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SINCE 1906
westerngazette.ca THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 • WESTERN UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER • VOLUME 109 ISSUE 32 partying hard since 1906
Western? Party? Not anymore… Western’s party reputation crosses provincial and national borders. But is it more hype than play? SEE THE FEATURE ON PAGES 6–7 NIKKO ESGUERRA GAZETTE
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2 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016
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PROFILE DAVID GHANTOUS
Volume 109, Issue 32 WWW.WESTERNGAZETTE.CA University Community Centre Rm. 263 Western University London, ON, CANADA N6A 3K7 Editorial 519.661.3580 Advertising 519.661.3579
IAIN BOEKHOFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @IAINATGAZETTE
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NEWS DRISHTI KATARIA KATIE LEAR AMY O’KRUK RITA RAHMATI BREAKING NEWS HAMZA TARIQ OPINIONS BRADLEY METLIN ARTS & LIFE SAMAH ALI RICHARD JOSEPH MOSES MONTEROZZA ROBERT NANNI SPORTS HALA GHONAIM SERENA QUINN SHANE ROBERTS
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cloud computing and multimedia changing the playing field.
Among these unobtrusive problem solvers is Western’s own David Ghantous, associate director of technical services and information technology services. He’s at the other end of every cable, dealing with the university’s digital data and keeping it secure, but he does his best to fly under the radar. “About a year ago we moved the undergraduate students to Office 365 for mail,” he recalls. “It really went quite quietly and I think sometimes if we don’t get feedback, it’s a compliment.” Until 2013, David worked in IT for a major Canadian bank as an application architect. After a lengthy period there, he realized there were quite a few good years left in him and it was time for a change.
GAZETTE ADVERTISING & COMPOSING IAN GREAVES, MANAGER ADVERTISING DIANA WATSON
It’s often said in information technology that you’ve done your job well when nobody notices you.
COMPOSING MAJA ANJOLI-BILIĆ ROBERT ARMSTRONG
STAFF ERIC BAJZERT, JENNIFER BALL, MAAILAH BLACKWOOD, SHACHAR DAHAN, MIKE DEBOER, SABRINA FRACASSI, JIMMY HUYNH, KSENIA KOLODKA, ELLIS KOIFMAN, AARON MALLETT, AMAL MATAN, AMY O’SHEA, OWEN PARKER, TOM RUESS, LAUREN SAYERS, RUI SHI, AMY SKODAK, OREN WIESFELD, REBECCA MEHARCHAND
It’s more than just keeping the lights on. David looks ahead to the future and sees increasingly sophisticated ways education can be delivered to students, regardless of ability or situation. However, his job never really goes away. Exponentially changing technology demands that infrastructure keep up; David sees a blur of new device types in September and increased demand on the network. Every year, the demand for wireless capabilities increases and every year, there are new security threats to contend with. He has to match the rhythm of the University in his own personal life, with exam time being the most hectic. “When I’m not working, I’m driving my kids to the arena,” he says with a laugh. “Two boys, 11 and 14, and they play minor hockey … five, six nights a week I’m in an arena somewhere around London.”
He describes the transition from banking to higher education, private enterprise to a publicly funded institution, as a paradigm shift.
David devotes most of his time to family and work, but the on-campus energy keeps him fresh and it keeps him in spirits.
“The banking industry is fascinating in a way but it’s a different machine,” he says. “Dollars and cents. “The best thing about higher ed, it’s a younger crowd, you’re working with students. I’ve been here for two years now and I still enjoy the newness of it all ... there’s just a sense of energy there.”
“That’s the part I enjoy,” he says. “It’s seeing, even if I’m not directly a part of this, young people learning and making choices that will directly affect their lives.… It’s contributing towards taking young people and sending them on their path.”
David defies the stereotype of misanthropic, cynical tech support (see: The IT Crowd) and in fact, he admires the verve and vigour of the student body.
So next time you can’t connect to Wi-Fi, think back on all the times you were able to and appreciate our silent benefactors in ITS.
As technology is developed more and more into a pedagogical tool, he sees his job as an important part of modern education. Already, he is noticing innovations in
■■RICHARD JOSEPH
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OUSA campaign aims to freeze cost of tuition across Ontario
Opinion: Mourning the loss of a life, not a celebrity
I choo-choo-choose you, Locomotive Espresso
Students are participating in the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance’s “Time Out” campaign in hopes that the provincial government will contribute more. PG 4
While Hollywood has tragically lost many influential figures in the last week, let us not forget they were more than just their art.
Great drinks and a wide range of delectable food makes this Pall Mall Street café a great pick for your next coffee date.
PG 8
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The Gazette is owned and published by the University Students’ Council.
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 • 3
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Western’s Top 10 Professors according to
1
5 9
Mark Holden
2
• Psychology 2115B • Psychology 3130B
David Meredith
6
• Math 1225B
Quazi Rahman • Engineering Science 1036B
10
Joseph Turnbull
3
• Math 1225B
Felix Lee
7
• Chemistry 2003B • Chemistry 3393B
Tom Stavraky • Physiology 3120 • Physiology 3130Z
Vernon 4 Tony • Psychology 2810
Laura Melnyk Gribble • Psychology 2031B • Psychology 3313B
David Bentley • English 1022E
A+
8
Robert Ventresca • History 1403E • History 1901E • History 3791E
Ratings taken from www.ratemyprofessor.com based on professors from Western and its affiliates with at least 30 reviews. Professors are listed with the courses they are currently teaching.
JORDAN MCGAVIN GAZETTE
HAMZA TARIQ BREAKING NEWS EDITOR @HAMZAATGAZETTE Ever wondered who the most liked professors at Western are? Well, here you go. The Gazette ranked Western’s 10 highest rated professors based on ratings on the Rate My Professors website from a total of 2,378 professors. Ratings are out of five points and only professors with a minimum of 30 student reviews were ranked because this is the size of a small class. Ties were broken based on who had more reviews. Obviously, there are many more highly rated professors out there at Western who have hundreds (or maybe just a few) reviews but didn’t make the cut — this is just one way of finding out the top professors. We interviewed the top 10 professors to ask them what they do that make them the most loved teachers at Western. The overall consensus among the professors was that while they don’t base their teaching styles on the RMP ratings, they appreciated the positive responses from students. Professors Felix Lee (6) and Quazi Rahman (9) weren’t available for an interview.
1. MARK HOLDEN 5.0 (66 REVIEWS)
Holden is an adjunct professor in the department of psychology and has been teaching at Western for three years. He checks RMP sometimes but wasn’t aware he was in Western’s top 10 list. “I check it every now and again as kind of a guilty pleasure — it’s nice to get that little bit of an ego boost when you see a positive comment from a happy student,” he says. Holden makes his courses interesting for students by relating course content to things students encounter in their everyday lives and uses in-class demonstrations, videos, stories and anecdotes. “Really, it all just comes down to putting yourself in the shoes of your students; this means thinking constantly about how you can make the material interesting for your students, and it also means trying to hit that sweet spot where the way you teach the material is not too hard, but also not so easy that students fall asleep,” he says. STUDENT COMMENT FROM RMP: “I would cry if I had to miss a Holden lecture. For me being someone who NEVER went to class, a science student who never attended biology, I can say that THIS class was amazing.
Holden is THE BEST prof ever, he teaches the course in a way that no one else could. I would take this class every year over and over if I could. 100p would take in 1st yr.”
2. JOSEPH TURNBULL 5.0 (48 REVIEWS)
Turnbull has been an applied mathematics professor based at King’s University College since 2012. He was made aware of the positive reviews about him on RMP by a relative. Turnbull engages students by creating a culture of mutual support in his classes. He also tries to include technology in his teaching experience. “I experiment with in-class technology to make the material more accessible, and also use a lot of online tech to try to build classroom communities that extend beyond our class time,” he says. “My obsession with ‘collaborative learning’ is a big part of all of that drive. I also look for ways to integrate material from across disciplines (sciences, social sciences, etc).” STUDENT COMMENT FROM RMP: “Amazing, funny, awesome lectures. Shows you how certain calculus concepts/ theories can be applied to such fields as science, engineering, and business. You end up understanding the material fully no matter how daunting it may have first appeared. EXCELLENT PROF!”
3. LAURA MELNYK GRIBBLE 4.9 (49 REVIEWS)
Gribble has been a full-time psychology professor at King’s since 2002. She was told about the reviews on RMP early on by a student and is happy students posted nice things about their experiences in her class. However, she says it is important to keep in mind that a lot of reviews are based off of large-sized lecture classes and there are other aspects to teaching at Western as well. About her teaching style, Gribble says, “I love teaching and so I try to make my classes as engaging and interactive as possible. So I try to mix it up, we have discussions, we do demonstrations, theres the odd video tossed in, and I try as much as possible even in those long three hour classes to keep the class engaged.” STUDENT COMMENT FROM RMP: “Laura was an amazing prof. If I could have her teach all my classes I would! She is helpful and genuine. She takes time to explain, if the class appears to find the topic difficult. She takes the time to get to know her students,
and structures the class and her lectures in an easy to learn manner. I actually nominated her for the prof awards!”
4. TONY VERNON 4.9 (37 REVIEWS)
Vernon is a professor in the psychology department and has taught at Western since 1982. He has looked at the RMP ratings a few times and thinks it’s nice to get positive recognition from students. He engages students by injecting humour in his teaching from time and time. With his experience, Vernon also anticipates questions from students beforehand. “I have gotten to the point where it is extremely unusual for a student to come up with a question I haven’t heard before and so I anticipate the sorts of questions and the sorts of issues students will have with each component of the course and I just build that right in my lectures,” he says. STUDENT COMMENT FROM RMP: “Best prof ever!!! Hate stats but he made the material so easy to understand. Very informative and nice prof, does everything he can to help you and doesn’t judge his students. Fair exams, probably the best prof I’ve had at uwo yet. Highly recommend!”
5. DAVID MEREDITH 4.9 (33 REVIEWS)
Meredith has been teaching mathematics at King’s for 27 years. He was told of the RMP ratings by colleagues and students but didn’t follow the website rankings himself. He was surprised to know he was among the top-rated professors at the University. Meredith tries to put himself in students’ shoes and includes elements in his course that he thinks students would want. He hopes students will follow his passion and enthusiasm for the subject. “I invite [students] to entertain the notion that mathematics is doable and to prepare for the possibility that its charms my surprise. Then, as with all things, their experience may be immensely rewarding,” he says. STUDENT COMMENT FROM RMP: “He will not continue teaching until he makes sure everyone understands what he has covered! Very clear and helpful! Feel free to approach him at any time! If you want to actually learn something, you have to take his class! Always available for help as well!”
6. FELIX LEE
4.8 (114 REVIEWS)
Lee is a professor in the chemistry department at Western. STUDENT COMMENT FROM RMP: “Professor Lee is an absolutely fantastic teacher! He’s incredibly enthusiastic in his lectures, does a great job explaining the concepts and is also very considerate to his students. The course was a good challenge, and if you put in the work you can do really well. Definitely take his class if you can, it’s worth waking up early for!”
7. DAVID BENTLEY 4.8 (62 REVIEWS)
He is a distinguished professor in the English department at Western. He has been teaching at Western since the late ‘70s, or “a little before the birth of Katy Perry,” as he likes to think of it. He hasn’t gone on the RMP website for a while but he was happy when he came across the positive reviews. However, he does remember one negative review he got when he was on RMP. “I remember many years ago looking at the site, and being pleased by all the comments but one, which read: ‘Don’t people realize this professor is s__t?’ It is an oddity of human nature — mine at least — that that is the one I remember,” he says. In terms of his teaching philosophy, he believes in giving his students the best he can in the most compelling form. “I put a lot of work and effort and time into my teaching and when its appreciated I really appreciate that. My philosophy is to give the students the best ideas that I have and in the best, clearest, most interesting form,” he says. STUDENT COMMENT FROM RMP: “LOVE Bentley. He’s such an amazing professor! I never felt like I was coming to class to actually study English, he made everything so easy to learn, His real life stories not only help you understand the lecture, but they are extremely moving. I absolutely recommend you take his class.”
8. ROBERT VENTRESCA 4.8 (66 REVIEWS)
Ventresca has been a history professor at King’s since 2000. He says students and colleagues tell him about the his RMP reviews from time to time and while he appreciates the positive responses, he doesn’t let them affect his teaching style. He depends on student feedback directly in class and through
their performances in exams and assignments. Ventresca’s teaching philosophy is based on the “human and relational elements” that make teaching and learning most effective. “I do employ audio-visual material and adapt some other technologies to my teaching, where I feel these can be effective,” he says. “But I also try to valourize the simple things — consistent class attendance; intensive readings of sources; critical research and writing; and ample time for class discussions.” STUDENT COMMENT FROM RMP: “I can only smile when I think of professor Ventresca. He commands a lot of respect because of his passion for learning and teaching history. He also has a sense of humour which will make you laugh from time to time.”
9. QUAZI RAHMAN 4.8 (55 REVIEWS)
Rahman is a professor in the electrical and computer engineering department at Western. STUDENT COMMENT FROM RMP: “Most fun I’ve ever had taking a programming course. Quazi takes material that would otherwise be dull and transforms it into a thoroughly interesting and engaging learning experience. The most genuine and sincere engineering prof at Western (personal opinion), makes an effort to know every student’s name. I’ll be missing Quazi’s energetic lectures!”
10. TOM STAVRAKY 4.8 (42 REVIEWS)
Stavraky is a professor in the physiology and pharmacology department and has been teaching at Western for 23 years. He doesn’t go on RMP very often, but has been told by other people of his positive reviews online. He tries to engage students in the classroom by making the course materials very relevant to everyday life. “Human physiology, which is what I teach is certainly relevant to everything we do, every moment, every second of our lives. What’s great about it is that I can make it relevant and I can come up with examples, everyday examples,” he says. STUDENT COMMENT FROM RMP: “Amazing professor. Puts a lot of effort into his lectures and uses a variety of analogies and examples to effectively portray his points. Easy to approach, and very sincere in helping his students understand the material.” n
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4 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016
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Students call for tuition freeze DRISHTI KATARIA NEWS EDITOR @DRISHTATGAZETTE “I think tuition prices are ridiculous. They are so high to the point where it’s really depressing when you have to actually see how much you’re paying in tuition alone and then how much you have to pay on the side of that as well,” said Jesse Prout, a third-year media, theory and production student. He’s not alone in his sentiments. Students at universities across Ontario are participating in Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance’s “Time Out” campaign, which is calling for a funded tuition freeze. “We want the government to cover the costs with different revenue streams,” said Ben McCauley, a fourth-year urban development student. “The government needs to find good resources to be able to cover the inflationary costs the students are paying for.” McCauley was sitting in the UCC atrium last week to spread awareness and gather signatures to be sent to Premier Kathleen Wynne’s office. According to a report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, in 2012, over 48 per cent of Ontario’s university operating revenues came from tuition, with government funding accounting for under 45 per cent. “If we are going to be considered publicly funded, the government should be paying at least more than 50 per cent,” said Lindsee Perkins, an OUSA vice-president. “A tuition freeze is one of the best ways to get
back on that track.” Alan Weedon, vice-provost academic planning, said Western gets roughly 40 per cent of its revenues from tuition and 40 per cent directly from the government in a grant that reflects student enrolments. According to Weedon, a tuition freeze would be detrimental to the university as its budget would erode away, decreasing quality of education and eventually leading to program closure. “One of the ironies of the Ontario funding model is that students feel their access to education is limited by high tuition costs, but in the absence of tuition increases, student access would be reduced because the university would not be able to afford the programs,” he said in an email.
If we are going to be considered publicly funded, the government should be paying at least more than 50 per cent. A tuition freeze is one of the best ways to get back on that track. LINDSEE PERKINS OUSA VICE-PRESIDENT
Weedon said when there was no tuition in the United Kingdom, the enrolment rate was only two per cent of 18-year-olds because the government funding was insufficient to increase the enrolment.
That has changed because students are paying part of the cost through tuition. Peggy Sattler, MPP for London West, believes that while a tuition freeze is a good first step, more needs to be done to ensure that students who want to participate in post-secondary education are able to do so. In order to keep post secondary education accessible to all students, the Minstry of Training, Colleges and Universities has capped tuition increases at three per cent each year and have made investments to strengthen student financial assistance. “In 2014-15 alone, Ontario issued almost $1.3 billion in grants and loans – 70 per cent of this assistance was money that students won’t have to repay,” Tanya Blazina, spokesperson for the ministry said in an email. According to Blazina, Ontario had the third lowest average undergraduate student loan debt in 2012, and only 55 per cent of undergraduate students had any student debt upon graduation. Sattler recommends students work with elected representatives to ensure they are aware of these issues and the importance of making post secondary education affordable for everyone. Western is one of many Ontario universities participating in this campaign. Others include Brock, Queen’s, McMaster, Trent University Durham, Waterloo and Laurier. n
Lisa Huang (MBAN ’14) Manager, Client Analytics – Retail Aimia Inc.
CANADIAN AVERAGE 1993–'94 $2,320
2014–'15 $6,780
192% INCREASE
ONTARIO AVERAGE 1993–'94 $2,497
2014–'15 $8,426
237% INCREASE
ONTARIO ranked 5th least expensive province in '93–'94. Now, the province is 10th and is the most expensive.
Top 5 most expensive provinces for tuition and compulsory fees ONTARIO
1993–'94 (5)
2014–'15 (10)
NOVA SCOTIA
1993–'94 (10)
2014–'15 (9)
SASKATCHEWAN
1993–'94 (3)
2014–'15 (8)
NEW BRUNSWICK
1993–'94 (7)
2014–'15 (7)
ALBERTA
1993–'94 (8)
2014–'15 (6)
SOURCE: CANADIAN CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 • 5
Mustangs’ lone setter killing it JEN BALL GAZETTE STAFF @SPORTSATGAZETTE
In team sports it’s often easy to overlook the talent of those not recording touchdowns, goals or kills. But it’s often the strength of the assisting players that allow a team to succeed. In volleyball, the setter is the player responsible for receiving the pass and placing the ball in the perfect position for a kill. A good set makes a good play and good plays make a good team. Katherine “Kat” Tsiofas is the starting setter for the women’s volleyball team. Actually, she’s the only setter for the women’s volleyball team. “Due to injury, we have only had one setter the entire season,” explained women’s volleyball head coach Melissa Bartlett. “[Tsiofas] has played every single point of every single match since October.” As starting setter, Tsiofas would naturally play in all games, but in this case there is no other option. “It’s definitely hard, especially in practice because I never get a break,” said Tsiofas. Not only is it hard for the thirdyear player, but it’s hard for the team. Having only one setter places the women in a pretty precarious position. With injury being an unfortunate reality to any athlete, Tsiofas must be careful. “We’ve just tried to do a really good job of keeping me healthy. I’m never in a drill where I could potentially get hurt,” she said. “We’re just trying to be really safe so that I can play every weekend.” A natural athlete, Tsiofas won
athlete of the year in both 2009 and 2010 while attending Bayview Glen High School in Toronto. She was named to the OUA west all-rookie team when she joined the Mustangs in 2013 and became starting setter that same season. Tsiofas may be the only option for Western at the moment but she is also the best option. In the 2014-15 season, Tsiofas recorded an impressive 502 assists, 21 service aces, 54 kills and 24 blocks to total 93 points in 15 matches. This year, she leads the OUA through 10 games with 357 assists. Tsiofas not only excels athletically but academically as well. She was included on the dean’s honour list last year, commending her achievement in maintaining an average above 80 per cent in her business management program. This is an impressive feat for any student, let alone one balancing academic and athletic responsibilities. It’s easier, however, with support from your teammates. Tsiofas has played on the Mustangs with hitter Kelsey Veltman for the past two years and has benefitted from Veltman’s positive energy and support, on and off the court. “She’s always a good motivator and she always puts the ball away,” Tsiofas said. “I love having her on the court.” Tsiofas and Veltman played together outside of Western in 2013, when they captured a National Team Challenge Cup Gold Medal with Team Ontario’s indoor volleyball team. Tsiofas was even named an all-star for that tournament. Veltman has previously talked
knowsports
about her desire to play professionally, but Tsiofas? “Not really, I don’t know,” said Tsiofas with a laugh. “It’s always in the back of my head as a possibility.” With achievements in the academic and athletic fields, Tsiofas is bound for success in whatever path she chooses. But for now she has her head in the game and is concentrating on the rest of the volleyball season. Western currently holds an 8–2 record, sitting in second in the OUA west division. The women are playing better than last season, where they finished with a 7–12 record before surprising many by managing to snag the OUA bronze medal. This year, they will be gunning for gold. Tsiofas will be a key asset to Western’s gameplay, but she knows not to get ahead of herself. “We’re confident going in but we can’t take the game for granted.” With this kind of mindset, the women’s volleyball team will surely kill it this season. n
Solution to puzzle on page 10
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Curbin
Western’s administration has made dit reputation a priority since the 1990s. In decades, Western’s entrance average its below provincial average status to province, emphasizing our academics extracurricular activities. Hamza Tariq (or non-status) of Western’s party repu HAMZA TARIQ BREAKING NEWS EDITOR @HAMZAATGAZETTE Applying to Western from more than 12,000 kilometres away in Bangladesh, fourth-year student Zahidul Hassan Sajid was aware of the University’s fabled party reputation. “That was one of the reasons I came here,” he says with a chuckle. “[But] my teachers told me it’s a really good school and not just a party school.” The 1990s were a bad time for Western. Applications were down. Entrance averages were slipping. Retention and graduation rates were in a downward spiral. In 1993, Western’s entrance average for its incoming class had fallen below the provincial level. As enrolments were the main source for operating revenues, Western began lowering its entrance standards to keep up class sizes. According to Ruban Chelladurai, Western’s associate vice-president planning, budgeting and IT, this approach led to a decline in the overall quality of the University’s incoming class. “With such trends, Western’s reputation in terms of student quality and educational quality did suffer — and Western’s image became one of a party school as opposed to a high-quality institution,” he says in an email. Sophie Helpard, University Students’ Council president, thinks Western’s party reputation might have developed during this time when its academic standards were dropping. “It was a very different time in the University’s history,” she says. “A reputation like that might have been true based on the fact that there would have been different academic standards for the students entering the University.” By the mid-1990s, Western’s administration had laid out a plan to fight the falling standards. Former president Paul Davenport and provost Greg Moran made improving student quality and the quality of education Western’s top priorities. The first step was to change the school’s approach towards admissions and enrolment. The University set common minimum entrance standards. Simultaneously, the new enrolment planning model was driven by student demand and choice of programs instead of just focusing on filling up classrooms. At the same time, Western implemented three major recruitment initiatives: a guaranteed admission scholarship program, a guaranteed space in residence for first-year students and a guaranteed space in first-year courses with necessary prerequisites. But as Western spent its time, money and energy on raising the level of its academics,
JENNIFER FELDMAN GAZETTE
another war was raging between Housing and the notorious “zoo” — Saugeen-Maitland Hall. The campus’ first co-ed residence opened its doors in 1969. Ever since then, it has remained true to its nickname and refuses to let the University live down its party reputation. With room for over 1,200 students, Saugeen is one of Western’s larger residences and is known among generations of students for its excessive fire alarms, parties and rowdiness. Haris Sardar graduated from Western in 2004 and was a resident of Saugeen in his first year. He fondly remembers his time in the residence and considers it a great transition to college life. “I guess 1,200 18-year-olds all living in the same building, I got to meet so many people and I made so many friends that I didn’t miss anything about home — it became home,” he says. Sardar adds while Saugeen was “pretty wild” in his first year, residents before him would say it was a lot wilder before his time. There is a reason behind this belief. In 1989, the administration banned the nickname “the zoo” and replaced it with the name “the ‘Geen.” The name banning was met with outrage by the student body. The USC passed a unanimous motion condemning both the move and the plan to punish students who continued to call it “the zoo,” citing infringement on the freedom of speech of Western students. But Housing held fast. In an interview with The Gazette in 1989, Susan Grindrod, then the director of Housing, stated, “I’m not sure ‘the zoo’ image is conducive to a university setting anymore. It’s a bit of an insult really. Every new resident there is an Ontario scholar and we want the image of Saugeen to reflect the type of students that are there now.” Through the 1990s, sparring continued between Housing and the residents of Saugeen. Flyers would be passed around the building to educate new residents about the history and traditions of the zoo. “Zoo” would be painted on the driveway of the building and tenants would sometimes wear apparel with the banned nickname on it. That hasn’t stopped students in future years from keeping the name going. Sardar also worked as security at Saugeen after his first year in 2000. He remembers an incident where a goat was secretly brought to fifth floor via the balcony to signify the “zoo-ness” of the place. “These students thought it would be funny that it’s known as the zoo to get livestock in there,” he says with a laugh. To this day, referring to Saugeen as “the zoo” is banned for residents. With administration bearing down on the residence, Saugeen has struggled to live up to its former reputation in recent years.
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 • 7
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ng the party
tching our party n the past two has recovered from the highest in the over our, ahem, q explores the status utation. Michael Botelho, a third-year student who lived in Saugeen, reminisces about his more mellow experience of the residence two years ago. “Saugeen was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will always remember,” he says. “It was thankfully a lot cleaner than the rumours had foretold. I am also proud to say that I passed every course in first year despite all of the distractions that the massive residence hosted.” Despite Western’s rising academic profile and a diminishing of the “party reputation” in the new millennium, a few unsavoury incidents brought Western to national attention. In October 2005, a first-year female student in Saugeen performed a striptease and lap dance for several males in a residence room and was infamously dubbed the “Saugeen Stripper.” Pictures of the striptease were posted online, but while the University investigated the incident and expressed its disappointment, no action was taken as the student was aware the photos were being taken. “We certainly regret this has happened; it’s not something the university condones and we are very disappointed in these students, but rooms in residence are considered to be students’ homes, and what goes on between consenting adults in the privacy of their homes is considered to be their business,” Grindrod told the Toronto Star in an interview at the time. Then in their May 2011 issue, Playboy magazine rated Western number four on its list of top 10 party schools in North America. “The zoo” got a special mention for its “partying” in the brief profile on Western. The magazine wrote, “More than 20,000 undergrads enjoy a drinking age of 19 at this London, Ontario school. The bar scene is kicking. On Tuesdays, students cram into Ceeps to play Sledgehammer Bingo, which is basically an excuse to strip and drink (as if one were needed), and both St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween are monumental occasions as well.” Admittedly, Western’s big homecoming and orientation events often give the perception it tries to negate. The orientation program is one of the biggest in the country and goes on for nearly a week. Homecoming is also very festive as thousands of students and their guests from outside London congregate on streets like Broughdale. City residents are often left unhappy with thousands of drunk students walking around neighbourhoods and there have been some calls to ban Homecoming for its effect on residents and increased policing costs. In addition, London’s big student population consisting of Western and Fanshawe students are provided with a vibrant nightlife
I was well aware of Western’s reputation as a ‘party school. This was not what was influential in my decision coming here. The school’s acclaimed frosh week and supportive and encouraging transition from high school to university life is what convinced me to come here. MICHAEL BOTELHO THIRD-YEAR WESTERN STUDENT
with a number of bars and clubs, which might give the image of a “party culture.” “How I see it, people coming in generally have an idea that it is a party school and everyone’s kind of up for everything, so if you ask 10 people ‘are you down to drink tonight,’ seven of them will say yes,” Sajid says. Sardar thinks the lower cost of going out in London when compared to major cities like Toronto also serves as a factor for why Western students might be more outgoing. Despite the hiccups, the efforts of Western administrators initiated by Davenport and Moran are starting to bear fruit. Today, Western boasts the highest average entering grade among Ontario universities. Retention and graduation rates are among the highest in the country. Students now choose Western as their university of choice because of its high academic standing and student experience. “I was well aware of Western’s reputation as a ‘party school,’ ” Botelho says. “This was not what was influential in my decision coming here. The school’s acclaimed frosh week and supportive and encouraging transition from high school to university life is what convinced me to come here.” Helpard believes while the party school perception persists, it doesn’t reflect the experiences of many students attending Western. “The party image is not something that attracts people,” she says. “If anything, that is a large perception that doesn’t ring true for a lot of our students. A lot of our students don’t necessary associate themselves with being more social than students at other universities.” Justin Di Camillo, a third-year political science student, has a similar take on Western’s reputation versus other schools. “I feel like now every university is pretty much on an equal playing field,” he says. “If you want to party, you party, if you want to study, you study. I don’t think Western is really more [of a party school] than anywhere else,” he says. The negative connotation that comes with partying doesn’t define Western’s student experience anymore. According to Jana Luker, Western’s associate vice-president student experience, socialization is an important part of university life as long as people are safe and responsible in their interactions. “Using the term ‘partying,’ I think it comes to mind as something that is not safe and not something we want to promote,” she says, “but a party to actually interact with someone ... people have been doing that since the beginning of time.” n
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8 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016
insightopinions
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Remembering performers as more than what they created Queen Lear
KATIE LEAR NEWS EDITOR @KATIEATGAZETTE It is with great sadness that I, along with the rest of the world, observed the deaths of well-known public figures David Bowie and Alan Rickman last week. But unlike the rest of the world, my observance quickly turned to a deep distaste with how we, as the public, respond to celebrity deaths. Celebrity deaths are tragic in a unique way. While they lack the immediacy and intimate presence of losing a family member, losing those well-known to us in less immediate ways can seemingly emerge from nowhere and simultaneously, shock and sadden us. But while Harry Potter was one of my favourite pieces of literature growing up — something I certainly share with a significant part of the Western community — I could not have told you that Rickman had cancer until news of his death. Maybe this speaks to something bigger — an interest that comes only when a public figure is relevant through a piece of art they have produced for us. And this is fine. When someone becomes an entertainer, they understand that their job is to sell their performance to a consuming audience and that becomes how they are known to the world. But what I take issue with is when this interest comes from losing a performance, or the potential of future performances, over the value of a person. It’s important to keep in mind that while those who passed away may have been fortunate enough to touch generations of people, that is not the extent of their time alive. They were also vital members of their families, devoted friends, role models and more to those who knew them personally. The people they were is not limited to their existence as a performer. Everyone grieves differently. Some take comfort in banding
together with others in solidarity of their loss. Others, like myself, prefer to process pain alone. Now more than ever, social media has brought grief into the public arena. In particular, I’ve seen Facebook filled with quite moving artistic tributes with thousands of shares, and at the time of publishing, there are 21 articles on Buzzfeed published in the past five days talking about one of Rickman’s best-known roles, Severus Snape. I don’t want to diminish the effect of expressing a loss on social media and gaining solidarity as a result, but what’s missing from the conversation surrounding the losses is recognition of the grief felt by those close to the deceased that approaches the same level of attention we give to the grief felt by the public at large. Naturally, this difference may be due to respect for the families at this time, which is considerate and appropriate. But by making the narrative surrounding the losses focus on the grief we feel on a superficial level, we diminish not only the importance of the grief felt by those closer to them but reduce their impact in life to what they’ve done for us. We turn what may be intended as respectful mourning into a spectacle as we exchange statuses and memorial photos. Now, grief is not a zero sum game. The fact that we feel sorrow does not somehow detract from the sorrow that would have been felt by those who knew the deceased better than we did. I don’t want to condemn those who truly have been impacted by these artists and want to show their respect. But mourning what someone has given, or is now unable to give us, is distinct from mourning a personal relationship with someone. By forcing the conversation to centre around the person as an actor who produces a product to be consumed, this detracts from understanding — and ultimately memorializing — the person as a human. We can, and often do, have the best intentions in grieving deceased celebrities. But I encourage everyone who felt emotionally impacted by last week’s losses to reflect on just what we’re sad to lose — the actor or the person. n
MOSES MONTEROZZA GAZETTE
Work hard, play hard
BY GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD
In The Globe and Mail’s 2014 Canadian university report, the newspaper profiled each of Ontario’s 20 universities. The feature labeled the University of Waterloo as “Canada’s Silicon Valley,” McMaster University as “inquiry-based learning,” and the University of Western Ontario as “big school with big energy.” Big energy. An ode, perhaps, to Western’s often-toted party school image. It’s also a reputation that may not hold true anymore. It’s easy to see how it started. When the “Saugeen stripper” made national headlines in 2005, Playboy magazine followed up by crowning Western one of the “Top Ten Party Schools” in North America. In addition, “the Zoo” refers to a first-year residence, and when you throw the country’s largest homecoming celebration into the mix, #westurnt is born. On the other hand, the university’s administration can now tout the university’s entrance average as the highest in the province. Further, Western’s medical and law schools are nationally acclaimed, Bloomberg Businessweek named Western’s Ivey Business School as first in the world in its “global MBA category” and we have alumni that are Nobel Laureates and Rhodes Scholars. Clearly Western isn’t attracting deadbeat revelers, but academically-driven youth.
cause of its rumoured party culture, they’ll find they won’t stay long. While anything goes on Richmond Row, the school’s current academic standards are rigorous. Once enrolled, many academic modules require undergrads achieve competitive minimum grade requirements. Past first-year, students too hungover to go to class are weeded out. Lastly, today’s students walking the halls of “the Zoo” are in for a quieter experience. Thanks to improved training, Western’s residence staff does a much better job at deterring outrageous partying in first-year residences. A dry orientation week and more educational programming helps teach incoming students how to have a fun time they won’t regret later on. Not to say Western students don’t party — we do. Western promotes it can offer the “country’s best student experience” and that exists outside of the classroom. Developing and fine-tuning social skills is an important part of university that benefits students long after they’ve received their degrees. So if Western is a party school, so be it. Partying doesn’t have to refer to reckless binge drinking; it can mean a fun, lively and safe night out with friends. Western students may play hard, but we work hard too. n
For the students who are attracted to Western be-
we get letters
Sexual assault affects all of us RE: THIS IS FOR THE OTHERS, JAN. 12, 2016 TO THE EDITOR: When it comes to sexual assault, I don’t have a story to tell about myself. What I do have is the stories of people I love. I am a woman who is 20-years-old and I have a collection of sexual assault stories that runs so long I could use colour codes and dividers to keep all of them straight. I don’t have to do any such thing to keep track of them of course, because each account is seared into my memory in a way that makes me wish I didn’t have ears to hear, or a heart to feel. I guess as a woman you learn to
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deal with things like this. You learn to look over your shoulder when you walk down a road at night, and you learn to look out for your friends at bars with a militant fervor. You learn to bite your lip until it bleeds when people make rape jokes and laugh. You don’t realize how many people are sexually assaulted on television until the victims have their faces replaced with those of your friends and you have to slam your laptop screen down to make it stop. Dealing with victims of sexual assault has taught me several things, the biggest of which is this; it has taught me that I am not a very good
person. Good people don’t think about hurting others, I’m led to believe. But in the face of a crime where the perpetrator will never be punished because the victim will be blamed, you find that there is no bound to the rage it’s possible to feel. And I wasn’t even the victim. Justice? There is no justice. That’s something I learned when I was 17 and I’m still struggling with the implications. ERICA WALLIS THIRD-YEAR MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST
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.”
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 • 9
experience
REVIEW LOCOMOTIVE ESPRESSO KSENIA KOLODKA GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE Locomotive Espresso is a whimsical cafe located just a couple of blocks east of Richmond Row right next to the train tracks at 408 Pall Mall Street. The first thing I noticed upon entering Locomotive was the busy scene consisting of several students studying and some older customers chatting with friends. I had to wait a few minutes for a table to free up; once one did, it took another couple of minutes for the staff to clean my table. The café has big windows all around the perimeter that allow natural light to come through, which makes it easy on the eyes if you want to study. Retro lamps with exposed lightbulbs hang from the ceiling, adding a vintage charm. There is one bar stool area and the rest of the seating is kept traditional with simple tables and chairs. Since the chairs are metal, I think the café would benefit from adding some comfy cushions to tie in with their hip theme. Some convenient and fun additions include free Wi-Fi and board games you can play with friends. Locomotive has several unique food and drink options. In addition to coffee prepared with the Pilot coffee roaster, they have different types of kombucha tea, pressed juices, specialty drinks, soup, sandwiches, pastries and a toast bar. There is also a chic handwritten chalkboard menu right behind the counter that lists all the products and prices.
I found it inconvenient that Locomotive doesn’t take debit as a payment option, so keep this in mind if you want to visit — especially if you’re bringing a date with you. They do, however, accept credit. TOP PICKS: BEET AND HONEY TOAST WITH COCONUT BUTTER FOR $2.50 I was intrigued with Locomotive’s toast bar, which lists all options right on the front counter. There are more than a dozen different types of breads and spreads to choose from. I could tell the bread was fresh — it was perfectly toasted on the outside yet still soft on the inside. Since beets are naturally sweet, the addition of honey makes the bread even more delectable. The coconut butter was not completely smooth because it had pieces of coconut inside, but I liked it for the mild taste. Regardless if you’re a risk taker or like to keep it simple, I highly recommend trying out the toast bar. LONDON FOG FOR $4.25 This specialty tea drink is made with Earl Grey tea and steamed milk. It has a velvety texture and I could taste some hints of vanilla. It was sweet enough not to turn bitter when I left the tea bag in, but the sweetness wasn’t overwhelming. There was also a satisfying amount of smooth foam on top. This is a perfect drink for these chilly winter days. CARROT CAKE WITH WALNUTS AND RAISINS FOR $2.25 A staff member suggested this pastry to me because it’s a popular choice amongst other customers. It tasted fresh and spongy; not so soft that it
crumbles apart but not so dense that you need a knife to cut it. There were just enough walnuts and raisins so that they didn’t overpower the taste of carrot. I put some leftover coconut butter from my toast on the cake and it tasted even better. The food took just a couple of minutes to prepare; there is a separate counter to pick up drinks and the staff brings toast to your table so you don’t have to carry around a bunch of teetering plates. In general, the staff seemed friendly and knowledgable. There was a mixed demographic of students and older customers, so this would be a good place to bring your family members when they come to visit, hang out with friends or go on a date. OVERALL RATINGS: ATMOSPHERE: GGGGF Feels warm and trendy, board games are a nice touch and add to the overall customer experience. There should be more seating in case customers come in during a peak time. I could see myself being a regular here if I lived close by. SERVICE: GGGGF Friendly staff, fast service, but they don’t take debit, which is a bit irritating. PRICE: GGGGF The toast bar is a decent price, however, the pricing for sandwiches and specialty drinks are on par with other coffee shops like Starbucks. TASTE: GGGGG Fresh pastries, bread and drinks. I’m looking forward to trying out the other drinks and types of toast. OVERALL: GGGGF n
KSENIA KOLDKA GAZETTE
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experience
Netflix and chill? SAMAH ALI ARTS & LIFE EDITOR @SAMAHATGAZETTE PROGRAM: Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp STARS: Janeane Garofalo, Michael Showalter, Marguerite Moreau, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni NETWORK: Netflix Original SEASONS: 1 Season GENRE: Comedy SYNOPSIS: It’s the first day back at Camp Firewood and things are getting off to a wild start. Broken down hour by hour, the mini-series is the prelude to the 2001 movie Wet Hot American Summer. MY TAKE: This short mini-series is an entertaining revival of the camp parody made in the early 2000s and it’s enjoyable whether you attended camp or not. After watching Wet Hot American Summer, I can easily say the mini-series is a lot better than the movie. The comedy is better, the backstories are richer and the slapstick humour parodies tropes
usually seen in 1980s teen romantic comedies. However, the wit does not bring unanimous laughter. The overacting is done tastefully but it provides more entertainment rather than authentic laughter. You may find yourself blowing air out of your nose instead of cackling uncontrollably. But you have to give it up for the recasting of the original members from the movie. Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp satirizes the original story and the movie itself. The cast, roughly 14 years
older, continues to play their original characters as camp counsellors and the actors find the humour in this. A group of middle-aged actors playing 16 and 17-year-old kids induces some childish giggles, especially considering the grandeur of some of their careers. Watching Rudd, Cooper and Poehler play teenagers is amusing, but the additional cameos made by other serious actors – namely the cast of Mad Men – also brings some added joy. Not to mention H. Jon Benjamin’s appearance and voice acting for all of the Archer and Bob’s Burgers fans. WORTH THE NETFLIX? : Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp is entertaining nonetheless, but you can definitely live without it. There are better comedies out there to watch. WORTH THE CHILL?: I guess. n
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SHACHAR DAHAN GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE Over the last couple years, there has been a trend in the mobile industry to make phones as thin as possible, even if it means compromising on battery life. There is of course more to battery life than merely the number of milliamps, but even software as efficient as Apple’s iOS still leaves most people’s phones dead by days’ end. There are two different solutions to this problem: companies can either stop cutting battery size, or find a way to revolutionize quick charging batteries. Israeli startup StoreDot is betting on the latter. In its labs, StoreDot has developed new molecules that enable a specialized lithium-ion battery to be rapidly charged. Coupled with a similarly specialized charging unit, you can charge your phone in six minutes, one minute and even in 30 seconds, depending on the charger model you’re using. StoreDot’s most practical solution is its 50-amp charger, which can power a phone to 100 per cent in about six minutes. It’s called the “x20”
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because it charges your phone 20 times faster than today’s charging solutions. The StoreDot charging solutions add about $30 to each smartphone. After suppliers and the smartphone makers take their cuts, analysts predict that it would make smartphones about $60 more expensive. Like any technology, however, it is reasonable to assume that it will become less expensive over time. As promising as this technology may look, there is still a long road ahead until it will be integrated into your smartphone. For starters, it needs to clear all kinds of regulatory approvals — though the company claims that their batteries are actually safer than traditional lithium-ion batteries because they are less prone to combustion. The second problem is that the “x20” model currently requires a special 20-pin connector that looks similar to the old iPhone and iPod connectors. As most of the mobile industry migrates to the USB Type-C connector, it seems very unlikely that companies will choose to switch back to an older style port. n
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6:30 PM Bollywood Nights: Hindi movie series ARTS & HUMANITIES BUILDING 1B08 7:00 PM Men’s Hockey vs. Toronto THOMPSON ARENA 8:00 PM 54-40 Unplugged LONDON MUSIC HALL 8:00 PM The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee KING’S UNIVERSITY JOANNE AND PETER KENNEY THEATRE 5:00 PM Latin Fest MUSTANG LOUNGE
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PHOTO OF THE DAY
CROSSWORD BY EUGENE SHEFFER
KYLE PORTER GAZETTE STRAIGHT TO THE HOOP. Mustang rookie Julia Curran puts up an uncontested layup during OUA women’s basketball action on Friday, Jan. 15 against the Algoma Thunderbirds. Western won 86–65 to improve to 6–3 this season.
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