Tuesday, August 19, 2014

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2014 VOLUME 108 • ISSUE 03

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thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Welcome to the world of wordcrafting Well met, young froshling!

After spending harrowing days struggling to keep up your high school grades and fretting while waiting for your acceptance letter, you’ve finally packed your bags and arrived at the mysterious land that is Western University.

Coming to university is like finding a secret fantasy world. No longer in the dungeon your parents had trapped you in, you are now free to choose your own character in a new adventure. Will you be an intramural warrior out on the field? A skillful rogue armed with a $1,000 laptop?

Or a mystical guru experimenting with all sorts of ingredients in your residence?

This new and exciting world can be overwhelming. You’ll first be swarmed by an army of overly enthusiastic sophs who carry your bags into your new home and skillfully guide your parents out the door. You’ll receive a mountain of pamphlets, calendars and events information, not to mention advertising from everyone and their pet dog.

On top of all that, you’re now alone in a strange place with strangers all around you. It can feel overwhelming and hard to get your bearings. But don’t worry, the wise old Gazette wizards have you covered!

What is the The Gazette?

The Gazette is the official student newspaper of Western University.

We are the only daily student-run newspaper in Canada and publish a print edition Tuesday through Friday during the school year and publish online 24/7. We are your one-stop resource for entertaining, informative stories and videos about campus and student life — which can even include you sometimes!

From the latest Mustangs sports game to the upcoming concerts around London to the decrees coming from the fortresses of the University Students’ Council, The Gazette will be your guide to the Kingdom of Western and the Forest City beyond.

Who are the fearless warriors that work here?

Leading a nefarious band of student editors and volunteers — and one

old man — are three front office staff. We are three editors who have nobly chosen to take on a full-time position leading our small force of 19 editors and dozens of volunteers in forging each unique issue of The Gazette.

Can I join you in your quest?

Short answer: yes! Long answer: yes, absolutely! We offer a wide range of ways to contribute in the running of the largest media outlet on campus.

Venture up to our not-so-secret fortress in room 263 of the University Community Centre to start one of the most amazing adventures you could go on in your time at Western.

Writing Want to discover the secrets of Western? Then sign up for News.

Stories are assigned at a rundown at 10 a.m. from Monday to Thursday.

Interested in knowing the best taverns in London or learning skills to increase your health and stamina? Speak to one of our Arts & Life editors to get reporting on things to do on campus and in London.

Love watching fearless warriors go head-to-head on the field? Join our Sports section and get reporting on the latest Mustangs games.

Editing Are you a perfectionist who loves the English language but don’t want to commit to writing? We’re looking for eagle-eyed volunteers who would be interested in helping our writers craft flawless stories.

Volunteer for our copy desk where you can come in any time to edit stories. Apply consistent style and grammar and fact-check stories for accuracy as part of the first defence against libel.

Visual Artwork If writing isn’t your thing, show off your artistic abilities by joining our Photography, Illustrations or Graphics sections. Come into the office and speak to one of our photo editors to take on a photography quest or submit your comics to our illustrations editor.

Skilled with Adobe Photoshop, InDesign or Illustrator? Sign up to aid our graphics section who gracefully put together many of the intricate designs in this very issue.

Videos and Web Tired of hiding in the bushes to

take videos? Do it in public for us! We do regular segments for news and feature stories, clips from events, concerts and goings-on around campus, as well as short promotional and fun segments.

If you’re interested in interactive web graphics, you too will find a place at The Gazette. These may accompany major news stories, features, sports stories and even arts stories, so bring your talents to us and we’ll have something for you to do.

Marketing and Volunteer Recruitment A new — but very important — section this year will appeal to all of you who aren’t interested in contributing content. You can help build The Gazette’s brand on campus, increase readership and actively recruit volunteers for our many sections through events, marketing campaigns and social media.

For more information on any position, come to our office or email the editor-in-chief or section editors. All of our information can be found online at westerngazette. ca/contact.

We’ll also be holding an Open House on Friday, September 12 so interested volunteers can meet our staff in a relaxed environment. Plus, there will be food. What more reason do you need?

Editor’s Note On a personal level, joining The Gazette is one of the best decisions I made. I found a welcoming, fun and engaged environment where everyone can join in on one of the many arguments discussions on the important issues not only on campus but in the world.

The people The Gazette attracts are from all different backgrounds and programs across campus with a common passion and desire to learn and produce a quality newspaper every day. Plus, it’s pretty damn cool to create something one day and see it with your name in the paper the next. It’s a wild but fun ride and you won’t regret a second of it.

UCC Room 263

Mon – Thurs, 9am – 5pm Friday, 10am – 2pm editor@westerngazette.ca

Kevin Hurren • GAZETTE

LOOK AT THOSE BEAUTIFUL FEET. Wielding that in no way over-compensatory broadsword is our editor-in-chief, Iain Boekhoff. To the left of him is sly and skilled deputy editor, Brent Holmes and on the right, our sturdy gatekeeper and managing editor, Richard Raycraft.

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thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Statistics provided by Western University Media Relations. Graphic by Jennifer Feldman • GAZETTE

Which Game of Thrones Character Is Your Faculty?

Arts and Humanities: Sansa Stark

Music: Oberyn Martell

Education: Maragarey Tyrell

Engineering: Jon Snow

Winter is coming so you better equip your Canada Goose jacket for +50 warmth and +100 appearance of wealth. You come from a powerful family who will lose everything paying your way through undergrad. After graduating, be prepared to hook up with a Law or Ivey student to get protection from the Iron Bank of student loan debt collectors.

Health Sciences: Khal Drogo

You are one sexy thing. Your skill at music will get you the attention of all the ladies, men or both if you prefer. Unfortunately, your career will go about as well as a fight against Gregor Cleagane. +100 Sex Appeal +100 Charisma

You are well-liked and friendly. You do well with children but watch out for the 30+ year teachers you’ll compete against after you graduate — they are total Cersei Lannisters.

School starts and so your watch begins.

With more class per week than any other faculty, Engineering students will live and die at their post, holding no lands and siring no children.

Information and Media Studies: Varys

Law: Littlefinger

Ivey Business School: Joffrey Baratheon

Medicine and Dentistry: Arya Stark

You spend your days at the gym turning yourself into a rock-hard abs monster.

You may not be able to speak proper English but you could probably crush a man’s skull with your pecs. +50 Strength +40 Dexterity

You are always on your phone getting information on the latest craze from your little birds (a.k.a. twitter). Armed with the infinite power of social media you could overthrow corrupt governments or launch campaigns to help the needy but will likely spend your time playing “Words With Friends” against that asshole in Law.

You are slimy and know your way around everything. You’ve probably started making moves on that first year Arts & Humanities student who is way too young for you, but nobody will care when you own a majority share hold in everything. Law school is a ladder and you are prepared to climb your way to the top.

You are the rich kid who went to a fancy private school and is drowning in cash.

You’ll be the one to make it rain on the dance floor and laugh at the futile struggles of Arts & Humanities students who have to survive on OSAP. Watch out though, Brescia might not appreciate you taking over their field with your new building.

Dentists have the highest suicide rate of any profession but you don’t care. Armed with your only friend, Needle, you will go about poking holes in anyone who crosses you.

Science: Melisandre

Social Science: Robb Stark

Huron: Tyrion Lannister

King’s: Daenerys Targaryean

Brescia: Oleanna Tyrell

You wield the powers of universe.

Staring into your textbook you can see how to manipulate the fabric of reality.

But beware the dangers of Adderall, too much may produce effects comparable to having a smoke monster come out of your nether regions.

You are idealistic and naive. Everyone generally likes you but can’t stand hearing you go on about the latest political or social issue. Your future career will involve either selling out to the Ivey grad or living a very short life as a revolutionary.

You have a mind for power. Given the right circumstances you could run twothirds of the student newspaper and half of the student government. Sometimes a very small school can cast a very long shadow.

Hailing from the far side of the known campus, nobody knows what you are wearing but in some far corner of the globe, it might be considered clothes.

You have a button with MLK on your computer bag and will probably attend every social justice demonstration or lecture you can.

You are witty and knowledgable about the ways of the world. With your knowledge of health and nutrition, you gain +40 constitution and will live to be older than the Queen Elizabeth II.

Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies: Aemon Targaryean / Grand Maester Pycelle You’ve been here forever. People cringe when they hear you talk about your sexual escapades from undergraduate that happened when “Gangnam Style” was still a thing. People are seriously concerned you will drop dead in a lecture hall. -20 Charisma +40 Knowledge

Article: Brent Holmes • Graphics: Jennifer Feldman • GAZETTE

Coming soon...

yourlondoncalling.ca Welcome students. Explore your London.

4 •

thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

beginning your quest O-Week Drinking Game MATERIALS:

>An assortment of water and juice, because of course you wouldn’t be drinking alcohol during the best O-week ever >An O-Pass (your access to all orientation events) >A coin

1.

6.

Stand at the top of University College hill for 60 If you see someone from the Student Emergency seconds. For every person to ask you if you need a Response Team, or SERT, take a shot. If you see “walk home,” take a drink. them assisting a drunken student, take two shots. If you are the drunken student they’re trying to help, take three shots.

If you see two first-year students grinding at a

2.

dance flip a coin. Heads, you drink; tails, you join them.

3.

7.

If other first-year students say they are in Ivey because they have AEO status, slap them across the face. Oh yeah, and take a drink.

If you see a student from Saugeen attempting to buy their way into another residence, take a shot.

When you see a guy in a polo shirt and salmon If you are a student from Saugeen, you should shorts, ask him what faculty he’s in. If he says Social probably stop drinking.

Science, take a drink. If he says BMOS, take two drinks. If he says Ivey, refer to rule seven.

For every person you see crying at the One Love If other first-year students say they’re from Rally, take a shot. If you are crying, take two shots.

Toronto, give them a skeptical look and ask again.

If the answer remains Toronto, take a shot. If their Anytime someone’s introduction includes “I’m answer changes to Richmond Hill, Woodbridge, from the University Students’ Council…” drink Markham, or Scarborough, take two shots. If their until they stop talking. If the person is Matt answer changes to Mississauga, make them take a Helfand, good luck staying conscious. shot.

8.

4.

9.

5.

10.

Pick a drinking partner and head to one of the late-night dances. You each get points for making out with certain people and whoever has the least points by the end of the night drinks. Points are as follows: > Your residence Soph: 3 points > Your faculty Soph: -1 point (too easy) > Your residence advisor: 7 points > Your residence manager: 20 points > Matt Helfand, the University Students’ Council president: 500 points > An editor from The Western Gazette: 750 (Iain Boekhoff will get you 1,000 points)

11. If, at the end of O-Week, you had an amazing time, take a celebratory drink! If you didn’t have a

good time then make sure you say you did or else… they will come for you.

Editor’s Note: You will not get 1,000 points.

Article: Kevin Hurren • Graphics: Jennifer Feldman • GAZETTE

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Iain Boekhoff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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@IainAtGazette

I drink. I drink a lot. I say that now because I want no misconception about where my perspective is coming from. I do not have any aversion to alcohol, nor do I promote abstaining from it. Students absolutely should, if they want to, spend some of their undergraduate experience testing their limits and finding drinks that are right for them.

That said, I still strongly agree with the current dry policy in place for O-week at Western.

Having been involved with the last three O-weeks, I understand that banning alcohol is neither patronizing nor delusional. The university is not telling first-year students not to drink because alcohol is allowed in residence throughout the year. Rather, it’s telling them to stay sober during orientation.

Why? First, it’s a safety precaution. Imagine what could happen if, during the carnival, an intoxicated student tried to stand up on the Ferris wheel. What if a confused and tipsy student wandered onto Western Road looking for Ontario Hall? O-week can also attract less-than upstanding London citizens hoping to take advantage of inebriated students.

I don’t mean to suggest that O-week is unsafe. Campus police, residence staff and orientation volunteers go to great lengths to ensure that Canada’s largest orientation program remains safe — but they need student cooperation to do so.

Not drinking, however, is about more than being safe. This week is for students to bond with and get to know their peers — developing relationships that will last throughout the year. I can speak from experience as both a residence Soph and a faculty Soph that the students who miss out on morning programming, and therefore miss out on such collaborative bonding sessions, are the ones who are too hungover to get out of bed.

The most common argument against a dry O-week is that students will drink anyways, so why stop them? Sure, some students will drink regardless of policy, but what about the students who are unsure — students who are coming in not knowing who they are, where they belong or what kind of person they want to be?

I don’t want to reduce this to an issue of peer pressure, but by making O-week dry, students who might need some time before drinking have an out. It’s much easier to refuse drinks if there is someone else to blame, so if you’re a first-year student who doesn’t want to offend your more hydrated peers, please — blame the university. Blame your sophs, blame your residence advisors. Heck, blame this article.

Do whatever you need to do to stay true to who you are during O-week.

Let’s face it. O-week at Western is anything but dry. We can stop pretending that everything is so much better since O-week went dry — because that never happened.

I don’t think O-week should be officially dry — and this is coming from someone who didn’t drink for the whoel week and barely drank during my first-year.

Prohibitionist policies in general are a bad idea and they rarely, if ever, work. Putting a physical or metaphorical fence up and saying “don’t go there” just makes everyone want to go there even more. The problem with O-week in the past — and currently — is the culture of drinking and partying and the attitude frosh have.

In my experience, the “dry” tag is dismissively ignored by students tripping over themselves to get drunk. It’s not a deterrent to the many underage students that drink and the policy itself, like other prohibitionist policies, may create unintended consequences.

It drives drinking underground and that’s when it becomes unsafe.

When students are afraid of what happens when they go to a soph or an RA for help with someone who drank too much then there’s a higher chance someone won’t get the help they need.

Even parents flagrantly flout the policy by moving their children in with enough alcohol to last a month.

Do you really think said children are going to wait a week to open it up?

There’s no way you can force students not to drink — that’s a choice they have to make for themselves.

What we should be creating is an environment where it’s not necessary for a frosh to drink and they feel comfortable saying no or going for help for their roommate or floormate without fear of repercussions.

You can make an argument for safety — if a student is drunk and gets hurt, what then? The thing is, students are drunk as it is and continue to get drunk throughout the year. You would have to ban drinking in the entire province before you would see a drop in the number of people drinking.

The amount of education and awareness campaigns targeted towards safe drinking has been increased since dry became the policy, which is a good thing. But that doesn’t mean the overarching policy is good. When alcohol purchasing, consumption and recovery is done under fear and threats, all those good educational and marketing campaigns are undone.

Responsible and safe drinking should be the goal of any O-week.

Students need to find their tolerance level in an environment where they are comfortable. That’s what O-week should be about — not an inane, potentially dangerous “dry” policy.

•5

thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

10 Game of Thrones lines that were actually meant for Western Nusaiba Al-Azaem OPINIONS EDITOR @NusAtGazette

“A LANNISTER ALWAYS PAYS HIS DEBTS” Substitute “A Lannister” for a “Mustang” and you’ve got your first lesson. Whether it’s your tuition, that parking ticket you hope will disappear or the heaps of books you continue to avoid — realize that even if your moral code will let these things slip, the administration won’t. The freshmen fifteen are not just inconvenient — they’re costly.

Your meal plan is not endless and food is not cheap on campus. You’ll end up paying your debts, if it’s in the negatives in your bank account, your physique or the dismal marks in your classes. And don’t ever forget the most important thing: OSAP is not free money.

“ALL MEN MUST DIE.” A bit extreme — walking through Western is not like walking through a bloodbath but it certainly feels that way to your GPA. It doesn’t matter if you’ve maintained a great average your entire life — there will come a day, there will come a class, that threatens to destroy that average.

And, like in Game of Thrones, you must be prepared for battle.

“YOU KNOW NOTHING, JON SNOW.” You come to university thinking you’re the crème de la crème. After all, you were selected from among the brightest to be in your program

and you’re (practically) an adult now. Think again. Beyond all of the academic things you learn you know nothing about, the more time you spend in university the more you discover you’re kind of ignorant about a lot of things. Like what exactly is going on in Darfur anyway and how does the University Students’ Council work anyhow?

That’s why it’s important to take advantage of all the learning opportunities that come via extracurricular activities such as student clubs, USC and Western media. There is always some sort of event or activity that can impart knowledge and wisdom upon you. If all else fails, pick up a copy of The Gazette for some quick enlightenment.

“WISE MEN DO NOT MAKE DEMANDS OF KINGS.” In the fantasy realm that is UWO, your professor is king. You may think you can go up against a king, but you need to realize there’s a reason they are king. You may even be able to win — though most do not — but at the end of the day, it’s still not a good idea to squander a valuable potential asset and reference just to prove you can or to get out of an assignment.

“IT’S THE FAMILY NAME THAT LIVES ON. IT’S ALL THAT LIVES ON.” Through all the fun and all the suffering when you hopefully walk out of here in four years’ time with a degree in hand, you do not take all

that booze you consumed with you.

Most of the time you don’t even take all the knowledge you’re supposed to have gained. What you do take is the pride of having been a Western Mustang, of carrying on a university reputation that has much more going for it than just the Saugeen Stripper.

“CHAOS ISN’T A PIT. CHAOS IS A LADDER.” How I wish I was warned about this in first year. The chaos of school deadlines and work demands on top of social pressures is not a pit. In reality, you think you can juggle it all, so you begin to climb one step and it seems okay. So you climb another, and another, and another and before you know it, you’re extremely high up and you’ve forgotten just how terrified of heights you are.

Take care not to commit yourself to too much too fast, especially if you’re still getting the hang of making your way up those rungs.

classroom you sent up tent in until you’re inevitably kicked out, you will develop a fierce and irrational loyalty to that one place on campus you can focus.

“A MIND NEEDS BOOKS LIKE A SWORD NEEDS WHETSTONE.” The truth of that matter is that if you do your readings, you will inevitably do better. A sword is still a sword without whetstone, albeit maybe not a very good one and you may be able to survive without completing any readings at all. But if you want to have a good sword, one that will help you survive the game of thrones, you’ll need whetstone. Likewise, if you want to have habits that will actually carry you through to the end of university, do your readings, no matter how much you don’t want to or how meaningless they seem.

“I AM THE QUEEN REGENT, NOT SOME BROODMARE.” Let this be your first lesson in school rivalry: Queen’s likes to talk down the Mustang spirit. Here at Western, we call that envy.

“YOUR LOYALTY TO YOUR CAPTORS IS TOUCHING.” When it comes time for exam season, you find that Weldon or Taylor or affiliate libraries all suddenly transform into dungeons in which you’re serving what seems like eternity. But you would be surprised how quickly you develop serious Stockholm syndrome, and find yourself passionately defending your choice of study place to your friends. Whether it’s Weldon’s oxygen-less fifth floor, Taylor’s LG penitentiary or an abandoned

“YOU’RE A LONG WAY FROM HOME, AND WINTER IS COMING.” UC Hill is enough to make you seriously re-think going to class in the winter time. Don’t underestimate the amount of jacket you need, especially if you’re trekking around campus to get to classes. Don’t treat getting dressed like it’s a fashion show — the real Victoria’s secret is that winter is no joke. Last year the cold was enough to shut down the university. This is war, people. Come prepared.

>> HEALTH SERVICES

Get help on campus for all your ailments Kevin Hurren NEWS EDITOR-AT-LARGE @KevinAtGazette

Fantasy characters have it easy when it comes to health. Every ailment, sickness and injury can be fixed with a quick potion or spell — so imagine if we had the same capabilities.

Find yourself dozing off while studying in the library? You’d just need to pull an “awakening” from your bag. Finished off a few too many drinks Wednesday night at the Spoke? Your stamina and health points could be regained by standing under some kind of mystical spring. Your arm was just ripped off by overzealous sophs? No worries — your local priest or cleric would mend that right up.

Although we don’t have such mythic fixes, that’s not to say that your Western fantasy adventure doesn’t come with its own heath support. As Western students, you pay into the following services so it’s important to know and take advantage of the programs they offer, making sure you’re leveling up in every way possible.

Student Health Services The first support many students will turn to for health related concerns is, unsurprisingly, Student Health Services. Located in the basement of the University Community

Centre, this clinic is staffed by fulltime medical professionals with an interest in student and youth health.

Although SHS is not a walk in clinic, it’s quite easy to call and make a same day appointment.

Yes, they take care of the conventional sicknesses and injuries, but they also offer an array of other services. If you receive injections for allergies, want more information on birth control or hope to get screened for common sexually transmitted diseases SHS can get you set up with whatever you need. Plus, all undergraduate students are part of the University Students’ Council health plan, so unless you’ve decided to opt out these heath services are very accessible for you to use.

Psychological Services Being a healthy student involves a lot more than just physical health, and pain doesn’t always come in the form of a bleeding wound or open sore. As such, Western’ Student Development Centre offers psychological services for students who may be feeling stressed, anxious, scared or depressed. Students can sit down with a counsellor and create strategies to overcome these common obstacles.

It’s important to note that psychological services within the SDC uses talk therapy, so if prescription medication is the path a student

Kevin Hurren • GAZETTE

wants to pursue those services are offered through the psychiatric department of SHS. Student Emergency Response Team Let’s say your health concern is a little more, well, urgent. You’ll most likely be dealing with Western’s Student Emergency Response Team or SERT. These are volunteer students who are trained to the extent

in medical assistance and first aid as firefighters and only slightly below paramedics.

They may not be as instant as a magic potion, but with an under two-minute response time and a newly upgraded emergency response vehicle, a co-ed SERT unit will often be the first people on the scene for any campus medical emergencies.

Kevin Hurren • GAZETTE

Frosh Dictionary Katie Lear NEWS EDITOR @KatieAtGazette

As a freshman student, you’ve probably barely been on campus an hour, and before you’ve made it to your Intro to Spanish elective it seems like everyone’s speaking a different language around you. Feeling lost?

Don’t worry. The Gazette has you covered with the Frosh Dictionary.

Concrete Beach: The open area of concrete in front of the UCC is frequently home to everything from vendors to protesters, but more infamously sees the entire student population during rush hour.

Floorcest: The act of hooking up with another resident on one’s floor.

Widely regarded as a bad idea, especially on the morning after — the first of many awkward encounters.

Foot Patrol: A campus safety program run by student volunteers that walk at night to escort students across campus. Alternatively, instant friends that are just a phone call away.

Frosh: Freshman students that are divided into groups by the Soph they’re supported by. They’re typically spotted trailing across campus following their wild-eyed bandana-clad Soph or compulsively checking Western ClassFind.

HBK: The affiliate colleges — Huron, Brescia and King’s — that are usually only visited if a student requires a class here to free up their Fridays.

O-week: The first week at Western designed to orient freshman students to campus life through various events and activities, including preparing students to actually wake up on time for class.

Richmond Row: The area of Richmond Street that runs from Oxford to York Street and features most of London’s most popular bars and restaurants, such as Jack’s and The Ceeps.

Shinerama: The annual campaign drive where freshman students raise money for cystic fibrosis research in the first week of September by canvassing around London.

Soph: Upper-year students (commonly sophomores) that are assigned to groups of freshman students as friendly support and mentors for the year. Also the only people who will ever tell you pancake keggers are a good idea.

UCC: The University Community Centre — Western’s focal point, home to student government, speakers, concerts, food vendors, campus media and even a movie theatre to keep students busy while waiting for one of the study tables to free up.

UC Hill: The large stretch of grass found just in front of University College that makes a great place to study, throw a Frisbee or toboggan down (if the geese haven’t gotten to it first).

6 •

thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

>> INTRAMURALS

What’s the easiest way to win a Purple Shirt?

Nathan Kanter SPORTS EDITOR

QUIDDITCH This is not a typo and not a mistake. This is the second year that Western offers quidditch! Want to be a beater? A chaser? A keeper?

Think you have what it takes to be the snitch? In this real-life version of JK Rowling’s fictional sport, the snitch is a person who runs around for the final 10 minutes of action. No chance of swallowing the snitch in this version.

Chances of winning a Purple Shirt: 6.25 per cent (1 co-ed division only)

@NathanAtGazette

Intramurals are likely the perfect concoction for those creatures who want to be active and socialize at the same time. Not sure if you’re a level five dwarf or a level 80 orc? Don’t worry, there are tons of divisions in all sorts of sports. Last fall, 700 intramural teams registered at Western, so you’ll find the right fit somewhere.

And if things don’t go as planned in the fall, you’ll get a chance at redemption in the winter term.

The best part? Winning your division let’s you cross one thing off of your Western bucket list: the Purple Shirt. The Purple Shirt has been a tradition at Western since the beginning of time — more accurately 20 or so years—which is handed out to the winning team of each intramural division. The shirt is highly coveted and lets the rest of the school know that you are, in fact, a champion.

Registration opens up at 8 a.m. on September 4. Most sports stay open until September 22, but don’t wait around for too long or you’re spot will get taken!

BADMINTON With only three six-team divisions, you’re odds are pretty good. But that also means stiff competition, so make sure you’re serious before signing up.

Chances of winning a Purple Shirt: 16.67 per cent

Courtesy of Campus Rec

BALL HOCKEY Ball hockey is offered in the gym as well as outdoor on the O-rink in the fall semester. Indoor is more like “floor hockey” while outdoor gives you more room and space, though come playoff time in November it gets almost as cold as Winterfell.

Chances of winning a Purple Shirt: 15 per cent DODGEBALL 1 division; 48 teams. So yes, it gets a bit nuts! But can you ever remember a time when you didn’t enjoy whipping balls at other people? EVER?

No, neither can I. Chances of winning a Purple Shirt: 2.08 per cent FLAG FOOTBALL Flag football allows you to play on Western’s TD field but we remind you it’s non-contact. This popular intramural sport is quite different than the one that takes to the field on Saturday afternoon in front of thousands of fans.

Chances of winning a Purple Shirt: 5.77 per cent, best odds in men’s comp

MOST POPULAR FALL INTRAMURALS • Soccer • Volleyball • Ice Hockey • Basketball • Dodgeball Best Odds to Win a Purple Shirt: • Badminton • Ball Hockey • Women’s Basketball • European Handball • Women’s Soccer

VOLLEYBALL Volleyball can join soccer as the most in demand intramural sports at Western. From 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Sunday there is volleyball action happening in four gyms across campus. There’s also volleyball on Wednesday and Thursdays.

So yeah, a lot of volleyball…

Chances of winning a Purple Shirt: 2.77 per cent overall, best odds in men’s comp

Worst Odds to Win a Purple Shirt: • Inner-tube Water Polo Co-ed Rec • Dodgeball • Men’s Rec Basketball • Co-ed Rec Volleyball • Co-ed Comp Soccer

ULTIMATE FRISBEE Despite the fact that I can’t throw a Frisbee properly, I still thoroughly enjoyed ultimate Frisbee intramurals this past summer. So chances are you’ll have a better time than I did, considering my team went 0-10. But shhh don’t tell them I wrote about our team’s failures.

Chances of winning a Purple Shirt: 3.57 per cent (1 co-ed division only)

FOR MORE INTRAMURAL SPORTS AND ANALYSIS, GO TO WESTERNGAZETTE.CA/ FROSH-ISSUE-2014

Greek life not all about Plato and Aristotle Devlin’s Advocate

Megan Devlin ONLINE EDITOR @MegAtGazette

I thought fraternities and sororities were an American thing. I thought they were like the high school cheerleading team — a staple on television but conspicuously absent in real life.

But my curiosity was piqued when a girl on my floor left one morning and said she was attending house tours for sorority recruitment.

She returned that evening urging me to come out. She had met houses full of girls and couldn’t decide between them.

Ignoring her advice, I did what a typical first-year does on a Friday in September — I partied late and slept in until 3 p.m. the next day.

My floormate came back ecstatic that her first choice sorority had offered her a bid and for the rest of the semester I watched her grow closer to her sisters and finally be initiated into her house. I learned I had made a mistake that fateful Friday.

Eden Wine, a former recruitment

advisor for Western Panhellenic Council, says students have nothing to lose and everything to gain by going through recruitment.

“I would recommend the recruitment experience regardless of whether or not someone chooses to join. I usually describe it to people as kind of like a museum experience.

You pay your $20 for admission to get to meet and see what sorority life is about and you have no obligation to join,” Wine said.

I signed up for sorority formal recruitment in my second year.

It was the second weekend in September and I was determined not to sleep through it this time — although it was a close call.

When my floormate said the process began with house tours I thought she meant just that — walking through a cute, historic mansion.

Again, I was wrong.

I was greeted at 9 a.m. by a throng of girls dressed in matching letters and skirts belting their sorority song and clapping in my face.

I was put off, to put it mildly.

Next, one girl took me aside and started asking me questions. Who I was, where I was from — I thought all I had signed up for a house tour but this girl practically wanted to know my social insurance number.

Eventually, I caught on that complete strangers were picking my

thegazette

Volume 108, Issue 3 www.westerngazette.ca

Iain Boekhoff Big Sword Brent Holmes Vacation Editor Richard Raycraft 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.

brain because they wanted to see if we had anything in common — kind of like platonic speed dating.

Your Rho Gammas (recruitment guides) tell you that you will “feel at home” at a certain house. Each house has a collection of amazing girls, but subtle differences between the sisterhoods are apparent.

In the end, I signed my preferences and was offered a bid from my first-choice sorority.

I started out hesitant about following through with the process.

But the more time I spent with my sorority, the more I fell in love with it.

I loved the philanthropy

opportunities. We collected canned food door-to-door, took cell samples for our bone marrow drive and raised money for our chapter’s international charity.

I loved the mixers. Not only did I have 60 new sisters, but an entire community of Greeks to get to know.

But more than all I loved my new sisters — a network of older and younger girls far more complex than my first-year floormates. I loved the unexpectedly profound friendships I formed. I loved simply being a part of Greek life — an experience shared by students across the United States and Canada.

SORORITIES

FRATERNITIES

• Alpha Gamma Delta • Alpha Omicron Pi • Alpha Phi • Kappa Alpha Theta • Pi Beta Phi Sorority Recruitment Dates: September 12-15

“I would recommend guys start [rushing] second semester and get settled in first semester. I think it’s a good idea because that’s what I did. You get to meet the people on your floor and get settled in with the big [university] transition.”

•Adam Higa Member of Phi Gamma Delta

• Alpha Epsilon Pi • Delta Upsilon • Kappa Alpha Society • Lambda Chi Alpha • Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) • Pi Kappa Alpha • Sigma Chi • Zeta Psi

How to get involved: Fraternity Recruitment Dates: Sign up for formal recruitment September 8-18 at www.uwosororities.com How to get involved: Visit the booths outside the UCC during the first week of classes to find out when each fraternity is holding events throughout the recruitment period.

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, Old Man Maja Anjoli-Bilic

Diana Watson Robert Armstrong

Gazette Staff 2014-2015 Christine Bonk, Sarah Botelho, Tabitha Chan, Jonathan Dunn, Spencer Fairweather, Sam Frankel, Janice Fung, Stephanie Grella, Dorothy Kessler, Kevin Heslop, Emory Liu, Haida Liu, Cheryl Madliger, Sara Mai Chitty, Soheil Milani, Mackenzie Morrison, Vidhant Pal, Lily Robinson, Morgann Sampson, Alex Seger, Tiffany Shepherd, Tristan Wu

News Amy O’Kruk Hamza Tariq Katie Lear Olivia Zollino

Sports Bradley Metlin Nathan Kanter Robert Nanni

Sword Swallower Kevin Hurren

Photography Kelly Samuel Taylor Lasota Winnie Lu

Opinions Nusaiba Al-Azem Arts & Life Conrad Floryan Jennafer Freeman Jenny Jay

“I was born and raised in Kuwait. It’s a pretty conservative country ­— I don’t drink alcohol or anything like that so I’m not like your stereotypical frat guy.

But the thing with the Greek scene I’ve found is that it’s very accommodating to people of all different backgrounds and that’s something I wish I found out earlier.”

• Shareef Sehgal Interfratenity Council president.

“When you join a sorority, right away you get paired up with one of the older girls. They become your mentor for Greek life and I’m so grateful I got paired up with Emily” • Emma Germain Member of Alpha Gamma Delta

Online Megan Devlin

Graphics Jennifer Feldman Illustrations Christopher Miszczak Graphics/Video Mike Laine

• Please recycle this newspaper •

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thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

kingdom of Western Adventure outside of the classroom Bradley Metlin SPORTS EDITOR @BradAtGazette

Change the World Do you dream of making an impact in other people’s lives? Changing the world might seem like a grand adventure but there’s a tonne of different ways to slay that dragon.

Some prefer the political route and Western has you covered in that regard with the Western Liberals and Western Conservatives (Sorry NDPers, there hasn’t been a club for you guys in a few years.)

If you’re more of a social justice warrior, you could always stop by the Peer Support Centre and talk to the Pride Western or EnviroWestern Coordinators.

Don’t just limit yourself to

campus — London is home to many charities that have their Southwestern Ontario bases here.

The Ronald McDonald House, Make a Wish Foundation and many other great organizations are just a phone call or email away from receiving your help!

Perform Jesters in the courtyard usually have no problem finding the attention of their peers but if you want to become the metaphorical King or Queen of the castle, there’s a few things you can do.

For the theatrical, there’s a lot of different places to look at Western.

Emailing the Theatre Western Coordinator and asking to be put on the newsletter is a good first step. They have musical trips, a

Courtesy of Paul Mayne

fall play and spring musical with opportunities for singers, dancers and musicians.

If you like improvisation, the Comedy Club is also a great place to find some hilarious people. More of the singing or instrument type?

Most residences hold a coffee house or two throughout the year that will allow you to wow your entire building.

Discuss Ideas (Public Speaking/Journalism) If people have frequently remarked that you can be heard throughout the land before you’ve been seen or noticed that your arguments could disarm any seasoned elder, there a lot of places to showcase your skill at Western.

You could volunteer at The Gazette (you’re holding a copy right now…that’s a start!) and write articles that spur discussion. If you’re more inclined towards radio, you could get involved with CHRW, Western’s radio station.

There’s also the Western Debate Society if you like debating opponents — and crushing them with your genius rhetoric.

The University Students’ Council also sets aside a councillor position for every residence and off-campus that is usually elected around the end of September. What better way to use that big, intelligent voice than representing your peers within your student government?

Mike Laine • GAZETTE

Being a Keener When teachers asked a question would they discover your lone hand in the air when they looked for an answer? If so, you’re probably what most would call a “keener”or you just value your education and others are straight up jealous.

Academic keeners have a place at Western! Virtually every faculty or department has some sort of association or group that discusses their ideas. For instance, the History Society or the Biology Undergraduate Society (BUGS).

Have postgrad plans and want to interact with other similarly ambitious people? Check out the PreBusiness Students’ Network (PBSN) or the Pre-Law Society.

It also doesn’t hurt to get involved in your tutorials, it’s not a club or anything but it will certainly make your educational experience a lot more interesting.

Everything Else If you didn’t fit into one of these four aforementioned categories that were created, do not fret! The vast world of Western has hundreds of clubs that you could get involved with. Checking out the USC’s Involvement Compass and answering the quick questionnaire will give you a number of clubs and groups that might be suited to your interests.

Check out the USC website and you might find some interesting leadership opportunities there. Ask a Soph or Residence Staff member for help, they’ll surely be able to point you in the direction of a really exciting adventure.

There’s a plethora of things available to you that will make your time at Western incredible — so set off on your own first-year odyssey and have a blast!

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thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

GO ONLINE FOR MORE! westerngazette.ca /frosh-issue-2014

FILE PHOTO

Long live the kings of sports Nathan Kanter SPORTS EDITOR

@NathanAtGazette

For those new to Western, we welcome you to the best varsity athletics program in the entire realm.

Western has a total of 44 Varsity teams representing the school.

Year after year the purple and white prove that the sports kingdom is ours to rule.

With the fall season just around the corner, here’s the info you need to convince you that this king isn’t going anywhere.

Baseball

Last year the Mustangs baseball team had a great regular season at 17–7, but unfortunately came up short in the playoffs, losing both games in the OUA Baseball Championships. The championship series consists of a four-team round robin, which saw Western lose games to Guelph and Brock.

The past four seasons the Mustangs have seen the same result; easy qualification into the playoffs, but no titles to show for it. They previously won four championships in five years, from 2005–2009.

This year the Mustangs return two aces in Owen Boon and Adam Paish, so defense shouldn’t be an issue. Offense will likely be the focus as Western only batted .240 as a team last year in the regular season, and finished seventh out of nine teams in hits with just 163.

Western will kick off its 2014 season on the road against the defending champion Laurier Golden Hawks in Waterloo with a double header on September 6.

Their home opener is the next day at Labatt Park against Guelph, with games at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Football

Football is a big deal at Western, and for good reason. Thirty Yates Cup champions as the top team in Ontario? Yup, you heard right.

The football program at Western oozes excellence, and last year the team went undefeated in regular season play with an 8–0 record.

Their average margin of victory in the eight games they played was almost 39 points! In the OUA final they clobbered rival Queens 51–22 to advance to the CIS semi-finals.

Everything came crashing down

in an instant as Western lost to the Calgary Dinos by an embarrassing score of 44–3. Yes, they came one win away from a shot at the Vanier Cup, but to lose in this fashion was no doubt a disappointment.

This past off-season saw some departures in the form of defensive stalwarts Pawel Kruba and Beau Landry, both of whom moved on to the CFL. But star quarterback Will Finch returns, as does running back Garrett Sanvido, and coach Greg Marshall will make sure this team is more than prepared when they hit the field September 6 on the road to take on the York Lions.

Rowing

Both the men’s and women’s rowing teams captured the national championship last season, and 14 different Mustangs were recognized as Canadian all-stars. The year before both teams finished third in the country, and the year before that the men won gold while the women claimed silver. The excellence in Western’s rowing program dates back much further than the past three years. The men’s rowing team has won 26 provincial championships while the women have won 22.

The teams also came together to compete in the prestigious Royal Henley Regatta on the Thames River in England this past summer; an international competition dating back to 1839.

The

men’s pair of Liam McCormick and Brent Duncan advanced to the quarterfinals from a pool of 15 teams but fell eventually to the South African national team. The men’s eight also advanced to the quarter-final out of a pool of 74 crews, before falling to Ivy league powerhouse Brown University.

The first regatta of the season will take place on September 20 on Fanshawe Lake with the OUA championships scheduled for October 25 in St. Catharines.

Rugby (Men’s)

The men’s rugby team brought in a new coach for 2014, after losing in the OUA finals to the Queen’s Gaels last season. Western has qualified for the final five years in a row, taking home the championship in 2011–12, but they lost three times to Queens, and once to McMaster, so coach Steve Thomas decided to

month in Brazil. Penzack and Tomlinson won’t return this season, but Ojo, Santangeli, Turnbull, and Warburton will attempt to get Western over the hump in 2014.

The Mustangs begin the hunt for an OUA title at home against Toronto on September 3 at Alumni Field. That key regular season matchup against the Gaels is on the road on October 18.

Rugby (Women’s)

Last season the women’s rugby team advanced to the OUA semifinals for the first time since 2009.

They lost to eventual champion Queen’s, and couldn’t muster up a victory in the bronze medal match against McMaster either, but nonetheless made significant strides.

Lori Josephson was named a CIS All-Canadian last season, though she won’t return this year.

But Breanne Nicholas, who was named OUA rookie-of-the-year and got to represent Canada at the FISU Rugby Seven championships, should be a force again.

The women travel to Quebec for a pre-season tournament, but officially kick things off at Alumni Field against Guelph on September 6.

Soccer (Men’s)

bring in D a v i d Knowles to change things up a bit.

Thomas will now serve as General Manager, while Knowles will work with assistants Richard Cooke and Peter Alport.

Last season Ade Ojo was named the best all-around player in the OUA and was also given an all-star nod, along with four other Mustangs; Mike Penzack, Rory Tomlinson, Mike Turnbull and Geoff Warburton. Mike Santangeli also got to represent Team Canada at the International University Sport Federation Rugby Sevens Championship this

Soccer is one of the most competitive varsity sports in Canada with 17 teams competing in the OUA alone, so it’s been a while since Western has seen success in the playoffs.

Last season they were eliminated in the OUA West division quarter-final for the third year in a row. Six teams per division make the playoffs, which Western has not had trouble accomplishing, but their last OUA title came in 2006–07, when they won their third championship in four years.

Western will open its soccer season with back-to-back games against Algoma University on August 30 and 31 at home.

Soccer (Women’s)

In 2011, the women’s soccer team finished last in the OUA West division with a 3–10–1 record. After that season, Martin Painter was hired as head coach. The next year, Western finished tied for second in the OUA West at 10–4–2. This past season, Western went undefeated under coach Painter, with an 11–0–5 record, earning him CIS coach of the

year honours. Painter returns for 2014–15 to a team that is hungrier than ever after a devastating OUA final loss to Laurier in penalty kicks last season. The OUA silver medal did allow Western to compete in the CIS national championships, but Western lost both games.

Last year’s OUA West rookie of the year Jenna White leads a talented crop of returning players, including goalkeeper Tori Edgar, midfielder Tianna Deluzio and first-year striker Amanda Boyle, all of whom were named first-team OUA all-stars last season.

The women’s team will begin their quest for another undefeated season at home against Algoma University on August 30. They play the same back-to-back as the men’s team, at Mustang Field.

Lacrosse (Men’s)

Men’s lacrosse doesn’t compete in the OUA or CIS but is a major player in the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association. Last year they were ousted by Queen’s in the quarter-final of the Baggataway Cup in Montreal. Just one year earlier the Mustangs lost a thriller in the final of national championship tournament in double overtime to McGill. It was their best performance since 2001 when Western won the Baggatway Cup. This year the men look to get back on track with a road trip to northern Ontario to begin their season. They meet Nipissing and Laurentian on September 6 and 7 before returning home to Mustang Field for their home opener against Guelph on September 12.

Lacrosse (Women’s)

OUA champions last season for the third year in a row, it was also their fourth championship the past five years. Dave Hastings was named OUA coach of the year for last year’s squad while Tawnie Johnson and Kristen Stafford were named OUA all-stars. Unfortunately Stafford won’t be back but Johnson will.

The Mustangs will begin this season on a 41-game unbeaten streak, a streak that has lasted more than three years! The lucky first opponent will be McMaster on September 14th, a team Western easily dismantled in the quarter-finals last playoffs by a score of 14–2.

thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

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thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

The

Kingdom of

western

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thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

The University Students’ Council and you Richard Raycraft MANAGING EDITOR @RichAtGazette

Just what is the University Students’ Council? A cult? A tyrannical organization that rules over the one-party state that is Western? A collection of narcissistic teens and twenty-somethings that have been handed real political power for the first time?

Actually, the USC, a non-profit corporation, is your student government and union here at this fine academic institution which makes it extremely important. The USC operates a huge number of quality services that are often overlooked by first-year students. It also offers endless opportunities to get involved, gain some valuable experience and make a big difference. It’s therefore important that you have a sound understanding of how it works and what it does.

With 75 voting members of council, more than 300 employees and over a 1,000 volunteers, the USC is the largest student government in Canada. Representatives, including councillors, senators and certain members of the executive, including the president, are popularly elected around mid-February. Council is one of the main decision-making bodies of the USC, along with the USC Board of Directors. It’s where your elected representatives debate and vote on issues pertaining to student outreach, advocacy and USC operations. Faculties and residences all have representatives, so if you have a concern as a constituent you should forward it to them.

The six executives each lead a portfolio that focuses on a specific area of policy. Three are elected together by students — the president, the vice-president internal and the vice-president external.

The other three — communications, student events and finance — are elected by council at the Annual General Meeting, which takes place in March. These executives sit on committees, bring proposals to council and oversee volunteers in their portfolio. For more information on what each executive does, see page 15 of this issue.

The USC also collects an annual student fee that funds things such as your bus pass and your student health and dental plan, in addition to funding its services and operations.

As mentioned, the corporate side of the USC owns several services and operations. This means you are entitled to use them as an undergraduate student at Western. They include pubs and restaurants such as the Spoke and Wave, campus media such as The Gazette, CHRW Radio Western and the USC talk show WesternTV, and a whole array of support services and clubs. Most support services are run through the Peer Support Network or PSN. It tackles everything from health and wellness to issues facing underrepresented groups. The clubs system consists of over 200 clubs with a variety of focuses. No matter what you’re interest in, there’s probably a club for you at Western.

This only scratches the surface of what the USC does at Western.

If you want to learn more, visit the USC’s website at www.westernusc. ca or, if you’re keen enough, learn how to bother USC politicians about their policies and decisions by volunteering for the news section of The Gazette. It’s great fun.

USC INFO BOX Number of executives: 6 Number of voting councillors: 75 Base student fee: $79.40 Total student fee: $685.83 Location: Room 340, UCC

Iain Boekhoff • GAZETTE

PUT YOUR PLACARDS IN THE AIR. Council votes at the second portion of the Annual General Meeting to elect the remaining three members of the executive.

Services and operations include: Creative Services, Western Film, Bus Pass, Health Plan, Peer Support Centre, Mustang Central

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thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

lords&ladies of Western >> FROM THE PRESIDENT

Welcome to Western Amit Chakma WESTERN UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT & VICE-CHANCELLOR @PresWesternU

You’ve made a very smart decision in choosing We s t e r n .

Why? Because you’re about to embark on a journey of self-discovery within an incredibly diverse and exciting campus community that offers an astounding array of academic, extra and co-curricular opportunities that will provide you with a truly world-class education.

Our vision at Western is to be the destination of choice for the world’s brightest minds seeking the best learning experience at a leading Canadian research university. As a Western student, you’re now part of that ambitious vision.

So let me share with you my top 10 reasons why you should feel “purple and proud” to be one of our growing family that includes more than 275,000 alumni worldwide.

1. Every year for over a decade, thousands of undergraduate students across Canada graded Western at the top of its class in an annual national survey conducted by the Globe and Mail that looked at a wide range of measures including student satisfaction, quality of teaching, outstanding residence experience and overall campus atmosphere.

2. Western consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in Canada in the Maclean’s University Rankings — medical/doctoral category.

3. The Centre for World University Rankings currently lists Western 152 among 22,000-plus degree-granting institutions, placing your new home among the top 0.7 per cent of the world’s best schools.

4. Your new home is one of Canada’s most beautiful residential

campuses, having previously taken first place honours in the national Communities in Bloom competition, parks and grounds category.

5. You are surrounded by really smart people. The average entering grades of first-year Western students are among the highest in the country and our graduation rates are consistently among the highest in Ontario.

6. Your professors are among the best and brightest. Western has more 3M National Teaching Fellowship winners than any university in Ontario and second most in Canada.

7. Western graduates enjoy high employment rates at 93.9 per cent within two years after they complete their studies.

8. In fact, according to the Emerging Employability ranking which surveys 5,000 top recruiters in 20 countries worldwide, Western ranks 119 among the Top 150 universities in the world for educating the most employable graduates.

9. Alumni value their Western experience. According to our most recent survey of graduating students, 92.4 per cent of our graduates would recommend Western to a friend.

10. Western students and alumni are successful. Last year, for example, former student and Writer-in-Residence Alice Monroe won the 2013 Nobel Prize in literature; Saumya Krishna (BHSc’13) was named Western’s 22nd Rhodes Scholar; and Victoria Chok, a second-year Science student was named among Canada’s Top 20 Under 20. Western alumni can also boast to being named Top 40 Under 40 award winners more often than graduates from any other school in the country.

The evidence is clear; you’ve chosen your university wisely. Now it’s up to you to seize the opportunities before you and make the most of your Western experience. To that end, I wish you all the very best for success with your studies and your future endeavours, wherever your path may lead.

WELCOME BACK STUDENTS

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>> THE OMBUDSPERSON

Jennifer Meister

Saving your skin Robert Nanni SPORTS EDITOR @RobertAtGazette

The ombudsperson: the person you discover right around the time you are about to give up all hope.

Although highly advertised during summer academic orientation, around campus many people are blatantly unaware of the services offered by the Office of the Ombudsperson.

Jennifer Meister, the ombudsperson, is located in room 3135 of the Student Support Centre. She offers an environment in which you can go to discuss any problems you’ve been having — whether academic, social or otherwise. If you want to appeal a grade, have an issue with parking or feel like you have been treated unfairly in some respect, this is your go-to person.

“One of the things we try very hard to do in this office is to get students to work out their problems themselves,” says Meister.

“We give them advice on how to

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deal with situations whether it’s conflict management, doing better at school or putting together notes for a meeting.”

Some might equate the Ombudsperson to an academic counsellor or a psychologist yet, despite overlapping functions and qualifications, there is one crucial difference: impartiality.

While counsellors and psychologists are fully funded by the university, the Office of the Ombudsperson is dually funded: 50 per cent of their funding is student-based, the remainder is university-based.

“We don’t advocate for one side or the other, we advocate for what’s fair,” states Meister. “We’re not concerned about representing the student or representing the university, we’re just concerned about applying the policies fairly.”

At a cost of $3.09 per year per student, this service is available to all undergraduate and graduate students, including students at affiliate colleges. For this measly fee, an endless buffet of references, advice

Courtesy of Western University

and assistance is at your disposal.

“Sometimes administrators don’t know the big picture. We can put it in perspective for them and a lot of the time they’ll see our point,” Meister switch.

The Office of the Ombudsperson will analyze all aspects of the student’s concern and determine what’s most fair. Through questioning the procedures involved, the discovery of a systemic problem may be identified which can influence the decision-making process for future students. “Often, even if your problem does not get fixed, it might fix the problem for students down the road,” Meister claims.

So whether you’re just starting out with a problem, or have exhausted all possibilities, the Office of the Ombudsperson is always a place to turn for advice.

Though unable to make any official changes, they definitely provide a helpful pathway for getting an issue remedied, and can be an extremely assistive part of any student’s university experience.

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thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Western Administration >> WHO’S WHO

Who runs this place anyways?

DR. AMIT CHAKMA President and Vice-Chancellor

Chakma was appointed president and vicechancellor in July 2009 to a five-year term and reappointed for a further five years last year.

He is the CEO and public face of the university, responsible for the overall management, general supervision and strategic direction of the university.

He is the chair of the Senate, as well as the chair of U15, a national body of universities.

KELLY COLE Vice-President External

Cole was appointed vice-president external in January of this year. She is responsible for Western Communications and Public Affairs, which includes media relations, marketing, social media and Western News. She also leads Western’s “Be Extraordinary” campaign, which hopes to raise $750 million by 2018.

DR. JANICE DEAKIN Provost and VicePresident Academic

Deakin was appointed provost and vice-president academic in August 2010 for five years and reappointed this year. Her extensive portfolio includes a team of seven vice-provosts and associate vice-presidents who, combined with the deans, oversee all academic aspects of the university, institutional planning and budgeting and recruitment and registration.

GITTA KULCZYCKI Vice-President Resources and Operations Kulczycki has been vice-president resources and operations since May 2004. She is responsible for planning, design, implementation and assessment of all administrative and business affairs of Western.

This means she oversees the university’s finance, physical plant and capital planning services, legal services, human resources, and housing and ancillary services, as well as campus police.

DR. JOHN CAPONE Vice-President Research

Capone began his five-year term as vice-president research in October 2012.

He is responsible for the university’s research mandate, which is based largely on five core priorities including producing results with global impact, dissemination of knowledge for the public and encouraging collaborative research projects.

Dr. Stephen McClatchie, Huron Principal Dr. Colleen Hanycz, Brescia Principal Dr. David Sylvester, King’s Principal The principals of the affiliate colleges are appointed by their individual boards and have seats on Western’s Senate. They are the public face of their respective institutions and as CEO, oversee the running of their individual institutions, including such matters as academics, budgeting and internal and external relations.

Adapted from Western’s Media Relations & Huron, Brescia and King’s communications departments Photos courtesy of Western University

>> ASSOCIATE VICE-PRESIDENT STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Focus on students Amy O’Kruk NEWS EDITOR

initiative for O-week. “[They are] really trying to make it so that there’s a good image of @AmyAtGazette Western services,” Addison said.

Western’s acting associate “Students won’t just see the USC vice-president student experience and sophs as their resources but has some big projects lined up to they know that the Success Centre exists, that academic counselling benefit students this year.

Dr. Angie Mandich was chosen exists.”

Mandich will also be involved for the position this past spring when the role was created with the in ensuring the growth of BizInc, a start-up business incusplit up of the vice-provost academic programs bator and a former USC and students, and regisventure. The program received provincial trar position into three funding in April and is separate administrative being developed into a posts. larger entrepreneurial Mandich plans to centre that will provide initiate a campus wide focus on wellness.

Dr. Angie Mandich more opportunities for students.

“Mental health is one Matt Helfand, USC president, of my passions, [along with] health and wellness, so I’m able to share is collaborating with Mandich on that with a lot of people on campus the project and added that the uni— it’s really exciting,” Mandich said. versity has matched the provincial She plans on drawing attention grant the program received. to student well-being with functions “It’s transitioning over to the unisuch as a Western wellness speaker versity, the USC still has a very big series and highlighting the presence role in it but Dr. Mandich is helping of Western services during O-week. to oversee that whole transition,” The wellness series is slated to begin Helfand said. at 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 1 with Mandich said that while her new Dr. Jen Irwin, a professor of health position is still evolving, it’s indicsciences. ative of Western’s commitment to Emily Addison, University students.

Students’ Council vice-president “I think the intent of this role is to internal, has been working closely have one place for students to come with Mandich on her wellness to, to have a voice for the students.”

• 15

thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

University Students’ Council >> WHO’S WHO PART TWO

>> FROM THE USC PRESIDENT’S DESK

Who thinks they run this place?

Protector of the Realm

Master of Coin

MATT HELFAND President

ANDREW LALKA Vice-President Finance

It’s Helfand’s duty to represent the interests of the University Students’ Council and the student body throughout the realm. As the primary spokesperson for the USC, he provides the organization with direction and leadership.

If the USC’s resources were in a pouch, Lalka would be pulling the purse strings. The VP Finance is responsible for ensuring that the USC’s resources are effectively managed and allocated. Lalka creates the annual budget, oversees club finances and promotes student financial proficiency to boot.

The King’s Hand

Knight of the Gate

EMILY ADDISON Vice-President Internal

Matt Helfand USC PRESIDENT

EMERSON TITHECOTT Vice-President Communications

Next in line to the throne, Addison is responsible for defending equal opportunity and acceptance for any individual student, student group or social group.

Addison advocates for underrepresented groups, builds campus partnerships and draws awareness to issues facing undergraduate students.

Tithecott mans the figurative gateway between the USC and the world. As the official spokesperson of the USC, he facilitates communication on behalf of the organization as well as guiding their promotional campaigns. It’s his job to make sure the USC brand stays fresh and relevant to students.

Alchemist

Queen-Beyond-the-Wall

SAM KILGOUR Vice-President Student Events

JEN CARTER Vice-President External It’s Carter’s job to advocate on behalf of students beyond Western’s kingdom. She represents student interests to external institutions at a municipal, provincial and federal level. Aiding her in her role is the fact that Carter is the current president of OUSA.

It takes someone with a little magical ability to oversee Western’s 200-plus clubs while drumming up student engagement in events and programming. Kilgour’s job is to coax ticket sales and a turnout out of Western’s undergraduates with the intent of enriching their student experience.

• Amy O’Kruk

thegazette HOUSING

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Board

of

Directors:

The board consists of the USC president, five studentsat-large and four community members. All decisions about operations, including bylaw changes and the annual budget, go through the board.

Standing

Committees:

Standing committees are populated by council members and executives. The six committees discuss issues and draft motions to put forward on the council agenda.

Standing committees can also have sub-committees for specific issues within an issue.

Sincerely, Matt Helfand president@westernusc.ca UCC Room 340

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Consists of 75 voting representatives. Councillors represent students from the various faculties and affiliate colleges. They are the primary decision-making body within the USC and decide priorities for the executives based on student needs and feedback.

Hello Western!

My name is Matt Helfand and I have the distinct privilege of serving as your University Students’ Council president for this year. First and foremost, welcome to Western, the best university in Canada.

University is an exciting time and is a place for growth, education and fun. It is also a chance to challenge yourself and those around you.

What you are sure to learn during your time at Western is that there is no shortage of opportunities for students. The University Students’ Council is proud to offer a number of these opportunities through our various services, council positions and our clubs system.

We hope that you take advantage of these chances, and know that the value of your university education extends well beyond the classroom!

Odds are that if you are reading this issue of The Gazette, you are well on your way to becoming a full-fledged Mustang! The Gazette is Canada’s only daily student-run newspaper and is one of many things to be proud of here on campus!

We at the University Students’ Council wish you all the best as you discover all that Western has to offer. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

To place your classifed ad, please contact us at 519-661-3579 or adoffice@uwo.ca

USC Governance Structure

Council:

@MattHelfand

PUT YOUR SUDOKU SAVVY TO THE TEST! 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.

For solution, turn to page 20

1-3 ads...............................$8.35/issue 4-8 ads ..............................$7.70/issue 9-12 ads ............................$7.15/issue 13-20 ads ..........................$6.60/issue 21-34 ads ..........................$6.05/issue 35-50 ads ..........................$5.50/issue 51+ ads ..............................$4.95/issue (base rate is for 30 words)

Faculty Council: While

the councils are not directly a part of the USC, faculty council members sit on council. Every faculty has their own council with an elected president and vice-presidents.

Faculty councils oversee a lot of the programming and events for individual faculties.

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16 •

thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

surviving the game of school Where did all the money go?

Tips to ward off an empty bank account

So you want to date a teaching assistant?

Robert Nanni SPORTS EDITOR @RobertAtGazette

Christopher Miszczak • GAZETTE

Richard Raycraft MANAGING EDITOR @RichAtGazette

You’ve probably heard that university costs a good bit of coin. This is true but sometimes it’s expensive in ways you don’t always stop to think about. Keeping a record of your (probably) measly finances is hard, to put it lightly, but it’s also incredibly useful. Here are some basic tips to ensure you’re not broke at the end of the school year.

1.

Ask yourself: “How much do I have?”

You may have worked the summer prior to coming to school and made a good bit of dough. Your parents may have given you some money or maybe even offered you a monthly allowance (you lucky bastard). Heck, you might even decide that despite all the added stress, you want to work during the school year like I did (you’re crazy). In any case, figure out exactly how much money you have to work with. If it’s next to nothing

you’ll want to focus on acquiring cheap necessities. If it’s in the tens of thousands, you can be more liberal with how much you spend. Your base amount of cash is important for setting spending or saving priorities.

2.

Make a sample expense report!

In your first month or two write down or otherwise document all of your expenses. This includes rent, food, entertainment, alcohol and anything else you’re shelling out money for that month. Barring extraordinary circumstances, this will give you a rough idea of how much your way of life here at Western is going to cost you. The Bookstore has a student planner with expense report sheets that I highly recommend.

3.

Make your budget!

Are you spending $700 a month on booze while your bank account bottoms out? Did you eat at the Wave four times last week? The little

purchases add up on your expenses, and this is your opportunity to start budgeting. Organize your budget by category, in the same manner as the expense reports, and start setting some targets. Maybe you want to halve how much you eat out, or maybe — gasp — you’ll find you can’t afford all those car costs.

More often than not you are spending too much rather than too little, and this is when it’s important to set a budget or spending target and find ways to meet it.

4.

Learn to say no!

You need to recognize that everyone wants you to spend more. Your friends, the credit card companies, the university — everyone. The single most important piece of advice is to simply say no every once in a while. You don’t need a $1,000 laptop, you don’t need to go out every weekend and you definitely don’t need a Starbucks coffee every time you sit down in Weldon for a study session. To keep spending low, just say no!

You’re in class and you’ve just laid eyes on the most beautiful creature to grace humankind.

You can’t believe this person exists as your teaching assistant, as they simply seem ideal in every way. So what do you want to do?

Date them, of course! But it’s not that simple — you have a few bridges to cross and dragons to slay before that can happen.

Do your research. Facebook stalk and get to know your TA. Drop in on his or her tutorials, and if you’re not in that class — make it happen. Switch in if necessary.

Expert tip: Be good at the subject and showcase your smarts.

Get sexual. Not too direct, of course, but express your flirtatiousness in a relatively appropriate manner. Feel free to be liberal with those top buttons on your blouse or button-up shirt. Just ensure your ensemble screams “flattering” and not “desperate.”

Take it from someone who has flirted with TAs in the past, your appearance makes an impact.

I used to save my cutest outfits for Thursday chemistry tutorials to maximize my chances of getting noticed, and I’ll be damned if it made no difference.

Side note: It made no difference.

One of the first steps probably should have been to ensure your TA’s sexual preferences match yours.

3. Get involved with the course.

Ask your own smart questions, answer others’ dumb questions, and make yourself known in the class. Better yet, stand out as a pupil of interest. These are mature and knowledgeable teaching assistants — they are likely not looking for some ditz who will make a great one-night stand.

Disclaimer: Some of them are, so if you strike gold, stop reading and do as you please.

Make a stupid subject-related joke. Though you might think this corny and a waste of time, remember whom you are dealing with. TAs are graduate students: they are people dedicating their entire lives to this one subject.

Not only will this make you memorable, it will facilitate some crucial one-on-one time.

Take full advantage of this one-on-one experience.

Request a meeting during office hours for further assistance on that one question you are “just really having trouble with, and could use some help on.” If they bite, you have hit the jackpot of available TAs! If not…

Know when to give up. At the end of the day, TAs are there to guide you through the curriculum – so there’s a good chance you have to be okay with that and only that. They may not be giving you head, but at least their giving you brain. Don’t be too disappointed though – after all, there’s always next term.

>> Fashion > First-year fashion essentials Jennafer Freeman ARTS & LIFE EDITOR @JennaAtGazette

Something Purple

Every Western student needs to have something purple in their closet — usually more than one item. Firstyears will use their purple gear multiple times in the first month of school, most notably during O-week and Homecoming. Whether it’s a purple t-shirt, a Western sweater from the Bookstore, or even a purple tutu, these items should be worn and worn often.

Something for Bed

Although bringing pajamas to school may seem obvious to most, it’s important to think about what you’re going to feel comfortable wearing in residence. Not only do first-years wear pjs to bed, they wear them just about everywhere: on the morning walk to the cafe for breakfast, in the evening while hanging out in a floor mate’s room or the lounge, outside during late night fire-drills and especially on

the trek to Perth Hall or 7/11 for a late night snack. First-years end up wearing pajamas in public a lot – so it’s important to have some that are acceptable to wear outside of your bedroom. Investing in some slippers to wear around rez is a great idea as well.

Something Comfy

This category of must-haves differs from pyjamas, despite the fact that both are (hopefully) comfortable. At some point during the week, firstyears are going to be required to leave residence and head to campus, and whether it’s due to a hangover or long hours of class, comfortable clothes are a necessity. Luckily, there are still ways to maintain that good-looking Western image without sacrificing comfort. Leggings are an option for girls, hence the number of females strutting around campus in lulus everyday.

Something Fancy

As wonderful as it would be to live first year in pyjamas and lulus alone, there will be times when you’ll be

Kelly Samuel • GAZETTE

required to dress up. Formal floor photos are one occasion when having something fancy in the closet will be handy. Also different events throughout the year such as Charity Ball are optional for students to attend. Many classes also require students to give presentations and will entail a formal dress

code. Whether it’s for a fun event or a school presentation, girls should plan to have a nice dress and a pair of heels on hand and guys will definitely benefit from having a dress shirt and tie.

Something Bright

For those nights of exceedingly

heavy drinking, intensely bright colours will be a popular option for the inebriated first year. There will be tons of theme-parties in residence ranging from tight-and-bright parties to beer-pong tournaments.

Whatever the occasion, owning a few outrageous, bright-coloured pieces will definitely be convenient.

• 17

thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Effective ways to level up your knowledge Brent Holmes DEPUTY EDITOR @BrentAtGazette

Eventually, O-week will end and you will begin the real reason you came to university. To study well, you need to make use of all of the resources available to you and know how to approach difficult readings and assignments.

Read each reading more than once If you want to have an insightful discussion on the material in your seminar, you need to be taking meticulous notes and making sure you know the material thoroughly.

Use the first reading to get a sense of what it’s about and subsequent readings to go in depth to the points the writer is trying to make and how they are making them.

Never look at chapter lengths The first thing a speedy reader is likely to do when confronted with a chapter long reading is to check the length. Inevitably, you will speed-read as you near the finish line, absorbing less information as a result.

Check out your reading’s citations At the end of most chapters of readings, there will likely be several pages of endnotes. These citations can provide you with good material to check out for further research and, better yet, easy sources for future essays and assignments.

Ask for help Western provides a mountain of often-unused services that can help you study. The Western Student Services building (where you get your student card) is home to several services including a Learning Help Centre, which can help teach effective study techniques. A writing support centre located at the Quotes Cafe in Weldon Library also provides drop in sessions of help with writing and editing essays between 2pm – 7pm from Monday to Thursday and 12pm – 3pm on Saturday.

Make use of your Professor’s Office Hours Your professors have weekly office hours during which time you can visit them for help with a particularly difficult reading or with help to develop a thesis for the latest 6, 000 word essay you’ve been assigned.

Haida Liu • GAZETTE

Going to office hours is a great way to get to know your professors and a better way to stand out than simply introducing yourself at the end of class.

Buy Used Textbooks If Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince taught us anything, it’s that buying used books can be the best decision of your life. Past students may have highlighted important

passages or left helpful notes behind before selling their textbooks back to the bookstore. Whether you’re learning secret spells to use on enemies or getting advice on that next exam, a dog-eared, heavily marked up textbook may make all the difference.

Recognise when to stop studying On the eve of battle, Tyrion Lannister hooked up with Shae to relieve his

anxiety over the coming battle.

While the night before exams may not be one’s last night on earth, it can certainly feel like it. Finding someone to gently stroke your hair — or another part of your anatomy — while they tell you everything will be fine may help you muster the courage to face that 3-hour exam you have in the morning.

The lord of the apps

FREAKYALARM Getting up in the morning is no easy feat for the hungover student. FreakyAlarm will make some of the most annoying noises imaginable until you solve several challenging math problems to turn it off. While your roommate may not appreciate it, you will at least be awake and ready to get to that 8:30 a.m. class.

music

LONDON ONTIME A wizard may arrive precisely when he means to but a student doesn’t. London OnTime is one of many bustracking apps available for the iPhone. OnTime is unique in that it shows exactly how much time until the bus arrives. It allows users to save frequently used stops to their favourites and has a map feature that shows the current location of LTC’s buses.

Love to sing?

Gotta dance?

Check out these classes non-music majors can take to get a Minor in MUSIC or DANCE!

• Listening to Music • Fundamentals of Music Theory • Music in Global Contexts I • Elective Applied Study I • Foundations in Singing • Music in Global Contexts II • Post World War II Popular Music • Musical Theatre • Introduction to Jazz

TINDER/GRINDR A speed dating/hook up app that will help students meet others interested in finding long-term relationships or one-night stands. Too bad most of the guys are horny Tyrion Lannister types without the cash and the girls are elven maidens way out of your league. Maybe it’s time to unleash your inner Loras Tyrell and check out Grindr.

MYFITNESSPAL Keeping off the freshman 15 requires you work out on a consistent basis and eat well. MyFitnessPal is a free app that functions as a food and exercise journal allowing users to track how many calories they’ve burned or consumed during the day.

The app also has features that allow for the scanning of food items and the ability to save recipes.

• Brent Holmes

dance

• What is Canadian Music?

• Dance Improvisation • Movement Making • Intro to Modern Dance Technique • Elementary Modern Dance Technique • Ballet Fundamentals • Intro to Theatre Dance • Beginning Dance Composition & Production • Intermediate Dance Composition & Production

Not interested in classes but still want to PURSUE YOUR PASSION? Why not audition to sing or play in an ensemble!

music.uwo.ca

18 •

thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

DRUGS

Advice for your Western experience

Conrad Floryan ARTS & LIFE EDITOR @ConradAtGazette

According to Statistics Canada, 20 per cent of youth aged 15 to 24 have used marijuana at least once in the past year and 6.5 per cent have tried one of five illicit drugs, excluding cannabis (cocaine or crack, speed, ecstasy, hallucinogens or heroin).

Most freshmen will enter Western with no experience consuming narcotics. It’s thus essential that if you do decide to indulge, you at least have some idea of what you’re doing.

Narcotics can kindle extraordinary experiences but they generally have health drawbacks. The high is only temporary and seeking drugs to escape personal troubles will ultimately prove unrewarding. Narcotics in moderation are a beneficial tool but they are habit-forming — and that’s where the trouble starts.

Deciding whether or not to try an illegal narcotic is a tough decision many first-years have to face when often times, they are encountering them for the first time in a new environment and in the presence of people they don’t know.

Doing drugs safely is even tougher. For the last 18 years, your parents and teachers have not only neglected to instruct you in the art of getting high, they have actively rallied against it. Fortunately, it’s an art that can be learned. Which is what university is for — to learn.

Weed is a ubiquitous drug. You could try other drugs first but most likely marijuana will be the first drug you encounter. Marijuana is consumed for its psychoactive and physiological effects, which can include mild euphoria, relaxation and increased sensory perception including appetite. Unwanted side effects may include anxiety and

EVENTS CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 5–14 Western Fair Rides, food and musical acts Tickets are $9 in advance, $14 at the gate Gates open 3 p.m. Monday– Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday 316 Rectory St. SEPTEMBER 6 Shinearama All day Across London

Bill Wang • GAZETTE

paranoia, decrease in short-term memory and impaired motor skills.

The effects of marijuana and other narcotics vary from person to person and with each dose. When first sampling a drug it’s best to be in a familiar environment with friends.

The high is dependent on the user’s state of mind so think positive and relax — it will help make the difference between a bad trip and a delightful high.

There are a million ways to smoke marijuana. That smelly vase that your cousin hides under his bed despite its crystalline charm is called a bong. For the uninitiated lungs, a bong is the best way to smoke weed because it cools the smoke by filtering it through water-filled chamber(s) to reduce the harshness of those first tokes.

Now that you’re stoned some fun activities to try include watching a movie, listening to music and munching. Gorge mindfully because it’s easy to get carried away and you’ll regret it the next day.

Just as hip-hop initiated a resurgence in marijuana use in the early 90s, the current dance music explosion has popularized ecstasy, the drug of the moment. Ecstasy, or MDMA, induces euphoria, intimacy with others, sensory awareness and an appreciation for music. After trying it at home with a friend, it’s best to take it for a rave or some social event with music. It’s crucial to stay amply hydrated — especially if gyrating like a hyena to Avicii.

Cocaine is another popular party drug. It’s a powerful central nervous system stimulant that increases awareness, induces euphoria, energy and motor activity. Its effects last only around half an hour and during the comedown anxiety can occur. It’s addictive and can cause sudden cardiac death in extreme doses. Be cautious of who give you coke from because it can be adulterated with dangerous foreign chemicals. The same goes for all drugs.

For the health-conscious who still want to get tanked, psychedelic mushrooms are a great choice. They are non-toxic to the body’s organ systems, although in large doses they can incite fear and dangerous behaviour. Magic mushrooms induce mild visual and aural hallucinations. They increase self-awareness and can produce moments of clarity and resounding spiritual awakenings.

There are millions of drugs out there but the specimens mentioned above are the most common. If you are considering trying any drug, research it thoroughly beforehand by going to website such as www. erowid.org.

Remember, if you can’t exercise control, are in an uncomfortable space physically or mentally or are feeling pressured by anyone, do just like mom said and DON’T DO DRUGS. There’s always alcohol. And hookers too.

SEPTEMBER 6 AND 7 Block Party Kaskade, Martin Garrix and more 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. both days 301 York Street Tickets are $99.50 online SEPTEMBER 8–12 Clubs Week UCC SEPTEMBER 11 Jane Goodall at Western 7 p.m.

Alumni Hall Tickets are $25 (students) and $70 SEPTEMBER 17 United Way Campaign Launch and 3M Harvest Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Budweiser Gardens Tickets are $8 until September 1, after they are $10 SEPTEMBER 17–18 Volunteer Fair UCC SEPTEMBER 18–21 Homecoming SEPTEMBER 19 Western Senate meeting 1 p.m.

UCC 56 SEPTEMBER 23 Western Board of Governors Meeting 1:30 p.m.

Room 4155, Stevenson Hall SEPTEMBER 24 USC Council meeting UCC Council Chambers, 7 p.m.

OCTOBER 27 Municipal Elections Polls open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

TWITTER ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW: Western University @westernu Matt Helfand, USC President @MattHelfand Amit Chakma, President of Western University @PresWesternU 94.9FM CHRW RADIO @chrwradio Western Gazette @uwogazette Western OC Housing @WesternuOCH Western Foot Patrol @uwofootpatrol Western Film @westernfilm Student Health Services @Success_Centre London Police @lpsmediaoffice AM980 London News @AM980News

Fitness for freshmen OUR SERVICES INCLUDE...

Budweiser Gardens Tickets, Mustang Express, Student Health/Dental Plan, USC Bus Pass, Greyhound Tickets, USC Reservations, London Transit Bus Pass and Tickets, Locker rentals in the UCC, On Campus Event tickets, laptop rentals, LLP and SERT first aid courses.

Lower Level, UCC Building 519-661-2111 x82573 www.westernusc.ca usc.info@uwo.ca Regular Hours of Operation: Mon–Thurs: 9AM–8PM Fri: 9AM–5PM

BUDWEISER GARDENS TICKETS: Want to see the latest and greatest shows? Want to avoid long line ups? Prefer to pay cash or debit? Come to Western Connections and purchase your tickets to all of the great concerts at the Budweiser Gardens!

MUSTANG EXPRESS: The Mustang Express is a late night shuttle service created by the USC to provide students with safe transportation home from Downtown after the LTC buses have stopped operating. Check out the link on the Western Connections website for times and routing information.

STUDENT HEALTH AND DENTAL PLAN/BUS PASS/USC RESERVATIONS/ ON CAMPUS EVENT TICKETS/LAPTOP RENTALS: We can answer your questions. Check out the link on the Western Connections and Mustang Central websites for more information. It’s all there waiting for you!

LOCKER RENTALS: Tired of lugging all of your books to class? Need a safe place to store your laptop?

Visit Western Connections and you can rent a 1⁄3 locker ($45) or 1⁄2 locker ($55) for the school year!

USC L.L.P. LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMS: Formerly known as Carlie Brown University. We will be offering a variety of interest courses at different times in the year. Welcoming back sign language classes, guitar lessons and yoga classes to the roster. Sign up information and links are coming soon!

LONDON TRANSIT: Need an LTC bus pass? Need bus tickets? Come see us at Western Connections – you can purchase your LTC needs here.

Jennafer Freeman ARTS & LIFE EDITOR @JennaAtGazette

Everyone dreads it before going to university and spends the summer after first-year trying to lose it — the freshman 15.

One obvious resource to help students maintain a healthy lifestyle at school is access to the gym. The Western Rec Centre offers numerous services to students, which are not always taken advantage of in first-year.

The Rec Centre has free fitness classes available to full-time students that run every day throughout the week. Classes are offered at varying times and days in order to accommodate different schedules.

Students can find information on fitness schedules on the Rec Centre’s website as well as on the Rec Centre app, “Western University Recreation,” which is free to download.

The Rec Centre offers a variety of fitness classes ranging in skill level. The most popular classes include Spin, Cardio Kick Box and Sculpt and Sweat, which all offer a 50-minute workout. There are also more specialized classes such as Ab Attack and Rock Bottom, which are

shorter 20-minute workouts that focus on a specific muscle group.

The majority of fitness classes are free but spots are limited so it’s recommended to show up approximately 15 minutes before the class. If there is a specific class that a student already knows they love, they can sign up for a registered class, which usually costs around $15 for the term.

The Rec Centre also offers recreational and competitive intramurals. The cost of these depends on the sport and they’re a great way to make friends and stay active. The recreational league is designed for newcomers, while the competitive league caters to players who have prior experience.

There is a variety of intramural sports, including badminton, ball hockey, basketball, dodgeball, European handball, flag football, futsal, ice hockey, inner tube water polo, quiditch, 11-on-11 soccer, 7-on-7 soccer and volleyball.

When the gyms are not in use for intramurals there are drop-in sports where students can play sports such as badminton, basketball, volleyball and futsal. Sports equipment can be rented for free with your student card.

• 19

thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

city of the forest >> CITY OF LONDON

Where the heck am I? As a new Western student you’ll spend the next month making friends, engaging with new curriculum and exploring campus. Come October you’ll be headed home expected to know much more than just your class schedule. Be ready for distant relatives to pinch your cheeks during Thanksgiving asking all about London life. To prepare you for the onslaught of trivia, here is a fast guide to everything you need to know about the Forest City.

POPULATION: Approximately 475,000 people, Canada’s tenth largest city LOCATION: Southwestern Ontario, halfway between Toronto and Detroit MAYOR: Joni Baechler ESTABLISHED AS A CITY: 1855 SISTER CITY: Nanjing, China NICKNAME: In London’s early days, it was surrounded by many more trees than presently. One would have to travel through the forest to arrive, giving it it’s nickname of the city within the forest: “The Forest City.”

FAMOUS LONDONERS: Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, David Suzuki, Margaret Chan, Jack Chambers, Eleanor Catton, Eric Lindros OFFICIAL HASHTAG: #CanadasLondon #ldnont POST-SECONDARY SCHOOLS: Western University, Fanshawe College MAJOR PARKS: Victoria Park, Harris Park, Gibbons Park, Fanshawe Conservation Area ECONOMY: Dominated by medical research, insurance, manufacturing and information technology. Western contributes about $1.5 billion to its economy annually MAJOR FESTIVALS: Sunfest, Home County Folk Festival, London Fringe Theatre Festival, Rock the Park. London’s Rib-Fest is also the second largest rib festival in North America TALLEST BUILDING: One London Place, standing at 372 feet BEST PLACE TO WORK: The Gazette, located in UCC 263 • Kevin Hurren

Mike Laine • GAZETTE

Raising the bar Olivia Zollino NEWS EDITOR

olivia@westerngazette.ca

As you don purple clothing, prepare for your classes and get ready to start your year at Western, you probably have been told something along the lines of “I heard Western is a party school” from your friends and family. Every now and then, Mustangs don’t mind swapping their gallons of coffee for something more alcoholic. That said, where does one go to grab a drink with some friends?

The Gazette has compiled a list of some of the key spots of London’s bar scene.

Molly Bloom’s Irish Pub 700 Richmond St. The self-declared “authentic Irish” bar has live music Tuesday to Saturday, with Sunday and Monday reserved for karaoke. The franchised pub’s exterior stands out with its wood paneling and boasts a patio all year round. Its laid-back atmosphere offers a variety of draughts on-tap, including a selection of Irish imports like Guinness and Kilkenny.

The menu contains standard pub fare that tries to cash in on the Irish theme, including “Irish nachos” and “Gaelic Steak,” though its portion sizes are generous.

Jim Bob Ray’s 585 Richmond St. A favourite among the younger crowd, JBR’s will have you waiting

in line for hours (seriously) to listen to remixes of top 40. Flaunting a cabin theme, the red-stained patio is impossible to miss across from Victoria Park. Their drink specials are in your wallet’s favor, including $2.50 Jager Bombs on Fridays, which will help take your mind off the stench wafting from the packed dance floor. Skip the food and just order street meat from the vendor parked outside.

Jack’s 539 Richmond St. Similar to JBR’s, Jack’s is a popular first-year destination. Their inexpensive drink selection includes the popular “Dollar Beer Mondays,” although no one has ever quite figured out what it is they’re pouring from those mysterious pitchers.

Jack’s epitomizes the university club experience, featuring a small dance floor that requires the Jaws of Life to pull your friends out from. Upstairs features live music and a less chaotic party scene. Chances are you will say you hate Jack’s and then return the following week.

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thegazette • Tuesday, August 19, 2014

London’s tasty restaurants Bradley Metlin SPORTS EDITOR @BradAtGazette

In London, there are a plethora of restaurants to choose from, ranging from affordable to ridiculously overpriced. The Gazette has pinpointed five great choices that pack a flavourful punch but won’t knockout your bank account. These options also aren’t too far from campus — you should be there in under 15 minutes on the bus.

O’zen 607 Richmond St. entrees from $10-$20 This intimate sushi restaurant offers some of the most authentic yet accessible Korean and Japanese food in town. While all-you-can eat can sometimes be the best route to take for sushi, if you’re looking for an a-la-carte option, it really doesn’t get better than this. With some places, the service and decor can elevate a restaurant from good to great but at O’zen the food really does stand alone as the best.

awesome poutine and milkshakes will add up a bit on your bill but are totally worth it.

The Early Bird 355 Talbot St. entrees from $10-$20 Food Network series “You Gotta Eat Here!” has featured this restaurant not once, but twice. That means the food here is good. It’s hard to pin down the food style behind this restaurant but it’s gluttonous goodness.

They also have all day breakfast. It’s pretty much just delicious food that you should try at least once during your time at Western.

Christina’s Pub 1131 Richmond St. entrees from $5-$10 Right outside the main gates, this Western institution is known throughout the university community for being a cheap, yet effective place to chow down. The staff are friendly and offer fast, efficient service. The restaurant doesn’t offer the most nuanced menu but it’s done well. Try and tackle “The Linebacker,” a staple of their all-day breakfast that features two of virtually every breakfast item — it’s not an easy feat.

Christopher Misczcak • GAZETTE

Burrito Boyz 206 Central Ave. entrees from $5-$10 Hailed throughout the Greater Toronto Area as the best place to get a burrito, Burrito Boyz finally landed in London last year. The menu is pretty simple but that doesn’t take away from its taste. While the restaurant has limited seating — it’s pretty much an indoor burrito stand — Victoria Park is just across the street so on a nice day it would be a great idea to take a walk, sit at a bench and eat in the park.

The Works 145 King St. entrees from $10-$20 From the oddest combinations — you can get Kraft Dinner on a bison burger — to the most basic, The Works offers the undisputed best burgers in London. They also have some pretty neat decor, most notably the drinks served in measuring cups and the salt shakers that are old lightbulbs. Besides the burgers, their

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Solution to puzzle on page 15

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