vol. cXXXvi, no. 5
T he UniversiTy
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ToronTo’s sTUdenT newspaper since 1880
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University College’s Whitney Hall was the site of two reported incidents of voyeurism. SCOTT SHINGLER/THE VARSITY
VOYEURISM THREATENS WHITNEY HALL, STIRS GENDER DEBATE Residence floors at UC temporarily gender segregated
Two UTSU proposals vie for student vote at AGM Winning board structure needs two-thirds majority TOM YUN
JACK O. DENTON AND DAMIAN LANGTON VARSITY CONTRIBUTORS
On two separate occasions — September 15 and 19 — two female residents at the university’s Whitney Hall residence building were the victims of voyeurism, having been filmed while they were showering. As a result, Whitney Hall and its four University College (UC) housing affiliates have revoked their gender neutral policy on many of the residence’s washrooms. It fell to Melinda Scott, dean of students at UC, to break the news. “Given the serious nature of these incidents and the impact on directly affected students, we made the decision to specifically designate some washrooms throughout the building for those who iden-
tify as men and those who identify as women. At the same time, there remains at least one gender-neutral washroom per floor and per house,” Scott said in a statement to The Varsity. Many students are in shock. “It’s scary to think that there’s someone nearby that’s doing that kind of thing,” said Tessa Mahrt-Smith, a first-year Whitney resident. Melissa Birch, also a first-year resident of Whitney and shares Mahrt-Smith’s sentiments. “I think it sucks that there are going to be people that don’t feel safe in Whitney now, and that we can’t have an inclusive environment.” Whitney Hall has never had a reported controversy regarding its gender-neutral washrooms. The Metro Toronto Police have yet to find any information as to the physi-
cal appearance of the voyeur, though the investigation is ongoing. “Both victims (women) claimed seeing a cellphone reach over while they were in the shower,” said Constable Victor Kwong. Scott admits that the turn away from gender-neutral washrooms does not directly approach the problem of the voyeurism in Whitney Hall. “The purpose of this temporary measure is to provide a safe space for the women who have been directly impacted by these events and other students who may feel more comfortable in a single gender washroom in the wake of these incidents. We do not expect the designation of these washrooms alone to resolve this matter; it is a complex situation that requires a multi-layered approach,” she said.
VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
The proxy war is on: student societies scrambled for votes ahead of this Wednesday’s University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) Annual General Meeting (AGM), in an attempt to rally students to support one of two proposed restructuring plans for the UTSU’s Board of Directors. Under the proxy system, students who are unable to attend the AGM can ask another student to vote on their behalf by signing a proxy form and returning it to the UTSU or the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) offices. A student attending the AGM may be a proxy holder for up to 10 other students. Continued on PG 3
Continued on PG 5
OBEY
INSIDE
Malone Mullin advocates for “subvertising” as a form of activism Comment PG 11
Funny people
Samuel Feldman breaks down the hits and misses of JFL42 Arts and Culture PG 17 Students gather on campus to hear from representatives from major parties. KASSANDRA NERANJAN/THE VARSITY
DEMOCRACY WEEK ENGAGES U OF T PG 6
Tour de force
U of T engineers break bicycle land speed record Science PG 21
2 NEWS
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How the two utsu board proposals address representation Issue 5 Vol. CXXXVI
21 SUSSEX AVENUE, SUITE 306 TORONTO ON M5S 1J6 (416) 946-7600
COLLEGE, PROFACS, UTM The Zhuk Proposal keeps the current system, allocating directors based on the number of students in the division.
NUMBER OF SEATS
MASTHEAD Alec Wilson Editor-in-Chief
editor@thevarsity.ca
James Flynn Managing Online Editor
online@thevarsity.ca
Margaux Parker Creative Director
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creative@thevarsity.ca copy@thevaristy.ca
Iris Robin News Editor
news@thevarsity.ca
Victoria Wicks Comment Editor
comment@thevarsity.ca
Alex McKeen Features Editor
features@thevarsity.ca
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Lisa Wong Design Editor
design@thevarsity.ca
Mallika Makkar Photo Editor
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EQUITY AND CONSTITUENCY DIRECTORS The Zhuk Proposal includes six appointed "general equity directors." The proposal also creates a new Equity Committee to advise the board on equity issues, and six sub-commissions of the Social Justice and Equity Commission to address specific issues.
illustration@thevarsity.ca video@thevarsity.ca web@thevarsity.ca
Mubashir Baweja Associate Design Editor
Teodora Pasca Associate Comment Editor
Vacant Associate Photo Editor
Jaren Kerr Associate Features Editor
Sonali Gill Associate Senior Copy Editor
Vacant Associate A&C Editor
Devika Desai and Emily Johnpulle Associate News Editors
Shahin Imtiaz Associate Science Editor Vacant Associate Sports Editor
Copy Editors and Fact Checkers Danna Aranda, Christina Bondi, Rochelle D’souza,, Alexandra Grieve, Jordan Ihikawa, Darya Kuznetsova, Lauren Park, Raafia Shahid, Mariya-Kvitlana Tsap, Mobolajo Tunde-Oladepo, and Gabriel Wee Designers Nadine Guo, Chantel Teng, and Vanessa Wang
BUSINESS OFFICE Parsa Jebely Business Manager
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sports@thevarsity.ca
Damian Klambauer Web Developer
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arts@thevarsity.ca
Emma Kikulis Sports Editor
Shaq Hosein Video Editor
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DIVISION I: Colleges, Faculty of Arts and Science, and Transitional Year Program and DIVISION II: Professional Faculties
The Slobodian Proposal gives each college and professional faculty one director each, and increases the seats for UTM from 7 to 8.
Nadezhda Woinowsky-Krieger Science Editor science@thevarsity.ca
Julien Balbontin Illustration Editor
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managing@thevarsity.ca
Sean Smith Senior Copy Editor
Jacob Lorinc Arts and Culture Editor
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DIVISION I: Colleges, Faculty of Arts and Science, and Transitional Year Program and DIVISION II: Professional Faculties
thevarsity.ca thevarsitynewspaper @TheVarsity the_varsity
Sarah Niedoba Managing Editor
DIVISION III: UTM
business@thevarsity.ca
The Slobodian Proposal includes 12 "constituency directors" with purview over specific issues as a new Division IV.
The Varsity is the University of Toronto's largest student newspaper, publishing since 1880. The Varsity has a circulation of 20,000, and is published by Varsity Publications Inc. It is printed by Master Web Inc. on recycled newsprint stock. Content © 2015 by The Varsity. All rights reserved. Any editorial inquiries and/or letters should be directed to the sections associated with them; emails listed above. The Varsity reserves the right to edit all submissions. Inquiries regarding ad sales can be made to ads@ thevarsity.ca. ISSN: 0042-2789
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AGM Bingo!
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Students with Disabilities’ Issues Director Residence Issues Director Commuter Issues Director Sustainability Issues Director First-year Representative Athletics Representative
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Meeting starts late
President's height inconveniences him
“Brighter” pun
Alumni show up
Student asks about the lawsuit
Student press in tears
Subway rumbles beneath the room
“Call the question!”
No samosas left
Students still salty about Drake
All aboard the omnibus!
“Challenge the chair!”
Complaints about the proxy changes
Mention of the CFS
Singing
Rampant misinformation
Chair calls for decorum
Fashion statements
“Folks”
Hard hats
The Agenda returns
Meeting adjourns prematurely
Lady Godiva Memorial Bnad
Twitter war
Cherlene Tay Business Associate Michelle Monteiro and Emmett Choi Advertising Executives
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Two proposals go head to head at the AGM ILLUSTRATION BY JULIEN BALBONTIN
CONTINUED FROM COVER
TWO PROPOSALS In order to comply fully with the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act (CNCA), students will have to ratify a new structure for the UTSU’s Board of Directors. Such a vote occurred at last year’s AGM, where the only proposal up for approval was rejected. This year, there are two board structure proposals in play. ‘Plan B’ is a proposal moved by Arts & Science at-large director Khrystyna Zhuk and seconded by Daman Singh, University College director. The proposal would keep the same number of directors for each college and professional faculty proportionate to the number of students in the division, as with the current board structure. Elections for these positions would occur internally within each college or faculty’s respective student society. Plan B would also create six appointed ‘general equity directors’ to represent a variety of marginalized groups and to chair newly created sub-commissions under the Social Justice and Equity Commission. Grayce Slobodian, former UTSU vicepresident external and this years’ orientation coordinator, also put forward a proposal to the AGM. Under Slobodian’s proposal, one director would represent each college and professional faculty while the number of UTM directors would increase from seven to eight. Crucially Slobodian’s proposal would also see the introduction of 12 elected ‘constituency directors’ responsible for advocating on issues facing specific marginalized groups, similar to the board proposal that was defeated at last year’s AGM.
A NEW PROXY SYSTEM In previous years, it was the role of the proxy holder to collect information and signatures from students wishing to proxy their votes to another member. However, under the new regulations in the CNCA, that responsibility now belongs to the person wishing to proxy their vote. “The new proxy system did pose a huge obstacle for those trying to get proxies or students looking for proxy holders. It took much more effort on each individual’s part,” said Amanda Stojcevski, president of the university College Literary and Athletic Society (UC Lit). “However, I do believe this system was for the best, in that I found students with more knowledge regarding UTSU politics were more likely to explain things in detail to those who were less knowledgeable.” Stojcevski saw this as an opportunity to educate students and reach out to students who would otherwise not be engaged with UTSU politics. “I was very proud to see many individuals in the community, on and off of council, working hard to try and engage students. Our focus was more about educating everyone as opposed to racing to get proxies, and I think we succeeded in informing students that previously were more disconnected from the student politics of the university.” RALLYING THE VOTES Plan B has received endorsement from the UTSU Board of Directors, as well as many other student societies, including the Innis College Student Society, the Trinity College Meeting, the Victoria University Students’ Administrative Council, the UC Lit, and the St. Michael’s College Student Union. These student societies also created Facebook events promoting the AGM and
encouraged students to become a proxy or proxy out their vote. “Our reasoning behind endorsing the proposal moved by Zhuk and seconded by Singh mostly revolved around keeping our college’s full representation on the board, but also the representation of St. George campus in general,” said Stojcevski. “Also by having six General Equity Directors, any type of equity group can be represented on the board. Because they are general equity directors, they are not limited to representing a specific group of individuals, and they are able to address any equity issues at the university.” Stojcevski is also supportive of the changes in the way directors are elected under Plan B. “Internal elections will ensure that the directors of each constituency are involved within their community, and voters will not be swayed to vote by slate, a problem I personally have found frustrating in the past.” The proposed reduction of the number of seats for students on the St. George campus under Slobodian’s proposal has prompted the #SaveOurSeats campaign, which is being led by the St. George Round Table, a council of heads and presidents of every undergraduate college and faculty student society on the St. George campus. #SaveOurSeats has circulated an infographic on social media that compares both board proposals and highlights the seemingly disproportionate underrepresentation of students on the St. George campus under Slobodian’s proposal. Events leading up to the AGM have also been planned. “[The St. George Round Table] is currently in the talks of hosting a rally for all students to come to before the AGM, and we can all go to the meeting at OISE together,” said Stojcevski,“ adding, We have been working
hard to emphasize the fun and positive side of the meeting (namely, the excitement and food factors, and how this meeting is sure to be an important part in the history of the student union).” UTM The UTMSU has yet to endorse any of the two board proposals. UTMSU president Ebi Agbeyegbe expressed concerns over what he saw as a potential lack of sufficient notice for the AGM. Under the UTSU’s by-laws, the UTSU must provide notice to its members at least 21 days prior to the AGM. “The officers of UTMSU are consulting UTM students on the board proposals being put forward. We are aware that there may be some changes put forward,” said Agbeyegbe. “Please note that there has been many changes to the proposal being put forward by Khrystyna Zhuk. We are concerned that the notice provisions for such important changes have NOT been met. We would like all members of UTSU to have sufficient time to review the proposals before the meeting.” The UTMSU has also made efforts to promote the AGM on the Mississauga campus. Agbeyegbe stressed the importance of the upcoming vote and said that the union has emailed every student with information on the AGM and the proxy voting system. “Our goal is to ensure that we have as many UTM students participate at the AGM as possible, so that we can ensure that UTM students have a presence to ensure that the bylaw changes and motions that are approved benefit all students, especially UTM students,” Agbeyegbe said. “An email will also be sent to all undergraduate students early next week to encourage them to attend this meeting.” The AGM is scheduled for 5:30 PM on October 7 in the OISE auditorium.
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FEDERAL POLITICS
YOUR CANDIDATES: TORONTO-CENTRE The Varsity grills federal election hopefuls on hot-button issues
ANDREW RICHMOND AND SIGRID ROMAN VARSITY CONTRIBUTORS
As the federal election date draws ever-nearer, Linda McQuaig (NDP), Bill Morneau (Liberal), Colin Biggin *Green), and Julian Di Battista (Conservative) are vying for the Toronto-Centre vote. The Varsity questioned the four candidates about their stance on key policies that may affect students.
COURTESY OF THE LNDA MCQUAIG CAMPAIGN
MCQUAIG On student finance: would add $250 million in federal student grants and gradually phase out interest payments on student loans. On unpaid internships: would “put an end to unpaid internships within federal jurisdiction,” and bring interns under the same workplace regulations as everyone else. On student employment: to create jobs, she would increase investments, especially in affordable housing, transit, and a national childcare program, and set aside funding to create 40,000 youth jobs. These investments would be paid for by raising corporate taxes. On the refugee crisis: would take in 10,000 Syrian refugees in 2015 and another 46,000 over the next four years. Also believes we need to improve the application process and offer more support for refugees to integrate into Canadian society. On social justice: would pass the “Trans Bill,” (Bill C-279) intended to “get rights for transgender persons protected under the human rights code.” On the environment: would pass the Climate Change Accountability Act, which forces Canada to meet international emissions standards. Thinks we can meet these standards by ending fossil fuel subsidies and investing in green technology. On Bill C-24: would repeal the bill. Thinks it creates “a two-tiered system of citizenship.” On Bill C-51: would repeal the bill. Thinks “we already have ample tools to fight terrorism,” and the bill gives the government the capacity to prosecute not only terrorists, but protestors and activists as well. On the “Fair Elections Act”: would repeal the act. Think it makes it too hard for many people to vote. On the per-vote subsidy: would bring the subsidy back. Thinks it was “the most democratic part of our electoral system,” and that without it, the “well-to-do” have disproportionate control over election financing. On why students should vote: to those nonvoters who are frustrated with our political system, McQuaig says the power to change it is in your hands. If we all get out to vote, we will probably elect a government we don’t have to be frustrated with.
COURTESY OF THE BILL MORNEAU CAMPAIGN
MORNEAU On student finance: would ease the financial burden for families to help them provide for their children’s education — this means policies like lowering tax for the middle class and providing for child-care for lower, and middle income brackets. On unpaid internships: wouldn’t commit to legislate against them or not, since he’s not sure what the ramifications would be on the economy. On student employment: is committed to a deficit to fund investments in infrastructure, especially transit, housing, and green infrastructure, which he believes will grow the economy. The Liberals also would invest $1.3 billion in creating youth jobs. On the refugee crisis: would take in 25,000 refugees with no specific timeline, commit $100 million to improve refugee processing, and send another $100 million to the UN High Commission for Refugees. On social justice: the Liberal platform promises investment in social infrastructure, including affordable housing, senior’s facilities, and infrastructure and education in First Nations communities. On the environment: wants to help provinces develop their own approaches, like the carbon tax in British Columbia and the cap and trade system in Ontario and Quebec. Believes some oil projects and pipelines are necessary for Canadians and the Canadian economy. On Bill C-24: would repeal the bill, claiming it creates two classes of citizenship. On Bill C-51: thinks parts of the bill are necessary, but would add “significant oversight” and a “sunset clause” — a specific date when the government would have to readdress the bill and decide whether it was still necessary. On the “Fair Elections Act”: thinks the act makes it too difficult for people to vote. Justin Trudeau has promised to repeal the act. [Due to time constraints, Morneau wasn’t able to address the per-vote subsidy.] On why students should vote: says if youth aren’t voting, they don’t have a government that represents them and their voice. “And we lose the voice of the youth at our peril, because it’s all of a sudden losing the voice for the future.”
COURTESY OF THE COLIN BIGGIN CAMPAIGN
COLIN BIGGIN On student finance: would get rid of tuition altogether, making post-secondary education free, and forgiving student loan debt over $10,000. On unpaid internships: thinks they shouldn’t be allowed. Regarding the government’s role, since some legislation is provincial, the federal government should, to start, contribute some funds to make sure no one is working unpaid. On student employment: believes we should be preparing more people for jobs in technology, since fields such as computer programming, have plenty of jobs available. On the refugee crisis: the Green Party would take in 25,000 refugees, but Biggin thinks we should be following Germany’s example (they’ve promised to take 800 thousand) and take at least 100 thousand. Biggin is critical of our screening process and doesn’t think it needs to be nearly as thorough as it is. On social justice: says “the government seems to be stuck in 1950s attitudes,” especially regarding their drug and prison policies, and would promote rehabilitation programs for prisoners. On the environment. The Green Party has a host of climate policies, including fees on fossil-fuel producers, emissions reductions, and investment in renewable energy. On Bill C-24: is opposed to the bill, and calls it a “solution looking for a problem.” On Bill C-51: thinks the bill is “another pile of crap that wasn’t really necessary.” Says: “I’d repeal the whole damn thing.” On the “Fair Elections Act”: thinks this is “another solution looking for a problem.” “The problem we have,” he says, “is getting people to vote, not people voting multiple times, or voting illegally.” On the per-vote subsidy: would bring the subsidy back, since it helps smaller and diverse parties thrive. On why students should vote: says if you don’t vote, you can’t expect anything to change.
COURTESY OF THE JULIAN DI BATTISTA CAMPAIGN
DI BATTISTA On student finance: would double the government’s Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP)-matching grant. For every dollar low-income families put into an RESP (up to $500), the government would contribute 20 cents more than they currently do, and for every dollar middle-income families put in, the government would add 10 cents more than they currently do. On unpaid internships: would allow them to continue. He thinks they offer valuable experience that people couldn’t get elsewhere. On student employment: believes the government should stimulate the economy by reducing taxes, and that this will bring in businesses, corporations, and jobs. On the refugee crisis: would bring in 23,000 Iraqi and 11,000 Syrian refugees, though he doesn’t specify a timeline. Would also commit $100 million to match private contributions to humanitarian aid and would pursue the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militarily. On social justice: thinks our current policies are fine and stresses that, as a gay man, he is impressed with the Conservative government’s record on LGBT rights. On the environment: believes our current policies are fine, and claims we’ve reduced greenhouse gas emissions since 2013 without hurting the economy. On Bill C-24: believes Bill C-24 is a “valuable piece of legislation,” citing the recent stripping of citizenship from Zakaria Amara, one of the “Toronto 18” who planned to bomb downtown Toronto, as an example of the bill’s necessity. On Bill C-51: thinks the bill is necessary to protect Canadians, and doesn’t believe it infringes on civil liberties. On the “Fair Elections Act”: is “100 per cent in favour” of the act, and believes that under the new regulations, “there are very few, if any circumstances where somebody cannot find the required documentation to vote.” On the per-vote subsidy: is against the pervote subsidy, since it supports fringe parties like the Bloq Quebecois. Says he is against taxpayer funding of elections, but supports the taxpayer-funded subsidy on private contributions. On why students should vote: believes “the issue in this election is jobs,” and students should vote carefully for the party that will be able to ensure they graduate into a strong economy.
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ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS
King’s College Circle to undergo major redesign andmar Committee see s student and sta responses
King’s College Circle is set to undergo major changes. ANTHEA WEI/THE VARSITY
RACHEL CHEN
VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
Inspired by the university’s layout in the late nineteenth century, plans to make pedestrians a priority in the historic core of King’s College Circle and its surrounding buildings are underway. The University of Toronto Landmark Committee shortlisted four proposals from their Landscape of Landmark Quality Innovative Design Competition in September 2015. They are looking for faculty, staff, and student responses from all three campuses. “We’re selecting a proponent not just for their ideas, but how they are going to work with the community over this next year to develop the details about what we want to accomplish with this project,” said Scott Mabury, vicepresident, university operations. “We want nothing less than for students to take ownership of this project. To say, yes, we want it to work better for us as we move to classes, as we move to have fun on King’s College Circle or Hart House Circle or Back Campus.” Mabury, along with University College principal Donald Ainslie, are the Landmark Committee co-chairs, and have high hopes for the project. Mabury hopes to see it all done possibly three or four years down the road. “I arrived to this campus 20 years ago and was enchanted by a walk around King’s Col-
lege Circle,” Mabury said. “I just thought, wow, this is the most beautiful campus I had been on, to that point. It just resonated with me — that’s what a university looks like. But I noticed, why would we have so many cars?” By moving parking elsewhere, not only would cars leave the scenery, but the committee also hopes to enhance the bicycling experience and provide recharging stations for electric cars and encourage carpooling. “I would love to be able to walk down the historic core and not worry about getting hit by a car,” Mabury said. “I would like to be able to do that in an environment that has optimized my engagement with the landscape and those historical buildings. Visions of a more engaging campus began in 1999 with the Investing in the Landscape project and were revitalized by the back campus discussion. The lunar eclipse viewing event on King’s College Circle that brought thousands of the university community together last Sunday exemplified Mabury’s hopes for the public space. “What it represented for me was this great potential,” Marbury said. “If we can get it so that the landscape is better organized and designed about how pedestrians need to move and engage, then the potential of having events like that is tremendous. We can have great events because the landscape and the organization of that reflects a more human
scale, as opposed to a vehicle scale.” All proposals would also come with a site plan so that buildings and parking are still accessible during construction. Funding would come from advancements, thus leaving tuition prices unaffected by the project. The four teams entered in the design competition were selected based on design experience and public engagement. KPMB ARCHITECTS + MICHAEL VAN VALKENBURGH ASSOCIATES + URBAN STRATEGIES This group proposes more outside seating and plazas. It hopes to add a pavilion at Prichard House and one at the Medical Science building to replace the set of stairs currently filling the space. An elevated pedestrian bridge from King’s College Circle to Queen’s Park Crescent and a pedestrian pathway on Tower Road also stand out. DTAH + MICHAEL VAN VALKENBURGH ASSOCIATES To get rid of parking in the core, they propose vehicle drop off lanes on Galbraith, while making Convocation Plaza a space for pedestrians. Looking to the future, they have also suggested seasonal events to take place in the plazas, such as farmer’s markets. They included a pond for collecting storm water, and underground parking with a staircase
smoothing out the transition from parking garage to green space. PUBLIC WORK This proposal would replace the current parking facilities spots in front of Knox and University colleges with gardens, as well as introduce a pond by Hart House. They propose a subtle lift to King’s College Circle to create a plaza, and ornamental ideas like an alumni circle for carving the years of graduating classes onto the King’s College Circle path, inspired by the carvings on University College. JANET ROSENBERG & STUDIO + ARCHITECTSALLIANCE + ERA ARCHITECTS With a focus on all four seasons at U of T, they have proposed heat-traced pathways, a skating trail for winter, and more outdoor seating for warmer months. They also propose parking beneath King’s College Circle. Rather than a pond, they have designed a reflecting pool by the University of Toronto Students’ Union building with pedestrian boardwalks. The proposals can be viewed at www.landmark.utoronto.ca. An announcement of the final selection is expected in November.
Whitney Hall struck by acts of voyeurism CONTINUED FROM COVER
Some residents, however, have considered that separating men and women will have an adverse affect, providing an environment in which voyeurism can take place more easily. “It’s not very hard to be of [another] gender and sneak into the single-gender washrooms if they know it’s in the wee hours of the morning, or if they know that there’s only one person in there, who actually might happen to be in the shower. So I do feel that while [gendered washrooms] may help, there’s also the potential that [this system] could provide easier targets for the voyeur,” said Mahrt-Smith.
Moreover, the effects of the segregated washrooms have caused one male resident to reshape his daily routine. Evan Rees is the only male student on the first floor of Ferguson House in Whitney; the once genderneutral washroom is now women only. Rees entered his residence contract with the understanding that there would be a washroom on his floor. Without one, he must travel up to the second floor whenever he needs to use the facilities. “While [UC Residences understand] that the designation to some washrooms as male, female or gender-neutral is a change, we do not feel that it is an undue inconvenience.
There will be no change in the residence fees as a result of this change,” said Scott. The atmosphere at Whitney has changed, something that is evident from speaking with its residents. Reynolds Garret, another freshman resident, told The Varsity that “this issue is not strictly about someone taking pictures; it is about a violation of the trust that our residence experience is based on.” Birch echoes these sentiments: “I’m disappointed that it happened. I have more faith in people than that.” Amanda Stojcevski, president of the UC Literary and Athletic Society, wants all UC students to be aware of the options available to them. “Despite the incidents that have oc-
curred, there are many sources of support at University College for students should they feel uncomfortable or unsafe. The UC Lit is just one of these sources, and we would like students to know they are welcome to come talk to us about any issues at the college, and we can either act as a support ourselves, or connect them with the appropriate resource.” Campus Police have urged anyone with any information on the voyeurism incidents at Whitney Hall to contact them.
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INVESTIGATION
Credit where credit is due
DIANA PHAM/ASSOCIATE ILLUSTRATION EDITOR
Some students left bankrupt over credit plans
ALLANTÉ CATHÉ AND RODOLFO JOSHUA NAVAL VARSITY CONTRIBUTORS
Several major banks in Canada are offering seemingly innocuous, special credit card deals to university students. The offers feature zero annual interest, even for students without any credit history. While such deals hold many advantages for the average student, they may also pose, many unforeseen problems. “Many of our students have had good experiences with the credit cards,” said Yvonne Hilder, Woodsworth College financial advisor, adding that credit cards can be a good way to build up a credit rating. Credit ratings reflect a person’s ability to borrow money responsibly: the higher the score, the better. Considerations for credit rating include payment history — whether or not bills are paid on time, and how close to the credit limit the person is. CREDIT OR BUST “A student loan is often not enough to cover the basics, or it comes in with two installments so you have to be careful with your budget,” said Hilder. Student credit cards can be used to supplement budgets and are sometimes necessary for online shopping. “A lot of companies FEDERAL POLITICS
prefer that you pay by credit card… If you’re buying things online, it’s handy to have a credit card to do those payments,” Hilder said. Students looking to rent textbooks from the U of T Bookstore must have a credit card. However, Hilder cautions against the negative aspects of students using credit cards. “Many students have had unfortunate experiences… and have incurred a lot of debt.” A common way of incurring debt comes from relying on credit cards to cover a majority of basic essentials, rather than using the credit cards as supplements. “Students using the credit card to cover the basic essentials of life — if you’re buying your groceries on a credit card, if you’re paying your rent with the credit card — that’s a problem,” said Hilder. Hannah Hunter*, a U of T alum who majored in political science and environmental science, used her credit card to purchase daily expenses such as food and TTC passes during her time as an undergraduate. “It was very good that I could pay for essentials. But [it was] bad when I couldn’t pay them back at the end of the month,” Hunter recalled. As a consequence, Hunter fell into debt. “At the very least, I was able
to pay the minimum payment but not the full balance, even though I knew a high interest rate would be added to the remaining amount.” “My account was eventually passed onto debt collectors and I managed to establish payment plans… until I paid off the debt in full,” Hunter said. INFLUENCE ON CAMPUS Ben Coleman, president of the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU), said that creditors and financial institutions are occasionally present on campus. “[We] do occasionally have sponsorship agreements with financial institutions (e.g. for orientation), but we are very clear that they should not advertise credit cards,” he said. “The only company authorized to offer a credit card product on campus is our affinity partner, MBNA Mastercard,” said Althea Blackburn-Evans, director of news & media relations at U of T. “MBNA is a leader in providing these programs to many universities in Canada, and there is an ongoing interest from students and alumni in this offering.” “MBNA is also a pillar sponsor of the university, and those sponsorship dollars are completely redistributed to over 40 student and
alumni initiatives... Student groups who organize fairs or festivals, like the UTSU street festival, may invite other financial vendors to sponsor their events but those vendors are not permitted to market credit cards to students at the events,” Blackburn-Evans added. IS BANKRUPTCY A VIABLE OPTION? Steve Jameson*, a third-year English major at U of T, told The Varsity how he claimed bankruptcy and felt that banks and creditors view students merely as numbers and ‘cash cows’ for high interest rates, when asked whether he was concerned about the appearance of bankruptcy on his credit history. “Bankruptcy is a tricky thing, and can be a blessing or curse depending on the case of the individual.” He added that he does not think it is uncommon for students to claim bankruptcy while they study. The National Student Loan Services (NSLS) confirmed the high frequency with which students declare bankruptcy. “I usually see an account call in that has claimed bankruptcy every shift I work,” said an NSLS representative. However, there are limits. Bankruptcy cannot be claimed on Ontario Student Assistance Plan (OSAP)
loans unless the loan is at a minimum of seven years old. Bankruptcy will stay on your credit history for seven years, but the bankrupt can receive credit cards and begin reestablishing good credit nine months after initially filing for bankruptcy and being discharged. Those who have filed for bankruptcy have also been granted mortgages by banks within two years of a nine-month bankruptcy discharge. In Canada, lenders want you to be cleared of bankruptcy for at least two years. To help avoid going into debt, Hilder provided some practical advice. “Shop around… ask questions: what is the interest rate if you can’t pay off the monthly balance? A lot of [student] credit cards are in the range of about 19–20 percent.” Interest rates for RBC’s student credit cards and Capital One’s Vibe Mastercard are 19.99 per cent and 19.8 per cent respectively. Does the zero-annual fee compensate for the relatively high interest rates of student credit cards? For Hilder, it does not. “They may say that there’s no annual fee but there’s a lot of low interest credit cards that will have a modest interest fee. If you do the math… it’s actually a better deal.”
U of T hosts Democracy Week ahead of federal election
UTSU, APSS host events, forums, debates ANDREW RICHMOND VARSITY STAFF
Last week, the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) hosted voter education sessions, panel discussions, and a lively candidates’ debate as part of it’s first Democracy Week. PANEL DISCUSSION A panel discussion on democracy included Toronto’s Consuls General of Greece and Trinidad, and Bushra Nassab, president of the Association of Political Science Students at U of T.
The panel discussed impediments to democracy in the Middle East, the surprising democratic support for radical parties in Greece and both the strengths and weaknesses of Canadian democracy, focusing especially on our low — approximately 60 per cent — voter turnout. At the student forum, student representatives from the four main political parties spoke to topics spanning from student debt to foreign policy and debated issues such as lack of tuition support from the province and respect for First Nation’s rights. The UTSU and the Association of Political Science Students also hosted ‘Vote Pop Ups’ — an initiative aimed to educate students on how
to vote — and have started a ‘#voteposal’ campaign, which encourages students to ask others to vote with them and to share the moment they pledge to vote on social media. THE DEBATE To cap off the week, the UTSU hosted a debate between University-Rosedale candidates Karim Jivraj (Conservative), Chrystia Freeland (Liberal), Jennifer Hollett (NDP), and Nick Wright (Green). The candidates discussed topics ranging from Canadian identity to marijuana, and laws governing sex work in Canada. Freeland came out in favour of marijuana legalization, Hollett for de-
criminalization, Jivraj firmly against decriminalization and legalization, and Wright in favour of the legalization of a host of psychedelic drugs, citing Portugal’s success with a similar policy, in addition to marijuana. On the subject of the refugee crisis, Wright and Jivraj criticized the Liberals’ and the NDP’s “bidding war” over refugees and for not addressing the core issue — destabilization in the Middle East. While Jivraj thinks the solution is more military engagement to stop the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Wright argues that since Western intervention had a role in creating the region’s instability, Canada should stay out of the conflict.
DEMOCRACY WEEK AND STUDENTS Nassab said that while the turnout for some events wasn’t ideal, she feels great about what the week accomplished and hopes to make Democracy Week a yearly tradition, encouraging students to get informed, involved, and engaged in politics. “There’s no perfect political structure,” said Jasmine Denike, UTSU vice-president external, “but I think this is the best thing we’ve got. And the only way to make it better is to question it and challenge it and push it to the best it can be.”
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Is co-op all it’s cracked up to be? Options differ by campus, program
UTSC
$10 million in renovations at UTSC Highland Hall set for completion in 2017
JULIEN BALBONTIN/ILLUSTRATION EDITOR
DEVIKA DESAI
ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
“Applied, or work-integrated learning is one of the fastest growing areas for universities in Ontario,” according to a 2014 report published by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU). Given the increasingly competitive market and the growing controversy surrounding unpaid internships, it is no wonder that there is a growing demand for co-op and similar work programs. Sophie Wang, a computer science student, is currently in the second year of her co-op program at UTSC. She has completed her work term of eight months, during which she worked as a test developer at CaseWare International, an accounting software solutions company. She described her overall experience as extremely positive. “I learned an incredible amount about automated testing and how a legit commercial software is written, which by the way you’ll never learn at school.” CONSIDERING THE OPTIONS UTSC currently runs two major co-op programs, one in the Faculty of Arts & Science and one in the Management Faculty. The placement process for both programs is very similar. In their first year, students are first required to attend a co-op class where they learn the skills necessary to navigate the pressures of job recruitment. Both Wang and Hazelmae Valenzuela, co-president of the Co-operative Students Association (CSA) for UTSC, found the process beneficial in finding employment placement. “They go really hard on us with the co-op class, resume critiques, and mock interviews but I think that’s really beneficial. They’ve recently made it compulsory to meet with the student development coordinator as they’ve found that students who do so are more successful,” said Valenzuela. She explained that the Arts & Science Co-op program has expanded to almost double its size since her first year, from a figure of 400 students to 700 students. Christine Arsenault, director of the UTSC Management Co-op program, mentioned a recent ad-
dition that allows students to work and study abroad. “Although it’s only four years old, the Management International program has been quite popular,” she said. Students in this program are required to spend at least one work and study term abroad, in Germany, the UK, Singapore, or Hong Kong, giving them valuable work experience abroad. Wang and Valunzuela also commented on the relative ease when it came to looking for placements in their respective fields. “I find that on the website, the jobs listed are specifically tailored to our fields of study, so for example, those studying science would only find placements relating to science” said Valenzuela. HUMANITIES VS. SCIENCES Lisa Chen, a third-year student studying at the St. George campus, encountered similar circumstances while looking for jobs through the Career Learning Network (CLN), but saw it as a disadvantage to students who take more humanitiesoriented courses. “As someone who has extensively used the CLN, I find that while the people there, the workshops and services offered are great and useful, the events that I’ve gone to seem to be more geared to the sciences. For example, I went to this really large career day fair where they split the room into one for the Arts & Science students and the other for engineering and sciences,” Chen said. “The kind of offers I saw in the former weren’t relevant to our fields of study, there were people looking for babysitters and Panda Express looking for cashiers, but in the latter, there were companies like Microsoft and Uber looking for software developer engineers,” she said. Chen interned with IBM this past summer, during which she handled market research and client acquisition. She found that a lot of the ‘soft skills’ she had built up from her program, such as effective communication, presentation abilities and so on proved useful to her internship. Interestingly enough, these ‘soft skills,’ also known as ‘people skills,’ are especially the kind of skills employers look for in new hires, according to a 2014 survey by the
Canadian Council of Executive Chiefs, also included in the COU report. “I’d really like for the university to perhaps widen their network, and maybe look at positions in municipality and the government, and just keep communicating, to allow students with strong written and communication skills the opportunity with business roles,” said Chen. PEY & ESIP The St. George campus is known for its Professional Experience Year Program (PEY) and Engineering Summer Internship Program (eSIP). “The only negative thing about the PEY was having to get back to school and remember everything I learned after a long 16 month break,” said Akshaya Pragadeeshram, a fourth-year engineering student at U of T. Pragadeeshram referred to the 12 to 16 month term that the program offers as opposed to the more common four month work terms offered by most other engineering co-ops. She said that she found the placement process fairly straightforward and secured her internship with 407 ETR after attending a number of career information days and handing her resume to as many companies as possible. At UTM, there are co-op opportunities for students in Management, accounting and biotechnology. UTM also provides internship opportunities for upper-year level students; however unlike PEY which assures a salary, these internships are sometimes unpaid. Ekas Rai, a fourth-year student at UTM, is currently interning with the communication, marketing and business departments of the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM). “This internship is a course credit for which I am required to complete a minimum of 100 hours,” mentioned Rai who discovered the job through the help of her coordinator. She found that working with the CCRM despite being a Digital Media specialist has broadened the scope of her job search.
Highland Hall is coming to the south end of UTSC. SOFIA HABIB/THE VARSITY
SHANE KENNEDY
VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
No longer will UTSC students have to walk the halls of their campus cramped shoulder to shoulder; the Scarborough campus is in the midst of renovating a section of its south campus, better known as Highland Hall. The project has been allocated a $10 million budget. As part of the planning initiative, UTSC undergraduate and graduate students played an active role in deciding how the renovation of Highland Hall will reallocate much needed study and leisure space for students. With a student body of around 12,000 students, the population at UTSC is expected to increase by an extra 2,090 students by 2018. With the construction of the Pan Am Athletic Center on the north side of campus, the original athletics center at UTSC has become vacant and in need of renovation. The Highland Hall project aims to accomplish this by turning an old gymnasium, locker room, and other facilities into a lecture theatre, registrar’s office, and various classrooms for smaller classes. Furthermore, the Social Science Department at UTSC plans to move into the newly renovated Highland Hall and use the area as the department’s office. Previously located on the campus’s south-west corner, the department claims that the move to Highland Hall is necessary as it continues
to add more faculty due to the increased number of students enrolled in the social sciences at Scarborough Campus. Out of the five operational floors in the renovated Highland Hall, floors two through five will be allocated to the Department of Social Sciences with professors given private offices, teaching assistants sharing offices, and various administrators allocated their own piece of the pie. There are holes in the details of the project, however. Although it has been allocated $10 million, the projected estimate of the total cost is $945,000. It is unknown where the remaining funds will be spent, and whether students will see any of the benefits which could result from a surplus. Secondly, Highland Hall is located between the Student Centre on the north end of campus and the main entrance to UTSC located on the east. A large number of UTSC students divide their time between the Student Centre and the campus’ main southern base, which means that many students who do not have a class or professor based in Highland Hall will have little incentive to travel to that area of campus. The project is expected to be completed in August 2017.
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UTSU, ASSU to hold referendum on Fall Reading Week ntroduction o wee long brea would re uire rescheduling o orientation ENXHI KONDI VARSITY STAFF
ELHAM NUMAN/ASSOCIATE ILLUSTRATION EDITOR
A Fall Reading Week for UTSG students could become a reality. Students will be able to vote in a referendum to implement a Fall Reading Week, which will run from October 27–29, concurrent with the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) by-elections. Last year, UTSC was granted a fall reading week, yet the possibility of UTSG and UTM receiving the same break was very unlikely. A few months later, however, UTM announced plans to introduce a Fall Reading Week in 2016. “I believe with the strong emphasis on mental health emerging, a call for Fall Reading Week in students’ interest has a few more keen ears listening,” said Vere-Marie Khan, UTSU vice president, university affairs. “[The] administration is much more interested in hearing how students feel and what would ensure a good mental health atmosphere on campus.” The referendum question, as drafted by Abdullah Shihipar, president of the Arts & Science Students Union (ASSU), will read, “Are you in favour of moving the start of orientation week to a few days before Labor Day
in order to allow for the creation of a Fall Reading Week?” In order to avoid the loss of teaching days and changes to the exam schedule, it was agreed that the rescheduling of orientation would be required. “As orientation week is student run, the faculty would want a clear indication from the student body that they would be in favour of a restructuring,” Shihipar said, in justification of the referendum question. Khan, Shihipar, and Ben Coleman, UTSU president, have been consulting with various members of the administration, including the vice provost students and several college deans. Their next step will be to meet with the Council of Deans to present a detailed proposal and the results of the referendum. When asked why a Fall Reading Week was so unlikely until last year, Shihipar explained that “the scope” has changed. “Last year the focus was all first entry undergraduate programs and due to conflicting schedules that was never going to be feasible. This year, the approach is to take it faculty by faculty — demonstrate the case at one faculty before moving on to the next.”
STUDENT LIFE
TCard launches at UTSG +
rogram pro ides fle ibility discounts on merchandise ood NATALIE BOYCHUK VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
University of Toronto’s Food Services (UTFS) is providing students the option of loading flexible bookstore dollars onto their TCards through the TCard+ meal program. Following its launch at UTSC last year, the TCard+ program has expanded to UTSG, marking the first time that students will be able to use one unique plan for both merchandise and food on campus. The Food Services website advertises the card as ideal for students who don’t want to carry cash but want the flexibility of being able to use the card at various locations on campus. With a minimum load of $250,
students can use the card to purchase items at the bookstore, Varsity Sports Centre, and participating TCard+ food locations on campus. These locations include Café Reznikoff, the Robarts cafeteria, The Green Beet, and a variety of other dining halls and cafés on campus. The card can be used by students, staff, and faculty of the St. George campus, and bookstore dollars do not expire. According to UTSGFS, the TCard+ simplifies the process of meal plans for students by making it easy to identify where the card can be used. There have always been meal plans on TCards, but they could often only be used at a single college or dining hall. After already combining five plans from last year into a single plan this year, Food
Services’ eventual goals are to create an allencompassing “campus plan” and take away students’ confusion surrounding meal plans. Students who use their TCard+ as a method of payment will receive the added benef its of a f ive per cent discount from textbook rentals at the bookstore as well as 10 per cent off of stationary, bags, and backpacks. There will be additional deals for TCard+ holders throughout the academic year, such as secret sales, where TCard+ users will receive a secret word to take advantage of promotions. Additionally, UTSG Food Services have announced that for the month of October, anyone who purchases a meal plan will be eligible to win an iPad.
By amalgamating several campus products into one card, there is greater value for users. “Students already spend money on campus, but there is opportunity for savings,” commented Jaco Lokker, executive chef and director of Food Services. According to Lokker, the card “enhances the student experience” by simplifying the otherwise complicated meal plan process while boasting cost reductions for students. Students, faculty, and staff can load their TCards with bookstore dollars online through the Meal Plan purchase tab on the Food Services website or at their office at 214 College St.
The TCard+ can be used at a variety of food retailers on campus. MALLIKA MAKKAR/PHOTO EDITOR
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5 O ctOber 2015
comment@thevarsity.ca
Toronto the humble? There’s more to this university than its ‘#1’ title TEODORA PASCA
ASSOCIATE COMMENT EDITOR
E
MIRKA LOISELLE/THE VARSITY
arlier this September, Drake ran certain aspects of U of T, but we are by no means through the 6ix straight past UTSU perfect — there is always room for improvement, Fest and made an appearance at Ryerson and arrogance. In fact, our university also has University’s orientation. While Ryerson problems that other institutions are doing a much turned up the 6ix god, U of T students, quietly better job of addressing. licking their wounds, had to settle for Shawn DesConsider, for instance, the fact that many U of man. Perhaps the bigger blow to U of T’s ego, T students feel isolated or disconnected on camhowever, came when the QS World University pus. We can look to the strong school spirit at Rankings, were released. The honour of top uni- Queen’s, Western, or even McGill for potential versity in Canada — a gold star on U of T’s report solutions. Another example is, while U of T is card, and a topic of incessant conversation across dragging its heels to produce a coherent strategy campus — was bestowed upon McGill University, to combat sexual violence on campus, the Univermuch to the horror of U of T devotees everywhere. sity of Saskatchewan and St. Thomas University These recent failings have led many to claw have both released relevant policies in the last desperately for other indicators of U of T’s supe- two weeks. riority. Unsurprisingly, then, you could hear sighs We should also recognize that U of T’s narraof relief when Times Higher Education released tive of superiority often, and negatively, shapes its World Univerthe individual besity Rankings on havior of students. In FALLING FOR THE NARRATIVE OF U OF T September 30, in particular, students which U of T was SUPREMACY IS AS BLINDING AS IT IS MISGUIDED often adopt an air of once again named personal aggrandizethe top university — SPECIFICALLY, WE SHOULD NOT BE SO QUICK ment and elitism, just in the country. by virtue of attending The yearly fren- TO DISMISS OTHER UNIVERSITIES SIMPLY BASED this university. I have zy over university seen U of T students ON THEIR RANKING. rankings calls for who barely crack open critical reflection their textbooks preach about our obsession with U of T’s institutional entire sermons about the inferiority of York or superiority. Falling for the narrative of U of T Ryerson students, often accompanied by grumbles supremacy is as blinding as it is misguided — about 'grade deflation' and professors that are out specifically, we should not be so quick to dismiss to get them. other universities simply based on their ranking. It is absolutely unacceptable to invalidate other First, we need to remember the relative subjec- students just because they do not attend this unitivity of rankings due to varying evaluation crite- versity, and I cannot fathom how this bullying ria. For instance, Times Higher Education assesses has somehow become part of U of T’s identity. universities based on factors like citations, quality Going to a 'top' school does not necessarily make of teaching, international outlook, and research. you a top student. The skills we need to develop In contrast, the QS World University Rankings academically do not magically come to us the based their results on things like employer repu- moment we stepped foot into this university. We tation and student-to-faculty ratio. In fact, this are not gods among men by any stretch of the difference in data collection is the reason why QS imagination, nor are we better than students at ranked U of T thirty-fourth in the world overall, Ryerson or York just because Times said so. These while it is nineteenth according to Times’ analysis. are sobering truths that many of us remain unAt face value, then, university rankings are willing to admit. rather arbitrary. Yet many students are all too keen Consequently, it is up to us to see the university to take U of T’s excellence for granted and skip the not only as a place of triumph, but one with pofine print. While U of T receives stellar rankings tential for improvement. If we want U of T to be in categories like research (where Times ranked us ‘#1,' then we have to go out and actually make that eleventh globally), we are outperformed in other happen — both on an institutional and personal categories. As much as we like to believe that level. Without that effort on our part, we have employers favour U of T graduates, for instance, absolutely nothing to brag about. Maclean’s granted the award for best reputation (as considered by leaders in education and business) Teodora Pasca is a second-year student at Innis Colto the University of Waterloo in 2015. lege studying criminology and ethics, society & law. In light of this, it is important to reconsider our Her column appears every three weeks. She is an asrole within the ‘#1’ context. We can be proud of sociate comment editor at the Varsity.
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WHEN ADS GO AWRY MALONE MULLIN VARSITY STAFF
At first glance it was just another ad. Hovering above the velveteen subway seat, Bic implored women to buy disposable razors. For smoother, sexier legs, the image hinted. It wasn’t so different from the other posters, receding down the train in a neat row of steel-framed boxes. Except that this one crossed a line. Featuring a skirted woman bending in a come-hither pose and cheerily stocking her grocery basket with cakes, the ‘50s-era throwback illustration left me seething. “For legs that beckon,” the slogan read, implying a kind of objectification more deliberate than fortuitous. I could see the design team now: a roundtable of admen clad in business casual, laughing about how big they’d be allowed to draw the figure’s breasts before their pitch risked rejection. I did plan a conventional protest. But when I got home I realized that my letters would go unread. Complaints would fall into an abyss. Newspapers wouldn’t care. Nothing would change, and the little picture that so ravaged my sense of personal validity would hang in every subway car until the ad contract ran its course.
Subvertising is a legitimate form of activism
ALICE KIM/THE VARSITY
But I couldn’t just do nothing; so I called out to allies. A single friend showed up that night, markers in hand, ready to brave the transit constables and 'subvertise' the offending ad. Compelled by manifestos in old copies of Adbusters, we paid our fare and hopped between trains and stations, ignoring the shocked stares of passengers as we alternated between tearing the posters from their designated frames and scribbling our dissent on those we left
intact. “It’s like the ‘60s never happened!” we wrote on some. On others, sarcastically: “Feminism? What’s that?” It was undeniably an act of vandalism, one far surpassing the TTC’s usual panoply of hastily scrawled graffiti tags and inked moustaches. But the confession of a Toronto woman last month, whom the Star reported to have inscribed “you don’t need this” on cosmetic
surgery ads, reminded me that I’m not alone in my anger. Other passengers, too, have turned to vandalism in protest and tweeted their support of the #youdontneedthis subvertising campaign. Clearly, when ads impinge on positive selfimage, shouting back with a Sharpie might be the only way for some riders to reclaim a sense of worth. Ads for cosmetic surgery don’t technically violate the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards
(CCAS), but that doesn’t mean they don’t hurt. For years, researchers have confirmed that when we compare ourselves to idealized images, we feel worse about our own traits. Advertisers harness that insecurity to sell their products, and despite the CCAS’s explicit prohibition of fear tactics, the technique lives on in subtle forms. Some, inevitably, scoff at our petty crusading. But even Twitter activism still constitutes resistance: there’s meaning in even the smallest gestures. Let us not forget that acts as personal and pedestrian as refusing to give up a seat on a bus, or storming the streets with breasts bared, have historically led to monumental achievements in law, policy, and social orthodoxy. Declining to sit silently across from a message of oppression, even if it means violating a bylaw, allows us to take back the personhood threatened by tasteless campaigns. If the TTC’s advertising selection committee shrugs away that responsibility, then it’s up to us — in all of our hashtagging, ink-wielding glory — to make a mark when ads threaten the integrity of our public spaces. Malone Mullin is a fifth-year student studying philosophy.
The UTSU is holding a Plebiscite. The proposal you are asked to consider is: “Are you in favour of moving the start of Orientation Week to a few days before Labour Day in order to allow for the introduction of a Fall Reading Week?” Polling days: October 27-29 Polling times: 9:00am-6:00pm Polling locations: Galbraith, Sidney Smith, Gerstein, Wetmore, OISE, TYP, Old Vic
@UTSU98
For more information, visit your Students’ Union website at utsu.ca or contact the Chief Returning Officer at cro@utsu.ca.
12 ADVERTISEMENT
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M O N DAY 5 O C TO B E R 2 015 comment@thevarsity.ca
Notice to members: Fall 2015 elections and referendum UTSU is your Students’ Union. We are governed by a Board of Directors elected by you. Our campaigns and services are also shaped by you. Our aim is to provide services and events that save you money and enrich your university experience.
UTSU is holding its Fall 2015 by-elections for the following positions: POSITIONS AVAILABLE:
SEATS:
DIVISION I Transitional Year Program
ONE (1)
DIVISION II Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto
ONE (1)
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering
ONE (1)
To run for a position, pick up a nomination package during the nomination period at the UTSU office. Please keep in mind the dates and deadlines.
ELECTION DATES:
Nomination Period: October 13 at 9am - October 16 at 5pm Campaign Period: October 19 - October 29 Voting Days Period: October 27 - October 29 @UTSU98 For more information, visit your Students’ Union website at utsu.ca/elections or contact the Chief Returning Officer at cro@utsu.ca.
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COMMENT 13
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Alberta’s tuition freeze comes with a price
DIANA PHAM/ASSOCIATE ILLUSTRATION EDITOR
Governments should focus on student aid, instead of capping funding for institutions JONATHAN WILKINSON VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
Earlier this month, the newly elected Alberta NDP government instituted a two-year tuition fee freeze for post-secondary institutions in
the province. Initially the policy comes across as sensible and well intended, yet like many government policies that seem seductive on the surface it is not as golden as the wheat fields for which the province is renowned. Currently, median tuition fees in Alberta are approximately $5,700. However, there’s no doubt that the cost of attending a university or college in this country has skyrocketed over the last couple of decades. That said, a tuition freeze is the wrong
way to solve the problem. The first thing to consider is the economic effect of such a policy. As enrolment in post-secondary education increases, and government support stagnates, tuition fees are naturally going to have to rise in order for institutions to meet rising demand. Frozen tuition fees create a system where there are more applicants and fewer available places. As a result, institutions have to be more selective in the students they accept. Naturally, they will select the best applicants. The results of this should be fairly obvious — if an institution is compelled to reject applicants, it is going to reject the lower-performing tier of students. It is likely that there is a correlation between those students who perform poorly and those students who come from households from lower tax brackets. As a result, those likely to be rejected are likely to be from lower-income families. Consequently, what is intended as a measure to help those who cannot afford the cost of a degree actually ends up hurting them. Until 1998, this was a chronic problem in the United Kingdom. As baby boomers came of age in the
mid-60s, institutions faced a surge in enrolment demand. However, post-secondary institutions, dependant on government funding, were forced to limit enrolment and accept only the smartest applicants — in essence, exercising the opposite intention of the policy. It wasn’t until 1998 when the UK instituted a nominal tuition fee of £1,000 that this problem was alleviated. Although the case in Alberta is not as extreme as that in the UK, it is important to reflect on the calamitous effects of government manipulation. In an effort to address any funding concerns, the Alberta government has increased the budget of its Ministry of Advanced Education. Yet as the opportunity cost of attending a post-secondary institution declines for many Albertans, the government of Alberta should focus on providing student loans and grants, and not stifling institutions’ access to revenue. Matthew Pick, an Albertan studying at U of T, echoes a similar sentiment: ““I fear that the policy will take focus away from other elements of affordability of higher education, such as the costs borne by rural students — who, on aver-
age are less affluent than their urban counterparts — to move to cities to pursue higher education.” The Alberta government’s policy does set a precedent as students, universities, and the provincial government grapple with the highest tuition fees in the country. As fiscal austerity becomes a de facto policy of Western economics and more and more young people enrol in post-secondary education, higher tuition fees are inevitable. Furthermore, higher education is still, and will remain, a massively beneficial investment. Although we hear about students ‘drowning in debt’ after graduation, over one third of students absolve their debt within three years. Provinces will inevitably have to come up with solutions to ensure that those who cannot afford postsecondary education have access to it. Shifting the onus onto institutions, however, is not the way to go about it. Jonathan Wilkinson is a fourth-year student at University College studying international relations.
Confronting the language of poverty Student conceptions of disadvantage are dangerously disconnected from reality
Poverty is more complex than what students perceive it to be. JENNIFER SU/THE VARSITY
SEAN SMITH
SENIOR COPY EDITOR
Poverty is dehumanizing. It has the power to reduce people’s outward identities to messages written on cardboard signs — messages that don’t seek justice, or a return to dignity, but instead ask for only a dollar from your pocket. For the cardboard-communicating poor, autonomy is a pipe-dream. Even eating is no longer choice, but becomes more a matter of ‘if ’ than ‘when’ or ‘where.’ It is curious then, to hear students — some of whom are very well fed — identify with poverty by referring to themselves as ‘starving students,’ or otherwise affect a lack of affluence. As students, we choose to give up a large amount of our time to pursuits that do not yield wages, let alone profit; furthermore, we pay for the privilege. Granted, we may be borrowing the money — effectively off-setting the costs, and relegating
them to a time when we will choose to work and earn money. But even the ability to borrow money is itself an indication of a certain kind of financial stability. Money-lenders, by definition, are not charities because they expect a return. The assumptions accompanying these loans are that those who receive them will soon be in a position to pay back what has been borrowed. Providing students with tens of thousands of dollars, while knowing that this transaction is only temporary, must carry only a minimal risk to the money-lender. Otherwise, the system would be unprofitable and it would not be in their interest to do it. In contrast, the non-working poor are not extended credit of any kind. When applying for credit, or for a loan, any applicant is required to indicate their income, and their place of residence. The answers to these questions — panhandling change, and a sleeping bag on the corner of Bedford and Bloor — would
certainly disqualify the applicant. Money-lenders refrain from dealing with those who may not be able to pay them back. There is a very real division between the student conception of poverty and its reality. It is unquestionable to compare the banal image of 'broke' students — who can still somehow afford five dollar lattes — with the far more visceral image of a child sleeping on a subway vent in a torn, stained sleeping bag in subzero temperatures, because we as a society have let them down. This is why it is ignorant and disrespectful of U of T students to falsely associate themselves with what could be seen as one of societies’ greatest failings. Those who are in a position of privilege, at least in terms of becoming educated, and with perhaps an alleged interest in improving society, should not seek to identify with a problem they purport to find appalling. In the most generous of terms, this association with poverty could,
perhaps, be rooted in the way we speak. It may derive from a negligent use of colloquial language, in which phrases that once possessed a particular meaning are consistently and thoughtlessly misused due to of mindless repetition. These phrases have now come to mean something very different. It could just be that for those aware of the way language has evolved on our university campus, this linguistic association with poverty merely refers to the very tight budgeting that is required of students, especially those students who are financing their education without familial support. I fear, however, that these pretensions of poverty reflect something more insidious than just lazy linguistics. There are layers of significance to the prevalent use of the phrase 'starving students,' one of which is undoubtedly that students occasionally go hungry. On a more general level, it seems to indicate a certain outrage at the idea that being a student is not always comfort-
able, and that temporary, unpleasant sacrifices ought not to be a part of the student experience. Unfortunately, sacrifices and discomfort are essential elements of learning, for example, an individual must sacrifice what they think they know as well as face uncomfortable intellectual challenges from their peers. Going to university is a choice, and although it often entails degrees of austerity, the truth is that one could have chosen to do otherwise. Individuals who face real problems of poverty have no such choice. Thus, in no uncertain terms should we conflate our choice to attend university, our elected austerity, with enduring real poverty. Sean Smith is at Woodsworth College studying philosophy and English. He is The Varsity’s senior copy editor.
Full video, and
Party reps talk student issues Student leaders, representing four major parties, go head to head in federal elections roundtable
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n September 30, student representatives of Canada’s four main political par ties — the Liberals, the Conser vatives, the New Democratic Par t y, and the Green Par t y — came to The Varsity’s studio to discuss the upcoming elec tion. We conduc ted a random draw for seating positions, and had a comprehensive conversation about some of the elec tion issues that are most central to students. The student representatives vouched for their par ties, defended criticism from their colleagues, threw some political punches, and found common ground. By the end of the discussion, one thing was ver y clear: the elec tion on Oc tober 19 is pivotal for young people, and no mat ter which par t y you vote for, you will want your voice heard.
MODERATED AND COMPILED BY JAREN KERR ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR
PHOTOS BY ALEX MCKEEN FEATURES EDITOR
On jobs: “[I]t’s more than just [...] creating these jobs. You have to look at [...] what industries are you creating this in and for [the NDP], we feel that small businesses, small [to] medium businesses and [the] green economy, they need to be the drivers of the economy.” On diversity: “[F]or those who are visible minorities, what’s at stake here is the continuation — or not — of policies that consistently disenfranchise them. Policies that make everyday life, and accessing the system harder.”
Young New Democrats of Canada Natalie Petra Director of Comunications
On pipelines: “There will never be a pipeline, in my mind, that is legitimate unless it has the consent of the First Nations who rightfully occupy that land.”
On diversity: “[With] Bill C-24 [...] you see a very stark division between the parties on it and what it means to be a Canadian, be a citizen. And so I think that it is a very relevant debate to have and it’s an election where it has come to the forefront in a lot of ways and it will be interesting to see how it goes.” On jobs: “ ...[A]ctually, that has been my proudest moment of the election so far, because it showed [...] what a leader Justin Trudeau is that he had the courage to say to people, “yeah we’re going to run a deficit.” On marijuana legalization: “We find incredible hypocrisy with the drug policy in that everyone is using it, it’s not making a difference, yet we are spending huge amounts of taxpayer’s money going after it.”
University of Toronto Liberals Alexander Cohen President
d transcripts of the roundtable will be available online at thevarsity.ca/section/features on Wednesday October 7
The roundtable participants chatted prior to the start of the roundtable, covering topics such as American politics and the connectivity of the political scene on campus.
On student debt: “We mentioned, or at least I mentioned, the fact that students will be inheriting a monstrous debt as they grow up… and as we are essentially the future of this country, it’s going to have to be paid off at some point or another.” On marijuana legalization: “ ...[D]efinitely things like the economy, like the environment, like foreign policy, which, I feel should have been mentioned tonight, are more important to Canadians than legalizing marijuana.” On opposition jobs plans: “ ...[Q]uite frankly, I don’t see why naming a bunch of [projects], increasing the federal minimum wage and so on is responsible when you’re not going to explain how you’re going to pay for it, or if you’re going to pay for it with money you don’t have, namely through a deficit.”
University of Toronto Conservatives Vladslav Yakovlev Director of Communications
On diversity: “I think about First Nations and how we need to be interacting with them on a nation to nation basis, and how they need to have more of a say in what’s going on in Canada.” On the government’s job record: “I’m a little bit disappointed in the Conservatives when they say that they’re doing what’s necessary in a global market. Because for them they’ve ceded sovereignty to multinational corporations and foreign corporations with the Trans-Pacific partnership.”
U of T Greens Nathan Postma Vice President
On oil pipelines: [The Green Party] rejects both pipeline plans… you can talk about operating under regulations, but they’re just not there anymore. And that’s absolutely devastating for our fresh water.
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ARTS&CULTURE 5 O ctOber 2015
arts@thevarsity.ca
The jest fest A look back at some of the Just For Laughs festival’s notable acts
Chris Hadwick performed at the Sony Centre on September 26. PHOTO COURTESY OF JFL42
SAMUEL FELDMAN VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
From September 24 to October 3, Just for Laughs, one of the world’s best comedy festivals came to Toronto under the banner of JFL42. Similar to last year's festival, JFL42 featured 42 comedians and eight festival headliners. I spent the pas t week attending the shows of multiple top-tier comedians and taking advantage of the 4:00 am last call afforded to venues. GILBERT GOTTFRIED The week began with Gilbert Gottfried’s midnight performance at the Royal Cinema. Gottfried is now famous for his appearances at the Comedy Central Roasts, and many may recognize his voice as the parrot in Disney’s Aladdin. Unfortunately, I found his performance to be one of the weakest at the festival. With a few humorous exceptions, Gottfried mainly went off on multiple offensive tangents — spending the first 20 minutes of the show arguing that “midgets aren’t people” — which were more unpleasant than funny. AL MADRIGAL Al Madrigal, on the other hand, put on one of the best performances I saw at the festival. Writer and correspondent for The Daily Show, Madrigal expertly weaved together stories about his Mexican heritage, his experience coming up as a Latino comedian, his anger issues, and a story about an elaborate revenge enacted on his daughter’s dance teacher. His act was tied together by recurring themes, yet felt completely natural despite the obvious preparation.
Craig Ferguson was the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. PHOTO COURTESY OF JFL42
ROBERT KELLY After Madigral’s performance, I hustled over to the Comedy Bar at Bloor and Ossington to see Robert Kelly’s live taping of his podcast, “You Know What Dude” (YKWD). Kelly discussed parenthood and marriage with his guests Al Madrigal, Brian Posehn, and local heavy hitters Rob Mailloux and Arthur Simeon. TREVOR NOAH On Saturday, I saw a performance by Trevor Noah. While others have disagreed with me, I found these two performances to be weaker than expected. As Jon Stewart’s replacement on The Daily Show, the expectations for Noah were huge. While Noah is doubtlessly a talented performer, I couldn’t help but wish that his material had been more original. Fans of Jerry Seinfeld will probably remember his joke about missing the days when phones had wires because it was more satisfying to slam them down rather than pushing a button. This joke, almost word for word, was one of Noah’s opening lines. He began his set with observational material focusing on the absurdity of modern technology, but the commentary almost felt almost dated. Following his observational humor, Noah moved to politics. While this was certainly his forté, I still found it lacked the spark one would expect from the new host of The Daily Show. More often than not, Noah would simply express an intelligent political point that, while valid, would elicit applause but not laughter. BILL BURR Unlike Noah, Burr’s career isn’t based on TV or podcasts. Rather, Burr is purely a stand-up comedian on top of his game. While Noah seemed to be pandering to his audience and telling them what they wanted to hear, Burr did the exact opposite, provoking confusion and mild frustration. He seemed to oscillate between political stances, alienating the crowd by attacking Caitlyn Jenner, then switching over to climate change and winning the crowd back, before finally turning on them again by endorsing political dictatorship. The main difference between Noah's popular opinions on politics and pop-culture and Burr’s deliberate ignorance was the way the audience reacted: Noah’s performance received polite applause, while Burr’s performance won the crowd over.
Trevor Noah (pictured) recently replaced John Stewart on The Daily Show. PHOTO COURTESY OF JFL42
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Queen of the indie scene e oronto director turned pop star on nding time to get it rig t COREY VAN DEN HOOGENBAND ASSOCIATE ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR
After finding success as a visual artist, director, touring member of Hollerado, and the front woman for the alt-rock band Stella Ella Ola, it’s probably safe to say that Anne Douris is quickly becoming the queen of Toronto’s indie music scene. Now, she's setting her sights on pop music. Combining her unique voice with synthinfused sounds and melodies reminiscent of a Super Nintendo game, Anne Douris has taken on the pop persona Bossie. But with this new venture into the world of pop music comes some trepidation; a part of Anne, the part that's used to working behind the scenes, is innately uncomfortable being centre stage — something she pokes fun at through the character she's created with Bossie. "There's a duplicity to this Bossie character," Douris tells me over coffee. "It's basically my hyperbolized understanding of what pop is supposed to look like, and kind of going a couple steps too far." In her debut video for "Meteor," Bossie parades around a fake set trying to keep her cool while backup dancers, an aggressive bearded director, and a relentless amount of glitter proceed to overwhelm the pink haired pop star. While the video parodies the absurdity of
Anne Douris is a visual artist, film director, and founding member of Bossie. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNE DOURIS
pop stardom, the music Douris is creating for Bossie is meant to be entirely genuine. "I really don't want to be like a joke band. That's not the angle," Douris is careful to explain. "It's pop music, and every song that we have has a bit of colour to it… but they are sincere songs. They're meant to be sincere and they're about things I care about." Of course, Bossie marks a significant career change from the 26-year-old’s previous work behind the scenes. We talked about the type of claustrophobia a lot of twenty-something year olds face; that being so engulfed in the
confines of their degree or job, they feel trapped within a single career path. "I like to think that you don't have to be," Douris responds. "Everyone talks about the 10,000 hours that you do to become an expert and it's like, I'm never going to do 10,000 hours of anything." Instead, the newly christened pop star opts to dedicate hundreds of hours to an assortment of other things. "And I want to believe that that's okay," she adds. "A lot of the writing I'm doing for [Bossie] is trying to console myself that there's time to do it all."
Bossie's most recent release, "There Will Be Time" tackles this very subject. Douris also warns about the necessity of finding balance between work and play. "There's a lot of articles online being like, 'oh, this is how you should live your life' and I can't really subscribe to just 'do what you love' because I don't think it's that simple." The problem with some online culture, as she sees it, is that being told to make money doing what you love carries a weight to it. Douris warns that this isn't always the best way to do the things one enjoys: to not succeed and then tell yourself, 'I guess I don't have enough passion to get money out of this,' can be a damaging outlook towards the things one cares about as well as themselves. Not all of Anne's passion projects are lucrative, but that's okay. If Bossie's ticket sales can help her break even, that's great, but the real goal of these shows is combining elements of all her passions: adding custom video reels and stage tricks to compliment the punchy pop tunes and to create a show that, she hopes, 'assaults the senses' on all fronts. Bossie will be performing at The Great Hall on November 13 as part of the Long Winter Arts Festival
Photographic fallout at the AGO amera tomica s o cases t e tragic and re e ant impact o nuc ear disaster SHAFIKA RAHMAN VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
Camera Atomica highlights the best and worst of Nuclear energy usage. SHAFIKA RAHMAN/THE VARSITY
There is an unsettling irony in Robert Frank's Hoover Dam (1956) photograph. Showing three descending postcards for sale in a shop window, the first postcard is a sweeping view of the Grand Canyon, while the Hoover Dam adorns the second. On the third, a large mushroom cloud towers over a barren desert landscape. Frank's photo evokes an eerie sense of contrast as the postcard of the explosion pairs with celebrated American landmarks. The Art Gallery of Ontario's Camera Atomica exhibition, curated by UBC professor John O'Brian, features a substantial collection of nuclear photography and artifacts of the post-WWII period. From the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 to the recent 2011 disaster of Fukushima Daiichi, this exhibit doesn't only document history, but also relates to current events. The main exhibit room is lit by Ken and Julia Yonetani's glowing tribute to the Fukushima power plant meltdown, featuring a green chandelier representing Canada. Made from antique radioactive glass containing nonhazardous depleted uranium, each of their 31 chandeliers is scaled to represent the size of a country's nuclear energy program. Equally captivating are Ken Domon and Shomei Tomatsu's photographs of Hiroshima's survivors, which capture the personal and deeply unsettling consequences of atomic warfare. The photos — although unsettling — are worth
seeing, as they depict the real, rather than abstract, consequences of nuclear war. Camera Atomica's vast exhibit exudes a distinctly haunting beauty. It addresses everything from the birth of positive nuclear energy to the impact of destructive weaponry. An 1895 photograph of Wilhelm Röntgen’s Nobel Prize-winning discovery of the X-Ray illustrates his wife's hand and her wedding ring. While the picture emulates themes of love and human accomplishment, Japanese photojournalist Yoshito Matsushige's snapshot portrays dazed survivors of the Hiroshima bombings just minutes after impact. The exhibit showcases a variety of mediums; old books, newspapers, an old children’s toy of the atomic bomb. One particularly striking piece, Scottish-Canadian Norman McLaren's short film Neighbours, features two men fighting to the death over the ownership of a flower. McLaren's film displays an overt metaphor: live peacefully rather than engage in violence. The exhibit's dominant theme was epitomized by British scholar and philosopher Bertrand Russell. He is quoted in one of the exhibit’s glass-encrypted books saying, "The best authorities are unanimous in saying that a war with hydrogen bombs is quite likely to put an end to the human race... there will be universal death — sudden only for a fortunate minority, but for the majority a slow torture of disease and disintegration." Camera Atomica runs at the Art Gallery of Ontario until Nov. 15
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Grad students asked for more funding Queen’s listened
$15,000
New Academic Excellence Awards provide for master’s and for PhD students who qualify – in addition to $27 million already awarded annually to Queen’s graduate students.
$30,000
Want to learn more? Join our webinar on October 14, 7 pm EDT
Be part of a vibrant university community where excellence is celebrated.
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OISE Open House Week October 20 - 24
Learn about our 12 different Graduate Programs, including Teacher Education Programs For details and to register:
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ARTS & CULTURE 19
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THRILLER NIGHT The Scotiabank Theatre has hosted TAD for the past two years. STEVE HARRIS/CC FLICKR
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ARTICLE BY LOLA BORRISENKO
Horror, cult, action, and science fiction: the Toronto After Dark film festival (TAD) has been celebrating the grotesque and supernatural aspects of cinema since 2006 showcasing a wide range of thrilling feature length and short films from around the world. T his year, Toronto After Dark will be celebrating its tenth anniversary by screening roughly twenty films from October 15-23. To add to its intentionally gloomy vibe, the first round of films start at around 7:00 pm and are followed by a second round at 9:30 pm. Notable for its supernatural, horrific, and often-violent content, the festival’s screenings are restricted to spectators over the age of 18. Although some of the content might be too explicit for the squeamish, the festival also offers a wide selection of carefully programmed psychological thrillers that make it the perfect festival to prelude Halloween festivities.
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A BRIEF HISTORY Having debuted in October of 2006, Toronto After Dark’s original venue was at the Bloor Cinema, where the festival showed thirteen films over the course of four days. The festival was a critical and popular success, which lead to an extension of fourteen features and nearly thirty shorts the following year. Half of these were produced by Canadian directors. Like most festivals, Toronto After Dark showcases five to ten minute shorts from debutant directors prior to the actual features themselves, thoughtfully introducing the artists to emerging directors. The festival continued to attract adrenaline-seeking spectators, and eventually became the starting ground for cult-classics such as Tom Six’s The Human Centipede and Steven R. Monroe’s remake of I Spit on your Grave. WHAT TO WEAR In 2013, Toronto After Dark changed venues, moving from the Bloor Cinema to theScotiabank Theatre, located in the heart of Toronto’s entertainment district. Audience members were encouraged to indulge in pre-Halloween cosplay outfits, and were instructed to dress up as their favourite horror film characters. A year later, the scope of dress-up became even narrower, as attendees were encouraged to arrive dressed for themes relating directly to the movies being shown. People dressed as zombies prior to the screening of Zombeavers, and dressed in fur for the screening of the werewolf flick Wolves. This year, prepare to dress up as a poltergeist for the screening of The Diabolical, or a ghoulish forest creature for The Hallow.
A FESTIVAL FOR EVERYONE (OVER 18) One may argue that Toronto After Dark is only suitable for a limited audience, or will only be enjoyed by those who find mindless torture scenes entertaining. The festival does show some graphic, even blatantly disturbing content. That said, it also showcases a handful of psychologically complex and intelligent features that the average viewer would enjoy. A great example of this is the mind-blowing sci-fi film Predestination (2014). Rather than focus on gruesome death and destruction, this film offers a creative representation of alternative universes and explores fundamental questions about gender and age dynamics. WHAT TO SEE THIS YEAR For those willing to brave TAD's haunting line-up, this year’s festival holds a number of worthy movies for the horror aficionado to seek out. The impeccably named The Hexecutioners is of a specific sub-genre called ‘rural horror,’ in which two young nurses must treat their terminally ill patients at an isolated mansion in the countryside. Shut In, an American feature, is a suspenseful home-invasion thriller in which three criminals — including Martin Starr (Bill from Freaks & Geeks) — find themselves in a rickety old house with another occupant trying to evade them. Needless to say, things get ugly. For those looking for something a little less intense, Night Of The Living Deb is a zombiespoof film that is more comedy and less horror. One of countless 'zomcoms' out there, the film probably won’t be of Academy Award calibre, but it will likely be entertaining for its one hour twenty-five minute duration.
5 O ctOber 2015
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Last Sunday, 12,000 spectators gathered in King’s College Circle for the highly anticipated Total Lunar Eclipse Party
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Goodnight, Moon
science@thevarsity.ca
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SCIENCE ARTICLE BY ZARIN TASNIM
MINDFEST In collaboration with U of T student Health and Wellness, this event will feature guest speakers, interactive workshops, and booths to kick off the National Mental Illness Awareness Week. Come out to support and raise awareness about mental health.
isitors only caught eeting glim ses of the moon through the many telesco es set u in ing s College Circle. PHOTO COURTESY OF DUNLAP INSTITUTE FOR ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
Sunday, September 27, 2015 marked a rare event: a supermoon lunar eclipse. Since the 1900’s, this has only happened five times — the last sighting being in 1982. A supermoon lunar eclipse is a combination of two events that coincide at the same time. When a full moon reaches the closest distance to Earth within its elliptical orbit (a region known as the perigee), the moon appears fourteen percent larger in diameter — which is why it’s called a ‘supermoon,’ The swollen moon is the main reason why this phenomenon is so striking compared to a normal eclipse, which occurs when the Earth’s shadow blots out the moon. This positioning is also responsible for the reddish tint that the moon takes on during the eclipse.
The Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics in collaboration with the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics and Science & Engineering Engagement organized a total lunar eclipse viewing party for students and anyone else who would be interested in viewing the rare astronomical event. Once the event details were available on Facebook, the event quickly gained publicity and received almost 20,000 RSVPs. To accommodate the growing number of attendees, organizers changed the location of the event to King’s College Circle, where telescopes were set up outside. “We had to completely change our plans for the event as the numbers of people ‘RSVP-ing’ climbed higher. We purchased more telescopes and had to come up with plans to handle the large crowd,” said Mike Williams, who runs U of T’s observatory and planetarium and was one of the organizers of the event. There was extensive social media coverage of the eclipse worldwide during the days leading up to the event. From regular Twitter announcements from NASA to articles on how to capture the moon in photographs by National Geographic, it wasn’t only astronomy enthusiasts that searched the night sky hoping to catch a glimpse of the moon. “A large part of our success is [that] over the years we have been growing an audience — through previous events like [the] Neil deGrasse Tyson lecture and our transit of Venus viewing party we have built a following. The eclipse itself also got lots of media coverage,” Williams added.
Unfortunately — due to excessive cloud cover — only glimpses of the moon could be seen. However, that didn’t stop people from getting their tripods and cameras ready in the hopes of spotting it. Despite the weather, several volunteers and organizers from the Dunlap Institute were present to offer their insights and knowledge on the moon and other space-related topics. The large attendance indicates a growing interest among a variety of people pursuing different disciplines and interests. “Even though we didn’t get to see the moon because of the clouds, it was a fun night. I’m excited to go [to] other [astronomy] events,” said attendee second-year molecular biology student, Jonathan Burnie. “It’s important for scientist[s] to take what we have learned and communicate it back to the public. Science is best when it can be used to elevate everybody’s understanding. In Canada, a lot of funding for science comes from the tax payer and so an important step in science has to be to share the knowledge that research has generated,” Williams elaborated.
“I hope people take away an appreciation for the beauty of the night sky and a wonder for the Universe. Events like the lunar eclipse where you don’t need any viewing aids like telescopes to watch it are great, because you don’t feel a disconnect from the universe around us,” Williams explained. In honour of the special lunar event, the Dunlap Institute also hosted a lunar eclipse photography contest which ended at 11:59 pm on September 30, 2015.
“I also hope people take away an appreciation for just how far our understanding of the Universe has come. We are able to accurately predict the times of these eclipses thousands of years into the future. All of this is due to a long history of looking at the sky and trying to figure out how it all works,” Williams concluded.
Wednesday, October 7 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm 7 Hart House Circle Admission: Free
VCDS PRESENTS: THE PHYSICISTS The Victoria College Drama Society opens their season with The Physicists, a comedy that traces the lives of three cold-war scientists living in a mental hospital. October 6, 7 and 8 8:00 pm The Cat’s Eye Pub & Student Lounge Admission: $5.00 for students Tickets can be purchased at the door or at uofttix.ca
MEDICAL/DENTAL/PUBLIC HEALTH BRIGADE INFO SESSION Hosted by University of Toronto Global Brigades (UTGB), this event is an information session regarding opportunities fundraising pertaining to public health, open to all students. Thursday, October 8 5:30 pm MS2172 27 King’s College Circle Admission: Free
NEUROTALK 14: BRAIN MODELS IN NEUROSCIECE A Collaborative Program in Neuroscience (CPIN) presents a talk exploring various models used to study the brains of animals like mouse and primates, challenges in translational medicine and exciting new advances in the study of brain related diseases. Friday, October 9 5:30pm GSU pub 16 Bancroft Avenue Admission: Free
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U OF T ENGINEERS BREAK RECORD FOR WORLD’S FASTEST BIKE Speedbike “Eta” reached 139.45 kph during World Speed Challenge
A ma or design challenge is fitting the rider into the bi e. PHOTO COURTESY OF PROFESSOR JUN NOGAMI
FARAH BADR
VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
Battle Mountain, Nevada, a community of no more than 5,000 residents, holds an eight km stretch of what is possibly the smoothest road surface on Earth. Except for a shallow scar about halfway down the road resulting from a recent truck accident, the road is free of any seams or holes. It was this segment of state route 305 that allowed Todd Reichert to roll at a speed of 139.45 km/h during the annual World Speed Challenge on September 17, breaking the world record for the fastest bike. The true star, ‘Eta,’ is a speedbike designed corroboratively between the Human Powered Vehicle Design Team, or HPVDT, established by graduate students at U of T’s Institute of Aerospace Studies in 2006, and AeroVelo — a company that similarly designs and hopes to commercialize humanoperated vehicles. AeroVelo was established in 2012 when two HPVDT alumni, Todd Reichert and Cameron Robertson, formed the original team. HPVDT members who participated in the project include Trefor Evans, Alex Selwa, Thomas Ulph (Engineering Science, Aerospace), Marc Jutras, Calvin Moes (Materials Science and Engineering), and Peter Wen (Mechanical and Industrial Engineering). AeroVelo started on Eta early in 2014 with irreplaceable contributions from HPVDT, whose data and trials pertaining to the mechanics, the aerodynamics, and the ergonomics of previous models were integral to the design of the bike. Moes, who is captain of the HPVDT, described the World
Speed Challenge as “very organic… the whole point is to see how fast we can go, and any competitiveness is all in good fun.” While Moes reported seeing a few locals coming out to watch, the competition mostly involved the competitors out on a desolate highway riding the most absurd looking bikes imaginable. What distinguishes a speedbike from its more humble domestic counterpart is its highly aerodynamic shell, or to use the technical term, its ‘fairing.’ “Even in an all-out sprint, the best cyclist on a regular bicycle will top-out at around 75 km/h because there’s so much work being done to push the air out of the way,” Moes explained. “Mechanical efficiency also makes a big difference; we’ve got excellent tires and efficient chainlines.” A major challenge in speedbike design, comically, lies in fitting the rider into the bike, or more accurately, building the bike around the rider while allowing enough space for them to pedal properly. An even more absurd factor in the design is that in order to preserve aerodynamics, the speedbike riders have to depend on a camera to see outside of their vessel, since using transparent material can result in glare. “Once you get past the initial strangeness of riding a bike by camera, it’s actually better than a window, since you can have autocontrast adjustment, plus all your performance data on the screen,” Moes said. “Aside from turning off the guidance computer and using ‘The Force’, I don’t think we’re going to find anything better.” While engaging in strenuous exercise, confined in a shoulder wide vessel, the riders also have to bear a very noisy ride that Moes described
as “too loud to be able to think.” “What most people don’t realize about modern cars is the amount of effort that goes into damping out road and engine noise,” Moes added. “Without all that added weight and complexity, everything would vibrate and resonate… Speedbikes don’t have much that damps out vibrations, and carbon-fibre is notoriously stiff, so that large and flat carbon-fibre surfaces — like the fairing, frame, and wheelwells — amplify the sound of road vibrations.” If being a vehicle engineer and breaking world records is not enough to mention on your dating profile, most of the HPVDT members are all accomplished cyclists. This extensive experience is called for due to the bike’s design. “Recumbent bikes are more sensitive to balance and steering than upright bikes, and this gets worse the closer the rider is to the ground. Speedbikes like Eta are as short as possible, so they’re quite touchy to handle,” Moes said. HPVDT is currently working on a new speed-slash-utility bike that will be as fast as a car and able to handle real-life road conditions, unlike the speedbike, With the multitude of global issues ranging from energy crises and the rise of sedentary citizens, to the less concerning parking crises, we will soon be forced to resort to different forms of personal transportation. Even though the HPVDT was not an official contender in this year’s competition, the team will be entering their current project “Eta Prime” to next year’s tournament, with Calvin Moes being the ‘designated driver’ — so keep a lookout for Moes and Eta Prime in upcoming world records.
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22 SCIENCE
T H E VA R S I T Y
M O N DAY 5 O C TO B E R 2 015 science@thevarsity.ca
Make Your Voice Heard!! COUNCIL OF ATHLETICS AND RECREATION 1 Arts & Science Student 1 Graduate Student 1 Part-Time Undergraduate Student 1 Faculty Representative Nominations Open Monday, September 28, 2015 @ 9:00am Nominations Close Tuesday, October 13, 2015 @ 5:00pm
Canada’s space program takes a back seat Liberals and NDP promise long-term space plans if elected
All positions are for a 2-year term ending April 30, 2017
Nomination forms are available @ the Athletic Centre Membership Services Office, Suite 1040 or online @ http://uoft.me/CARelections For more information contact CRO Susan Ivimey: 416.946.7878 susan.ivimey@utoronto.ca
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Canada was once one of the top countries invested in space technology. Yet in recent times funding for Canadian space innovation has decreased significantly. Whether this is due to the tightening of budgets by our Conservative government, or whether it is simply the product of a change in values among Canadians is unclear. The emphasis on space research has however, clearly decreased. Canada was one of the earliest countries involved in space research. It launched the Alouette-I into space in September 29, 1962. In doing so, it became the third country to launch a satellite into space. Canada’s contributions to the International Space Station (ISS) include the innovative Canadarm2, a robotic arm used to move equipment,in 2001, and Dextre, a space robot that performs maintenance, in 2008. Canada used to be among the countries sending the most number of astronauts to space, but this trend is slowly changing. Ever since the Tories formed a government a decade ago, only five Canadians have gone into space. This number is small given that there have been a total of sixteen space missions in which Canadians have participated. U of T has also played a significant role in Canadian space research. Faculty from University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS), including Barry French, the late Irving Glass, Ben Etkin, Phil Sullivan, Rod Tennyson, and Peter Hughes, assisted in the rescue of Apollo 13 in the 1970. Due to an on board explo-
sion, the spacecraft was not able to land on the moon and the mission was reassigned to Apollo 14. More recently, the Canadian Advanced Nanospace eXperiment (CanX) program at UTIAS has been providing scientists across the world with access to nanosatellites. In an attempt to revive space research and development in Canada, the Canadian Space Commerce Association (CSCA) asked that all political parties commit to a transparent, long-term space plan. The executive director of CSCA, Marc Boucher said that “the Canadian Space Agency and Canada’s space program has definitely taken a back seat since the Conservative government has been in power.” The Canadian Space Agency developed and presented a long-term space plan to the government in 2009. However, this draft was not released publicly and was only partially implemented. Although there has been an increase in government funds for research and development in the space sector, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) feels that this funding is still too low compared to other countries. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Canada invests only 1.69 per cent of its GDP in research and development whereas the global average stands at 2.4 per cent. The CSCA requested an additional $75 million over the next three years for the CSA’s Space Technology Development Program. The Liberals and NDP were quick to respond to the request. Tom Muclair announced that the NDP would put “aside 40 million dollars over four years in the Canadian Space Agency’s space
technology development program to help companies commercialize new technologies.” Liberal MP Marc Garneau, the first Canadian to go to space and the former president of the CSA, has said that a Liberal government will also put more funding for research and development. The need for more funding in the space sector is not universally accepted. The CSCA cleverly used the Tories’ resistance to their requests and the ongoing federal elections as a platform from which to request more funding. The Liberals and NDP were quick to respond to CSCA’s request as part of their campaign. The Conservatives’ stance on this issue is clear, as they have failed to comply with the CSCA’s earlier requests and have yet to promise anything long-term. With increased funding, it is likely that Canada will once again become one of the leading nations in space research and development. The outcome of the federal elections in October will likely determine whether or not more funds will be provided to the space sector. In the past, space research and development was a source of national pride. It was a large part of the Canadian economy. Even today, the space sector provides thousands of jobs and contributes over three billion dollars to the Canadian economy. However, space research is no longer in the headlines as it was 50 years ago. Today Canadian values have changed. Increased funds for the space sector comes with a compromise in funds for another sector, one that is perhaps of more value to Canadians now.
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SCIENCE 23
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Thank you, NASA! CHRISTINA CHUNG/THE VARSITY
RESEARCH IN BRIEF U OF T SCIENTISTS CONTRIBUTE TO 3D MAP OF COSMOS
RESEARCHERS MODEL COMPLEX LIFE OF CELL
MALARIA LINKED TO COGNITIVE DEFECTS IN PREGNANCY
U OF T HELPS CREATE CLEAREST EVER IMAGE OF ALIEN PLANET
The world of cosmology is buzzing about the potential applications of the new CHIME Pathfinder radio telescope in British Columbia. The recent increase in interest the partially due to potential for using CHIME’s data to generate a 3D map of the observable universe. Previous attempts to map the universe in 3D required a painstaking process of identifying and comparing the distances of individual galaxies. CHIME promises to speed up the mapping process by enabling multiple approaches to simultaneously probe the distances of galaxy clusters. Shaped like a series of half-pipes, CHIME has no moving parts and relies on the Earth’s rotation to sweep across the sky. The Pathfinder’s unconventional design is complimented by a novel data-intensive processing unit that calibrates, stores, and analyzes data, using a series of consumer-level logic chips called Graphics Processing Units, or GPUs. Researchers working at U of T’s Long Wavelength Lab, headed by Professor Keith Vanderlinde, will use CHIME to try and answer fundamental questions about the cosmos, in collaboration with researchers from McGill and UBC. Their efforts will hopefully provide insight into the nature of dark energy, the composition of the universe, and the effect of gravity on very large objects.
The inner workings of a cell can be modelled in a similar way to social networks. Instead of modelling people and their interactions, scientists can model millions of proteinprotein interactions and how they control the life of the cell. Dr. Andrew Emili of the Donnelly Centre at the University of Toronto, in collaboration with researchers from three countries, has managed to accomplish this difficult endeavour for nine different species, including humans. Using a new method devised by the team that can sort through many proteins simultaneously, they have created a database which has increased knowledge of protein-protein interactions tenfold. Remarkably, the results show that this protein interaction network is very similar among organisms, ranging from simple yeast to humans. This result has major implications for studying human diseases in model organisms such as mice and yeast. As an example of the value of this interaction map, the research team discovered a previously unknown protein complex called ‘commander.’ They found that this complex was crucial for a certain aspect of embryonic development. Building on this test case, the potential for further discoveries from this database are enormous and can have huge implications for human health.
Malaria is a parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes that causes fever, chills, and flu like symptoms. It may seem innocent, but when left untreated, it kills. It affects children predominantly in the regions of sub-Saharan Africa, India and even parts of Central America. What researchers didn’t know before was that these deadly effects could be transmitted from an infected mother to their unborn child. Researchers at U of T conducted a revolutionary experiment with the “C5a signaling” mechanism, which is an inflammatory sequence of amino acids that causes fetal injury. C5a is produced when a developing fetus’ mother has contracted malaria, and causes decreased serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline neurotransmitters — all crucial for neurodevelopment. When researchers disrupted the signal pathway in pregnant mice infected with malaria, the neurotransmitters were restored to normal levels and the offsprings were born healthy. This research can potentially save the lives of many children being born in malaria endemic regions across the world, and it happened right here at U of T.
— Victor Swift
— Aditya Chawla
Astronomers have used a cutting-edge planetary imaging instrument to produce the world’s best view of a distant exoplanet’s unique orbit. The Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) in Chile allowed a team of astronomers led by Maxwell Millar-Blanchaer — a U of T PhD candidate — to track a one-and-a-half year segment of the planet’s 22 year orbit around the star ‘Pictoris.’ This alien solar system is of particular interest to scientists because of its large debris disk. The disk’s large mass exerts an unmistakable gravitational influence on the exoplanet, which allows astronomers to test planetary-system formation theories in an ideal arrangement. “Beta Pictoris is a very exciting system both because of the presence of the directly imaged planet, of which we have only discovered a small handful, as well as the dusty debris disk, whose structure is imprinted with evidence of interaction with the planet,” said MillarBlanchaer. “Understanding the true relationship between the planet and the disk will be able to tell us about the history of this system.” The GPI images the actual planet, a remarkable feat due to the modest light that exoplanets reflect. Using adaptive optics, the GPI cancels out our atmosphere’s distortive qualities and blocks out the light from the exoplanet’s star, sharpening the image. Millar-Blanchaer and his team’s findings were published September 16 in the Astrophysical Journal. The paper describes the GPI-assisted observations of the Pictoris system, including the most accurate measurement of the planet’s mass to date.
— Kasi Sewraj
— Alexander Gomes
SPORTS
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5 O ctOber 2015
sports@thevarsity.ca
YOGA: SPIRIT OR SPORT?
How the East’s holistic tradition became the West’s latest athletic trend ARTICLE BY KASI SEWRAJ AND ILLUSTRATION BY CORALS ZHENG
F
or many U of T students, yoga is a popular athletic activity for those who want a workout for both their body and their mind. Yoga has become so popular and widespread in its practice that it’s funny to think that it wasn’t always popular in the West. Yoga can be traced back to nineteenth century India. You may know that yoga is a spiritual practice, but for Hindus it is also a religious act and is included in daily prayer. The entire point of yoga — the Sanskrit for ‘divine union with God’ — is to free oneself from the cycle of rebirth so as to become one with the divine. As it turns out, however, this is easier said than done. There is an eight-step process to reaching the divine; with physical postures comprising just one step. The postures called asana, are comprised of 15 original poses which are designed to relieve tension so that one may overcome material boundaries and reach the divine. Yoga was meant to be between a
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student of the lord and their teacher, or guru. Now, however, yoga has become more popular, and been increasingly adapted for Western consumption during the exercise boom in the early 70’s. Americans were becoming more and more open to other cultures which was instrumental in popularizing the practice. “Yoga just makes me feel so good,” said third-year science student Andrea Guljas, adding that on top of feeling relaxed, it also makes her feel accomplished. “It makes me feel strong when I do a hard class.” Jill Cressy, the assistant manager, fitness & instruction, Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education at U of T, agrees that yoga is especially beneficial for students — not only to get moving, but also to relax and revitalize the mind. “Students who regularly practice yoga may find it’s easier to focus in their academic classes and stay alert while studying and taking exams,” said Cressy, who also main-
tains that the benefits of yoga aren’t limited to students and can help improve anyone’s core strength, flexibility, and posture. A yogafit instructor at the Athletic Centre, Cressy also highlights the importance of community engagement in her practice, and insists that group yoga is also beneficial as it instills a sense of belonging in her students. “Taking a yoga class on campus can help students find new people to study with, make new friends, and connections to engage in meaningful conversations, and enhance the overall student experience,” she said. Siena Dixon, yoga teacher at Kula yoga studio in the Annex, agrees that yoga is something she does to relieve stress and anxiety, as well as to build confidence, “[yoga] is ultimately a real personal practice. For me it began as a physical interest and has now transformed into a mental practice as well.” Dixon, who had to complete a 200 hour teaching course to be-
come a certified teacher, was inspired to teach yoga because of the confidence it gave her, and believes that a yoga class should strike a balance between athleticism and mindfulness. “In a physical sense, it’s a great addition to fitness routines... I find that a lot of men get into yoga to complement their other sports and activities. It can also help reduce injuries,” she said. Although there are multiple physical and mental benefits associated with yoga, adoption of the practice in the West has been criticized by some for fostering a culture of yoga, which has become increasingly commercialized. “Yoga has been largely used in the West to promote a certain higher class cultural capital,” said Farzana Khan, adding that brands like Lululemon are cashing in on traditional yoga items like mala beads and yoga mats, without so much as a thought for their Hindu origins. Khan, who is a fourth year women and gender studies and religion
major, posits that as yoga becomes more wide spread, and is adopted further in the West, the practice becomes less authentic. “As yoga becomes more transnational, it shifts away from its authenticity and from India’s tradition,” she asserts, citing the ‘take back yoga’ movement initiated by The Hindu American Foundation, which is trying to steer the practice back to its religious roots. Although Khan believes that the psychological and mental benefits of yoga are secondary to its ‘trendiness’, she asserts that simply buying into the fad isn’t getting you any closer to the divine. “Long term practices of yoga have been proven to reduce stress and increase well being,” said Khan, adding, “but you don’t need the commoditized yoga products to achieve this state.”
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Football vs Western
Basketball vs St.Francis Xavier
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Hockey vs Queen
Varsity Stadium @ 7:00 PM October 8th 2015
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Life after athletics COC rolls out total athlete wellness program Game plan will help ease the transition from pro athlete to professional career. TOM PAGE/CC FLICKR
EMMA KIKULIS SPORTS EDITOR
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), in partnership with professional services network Deloitte, have created a new program called Game Plan with a view towards helping athletes transition from their athletic careers into professional ones. Christopher Overholt, CEO of the COC asserts that the program is long overdue, and has the ability to give elite athletes a better chance of not only securing jobs, but also maintaining their mental and physical wellbeing after leaving the playing field. “Game Plan is a game-changing program for our high performance athletes,” Overholt explained. “It gives athletes the power to take control, build their own path to the podium on the field of play and plan their exit strategy off it.”
Unlike in the professional world, retirement for elite athletes comes well before their sixty-fifth birthdays — with many athletes passing their athletic prime in their mid-to-late thirties. For few high profile athletes, like David Beckham and Arnold Palmer, retirement from sport doesn’t signal a need to find a ‘real job’. Many celebrity athletes make enough in their pre- and post- athletic careers to sustain themselves indefinitely. Michael Jordan managed to make $90 million in 2013 — $27 million more than he did in his last two years of play with the Chicago Bulls combined. Not only does Game Plan aim to help ease the transition from athlete to whitecollar worker, but the wellness program also asserts that providing training in financial management, skill development, and branding is crucial. It allows professional
athletes to learn how not to squander away their life’s earnings. To do this, the COC has partnered with the Financial Literacy Council so that athletes can learn to budget and maintain financial stability. Aside from financial and career planning, the service also hopes to promote athletes’ psychological and mental well being, as transitioning into retirement can leave an athlete feeling lost and without a sense of identity. “Canada is certainly breaking ground with this program, ensuring athletes are developed holistically while equipping them for life beyond sport,” said two-time Olympic luger Jeff Christie, who retired from competition in 2011, and has since earned a bachelor of commerce from Royal Roads University. “I have achieved my goals in luge, and I feel now is the right time to prepare myself for the next step of my life.” Said Christie who also
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sits on the COC’s Athletes Commission and plays an active role in helping athletes ease into athletic retirement and gain the necessary education to jump into the workforce. Game Plan, a step-by-step program, focuses on five different facets to make sure athletes are as equipped as possible to pursue other dreams and passions outside sport. Education, skill development, health networking, and career management elements are taught throughout an athlete’s athletic career and thereafter, so that when they hang up their jersey, they don’t lose their livelihood. “[Game Plan] will help our athletes compete longer,” said 2012 gold medalist and U of T student, Rosie MacLennan, adds that the program, “will motivate more Canadians to pursue their Olympic dreams knowing that this program will ultimately help to ensure both high performance athletic outcomes, and high performance careers after sport.”
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS BY-ELECTION: NOTICE OF ELECTIONS Varsity Publications is the not-for-profit corporation that publishes The Varsity newspaper. There are two (2) vacant seats on the Corporation’s Board of Directors. A by-election to fill the UTM seat will be held Online from October 12 — 14, 2015.
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Eligible students can vote for a UTM candidate online at voting.utoronto.ca beginning on October 12 until October 14, 2015.
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SPORTS 27
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Blues basketball team comes up short Men lose to McGill in second exhibition game of the season
Men’s basketball struggle to compete at CIS level. BENJAMIN LAPPALAINEN/ VARSITY STAFF
BARRY SANGHA
VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
The University of Toronto Varsity Blues looked to build off their success earlier this week against Sheridan College and pickup their second straight win in exhibition play against the McGill Redmen on Friday. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. Technically McGill’s third match of the season, the game, which was held at the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport, screamed ‘exhibition’ as neither team looked completely comfortable on the court. Due to the intensity of their play, the Redmen were able to overpower the timid Blues and applied full court pressure from the get-go. “We wanted to create tempo, I felt we had a little more depth than they had. I wanted to get them tired a little bit and keep pushing it,” said McGill head coach David DeAveiro. Neither team could buy a bucket until the 6:58 mark of the first quarter when McGill guard Dele Ogundokun, who sank a straightaway jump shot, ended the drought.
The Blues, not coping well under pressure, shot only 27 per cent in the first half. “We created the tempo by turning the ball over so much, and [the Redmen] were able to get out and run and that caused a lot of problems,” said Blues head coach John Campbell. “They really took advantage of the layup opportunities we had and we could’ve kept it a little closer and that could’ve helped us,” he concluded, adding that the defensive struggles resulted in the dismal score. The Blues answered back when 6’7 forward Daniel Johansson sank a free throw, one of his 14 points on the night, almost immediately following the Redmen’s initial score. However, the Blues couldn’t make up the deficit, which grew to seven points, midway through the quarter. The second quarter looked to be off to a sluggish start as a fivesecond violation was called on the Blues. But after a four-point play by guard Sage Usher it became a one-possession game. After a few more three-pointers from both sides, McGill was forced into a timeout as the Blues rallied. The Blues, however, still found themselves down 11 to end the half. The third-quarter featured up and down play with the difference between the two teams growing to twenty points. The
Blues are not ones to quit and seemed to have a little more fight in them. A jump shot by Devon Williams lead to a 9-0 run by Daniel Johannson and Wilson Torres. At this point, Sage Usher took his second charge of the game and accumulated a few more points. McGill, however, stole the momentum with a demoralizing two-handed baseline jam by Francois Bourque, and by the end of the quarter, the Blues were down 13 points. The final result was an 83-64 win for the Redmen as the Blues fell to 1-1 in exhibition play. The Blues were able to raise their field goal percentage to 34.8 per cent but whenever a team gets out-rebounded 48-28 the likelihood of winning is fairly slim. “We have nine new players, a big part of it is just not being used to the intensity and the level of play,” said Campbell postmatch. “For us it will be a growth period and hopefully by the time conference play starts, we’ll play at the CIS level.” The Blues play their next home game against St. Francis Xavier on October 8 at 8PM at the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.
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SENIOR COPY EDITOR
TORONTO FC LOOKS FORWARD TO PLAYOFFS
BABCOCK NEW HOPE FOR THE LEAFS?
GET YOUR CRACKER JACK READY
Toronto FC are sitting strong in playoff position. After their 3-1 win over the Phildelphia Union last Saturday, Toronto has a comfortable five-point buffer between themselves and falling out of contention with only three regular season games left to play. This Wednesday, Toronto will play host to New York Red Bull, a game that is likely to be a test for the team. New York is currently leading the Eastern Conference and are four spots above Toronto FC. The final game of the season on October 25, sees Toronto travel to Montreal for an all-Canadian contest. The teams are evenly matched in the standings; although, Montreal’s Didier Drogba was named MLS player of the month in September. The former Chelsea striker has scored seven goals and two assists in the past month alone. Despite the difficult matches ahead, with only three games remaining in Toronto’s season, fans are looking forward to some exciting MLS playoffs.
Toronto started the preseason strong winning their first three games before falling off and losing their next five in a row. After all of the deals made in the offseason the losing record shouldn’t come as much of a shock. With roughly 20 players left to cut before their opening game on Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens, there is still some uncertainty as to the exact shape the Leafs roster will take to start off the year. But, what does are certain is that the Leafs seem set for another year of rebuilding, which roughly translates to another year of losing. Doom and gloom aside, the Leafs have acquired Mike Babcock as head coach for the next eight years. He will oversee this restructuring with the same tactics and strategies that have helped him win Olympic Golds, World Championships, and most importantly Stanley Cups. Babcock has admitted that turning the Leafs around will not be quick. Immediate gratification set aside, it could benefit Toronto greatly to have such a decorated coach with a realistic long-term vision for the team.
The 2015 Toronto Blue Jays have succeeded where two decades worth of teams could not: they have won the American League East Division — they have made the playoffs. The Jays will have to face down some fierce competition before getting a crack at the National League’s best. The first round of the playoffs, the Divisional Series, is a best of five series. The winner of which will go on to the League Championship Series which is a best of seven series, and then the World Series would follow — also a best of seven. The Jays’ will have all-star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki back in the lineup as he has recently returned from a fractured shoulder blade. Other roster choices for the playoffs are not quite so clear cut. The main question is who will make it into the Jays starting pitching rotation. During the year a five-man rotation is used, but that isn’t necessarily optimal for the playoffs where there’s more time between starts. Instead the Jays will likely run a four-man rotation, which will allow their best pitchers more time on the mound. If they go with four it is likely that they will be Price, Dickey, Stroman, and Estrada although the order they pitch in is also up in the air. If the Jays decide to run five starters, then the question becomes whether or not to start Buehrle or Hutchison. Regardless of roster changes, the Jays are guaranteed home field advantage for the first series at least, which means that three of the possible five games will be played in Toronto.
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