September 14, 2015

vol. cXXXvi, no. 2

T he UniversiTy

of

ToronTo’s sTUdenT newspaper since 1880

ARTS & CULTURE

14 sepTember 2015

STUDENT LIFE

Anomymous online threats target feminists at U of T Students criticise university for “inadeqate” response IRIS ROBIN NEWS EDITOR

40 years of the Toronto International Film Festival: A retrospective PG 16 Reviews of two of the most anticipated festival debuts PG 17

UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION

New required TCard documentation poses challenge for refugee and international students Students must prove legal status to obtain essential U of T identification card JENNY XIAO

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

For University of Toronto students, their TCard is an everyday necessity. It is required identification for exams, as well access to campus resources such as libraries and athletics facilities. It also allows students to photocopy and print on campus, and purchase food, or activate their meal plans at select campus locations.

Getting a TCard, however, might not be as easy as you think, as new documentation, besides proof of enrollment, is now required for the official U of T student photo identification card. Effective summer 2015, incoming U of T St. George students must now provide proof of citizenship, permanent residency, registra-

tion under the 1985 Indian Act, or immigration permission in order for the TCard Office to issue the identification.

Students whose citizenship information does not match their status in the university’s records will not be able to obtain a TCard.

“The university is always reviewing processes to see where improvements can be made.

This one was identified in discussions with divisions; we felt that UTM and UTSC had a strong process in place and have adopted it for St. George,” said Richard Levin, the executive director, enrolment services and university registrar.

According to Levin, the new regulations were implemented due to provincial funding regulations that require the university to

report on domestic and international enrolments. “Requiring documentation of status ensures that we are reporting accurately and complying with these regulations,” Levin said. “The process ensures that student records are accurate and that international students have government-required documentation.”

“Because I am having some issues providing identity proof documents it is possible that I won’t be able to obtain a TCard until December and in the meantime I don’t know what to do,” said Gloria Liu, a second-year student.

Liu is therefore unable to obtain an official school email and is unable to access university library resources online. She is hoping to resolve this issue before December so that she will be able to fully utilize the services that Continued on PG 3

The University of Toronto has increased its police presence across all three of its campuses following an anonymous comments section post on a blogTO article encouraging readers to shoot U of T feminists. The comments, which have since been removed, include the user’s assertion that feminists and professors who teach Women and Gender Studies (WGS) or Sociology classes at the university should be shot. The user also recommended sources for aqcuiring a gun to carry out such an act.

Students in Women and Gender Studies classes received an email on September 12 outlining the increased security measures being implemented as a result of the threats.

“WGSI and the university are putting in place a security plan for each class, and next week’s classes will only be held if instuctors are satisfied with these efforts,” read a portion of the email.

“Such measures might include having uniformed or plainclothes security personnel outside or inside classes, the requirement that everyone have a U of T photo ID to enter Continued on PG 3

INSIDE Student Apathy

Youth vote remains untapped in lead up to Federal election Comment PG 11

TPASC

State of the art Pan Am facility to open to the public Sports PG 25

FEATURE

Student App Developers U of T students making a push to compete with Waterloo for the title of Silicon Valley North PG 12

2 NEWS

T H E VA R S I T Y

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Issue 2 Vol. CXXXVI No. 2

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Sunset at Toronto Waterfront. YASSINE ELBARADIE/THE VARSITY

THE EXPLAINER:

How to make friends during the first week of classes 1. Send out a mass email introducing

5. Ask the student sitting next to you

yourself and CC your professor be-

to send you notes for the next lec-

cause you’ll need those reference

ture, because you’re planning on

letters in four years’ time.

skipping it.

2. Challenge everything your professor

6. Eat your lunch at the back of the

says. Never mind that they have a PhD

hall. Savour the flavour and don’t

and you’re fresh out of high school —

offer to share.

you want to impress everyone with your capacity for autonomous and original thought.

BUSINESS OFFICE Parsa Jebely Business Manager

business@thevarsity.ca

Cherlene Tay Business Associate Daniel Choi, Liza Korp and Michelle Monteiro Advertising Executives The Varsity is the University of Toronto's largest student newspaper, publishing since 1880. The Varsity has a circulation of 20,000, and is published by Varsity Publications Inc. It is printed by Master Web Inc. on recycled newsprint stock.

Content © 2015 by The Varsity. All rights reserved. Any editorial inquiries and/ or letters should be directed to the sections associated with them; emails listed above. The Varsity reserves the right to edit all submissions.

Inquiries regarding ad sales can be made to ads@thevarsity.ca. ISSN: 0042-2789

3. While you’re at it, why don’t you ask a question 30 seconds before class ends? Everyone loves a keener.

4. Ask your classmates which college they are from because you just want a chance to boast about being from Trinity.

7. Sit at the front of the class and watch porn on mute.

8. Come to lecture fresh from your last night out. You’re wild. You’re a party animal. You’re so cool.

9. Diss Drake. The music is better where you’re from anyway.

10. Steal a hard hat. You won’t believe what happens next!

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T H E VA R S I T Y

NEWS 3

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University fails to properly communicate threats CONTINUED FROM COVER

class, or any other measure we believe is necessary to ensure that students feel they can safely come to class next week.”

“I am not overly concerned for my safety but do feel that an emergency preparedness plan should be initiated by U of T in the unthinkable event that something does occur,” said Esther Saunders, a fourth-year WGS student. “It should outline what they students and faculty should know such as locations of best exits, best actions to evade a potential disaster.”

Many students first heard about the threats from an email sent out by U of T provost Cheryl Regehr. The email acknowledged the comments, but did not specify that that feminists and staff and students in particular departments were targeted.

Additionally, recent reports have indicated that similar threats surfaced in June on the same website, and that the administration failed to inform the students or staff.

“I feel this should have been taken more seriously by the university, and more disclosure should have been given to students, especially those at risk,” said Mary O’Brien*, a WGS, international relations, and political science student.

O’Brien said that she was dissatisfied with the administration’s response to the threats. “I am appalled that the University would not inform people (specifically, someone in my circumstances for example) when ANYONE [sic] who identifies as a woman and/or participates in a WGS or Sociology Program is at risk,” she said.

Camilla Smith*, a second-year life sciences student minoring in WGS, echoed O’Brien’s concerns. “I think the provost’s response was incredibly inadequate,” she said. “The fact that they failed to mention the specificity of the threats puts the targets of the threats in danger by not letting them know that they are the targets.”

680 News reported that Toronto Police services do not consider the comments online to be a credible threat.

“It’s upsetting to hear comments from students at U of T who are not WGS students or feminists because they aren’t taking the threats seriously, saying ‘something like this would never happen at U of T, we’re perfectly safe’ and by saying that they are making light of what has the potential to become a national tragedy,” Smith said of people not taking the issue seriously.

“The reality is that as much as we claim to be a progressive and tolerating [sic] society, it is incidents such as these that prove otherwise,” said Zahra Vaid, the academic and student liaison for the Women and Gender Studies Union. Vaid spoke to the problem of violence against women not being treated as a serious issue and said that such violence has become normalized. “The recurring phrase that I heard was that this issue was being blown out of proportion by none other than feminists, because ‘that is what they do.’”

“This issue is not just about a threat made to the university.

It is so much bigger,” Vaid stated.

Many groups, both student and local, have released statements condemning the threats including the U of T president’s office, the University of Toronto Students’ Union, the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, the Canadian Union of Public Employees 3902, and blogTO. * Name changed at student’s request.

Rules for TCard acquisition change CONTINUED FROM COVER

come along with having a TCard.

The new requirement may be especially problematic for U of T’s 11,000 international students, who come from over 150 different countries. Incoming first-year international student Violeta Lialios-Bouwman believes that extra documentation is unnecessary when a student has already been given a place at U of T. “With the University of Toronto being an accepting and diverse school, I believe all people should have the right to learn and be part of this community. Having documentation should not be a factor in if a student is eligible to attend and be part of a school. As long as they pay their fees and play by the rules, university should be an option for any dedicated student,” she said.

U of T is also home to a number of refugee students, many of whom may not possess the required documents for the new TCard process. “I can see this impacting refugee students if the student comes from a place that is no longer a state, or the recognized representative of a state. Requiring them to figure out what they can use in place of a passport, and whether or not they count as international or permanent residents is absolutely pointless,” said second-year political science and biodiversity, and conservation biology student Lucian Wang. “I think having photo ID should be enough to get your TCard.”

The entrance to the TCard Office. NATHAN CHAN/THE VARSITY

4 NEWS

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STUDENT LIFE

Some students for friendly divisional rivalry Sometimes it gets rude

STUDENT LIFE

Member of U of T faculty appointed as new Chief Commissioner of Ontario Human Rights Commission Mandhane boasts a strong record of advocacy for human rights issues on various platforms YUMNA HABIB

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Students sit on Kings College Lawn after the Tri-Campus Parade. MALLIKA MAKKAR/THE VARSITY

JOANNIE FU

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

One of the most anticipated events of frosh week, is the tri-campus parade. On Friday, first-years from the three U of T campuses, professional faculties, and colleges gathered at Varsity Stadium for parade mustering.

Parade mustering involves orientation leaders encouraging firstyears to cheer in order to build up excitement. While cheers that promoted the unity and uniqueness of each individual college could be heard, other chants containing expletive-filled insults were also made loud and clear.

College rivalry is a contentious issue at U of T. Many colleges have begun enforcing stricter criteria when selecting their cheers due to the problems posed by rape culture and misogynistic cheers.

The intensity of college rivalry too, has recently given rise to discussions about potentially abolising the college system. Others argue that the college system fosters a greater sense of community at universities with as many students as U of T. Not all share this viewpoint.

Tristan, a member of Victoria College majoring in linguistics, told The Varsity that he does not understand the purpose of separating the university into colleges. He feels that it is a case of contention.

Nadia, a first-year student in life sciences, took a different approach as she passionately spoke about the merits of college rivalry: “I want everyone to know that St. Mikes is the best one there… we totally took over the streets and today we’re going to do the same,” she said before the parade.

The Varsity spoke with several students from different divisions,

most of whom expressed support for friendly rivalry and said that their interactions with other divisions were positive. Some students said that they would prefer less negativity, with one student citing a banner that read “Vic makes us sick” as an example.

At Trinity College, however, none of the first-years were willing to be interviewed. When approached by The Varsity, a frosh leader said that there is a policy that first-years cannot speak to non-trinity students during frosh week. The Trinity orientation coordinators denied that such a policy exists and stated that there was no communication from them encouraging students not to talk to people outside of Trinity.

Trinity is no stranger to controversy, as the college has already come under scrutiny in the past for other controversial frosh practices.

Currently serving as the executive director of the highly acclaimed International Human Rights Program, U of T’s Renu Mandhane has been appointed as the chief commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC).

The OHRC was established in 1961 to advocate and work for the advancement of human rights in Ontario. It focuses on providing everyone with equal opportunities regardless of an individual’s race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, or other circumstances which would cause an individual to be disadvantaged. To date, four chief commissioners have been appointed. The most recent executive was Barbara Hall, former mayor of Toronto; after a four-time term extension, she retired in early 2015 and interim chief Ruth Goba took over the role until Mandhane succeeded her.

While Mandhane’s appointment is still in the process of being approved by the Standing Committee on Government Agencies, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has voiced her support in favour of the decision.

“As a long-time advocate for human rights with a focus on advancing women’s rights, we

are fortunate that someone so passionate and experienced will lead the important work done by the Ontario Human Rights Commission,” said Wynne in a statement.

Over the years, Mandhane has worked extensively to further promote human rights. A criminal lawyer by profession, she has often helped victims of domestic, and sexual abuse and federally-sentenced prisoners achieve justice during her time practicing criminal law. Additionally, she is a member of the Canada Committee of Human Rights Watch, created in 2002, and an advisor to PEN International, the world’s oldest human rights organization.

Through her achievements, she has become a recognized name in the realm of international human rights law. She has said that her work internationally has helped her realize the importance of working locally and taking steps to ensure sustainable, positive social change.

“I am humbled to be provided with an opportunity to take up that challenge,” says Mandhane.

Her term as chief commissioner is expected to begin this fall.

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STUDENT LIFE

COMPETING ORIENTATION WEEKS AT UTM “WASTEFUL” SAYS UTMSU PRESIDENT UTMSU, Office of SStuceeS TTrensSs e,

nSceu oceTrraaseng ofT n ceoceeSn

THE OST’S EAGLES TAKE OFF RAN CONCURRENTLY WITH THE UTMSU’S SPACE JAM-THEMED WEEK. DIANA PHAM/THE VARSITY

STEVEN CAMIT

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

For the first time in 35 years, UTM held two sets of competing orientation week events: one hosted by the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU), the other by the UTM Office of Student Transition (OST).

The two weeks confliucted, with the OST’s Eagles Take Off week starting one day after the UTMSU’s Space Jam-themed week.

Eagles Take Off had no registration fee, while attending Space Jam cost between $105 and $140. “[Eagles Take Off] was created as a free orientation run entirely at UTM that was introduced to help meet the needs of incoming students based on feedback received in past years,” said Jessica Silver, student development officer of orientation and transition programs at the OST. LACK OF COLLABORATION According to Silver, Eagles Take Off was the result of an extensive research project that took place last year and was designed to con-

tain more academic-oriented programming than the usual UTMSU frosh week.

“We so desired make sure all aspects of a constructive and successful orientation were offered to students this year,” said Silver, reassuring UTM students that they could attend both Space Jam events and Eagles Take Off events if they wanted to. According to Silver, campus resources, academics, and other constructive social aspects were considered in the creation of their orientation schedule in the hopes of enhancing students’ transition to university.

UTMSU president Ebi Agbeyegbe said that the UTMSU has always had academic programming as part of its orientation week in the form of workshops about academic rights and what students can expect during their first year at UTM. Agbeyegbe also said that the OST did not engage in ‘meaningful consultation’ with the UTMSU regarding the creation of Eagles Take Off as an alternative to the UTMSU’s events. He noted this is the first time UTM has had a non-student-organized orientation in their 35-year history.

The UTMSU said that they did not directly collaborate with the Department of Student Affairs and Student Life, beyond informing incoming students of both orientations and admitting students registered for Eagles Take Off to their carnival event on Tuesday, September 1.

COMPETITION AND “WASTEFUL” SPENDING Agbeyegbe emphasized the importance of the union’s partnership with UTM administration in order for them to provide incoming students with a mixture of social and academic events throughout the orientation week.

Even so, he found the existance of Eagles Take Off to be problematic.

“This has also lead to an unhealthy competitive atmosphere between UTMSU orientation staff and leaders with student staff working for the Department of Student Affairs/Student Life. An atmosphere that we would prefer is based on cooperation and respect by coordinating our activities and jointly promoting orientation week programming,” he said.

Agbeyegbe also highlighted that competing orientation events is not cost-effective.

“Unfortunately, from the evidence we have collected so far, the participation at the Eagles Take Off programming has been low and inconsistent,” he said, adding that the UTMSU is looking to find out how much the UTM administration spent on Eagles Take Off. “The duplication of programming for orientation week by university administrators is wasteful and not in the best interest of student who struggle with debt while our universities struggle to balance their budgets.”

For Agbeyegbe, the spending evoked the $1 million “University of Toronto Mississauga” sign that was erected in 2013 to wide criticism.

For her part, Jessica Silver hopes to continue the programming in the future, pending on student feedback and their assessment of this year’s Eagles Take Off. On the other hand, the UTMSU hopes that they can work with UTM administration to prevent conflicts with their orientation week in the future.

6 NEWS

T H E VA R S I T Y

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PROVINCIAL POLITICS

Province modernizes student assistance plan Controversies include fixed contribution and spending on tax credits

Queen’s Park Legislature Building. MICHEAL CHAHLEY /CC FLICKR

EMILY JOHNPULLE VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

If you’ve previously applied for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), you’ll want to take note of the changes the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities has made to the program this year.

The changes first proposed in the Ontario budget in April, seek to give students increased control over the amount of financial aid they wish to withdraw as they have the option of declining a full loan and only withdrawing grant support.

“Students will be able to decide exactly how much of the loan amount they wish to take out,” said May Nazar, spokesperson for the Ministry of Training, Colleges and

Universities. “This is being phased in to ensure that the right systems are in place, so students have a seamless experience with these changes.”

In order to help students financially plan ahead, OSAP will no longer determine how much each student must contribute and will set a $3,000 student contribution.

“It’s definitely less complicated than before,” said UTSU president Ben Coleman. “However, it does make the system slightly more regressive — for one example, male students make more in their summer jobs on average and have greater savings, so by having a flat rate for everyone, it helps male students much more than non-males.”

The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) echoes the

concern, suggesting that the fixed rate may be too high for some students. “OUSA is committed to working with the Ministry to ensure that robust appeal mechanisms exist for students facing this issue,” said Read Leask, OUSA Steering Committee member from Queen’s University.

Assets belonging to students are also being reassessed; students are no longer required to report the ownership of a vehicle and with the inclusion of a fixed contribution, the first $3,000 in a student’s assets will be exempted from OSAP’s aid assessment.

“This allows students to come up with their fixed contribution by drawing on their own assets, which could include money in bank accounts, tax-free savings accounts,

bonds, stocks, term deposits, mutual funds and Guaranteed Investment Certificates,” said Nazar.

“This primarily helps students who are slightly better off, as those are the students more likely to have investments and assets,” said Coleman.

In addition, the loan limit has also increased to $155 per week for single students and $355 per week for students who are married or have dependent children.

“On August 1st of every year starting in 2016, the maximum weekly loan limit will be adjusted by the annual change in the Ontario Consumer Price Index as of July 31, rounded to the nearest multiple of $5. Indexing OSAP helps to make sure aid amounts keep up with growth in student costs,” said Nazar.

“Although the recent changes are a step in the right direction, OUSA would like to extend eligibility for the Ontario Tuition Grant and reallocate funds used to issue education tax credits to be directed to grants.”

“The crazy thing is that Ontario spends more on tax credits than it gives out in loans, so it would be entirely possible to move to a financial aid system with no loans by spending the tax credit money on grants instead,” added Coleman.

“As Ontario already offers a generous aid program of grants, bursaries and scholarships, we aren’t considering a move to an all grants system at this time,” said Nazar.

UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION

Pedestrian-only area takes over King’s College Circle Developments part of larger plan CATHLIN SULLIVAN VARSITY STAFF

The new pedestrian zone features while polka dots on a blue background. JENNY XIAO/THE VARSITY

Spotted at U of T: a new blue pedestrian zone marked by white polka dots and separated from oncoming traffic by bollards.

The new zone is part of a larger St. George Campus Master Plan, first announced in 2011, to make U of T more pedestrian-friendly and overall safer. The school will submit a Secondary Plan to the City of Toronto in order to increase pedestrian-only areas on campus and decrease vehicle access and parking.

Vice-president, university operations Scott Mabury, said that throughout the summer months, the university executed the much needed implementation of pedestrian-only areas in Kings College Circle.

“We wanted to slow cars down, full stop,” he said. “They were moving too fast and was something we needed to end to avoid any incidents.”

Mabury clarified that there was no specific issue that triggered the changes. “We are being proactive,” he explained. “This is not being reactive, there is no incident that prompted this.”

Megan Snider a fourth-year student studying ecology and evolutionary biology, said that she wishes that U of T had implemented this pedestrian-only area years ago.

“It always felt very dangerous,” she said. “So I am glad that it’s a little bit safer for pedestrians.”

She also added that she thinks that this will positively impact the new first-year students’ experience, as they are the ones who have the most classes in Convocation Hall.

First-year Ananta Whorra, studying Social Sciences, says that she is thankful that Kings College Circle is becoming more pedestrian friendly as she begins her university career.

“Absolutely I think that it is a good thing,” she said. “So many people walk to university and plus there are all those residences there and it was so unsafe for them to let cars go by freely.”

She also noted that it is clearer where she should enter and exit Convocation Hall as a new student unfamiliar with the area.

Mabury added that the university is committed to making the

university campus safer and more accessible for pedestrians, “…so it can function more superbly and excellently for faculty, staff and students for recreation, intramural sports, and for just sitting outside and enjoying the oasis in the centre that is this great green historic part of U of T,” he said. “It is also the great green oasis to the city of Toronto.”

St. George is a constantly moving campus with walking being the number one mode of transportation. With the success of the other implemented pedestrian-only zones on campus, like the Willcocks Commons, U of T will continue to push for more student safety and accommodation.

U of T has selected four planning teams that will propose their ideas for making U of T a more pedestrian focused space. On September 28 from 6 – 9pm in Convocation Hall, the entire U of T community is invited to attend this event and provide feedback for which plan they like best.

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STUDENT POLITCS

Introducing: Tka Pinnock New UTSU executive director on working with students, challenges ahead AVNEET SHARMA VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Tka Pinnock was recently appointed executive director of the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) following the exit of the previous executive director. As executive director, Pinnock’s role is to maintain a long-term view of the direction of the UTSU and the development of the U of T community.

Tka Pinnock worjs with members of the UTSU Board of Directors. MALLIKA MAKKAR/THE VARSITY

PAST EXPERIENCE Pinnock has a history of youth engagement including work as a youth leader and resource development coordinator at Tropicana Community Services and as executive director at the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation.

Her new role is a significant change from her previous work in the non-profit sector, and her first time working for a student union, Pinnock brings the skills and experiences she has acrued to her new position at the UTSU. Pinnock cites the opportunity to work with young people in a different capacity as a factor in taking the position at the UTSU. She hopes to contribute to the experience of students as they guide themselves through post-secondary education.

“These four years are really an opportunity to grow, to experience life, and to really start to shape your own opinions and world views,” she said, adding, “And what a wonderful way for me to help contribute to someone’s experience than through this position.”

HER ROLE Pinnock defines her role with two main rules. The first is to keep the institutional memory alive since the UTSU executive board is always a cycle of new people. The second is to assist the executive and the UTSU’s Board of Directors in achieving the vision that they articulated to the student body when they were elected.

“I consider myself a keeper of history of the union,” Pinnock said. “As executive director, I’m supporting the current board in creating a U of T that they would like those who follow to inherit, and keeping the institutional memory and successes of past boards alive as we go through successive transitions of young leaders and different boards.”

A UTSU executive member’s position is temporary, lasting only for a year at a time. With a significant annual turnaround, board members’ views and efforts in shaping U of T and its community are prone to being lost. “When the board and the exec go, I’m still here,” she said.

ANTICIPATED CHALLENGES Pinnock acknowledges the challenges of working with the needs and priorities of multiple constituencies represented on the board. “I’m trying to keep my ear to the ground as to what those are,” Pinnock said. “Because I think my role as executive director is also to be a neutral filter, broker negotiations, and help the executive navigate the different constituencies that they represent and work with.”

Lastly, Pinnock notes her concern with getting young people to vote in the federal election in October. “There are lots of issues that impact us as young people that I don’t know if we’re very well-informed that we do have the opportunity to shape who gets to make policy and decisions on our behalf,” Pinnock said. “In particular with tuition fees going up and student debt being a very important issue.”

STUDENT POLITICS

Former UTSU president Munib Sajjad no longer at APUS, SCSU Reasons behind departure unclear JOSHUA GRONDIN VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Munib Sajjad, executive director for the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) is no longer serving in the position.

His position as vice-president internal for the Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students (APUS) is also allegedly vacant.

It is unclear if the vacancies are the result of a resignation or termination, and neither the SCSU nor the APUS has released statements to either explain the situation or to mention the opening. The SCSU website no longer lists the executive director as a position on their team; however, Sajjad remains listed as a member of the APUS Board of Directors.

Nicole Dionisio, president of the SCSU, would not comment on the reasons for the vacancy, but provided an explanation on the importance of the position. “The [executive director] is multi-faceted and critical to ensuring support to the executives and continuity of the work of the SCSU. They also provide stability, resources, and advice to the initiatives the executives wish to accomplish from year to year. They provide operational support to the services administered and franchises run through the SCSU, as well as the overall operations of the student centre.”

The president and the executive director of the APUS did not respond to requests for comment.

Munib Sajjad. BERNADA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY

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STUDENT LIFE

International students at U of T to double by 2022 Students worry current support is inadequate for growing population CATHLIN SULLIVAN VARSITY STAFF

Nearly a fifth of all University of Toronto undergraduate students come from countries other than Canda. In 2014, over 3,000 first year students were from abroad, which constituted a 60 per cent raise in enrollment from 2010.

With U of T consistently ranked within the top 20 schools worldwide, the university continues to see growing numbers of international applicants along side growing international tuition fees.

U of T’s international undergraduate enrolment has grown steadily over the past six years, growing from 6,233 students in 2009 to 11,894 students in 2014.

HOW DO WE SHAPE UP? Throughout the country, international student enrolment has increased. At the University of British Columbia (UBC) and McGill University, the undergraduate international enrolment has increased from

3,374 in 2009 to 5,135 in 2014 and 4,057 in 2009 to 5,147 in 2014, respectively.

In 2014, the government announced a strategy to double international student enrolment by 2022, without displacing any domestic students. This means that the total Canadian international student population is projected to grow to over 450,000 students in the next seven years.

While numbers for the 2015–2016 school year have not yet been released; if U of T’s enrolment has followed the six-year trend it will have increased by 13.84 per cent over last year’s numbers.

U of T has had the greatest growth rate in comparison to UBC and McGill. U of T’s growth rate of 13.84 per cent compares to UBC at 11.17 per cent at UBC and 5.01 per cent at McGill.

By the year 2022, if international undergraduate enrolment is doubled at U of T and tuition increases five per cent per year, the university will make just over one billion dollars annually in international student tuition.

THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EXPERIENCE Vlada Sadetckaia, a recent graduate from the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, said that when she arrived here four years ago from Russia, she struggled to find adequate support when integrating into Canadian culture.

With regard to paying higher and higher tuition fees every year, Sadetckaia believes that she was paying more for less. “I actually think they decreased the [number] of counselors they had in the beginning and now it’s just one guy who is always too busy,” she said.

U of T has one certified immigration advisor, a position that other universities in Canada do not have.

John Khalid, an international student from Pakistan studying economics and statistics, says that if the university is planning on increasing the number of international students, the best way they can benefit them is through changing their current policies in regards to international

student financial assistance and creating more centres around campus for easier access to counselors.

Little flexibility for international students leads students like Khalid to feel like they have no emergency support at U of T. “Before enrolling for this year I was facing some financial constraints and so I went to the New College registrars office and asked them if I [could] get my fees deferred for just a month so I can have some time to make arrangements but the registrar refused,” he explained. “They said that the university does not allow international students to defer their fees, despite the fact that I have paid all my previous tuition fees on time and in full.”

Currently, nationwide policy calls for all international students to provide proof of financial means before receiving a study permit to Canada, meaning that they show that they do not require financial assistance.

U of T does have emergency housing and funds for international students if they find themselves in a dire situation.

UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION

Course Information System in progress New online database to house previous course syllabi, class details

Sidney Smith Hall is home to many Arts & Science courses. MALLIKA MAKKAR/THE VARSITY

IRIS ROBIN NEWS EDITOR

Following developments discussed in January 2015, details of the new Course Information System (CIS) have emerged.

According to Susan McCahan, viceprovost of innovations in undergraduate education and vice-dean, undergraduate, in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Toronto, the goal is for the new system to be integrated with the Accessible Campus Online Resource Network (ACORN) and to house course information, such as past syllabi and information about the types of assignments students can expect to be assigned in class.

“Our initial sense was that it would be seamless with ACORN, it would appear to the student to be the same system, or very closely related or integrated in some ways.”

McCahan also said that the primary beneficiaries would be students who are still browsing different courses and contemplating which ones to take. “I think the real advantage is not for the student who is in the course... but for the student who is thinking about what course to take,” she said, adding that course information would be available starting from the moment a student obtains a spot in the course.

The CIS is different from course evaluations that are conducted online when courses finish. McCahan explained that course evaluations only reflect the response from students to the questions that are on the evaluations systems and that the CIS would reflect grading schemes, due dates, assignments, and weighting of grades, all of which is required by the faculty from instructors. “We would be looking to collect this information in a way that allows us to have it go straight into a database and therefore make it more readily

accessible back to students... It’s about collecting the same information we currently collect but putting it into a system that allows it to be organized and fed back or accessed by students more effectively. ” Among the challenges of building the database is finding the most efficient way to present data that the faculty already collects.

“This information is part of what is collected by faculties to make sure that courses are meeting basic requirements within a faculty,” said McCahan.

Abdullah Shihipar, president of the Arts & Science Students’ Union (ASSU), said that the more streamlined approval of syllabi would help alleviate issues outlined in the ASSU’s Syllabus Report. “The fact that approval of syllabi will also be streamlined is good news, as our Syllabus Report showed last year, there were issues with compliance of faculty rules in some syllabi. We hope that this will help to reduce

these issues,” he said. “This is a step in the right direction: as it gives students a better idea of what the course will be about and allow them to make decisions about whether or not they want to stay enrolled in it, thus hopefully making the course selection process a little bit smoother.” Shihipar also confirmed that the ASSU has been involved in the discussions and consultations with the faculty about the CIS over the past year.

McCahan said that the faculty was still exploring its options. “[The faculty] has not yet come up with a feasible pathway, or a pathway that they were committing to follow when I came into my position just a few months ago.”

Although McCahan was reluctant to give an anticipated launch date, Shihipar said that he expected the system to be rolled out in the next couple of years. “We know that the Course Information System will be implemented within the next year or two,” he said.

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T H E VA R S I T Y

NEWS 9

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FEDERAL POLITICS

Former Prime Mininster Paul Martin visits Innis Town Hall Liberals discuss economy, Indigenous issues PATRICK OWENS

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Ahead of the federal election on October 19, former Prime Minister Paul Martin visited the University of Toronto on September 9 along with Liberal member of parliament Chrystia Freeland who is running for re-election in the University-Rosedale riding. They spoke on topics of national debt, infrastructure, the environment, and aboriginal affairs.

THE ECONOMY The first topic of conversation was the financial crisis. Martin is of the opinion that eliminating the budget deficit is not Canada’s first priority. “There has been a lack of growth in Canada and this must be addressed first.

With growth will come economic wellness. We must investment in transportation, healthcare, and research. “Technologies such as genomics are important for future development in Canada. They help support aging populations such as myself.”

Freeland also emphasized a desire for growth in Canada. Her proposed solution came in the form of a downtown relief line and more streetcars and buses.

Freeland expressed a strong interest in reducing economic inequality. “Income inequality is a top priority of mine.” She backed the Liberal plan to hike taxes for the top one per cent of income earners in Canada. “The top one per cent make more money and they

Paul Martin visited U of T last Wednesday. KATE GOTTLI/CC FLICKR

should be taxed more.”

Martin also referred to Canada’s environmental improvement compared to other

G7 countries. “Canada was once ranked last among G8 countries for environmental quality. We are now ranked first.”

INDIGENOUS ISSUES Both leaders agreed that aboriginal affairs are an issue in Canada. Mr. Martin expressed an interest in preserving aboriginal cultures, while Freeland expressed interested in accommodating them.

“Canada’s residential school system destroyed aboriginal culture and destroying cultures is immoral,” said Martin. He identified language as the key to preserving a culture. “Language preserves culture. In order to preserve aboriginal culture we must preserve aboriginal languages. This means we must support aboriginal communities and schools.”

Freeland stated that she is interested in a multicultural community that includes accommodating aboriginal communities so that they have a place in Canada. “We are the most successful diverse community in the world,” she said. “The only problem is that our treatment of aboriginals has been abominable. Aboriginal cultures require the same amount of accommodation that other cultures have gotten.”

Concluding the session, Freeland urged all to go out and vote, even if not for the Liberal Party. “Liberals do not possess extreme ideals like the NDP or Conservatives. We stand in the middle of the road and we seek realistic solutions. Even if you are not going to vote Liberal vote for the sake of democracy and Canada.”

NEWS IN BRIEF INCREASE IN FOOD BANKS ON CANADIAN CAMPUSES

WESTERN UNIVERSITY COMBATS CULTURAL APPROPRIATION

ALBERTA FREEZES TUITION FOR TWO YEARS

TWO TORONTO TORIES DROPPED

According to the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), the number of food banks on university campuses across Canada is growing in order to account for rising tuition fees and living costs.

The CFS is calling on federal and provincial governments to make post-secondary education more affordable; its national chairperson, Bilan Arte, hopes that the upcoming federal election will address the issue, as student poverty remains unrecognized.

Halifax’s Saint Mary’s University has recently set up a food bank after continually referring students to local food banks. Their food bank is not funded by the university.

Saint Mary’s University financial aid officer Allen Wolfe said that stagnant student loan limits and a lack of education on how to budget adds to the problem.

In a national study released last fall by Food Banks Canada, it found that the number of people community food banks serve in Canada has increased by 25 per cent.

Cultural appropriation in fashion has been a contentious issue for years at summer music festivals, but at Western University, it is also a prominent issue during orientation week.

At Western, orientation leaders traditionally differentiate themselves from the incoming students by wearing an unusual uniform, such as tying bandanas around their faces or wearing dreadlock wigs.

After receiving many complaints from students about the discomfort these uniform choices were causing, the orientation organizing committee has banned the wearing of cultural symbols, such as dreadlock wigs, hijabs, turbans, or Aboriginal headdresses, as long as they are not a part of the student’s daily cultural expression.

Not all student reactions to the restrictions were positive. While not all students view the costume tradition as cultural appropriation, the orientation organizers assert that the rules are meant to ensure all new students feel welcome.

— Emily Johnpulle With files from Huffington Post Canada (The Canadian Press)

— Enxhi Kondi With files from the Toronto Star

On Tuesday, September 8, a tuition fee freeze went into effect in Alberta, as per the New Democratic Party’s election promise in March. The freeze is set to last for two years and will affect tuition for students, apprentices, non-instructional fees, and apprenticeship fees.

The freeze does not affect the cost of parking, residence, or student society levies, which may still rise.

Lori Sigurdson, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Education, said that the freeze is the first step towards making higher education more affordable. Romy Garrido, chair of the Council of Alberta University Students, and Erik Queenan, president of the Students’ Association of Mount Royal University, both praised the decision.

The province also restored funding that was previously cut and raised base funding by two per cent.

Alberta is reviewing the funding model for post-secondary institutions beginning this fall, with taxpayer funding, tuition, and funding from other sources taken into account.

A 2012 video has proven to be a problem after the Conservative Party dropped one of its Torontonian candidates. The video shows Jerry Bance, then-appliance repairman and recent Conservative candidate for the riding of Scarborough–Rouge Park, urinating in a customer’s cup while fixing her dishwasher. He dumped the cup in the sink and briefly rinsed it before putting it back where he found it. The event has been dubbed “#peegate” on social media.

Shortly afterwards, Tim Dutaud, recent Conservative candidate for Toronto-Danforth, was identified as “The Unicaller” in YouTube videos from 2009. He made prank phone calls impersonating disabled people and, in one case, pretending to orgasm on the line with a Viagra customer service representative.

Facing criticism for poor vetting of his candidates, Stephen Harper was quick to disown the two, responding only: “What this means is that we keep the highest standard for candidates and these two individuals are no longer candidates.”

— Iris Robin With files from CBC News Alberta

— Andrew Richmond With files from CBC News

COMMENT var.st/comment

14 September 2015

comment@thevarsity.ca

ONLY OLD SOULS AT THE POLLS? A show of defiance at the 2012 student protests in Quebec. G MOREL/CC FLICKR

Addressing young voters should be a priority for politicians in the upcoming federal election ARTICLE BY TEODORA PASCA

T

he federal election is now well underway, yet politicians are seemingly unconcerned with one demographic in particular: young people.

While the concerns and priorities of seniors and middleclass families are catered to, those of youth unemployment and student debt — the issues most immediately relevant to students at U of T — are being ignored.

For politicians, this strategy of exclusively targeting older Canadians seems the most logical for winning elections. This is because youth (individuals aged 18–34) are statistically less likely to vote; in 2006, 47 per cent of youth voted in the Canadian federal election, and this figure dropped to 43 per cent in 2011. This is a meager turnout compared to individuals aged 35 and over, of which 70 per cent voted in 2006 and 65 per cent in 2011. In fact, the general decline in voter turnout since the 1980s has been attributed, almost entirely, to the decline of the youth vote; meanwhile, older Canadians have voted consistently over the past 35 years.

There seems to be no reasonable expectation therefore that politicians will win elections by appealing to a demographic that remains largely absent from the polls. Unfortunately, this attitude creates a vicious cycle: if youth are ignored, then they will continue to be less likely to vote, as campaigns fail to recognize their interests or their value as citizens. Indeed, a report by Samara Canada released this September has shown that “younger Canadians aren’t more politically apathetic or tuned out than their older counterparts; they’re more ignored by parties, candidates and leaders than older Canadians, which may partially explain declining voter turnout amongst youth.”

ASSOCIATE COMMENT EDITOR

Since national issues affect all Canadians, it is also undemocratic to base decisions only on the opinions of older individuals. This is not to mention the fact that it is young people who will be left to deal with the long-term consequences of current policies.

Perhaps what is more troubling is that voter apathy can become an entrenched habit. A 2013 Parliament of Canada study found that more young voters than ever are not participating in elections at all levels of government, and that their habits do not change once they grow out of the age bracket.

Considering that young voter turnout has consistently dropped since the 1980s, it is not unreasonable to assume that this will continue if something does not change. Eventually, this could escalate into a general disinterest in politics; faith in government and democracy itself may erode completely with future generations.

It is clear, then, that the consequences of youth disengagement set an appalling precedent for the future of politics. That being said, experience suggests that there is nothing inherent or unsolvable about youth apathy. Therefore, apathy itself is no excuse for politicians to continue to ignore youth interests.

Following the 2011 federal election, Elections Canada conducted a national youth survey to better understand youth disengagement. To solve this problem, the study recommended increasing both access and motivation: this includes anything from education on the political process to direct contact between youth and political leaders. Moreover, when politicians have reached out to youth, the result has been overwhelmingly positive. Ex-

amples include Barack Obama’s social media campaign in 2008, or Jack Layton’s strong youth fan base in 2011.

While youth apathy is certainly not an easy problem to solve, it is not impossible. We need to take initiative and reignite the relationship between youth and politics.

Firstly, politicians need to make youth more of a priority by targeting young people in their campaigns, and providing clear policies that will help solve their unique issues. Fortunately for leaders, this is as practical as it is democratic: not only will youth representation increase, politicians themselves will benefit from the youth votes.

We as youth also have a responsibility to participate in politics if we ever want to see things change. We must attend protests and demonstrations, join political associations, and be first in line at the polls. This will demonstrate that the opinions of young people matter and cannot be ignored.

As university students, we also benefit from an education that exposes us to a variety of issues and perspectives. As a result, we are often the leading voices for social change — and change must happen if we want to protect our democratic interests. We have the power to take action, and motivate other youth to do so as well. With election day approaching, let’s put it to good use.

Teodora Pasca is an Associate Comment Editor at The Varsity. She is a second-year student at Innis College studying criminology and ethics, society & law. Her column appears every three weeks.

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T H E VA R S I T Y

COMMENT 11

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UTSU uses your money to pay for ineffective health services By covering homeopathy through their health insurance plan, UTSU legitimizes quackery ANDREW ROUBLE VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Imagine for a moment, that a new pill that is claimed to be able to treat all sorts of common medical ailments hits the market. The only measurably significant contents of this magic pill are sugar, water, and the inactive additives used to bind the tablet together.

In terms of evidence supporting the effectiveness of this product, hundreds of scientific studies have determined that this pill is not effective for the treatment of any medical condition. In fact, multiple governments worldwide have even warned their citizens that this pill should not be used to treat health conditions.

Now imagine that the University of Toronto Students' Union (UTSU) has decided to use student fees to pay for this useless pill, under its student health insurance plan. Outrageous and far-fetched, right? Not so fast.

Unfortunately, the situation described above is not a thought experiment — it is the analogous reality relating to the insurance coverage of homeopathy by the UTSU. For those unfamiliar, homeopathy is a belief system that falls under the umbrella of alternative medicine.

It consists of the use of a variety of substances that have been diluted in water — to the point that none of the original substance is actually present — for the treatment

of unlimited numbers of medical conditions.

Hundreds of scientific studies testing the effectiveness of homeopathy have led to the consensus that, as reiterated by the Australian government in March 2015, “there is no good quality evidence to support the claim that homeopathy is effective in treating health conditions.”

Despite the near-universal dismissal of homeopathy by the medical and scientific community, the current UTSU health plan covers up to $600 of homeopathic services per student per year. That means if every undergraduate student at the St. George campus (a conservative estimate of 40,000 students) used this benefit fully, the current UTSU plan is willing to pay $24,000,000 per year to homeopaths.

For perspective, this is the same amount of money that is allocated for services from psychologists and physiotherapists, respectively. This means a student cannot access more than $600 of psychological counselling per year, even if they need more, but can still seek an additional $600 of useless advice about how to take a sugar pill to cure a cold.

This waste of resources defies any definition of equitable access to healthcare, and every notion of common sense.

It also apparently defies common practice. Indeed, of all the student

unions at Ontario universities, the UTSU health plan is one of only a small minority that cover homeopathic services. The vast majority of student insurance plans recognize that homeopathy should not be allocated insurance money. In fact, U of T’s Graduate Student Union, whose health plan previously covered homeopathy, voted to remove its coverage from their insurance benefits in 2013. In this way, the UTSU is going against the standard of practice for student health plans, even amongst fellow U of T student organizations.

By including homeopathy on their health insurance plan, the UTSU is effectively legitimizing baseless health practices, as they are giving students a reason to use a service that has no actual benefit — this could cause real harm if it were to delay them in accessing treatments that they actually need. A student health plan should not endorse or pay for ineffective medical therapies, especially when that money could be more effectively allocated to provide increased access to beneficial health services that many students require, such as psychological counselling and physiotherapy. Instead of using student money to subsidize a worthless health practice, the UTSU should use an evidencebased approach to effectively appropriate funding to better serve

NOOR NAQAWEH/THE VARSITY

student health needs. While this might disappoint purveyors of homeopathy, it is the only justifiable way to give students equitable access to the quality health services they pay for and deserve.

Andrew Rouble is a second-year medical student.

A CASE FOR DIVESTMENT Students are denied adequate input on the distribution of tuition funds ALEX VERMAN

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

U of T is among the least publicly funded of Ontario’s post-secondary institutions, which are also the least publicly funded in the country — they receive about 30 per cent less public funding than the national average. As such, U of T gets just under 40 per cent of its revenue from tuition, which has been steadily on the rise for years (even as recent as a couple of months ago, when Governing Council voted to raise international students’ tuition). In light of how much money we pay, then, it is strange we have next to no say over the decisions made with this money.

In particular, U of T has valuable investments in the military, armaments and surveillance corporations.

These companies are no small names either: the list includes Raytheon Company — which provides defense support services for, among others, gulf state autocracies; Harris Corp

— whose surveillance technology has also been used throughout the US to monitor civilians; Northrop Grumman — whose drone technology is used to survey and attack targets in regions where the American army operates; L3 Communications — a defense systems corporation associated with middle east operations, including ties to the Abu Ghraib prison scandal; Hewlett-Packard – which supplies the technology for maintaining military checkpoints in Gaza and the West Bank; and Finning International – which deals Caterpillar machinery, used by the Israeli Defense Forces.

Every day at U of T, choices are made with large sums of money that have real-world consequences. The money that the university invests — coming particularly from our pockets, moving without our say — funds checkpoints, guns, drones, and bulldozers. The university's capacity to do so is determined unilaterally.

Money talks, but right now it's not a conversation, it’s a monologue.

Consequently, the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction (BDS) movement — like other ongoing campaigns that seek economic responses to political issues — attempts to challenge this unequal and undemocratic power dynamic. Specifically, it recognizes how the university’s millions of dollars worth of investments in these companies reinforces human rights abuses via the occupation of Palestinian territories, and more broadly, by feeding worldwide arms proliferation. It is a movement with a clear institutional focus, and with specific interests in promoting compliance with international law.

BDS represents a voice that is counter to the silent decisionmaking of our university. The university uses, makes, and invests money in companies with their hands and feet dirty in environmental degradation, conf lict zones, and irresponsible exploitation of third world peoples and regions.

Some may reject the premise that we should have any say over where tuition money goes — tuition is a payment for a service, that service being education, and the university can then use that money as it sees fit.

However, this is misunderstanding the role of the university.

If we choose to interpret our education as a straightforward exchange of resources, then it may be accurate that we can make no claims about the use of tuition. But if we frame our university education, not as a commodity to be exchanged, but as a set of activities, values, practices, and systems that we engage with as participants, rather than as consumers, then the relationship changes.

Similarly, it is hard to see the true merit of a goods for services view of higher education at U of T, when we consider the cost and funding of this education. U of T is among a small pool of Canadian schools that collectssuch high tuition, relies on that tuition for such a large portion

of its general funding, perpetually raises tuition, and yields such few tangible returns for some of its students in terms of their experience at the university.

Consider the behaviour of the administration during last year’s strike; the sluggish and stilted process of formulating an accessible and effective mental health or sexual assault response program; the cases of homeless students struggling to stay in classes. If one buys into the argument that university education is ultimately transactional, then shouldn’t we as students be getting more bang for the buck? If one believes it’s acceptable that students don’t get to have a say in the direction of our school’s investments — even when those investments are bloody-handed — then can we at least concede that the pay-in isn’t worth it?

Alex Verman is a fourth-year student at New College studying political science.

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T H E VA R S I T Y

M O N DAY 14 S E P T E M B E R 2 015 comment@thevarsity.ca

The myth of 'reverse racism' A rhetorical tool that attempts to discredit anti-racist initiatives

JULIEN BALBONTIN/ILLUSTRATION EDITOR

SASHA BOUTILIER VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Recently, there was a flurry of criticisms after the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) uploaded a photo on Facebook. Specifically, the post stated that reverse racism does not exist, and that people of colour could not be racist towards white people.

While the UTMSU has a valid point, perhaps it would have been more effective to explicitly critique how and when the term reverse racism is actually used, as opposed to discussing its a priori meaning. In doing so, we can avoid theoretical debates and better realize how the term, in practice, is often a guise for condemning equity initiatives, and should be regarded with caution.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines racism as “prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own

nt.

not even begin to approach the oppression that people of colour must face on a daily basis.

What then, are people actually complaining about when they cry 'reverse racism?' Instead of addressing systemic oppression, these people are just threatened by pockets of positive racial discrimination, which happen to have the goal of ameliorating the systematic disadvantages that people of colour face. The latter detail is important, as it distinguishes discriminatory initiatives from racism.

Not all racial discrimination is necessarily racism. Indeed, the Canadian Constitution merits admiration among constitutional scholars for its explicit protection of affirmative action programs — which necessarily discriminate based on race — in Section 15(2), which clarifies that the equality guarantees of Section 15(1) “[do] not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration of conditions of disadvantaged individuals or

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race is superior.” By this conception, then, it is indeed entirely possible for a person of colour to be racist towards a white person. All they would have to do is believe in the superiority of their own race, and have that to motivate their discriminatory behaviour.

However, this understanding of racism does not acknowledge how societal structures encourage, or reproduce, such discriminatory behaviour, which in turn disproportionately oppress people of colour. The critique of reverse racism proffered by the UTMSU incorporates this structural understanding, which is a necessary step if we are to actually recognize and understand the real life manifestations of racism.

Even if we were to take the dictionary definition of racism, it is important to note that in a Canadian context, the number of people of colour advancing an agenda of racial superiority is relatively low. As such, the “racism” that white people face does

linked decreases in racism towards black people with increases in racism towards white people.

The phrase reverse racism itself is very telling of this attitude. The use of 'reverse' implicitly acknowledges the very real racism that disadvantaged groups experience now. Yet, the misappropriation of the term racism reveals itself as a rhetorical tool to derail, and discredit, anti-racist equity initiatives — in fact, the term originated in opposition to the civil rights movement and associated affirmative action programs.

So instead of simply declaring that reverse racism doesn’t exist, we should go further in exposing how the rhetoric is used to manipulate and decieve. In turn, we can continue to accurately discuss modern manifestations of social inequality and the continuing effects of racism.

Sasha Boutilier is a third–year student at St. Michael’s College studying political science and ethics, society & law.

OPIRG-Toronto: OPT- OUT Notice University of Toronto Full and Part-time Graduate students*, as well as Full and Part-Time Undergraduate students who have paid the OPIRG fees and who wish to opt-out of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group-Toronto are able to claim a fees refund with proof of enrollment for the 2015-2016 academic year. The opt-out schedule and details follow below: St. George Campus:

Thursday September 24: 4pm – 9pm* Friday September 25: 10am – 8pm Saturday September 26: 11am – 6pm Sunday September 27: 11am – 6pm Monday September 28: 10am – 8pm *(First Night only – Admission $3 – Students FREE with I.D.)

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groups including those that are disadvantaged because of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.”

Affirmative action programs are direct responses to the structurally unequal society we live in, and an attempt to level the playing field. As a remedy for historical injustice, then, such positive racial discrimination is not based on racial superiority but on amelioration.

Yet, this distinction between positive racial discrimination and racism is clearly wilfully ignored by those who seriously use the term reverse racism. Specifically, oppressors choose to ignore the reality of racism in contemporary society today, and conceptualize race relations as a zero-sum game.

For example, a 2012 study from Harvard found that white respondents rated racism against white people as a larger problem than racism against black people and

For more information call 416-585-4585 www.vicbooksale.utoronto.ca vic.booksale@utoronto.ca Proceeds to Victoria University Library

Graduate Students*: September 14th – October 1st Undergraduate Students: September 14th – October 7th Location: OPIRG-Toronto Office @ 563 Spadina Crescent, Room 101 Time: Monday – Thursday 11AM - 7PM

Mississauga Campus: Thursday, September 24th Location: UTM Student Centre (near the UTMSU office) @ 250 The Student Centre. 3359 Mississauga Road North, Mississauga ON Time: 12PM - 7PM * During the opt-out period, graduate students at UTM, UTSC and Aerospace wishing to opt-out are invited to contact the office to make alternate arrangements to obtain their refund.

Contact OPIRG-Toronto at opirg.toronto@utoronto.ca or (416) 978-7770 for more information.

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T H E VA R S I T Y

COMMENT 13

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Why Bill C-51 — and your privacy — matter The right to privacy is the right to freedom KAITLYN SIMPSON VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

The year is 2011: Edward Snowden has just come forth with a shocking disclosure regarding the United States National Security Agency’s invasive and secretive practices. The initial media storm gradually grew into a serious and thoughtful conversation about what privacy means in our technological age — naturally, some were outraged, while others felt it was justified.

Yet, others were simply indifferent to the revelations of the US government’s online snooping.

Perhaps more concerning is how those who initially felt uncomfortable with the Snowden revelations have gradually become desensitized to the reality of being spied on by their own government.

The willingness of individuals to compromise their privacy without fully understanding the consequences is frightening, especially in the wake of similar reactions to the enactment of Bill-C51.

Bill C-51 a piece of is Canadian legislation grounded in surveillance practices parallel to those of the United States. It is

an extension of already apparent government spying, and stands to degrade our society’s already limited technological freedom.

For anyone who is skeptical, it is important to understand the core issue of privacy. Privacy is a fundamental component of human nature and therefore should be an unequivocal freedom. In fact, we naturally create private spaces to express ourselves. This is because our actions shift radically when we know other people are watching, and we conform to social norms out of fear of judgement.

Consider the following: would you ever sing in a public shower?

Probably not. Yet, you have no problem belting out Beyoncé when you take a shower at home.

This is because when away from the public eye, individuals have the freedom to explore, learn, experiment, and be creative. Without such privacy, independence, creativity, dissidence, and freedom — that is, the things necessary for a functioning and healthy democracy — all suffer.

Everyone, no matter how much they say otherwise, values their privacy. We all close our blinds at night. We all put passwords on our

social media accounts. Take this privacy away from us, and we cease to have the spaces to truly exercise our freedom.

Yet, a frequent argument for government surveillance is that an individual should not be worried if they’re not doing anything “wrong.”

In fact, Google CEO Eric Schmidt was quoted in a December 3, 2009 CNBC interview saying: “If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.”

This argument completely ignores the principle of freedom behind privacy by conflating a moral “wrong” with an action that one simply doesn’t want others to know about. As already mentioned before, the desire to do things free from the judgement of others is not a moral “wrong”; it is simply an inherent part of human nature.

By making citizens ashamed about their natural need for privacy, the state can ultimately promote conformity to government standards of right and wrong (i.e. pro- and anti-state actions). Such attitudes will inevitably erode individual freedoms.

In fact, in this day and age, we all are aware that the government

JULIEN BALBONTIN/THE VARSITY

is watching everything we do online. Every Google search, the location from which we we make every phone call, every picture you post on social media and so much more. Everything we do online is observed, analyzed, and stored for possible future reference.

If we allow the normalization of this mass surveillance, we will eventually change our actions to match the norms of whoever is watching us. Such is the diminishment of individual freedom, due to a degradation of technological privacy.

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WWW.EYEZEN.INFO

There is no point in discussing the precise details of Bill C-51 in this context. What is important is the certainty that, with this ominous bill, the powers of government to spy on Canada’s population are increased dramatically. And if you really want to protect yourself, stand up for your right to privacy, and rally against C-51.

Kaitlyn Simpson is a second-year student at Trinity College studying political science, women & gender studies, and history.

Building a tech These are the students fixing U of

ARTICLE BY JAREN KERR

NOT AN INNOVATION HUB? The University of Toronto is a world class institution, with university rankings perpetually confirming that it is Canada’s best university, and is among the upper echelons of global post-secondary schools.

But, for all its prestige, U of T is not known as a technology hub, with schools like Cal Tech, Stanford, MIT and the Canadian standout, University of Waterloo, routinely outpacing it in technological prowess. Sure, our Computer Science program is ranked 11th in the world according to the the Academic Ranking of World Universities, but when it comes to the word “innovation”, U of T does not immediately come to mind.

Despite this impression, however, there is in fact plenty of tech talent at U of T. Students are developing apps that have the potential to change our everyday lives.

Today, apps are ubiquitous and relied upon by a generation seeking to make their lives simpler with the press of a button.

After scouring campus for talented app developers, I believe it’s quite possible that some of the future’s digital tastemakers will have gone to U of T. These people could lead the way — placing U of T sits in the academic digerati.

CHARTING A NEW PATH One of U of T’s young app developers is David Han, a second-year computer science student who spent his summer working at Weebly, a web-hosting company, in San Francisco.

Han, who taught himself how to code, had a somewhat rocky start to his U of T experience.

He spent Frosh Week sleeping on a mattress with a towel as his blanket — he had arrived from Vancouver just in time for the festivities — and was unsuccessful in his election campaign to be a UCLit representative.

Since things were not going as planned for Han in terms of extra-curriculars, he instead spent his time refining his craft, and came up with an idea for an app, which would allow users to connect with others on various social media platforms simultaneously, Han says this tool is especially useful at parties.

And so, Han developed “Quink,” an app that does just that. According to Han, user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) are the most important qualities in an app, and he prides himself on making them a priority for his work.

A COHORT OF TALENT Han is not an anomaly at U of T. Many of his peers are also turning ideas into innovation.

When you need a distraction from work: Secret projects Jeffrey Deng, a third year computer science student, works part-time at Plastic Mobile

Amr Shafik, Alex Yakubovsky, and Talal Bustami of Quario, want to develop an app that facilitates question-asking in large lectures. COURTESY OF QUARIO

where he toils over apps for companies like Pizza Pizza and Shoppers Drug Mart. Outside of work, he has interests in gaming and photography, and is currently working on a “secret” project with another U of T student.

His most recent independent project is called “What’s New,” which aggregates social media feeds from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr onto one timeline.

When you are organizing classes (even if you don’t plan on attending): Courseography Christine Murad, a 4th year student studying computer science and sociology, created her first app in CSC207, Software Design. She created a nurse triage platform meant to allow health professionals to easily access patient information.

Now Murad is part of the team of U of T students who are responsible for Courseography. According to Murad, the team is solving a practical and very common student problem: course management. The web application helps students create timetables and plan their degrees, with a graphing feature that allows users to chart their progress. Like Han, Murad considers UI a key ingredient to a great app, while also highlighting the importance that the app considers its target audience and caters to its needs.

When you need a one-stop “U of T application” shop: UtorApps Alec Brunelle, a 3rd year student currently on a work co-op with Juice Mobile, also caters to student needs with his creation, UtorApps. UtorApps is a digital umbrella that acts as a repository for several U of T

related applications. The app is customizable, providing a menu of apps specifically for students and faculty. Brunelle says one of the major challenges when developing apps is that there can be a lot of DIY work including creating custom templates. He is largely self-driven, often creating apps simply to challenge himself or practice his skills. Brunelle also has an interest in music, and sees himself creating music apps in the future.

When you don’t want to shout out in Con-Hall: Quario Continuing the pattern of student-centric apps is Amr Shafik and his “Quario” team. Shafik, a mechanical engineering student, worked with Alex Yakubovsky and Talal Bustami, computer science students, to develop the app. The students are all entering their fourth year.

Having noticed the reservedness of their peers to ask questions in large lectures, the threesome sought to create an app that allowed users to pose questions anonymously and discreetly. Educators receive these questions on their personal electronic devices, and can address the proposed questions later in the lecture or in the next class.

Shafik sees Quario as an important educational tool, especially in an institution like U of T where students have to adapt to large class sizes. Shafik, who notes Quora, Slack, and Medium among his favourite apps, makes it clear that Quario is meant to supplement lectures, not replace them, and that he and his team take great care ensuring that the app’s features do not become distractions to learning.

h powerhouse T’s tech deficit — one app at a time

R/VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Recent grad Kevin Sloan developed “Courses.” COURTESY OF KEVIN SLOAN

Second-year David Han has developed “Quink,” a social media app. COURTESY OF DAVID HAN

INNOVATION CONTINUES AFTER GRADUATION While there is plenty of tech talent currently within U of T, recent graduates are also doing big things in the world of digital applications.

Kevin Sloan, class of 2013, is one of them. He has been working to create apps like “Courses,” which acts as a “personal report card” for classes in which students are enrolled.

Sloan has also spent time working at Videogami, a startup created by U of T computer science lecturer Juan Gonzalez. When it comes to apps, Sloan’s personal pet peeve is advertisements. He argues that there are better ways to fund an app, and he values simplicity and focus as important characteristics of a strong app. He currently works at the Ryerson DMZ, a business incubator for tech startups.

STILL CALIFORNIA DREAMING Despite thriving here in Toronto, however, many bright students still crave more. For many techies, the dream is to work in the world’s most prestigious tech hub, Silicon Valley in California’s Bay Area. Han, who has already had a taste of the tech haven, gushed about all the possibilities: “[There’s] Uber, Spotify, AirBnB Dropbox… My office [was] like, a block away from reddit.”

According to Han, Silicon Valley is simply “the place to be” as a developer. “There’s a lot of money [t]here, a lot of resources, a lot of talent.”

“It’s always been my dream,” he adds.

Sloan and Brunelle are also tempted by the lures of the Valley, and Deng notes that companies there pay far better than those in Toronto, while recognizing that living around

San Francisco is far more expensive than living in Toronto.

Closer to home, there is Waterloo, sometimes known as Silicon Valley North. “I think we have a lot to learn from U Waterloo because I feel the app-making/technology presence at that school is a lot higher and positively looked upon,” says Brunelle.

In the city of Waterloo, both the University of Waterloo and Laurier have their own hatcheries — and not the kind that breed fish or poultry.

Hatcheries — also known as incubators, like the Ryerson DMZ — are centers that support entrepreneurial efforts with mentorship, resources and exposure to investors; U of T has one as well. It is inventively called The Hatchery.

The Kitchener-Waterloo region is also home to Communitech, an incubator that supports tech startups. Sloan believes that although the startup culture at U of T has grown in the past few years, it pales in comparison to that of U Waterloo’s, and says that Silicon Valley actively recruits from the latter campus because of the excellent reputation their students and alumni have generated. However, opportunities in Toronto are growing, especially in neighbourhoods like Liberty Village, which several startups call home.

CONSTRUCTING RESOURCES AT U OF T In fact, there are plenty of opportunities on campus, little known except to those within the field.

MADLab is one of the enclaves for app developers to hone their skills and meet like-minded people. Located in the basement of Gerstein Library, MADLab is where Deng, Murad and Brunelle have all conducted their work. The center specializes in mobile app development, and is led

by Mike Spears, a U of T alum who has

developed apps for U of T and Toronto General Hospital.

Within MADLab, work-study students are hired to work on personal and collaborative projects such as the MiWay app, for Mississauga’s transit system. Learning opportunities are also available; student workshops and talks from tech professionals are hosted there.

Spears wants to increase the visibility of MADLab, which is still in its infancy at less than two years old. Part of this, he posits, will include students outside of computer science and engineering visit to pitch their ideas for apps, and to take advantage of resources like UTKit, which helps non-programmers create app content.

MADLab is not alone in creating an app culture at U of T. Along with The Hatchery, the U of T Developer’s Club and U of T Hacks hackathon — a multi-day event of collaborative coding — also contribute to making campus more developer-friendly.

While U of T is not yet a world class tech hub, students and growing infrastructure here show plenty of promise. What is most exciting is not necessarily the content of the apps being made, but the people making them and the skills they are honing in the process.

Creating an application is an exercise in problem solving: Build the back-end (the data), build the front-end (the presentation), marry the two and try your best to make your app functional, appealing and useful; it is a tall order.

These skills are valuable,transferrable, and in demand; a student who makes an app to help the student community could broaden their scope and create tools that will benefit the global community. Before long, our institution, with its celebrated and decorated history, could play a significant role in leading people into the future.

var.st/arts

ARTS&CULTURE 14 September 2015

arts@thevarsity.ca

in transition

40 YEARS LATER, TORONTO’S FILM FESTIVAL HAS UNDERGONE A NUMBER OF CHANGES

T

ARTICLE BY JOHN SHUTT

he beginning of September means different things for different people: kids are getting ready to head back to school, football and hockey fans are eagerly looking forward to the start of a new season, and film buffs living in Canada’s largest city are waiting with bated breath for the return of the Toronto International Film Festival.

This year, TIFF is celebrating its 40 year anniversary. Some of the most anticipated films coming to the city this year include The Martian with Matt Damon, Black Mass with Johnny Depp, and plenty of other films with the potential for major box office success, as well as award recognition. While the festival has become a hub for big-budget Hollywood movies, 40 years ago, this was not the case.

When the festival first started in 1976, the initial lineup focused on two sectors of the film industry: Canadian films, and international films without broader North American release. In the early years of the festival, TIFF became known for jumpstarting the careers of up-and-coming filmmakers such as the Coen brothers, Gus Van Sant and Jim Jarmusch — amongst others. Canadian talents were also well showcased. Deepa Mehta and Atom Egoyan became festival darlings, and exemplified the type of filmmaking that Canadians could call their own.

By the ‘90s, an increasing number of films from the major Hollywood studios took over the festival line up, resulting in Canadian films taking a backseat for media attention. The opening night films, which were generally restricted to Canadian productions, quickly shifted to star-studded Oscar potentials. In a 2012 Macleans article entitled “Hollywood vs. TIFF,” author Brian D. Johnson discussed how the festival’s original goal, to promote the cinema of its own cultural identity, has diminished and become more corporate. TIFF used to have a section of the festival dedicated entirely to Canadian cinema, but this has since been incorporated into other sections.

TIFF’s artistic director, Cameron Bailey, admitted that the reason for letting non-Canadian films open the festival in recent years was to attract more foreign buyers. As he told Johnson, “If you’re coming from out of town, for years you felt like it was not your night, it’s a Canadian night.” When asked about the claims that Canadian identity at the festival has diminished, Bailey counters that cinema is no longer a domestic industry, and has since grown into an internationally based medium where several countries will team up to produce one film.

Despite the changes that TIFF has undergone over the past 40 years, it is hard to deny the festival’s impact on the film industry, particularly on the Academy Awards. Films like The King’s Speech, Slumdog Millionaire, and countless other films have premiered at TIFF, and have either won best picture, or have been nominated in the same category. Most importantly, the festival is a chance for Toronto to bask in the spotlight — reminding the world that the city is an integral piece in the international film industry.

FACE THE CHANGE A look back on previous years at TIFF clearly illustrates the changes the festival has undergone.

• • •

This year, the price of an adult ticket for a standard presentation is $25.

In 1976, regular admission was a whole $2.

Last year, the number of people in attendance at TIFF rounded out to roughly 432,000. 40 years ago, the approximate number of attendees was 35,000.

While the festival is now a hub for celebrity appearances, in the early days this was not the case. The first taste of celebrity buzz came in 1977 when Henry Winkler — more commonly known as 'The Fonz' — made a guest appearance at the festival. TIFF was actually named “the Festival of Festivals” until 1994, when it adopted its current title.

DID YOU KNOW? • •

•

The festival brings in an estimated $170 million to the city of Toronto every year.

In 1991, Toronto filmmaker Atom Egoyan chose to give his $25,000 Canadian film award to the runner-up, whom he felt needed it more.

In 1989, Toronto filmmaker Bruce McDonald declared he would spend the $25,000 on “a big hunk of hash.”

Upon Andre the Giant’s arrival to TIFF’s premiere of The Princess Bride, a special seat had to be made for the actor/wrestler, who was 7”4 and weighed 520 pounds.

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ARTS & CULTURE 17

var.st/arts

TIFF Reviews Sicario Dennis Villeneuve's latest flick is a nail-bitter of epic proportions DANIEL KONIKOFF VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Laia Costa stars in Victoria. COURTESY OF TIFF

Victoria Like Birdman, the renaissance of one-shot movies returns in Sebastian Shipper’s latest film DANIEL GOODMAN VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Victoria begins with sound and colour. At first it's hard to know what you're looking at, but then you understand: you're in the strobing heartbeat of a nightclub. As the aperture slowly adjusts and shapes become distinguishable amid the flashing lights, the camera dances tightly alongside the heroine, sometimes drifting away and circling around, but never fully departing from her for the film's entirety. On one such night, Victoria encounters Sonne (played by Frederick Lau), a charming man flanked by a thuggish, but loving group of compadres: Boxer (Franz Rogowski), Blinker (Burak Yigit), and a drunk Fuss (Max Mauff). Victoria and the guys quickly become friends, walking around and taking on the city in their young and reckless nature. This calm is necessary before the storm that is Victoria's second half.

In one particularly beautiful moment, Sonne and Victoria spend some time alone together in the cafe where she works. She makes him hot cocoa, while he flirts with her and opens up the piano sitting in the corner. Later we learn that Victoria is a failed piano prodigy, someone who had to sacrifice her relationships in order to master the instrument. The camera holds on Victoria's face while they interact, played to pitch-perfect vulnerability by Laia Costa, where nothing is said but everything is silently communicated .

Such is the language of the film, which uses the movement of the camera, ambient sound, and lighting to communicate the conflicted mind of a person who has dedicated their entire life to a craft only to be told they're not good enough to continue. When Victoria is asked to be the getaway driver of a spontaneous heist to pay for Boxer's protection benefits from prison, it doesn't take much to convince her.

A propulsive thriller shot in one continuous take over 22 locations, all within a short taxi ride away, it would be easy for viewers to write off Sebastian Schipper's film as a gimmick at first glance. Last year's Birdman (Iñárritu, 2014), though an Academy Awards darling, received plenty of heat for disguising its illusory seamlessness with hidden cuts and slight of hand.

And while it is likely Victoria will never quite reach the same audience that Birdman did, those who do see it will come away breathlessly entertained and decidedly less polarized by this genuine one-take. While the former impacted with bombast and theatricality, Victoria executes with graceful precision, propelled by tight improvisational acting and the assured talents of cinematographer Sturla Brandth Grøvlen. Aided by the keys and strings of composer Nils Frahm, whose sparse music blooms in the aftermath of sudden bursts of intensity, what could have been a trainwreck in its naturalistic style remains firmly on the rails, stripped to its barest essentials but moving at peak efficiency.

Dennis Villeneuve likes to make you anxious. Two years after his relentlessly suspenseful Prisoners and the Toronto-based nail-bitter Enemy, Sicario, Villeneuve’s most recent thriller about the interminable war on drugs, is a master class in cinematic tension, and is riddled with more anxiety than a Woody Allen protagonist. Taking place on the border of Mexico and the United States, those seeing Sicario — whether it be during the 40 annual Toronto International Film Festival, or after its impending wide release on October 2nd — will be seated firmly on the border of 'I really have to pee,' and 'I don’t want to leave my seat.'

As much a tale about the ethical and moral ambiguity of the US war on the Mexican drug trade as it is about the people who fight it, Sicario, while narratively obscure and uneven, gleans tautness and tenseness from its otherwise archetype-ridden screenplay.

The story follows Kate Macer (Emily Blunt), a naïve, tactically talented FBI agent at the helm of a crack kidnap response team, as she’s recruited to a joint task force with a sandal-wearing, chummy government operative (Josh Brolin) and a laconic, anti-cartel prosecutor-turned-gunman (Benicio del Toro). The unlikely trio, disparate in worldviews but equally lethal with a firearm, are bound together by their mission, which takes them to the destitute city of Juarez in pursuit of an elusive cartel kingpin.

The particulars of the mission are sketchy at best, and entirely absent at worst. We share the green and semi-puerile perspective of Kate. The camera lingers outside of windows as conversations carry on silently on the other side, and scenes cut away before their completion, conjuring the paranoid impression that something is always being withheld – that we’re being kept in the dark about the true nature of the border-busting quest and the true nature of these characters.

Nerves are wound even tighter during Sicario’s action scenes, which all start with an 'I can’t take it anymore' build-up and erupt into lightning-quick bursts of raw violence. Whether they be strategic firefights or brutal hand-to-hand combats, these sudden bursts of havoc are rendered all the more uneasy by composer Jóhann Jóhannsson’s bass-and-string heavy score. Sicario’s corker comes in its final stretch when the film glides into an intense night time tunnel raid, shot exclusively using night and thermal-vision lenses by the incomparable (and criminally Oscar-less) Roger Deakins.

Cinematographically, Deakins crafts a triptych of intimacy: tight framing captures Kate and her team at their most vulnerable and morally corrupt, hovering aerial shots convey the deplorable regional conditions where the drug trade runs rampant, and point-of-view camera work embroils the spectator in the gritty, frightening, and bleak field work of drug enforcement.

Unfortunately, Sicario doesn’t stick the landing. In its final 25 minutes, the film veers into Zero-Dark Thirty and No Country for Old Men territory, displaying sequences that are exemplary in isolation but unsatisfying and out of place within the film’s broader narrative framework. The film's technical virtuosity, however, more than makes up for its relative unevenness, and reasserts that when it comes to Denis Villeneuve, there’s absolutely nothing — or, perhaps, absolutely everything — to be anxious about.

Tension mounts in Denis Villeneuve's latest thriller. COURTESY OF TIFF

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The Aga Khan Museum’s latest exhibit showcases work from twelve artists of middle eastern descent HOMEWARD GROUND ARYAN KASSIM

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

"Home Ground: Contemporary Art from the Barjeel Foundation" is a testimony to the heterogeneous ways that themes of diaspora, immigration, violence, and belonging can be imagined. The exhibit, located at the Aga Khan Museum, mobilizes a wealth of media, ranging from film, to paint, to sculpture, by twelve artists of middle eastern descent. The artists, according to curator Suhelya Takesh, are “scleverltriving for an ability to remain in place, for the rights to travel, to emigrate, to return, or to feel at home.” Takesh wants guests to note the relationship between geography and selffashioning.

Home Ground opens with Palestinian artist Larissa Sansour’s sci-fi Nation Estate (2012), which highlights the various entanglements of public and private life in an era of political conflict. The eight pieces in Sansour’s collection, consist of one film and seven photos play with themes of violence, anxiety, suspicion, and modernity in the context of the Palestinian-Israeli dispute.

There remains a resounding senti-

ment of hope, and her work materializes into a coherent future imagining of Palestine. For Sansour, it is a modern high-rise that represents Palestine and recognizes the region as a sovereign entity.

Moving from conflict to immigration, Youssef Nabil’s short film You Never Left (2010) is an evocative exploration into the process of transnational movement. Nabil interprets the departure from his homeland as a form of death.

The protagonist is cleansed and wrapped in all white as per Islamic death ritual, and interprets his arrival in a new territory as a form of rebirth. You Never Left shows not only how immigration is characterized by loss, but also displays the opportunity for self-renewal.

Juxtaposing Nabil’s experience is Raafat Ishak’s Responses to An Immigration Request from One Hundred and Ninety-Four Governments — a film humourizing the fraught process of immigration. Writing to 194 countries in pursuit of a new ‘home,' Ishak enlists various government responses. Standing with other onlookers of his work was telling, as the laughter and comments of the crowd broke the tension of the piece’s heavy subject matter. Ishak proves that migration

The Aga Khan museum hosts the Home Ground exhibit. RUSABA ALAM/THE VARSITY

is not always marked by sadness and grief; that moments of humour are key to keeping that hope alive.

Lastly, Lebanese artist CharbelJoseph H. Boutros’s Mixed Water, Lebanon, Israel (2013) and From Water to Water (2013); explore the nuances of alterity and sameness through the use of water. Mixed Water, Lebanon, Israel depicts two inkjet prints, one from Lebanon and another from Israel, separated by a small glass of water collected

by Boutros from both regions. Be-

cause the River Jordan has been a significant point of contention for the two countries, Mixed Water pushes forward the ideas of peace and reconciliation in subtle ways.

The glass of water abolishes any notion of difference, onlookers can’t tell which portion of water is from Israel and which portion is from Lebanon.

Despite the range of artists, mediums, and interpretations, the need to belong somewhere is a universal sentiment that the exhibit continu-

ally reiterates. Thus, the exhibit demonstrates the cathartic nature of art, and how it can be used as a tool for healing and reconciliation. Had the exhibit included more pieces, it would have made the journey to the Aga Khan museum much more satisfying. Nevertheless, Home Ground is a must see.

Home Ground: Contemporary Art from the Barjeel Foundation runs at the Aga Khan Museum until January 3, 2016.

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var.st/arts

In conversation with: Anthony Rose The prolific chef talks to The Varsity about his latest projects DANIEL GOODMAN/VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Anthony Rose is a busy guy. Since leaving the Drake in 2012, after a five year stint as the head of food services, Rose launched his own venture with Rose & Sons, a greasy spoon saloon undercut with just enough sophistication to make food critics shower their praises.

Fast forward three years later, and he currently oversees four successful restaurants, the most recent of which, Swan by Rose & Sons, opened this past July. Along with restaurants, he also owns an appetizer shop called Schmaltz Appetizing, as well as an upcoming bar entitled Bar Begonia, which repurposes the long vacant Nite Caps into a barebones cocktail lounge fusing chic Parisian flavors with the grit of Brooklyn. It’s scheduled to open this November.

With all this work, one would think Anthony Rose would be exhausted, but talking to him over the phone, all I can hear is his enthusiasm. Anthony loves his job, and it shows.

“Everything that I’ve ever done has simply been from the heart,” he tells me. The sentiment extends to how he treats his staff and the relaxed atmosphere that they all aspire to maintain throughout each establishment.

Essentially, Anthony Rose is the antithesis to Chef Ramsey. “We don’t take ourselves seriously, but we take what we do very seriously,” he says. “It’s suffusing that simple atmosphere with quality everything, whether it’s the cocktail program, the ambience of the environment, or the food. But the service is what matters.”

Come closing time, the only goal for Rose and his tightly-knit team is making sure customers are already asking themselves when

Rose & Sons is one of many restaurants owned by Anthony Rose. JENNIFER YIN/CC FLICKR

they can come back, and hopefully prompting them to try out some of their other offerings, many of which are located on Dupont Street near the Annex neighbourhood.

Swan by Rose & Sons, the youngest of the Rose & Sons family, is the first to step away from the Dupont kingdom, moving into a space left over by a popular diner in the Trinity Bellwoods area. The retro cherry booths and vinyl-topped stools have been left just as residents remember them. “We try to do as little as possible and preserve the history that’s already there,” Rose says. “If you’d been going there for a long time and sat down right now, you wouldn’t notice much difference.”

Well, maybe not, except for the giant standing surfboard from Danny Hess.

Swan’s menu emphasizes the simplicity and freshness of Californian dishes, with

a focus on vegetables and a notable influence from Spanish cooking (or “meals your abuela would make”). The restaurant recalls the several years Rose spent learning at Le Cordon Bleu and cooking around San Francisco, which he remembers as one of those character-building, before-and-after experiences. “It was nice to be so far away from home and be totally self-reliant and undertake such a huge adventure like that,” he says. “I loved that one could be living in the city of San Francisco but you could get to the ocean in ten minutes; hop across the bridge and be in the mountains in twenty minutes; cruise through Nappa Valley in an hour. It was fantastic to be in that kind of habitat.”

An appreciation of the outdoors wasn’t the only thing Rose took with him when he re-

turned to Toronto: yoga would become one of his favourite pastimes and essential to his process. In a city where moving forward is constantly encouraged, yoga provides an opportunity to step back and reflect, one which Rose treasures. “Yoga definitely has changed me,” he says. “Everything has improved with it: my health, my work, my relationships…I love it.”

The way Rose puts it, becoming a chef was always the only option. Brought up Jewish, food was always a relevant part of his life. He was raised on the fattoush and kishka of eastern Europe, feasting on meals cooked lovingly by his mother and grandmother for the Sabbath. Like everything else Rose has created, these culinary appetites would find a place in the selection on offer at Fat Pasha, a synthesis of Middle Eastern culture, Israeli street food, and the Grateful Dead. He lingered in academia for a while before being kicked out of university for cheating on an exam — “I hated school,” he says, laughing — and because he was already cooking plenty, the decision came naturally. He applied to Centro in the ‘90s, settled in San Francisco for the next chapter of his life, and the rest, as they say, was history.

So what’s next for Rose? A much needed retreat to the cottage with his family, yoga sessions, and exploring new work opportunities in Brooklyn and Los Angeles in the coming year. “At the end of the day,” he says, “we want to collaborate with amazing and talented people who are passionate about what they do and continue to do things our way.”

So far it seems to be working.

2015/2016

U OF T’S PERFORMING ARTS LEADER SINCE 1919

Hart House Theatre Season

WORLD PREMIERE

WE THE FAMILY Multicultural mayhem. Love.

Larceny. And death!

By George F. Walker Directed by Andrea Wasserman

SEPT. 18–OCT. 3, 2015 BOX OFFICE:

www.uofttix.ca / 416.978.8849 Adults $28 / Seniors $17 / Students $15 $12 Student tickets every Wednesday evening!

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Season Sponsors:

var.st/science

SCIENCE 14 September 2015

science@thevarsity.ca

DIANA PHAM/THE VARSITY

Transgender: the margin of the margin An exploration of transgender perspectives and issues in Toronto SHAHIN IMTIAZ

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

THE T IN LGBT “If Pride is a loving family, members of the trans community are the strange cousins,” says Dawna Armstrong. In 1996 she was the first trans-woman to have taken on her employers in a legal battle for human rights violations, and won.

“This set precedence,” she says. “They then added ‘gender-identity’ to Canada’s standard against workplace discrimination.”

Nearly 20 years later, Trans issues and persons are still being tokenized, marginalized, or outright rejected by society and law. But this discrimination also seeps into the basic services in place for all people, bringing into question their access to fundamental human dignities.

THE PSYCHIATRIC PERSPECTIVE AND GRAY AREAS Medical professionals are polarized in their opinions on Transgenderism.

Some, like Dr. Joseph Berger, a prominent figure of Psychiatry in Toronto, maintain that from a medical and scientific perspective there is no such thing as a “transgendered” person — and that it is simply the manifestation of a mental illness. According to Berger, having the right chromosomes, having an ovary, the ability to ovulate and bear children is what makes a woman, and producing sperm, a man.

Other psychologists interviewed echoed this line of thought, and posit that transgenderism is something perverse from which children should be protected — an

opinion which has stymied federal trans equality laws. Transgenderism used to be classified as ‘gender identity disorder’ by the DSM, the bible of abnormal psychiatry. Psychiatrists today maintain that gender dysphoria is a legitimate mental illness.

Yet others view the inclusion of gender dysphoria in the DSM as fundamentally transphobic. Dr. Mark Dupere, a Toronto based physician specializing in Trans surgery tells me, “I do not think it belongs [in the DSM or other psychiatry textbooks and] over time, it will be removed.”

Normality in the western psychiatric sphere is attuned to societal norms, which are constantly in flux. Homosexuality, too, was classified as a mental illness in the DSM until 1973, when homophobia was normalized by the worldwide influence of Abrahamic religions. Before then, it was widely accepted in many prosperous cultures.

Similarly, other societies have held vastly different views on gender and are much more accepting of transgenderism. One example is Native American culture where Trans or ‘two spirit’ persons were recognized as a third gender and believed to be a blessing to the community. The Zumi, for example, believed gender is not determined by biology, and develops when a child is 3 to 4 years old.

Thus, supporters pose the question: does bias of psychiatry towards western societal constructs ignore the lived experiences of millions of people around the world?

Trans identifying persons and statistics attest that their identity stays with them their whole lives, no matter the so-called ‘treatments’ received.

THE REALITY OF MEDICAL SERVICES Transgender and Transsexual transitioning services are covered by the government of Ontario if the person receives treatment through select clinics. Until recently, he Center for Mental Health and Addiction (CAMH) was the only place for government insured transitioning services in Canada. After controversy over practice of conversion therapy at CAMH, reports of mistreatment of trans-persons, complaints of years long wait-times for appointments, and a few lawsuits over coverage and other issues, the Ontario government announced at the end of June 2015 that it would be expanding this list of insured clinics.

Mariko, a student at OCAD, began transitioning a year ago. They did not know the word transgender when growing up, but had always identified as a boy regardless, and also led a healthy, happy life. ‘It’s a very different story from what you hear. I was always mentally stable. I wasn’t depressed or angry, but I was still Trans.’

However, Mariko’s supportive doctor advised them to hyperbolize their distress and match the stereotypical narrative, in order to get recognized as Transgender and approved for transitioning in Ontario. Medical professionals, Mariko says, are told to allow transitioning as a last resort of sorts, only brought to the table when there is no hope of their patient being cisgender. ‘‘[The stereotypical checkboxes for trans recognition and transitioning] reduces our identity to something that needs to come from a place of upset. This is not true and is not helping anyone, them or us,” they say.

As someone involved in social work, however, Terrence does sympathize with the rigid

standards of distress Trans persons need to showcase in order to be allowed transitioning, despite the shortcomings. Since transitioning can be government insured, taxpayers will want that sort of justification as the number of people seeking treatment grows exponentially.

“I think [treating it as a checkbox of symptoms] is best until the public perspective on trans people changes,” he says. “It will take a while to get there.”

Terrence has also encountered ignorance in the medical community, having to explain his identity to a nurse while under anesthesia.

“Medical staff really need to be trained and informed,” he explains.

His experience mirrored that of many others who recount multiple incidents of medical professionals not believing their officiated gender identities, questioning it without reserve, and embarrassing them publicly. The US implemented a nationwide pilot program in training medical professionals in trans issues last month.

SUPPORT AND ACCEPTANCE Terrence hopes that with enough advocacy and education, things may improve. His group REX PRIDE is adding to the wave of change by spreading awareness of trans issues. He and his organization are now working towards informational and training programs for segments of the Toronto Police.

“It’s not so hard to be respectful of other people and their identities, if one can be openminded and trust in ‘live and let live’.” Says Terrence. “Trans people are not a threat to society. We are just people who want to be happy, same as everyone else.”

This article has been condensed for length and clarity. An extended version can be found online.

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SCIENCE LITERACY WEEK EDITION

iGEM 2015 to focus on bioremediation Using synthetic biology to tackle tar sand problem

BROUGHT TO YOU BY SIMRAN DHUNNA VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

JURASSIC WORLD MOVIE SCREENING WITH PALEONTOLOGIST DISCUSSION Follow up a classic dinosaur movie with your favourite film and paleontology questions with David Evans and Robert Reisz.

September 21, 2015 @ 7:00-10:00 PM Bloor Hot Docs Cinema - $10 3D PRINTING DEMONSTRATION Join the Dentistry Library and Instructional Technology Services (IITS) for a 3D scanner demonstration with Andrea Cormier.

September 21-25, 2015 @ 12:30-1:00 PM daily Gerstein Library PANEL DISCUSSION ON HEALTHCARE AND AGING WITH U OF T SCIENTISTS Discuss scientific questions surrounding health and aging with Kerry Bowman, Mike Carter, Ronald Baecker, James Downar, Carol Greenwood, and moderator from the Toronto Star, Kate Allen.

September 23, 2015 @ 7:00-10:00 PM Isabel Bader Theatre RSVP at Eventbrite

PANEL DISCUSSION ON ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY WITH U OF T SCIENTISTS Discuss the science and social issues surrounding energy and sustainability with Aziza Chaouni, Ravi Seethapathy, David Zingg, Brandon Sutherland, and Ron Oberth.

September 24, 2015 @ 7:00-10:00 PM Isabel Bader Theatre RSVP at Eventbrite.

CROSS-COLLABORATION: SPEED NETWORKING WITH UOFT RESEARCHERS Connect with faculty during 7-minute speed meetings.

September 24, 2015 @ 3:00-5:00 PM Gerstein Science Information Centre CONTACT MOVIE SCREENING AND DISCUSSION WITH ASTRONOMERS ON SETI Watch Contact and discuss extraterrestrial intelligence with Dunlap Institute astronomers Laura Newburgh and Elliot Meyer.

September 26, 2015 @ 12:00-3:00 PM Bloor Hot Docs Cinema - $10 TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE VIEWING PARTY Don’t miss this party hosted by the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, as you won’t get the chance to view a total lunar eclipse again in North America until 2019!

September 27, 2015 @ 8:30 PM-12:30 AM Dunlap Institution for Astronomy and Astrophysics (50 St. George street) RSVP on the Facebook event page

U of T’s 2015 iGEM Squad. COURTESY OF MARK WANG

NYIMA GYALMO

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

What if there was a way to get bacteria culture to help clean up toxic substances? This year a team of young researchers from U of T aim to answer exactly that question at the 2015 iGEM competition at the Hynes Convention Centre in Boston. They will be presenting their main project, which focuses on engineering a bacterium to degrade toluene, one of many toxic compounds found in oil sand tailing ponds. iGEM — or, the International Genetically Engineered Machine — is a non-profit international community that grants students the opportunity to apply synthetic biology to existing world problems and present their project in front of a global audience, which includes 280 teams. Synthetic biology is a combination of engineering and biology, and iGEM gives students access to resources that make it possible for them to explore independent research outside of their graduate and undergraduate curriculum.

“It’s mainly student run, so it gives the students the opportunity to leading a project, managing a project as well as on the scientific side all your protocols and experimental knowledge,” explains Katariina Jaenes, one of the wet lab team leaders and a microbiology student at U of T. U of T’s chapter has been participating in the giant jamboree since 2006 with growing recognition each year. U of T received a gold medal at iGem in 2013 for their project on

biofilm formation, a bronze medal in 2014 for the “finding plasmo” project, and this year the team is working on an environmental project to promote and possibly implement responsible management of tailing ponds.

“When they are purifying oil sand, they need to use water on site, so they use the water from [the] Athabasca river in their oil processing. But they cannot just throw away that water, the government of Alberta demands that they store that water on site in tailing ponds,” explains Jaenes.

Tailing ponds from oilsand extraction contain toxic chemicals including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, BTEX — Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl benzene and Xylene — ammonia, lead, mercury, and other metals. The U of T’s iGEM team believes that one day their bacterial solution could potentially be used at an industrial scale.

“We are trying to degrade toluene which is one of them, those chemicals all share similar chemical structure,” said Seray Cicek, a wet lab team lead and a biomedical engineering student. “If we are successful in implementing this in toluene, chances are that we will be able to use it in other molecule as well,” added Cicek. iGEM U of T has successfully received €5,000 after submitting their proposal to SYNENERGENE. They are currently working with Delft University of Technology, a university from the Netherlands on the Application and Techno-Moral Scenarios to further develop their design, analyze cost and address concerns.

“The two methods of delivery of our product would be either ‘Mammoth’ or a pill — the Mammoth being the bioreactor or a pill which is just a small capsular device that we can throw into [a tailing pond]” said Anthony Zhao, computational lab lead, is also studying immunology and neuroscience. The team proposed these two hypothetical products in their proposal to SYNERGENE. According to Zhao, the Mammoth would be able to suffice the transformed toluene — degrading bacteria with nutrients through a lysogeny broth (LB) medium — ideal for bacteria growth and oxygen.

“We would need to pump the tailing pond into the Mammoth and pump out bioremediated products, whereas you can just dump the pills into tailing ponds and retrieve them later,” added Zhao.

The transformed bacteria with the degrading pathway would be grown inside the bioreactor. The contaminated water is pumped into the contained space with the transformed E.coli, the toxic compound is degraded and the bioremediated product is pumped out.

The team is currently in the process of making the plasmid and they are also creating a miniature prototype of the Mammoth bioreactor to be displayed.

Other future plans include an arrangement of a panel discussion with academics from microbiology, law, and environmental biology in Calgary and nearby universities.

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Making astronomy accessible

Simplified astronomy in action. RODOLFO JOSHUA NAVAL/THE VARSITY

Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics hosts first of monthly “AstroTours” series RODOLFO JOSHUA NAVAL VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

On September 3, 2015, the department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Toronto hosted the Astronomy Public Tours, known as ‘AstroTours.’ AstroTours is an event operated by graduate students at U of T’s astronomy department.

The event, which is comprised of an hour-long talk followed by an hour of planetarium shows and telescope observation, is offered on the first Thursday of each month. The talks are hosted by doctoral students and members of the faculty, on topics ranging from dark energy to the transit method for detecting planets.

This month’s AstroTour talk was hosted by Dr. Christa Van Laerhoven on the formation and migration of planets in the solar system; how asteroids and comets may be used to study planetary migration, and how theories such as the ‘Grand Tack Hypothesis’ and ‘Nice model’ can be used to explain the formation of planets and their movement across the solar system.

Given that these topics may seem challenging, the objective of AstroTours is to create an atmosphere of interest and curiosity, especially for attendees without any background in the sciences. “We’re trying to make [the subject of astronomy] accessible to families, to people of all ages,” explains Heidi White, the manager of the planetarium and one of the executive team members of AstroTours.

“I believe that the point of AstroTours is to make us scientists accessible,” says Van Laerhoven, “having an opportunity to make science not just for us scientists but for everybody.”

To that end, Van Laerhoven’s presentation was packed with attendees of various ages and backgrounds. Although most of the attendees were university students, there were also several little children, as well as alumni.

“It was quite exciting to learn how planets have changed and how they will change in time,” says Jackson Eidelberg, an attendee with a master’s degree in architecture.

Van Laerhoven used various methods during her presentation to keep the crowd interested. For one, she introduced humor to ease in defining scientific terms. As an example, she would include the phrase “holy jargon Batman!” prior to providing definitions for scientific terms. In addition, she used video animations to provide visual examples of her arguments.

“She is well spoken and well-arranged. I wasn’t disappointed; I really loved it and I can’t wait to come back again,” said Sushant Hukeri.

After the talk, planetarium shows and telescope observations became available for attendees. The planetarium show captured a three-dimensional representation of the Rosetta Satellite and the Comet 67P — the comet Rosetta sent a probe to land on — while the telescope observations offered attendees an opportunity to view Saturn.

Ultimately, the AstroTours event served as a great opportunity for both the attendees and the astronomers to get involved.

“This is a really good way for us to tell the general public what we’re doing, why it’s important and why it’s awesome,” says Charles Zhu, the special events director for AstroTours, adding that, “for those people who are interested, it’s a good way of connecting to the university because they’ll get to have a glimpse of all the stuff that we do here.”

AstroTours is financed by U of T’s Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics and the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics. It was first hosted during the fall of 1997 and continues to this day. The next AstroTours event is scheduled to take place on October first.

U of T professor links marijuana, schizophrenia, and brain development For boys vulnerable to schizophrenia, cannabis use may change brain structure ANDREW RICHMOND VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Higher usage corrolates to a more pronounce effect. JENNIFER SU/THE VARSITY

Dr. Tomas Paus, professor of psychology and psychiatry at U of T, has co-authored a study linking the use of marijuana among schizophrenia-prone adolescents to structural changes in the brain.

The study examines almost 1,600 subjects, some of whom did, and some of whom did not use marijuana before the age of 16. Some subjects had a high risk of schizophrenia, and some had a low risk, based on polygenic testing (testing numerous genetic locations for traits associated with schizophrenia).

The goal was to find the effect of cannabis use on the development of the cerebral cortex — the outer layer of brain tissue, which plays an important role in perception, memory, language, and consciousness in general.

Among male subjects who had a high risk of developing schizophrenia, those who used cannabis during adolescence developed significantly thinner cerebral cortices than those who didn’t, and the more often a subject used cannabis, the more pronounced the effect was. But males with a low risk of schizophrenia saw no change to their cerebral development as a result of cannabis use, and females at either high or low risk were likewise unaffected.

Paus is quick to point out that the study doesn’t prove any sort of cause-and-effect relationship — there may be some other factor affecting cortical thickness that also creates conditions in which a youth would be more likely to use marijuana. He does note, however, that the thinning is most pronounced in

areas of the cortex with more cannabinoid receptors, so there is some evidence that cannabis itself is at fault.

The ultimate answers to questions of causation, says Paus, lie in experimental work, not in work that studies health trends across populations like his. But a good first step, he thinks, would be longer-term studies with larger samples, to more concretely establish the link between cannabis use, cortical development, and schizophrenia.

The current study is nonetheless an important step in exploring the development of mental disorders in adolescence, and identifying the role of cannabis use in brain development.

Paus is aware that the study has been released into a contentious political climate, with three dominant political parties and as many positions on marijuana legalization. However, he cautions those who would attach any political significance to his results, saying, “this kind of research does not contribute to policy decisions” — at least until it proves more concrete connections between marijuana use and mental illness.

This is not to diminish the importance of the research. Paus thinks that even if it shouldn’t inform policy, this evidence, in conjunction with other research showing that “adolescent cannabis use increases probability of schizophrenia later in life,” should be taken seriously by the academic community and the general public, especially by those who have significant family histories of mental illness, or anything else increasing the risk of such illness, making them more susceptible to the dangers the study highlights.

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Annual General Meeting Wednesday 7 October 2015 OISE Auditorium (G162) 5:30pm-10pm Registration starts at 4:30pm Every member* at the University of Toronto Student’s Union can participate in this meeting.

Agenda: ’ Call to Order ’ Welcoming Remarks ’ President’s Address and Executive Question Period ’ Approval of Minutes ’ Receipt of the 2014-2015 Audited Financial Statements ’ Appointment of Auditors for 2015-2016 ’ Election and Confirmation of Board of Directors Structure ’ Approval of Bylaw Amendments ’ Consideration of Member-Submitted Motions ’ Adjournment

For the full text of all the resolutions to be considered at the meeting, please consult the University of Toronto Students’ Union Website at utsu.ca/AGM Accessibility Wheelchair accessible. If you have any accessibility requests, require ASL interpretation, childcare, or have other inquiries, please contact Ryan Gomes, Vice-President Internal and Services, by September 30 at vpinternal@utsu.ca or 416-978-4911 x240

Instructions for voting by proxy If you are unable to attend this meeting, and wish to give another person the authority to vote for you, please complete a proxy form and return it to the UTSU office or UTMSU office by Thursday 24 September at 5pm. You can pick up a proxy from the UTSU or UTMSU office starting 14 September.

Please note that due to the regulations applicable to the Canada Not-For-Profit Corporations Act, the UTSU proxy system has changed. Forms must be picked up, filled out, and returned by the member who is giving the authority to vote to another member. Forms cannot be picked up or returned by proxyholders.

Save time and pre-register Want to avoid the line-up at registration and have your name printed on your voting card? Our pre-registration will be available for individual members between 28 September and 2 October. If you cannot pre-register, you can still register at the door. *Members of the UTSU include: Â’ Full-time undergraduate students at the St. George and Mississauga campuses Â’ Toronto School of Theology students Â’ Transitional Year Program students Â’ Students on a Professional Employment Year (PEY) program

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SPORTS 14 September 2015

sports@thevarsity.ca

U of T athletes great in Gwangju

Gabriella Stafford celebrates CIS 4x800m relay win. MARTIN BAZYL/THE VARSITY

Massie, Stafford, and Turner represent Canada in student games ANTHONY PIRUZZA VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

From July 3-14, athletes from the University of Toronto travelled to South Korea to compete for Team Canada in the 2015 Summer Universiade. U of T athletes fresh off of successful seasons at both the provincial and national level, captured two medals and a fifth place finish against elite-level international competition.

The Summer Universiade is run by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) and has been active since 1959. Referred to as the World University Games, the Universiade is the second largest multi-sport competition in the world next to the Olympics. The 28 biennial Summer Universiade Games were held in Gwangju, South Korea. Team Canada finished 21 with two gold, four silver, and two bronze medals.

Team Canada consisted of athletes from universities throughout North America, but several standouts came directly from U of T. Varsity Blues long distance runner,

Gabriella Stafford, swimmer Kylie Masse, and decathalete James Turner all contributed to Canada’s success at the games.

Masse’s performance in the women’s 100-meter backstroke earned a gold medal after a personal best time of 59.97. This follows an impressive freshman year for Masse, who earned the distinctions of U of T female rookie athlete, and Ontario University Athletics (OUA) female swimmer of the year after winning six gold medals at the OUA Championship.

Stafford captured a silver medal in the women’s 1500-meter competition, finishing the race with a time of 4:19.27 — a second faster than her bronze medal winning time in the 2014-2015 CIS Track and Field championship.

Stafford opted to preserve her energy for the final 300-meters of the competition because of windy weather conditions. “Once I saw an opening I got out of the box and with the wind at my back, I just starting picking off girls until I moved into second place!” she explained.

U of T track and field athlete

James Turner, who was last season’s OUA and CIS gold medalist in the pentathlon, competed in the decathlon event, earning a fifth place finish with 7529 total points.

Turner’s top five finish at the Universiade was confirmation that he can be highly competitive on the international stage.

Following the Universiade, the possibility of making Canada’s 2016 Summer Olympics team looms large for Turner. “There’s really only one team to make next year, and that’s the Olympics,” said Turner of his future athletic pursuits, adding, “I don’t like to think about the outcome, I try to focus on piecing together the best decathlon I’m capable of and letting the outcome take care of itself.”

It wasn’t only athletes that U of T contributed to Team Canada.

Varsity Blues men’s basketball coach John Campbell headed to South Korea as assistant coach of Team Canada’s men’s basketball team. There, Campbell lead the team to a 4-1 start in preliminary group, and a 91-65 win against Estonia, cementing the team’s seventh place finish.

Next up SEPTEMBER 16th Women’s & Men’s Soccer vs. Trent 6 PM, 8:15 PM at Varsity Stadiumw SEPTEMBER 18th Men’s Lacrosse vs. Laurentian 8:30 PM at Varsity Stadium SEPTEMBER 18th Women’s Ice Hockey vs. Laurentian 3:00 PM at Varsity Arena SEPTEMBER 19th Baseball vs. Ryerson 3:30 PM at Dan Lang Field

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Blues’ big break in Belgium Women’s volleyball captain Charlotte Sider goes pro NICOLE BIANCHI

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

The newest Varsity Blue athlete to go pro is last season’s volleyball captain and standout, Charlotte Sider.

The Ottawa native — who studied kinesiology — played left side for the Blues for five years and has recently decided to take her talents to Belgium, signing an eight-month contract with VT Optima Lendelede for the 2015-2016 season.

Growing up, Sider played many different sports, including swimming, tennis, track and field, basketball, and, of course, volleyball. However, it was not until the tenth grade that she decided to focus on volleyball.

Sider, a driven athlete and captain, realized that among all the sports she played, volleyball was the one she was most passionate about and most wanted to pursue. “[I’ve] always had the desire to play [volleyball] at the highest level possible,” said Sider, who has now reached that goal by signing a professional contract.

Sider also credits her experience at U of T as influencing her deci-

sion to turn pro — from coaches, to medical staff, and, of course, her teammates. “U of T provided [me] with a strong support system… [and] a firm foundation for volleyball,” she explained. The program also taught her professionalism, which is applicable beyond the world of professional sports.

During her time at U of T, Sider was also provided with numerous opportunities to represent not only the university, but Canada as well.

She was a member of the FISU beach volleyball team in Kazan, Russia in 2013, where she and her partner Rachel Cockrell — of the University of Manitoba — made it to the quarterfinals. Sider also represented Canada at the under-21 and under-23 world championships.

These experiences may have helped prepare Sider for playing in Europe, where volleyball is much more of a spectator sport than in Canada. In fact, Sider says that many teams play their matches in gyms and stadiums designed specifically for volleyball. The larger fan

Sider signed an eight month pro-contract with VT Optima Lendelede. VARSITY BLUES/THE VARSITY

base overseas also means that it is easier for the athletes to make a living playing in professional leagues.

Sider says she is taking things in stride, embracing her current opportunity in Belgium, where playing volleyball will not come with-

out some unique challenges — like adapting to a new culture and learning how to communicate — but she says that she is looking forward to “[experiencing] volleyball in a totally new context.”

Regardless of any obstacles that

may arise, Sider is staying positive by reminding herself that “volleyball is volleyball no matter where you live.”

Though trying to take life “one season at a time,” the future looks bright for this former Varsity Blue.

World–class TPASC open to some U of T students Decision yet to be made on whether non-UTSC students will pay membership fees at facility

KASI SEWRAJ

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

If you attended the Pan Am Games this past summer for a diving or swimming event, you would have found yourself at the newest addition to the University of Toronto’s family of facilities, the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (TPASC).

TPASC is owned by both U of T and the City of Toronto — allowing both students and community members access to the most expensive investment in Canadian amateur sport history.

Although the facility opened a year ago, it has been closed to the public since the beginning of the Pan Am Games in early May. Included in the TPASC are a fitness centre, aquatic centre, field house and climbing wall. The fitness centre — the new home of UTSC’s drop-in sports programs — is a multi-level concourse equipped with free weights, squat decks, and Jacob’s Ladders on the lower level and a cardio studio above, consisting of treadmills, stationary bikes, and elliptical machines.

The most impressive feature of the TPASC, however, is the aquatic

TPASC’s aquatics centre wil open fully on September 28. MATTHEW MANHIRE/THE VARSITY

centre, which houses two Olympic size pools which served as groundzero for the diving and swimming Pan Am events — the place where U of T alumni Zack Chetrat won bronze in the 200-meter butterfly competition.

All of the TPASC facilities, with the exception of the competition

pool, which opens on September 28, will open on September 14, and will be mainly used for aquatic programming such as lane swimming and aqua fit classes during the school year. Believe it or not, U of T’s Varsity Blues swim team will continue training at the Athletic Center pool, meaning fewer lane

closures and program hours.

Certainly one of the most exciting features of TPASC is its 41foot climbing wall. This is the first climbing facility at U of T, and is available for drop-in sessions or for lessons. The facility offers a variety of climbing routes for beginners and experts alike.

TPASC is also the new home of the Canadian Sports Institute Ontario, which provides sports service and research. They work with Canadian athletes and coaches to deliver programming, provide rehabilitation, and much more.

But before you get your gym bag packed and sign up for some climbing lessons, UTSG and UTM students should note that TPASC might not be available for tri-campus usage. “For St. George and UTM students, there is the possibility that a membership will be required in order to access the TPASC facility,” said Candice Pope, the recreation service and communications assistant at UTSC, adding that a decision on the matter will be made imminently.

For the time being, UTSC students need but a TCard to access TPASC, which will be open from 5 AM to 12 PM daily, seven days a week, so students — except maybe those who attend UTM and UTSG — no longer have an excuse to miss a workout, and have the unique opportunity to swim where Olympians swam, and train like the pros.

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Sports and sexual diversity Proposed course to tackle issues of homophobia and inclusivity within sport EMMA KIKULIS SPORTS EDITOR

With the Pan Am Games finished and Toronto on the brink of making a decision about bidding for the 2024 Summer Olympics, the world of athletics and high performance sport have never been more relevant for the city, and for students at U of T. The direction of the conversation surrounding international sport has never strayed far from how to make athletics more inclusive and removing the “don’t ask don’t tell” taboo from professional sport — a debate which reached a boiling point at the 2014 Sochi Olympics with regards to host nation Russia’s anti-gay policies.

Since 2014, U of T has made an effort to take a clear stance in support of LGBTQ athletes, hosting a speaker series on the subject, and creating an Athlete Ally program to highlight the important role of gender and sexual diversities in sport.

“This institution has continued to commit to full accessibility and equity for all members of our community, in sport, physical activity, and anything else,” said former Olympian, and principal of UTSC Bruce Kidd, at the LGBTQ: Athletes in Conversation panel this past June.

The Mark S. Bonham Center for Sexual Diversity Studies has followed suit — recognizing both the need for, and popularity of, discussion surrounding sexual diversity in sport and has proposed a course entitled “Sports and Sexual Diversity” for the 20162017 academic year.

“Much has changed in the field of sports in terms of LGBT athletes and the role of sports in international LGBT politics,” said U of T professor Scott Rayter on why the juxtaposition of sexuality and athletics is such an important area of discussion — adding that the face of sport is changing rapidly, with nations and sport governing bodies creating more inclusive policies and embracing LGBTQ athletes. “Many national and international sports bodies and organizations are taking a stand on promoting inclusion and speaking out against homophobia,” said Rayter.

Rayter, who is the associate director for the Mark S. Bonham Center for Sexual Diversity Studies and a lecturer in the English

Sexuality, like sport, is inherently diverse. ELHAM NUMAN/THE VARSITY

department, adds that a course recognizing and combining sexual diversities within sport is crucial, due to the distinct, mutually exclusive, boundaries between female and male genders that high performance athletics usually perpetuates. “Think of how few sports incorporate both men and women... Why can’t we categorize athletes, as in wrestling or boxing, along weight class, or skill?”

The division of genders within sport will

be a topic in the course, which was approved for funding last April. The tentative course outline promises discussions of the regulation of sexuality in sport, the role sport and wellness programs have in fostering community building amongst sexual minorities, and what Canada, as well as the rest of the world, are and can be, doing to promote the intersection of sport and sexuality in different diverse cultural and geographical climates.

“Everyday we hear about some new sex scandal in professional sports,” said Rayter, adding, “sport has become... a forum for talking about LGBT human rights.”

Although U of T’s selection process for courses approved for funding can be long and tedious, students can almost certainty look forward to enrolling in “Sports and Sexual Diversity” in the fall of 2016.

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U of T field hockey dominates in home opener Blues defeat Panthers 6–1 VELA PANDYA

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Student Pricing on all Macs.

On Friday September 11, the Varsity Blues women’s field hockey team won their home opener game against the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers. The Blues had a terrific win, with a final score of 6–1. The 60-minute game was a tough battle during the first half, but the Blues quickly took the lead in the second.

The first goal of the season was scored by Ally Evanyshyn, and was recorded minutes into the game.

Struggle ensued as the Panthers attacked, and were successful in scoring a point. After quite a few tries, another goal for the Blues was scored in the first half, placing Toronto in the lead.

The second half began with excellent defense from both teams. The Blues kept the Panthers in their goal for most of the second half, with stellar offence. Some key attackers in the match were Tegan Stairs and Megan Johansen. The midfielders responsible for keeping the Panthers on their toes with sharp, precise passes were Emma Wingrave and veteran Amanda Woodcroft.

Woodcroft — who is in her fifth season with the Blues — and a

member of Canada’s bronze medal winning Pan Am team, described the match as rough, yet was still impressed with the tenacity of her team and their perseverance to pull through to the end. “It’s always great to win the first game. It was even better since the team got to play together after a while� said

Woodcroft, who has been training two times a day for the past two weeks with the rest of the team. “It was great to play today because all we did was run before [the match].�

You can see Woodcroft, and the rest of the Blues field hockey team in action on October 17 when they take on the McGill Martlets.

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VARSITY PUBLICATIONS

BOARD OF DIRECTIONS BY-ELECTION: CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Varsity Publications is the not-for-profit corporation that publishes The Varsity newspaper. There are two (2) vacant seats on the Corporation’s Board of Directors.

A by-election to fill these seats will be held on October 5 — 7 2015.

Who can run?

— One (1) Mississauga director: any full-time undergraduate student who pays the Varsity Publications levy and is enrolled at UTM. If no nominations are received for the UTM category, a general category director will be elected — One (1) Scarborough director: any full-time undergraduate student who pays the Varsity Publications levy and is enrolled at UTSC. If no nominations are received for the UTSC category, a general category director will be elected

Nomination information: Eligible student must complete a nomination form and obtain the signature of twenty-five (25) members. Members are full-time undergraduate students who pay the Varsity Publications levy.

Completed forms can be scanned and emailed to the CRO (chair@ thevarsity.ca) or submitted in person to room 200, 21 Sussex Avenue, Toronto ON M5S1J6 var.st/bod15

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FALL OPEN HOUSE 24 SEPTEMBER 4 PM at 21 SUSSEX AVE thevarsity.ca thevarsitynewspaper @TheVarsity the_varsity