bañares

Associate News Editor

The University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) will be starting an online grocery store in the next academic year. The service will allow members to order goods online and have them shipped to and stored at the union’s office at 12 Hart House Circle. The project is in collaboration with nonprofit organization FoodReach, which works with agencies that serve local communities and connects them with food wholesalers. FoodReach provides lower prices by buying in bulk. FoodReach Project Lead Alvin Rebick said that the group acts as a large buying organization that distributes

to smaller partners. “This allows agencies with smaller budgets to benefit from pricing that would otherwise only be available to large purchasing bodies.” The organization “was established to address issues of food access and improved food quality & service to agencies and schools,” wrote Rebick. According to UTSU Vice-President University Affairs Adrian Huntelar, the program “is being seriously considered for the transition to the Student Commons,” which is expected to be complete in September. The UTSU office is not a suitable permanent home for the program due to a lack of storage space in the office at Hart House Circle. “We cannot responsibly provide a service that involves perishable food unless

The pilot program will allow students to pick up groceries from the UTSU oﬃce. STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY

we have proper storage space, meaning fridges, freezers, and solid storage rooms,” said Huntelar. “Right now, the UTSU office is simply not equipped to handle large quantities of groceries.” This won’t stop the union from at least piloting the project. Huntelar sees the program as playing an important role in ensuring food security for students. “The main group that this supports is those who

live off-campus without access to a dining hall,” said Huntelar, “but also who are responsible for essentially making their own food.” With the Student Commons on the horizon, the UTSU also hopes to move the Food Bank, which has been operating in the Multi-Faith Centre every Friday, to the new building to allow for operation every weekday.

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Tuition, from cover

The tuition cut will not affect professional programs. The Doctor of Juridical Science, Doctor of Education, and Doctor of Music Arts will keep current international tuition rates due to their non-research orientation. According to Barker, there are no plans at present to reduce those fees. There are also no plans to equalize the tuition rates of domestic and international students at the undergraduate or master’s level. The University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU) expressed support for the announcement. Alexandra Sebben, Communications and Promotions Coordinator for the UTGSU, said that the “Executive Committee supports the reduction of tuition fees for all students, especially international students who are currently burdened by very high tuition costs.” The UTGSU will also be meeting with Barker before the end of the month to discuss this issue in more detail.

The decision coincides with the university’s negotiations with CUPE Local 3902, Unit 1, a labour union that represents, in part, teaching assistants — many of whom are doctoral students. Barker said that bargaining negotiations did not affect the tuition cut decision. “The desire to internationalize our graduate student body is something that we’ve been working on for some time now… It is a university priority that was articulated by the President a couple of years ago.” CUPE 3902, Unit 1 responded positively to the news. Aleks Ivovic, Chief Spokesperson for the unit’s bargaining team, said that “support for international students is and always has been an important priority for us.” “In terms of its effect on our international members,” said Ivovic, “we expect it will make a meaningful difference to PhD students who are in programs without funding.”

Arts & Science marks posted on ACORN after delay for some courses Students expressed concern when fall marks weren’t back by January 15

The faculty’s submission timeline requires that all marks be submitted by January 11. STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY

Hannah Carty Varsity Contributor

Most international fees are $21,560 per year, in comparison to the domestic rate of $6,960. STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY

As of January 17, all submitted marks from the Faculty of Arts & Science have been posted on ACORN after some students expressed concern that their grades were not yet posted. The only remaining exceptions are some students in Individual Studies courses or those who deferred an exam. The faculty’s submission timeline requires that all marks be submitted by January 11 to be reviewed by their corresponding department. Professors have seven days to grade and submit the marks, not counting winter break or weekends. This allows exams

taken on the last day of the exam period to have the same seven-day timeline. Deborah Robinson, Faculty Registrar and Director of Undergraduate Academic Services, told The Varsity that by January 11, 98.1 per cent of courses had their marks posted on ACORN. According to Robinson, the remaining 1.9 per cent had grades posted by January 17. “Not very many courses were late.” Some students voiced concern about the time they received their grades largely due to the fact that certain fall semester courses were prerequisites for winter semester courses.

Soli, from cover an inquest into Soleiman’s death — though Yusuf called this “an important start,” he said the family will continue to fight for accountability. “He’s alive before this incident, he’s dead after,” Yusuf told The Varsity. “I’d love for the Ministry to explain to me how 50 bruises happened to a mentally ill man and why charges were not pressed by the Kawartha Lakes Police Service.” Yusuf described the circumstances of his brother’s death and the subsequent treatment of his family by the KLPS with one word: “un-Canadian.” He concluded his talk by stating that “the greatest measure of a society is how that society treats its most vulnerable.” The goal of the Justice for Soli organization and the purpose of its tri-campus speaking tour at U of T is to highlight the need for greater accountability. The organization hopes to see those involved in the death of Soleiman criminally charged. In the long term, Yusuf called for better mental health training for correctional officers. He hopes to start a conversation

surrounding mental illness and the stigma associated with it. Soleiman was diagnosed with schizophrenia after a car accident cut short his academic career at the University of Waterloo’s engineering program. Prior to his diagnosis, Yusuf described his brother as a straight-A student. Despite mental health issues, Soleiman remained dedicated to his faith and education, picking up Arabic and teaching the language to their mother. Yusuf stressed the fact that mental illness is only one aspect of a person. “That doesn’t characterize who they are. These are individuals with hopes and dreams.” A “certain desire for change” in the student body and academic culture of U of T prompted Yusuf to bring his campaign here. He wants the case of his brother to reach as many eyes and ears as possible so that “the powers that be and Canadians at large know that a Canadian man under government care was killed in custody. Someone who was vulnerable, someone who needed to be taken care of.” When asked if he still had faith in the

“The system failed my brother, and the system is failing many other Canadians,” said Yusuf Faqiri. STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY

Canadian justice system, Yusuf said that he had faith in people, but he made clear that “the system failed [his] brother, and the system is failing many other Canadians.” The tri-campus speaking tour also

stopped at UTSC on January 12 and will visit Room IB 345 in UTM’s Instructional Centre Building at 6:00 pm on January 25.

JANUARY 22, 2018 • 5

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Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell speaks at U of T Only Canadian female PM discusses women in leadership

The event was hosted by the School of Public Policy and Governance and moderated by the school’s director, Peter Loewen. SHANNA HUNTER/THE VARSITY

Josie Kao Associate News Editor

Campbell was joined by Sarah Kaplan and Terhas Ghebretecle. SHANNA HUNTER/THE VARSITY

Campbell served as Prime Minister in 1993 for less than a year. SHANNA HUNTER/THE VARSITY

Kim Campbell, Canada’s only female Prime Minister, spoke at U of T last week to discuss women in leadership and the barriers to entry that they face. The event, on January 18 at the Isabel Bader Theatre, was held by the School of Public Policy and Governance (SPPG) and featured a talk given by Campbell, followed by a panel discussion with prominent women in the field of public policy, including Sarah Kaplan, Professor of Gender & the Economy at Rotman School of Management, and Terhas Ghebretecle, the Director of SPPG’s Gender, Diversity, and Public Policy Initiative. Campbell focused on the problems she saw with how people perceive leaders, and how to fix these issues. She began by talking about whether things have changed since she was chosen for Canada’s top job after then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney resigned in 1993. “There is a growing understanding of why women leaders face the barriers they face,” she said. “Enough women have persisted that we’ve come to see what women in fact bring to the fields that they participate in.” Campbell served as Prime Minister for less than a year before her party, the Progressive Conservatives, were elected out of office. “When I had political retirement thrust upon me by the Canadian electorate, it gave me time to go back to my social sciences roots,” she joked. She continued to describe how research has shown that people perceive women to be “non-prototypical leaders.” “When you are a non-prototypical leader, you are often seen as an anomaly,”

said Campbell. “You fall off the radar screen when you’re out of office, even when you serve a full term.” During the panel discussion, SPPG Director Peter Loewen asked how women should balance “trying to be tougher than men… and trying to change what the picture is of a political leader.” In response, Kaplan echoed Campbell’s statements, saying that people need to “change [their] own expectations of what [they] think a leader looks like.” Ghebretecle said that “not all women have a choice.” “When you’re Black, when you’re a woman, when you’re young… it’s about survival,” she said. “I don’t have that ability to be able to say, ‘Oh, should I try and advance the cause of women in this meeting and not have to care about whether I’m wearing makeup or not.’” At the conclusion of the panel, Campbell said that one way to remove the barriers facing women is “to go back to see who were not seen in our history. The women, people of colour, Indigenous people, people who were left out of the narrative… It’s not new.” Deb Matthews, former Ontario Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, was in attendance at the event. Speaking to The Varsity afterward, Matthews said “it was fantastic” and that she was eager to open the conversation up to “diversity of all kinds.” “It’s not just women that we need — we need more young people, we need people to reflect the face of the province,” said Matthews. “I think it’s a really important conversation and I know we can do it because we’ve done it with women.”

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New Strategic Mandate Agreement looks to bridge gap between old and new provincial funding models UTSG to shift toward more research-based, graduate-focused programming Aidan Currie Deputy News Editor

U of T announced on January 11 the signing of a second Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA), outlining its goals and priorities, with the Ontario government. The new SMA articulates U of T’s institutional goals for the next three years, measuring the university’s performance within the Ontario postsecondary system and setting out enrolment targets. These metrics will inform the continued development of the new provincial funding model, which will be part of the third SMA, to be signed in 2020. The SMA details five areas in which the university will be measured and which the university hopes to prioritize and improve in, consistent with President Meric Gertler’s vision for the institution. These are Student Experience; Innovation in Teaching and Learning Excellence; Access and Equity; Applied Research and Excellence Impact; and Innovation, Economic Development and Community Engagement. Part of those five areas of importance are a number of metrics and targets that U of T hopes will differentiate it from other institutions in the Ontario postsecondary system. These include

being the top Ontario university in number of published papers and adding 1,000 Indigenous students across all divisions. “We’ll be tracking those over the next three years, although we won’t be either rewarded or penalized for not making those outcomes,” said U of T’s chief of government relations, Andrew Thomson. Thomson referred to the SMA as a “master agreement” in terms of how the university will be funded. It is meant to transition the university from an old funding model to a new one, which will be informed by “metrics-based outcomes.” In the past, the university’s funding agreements with the province have been composed of a basic operating grant plus enrolment-based funding. According to the university’s 2016–2017 budget, $668.2 million was set to come from the province under this structure. Now, “the government is identifying that they will set aside, in the future, a portion of [U of T’s] funding which will be driven entirely be metrics, not just by enrolment funding formulas,” explained Thomson. Notably, under the new SMA, UTSG will see a decrease in domestic undergraduate enrolment by 1,800 students over the next three years, while graduate enrolment will increase by 829 in that time. This is part of a shift in focus toward

greater research and innovation at UTSG. With the province seeing enrolment decreasing based on a dip in 18-24 year olds available for entry to undergraduate programs in Ontario, the university wanted to protect its undergraduate numbers at UTM and UTSC. The cut was easier to absorb at UTSG, which currently enrols over 40,000 undergraduates. “This is a very large, innovative university. There’s a lot of great research that happens here,” said Thomson. “We are Canada’s top research institution and it’s important that we articulate that and continue to drive that forward. That permeates itself through everything, including the quality of the education that undergraduate students receive.” The university will also focus on international student intake, which is projected to increase by 581 students, from 15,382 to 15,963 by 2020. Most of this increase will be in undergraduate programs. “A lot of recruitment efforts are focusing in countries that have not been previously sending large cohorts to the U of T and we think there’s an opportunity for us to grow,” said Thomson. “Obviously U of T is significantly different than other universities in the province, and this is reflected within the agreement. Over the next three years what we are working to identify is

how we explain, articulate, and prove that we are in fact driving the outcomes that we have identified in the agreement,” added Thomson. In 2014, the Ontario government signed SMAs with all 45 public universities and colleges in an effort to differentiate the institutions in its postsecondary system, cutting down on program duplication and prioritizing each institution’s program strengths. Tanya Blazina, a spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development, explained in an email that through their SMAs, institutions articulate “how they contribute in their own unique way to the postsecondary system in areas like enrolment, program mix, research, student experience and partnerships with their communities.” The SMA also includes a brief summary about the development of the university’s fiveyear International Strategic Plan relating to “partnerships with universities abroad; student mobility; international student experience; and recruiting talent from around the world.”

Hart House to include accessible entrance in Arbor Room renovation Donations being solicited for funding of project Aidan Currie Deputy News Editor

Hart House is seeking donations to help fund a full renovation of the Arbor Room, located on the building’s south side, including an accessible entrance. The renovation is part of an effort to increase Hart House’s accessibility, which has already included adding a ramp on the east side facing Queen’s Park. Hart House Warden John Monahan explained that when the Arbor Room’s last food provider’s contract expired, renovation plans were already in place due to the floor sloping “dramatically towards the centre of the room.” According to Monahan, around the time of that contract expiry, Hart House was undergoing an accessibility review, which recommended more accessible entrances to the building. “The Arbor Room, being so important and integral to the house, being at the front of Hart House really, right there on Hart House circle, that had always been dependant upon stairs, and therefore was not accessible to everybody,” said Monahan. “So since we were going to be repairing the Arbor Room anyway, we took the opportunity to expand the work to look into the feasibility of creating an accessible entrance into the Arbor Room.” Monahan said that renovations on classic, neo-Gothic buildings can be expensive. Hart

Renovations on classic, neo-Gothic buildings can be expensive. STEVEN LEE/THE VARSITY

House receives roughly half its operating budget from student ancillary fees and roughly half from business revenue, including room rentals, catering, weddings, and fundraising. “There are donors, we believe, that share our commitment to making spaces like Hart House more accessible for everybody,” he said. “We would rather have that money to spend on accessibility than have to depend upon the revenue provided by student ancillary fees. We’d rather put that money

towards supporting the programs and activities that students really associate with Hart House.” Students and community members can donate online. The donation page references “maintaining the heritage character of the building” while making it more accessible. Hart House will be working closely with the university’s property management and capital projects departments, recruiting engineers, architects, environmental assessors, and heritage consultants to assist

in designing the new entrance. “100 years ago, people didn’t have the same appreciation or same approach to accessibility as they do now. So we certainly don’t want to sacrifice accessibility at the altar of historical authenticity,” said Monahan. “At the same time, we don’t want to in any way mar the entrance to Hart House with a design that is going to fight with the heritage character of the rest of the building or the other buildings at the university for that matter.”

JANUARY 22, 2018 • 7

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U of T investigating Shibboleth error page, says solution coming soon Some students blocked from accessing ACORN, other online university services

Andy Takagi Varsity Contributor

Students attempting to access ACORN and other online university services have been encountering a Shibboleth error page, preventing them from logging in. While this problem has been reported on the r/ UofT subreddit as far back as three years ago, a number of students have recently reported an increase in the frequency of the error page to The Varsity. The page reads, “Error Message: Message did not meet security requirements,” and it blocks students from accessing certain academic resources. Shibboleth is a login tool that allows users to sign onto multiple platforms with one ID. Bo Wandschneider, U of T’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), said the issue

SCREENSHOT VIA ACORN

is with Shibboleth and is not related to the university’s services. The issue cannot be consistently replicated, according to Wandschneider, and it remains unclear under what exact circumstances students’ logins redirect to the page. “We’re not yet sure exactly why it’s happening,” said Wandschneider. “It is likely, from what we know, to be a browserbased issue and possibly something unique to something in installation or in browsers.” When asked about suggestions that the Shibboleth error page is occurring more often to more students, Wandschneider noted that there have been a lack of comments raised by students at the

Information Commons Help Desk. A fix to the issue is most likely coming in the short term in the form of a solution or a work-around to the error page. Wandschneider also hopes that a new, more informative error page highlighting a localized and specific issue will be appearing in place of the current Shibboleth message. He encouraged students to raise any issues they’re having at the Information Commons Help Desk, saying that it “allows us to... collect information on how this issue arises and then we can figure out how to come up with a solution.” First-year engineering student Ryuji Mori stressed the hindrance of the “super

inconvenient” page on his daily homework routine. “Because I only think of doing homework once a day, when [the page] comes up, it completely derails me.” If students encounter the page, whether regularly or sporadically, Wandschneider encourages reporting any issues to the Information Commons Help Desk, which can be reached at help.desk@utoronto.ca.

Workers’ rights groups protest Tim Hortons outside Sid Smith Fight for $15 and Fairness denounces recent wage cuts made to some franchises Jillian Schuler Associate News Editor

Fight for $15 and Fairness, a group that advocates for workers’ rights, held a protest outside Sidney Smith Hall at noon on January 19 in response to a decision made by some Tim Hortons franchises to cut benefits from workers. The decisions to cut some benefits and breaks follow the $2.40 provincial minimum wage increase on January 1 to $14 per hour. None of the four Tim Hortons locations on the U of T campus have made cuts. The protestors consisted of students, Fight for $15 and Fairness representatives, and people from COPE, an Ontario labour union. The hour-long protest consisted of chants and speeches from U of T students and alumni, and it comes at the same time as protests at Tim Hortons across Ontario. The event alternated between speeches and chants, such as, “Hold the sugar, hold the cream, Tim Hortons don’t be mean,” and “Tim Hortons, you’re no good, treat your workers like you should.” U of T student Julia DaSilva, one of the speakers at the protest, argued that the “same logic of austerity” that Tim Hortons has been using is creating a “precarious and dangerous world” for workers in the future. DaSilva is an organizer with the U of T Fight for $15 and Fairness chapter and has spoken at other Tim Hortons protests since the cuts were made. The Varsity has reached out to Tim Hortons for comment.

The protest took place outside Sidney Smith Hall at noon on January 19. JILLIAN SCHULER/THE VARSITY

8 • THE VARSITY • NEWS

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Psiphon sees widespread use amid Iranian civil unrest 2006 app allows citizens to bypass government internet censorship Kiana Shahbazi Varsity Contributor

The app Psiphon was developed in 2006, but its decade-old technology is seeing widespread use today in Iran as millions of citizens evade government internet censorship. Public demonstrations have wracked Iran since late December, largely in response to social, political, and economic grievances, exasperated by the country’s rising fuel and food prices. Just like they did with the Green Movement protests over the presidency in 2009, the Iranian government is responding to protests by blocking social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, and more recently, Telegram. Eight million to 10 million Iranians are estimated to have downloaded Psiphon since New Year’s Eve in order to bypass this internet censorship, increasing the app’s average number of daily downloads from 37,500 to 700,000. Psiphon’s circumvention technology was

The app was developed by U of T’s Citizen Lab. CC WIKIMEDIA

created in 2006 at the Munk School of Global Affairs’ Citizen Lab. Citizen Lab’s director, Professor Ronald Deibert, wrote, “Citizen Lab researchers had been researching patterns of Internet censorship worldwide for several years.” This research, he said, allowed their researchers to become knowledgeable about the strengths and weaknesses of bypassing internet filtering. “We came up with an innovative way to leverage private social networks of trust and called it Psiphon.” Psiphon was unique in that it took an already existing idea — circumvention via connecting to proxy computers — and made it accessible. In a 2006 interview with CNN, Deibert explained how it works. “People who live in uncensored locations (e.g. Canada) download Psiphon on their home computers and then give their

connection information to a few trusted friends and family members who live in now more than 40 countries worldwide that censor internet communications,” said Deibert. “Those individuals connect to the computer in the [censored] locations and make requests for banned content.” The Citizen Lab is not currently developing new censorship circumvention technology. “We are now focused on threats to human rights online that are more cutting edge,” said Deibert, referring to examples such as targeted espionage against civil society, hidden censorship and surveillance inside mobile applications, and the growing spread of cyber security practices that limit free expression and access to information. In 2008, Psiphon became Psiphon Inc., a corporation completely independent of the Citizen Lab and U of T. It has since been

speculated to have received funding from foreign sources like the European Parliament and the US State Department Internet Freedom program. Its circumvention system has evolved from the original Citizen Lab design. Its current version has the capacity for smart selection of different transport protocols, including Secure Shell and Virtual Private Network technologies. This makes for what Alexis Gantous of Psiphon calls a secure “tunneling software.” The app is anonymous insofar as it does not require the creation of an account that would collect users’ IP or email addresses. User data — including any chat messages, uploads, and browsing history — are also encrypted. However, Psiphon stresses that it is only an anti-censorship app and that the privacy of its users cannot be guaranteed.

JANUARY 22, 2018 • 9

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Student candidates for Governing Council positions released Seats to be hotly contested in February elections

Josie Kao Associate News Editor

The candidates for this year’s Governing Council elections were released on January 17, with a total of 47 candidates running for the eight positions the council reserves for students. Governing Council is U of T’s highest governing body in charge of managing the university, including its properties and assets. Its powers include setting tuition fees and deciding on policies like the mandatory mental health leave. There are 28 students running for the two Constituency I positions, which represent full-time students in the Faculty of Arts & Science, UTSC, and UTM. The two seats for part-time undergraduate students were claimed by Susan Froom and Mala Kashyap. Froom is the current Vice-President Internal at Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students (APUS), and has been a member of Governing Council since 2014; Kashyap is the President of the APUS and currently serves on Governing Council’s Academic Board. The students running for Constituency

I undergraduate seats are: Hussain Ali, Tejbeer Bhullar, Tyler Biswurm, Julia DaSilva, Academic Board member Arina Dmitrenko, Georgia Dryden, Elizabeth Frangos, Serena J. Gu, Edie Guo, Nicholas Heinrich, UTSU Vice-President University Affairs Adrian Huntelar, Carl Kersey, Mascha Kopytina, Audrey Lee, Jingjing Liu, Blair P. Madeley, Price Amobi Maka, former St. Michael’s College Director Georgina Merhom, Aidan Mohammad, Maha Rahman, James Rasalingam, Sukarmina Singh Shankar, Tasnia Syeda, Yousra Tarrabou, Tiger Wu, Leon Zeliang Zhang, Yufei Zhang, and Alan Zheng. The students running for the two Constituency II undergraduate seats for students in professional faculties are Ramz Aziz, Chetanya Choudhary, Joshua Humphrey, Litos Li, Zhenglin Liu, Hanna Singer, Tom Sutherland, Twesh Upadhyaya, and Hanya Waleed Abdelgabbar Wahdan. Liu currently serves on Governing Council’s University Affairs Board. Upadhyaya is currently a member of Governing Council as well as a member of the Academic Board. There are five candidates for the single

There are eight seats reserved for students on U of T’s highest governing body. NATHAN CHAN/THE VARSITY

graduate student Constituency I seat, representing those studying humanities and social sciences: Emily Clare, Harry Orbach-Miller, Igor Samardzic, Yasseen Tasabehji, and Wales Wong. There are three students running for the graduate student Constituency II seat, representing physical and life sciences: UTSU Associate President Nathan Chan, Sandhya Mylabathula, and Sabrina Sen. The campaign period is January 22 to February 16. The elections are set to run

from February 5–16. The students elected will serve year-long terms. Disclosure: Nathan Chan served as the Photo Editor at The Varsity from May 2016 to April 2017.

UTSU UC Director resigns, cites “ongoing personal and professional disagreements” Aidan Swirsky must also resign from UC Lit position Ilya Bañares Associate News Editor

Aidan Swirsky, University College (UC) Director on the UTSU Board of Directors, announced his resignation on January 16, effective immediately. In an email to the board, Swirsky wrote that “over the past few months, a number of ongoing personal and professional disagreements with some colleagues” contributed to his resignation. He also expressed worry about the advocacy work that he had wanted to “continue from first term and commence this term, including the fulfillment of certain campaign promises.” Swirsky did not specify to which colleagues he was referring. His resignation also necessitated his departure from the UC Literary and Athletic Society (UC Lit), UC’s student government, because UTSU directors are ex officio members of the student government. Swirsky ran in the March 2017 elections as a member of the Demand Better slate, alongside UTSU President Mathias Memmel. The issues Swirsky campaigned on included lobbying UC for increased accessibility, having the UTSU work more with UC’s Student Life office, and advocating for lower tuition fees and stronger anti-discrimination policies.

In an email to The Varsity, Swirsky wrote that he has “reached a point where the divergence in beliefs with some of whom I ran with and greatly committed to last election cycle has taken too much of an emotional toll on me to stay in this situation.” Swirsky said that he will continue to engage the UTSU’s commissions, specifically the Academic and Students’ Rights Commission, the Social Justice and Equity Commission, and the Campus Action Commission. University College will not go on without representation. Kshemani Constantinescu and Anushka Kurian, who ran with Swirsky, will stay on the board. “Aidan is going to be sorely missed. He’s been a unique, committed person to work with and we’re sorry to see him go, but we’re proud he’s made a decision that’s best for him,” said Kurian. “Aidan has faith that Anushka and I, with his support, will be able to do our constituents justice in representing their interests on the board,” said Constantinescu. Memmel said that Swirsky’s departure “is a loss for the board.” He continued, “I’m not going to pretend that he and I didn’t disagree on a number of issues… but I’ve always respected his independence and willingness to speak his mind.” Swirsky has been a UC representative

Swirsky, middle, ran in the March 2017 elections as a member of the Demand Better slate. ANDY TAKAGI/THE VARSITY

on the UTSU Board of Directors since May 2017, and he served in various positions on UC Lit since April 2015. He has also been heavily involved in many community issues, including coorganizing a student consultation session on the university’s proposed mandatory leave of absence policy. “If the policy unfortunately passes, even after the hard work that has been put in

by countless student activists to direct it away from its concerning current state,” said Swirsky, “the next step in the process for the students working now will have to be creating ways to support students who are at risk of being subject to the Policy.” Memmel said that it was likely too late in the year to fill Swirsky’s vacancy, adding that the board will decide how to proceed at its next meeting on January 26.

Comment

January 22, 2018 var.st/comment comment@thevarsity.ca

Killing for conservation Conservation strategies in developing regions should work to foster development, not hinder it

Governments must make conservation beneficial for both citizens and animals. PHOTO BY JAMES FELDMAN, COURTESY OF ZACH ROSEN

Zach Rosen Current Aﬀairs Columnist

I was lucky enough to travel to Tanzania over the winter break for a safari holiday with my family, spending most of my time in Serengeti National Park and the surrounding protected areas. It is impossible to travel through an area of such incredible natural abundance without wondering about its longevity. Nearly all of the species that tourists travel across the world to see — elephants, lions, leopards, and so on — are experiencing significant population decline. But in Tanzania and other African countries, the conservation of these species is more complicated than we might think. Governments need to find a way to make conservation not only beneficial for animals but pragmatic for citizens as well. This dichotomy exists because living in the immediate vicinity of lions or zebras can create problems for the community and pose both direct and indirect threats to development. For example, predatory indigenous animals often threaten livestock, which sometimes provokes retaliatory attacks on endangered animals. National Geographic published a story early last year detailing the toll that a particularly aggressive

pride of lions took on an entire village in Botswana, while the travel website Africa Geographic detailed one attack in Namibia last November during which over 250 animals were lost to lion attacks within one week. Perhaps more prevalent is the issue of competing demands for land. In 2016, Tanzanian authorities threatened to forcibly remove drought-afflicted herders who had moved their cattle into areas designated for conservation. Tanzania’s Vice-President, Samia Hassan Suluhu, remarked at the time, “We would not want to see any livestock from either within or outside the country [to] encroach and tamper with our national park ecosystems.” Remarks like these prompted some to ask whether the importation of the American national parks model might be flawed in areas where “demands on the land are much greater.” The complexity of this issue was brought to the fore in 2014 when Corey Knowlton, a Texan hunter, purchased a hunting license for a critically endangered black rhino. The license was issued by Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism and auctioned by the Dallas Safari Club. Perhaps even more controversial than the prospect of recreationally killing one of the last remaining

members of a critically endangered species was the claim, made by both Knowlton and the safari club, that the issuance of such licenses was done in the interest of conservation. As reported by CNN, Knowlton stated that “the killing of an older rhino bull, which no longer contributes to the gene pool but which could aim to harm or kill younger males, is part of the science of conservation.” Furthermore, the $350,000 USD that Knowlton paid for the ability to hunt the black rhino is being used to fund conservation and antipoaching efforts. To critics, this is outward hypocrisy bordering on absurdity. Azzedine Downes, President of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, stated categorically, “We just simply don’t believe that trophy hunting has any place in serious conservation.” People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals promised a lawsuit, declaring, “These permits are fundamentally inconsistent with the purpose of the Endangered Species Act, which is to conserve endangered species, not to authorize their slaughter.” A petition received by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in opposition to the endeavour received more than 135,000 signatures. Other groups take an arguably more practical approach when

faced with such dilemmas. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), for example, emphasizes the realities of conservation for the human and wildlife inhabitants of the region. In a mission statement, the WWF pledges its support for “hunting programs that present no threat to the survival of threatened species.” They go even further by asserting that “such programs provide valuable income to local communities for conservation and development projects, and provide incentives for communities to engage in wildlife conservation for the long-term.” It is this emphasis that our usual conversations about conservation lack. The WWF understands the importance of making the environment work for the people around it, not just the other way around. This balance is not only motivated by concern for human welfare but also by an understanding that long-term sustainable conservation strategies must provide opportunities for increased income, prosperity, and development as opposed to hindering them. Ultimately, Knowlton’s critics may be right. Allowing an animal to be killed for sport likely does undermine the principle that the value of that animal extends beyond its value to us — that there is something fundamentally wrong

with killing an innocent creature regardless of possible economic gain. But the larger insight about conservation remains. We in Canada, like much of the developed world, have already benefited, at least economically, from the near-total subordination of our environments to our needs and desires. Advocating for conservation from this position is fairly easy — the exploitation has already taken place, and comparatively, we don’t have much left to lose. This is simply not the case in Namibia, Tanzania, or in many other countries in the region. A sustainable approach to conservation cannot be advocated at the expense of development, especially since the areas where conservation is most important are those where development is most needed. We need to make conservation work for the citizens of those developing countries, not just the animals. Our conversations about the best ways to protect the environment should reflect that going forward. Zach Rosen is a second-year student at Trinity College studying History and Philosophy. He is The Varsity’s Current Affairs Columnist.

JANUARY 22, 2018 • 11

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Education or securitization? From the school-to-prison pipeline to recent campus events, it is vital to examine how academic institutions target Black students Ibnul Chowdhury Associate Comment Editor

The extreme cold weather of late evokes the memory of a troubling observation I made at Robarts Library last winter. To access Robarts’ overnight hours, students are routinely required to present their TCards to the library’s security officers. One night, I watched an officer approach a young Black man, who was resting with his head down on a table in the cafeteria area. When the man could not produce a TCard when prompted, the officer demanded that he leave the library. Though the man resisted, questioning the rigid disciplinary attitude of the officer in light of the cold weather, he was forced to leave when the officer threatened to call backup. This observation is a microcosm of the broad, complex process of securitization in our educational institutions, by which certain members of the student body are identified and targeted as threats. They are threats by virtue of their visibility — because they challenge, in some way, the image upheld by the institutions in question. And institutions like the University of Toronto can work to either neglect or actively endanger their security, situating their needs in opposition to the security of dominant institutions, worldviews, and identities. Securitization processes are not confined to any particular group: Indigenous peoples, genderqueer folks, and sexual assault survivors, among others on campus, can attest to the ways in which these processes have targeted them throughout their lives. On the specific issue of race, however, Black students in particular endure challenges that demonstrate how securitization operates. The criminalization of Black youth In educational settings, Black students are seen as both threats and as deserving of threats themselves. This duality is explained in the new work Policing Black Lives:

State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present by activist Robyn Maynard. Maynard explains how Black children, unlike white children, are not associated with vulnerability, innocence, or deservingness of safety, but are instead linked to dangerousness. In this vein, Maynard draws parallels between the segregation and neglect Black children have suffered in public schools and the cultural genocide that Indigenous children experienced in residential schools until the end of the 20th century. On the one hand, Black students are invisibilized in terms of curriculum, instructing staff, and funding; on the other, they are treated as hyper-visible threats deserving of surveillance and discipline. Maynard importantly notes that, although male Black students are the most conspicuous targets of such practices, anti-Black racism also intersects with female, LGBTQ+, mentally ill, and undocumented identities to produce harmful educational and life outcomes. These alarming outcomes are clear in a 2017 report led by Dr. Carl James, Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora at York University. Black students are three times as likely to be suspended from school compared to white students, and make up about half the expulsions in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Furthermore, Black students are disproportionately streamed into poorly supported lower education tracks, as opposed to academic courses required for university, which is reinforced by teachers’ low expectations of Black students. In turn, the police supplements the educational neglect of Black students in the name of preserving security. The Student Resource Officer (SRO) program, until recently, enabled armed police presence in TDSB schools. A primary objection to the program has been how racialized youth have felt targeted by police at schools. Furthermore, high expulsion and suspension rates continue to make Black stu-

BELINDA HOANG/THE VARSITY

SOURCE: YORK UNIVERSITY

dents more vulnerable to encounters with the police in the public sphere. As Maynard explains, these practices reflect how state institutions “push” Black youth out of schools and into incarceration — hence dubbed the school-to-prison pipeline — which inhibits their ability to access further educational and economic opportunities. Resistance at U of T The effects of securitization in education are not confined to primary and secondary institutions. U of T is no exception given recent events demonstrating anti-Black racism on campus. At Massey College in October, Senior Fellow Michael Marrus resigned after remarks toward a Black student referred to the “Master” of the college and invoked notions of slavery. Outrage toward the incident was couched in the context of longstanding criticism of the Master title, as well as the culture of racism in the college, which enables people in positions of power like Marrus to make such comments. In November, the Black Students’ Association (BSA) held a town hall in response to the university’s institutional failure to adequately address anti-Black racist remarks made by students in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, and to share frustrations in light of the lack of Black representation

Cumulative Suspension Rates, TDSB High School Students (2006–2011 Cohort)

White

Other Racialized

At Least One Suspension (per cent) Black No Suspension (per cent) 0

100 SOURCE: YORK UNIVERSITY

and accommodation on campus. Given such incidents, the university’s complicity in the ongoing climate of insecurity for Black students becomes apparent. As expressed at the BSA town hall, the securitization of public education contributes to the lack of self-worth, representation, and visibility of Black students in higherlevel university education. What university and public education administrations should be doing is acknowledging anti-Black racism as a continuing obstacle to educational outcomes for Black youth, and implementing appropriate policies to challenge it. As the 2017 report recommends, administrations ought to require and diversify anti-racism training for faculty and staff, ensure curriculum reflects anti-racism and diversity, and collect race-based data. At the same time, it is clear that Black youth are not agentless victims — rather, they are resistors striving to reclaim their own security. At U of T, one can look to the first-ever Black student graduation ceremony last summer, as well as the sense of community formed following this past fall’s incidents. In Toronto more generally, Black Lives Matter Toronto’s Freedom School aims to provide an alternative educational experience for young Black children, while years of pressure from community members and activist groups spurred the TDSB to end the SRO program in November 2017. These achievements point to the need for and potential of long-term, sustained action. In this vein, at the BSA town hall, activist Desmond Cole encouraged the Black community to keep up visibility through the media and continue to connect specific incidents at the university to broader systemic issues. Securitization: not singleissue Challenging securitization will also help other communities at U of T that are similarly vulnerable. For instance, in 2016, Campus Police’s inaction at the U of T Rally for Free

Speech enabled violence against members of the trans community. In fall of 2017, following a residence party, a Campus Police officer allegedly singled out and assaulted a racialized Trinity College Head, Bardia Monavari, who later alleged that the Assistant Deans had failed to protect him from harm. If not direct violence, the university has advocated for silence and suppression rather than constructive reform when critical issues threaten its reputation. Trinity College’s alleged mishandling of Tamsyn Riddle’s sexual assault case and the upcoming vote on the mandatory leave of absence policy which threatens to penalize students with mental health issues are salient examples of institutional silencing. In spite of the difficult campus climate produced by such scandals, Alissa Trotz, Associate Professor in Women and Gender Studies, notes that students have not backed down in the face of power, but are in fact mobilizing and organizing for justice. In order for this justice to be pursued most effectively, however, we cannot restrict our understanding of these incidents as isolated or unrelated. Solidarities between and across such student struggles must be formed to expose how the university is failing students on a cross-issue, institutional level in the spirit of ultimately creating broad policy changes. Universities are supposed to foster a safe learning environment for all students. Yet this is impossible if institutional practices target, suppress, and harm those students whose experiences juxtapose the reputable image and status quo legitimacy of the university. Given that anti-Black racism is among the most prominent avenues of securitization in education, the public education system and the university community should radically re-evaluate and reform their policies in the coming year. Ibnul Chowdhury is a third-year student at Trinity College studying Economics and Peace, Conflict, and Justice Studies. He is an Associate Comment Editor for The Varsity.

Coming back home Eleven years after leaving Toronto, a student reflects on the city he grew up in Article by Ilya BaĂąares Illustrations by Iris Deng

moved away from Toronto when I was younger and had rarely entertained the idea of returning. I had travelled across continents, changed homes multiple times, and, in doing so, maintained an unwritten rule: don’t retrace steps — always look toward the future. Yet, two years ago while I was living in China, when it came time to apply for universities in my final year of high school, I came across the University of Toronto as an option. Toronto was where I read my first chapter book, watched my first movie, learned how to speak French, developed my first crush, tried — and repeatedly failed — to learn how to ride a bicycle. It was where I had, in large part, grown up. I felt a rush of nostalgia upon the prospect of returning to Toronto. My favourite part about the city was the endless amount of vibrant spaces where a kid like me could read without noticing the world pass by; it could have been a park, the kindergarten library, or even the top of a rock. I received my acceptance to U of T in February of 2016. Even though I hadn’t made an official decision yet, and was still technically choosing between the United Kingdom and Canada, I already knew where I was going. 15 years ago When I was four years old, I boarded my first plane. My mom had been assigned to the position of Vice Consul for the Filipino government in Toronto, meaning that we would have to leave the Philippines immediately. I don’t remember much from back then, but from what I can recall, it meant leaving behind a close-knit community of friends and family — people we wouldn’t see for a while. It meant leaving behind the only country I had known, and moving to one I had never heard of. It meant I had to grow up somewhere else. That January 2003 plane ride was a little bumpy. Back then, there weren’t any direct flights to Canada from my country, so we had to make stopovers in Tokyo and Minnesota. After getting slightly ill on the first leg of the trip, I distinctly remember sitting in Narita International Airport in Tokyo and quietly asking my mom if I needed another sickness bag to throw up in. Turns out it was just my nerves. Stealthily, we arrived in the middle of the night after 24 hours of travel. For me, the entire city felt pitch black. We didn’t have a place to live in yet, so we camped out in the local Holiday Inn. My mom was extremely tired, but because it was my first experience with jet lag, I was wide awake at midnight looking for any food I could scrounge up. 14 years ago I stepped into Little Norway Park, just across from my apartment in the Waterfront area of the city. I had arrived in Canada mid-winter, so it was my first time experiencing the evolution from falling leaves to snow. I know it’s cliché to describe winter as magical, but it was precisely that. Coming from the tropics an ocean away, the only opportunity to see this would have been the Cordillera Central, and even then it would be considered a one-off event. The park itself was quite unassuming; the milieu used to be a training ground for the Royal Norwegian Air Force, but at this point it had a small presence. In the pocket of park space in Toronto, I remember making snow angels for the first time and trying to stir up a snowball fight. I remember being so bundled up that I looked like a penguin. The Waterfront area was my neighbourhood. It had the feeling of a small, tight-knit community in the middle of the metropolis — even though we could see the CN Tower and the Rogers Centre from our building. I remember sitting on the balcony watching

fireworks with the rest of our neighbours, some bundled in fleece blankets, others sitting on folding chairs emblazoned with the Toronto Maple Leafs logo. Upon visiting the neighbourhood this past summer, it had lost a little bit of its tiny-town charm; instead of a quiet community, you could hear the rumble and tumble of the city go by. Taking the place of the star-filled night sky of yore, I saw the bright lights of the new skyscrapers. To be honest, it was a shocking experience to see the drastic change that had taken place in 14 years, but I could still see pockets of memorable places, like a restaurant on the Quay that I swear has the best soup for after a long, cold day. But I guess that’s life; you leave for a while, the environment changes a little or a lot, and then you come back. The waterfront is, and will always be, special to me. 13 years ago Thirteen years ago I walked onto University Avenue to watch my first Santa Claus Parade. I didn’t quite know what to expect, seeing that it was my first experience with an actual ‘white Christmas’ and having spent the previous ones in 32 °C weather. I remember writing a letter to Santa and handing it off to one of the elves who put it in a prop mailbox. I wrote my letter in French as a way to practice my writing skills, and I received the standard boilerplate response. What surprised me the most was that someone had taken the time to jot down a reply in French, in blue ink, making it all the more personal. Obviously, I would later go through the process of finding out that Santa was not real, but the memories were still there. I didn’t lose my faith in Christmas; as an international student, going back home for the holidays is simply not feasible due to a limited budget, but I still FaceTime my mom at the stroke of midnight and think back to the parade. On the weekends, one of my favourite activities was visiting the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). It was a treat to see the T-Rex skeleton and the totem poles on display. At least once a month I was there checking out exhibits I hadn’t seen yet, especially the ones that featured archaeological discoveries. I even got a children’s membership card, after my mom and I decided it would be much more economical to have one. I remember sifting through sand in the children’s play area and pretending to be in awe of what I found, like dinosaur bones. My first memory of the ROM was entering through the historic east entrance while the Crystal entrance was under construction; returning years later it was a tad disappointing not entering through the original doorway — although they have since reopened it. Today, coming through the modern entryway is still a great experience — and I can already hear the protests of a multitude of Torontonians disagreeing with me — but I still missed entering through the east side and being in complete awe of the mosaic ceiling in the rotunda. For me, the dome was the sign telling me to get excited — it was exploring time. The ROM truly taught me the importance of curiosity — something I still cherish to this day. 12 years ago Twelve years ago I transferred to my third school in three years. When I initially arrived in Canada, I spent a couple of months mid-academic year at the Waterfront School near my house, but then moved to a French immersion program at Market Lane Public School in the St. Lawrence area to learn a second language. Interestingly, as a downtown institution, all classes and recesses were held inside one building, and we had to cross the street if we wanted to play in the park. I was at the St. Lawrence Market with

my Innis College residence housemates last year, and I took a short detour and decided to check out my old school. It felt like nothing had changed — I climbed the monkey bars and went down the slide a couple of times just to make sure. Just as I was getting used to the French language and the new school, I had to shift to St. Cyril. This time my school was in North York. The commute from the Queen’s Quay neighbourhood to the north was extremely long. I recall a couple of times having a McDonalds pancake breakfast in the car as we were rushing along the highway. Even though it was an entirely different experience, I sought to make the best out of it, and as it turned out, the school gave me some of my best memories. I remember having my first class at 9:00 am, having a pizza day every year and using the leftover cardboard boxes to slide down the hill, and hearing tales of horror stories during the after-school program. Years later, having a class before noon would be the end of me, I eat more pizza than most doctors would recommend is healthy for you, and if I so much as see a glimpse of a horror movie I scream. 11 years ago Eleven years ago I exited the St. George subway station, walked onto Bloor, and headed straight for Chapters, the logo emblazoned with illustrations of books and literature. Today, that building houses Winners. Back then, almost every weekend I was there reading books for hours on end. I remember sitting in the young children’s section looking through the new Geronimo Stilton releases wondering which one I hadn’t leafed through yet. I would be so engrossed in reading that I wouldn’t realize that four hours had gone by and my mom was telling me that we needed to go home, or at least that I should take a break and go outside. Heeding her advice, we would head out to take in the afternoon breeze. In a backroad of Bloor Street West, right behind Chapters, was the small Yorkville Village Park. Even though it’s pretty minuscule, it remains close to my heart to this day. One of the main features was a big rock. People would normally take pictures of it, and I’ve seen a couple of office workers from the neighbouring buildings eat their lunches there. Years ago, however, the place was my reading spot; I would go to the top, sit, and wonder what new things Geronimo Stilton was up to. It was that spot where I decided to become a writer; even though I would eventually forget about it and consider pursuing career paths like medicine and law, it still remained a close thought. This time last year, however, I changed my mind. When I started Netflix-ing Gilmore Girls I got inspired by Rory, returned to the big rock, and reminded myself of my love for writing. 11 years later And now, 11 years later, I’m back in the city I grew up in. Even though I’ve been through my fair share of winters since that time in Little Norway Park, I still huddle in my Point Zero parka for warmth. I haven’t missed a single Santa Claus Parade since my return — although I almost didn’t make it to the 2017 parade because of production for The Varsity. I don’t regularly go to the ROM nowadays, but I’m dying to see the Christian Dior exhibit that’s available. And every once in a while, I take a break and head out to the big rock to drink some coffee and read Dan Brown’s new book. As I close this feature in Gerstein, I’m listening to The Lucky One by Taylor Swift on repeat, worrying about an upcoming political science midterm, and stuffing my face with soft Chips Ahoy cookies. I’ve been here for six non-consecutive years, and every day I love that I decided to come back.

Arts&Culture

January 22, 2018 var.st/arts arts@thevarsity.ca

How rap, R&B, and lo-fi artists are crossing the east-west divide Exposure to Japanese, South Korean, and Chinese artists is enriching North American music

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William Shepherd Varsity Contributor

For many western listeners, exposure to East Asia’s complex modern music culture has come through Korean pop, and Korean pop alone. It’s no wonder why — the genre’s catchy tunes, clothing, and intricate choreography come together to form the complete entertainment package. However, this is an association that will soon start to change. Last year saw a rise in rap groups and R&B artists across many Asian countries' music scenes. Such growth can only be excellent news for music fans, regardless of nationality. Eastern reinterpretations of traditionally western genres, such as R&B and rap, with their roots in African-American culture, are vital to music, emphasizing the best aspects of both traditions. The bloating of R&B has become a plague in recent years, with flat, stunted projects like Drake’s Views and XXXTentacion’s 17 trying to manufacture the emotional resonance that great R&B artists establish with their listeners. However, fresh perspective from Asia has arrived to help reverse that trend. Artists like the half-Japanese Joji, with his debut EP In Tongues, have provided a welcome antidote, eschewing vague, commercial lyrics in favour of lines with tangible impact. It’s Joji’s focus on tactile songwriting that has become arguably his greatest strength. “Will He,” a bitter love letter from an exboyfriend, asks a former lover, “Will your tongue still remember the taste of my lips,”

and, “Will your shadow remember the swing of my hips?” The songs aren’t very long, and repetition is frequent, but — reminiscent of some tracks from Frank Ocean’s Blonde — they prey on your senses, using your sense of taste, smell, sight, and touch to pull you into stunning places. Joji builds a visceral connection with his listeners that has mostly been lost with artists in the modern day. Hopefully more artists will build on projects like these, which focus on the elements of R&B that make it stand as its own art form, and hopefully they cross over to western audiences. Joji’s instrumentals reveal evidence of a notable trend. Rarely featuring more than a piano, a guitar, some trap-style hihats, and a simple bassline, they mirror his songwriting in their simplicity and surreal melancholic vibe. Compared to the synth-heavy R&B that has gained popularity in recent years — think of The Weeknd’s Starboy or 6LACK’s Free 6LACK — Joji’s tracks are startlingly unique. Here, though, Joji is only building upon another genre of music in which East Asian influence has been key — lo-fi hip hop. Historically, lo-fi rap was characterized only by its low-fidelity recording quality, hence the name. Modern lo-fi has taken on some additional hallmarks — tracks are superbly relaxing, and their dreaminess is nearly unparalleled in other musical genres. Saib, a popular Moroccan artist, samples Japanese vocalists on tracks like “in your arms.” and draws inspiration from Asian locales in songs like “Shinjuku Metro Line,”

named after Tokyo’s busiest train station. Matatabi, an up-and-coming Japanese producer, makes great use of a sample on his song “Walking in the Moonlight,” while Brazilian artist Digital Waves brings back the infectious funk of ’80s pop artists such as Tatsuro Yamashita on tracks like “Talkin.’” Iconic western songs in the field of hip hop, like “Who Shot Ya” by The Notorious B.I.G, have always been defined by an ability to enrapture the listener with simple beats that set a unique mood. Lo-fi artists, breathing life back into forgotten eastern songs, are one such example. Perhaps the most surprising musical development of 2017 was the continued growth of quality rap from musicians like South Korean rapper Keith Ape and Chinese hip hop group Higher Brothers. Dressed almost exclusively in brands like the Bathing Ape, their aesthetics bear a striking resemblance to American groups like Migos. They draw on trap beats that any Atlantaor Florida-based rapper would be happy to work with, and they even carry western vocal techniques across linguistic barriers. In the absence of English, anglophone listeners pick up on the importance of vocal delivery by listening to these artists. In English tracks, listeners might be swept along by a particular line or verse, not understanding the finer vocal details that separate it from mediocrity. By contrast, Keith Ape, stepping on the track “Achoo” with Ski Mask the Slump God, delivers a performance in Korean that makes you want to bob your head from start

to finish. Even without any knowledge of his songwriting ability, it’s easy to pinpoint his strength in pacing — as with his 2015 hit single “It G Ma.” Ape constantly manipulates the tempo of his rhymes, slowing down and speeding up with precise timing. The Higher Brothers also help underscore elements of rap that western consumers enjoy, even if they might not be able to articulate why. Really, it's because the Higher Brothers have adopted the triplet flow used by American rappers for their use in Mandarin. Dividing each beat into three notes, they’ve ensured that songs like “Flo Rida” and “Young Master” will stay stuck in your head for days. When the listener can’t get caught up in the lyrics, they’re forced to pay conscious attention to the artist’s sound. Listening to songs like these can force music connoisseurs to think critically about the reasons why they like the music that they do. Western artists haven’t been oblivious to this development either. Florida natives like Ski Mask the Slump God and XXXTentacion collaborated heavily with Asian artists throughout 2017, while rappers such as Famous Dex and 21 Savage made brief cameos on the scene. This crossing of the east-west divide is absolutely necessary. The refreshing perspectives regarding songwriting, instrumental focus, and lyrical delivery provided by elements of different East Asian music scenes will add immeasurably to the richness and complexity of the global music industry as a whole.

JANUARY 22, 2018 • 15

var.st/arts

Blackwood Gallery’s latest exhibition is a call to action #callresponse focuses on Indigenous issues and eﬀorts for reconciliation

#callresponse features nine artworks at Blackwood Gallery. PHOTO BY HENRY CHAN, COURTESY OF BLACKWOOD GALLERY

Zeahaa Rehman Varsity Contributor

“I believe colonialism is bad. Saying that may be quite a start to a better kind of world.” With those words, Audra Simpson, Professor of Anthropology at Columbia University and a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Jackman Humanities Institute, ended her lecture titled “Savage States: Settler Governance in the Age of Sorrow.” The lecture, held last Wednesday at the Jackman Humanities building, was crowded, leaving many attendees sitting on the floor or leaning against a wall. This lecture is part of the #callresponse exhibition currently on display at UTM’s Blackwood Gallery. It is an artistic collaboration between artists and respondents. The process began with five local art commissions by Indigenous female artists. The artists were then asked to ‘call’ a viewer to

respond to the work. Both the artists’ calls and the viewers’ ‘responses’ are included in the exhibition. The #callresponse exhibition features work from Christi Belcourt, Isaac Murdoch, Maria Hupfield, IV Castellanos, Esther Neff, Ursula Johnson, Cheryl L’Hirondelle, Tanya Willard, Marcia Crosby, Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, and Tania Tagaq. In total, #callresponse is comprised of 12 artworks, nine of which are displayed at the Blackwood Gallery, with others exhibiting at the e|gallery and Bernie Miller Lightbox. Five of the works from the Blackwood Gallery’s Inuit prints collection also hang on the second floor of the UTM library. The subject of the art varies. Willard’s “Intergenerational effects (I found these in the BUSH),” for instance, references the dark history of substance abuse and residential schools in Indigenous communities.

Willard’s work features two glass Listerine bottles containing blue seed beads and a rolled-up picture inside each of them. One picture shows children ready to be transported to residential schools on the back of pickup trucks, while another depicts the windows of the Basilica of Saint Sabina, a historical church in Rome. This piece might seem quaint until the onlooker realizes the depth of pain and trauma to which it speaks. The #callresponse exhibition is part of Stewardship, the fourth exhibition or ‘circuit’ of Take Care, a five-part series of exhibitions, performances, and workshops organized by the Blackwood Gallery at UTM. Take Care aims to confront the crisis of care through mobilizing more than 100 artists, activists, curators, and researchers. The series is curated by Letters & Handshakes, a collaboration between Dr. Greg de Peuter of Wilfrid Laurier University and UTM’s Dr. Christine Shaw. Another key part of the #callresponse exhibition are public programs, such as lectures and panel discussions, which help to further the discussion produced by the works of art. During her lecture, Simpson touched on how it feels to exist on lands shaped by theft, both of labour and land. She highlighted statistics that show the comparative political disempowerment of Indigenous populations: over 400 years after colonization began, Indigenous people now own only two per cent of their lands. She also spoke at length about the title of ‘town-destroyer’ that has been bestowed upon American presidents. George Washington,

the first President of the United States, inherited this title from his great-grandfather, who destroyed Piscataway villages in present day Virginia. Washington, in turn, ordered the Solomon Expedition during the Revolutionary War — a campaign that destroyed up to 40 Iroquois villages in New York. “The President… in the new settler nation earned a name that operates as a title conferred upon him — that of town destroyer. He too has a name and a structure that he inhabits, and it is an adaptation to the new worlds. That structure remains in spite of who actually inhabits it,” explained Simpson. Simpson also addressed what she called “the killing kind of kindness” shown by Prime Minister Trudeau, referred to as the ‘pipeline-supporting’ prime minister. “The irony of interest here is that he is culling from the conservative American playbook,” continued Simpson. “And he’s going to do it with differential emotional architecture than the man in the south, but with emotional and economically driven architecture just the same.” “His emotional architecture builds on a 30year project of force that takes now the form of contrition — the production of good feelings, along with many selfies." #callresponse will run at the Blackwood Gallery until January 27, 2018.

U of T student sets debut novel on campus Gabriel Verveniotis explains his definition of literary success Kashi Syal Associate Arts & Culture Editor

Gabriel Verveniotis is a writer, bartender, and U of T student. He has recently published his first novel, The Sanguinaires: Or What I Hate Most About Everything, partially set on U of T’s campus, while completing his undergraduate degree in English. The Varsity sat down with Verveniotis to discuss his novel, writing process, and mental health. The Varsity: This is your debut novel! How does it feel? Gabriel Verveniotis: It’s satisfying — it’s fulfilling to see something materialize and actualize, because before this point they had just been ideas in my head, and now there’s a sort of objective reality, something someone else can engage with. TV: Can you tell us us a bit about the plot and characters of The Sanguinaires? GV: It’s about a group of people who experience a collective vision of their own death and how they are forced to deal with this discovery. The government is threatened by how society are going to react to such a phenomenon, so they attempt to inhibit their ability to encounter their faith by drugging them. I wanted to tackle mortality and the fact that people don’t want to talk about the most important issue in their life — death. The novel really draws attention to the themes of free will versus fate and the individual versus the state. TV: Have you always wanted to be a

writer? Was there a particular moment you thought, ‘I can do this!?’ GV: It came out of necessity. I find with writing that there’s issues you feel as though you need to tackle and the only way to resolve them is to articulate them. There was no other way I could live with all these ideas in my head without actually finding a way to express them. I’ve actually wanted to be a writer for a long time, and I’ve always been sort of enamoured by literature, so it was a big goal for me to fulfil that. TV: What’s your writing routine — a typical day in the life? GV: It’s pretty random — I find that states of inebriation help. TV: Was it Hemingway who said, “Write drunk, edit sober?” GV: Yeah! It’s a bit of a cliché, but it also works with the fact that with writing I find that it’s a manic process, and so whenever you’re in a state of creative ecstasy, you’re going to find that you want to satisfy these impulses. And the whole thing about being creative is not being afraid to say what you want to say, so losing that sense of reluctance is actually what gets the words on the page. There’s an honesty to it — so many other times you have to maintain a façade out of security and with alcohol or with whatever, you don’t care — there’s an anarchy to it, and I think anarchy breeds good writing. TV: The Sanguinaires is set in Toronto, especially around the U of T campus. Why did you decide to set the novel here? GV: In a lot of ways, [the campus] has been

the centrepiece of my life — the decisions that I’ve made outside of school have been based on completing my degree and staying here. I also felt that as a setting, [the campus] was very appropriate because in the book I deal with who controls information, who controls culture, and a lot of that is disseminated from academia, from media, and from government. I felt like [the campus] was a great setting because it is the sort of place that those themes would be best discussed and challenged. Another thing is that I’m a Toronto patriot, I was born here, I love this city, and so I really wanted to incorporate some of the main fixtures of the city and give them the credit that is due. TV: One of the prominent themes in The Sanguinaires is mental health – what was your reasoning for including this theme in your novel? GV: I have had a lot of experience with people who have suffered [from mental illness], and I’ve had some personal experience with them. It was a personal struggle that I was trying to capture in a fictionalized way. With literature you want to communicate something very specific and personal, but you need to universalize it. The best way to do that is by applying it [in] such a way so that it’s not confessional but objective. TV: What does literary success look like to you? GV: A paycheque. The only issue with literary success is that you can be successful in certain communities and you'll do reading lists and become evolved in artistic circles, but they're very self-sustaining communities, and their reach doesn’t exceed their own individual

Gabriel Verveniotis.

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groups. Even if you achieve success within those small groups, there is no reach beyond those circles. And so it's not so much that I have a materialistic end to it, but even though I am a successful artist, it doesn't help me in any meaningful way in terms of employment… I can't afford to be an artist all [the] time. That's why there is a liberating factor that comes with material success, because then you can reach a larger audience and survive off that. TV: Do you have any advice for students who want to be writers? Or any advice in general? GV: In terms of being a writer, just ask yourself, ‘Why would I want to read what you're writing?’ Would you read what you wrote if someone else wrote it? I think that’s the biggest thing, knowing how to look at your own work and identify the qualities and characteristics of it that would make someone else want to read it. In terms of the undergraduate program, I would advise you to have a backup plan and enjoy and engage in the arts for the arts — don’t look at it as a means to employment. The book launch for The Sanguinaires takes place at the Garrison on Wednesday, January 31 at 8:00 pm This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

16 • THE VARSITY • ARTS & CULTURE

arts@thevarsity.ca

The story behind the $450 million painting The record-breaking sale of da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi” raises questions about art as a status symbol Aljosa Kljujic Varsity Contributor

$450 million USD — that’s how much Leonardo da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi” sold for at a November auction run by the prestigious Christie’s auction house in New York City. This staggering amount eclipsed the previous record holder for sale of a painting, Willem de Kooning’s “Interchange,” at $300 million USD. The story of “Salvator Mundi” is one worthy of a major motion picture, including a dramatic rediscovery, questionable attribution, legal battles, Russian businessmen, worldwide marketing tours, and purchase for dodgy enterprises. The drama begins more than 500 years ago, when the painting was supposedly commissioned by King Louis XII of France. Afterward, it was sold, recalled back to the English monarchy, and then it vanished in the late sixteenth century. The painting resurfaced in 1900, sold for a mere £45 at an auction in 1958, and once again remained obscure until 2005, when it was bought at an estate sale in the US. In 2007, the painting went

through restoration, and in 2011 it was finally authenticated and attributed to the one and only Leonardo da Vinci. Afterward, it was put on display at the National Gallery in London. In 2013, “Salvator Mundi” was involved in a chain of important events, including deals and legal battles, that ultimately culminated in its record-setting sale that November day at Christie’s. Swiss art dealer Yves Bouvier was at the centre of what came to be known as the ‘Bouvier Affair,’ a complicated and protracted legal case where Bouvier was accused of defrauding the buyer, Dmitry Rybolovlev, of millions of dollars’ worth of art. One of Rybovlev’s purchases from Bouvier was “Salvator Mundi,” which he finally put up for auction at Christie’s. The painting depicts Jesus Christ holding a crystal orb, his hand pointing up in benediction. It’s a wonderful piece, giving Christ an ethereal, almost ghostly look. His flowing locks of hair give him a feminine aspect, showcasing da Vinci’s penchant for male figures that blur gender lines. “Salvator Mundi” translates to

“saviour of the world;” in da Vinci’s representation, Christ literally holds the universe and protects it from harm. There is still debate over the attribution of the painting and whether or not it is a real da Vinci. With a reputation for rarely finishing paintings, there are currently fewer than 20 of da Vinci’s works known to be in existence. Both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, drawing on sources in American intelligence, reported that the true buyer of the painting was Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, though he may have used a family member and close associate as a ‘straw buyer.’ Salman’s purchase is evidence of the growing trend of oil-rich states attempting to project soft power on the world stage via the acquisition of cultural artifacts and institutions. Qatar has purchased two of the top four most expensive paintings ever sold. A priceless painting is to be displayed in the Louvre Abu Dhabi, as Salman battles through a purge of his political rivals, consolidating his power, while attempting to liberalize Saudi Arabia.

The doom and gloom of Robarts Library Eﬃcient and impersonal — the U of T experience in a nutshell

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In a nutshell, today’s art market encapsulates modern wealth inequality and the indulgences of capitalist markets. Christie’s was sharply criticized for taking the painting on essentially a worldwide press tour and making a mockery of the process of its sale — to

the point of describing it as the “male Mona Lisa.” The exorbitant price of the painting has also raised a few eyebrows. Increasingly, the art market is becoming an instrument for money laundering, which directly influences the rising cost of art. It’s unlikely that we’ll see a ceiling in the foreseeable future.

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Ted Fraser Varsity Contributor

Tired, stooped, and seemingly unimpressed by it all, the towering Robarts Library dutifully watches over the intersection of St. George Street and Harbord Street. Its brutalist design and the contrasting stream of freshfaced scholars pouring out of it make guests feel as if they’ve stumbled into a sad, strange, Soviet Hogwarts. The library puts a spell on you: its gloomy character seems to seep right into you, whether you’re just slipping by or trudging through. Pedestrians passing by the cold, hard concrete tend to drop their gaze, grind their teeth, and dash away. Upstairs, between ancient bookshelves and dark, dingy corners, students hunch over desks and silently labour away — mirroring their equally dull surroundings. Serving 60,595 UTSG students, storing millions of books, and soaring 14 storeys high, Robarts embodies U of T: big, efficient, and impersonal. Slowly, Robarts attacks your mood, your energy, your productivity. Yet ‘Robarts syndrome’ isn’t an isolated phenomenon. There are pages upon pages of research that show how physical space and architecture affect our mental state. ‘Boring’ architecture has been shown to imbue feelings of fear and sadness. In one study, when participants quickened their pace while passing by dull-looking buildings, their mood levels took a dive. Inside Robarts, its effects become even more pronounced. The combination of high ceilings and blue walls, which Robarts has, have been shown to boost creativity, but otherwise Robarts has a gloomy library interior severely lacking in natural light.

Dr. Alan Lewis, an architecture lecturer at Manchester University, has said that “visible light… helps to stimulate the body's production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which can reduce the symptoms of depression.” Visible light also “helps the human body to regulate the production of the hormone melatonin, which in turn helps to regulate our body clock, affecting sleep patterns and digestion.” Sarah Goldhagen, an architecture critic, has also reported that when workers are exposed to natural light, they become 25 per cent more productive. Therefore, proximity to windows and what you can see through them matters to how productive your studying is. In 1984, Roger Ulrich and his colleagues discovered that when hospital patients had a view of nature through their bedside window, they recovered an average of one day quicker, had fewer ‘post-surgical complications,’ and required fewer painkillers when compared to patients with a view of a brick wall. While the context of busy students studying in Robarts is quite different from that of a hospital, most Robarts dwellers are subjected to an uninspiring panorama of bookshelves, the backs of necks, or just brick. The views from Robarts’ higher floors are breathtaking: skyscrapers and busy streets, dotted with tiny trees and pockets of green — but due to limited spaces in those areas, they’re hogged by a privileged few. Taken together, these factors make up one bizarre, intimidating, yet aweinspiring building. By understanding how ‘Robarts syndrome’ affects your mood, energy, and productivity, you can sidestep its pitfalls and try to lead a healthier, happier academic career.

Science

January 22, 2018 var.st/science science@thevarsity.ca

Become the master of CSC108 Introductory computer programming course experiments with self-paced mastery learning

Clara Thaysen Associate Science Editor

This winter semester marks the start of the self-paced, mastery-based version of CSC108: Introduction to Computer Programming. Funded by the Provost’s Learning and Education Advancement Fund, this pilot will be testing whether mastery learning is an effective way to teach computer programming. Paul Gries, an Associate Professor in U of T’s Department of Computer Science, has known “forever” that he wanted a self-paced version of CSC108, but he did not know how to implement it effectively. Masterybased learning appears to be a viable answer. Mastery learning requires students to demonstrate that they have mastered one concept before moving on to another. This differs from traditional styles of teaching, where

students’ knowledge may be tested only once or twice over the course of the semester. The course is broken down into seven units, called ‘quests.’ Students work through these quests by watching lectures online at home, and then go to class to work through exercises related to the content of the quests. Before moving on to the next quest, students must demonstrate their mastery of the material by taking a quiz. If they achieve the threshold grade on the quiz, which ranges from 70 to 80 per cent, they are permitted to move on to the next set. If they do not pass the mastery quiz, all hope is not lost. Students have the chance to practice more exercises or get one-on-one attention from Gries or the teaching assistants during class time. To facilitate peer-learning, students who are struggling with the same

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material are placed together. Students can move through the quests as quickly or as slowly as they want — something that is unheard of in university courses. By this account, Gries said that it is possible to be finished with the course material by halfway through the semester. CSC108 has had a history of students dropping out or failing, only to retake the course again later. Gries thinks that this happens because students do not realize they are struggling with the material until the midterm, at which point it is usually too late. “There’s no mechanism or structure for them to effectively catch up,” said Gries. It is especially hard to identify students that are struggling in a class with such large enrolment numbers. Offered in the fall, winter, and summer semesters, CSC108 is one

of the largest classes on the St. George campus, with over 2,000 students enrolled per term. When courses are both mastery-based and self-paced, students can figure out if they are struggling much more quickly — and they’re given an opportunity to catch up. Michael Spyker, a student currently in the mastery section, believes that this new teaching style eliminates the “downwards spiral” some of us may be familiar with in traditional classrooms. “The mastery based section… provides a much more organic teaching environment,” said Spyker. While mastery learning at U of T is a relatively new endeavour, CSC108 is no stranger to innovative learning — there are already two other non-traditional sections offered: one solely online, and the other, an inverted version. The main difference between the inverted version and the mastery version is that the latter is self-paced. “There’s all sorts of other research supporting that the inverted classroom is better than the traditional classroom, because students are doing active learning — they’re engaged in the material,” said Gries, adding that he believes this constant, shortterm engagement of the material leads to better learning. Second-year student Spencer Ki, who took CSC108 last fall, agrees

that the inverted course is effective. “I feel that the inclusive and ‘handson’ approach taken in lectures really helped me absorb what was being taught, as opposed to simply memorising it.” However, if he had the chance, Ki said he would have taken the mastery version. “I definitely see the mastery-based course as the next step in the evolution of university classes.” Still, the mastery version might not be for everyone. “We expect that for some people the inverted classroom might be better” said Gries. Ki had similar thoughts about the mastery version: “the temptation to procrastinate will probably be much higher.” Gries’ enthusiasm for reinventing education goes beyond just CSC108. He hopes that if this pilot proves to be successful, mastery-based learning could be implemented in introductory courses across U of T.

Gries does not see it stopping at universities: “There’s a lot of high schools that don’t offer [computer programming]. We’d like to find a way to offer that. So, maybe a couple of years from now we’ll have [a] mastery-based high school curriculum.” Gries suggested that computer science students could travel to high schools to facilitate teachers in both learning and teaching the material.

Blind as a bat Visual constraints were necessary for the evolution of echolocation in bats Nubaira Forkan Varsity Contributor

Believe it or not, Batman was not the first winged creature to use echolocation to hunt down his prey — ancestors of the modern bat began using echolocation, the process in which objects are located by reflected sound, between 65 million and 85 million years ago. John Ratcliffe, an Assistant Professor of Biology at UTM, and his team used molecular phylogeny techniques to decode the evolution of echolocation in bats, reconstructing our perspective on how and why these creatures came to be sonar crusaders of the night. Their study, recently published in Nature Communications, has built on an existing phylogenetic study to reveal that bats evolved advanced biosonar capabilities

through ancient tradeoffs between vision and echolocation. Bats are the second largest order of mammals in the world, with more than 1,300 species. The bulk of these species are carnivorous and nocturnal, hunting small insects in the night using echolocation. The researchers used phylogenetic comparative methods to understand evolutionary relationships between sensory systems, neuroanatomy, and morphology in bats. The results of the study indicate that ancestral bats possessed insufficient visual capabilities to hunt small prey at night but had the neuroanatomical potential to echolocate. This proved that there was a pre-existing opportunity for echolocation to flourish into an advanced sensory system in future descendants. Evolutionarily, bats have

continuously exhibited processes of behavioural tradeoff: species with poor echolocation abilities tend to have better visual resolution, and vice versa. They further found that modern bats that use echolocation of the weakest frequency had the best vision out of those in all other sensory frequency groups, demonstrating that this tradeoff can function in either direction. The non-echolocating pteropodid is an example of a family with this tradeoff. Surprisingly, the pteropodids have auditory brain regions the same size as echolocators. This vestige confirmed that bats from this family were once capable of echolocating but have since lost the trait. This is in contrast to the alternative scenario that proposes they evolved independently of

echolocators — instead they are descendants of the same group. This study not only answers questions about the evolution of a key trait of one of the most diverse mammals in the world, but it also cements the importance of phylogenetic research. “It’s like replaying the video

of evolution under different scenarios,” said Jeneni Thiagavel, the primary author of the paper, who has been working in this area of research for the past four years. “That essentially gives users [of these comparative methods] the power to reconstruct what that was like.”

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18 • THE VARSITY • SCIENCE

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U of T prof’s startup takes cancer therapy to clinical trials Pionyr Immunotherapeutics raises $62 million in series B investment round Riham Abu Aﬀan Varsity Contributor

A biotech startup co-founded by Sachdev Sidhu, a professor in U of T’s Department of Molecular Genetics, has drawn in $62 million USD following a second round of funding, bringing its total investments to $72 million USD. Pionyr Immunotherapeutics, which is now planning to take its anti-cancer therapy to clinical trials, initially began as a research collaboration between Sidhu and Max Krummel, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. Founded in 2015, the California-based startup combined Sidhu’s expertise in antibody phage-display technology with Krummel’s immune system biology research. This project is a collaborative effort with Toronto Recombinant Antibody Centre (TRAC), which was co-founded by Sidhu, Krummel and Dr. Jason Moffat, who is also a Molecular Genetics professor at U of T. Housed in the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, TRAC researchers are working to harness the therapeutic potential of synthetic antibodies. Synthetic antibodies can be engineered to target a variety of mole-

cules implicated in disease and they are key for drug development. Pionyr’s anti-cancer therapy, known as Myeloid Tuning, uses the high specificity afforded by synthetic antibodies to bolster the immune system’s defence against cancer by manipulating a tumour’s microenvironment. The immune system uses T cells to detect foreign molecules to evoke a defensive response. Because tumours are created from existing cells in the body, they evade recognition by T cells, dampen the immune response, and proliferate uncontrollably. The key is to restore the body’s immune capacity to fight cancer — this is the premise of immunotherapy in oncology, better known as immuno-oncology. “So the idea there is simple: you want to turn on a T cell, you simply find proteins that are inhibiting that T cell,” said Sidhu. Myeloid Tuning achieves this by eliminating immune suppressing cells, which consequently aids in the formation of immune activating cells and enhances anti-tumour defenses. “T cells are activated not by targeting them but by eliminating the inhibitory cell population,” said Sidhu. Pionyr’s technology could also complement existing anti-tumour therapies like T cell checkpoint inhibitors. Checkpoints are regula-

tors that mediate communication between T cells and the immune system. They are responsible for fine-tuning the body’s immunity and downregulating it when it detects native cells, which would otherwise lead to an autoimmune response. By incorporating checkpoint inhibitors, therapies can be developed to block a tumour’s ability to evade T cell detection. Ipilimumab, commercially known as Yervoy, set the precedent by becoming the first United States Food and Drug Administration-approved therapeutic antibody against skin cancers and for ushering in a new wave of immuno-oncology. The drug, co-invented by Krummel, inhibits

cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4, one of many checkpoints found on T cells. Similarly, pembrolizumab, or Keytruda, inhibits the checkpoint called programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). “Anti-PD-1 binds the T cell and... activates it that way, and then we add another antibody that eliminates inhibitory myeloid cells, so you get double [the effect],” said Sidhu. But now the team must address the critical question in this field: does the rest of the tumour simply not have T cells that can attack them or are there additional yet unidentified breaks? These possibilities are not mutually exclusive and are already being investigated. According to Sid-

hu, the future of immuno-oncology is already here. Myeloid Tuning is a very promising method, but it is not the only immuno-oncology treatment in the works. Currently, therapeutic agents being researched involve other immune cells like macrophages and natural killer cells that can be exploited for anti-tumour therapies. “[There is] very little that is not being explored as far as immune cell activation,” said Sidhu. “It’s exciting in that, while only a subset of cancers responds to immunotherapy, the ones that do respond often respond tremendously.”

Dr. Sachdev Sidhu and Dr. Jason Moﬀat are working to develop an new anti-cancer therapy.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SACHEV SIDHU

Experiments Explained: How U of T researchers discovered insulin In 1922, Fredrick Banting and Charles Best found the key to extending the lives of diabetics Charis Lam Varsity Contributor

Experiments Explained is The Varsity’s Science subsection featuring notable findings in history. Our goal is to showcase the experiments that shaped our understanding of science today. Step into the Macleod Auditorium in the Medical Sciences Building, and you will find a display dedicated to the discovery of insulin — perhaps the most well-known success story to come out of U of T medical research. Before the discovery of insulin, type 1 diabetes was a death sentence. Patients died of either the disease or the treatment, a starvation diet that restricted children to as little as 500 calories a day, for which there was meagre evidence of benefit. In 1920, Canadian physician Frederick Banting jotted down 24 words: “Ligate pancreatic ducts of dogs. Keep dogs alive till acini degenerate leaving Islets. Try to isolate the internal

secretion of these to relieve glycosurea.” In other words, diabetes — which Banting equated with glycosuria because diabetics excreted the sugar glucose in their urine — had been traced to the pancreas, the hockey stick-shaped organ tucked behind the stomach. More specifically, it had been linked to dysfunction of the islets of Langerhans, clumps of cells found throughout the pancreas. Previous attempts to isolate the component — something healthy people had and type 1 diabetics lacked — secreted by these islets ultimately failed. Banting theorized that the previous experiments did not work because the pancreas secreted juice, composed of digestive enzymes, and destroyed the antidiabetic secretions before they could be isolated. Hence his plan: “ligate [cut] pancreatic ducts of dogs” to stop them from producing the digestive juice, then collect the secretions from the islets. Armed with this idea, Banting moved

to Toronto, where U of T professor John Macleod equipped him with a laboratory and an assistant, medical student Charles Best. In May 1921, Banting and Best began their experiments. They removed the pancreata of some dogs to induce diabetes, and cut pancreatic ducts in others so they could extract islet secretions. They then injected the secretions from the second group into the now-diabetic first group, monitoring their blood and urine sugar levels as well as their lifespans. The dogs survived. The islet extract — first called isletin, later renamed insulin — alleviated their symptoms. Macleod, finally convinced of their success after asking them to repeat their experiments, brought in Bertram Collip to help the team purify the extract. By then, they had switched from dog pancreata to cows, simply because they needed more extract than dogs could provide. While Banting’s initial idea to cut pancreatic ducts was unsuc-

MIA CARNEVALE/THE VARSITY

cessful, the team had succeeded in isolating insulin. In January 1922, the team administered insulin to 14-year-old Leonard Thompson — the first person to receive insulin. At the time, Thompson weighed a mere 65 pounds and was on the brink of death. Following the treatment, Thompson’s condition improved. He lived another 13 years. Others in similar conditions also improved after being treated with insulin. During the same year, the experimental cure reached the United States and clinical trials launched in North America in July of the same year. By the end

of the year, insulin production started in Europe. In 1923, Banting and Macleod received the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of insulin. Banting shared his prize money with Best while Macleod shared his with Collip. To this day, insulin makes diabetes — although an incurable condition — manageable for those living with it. The naming of Macleod Auditorium and its tribute to Banting, Best, and Collip serve not only to commemorate a moment in U of T medical history, but also to celebrate a scientific breakthrough that continues to save lives.

JANUARY 22, 2018 • 19

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Self-fertilizing roundworms have smaller genomes Science Caenorhabditis briggsae lack 7,000 of the genes found in mating roundworms Pascale Tsai Varsity Staﬀ

Some species of hermaphroditic nematode roundworms, including Caenorhabditis briggsae, are capable of ‘selfing’ — reproducing without a mate. A recent collaborative study led by researchers at the University of Maryland demonstrated that hermaphroditic C. briggsae roundworms have smaller genomes than worms that do not self-fertilize. The researchers used genomesequencing techniques to study C. briggsae and found that its genomic size was one quarter smaller than that of the closely related Caenorhabditis nigoni, a roundworm that does not self-fertilize. The decrease in size is disadvantageous to non-selfing males because the missing genes were found to provide sperm with competitive benefits during mating. All hermaphroditic C. briggsae worms lack male secreted short (mss) genes, which are active only in male roundworms that do not self-fertilize, such as males of the C.

nigoni and Caenorhabditis remanei species. Upon using gene-editing tool CRISPR to remove four mss genes from the sperm of male C. remanei, the researchers discovered that these roundworms could not compete effectively against the sperm of males with all genes present. When they inserted these four mss genes into C. briggsae males, they found that the competitiveness of the sperm now exceeded that of the hermaphroditic C. briggsae roundworms and the C. briggsae males without inserted mss genes. After analyzing both roundworm species, they found the genome of C. briggsae contained 7,000 fewer genes than that of C. nigoni. To confirm this finding was due to the evolution of selfing in C. briggsae, the researchers also determined that the missing genes in C. briggsae were more active in C. nigoni males, which undergo selfing, than C. nigoni females, which do not. “Our analysis showed that genes with functional activity biased toward males were more likely to be lost in species that have [hermaphrodites],

Charmaine Nyakonda Varsity Staﬀ

FIONA TUNG/THE VARSITY

but were retained in species with males,” said co-author Dr. Asher Cutter, a U of T Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. According to Cutter, “males are vanishingly rare in natural populations of nematode roundworms that have evolved hermaphroditic self-fertilization. So... the evolution of hermaphrodites disproportionately involved the loss of genes that would be primarily functional in males.” “This is consistent with the idea that functional copies of genes that promote male function exact a cost to hermaphrodites, and so

natural selection likely favored their elimination from the genome,” said Cutter. These findings demonstrate the varying evolutionary transitions that organisms undergo in their reproductive behaviours. “In fact, the activity of genes that promote male reproduction in those species with hermaphrodites might even impose a cost,” said Cutter. Future experiments will be designed to elucidate the roles of all 7,000 genes missing in C. briggsae, including determining how mss genes help sperm compete.

Saving the concrete jungle Toronto’s historic infrastructure must meet the needs of today without compromising the needs of tomorrow Nina Anggala Varsity Contributor

Freeze-thaw cycles are wreaking havoc on Toronto’s aging infrastructure thanks to the mercurial weather that has prevailed over the past few weeks. With much of Toronto’s infrastructure nearing its 50-year lifespan, the city must turn to sustainable urban solutions and innovations. “A key concern… is the era in which infrastructure was built. There was a boom after World War Two. Much of the infrastructure built then was [designed] for a ~50 year life cycle, meaning it is now pushing the need to be replaced,” wrote Shoshanna Saxe, an assistant professor at U of T who specializes in sustainable urban infrastructure, in an email to The Varsity. As temperatures plummet during the winter months, sidewalks and roads freeze over. This is the status quo here in the ‘true north.’ While the deep freeze itself is not a problem, the rapid swings toward warmer weather are. These fluctuations between temperature extremes can crack concrete and break water mains, causing a whiplash effect on the entire city. Potholes, for example, are created when melting ice and snow seep into cracks in the road’s top layer of asphalt and freezes again, leading to expansion. However, modern Portland cement concrete, which is used in some Toronto roads, is inert; the aggregates — the compacted mass of sand and gravel that makes up the concrete — do not have the ability to bend and stretch with this expansion. According to Cheryl San Juan, the

Weather fluctuations have taken a toll on Toronto’s infrastructure.

MIN HO LEE/THE VARSITY

media contact for the City of Toronto’s Engineering and Construction Services division, a pothole is created when a vehicle runs over a section of the road that is under stress from this moisture expansion. “The weight of vehicles going over this section of road breaks the pavement and the asphalt is forced out.” As the 50-year lifespan of Toronto’s infrastructure approaches, the need for replacement is manifesting itself in familiar inconveniences like potholes and water main breaks. Climate change is also a player in this issue, with one of its effects being more frequent extreme weather fluctuations. Saxe explained that Toronto’s infrastructure design loads — the maximum amount of stress a system can handle while still performing adequately — are outdated given current weather patterns. Such problems have given rise to the field of sustainable urban infrastructure, a multidisciplinary field that includes civil engineering, environmental sciences, economics, and

Around Town

materials sciences. The mandate of sustainable urban infrastructure can be summarized in one word: resilience. Initiatives like ResilientTO — which aim to improve resilience to challenges like “climate change and extreme weather, and a variety of issues specific to our city, such as inequality, aging infrastructure, housing, and transit” — and TransformTO, “Toronto’s new and ambitious climate action plan,” are just two local examples of responses to the demand for sustainable infrastructure. Among the many concerns that these initiatives and other key players seek to address are durability, greenhouse gas production, the promotion of sustainable lifestyles, and social issues. One such innovation for more durable materials is ‘self-healing’ concrete. Henk Jonkers, a professor at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, has embedded concrete with capsules of limestoneproducing bacteria, which can survive

in concrete without water or oxygen, and calcium lactate, which acts as a food source for the bacteria. When the concrete cracks, the bacteria are able to produce limestone, filling the fissure and eliminating the need for repairs. However, the expense required to produce the concrete is a barrier to its implementation, so only time will tell how this technology could be adapted more practically. Other innovations have been thousands of years in the making. Roman concrete, for example, has been known to stand the test of time; many 2,000-year old structures made of the material still exist today. The longevity of Roman concrete is due in part to the minerals and volcanic ash that were incorporated into the mixture. The combination of these materials make the concrete more flexible and tolerant to corrosion. The rarity of the materials, however, may impede their widespread incorporation into urban infrastructure. “[In Toronto,] infrastructure investment needs to step up to the challenge of the 21st century and growing population — it is yet to be seen if we will rise to that challenge” said Saxe. “A key challenge is required design life and guidelines. How long should we build infrastructure for? The longer we build for the more expensive it is up front but the less replacement is needed down the line.” Whatever the obstacles, every advancement and innovation helps propel us forward into a greener, more sustainable future.

HealthEdge Lunch and Learn Series: Telling Your Story to Win – Pitch Basics HealthEdge invites all young scientists to a seminar about health innovation. The seminar provides an opportunity to brainstorm ideas for the HealthEdge challenge and learn about what potential investors look for in science project pitches. Date: Monday, January 22 Time: 12:00–1:30 pm Location: Old Admin Building, 263 McCaul Street, Main Floor Auditorium, Admission: Free with registration Inter-chromosomal architecture of the non-coding genome in health and disease Dr. Philipp G. Maass has managed to use CRISPRadapted techniques to develop insights into loci and allelic positioning in living cells. This seminar will show how these techniques can be used to develop a genome-based understanding of diseases. Date: Tuesday, January 23 Time: 4:00 pm Location: Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, 686 Bay Street, Robert B. Salter Auditorium Admission: Free Exploring the frontiers of genetic medicine in rare diseases This seminar will discuss molecular research on neuromuscular disorders and how genetic technology can be used to modulate expression of compensatory genes and correct splicing defects. Date: Wednesday, January 24 Time: 2:00 pm Location: Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, 686 Bay Street, Robert B. Salter Auditorium Admission: Free Do CRISPR monsters dream of synthetic futures? CRISPR has played a huge role in the progression of basic research with the possibility of multiple applications in diﬀerent science fields. This discussion panel will cover the ethical implications of CRISPR and the potential for future scientists to control the evolution of organisms. Date: Friday, January 26 Time: 6:00–8:00 pm Location: The Fields Institute, 222 College Street Admission: Free with registration

Sports

January 22, 2018 var.st/sport sports@thevarsity.ca

The time is now: women are pushing for a place in sports media Five steps to make the sports media complex more inclusive Kate Reeve Associate Sports Editor

\Sidney Crosby’s face froze in confusion. Michael Phelps laughed into the microphone. But Eugenie Bouchard twirled for the camera. In 2015, #CoverTheAthlete launched a video compilation highlighting the wide gap between the kinds of questions received by male and female athletes. The campaign recorded male athletes’ reactions to questions often asked of women — all of which were focused on issues beyond the scope of their athletic prowess. The men’s shocked reactions demonstrated their ignorance of both their own privilege and the experiences of female athletes. Last week’s article focused on the explosion of vitriolic commentary after US figure skater Ashley Wagner voiced her frustration with her program scores. It discussed the complicity of the sports media complex in both creating and promoting a patriarchal culture that consistently discriminates against female athletes. This structure is detrimental to the entire gender spectrum and shapes the next generation of athletes and spectators. How can it be disrupted? Liberal feminist scholars often posit that an increase of women in prominent positions across industries will help resolve discrimination issues. While this may sound logical, the issue of the

sports media complex requires a more sophisticated response than merely adding women to the existing paradigm and stirring. As feminist scholar Liesbet van Zoonen argues, “Women who advocate for women’s issues or sports are likely to be seen as ‘deviant’ — thus undesirable — inside newsrooms, which socialize women to accept institutional sexism as a normal part of the news routine.” Thus any genuine solution must begin with dismantling the system itself, by addressing the male hegemony in sports media, and attacking its root. As journalism professor Marie Hardin explains, “Values normally ascribed to men and patriarchy (and to sport) must be removed as the only values that matter.” 1. Continue and increase research of the qualitative and quantitative differences between the coverage of male and female athletes. Despite the fact that female participation in sports is rising dramatically, media coverage of female sports is lower than ever — and this needs to be documented. Concrete data is key, writes scholar Janet Fink, because it “provides a formidable case when questioning those in decision making positions.” The pen may be mightier than the sword, but it is especially powerful when sheathed in data. 2. Make research accessible and comprehensible so that more mainstream news outlets can

process and disseminate it. This requires inter-industry partnerships and genuine will on the part of individuals in positions of power — as well as a public receptive to this kind of dialogue. As accusations of abuse and misconduct across industries are finally being taken seriously, the public is primed for these kinds of revelations. 3. Establish a watchdog group with the specific focus of holding sports media outlets accountable in real time. This could manifest in the creation of pledge, not unlike the various international treaties signed onto by national governments, such as the Paris Agreement, that media outlets would sign. This pledge would contain specific qualitative and quantitative commitments regarding the coverage of female athletes. The watchdog group, ideally composed of scholars, journalists, and athletes or sports professionals, would then monitor compliance with the pledge and publish their findings on a rolling basis. The University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs runs the G20 Research Group, which is an excellent example of how this idea could be executed. The group is mainly student-run, and it publishes a comprehensive annual report on the compliance of G20 signatories with their various commitments. The reports are read by representatives of the

BELINDA HOANG/THE VARSITY

signatory governments, and they carry genuine weight. If a collection of twenty-somethings can hold national governments to their word, why not ESPN or CBC Sports? 4. Work with other marginalized communities to advance a shared agenda of inclusivity in sport. LGBTQ+ advocacy groups such as the National Center for Lesbian Rights’ Sports Project and the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders are very active in the promotion of inclusivity, and they would be excellent partner groups. As University of Toronto Varsity Blues figure skating co-captain Lila Asher highlights, access to sport is “heavily influenced by class and race” as well, and as such, an intersectional approach is vital. Specific athletes, such as Megan Rapinoe from the US Women’s National Soccer Team, are themselves advocates, but their voices should be amplified and echoed by a larger force. 5. Carry changes into the next generation of media professionals. This can be easily accomplished

through small — but requisite — changes to the curriculum and programming within universities, colleges, and even human resources departments. Many students are dangerously ignorant of the inequities in sports coverage or, even worse, fail to understand the extent of their impact. The possibility of unknowing complicity must be removed entirely, and tomorrow’s graduates should be held to a much higher standard than their predecessors. The response to Ashley Wagner’s comments are a microcosm of the male hegemony that exists in sports media. This male dominance is incredibly harmful for athletes and spectators across the gender spectrum, and it can no longer be tolerated. Through the promotion of accessible research, the creation of a watchdog agency, collaborations with other advocacy groups, and structural changes in educational institutions, systemic change can happen. The responsibility is ours, and the time is now.

An inside look into the Varsity Blues’ Think Pink #BleedBlue campaign Blues raise money for Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Isaac Consenstein Varsity Contributor

Members of the Varsity Blues field hockey team cut their teammates’ hair for charity. PHOTO BY MADISON KOEKOEK, COURTESY OF THE VARSITY BLUES

The University of Toronto Varsity Blues program recently wrapped up its annual Think Pink #BleedBlue campaign. The campaign, which serves to raise awareness for breast cancer through special events, is in its 11th year. Events this year included pink pancake Wednesdays, pink t-shirt sales, and giveaways during Blues sporting events. According to Mary Beth Challoner, the Varsity Blues’ Events and Marketing Manager, Think Pink is not the name of a Varsity Blues-affiliated foundation, but it is a slogan that matches nicely with the Blues’ #BleedBlue mantra. Rather, U of T is “connected to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation [CBCF], Ontario chapter, the same group that runs CIBC run for the cure,” wrote Challoner.

During the Think Pink week, Blues fans wore pink ribbons, events staff flaunted bright “Varsity Blues vs. Breast Cancer” t-shirts, and players sported pink laces. “The only thing we get from [the CBCF] are the pink ribbons and the pamphlets… Everything that we pinkify we do it, and we get it done.” Challoner said that “100 per cent” of proceeds from merchandise and events during the Think Pink week go to the CBCF. The campaign is part of a national movement organized and facilitated by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. “Every school submits their number, and there is a check presented at the women’s basketball national championship to the Breast Cancer Foundation,” said Challoner. Although the event lasts only one week, it becomes an added source of pride for the winning women’s basketball

team. The CBCF is one of Canada’s 100 major charities, as it raised $35.7 million in 2016, $26 million of which came from the CIBC Run for the Cure. Charity intelligence reports that the CBCF uses just 30 per cent of donations for its own fundraising events. In 2014 and 2015, for every dollar donated, over $0.50 went directly toward the cause. Over 20 years, the CBCF has raised over $360 million in donations for breast cancer research, which has played a significant role in decreasing mortality rates and increasing survival rates for cancer patients. Through the Blues’ fundraising and fun activities throughout the Think Pink #BleedBlue campaign, Challoner stated that the ultimate “focus is really about breast cancer awareness.”

JANUARY 22, 2018 • 21

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Reilly Reid explains his basketball philosophy The Blues guard leads the team in points and rebounds Silas Le Blanc Varsity Staﬀ

Reilly Reid has played sports his entire life. Starting with his dad being drafted into the NHL by the St. Louis Blues to watching the Toronto Maple Leafs growing up to being named the most valuable player on his high school basketball team, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues shooting guard has been immersed in sport for as long as he can remember. “I was definitely around the sports culture a lot from an early age,” wrote Reid to The Varsity. “Whether it was watching sports or playing sports, my dad was always introducing me to new skills and habits. He has the best

sports mind I’ve ever met and he’s taught me so much more than just the basics.” This season, Reid is averaging 13.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, and he is on 40/33/77 shooting splits. He’s first on the team in points and rebounds, and he still maintains an efficient field goal percentage. He takes inspiration from the play style of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dwyane Wade. “We both prefer attacking the rim and using our body over shooting outside jumpers, but will still shoot the open ones.” He is also the team’s most relied-upon player when it comes to playing time, logging in 31.4 minutes per game. Reid said he doesn’t let

Reid attempts a layup past a defender.

himself get affected by the pressure. “I don’t necessarily feel pressured to put up points because we have a lot of guys who can score the ball in a variety of ways,” he said. “So if I’m struggling during a game, we have a lot of guys that can pick me up, which is great. However, sometimes when the offense is struggling I think it is part of my role to be aggressive whether it is scoring myself, or finding others for open looks. I think when I am aggressive it opens up other people and allows us to be in a nice rhythm offensively.” Reid, a St. Michael’s College student, is currently enrolled in Urban Studies and Human Geography. When it comes to balancing school with basketball, Reid said that the biggest challenge “is not being able to seek out extra help as much as a regular student might be able to.” He sees visiting professors at office hours as a challenge, due to most of them being at the same time as the team’s practices. He stresses that time management is one of the most important skills involved in being a student athlete. Nonetheless, Reid values this time with the team and the camaraderie that accompanies his involvement. “Everyone is around each other for the whole time we’re away, it makes for a lot of good stories and laughs… You get to learn a lot about the personal side of teammates you might not have known before and it brings everybody closer together.”

Reilly Reid in action. PHOTOS BY MARTIN BAZYL, COURTESY OF THE VARSITY BLUES

Blues athletes place second, third at Fred Foot classic Lindsay Brandys places second; Steven Wilkens-Reeves, Avery Garrett-Patterson, Christiana Agustin place third

Linus Shaw attempts to clear the bar.

Kate Reeve Associate Sports Editor

Legs tensed. Shoulder blades locked. Fingertips dug into the hard track. The starting gun cracked — and they were off. Runners tore around the track, arms pumping furiously, eyes fixed on the lane ahead. Their race finished, they moved aside. A fleet of new runners settled into the starting blocks. And the cycle began again. On Saturday, runners from universities across Canada arrived at the University of Toronto Athletic

Centre to compete in the Fred Foot Track and Field Classic. Varsity Blue Michelle Corallo finished seventh in women’s 60 metre hurdles in a time of 9.39 seconds. Steven WilkensReeves placed third in the men’s 60 metre hurdles with a time of 8.94 seconds. In the women’s 60 metre dash, Lindsay Brandys came second for Toronto, finishing in 7.73 seconds. As the longer distances began, more Blues took to the track. In the women’s 1,500 metre, Avery Garrett-Patterson and Christiana

The middle of the pack in a long distance race.

Agustin finished third and fourth respectively, while Somerset Jarvis trailed them in sixth. Chris Gowan came sixth in the men’s 1,500 metre with a time of 4.06.78 minutes. Daniel Wilson came in 12th in the men’s 600 metre with a time of 1.25.61 minutes. Inside the track, the activity was feverish. Athletes warmed up for their races, jumpers roared feet-first into the sand pit, and pole vaulters rainbowed over the bar. Brittany Salmon finished fifth in women’s pole vault, finishing at 3.7 metres.

Amanda Black leaps over the bar.

PHOTOS BY SEYRAN MAMMADOV, COURTESY OF THE VARSITY BLUES

Kayla Greenburg took sixth in women’s long jump with a final jump of 5.03 metres. The Blues men failed to place in their field events. The late Fred Foot coached for over 40 years in Toronto, helping athletes such as UTSC Principal Bruce Kidd and Bill Crothers. According to journalist James Christie, Foot taught his athletes “to get over the Canadian inferiority complex and become champions on the world stage.” This dogged spirit rang through last Saturday, as athletes jumped, pole vaulted, and

looped endlessly around the indoor track. As the meet wound down, spectators began gathering their lawn chairs and empty coffee cups. Athletes zipped themselves back into their tracksuits and stepped out of their spikes. They trickled out of the Athletic Centre and into the bright sunlight, leaving the past hours behind them. The Blues track team will race again next week at the McGill Team Challenge, Armory Track Invitational, and the Kane Invitational.

22 • THE VARSITY • SPORTS

sports@thevarsity.ca

Blues swimmers make waves at Winter Invitational Varsity swimmer Jess Yu flies to first place Jackie Emick Associate Sports Editor

Over the weekend, the Varsity Blues swim team competed against multiple schools, including Western University, Brock University, and the University of Ottawa in the Winter Invitational at the University of Toronto’s Varsity Pool. The first day of the tournament kicked off without delay at 6:00 pm, following a 5:45 pm warm up. Hundreds of swimmers and spectators lined the decks and stands as family and friends of swimmers from all over Ontario supported the teams. The pool was so full that it was hard to find seats, which, for a Varsity Blues game, is an impressive turnout. The night started off with 16 heats of women’s 50 metre freestyle. The competition was fierce and prepared for the night ahead; swimmers such as Charis Huddle from the Western Mustangs displayed their athleticism with swift turns and fluid, speedy movements. The Varsity Blues fared well, taking second and third place in this event. Chris Ruus of the Blues also impressed, placing first in his heat

of the men’s 200 metre backstroke. Going up against very strong swimmers from Brock and Guelph, the Blues swimmer accentuated his fluid arm strokes and strong leg kicks to take first place in his heat and seventh overall. The U of T men continued to show that their training has paid off, claiming top spots in the men’s 200 metre freestyle and 50 metre breaststroke. U of T swimmers finished off day one with nine first-place finishes out of 16 events. Multiple top-five finishes followed. The second day of the meet started strong with a win from Varsity Blue Jess Yu in the women’s 200 metre butterfly. Her strong arms and graceful kicks brought her out on top, with Laurentian Voyageurs’ Riley Konrad and Ottawa GeesGees’ Claudie Richard falling short of victory and claiming second and third place respectively. In the middle of event 22, the pools were cleared due to an emergency. A male swimmer was taken away on a stretcher and the decks were cleared for the emergency medical technician. All spectators were moved to the lobby as the swimmer who looked to be

The Blues swim team looks promising ahead of the OUA Championships. PHOTO BY MARTIN BAZYL, COURTESY OF THE VARSITY BLUES

in distress was taken out. About half an hour later, spectators were allowed back in, as the competition started again, picking up at the sixth heat of event 22. Mitch Ferraro of the Varsity Blues took second place in the event followed by fellow teammate Cameron Kidd, who claimed third. The women’s 100 metre breaststroke event was a strong one for the Blues, with Rachael Parsons

winning the first heat. Her ability to maintain long strokes while still keeping her immense speed pushed her to first. Nicole Demirov came second in the following heat of the same event, showing the strength in the training of the U of T women. The day started to wind down with a win from Varsity Blues swimmer Rachel Rode in the first heat of the 50 metre butterfly. The intensity of her arm strokes pushed

her to her winning position. What’s next for the Varsity Blues? The team has continued to improve over the length of the season and will give their best efforts at the OUA Championships in London, Ontario as well as at the U Sports Championships held at Varsity Pool from February 22–24. Come out to support the Blues and experience some world-class swimming competition.

Blues men’s hockey triumph in third straight home ice win Ryan Kirkup nets game-winning goal Julia Costanzo Varsity Contributor

The Varsity Blues men’s hockey’s 4–3 win against the Ryerson Rams on Saturday marks the team’s third straight home ice victory. Toronto lost an early lead but came back to beat the Rams for the first time this season. The Blues took the lead two minutes into the game, when defenseman Corey Jackson registered a quick slap shot from high slot. Halfway through the first period, the Blues looked to improve on their power-play — ranked 19th in the OUA — after the Rams were

called for too many men. Failing to score on their first power play due to Ryerson’s speed and ability to close down space, Toronto went back on the power play with four minutes remaining in the first period. A shot from Blues forward Matt Campagna was robbed by the stick of a diving Rams goaltender Taylor Dupuis with only a few seconds left in a one-man advantage. Campagna opened the second period scoring off a scramble in front of the Ryerson goal in the second minute of play, marking his third goal of the weekend. Following the goal, the physical

game opened up, with hits from Charlie Connell, Justin Brand, and Corey Jackson exciting the players on both benches. Eight minutes into the second period, Ryerson forward Erik DeLaurentis fired a shot over the shoulder of first-year Blues goalie Frederic Foulem to open the scoring for the Rams. Ryerson then added two quick goals later in the period: in the 13th minute, Steven Harlan dogged a sprawling Blues defender and rifled the puck into the top of the net and, two minutes later, Aaron Armstrong capitalized on a scrambling Toronto penalty kill to put the Rams up 3–2.

Toronto celebrates 0ne of their four goals in the game.

Nearing the end of the period, Blues forward Connor Bebb rushed the Rams net, narrowly missing but drawing a penalty. On the power play, Hunter Atchison beat a sliding Dupuis to tie the game at three with two minutes remaining in the second period — a key goal for the Blues, disrupting the Rams’ momentum heading into the second intermission. The third period began with quick end-to-end passing and strong defense by both teams. Seven minutes into the period, the Blues stole the puck and in a fouron-two rush, Hunter Atchison dropped the puck to Ryan Kirkup,

who found the net with a shot under the arm of Dupuis. As the clock wound down, Ryerson rallied to find a goal; Blues defender Willy Paul made a clutch shot block with three minutes to go. Rams head coach Jonny Duco pulled Dupuis with 50 seconds to go, but the Blues held on to win the game 4–3. The Blues return to home ice this weekend hosting the Guelph Gryphons on January 26, and they will also host a rematch against the Rams on January 27.

Blues forward Ryan Kirkup attempts to feed the puck to a teammate. PHOTOS BY SEYRAN MAMMADOV, COURTESY OF THE VARSITY BLUES

JANUARY 22, 2018 • 23

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Blues defeat rival York Lions 73–56

WEEKLY BOX SCORES

University of Toronto men’s basketball improve record to 8-7 BASKETBALL MEN’S January 19 Varsity Blues

January 20 Varsity Blues

73–56

74–64

York Lions

Queen’s Gaels

WOMEN’S Toronto trounced the York Lions on Friday night. PHOTO BY SEYRAN MAMMADOV, COURTESY OF THE VARSITY BLUES

Reza Hafeez Varsity Contributor

The University of Toronto men’s basketball team were in action against rival York Lions on Friday night. Defense dominated the game early, as Lions forward Nana AduPoku was the first to put points on the board 1:40 minutes into the first quarter. The Blues managed to tie the game at 2–2 with 6:15 remaining. Toronto’s lockdown defense earned a whopping seven steals, while their offense allowed one turnover compared to the Lions’ seven in the first quarter. Toronto’s offence picked it up in the second quarter, outscoring their opponent 21–18. Guards Reilly Reid

and Sage Usher led the way with eight and seven points respectively. Toronto’s defence were unable to contain York Lions guard Chevon Brown, who dominated the first half with 13 points. The Blues took advantage of turnovers by scoring 11 points on York’s 10 turnovers. The Lions did dominate the glass with 26 total rebounds with guard and forward Gianmarco Luciani leading the way with six rebounds. The Blues also shot 87.5 per cent from the free throw line and entered the second half with a close 33–29 lead. Blues defense remained consistent in the third quarter, allowing only 10 points. The Blues maintained a 49–39 lead with guard Nikola Paradina finishing an

exceptional quarter with 10 points and four rebounds. The Blues defense also managed to slow down Chevon Brown and keep him at two points. Toronto won the game with a final score of 73–56. Paradina finished the game with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and one assist. Usher also played a good, consistent game, with 12 points, and he came just one assist shy of a double-double. Brown had 23 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. He also was perfect from the free throw line going 8-8. The Blues came into Friday’s game sixth in the Eastern Division standings with a 7-7 record. York’s defeat leaves them in last place in the Eastern Division.

Women’s basketball come up short to Queen’s

January 19 Varsity Blues

January 20 Varsity Blues

66–71

66–74

York Lions

Queen’s Gaels

HOCKEY MEN’S January 19 Varsity Blues

January 20 Varsity Blues

5–1

Windsor Lancers

4–3 Ryerson Rams

WOMEN’S January 17 Varsity Blues

January 20 Varsity Blues

Blues lose third game in a row

3–4

3–0

Guelph Gryphons

Ryerson Rams

VOLLEYBALL

Vincent Ruan Varsity Contributor

MEN’S

The Varsity Blues women’s basketball team have now lost three games in a row following their 74–66 loss to the Queen’s Gaels on Saturday night. The Gaels’ offense jumped out to a 19–9 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Toronto gained momentum and managed to outscore Queen’s 25–24, slowly cutting the deficit to a 43–34 lead at halftime. The Blues improved in the second half, outscoring the Gaels 32–31. Unfortunately the first quarter deficit proved to be costly, as Toronto could not catch up to the Gaels despite outscoring them 57–55 after the first quarter. “Offensively we really picked it up in the second half with sharing the ball. We got a lot of good looks, but the problem I think with that is it happens too late in the game,” said Blues guard Keyira Parkes. “Defen-

January 20

1–3

Varsity Blues

(25-12, 21-25, 1925, 19-25)

Varsity Blues

(25-17, 25-22, 25-21)

Varsity Blues

(25-20, 25-10, 25-14)

Blues forward Sarah Bennett defends the paint.

Nipissing Lakers

MIHAELA DARADUR/THE VARSITY

sively we have to be in transition and just really bear down and focus from the jump. We can’t let them get a run on us.” Parkes led the Blues with 19 points on an efficient 8-14 shooting, along with five rebounds and two assists. The next highest Blues scorer was Diedre Edwards with 12 points. Gael Marianne Alarie ended the night with a game high of 20 points scored, leading the way for Queen’s. Her eight points in the first quarter helped the Gaels jump to the commanding lead that would later be too much for the Blues to come back from. Sophie de Goede contributed with 15 points off the bench, including nine free throws.

The Blues are now 5-11 on the season, while the Gaels improve to an impressive 13-3 record. When asked about the next game, Parkes said, “We have to come in the game focused... [and] executing game plans, because that’s been a challenge for us. We tend to forget in the first two minutes of the game what the game plan is and what we’re supposed to be doing.” “We can’t lose any more games. We really have to play together and find that defensive [relentlessness],” she continued. U of T’s next game is against the undefeated Carleton Ravens at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport on Friday, January 26.

January 21

3–0

York Lions

WOMEN’S January 20

January 21

3–0

0–3

Varsity Blues (3-1, 23-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-5)

Nipissing Lakers

York Lions