w w w .w e sterngazette.c a • @uw ogazette
And the West takes it
thegazette Waiting for floor plans since 1906
Friday, May 17, 2013
The West wins 18–17 over the East for their first victory in the East-West Bowl in four years. >> pg. 8 today high 21 low 8
tomorrow high 22 low 10
canada’s only Daily Student Newspaper • founded 1906
Whelan gets keys to USC
Access Copyright sues York University Aaron Zaltzman Associate Editor
Julian Uzielli GAZETTE
REPEAT AFTER ME: BEST STUDENT EXPERIENCE. Adam Fearnall’s term as USC president officially ends this month, with Patrick Whelan set to take his place on June 1. Whelan is currently going through a month-long transition and training process in preparation for the job.
Julian Uzielli Editor-in-Chief
It’s the end of an era—on June 1, for the first time since 2011, the initials of the University Students’ Council president won’t be A.F. At the end of the month, USC president Adam Fearnall will officially hand over power to incoming president Pat Whelan. Whelan and his five incoming vice-presidents, Sam Krishnapillai, Amir Eftekharpour, Spencer Brown, Jas Irwin and Adam Smith, will make up the USC executive for the 201314 year. They will set the direction for Western’s student government and oversee the organization’s $12 million budget. “Our exec is definitely very aligned on a lot of things. There’s definitely areas of discussion to be had, but I think that for the most part there is very much a united vision,” Whelan said. That vision, he said, can be boiled down to “better communication.” “When I say communication, I mean speaking and listening,” he added. “Listening was a big part of my election, and I think my exec is very much on board with the need for better feedback mechanisms.” The incoming president and vice-presidents are undergoing a month-long training process as
part of the transition into their new jobs. Though they are considered full-time employees and are on the USC payroll for the month of May, they don’t take charge until June. In the meantime, they are receiving extensive professional development training—in other words, learning to write policy, make decisions and deal with the day-to-day headaches of running a government.
Pat’s got a really strong focus on advocacy—Pat was the candidate that I hoped was going to come out of Western Untold. —Adam Fearnall
Outgoing USC president
That training means Whelan has been working closely with Fearnall for the past month. But despite their differences in the past—Whelan was an active member of a different candidate’s campaign team when Fearnall was elected in 2012—both said the process has been an illuminating experience. “You get a new appreciation for
the intention behind decisions. So you may not agree with it, but it’s a whole new perspective—you think you know the job, and what you thought it was is maybe 30, 40 per cent of it, and there’s another 60 per cent that they’re balancing,” Whelan said. Fearnall agreed, saying he and Whelan are not as different as they thought. “Pat’s got a really strong focus on advocacy—Pat was the candidate that I hoped was going to come out of Western Untold,” he said, referring to his October speech in which he slammed the Western administration for not adequately addressing students’ needs. “A lot of the things that he stands for are very consistent with the things that I said during Western Untold.” “I think where Pat’s different is he really has a good grasp of what some of the grassroots are saying about the USC, and he brings in a different perspective than I do. I think he’s engaged with a slightly different group of people than I am.” Whelan also hinted he’s planning to make good on his promises right away. At the first council meeting on July 15, Whelan said he plans to bring forward an amendment to the budget. He declined to give any details, except to say that it wouldn’t affect fees.
Volume 107, Issue 1
The ongoing saga of Access Copyright’s struggles with Canadian universities opened up on a new front last month when the licensing group filed a lawsuit against York University, alleging the institution’s guidelines for fair dealing of intellectual work violate copyright law. “These legal actions are a last resort,” Robert Gilbert, communications coordinator for the organization, said. “Access Copyright believes in a strong and vibrant culture of writing.” Access Copyright has served for 25 years as a middleman between publishers and consumers, with the goal of protecting intellectual property. The organization was in nearconstant struggle with Canadian universities between 2010 and 2012 over hammering out a new licensing agreement. When the old licensing agreement expired, many universities, including York, decided not to sign the new agreement, which required universities to pay a $26 per-student flat rate. Instead, they opted to directly sort out their own copyright issues. However, the school has been under careful scrutiny from Access Copyright, which is looking for any reason to enforce their licensing agreement on schools that have opted out of it. According to Gilbert, at the heart of the lawsuit lie York’s guidelines for fair dealing—in other words, specific circumstances under which copyright material can be legally used without the owner’s permission. “Access Copyright disagrees with the overly broad and unfounded interpretation many in the education sector have taken regarding fair dealing in an educational context,” Gilbert explained. “What many institutions in the education system are proposing to do under their interpretation of fair dealing will damage the creation and distribution of content in Canada.” “This whole system is unsustainable if universities like York continue to copy and use materials they clearly value and require, for free.” York declined to comment in depth about the lawsuit. “At this point we can confirm that York University was served with legal documents on April 8, 2013. We are now in the process of reviewing the statement of claim by Access Copyright,” Joanne Rider,
chief spokesperson and director of media relations for York, said. “We are confident that we are operating within the law and we will actively defend this case.” Many have rushed to York’s defense, including the Canadian Association of University Teachers, who called the lawsuit “hopeless.” “New copyright laws and practices have rendered Access Copyright’s business obsolete and it is sad that they think they can revive it through pointless litigation,” James Turk, executive director of CAUT, said. “The organization needs to stop its ill-considered lawsuits and focus on finding a new rationale for existence.”
Naira Ahmed Gazette
2•
thegazette • Friday, May 17, 2013
Caught on Camera
Julian Uzielli GAZETTE
ATTACK OF THE DRONES! A remote-controlled drone flies in front of the Social Science Centre yesterday to capture birds-eye footage of campus for a video being produced by Western communications. Don’t be alarmed—the robot uprising hasn’t begun. Yet.
The Puzzle Panel
News Briefs
Stubble is sexy To beard or not to beard? That is the question faced by many single men. Fortunately, psychologists may have found the answer—neither. In a study released this month, researchers have found that women find “heavy stubble” to be the most attractive amount of facial hair growth on men. Barnaby Dixson and Robert Brooks, researchers at the University of New South Wales, conducted the study after their earlier finding that women did not find full beards attractive compared to cleanshaven men. Participants were shown photographs of men with varying amounts of facial hair and asked to judge the attractiveness, masculinity, health and parenting abilities of the subject. Their new study found that full beards were considered more masculine, but the time in between clean-shaven and full beard was when women found men to be most attractive. Straight men, when asked what they found most attractive,
Kelly Samuel Gazette
went with the full beard and concurred with women that it was also more masculine. According to the study, “Women judged faces with heavy stubble as most attractive and heavy beards, light stubble and clean-shaven faces as similarly less attractive.” The researchers also added that “Full-bearded men may be perceived as better fathers who could protect and invest in offspring.” The study noted regardless of the gender of the person judging the photos, “Masculinity ratings increased linearly as facial hair increased.” —Iain Boekhoff
Your Weekly Horoscope The week of May 17 – 23
This horoscope is intended for entertainment purposes only.
ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Life might get stressful really soon unless you curb If you want someone to take you seriously you have your spending. Although you may feel like you’re made to make up your mind. Don’t flip-flop on your ideals of money right now, eventually the well will dry up. this week or you may come across as a pushover. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Making changes is seldom easy, but change is nec- Just when you think you have reached a dead end, essary this week. You may need to analyze which a new path miraculously opens up. Don’t miss your areas of your life can use the most work. opportunity because time is fleeting. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Kick back and have some fun in the next few days. If practice makes perfect, then you have just about Otherwise, you may waste an opportunity to reached perfection. You have been over and over recharge your batteries. Work responsibilities will not something from every angle. It is now or never. wait for long. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Expect some rejuvenated ambition and energy. There are many things you will not be able to Spurred on by this newfound energy, you can suc- change about this week, so why focus on the negacessfully tackle many of the things on your to-do list. tivity? Instead, work around any issues and get the job done anyway. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Unless you can focus you will just be puttering You often seem immune to the seriousness of ceraround without a goal. Put your mind on one thing tain situations. This week is no different. Try to recand stick with this line of thinking for a few days. ognize the gravity of a certain situation and put your best foot forward. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Once you set your mind to something, it can be difficult Don’t think that your efforts have gone unnoticed. A to alter your opinions or perceptions. You may need to few key people have been keeping track of your be a bit more flexible with a loved one this week. accomplishments. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS MAY 19 – Pete Townshend, Musician (68) MAY 21 – Mr. T, Actor (61) MAY 23 – Jewel, Singer/Songwriter (39)
MAY 20 – Cher, Singer/Actress (67) MAY 22 – Apollo Anton Ohno, Athlete (31)
New seats, snack bar, balcony Midnight Cult Movies $4.99 Adults $3.50 Children, Seniors & Tuesdays westernfilm.ca McKellar Room, UCC 519.661.3616
Heeere’s Johnny! Campus police gets new chief Last month, Elgin Austen, director of Campus Community Police Service, retired after 10 years on the job. Western has appointed John Carson to take over the role. Austen first came to Western in 2003 and has been responsible for many initiatives since then, such as Western’s annual Emergency Exercise Training sessions, the university’s accreditation by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators and the Safe Community initiative which focuses on physical, emotional, environmental and cyber protection. Carson, the new director, has been with Campus Police since 2011, and worked with the Ontario Provincial Police for 30 years prior to that. “I’m certainly well-versed in typical policing operations. Having said that, campus police is a fair bit different than public policing. You have one target group of population given the age bracket—30,000 students here on campus,” Carson said. “You don’t encounter some of the issues that you do in the broader public policing so you can focus on the community issues that relate to the students specifically.” Carson said while he doesn’t have any new initiatives he is putting in place, he plans to re-focus other safety initiatives on campus. He mentioned the new residence opening next year, Ontario Hall, as one of his key points of focus for promoting safety. He said his partnership with housing will be integral to minimizing safety issues. “It is a great environment and I really appreciate [it]. Doesn’t matter who you deal with on campus— whether it’s the University Students’ Council, Housing, Resources and Operations [or] Facilities Management, everyone is working cooperatively to make sure this is the safest it can be and it is that working together that will make this job successful,” Carson said. —Megan Devlin
CLUES ACROSS
37. English monk 672-735 (alt. sp.)
1. Fulmar 7. Maple fluid
38. Precise and
6. Confined condition (abbr.) 7. Yemen capital
10. Most saponaceous
39. The beak of a bird
8. Actresses Ortiz & Alicia
12. Icelandic island
40. Point that is one
9. Photographs
13. Stressed pronunciation 14. Ginseng genus 15. Seizes 16. Loose Arab garments 17. Title of respect 18. Operatic solo 19. Fleur-de-lis flower 21. Pad used as a floor covering 22. Sine curve
prudish
point N of NE 41. Blighia sapida 44. Russian political prison camp 45. Unselfishness 48. Arabian Gulf 49. Unsupported 50. Thieving bird 51. Alarm and dismay CLUES DOWN
10. Exposing folly to ridicule 11. Egg-shaped instrument
29. Sodium 30. Women’s __ movement 31. Singleness 32. Saves or delivers 35. The bill in a restaurant 36. Of a city 38. Former name of Belau
12. Established custom
40. Class of comb
14. St. Patrick’s, Macy’s or Rose
41. Height x width
17. Female sibling
42. Pick out from
18. Gather lots together 20. Total
jellies
others 43. German port, bay and canal
27. In the year of Our Lord
1. Cigarette bundle
28. Day or sleep away supervisor
3. Cannisters 4. A way to drench
24. Medieval philosopher
33. Carrier’s invention
5. Point midway
25. Jupiter satellite
46. One circuit of a
26. Invest with knighthood
47. 3X = 1 TBS
2. Fencing sword
34. Infant bed
between E and
36. Fiddler crabs
SE
23. Allowance for intervals
44. Jacob’s 6th son 45. Goat or camel hair fabric track
Put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
For solutions see page 7
•3
thegazette • Friday, May 17, 2013
Smokers must now butt out near parks Richard Raycraft News Editor A new bylaw introduced by the City of London may have smokers thinking twice before lighting up in public. The bylaw, officially named the Smoking Near Recreation Amenities and Entrances Bylaw, came into effect on May 1. It prohibits smoking within nine metres of playgrounds, parks, sports fields and other recreational areas. In addition, the bylaw disallows smoking within nine metres of buildings owned by the City. “Not only does second-hand smoke have a negative impact on the health of others, but merely seeing someone smoking, especially a role model like a parent, older sibling or coach, increases the risk a child may start using tobacco themselves,” Linda Stobo, program manager of Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control at the Middlesex-London Health Unit, said in a statement. “The experience in other communities that have similar bylaws in place has been that with education and awareness of the regulations, people tend to keep themselves in check,” she continued. Enforcement of the bylaw will be the responsibility of the Tobacco Enforcement Team at the MLHU.
Violators of the bylaw could find themselves facing a fine of up to $205 if caught. According to the MLHU, London will join almost 90 other municipalities in Ontario who have adopted similar bylaws. Jennifer Irwin, a professor with the Faculty of Health Sciences at Western, commented that such policies are becoming more prominent in an attempt to change societal norms surrounding smoking. “My view is that the potential for this particular policy is about reducing negative impact on children, both in terms of actual environmental tobacco smoke and role-modeling behaviours,” she said. “Additional limitations will continue to come into play so that eventually it would be more difficult for children to know about smoking.” “[The bylaw] is somewhat difficult to police, but it does contribute to changing the norms in society,” she added. According to Statistics Canada, 19.3 per cent of Ontarians aged 12 and above are daily or occasional smokers—third-lowest among Canadian provinces and over one per cent lower than the Canadian average. 13.1 per cent of nonsmokers in Ontario reported being exposed to second-hand smoke in public places on a regular basis in
Bill Wang Gazette
2010. Elaine Barrett, a smoker who has lived in London for more than thirty years, agreed with the new bylaw. “I think there should be more of these kinds of things,” she said. “Even though I’m a smoker I don’t necessarily feel good about [smoking].” Irwin pointed out that this is a
sentiment among smokers the new smoking restrictions should seek to avoid. “While anything to help reduce the negative impact of tobacco on children is important, it’s also important to not demonize the smokers themselves, most of whom self-identify as wanting to quit,” she said. “Quitting support also needs
to be an important piece to this puzzle on a behavioural level.” The MLHU said in their statement that they expect the bylaw to be largely self-enforcing, and if Barrett is any indicator, this is a reasonable expectation. “If they don’t want me to smoke in these public places, then I simply won’t,” she said.
Renovations underway for new Creative Services Centre Jeremiah Rodriguez News Editor
Construction pains have begun to echo throughout the University Community Centre. Walls are being leveled, offices rearranged and departments are going to be snuggling closer together come this fall. Over the summer, there will be nip/tucks for several University Students’ Council creative departments and The Gazette editorial and composing offices. Shrinking ad revenues for the paper and USC budgeting have prodded the reduction of the office sizes of Gazette Composing. The composing and advertising department, staffed by four full-time employees, will share an office space with InPrint and PurpleDoor in a space adjacent to the Gazette newsroom on the second floor of the UCC. The new office will be called the Creative Services Centre and will serve as a “one stop shop for printing and promotional merchandise serving students, clubs and faculties,” according to the USC. “We’re trying to knock our workspace down. We’ll be more accessible to the editorial side, plus we’ll have access to creative centre, sharing of resources— more than it has been up until now,” Ian Greaves, the USC composing room manager, said. “Because of the shifting in the media landscape over time, things have contracted, so it only makes sense we contract our footprint to reflect that.” Because The Gazette’s newsroom is adjacent to the area being renovated, the USC asked editors how the total space could be improved. Considered changes to
the newsroom include building an interview room much closer to the front door, moving editorial staff space closer to the only window and moving the front office closer to the center of the room to connect it to the rest of the staff. “[Construction is] aiming to be finished by the end of the summer, and we’re hoping to have everything up and running by September,” Jeremy Santucci, vice-president communications for the USC, said. Floor plans for the new Gazette newsroom were not available by press time. “I get experts, political leaders, editors […] board members, IT staff and take their vision and combine that with what experts say can happen to create a working model,” Jeff Armour, managing director of projects and facilities for the USC, said. Armour went on to say the new Creative Services Centre aims to be “open, friendly and not too intimidating.” Renovations like these come about once every 20 years, with the last big one in 1992. “It’s a training ground for aspiring journalists and people wanting to be involved. Opportunities like this don’t come along very often, so we’re doing what we can to make this a better place for students to work,” Julian Uzielli, Gazette editor-in-chief, said. “In a nice inviting space that our volunteers and editors are comfortable in, they’re going to do better work and enjoy their time more, and we’re going to put out a better paper as a result.” “There’s a lot of history in that room. You get a sense you’re part of something that’s much bigger than just us—you’re continuing a legacy that started in 1906,” Uzielli said.
Vice-President (External) One of Canada’s leading universities in both research and teaching, Western is a diverse and collaborative community of nationally and internationally celebrated scholars. Located in London, Canada, Western’s twelve Faculties and Schools and three affiliated University Colleges offer more than 200 undergraduate, 69 master’s and 45 doctoral programs including 13 interdisciplinary or collaborative programs, with a total enrolment of more than 33,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. For additional information, please visit: www.uwo.ca With a school spirit that is the envy of the country and a legacy of excellence in teaching and discovery, Western has embarked on a $750M campaign to develop the next generation of extraordinary leaders. As part of the senior executive team of the university reporting to the President & Vice-Chancellor, and working in concert particularly with the Provost & Vice-President (Academic) and Vice-President (Resources & Operations), the Vice President (External) will play a pivotal leadership role in achieving the campaign’s goal. As a key ambassador for this outstanding institution, the Vice President (External) will work with Western’s leadership team to advance and enhance the University’s reputation as an academic leader on the local, provincial, national and international stages. Building deep relationships with all of the University’s stakeholders, the Vice President (External) champions issues related to advancement, fundraising, alumni relations, communications and public affairs. The preferred candidate for this position will be a collaborative relationship builder, who will work with the academic leadership, and build effective teams and partnerships sustaining and enhancing Western’s advancement success. The ideal candidate will have an outstanding record of senior strategic leadership, fundraising and advancement experience; with knowledge of best practice in capital campaigns, planned giving, major donor development, public affairs, and corporate and alumni relations. The individual will bring a track record of success in a senior leadership role within a large, complex, multi-stakeholder organization. Western is committed to Employment Equity, welcomes diversity in the workplace, and encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, members of visible minorities, aboriginal persons, and persons with disabilities. In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and Permanent Residents will be given priority. To explore this opportunity further, please send your resume in confidence to Gerri Woodford or Amanda Bugatto at westvp@odgersberndtson.ca
4•
thegazette • Friday, May 17, 2013
Arts&Life
badwriting Chapter 7 Inferno: Langdon looked at the iconic faces of Comedy and Tragedy gazing up at him, and suddenly he heard a strange humming in his ears—as if a wire were slowly being pulled taut inside his mind.
—Dan Brown
Putting the ‘you’ in UV skin protection Kevin Hurren Opinions Editor As summer begins the temperature will rise—but so too will the risks of staying out in the sun. Before enjoying the warm weather, it is important to keep the sun’s radiation and the health of your skin in mind. “Sun exposure can be our skin’s worst enemy,” Judith Wiersma, the owner and developer of Body Focus, a skin care clinic in London, says. Wiersma warns that careless summer frolicking can lead to consequences much more severe than a slight sunburn. “80 per cent of the aging process of the skin is due to sun exposure,” she says. “And 90 per cent of skin cancers are a direct result of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.” To prevent such outcomes, there are many small, easy ways to avoid skin damage. These preventative measures include wearing wide brimmed hats, dark sunglasses, light coloured clothing and, of course, sunblock. “Usually anywhere from 30 to 45
[SPF] is enough, because after that there is not much difference. When choosing a sunblock it’s mostly important to make sure it has dual UVA and UVB protection,” Wiersma says. A moderately strong sunblock will do wonders for protecting the skin, but don’t wait for a sunny day to start using this age-defying substance. Sunblock should be worn even if it’s cloudy outside, because UV rays can still penetrate clouds and cause burns. Working at Body Focus, Wiersma has seen firsthand the positive effects that proper skin care can have. “The clients that cover up and don’t go out into the sun unprotected, it’s amazing to see the difference when they reach age 40 and 50 how young their skin looks.” Looking young isn’t the only motivator for taking care of one’s skin. Anyone who has had a severe sunburn before the age of 18 is already at a higher risk of skin cancer, according to Wiersma. Though the best treatment for
PARK INCL ING UDE D
TWO MON FRE THS E
740-752 Kipps Lane 1 Bedroom $649 2 Bedroom $699 Walking distance from Western and minutes from Fanshawe!
519-630-0249 www.metcap.com
any sunburn is to avoid getting one, Wiersma has a tip for healing a burn after it has already set into the skin—put tea bags on it. “Believe it or not, tea bags which have tannin in them can help. Tannin heals a sunburn very quickly, so you could actually soak the tea bags to make them wet and put that right onto the skin,” Wiersma explains. So, before looking on the bright side of summer, take a moment and make sure you are properly protected. After all, summer health is only skin deep.
>> Sun Care Tips Beware of certain medications and cosmetics—some cause the skin to become more sensitive to the sun’s radiation. Make sure the sun protection you’re using is not expired. Sun block should be applied 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors to ensure you’re protected.
Logan Ly Gazette
Exercising food restraint Mary Ann Ciosk Arts and Life Editor If you’re working on sculpting the perfect beach body, it might be wise to consider not only the calorie content in your favourite foods but also the amount of exercise that’s required to work them off. In a recent study from the Texas Christian University, researchers compared which would result in customers making the healthiest choices—a regular menu, a menu with calories listed beside each meal or a menu including calories as well as the amount of brisk walking needed to burn off the meal. It was found that the third group, who was aware of the calorie content as well as the exercise required, ordered and ate less food than either of the other two groups. Dining on a patio is a quintessential summer activity, but the exercise required to burn off your meal may
be far higher than anticipated. At Jack Astor’s, the classic burger with cheddar cheese rings in at 1,138 calories and 76 grams of total fat— which will take over six hours of brisk walking to burn off, or almost three hours of jogging at eight kilometres per hour for an individual that is five feet six inches and 120 pounds. And that’s without considering the side that’s included in your meal. Even more decadent, the pulled pork poutine has an astounding 3,328 calories and 75.4 grams of fat, requiring a full 17-hour day of brisk walking or eight-and-a-half hours of jogging to burn. To put it into perspective, that’s 64 kilometres of running—a full marathon and a half, plus another four kilometres. Unfortunately, salads are often not a healthier alternative than the burgers with the asiago chicken Caesar totalling 1,060 calories and 81.8 grams of fat—that’s over fiveand-a-half hours of brisk walking,
or over two-and-a-half hours of jogging. This salad will still cost you a half marathon (21 km) of jogging to burn off. If you’re looking for something on the menu that doesn’t necessitate marathon training, try soup or a salad that doesn’t have a lot of meat and cheese and order dressing on the side—the Caesar dressing alone is 349 calories, costing a 53-minute jog. Better yet, eat at restaurants with healthier options or prepare food at home. A simple chili made with quinoa, beans and vegetables is only 227 calories with four grams of fat, which would cost you just over an hour of brisk walking or 35 minutes of jogging—that’s less than just the dressing on the Caesar salad! And the best part is that this meal will leave you feeling full because of the high fibre and protein content while also providing you with essential nutrients and vitamins to keep you healthy and fit.
The UCC Postal Outlet will be closing permanently at 5PM on Tuesday, May 28, 2013. The USC would like to thank the Western community for its many years of patronage. To find your nearest Canada Post outlet, please visit www.canadapost.ca Mike Laine Gazette
•5
thegazette • Friday, May 17, 2013
Connecting with different walks of life Bradley Metlin Arts and Life Editor While the past week has provided its fair share of nippy weather with frost warnings dominating London weather, fear not! Those pesky meteorologists are now predicting some solid summer weather on the horizon. As blue skies and warm temperatures become the norm, so too will a plethora of walkers and runners filling parks around the city for a variety of charitable causes. Dozens of walks or runs are held to support various causes throughout the year, but May through August, predictably, are most popular. While you might start lacing up for one of these events, don’t be so hasty as one of the first walks actively encouraged everyone to toss their sneakers away for the day. Over 1,400 people participated in the sixth annual London Barefoot Walk last Friday at Victoria Park. The event encouraged everyone to “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes,” which in this case meant those who are impoverished. This messaging clearly resonated with participants as over $10,000 was raised for Free the Children, a charity which works with developing communities in
hopes of lifting them from poverty. Looking ahead, there are still a number of walks that one can sign up for and participate in. For instance, the Great Strides Walk organized by Cystic Fibrosis Canada will be held on Sunday, May 26. Their London chapter president Steve Allen believes Western might be particularly interested. “This is one area of the London community we have focused much effort in recent months, since we know many students are interested in helping find a cure to cystic fibrosis,” Allen says. Considering Western is one of the top fundraisers for Shinerama in the nation, it seems likely students would want to support cystic fibrosis research any way possible. Not all the walks happening are merely fundraisers. Strides for Changes on June 8, organized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, also looks to serve as a memorial to those lost through drunk driving, with many walking having lost someone at the hands of an intoxicated driver. MADD spokesperson Christine Taleski notes young people need to be particularly aware of the dangers of driving under the influence.
Worthy of its stars
Julian Uzielli GAZETTE
THOSE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR WALKING, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT THEY ARE DOING. Participants in the Barefoot Walk avoid the puddles in Victoria Park on Friday. The walk raised over $10,000 for Free The Children.
“They make up only 13 per cent of the population, but account for 33 per cent of all alcohol-related crash deaths,” Taleski says. “We’re always looking for ways to reach students, to try to keep them from
>> On Disc GGGFF Various Artists Music from Baz Luhrmann’s Film The Great Gatsby Interscope Jay-Z has compiled a hit and miss soundtrack for The Great Gatsby. While the album evokes a 1920s sound with relative success throughout, a clear thematic line remains to be seen. The album is anchored by Lana Del Ray’s “Young and Beautiful,” a
making what could be a tragic mistake.” All the events have a social element to them, with participants encouraged to chat and get to know the people they walk in solidarity
with. When the sun is shining and the weather is beautiful, why not take a stroll through a park? That stroll might earn you a new friend in the process while still making an indisputably positive impact.
song which, while some have found impassioned, lacks lyrical intelligence. It is this lack of nuance, coupled with Del Ray’s overly manufactured, melancholic vocals that make this song a deeply flawed lead for the soundtrack. The album finds more success in covered songs of popular musicians. The highlight is Emeli Sandé’s rendition of Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love.” The high energy and antiquated vocals take the listener back to the time The Great Gatsby is trying to capture. The original sounds are a mixed bag, echoing sentiments about
the album. When the songs work, the soundtrack creates a mystified soundscape—unfortunately, it just isn’t consistent. —Bradley Metlin
Paramount
Brent Holmes Arts and Life Editor GGGGH Star Trek: Into Darkness Director: J.J. Abrams Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve, Bruce Greenwood J.J. Abrams takes Star Trek into darker places than they’ve ever gone before in Star Trek: Into Darkness, creating one of the best summer blockbusters since The Dark Knight. A sequel to the 2009 reboot of the franchise, the new Star Trek treads on familiar notes but re-imagines the world of Vulcans and Klingons in a fresh new way. After breaking the prime directive to save Spock (Zachary Quinto), Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) is demoted. Meanwhile, Star Fleet faces one of its greatest enemies in John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), a rogue Star Fleet officer. The performances are either stellar or satisfactory. Fresh from his work on BBCs Sherlock, Cumberbatch creates an amazing performance in a Sherlockgone-bad character. Quinto does give some good moments as Spock, but they are overcast by the “Sheldonization” of his character and one particularly poorly executed reference to one of the Star Trek movies. Pine and the other actors do nothing to be particularly bad, but are not that notable either. What really makes Star Trek: Into
Darkness a masterpiece is the writing. The plot moves along at warp speed, and the characters are well done, getting a fair amount of screen time. Unfortunately, while the banter between Kirk and Spock is funny, it suffers from an under riding ‘friendship’ that is hard to understand. Thematically, the film is incredibly focused on explaining everything— Spock doesn’t always get emotions, Kirk is a hotshot who gets by on luck and Bones (Karl Urban) spends a lot of time scowling. Ideas about morality are black and white, and the contrast between Kirk and Harrison is about as subtle as a brick. Some of the action sequences fall into video game syndrome where certain chases or fights feel like a level of a game and not a scene from a movie. The film as a whole seems to have borrowed its aesthetic from the Mass Effect games. This is a film for the next generation—a more action-focused movie than a dialogue and idea-heavy film. Overall these critiques do not severely damage the quality of the film. Star Trek: Into Darkness is a fun and smart adventure film with more heart than many summer blockbusters. There are plenty of references to the original series and perhaps the strongest element of the film is how it functions as an alternate reality—events happen in a way that mirrors the first telling of the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. While the characters may go into darkness, this series is just beginning to see the light.
CREATIVE SERVICES UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ COUNCIL
New Name — Same Great Service!
• GRAPHIC/WEB DESIGN • CUSTOM CLOTHING/PROMO • • DIGITAL MEDIA • COPY CENTRE • 2nd Floor - UCC Building UWO - www.creativeservices-usc.ca Creative Services offers a full range of graphics, web design, print and digital media services, along with promotional items and marketing solutions for you. Our Creative Services team, can develop the right material for you, by offering our expertise and interest to every project. We strive to offer a high level of customer service, superior attention to quality, innovative ideas and clever strategies. Big or small, your job matters to us. Contact us to find out how we can help you, with your next project. Helping you make a lasting impression!
Services Available • Graphic Design Resources • Print Management • Website Design • Digital Media
• Custom Clothing • Promo Items • Visual identity – logos • Newsletters • Custom and Concert-style tickets • File upload site • Self Serve Copiers • Large Format Printing (In-House)
• Event Promotions • High-volume copying • Poster Patrol • Colour & B&W Printing • Online Business Cards • Laminating • Cerlox and wire coil binding • Vinyl banners
ONLINE CUSTOM CLOTHING – June 1st
See us for your teams, groups and events. It’s easy, fun and convenient for you! Design your Next T-Shirt Online! ... and get a quick estimate. Visit our website: www.westernusc.ca/cs-promos
6•
thegazette • Friday, May 17, 2013
Opinions
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.
—Winston Churchill
Someone’s in the What we want to see kitchen with failure from the USC When this month ends, Adam Fearnall’s term as president of the University Students’ Council will end with it. Incoming president Pat Whelan has spent the past month shadowing Fearnall, preparing for the takeover. The Fearnall administration had its ups and downs, but provided competent leadership for the USC. The goal of any president, though, should always be to improve on their predecessor, and the biggest way Pat Whelan can improve on the record of Adam Fearnall’s government is to upgrade communication. Last year the USC suffered from a pattern of problems that came down to poor communication. Examples include the USC’s clunky website, the inability or unwillingness of some USC members to give straight answers to simple questions—a problem that will plague governments until the end of time—failure to consult affected parties in the multi-faith move and Adam Fearnall’s “Western Untold” speech which, while inspiring, didn’t seem to yield many tangible results. Luckily, improving communication—specifically, as Whelan often emphasizes, listening to students’ concerns rather than communicating to them—is an oft-mentioned goal for the new president. Whelan’s Idea Forum, for example, is a cross between the White House’s petition site and Reddit—in other words, an innovative concept that could prove to be an effective tool for gathering input from students. Whelan was a tech-savvy candidate. His iPhone app and Facebook dashboard may just have won him the election, and he will likely bring that over to his presidency. Platform promises like the USC mobile app, the involvement compass and advocating for e-mail by Gmail are all tech-focused initiatives that would drag the USC’s communications strategy into 2013. The problem is that these are all small, easy promises, relatively speaking. Whelan’s platform was enormous by USC standards, with lots of ambitious goals, like ending Project LEARN. Not all of those platform points will be achieved, especially not in one year. But at the very least, Whelan’s administration can implement the easy communication changes to let students know how they’re doing on the tougher stuff. If Pat Whelan follows through on his communication goals, he could prove to be one of the USC’s most visible and accessible presidents. —The Gazette Editorial Board
Seven Minutes in Kevin
Kevin Hurren Opinions Editor “Don’t forget to add a bit of salt to the water!” These urgent words marked the end of the last phone conversation I had with my mother as she, a shrill Italian woman, attempted to instruct me on the proper way to make a pasta dinner. Little did she know that almost every instruction she delivered, both in that conversation and others, went in one ear and out the other. Never could I have guessed that my decision to live in London over the summer, completely by myself, would lead to such culinary headaches. Until this summer I’ve had a very sheltered experience when it comes to food. Growing up my parents cooked, and when they were away there was always an abundance of leftovers or a handy Pizza Pizza coupon. Moving away to university didn’t help much either, and after two years of residence life I realize that my skills in the kitchen don’t go far beyond boiling water. Who could I blame for my incompetence? I guess, first and foremost, myself for never taking a vested interest in the behind the scenes preparation of my meals. But in my defence, there was always something more pressing to do. I couldn’t make dinner because I had
a calculus test the next day. I couldn’t learn how to barbecue because I had to memorize the names of all the prime ministers. And maybe that was the problem. I wasn’t learning how to cook because I was learning how to do a plethora of other things—things that now seem meaningless as I blankly stare at the array of pots and pans in my kitchen. What ever happened to Home Economics classes? Putting the sexist jokes aside, it would have been great if my high school told me how to cook, to sew and to clean (“which one of these is for the toilet?”) Instead of learning such essentials of independent living we, as young people, needed to go through advanced functions, multidimensional shapes, charting graphs and all the other hoops that our secondary schools made us jump through. Although I’m sure these math and business lessons now prove useful to some, a large majority of us may never pick up a scientific calculator again. It’s great that I can distinguish a cosecant from a tangent graph, but does that matter when I can’t tell when meat is finished cooking? So if you’re someone who has spent a lot of time in the kitchen, take pity on your friends and classmates who may have recently set their homes on fire making eggs. Lend them a helping hand, because without it, they may starve. Oh, and if you’re wondering if I remembered to put salt in the water, I didn’t. Instead I gave up and made a sandwich.
thisdayinhistory Western students were called to order on this day in 2000 as the school released a new code of student conduct. Initiated as a response to a 1999 orientation week prank, the new code was meant to provide overall regulatory behavior. “There are lots of other codes floating around the university, but they either apply to specific areas or specific programs,” said then-associate dean of social science and co-author of the code, Brian Timney.
The more you cry, the less we care. Submit your letters at westerngazette.ca/contact thegazette
Volume 107, Issue 1 www.westerngazette.ca
Julian Uzielli Editor-In-Chief Cameron M. Smith Deputy Editor Jason Sinukoff Managing Editor
Contact: www.westerngazette.ca University Community Centre Rm. 263 The University of Western Ontario London, ON, CANADA N6A 3K7 Editorial Offices: (519) 661-3580 Advertising Dept.: (519) 661-3579
The Gazette is owned and published by the University Students’ Council.
Editorials are decided by a majority of the editorial board and are written by a member of the editorial board but are not necessarily the expressed opinion of each editorial board member. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USC, The Gazette, its editors or staff. To submit a letter, go to westerngazette.ca and click on “Contact.” All articles, letters, photographs, graphics, illustrations and cartoons published in The Gazette, both in the newspaper and online versions, are the property of The Gazette. By submitting any such material to The Gazette for publication, you grant to The Gazette a non-exclusive, world-wide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to publish such material in perpetuity in any media, including but not limited to, The Gazette‘s hard copy and online archives.
Gazette Composing & Gazette Advertising Ian Greaves, Manager Robert Armstrong
Karen Savino Diana Watson
Gazette Staff 2012-2013
Danielle Bozinoff, Jaclyn Carbone, Jonathan Dunn, Andrew Evans, Chelsey Gauthier, Ross Hamilton, Danny Huang, Amanda Law, Jared MacAdam, Sarah Mai Chitty, Sarah Manning, Kaitlyn Oh, Sarah Prince, Chen Rao, Herb Richardson, Nathan Robbins-Kanter, Lily Robinson, Katie Roseman, Jasleen Sembhi, Nathan TeBokkel, Jacqueline Ting, Caroline Wang, Kate Wilkinson, Zoe Woods, Usman Zahid, Mason Zimmer
News Richard Raycraft Megan Devlin Iain Boekhoff Jeremiah Rodriguez Arts & Life Brent Holmes Mary Ann Ciosk Bradley Metlin Sports Daniel Weryha Nusaiba Al-Azem Caitlin Martin Newnham Opinions Kevin Hurren
Dear Life
Your anonymous letters to life.
Dear Life, If I don’t wish all my friends a happy birthday on Facebook, does that make me a bad person? Dear Life, Why don’t you ever write back? Submit your letters to life at www.westerngazette.ca /dearlife. Letters to the Editor
Access Copyright stuck in the past To the editor: Western’s agreement with Access Copyright will be coming up for renewal, and many of us on campus have been doing our best to communicate to administrators the desire we have for them to opt out of future dealings with that organization. Last month, Access Copyright filed a lawsuit against York University, which is one of the many institutions that rejected the model license agreement that Western signed, in a misguided attempt to put pressure on those universities who are considering alternatives to Access Copyright. In other words, Access Copyright wants to make it clear to Western and the University of Toronto that they will be sued if they don’t resign the agreement. The threat of a lawsuit was a motivating force behind the administration’s initial decision to sign the agreement, against the protests of several governing bodies and interested organizations on this campus, and contrary to the advice of every legal copyright expert in Canada. Instead of recognizing the futility of their model, or acknowledging the overwhelming unpopularity of their agreements, Access Copyright has chosen instead to double down on the bully method by suing proponents of fair dealing. This is an important moment for us at Western. We have to make it clear to our administration that we are vehemently opposed to Access Copyright, that we favor open access and fair dealing, and that we will not tolerate being subjected to further extortion. I encourage you to email the Provosts and the President, post on Western’s Facebook and Twitter pages and encourage those with the power to end this deal, to do the right thing. —Eric Lohman FIMS Doctoral Candidate
Associate Kaitlyn McGrath Aaron Zaltzman Photography Logan Ly Bill Wang Kelly Samuel Graphics Naira Ahmed Illustrations Christopher Miszczak John Prata Online Jessica Hurst Graphics/Video Mike Laine
• Please recycle this newspaper •
•7
thegazette • Friday, May 17, 2013
West wins it twice in OUA Soccer Showcase Mustangs prove their mettle and make Western proud Nusaiba Al-Azem Sports Editor Western soccer was well represented earlier this month at the Ontario Soccer Association Centre in Vaughan. Six Mustangs joined the top soccer players in the Ontario University Athletics for the inaugural OUA men’s and women’s Soccer Showcase on May 4-5. All-star Ontario soccer players were invited to compete in an East versus West match up. The two-day event is held to promote university and varsity athletics to prospective students. Mustangs defencemen Dominic Bell and Andrew Walton and midfielder Eric Amato were selected to play for the West. Bell was selected as a first team all-star, while Amato and Walton were chosen as second team all-stars. “I was very excited when I heard
I was very excited when I heard I was named to the team. There are only a few spots and so many great players that being chosen was an honour. —Andrew Walton
Mustangs defenceman on being chosen for the OUA All-Star team
Courtesy of Jeff Chan
I was named to the team. There are only a few spots and so many great players that being chosen was an honour,” Walton said. The Mustangs men’s team finished third in the Western division this season and qualified for the playoffs. Bell placed in the top 20 overall in points and both Amato and Bell placed in the top 20 in the Western division. The men’s OUA East-West game was intense, with both teams displaying the talent that led them there. Finally, Adrian Pena of York
scored the winning goal, giving the West a 4–3 victory. The women’s soccer matchup was just as well-represented as the men’s, with three Mustangs playing for the West. Midfielders Jenna Schroeder and Jess Couto and striker Lauren Winquist were selected. The women’s team had a great season, placing third in the Western division and making it to the semifinals of the playoffs. Winquist was ranked 10th overall during the season in points, and
Mustangs help All-Stars dominate Varsity Blues Caitlin Martin Newnham Sports Editor After a great season, five outstanding Mustang baseball players represented Western at the 2013 Ontario University Athletics AllStar Showcase on May 5. The AllStars triumphed over the Toronto Varisty Blues with a well-deserved 7–1 victory. “Our strong pitching and our potent offence were major factors in our win over the University of Toronto,” Nolan Anderson, Mustangs top rookie of the year, explained. “We had the top pitchers from each team, and they all came out strong and held Toronto to only a few hits and one run.” “Everyone’s really just out there to have a good time. But, it’s always nice to beat the team that won it all last year. We can all pretend not to care, but secretly everyone wanted to see U of T go down,” Paul Lytwynec, Mustangs pitcher, said. Adam Paish, Shawn Robinson and Chris Mireault joined Anderson and Lytwynec in contributing their outstanding skills to the All-Stars’ win. Mustangs coach Mike Lumley
served as assistant coach in the exciting All-Star event. “Playing in the Rogers Centre is an amazing feeling. Just remembering all the great players that have played and stood in those same spots really just puts a smile on your face,” Paish said.
Everyone’s really just out there to have a good time. But, it’s always nice to beat the team that won it all last year. We can all pretend not to care, but secretly everyone wanted to see U of T go down. —Paul Lytwynec
Western Mustangs Pitcher on the All-Star team’s win against U of T
However, it felt odd for the five Mustangs to be playing there without their whole team. “I’m sure I speak for all of us in saying we would trade our individual awards in a second for a
championship ring,” Paish said. The Mustangs played a great season this year, but were unfortunately unable to defeat the Brock Badgers in the championship game. The OUA created a new format for baseball playoffs, which put a lot of pressure on the teams. “The new playoff format that has reduced the playoffs to one weekend really forces teams to be on their game at the right time. We just didn’t bring it when it counted,” Lytwynec explained. Despite the championship loss, Anderson kept his performance at its best through his mental approach. “I came to the field with the approach that if I continued to perform at my best I would remain in the line up and help my team win.” “This team has been one of the greatest teams I have ever played with, with some of the greatest ball players and greatest people I have ever had the chance to meet,” Paish said. “The future of Western Baseball is very bright, and I’m sure you will be seeing them sporting an OUA Championship banner in the near future.”
third for the Western division. Similarly, the women’s game was packed with intensity. It was close until Emma Mangialardi of McMaster led the West to victory in the final two minutes of the game. Both male and female Mustangs played well in their games, acting as integral components to the West’s sweep. Men’s soccer coach Rock Basacco described the importance of events such as this showcase. “Recruiting top student-athletes is the life-line of a program.
It is critical to bring in around 10 recruits a year to keep the team competitive and challenging for OUA and CIS Championships,” he explained. “The program stays strong which in turn helps in the recruiting process. Success breeds success.” “The Mustangs representation bodes well for next season,” Walton said. The soccer all-stars represented their teams well, bringing pride to their coaches and programs.
Puzzle solutions (from pg. 2)
WE’RE PACKING OUR BAGS AND GETTING READY TO GO. Look for InPrint on the second level UCC in the NEW Creative Services Centre. The CSC will be a convenient one stop destination for web design, graphic design, promotional items and custom clothing, as well as all of your printing needs — colour, black & white, binding, lamination and tickets.
Naira Ahmed Gazette
8•
thegazette • Friday, May 17, 2013
Sports
factattack The Chicago Bulls’ recent elimination at the hands of the Miami Heat marks the third time in four years that they have been removed from the post-season by LeBron James.
Rundown >> Legendary Mustangs coach Jack Fairs was honoured by the OUA last Thursday when he was awarded the John McManus Award > This award goes to a coach with a minimum of seven years experience that best exemplifies sportsmanship while coaching a university sport.
West ends losing skid with 18–17 victory Four Mustangs represented Western in annual East-West Bowl Daniel Weryha Sports Editor The Mustang-laden West broke their three–year skid against the East in the 11th annual East-West Bowl with a crunch-time field goal from McMaster Mauraders kicker Tyler Crapigna—a fitting end to what seemed to be the story of the 18–17 final. Canadian Interuniversity Sport football players from across the country participated in Saturday’s showcase. The imaginary borderline between the University of Toronto and the University of Guelph divided the two teams into East and West. Since there were no players available to kick for the East, Crapigna kicked for both teams. In the first half, he was the only name that appeared on the score sheet, kicking three field goals for nine points, six of which belonged to the West. The second half, however, began much to everyone’s surprise when Laval wide receiver Adam Thibault broke off for a 101-yard kickoff return. After exchanging multiple turnovers, the East had their drive kept alive by a penalty which led to the eight-yard touchdown pass from Queen’s quarterback Billy McPhee, to Bishop’s wide receiver Alexander Fox—increasing the East’s lead to nine. The West answered back with a goal-line punch-in setup by two pass interference penalties and a crucial grab by Western wide receiver Matt Uren. After a 42-yard field goal hit in the dying minutes of the game by Crapigna that put the West up by one, McPhee marched his offence back down field with a pair of completions—leaving them within 43-yards of the goal posts. With a chance to win the game
Caitlin Martin Newnham GAZETTE
Just checking for a jock strap. The all-stars of the CIS converged on TD Waterhouse Stadium on May 11, facing off in the annual East-West Bowl. In this heated match—in which the East has won each of the last three meetings—the West finally ended their losing skid, winning by just one point and taking the victory by a score of 18–17.
for the opposing team, Crapigna missed wide right. “I was very proud of that last drive,” Kelly Jeffrey, Mount Allison head coach and acting head coach for the East, said. “It was a gamewinning drive, it was simply unfortunate that we didn’t hit the field goal.” Overall, the East-West Bowl was a defensive battle. In the short week leading up to the game, offences had little time to prepare leaving the edge to the defence. The two defences combined to force three
fumbles and three interceptions for a total of six turnovers. The East held the West to one touchdown and 276 yards of total offence, while the West held the East to only 205 yards. Mustangs defensive lineman, Dylan Ainsworth, led the West in sacks after sacking Saint Mary’s quarterback Ben Rossong on two consecutive plays. “The two talented defences made the offences a little disjointed,” Stefan Ptaszek, McMaster Marauders and West head coach, said. “Austin Kennedy moving his
feet, passing, and creating, and the two pass interference penalties that got us the touchdown was the offence in the second half. Other than that, it was all Tyler Crapigna.” Although the East-West Bowl was the main event, players arrived earlier in the week to participate in the CIS combine as well as their team practices. In the short week, coaches were tasked with preparing players from across the country for Saturday’s game. “You have to be a sponge when you’re out here,” Ainsworth said.
“With so many coaches teaching you so many different things, with all their different approaches, it’s a challenge to gather all that knowledge.” The week is all about learning and displaying talent to the coaches and scouts. Participation in the event is based on draft eligibility for the following year. The East-West Bowl is meant to showcase draft eligible university players that the CIS feels will interest scouts—an opportunity Tyler Crapigna had no choice but to revel in.
Bob Vigars inducted into London Sports HoF Kaitlyn McGrath Associate Editor Bob Vigars, long-time Western cross-country coach and kinesiology professor, will be inducted into the London Sports Hall of Fame. Vigars, who recently announced he will retire later this year after 45 years at Western, is among the seven inductees that were recently named by the London Sports Council. This year’s group, which also includes former NHL player and current CBC colour commentator Craig Simpson, will be honoured during a ceremony on November 7. Vigars will enter the hall in the “builder/ coach modern” category. Despite his storied career—he has won a total of 43 championships, more than any other coach in Western history—Vigars said this announcement came as a surprise. However, he was pleased when a
member of the Hall’s selection committee told him the news about a month ago. “Obviously you feel honoured,” he said. “I was particularly happy when he told me the other inductees and who they were because I have a connection with a lot of them.” Vigars explained he’s known Simpson’s parents for years, and the Simpson kids used to attend the London-Western Track and Field Club he founded. Vigars also explained his connection with fellow inductee Willie Weiler, a former Canadian Olympic gymnast and current London resident. “Being a dabbler in much but master in none, I did some gymnastics and we all knew the name Willie Weiler,” Vigars said. Although this latest tribute cements Vigars into London sport
history, he has long been revered as an influential coach in the university athletics community. Throughout his 45-year career, Vigars has been instrumental in promoting track and field and cross-country, as well as fighting for the equality of female sport. Vigars has coached six teams at Western including men’s and women’s track and field, cross-country and gymnastics and has been named a Canadian Interuniversity Sport coach of the year 14 times. Earlier this year, Vigars announced he would retire in December after coaching Western’s cross-country team for his 46th and final time. As part of his final season, Vigars and the Mustangs will host the CIS cross-country championships, marking the seventh time nationals will be held on the course Vigars designed at London’s Thames Valley Golf Club.
Naira Ahmed Gazette