March 21, 2016

vol. cXXXvi, no. 21

T he UniversiTy

of

ToronTo’s sTUdenT newspaper since 1880

21 M arch 2016

The three vice president, campus life candidates (left) face the moderators (right) at the UTSU Executive Candidates Debate. JIAYUE LI/THE VARSITY

UTSU ELECTIONS

UTMSU ELECTIONS

Controversies punctuate UTSU executive debate

Unite UTM sweeps UTMSU elections

Candidates face off in first debate-style election forum

CRO issues spate of demerit points across the board

AIDAN CURRIE, JACK O. DENTON, & KAITLYN SIMPSON

TOM YUN

Wednesday, March 16, marked a first for the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU): a candidates debate for their annual elections. This year, students competing for executive positions debated one another about various student issues.

Candidates were called up by position to give opening statements, followed by two questions from a panel comprised of the editors-in-chief of The Varsity, The Newspaper, and The Medium, followed by questions from the audience.

Questions pertaining to campus activism, such as efforts by the Black Liberation Collective (BLC) and the Black Students’ Association, as well as the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, were raised.

CIVIL FRAUD SUIT In a post-debate interview, The Varsity asked both presidential candidates whether they would continue the legal action initiated last year against two former UTSU executives and a former executive director.

Jasmine Wong Denike, presidential candidate for Hello UofT, began by praising the activism that Sandra Hudson, the former UTSU executive director named in the suit, has done and continues to do. Hudson is a founding member of Black Lives Matter-Toronto and is involved with the BLC.

After a hotly-contested campaign that saw four slates and several independent presidential candidates, the Unite UTM slate swept the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) elections and won every executive position by huge margins.

Voting took place on March 8, 9, and 10, with the 10 day campaign period concluding on the last day of voting.

The unofficial results were posted on UTMSU’s Facebook page on March 14. For each executive election, there were between 51 and 60 spoiled ballots and between 60 and 98 abstentions.

“My team and I were anxiously waiting for the results and when we found out that our entire slate claimed all the executive positions we were humbled, excited and grateful,” said Unite UTM presidential candidate Nour Alideeb. “We ran a strong campaign and I couldn’t be happier and more grateful to the rest of my team and dedicated volunteers who worked day in and day out to make this all happen.”

Alideeb, who is the current vice president, university affairs, was elected as president with 1717 votes, well ahead of UTM Focus candidate Ridwan Olow’s 479. Her platform includes ethical divestment, nap spaces on campus, and combatting tuition and fee increases. “Our main purpose is to unite the campus to work on the issues we all care about,” Alideeb explained. Independent candidate Andrew Williams followed with 369 votes.

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VARSITY CONTRIBUTORS

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

INSIDE VOTE!

It’s up to all of us to keep the UTSU accountable Editorial PG 11

There’s no place like Ed’s

Toronto says goodbye to the Mirvish Village as we know it Feature PG 12

We know what you did at the Brunny Varsity readers recount seedy experiences at the legendary local Arts PG 14

Black holes and revelations

U of T professor claims prestigious award for work on gravitational waves Science PG 20

2 NEWS

M O N DAY 21 M A R C H 2 016 news@thevarsity.ca

Issue 21 Vol. CXXXVI

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VOTING IN THE UTS U E L E C T IONS For the first time, the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) elections will be held using a single transferable vote (STV) system, as opposed to the first-past-the-post format. Proponents of STV argue that it’s a fairer system, as it eliminates ‘wasted votes’ and is a more accurate reflection of the voters’ intent. Here is a description of the system:

Shaan Bhambra Associate Science Editor Adit Daga Associate Sports Editor

1.

the voters’ next preferred choices to determine

STV in their elections.

2.

Rachel Chen, Devika Desai, Tom Yun, and Emily Johnpulle Associate News Editors

distributed to the other candidates based on

Australia, Ireland, Malta, and New Zealand use

the remaining seats. If a candidate fails to win

The system is often used for elections where

enough votes to reach the quota, the candidate

there are multiple vacancies for a single seat.

Lead Fact Checkers Ujwal Ganguly, Emilie Jones, Evan Maude, Corinne Przybyslawski, and Lauren Park

3.

other candidates based on their next preferred

number of votes required to win a position.

4.

Voters rank candidates numerically in order of preference, rather than marking an X or checking

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a box beside a single candidate.

5.

Designers Mahdi Chowdhury and Chantel Teng

is eliminated and the votes are distributed to the

A vote quota is set to determine the smallest

For positions with more than one seat: the voters’ first choices are tallied. If a candidate’s vote count exceeds the quota, then they win a seat and

choices.

6.

The process repeats until all of the vacancies are filled with candidates that reach the quota.

7.

For positions with one seat: the candidate with the majority number of first choice selections wins the position.

the number of excess votes are proportionally

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CORRECTIONS In the article “Hello UofT, One UofT share their goals, experiences” published in Issue 20, 1UofT’s vice president, campus life candidate Lera Nwineh’s surname was misspelled. “‘Our Struggles Unite’” published in Issue 20 erroneously stated that the British multinational firm G4S had ceased providing security for oil pipelines and mining projects, as well as participating in the prison-industrial complex. G4S continues this work.

“Controversial CAMH gender identity clinic winds down” published in Issue 12 on January 11, 2016 incorrectly stated that CAMH is winding down services at their Child Youth and Family Gender Identity Clinic after an internal review reported that the clinic was practicing reparative therapy. In fact, the review, which was conducted by external experts, did not find that any clinician was practicing reparative therapy. The review in question was published on CAMH’s website on December 15, 2015. It has since been removed and replaced with an executive summary.

The Varsity regrets these errors.

T H E VA R S I T Y

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var.st/news

Candidates debate heats up

Vice president, university affairs candidates Shawn Williams (Hello UofT) and Andy Edem (1UofT) discussed lobbying the admin.

JIAYUE LI/THE VARSITY

CONTINUED FROM COVER

Denike said that if elected president, she would have a fiduciary responsibility to UTSU members.

“If there’s money that is unaccounted for, it’s very, very important that the UTSU investigate that,” Denike said, adding that she would review the entire case and ensure that it is handled equitably and respectfully.

“It’s very important that we aren’t trying to make things more difficult for anybody. We aren’t, we just want to ensure that students are properly represented and students aren’t losing things that they should have.”

Madina Siddiqui, 1UofT’s presidential candidate, said that she would communicate with the UTSU’s lawyers to determine the best course of action. “Honestly, I am not Harvey Specter or Mike Ross,” Siddiqui said. “I’m not a lawyer, but if elected I will sit down and talk to the lawyers and figure out the best possible solution for students and make sure that students don’t get hurt and that way we don’t waste students’ money.”

CANADIAN FEDERATION OF STUDENTS A question from the panel addressed the presidential candidates’ stances on the UTSU’s membership in the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), which has long been a topic of contention.

“To be honest with you, I don’t really have a personal opinion,” Siddiqui said. “If students don’t like it, we can talk about it. It’s whatever students need and want and it’s their opinion [that matters],” she added.

Denike has worked with the CFS throughout the year as the UTSU’s vice president,

external. She told the audience that she has had the opportunity this year to learn about the CFS’ strengths and weaknesses.

“So my personal stance on the CFS is that they do a lot of amazing activism work… there’s no doubt about the amount of change that they’ve managed to help implement for students across the country,” Denike said, adding that she directed her focus to whether students are getting the most out of the CFS. “It’s also important to focus on what students want, and it’s also important to focus on whether or not U of T students are getting everything that they can be getting out of the CFS… if those students aren’t getting what approximately $750,000 a year is giving them, then I’m open to discussing that with students and keeping that line of communication open with the CFS as well,” Denike stated.

In 2015, the UTSU paid $769,218 in fees to the CFS, a figure that stood at $752,227 in 2014.

ACTIVISM The Varsity asked the vice president, equity candidates whether they intended to promote the BDS movement.

Malkeet Sandhu, candidate with 1UofT, said that she would mobilise and support the work of Palestinian activists. “At the end of the day, what Palestinians are going through is unjust, that can’t be denied,” she said.

“However, there is a lot more to solving this issue than just passing a motion at an [Annual General Meeting]. I believe that there’s already [sic] countless Palestinian activists on campus and we need to support them and we need to do this by mobilizing with them on the ground through rallies and protests,” Sandhu said.

Vice president, external candidates Lucinga Qu (Hello UofT) and Andre Fast (1UofT) discussed rising tuition costs. JIAYUE LI/THE VARSITY

Farah Noori, Hello UofT’s equity candidate, came out in support of the BDS movement in her platform and acknowledged the challenges of gaining momentum at U of T. “I would push it through ethical divestment just because I feel like that won’t necessarily make you take a specific stance on it, it’s legitimately about human rights violations,” she said. “We could support the Palestinian people through that.”

Sania Khan, current UTSU vice president, equity and advocate for the BDS movement, did not find either of the responses satisfactory and rephrased the question that The Varsity had posed to the candidates. “I’m going to rephrase a question… only because I feel that the responses were sub-par and vague and not congruent to both of your platforms,” Khan said at the debate.

Khan asked what the candidates were going to do to strengthen the BDS movement as a human rights movement.

In a post-debate interview with The Varsity, Noori attributed her rushed response to the BDS question to her anxiety. “The debate was something I was dreading for [sic] since the start of becoming a candidate.

I honestly just went in and I couldn’t even process myself thinking, there was just a lot of anxiety that I was dealing with at that moment,” she said.

Noori later told the moderators that the format of the debate was not necessarily accommodating for all students, herself included. “Hopefully if I’m elected, that’s something I would want to reformat,” Noori said.

Hello Uof T’s Lucinda Qu and 1Uof T’s Andre Fast are both running for the position of vice president, external. The panel asked

the candidates whether the UTSU should take a stance on issues of global importance.

Qu responded that she would strive to represent students in this regard. “We should do whatever our membership thinks we should do,” she said. “If they want activism, we should be activists. If they want us to be more impartial, we should be impartial. We serve the students.”

Qu’s team distanced themselves from Qu’s remarks in a statement published on Hello UofT’s Facebook page later that night. “The Hello UofT team wants to stress that populist claims such as this one do not accurately reflect the views of our team. We believe that in order for equity work to happen successfully, the voices of marginalized minorities must be prioritized in discussion,” part of the statement read.

Fast stated that the UTSU should take stances on global issues. He indicated the UTSU’s past involvement in the movement to divest from fossil fuels and encouraging engagement with politics around the time of the federal election as examples of where the UTSU has taken a stance.

“I agree [we] should represent what students at U of T want,” Fast said. “We’re a part of a global community, and global issues such as climate change impact us too.”

Both candidates raised the issue of affordable education, arguing for lower or eliminated tuition fees.

“When education is unaffordable it means it’s inaccessible to a lot of people and I think that is definitely the role of the UTSU,” said Fast. Qu suggested she would participate in active lobbying to increase affordability.

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Vice president, internal & services candidates Mathias Memmel (Hello UofT) and Carina Zhang (1UofT).

JIAYUE LI/THE VARSITY

Vice president, campus life candidates Shahin Imtiaz (Hello UofT), Alessia Rodriguez (Independent), and Lera Nwineh (1UofT).

JIAYUE LI/THE VARSITY

4 NEWS

M O N DAY 21 M A R C H 2 016 news@thevarsity.ca

STUDENT LIFE

Library thefts on the decline Robarts introduces new security measures DAN SILVEIRA

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Despite 10 reported thefts at the University of Toronto’s libraries this semester, the overall number of thefts on campus has been on the decline since 2015. There was a decrease of 22 thefts in January 2016, and a decrease of six thefts in February 2015.

Lari Langford, head of Access and Information Services at Robarts, stated that Robarts has the highest traffic of all U of T libraries.

“It’s the most used library, so you’re going to have a higher incidence [of theft] because of the higher use. Bottom line is that if you go to the other libraries on this campus you won’t find the percentage of people that you find at Robarts,” she said.

Robarts has implemented several new initiatives that have resulted in a lower theft rate at the library, including the Stop Campus Theft campaign, a staffing service called

The overall number of on campus thefts has dropped since last year, despite 10 reports in 2016. KASSANDRA NERANJAN/THE VARSITY

iStaff, and a new service that lends out laptop locks to students.

The Stop Campus Theft campaign was launched in August of 2014. It involved postering

the campus with messages that sought to heighten awareness of the theft problem and encourage students to consider taking precautionary measures.

At Robarts specifically, two other preventative initiatives exist.

A new staffing service called iStaff consists of a group of staff members that make their way throughout the

building, never fixed at one station.

Students at Robarts may also borrow laptop locks from the course reserves desk. These devices enable the user to lock their laptop to their study desk.

Langford believes that the combination of these three measures is the key to the decreasing theft rates.

“I think the whole campaign discouraged [people], people did get arrested. The reality is maybe we’ve made an environment that is a little less attractive to professional thieves because of our emphasis on community policing and so on that maybe they’ve gone elsewhere,” she said.

“Almost all thefts within our libraries are laptops, smart phones, etc. that are left unattended,” said associate director Sam D’Angelo of Campus Police. “Students should never leave their valuables unattended even to take a quick washroom break. It only takes a couple seconds for a thief to steal.”

UTSU ELECTIONS

No investigation into last year’s “physically impossible” votes Online voting system updated: scrutineers, students, able to verify votes DEVIKA DESAI

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

One year after the SimplyVoting system recorded 200 “impossible” votes in the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) elections, the union has not investigated the anomaly.

In May 2015, The Varsity reported that the online results of the 2015 spring election “yielded an anomaly,” in which 200 votes were recorded as submitted within a second of the polls being opened. Zijian Yang, then chair of the Elections and Referenda Committee (ERC), said the votes were “physically impossible.”

According to Ben Coleman, UTSU president, no investigation was conducted due to a lack of information from the previous year. In addition to the anomalies, there were inaccuracies in the chief returning officer’s (CRO) report last year. An investigation into the errors revealed that the report had excluded the paper ballots and only included the numbers from the online voting system.

Coleman denied any connection between the inaccuracies presented in the CRO report and the ob-

served voting anomaly; however, he did say that there have been some changes made to the SimplyVoting system to ensure the verifiability of the voting results.

The ERC explored alternative voting systems last semester and decided to remain with SimplyVoting. “[SimplyVoting] has some crucial features that voting.utoronto.ca lacks, including WAG 2.0 accessibility compliance, support for a ranked ballot and, most importantly, independence from the UTSU and the university,” said Coleman.

After a student votes online, they will receive an anonymous code and a receipt that reflects their voting preferences; the student can use this information to check against a “publically available list of results.” This method of confirmation has not been used in previous UTSU elections.

“At the bottom of the verified results is a link to download the spreadsheet with a list of anonymous receipts, meaning that any student can verify that their own vote was recorded correctly and can also verify that the single transferable vote calculation was properly calculated in the system.

Even though there was no investigation into online voting, the system has been updated. JENNA LIAO/THE VARSITY

Additionally the UTSU bylaws now have a rule to ensure that scrutineers see the online results,” Coleman explained.

The old Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption mentioned by Coleman has also been fixed and

replaced with Transport Layer Security (TSL), which Coleman says is more up-to-date.

The online voting system will be accessible 24 hours a day from the commencement of the voting period on March 22 at 9:00 am, until the

end of voting at 6:30 pm on March 24. Previously, the online voting system was only available at the same hours as that of the in-person voting.

T H E VA R S I T Y

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PROVINCIAL POLITICS

Province orders universities to establish sexual violence policy by January 2017 Ontario passes legislation combatting sexual violence, harassment

KIMIA GHANNAD-ZADEH/THE VARSITY

EMILY JOHNPULLE

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

On International Women’s Day, March 8, the Ontario government passed the Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act. The legislation was first introduced in October 2015 as part of the government’s broader action plan against sexual violence.

The plan also includes the It’s Never Okay campaign, which seeks to “make workplaces and campuses safer from and more responsive to sexual violence and harassment.”

By January 2017, Ontario’s colleges and universities will be required to have a policy in place addressing sexual violence. According to the legislation, policies must involve students and set out a response process for the institution. Under the new law, policies will be reviewed every three years. The reviews will also take student input into consideration.

Ellie Adekur, graduate student and organizer with Silence is Violence U of T, expressed doubts about the act.

“First, the report takes a zero-tolerance approach to any form of sexual violence on campus, but does little to address steps the university will take in the event of a complaint,” she explained, with emphasis on how the report doesn’t address issues that come with how “decentralized the [university’s] resources are.”

Second, Adekur finds that the report places emphasis on education, professional development, and consent but doesn’t thoroughly explain what “comprehensive” and “adequate education” look like.

One of the recommendations of U of T’s Advisory Committee to the President and Provost on Prevention and Response to Sexual Violence was the creation of a stand-alone policy and protocol on sexual violence.

“The ministry anticipates coming forward with regulations that will set out more detailed requirements for the policies around reporting to get feedback on the implementation of the policies,” said Linda Mackay, manager of issues and media relations for the Ministry of

Training, Colleges and Universities.

Of more than 100 colleges and universities in Canada, only about two dozen have standalone sexual assault policies. Some provinces, such as Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and most recently, British Columbia, have taken steps to establish policies of their own.

The Ontario government also released a progress report on It’s Never Okay, which states $2.2 million has been invested over three years to ensure that students are provided with information during orientation week and throughout the year about how to prevent sexual violence and harassment.

“The report won’t change the culture of silence because the culture of silence around sexual violence is the bedrock of our institution,” Adekur said. She believes that the university needs to initiate projects that privilege the voices of students, faculty, and survivors — people of colour and equity-seeking groups chief among them.

Adekur said that she would like to see an apology from the university that acknowledges the institution’s history of silence on issues of sexual violence, referring to U of T’s approach thus far.

“The University of Toronto does not want students to come forward with complaints of sexual violence on campus. The University has continuously shut down different forms of student organizing that shed light on the realities of sexual violence on campus, and has worked to co-opt movements on campus by offloading surveying work onto students, and wrapping them up in committees (very much like this one) that have no real decisionmaking authority at the University,” she said.

“The University can say that it is taking steps to address sexual violence through this committee, but thinking about its structure, its composition, the recommendations and the total lack of accountability is revealing in that we see the University is able to distance itself from any real responsibility to survivors,” stated Adekur.

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PERSONAL CONFLICTS Siddiqui and Denike also fielded questions that targeted their individual behaviours.

Hashim Yussuf, a UTM representative on the UTSU’s Board of Directors and organizer with the BLC, criticized Denike for being on a union that slashed funding for the Black Students’ Association, yet still choose to appear at the BLC’s March 15 demonstration on U of T’s birthday.

“Showing up to a rally, especially during election period, is not enough, it’s almost nothing, practically,” Denike said. “If I were to be elected, I would love to be building and creating spaces of support, and building a framework that can assist the Black Liberation Collective and any other students on campus who want to be able to fight for their rights.”

Siddiqui came under fire for her remarks at the UTSU AGM held in November 2015, in which she accused several members of the current UTSU executive of being inebriated at work.

Siddiqui declined to comment on the matter and said she would rather focus on student issues. “This is not about personal issues or anything like that… I want to talk about and focus on student issues,” she said.

The debate between candidates for the position of vice president, university affairs, saw Hello UofT’s Shawn Williams and Andy Edem of 1UofT face off.

Mid-way through the debate, Edem misgendered Williams, despite both of them introducing themselves with their names and pronouns. Edem immediately apologized.

“First of all I have to make an apology to you, I’m really sorry. I try as much as possible to use appropriate pronouns or the pronoun that somebody actually prefers, but we’re all human and sometimes we make slip-ups and this is one, so I thank you for calling that out,” Edem said.

Late on Sunday March 20, 1UofT released a statement in which they reiterated their apology to Williams.

Both candidates were asked how they would lobby the university administration in favour of students. Edem said that the role of vice president, university affairs should not only be about mobilizing students, but also about “being able to analyze policies and see where they don’t benefit students,” and then approach the administration accordingly.

Williams’ answer was focused on “actively engaging with students so that we know what it is that students want, what their needs are, and how they want us to go about addressing these needs.” Williams advocated working with administration effectively to ensure that both sides were appeased and avoiding an antagonistic relationship between the students and the administration.

Each candidate put forward plans to clearly and effectively work with the administration for the betterment of student life at U of T. During the vice president, internal & services debate, Hello Uof T candidate Mathias Memmel asked for an anonymous twitter account to stop posting disparaging remarks about members of 1Uof T. “Whoever is @Real1Uof T on Twitter… it’s not cool to slander other people, especially the opposition. I don’t appreciate that, so please stop,” Memmel said.

INTERNAL & SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL FACULTIES, CAMPUS LIFE Memmel debated 1UofT’s with Carina Zhang. Both candidates discussed their plans for the union’s budget.

“I want to introduce participatory budgeting, not only to improve transparency, but in wanting you to be part of the deci-

sion, and inviting you to be part of the process,” said Zhang. She wants to create more job opportunities for students and more international student scholarships and internships.

Memmel talked about the resources that could be channelled into improving mental health services. “There’s a lot of promises that have been made in the last five years about how we’re going to improve CAPS and how we’re going to make these changes, and I haven’t seen any results,” he said.

“We have a plan to cover the full cost of a student’s counselling sessions with a psychologist and up to 20 of those per year... and with our network with our new health and dental provider, we can make this happen,” Memmel said.

For the new position of vice president, professional faculties, Ryan Gomes of the Hello UofT slate faced Charlotte Mengxi Shen from the 1UofT slate.

Gomes is the current vice president, internal & services of the UTSU. He began his opening statement by outlining the history of bad blood between the UTSU and U of T’s 11 professional faculties and emphasized that communication between them and the vice president, professional faculties is important in order to address the needs of both sides.

“I know that the vp profac needs to sit down with every profac, determine what key issues they are facing and support them,” Gomes said.

Gomes also touched upon the issue of tuition and the implications specific to professional faculty students.

Mengxhi Shen began by stating that she wants to expand job opportunities for students. “If I get elected, I want to focus more on working with campus groups to bring more job fairs for other profac students.”

She also discussed wanting to facilitate the exam deferral process. “I also want to work with University of Toronto administration to be more accessible and easier for students, so in profacs like engineering, if a student defers one final exam they might have to stay for an extra year just because something happened in their lives. And that’s not fair,” she said.

Other areas of importance for Mengxi Shen are the lack of UTSU events for professional faculties other than engineering and the lack of study spaces specifically for professional faculty students.

There are three candidates vying for the vice president, campus life position: Shahin Imtiaz of Hello UofT, Lera Nwineh of 1UofT, and Alessia Rodríguez, who is the current vice president, campus life and is running independently. The idea of fostering a sense of belonging at U of T was central to all three candidates’ discussions.

Imtiaz mentioned the creation of a new campus life app to better reach out to students; Nwineh wants UofT students to have more “positive experiences” through events, and Rodríguez argued for an increase in faceto-face communication.

Many candidates interviewed by The Varsity immediately following the debate’s conclusion felt that both they and their opponents performed well at the debates.

Rodríguez mentioned how “it is very hard to say what I want to say in 30 seconds.” In his interview, Nwineh said he wished he had talked more about “how I want to improve the student experience.”

Voting takes place in person and online between March 22 and 24.

Disclosure: Shahin Imtiaz is a former associate science editor at The Varsity.

6 NEWS

M O N DAY 21 M A R C H 2 016 news@thevarsity.ca

UTSU ELECTIONS

Former independent joins 1UofT in UTSU elections Andy Edem joins slate as vice president, university affairs candidate

ACTIVISM

Black Liberation Collective marches on university’s birthday Students mark 189 years of antiblackness at U of T DEVIKA DESAI

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

One of Edem’s platform points is to establish a 24-hour mental health service. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY EDEM

RACHEL CHEN AND NATASHA MALIK ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR & VARSITY STAFF

In the run up to the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) spring elections, the 1UofT slate introduced their final candidate: Andy Edem. With this addition, Edem completes the slate as their vice president, university affairs candidate.

Edem intended to run as an independent and said that he was hesitant about being associated with a slate.

“The thing with being associated with a slate is that many a time the electorate choose not to vote for someone not because they do not believe or resonate with their platform but because they run in a slate.

Although I think that is unfair, it is something I have witnessed in past elections,” he said.

Despite his initial reservations, Edem joined the 1UofT slate last week and participated in the Executive Debate. “I became part of the 1UofT slate Monday evening.

After a thorough reflection of what my values were and what I would like to achieve as vice president, university affairs, I realized that being part of the 1UofT slate was the way forward,” he said.

Edem said that he believes that running as part of the slate will benefit his outreach to students and faculty of U of T. “As a member of their slate I would not only get the

opportunity to reach out to folks with my platform but also get the chance to work with an amazing group of people who want to improve the effect and reputation of the UTSU,” he said.

Madina Siddiqui, presidential candidate for 1UofT, said that she saw Edem as a potential candidate for vice president, university affairs when she found out that he was running independently at the all candidates meeting held on Sunday, March 13.

“Since I, along with other team members, have known Andy for a while and know of the great work that he has done on this campus within the New College community along with Residence Councils and Orientation we asked him if he was interested in joining our team,” Siddiqui said.

Two vice president, university affairs candidates initially submitted nomination forms for the position with 1UofT. Siddiqui said that one of the candidates was unable to run due to personal circumstances and time commitments as the nomination period came close. Although Siddiqui did not name the candidate, the UTSU’s website confirmed that Yujai (Vikko) Qu was slated to run with 1UofT when his candidates statement was posted. Qu’s statement was removed from the site after he withdrew from the race.

1UofT also approached Emerson Calcada, who was competing in the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) elections during the nomination period. Calcada’s candidate statement appeared on the UTSU’s website alongside Qu’s, both candidates asking readers to vote for 1UofT. The Varsity requested comment from Calcada who had not responded as of press time.

“Another person who was interested to run was also running in another set of elections, they were burnt out and needed time for themselves which we fully respected as well,” Siddiqui explained.

Regarding their final decision on a vice president, university affairs candidate, Siddiqui agreed that 1UofT and Edem share similar values. “He saw [that] the team and him had shared values on working to help bring UofT together and to work on student issues, so he agreed. That is why his posters where late going up since we had to make them last minute,” she said.

Edem said that if he wins the position, he would: lobby the university to establish a 24-hour mental health service; re-evaluate the credit-no credit policy; and revitalize the individual academic endeavour grant scheme that the UTSU provides.

Members of the Black Liberation Collective - Canada (BLC) shut down an intersection at UTSG on March 15 in protest. Their demonstration was scheduled to coincide with the university’s 189 birthday.

“Let’s not allow this institution [to] celebrate 189 years of mistreating Black students and Black academics without speaking out,” read part of the event’s Facebook page.

BLC members and supporters also ran a social media campaign to raise awareness. Students shared their experiences of antiblack racism using the hashtag #hbdUof T: the same hashtag that the university used to promote their birthday festivities.

Demonstrators took to the intersection of Harbord and St. George around noon and succeeded in blocking traffic in the area. According to the group’s Facebook page, the demonstration was a reaction in part to the university’s lack of response to demands presented in December 2015.

These demands include ending the funding freeze on the Transitional Year Programme, a program “gifted to the University of Toronto from the Black

community,” as well as a call to address the underrepresentation of black faculty and students.

The BLC asked for the development of a plan to fund a standalone African and Caribbean studies department.

“Despite the good news story of the University of Toronto agreeing to collect race-based data (one of the 10 demands of the Collective), the University has blocked members of the collective from being part of the working group and [has] ignored the remainder of the demands,” the BLC said in a statement. “Though they committed to responding to the full spectrum by early January, they did not. They ignored our emails, until midFebruary, where they denied ever agreeing to respond.”

Members of the BLC declined The Varsity’s multiple requests for comment, alleging that The Varsity is anti-black and has failed to take steps to combat its racism.

The BLC’s next course of action at U of T is to hold an event called Being Black at U of T: Discussion & Strategizing on April 1.

Members of the BLC hold the intersection at St. George and Harbord. EMMA COMPEAU/THE VARSITY

T H E VA R S I T Y

NEWS 7

var.st/news

STUDENT LIFE

Personal Librarian initiative helps first-year students Arts and science, engineering students participate in growing project SAMINA SULTANA VARSITY STAFF

This year, 5,000 first-year arts and science students participated in the Personal Librarian project, an initiative designed to encourage students to ask questions, offer book consultations for difficult research questions, and provide a tour of the library and its resources.

“Students involved in the program receive advice and feedback from their personal librarian throughout their first year, and are encouraged to contact their librarian whenever they have questions about library resources, services, and research,” reads the University of Toronto Library website.

Originating in 2012, the project initially paired a group of 1,000 arts and science students with one of 10 librarians. In a year, the librarians are each responsible for 100 to 200 students.

When asked how the program has changed, Buchansky said: “It’s grown since then and in the last two years we’ve managed to reach out to all first-year Arts & Science students on St. George campus. For the 2015-16 academic year, there are 45 librarians… involved.”

In 2013, the Engineering & Computer Science Library (ECSL) joined the program, which consisted of 300 students. The success led to the inclusion of more than 1,200 first year undergraduates. The ECSL is committed to “first year experience, developing outreach opportunities and ensuring that the student body develops important information literacy skills during their scholastic endeavours.”

The ECSL held a meet-and-greet for 100 first-year engineering students in October 2014 to provide tours of the library and a chance to speak one-on-one with their personal librarian.

The program does not extend to secondyear students; however, they are able to contact their librarian for assistance, if needed.

According to the survey conducted at the end of the year, “[students] find the program beneficial and appreciate the support. And those that don’t contact their librarian still find the information they receive useful,” said Buchansky.

Buchansky stated that they are reaching out to other programs, but it isn’t possible to provide all first-year undergraduate students with a personal librarian.

Wycliffe College Library at U of T. YASSINE ELBARADIE/THE VARSITY

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8 NEWS

M O N DAY 21 M A R C H 2 016 news@thevarsity.ca

Candidates accrue demerit points in UTMSU elections

Election rulings are posted to the ‘Wall of Transparency’ in the Devis Building at UTM. TOM YUN/THE VARSITY

CONTINUED FROM COVER

Jackie Zhao, who is also the president of the Chinese Undergraduate Association, received 1,811 votes to become the next vice president, internal & services. Zhao, who received more votes than any other candidate for any position, wants to establish an emergency food plan fund, bring more lockers to campus, and create a bursary for international students.

Hoda Khan, who ran with UTM Focus, received 554 votes; EnvisionUTM candidate Adil Isaac Abrahim placed third, receiving 457 votes.

For vice president, university affairs & academics, Vanessa Demello emerged victorious with 1,808 votes.

Demello, who is an executive with The Psychology Association of Undergraduate Students at Erindale and a former orientation leader, wants to bring improved mental health services on campus. UTM Focus’ Menna Elnaka received only 467 votes, followed closely by UTM Awaken candidate Ryan Persaud’s 438 votes.

Marise Hopkins, who is the coordinator for UTMSU’s World University Services Chapter

(WUSC) and chair of the WUSC local committee, will serve as vice president, external, after winning 1,612 votes. Hopkins’s platform includes heated shuttle bus shelters as well as healthier and more affordable food on campus. UTM Focus candidate Kamal M. Ali placed second with 636 votes — more votes than any other executive candidate who did not run with Unite. Amanee Nasseredine, who ran with Envision, came in third with 457 votes.

After receiving 1,732 votes, Maleeha Baig was elected as vice president, equity. Baig is the president of the Muslim Students’ Association and was previously the president of the local chapter of Amnesty International.

Baig plans to combat misogyny and build a consent-culture on campus, while lobbying for more racialized mental health counselors. Envision UTM’s Falhad Mohamoud and Focus UTM’s Farishta Amanullah followed, receiving 552 and 471 votes, respectively.

CONTROVERSIES AND DEMERIT POINTS The rulings of the chief returning officer (CRO) and the Elections and Referenda Committee (EARC) were posted to the “Wall of Transparency” located in the Davis building and are not available online.

ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS

University of Toronto named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers Initiatives for equity, diversity, family support make university top employer MAHRUKH ALI

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

For the ninth consecutive year, the University of Toronto has been named among the top employers for diversity in Canada.

Canada’s Best Diversity Employers awards the distinction to Canadian employers that possess “exceptional workplace diversity and inclusiveness programs.” Diversity initiatives in multiple areas are assessed, including women, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, and LGBTQ people.

Any employer with a head office or principle place of business in Canada is eligible to be considered for the project. Applicants must have at least one initiative in place that falls under the diversity umbrella.

Editors at Mediacorp Canada — a publisher specializing in employment information — evaluated diversity and inclusivity ideas of employers who applied for the competition; the results of which were released in The Globe and Mail.

U of T maintains 13 offices that focus solely on issues of equity and diversity. The president’s statement on diversity and inclusion states, “Diversity, inclusion, respect, and civility are among the University of Toronto’s fundamental values.”

U of T also runs Queer Orientation in association with the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office, the Sexual Diversity Studies Students’ Union, and over two dozen participating campus groups. The orientation is designed to offer prospective and current students the chance to network and take part in activities related to LGBTQ communities.

U of T’s vice president of human resources, Angela Hildyard, hosts a yearly get-together to welcome newly hired female faculty.

A new initiative put forward when applying for this year’s competition was Indigenous Education Week, a week full of activities focusing on Indigenous contributions to education.

U of T was also chosen as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, Canada’s Top Family Friendly Employers, and Greater Toronto’s Top Employers.

Employees with young families are supported by U of T with employee parental leave. The university also provides accessible spaces for changing diapers and breastfeeding or pumping. It has established a Family Care Office and children of employees here can be eligible for a 100 per cent tuition waiver, if they choose to pursue undergraduate studies at U of T.

During the EARC meeting on March 3, UTM Focus, UTM Awaken, and Envision UTM appealed the policy that allowed nonUTM students to participate in the campaign. As a result, the EARC approved an amendment to prohibit non-UTM students from campaigning for a slate and only allow them to help in a “supporting role.”

Independent presidential candidate Ibrahim Bouteraa received 10 demerit points for reportedly campaigning in a library. Bouteraa told The Varsity that this was after a video of him passing a stack of flyers to a volunteer in the library was posted to Snapchat. “I did not know what I did is considered campaigning, but I accept the fault and have not appealed the decision,” he said.

Williams allegedly received 20 demerit points for not sending a list of volunteers and not using the pre-written recycling message on his flyers. The Medium reported that Williams’ flyers included a similar message but needed to be identical.

Williams’ total demerit points were 25; it is unclear how he accrued the other five demerit points.

The CRO issued UTM Focus 10 demerit points after a non-arm’s length party reportedly “harassed and slander[ed] candidates from another Slate on multiple occasions.”

The EARC eventually overturned the ruling.

All four slates also received five demerit points following allegations of at least one candidate or volunteer from each slate accessing their UTMSU email accounts.

The UTMSU’s Elections Procedure Code forbids board members, staff, volunteers, and committee members who are campaigning from accessing their UTMSU email addresses or other UTMSU resources.

“The allegations were false,” said Alideeb, explaining that she gave access to her email address to UTMSU president Ebi Agbeyegbe when she took her leave of absence.

Alideeb also claimed that the her demerit points were removed. As of March 16, the Wall of Transparency had not been updated to reflect this.

Ali, who is the director at the UTM Athletic Council (UTMAC), was issued five demerit points for allegedly collecting nomination signatures at the UTMAC office. The CRO considered this an unfair advantage, as he had access to a location that others would not have had. Ali’s demerit points, however, were changed to “pending,” with no clear reason as to why.

At press time, the CRO has not responded to The Varsity’s requests for comment.

COMMENT var.st/comment

21 M arch 2016

comment@thevarsity.ca

Swept under the rug A critical analysis of sexual violence policy on campus ARTICLE BY ARIEL GOMES AND ILLUSTRATION BY CHANTEL TENG

E

arlier this month, a CBC News article recountIn late 2014, the Toronto Star led an investigation Meanwhile, as Regehr and Gertler leisurely "develop ed an unsettling incident of sexual harassment at that highlighted the sorry state of sexual violence [their] response to the review," the university is left in Brock University. An internal university investiga- policy across Canadian post-secondary institutions. a disheveled state of affairs. CBC News followed up the tion concluded that a professor — David Schim- Their findings demonstrated that less than nine per Toronto Star investigation with an article profiling exactly melpenninck van der Oye, who was the acting associate cent of the universities and colleges in Canada had how the lack of a sexual violence policy affects students. dean of research and graduate studies for the humanities adopted a special policy to address sexual violence. After polling 87 Canadian universities and colleges, they faculty at the time — "gave [a student] alcohol and tried Despite the fact that Brock University was one of contacted the University of Toronto's very own statistics to force himself on her sexually." the institutions to have already implemented a policy, professor Jeffrey Rosenthal to analyze the data.

Throughout the investigation, the student was sub- their handling of this recent incident goes to show "At a certain point, we noticed there was something jected to Brock University’s reluctance to address the that the current policy remains outdated and insuf- strange, which was that the rates of sexual assaults on issue. Brock University repeatedly warned the student ficient in protecting victims. the campuses were considerably lower than the rates of to stay quiet about the situation, citing assaults for the surrounding cities," explained confidentiality as being of the "utmost imRosenthal. The analysis concluded that the portance" and that it "must be maintained "surprisingly low" number of reported sexual THE MISTREATMENT OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE VICTIMS THAT DO COME at all times." Then after the professor was assaults at Canada's post-secondary institutions found guilty, the student was intentionally are "an indication that they are doing a poor FORWARD IS DICTATED BY POLICY — POLICY THAT IS CURRENTLY NOT not informed if or how disciplinary action job of encouraging students to come forward."

SATISFYING A VICTIMIZED INDIVIDUAL'S NEEDS would be administered; and, even though The reason for this lack of encouragement is the university’s investigation was completed clear: the mistreatment of sexual violence vicin January 2016, Schimmelpenninck van der tims that do come forward is dictated by policy Oye was still teaching until March 2016.

The University of Toronto, on the other hand, was one — policy that is currently not satisfying a victimized Brock University states "privacy and human rights legisla- of the universities that did not have a stand-alone sexual individual's needs. tion" as the reason why they enforced confidentiality and violence policy. In response to the Toronto Star investigaOn March 8, the Ontario government finally took matwere not able to disclose any information regarding disci- tion, the university claimed they were "studying the issue" ters into its own hands and passed legislation that will plinary action, which calls into question the fact that policy and were quick to form the Advisory Committee to the require campuses to establish a sexual violence policy by protecting their employees is prioritized over policy that is President and Provost on Preventing and Responding to January 2017. supposed to be protecting student victims of sexual violence. Sexual Violence.

Students should not have to wait so long though. The Ellie Donohue-Miller, coordinator at the Brock Student The University of Toronto's swift response to this University of Toronto claims that “sexual violence will not Sexual Violence Support Centre and the student's advo- urgent matter ceased there though. After 15 long be tolerated on our campuses,” but they have not done much cate during the investigation, agrees that "the students' months of deliberations, on February 2, 2016 the com- to demonstrate that yet. Victims' voices need to be heard needs and their rights weren't put first." By sacrificing her mittee finally released a report of principles and recom- and they need to be dealt with appropriately. The university needs for security, resolution, and closure, the university's mendations regarding sexual violence. Even though needs to stop inadvertently silencing victimized students actions led the student to believe that she was being si- Cheryl Regehr, vice president and provost, and Meric and make some sexual violence policy changes already. lenced because she was "just a problem."

Gertler, president, said they would "immediately begin This incident at Brock, however, is only one of the many to review the report’s recommendations," it is unclear Ariel Gomes is a third-year Victoria College student studying mishandled sexual violence complaints that are occurring how long their review will take and what will eventu- English, French, and linguistics. She is The Varsity's associate at post-secondary institutions. ally become of it. senior copy editor.

10 COMMENT

M O N DAY 21 M A R C H 2 016 comment@thevarsity.ca

OP-ED:

Vote yes in the upcoming LGBTOUT referendum Secure funding will strengthen LGBTQ+ networks

With your help, LGBTOUT can continue to pursue equitable initiatives.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATHAN GIBSON

NATHAN GIBSON

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Trans People of the University of Toronto (LGBTOUT) is an organization of student volunteers dedicated to providing resources and programming for queer and trans students at the University of Toronto.

Our primary goals are to promote queer visibility, create safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people, and educate U of T students about LGBTQ+ issues. We work toward these goals by hosting LGBTQ+ networking events, which help foster a sense of community for students who may feel alienated in straight spaces.

Due to the budgeting process of the University of Toronto Students' Union (UTSU), our event schedule is usually structured according to when cheques are distributed and how much money is made from ticket sales during our larger events. UTSU funding covers expenses up to half of a club’s operating budget. The limited budget decreases the amount of advocacy-based and community-building events we are able to run, despite this being the main purpose of LGBTOUT’s establishment.

A levy of just $0.25 from each UTSU member, each term, would allow LGBTOUT to overcome these financial barriers and better fulfill our mandate. This, in turn, creates a more equitable and healthy campus for all.

For instance, secure funding means we can host more intersectional events that cater to the diverse LGBTQ+ community.

This could take the form of hiring American Sign Language interpreters at educational events or securing accessible event spaces. We would also be able to offer small grants to clubs who take the necessary measures to ensure their events are LGBTQ+ inclusive. Thus, campus would be a more inviting space for queer students; especially those who wish to get involved with other groups outside of queer-centred organizations.

We always talk about improving mental health, and this levy would be a step towards doing that. Improved access to queer friendly spaces, as well as education and advocacy, would help to boost morale and inclusivity for queer students. Furthermore,

increased funding means LGBTOUT can better collaborate with queer organizations around Toronto, bringing necessary queer resources from around the city to U of T students.

Strengthening LGBTQ+ presence and networks could be the difference between a queer student feeling like they can reach out for help and feeling hopeless or alone. The LGBTOUT Drop-In Centre is a safe space on campus where we have over 40 amazing volunteers. They act as both a friend for those who need someone to listen, and as a person that can direct students to various resources around campus and in the city. A levy would ensure that LGBTOUT is able to continue providing educational resources, safer sex supplies, and drop-in services, in a way that adapts to the changing needs of our diverse community.

Opportunities to learn about LGBTQ+ advocacy and equity in general exist, but these opportunities are not always accessible. Many LGBTQ+ people, specifically trans people of colour, may face financial barriers in attending opportunities such as these. With secure funding, LGBTOUT looks to offer scholarships and alleviate these financial burdens.

Our organization has tried twice to get a levy in the past, with little success. Last year’s Drop-In Centre director, Cathie Renner, said that “there was more open homophobia on campus in 1999 and 2004… other groups were [advocating for levies], but because it was queer students it was seen as subversive.”

Between March 22 and March 24, show that our campus has moved forward from these attitudes. Please vote yes in the referendum online at utsu.simplyvoting.ca or at polling stations on campus.

Nathan Gibson is LGBTOUT’s Drop-In Centre director.

A multi-headed beast There's more to mental health support than just financial coverage TEODORA PASCA

ASSOCIATE COMMENT EDITOR

The Varsity recently reported that the University of Toronto Students’ Union is expanding its financial commitment to cover psychological care. As of September 2016, the revised health and dental plan will now provide students up to $100 of coverage per session with a registered psychologist, for up to 20 sessions a year.

These changes were met with overwhelmingly positive responses from many students, and the praise is arguably well-deserved. Certainly, the UTSU should be lauded for its efforts to provide increased financial support for students struggling with mental health issues.

That said, it is also important to recognize that this represents only a small step on an incredibly long road to full support for mental health on campus. If we want to tackle student mental health effectively, the financial and social contexts of the issue must be emphasized.

Although students under the UTSU's health and dental plan can now subsidize their psychological care to a greater extent, the UTSU itself has admitted that per-session costs of appointments with health professionals exceed the coverage they are able to offer. This means that the majority of patients will still have to pay a significant amount of money for psychological treatment.

Furthermore, the UTSU will only cover the cost of up to 20 sessions a year, which is less than the support required by students with significant mental health concerns.

More troubling, however, is the fact that increasing financial coverage for mental health services may not suffice to help the students who need it the most. Stigma continues to surround most, if not all, mental illnesses. Affected students may live with their conditions for years without telling others, fearful of being labelled as unstable, attention-seeking, or even dangerous, if they choose to come forward.

Although wellness programs and awareness campaigns on campus are increasing, students' concerns that they will be misunderstood or rejected continue to haunt many, often leading them to suffer in silence. These students are unlikely to extend their trust to a clinician, if they cannot even count on the support of those around them.

Some disorders inhibit the patient's ability to determine that they are in need of treatment. It may be particularly difficult for an individual suffering from an eating or psychotic disorder to seek out treatment, therefore rendering them incapable of taking advantage of the UTSU’s offer for help.

In line with the idea of making it easier for students to come forward, it seems that mental health initiatives are increasing on campus. Earlier this year, it was announced that Trinity College would be launching its own mental wellness program, aided by a $1.75 million subsidy for these services. The UTSU has also pursued several mental health initiatives throughout the year, including offering phototherapy for students suffering from seasonal affective disorder.

It is these types of initiatives that must continue to supplement increases in financial coverage, so as to more effectively reach out to all students — even those who are hesitant to accept help. Although increased financial coverage for psychological treatment is a step in the right direction, work needs to continue in pursuit of more long-term, sustainable, and well-rounded solutions.

With the UTSU elections underway, it is my hope that the winning candidates will continue to fight for mental health support on campus. In the meantime, we must acknowledge that increases in coverage are noble but still just a small improvement to one part of an incredibly complex problem.

Teodora Pasca is a second-year student at Innis College studying ethics, society, and law and criminology. She is an associate comment editor for The Varsity. Her column appears every three weeks.

Increased mental health funding is a good step, but we must also stay focused on broader cultural changes. JENNIFER SU/THE VARSITY

var.st/editorial

EDITORIAL

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

What's in a mandate?

The threshold of popular support for controversial advocacy remains obscure

21 M arch 2016

It’s your responsibility to vote in student elections

editorial@thevarsity.ca

LETTERS TO

THE EDITOR Vol. CXXXVI, No. 20 March 14, 2016

The UTSU has benefits for all of us, let's keep them accountable THE VARSITY EDITORIAL BOARD

T

NOOR NAQAWEH/THE VARSITY

o say that the University of Toronto Student’s Union (UTSU) has had a rocky year would be an understatement. In an exercise of volcano management, the UTSU impeached its vice president, campus life in December, held a rather turbulent Annual General Meeting (AGM) in November, and is currently negotiating an ongoing lawsuit that began in September. Even for the disengaged, this year’s student politics have been difficult to ignore.

Starting Tuesday, March 22, students begin casting ballots to elect a new executive team for the UTSU. Voting will remain open until the following Thursday at 6:30pm.

Voter turnout for these elections have traditionally been uncomfortably low. Last year, only 13 per cent of students voted, and prior to that, voting turnout has been as low as seven per cent. Regardless of the importance of issues — like rising tuition cost, deferred maintenance, and equity — that the candidates are expected to take heed of, the stances taken on these issues will not be representative of the students’ will as long as nobody participates.

Students need to engage in the democratic system through which our student government functions. While the UTSU’s presence isn’t exactly profound, it’s vital that our voices be heard through voting. The UTSU operates on a multi-million dollar budget and, voting is the most direct way to ensure that those funds are properly spent.

While the UTSU may engage in theatrics at its AGMs, their jurisdiction extends to medical coverage, the student dental plan, and formation of a Student Commons building. By voting, students get to select representatives who they want to dispense funding to campus clubs, organize orientation week activities, and oversee the food and clothing bank. The UTSU is also expected to lobby on our behalf; those who are elected to the UTSU executive are responsible for, among other things, fighting for lower tuition, improving resources for students with mental illnesses, and combatting sexual assault on campus.

At the very least, every full-time student — no matter how invested in student politics — paid the UTSU $190 in student fees this year to who that money will go to, and how that money will be managed, is up to us to decide.

Political science suggests that the more people that vote in an election increases the likelihood of reaching a ‘correct’ decision. Yet if our current voting habits then only a minor fraction of students will be deciding which candidates are worthy of these positions.

Often, these minor fractions are comprised of hyper-partisan voters whose support stems from their personal relationships. It is sobering that people who are elected by these small percentages of students are receiving, according to Macleans, an average salary of $26,171.

It’s understandable that in the face of scandal and dubious governance practices the electorate may choose to distance itself from a seemingly dysfunctional system. In fact, this scenario would be somewhat of a déja-vu for the UTSU. Controversy surrounding an opposing slate in the 2011 election manifested itself in boycots and book burning (no, really). This and consequently resulted in a seven per cent voter turnout at the polls.

Yet, the times when people have minimal faith in governance are the times when it’s most important to establish good governance. Rather than removing ourselves from the political system, we should engage with it and demand change. If we want to avoid our student union’s theatrical tendencies in the future, and if we intend on selecting a team that is representative of our student body’s wants and needs, it is vital that a broad range of students select the candidates who represent us. Regardless of whether or not you think the UTSU impacts your university experience, 13 per cent of the student body should rarely be deciding for the other 87 percent.

The Varsity's editorial board is elected by the masthead at the beginning of each semester. For more information about The Varsity's editorial policy, email comment@thevarsity.ca.

Re: Sexy and ready to serve Hello, Naomi – thank you for writing about the recent discussions on sexual stereotyping at work. We get a lot of calls about this. I just wanted to point out that our job here at the Human Rights Legal Support Centre is to provide free legal services to people facing discrimination.

When you wrote: “Although employees may choose to file human rights claims and seek financial compensation for discriminatory treatment from employers, this route is time -consuming and inaccessible to those who can’t afford it. Instead of punishing employers after the fact, it should be emphasized that it is the dress codes that have got to go.” I totally agree with you that a complaints-based process is clumsy and employers should be acting within the law, but as far as not being able to afford it, our legal services are free to those facing discrimination in Ontario.

Thanks.

— Jennifer Ramsay, Communications and External Relations Coordinator, Human Rights Legal Support Centre (from email) Re: Hello UofT, One UofT share their goals, experiences I'm extremely disappointed to see that The Varsity did not approach the independent running for VP University Affairs, nor did they include a photo of either Andy Edem or Alessia Rodriguez. This continues to encourage and perpetuate a slate culture where you're simply not given a fair shake if you're not on a slate, regardless of what kinds of qualifications you might have, and not only is that unfair, it's flat out wrong. For the average student reading this article who might not have made up their minds yet, this coverage could be a death blow for Edem and/or Rodriguez. I expected better reporting from The Varsity.

— Natalie Petra (from web) Editor's note: At the time this article went to press, The Varsity had not been made aware of the full roster of confirmed executive candidates. Mr. Edem was the candidate initially running independently for the vice president, university affairs seat. Mr. Edem officially joined the 1UofT slate on the evening of Monday, March 14, after this article had gone to print. Coverage of that event can be found on page six in this issue. The Varsity extended an invitation to Ms. Rodriguez, along with the rest of the executive candidates through the election's Chief Returning Officer. She was unable to attend the in-person interviews and photo session, however a photograph of her has been added to the online version of this article.

Re: Three grievances call for an end to campus BDS work You know, I’m pro BDS in theory if it didn't keep allowing anti-Semitism among some members of the movement, but it does and that has to be recognized (Note: I am aware that being anti-Israeli occupation does not make one automatically anti-Semitic). I believe that Palestinians should be free from occupation and should be allowed to return to their homes in Israel. I also believe that Israel should exist just as much as I think Palestine should exist…but there also needs to be an open dialogue because this is a very sensitive issue for many students, especially given UofT's history of anti-Semitism.

— Lisa Meyer (from web) Re: Three grievances call for an end to campus BDS work Zionists are self victimizing again, posturing in order to silence political dissent.

— Noa Shaindlinger (from web) Re: Faculty endorses Graduate Students’ Union divestment campaign To be consistent, all these idiot signatories should immediately discard their cell phones (many components developed in Israel), never use text messages (developed in Israel), chuck all their PCs (many components developed in Israel), cuck and never use USB flush drives (developed in Israel), as well as many other products in medicine, biotechnology, computer algorithms, agricultures and others.

— Yehuda Kleiner (from web) Re: Faculty endorses Graduate Students’ Union divestment campaign The trouble is that while Israel does things that are wrong, (and disagreeing with the Government is not anti-Israel or anti-Semitic), the areas occupied by Palestinians are used to plan, prepare attacks in Israel and as a staging ground for rocket attacks on Israel). There is no side that has the right to claim the high moral ground. I wish Israel would not bulid in certain areas and hammer home the idea they are willing to accept a Palestinian state and have peaceful relations. I also wish a figure would emerge in Palestine who believed in the ways of Gandhi: non-violent sit ins, non-violent protests, recognize that Israel has a right to be there and hammer home the idea that a Palestinian State believes in peaceful relations. People like Omar Sirri would make a bigger difference if he wanted to engage with Jewish students and talk about how peace could be achieved.

— Barry Wilson (from web)

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

No place like Ed’s place Mirvish Village is set to undergo massive redevelopment; students and shop owners contemplate the future of the beloved neighbourhood COREY VAN DEN HOOGENBAND ASSOCIATE ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR

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to Toronto on move-in day for my first year at U of T. Heading down Bathurst towards campus in my family’s car, I can recall every sight from that fateful day: the enticing independent restaurants, the grand and glamorous street art — all the usual trappings of a big city. When we hit Bloor Street, however, the scene changed. I stared out the window enchanted by the monolithic light show that was Honest Ed’s: the shining beacon of Toronto’s Mirvish Village.

For nearly half a century, the neighbourhood surrounding Honest Ed’s discount store has sheltered an eclectic array of local businesses. From restaurants to vintage clothing stores and comic shops, one of Honest Ed’s celebrated slogans says it best: “there’s no place like this place, anyplace.” ’LL NEVER FORGET MY DRIVE

THE SPIRIT OF A NEIGH

While today the carnival-style discount to snap a photo as head inside to shop, t businesses that surround Honest Ed’s hav of reasons.

Daniel Konikoff, a criminology major at a record shop that occupied the east end of that upon entering the independent record sort of sensory overload.”

“I was inundated with culture, with im many of which I hadn’t heard of before,” s Fourth-year psychology major Denise Sa ish Village. “Passing by the giant Honest E way — night or day — feels comforting in few vintage clothing stores I like to go to wh In the summer before my third year, I m mates — one from Waterloo in town fo staying in Toronto to learn English at U tourist’s dream. We bought tacky, matchi dare, walked home in them looking like a but so was Ed’s — and that’s why people l Many students may be familiar with Th pendent comic book shop that’s been on M partnership where the store sold comics u discounted rates for enrolled students, the comics culture, but also a reference library c Although businesses like Sonic Boom we of the city following the news of the Villag fortunate. Suspect Video, a mainstay in To 1991, announced earlier this year that they When asked whether Suspect Video cou told Torontoist, “The reality is, the rents ar era of on-demand digital entertainment h seeker from physical video stores. Witho in Mirvish Village, Suspect Video strugg “There are options... but it does point mo just doing conventions and going online,”

THE IMPENDING FUTURE

Westbank Properties has purchased Honest Ed’s and Mirvish Village for redevelopment. MARGAUX PARKER/THE VARSITY

And yet, in the wake of a $100 million buyout in 2013 to make way for condominium development, Honest Ed’s, along with the bulk of surrounding businesses, are set to close their doors by the end of 2016. More than simply the loss of a handful of retailers, the closing represents the loss of a limb for the cultural body of Toronto.

ED’S TORONTO

As a businessman, arts advocate, and humanitarian, the late Edwin “Ed” Mirvish was Toronto’s quintessential multi-tasker.

After opening his eponymous discount store in 1948, Mirvish promoted his business with late night television advertising. He attracted locals with oddball ads and showcased products marked down far below the suggested retail price. His charm paid off, and the flagship Mirvish business was a success.

In 1962, with over a decade of fiscal success behind the bargain house, Mirvish purchased the Royal Alexandra Theatre, saving it from demolition. In 1993, Mirvish oversaw and funded the development of the Princess of Wales Theatre.

Turning a profit was never the sole motivation for the city’s favourite bargain man; every Christmas, Mirvish would give thousands of pounds of free turkeys to Toronto citizens outside of Honest Ed’s. In 2007, Mirvish was recognized posthumously for his contributions to the city of Toronto’s cultural scene when Yonge Street’s Canon Theatre was renamed Ed Mirvish Theatre in 2011.

2017 is set to see an abrupt change to wha bourhood for over half a century. A numb legacy and influence may still, however, b The new owner of the Honest Ed’s site is bank Properties. In May 2015, the compa main feature of the plan is three towers eac is unsurprising given the city’s condo-boo more friendly to former Honest Ed’s regula enterprises, a “Mirvish Village Market,” a include at least 1,000 rental units.

There is no doubt that this is a plan b it also hints at attempts to maintain so character. One of the most pressing ques since the announcement of Honest Ed’s store’s iconic luminous signs. Some have that the condominiums would incorpor of this might point to Toy Factory — th turned condo that was modified to allo demolished and built over — as an exam Westbank confirmed last year that the proposal, citing the difficulties of havin system and the sheer size of the signs bein Some are hopeful that the Honest Ed’s following the story of the Sam the Recor tubing wrapped into two giant vinyl record of Yonge Street from 1961 until the record s bought the Yonge and Gould Street prope a promise to protect the original Sam’s sig history spent a few years in storage, but R 2016. The university intends to display Sam building top that will be visible from Yon It remains possible that the Honest Ed’s path, although this may be easier said than ted that one of the biggest ongoing proble sign and its decades-old lighting system ru scenery may not be feasible.

BOURHOOD

store is as likely to inspire a passerby the diverse range of Mirvish Village’s ve resonated with students for a variety

t U of T, recounts visiting Sonic Boom, f Honest Ed’s until 2014. Konikoff says d store for the first time, he felt, “some

mportant works, with art of all kinds, shared Konikoff. alazar also has fond memories of MirvEd’s sign and the fairy lights in its alley a way,” she explained. “There are even a here some of the workers recognize me.” made sure to take my subletting roomor a co-op term, the other from Japan of T — to Honest Ed’s, believing it a ing bathrobes for $3.00 and then, on a a bizarre bargain cult. We were weird, loved it.

The Beguiling Books and Art, an indeMarkham Street since 1992. Due to a used in U of T’s graphic novel class at e shop became not only a sanctuary of contributing to students’ academic lives. ere able to find new homes in other areas ge’s redevelopment, not everyone was as oronto’s niche video and arts scene since y would be closing their doors in 2016. uld find a new home, owner Luis Ceriz re just insane.” The concern is that the has removed the average entertainment out the tight artistic community found gled to stay afloat in another location. ore towards closing than anything, and ” said Ceriz.

E

at has been a celebrated Toronto neighber of loose ends regarding the Village’s be salvageable. s a development company called Westany released its plans for the space. The ch more than 20 storeys high — which om. Some features of the plan might be ars, including work-live space for social and the promise that the complex will

A COMMUNIT Y CONCERNED WITH CULTURE The owners and employees of The Beguiling, and Little Island Comics — a child focused comic book store, seem to take after Ed Mirvish, at least in their efforts to involve themselves with Toronto’s cultural landscape. The co-founders of the shops are the main sponsors and organizers of the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF). The free, two day convention hosted at the Toronto Reference Library aims to celebrate local and international creators in the comics scene.

Like other store owners in the Village, co-owner Peter Birkemoe of The Beguiling said that he and his team must find new homes for the shops they own in the area. In regards to how the TCAF might be affected, Birkemoe explains that, “TCAF itself is not likely to be affected, but since many of the people who work here work on TCAF in their spare time, it will put a strain on those that make the show possible.”

While the fate of the iconic signs remains unknown, the legacy of Honest Ed Mirvish and his village will no doubt endure in Toronto’s collective conscience. The neighbourhood has been immortalized in pop culture: the Scott Pilgrim comic book series and movie both feature prominent scenes set in the Village, a variant cover for the first Pitiful Human Lizard comic depicting the titular hero scaling the massive Ed’s sign, and dozens of photographers and artists have captured every angle of the Bloor and Bathurst monument.

The Mirvish family’s contributions to the arts will no doubt continue to thrive: The Royal Alexandra and Princess of Wales Theatres continue to attract impressive crowds to their productions.

Regardless of its relocation The Beguiling’s TCAF will carry on as usual for years to come — featuring renowned international artists such as Bastien Vives, a French comic book artist.

Parts of the Village may be closing, but its villagers seem determined to keep its spirit alive.

A LASTING LEGACY For the most part, the Mirvish family has stepped out of the spotlight since the buyout was announced.

On the few occasions David Mirvish, owner of the store since the death of his father, has spoken publicly about the closing, he has expressed confidence in the decision and a sincere gratitude for the 70 years of business Honest Ed’s enjoyed.

“As people, we have a life cycle and so do businesses. Retailing that lasts 75 years is a very long life,” David explained in a PBS documentary on the Mirvish family that was released earlier this year. In an interview with CP24, he said he trusted Westbank Properties’ decisions surrounding the location, saying, “I have no idea what they will do but from what we know from [their other properties] is that they build quality and so I think they will do whatever they see as appropriate to the neighbourhood.”

bent on gentrifying of the space, but ome of the village’s authenticity and stions Torontonians have been asking ’s closing is what is to become of the e suggested, others perhaps assumed, rate the original signage. Proponents he historic Liberty Village warehouse ow for lofts, rather than being fully mple of worthwhile repurposing. e signs have no role in the current site ng to reconfigure the antiquated light ng wider than the proposed buildings. s signs may still be saved and restored, rd Man signs. Over 1,000 feet of neon ds upon a red backdrop was once a staple shop closed in 2007. Ryerson University erty in 2008, and the purchase included gnage. The colourful piece of Toronto’s Ryerson began reassembling the sign in m’s neon records from a Victoria Street nge & Dundas Square. s signs can go down a similar restorative n done. The Mirvish family have admitems Honest Ed’s faced was keeping the unning, suggesting a simple change of

JULIEN BALBONTIN/THE VARSITY

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ARTS&CULTURE 21 M arch 2016

arts@thevarsity.ca

ARTICLE BY EMILY COLERO

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ext month, Torontonians will bid farewell to a long-time neighbourhood haunt: the Brunswick House.

The famous watering hole is closing down after 140 years of service. Many U of T students have turned to the Brunny at some point or another for judgement-free fun. To say farewell, The Varsity has collected a series of funny stories and nostalgic goodbyes from U of T students.

“Where to begin? The Brunny (Bruns, Brundog) defined my university career. From 2009-2015 I partied there, bartended there, met exes there, and solidified friendships that will last a lifetime there. There is not one story of debauchery that sums up my experiences there because there was six years of it! Summers at Camp U of T, going to 'staff training' on Thursdays. We would plan whom we liked and run around wildly yelling 'Bruns this week?' to all who would listen. But the best part of the Bruns was that it took my basketball team and other sports teams that were somewhat friends and turned us into real friends by having nights that would take everyone's best effort to remember. The Bruns was a rite of passage for us. I was brought there as a 19 year old, and then I was the 24 year old who brought the youth there. You weren't really a part of the crew until you woke up one morning and had to text your boys saying ‘what happened last night? Ye olde brundog got me again.’ Every time we tried someplace new, we'd always end up at the Bruns before last call because it was home for us. It's sad to see her go, but the memories — or lack there of — will always be a part of me.”

— Alex Hill “The Brunny has been a legendary lady for generations. I've had my phone stolen (and returned) twice, a regular lose his front four

teeth on the corner of Bloor & Brunswick, and my best friend seal his split forehead back together with scotch tape. A regular night at the Brunny was comprised of U of T Varsity teams, a frat & sorority, and a bunch of friends drinking too many mini-pitchers and tequila shots. Working there has left me with some crazy stories and friendships that will last a lifetime. Yet somehow, my craziest story will always involve the shy barback I had a huge crush on. Bartending at the Brunny, I would have never guessed he'd one day be my husband. To this day, we've seen so many relationships flourish between our coworkers.

The Brunny, known for blackout nights and regretful mornings, introduced me to the most amazing people I know.”

— Kelsey Bishop “Where do I begin? From attending Varsity pub nights as a (legal...) first year student, to dropping two different phones in the same toilet in a bathroom stall with no door, to completing the most epic birthday bucket list, to dancing on tables and doing body shots on the bar, the Brunny was always a wild time with the most epic stories to tell in the morning.

Thursday nights at the Brunny were always the highlight of my week! I met some of the best people I knew in university while working at the Brunny, from bartenders to security guards to managers. I loved showing up to my shift and making a round through the bar to say hello to every one of our staff each night. Our staff was always having a good time, whether it was serving beer in football trophies when we beat York, Brunny buckets full of Killer KoolAid, serving/drinking far too much tequila, or breaking up ridiculous fights. It’s a real shame that future generations of U of T students will never get to try to remember a good time at the Brunny. Stay thirsty, my friends.”

— Hilary Mallinger

“My first Brunny experience was in the first semester of first year. After drinking my body weight in Captain Morgan, chasing with blue Gatorade (‘I’m already counteracting the hangover!’), and with a borrowed fake ID in tow, I headed to the Brunny. Inside, I was talking to an upper year from my college who I recognized as a frosh leader, and being a cringe-worthy first year, identified him as such: ‘Oh yes, you’re the frosh leader with the nice arms!’ Cut to me later finding out he was one of my older brother’s good friends, and later, one of my current roommate’s [former] roommates. After many more nights at the Brunny in first year — which included many unattended drinks being finished by me (remember that I was entirely the worst) — I didn’t return again until this January. Again, I probably made an idiot of myself in front of a guy I only partially knew, so I guess this is a trend. The thing is, everyone at the Brunny realizes where they are, so nobody is judging how much of an idiot you (I) make of your (my)self — we’re all just having fun.”

— Charlotte Davie “A friend of mine and I went to the Brunny with a bunch of female friends, and at one point some guy was making one of our friends feel really uncomfortable. My friend, being the guy that he is, asked the guy to stop and a conversation ensued. Because it was so loud, they both took turns yelling into each other's ears, and it was starting to get a bit heated. They both stopped for a second, and then leaned in to say something at the same time. Fortunately, they leaned the same way, and their lips met for one beautiful, time-stopping moment.

I'd never seen my friend so mad, so I made a comment about love being in the air and danced in between them. Only at the Brunny.”

— Colin Henderson

“One of my really good friends seriously injured her leg and had to walk in crutches. We already made plans to go to the Brunny on Halloween night and it wasn't something she was going to miss out on. So she planned and designed her Halloween outfit to match and go with her crutches. She was a referee and the crutches were her flags. So we get pretty hammered and headed to the bar. She fell down a flight of stairs that night because people thought the crutches were part of her costume and not because she needed them. It was hilarious! Everyone kept walking up and going ‘cool costume’ and taking her crutches away so she could barely stand or walk. Meanwhile... she was pretty far gone. It was the ultimate dedication to the Brunny. I had to piggyback her all the way to and from the bar.”

— Tegan Stairs “The Brunswick House was the place I most frequented for over a year. In my second year of university I worked there, and when I wasn’t working, you can be sure I was partying there.

I would say I made a lot of memories at the Brunny, but honestly, I don’t remember much, and that’s what I’ll miss about it. The Brunny was the place to go to get black out drunk because it was the wildest bar in the city, and when I say wild, I mean eighteen-year-oldwith-daddy-issues-drinking-tequila-for-thefirst-time wild. I walked in on a guy getting a blowjob in the woman’s washroom, saw a guy getting a handy in a booth in the corner, watched our two coat-check girls drag another girl out the doors by her hair, and I myself got punched in the face once. I’m thankful for The Brunny, because it’s the place I met two of my best friends, and knowing we’ll never be able to go back to The Brunny, I’ll be sad to see it go.”

— Shannon Krause

T H E VA R S I T Y

ARTS & CULTURE 15

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The story of the ‘One Dollar Poem Guy’ We’ve all passed by Shawn DeSouza-Coelho at some point, but who is the budget poet, really?

Shawn DeSouza-Coelho is at Harbord and St. George on Fridays between 4–6 pm. LISA POWER/THE VARSITY

LISA POWER VARSITY STAFF

An interesting addition to the northeast corner of St. George and Harbord has recently set up shop, and it’s not a food truck. Nestled between the neatly lined trees and the red mailbox

sits a poet. Taking a brief break from scribbling in his journal, Shawn DeSouza-Coelho quietly observes the campus’ activity throughout the day.

For a loonie, he'll write you a poem about anything. All proceeds go to the Daily Bread Food Bank. He is the 'One Dollar Poem Guy.'

But DeSouza-Coelho is so much more than that: poet, actor, entertainer, writer, and above all, artist.

When he’s not at his poetry stand, he works as a magician specializing in mind reading. He has written the novel MetaMagic: An Introduction and has another book on the way.

In April, DeSouza-Coelho will be hosting a TEDx Talk before gearing up to travel around southern Ontario with a theatre production. Originally from Toronto, he attended the University of Waterloo for his undergrad. Initially, he was to complete his graduate studies at U of T but instead opted to return to his alma mater. Now, he finds himself back at U of T and situated at the epicentre of the campus and offering words of inspiration during exam season.

THE POETRY STAND “I’ve been doing it since May of last year… I started off doing it on campus at Waterloo while I was doing my Master’s there. And from there I decided to take it to Toronto… I started at Robarts [in the] begin-

ning of February… and one of the reasons I decided to do that was because I was trying to figure out a place in Toronto where there was still a lot of foot traffic in the winter…

I’ve read about it in a book called Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg… in that book she talks about practicing letting go of writing… basically the idea behind the poetry stand is that you write a little blurb and then you give it out to the world and then let it go… Because normally when we write something we hold onto it… our internal sense or our editor sort of goes into overdrive and we… don’t want to put it out into the world because we don’t think it’s finished… but it’ll never be finished.”

WHAT DESOUZA-COELHO WRITES ABOUT “I initially started doing the stand to practice my prose but then 95 per cent of people started asking for poetry. So I quickly kind of fell into writing poetry… sometimes they’ll suggest things and sometimes I ask them if they want to suggest some

thing…. it’s really just a matter of whatever hits me on the spot… I have a general idea of what I want my poems to be; a general image of what I think poetry should do and... it really amounts to taking or creating a space and then filling it with language, right? That’s what I try to do with all my poems… I try to create a space. Doesn’t matter what space it is. It could be on the patio at Starbucks. It could be on the moon, it could be on Pluto, wherever… it’s just about the practice of getting something out there or getting something on the page… when I did it at Waterloo I did it at a place called The Davis Centre.

And that whole building is designed to look like a microchip. A lot of people got the juxtaposition of a person writing poetry inside of this technological vestige at the University of Waterloo.”

This interview has been condensed for clarity.

Students of America The AGO displays the work of past American photographers JACOB LORINC

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

A couple of years ago I took an afternoon walking tour of Harlem, New York. This was around the same time that I watched Walter Hill’s The Warriors (1979). With little knowledge of the area, my perception of northern Manhattan was regrettably limited to an apocalyptic action thriller starring Michael Beck. While the area itself served to immediately dismantle this perception, the tour didn’t shed much light on the neighbourhood’s history either. Gentrification had settled in nicely. Our tour guide told us that average asking prices for real estate could range between one and four million dollars.

Strangely, a tour of a Toronto art gallery exhibit appears to have done more to illuminate the disenfranchised corners of America for me than the actual locations themselves. The AGO’s Outsiders: American Photography and Film, 1950s-1980s captures the existence of forgotten communities in the land of the free. In doing so, we’re presented with raw documentation of impoverished communities, taboo lifestyles, and hidden secrets thought to have died out before the turn of the century. It’s a valiant effort for an ambitious project.

Documenting four decades worth of societal evolution is no easy feat.

Each room in the exhibit — and there are six of them — displays the collection of a single photographer.

Most of the action takes place in

KIMIA GHANNAD-ZADEH/THE VARSITY

New York, but an occasional group of visuals from Maryland or the Deep South will pop up throughout.

I wasn't aware of any clear chronological order to the exhibit either.

Rather, each photographer’s catalogue encapsulates a community far separate from the rest.

The exhibit endeavours to ease you in slowly with the work of Garry Winogrand, a street photog-

rapher from the Bronx whose work traverses the 50s and the 60s. The concept, presented through photos of bohemian shoppers and shaggyheaded protesters, is fairly simple.

American life in the postwar period is better, but only for some. “You could say that I’m a student of photography,” Winogrand's bio in the gallery reads. “And I am — but really I’m a student of America.”

The exhibit stomps on the gas pedal by the time you glance over into room number two. It’s here that we discover the nauseating disposition of Harlem in the 60s. Gordon Parks, the first African-American staff photographer for Life magazine, captures the deplorable living conditions of the large populations that crammed themselves into the brownstones of northern Manhattan. Heating is re-

mote and rooms are accompanied by small rodents and house-pests. I had previously been wondering why a picture of John F. Kennedy — his back turned to the camera — had marked the entranceway to this room, but it became fairly obvious upon seeing the documentation of a community ignored by its government.

The exhibit aims to uncover the true outsiders of America. This doesn't include the hippies, whose counter-culture lifestyle gained enough momentum to become accepted-culture, nor the Beat Generation during the 50s, whose impression of hyper-masculinity seemed to obscure the movement’s nobility. That said, they are showing Pull My Daisy.

The exhibit instead uncovers the not-so-romanticized outsiders of America: cross-dressers in 70s New York, or mentally disabled patients in remote New England institutions, impoverished city-dwellers riddled with unemployment and substance abuse. The photographs provided are less fascinating in terms of artistic merit, as they are in terms of subject matter.

The exhibit ends with the work of Danny Lyon, a photographer who became a part of the Chicago Outlaw Motorcycle Club and documented their journey across the States in true Sons of Anarchy fashion. Again, the exhibit returns to a rather cliché photographic style — but considering what lies in between, it strikes a necessary balance.

16 ARTS & CULTURE

M O N DAY 21 M A R C H 2 016 arts@thevarsity.ca

STUDENT THEATRE REVIEW:

Cabaret A superb rendition of the Broadway hit with no one there to see it YIMENG SUN

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Not many people showed up to see Cabaret, which was put on by the Trinity College Drama Society (TCDS). The George Ignatieff Theatre is a small, intimate space, but I still felt rather lonely occupying one seat in the otherwise vacant left side of the theatre. It was only the centre section that had more than one occupant. The trickling turnout was disappointing, considering that it is certainly one of the best shows I’ve seen at the university this year.

In Cabaret, financially and creatively destitute American novelist Cliff Bradshaw (played by Kevin Matthew Wong) travels to Berlin in the dying days of Weimar Germany to find inspiration for his novel. Upon arrival, he falls in love with British singer Sally Bowles (Rachel Hart), who works at the Kit Kat Club, a decadent, gratuitously racy cabaret with a mysterious, polyamorous master of ceremonies (Shak Haq).

Sally, Clifford, Clifford’s landlord Fraulein Schneider (Jocelyn Kraynyk), and her close admirer Herr Schulz (Jeffrey Kennes) must

confront the political tension and growing hatred brought on by the rise of the Nazi party.

With its sin city setting and dramatic historical backdrop, Cabaret has no shortage of shocking moments. The show’s real haymaker, however, is a romantic song and dance between the Emcee and one of the cabaret dancers (Alice Guo), who is dressed in a gorilla suit.

“I understand your objection,” the Emcee sings (it’s a gorilla, for goodness sake). The metaphor becomes clearer when he elaborates, “but if you could see she through my eyes, she wouldn’t look Jewish at all.” Cabaret is a defense of love and a defense against hatred — a theme that sounds trite but is hard to pull off convincingly.

It’s all the more impressive that TCDS’s production deftly handles those themes in a polished, confident, and gorgeous manner. Haq’s Emcee really holds the show together. He has a colourful sense of showmanship, and the true spirit of his character comes out in his moment of vulnerability toward the end. Kevin Matthew Wong’s performance is more puzzling, in neither a good nor bad way. There’s something overzealous about his acting, which is not ineffective but definitely inconsistent with the style of the rest of the cast. When he

Cabaret is TCDS' final performance of the year. OLA OKARMUS/THE VARSITY

speaks, he seems to address the audience rather than the other characters. He acts very earnestly to the point of awkwardness.

The set’s centrepiece is a gauzelike, sequined curtain that veils the band and hangs from a metal frame.

Low round tables are added to make up the Kit Kat Club or the armchair and desk that represent Clifford’s room. Generated fog, coupled with the small size of the stage, expressed a smoky, claustrophobic atmosphere appropriate for the setting.

Costumes are detailed, evocative, and bountiful. Most charac-

ters get at least three full costume changes (except for Clifford, who never seems to change his clothes), including various cabaret performance dresses, sailor outfits, Nazi officer uniforms, and plenty of fishnet tights. The costumes look expensive, too, which makes it even more disappointing that there was such a small turnout.

The tech crew assembled a thoughtful lighting design, complete with window-frame gobos for “Tomorrow Belongs To Me” and evocative green lighting during “Money.” I also appreciated the

live percussion sound effects that accompany Clifford’s fight scene with Ernst Ludwig (Matthew Fonte).

The confidence of the performers alongside the support of the tech crew created a strong, stable performance. The set transitions and general infrequency of actors exiting the stage lent the show a certain honesty. All of this combined with the homeliness of the George Ignatieff theatre made for quite an intimate experience.

It certainly deserved a full house.

T H E VA R S I T Y

ARTS & CULTURE 17

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From Tony Hawk to punk rock: the story of PUP

PUP's ambiguous sound has allowed them to play with a variety of other bands. BRIAN RANKIN/THE VARSITY

The Toronto-based band discusses the link between their music and video games COREY VAN DEN HOOGENBAND ASSOCIATE ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

"I think the official story is that it's the urinal," drummer Zack Mykula tells me. "We'll say it's the urinal."

Like the Joker from The Dark Knight, PUP believes in a choose-your-own origin story. Today, it seems, Toronto's punk rock quartet found their name in graffiti above a urinal at Sneaky Dee's.

What's less debatable, however, is the acclaim PUP has enjoyed since breaking out in 2013. While recording, releasing, and touring their selftitled debut record, what began as a group of friends jamming evolved into a well-oiled, Juno-nominated punk rock machine. After two long years on the road, the group is gear-

ing up to release their hotly anticipated sophomore LP, The Dream is Over, later this year.

In the band's basement jam space, we talk songwriting, broadening genres, and the video games that inspired the music video for their latest single, "DVP." "THE SNOTTY LITTLE BROTHERS" Striking a balance between pop hooks and unabashedly heavy guitars and drums, PUP have found themselves welcomed by two very different music audiences.

"There's now a tradition kind of introduced by Alexisonfire where heavier music is becoming a little more accepted. So I can't say we're blazing any trails or whatever," Mykula explains. "But yeah, just by virtue of what we listen to and how we write, it just happened that we write pop music that's heavy."

"It's been interesting though," adds lead vocalist and guitarist Ste-

fan Babcock. "Because of that sound we've been able to open for such a wide variety of bands." Babcock recounts a 2013 tour opening for Vancouver based group The Zolas and Toronto's Hollerado, both lightersounding acts, that was followed immediately by a series of shows with the hardcore band, Cancer Bats.

"The demographic is just the exact opposite, and somehow we found a way to fit in with both of those tours," Babcock says. "On the Hollerado/Zolas tour we were like the crazy heavy badass punks, and then we went on this Cancer Bats tour and we were like the snotty little brothers, you know?"

The most recent single of their upcoming record is an example of the group's blend of hardcore and melodic sound. Falsetto "oohs" rest atop relentless drumming in "DVP," while Babcock shouts, "She says that I drink too much, I fucked up and she hates my guts."

The music video, dreamt up and directed by filmmaker Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux, blends the band's feverish sound with the fast-paced, flashy video games the guys grew up playing in the mid-nineties.

"WE LISTEN TO TONY HAWK SOUNDTRACKS" Noting other Canadian acts, like Bossie and BADBADNOTGOOD, that often channel the sounds of old 8-bit video games, I ask the band if the games ever inspired their music. "It definitely had an impact on me," Mykula says. "We were in a band that covered some Mega Man songs," bassist Nestor Chumak chimes in. I profess my love of Mega Man 2's soundtrack, but am quickly

reminded by Mykula that Mega Man 7 and X are simply where it's at. "Mega Man X, the composition is insane, and then Super Metroid, the composition is insane."

PUP has clearly earned gaming chops. "I think the thing about a lot of that music too is Nintendo had the kind of big budget to hire someone who was a composer," guitarist Steve Sladkowski suggests. "All of that music is really a lot more complex than I think people would realize just given the medium and the format."

The band also points to the Tony Hawk Pro Skater games as seminal crash courses on punk music in their youth. "That's what we do when we decide to do a new cover. We listen to Tony Hawk soundtracks."

PUP's LP was released via Royal Mountain Records, a label founded by members of Hollerado that now feature talent like Alvvays and PKEW PKEW PKEW, among others. Babcock describes the evergrowing label as a DIY kind of label.

"It's really like a group of friends who just kind of help each other, and it’s kind of cool to be a part of that."

Although some artists write tracks for their sophomore records while touring, PUP's style of songwriting simply doesn't allow for that luxury.

"Because of the nature of how we write as a band, which is really the four of us in a room putting the songs together, you can't do that on the road. It's literally impossible," Babcock says."The majority of the songs we wrote for the record we did kind of in short spurts whenever we were home. We'd be home for a month and spend five days a week writing," adds Sladkowski. "It was a very tough job in a lot of ways, which

was cool because that's kind of what we all wanted in a way, for this to really be the full time thing."

"There was kind of this fear at the beginning of, 'if we're on the road this much, how are we ever going to complete a record?'" Babcock explains. "But the thing that I found pretty cool is that you're on the road and you're just kind of playing shows every night and not really doing much else and not writing, but there's this whole kind of creative buildup that happens in your subsconscious... and when you have a moment to come home and sit back and regroup, all of that creativity that's been building up just kind of vomits out of you really fast."

"THE KIND OF BAND WE ARE AND THE KIND OF BAND WE WANT TO BE" While staying true to the sort of sounds that initially attracted their fans, The Dream is Over won't be a cut and paste of the 2013 LP. "It's generally heavier than the last record.

We just kind of have a much clearer understanding of the kind of band we are and the kind of band we want to be, whereas the previous record we were kind of figuring out what our sound was going to be."

PUP's self-titled debut album sought to channel the sound and sensation of their live show; feedback and all, the record conveys the rawness of a distortion-heavy rock show.

With album two, they hope to take that even further.

"I think we accomplished what we were going for," Babcock says. "The question is just whether people are going to connect with it or not."

Where that food actually comes from Many ' foreign' dishes are not as foreign as you may think ORIANA DI NUCCI VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Fellow foodies, it’s time we discuss the origins of some of our favourite meals. More specifically, it’s time we discuss the truths about some inauthentic foods despite their perceived countries of origin. Although none of us want to accept the fact that our late-night bites and first choices at restaurants are often an inaccurate portrayal of a country’s traditional cuisine, it’s important to note the true origins of these dishes.

As Torontonians, we often like to think of ourselves as a cultural mosaic. But considering that we’re prone to adapting the cuisines of foreign cultures and popularizing them for our own consumption, this claim is only partially accurate. While many of us know of at least one dish from our own culture that has either been appropriated

or fabricated in a North American setting, we will continue to eat the food regardless. Most of us eat out at Mandarin or buy a shawarma from Robarts, assuming that what we’re eating is authentically Chinese or Middle-Eastern.

THE TALE OF THE ‘CHINESE’ FORTUNE COOKIE Let’s start with the most famous of all westernized cuisines: 'Chinese' food.

Before the popularity of shawarmas and Chipotle, Chinese food was far-and-away the most popular take-out food around town. Typical dishes involved greasy spring rolls, sweet-andsour pork, and most importantly, fortune cookies. Without fortune cookies, are you even capable of success and prosperity?

Little did we know, however, that the beloved cookie was actually developed in Kyoto, Japan over a hundred years before it became popular in the United States. Decades after its creation, Japanese bakers migrated to California where they

continued to produce the cookies.

So how did fortune cookies end up in Chinese restaurants rather then Japanese ones? One theory is that due to rising Japanese internment camps during World War II, American-Japanese bakers found it increasingly difficult to cultivate culinary businesses, and, as a result, Chinese bakers took over the production of fortune cookies.

From that point on, the fortune cookie became a staple in American-Chinese cuisine, and it continues to remain one of the most beloved features of this so-called Chinese food.

THE NOT-SO-MEXICAN TACO Next is the 'Mexican' taco. A traditional taco from Mexico consists of a soft corn tortilla, steak or pork, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and a garnish of red onion. The taco many of us have grown accustomed to, however, is a hard, yellow taco shell filled with various processed foods, such as hamburger meat, iceberg lettuce, and fake cheese.

This version of a taco has Ameri-

MIA CARNEVALE/THE VARSITY

can origins in states bordering Mexico, like Texas and Arizona.

Jeffery M. Pilcher — a professor from the University of Minnesota investigating the evolution of Mexican food — told the Smithsonian that Mexicans immigrating to the United States often intended on maintaining their traditional culture but could only do so with the ingredients imported and sold in America.

Yet, the establishment of massive brands such as Old El Paso that specialize in fake-Mexican food have ultimately led to an evolution of the taco that no longer resembles authentic Mexican cuisine.

FETTUCCINE ALFREDO: AN ‘ITALIAN’ FOOD FOR AMERICANS You’ve probably seen fettuccine alfredo on a menu somewhere like The Olive Garden or The Old Spaghetti Factory.

As it turns out, the popular 'Italian' dish is not entirely Italian. In 1914, an Italian man cooking soft-foods for his pregnant wife concocted an early version of fettuccine alfredo, so as not to upset her stomach. The cook, Alex di Lelio, used parmigiano and butter in the dish and later added the recipe to his restaurant’s menu. Eventually, two actors discovered the dish and brought it back to America.

Following its brief stint in Rome, di Lelio moved his restaurant to Rockefeller Center in New York City, where alfredo sauce became popular, and the final changes were cemented. In Italy, however, if you ask for fettuccine alfredo at a restaurant, the waiters will likely have no idea what you’re talking about.

21 M arch 2016

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The future of medicine?

Stem cells have the potential to evolve into any type of cell, setting the scene for medicine’s next big breakthrough

science@thevarsity.ca

D UN T

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SCIENCE

ONTARIO’S NEW WASTE-FREE STRATEGY AND BILL-151 Hosted by the Sustainability Consultant Network, is an opportunity for students to come out and learn more about the provincial government’s new waste-free proposal.

Monday, March 21 6:00–7:30pm Centre for Social Innovation 720 Bathurst St. Admission: Free with registration

STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH PANEL DISCUSSION A panel discussion about the mental health issues facing post-secondary students and treatment strategies for the future. The event will feature guest speakers Nessikha Karsenti, Director of Health Out Loud, a mental health executive representative from the Health and Wellness Centre, and executive team members from Minds Matter Magazine team.

HAMAN MAMDOUHI VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Tiny heart cells pulsating on a chip, damaged brains being reborn and retinas re-growing by themselves to reverse blindness were just a few things discussed at a conference hosted by the Student Society for Stem Cell Research (SSSCR) on March 12th.

The conference focused primarily on the potential for fast-growing stem cell technology to dictate the future of medicine. Titled “Stem Cells: The Future of Medicine,” the conference invited some of the greatest minds in U of T’s stem cell community to discuss the implications of their research and to respond to audience questions about developments in the field.

The conference opened with a talk

by Dr. Milica Radisic, whose team has recently developed a microsized “heart-on-a-chip.” She also discussed the technical advances in stem cell research by other research groups. Dr. Cindi Morshead, whose research identified a drug that induced stem cells in the brain to recreate damaged and dead brain parts, also made a presentation.

The event was later divided into concurrent sessions covering the most recent advances in regeneration, cancer technology, and stem cell biology at the University of Toronto.

As the day progressed, Dr. Janet Rossant discussed the procedure of creating stem cells from somatic (bodily) cells.

Much of the research discussed is currently applicabl. In fact, Dr. Morshead’s research had already moved into clinical trials to help children with traumatic brain injuries.

Tuesday, March 22 6:00–8:00pm Croft Chapter House 15 King’s College Circle Rm183 Admission: Free with registration

ACADEMIC SEMINAR: THE ARCHEOLOGY OF WINE

U of T’s chapter of the Student Society for Stem Cell Research (SSSCR) recently held a conference on the developing potential of stem cells.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SEAN IHN AND ANDREA MACANOVIC

Although some research is still a few years from clinical practice, the common thread was that all of these projects would come to fruition eventually.

“We have examples of going from bench to bedside within a year... going from making mice smarter to trying to treat kids with traumatic brain injuries in a very short amount of time,” said Dr. David Kaplan of the Department of Molecular Genetics during the panel discussion. “The challenge is even easier at a place like SickKids, where the clinicians and scientists all work together [the doctors] go to researchers’ talks, and they say ‘I want to get that treatment in my clinic as soon as I can.’”

Dr. Kaplan addressed a technical and regulatory challenge in translating this research into care for patients. “For us [researchers], we

try to work with the same drugs that are already on the medicine cabinet. We try to see if they do good things to stem cells, that we can then see if they’ll repair damage,” Kaplan said. “The challenge is going to be cell transplantation… this is an easier barrier.”

While established researchers were given the chance to speak, many future hopefuls were in attendance.

“I volunteer at St. Joseph’s Hospital and help patients with Alzheimer’s. I actually came here today hoping to take something away related to that,” said Sofia Martin, a firstyear U of T life-sciences student studying life sciences. “I really think that stem cells are very promising to cure [Alzheimer’s] or slow it down, so I won’t see my [future] patients have this degeneration.”

The SSSCR is an international association of students whose aim is to

foster understanding and promote the progress of stem cell research.

The U of T chapter was founded in 2014. Their other activities include visiting high schools and organizing academic talks and research workshops.

Speaking to the future of the conference, Ghazal Haddad, the president of the SSSCR, emphasized the importance of bringing disciplines together to start a discussion.

“This year we had scientific talks and research. We’re hoping that the next conference we will have policy makers and people to debate [the] ethical aspects of the research in order to open this field to humanity students and social science students… The community is interested in stem cell research and it’s important for everyone to discuss [how to] make important decisions about the future of medicine.”

Hosted by the Anthropology Student’s Association, this event will feature Dr. Stephen Batiuk, an expert on the rich archeological history of wine. The seminar will be followed by an information session for firstyear students.

Tuesday, March 22 12:00-14:00pm Anthropology Building 27 King’s College Circle Rm246 Admission: Free

BIOETHICS SEMINAR PAEDIATRICS The Joint Centre for Bioethics Seminar Series presents a discussion concerning the ethical issues in health care of children, the current state of the field and how to combat problems which may arise in the future.

Wednesday, March 23rd 4:00–5:30pm Health Sciences Building 155 College Street Rm106 Admission: Free

T H E VA R S I T Y

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Medicine tailored just for you The annual Massey Grand Rounds symposium addressed the possibility of utilizing big data for individual symptoms SHAAN BHAMBRA

ASSOCIATE SCIENCE EDITOR

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What do bits and bytes have to do with our body? Believe it or not, utilizing health data can be the key to finding innovative solutions for age-old health problems. With a wealth of data now at the fingertips of doctors, researchers, and computer scientists, the next best medical discovery may come from moving numbers around, rather than organs.

Last Wednesday, the Massey Grand Rounds symposium was held at Massey College. The yearly event is run by graduate fellows of Massey College, and this year’s conference featured a number of impressive names in the field of data-based medicine, such as Dr. Stephen Scherer and Dr. Arvind Gupta — both of whom were presenting as keynote speakers.

The two speakers are leaders in their respective fields. Scherer was designated a Nobel-class “Citation Laureate” for his “Nobel-class” research on autism in 2014. Gupta was recently appointed president of the University of British Columbia, before joining U of T’s computer science department as a distinguished visiting professor.

Speaking first, Gupta discussed how computer science is transforming medicine. He made special note of how wearables — devices that track your body’s day-to-day activities — can collect data to make individualized medicine a reality. An example of wearable technology is the FitBit line of activity trackers.

“We have devices that can measure your pulse, your blood pressure, your glucose level… Now imagine going to your doctor. Instead of just taking a snapshot of your health

from the few minutes that you’re in their office, they can see how these indicators have been changing with time. So they’re getting a longitudinal health profile,” Gupta explained in his talk. “We expect in the next ten years, wearables that will predict a potential heart attack, hours to days before it happens,” he added.

Scherer spoke about his use of genomic data in making genetic links to autism, a disorder caused by a number of different types of genetic aberrations. When discussing his research and the recent breakthroughs made in understanding autism, Scherer notes that “our major advances have come through big data analyses.”

Beyond trying to understanding autism, Scherer extends the study of autism into the field of philosophy.

He astutely notes that “because the features affected by autism are the features that make us most uniquely human… understanding these concepts will help us understand how the brain works and what makes us uniquely human.”

Other guests at the event included Dr. Nancy Reid, who was also featured as a keynote speaker, Dr. Michael Brudno, Dr. Joseph Geraci, Dr. Michael Schill, Dr. Khai N. Truong, and Dr. Trevor Young.

The event was a great experience for the U of T community to hear from world leaders about making big data accessible for individualized solutions.

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M O N DAY 21 M A R C H 2 016 science@thevarsity.ca

National Cancer Institute invests $4 million in Pathcore U of T based start-up leverages the power of computation to transform pathology

Displayed here is a brain slice, commonly used by pathologists to to determine if neurological disease is present. PHOTO COURTESY OF PATHCORE INC

HANNAH FUNG

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Quick and accurate diagnosis is vital to effective treatment, anything that can make pathology more efficient might be a literal life-saver.

Pathcore, a start-up based at the University of Toronto’s Impact Centre, aids this process by employing the power of computerized quantitative methods to transform the field of pathology. Using algorithm-based image analysis, the startup helps pathologists make diagnoses more accurately and more efficiently.

“Pathology is a very analogue field that still relies on microscopes and human interpreta-

tion to diagnose complex diseases,” says Dan Hosseinzadeh, CEO and co-founder of the start-up. “We feel that computers can assist the pathologists in certain routine, time consuming, and tedious tasks, thereby allowing the human pathologists to focus on the complex decision-making by synthesizing information from various sources into a diagnosis.”

The Sedeen Viewer, is one of Pathcore’s products that allows pathologists to annotate and analyze whole slide scans of tissue samples. Pathologists can then apply tissue- and disease-specific algorithms to the images to make clinical diagnoses.

Sean Nichols, Pathcore’s Lead Web Developer explains that, “for prostate cancer,

you might have an algorithm that calculates what’s called the Gleason score, which is a scoring method for grading the aggressiveness of prostate cancer. In that case you might look across the whole image or select a few areas that are representative, and then run the algorithm on it.”

Pathcore has also developed assisted algorithms that automate repetitive tasks such as cell counting. “So right now pathologists would look at an area and say there’s about 200 cells, whereas an algorithm could tell you exactly how many it detects,” says Nichols.

“The main challenge is coping with the vast amount of information available when specimens are imaged at high resolution… Also

understanding the complex nature of the disease process is challenging and important for building good algorithms,” says Hosseinzadeh.

Pathcore’s technology is currently being used by over 100 organizations around the world. The $4 million (CAD) investment from the US’ National Cancer Institute will accelerate algorithm development for cancer detection. This investment will allow the company to expand its Software Development Kit to support its partner institutions as they build their own algorithms.

Additionally, the company is “hoping to improve on the usability of the [Sedeen Viewer] and potentially hire some more developers to improve the software,” says Deyu Wang, product designer at Pathcore.

The start-up is a spin-off from a research project originally supported by the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research and the Sunnybrook Research Institute.

The Impact Centre nurtures early stage start-ups by providing a range of services, including marketing, consulting, and legal support. It also provides a physical space for start-ups at little or no cost. Nichols explains that the Impact Centre “puts all these start-ups in an environment together to kind of interact with each other and give each other advice.”

U of T students interested in working at a start-up should enroll in IMC200 (Innovation and Entrepreneurship) and IMC390 (Internships in New Ventures). The latter allows students to complete a placement at an Impact Centre Company.

The three characteristics of a successful start-up, Hosseinzadeh argues are, “a dedicated and hardworking team, a niche product, [and] a strong network.”

Black hole research rewarded Associate professor wins prestigious astrophysics award for work on gravitational waves ALEXANDER GOMES VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

If there is one constant in the universe, it is the overpowering, gravitational pull of a black hole.

The influence that black holes have on the functioning of the universe makes them a vital point of study in humanity’s quest to comprehend space and the many fascinating objects it contains.

For his expertise in unraveling the mystery of binary black holes, University of Toronto associate professor Harald Pfeiffer was recently awarded the Bessel Research Award.

It is one of twenty bestowed this year.

Awarded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany, the Bessel Research Award recognizes a researcher whose fundamental discoveries or new theories significantly impact their discipline. The award, valued at 45,000 Euros ($65,000 CAD), gives the awardee an opportunity to work at a German research institution for up to a year, allowing them to collaborate with colleagues in Europe over a long-term research project.

Pfeiffer, who is already on sabbatical at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics in Potsdam, Germany, will use the money

MIRKA LOISELLE/THE VARSITY

to finance part of the sabbatical and further his, and the world’s, scientific understanding of black holes.

This award comes on the heels of an international group of scientists, including Pfeiffer, announcing that they had successfully detect-

ed the first binary black hole and gravitational waves. The finding verified a founding part of Albert Einstein’s one hundred year old general relativity theory. Pfeiffer has been a part of the Laser Interferometer GravitationalWave Observatory (LIGO) for the past three years. There, he focused on computing the wave forms that would result from all possible collisions of black holes. “Modelling is important because you need to know the potential shape of the wave,” Pfeiffer said. “It’s easier to find a gravitational wave when you know what you’re looking for.”

Now that the first binary black hole has been detected, and LIGO may detect many more, Pfeiffer says that he wants “to investigate in even greater detail than before, to be able to pry every possible piece of information from these exciting detections.” He adds that his research interests include “the fundamental physics problems that are opened up through gravitational waves.” In the future, he hopes to solve even more fundamental questions about spacetime theory, including whether or not Einstein’s theory of general relativity is the correct theory of gravity.

SPORTS

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21 M arch 2016

Women’s track and field sweeps national championships

sports@thevarsity.ca

Perfect!

Women’s volleyball bring home CIS banner to finish perfect season in style

“Who run the world? Girls.”

The women’s track and field team took home the CIS championship this season. PHOTO COURTESY OF MARTIN BAZYL

EMMA KIKULIS

EMMA KIKULIS

SPORTS EDITOR

The Varsity Blues women’s track and field team are now defending national champions. The squad, led by veterans Rachel Jewett and Julia Stille, dominated another season, sweeping the CIS championship for the second year in a row.

Despite the banner win, the Blues’ season didn’t start the year on a high. The squad fell to the Guelph Gryphons during the OUA championships, finishing in second place.

Even with gold medal winning performances by Jewett and Stille in the 600m and triple jump, respectively, and a stand-out performance by third-year Danielle Delage in the high jump, the Blues couldn’t overtake the Gryphons.

The Blues managed to ward off the third place Western Mustangs by one point, finishing with 131 total points to the ‘stangs 130.

The national championships hosted by York, however, became another success story for the Blues, who rallied after their disappointing conference loss to take the CIS championship.

Day one of the competition saw an incredible 60m race by fourth-year standout Madeline Warren, who placed fourth in the event, tying her personal best of 7.61 seconds. “I’m quite happy with my individual performance, I came into CIS ranked 6th and ended up coming 4th overall [so] It was... super exciting,” said Warren. “I was excited to contribute five points to the team and bump out a couple girls who were ranked ahead of me.”

The first day concluded with another fourth-place finish by sophomore Carolyn Adams in the pentathlon competition. Adams finished with a total of 3,756 points,

The women’s volleyball team won their first national title in program history last week. PHOTO COURTESY OF MACKENZIE GERRY

SPORTS EDITOR

but she missed the podium by a 68 point margin to Saskatchewan’s Astrid Nyame.

The Blues carried their momentum into day two of the competition. The women’s squad took home three medals in the 1,000m, 3,000m, and 4x800m relay to put them in second place behind the Gryphons, going into the third and final day of competition.

A gold medal performance by third year Gabriela Stafford in the 1,500m race opened the floodgates for the Blues on the last day of the competition, as the squad went on to take home four more medals, edging out the Gryphons in the final standings by 14 points.

Blues head coach Carl Georgevski was named coach of the year, and Stafford, who would go on to place tenth at the world indoor championships in the 1,500m, won the outstanding female athlete of the year award.

Describing the post-win feeling as a combination of excitement and pride, Warren maintains that this year’s championship title was truly a team effort. “We came into CIS ranked first, however, Alberta and Guelph weren’t far behind and their rosters were stacked,” she said. “Overall, this year was much more of [a] collective effort. We had athletes from all disciplines getting points and this kept us on our toes till the very last minute.”

When asked of her goals for the team next year, Warren doesn’t hold back — she wants a three-peat. “It’ll be my fifth and final year on the team and I can’t think of a better way to go out” she said. “We have a team of dedicated, talented, and passionate athletes so while I know this is an ambitious goal, by no means do I think it is unattainable.”

For the first time in program history, the Varsity Blues women’s volleyball team are national champions. The Blues completed a perfect 25–0 season and breezed through the championship match against last year’s champions Trinity Western Spartans 25–1, 25–18, 25–12.

The Blues clinched the conference banner two weeks ago at the Goldring Centre, where they defeated cross-town rivals Ryerson Rams in three sets. The second banner for the Blues in as many seasons, the win would secure the squad’s trip to the CIS championships in Brandon, Manitoba, where they would be the lone competitors to represent the OUA conference.

The Blues started their championship sweep by defeating the McGill Martlets in the quarterfinals. In a game that went to five sets, the Blues came from behind to win the match and reserve their spot in the semifinal against one of the tallest teams in the league, UBC Okanagan Heat.

In the semifinal, it looked like the Blues had met their match with the Heat, who took the first set from the Blues 21–25.

A dominant match high of 20 kills from the Heat’s all-star Katie Wuttunee would

frustrate the Blues, as they struggled to return devastating hits from the 6’3” middle.

Despite dropping the first set, fifth-year veteran Caleigh Cruickshank saved the Blues and notched 18 kills and 22 points during the four set thriller. The Blues would advance to their first ever CIS final on a service error by the Heat.

In a relatively anti-climatic match, the Blues overcame the Spartans to win the final.

A kill by Cruickshank clinched the first set for the Blues, after which the women kept rolling with kill after kill from Cruickshank and rookie right-side hitter Alina Dormann. After the first set, the Blues took hold of the competition, not dropping the lead once throughout the final two sets, and won their first national title on a service ace

by Dormann.

Dormann lead the squad in the final with a dominant 10 kills to cap off her first university season with the Blues, while Cruickshank was named tournament MVP, notching 47 points and 40 kills throughout her last CIS tournament.

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M O N DAY 21 M A R C H 2 016 sports@thevarsity.ca

Mastering injury Special coaching is essential for older athletes to stave off nagging ailments

Regional CFL Combine raises draft stock of Blues Will regional performances be enough to attract the attention of CFL scouts?

CHANTEL TENG/THE VARSITY

GAYE BOSTON

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

In track and field, a masters athlete is a competitor over the age of 30.

“A lot of people are not aware of track and field [let alone masters],” explains Theresa Rozario, a University of Toronto Track Club (UTTC) masters athlete. “[But] once I explain our workouts, our competitions, they are impressed,” she adds.

UTTC masters can choose to participate for fun or take their interests to a higher level and compete against other masters.

For masters athletes in the latter category that are interested in competition, getting the right kind of coaching is essential — since factors such as age-related muscle loss or sarcopenia are a natural part of the aging process.

So how do coaches train masters athletes to ensure optimal benefits with minimal risk of injury? Varsity Blues coaches are in the clear here when it comes to training their athletes, as sarcopenia only begins after age 30. Up until that point, when we train our muscles they naturally grow bigger and stronger, but building strength for masters is no less of a requirement when training with the intent to compete.

UTTC sprint coach Chris Lemassif says, “Masters often come from several years, sometimes several decades of inactivity, so the starting point of their training usually has to be much lower for both volume and intensity.”

This is a point Rozario seconds: “my body keeps telling me to take it slowly... if I don’t listen... well you know what happens... [my] body wins!”

Nicky Slovitt, another UTTC masters athlete, says she tore the ligaments in her ankle warming up for a relay a couple of years ago; it’s now a chronic issue if she’s not careful. “Last summer while training for France I re-injured it because I trained too hard getting ready.

Sometimes less is more,” she said.

The goal for masters coaches then is two-fold: they must not only spot injuries as soon as they happen but also take into consideration age-re-

lated conditions and create specific programs to prevent these types of injuries.

Speed City Track Club coach Steve Dos Santos, explains how he trains his masters athletes to avoid injury. “Normally we don’t get injuries,” he says. “First I assess the athlete’s ability then decide whether or not the athlete can handle the workout for that session.”

This suggests that a coach may have to devise many routines to suit individual athletic needs, and that challenging and pushing any athlete to their limit requires several meticulous steps. Dos Santos says he “tends to keep the volume lower depending on whether the athlete is already trained, like a varsity athlete who becomes a masters.”

Coaches must pay attention to each individual athlete before the next challenge can begin. Masters must gain a certain amount of strength before moving on to the next challenge, otherwise they risk injury.

Lemassif says, “An important aspect of training is progression...

Masters’ bodies are slower to adapt, so the progression has to be much slower.” While Dos Santos maintains that on balance, while masters can handle less training than varsity athletes, the quality is higher.

Here’s a sobering thought: all coaches are not created equal, and some may not know when their athletes become injured or fully understand what to do when they are injured.

For masters athletes, injuries sustained in training and competition are common, and the road to rehabilitation can be long.

Through progressive resistance training and smart coaching, masters athletes — myself included — can regain their strength and return to the competition circuit better and faster than ever before.

Despite a lacklustre varsity season, several Blues were invited to the CFL Toronto Combine. PHOTO COURTESY OF VARSITY BLUES

SAM CALDARONE VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

With the CFL draft approaching, it’s time to get to know the CFL Toronto Combine, which took place from March 10 to 13. The combine, broadly put, is a showcase of this year’s CFL prospects.

The participants for the national combine are chosen from three regional combines, but a high quality performance at a regional combine does not guarantee a national combine appearance.

In the 2014 regional combine, former Varsity Blue Christopher Johnson posted the fastest 40-yard dash time, highest vertical jump, and longest broad jump among linebackers. In spite of these accomplishments, he did not receive an invite to the national combine.

As important as exposure is to the draft, the national combine is not the only way CFL scouts evaluate athletes. While the combine can boost a player’s draft stock, scouts take an athlete’s entire body of work into consideration — this includes studying tapes of games, interviews with coaches and players, and regional combine results.

This year, a total of four Blues — DJ Sackey, Boris Isakov, Zack Lukings, and Farouk Musa — competed at the regional combine. Although none received invites to the national combine, this should not necessarily dissuade their draft stock.

Third-year offensive lineman Sackey will have another year with the Blues, while Isakov, Lukings,

and Musa will have to hope that their current accomplishments are enough to get them invited to a CFL roster. While Sackey can be confident in his second place finish amongst lineman in the vertical leap, he looks to improve on his bench press and broad jump measurements.

Musa, who graduated in 2014, is hoping to crack a roster somewhere in the CFL after posting a 4.927 second 40-yard dash time. That time was good enough for third place at the regional combine among linebackers; the only two ahead of him were NCAA products.

Meanwhile, fellow graduate Zack Lukings posted the second fastest 40-yard dash time among defensive lineman, at 5.194.

Isakov, who transferred to the Blues in 2013 from the Queen’s Gaels, led the Blues in receiving yards in 2015. He had assumed his football playing days were over once the season ended. Then the CFL came calling. “I thought my football career was over,” said Isakov, “that’s when coach asked me to come in and told me there’s a couple of CFL teams that were interested in seeing what I could do.”

At the regional combine, Isakov posted a 4.31 second shuttle cone drill time, good for fourth among all participants at the combine. He says the environment around him helped. “Just to have friends and family and teammates and every-

one there supporting… I feel like that really pushed me to have better results and a lot of drills I had personal bests because of that.”

These prospects, coming from both the CIS and the NCAA, put themselves through a gauntlet of football skill-testing drills in front of CFL scouts. With the stakes so high, the pressure can cause some to crack.

In spite of that pressure, several recent Blues have excelled at the combine. Prior to this year’s combine, former Blue Aaron Milton finished top amongst running backs in the 3-cone and short shuttle drills.

Milton received a bid to the national combine that year, and he now plays for the Edmonton Eskimos.

Although there were no Blues invited to this years national combine, Christopher Johnson’s story may leave the Blues hopeful that CFL signing can still happen. The extra exposure Aaron Milton received from the national combine likely helped his draft stock. Exposure at the combine is important, however, it is far from integral. Isakov, Musa, and Lukings, may have hope that their portfolios are impressive enough to warrant a draft pick.

For Sackey, he may hope the that if he doesn’t get drafted this year, an additional year of eligibility will catch the eyes of scouts across the CFL.

T H E VA R S I T Y

SPORTS 23

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Pressure mounts on controversiallynamed sports franchises Changing the face of sport is harder than you think RAGHAD A.K.

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Public furor directed at several professional sports teams over offensive names and branding is reaching a fever pitch. Several professional sports leagues in North America include teams whose mascots, names, and logos have drawn criticism from many communities. When we consider that these logos and names are not only representative of the teams, but entire cities across North America, the concern broadens.

The NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, the MLB’s Cleveland Indians, and the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Redskins are among the highest profile targets of public outrage. In addition to the inappropriate names, the teams logos heighten the organizations’ offense.

‘Chief Wahoo’ is the team mascot and logo for the Cleveland Indians — a cartoon depiction of an Indigenous man with red face paint. The logo has received heavy criticism and prompted petitions for it to change.

The Chicago Blackhawks are a team that have been lauded for their Stanley Cup victories and the success of their individual players, however, the team’s logo has also been a source of longtime contention. It is the face of an Indigenous man with feathers in his hair and war paint on his face. Some consider it to be one of the most offensive logos in professional sport.

Offensive logos, however, are not limited to professional sport, as controversy has sparked up around intercollegiate teams as well. The McGill Redmen have attempted to respond to the controversy over their name by devoting a portion of their website to explaining the origins of the Redmen name.

Richard Pound, former chair of the McGill Athletics Board stated, “Unless we find historical evidence which establishes that the Redmen name came from other than the colour of McGill’s uniforms, we intend to preserve the traditional name for our men’s teams.”

This argument is common throughout sports teams’ logo and name debates — franchises do not seem to want to change because to them, they represent the history of the team and the league.

Naming sports teams for symbols from Indigenous culture is disrespectful and offensive. It exploits these already marginalized communities through racist caricatures. We can only hope that in the future, sports teams realize the damage these logos cause and dismiss the idea of having Indigenous mascots, logos, and names to represent their team.

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T H E VA R S I T Y

DIVERSIONS 24

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The Varsity will post the answers to this puzzle in the next week’s issue.

ACROSS

DOWN

1. Maple leaf country 5. Mum’s mum 7. Marriage relative (2-3) 8. Luxuriant 9. Shrill bark 10. Devoured 11. NZ glacial inlets 13. Resentful desire 14. Plunder 18. Globe 21. Looked at warily 22. Johannesburg township 24. Pacific nation 25. Ammunition 26. Passenger vehicle 27. Baby owl 28. Intend 29. Servile flatterers (3,3)

1. Summon (4,3) 2. Detest 3. Helpers 4. Bombards 5. Actress, ... Paltrow 6. Completely finished (3,4) 12. Used shovel 15. Awful 16. Et cetera (3,2,2) 17. Specimen 19. Arab organisation (1,1,1) 20. Natural abrasion 22. Saline 23. Power units

Answers from Issue 20