Catching up on some ZZZs Gazette Tested seeks out the best places to nap on campus >> Pg. 4
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WESTERN UNIVERSITY • CANADA’S ONLY DAILY STUDENT NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED 1906
Alleged sexism at Ceeps bingo night upsets Western student
VOLUME 108, ISSUE 47
New faculty contract finalized Amy O’Kruk NEWS EDITOR @AmyAtGazette
Kyle Porter • GAZETTE
Manager allegedly made sexist remarks during the event; Ceeps said they will not change the format Olivia Zollino NEWS EDITOR @OliviaAtGazette
A Western University student is upset over jokes made by a manager at The Ceeps. The incident took place on November 18 during their popular Tuesday bingo night. She claims the manager made comments that were sexist and misogynistic during the event. Aashna Sandhu, a second-year political science and criminology student, said that when she attended sledgehammer bingo night the announcer, a manager named Mike, was repeatedly sexist towards women. According to Sandhu, the announcer made jokes that included women not being capable of winning at sports and about sex trafficking in India. “You could have still had bingo, still given out sex toys, still had it comedic. But they did not need to say that stuff. It was totally unnecessary,” Sandhu said. Sandhu added that she talked
to a manager named Tyler Costello about the events that occurred over the course of the night once sledgehammer bingo was finished. She said that her concerns were brushed off. Since that night, Sandhu has repeatedly called The Ceeps looking for somebody to explain the sexist nature of the show. Torrel Ollivirrie, fourth-year BMOS and MIT, said that he does not remember specifics about what the announcer had said, but that a particular comment about girls not being able to play sports riled the crowd at the beginning of the night. Colin Tattersall, part of the management team at The Ceeps, said that while he was not present that particular night, The Ceeps has no plans to change the format of sledgehammer bingo. “We take all complaints concerning Ceeps seriously,” he said. He estimated over 50,000 sledgehammer bingo players have walked through the doors of The Ceeps over the past 10 years and that this is the first complaint they have ever received.
Sandhu was also told that she was the first to ever make a complaint to The Ceeps about the content during bingo night. “My argument was, is something not wrong until someone complains?” Sandhu said. Tattersall also estimated that the crowd is usually 50–60 per cent female on a typical bingo night. “If the complaint is that it is a sexist show, over the years, we would have seen the decline in the female to male ratio,” Tattersall said. “And we just don’t.” As for Sandhu, she said she refuses to attend the drinking establishment again. “That shouldn’t be the case … I shouldn’t be avoiding coming out to a bar because I’m not going to be treated equally in that sense,” she added. The Ceeps plans on putting a sign at the front door on Tuesday nights cautioning patrons about the graphic nature of the show, as well as before the show. The messages will alert people that the show is politically incorrect and is not intended for those who are easily offended.
I
ASKED, ‘WHY DO YOU THINK IT’S OKAY TO MAKE SEXIST JOKES?’ AND I DID NOT GET AN ANSWER. AASHNA SANDHU
POLITICAL SCIENCE AND CRIMINOLOGY II
However, they refuse to change the format of the show. “We created bingo to be a … fun night out with friends. The humour is certainly rude and dirty and politically incorrect. It’s meant for adults,” Tattersall said. Sandhu realized that it was an adult show with adult humour, but that she noticed they were targeting women, who comprise over half of The Ceeps attendance, as well as over half of Western’s student body population. “I asked them if they would make a racist or homophobic joke, because I’m also a person of colour, and he said, ‘No we wouldn’t do that.’ So I asked, ‘Why do you think it’s okay to make sexist jokes?’ and I did not get an answer.”
The University of Western Ontario Faculty Association and Western’s administration have finally sealed the deal on a new four-year collective faculty agreement. A ratification vote by UWOFA’s membership on Monday preceded the tentative collective faculty agreement being given its last green light by Western’s board of governors on Tuesday. Negotiations began last May in preparation for the June, 30, 2014 expiration of the previous faculty contract. After dozens of meetings betweenWestern’s administration and UWOFA, a tentative deal was reached on November 12 following five days of mediation with a conciliator. With the collective faculty agreement finalized, Alison Hearn, president of UWOFA, said one of the faculty association’s biggest achievements was getting more job security for some of the university’s contract faculty. Hearn elaborated that one aspect of this security comes in the form of a new faculty position called limited-term no end date. This designation will be available to educators who have continuously worked at Western for 14 years after being subject to the approval of the Appointments Committee and their faculty’s dean. “It’s new this round and it’s going to affect, by our calculation, 67 of our members,” Hearn said. “What it means is that they don’t ever have to come up for contract renewal again and they also are going to have gain access to things like phased retirement provisions … stuff that tenured faculty and tenure track faculty have access to.” >> see CONTRACT pg.2
Inside
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Prime Minister announces funding in London
• P3
Stephen Harper: The Musical
• P5
Letter: USC execs should listen to and respect students • P6 Head to head: Is the corporatization of the UCC good for students? • P6 Men’s hockey travels to Thunder Bay this weekend
• P7
In memoriam: Pat Quinn
• P8
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thegazette • Thursday, November 27, 2014
Caught on Camera
Kelly Samuel • GAZETTE
CHRISTMAS: THE CREEPIEST DECORATIONS IN EXISTENCE. Welcome to the end of November, where Christmas decorations from 2004 get to breathe in the fresh air again. Where does this snowman live the other 11 months of the year? Why is he half-bell-half-snowman? Where is the rest of his body? Is he happy or sad? Do creepy-looking people know that they look creepy? Questions fer yer health.
westerngazette.ca
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New contract gets approval of members >> CONTRACT continued from pg.1
UWOFA’s membership will also see a modest salary scale increase over the next four years. Full-time faculty will receive a salary scale increase of 1.25 per cent in the first year and one per cent annually for the remaining three years. Parttimers will receive five per cent, then
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two per cent more for each of the next three years. Hearn said the salary increase is in addition to a lump sum boost to faculty’s base salaries which bumps the full-time salary increases to numbers more like 2.16 per cent 1.83 per cent 1.83 per cent and 1.65 per cent over a four-year period. UWOFA posted on its website that the faculty association campaigned hard for salary scale increases in order to address a salary gap between Western and comparative Ontario universities like McMaster or Queen’s. Previously, Western sat at 11th place in the province in terms of average fulltime salary. Director of media relations, Keith Marnoch, said Western’s administration is pleased to have reached a deal that both sides think is fair and reasonable. “[UWOFA] plays a key role to the mission of the university and it’s important, I think, that we were able to reach an agreement through a collective process ‌ that both sides are satisfied with,â€? Marnoch said. “I would point to the fact that faculty association did ratify [the agreement] with a 93 per cent acceptance, so I think that’s a strong statement.â€? Hearn added that every bargaining process involves some give-and-take and these negotiations have laid the groundwork for some issues to be further addressed in the future. “The thing to remember is that no round of bargaining can solve every issue, it’s a compromise,â€? Hearn said. “I think what we did this round is to put the most precarious and exploited members of our association at the centre ‌ and build a foundation for future rounds to develop and build on.â€?
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thegazette • Thursday, November 27, 2014
Harper unveils spending in London Soheil Milani GAZETTE STAFF @uwogazette
Prime Minister Stephen Harper descended upon Western’s campus on Monday to speak at the Collider Centre for Technology Commercialization. It was his second visit to London in the last six months. Harper was here to introduce federal plans to fund the expansion of several research facilities across Canada, one of which is Western’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Park. He announced a $5.8 billion federal investment fund for infrastructure improvement. It ranges from funding for Canadian Forces facilities and border infrastructure, to federal building upgrades and on-reserve schools. Among the attendees were local MPs Joe Preston and Susan Truppe, minister Ed Holder, as well as Western President Amit Chakma and Mayor-elect Matt Brown. The money is to be spent in the next three years, and the National Research Council’s property and operations in London will expand. “We are confident that Western and the city will benefit as we see opportunities, in particular in advanced manufacturing,”John Capone, Western’s vice-president of research said. “Factories of the future will be known for their efficiency, frugality, flexibility and intelligence,” said Harper in his speech. The funding will be under the umbrella of the “Factory of the Future” initiative, run through the
National Research Council. The program is meant to aid companies innovate, so that they remain in Canada and compete with factories across the world. “The expansion in London will allow NRC employees to fully participate in this important initiative,” Harper said. “They will be working on new manufacturing methods with significant potential for spillover to a large number of industrial sectors.” Among those excited about the partnership was Paul Paolatto, executive director of Western’s Park Team, who is looking forward to the NRC playing a bigger role and the park’s expansion. “Western’s research parks are already bursting at the seams, and any additions to our capacities is most welcome,” Paolatto said. “It allows us to continue delivering on research, innovation and economic development mandate of the Advanced Parks program.” When asked about the relationship between the NRC and Western’s research parks, Paolatto said, “They bring capacity, they bring clients, they bring equipment. Things that we may not necessarily have access to; things that play a vital role. It is a powerful partnership.” Among the initiatives at the Advanced Manufacturing Park are the WindEEE dome and Fraunhofer. The WindEEE dome is a multi-dimensional wind tunnel, which is the first of its kind. The Fraunhofer Project Centre develops lightweight composite material mainly used in the automotive sector.
Courtesy of Jessica Hodgson
Western grad wins business competition A young London-based startup company founded by a Western alumnus has won first place in this year’s Ignite Capital youth category. Former student Jessica Hodgson, who graduated from Western in 2014, founded Kaleid Snow Gear. The company focuses on manufacturing minimalistic snowboard protection gear. Ever since then Hodgson has been working on developing her startup and recently took part in the Ignite Capital competition. Her company won the first place along with the $20,000 grand prize. “KSG also received a coveted mentorship program that will better our business and give me the skills needed to push forward,” Hodgson said. KSG was competing against two other operating and successful startups for the first place and emerged as the winner despite being the only pre-revenue company. “There were no prizes for second or third so it was a very big win for
me, going in I was intimidated by their online presence and current success,” Hodgson said. The funds from the competition have provided Hodgson’s company with a boost and fast tracked her manufacturing plans. “Ignite’s funds have made my short term goals very possible, without this funding it would have taken a lot longer to get exposure from media and harder to launch our product,” she said. “Now it is very possible that our equipment will be sold by March 2015, only four months away.” According to Hodgson, the next step for her is to put the KSG brand out there for consumers. The company is currently preparing for a Kickstarter launch in January 2015. “I am very excited for our launch and am always grateful to hear consumer responses or inquiries, anyone interested can reach us through our website and any of our social media pages,” she said. • Hamza Tariq
Courtesy of YouTube
Henderson gives up camera equipment Megan Devlin ONLINE EDITOR @MegAtGazette
Dale Henderson, Ward 9 councillor, announced he will be donating his camera equipment from DaleTV when he retires. Henderson drew criticism last year when he used approximately $12,000 of city money to purchase camera equipment to use to film his personal YouTube channel. He said previously that he planned to keep the equipment when he left office, but has since changed tack. One of the recipients he outlined in his farewell notes at city council on Monday was the City of London communications department. “The cameras may be utilized to record short videos from council which could then be broadcasted from their website or social media outlets,” Henderson wrote in a release. He envisioned student volunteers from Fanshawe helping film council discussions.
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HEY GAVE ME A COUPLE DOLLARS TO BUY SOME CAMERAS, BUT THE REST OF IT I SPENT MY OWN MONEY … I WANTED SOME HIGHDEFINITION CAMERAS, SO THAT’S WHAT I BOUGHT THEM. DALE HENDERSON WARD 9 COUNCILLOR
The other camera recipient is the Christian Churches Network of London. Henderson said they could use the cameras to broadcast sermons on the Internet. Henderson stood by his decision
do donate the taxpayer-funded equipment. “It’s my equipment so I can choose where I want it to go,” he said in an interview. Henderson started DaleTV in 2013 to communicate with constituents. He uploaded 10 15-minute videos on his YouTube channel. Topics ranged from Henderson’s own background, to ways to cure negative media in London. He is proud of his 30,000 hits on YouTube. What Londoners aren’t happy about is how he filed the cost of the equipment under his council expenses. “They gave me a couple dollars to buy some cameras, but the rest of it I spent my own money … I wanted some high-definition cameras, so that’s what I bought them,” Henderson said. He added that since the high-definition Panasonic cameras are now two years old, they are probably obsolete.
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thegazette • Thursday, November 27, 2014
arts&life
saywhat? “Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.”
• Anthony Burgess
Photos by Kelly Samuel; Graphic by Jennifer Feldman • GAZETTE
CONRAD’S PICKS
JENNAFER’S PICKS
Best Place to Nap: University Hospital
Best Place to Nap: Fireplace Lounge
There must be a good reason why so many people nap at University Hospital. What other location at Western boasts so many clean beds? (We all know residence beds are filthy.) Since there isn’t much to do there for the medically disinclined, the soothing ambiance fosters sleep and sweet dreams. The service is impeccable — better than most four-star hotels and equal to Best Western. Most people leave the premises reporting to feel well rested with only a mild case of bed head. It’s like Willy Wonka designed the whole apparatus as a sleep machine. For students struggling to catch some z’s, head to the Campus Hozzzpital.
Located in the upper level of the UCC, the Fireplace Lounge is a closed off room, separated from the rest of the Mustang Lounge. It features an array of comfy leather couches and best of all, a fireplace. It’s as if this room was designed solely to function as a napping place for students. At any given time of the day, numerous students can be found here – sprawled out on the couches, snoring fiercely, with drool dripping down their faces. The fireplace will keep you warm and toasty as you snooze, and you won’t have to worry about studious individuals glaring at you as you sleep, like they would in the Mustang Lounge. Overall, the fire-starter lounge has everything students could want in a napping place – comfort, warmth and privacy.
Worst Place to Nap: Swimming pool at Western Student Recreation Centre
Worst Place to Nap: Talbot College
Few people have fallen asleep under water and lived to tell the tale. The rare survivors prefer not to discuss their ordeal. Students can look far and wide to catch some z’s but they won’t find them in the deep end of our swimming pool. Once in a while a body will float tranquilly on the water surface, but that serene swimmer isn’t actually sleeping and you should jump into the pool and rescue them! Jacuzzis are a different matter entirely and are highly advisable for a steamy power nap. When it comes to snoozing in luxury, Egyptian sheets have nothing on hot bubbling suds.
• Conrad Floryan
Obviously no one in their right mind would think to head to Talbot College to get some shuteye. So instead of being a deterrent, this instead is a tribute to those poor students who have three-hour class located in Talbot College. In general, three-hour classes provide students with a chance to catch up on their sleep – well, for those of us not in Talbot College that is. It’s hard enough to pay attention in class in Talbot, but getting to sleep is simply inconceivable. Trumpets blaring, drums banging, bells ringing – it’s a nightmare. Unless you find the sound of someone tuning a tuba sleep-inducing, be prepared to get no minutes of shut eye here.
• Jennafer Freeman
JENNY’S PICKS Best Place to Nap: The Beryl Ivey Garden, Spring Edition There’s nothing quite like the gentle spring air to blanket your midday nap, so the Beryl Ivey Garden behind UC is the place to be. In the fall, the multi-coloured ivy leaves make for a peaceful setting. The serene space will lull you to happy dreams, as you nap on the concrete benches. Facing the abstract statue in the middle of the garden allows you to be cultured while you drift to sleep. The greatest part about this place is that it’s both serene and safe — with Campus Police less than 10 steps away, you can sleep peacefully knowing that your dreaming body is perfectly protected.
Worst Place to Nap: The Beryl Ivey Garden, Winter Edition There’s nothing quite like the cold concrete stone bench beneath you to guarantee the worst sleep of your life. The Beryl Ivey Garden behind the UC is the worst place to nap, with Jack Frost sure to pay you a visit in the dead of winter. Without any leaves on the lifeless ivy, the garden looks like a scene straight from a Tim Burton movie. The harsh winter winds are sure to make the statue in the centre fall over and probably kill you in your sleep — if the cold doesn’t get to you first.
• Jenny Jay
BRADLEY’S PICKS
After pulling an all-nighter working on an essay in the UCC, it’s hard sometimes to find your way back to your bed. Finding a place to catch 40 winks on campus before your next class or exam is a skill and one that any sleep-seeking student should master. There are many qualities that define a student’s favourite napping place. Relative quiet, comfortable furniture and relaxing scenery are all bonuses that can coax you into a gentle sleep. Gazette editors are well acquainted with sneaking in a few minutes of sleep in between writing articles. Here are some of the places we love (and hate) to play hookey and get our much-needed sleep.
BRENT’S PICKS
Best Place to Nap: My Residence Room
Best Place to Nap: The Huron SAC
That’s right. Why take a casual sleep in a weird, public space when you can curl up next to me in bed? I’m not talking about getting freaky or anything — please get your mind out of the gutter. My room could be affectionately referred to as the “cuddle corner.” Not just because my room is located on the corner of the floor plan but also because my bed happens to be in the corner. I’m super clever, I know. Big spoon, small spoon, and in-between spoon — I do it all! Next time you think about going to take a nap in the fireplace lounge, think again. Sleeping alone is something they did in the 18th century — step into the new, progressive millennium and start cuddling.
Huron gives a new meaning to the phrase, “hitting the sack.” The student activity center at Huron, otherwise known as the SAC, features a wide array of locations for sleepy students to snore soundly. Comfortable leather couches, booths and desks provide perfect places to plomp yourself down and slumber. The aesthetic is warm and inviting and the best part that unlike Fireside Lounge in the UCC, there are plenty of spaces meaning that you’ll not have to awkwardly cuddle with that creepy guy who’s barbarously using two couch cushions.
Worst Place to Nap: Booths in Weldon
Worst Place to Nap: The UCC Atrium
These douchebags who think that the booths in Weldon are their personal sleeping capsules are the absolute worst. There is nothing worse than walking by, trying to discover a good study spot with a group of friends, only to find someone curled around the half circle table. How can it be comfortable to sleep there? The shape of the seating would require one to contort their body more than a world-class pole dancer. Also important to keep in mind is the fact that the second floor is a green zone which means people can be talking and chatting. Be prepared to be woken up.
There are some days when you’ve been going non-stop for 48 hours when you will literally sleep anywhere. But the worst place to pass out for a quick snooze is undoubtedly the floor of the UCC atrium. Fall asleep in front of someone’s booth and guaranteed when you wake up people will think you are part of some performance art piece or protest. Now, you wake to find yourself covered in flyers and your clothes soaked by people’s muddy boots. The only upside is that you might have also saved yourself a spot in the Tim Horton’s or Starbucks line depending on where you chose to take your power nap.
• Bradley Metlin
• Brent Holmes
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thegazette • Thursday, November 27, 2014
Courtesy of Randy MacNeil
Little shop of Harpers Musical satire comes to the Arts Project Richard Joseph GAZETTE STAFF @uwogazette
Stephen Harper has often been called a puppet, but this may be the first time it’s been taken so literally. Songwriter, playwright and political activist James Gordon has somehow brought together all three fields in his upcoming show at the Arts Project, Stephen Harper: The Musical. The prime minister, portrayed by a remarkably true-to-life doll, dances to the tune of Gordon’s voice and corporate interests. Gordon, a Guelph resident, has been working on musicals for years. “A lot of the work I’ve been doing recently has been very political in nature,” he says. “And as I’m travelling, touring, it was always that guy who kept coming up all the time.” “I hear a lot of ‘oh, we have to get rid of that guy, he’s ruining the country,’ ” explains Gordon. “And I can’t disagree with that, but I want to use the play to look a little deeper than that. What are the conditions that
Nintendo’s 3DS system first launched back in 2011, tantalizing us with the promise of portable, glasses-free 3D gaming — three years later, Nintendo is finally hoping they can fulfill their promise with the release of a completely redesigned 3DS and 3DS XL. Many of the original 3DS issues stemmed from the fact that the glasses-free 3D offered an extremely narrow sweet spot of vision — shift your head too far or tilt your hands, and you go from immersive 3D depth to headache-inducing double-vision. Due to this, many gamers rarely bothered to turn on the 3D functionality, which seemed to defeat the purpose of 3D altogether. Nintendo has addressed this problem head-on, and the results are impressive. Thanks to the new head-tracking camera and infrared sensor, the sweet spot for 3D has widened considerably, and the system now compensates for shifts in position by adjusting the 3D image, allowing for ample head movement. Beyond the improved 3D capability, the new 3DS features a number of other hardware changes. The volume slider now resides at the left of the top screen, the start and
created him? And if we get rid of him, won’t we just get another one like him unless we change the system?” As if political commentary in the form of a musical puppet show wasn’t unconventional enough, it’s also a one-man show. This is a first for Gordon — his other shows, fairly large in scale, have required a band and crew. But with this project, he says, there was “a sense of urgency — I have to get this out there, because there’s an election coming up.” “I wanted to make the show portable and accessible,” he says. “And how do you do that? Well, make it so you can do it all yourself!” On the one hand, Gordon has to carry the show entirely on his shoulders maintain the energy of the performance and memorize every line of dialogue. On the other hand, he explains, there’s a great deal of freedom in a one-man show. “I can just make up anything along the way — improvise based on what I heard on the news that day, or play off the audience, and I’m
select buttons have been shifted to the bottom right and the dedicated Wi-Fi switch has been nixed in favour of a software-based setting in the system’s home menu. Elsewhere the cartridge port, power button and stylus slot have each been moved to the bottom edge of the system and the headphone port has been shifted slightly to the middle. Nintendo has also added ZR and ZL shoulder buttons and a C-stick that resembles the rubber trackpoint nub found on old laptops. On top of all these new features, the new 3DS and 3DS XL are considerably faster, but still don’t improve on battery life. While 2013’s 2DS may have seemed like Nintendo’s admission that glasses-free 3D was a mere fad, playing games in 3D is finally the optimal way to experience Nintendo’s handheld, as it always should have been. Note: Black Friday is tomorrow, so those of you planning to invest in new technology should find great deals whether you’re shopping online or going down south to face the crowds. • Shachar Dahan
not going to mess up anyone in the cast,” Gordon says. While the play is humourous in nature, there’s a serious, political undertone. Gordon suggests that Harper is a slave to big oil and big corporate interests — and so, by extension, are Canadians. Stephen Harper: The Musical looks at the record of the Harper government, the infrastructure they are dismantling and whether the damage can be reversed. “Humour is a device to engage people,” explains Gordon. “I’m hoping they’ll be entertained, but I’m also hoping they’ll go away with some ideas and some questions they’ll look deeper into. Maybe even become activists or advocates themselves for the quality of life that we really want in this country.” “Stephen Harper: The Musical” will be playing at 8 p.m. from December 3–6 at the Arts Project. Tickets are $10 for students and are available online or by calling. For more information visit www. artsproject.ca.
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thegazette • Thursday, November 27, 2014
opinions We Get Letters!
Our USC politicians should be listening to us and not on their phones To the editor: I took part in Western’s Change Camp on Tuesday night and was amazed to see so many students engage in meaningful conversations about Western and the USC. The table I sat at covered mental health support on campus for the first half and health and wellness on campus for the second. I heard from a variety of students sharing stories about their personal experiences with mental health services, the lack of resources available to students, how far we’ve come and how far we need to go to meet students’ needs on campus. Topics such as a partnership between our newly expanded support services and psychological services sectors came up to ensure that students were directed to adequate and immediate resources. Mental health training for orientation leaders, residence staff and faculty was discussed. Sophs shared their experiences of not being sure how to react to first-years telling them they were thinking about suicide or that they were having a nervous breakdown. Only this year was a (very small quiz-like) mental health component implemented in their training. Feedback like this is just what the electedUSC representatives electives and the administration should be listening to, no? I would’ve liked to think so. But while the facilitator was sharing the great ideas our tables came up with, and giving a concise statement on areas where change could be implemented – our University Students’ Council president, Matt Helfand, and vice-president of communications, Emerson Tithecott, were on their phones. They were bent over in their chair, making comments to each other and they were texting. Another speaker went up and discussed his concerns with this year’s One Love event, and the lack of diversification and mental health oriented services explained throughout Orientation week. Once again these elected USC representatives were talking to each other, mouthing “what the f*ck is he talking about?” Maybe their body language was simply distant, rude and arrogant every time I looked at them. Maybe they know so much about the changes that need to be implemented already that they didn’t need to listen. Maybe they already know how hard it is to deal with mental health issues as a student and how hard it is to get accommodation for an exam when you have a nervous breakdown the night before. Maybe they know about the boy at Western who committed suicide this year. Maybe they know about my friend from home who committed suicide last week. But, I highly doubt it. This was a student feedback event, students engaged in meaningful conversations and the coordinators for the event had planned it for months. But is this feedback being heard? Is ANY feedback getting through? Or does “advocating for students” only occur if it aligns with the elected representatives’ individual concerns? • Elyse Trudell Medical Sciences IV
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Volume 108, Issue 47 www.westerngazette.ca
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If you’re always worried about being on your phone, then you really are missing out on everything that’s happening in front of you.
• Vanessa Hudgens
HEAD TO HEAD: Commercialization on Campus Seven Minutes in Kevin
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@BradAtGazette
@KevinAtGazette
The year was 2002 and the University Students’ Council announced a controversial new policy — they were putting bank machines in the University Community Centre. Cue the screams of horror. Students complained that Western was a place of education. Vice-president finance at the time, Michael Rudd, noted the move would increase revenue for the USC (part of which would go towards a scholarship) and decrease banking fees for students. That’s right, the corporate presence on campus has been debated on this campus long before the Western Solidarity Network popped up last year to protest the commercialization of Western. A vocal minority of students will trumpet the horrors of a corporate presence on campus as if it were a group of zombies coming to eat our brains. The truth is most students are fine with the level of commercialization within the UCC. As a matter of fact, last year’s budget survey conducted by the USC concluded that the majority of students would be open to more corporate presence. (Before someone angrily states, “but there was only a small response rate!” [Something like eight per cent of students], that’s how a survey works — it’s not a census.) Students see no problem with displays such as the Sugarcrisp one a few weeks ago, which saw students receiving a free box of cereal. Most students see no issues with the Canadian Armed Forces setting up a table to discuss the variety of employment opportunities they offer. Most students do not bemoan the handful of weeks where the poster sale takes over the UCC atrium. These are added sources of revenue for the USC. Pretty much everyone has no problem with someone handing them a flyer if it means they won’t be hit for five extra dollars in student fees. The vocal minority, however, cannot fathom this concept despite the fact that the UCC is essentially a mall already — there is a pharmacy, bookstore, clothing store, health clinic, many eateries, a hair dresser, a grocery store, a workout supplement store, a place to buy Greyhound tickets and more. It is always a laughable idea that some will present the UCC as a place of “education.” That ship sailed many years ago with all of these retail outlets — the battle is over. If I was rushing to my class in Stevenson Hall and a person trying to tell me about living at Luxe stopped me, I’d be peeved. This has not happened and doesn’t appear to be happening anytime in the future. This all suggests that a corporate presence on campus ultimately impedes the educational process. Sure, some of the companies that are paraded through the UCC could challenge social consciousness or embody problematic messaging. When a speaker comes to Western and argues a controversial viewpoint, do we eject them from campus? Should other groups be silenced because they go against customary opinions? Absolutely not. So why must corporations be held to different standards? Personally, I’m waiting for the USC to announce a 90,000 square foot expansion of the UCC so that we can have a WalMart on brand new fourth and fifth floors. While that would improve every student’s life tenfold, it would also give the anti-commercialization crowd some real fodder. Twelve years from now, when reading past issues of The Gazette, those corporate naysayers will hopefully look as ridiculous as those who complained about the dangerous threat of bank machines.
Over my past four years at Western, I’ve noted a concerning increase in corporate presence on campus – specifically within the University Community Centre. The UCC atrium, arguably the most trafficked area on campus, is often turned into an obstacle course of brochures, free samples and promotional displays. But the presence of corporate advertising damages much more than your ability to walk through the UCC unobstructed. On-campus advertising hurts your autonomy as a student, affects your relationship with the university and supports privatization. For the sake of clarity, I’ll limit my understanding of “corporate presence” to direct brand promotions on campus. This does not include corporate-sponsored event, branded materials, business internships or other, more subversive, techniques. I’m talking the straightforward, in-your-face marketing that students are exposed to. Because we are required to enter these spaces for our education, we can’t escape from this kind of advertising in the same way we can switch channels during a commercial or avoid the mall. When corporations are in schools there is an implicit understanding that the school supports this messaging. Though this may not be true – especially in the case of the UCC atrium, which is leased out by the University Students’ Council, not the university – people will naturally associate the brand with their educational experience. That’s why last year’s Pink campaign, featuring cardboard cut-outs of impossibly thin, near naked models received so much backlash. Though neither Western nor the USC knew of the specifics of the display, its presence in the community centre appeared as though they were endorsing it. Marketing on campus can undermine curriculum as well. Since faculty members aren’t consulted in advertising decisions, companies and campaigns that directly oppose the learning objectives of the classrooms are spotlighted. Lessons on environmental sustainability, fair-trade, gender equality, heteronormativity and corporate-social responsibility feel shallow when companies working against such ideas are shoved in student faces. Once the goal becomes imprinting brands into students’ consciousness, education is likely to take a back seat. The most common defence of on-campus adverting is that it raises money for the university — but do we, the subjects of the campaigns, really benefit? As mentioned, ads in the UCC benefit the USC — not Western, so don’t expect tuition or textbook prices to go down because someone handed you a coupon. Also, the amount paid by advertisers is often directly related to the scale of student engagement with the brand. In other words, we are the ones paying for these campaigns. The company’s “contribution” to education is actually just a fraction of their overall profits from us. I understand the realities of public funding. Decreasing government support means that holes in school budgets will widen — but must they be filled with the frizzy gunk of Coca-Cola? Can we not think of solutions that protect learning environments rather than jeopardize them? Seeing on-campus advertising as the only option seems lazy and, much like the products pushed onto me in the UCC, I’m not going to buy it.
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.
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Gazette Staff 2014-2015 Mohammad Abrar Abdul Hanan, Suhaib Al-Azem, Eric Bajzert, Sarah Botelho, Damon Burtt, Tabitha Chan, Jonathan Dunn, Spencer Fairweather, Sam Frankel, Kevin Heslop, Richard Joseph, Drishti Kataria, Sara Mai Chitty, Soheil Milani, Mackenzie Morrison, Amy O’Shea, Vidhant Pal, Kyle Porter, Lily Robinson, Alex Seger, Tiffany Shepherd, Tristan Wu
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• Please recycle this newspaper •
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thegazette • Thursday, November 27, 2014
sports
today’stweet The Grey Cup travels in style! RT: @BCLions: Helicopter escort! #GreyCup #RoarOnTheShore @GreyCupFestival • @yvrairport Vancouver Airport’s commentary on the Grey Cup’s travel arrangements.
Rundown >> The Mustangs women’s hockey team has placed fourth in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Top 10 • The women’s swimming team came fifth while the men’s team trailed them in ninth.
Wins in Thunder Bay could make ‘Stangs day Richard Raycraft MANAGING EDITOR @RichAtGazette
The Western Mustangs men’s hockey team will head all the way up to Thunder Bay to face the Lakehead Thunderwolves this coming Friday and Saturday. The back-to-back matches pit the high-flying Mustangs (10–3–0), currently second place in the Ontario University Athletics west division, versus the limping Thunderwolves (5–8–2), languishing in sixth. The ‘Stangs are on a roll coming into the contest, having won five games in a row. They most recently bested the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes, the top team in the OUA east division, 5–1 last Saturday in surprisingly dominating fashion. The Thunderwolves are also coming off a win, beating the Queen’s Gaels 7–6 in overtime after losing 6–0 to them the night before. Going up against a team having an off year, the ‘Stangs will be looking to head back to London with two wins under their belt. They’re led by captain and top point scorer Steven Reese, who’s posted 20 points — including 15 assists — in 13 games. He’s followed by the team’s top goalscorer winger Stefan Salituro, who has six goals and eight assists. In spite of the solid talent up front, the Mustangs lack a high-powered offence. They currently rank 10th in the OUA in goals scored and sixth in goalsper-game. Their keys to success are primarily special teams and goaltending. The ‘Stangs top the OUA in power play goals and penalty kill percentage while also allowing the fewest goals against overall. Goaltender Greg Dodds will once again be looked to to backstop the ‘Stangs to victory. The secondyear Wingham, Ontario native has cemented himself as one of the top goalies in the division with a record of 8–2, a save percentage of .938 and a goals-against-average of 2.07. Playing back-to-back means backup goalie Marc Nother may be called upon to give Dodds a rest. He has two wins in three games so far this season. Coming away with two wins won’t prove easy, however, as Lakehead boasts some of the top players in the division. Forward Mike Hammond has 25 points, including nine goals, in 15 games. Fellow forward Kellin Grondin follows him with 19 points and forward Kellin Ainsworth has 16 to his name. It’s enough to make the Mustangs defence, as solid as it is, sweat. The big weakness for the Thunderwolves is goaltending. Starter Justin McDonald has struggled so far this season with a goalsagainst-average of 4.12 and a save percentage of .895. Look for the ‘Stangs to pile the offensive pressure on, especially on the power play. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.
Jonathan Dunn • GAZETTE
Mike Laine • GAZETTE
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UPCOMING EVENTS IN COOPERATION WITH Western University, the Canadian Latin American Association will host a bullying awareness event to educate people about bullying and its language on November 29th (1-4pm) in the Goodwill building downtown. Performers and guest speakers will be present. Everyone is welcome to attend.
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NOT HAPPY WITH your place? TheMARQ.ca – 3-5 bedroom apartments or townhomes. Downtown or near campus. $510-560. Amenities, on-site staff, parking, renovated suites. Call or text Ted 519-858-2525. ted@TheMARQ.ca.
ANNOUNCEMENTS SAT. DEC. 6. St. Luke’s Church (Broughdale), just north of the University Gates, will be holding their annual Christmas Bazaar & Silent Auction 12:00 3:00 p.m. Bake table, treasures, jewellery, books, silent auction. Tea Room, a chili lunch will be available for a small fee. Admission free. Wheel chair accessible.
EMPLOYMENT
PT RECEPTIONIST, APPROX. 15 hr/wk. Must be able to work evenings & Saturdays, possess excellent telephone, computer and interpersonal skills as well as great presence. Please email resume to: careers@zanaspa.com
VOLUNTEERS WANTED LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS for our math tutoring club in the north corp/old north neighbourhood. No experience or math skill required, as all training and resources will be provided. For more info, contact Devin Hanes d.hanes@tvdsb.on.ca
3-4 BEDROOM APARTMENTS. Live Downtown/ near campus – 75 Ann Street – Renovated - A MUST SEE. All prices $510-560. Tanning bed, studyroom, fitness centre, theatre, parking, student atmosphere. Call Ted: 519-858-2525 | ted@TheMARQ.ca
EMPLOYMENT
GYMWORLD-GYMNASTICS CLUB in North/West London is looking for gymnastics coaches. On bus route. Work as little as 3 hours per week or as many as 20 hours. Great pay. Please call 519-474-4960 or e-mail to info@gymworld.ca.
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 2
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thegazette • Thursday, November 27, 2014
The Good
The Ugly
The Edmonton Oilers This week’s “ugly” isn’t even a specific thing about the Oilers — even though they did just lose 9–2 to Chicago and are on a seven game losing streak. The ugly here is Edmonton simply existing as an NHL team. They are an embarrassment to the league at this point. Fans throw jerseys on the ice every game, many players are disgruntled with the media, fans, teammates and the management have no idea what to do about the franchise. Something needs to change here and something big. At this point, drastic measures should be taken, and we’re not talking fire sale here. We’re talking cleaning house at the top, bottom, wherever you can. This is the only way to stop the bleeding which has been going on ever since Ryan Smyth was traded to the Islanders over seven years ago. Until something changes, you’ll be seeing the Oilers in the ugly column for a long time to come.
Toronto Raptors Start Well this was an easy decision. The Toronto Raptors, one of the most irrelevant franchises in sports, let alone the NBA, have been making waves since last year’s surprising post-season berth and are now 12–2 on the season. That’s good enough for first in the Atlantic Division and first in the Eastern Conference, ahead of powerhouses like Chicago, Cleveland and Miami. Yes, the Raptors have had quite a favourable schedule, with many of their games coming at home against weaker, under .500 teams. However, they have shown they can also keep pace with some of the best in the league, beating both Memphis and Chicago, two candidates for a finals run this year. Is it too soon to map the parade route? Yes. But this start is no fluke, it’s the result of a sound defensive system played under defensive-minded head coach Dwayne Casey who used this tactic to lead Dallas to a championship in 2011. Keep cheering Jurassic Park, these Raptors are for real.
The Bad Blue Jays Free Agency The Toronto Blue Jays went into free agency knowing they had to make a splash. In past years they have been criticized for being too thrifty and refusing to spend money — especially on pitchers. Well, they spent money — just not on the players they should be spending it on. Catcher Russell Martin, a Canadian boy, was signed for five years at $82 million. There are many things wrong with this new relationship. One, the fact that Martin, a catcher whose best years are behind him, is getting paid a ridiculous amount of money that could have been used to bolster the pitching staff or even acquire a second basemen. Two, the Jays already have a solid catcher in Dioner Navarro who performed very well in his first year as a Jay. Now Navarro has asked for a trade with Martin coming in, forcing the Blue Jays to trade him at a lesser value. Three, the pressure will be on for Martin playing every game in front of his hometown. Will the pressure get to him?
Remembering “the Big Irishman” Kant Touch This Nathan Kanter SPORTS EDITOR @NathanAtGazette
Even if you’re not a Leafs fan or a Canucks fan, you remember Pat Quinn. You remember the player, the coach and executive who passed away Sunday night at the age of 71. Although your fondest memories of him — like me — may be of him chewing gum ferociously behind the bench, he did a lot more than just get the Maple Leafs to the playoffs on a regular basis. Perhaps some of you remember him coaching Team Canada to its first gold medal in 50 years at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, or doing the same at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey or the 2009 World Junior Championships. Or perhaps some of you remember “The Big Irishman” for the massive hit he laid on Bobby Orr in 1969 – as a member of the Leafs – knocking him out. But what Quinn should really be remembered for is not the wins and on-ice accomplishments, but for the man he was off the ice. There are two things I’ve consistently read about from hockey people who knew him. One, Quinn had a presence to him. He garnered respect. The minute he walked into the dressing room, there was silence. “When he walked into the
room, everything stopped,” former Canucks captain and now president Trevor Linden told reporters Monday. “Guys were taping their sticks or talking, [and] everything stopped. He could deliver a message like none other. His presence in the locker room was incredible.” Former Leafs captain Mats Sundin echoed the same sentiment. “He had a presence in the dressing room that demanded respect,” Sundin told reporters at last week’s Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony. “Nobody got attention and respect from his players better than Pat.” And despite his “rough” outer presence – 6’3 and over 200 pounds – those who knew him said it was his warm personality that really shone through off the ice. “He was a great man because he cared, he loved his players, and he cared about people,” Linden told reporters on Monday. “He was a smart guy, but a gentle giant for sure,” former Maple Leaf Bryan McCabe told ESPN. “I was fortunate to have such a great coach, someone to learn from.” When Quinn was coaching the Leafs, there was a time when Sergei Berezin was sick in hospital. When Berezin woke up, the first person he saw was Quinn. Berezin was surprised. When Friedman approached Quinn after hearing this old story from Healy, he asked Quinn why he needed to be there at the hospital. “Because ... he was one of my guys,” Quinn said. He was a man who garnered the utmost respect, and a man who loved his players. Rest in peace Pat.