January 30, 2017

Vol. CXXXVII, No. 16 January 30, 2017 thevarsity.ca —— The University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880

Entry from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, and Libya to the United States has been banned.

Islamophobia knows no bounds NEWS FEATURE

Executive order travel ban turns a pervasive form of prejudice into policy; U of T students are among hundreds of millions affected

Jack O. Denton and Kaitlyn Simpson Associate News Editors

U

of T students are reeling from the effects of President Donald Trump’s recent executive order on immigration.

The order — signed last Friday at 4:42 pm — suspends entry for Syrian refugees indefinitely, bans all refugees for 120 days, and bars citizens of the following six Muslim-majority countries for 90 days: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

The executive order echoes the Islamophobic proclamations made by Trump during the recent election campaign that he would ban Muslims from entering the United States — and begins to puts them into action.

The order came in the wake of increased reports of violence against Muslims in the US and around the world, including Canada. On Sunday at approximately 8:00 pm, a little over 48 hours after the executive order was signed, at least two gunmen opened fired in a Québec City mosque, leading to the deaths of at least five people.

Members of the U of T community and their families are among those who have been affected by the order.

Trinity College Female Head of Non-Resident Affairs Joudy Sarraj would have been affected by the ban were it not for the exemption given to Canadian citizens. Sarraj has dual citizenship in Syria — where she was born — and Canada.

Additionally, Sarraj says that a majority of her family members “are refugees, displaced in various parts of the world.”

Sarraj said that “the few hours of immense sadness and disbelief experienced by dual Citizens, told that their right to mobility would be violated in a way they had never before imagined, is something we ought not forget.”

Sarraj also noted that potential summer employment opportunities “would have been derailed” if she were affected.

“I see no reason why I can be sure that my rights will be absolutely protected, why every opportunity will be afforded to me, and why I

am not considered a security threat,” Sarraj continued. “This is truly a life-long restriction for those in protracted displacement, and yet, little differentiates us.”

A Brooklyn federal judge blocked part of the executive order on Saturday night, effectively preventing the deportation of some refugees and immigrants who were affected by the ban and trapped inside airports. Since then, federal judges from Washington, Virginia, and Massachusetts have also issued rulings to block the order.

Also on Saturday night, a top Trump advisor informed the Canadian government that Canadian citizens who hold a dual citizenship with one of the seven affected countries and permanent residents will still be permitted to enter the United States. On Sunday afternoon, Canadian Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen confirmed this.

On Sunday morning, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus reversed a portion of the

order: green card holders from the affected seven countries would in fact be able to return to the United States. Previously, green card holders would have been barred.

Amin Sharifi is a fourth-year Commerce student pursuing a second undergraduate degree.

Sharifi immigrated to Canada about a decade ago and has dual citizenship in Canada and Iran.

Sharifi says he and his family are “sort of in limbo” — unsure of whether or not they would be allowed to enter into the United States.

“It creates a distrust in the US for me,” Sharifi said. “Do these people have it out for me? Are they profiling me or putting me on some watchlist because I’m from this country? Yes, that’s what they’re doing.”

Sharifi also mentioned that he was in the United States last December for a hackathon and has been to the country many times. “[The executive order is] a very hostile action, in every way, shape, and form. It’s an attack on your nationality, it’s an attack on your religion — it’s discrimination,” Sharifi said.

Sharifi lived for two years in the Sainte-Foy neighbourhood in Québec, where Sunday’s shooting took place.

He told The Varsity, “Shock and disgust were my immediate reactions, especially having lived in exactly the same spot in Quebec when I was 10 to 12.”

“I wouldn’t say I feel less safe in Canada, per se, but I definitely am more cautious about being optimistic about Canada not having the same prejudices and racist overtones that are existent in the US,” he continued.

“I definitely perceive Canada as more racist than I thought it to be, if such a thing happens here as well — a shooting at a mosque during prayer time.”

Second-year Physics and Math student Nikki Rahnamaei also feared the implications for her and her family. Rahnamaei has Irani-Canadian dual nationality and has grown up in Canada.

When asked how the travel ban affects her perception of the United States she said, “It definitely has affected my willingness to ever go to the States, even to visit.”

Rahnamaei also mentioned potential jobs and internships but said that she didn’t “want to go somewhere where there’s going to be a hostile environment towards [her] and [her] individuality.”

“Although I’m born and raised in Canada, I’d still like to maintain my cultural heritage,” she explained.

With regards to the Canadian government’s response, Rahnamaei is pleased that the Trudeau administration has ensured that the ban does not affect Canadian citizens and that the country is still accepting refugees.

Nazanin Zarepour, second-year student studying Political Science and Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, is also an Iranian-Canadian dual citizen born in Canada. Zarepour said the United States “generally feels like somewhere unsafe.”

When asked how the ban has affected her, Zarepour said that, “Emotionally, it’s really sad.

You kind of feel like the ‘other.’”

Zarepour mentioned that she has both friends and family in the US and visits frequently.

Commenting on the executive order in particular, Zarepour said that “it made it more legitimate — how much they hate my background. Before it was more indirect, but this is very direct, and it’s legal, so it makes it completely different. It makes everything set in stone.”

Zarepour continued, “Before Trump, the sentiment was there, and now it’s legitimized.”

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SCSU Candidates

Governing Council Candidates

President Mehrsa Ghobadi Sitharsana Srithas

Director of Historical & Cultural Studies Viquar Ramsha Hania Jahangir

Full-time Undergraduate Students – Constituency I Faculty of Arts & Science, UTM, and UTSC

Director of Centre for Critical Development Studies Rubens Aina Radhika Gupta

Ebun Akinsanya, New College

VP Operations Deena Hassan (YES/NO) VP Equity Nana Frimpong- (YES/NO) VP External Agrin Partovyan Kubra Zakir VP Academics Fatima Sazna Aliyar Christiana Arayata Director of Anthropology & Health Studies Maha Zeb Lavelle Williams Miguel Watloo Director of Biological Sciences Mayura Panjalingam Gobika Sithamparanathan Director of Political Science Sarkis Lhamo Raymond Dang Director of Psychology Chemi Lhamo Sarah Touman Director of Philosophy Ali Hosseini Nassab Sukiena Abdulla

Director of Arts, Culture And Media Fiyin Femi Sylvie Stojanovski Director of French & Linguistics Claire Caluag (Acclaimed) Director of English Ryanne Kap Vanessa Vigneswaramoorthy

Jina Aryaan University College David Boshra UTM Germán Andres Guberman UTM Amanda Harvey-Sânchez, Trinity College

Nikita Roy UTSC Michael Warchol St. Michael’s College Robert Xu Victoria College Sayeh Yousefi Victoria College Full-time Undergraduate Students – Constituency II Professional Faculties Aidan Fishman Law

Karen Hakim UTM

Stephanie Hovdestad Kinesiology and Physical Education

Director of Sociology Ashley-Ann Morris (Acclaimed)

Changmo Kim New College

Lina Khairallah Pharmacy

Director of Human Geography Justin Don (Acclaimed)

Marc Laurin UTSC

Director of Computer & Mathematical Sciences Rahul Gupta (Acclaimed)

Marc Lavigne UTSC

Samuel McCulloch Applied Science and Engineering (Mineral)

Director of Management Rosia Nouri (Acclaimed) Director of Physical & Environmental Science Curtis Weaver (Acclaimed)

Elizabeth Limanto Victoria College Alexander Markovic Victoria College Abdulla Omari UTM

Peter Singh Applied Science and Engineering (Computer) Twesh Upadhyaya Applied Science and Engineering (Engineering Science)

JANUARY 30 , 2017 • 3

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CFS responds to UTSU statement supporting decertification Three UTSU execs declined to sign statement Kaitlyn Simpson Associate News Editor

On January 24, the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) released a statement supporting decertification from the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). The statement followed CFS-Ontario’s semi-annual general meeting which took place January 19–22.

According to the statement, the UTSU delegates had submitted motions on electronic voting and preventing non-student staff from attending CFS meetings as delegates, which were rejected at the CFSOntario meeting and at November’s National General Meeting (NGM) in Gatineau, Québec.

The statement also cites a hidden bank account, the audit of which delegates of the CFS National General Meeting voted to approve without having been given access to the audited report discussing the account.

“Continued membership of the Canadian Federation of Students is something that we, as executives, can no longer support. We still believe in a progressive, national student movement, but the CFS as an organization

is beyond reform,” a portion of the statement reads.

UTSU President Jasmine Wong Denike spoke about the CFS in an email to The Varsity saying, “Some members of the UTSU Executive felt that the CFS has remained unresponsive to concerns that have been consistenntly raised time and time again.

We wont stand it for any longer.”

Only four of the seven members of UTSU’s Executive Committee signed the statement — Vice-President University Affairs Cassandra Williams, Vice-President Equity Farah Noori, and Vice-President Campus Life Shahin Imtiaz did not. Despite this, the four executives signed off as “the UTSU Executive.”

The Varsity reached out to Williams, Noori, and Imtiaz who did not respond as of press time. However, Williams expressed her discontent on Twitter. “‘The UTSU Executive’--that is, the white and cis ones,” Williams tweeted, in reference to the absence of Williams, Noori, and Imtiaz on the list of signatories. Denike, who was one of the signatories, is partially of Chinese background.

On reddit, UTSU Vice-President

Internal Mathias Memmel explained that the phrase, “The UTSU Executive” was ultimately removed from the statement because “some executives didn’t want to sign.”

According to Denike, Williams, Noori, and Imtiaz “did not want their names attached to the statement for various reasons.”

In an email to The Varsity, National Chairperson of the CFS Bilan Arte said, “The statement is not an accurate picture of the proceedings of our most recent General Meetings.” Arte spoke about UTSU’s participation at the national general meeting and the Ontario general meeting.

“We take the concerns of our members seriously, but we also hope that the UTSU Executive understand that the decisions of the organization are made by themselves and their peers through open, transparent and democratic mechanisms such as our General Meetings – and we hope they accurately communicate this to their own members,” Arte stated.

When asked how this will affect relations between the CFS and UTSU, Arte said the follow-

SILA ELGIN/THE VARSITY

The UTSU has been a member of the CFS since 2003. ing: “Undergraduate students at the University of Toronto remain members of the Federation. To that end, we will continue to work with them and their representative at the UTSU to advance the interests of students at local, provincial, and national levels.”

UTSU’s statement also supported the current You Decide campaign — a campaign on which the UTSU previously had no official position.

“While the UTSU is explicitly forbidden from initiating the decertification process, we believe that decertification is a necessary step.

To this end, the UTSU will actively support reasonable member-initiat-

ed efforts to hold a referendum on decertification, including the existing You Decide campaign,” reads a portion of the statement.

You Decide is a student-run group created in early September 2016.

Since then, the group has been campaigning for a referendum on CFS membership; to reach a referendum, 20 per cent of local 98 members must sign a petition. Although the campaign is seeking a referendum, it does not take a position on whether the UTSU should defederate from the CFS. You Decide organizers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

UTSU avoids $741,096 payment to Green Shield: broker report

Campaigning for Governing Council elections begin

Data claims provider switch saved the union $2 million

Voting to take place February 6–17

Tom Yun News Editor

Analysis from Studentcare, a Montréal-based insurance brokerage firm exclusively specializing in health and dental plans for students, has shown that the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) avoided paying $741,096 after changing providers.

At the union’s Board of Directors meeting on January 27, representatives from Studentcare presented a financial update on the union’s health and dental plan. After the UTSU engaged Studentcare in 2016, the firm began a competitive Request for Quotations (RFQ) process in search of a better underwriting arrangement.

As a result, the health and dental plans this year have been provided

by Desjardins Financial Security using a fully-insured underwriting model. Studentcare also now provides the travel insurance and accidental death and dismemberment coverage, both of which were previously covered by Western Life, bringing a savings of $20,000.

The firm’s analysis from January 2016 revealed that the union had lost over $1.6 million from its previous health and dental plan over the course of six years.

Up until the 2015–2016 year, Green Shield Canada had been pro-

viding health and dental coverage for UTSU members and the union had not gone through an RFQ process in 12 years.

The underwriting arrangement that was put in place with Green Shield was a refund accounting system, also called retention accounting. This meant that if the total amount in premiums that UTSU members paid exceeded the amount in claims paid out by Green Shield and the administrative costs, the UTSU would be refunded the surplus. This also meant that the unions would owe Green Shield the difference if the premiums did not outweigh the costs.

Since 2010–2011, the plan has incurred massive deficits and saw only small surpluses in 2010–2011 and 2013–2014, leading to premium increases of 5–14 per cent each year.

Studentcare attributes these deficits to a rising number of claims on the plan.

“This remains both absurd and irresponsible,” said UTSU Vice-President Internal Mathias Memmel, speaking on the plan’s deficits. “For me, the goal has always been to secure the best value for our members.”

Sophia Haque, who sits on the Board of Directors for Studentcare, explained in her presentation that the union’s plan with Green Shield incurred a deficit of approximately $610,000, which is higher than what was initially expected.

“Earlier projections show that… you would’ve been incurring a loss that year for about $560,000,” said Haque. “The actual loss kind of exceeded that expectation.”

In addition to the $610,000 deficit, the union had an outstanding debt of $154,050 to Green Shield in 2014–2015. The plan ran a $358,320 deficit in the 2014–2015 year and had not paid it in full, as the plan’s reserve funds were depleted.

In total, the UTSU outstanding debt to Green Shield was $741,096.53.

After switching to Desjardins, the UTSU’s contract with Green Shield was terminated and the union was no longer required to pay the debt.

According to Studentcare, the competitive RFQ process also brought the union savings of approximately $2 million, and the cost of the plan is fixed for two years.

“If you had continued on the same path, nothing changed, status quo, versus how much the current premium is, that difference in premium multiplied by your student population over two years amounts to about $2 million,” explained Azim Wazeer, a Program Manager for Studentcare, during the presentation to the UTSU board. “So, that’s what we mean by you guys are saving that kind of money. That is a big deal for a plan that has seen some deficits.”

Jenna Moon Associate News Editor

The campaign period for the 2017 Governing Council elections is in full swing, with a total of 37 students vying for eight seats.

The Governing Council is the highest governing body at U of T; it is the final source for approval on changes to university policies, new academic programs, and fee increases, and its members are tasked with making these decisions in the best interest of the university.

There are 50 members on the Council, with 18 appointed and 30 elected members. The President and the Chancellor of the University serve on the council as ex officio members.

The 30 elected members include teaching staff, alumni, students, and school administration.

The remaining seats are available for students from the Faculty of Arts and Science, UTM, UTSC, Professional Faculties, as well as two seats for graduate students.

The graduate student seats include one seat for the Humanities and Social Sciences, and one seat for Physical Sciences and Life Science.

There are 16 candidates vying for the two seats reserved for fulltime undergraduate Constituency I, which is for the Faculty of Arts and Science, UTM, and UTSC. Last year, there were almost double the number of candidates for this constituency, with 29 candidates on the ballot.

Six candidates are running to fill the two seats allocated to fulltime undergraduate students in the professional faculties.

The two available seats for parttime undergraduate students have already been filled via acclamation. For the two seats allocated to graduate students, there are a combined 13 candidates.

In addition to the Governing Council, there will also be an election to fill seats on the Academic Board, which is comprised of teaching staff. While 12 seats are already filled, there are four openings for representatives from the Faculty of Medicine and one for Librarians.

The elections are set to be held between February 6–17 on voting.utoronto.ca. Votes must be cast by 5:00 pm on February 17 in order to be valid.

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SCSU election campaigns underway Three of five executive positions contested Kaitlyn Simpson, Jenna Moon, and Tom Yun Associate News Editors & News Editor

Campaigning for the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) elections has begun, with a total of eight candidates running for five executive positions.

The voting for the elections will occur between February 7–9, with voting stations to be located at the IC Atrium, the Student Centre, and the Bladen Wing’s Tim Hortons.

Five of the eight candidates are campaigning together as the UTSConnect slate. There are 25 candidates vying for 15 available director positions — six of whom have been acclaimed.

In addition to the UTSConnect candidates, Mehrsa Ghobadi is running for President.

Agrin Partovyan and Fatima Sazna Aliyar are running for Vice-President External and Vice-President Academics & University Affairs, respectively. While UTSConnect has a Facebook page up, no digital campaign material could be found for Ghobadi, Partovyan, and Aliyar.

The Varsity reached out to all executive candidates — only UTSConnect responded to requests.

President Sitharsana Srithas is running as UTSConnect’s presidential candidate. Srithas currently serves as the SCSU’s Vice-President External; she helped lead the CFS’ Fight the Fees campaign on campus. In addition, she previously served as President of the UTSC Tamil Students Association.

“My experience as VP External and having efficient understanding of the dayto-day operations of the SCSU has better equipped me to take on the role of President,” Srithas said.

Srithas told The Varsity that, if elected president of the SCSU, she will be focusing on lobbying the university to create more work-study jobs and expand job offerings for students at the union. She has also committed to creating a feedback survey for students to send in suggestions and concerns for the union.

“UTSConnect came together solely because of our common drive to make the UTSC experience a better one for the students and I am confident that each one of us will put in the work to make that happen,” she stated.

Vice-President Academics & University Affairs Christina Arayata is running with UTSConnect for Vice-President Academics & University Affairs on a platform focusing on students’ academic rights, study space, and student jobs.

“I plan to lobby the university to set a maximum five percent per day penalty for all courses as well as have students’ academic rights imbedded into every syllabus,” Arayata said in an email to The Varsity.

Additionally, Arayata plans on holding “study space forums” for students to make suggestions and give feedback on the issue.

Arayata is currently the President of Students of English Literature and Film, a departmental student association. In this position, Arayata says she organizes various events and “[lobbies] for improvements for students in the English department.”

When asked why students should vote for UTSConnect, Arayata said, “We are a great team of diverse individuals who are dedicated to see change around campus.”

Vice-President Operations This is the first year that the Vice-President Operations position will be elected rather than appointed and Deena Hassan is the only candidate on the ballot.

Uncontested executive candidates still need to be elected through a yes/no ballot, while candidates for director positions are acclaimed if unopposed.

Hassan told The Varsity that she hopes to expand SCSU services. She wants to “provide students with discounted [Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment] tickets, expand on the current food bank, and install ‘Presto Card’ loading machines on campus.”

Hassan has experience as a peer mentor at the Department of Student Life and a representative on the Health and Wellness advisory committee. She was an MC at SCSU’s

JUMA PEREZ/THE VARSITY

Voting will run from February 7–9 at the IC Atrium, the Student Centre, and the Bladen Wing’s Tim Hortons. orientation in the fall. Currently, Hassan sits as the Director of Psychology on the Board of Directors and runs her own startup company.

“Student [sic] should vote for my team and me because we genuinely want to be of benefit to the students,” Hassan said. “We want to create change, and be supporters as well as allies with all the students’ initiatives and clubs happening on campus.”

Vice-President External UTSConnect’s Vice-President External candidate Kubra Zakir pledges to address student debt. “I cannot keep quiet about our skyrocketing tuition fees,” wrote Zakir in an email. “I continue lobbying for affordable and accessible post-secondary education and with the upcoming provincial elections; there are opportunities to highlight such student concerns.”

Zakir is the current Vice-President of Events for UTSC Muslim Students’ Association (UTSC MSA). She also sits on the Council of Student Services, which she says has allowed her “to gain a lot of information on the administrative aspect of student services, and better understand the decision making processes for students here at UTSC.” With UTSC MSA, Zakir led UTSC Charity Week 2016, raising money for orphans and needy children in Chechnya, Palestine, and Syria.

Zakir cites her organizational skills as the reason students should vote for her: “Organizing is what I do best. It’s important that when one carries this role, they have organizing experience and have a passion for bringing people together for the betterment of the student community.”

Vice-President Equity UTSConnect’s Nana Frimpong is running uncontested for Vice-President Equity. Her platform focuses on racialized and Indigenous students, and she aims to lobby the administration to implement an equity course requirement. Additionally, Frimpong sees an opportunity for UTSC to hire more fulltime racialized and Indigenous staff.

Frimpong has held a position as a workstudy student in the Equity and Diversity Office for almost three years. In addition, she is the first coordinator of the Racialized Student Collective, an equity service centre on campus for racialized and Indigenous students.

“Both positions have given me plenty of experience working with various student groups and hearing what concerns students have,” wrote Frimpong in an email. “Over the years, I’ve lead [sic] equity trainings, workshops, participated in various conferences and panels, which have prepared me to be VP Equity.”

Over 8,000 parking tickets issued at UTM in 2016 Month of October saw highest number of tickets Aaron Panciera Varsity Contributor

Data available from the City of Mississauga’s open data project show that there were 8,265 parking tickets issued at UTM in 2016.

The data shows that a total of 179,052 parking tickets were issued in the city of Mississauga. These tickets can contain fines ranging from $30 for parking a vehicle facing the wrong direction to $400 for parking in an accessible parking spot without the proper permit.

Although parking is enforced 24/7, very few tickets were issued between the hours of 9:00 pm and 8:00 am. In addition, the month of October saw the most parking tickets issued at 1,503, while September had the least with 199 issued.

According to the City of Mississauga’s bylaws, any individual certified by the city to enforce parking can issue a ticket if it appears to them that it is parked illegally or without a permit or Pay and Display ticket.

Megan Alekson, Manager of Parking and Transportation at UTM, estimates that around 3,100 seasonal and annual parking

permits were sold on campus. However this does not limit the amount of people parking at UTM to 3,100. “Additional guests park on campus using Pay and Display,” said Alekson.

Despite the number of tickets given at UTM, the majority of parking enforcement is performed by the city, although the UTM campus police as well as one staff member of Parking and Transportation are certified to enforce parking. Alekson pointed out that none of the revenue from these parking tickets goes to the university: “Parking infraction fines are set by the City of Mississauga and any revenue from parking enforcement is collected by the City.” It is also the case that parking fines at UTSG and UTSC are set and collected by the City of Toronto.

The City of Toronto has yet to release data on 2016 parking tickets, but data from 2015 shows that there were far fewer parking tickets at UTSC than at UTM despite their almost identical student population. The city of Toronto issued a total of 3,584 tickets on the UTSC campus in 2015, which is less than half the number of tickets that were given out at UTM in 2016.

SOURCE: THE CITY OF MISSISSAUGA

Number of parking tickets by month 1500

0

Jan

Feb

Mar Apr May Jun

Jul

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Sep Oct Nov Dec

Number of parking tickets by time of day 1200

600

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JANUARY 30 , 2017 • 5

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UTSU hosts meet and greet with nine Toronto MPs Student activists push proportional representation agenda Tamim Mansour Varsity Contributor

The University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) organized an event called Meet Your MP’s! at the Hart House Music Room on January 23. The informal meet and greet session was attended by nine Members of Parliament from electoral districts in Toronto.

The MPs spoke with students about topical issues being discussed in parliament, as well as their experience getting started in politics and working in Ottawa.

The event stemmed from a trip Jasmine Wong Denike, President of the UTSU, made to Ottawa as part of ongoing efforts from ADVOCAN to lobby the federal government. ADVOCAN, founded in 2015, is a coalition of student unions from across Canada that are part of the U15, a group of Canadian research universities.

Unlike the Canadian Federation of Students, it has no membership fee or memorandum of agreement.

ADVOCAN is pushing for increased funding for undergraduate research, data collection, and removing the cap on the Post-Secondary Student Support Program.

“I served as VP External last year and President this year. I have this incredible advantage insomuch as I represent students at U of T,” Denike told The Varsity. “I’m able to access these people because of who I am, but a typical student is not, and that’s something that I wanted to try and bridge the gap between,” Denike said about the motivations for the event.

She continued: “It’s important that students get involved espe-

cially while they’re still young because the government is listening to youth and they want to know what’s going on. So they might as well take advantage of it, right?”

Shea Sinnott, a graduate student from OISE, publicly spoke out about her concerns regarding the progress towards electoral reform after Denike made her opening remarks: “If nothing else, I hope that you’ll go back to Justin Trudeau and tell him that the time for [electoral reform] is now.

And Canadians, I believe… want electoral reform. In other words, please make every vote count or we will vote you out,” she told the MPs present at the event.

Adam Vaughan, MP for Spadina–Fort York, spoke in response to Sinnott’s frustrations, explaining that there are technical aspects of carrying out a referendum that must be considered. “Currently in this country, referendums can only be held on constitutional matters.

There is a question now before us, courtesy of the parliamentary committee, to consider how we validate this decision with a referendum.”

Vaughan explained. This process “will require opening up more than just constitutional questions to be judged by referenda,” he said.

Vaughan added that there were also questions on what constitutes a majority, voting thresholds, referendum questions, and funding that need to be answered before setting the ballot date.

Members of Votes That Count, a group of students and young people from the GTA that have organized around the issue of electoral reform, later spoke with each

SCSU VP Campus Life Trina James elected as Treasurer

STEPHANIE XU/THE VARSITY

From left to right: MPs Salma Zahid, Ali Ehsassi, Arnold Chan, Adam Vaughan, Julie Dabrusin, Shaun Chan, Arif Virani, and Marco Mendicino. of the MPs about electoral reform.

They took photos with each MP, holding a sign indicating whether the MP supported electoral reform or did not.

First-year student and member of Votes That Count Julia DaSilva explained the group’s concerns to The Varsity. “Basically, the issue is that [first-past-the-post] creates fake majorities that give undue amounts of power to the largest parties that is not proportional to the amount of public support they actually have,” DaSilva said.

“So the goal of this activity was to bring awareness to [proportional representation] in this setting, because we have so many MPs in the place. And just make sure they get the message to Justin Trudeau that he made a promise and we’re not going to let him break it,” said DaSilva.

Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, MP for Beaches–East York, was one of the MPs who was receptive to proportional representation. He also believes that it’s important to engage youth in politics, noting that students make up a huge part of their volunteer base.

“We’re part of constituency office programs with Ryerson, we have U of T students volunteering of course as well. Then we have the constituency youth council in our riding... so we have students come out every month to meet, to talk politics, and to volunteer in the community with us as well,” Erskine-Smith said.

Denike shared the sentiment: “It’s incredibly important that students remain involved because we are the future leaders of this country, as corny as that sounds, and if we don’t engage, no one’s going to listen.”

Eleven UTSU slate domains owned by APUS Executive Director Domain for incumbent UTSU slate owned by another former student Jenna Moon Associate News Editor

A reverse Whois search reveals that Danielle Sandhu, the Executive Director of the Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students (APUS), owns at least 11 domains names that appear to be for prospective names for University of Toronto Students’ Union election slates.

Most of the domains were registered between January 29, 2015 and February 15, 2015. Among the domains owned by Sandhu are 1uoft.com and oneuoft.com, which was the name of a slate that ran in last year’s UTSU elections.

The ownership for 1uoft.com was later transferred to Madina Siddiqui, who was 1UofT’s presidential hopeful.

Siddiqui told The Varsity that she purchased the domain from Sandhu after unsuccessfully attempting to register 1uoft.com.

“When I went to buy the 1uoft domain, I noticed it was owned by Danielle and contacted her to buy

it. Thankfully, she agreed to sell it to me and I bought it,” Siddiqui said.

Sandhu also owned changeuoft. com and votechangeuoft.com until they expired. Change UofT was the name of a slate that ran in the 2015 elections. Other domains that Sandhu owns include betteruoft. com, uniteuoft.com, and transformutsu.com.

Sandhu, a graduate student, was not a member of the UTSU at the time of the elections. She served as UTSU President for the 2011–2012 academic year and was also the Women’s Commissioner for the Canadian Federation of StudentsOntario during that time.

At press time, Sandhu did not respond to requests for comment about her involvement.

In addition, a Whois lookup on hellouoft.com — the domain for the winning slate for last year’s UTSU elections — shows that this domain is registered to Vip Vingeswaran.

Vigneswaran was the campaign manager for Team Unite and

UTMSU President Nour Alideeb elected as CFS-Ontario Chairperson

Brighter UofT for the 2014 and 2015 UTSU elections, respectively.

Though Vingeswaran had already graduated by the time of the election, he purchased the domain in December 2015.

Vigneswaran cites his GoDaddy discount as the reason for his purchase.

“I have a discount with GoDaddy, so I bought hellouoft.ca and hellouoft.com with the intention of transferring them to Jonathan Webb, who managed the Hello campaign. I transferred .ca, but transferring .com was more complicated (for technical reasons), so I just set it to redirect to .ca. The website that the campaign actually used was hellouoft.ca, and I transferred that months before the campaign began,” Vingeswaran wrote in an email to The Varsity.

When asked about his role in campaigning for Hello UofT, Vingeswaran noted that he’s “familiar with the current campaigning rules” and is “very supportive of them.”

“They ban non-members from soliciting votes, which isn’t what I did,” he stated. “I assisted some members of Hello UofT with general advice as they needed it.”

According to the UTSU’s Election’s Procedure Code (EPC), only UTSU members may be involved in campaigning. Students who are recently graduated or in a graduate studies program would no longer be associated with the UTSU. Ownership of the domains themselves would not breach the EPC according to Ryan Gomes, who is the union’s Vice-President Professional Faculties and also the Chair of the Elections and Referenda Committee.

“The ban on non-UTSU members extends to campaigning, which requires the active solicitation of votes,” he wrote in an email. “Ownership of a domain would not be considered active solicitation unless the owners were the ones actively posting content to these websites.”

NATHAN CHAN/THE VARSITY

Alideeb replaces Rajean Hoilett, who is a former President of the Ryerson Students’ Union.

Kaitlyn Simpson Associate News Editor

University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) President Nour Alideeb has been elected as the Chairperson for the Ontario branch of the Canadian Federation of Students’ (CFS) for the upcoming 2017–2018 year.

Alideeb was elected during CFSOntario’s four-day long semi-annual general meeting, which took place in Toronto from January 19–22. She replaces Rajean Hoilett, who is a former President of the Ryerson Students’ Union.

According to CFS-Ontario bylaws, the Chairperson’s roles and responsibilities include working with government officials, being a provincial representative for the Federation, overseeing campaigns, supervising staff, and chairing Executive Committee Meetings.

“I’m very excited to take my passion, skills and experiences to a provincial level,” said Alideeb. “I look forward to working with students across the province and specifically at the St. George campus because it’s so close to home,” said Alideeb.

Also elected at the meeting was Trina James, currently Vice-President of Campus Life for the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union.

James was elected as Treasurer for the 2017–2018 year.

“The UTMSU has had many great victories because of the support we’ve received from the Federation and other member student unions,” Alideeb continued. “I also look forward to having real and important conversations about where we want to take this Federation because of the political climate here in the country, and around the world.”

A few days after Alideeb and James’ election, the University of Toronto Students’ Union released a statement outlining their support for decertifying from the CFS.

6 • THE VARSITY • NEWS

news@thevarsity.ca

Rare Book Library encased in foam to protect books from water damage Concrete casing to be mounted over foam insulation Emaan Thaver Associate News Editor

A section of Robarts Library has been covered in foam casing to protect the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library’s historical volumes from potential water damage.

A layer of purple foam, which coats the building’s exterior, has been installed after the library experienced condensation, which posed a threat to the preservation of thousands of rare books housed inside.

“The Fisher building has been experiencing condensation forming on the inside of the concrete walls. The reason for this is because the original insulation and glazed windows at the top of the building are failing from age,” said John Toyonaga, the manager of the Fisher Library’s Binding Section.

Robarts Library was built in 1973, the same year when the university’s archives and rare book collection found a permanent home in the form of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. The environment inside Fisher Library is strictly controlled to maintain ideal preservation conditions for the rare volumes

and artifacts stored inside. Temperatures inside the library are fixed at 20˚ C and 50 per cent relative humidity all year round.

But when external temperatures drop below freezing for long periods of time, the building begins to cool from the outside inwards, creating ideal conditions for condensation and dampness.

“When cold meets the warm moist air inside condensation forms on the interior of the exterior walls,” Toyonaga explained.

“Keeping that water away from the collection is a priority.”

Toyonaga also mentioned that the protective spray foam is dyed purple so that applicators can distinguish previous applications easily when applying new coats. Once the spray foam dries completely, it will turn a mustard-yellowish colour.

“In order to prevent the collections from having to be moved, the Library decided to find a solution that allowed the building to be repaired from the outside so that it could also remain open at the same time,” said Toyonaga.

“A solution was found and the restoration is taking place so that the environment inside

U of T president brings expertise in urban theory

U of T President Meric Gertler has been appointed to the Board of Waterfront Toronto, the public agency tasked with administering revitalization projects along the city’s waterfront.

As a new member of the Board, Gertler brings years of expertise in urban planning and development. He holds a Master’s degree in City Planning from the University of California, Berkeley, as well as a PhD from Harvard University. Gertler has served as an advisor to regional and national governments in Canada.

Speaking to The Varsity about his new appointment, Gertler stated, “I will, hopefully, bring my knowledge and expertise on cities to bear on decisions that Waterfront Toronto will be making, and to help ensure that it adheres to its vision of making the waterfront a more liveable place.”

He said that his main goals while serving on the board would include focusing on the residential challenges that Toronto faces, particularly, developing affordable and accessible housing.

“So many people want to live here and the supply of housing is really [a] constraint, and in particular affordable housing. I would like to make sure that future development of the waterfront caters to a mix of different income levels, in order for lower and middle income people to live in a place like [Toronto],” he explained.

Gertler also spoke about seeing the city’s vibrant multiculturalism and diversity reflected in the waterfront area. “I am a firm believer that cultural and creative activities really animate a city and animate a neighbourhood, and I would love to see more of that kind of activity being accommodated on the waterfront in the future,” he commented.

the building is what’s best for the long term preservation of this collection,” he said.

Toyonaga clarified that the foam coating will not be a permanent fixture on the outer walls. After the entire building has been coated with foam, sets of pre-cast concrete casings will be mounted over the insulation so that it matches with the rest of the library’s exterior.

The Fisher Library is the largest repository of public accessible rare books in Canada. The collection includes a 394-year old copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio, a journal from the HMS Terror from 1836, and an original 1555 copy of Andreas Vesalius’ De humani corporis fabrica, among many others.

UC Follies run $12,000 deficit

Meric Gertler appointed to Waterfront Toronto Board Emma Tallon Varsity Contributor

STEPHANIE XU/THE VARSITY

The layer of coating is designed to combat condensation on the inside of the concrete walls.

Deficit attributed to low ticket sales for Dogfight show

BRIAN RANKIN/THE VARSITY

Gertler has a Master’s in City Planning from UC Berkeley and a PhD from Harvard University.

When asked how his three years of experience as President of the university will shape the way he will think about the waterfront, he said, “It will make sure that I am always keeping the needs of students and faculty and staff in mind when I’m thinking about decisions that are being made to the waterfront, and thinking about ways that a successful redevelopment of the waterfront can help educational institutions in the city.”

Gertler is also interested in getting U of T students involved with the waterfront. “If there were opportunities for us to partner with other organizations in that part of the city, then it would be interesting,” he said.

“One idea that comes up from time to time is that as you build new communities, you can apply the latest thinking about liveable and sustainable cities,” he continued, “I would love to see U of T students and faculty involved in helping to shape those kinds of future communities.”

Waterfront Toronto was created as a joint effort between the federal, provincial, and municipal governments in 1999. The organization’s website states that, in 1999, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Premier Mike Harris, and Mayor Mel Lastman announced the formation of a task force to develop a business plan and make recommendations for developing Toronto’s waterfront.

LOGO VIA UC FOLLIES WEBSITE

The Follies are an ancillary of the UC Lit, funded in part by a student fee levy.

Jack O. Denton Associate News Editor

The UC Follies — University College’s student theatre troupe — experienced a $12,000 deficit caused by lower than expected revenue from Dogfight, a musical production that ran from November 25 to December 3.

Ramsey Andary, President of the University College Literary and Athletic Society (UC Lit), told The Varsity, “The Follies were expecting to make $10,000 in ticket sales in order to cover a $13,000 Hart House invoice amongst many other expenses.”

Due to lower-than-expected sales, “there is a deficit between the cost of the theater rental and the money made from ticket sales,” Andary said.

In addition, Andary pointed out that the Follies did not receive a grant this year, which they had received in years past, and that this added to the loss of expected revenue.

“Our funding from the UC Lit remained the same, however, our UTSU funding was reduced substantially, and we did not receive a U of T grant that we had received in previous years,“ confirmed Marie Trotter, Executive Producer of the UC Follies.

The Follies are an ancillary of the UC Lit, funded in part by a fee levy on students. As an ancillary, their budget is tied to the UC Lit’s. The UC Lit has not provided any more

funding to the group since the initial club funding in November. Andary reassured students that “as of now, this has had no impact on the Lit’s operating budget or any services or events offered by the Lit.” The impact of the deficit on both the operations of the Follies and the Lit was minimized “through a combination of budget cuts and planned funding applications from external sources,” Andary said.

In addition, the UC Water Dragons dragon boating team also contributed $2,000 towards covering the deficit, according to Andary.

Two weeks ago, The Varsity reported that UC Orientation ran a $10,000 deficit, which lead to the depletion of the UC Lit’s contingency fund. This prompted the UC Lit to cut funding for some events and services to make up for the lost contingency.

The UC Follies date back to 1885, when the group would perform musical sketch comedy revues at the Hart House Theatre.

They have run three shows in the 2016– 2017 season so far, including Dogfight, a story set during a night in 1963 in anticipation of three US Marines deploying to Southeast Asia. The Follies will perform Touch and Just the Fax, Ma’am, Just the Fax at the U of T Drama Festival in February while Myrmidons, a Greek tragedy by Aeschylus, is scheduled for this March.

Comment

January 30, 2017 var.st/comment comment@thevarsity.ca

No gravy left This year is a chance for Toronto to reconsider its civic philosophy — and students can help make it happen

BY THE NUMBERS

Cost of Post-Secondary Metropass

P

METROPASS

2017: $116.75 2016: $112.00

Cost of one TTC token

2017: $3.00 2016: $2.90

Average cost of nine hours of child and youth fitness programming

2017: $22.73 2016: $20.20

Cost of projects approved by council but unfunded

$14.58 million Potential savings if the Homeless Prevention Program is eliminated

$18.5 million

Budget reductions requested

by Mayor Tory

2.6% Proposed reduction in turf maintenance frequency

33%

James Chapman

Varsity Contributor

It’s budget season in Canada and in quick succession from February to April, Canadians will learn how representatives from all three levels of government will spend their tax dollars for the coming year.

Perhaps the most dramatic of budget deliberations began last week at City Hall. Mayor John Tory’s proposed budget, released late last year, calls for a two per cent property tax increase to match the rate of inflation and for all city departments to reduce 2.6 per cent from their operating budgets.

Flickering into the spotlight for the first time last week when decorated Olympic swimmer Penny Oleksiak called out proposed cuts that would lead to the closure of public pools, the budget now faces a barrage of opposition from citizen groups.

Since Tory’s tenure began in 2014, he has kept property tax increases at the rate of inflation, in accordance with a key election promise. From 2015–2017, however, user fees have gone from funding five per cent to eight per cent of the city’s budget. By some estimates, the average family will pay approximately $670 a year more in user fees under the proposed 2017 budget, in order to cover increases in the cost of recreation programs, summer camps, garbage collection, and childcare.

This brings the city to an ideological impasse and should cause each Torontonian to consider to what extent the burden of paying for services that are traditionally concentrated on low-income families — should be shared. Meanwhile, with a $91 million shortfall still expected, the City Manager has noted that Toronto no longer has a spending problem but rather a revenue one.

It is thus time for Torontonians to realize that the gravy boat at City Hall is empty, and that it is time to start spending to protect the integrity of the city’s middle and working class services. U of T students, as both stakeholders in Toronto budgeting decisions and potential advocates for social and economic change, are faced with the opportunity to take on this challenge.

Notable slashes to the Toronto budget for 2017 include service reductions and fee increases for cityrun childcare centres, park and recreation programs, and the TTC. A total of 350 child care centres are scheduled to lose city funding in 2017, raising the cost of daycare by $351 per child annually. A 10 per cent increase in the cost of sports

SHANNA HUNTER/THE VARSITY

Unnecessary budget cuts are concerning for Toronto students and marginalized communities. and fitness programs means that it will cost around an additional $2 per class at the city’s community centres, while budget reductions will close 36 city wading pools and 10 indoor pools and reduce turf maintenance by 33 per cent.

Although students have access to some social and recreational services through the university, they undoubtedly benefit from access to city services as well. Mature students with childcare needs may bear the brunt of increased costs should the budget be slashed in this area.

In addition, the TTC is currently the most poorly subsidized transit system in North America. Now, fares are set to increase for the sixth year in a row — beyond the rate of inflation. The price of tokens and Presto fares will increase by 10 cents and monthly Metropasses by $4.75. For any third-year University of Toronto student commuting to school on a Post-Secondary Metropass, the cost of transit for an academic year has increased by $70 since they first began university.

As usual, the real pinch will be felt by the city’s most economically marginalized residents — some of whom are students as well. In December, a panel of experts from Ryerson University, U of T, Social Planning Toronto, the Fred Victor Centre, and the United Way concluded that a 2.6 per cent reduction to all city budgets “disproportionately” impacts low-income residents.

Mindful of this, the Shelter, Sup-

port & Housing budget is under review to shrink its budget by nearly $28 million to close the city’s $91 million gap. This would include homeless prevention services — which offer interest-free loans to people facing eviction and support services to residents facing homelessness — losing over $18 million in funding. As city staff notes, “withdrawal of these services may result in additional homelessness,” perhaps pushing more residents into the city’s shelter services, which are already operating at 90 per cent capacity on a daily basis.

A total of $4 million would also be reduced from the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) budget despite increased maintenance costs due to rising hydro fees; 1,921 TCHC units would also be closed and replaced with affordable-rent homes.

A sore point for many antipoverty activists, affordable-rent homes set rent prices based on average rent costs in the city — and are therefore not especially affordable to those living in poverty.

On the other hand, a welcome change comes with respect to the largest single item in the budget: the Toronto Police Service (TPS).

The TPS budget reached over $1 billion last year, despite the fact that Toronto is considered one of the 10 safest major cities in the world according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Safe Cities Index.

Chief Mark Saunders has committed to reducing the budget for

the first time in 10 years, despite pushback from the Toronto Police Association. This money can be redirected towards a long list of programs and services approved by council that have yet to receive financing — including a proposal to expand the student immunization program, create 75 new subsidized childcare spaces, extend public library hours, and hire additional city planners.

Toronto’s 2017 budget presents all Torontonians with an opportunity to consider their civic philosophy. Contributing more in taxes instead of service fees propels a greater philosophy of helping one’s neighbour — creating a more equitable and sociable society.

Budget deputants at the municipal level are often the most vocal, publicized, and evidently listened to of all participants involved in the budget process in Canada — meaning that Torontonians have a realistic chance of changing the narrative and the trajectory of their city for years to come.

Furthermore, U of T and Toronto at large boast strong coalitions of student advocacy groups dedicated to raising the minimum wage, making university affordable, and forcing governments to commit to sustainable development. It would not be a stretch for such groups to focus on fighting inequality within the city itself.

James Chapman is a second-year student at Innis College studying Political Science and Urban Studies.

8 • THE VARSITY • COMMENT

comment@thevarsity.ca

Are we really the third worst university for Jewish students?

The Algemeiner’s evaluation of anti-Semitism at U of T is misguided on various fronts

Debate Club

Is Robarts the ugliest building on campus?

Zach Rosen and Sam Routley duke it out over architecture, atmosphere, and the appropriateness of a building shaped like a bird

IRIS DENG AND VIVIAN TONG/THE VARSITY

Zach Rosen and Sam Routley Varsity Contributors

U of T’s high ranking on the list should be scrutinized. EMMA TALLON/THE VARSITY Adina Heisler Varsity Staff

The American-Jewish newspaper The Algemeiner recently ranked U of T as the third worst university in North America for Jewish students. Among the criteria used to generate the rankings were: “the number of antisemitic incidents on each campus; the number of anti-Israel groups, and the extent to which they are active; the Jewish student population, and number of Jewish or pro-Israel groups; the availability of Jewish resources on campus; the success or lack thereof of Israel boycott efforts; and the public positions of faculty members with respect to [Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions].”

Specifically, U of T was given such a high ranking due to “a recent proliferation of blatant antisemitism,” as well as having “hosted a considerable number of events in recent years portraying the Jewish state as barbarous and colonialist.”

From the perspective of The Algemeiner, U of T appears to be a very hostile environment with a one-sided view on Israel. From my perspective as a Jewish student, this is not entirely accurate.

That’s not to say that anti-Semitism doesn’t exist at this university. Although I have not personally experienced any significant anti-Semitism, I am aware of such occurrences, and I do not wish to discredit anyone’s experiences.

Earlier this year, swastikas were found spray-painted on signs around campus.

When I reached out to the Jewish Facebook group Jew of T, one student claimed that they were not permitted to retake a quiz they missed due to Rosh Hashanah — the Jewish new year — and was told that Rosh Hashanah was not a real holiday, despite it being considered the second most important holiday in Judaism.

The Algemeiner acknowledged that its ranking system did not even consider the Jewish community on campuses when making its determinations — at U of T it is strong, diverse, and vibrant.

Additionally, the idea that U of T is an ‘anti-Israel’ campus is inaccurate. There are a wide variety of viewpoints on Israel and Palestine at the university, and for the most part, these views are all given space; there have been many Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions events on campus, but there have been plenty of pro-Israel events too.

Beyond that, The Algemeiner erroneously

assumes that being ‘anti-Israel’ is anti-Semitic. I say this knowing full well that the issues are serious and complicated and can involve great personal emotional stakes — as well as with the understanding that some people make criticisms of Israel from an anti-Semitic viewpoint or use issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as an excuse to make anti-Semitic comments.

However, criticisms of Israel are not inherently anti-Semitic and to say that they are by default is to shut down conversation around a very important topic.

Shutting down this kind of debate essentially gives Israel a free pass to take actions that can be considered human rights abuses or illegalities under international law, such as building settlements in the West Bank. It also does not allow Palestinians to stand up for their rights or their nationhood.

In fact, sometimes critiques of Israel come from Jews — both in Israel and abroad. I find much about Israel worth criticizing. Though I personally do not support the BDS movement, I know many Jews who do.

It is unfortunate that left-wing Jews, with a wide variety of opinions on Israel, can find themselves subject to unfair criticisms from fellow Jews on the right. I wrote an article last year in defense of the U of T Divest movement’s right to hold uninterrupted events and received comments comparing me to people who ignored the coming of the Holocaust. I’ve heard of other Jews being called misguided, self-hating, and ‘kapos’ — a term referring to prisoners in concentration camps who acted as guards for the SS. These kinds of comments are short-sighted. Just as it is inappropriate when those on the left excuse anti-Semitism by discussing Israel’s transgressions — real and perceived — it is inappropriate to refuse to engage in meaningful dialogue by shutting down all criticisms of Israel as being anti-Semitic.

Based on my experiences as a Jewish student here, as well as my understanding of anti-Semitism, U of T should not have ranked so highly on The Algemeiner’s list. However, I understand that plenty of Jews will disagree with me, and they are most welcome to.

Though The Algemeiner may not understand it, a single viewpoint expressed at U of T is not representative of the whole campus and ought not to be seen that way.

Adina Heisler is a second-year student at University College studying Women and Gender Studies and English.

Debate Club is a column that pits writers head-to-head on questions that matter to students. Though it lacks the shaky knees and microphone feedback screeches that typically accompany any oratory competition, rest assured that Debate Club is not for the faint of heart.

Resolution: “Be it resolved that Robarts Library be deemed the ugliest building at the University of Toronto.”

In favour: Zach Rosen (ZR), first-year History student at Trinity College Opposed: Sam Routley (SR), second-year Political Science, History, and Philosophy student at St. Michael’s College

ZR: It is my contention that Robarts Library — our concrete monument to academia and claustrophobia — is the ugliest building on campus. Frankly, it’s not even a close call to make. If the mere sight of the thing isn’t enough to convince you, let me categorize my complaints into four distinct arguments: exterior design, interior design, feel, and what I’ll term the ‘blemish factor.’

Firstly and most obviously, buildings in the shape of things are never a good idea. I’m not in the architecture department, but a building in the shape of a roosting turkey is maybe the worst idea ever. The centrepiece of our library system looks more like the evil lair of some poultry-themed super-villain than an institution of higher learning.

SR: In contrast, I contend that Robarts Library, a world-class standard of brutalist architecture, cannot be the ugliest building on campus. There are others much worse in terms of all of the aforementioned components.

Robarts is a bold, monumental structure that can bring pride to this university. It signifies the grandeur of learning education, for inside its impenetrable walls are more than 4.5 million items of human knowledge. It is the core of one of North America’s biggest library systems.

ZR: Robarts is notorious for its fluorescent lights, and anyone who has tried to concentrate within the confines of one of its concrete cubicles can’t help but be reminded that sensory deprivation is a form of torture. Robarts is world-class only in inducing a general sense of despair.

Furthermore, the “monumental” size of Robarts is not its redemption, but rather its downfall. All of Robarts’ faults could be forgiven if only we had the capacity to escape them.

Instead, Robarts towers menacingly above us no matter where we are. There is no respite, no repose, from the tyranny of the turkey.

SR: The real claustrophobia and terror is found in those obscure buildings where our tutorials always seem to be; stuffy and narrow halls that lead only to empty rooms with utility pipes overhead, indicating that not even the builders cared to finish the project. Whereas Robarts is an example of fine, intricate architecture, these buildings are just dull and mundane.

Moreover, Robarts provides large, open-concept rooms. The ceilings are high, and large windows provide plenty of natural sunlight and fantastic views of Toronto. For example, the area surrounding the reference section on the fourth floor is lined with bright windows, providing a more pleasant learning atmosphere than any University College basement cellblock.

ZR: Our campus has no shortage of tree-lined quads and copper roofs stained green by time. Hart House, Trinity College, Knox College, Old Vic, and even University College are all reminders that St. George is a campus we should be proud to attend. Robarts is nothing more than a blemish on an otherwise impressive record.

A library, especially one that houses such an impressive collection, should inspire — yet Robarts inspires only nausea and seasonal affective disorder. Our avian fortress perches in an undeserved place of honour, looking like the world’s sorriest Transformer. However, nothing I can say here can convince you of this as persuasively as a single visit will. Proceed at your own risk.

SR: A visit to Robarts will inspire awe and wonder at such a feat of architecture. Perhaps you may follow the writer Umberto Eco; Robarts inspired the design of his library in The Name of the Rose. It has become a Toronto landmark, even sparking a student protest to allow undergraduates to gain access to the stacks in 1972.

If you really want to find the ugliest buildings on campus, they’re right down the street.

Sid Smith, Ramsay Wright, and Lash Miller are dreadfully fortunate to find themselves situated in Robarts’ magnificent shadow.

Editorial

January 30, 2017 var.st/comment editorial@thevarsity.ca

Responses to mismanagement tell the real story Student societies should implement both restorative and preventative measures in the name of accountability

Letters to the Editor Re: Critical inquiry or state propaganda “‘We would — and should — certainly object to analogous exhibits about the so-called ‘Canadian story’ being hosted abroad. As a counterpart of the current exhibit which depicts the joyous lives of ethnic minority groups in China, imagine a photo exhibition about First Nations peoples that depicted only the superficial, pristine aspects of looking in on Indigenous communities as an outsider, without further exploring their past and present marginalization.’

Perfectly put!”

— Mia Sopapilla (from web) Re: If not Hillary, then who?

“Fact Check: Kim Campbell was a Progressive Conservative. Not a Conservative. Two different parties.”

— Christopher Chiasson (from web)

ELHAM NUMAN/THE VARSITY

The Varsity Editorial Board Underneath the headline stories that have affected University of Toronto students over the last few months, a quieter predicament has been underway: the wavering accountability and transparency of elected student societies on campus.

This academic year has seen several stories regarding the misconduct of various student politicians and officials, from financial mismanagement at the University College Literary and Athletic Society (UC Lit) and the Victoria University Students' Administrative Council (VUSAC) to alleged Islamophobia in videos captured at a party with St. Michael's College Student Union (SMCSU) officials present.

Student societies have a duty to work toward improving campus life for their constituents. In order to achieve this, they are granted significant responsibilities, not the least of which is the management of large sums of money — collected automatically from the students they represent.

In order to be accountable, societies must consider both their internal financial procedures and the way in which they disclose information to the wider student body.

Last July, the administration of St. Michael’s College launched an investigation into SMCSU’s internal practices. Then-president Zachary Nixon declined to speak to The Varsity at that time. SMSCU had previously had its levy fees withheld by the administration until it agreed to comply with transparency procedures.

This month, The Varsity reported on an incident of mismanagement pertaining to University College’s 2016 orientation week.

UC Lit, of which UC Orientation is an ancillary service, discovered that a $7,200 invoice for breakfasts had not been paid and that cheques had been prematurely issued to the event's co-chairs.

More recently, approximately $500 in ticket

sales for a Victoria College semi-formal was reported missing from the VUSAC office, an incident that prompted VUSAC to reevaluate its cash handling security procedures.

The fact that instances of financial mismanagement seem to be common within student societies is concerning in and of itself. It is also important to consider whether issues within these societies — financial in nature and otherwise — are resolved in a transparent manner.

Constituents have the right to be informed of matters that relate to the societies that are meant to represent them and that use their levy funds; it is unfortunate that this has not happened in some respects.

The SMCSU Snapchat scandal that took place in December — concerning videos deemed to be Islamophobic and involving both former and then-current council members — is one such example. Even before the videos emerged, the union, as well as the college administration, had advance knowledge that they existed.

The allegations were serious enough to result in the resignation of several members of the SMCSU executive, yet they were not disclosed to the public prior to the leak. The more transparent course of action would have been to disclose the existence of the videos and immediately apologize.

This may have even led to a productive, forward-looking conversation, rather than the abrupt prorogation of SMCSU activities and resignations that occurred.

Evidence of misconduct will only provide justification for the university to encroach on the autonomy of student organizations.

This should be a particular concern for SMCSU, because St Michael's College president David Mulroney has publicly criticized the union’s “poorly accounted for” finances and announced his intent to restructure its relationship with the college.

Many student society representatives would agree that interference from the

administration should remain a last resort and that student societies should be primarily accountable to those who elected them rather than the administration.

Student societies must treat their financial dealings with gravity, especially when it comes to the training and qualifications of the individuals elected or appointed to deal with funds. Scrutiny should be directed towards hiring processes for financial chairs, in addition to processes that allow anyone to handle student funds, be it in the form of ticket sales or levied fees.

Yet regulation of financial dealings is about more than simply the existence of bylaws and governing policies: it is about ensuring that rules are followed and that there are adequate measures in place to remedy transgressions. When mistakes do happen, student organizations must make it a priority to consider not only how they will be dealt with, but also how the information will be transmitted to the students at large.

When it comes to financial mismanagement especially, the solution to wrongdoing should never be to avoid its disclosure entirely. While it may or may not be true that the cover up is worse than the crime, the cover up is certainly never better.

As opposed to attempting to avoid questioning, student organizations must take advantage of media that allows them to communicate to their constituents. If the true concern of these organizations’ officials is to protect their own reputations from scrutiny at the expense of transparency, then this is a larger problem.

Students have a reasonable expectation that those elected to serve on various student societies will take their positions seriously. In turn, officials owe it to their fellow students to take the initiative in getting ahead of the news — and not avoiding it once it has been broken.

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

Re: Why this year’s Oscars might diverge from past prejudice “Why are you so focused on black people? Have you even looked at the statistics? Since 2000 10% of all Oscar nominations have fallen on black actors, close to the 12.6% black population in America. Why don’t you concern yourself with Hispanics, or Asians? These groups make up a greater portion of the population and receive less than a third of the nominations blacks do. That might make for a more interesting article than a carbon copy of what I can find on the Huffington Post.”

— Alexander Chandler (from web) Re: A survivor speaks at U of T “When I saw you in the yoga classes I had no idea I was next to someone that had lived and survived through that time of horror. I am glad you found Queenie and are blessed with a lovely family.”

— Encarnita Gardner (from web) Re: U of T forecasts net income of $178.4 million, deficit of $93.9 million “After the sky high tuition fees, massive endowments, they still run a deficit? Unbelievable.

— Tanzim Draco Rashid (from web) Re: Let’s do something “Strongly disagree with the notion that ‘the medium is the message’ supports this author’s argument: social media is not inherently trivial. Also, the general public doesn’t really have access to scholarly journals: social media offers a more accessible point of reference.”

— Mercedes Christine (from web) Re: Availability of most recent board packages, financial statements lacking in some of U of T’s largest student unions “Why didn’t you actually grade them or something instead of just taking the raw facts and what the representatives of those unions said about them?”

— Mike Rju (from web) Re: UC revitalization plans updated “Do these revitalization plans include Accessibility Services? ...I think Accessibility Services needs a lot more than just an extra elevator. Maybe some more Disability Counselors. More testing locations and tools. More staff. More outreach.”

— Kelly Aiello (from web)

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

The strength of charity Giving has been a fixture of human life for millennia; this is how the charitable ethos has transcended the boundaries of space and time

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FRIENDS OF ZAHRA TR

PHOTO COURTESY OF NAYNAWAH

ARTICLE BY HAREEM ASHRAF VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF NAYNAWAH

Surrounding photos: The gr abroad. Volunteers work on a Syria and help with emergen and Pakistan.

Above and below: Friends of Zahra Trust attended the Naynawah Conference in October 2016, where donated artwork was auctioned off. The money raised went towards building water wells in Pakistan through The Zahra Trust organization.

“C

oming from a Middle Eastern background, I grew up surrounded by horror stories of my homeland,” said Batual Abdul Hussain, second-year UTSC student. “I always believed I would give back to those who were not as fortunate as myself to be among the emigrants who had the opportunity to a safe life.”

Abdul Hussain is the President of Friends of Zahra Trust, a nonprofit group at UTSC in affiliation with the UK-based organization The Zahra Trust. She, like many at the university, has a deeply personal reason to be driven to charity work.

Maeryl Sumagang, third-year student and President of the UTSG Free the Children branch, is driven in part by the sense of community the charity work offers: “I always remind my executive members that education will always take priority — after all, they are paying thousands of dollars to be in this school. However, there is a strong sense of community and belonging that one can get when they find a niche of people that have the same passions and mindset as them.”

Earthquakes, hurricanes, refugee crises, and the recent American immigration block — these circumstances draw people towards acts of charity. Yet, even outside of the visible crises that the world undergoes from time to time, many people report a feeling of attraction, or even obligation, to charitable acts.

The meaning of charity varies among people, from an active duty that must be fulfilled to simply comforting a loved one. For others it may be a passive thought, like throwing a toonie in a jar to help needy children halfway across the world.

RUST

roup also volunteers an aid mission in ncy relief in Greece

MODERN CHARITY The idea of charity is ancient and widespread, with references of it spanning from Chinese classical thought to ancient Greek philanthropy, as well as aged civilizations in sub-Saharan Africa. An ancient Chinese proverb says, “To have virtuous citizens who are kind to their neighbours, this is precious treasure for a country.” It would seem that the ethos of charity is ingrained in human life; the idea has manifested throughout history in many varied forms. And among many attempts to explain the reasons for this phenomenon, it remains, at least somewhat, mysterious.

Dame Suzi Leather, the Chair of the Charity Commission in London, says in a letter to The Guardian, “New Mori research conducted for the Charity Commission shows that public trust and confidence in charities has increased in the last three years, with people saying that they trust charities more than many other bodies including social services, banks and local councils. The research indicates that younger people (aged 18-44) are more likely to have trust and confidence in charities than older respondents.”

The modern act of charity can be seen through the Ontario Secondary School requirements, where high school students must complete a certain number of unpaid volunteer hours.

This method may have the capacity to make students more active in society, as well as genuinely help the individuals and communities that benefit from such organizations.

At the university level, students at U of T make time to combine their minds and efforts in an attempt to relieve those who are suffering from poverty, lack of education, lack of social and human rights, mental disorders, illnesses, and other social inequalities.

Friends of Zahra Trust has a team of dedicated members that volunteer their time for donation events, advocacy tabling, food drives, tutoring, and schooling opportunities for children. They work towards relieving poverty, lack of education, and unsuitable water resources.

Abdul Hussain said, “The first thought that comes into mind when the average person hears charity is money. But charity is something more special than that.”

The club engages in international trips as well. Friends of Zahra Trust will be going on a trip to Iraq in August of 2017, where they will help teach orphans in the city of Najaf and rebuild holy sites that have been destroyed by violence.

Indeed, Abdul Hussain’s efforts are making a tangible difference.

Friends of Zahra Trust collected $20,000 from an art auction at the Naynawah Conference held in early October 2016 by the Afghan Canadian Islamic Community in North York. Proceeds from the event went towards building water-wells in water-depleted regions of Pakistan.

She further explains, “Without a shadow of doubt, I sincerely believe humans have the ability to change the world... If we do not succeed in making that change, I still believe it is incumbent upon us to try.”

RELIGIOUS ROOTS Many types of religious thought give significance to the act of charity. Islamic world it was much more a community duty.”

Jewish law states that the act of charity is a mitzvah, meaning a comThe fashion in which charity is best given is also explained for the mandment, and is therefore mandatory for those following the Jewish followers of Islam in the Holy Quran. Chapter 2, verse 271 of the Holy faith. In a 2013 article compiled by Gordon Hardy for the Harvard Divin- Quran states, “If you do deeds of charity openly, it is well; but if you beity School, Jon D. Levenson, Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies, stow it upon the needy in secret, it will be even better for you, and it will writes: “The framework is once again theological; charity is based in atone for some of your bad deeds. And God is aware of all that you do.” something higher and more enduring than feelings of compassion or The Holy Bible similarly says in Matthew 6:3-4, “But when you give to guilt.” the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, In Christianity, the actions of Jesus speak for the importance of giv- so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is ing back to those in need. In reply to the verse “love thy neighbour as done in secret, will reward you.” thyself” in the Gospel of Luke, an expert in the law asks Jesus, “Who is The Buddhist perspective on charity deems it as a spiritual act. Genmy neighbour?” erosity is one of the six “perfections” or “virtuous qualities” a human Jesus replies using the parable of the Good Samaritan, explaining being can possess. the story of a half-dead, stripped man who was robbed, lying on the Chris Berlin, Instructor in Ministry, writes, “Buddhists often quote the road as people pass by him. A Samaritan, who were rivals of the Jews, Buddha from an early scripture: ‘What is the accomplishment in generthen passes by the man and takes care of the man’s injuries and trans- osity? A noble disciple dwells at home, with a heart free from the stain ports him to a care facility. of stinginess, open-handed, pure-handed, delighting in relinquishment, Dudley C. Rose, Associate Dean for Ministry Studies, writes in the Har- one devoted to charity, one who delights in sharing and giving. This is vard Divinity School article: “Jesus asks, ‘Who do you think was a neighbor called accomplishment in generosity.’” to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ The expert says, ‘The Sikhism, which was founded by Guru Nanak in the early sixteenth one who had mercy on him,’ and Jesus responds, ‘Go and do likewise.’” century, making it one of the world’s youngest religions, also speaks Through such excerpts in the Holy Bible, the Christian faith empha- to charity. Nanak states in the Japji, the Sikh morning prayer, that, “Pilsizes the significance of helping those in need. grimage, penance, compassion, and charitable giving, [only feed one’s The Islamic faith has many forms of charity, the most obvious of ego] and bring merit as much as a sesame seed.” which is Zakat, which means almsgiving. Zakat is one of the five pillars Harpreet Singh from the Department of South Asian Studies writes, of the religion and is a method of redistributing one’s wealth.

“This, however, does not mean that he is discouraging Sikhs from engagJocelyne Cesari, Lecturer in Islamic Studies, writes, “In the modern ing in charitable acts. In fact, Nanak sought to create a society in which world, we see charity as a much more personal act, but in the ancient the indigent and the oppressed are looked after.”

SACRIFICE While looking after the oppressed and donating what we can are obvious factors of charity, the aspect of sacrifice is often overlooked. Again, we can look to history for major examples of charitable sacrifices.

Seventh century leader Hussain, for example, made a revolutionary sacrifice for social justice in the face of tyranny and bigotry. He was also the grandson of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, the last prophet of Islam. He was well known for his compassion, kindness, and ability to see beyond social classes and colour.

Hussain was forced to choose between letting the people of his time continue to be oppressed and pledging allegiance to a tyrant by the name of Yazid, the second Caliph of the Umayyad dynasty; or risk his own life by taking a stand against such evil. He ultimately made the decision to fight against the tyranny and deemed that the sacrifice of his life was small compared to the benefit it entailed.

The story of Hussain is an example of tragic sacrifice as a way to move forward a corrupt-free message that would save the lives of the poor, people of colour, and humanity in general in the future.

Hussain had only an army of 72, compared to the oppositions army size of 30,000. The tyrants had cut his access off to food and water in the scorching heat of Karbala, a city in central Iraq. But still, Hussain stood by his principles until he was killed.

Another example is Mahatma Gandhi, a non-violent protester for social progress. He fasted for as long as 21 days in protest against the caste separation of India. Gandhi sacrificed his own wellbeing in an at-

tempt to send an impactful message to the government of his time.

During his life, Gandhi said, “I learned from Hussain how to be wronged and be a winner, I learnt from Hussain how to attain victory while being oppressed.”

To this day, millions of Shia Muslims across the world mourn Hussain’s death on the day known as Ashura. Many also visit the resting place and shrine of Hussain and his companions in Karbala. They mourn his death every year on the day known as Ashura.

Because charity has the ability to revolutionize and move the way people think and exist throughout centuries, it is important to become an active member of society. Students can begin by joining non-profit clubs at their educational institute or volunteering at local food banks and youth groups.

Charity also entails advocacy and education, so attending conferences, participating in interactive activities, and even reading the news can help the life of another person.

Giving, fortunately, is more accessible than society often makes it out to be. Charity is capable of bringing warmth to even the coldest of situations and we will keep it going for centuries to come.

It can be difficult for students to sacrifice their time for charity, but for Sumagang and Abdul Hussain, giving their time and effort elsewhere is important.

As Sumagang put it, working with Free the Children “is a great reminder that there is more to life than school and academics.”

Arts&Culture

January 30, 2017 var.st/arts arts@thevarsity.ca

When everyone’s a critic Generator panel reflects on the democratization of cultural criticism Hannah Lank Varsity Contributor

What does it mean to be a critic at a time when opinions flood our news feeds and Facebook timelines, and everyone claims to have an important critical perspective? In the era of fake news — or “alternative facts,” as Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway would have us believe — and a rising level of inflammatory rhetoric across the globe, should we be attempting to distinguish between various critical views? And if so, what makes a good critic?

These were among the questions asked at a panel discussion held on January 12 by Generator, a local artistic incubator, which brought together four prominent artists and intellectuals to debate the issue of cultural criticism in an age where mainstream critical reviews are losing prominence.

When consumers choose what to click on and what to ignore, and when social media feeds are largely tailored for our individual news preferences, critical pieces often go unnoticed. This was much less the case in the age of print media, where physical newspapers served as vehicles for curated content.

The panel attributed much of the decline of professional criticism to the rise of blogs and the prominence of opinion writing online. A strength of digital media is that it allows for immediate dialogue between an audience, di-

rectors, casts, and critics, and it has resulted in a democratization of criticism with an increase in the diversity of voices being heard.

The question is: are all of those voices worthy of being heard? Glenn Sumi, Associate Entertainment Editor at NOW Magazine, wondered aloud if a theatre review provided by someone who hasn’t seen a theatrical production since high school is valuable – or, at least, as valuable as someone whose academic background and profession revolves around theatre criticism.

The question of objective value in art has long been debated by philosophers. That we disagree on what is good and what is bad is obvious, but perhaps this inconclusiveness reveals a purpose of art: to generate discussion. Philosophy Lecturer Scott Howard, who has taught the philosophy department’s aesthetics survey course, said, “The idea that art criticism is fundamentally about giving value verdicts isn’t mandatory.”

We have a tendency to view criticism as a consumer commodity: how many stars is an exhibit, performance, or other work of art worth, and is it worth spending my money on? In Howards view, perhaps we should be viewing criticism and the knowledge possessed by professional critics, as a “tool for explaining the different ways in which [a piece] might be an interesting artwork.”

Howard referenced philosophers such as Arnold Isenberg and Alexander Nehamas,

ELHAM NUMAN/THE VARSITY

and their belief that “the activity of the best critics isn’t reducible to stamping art as good or bad… instead, critics are communicating why that artwork is interesting, or what kind of experience it might afford.”

Panellist Michelle MacArthur, Assistant Professor at the University of Windsor’s School of Dramatic Art and prominent researcher of theatre criticism, expressed a similar view: “We cannot consider criticism and art as opposing forces. Together they are part of a healthy ecology.”

“If we think of criticism... as people explaining why they think stuff is interesting… then it doesn’t strike me as disastrous that the Internet lets everyone be a critic,” mused Howard. “I think there’s value in certain critical perspectives, but those perspectives

aren’t only found in hallowed institutions like the London Review of Books… what makes for a good critical perspective isn’t the pedigree of the publication, but the insight of the author.”

We are entering an era where many believe the role of art in our lives is becoming more significant than ever as an outlet for dissent and expression, as a means of inciting conversation and critical thinking.

Perhaps criticism will have an imperative role in this, particularly as critics make sense of art from a variety of perspectives. It is not a time to shy away from the perspectives of others, but rather a time to internalize criticism, discuss, agree, and disagree.

The iSchool’s Professor Mihalache on her new Food and Museums Where food intersects with museums, history, and culture Sabrina Ramroop Varsity Contributor

Irina D. Mihalache, Professor at the University of Toronto’s iSchool, has helped curate a newly published book with Nina Levent, titled Food and Museums. The book examines how food occupies space in museological settings, allowing it to become part of the museum itself.

In turn, consumers may become more interested in what they eat — in the history of the recipes before them, the people that have cooked these foods, and the transportation of their ingredients, for example.

On Food and Museums, Mihalache says that much publicity surrounds museum restaurants, eating in museums, and celebrity chefs who cook in museums. “Those were, and continue to be, the most visible ways in which I think the general population understands food and museums in a very contemporary setting,” she said.

She and Levant tried to examine the ways in which this interaction had not yet been discussed. “On the one side, you have exhibitions and collections, you have interpretation education as one major area of practise in museums, and then you have eating in museums and eating spaces,” she explained.

Mihalache examines this in her own chapter on the Fort York Historic Site, in which she interviews food writer and culinary historian Elizabeth Baird on the production of the historic foodways programme.

The Fort York Historic Site has an accredited kitchen where volunteer professional cooks attempt to revive and test out recipes that date back to World War I. “It’s very important in the work that they do that everything, every dish that comes out of the kitchen, is very meticulously researched, so for them recipes [are] a way to engage in different research strategies,” Mihalache said.

Mihalache also emphasized the importance of researching and testing out recipes as a gateway to understanding different historical periods from the 1870s to the 1920s: “What was the history that brought these ingredients here, how was it cooked, where was it cooked... they look very holistically at all the types of material culture and knowledges that you would need in order to produce that recipe.”

Food and Museums also explores the importance of food as a resource in Canada. “I think we all live in a time when there’s food talk everywhere. And if you don’t participate, you feel left out in social media circles, in your own community, like everybody is

obliged to have some sort of a relation to food,” Mihalache said.

“Often times, especially in our global environments, we consume foods that’s not ours,” she added.

This is where the intersection between food, museums, and history becomes critical and ripe for analysis. Mihalache describes how culinary research centres are especially beneficial in recognizing these histories.

“That’s the beauty of the culinary research centre… they are very connected with the food entrepreneurs... they want to give a voice... not speak for the restaurateurs but give them a space where they can speak for themselves and advocate for their own food cultures.”

Critically assessing food and having a discussion about multiculturalism and the consumption of different foods from across the globe is also important in Mihalache’s opinion.

“On one single plate you can have so many different types of geographies,” Mihalache stated. It is through the study of food and its intersections with museums, history, culture, and empire that Food and Museums will be able to generate discussion, perhaps even around the dinner table.

SABRINA RAMROOP/THE VARSITY

Food and Museums examines the intersection between museums and material culture.

JANUARY 30, 2017 • 13

var.st/arts

Changed the game with that digital drop How new media is utilizing surprise releases Nicole Sciulli Varsity Staff

Whether it’s a new season of your favourite television show or an album release from your favourite artist, the time before a release date is often full of anticipation crafted by advertising. Ads scattered in our web browsers, commercials, promotional tweets, and Instagram posts all serve to hype up an upcoming release and create conversation and excitement about a new pop culture phenomenon.

So what happens when there is no promotion at all? What happens when pop culture is simply released without warning? Some believe that this lack of promotion is a promotional technique in and of itself.

Consumers already spend a large amount of time on social media, which has the power to make even the most mundane videos go viral.

Why wouldn’t a last minute announcement tweet for a new show or album do the same?

When the new Netflix series The OA was released recently, fans did not quite know what to make of the lack of promotional information available regarding the show.

How could they know if the show would be worth watching if there was nothing to get excited over?

There were no interviews or reviews released prior to the show’s premiere. The show’s creators have not publicly stated what “The OA” means.

This mysterious drama may have taken viewers by surprise and piqued their interest in the process.

In an interview with The Guardian, The OA creator and star Brit Marling stated, “We thought it would be fun to give the audience that experience, rocketing into a mystery with very little information beforehand.”

Other TV shows have certainly benefited from this lack of promotion. The summer breakout hit Stranger Things, for example, has been renewed for a second season.

Surprise releases have succeeded for famous singers like Beyoncé as well. Beyoncé’s unexpected 2013 album Beyoncé brought us songs like “Drunk in Love,” “Mine,” and “Superpower.”

Her latest album, Lemonade, which dropped last April, had practically no promotion.

Beyoncé announced the album with a tweet that simply read, “#LEMONADE the Visual Album,” accompanied by a link to the streaming service Tidal.

For musical artists, the benefits of the no-promo strategy include a

smaller budget, lower expectations for both the label and artist, and the perception of the release as a ‘reward’ for fans who didn’t have to wait for the album to be released.

Plus, in the case of delayed album releases, fans will not be disappointed if they were never aware of the intended release date.

The ‘surprise release’ follows from the way consumers now engage with media — largely instantaneously through the Internet.

With the wide array of content available upon demand today, it would be reasonable to assume that the attention spans of the modern consumers are greatly diminished relative to what they once were.

A surprise album drop can also be more profitable for artists, particularly if they make the content accessible online through a paid streaming service. By directing fans to streaming services themselves, an artist can generate profit and promote their own album at the same time.

Some may think that ‘surprise album’ releases as an alternative promotional strategy will only work for popular music artists with a huge fanbase to appeal to. However, independent and lesser known artists have embraced elaborate promotional strategies as well.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

The new Netflix series The OA was released without advance notice.

Alternative bands like Bring Me the Horizon pulled off a successful surprise release in 2015 by posting umbrella icons on their social media in anticipation of their new album That’s The Spirit. Motionless in White created a scavenger hunt through use of geotagging technology for fans to stream tracks from their third album, Reincarnate.

The horror-punk band Creeper created a paranormal mystery last August when they spread ghost stories online, and their ‘disappearance’ was reported in the local newspapers and music press.

This elaborate hype was part

of a surprise announcement of their new album, to be released in March. Though Creeper’s album release was not exactly a surprise to fans, the reveal that they were writing a new album allowed their fans to interact with their favourite band in an unusual and appealing way.

While surprise releases and alternative promotional strategies will always be a risk for artists, these strategic releases have brought into question the way traditional advertising is able to market products.

When executed correctly, viewers and listeners can enjoy the most pleasant of surprises.

Toronto Jewish Film Society begins season with story of coming together The Other Son is a powerful statement on coexistence Rishika Wadehra Varsity Contributor

In operation since 1978, the Toronto Jewish Film Society (TJFS) is the longest running Jewish film society in North America. Each year, it screens eight films as part of a subscription service available to members.

The selections range from Jewish dramas, comedies, and documentaries, covering topics of Jewish interest, which include culture, identity, Israel, and the Holocaust.

The Other Son, directed by France’s Lorraine Lévy, was the first film to be screened in this year’s series. Set against the often divisive political backdrop of Israel and Palestine, Lévy uses the common ‘switched at birth’ parable to make a powerful statement on the nuances of cultural identities and the strength of familial bonds and coexistence.

Upon first glance, the premise of the film is intriguing. Two babies born at the same time in a hospital in Haifa, Israel are accidentally switched by nurses in the chaos that results from a bombing attack on the same night. The boys

grow up in opposite worlds, their true identities unknown to both sets of parents.

Joseph is artistic and dreamy, living in Tel Aviv with his father, a high-ranking Israeli army officer, and mother, a French-born doctor.

In stark contrast to Joseph’s sheltered and privileged upbringing, Yassin is more determined, a future medical student raised by an Arab couple living in the West Bank.

The two boys only learn that they have been switched at birth when Joseph, during routine medical testing before drafting into the Israel Defence Forces, discovers his blood type does not match his family’s.

Tensions centered on this clash of cultures are prevalent throughout the film as the characters struggle with their personal identities, religions, and relationships with their family members.

The stand-out performances in the film come from the two mothers, delivered with heartbreaking emotional depth by Emmanuelle Devos and Areen Omari. While they struggle to accept that their sons are not biologically their own, they put aside their personal feelings to bring together two

divided families, united only by their unconditional love for their sons.

These themes seem to comprise a message that Lévy has woven throughout the film: that despite political, religious, and cultural divisions, people can still form connections based on common human experiences and understanding.

All film screenings by TJFS are introduced and discussed by select noted speakers and accompanied by a question and answer period at the end of the film. The Other Son was led by guest speaker Adam Nayman, a film critic and author who completed his MA in Cinema Studies at U of T. The audience’s reception of the film was largely positive. Many praised how the director gave equal attention to both households and was unbiased in the film’s portrayals of Israel and Palestine, instead focusing on the humanity of relationships and identity within both families.

When asked how the film was chosen, Esther Arbeid, Manager of TJFS, wrote, “The Other Son came to us from our marketing director at [the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre (JCC)] who had seen...

PHOTO COURTESY OF EONE ENTERTAINMENT CANADA

The Other Son is the story of two families whose sons are switched at birth. the movie in Belgium last summer and thought that it would be a great fit for our program. Once our committee viewed it, they agreed unanimously.” The programming committee consists of volunteer curators and is led by Arbeid.

On how the movie was perceived by the audiences at JCC, Arbeid said, “The audiences seemed very receptive. The comments were overwhelmingly positive.” She added, “The Q and A for The Other Son was more cohesive than usual… the discussion was more about cultural identity than anything else.”

The almost unanimous positive reception is likely due in part to the

film’s lack of direct reference to or biased portrayal of the turbulent political situations of the Middle East.

Arbeid commented, “[The director] focused on the plights of the main characters, the Israeli and Palestinian mothers’ and the sons’ perspectives drove the story. The whole idea of the ‘other’ was drawn forward to present both sides, both situations evenly — to make it a balanced story told from a torn region.”

The next film in the TJFS lineup is None Shall Escape, a vintage WWII drama first released in 1944. It will be screened at the Al Green Theatre on February 26.

14 • THE VARSITY • ARTS & CULTURE

arts@thevarsity.ca

Translating the past into the present The latest reboot of A Series of Unfortunate Events reflects millennial nostalgia Tiffany Lieu Varsity Contributor

Childhood was a time when naïveté got the best of us and we still believed that dreams were easy to realize. In adulthood, many of us have now realized that growing up isn’t all that it seems, and our childhood days have left us with nothing but slowly fading memories.

However, certain parts of our lives will always come to mind readily, especially pertaining to the things we loved as children.

Regardless of generation, every child has had a prized possession that they adored, whether it was a stuffed animal or a tattered blanket. Similarly, every child enjoyed a favourite television series, from Barney & Friends to Hannah Montana. Luckily, the recent frenzy of reviving old classics is allowing millennials to relive the simpler days of childhood.

Netflix has become a hub for modern reboots of childhood classics, and joining this collection is the recent release of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Despite the title, this is anything but unfortunate, as the original book series was beloved by many members of the millennial generation.

This series’ latest remake raises an interesting question: does bringing new life to a familiar classic embue us with the same excitement that it once did?

Some might say that it’s simply a matter of nostalgia to reminisce about the Baudelaire siblings and their uncanny adventures. Without dwelling in the past, the nostalgia we feel for an adored series can revive fond childhood memories that evoke feelings of glee.

Leanna Oki, second-year Psychology student, feels that the new series will be a wonderful way to recall memories of her youth.

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GLORIA ZHANG/THE VARSITY

“I haven’t watched the Netflix series yet, but I’m interested,” said Oki. “It would make me feel nostalgic since I haven’t read the book or watched the movie in a while. Also, I absolutely loved the series as a kid, so it would be nice to relive that part of my childhood.”

Others argue that the newest rendition has its own distinct character, and like many other remakes, doesn’t compare to the original. “It didn’t really make me reflect on my childhood or feel nostalgic,” said Katherine Yao, secondyear Illustration student at OCAD. “I didn’t love the [Netflix] series as much as I thought I would have, and instead I was mostly dissecting the dialogue, screenplay, acting… I just kept making comparisons to the original.”

Even if these nostalgic feelings are complex, it’s evident that remakes of classic favourites

are still appealing to viewers of all ages. “I enjoyed the Netflix series as a young adult,” noted Yao, “but it would have been better if I watched this series as a child because I felt that it was directed towards younger viewers.”

Yao says that some of the media that she consumed throughout her youth has had a profound effect on major decisions in her life.

“The Harry Potter series has grown up with me — it’s a part of who I am. I followed the series from a young age and the cinematography and creativity of the books inspired me to pursue further education in visual arts,” she says.

The simplicity of childhood memories may well outweigh the complexity of our lives as we grow older. As the Unfortunate Events revival demonstrates, age is just a number, and it is never too old to relive one’s youth.

A spotlight on improvisation U of T Improv takes home third place in inter-university comedy competition Rueshen Akshoy Varsity Contributor

For many, the idea of standing in front of an expectant audience without having prepared lines would be the stuff of nightmares. Not so for U of T Improv, one of the theatre improvisation clubs at the university.

On January 21–22, U of T Improv competed in a summit held at the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse housed at University College.

Seven other teams from universities across Ontario and Quebec also took part in the twoday event.

The first day of the competition focused on short-form improv, which usually revolves around a theme set through a game or suggestions from the audience. Longform improv was featured on the second day, which involved extended performances that developed into stories. U of T Improv placed third overall at the summit, while Ottawa’s team came in second and the team from the University of Western Ontario came in first place.

The results were based on a combination of both audience reception and tallies by two judges.

Julian Frid, a professional improviser who studied at the Impatient Theatre Company and the Bad Dog Theatre Company in Toronto, has hosted the summit for five years. In addition to working with his own theatre troupe, Sex T Rex, Frid also teaches an improv class for beginners as part of Hart House’s Creative Classes.

“It’s a real unique experience, witnessing the same students and schools perform year after year, seeing how they change and evolve in their performance style,” he explained.

“I never had the opportunity to do improv before I came to Toronto, but it’s something that I’ve been interested in since I was a child,” said Kyle Warne, President of U of T Improv. He cites the popular television show Whose Line Is It Anyway? as something that inspired his love for the art form.

Warne remembers his high school drama teacher telling him that improvisation was not ‘real’ theatre and that it was a waste of time.

But improvising adds an element of surprise to theatre and questions whether any art form should be subject to rigid expectations.

Warne pursued improv in his first year at university despite his drama teacher’s opinion and believes it has paid off. “I came to

Toronto a fan of improv comedy, living here showed me how diverse it can be and made me fall in love with it,” he says.

U of T Improv is not the only group that celebrates the art of improv on campus. SKULE Improv and St. Michael’s College Improv Club are also present at UTSG and host drop in sessions or practices every week. UTM and UTSC have improv clubs that welcome seasoned improvisors or beginners looking to get involved.

The University College Follies and The Bob at Victoria College also practice comedy but lean more towards a sketch format.

Many household names such as Will Ferrell, Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus launched their comedy careers doing improv.

Toronto’s own vibrant improv community features weekly shows at venues like Bad Dog Theatre, Comedy Bar, Social Capital Theatre and Second City. “Improv is so much more than just the games you see on a show like Whose Line,” Warne said.

U of T Improv will be on stage at the John Candy Box Theatre on February 10.

I D E S

Rocker Dave Grohl once, rather forcefully, said: “I don’t believe in guilty pleasures. If you fucking like something, like it.”

But the truth is that most of us have things that we’re embarrassed to admit we enjoy. Maybe your fascination with a teenybopper band borders on obsession, or maybe you once shamefully fantasized about life as a Real Housewife. Think about how you would feel if your grandparents took a look at your Netflix queue.

The question is, why the sense of shame? To investigate, we asked our contributors: “Do you believe in pop culture guilty pleasures?

Why or why not?”

Of course they exist! There tends to be almost a sense of embarrassment when it comes to liking certain bands or TV shows, simply because it’s something you ‘shouldn’t’ like — even if it’s something wildly popular!

Mine is Pretty Little Liars. I should be over it after all these years, but in all honesty I still enjoy watching it.

— Siobhan Spera

‘Guilty’ pleasures are the luxury of the well-educated and the ‘cultured.’ The term is insurance against a charge of classlessness. If I admit to feeling guilty about a weakness for bubblegum pop or an appetite for sordid teen romances, I can sleep easily, knowing that my high culture credentials aren’t threatened.

Though they wouldn’t care to admit it, many people would choose Harry Potter over Proust.

The qualifier of ‘guilty’ pleasure helps us all to come to grips with what for many of us is an awkward straddling of cultural, linguistic, and literary strata.

— Anil Partridge

Absolutely. Society imposes a myriad of expectations on every individual, depending on the kinds of categories they fall into. Restrictive as this is, it’s an established process that creates expectations of the likes and dislikes people should have, leading to ‘guilty’ pleasures that are really unexpected likes. For me, it’d be Selena Gomez’s music.

— Sarim Irfan

Science

January 30, 2017 var.st/science science@thevarsity.ca

Does Bloor love bikes?

U of T Engineering assesses Bloor Street bike lanes Matthew Gerry

Varsity Contributor

Last August, the City of Toronto implemented the Bloor Bike Lanes Pilot Project, in which bike lanes separated from vehicle traffic by bollards were installed in both directions along Bloor Street between Avenue Road and Shaw Street.

U of T Engineering has partnered with the City and Kitchener-based traffic analytics company Miovision to assess the impact that these bike lanes have on road safety.

Toronto City Council will decide later this year whether to make them permanent.

The study comes at a time when the City is in the process of considering and assessing other major thoroughfares for bike lanes, including Yonge Street and Danforth Avenue; both are mentioned in Toronto’s 10-year cycling plan.

“This project is part of a larger initiative that we have that’s run through the University of Toronto Transportation Research Institute that is looking at complete streets more generally, and we see traffic safety — safety for all users — as one element of complete streets,” said Civil Engineering Professor Matthew Roorda, who is also an avid cyclist.

Roorda and his team are studying video data of Bloor Street before and after the bike lanes were installed, searching for incidences of conflict between cyclists and vehicles.

The video data for this assessment was provided by the City and Miovision. Both organizations set up cameras along Bloor before the lanes were installed. Miovision is also currently developing a technology to automatically detect the trajectories of road users — including cyclists, pedestrians, and motor vehicle drivers — to offer a new method of quantitatively analyzing the safety of a street.

Roorda and his team are looking specifically for conflicts or near collisions. Conflicts are said to be correlated with collisions, and they occur far more frequently.

“Whatever mechanisms create a conflict are the same ones that result in collisions if you look at a street long enough. The advantage with looking at conflicts… is that you don’t need to observe the street for as long before you have... enough statistics about the corridor you want to study,” said Nancy Hui, the Civil Engineering MASc candidate who is spearheading the project.

The Miovision technology will automate the process of detecting conflict in video data. Not only does this technique speed

NATHAN CHAN/THE VARSITY

Prior to the introduction of bollards to separate bikes from cars, some cyclists were wary of riding along Bloor Street. up the identification process, but it can be used to draw very specific conclusions about what is going on at the street level. It also allows researchers to measure particularly tricky conflicts in greater detail.

“When you’re dealing with users as small as pedestrians or bicycles as opposed to users that are in a car, it’s a little bit more difficult to see visually and also more difficult to measure,” said Hui. The team hopes that these techniques will produce the results necessary for City Council to make their decision this year.

Staff at the City of Toronto will draw on their findings to make recommendations

regarding the bike lane pilot project. Similar research projects have influenced municipal decisions in the past.

Technologies such as the one Miovision is developing can be applied to street safety analysis in the future, which could in turn affect many public infrastructure decisions to come.

Roorda explained, “It’s extremely important that decisions made about these kinds of things are made on good information, and that’s really what [we’re] trying to contribute here, regardless of the results… Regardless of which way the decision goes, we’d rather have it made on solid information.”

U of T Engineering alumnus funds scholarship for eSports Get ready, player one Nicole Sciulli

Varsity Contributor

Video games are one of today’s greatest sources of entertainment. Whether you are trying to reach the next level of Super Mario Bros. or waiting for the newest version of Grand Theft Auto to come out, you understand the thrill that video games can bring.

Video games can help improve coordination, form new social connections, and reduce stress. But can the games be seen as competitive sport? eSports, which stands for electronic sports, involve multiplayer video games among professional players. eSport events have prizes that can reach millions of dollars at the highest levels.

In fall 2018, U of T will offer a scholarship for students who have a strong academic background and a passion for eSports. The Victor Xin Scholarship in eSports, named after the U of T alumnus who provided the donation for this award, will be available for full-time undergraduate students in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

Xin graduated from the Division of Engineering Science and had started the first eSports club at U of T. In 2008, he helped organize the first student-run eSports tournament held on a campus in North America, known as the University of Toronto Cyber Games.

Xin is now a managing partner at the investment firm, Athena Capital Partners, and is the chair of U of T Engineering’s Alumni Mentorship Program.

Xin believes that eSports will highlight new forms of leadership in the university community. In an interview with U of T Engineering News, Xin stated that “we should reward leadership attributes no matter how they manifest themselves... I want to help students who pursue leadership and personal development but go about it a different way.”

The popularity of eSports has skyrocketed within the last five years. In the next 10 years, experts predict that all the top-selling multiplayer video game franchises will have eSports elements in their products.

The money generated from competitive gaming has also grown rapidly. For example, ‘The International 2015’ — the biggest Defense of the Ancients 2 (DOTA2) competition in the world — carried a $18,429,613 USD prize pool.

DOTA2 is a multiplayer online game where two groups of five players battle and destroy the opposing team’s large structure called ‘the Ancient’. Each player on the winning team of the competition received $6.6 million dollars. The prize total was the highest in eSports history, and the prize value is expected to grow in the coming years. Global eSports revenues are estimated to exceed $1 billion by 2019 ac-

CORALS ZHENG/THE VARSITY

cording to CNN. Other sources expect these revenues to surpass $1 billion this year.

The most popular eSports genres include real-time strategy (RTS), first-person shooters (FPS), multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), and fighting games.

RTS games, like the StarCraft series and League of Legends, are usually war games that require positioning units of an army across a map where players gather resources and build bases. FPS gamers control a single character and see the game from a first-person point of view. eSport competitions have new versions of these games where each player has different skills and areas of expertise, such as sniping. Popular FPS games include the Call of Duty series and Halo. MOBA games are descendents of RTS games where players can

meet one another online and carry out attacks against an opposing team’s main base with button presses or keystrokes.

The Victor Xin Scholarship will help U of T Engineering students who enjoy video gaming to pursue eSports and to continue gaming in a community of similar-minded people. The eSports club at U of T offers a community for gamers at the university. Xin felt this way when he was an undergraduate and wanted to design a club where gaming was celebrated.

“There are trailblazers on campus who are rallying a different set of students to build campus organizations focused on an alternative way of learning to lead and succeed in life,” said Xin. “Society may not recognize them yet — but we shouldn’t let them fall through the cracks.”

16 • THE VARSITY • SCIENCE

science@thevarsity.ca

Accelerating entrepreneurship The Hatchery hosts its Accelerator Weekend in collaboration with Y Combinator Eileen Liu

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO ENTREPRENEURSHIP HATCHERY

Varsity Contributor

Students from all three U of T campuses came together to experience the life of entrepreneurs and collaborate with likedminded peers and professionals over a 28-hour period on January 20–21 for Accelerator Weekend, hosted by the U of T Hatchery. Teams explained their startup ideas to judges for the $2,000 prize, which was awarded to those with the best pitch.

During the event, participants, grouped in teams of three or four, were asked to solve a problem on a topic they were passionate about. Due to the wide array of backgrounds and disciplines represented by the students at the event, the problems that were tackled varied greatly.

The first-place team, ShrimpSense, did not work on a ‘hot’ topic, like artificial intelligence, opting instead to focus on quality monitoring within shrimp farming.

According to Zi Yang, a member of the winning team, “ShrimpSense is a low cost water quality monitoring device that gives shrimp farmers the ability to have instant [feedback] to the quality of their tank’s water parameters.” Parameters included “salinity, pH, ammonia [levels], temperature, and dissolved oxygen.”

Yang shared his view on their success with

The Hatchery’s Accelerator Weekend gave student entrepreneurs a chance to pitch their startup ideas to industry veterans.

The Varsity: they focused on the economics of the idea, rather than attempting to “hit emotional buttons embodied by grandiose ideas of how to change the world in a big way.” He believes it “does not start with big ideas... unless you have big money.”

After winning Accelerator Weekend, Yang registered for The Hatchery’s 2017 cohort and began to look for investors and partners to take ShrimpSense to the next level. He has started building the ShrimpSense system.

Yang and Jillian Barreca, an organizer

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of the event, both commented that an exciting entrepreneurial spirit was in the air over the course of the weekend, owing in part to the presence of Toronto-based business professionals and representatives of Y Combinator.

Y Combinator is a seed accelerator behind numerous startups, including Airbnb, Dropbox, Codecademy and reddit.

Mentors helped critique and inspire idea development and the pitches. With Y Combinator on campus, U of T students had ex-

posure to a top seed incubator, comparable to schools located near Silicon Valley, like Stanford and UC Berkeley. This helped draw upper-year students to participate in the event. Mentors like Clive Robertson, Principal of Syngergeant Consulting LLC, and Dr. Jill Becker, founder of 02139 Inc., both praised the event and reaffirmed its meaning and impact in the U of T community.

Accelerator Weekend was a short but exciting glimpse into the unique experiences of entrepreneurs. At the event, students engaged with ideas, peers, and professionals that inspire and motivate them to continue changing the world.

Outside of Accelerator Weekend, The Hatchery offers regular resources and advice to students pursuing entrepreneurial ventures.

JANUARY 30, 2017 • 17

var.st/science

Do you see yourself the way others see you?

Science Around Town

U of T professor co-develops personality trait model to analyze reputation and identity Sophia Savva Varsity Staff

A new personality trait model, codeveloped by Brian Connelly, Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources Management at UTSC, can help determine whether or not you see yourself the way others see you.

While other personality models such as the Big Five Model and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator focus mainly on categories of behaviour like introversion and extroversion, the Trait-Reputation-Identity (TRI) Model also takes into account one’s own thoughts about their personality traits. The model addresses how a certain characteristic is perceived by everyone, known as ‘trait’; one’s self-perception of the characteristic, known as ‘identity’; and how others see the characteristic, known as ‘reputation’.

The TRI Model takes into account the ‘big five’ personality traits: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness. While many established personality models focus on these traits, the TRI Model is unique in its use of peer ratings, in addition to self-evaluation, to come up with a ‘score’ for each trait.

Scores on the trait, reputation, and identity components for a cer-

tain characteristic mean different things.

“Using multiple perspectives to distinguish traits from reputation and identity sheds considerably more light on who people are, how they relate to others, and how they think of themselves,” said Connelly.

For example, people with high trait agreeableness are “friendly and easy to get along with” since “they perceive this in themselves, and other confirm their perspective,” explained Connelly.

People who score higher for their reputation for agreeableness than their corresponding trait are seen as friendly by others, but they do not see this characteristic in themselves.

“This [reputation for agreeableness] could indicate that they are just being polite when they are around others, that they are ‘smiling through their teeth’ when around other people,” explained Connelly, “Or perhaps simply that they are simply hyper-attuned to any disagreeable thoughts or feelings that they have.”

People with a high score for perceiving their identities as being agreeable often view themselves as friendly, but are considered “difficult or mean” by their peers.

“This could indicate that they have a poor social barometer for how they’re being perceived, or per-

MIRKA LOISELLE/THE VARSITY

haps others harbor unfair biases in judging the person,” said Connelly.

These personality scores can help a person reflect on their behaviours and help them set goals to adjust undesirable characteristics. If someone’s score shows that they see themselves as friendlier than their peers see them, this could provide “at least a deeper understanding of oneself and how others relate, and it can generate goals for change and self-improvement if desired,” according to Connelly.

The TRI Model might be useful to employers looking to hire or evaluate employees. In an interview with U of T News, Connelly said simple reference checks are not good indicators of future job performance, commitment, or poor working habits like procrastination.

He said that established personality tests are not robust enough, which sometimes results in “manipulators and egoists” being hired, which can take a toll on organizations.

But what if someone is a master manipulator?

Connelly said that it is possible for highly-skilled manipulators — think Frank Underwood from Netflix’s House of Cards — to pass through a multi-rater assessment, but only if they can successfully mask their behaviour around their peers. However, the multi-rater assessment of

the TRI Model sets a “higher bar to pass” than regular personality assessments that use only self-reports, in his view.

The model also might help researchers learn about the effect of personality on life outcomes, the genetic origins of personality, and stereotyped judgments. It could also help clinical psychologists gain a better understanding of their clients and allow career or vocational counsellors to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of their clients.

Currently, Connelly and co-op students from UTSC’s Management program are researching the relative importance of traits, reputation, and identity for different characteristics on the students’ academic success and future careers. The students track their academic and co-op placement success, take multi-rater personality measures and receive personality feedback.

Connelly will use the TRI Model to determine success in a sample of mid-level to upper-level managers and with a set of Korean Air Force cadets. He also plans to examine “how fakeable multi-rater personality measures are,” and “how multi-rater personality measures might be susceptible to gender and racial stereotypes and prejudices.”

U of T scientist links maternal blood pressure to sex of babies carried to term Systolic blood pressure was found to be significantly higher in mothers who delivered male children Meghan McGee

Varsity Contributor

For centuries, theories about how to determine the sex of an unborn child have existed, including determinations based on the shape of a pregnant woman’s belly, her cravings, or the direction of a spinning ring. New research out of China finds an interesting correlation between maternal blood pressure and infant sex.

Researchers discovered that a woman’s blood pressure before pregnancy was associated with her likelihood of delivering a boy or a girl. Systolic blood pressure was significantly higher in mothers who gave birth to male children compared to those who gave birth to female children.

Their findings highlight the complex role that maternal physi-

ology plays in establishing the sex ratio. “Maternal blood pressure before pregnancy is a previously unrecognized factor that may be associated with the likelihood of delivering a boy or a girl,” said lead author, Dr. Ravi Retnakaran, an endocrinologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto.

Retnakaran believes that certain factors in the maternal physiology are related to a woman’s likelihood of carrying a baby to term. He believes there may be some factors that make a woman more likely to successfully carry a male baby than a female baby.

Participants were recruited from Liuyang, China, where it is common for women to become pregnant soon after marriage.

This allowed researchers to study women preconceptionally and to follow them throughout pregnan-

cy. “That’s one of the reasons why we were able to find this is because we had this unique platform of a preconception cohort,” remarked Retnakaran.

In addition to their findings on the potential predictors of infant sex, Retnakaran and his group published a series of articles detailing the effect of infant sex on maternal physiology.

They discovered that carrying a boy is associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. “We all know that maternal physiology affects the baby. We did not know that it could be bidirectional in terms of the baby’s sex affecting maternal pancreatic β-cell function so we published four papers on that in the past two years,” said Retnakaran.

Over the past few decades there has been a decline in the propor-

tion of male births in developed countries including Canada and the United States. The authors suggested that “growing societal emphasis on healthy lifestyles and a resultant beneficial impact on blood pressure in young women… may warrant consideration as a potential contributor in this regard.”

Retnakaran believes that “blood pressure before pregnancy is a marker of underlying maternal physiology,” which can help us understand the determinants of fetal loss and how to mitigate these risks in the future.

“If we could understand what are some of those determinants perhaps we could make them more modifiable. You know, we could reduce the likelihood of fetal loss,” remarked Retnakaran.

Scientific Realism and Other Forces that Influence Research on Environment and Health Science for Peace will be holding a public lecture hosted by Professor John McLaughlin of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. He will be discussing the impact of society on health and environmental research.

Date: Wednesday, February 1 Time: 7:00–9:00 pm Location: University College, 15 King’s College Circle, Room 152 Admission: Free 3D Printer Certification Ever wondered what it would be like to use a 3D printer?

The Pop-Up Learning Lab is holding a 3D printer certification session for the public.

Date: Thursday, February 2 Time: 6:30–7:30 pm Location: Toronto Public Library – Spadina Branch, 10 Spadina Road Admission: Free with registration The Magnificent Death of Stars The U of T Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics will be holding their monthly public lecture on the topic of supernovae and all the other mysteries surrounding the death of stars.

Date: Thursday, February 2 Time: 8:00–9:00 pm Location: McLennan Physical Laboratories, 60 St. George Street, Room 203 Admission: Free AstroTour Planetarium Show After the public talk on February 2, the U of T Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics will also be holding their monthly public tour of the department’s planetarium.

Date: Thursday, February 2 Time: 9:15 pm, 9:30 pm, 9:45 pm, and 10:00 pm Location: McLennan Physical Laboratories, 6 St. George Street, Elevator Lobby Admission: Free with registration

Sports

January 30, 2017 var.st/sports sports@thevarsity.ca

Leafs head into the all-star break with an eye on the playoffs Road to playoffs

Yes, you read that right — the Leafs are battling for a playoff spot Kieran McMurchy Varsity Contributor

yoffs Pla

Game 1

It’s the hundredth year of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and their centennial season was expected to be a year of growth, filled with ups and downs and a chance for the Leafs’ many rookies to get solid NHL experience. The year is shaping up to be much more, though. Here is a look at some pivotal games from the first half.

GAME 1 of 82:

Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Auston Matthews made his NHL debut against the Senators on October 12. He promptly did what no player had done before in their first NHL game — score four goals.

Matthews’ second goal of the game was remarkable; he controlled the puck at the offensive blue line, nutmegged Mark Stone and then Mike Hoffman. After briefly losing control of the puck, he stripped it from defenceman Erik Karlsson and drove hard to the net. Marc Methot and Craig Anderson tried to stop him, but to no avail — Matthews put the puck neatly in the back of the net.

The Leafs would go on to lose the game 5–4 in OT, on a play where Matthews lost his man in a 3-on-3. He took full responsibility for that play, showing a level of maturity far beyond his 19 years.

GAME 2 of 82:

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Boston Bruins In a pregame ceremony that was filled with emotion, the Leafs kicked off their centennial season for the first time on home ice. Of the 18 jersey numbers that hang from the rafters of the Air Canada Centre, only two had been retired up until this game: Ace Bailey had his number 6 retired in 1934, after a career ending injury; and Bill Barilko’s number 5 was pulled from circulation in 1951 and permanently retired in 1962.

The Leafs previously had a tradition of honouring those other 16 numbers, but players could still wear them — if they were lucky. Before the game, however, the Leafs retired those honoured numbers, including 13 for Mats Sundin, 93 for Doug Gilmour, 17 for Wendel Clark, and, my personal favourite, number 1 for Turk Broda and Johnny Bower.

In the game itself, the Leafs beat the Bruins 4–1.

Mitch Marner scored his first NHL goal, and it was a beauty. He took the puck in stride, between his legs, and let off a wicked wrist shot from the circle to beat the Bruins goalie.

GAME 10 of 82:

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Edmonton Oilers The build-up to the game centred around the matchup between Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Matthews. These two, of course, had been the first overall draft choices in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

It was supposed to be McDavid vs. Matthews but the Leafs’ Nazem Kadri was having none of that. He played one of his best games of the year thus far and shut McDavid down.

Not only that, he scored the OT winner, after stripping McDavid of the puck. After signing a lucrative contract in the summer, Kadri has proven time and again this year that he can compete at both ends of the ice.

GAMES 34 and 35 of 82:

Florida Panthers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, and Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Coming off of the Christmas break, many fans were concerned with the Leafs possibly starting out slow and sluggish. Against the Panthers, the Leafs came out strong and took a two-goal lead into the third period. But, Toronto has had problems with keeping leads through the third period. The Panthers tied it up within the first five minutes of the third, and the game needed a shootout to decide the winner.

The Leafs had been atrocious in shootouts, 0–6 at this point in the season, but Marner scored the shootout winner to break the streak.

In Tampa the next night, the Leafs again got themselves an early lead, and again they gave it up. In OT, however, Kadri scored to win the game for Toronto.

GAME 36 of 82

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Detroit Red Wings at BMO Field (Centennial Classic) The build-up to this game was awesome. The behindthe-scenes TV series showed two teams who were battling every night to win. The stadium was filled with fans from both sides, and the ice was better than ever for an outdoor game.

The first two periods were dull, with Detroit taking a 1–0 lead, but that all changed in the third. Leo Komarov started the period with an early goal to tie the game. The Leafs then scored three more goals to take a 4–1 lead.

The Leafs’ goals galvanized Detroit, who answered with three goals of their own to tie the game again.

Goal number four came with less than two seconds left. In the remarkable 3-on-3 OT frame, Morgan Rielly had a breakaway but failed to convert. Matthews, with a flair for the dramatic, scored a ridiculous backhand goal while he was skating away from the net to win the game for the Leafs.

GAMES 40 and 41 of 82:

New York Rangers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, and Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs The Leafs came off their NHLPA-mandated bye-week with back-to-back games in Manhattan and Ottawa.

A young team coming off a week spent basking in the sun didn’t sound like a recipe for success. Yet, this Leafs continued to surprise.

They beat the Rangers handily 4–2, this time being able to hold on to a third period lead. In Ottawa the next night, Matthews failed to match his 4 goal debut, but he did add a pretty neat assist; allowing the Ottawa centre to win the faceoff, Matthews immediately grabbed the puck and backhanded it to Connor Brown, who scored a goal on his birthday.

The look of excitement between Brown and Matthews as they celebrated was truly special — the type of excitement that comes with being really good and very young. The Leafs would go on to beat the Senators 4–2, silencing those who thought they would struggle after a week off.

Leafs, page 19

JANUARY 30, 2017 • 19

var.st/sports

Josh Donaldson may have launched an acting career with Vikings appearance

Leafs, from page 18

American League MVP knocks his limited lines out of the park Arman Gill Varsity Contributor Episode 18 of the fourth season of Vikings aired on January 18, 2017. Toronto sports fans might find this one particularly interesting, as Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson was a guest star. He played Hoskuld, described as “a Viking warrior with great skill.”

Some might expect Donaldson to have been shaky in his debut, as he has no previous acting experience. But as many baseball fans already know, the Blue Jays all-star thrives under pressure.

Although his role is quite minor, with only one line and an extended greeting with another character, Donaldson gives the impression of a calm veteran. He nails his role, apart from some laughter bursting out towards the end of the scene.

In a behind-the-scenes video, Donaldson can be seen joking and laughing with members of the cast. He appears to be very excited to be a part of the show. He even explains how “[acting] is something that I’ve always wanted to do.”

It’s no secret that athletic careers do not last very long; many players retire before

PHOTO COURTESY OF CORUS ENTERTAINMENT

Hoskuld the viking aka Josh Donaldson on the left. the age of 40. Although many professional athletes don’t need the extra cash, they may still show interest in acting careers after retirement, as it keeps them engaged with the community and their fans.

Players like Lebron James, Ray Allen, Terry Crews, and Rick Fox have all had major roles in movies or TV shows. Films like He Got Game even feature multiple athletes.

Bob Uecker played in Major League Baseball for six years, from 1962–1967, and then

continued to star in projects including the show Mr. Belvedere.

Now that the Blue Jays third baseman has tried out acting, it’ll be no surprise if, like many athletes before him, he continues it later on in his life.

Vikings will continue to broadcast new episodes every Wednesday at 9:00 pm EST on the History Channel — who knows if Donaldson will make another appearance.

Can you handle the climb?

Examining the sport where they laugh at the pain

TERRY ROBINSON/CC FLICKR

Defying the vertical, this climber is seeking new heights.

Noah Walker Varsity Contributor He takes a breath, vapour pouring from his mouth like smoke in the winter air. The misty morning casts a haze over the Glenn, a boulder field just two kilometres downstream of Niagara Falls, hiding the icy blue water of the river from view.

Standing on the hundred-step staircase leading down into the southern point of the Niagara Escarpment, his excitement is palpable. A black, tri-folding mattress called a crash pad is strapped to his back as he descends the stairs into the foreboding fog, the taste of high adventure in the air.

Wet limestone glistening in the morning light, he presses on as these boulders will not dry out for days. Searching for something he saw long ago, he turns and discovers what he sought — a sandstone cave juts into the hillside, adjacent to the river, New York no more than a football field away.

The cave demands steep overhanging climbing by its very nature. Preparing for an investigation into the inverted, climber Kai Malcolm straps on his climbing shoes and begins his dance with the rock, a flawless number where a missed step means a lessthan-comfortable fall to the earth below.

The climbing shoes are similar to ballet slippers in design, as they are pointed, extremely painful, and fitted to the smallest size possible. This masochism, a theme that permeates throughout the entirety of the sport, makes it a little less difficult to believe that climbers sacrifice all forms of comfort to this activity.

Bleeding fingertips are a constant for outdoor rock climbers, and the persistent defeat of missed moves forcing the athlete to the ground hardens the individual that pursues this rejection of gravity in search of greater heights.

Malcolm describes climbing as the “conquering [of] something you may have previously thought impossible.”

Rock climbers can spend years working over

the same route, repeatedly trying to dial in every move perfectly, so that they can finally ascend the rock that rejected all of their earlier attempts.

Indoor rock climbing is an activity that supports its participants with relaxed athletic environments. It is built on the basis of trying hard and not talking about the pain — except to laugh about it. This sort of community can be experienced in gyms across Canada and the US, with 49 new gyms cropping up in 2015 alone.

In Toronto, the closest gym to UTSG opened in 2016. Basecamp is just two kilometres west on Bloor Street from St. George Street. With gyms like Basecamp still opening, it is clear the sport is growing.

New does not always mean better though, as gyms vary in benefits. While Basecamp is a great place to climb as a casual activity, Joe Rockhead’s in Liberty Village is a better place to experience climbing history, since it was Canada’s first climbing gym.

If serious training is what you’re after, Boulderz on Dupont Street provides a unique training area on the second floor, as well as a large cave the size of the building.

Malcolm’s personal favourite, Rock Oasis in the east end, is arguably one of the better gyms to go to if the focus is to get strong fast.

With stiff grades, a training area, and a creative outdoor setting lead by Routesetter Hans Schiemann, it is no surprise that this is the gym that many of the professionals visit when in Toronto. With student memberships starting at $55.00 dollars a month for experienced climbers, Rock Oasis also provides good value for their services.

Outdoor rock climbing options are also available in Ontario. There is sport climbing at Lion’s Head and Rattlesnake Point, and traditional climbing all across the Niagara Escarpment.

When it comes to rock climbing options, a person could only hope to climb them all. The sport is growing rapidly in Canada, which poses the question: when are you going climbing?

Looking ahead At the all-star break the Leafs have played 47 games and accumulated 55 points. They sit one point back of the Philadelphia Flyers for the second wild card spot and are also only one point back of the Boston Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division. But, crucially, they have played three fewer games than the Flyers and five fewer than the Bruins.

Now, granted, the entire second half of the NHL season is still left to be played. The Leafs are not the only team playing well, and many of the teams struggling at the moment, like Tampa Bay, are surely going to start winning some games and getting healthier; Tampa has 50 points despite being depleted by injuries.

Still, the Leafs are not an apparition. They are a genuinely good team. They are fast, they score a ton — the Leafs average the sixth most goals per 60 minutes — and their goaltending, which has for years been the Achilles heel of the team, is now stabilized. The Leafs are tied with the Nashville Predators for allowing the eighth fewest goals in the NHL. The Leafs’ schedule will not do them any favours in the second half, with a congested schedule and more back-to-back games — the Leafs will play back-to-back nights eight more times this season.

In February, the Leafs play six games in 10 nights, and then eight in 14. In March, there is a stretch where they play seven games in 12 nights. In April, they finish the regular season with six games in nine nights. But, they are a young team and have the ability to win many of those games; they’ve proven they can do this in recent weeks.

The Metropolitan Division is astoundingly good, and when the dust settles, I’d wager that the two wild card teams in the East will come out of that division, so the most likely scenario for the Leafs to be a playoff team is for them to finish top three in the Atlantic.

To reach first in the Atlantic, the Leafs would have to beat out Buffalo, who haven’t been good; Detroit, whose playoff streak looks to be in greater trouble with each passing game; Tampa Bay, who are injured and have not been playing well; Florida, who are in shambles on and off the ice; Ottawa, who the Leafs can beat and are less talented; Boston, who have just one more point with five more games played than the Leafs; and Montreal, who the Leafs can’t seem to beat and are probably out of reach.

Realistically, the Leafs are capable of finishing in second place in the Atlantic Division though, which would earn them home ice in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

For the first time in what seems like forever, the Leafs may actually make the playoffs — don’t miss their first game of the second half of the season on Tuesday, January 31 at the Dallas Stars.

JANUARY 30, 2017 • 20

DIVERSIONS

CROSSWORD Across

Down

1. Cuban capital

1. Disordered

5. Funny aside

2. Waltz virtuoso, ... Rieu

7. Indian Brahma worshipper

3. In the lead

8. 3-foot length

4. Military occupier

9. Actor, ... Alda

5. Trembling

10. Shocked, taken ...

6. Dream

11. Undeniably

12. ... de Cologne

13. Eye membrane

15. Obtain

14. Small earphone

16. Blackberry bush

18. Illegally fixed (race)

17. Make depraved

21. Greenish-blue

19. Irish group (1,1,1)

22. Prattle

20. Stubborn person (3-4)

24. Florida resort city

22. Woozy

25. Bough

23. Purchase (entire stock) (3,2)

26. Meditation routine 27. Clear-headed 28. I was, you ...

29. Yelped