Tuesday, December 06, 2016

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SINCE 1906

westerngazette.ca TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 • WESTERN UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER • VOLUME 110, ISSUE 26 posing for holiday photos since 1906

REVISITING WESTERN’S PARKING INEQUALITIES PG5

THE FORGOTTEN PUB IN THE UCC BASEMENT PG7

A YEAR IN REVIEW FOR WESTERN’S TOP TEAMS PG11

Ho Ho Ho-ld the holidays

Exams may slow down the spirit, but our editors share some of their favourite holiday memories.

See page 6.

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Head TAYLOR LASOTA GAZETTE

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2 • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

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LAWNA WILSON

Volume 110, Issue 26 WWW.WESTERNGAZETTE.CA University Community Centre Rm. 263 Western University London, ON, CANADA N6A 3K7 Editorial 519.661.3580 Advertising 519.661.3579

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NEWS SABRINA FRACASSI DRISHTI KATARIA MOSES MONTERROZA RITA RAHMATI GRACE TO CULTURE SAMAH ALI ELLIS KOIFMAN AMY SKODAK ANNIE RUETER CULTURE-AT-LARGE RICHARD JOSEPH SPORTS CHARLIE O’CONNOR CLARKE MIKE DEBOER CLAIRE PALMER MULTIMEDIA MAAILAH BLACKWOOD JENNY JAY TAYLOR LASOTA NATALIE TREFFRY

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MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE

Lawna Wilson has been at Western for 42 years.

wanted to help people out that way,” Lawna says.

A social person by nature, Lawna’s job as a cashier at Centre Spot allows her to have daily conversations with students. As a familiar face on campus, Lawna is a mother figure for some students who are away from home.

Lawna’s interest in teaching and her helpful spirit have shone through her church involvement and recent work in her mother’s nursing home. On weekends, Lawna brings in pets for the seniors to interact with. Lawna’s own pet turtle has made guest appearances, alongside other family pets such as dogs, cats and rabbits.

“Something I like to do is encourage the students to get an A,” Lawna says, smiling. “I can remember about 10 years ago one student came up to me with tears in his eyes and showed me a paper with an A+ and he said, ‘Because of you telling me to study, I got an A+ and I had to show it to you.”

Originally from Port Elgin, Lawna moved to London with her family when she was in fourth grade. Today, her family remains an important part of her life. Lawna and her sisters Linda and Doris work together to bring an annual craft show to Western. For over 21 years, Linda and her sisters have brought the Happy Times Craft Show to the UCC near the December holiday break.

“Originally it started with my mum [Marjorie Davie], my sister, Linda, and I because our family has arthritis,” Lawna explains. “So we do a lot of craft work to keep our hands motivated so they don’t go stiff.”

While Lawna’s sisters prefer to make knitwear, Lawna makes what she calls “fiddly goods” such as mini beeswax candles in the shape of Christmas trees.

To further help with her arthritis, Lawna learned sign language. She teaches it at her church, which also plays a large role in her life. Braille is next on the list of languages to learn for interest’s sake.

“I like being around people and my church had some people that needed to learn [sign language]. And I just

While Lawna says the seniors don’t necessarily remember the volunteers who bring in the pets, the animals are always remembered and adored. But at Western, Lawna is well remembered by families who have attended the University for generations. Lawna recalls a three-generation Western alumni family who visited campus; each generation remembers Lawna’s warm smiles fondly.

“It’s nice to think they remember you after all those years,” Lawna reflects.

Lawna has seen Western grow over the years and tried her hand at a variety of jobs. She has worked at most of the Hospitality Service counters across campus and was at one time a cook and dish washer.

Beyond her work at Western, Lawna has also had her own business. During the ‘80s and ‘90s, Lawna had a balloon animal business for children’s birthday parties. She also worked as a Sunday school teacher for nearly 35 years and was a church sign language interpreter for the deaf.

Through all that Lawna has done at Western and beyond, her love of people shines through.

“It’s nice to think you’ve made a difference.”

■■ANNIE RUETER

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• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 • 3

news

Latest campus building ready to open MOSES MONTERROZA NEWS EDITOR @MOSESMONTZ If you’ve driven or walked past Huron and Lambton lately, you might have noticed the under construction FIMS and Nursing building (FNB) sticking out like a sore thumb.

Since early February 2015, the FNB has slowly come to life and is now nearing completion with only a few minor touches left.

“We’re just in the phase of just finishing up little things,” said Jeff Jones, project manager of the FNB. “Things like finishes, millwork, deficiencies, commissioning of the building, making sure all of the systems are fully functional and making sure the lighting is programmed to operate the way it’s intended.”

Jones said that the building will be up and running by Jan. 1, 2017 and general use classrooms will be available for booking by early September 2017.

Professors are currently in the process of moving to their new offices in the FNB. Many profs are being sent home to work as their old offices get taken apart and set up in the new rooms. Administration from both FIMS and Nursing decide who get the offices, but FIMS chose an age-old method in making those decisions.

“In the FIMS case they did a lottery system,” Jones said. “They basically said, ‘Here are all of the faculty offices, draw and get your first picks.”

Jones said that once the building is up and running, students will be happy to see the many open areas with lots of natural light and that each area will include outlets as far as the eye can see. “Wherever there’s a bench, there’s usually power.”

The FNB will also include co-ed bathrooms with individual stalls and

MOSES MONTERROZA GAZETTE

Schulich gets a new dentistry simulation lab HILL DU GAZETTE STAFF @NEWSATGAZETTE Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry officially opened a new state-of-theart dentistry simulation laboratory to enhance the student learning experience on Nov. 29.

According to a media release, this new facility features leading-edge simulation technology that includes dental mannequins, digital X-rays and teaching cameras.

“The technology that we’ve managed to procure is really going to revolutionize our teaching,” said Stephen Ferrier, assistant professor in restorative dentistry.

The laboratory brings an enriched learning experience for dental students in all four years of study.

“Even if [they’re] fourth-year, we get students to go back and practise procedures,” Ferrier said.

According to Ferrier, the new technology will prepare dental students with a set of both practical and technical skills. Students can practise a range of dental operations on mannequins and simulators,

including fillings, crown fittings and root treatments.

Although some clinics attempt to tackle simulation using virtual reality, Ferrier believes that this solution is “missing the point.”

“The role of simulation is to enable dental students to skill up to see patients, because once you see patients, there’s a whole other level of things to consider,” he said.

The opening of the facility is also proof of a growing partnership between Schulich and suppliers.

“All of the suppliers have been very generous with their time,” said Ferrier. “I think that it is important to recognize that we have been well supported by them.”

Schulich’s high standards for efficient dental training proves to be well accounted for. Ferrier said that the new laboratory is meant to provide a safe place for students to properly practise the many procedures that students are expected to master.

“Our dentists are expected to be competent in a variety of procedures and ready to practise them on their own once they graduate,” Ferrier said.

shared sinks and mirrors. Unique in its design, Jones thought it would to be interesting to see how students will react to these new washrooms.

More than anything, the building makes use of its multiple windows that allow for natural light to flood the interior. In a previous interview with The Gazette, Tom Tillman, principal architect at London firm Architects Tillman Ruth Robinson, said that the inclusion of natural light was one major concept in designing the building.

On the outside, the four-storey building showcases straight lines and sharp corners giving it a modern, minimalist look. However, much like the Arts and Humanities building, as well as many other buildings across campus, the FNB also includes hints of the collegiate gothic architectural style that is characteristic of Western. In the main entrance of the building, towards the back and on the sides of two walls leading to different corridors, there are gargoyles taken from the old Western Service Building, a sort of “homage to Western’s classic style,” according to Jones.

For more photos of the new building visit westerngazette.ca

Solution to puzzle on page 11

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4 • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

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Western HIV vaccine close to human trials MARTIN ALLEN GAZETTE STAFF @NEWSATGAZETTE An HIV vaccine developed by Western researchers has passed through the first of three standard testing stages and is on the cusp being ready for human trials.

Dr. Chil-Yong Kang and a team of researchers developed the vaccine — named SAV001 — at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. Dr. Kang’s team includes fellow Western faculty members Dr. Michael Ott, Dr. Jamie Mann and Dr. Raymond Kao. MAKING AND TESTING SAV001 In 2006, Dr. Kang was formally contracted by the Canadian branch of a Korean pharmaceutical company, Sumagen Co., to work on this particular vaccine.

The first phase of SAV001’s testing administered the vaccine to 33 HIVpositive patients and is designed to assure there are no adverse effects caused by the drug.

“We demonstrated that it is completely safe and that it induces the proper immune-responses. So in a way, the phase one result predicts the outcome of the phase two trial,” Kang said.

The drug works by producing antibodies in the patient that neutralize many different strains of the virus, which are the immune responses the drug displayed in the first phase.

The second phase will include 600 subjects from across the continent, half of whom are general volunteers, and half of whom are high-risk but HIV-negative. It will check to see if the drug produces the desired effect to a significant extent.

High-risk individuals include intravenous drug users and people living with HIV-positive partners.

If the drug passes through the second phase, it will be administered to 6,000 people across the globe as part of the final stage of testing. At this stage, vaccines will be tested to determine if the drug

can significantly reduce the rate of contraction, and if so then the drug will move on to be mass produced.

SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE SAV001 is a killed-whole vaccine, meaning that it contains an engineered version of the virus that is safe, and can be produced in large quantities. This method is found in vaccines for Polio, Rabies, Hepatitis-A and the Flu, but it has never been done successfully in an HIV vaccine.

It is also the first successful killed-whole HIV vaccine to be approved by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human testing.

The drug is controversial in the scientific community for that reason. SAV001 is a polarizing development in what Kang dubbed a “highly competitive” area of research.

“Some people said ‘this is innovative, go ahead and publish.’ But some people were highly critical,” said Kang. “There are maybe 100 HIV vaccine trials going on right now, but so far I have not seen any promising results. And no one has tried our strategy.”

Killed-whole vaccines can be dangerous, as the form of the virus within the drug may not be entirely

killed. Kang and his team solved both of these problems by neutralizing the virus with both chemicals and radiation. Western has a patent protecting the new method as its intellectual property.

There have been other prominent HIV vaccines to pass through to the final testing stage, though none have been of this type.

RV_144 was a prominent vaccine tested in Thailand that has re-entered the spotlight after a modified version of the drug began testing in South Africa in November of this year.

THE PATH FORWARD Kang and his team need re-approval from the FDA before the second stage begins. If everything runs smoothly, the second stage will begin in fall of 2017.

While SAV001 is a preventative vaccine, and meant to be taken to prevent the virus from being contracted, Kang is also working on a therapeutic vaccine meant to be taken after an individual has already been infected.

This drug works by educating the patient’s white blood cells to aid them in destroying cells that HIV infects, such as T-Cells.

•

The drug differs from other therapeutic HIV medications; while most drugs mitigate the progression of the disease, the virus continues to progress even? if the medication is stopped. If Kang’s vaccine is effective, it will destroy the patient’s virus entirely, providing a solution to the 37 million people globally already infected with HIV/AIDS. The vaccine has already completed testing in small animals and will begin testing on medium-sized animals in January.

KYLE PORTER GAZETTE

’Tis the season for pill popping…

SABRINA FRACASSI NEWS EDITOR @SABFRACASSI Exam season puts students under a lot of stress and many often resort to different medications, either obtained over the counter, via prescription or off their sketchy dealers to give them a mental boost for their study sessions.

Two such over the counter drugs are available at the campus pharmacy in the UCC basement — Exam Edge and Party Smart.

Exam Edge is marketed as a vegan-friendly and all-natural supplement that works to improve mental focus and stamina, boost memory, reduce mental fatigue and help students become more productive.

The company quotes eight months of research and development on the product.

Party Smart is a pill is meant to be taken either right before consuming alcohol or while drinking. For students who want to go out but cannot afford a day consumed with a hangover afterwards, this pill seems ideal.

The product also promotes itself for being vegetarian friendly and boasts the use of all-natural products like grapes, wild chicory and dates.

While available at the campus pharmacy, many students seemed unwilling to experiment with such products.

“Personally, I don’t believe in having to use external products to help focus,” said Andrew Pham, a second-year BMOS student.

In terms of the Party Smart product, Michelle Amponsem, a

JENNY JAY GAZETTE

first-year BMOS student, said that she would probably not use the pill, noting that the mixing of drugs with alcohol was not something she was interested in.

Dr. Peter Lemon, professor and director of the Exercise and Nutrition Research Lab at Western, said that although these pills may seem helpful, it is important to be wary of the fact that supplements are not regulated in the same way as packaged and marketed pharmaceuticals. While they may not be dangerous, Lemon suggests that the products may not be as effective as they are marketed.

He also identified that the claims being made by these products stretch the available research.

“In other words, there is often some scientific support for individual ingredients to be beneficial, as there are here, but the claimed benefits far exceed what we know,” Lemon said.

Western’s director of Health Services, Cynthia Gibney, noted that University physicians would probably lean toward more natural forms of coping during the stressful exam period.

“I can’t see any of our physicians specifically referring students to these types of supplements,” said Gibney. “We would lean more to the prevention aspects of health, for example don’t drink in excess, eat properly, sleep so you are rested and exercise at least three times per week. These forms of ‘detoxifying’ would be more effective and long term than any pill.”

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 • 5

news

STUDENTS

FACULTY/STAFF

$164

P

per 4-month term

Faculty Parking Ahead Vacancy

Student Parking Edge of Campus Full

$253.65 per 4-month term

DANIEL BODDEN GAZETTE

PARKING SAGA: Western responds to differences between faculty and student rates SABRINA FRACASSI NEWS EDITOR @SABFRACASSI Part 2 of Student parking at Western: An unusual struggle looks into the reasons behind the disparity in faculty/staff and student parking rates.

In part 1 of Student parking at Western: An unusual struggle, The Gazette found that when compared to 13 universities across Ontario, Western’s differences in parking rates between faculty/staff and students stand out — students pay significantly more in many cases for the same period.

The Gazette found that faculty and staff unions have parking-related stipulations in their contracts with the University. A clause in faculty and staff union agreement states, “Parking rates for members shall not be increased by more than the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as determined annually from January to January by Statistics Canada, unless the Association is first advised and given the opportunity to respond in writing to the rationale provided by the Employer.”

This provides staff and faculty a built-in mechanism where their parking rates are much more difficult to change as opposed to students. The Gazette reached out to the University of Western Ontario Faculty Association and the University of Western Ontario Staff Association, and both unions directed The Gazette to Western’s Parking Services.

Despite repeated questions from The Gazette, Western Parking Services did not address the questions posed about the union agreements, the reason behind the lack of student access to core and perimeter lots, the lack of student parking data in the Parking Modernization Plan 2016 used to compare Western to other schools which skewed the data in Western’s favour, and any future plans to reduce the disparity between students and faculty/staff rates.

At this point, students have no public

agreement with the University for regulation of their parking fees.

USC president Eddy Avila cited a lack of student complaints raised to the University Students’ Council about student-related parking issues on campus.

“If there were more concerns and an uprising increase, potentially, then it is something I think that we can take a look at but so far, at least personally, we have not received too many of them,” said Avila.

Avila noted that the lack of an agreement also stems from the fact that students are not employees and therefore cannot be unionized.

“I am an off-campus student so obviously I have felt the realities of having those parking passes as a challenge,” Avila said. “I drove for all four years of my undergrad and I feel for it, so I think anything that we can help to at least bring those voices up [to the] administration we would be happy to do.”

While Western’s Parking Services did not respond to individual questions by The Gazette, Elizabeth Krische, Western’s director of procurement services responded by sending a satement.

Krische cited space taken up by new buildings such as Ontario Hall as eliminating “hundreds of student spaces.” She also added that the new Western Interdisciplinary Research Building has done the same to “hundreds of staff/faculty spaces.”

Krische said that Western has a more parking lot capacity than other institutions like Queen’s University and Fanshawe College. If lots are filled in one area, students can look for parking in other lots of the same zone.

“At Queen’s University, space has become so scarce that a region-exclusive policy similar to Fanshawe’s has been enacted and eligible customers are added to the waitlist,” she said.

“Fortunately, Western currently has the capacity and hasn’t resorted to this alternative.”

According to Kirsche, separate lot allocation for faculty/staff and students is common

across U-15 universities across the country, with roughly 80 per cent following this model.

“Many of the student lots, except Springett, have been aligned with residences and provide a walking distance to class that is similar to those living on campus,” she said.

For Jenna Hanbridge, fourth-year criminology student, the fact that students cannot pay for better lots is a big issue.

“I have a reserve permit and I am paying more than what the students pay normally but it sucks because we are still stuck to the outside perimeter lots,” said Hanbridge. “If we are paying more why can we not park where we want to park, why is it not a ‘first come first serve’ basis for the core spots? I think that’s what [the worst part of] this is.”

Kirsche agreed that the variable parking rate structure, which in instances ends up giving students a much higher rate than faculty/ staff for the same period, is unique to Western.

However, the lower annual rate, which is the only permit which is cheaper for students, is provided to students as an incentive to purchase parking in volume.

“This is similar to buying a large coffee which has twice the volume as a small, but only a fraction more expensive,” she said.

“Conversely, the practice results in a disincentive and becomes more expensive for shorter term permits.”

Kirsche pointed towards the USC’s agreement with the London Transit Commission for the student bus pass as an example of alternate transportation available to students.

“Though not a parking initiative, the USC has also negotiated a heavily subsidized city bus pass for students, providing further options for getting to campus without a car,” she said.

Krische advised that students and campus community members consider taking alternative transportation, including cycling to school in order to help alleviate vehicular congestion.

Kirsche’s full statement is available at westergazette.ca

P

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6 • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

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The Holidays Past and Present The holiday season is supposed to be filled with lights shining brightly everywhere and the sound of children’s laughter filling the air — but for university students, exams stop this jubilant nature.

For many, spending time with friends and family is much more limited than whimsical memories from our childhood. Back then, it seemed like the holidays were better.

We gathered five Gazette editors together to reflect on their past and comment on their present.

Each of them try to answer a similar question: Are the holidays still as good as they used to be?

TAYLOR LASOTA GAZETTE

AMY SKODAK

BRADLEY METLIN

CLAIRE PALMER

JENNY JAY

TAYLOR LASOTA

THEN

THEN

THEN

THEN

THEN

Pre-puberty me was able to fully enjoy the holidays sans stress. The first of December meant bundling up in snow pants to watch my dad cut down a tree at Sloan’s Christmas Tree village. It meant a full month of baking cookies because my mom, sister and I would always eat the first batch too quickly. It meant going for winter walks in the park with my dad and making holiday-themed crafts at school.

It was light, carefree and easy.

One of my favourite parts of the season though, was decorating the Christmas tree. Our tree never had a ‘theme,’ it was a mismatched collection of ornaments received and collected over the years. I loved hearing my mom and grandma tell me the stories and significance behind each one. It was like getting a peek into my parent’s and grandparent’s childhood Christmases.

While there are still a number of traditions I have been able to hold onto, nothing will ever quite measure up to experiencing Christmas at five years old.

My days as a Timbit weren’t so bad.

Hockey was fun enough, I guess.

My games were Sundays and pretty much every week, and my family would head to my Grammie and Poppy’s for dinner afterward. As the calendar flipped to December, I knew the first half of the season was winding down. I was excited to get a break from the monotonous sport and its early morning practices.

After each unremarkable game in December, my Grammie and Poppy’s house was decorated brilliantly for Christmas. There was the tree, the small animatronic snowpeople and the Christmas village of small hand-painted houses on a table in the living room.

Marvelling at everything was a reason there was a smile on my face after hockey. Of course, enjoying my Poppy’s delicious dinners, my Grammie’s generously-sugared doughnuts and the conversation that ensued were the better parts of my Sunday visits — but the decorations marked the start of Christmas, a time to appreciate all of this.

Christmas in the early 2000s was all about family and snow. The first snowfall of the year was always eagerly anticipated because, for me, it wasn’t really the holiday season until snowflakes started falling. This meant that I was sometimes getting ready for Christmas in mid-October when we got our first blast of winter.

Christmas Eve was always spent at my grandma’s house and we’d get the first gift of the season from “Pyjama Nana,” a tradition where my grandma would give us pyjamas as the first gift of Christmas. When we’d get home, my brother, my parents and I would all gather in my parent’s room so we could read Christmas stories and go to bed early.

The holidays were a magical time where there was no school and lots of snow — a carefree time.

It’s hard to picture Santa coming down your chimney when you live in an apartment building and don’t have a chimney.

In hindsight, the best part was my Dad letting us write letters to Santa that we put beside what he led us to believe was our chimney. Of course, I later realized that it was actually our kitchen exhaust above the stove, not a real chimney that Santa would use to sneak into our little apartment.

There was no fireplace or space for a real Christmas tree growing up. We didn’t have a porch to decorate with lights or extravagant lawn decorations because we didn’t have a lawn to begin with. Despite the limitations we had, my parents always kept Christmas alive with our foot-and-ahalf tall, pre-decorated Christmas tree, a string of lights that hung on our balcony, and small touches such as notes from Santa that appeared Christmas morning.

Back in the day was a much simpler time. The biggest decision you made was which colour winter jacket to get or whose snow fort to play in at recess.

Singing Christmas carols, going out to get the Christmas tree and drinking hot chocolate were sure signs that Santa was on his way.

My aunt and uncle or Granny and Grampie would come up from Montreal to stay with us for the holidays. This was always an exciting time as we only got to see them maybe once or twice a year.

On Christmas morning, my twin brother and I could hardly sleep past 7 a.m., around the time my mother was finishing getting the house ready for the 25 people who would be showing up hours later. This was also the one time a year where the family dog was allowed to come into the formal living room and open presents with us.

Once we finished with our presents, it was a quick clean up then into the kitchen with Dad to prepare the extensive amount of food that would be served at the brunch we put on for our extended family.

It was a full day of events, but I loved all the time with my family.

NOW It’s 2 a.m. on a Tuesday night. I have my nose in a textbook, a half-eaten candy cane is sticking to my desk and the Glee Christmas album has become the soundtrack to my exam-induced, pre-Christmas stress.

This is what the holidays look like to me now as a university student.

Instead of leisurely decorating the house with my mom, I go home for a weekend to quickly help pick out and decorate our tree before catching a train back to London. And while the emergence of Christmas music on the radio and decorations in the mall is festive, they’ve come to be signifiers that exams are just around the corner.

Speaking of which, what ever happened to snow days? In high school, a snowstorm meant a day off school.

Now, it means a brutal walk to class.

All this considered though, I don’t mind the change so much. After all, the ice-skating and Christmas lights walk at Victoria Park make for a great way to procrastinate.

NOW Now, it’s always something.

My friends are too busy to spend any time with me in December because they’re too preoccupied with studying for exams. Or they have an essay to write. Maybe it’s a last-minute club event? Whatever the reason, everyone seems to be too busy to spend any meaningful time with friends before they jet back to their hometown.

At least, that was my experience in my four years of undergrad. Strangely, this year, things have changed. My roommates have all decorated my house. Wrapping paper has become temporary wallpaper, there’s a Christmas tree and it’s not uncommon to come home to “Jingle Bell Rock.”

I’ve spent four years at Western wondering where everyone’s holiday spirit was, but now it seems like my new house has bucked this perception.

This year, everyone seems to prioritize — at least half an hour each day — to spend with one another. Maybe Sundays after hockey aren’t such a distant memory.

NOW Now, Christmas is a bit different.

Christmas can’t start until exams are over, which can leave mere days to get in the holiday spirit. The recent warm winters have made it hard to get in the Christmas spirit much before December because of the lack of snow.

But still, some things never change.

We still get matching pyjamas. We don’t tell as many Christmas stories anymore, mainly because we’re not small enough anymore to all fit comfortably in my parent’s room.

But Christmas is still a magical time filled with family and fun. Our annual perogy-eating contest still goes off every year, of which I am the proud defending champion.

This year will be different, because for the first time my family and I will not be home for Christmas.

As long as the family is together though, I’m sure our traditions will prevail, and maybe we’ll even be able to create a few new ones.

NOW I’m still not sure where our chimney is and my dad has gotten too used to not having to put up lights on a porch to start now. Instead, the weight of carrying the Christmas spirit has been placed on my sister, who has convinced us to put up a Christmas tree that’s nearly my height, consistently turn on the fireplace channel on the TV and put up the single string of lights that hang off our townhouse eavestrough.

Christmas with the Jays still involve presents signed as ‘Love, Santa,’ a loving commentary to the facade that my parents kept up in our childhood. Conversations regarding wishlists include asking us what we’d like Santa to give us, and ironically, lists my mother now writes that include simply having her children home and happy for Christmas. While I joke about her leaving it by our kitchen exhaust, one thing’s for sure — being home, healthy, and happy, for the holidays is my favourite thing about Christmas.

NOW The holidays are flushed with exams, papers and stress — Christmas is basically the final exam period until December 22. Long gone are the days of playing in snow forts, making gifts for our parents and worrying about being on Santa’s nice list.

Now I take a train home mid-November to help my dad put up our extensive Christmas light display, but I don’t get to enjoy them. I’m not home to decorate the house, help with the baking of all the cookies, muffins and foods for the holiday. I don’t even get to help pick out the tree — all the things that we used to do as a family.

I miss the extensive time that we used to spend together, but the short visits really make me cherish the time we do have together. This is what makes it my favourite time of the year — we can all get together and just enjoy each other’s company for as long as we have.

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 • 7

The Elbow Room: a hidden gem from Western’s past ELLIS KOIFMAN CULTURE EDITOR @ELLIS_KOIFMAN The room is dark with limited lighting.

Students are huddled together around tables and are all looking toward the stage where a lone man sits.

It’s Rick McGhie’s weekly show and he is taking requests from the audience of drunken students eager to sing along.

“Play ‘Devil Went Down to Georgia!’ ” yells one student who has clearly had a few drinks.

McGhie points at his guitar and explains, for the tenth time, that he doesn’t have a fiddle. Annoyed, he returns to taking serious requests.

A few songs go by and again, the request to play “Devil Went Down to Georgia” comes from the same student. The heckler was Scott Colby, former editor-in-chief of The Gazette and current opinions editor for the Toronto Star.

But this isn’t your typical Wednesday night at The Spoke: It’s 1988, and The Elbow Room is absolutely packed.

If this is your first time hearing the name “The Elbow Room,” you are far from alone. The Weldon archives only have a few documents about this old pub and most current students have never heard of it.

The Elbow Room was a pub located in the basement of the UCC from 1973 to 1991.

An old floor plan of the UCC

shows many classrooms occupying the space where the Elbow Room used to be. The former space of the pub is now hidden behind the Wellness Centre and Body Systems Nutritions store in the basement.

Though the pub was closed over 25 years ago, memories of its defining features still live vividly in the minds of Western alumni and professors who are still teaching here.

Western’s distinguished English professor David Bentley frequented The Elbow Room when he was a junior faculty member in the late 1970s.

Bentley says it occasionally got rowdy and there was almost always a bouncer at the door.

“People used to get cut off on a regular basis,” says Bentley with a laugh. “Of course things were much looser and less strict in those days, so … it really was when someone got rowdy and unpleasant.”

For other regular customers of The Elbow Room such as Colby, the pub was a place to go to wind down after their day.

“We [editors at The Gazette] loved the Elbow Room, particularly on Friday afternoons,” says Colby. “When we finished our work week at The Gazette some of us would head down at around 5 o›clock. It was a good time to get your end-of-the-week drink in and decompress before heading out.”

Marie McLaughlin, who graduated in 1983, recalls the pub fondly.

She explains The Elbow Room had

COURTESY OF SCOTT LEWIS

an intimate atmosphere. “It was like going to someone’s living room and sitting around having drinks with your friends.”

McLaughlin says there was always music in the background; sometimes even live performances such as Rick McGhie or music videos being played on the projector.

“One of the things that I remember about The Elbow Room that I thought was cool, if you can believe it, was we used to watch Much Music videos,” says McLaughlin. “When there wasn’t a live singer there,

CHRW to spotlight women’s programming to commemorate Montreal massacre Dec. 6, 1989, Montreal: What does that date mean to you? For many Canadians, that date signifies the killing of 14 women at École Polytechnique.

To commemorate the women who died in the Montreal Massacre, CHRW is hosting All Women’s Voices.

For 24 hours starting Dec. 6 at 12 a.m., CHRW will exclusively broadcast female voices from the Western community and beyond to engage in discussions of politics, creativity and building each other up.

Amanda Lynn Stubley, program co-ordinator for All Women’s Voices and former Western student, says there will be a diverse range of female voices including Western student musicians and members from Native Women’s Association of Canada.

“It’s the kind of programming that’s an honour to put together,” says Stubley, a seven-year host of ‘For The Folk’ at CHRW. “It’s quite uplifting to have a group of people coming together to work on a project that is as united in vision like this one is.”

Stubley thinks this year’s show will be particularly charged due to the way that politics has shone a light on current attitudes toward women.

To engage students in discussion, there will be a phone-in show from 1–3 p.m. where students can discuss issues relating to women’s rights.

All Women’s Voices will also more specifically address the issue of violence against women though conversation with. Gloria Alvernaz Mulcahy, academic research associate at the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children at Western.

“Certainly, when we are talking about violence against women — which was the impetus for All Women’s Voices — we need to talk about missing and murdered aboriginal women,” Stubley says.

All Women’s Voices also has more celebratory programs scheduled such as ‘Student Songbirds’ co-ordinated by Emma Phillips, third-year popular music and film student.

Phillips, who has been involved with All Women’s Voices for three years, has arranged a group of female Western musicians to play

Some speculate that the University removed it as part of renovations to the UCC basement that added more classrooms to building.

“When they renovated the UCC, that’s when they got rid of The Elbow Room,” says Colby.

“When I go back, I miss [The Elbow Room]. It was definitely my favourite place. I liked it better than Ceeps — better than the bars downtown.”

Netflix and chill?

MOSES MONTERRROZA GAZETTE

ANNIE RUETER CULTURE EDITOR @ANNIERUETER1

they’d have a big screen projector and they’d play music videos.”

Colby explains that these videos were really popular among students in the ‘80s, some of whom made a weekly habit of attending the Much Music “Power Hour,” which was mostly heavy metal.

Despite attracting students and faculty on a daily basis, The Elbow Room wasn’t destined to stay.

In 1991, the pub was shut down.

No one seems to know why the well-loved Elbow Room closed its doors.

from 7–9 p.m.

Phillips finds the all-female musician environment inspiring.

“Just listening to people my age drive each other, push each other and want the best for each other is just the biggest confidence booster as a musician and as a girl,” Phillips says.

The medium of radio also allows musicians and listeners to simply focus on the music rather than the aesthetics so often focused on in the music industry.

“It’s no longer about what [female musicians] are wearing or how they are talking to each other,” Phillips says. “Now its about ‘Wow, that lyric was really touching’ or ‘I’ve never heard that kind of story’ … it takes away the image overload that that music industry forces upon us.”

Through giving voice to women for 24 hours, Stubley hopes there will be an uplifting and educational effect.

Stubley ends by saying: “It’s a chance to step back and dig into something I really care about which is diversity and social justice and this is one angle on it — All Women’s Voices.”

Honeytrap is barely worth a watch — but the handsome Instagram celebrity is worth the chill SAMAH ALI CULTURE EDITOR @SISTERSAMAH PROGRAM: Honeytrap STARRING: Jessica Sula, Lucien Laviscount, Ntonga Mwanza DIRECTOR: Rebecca Johnson GENRE: Drama SYNOPSIS: Layla David (Sula) is new to Brixton and gets sucked into a toxic relationship with a local rapper and wannabe bad boy.

MY TAKE: Okay guys, so I watched Honeytrap based on the movie still and realized that I should always pre-select my Netflix movies instead of unknowingly picking one lastminute. After watching the first 15 minutes, I knew I had entered the deep waters of bad movies Netflix viewers ultimately stumble upon.

The only reason why I stayed is because the love interest Troy (Laviscount) is someone I used to follow on Instagram because he’s absolutely stunning. After IMDBing the movie to assure myself of his identity, I decided to watch the remaining hour and thirty minutes out of adoration. I regret nothing.

Honeytrap isn’t the best movie to invest your time in. Its potential storyline dramatically falters and the script does nothing to develop the characters nor grasp your interest.

You’re essentially watching a desperate 15-year-old girl fall in love with a bad boy who flip-flops between claiming her as his girlfriend and not knowing her at all. He’s a textbook fuckboy and watching her fall for him is relatable and also pathetic.

That’s Honeytrap for you.

There are moments where you may feel empathy after Layla’s poor decisions bring violence to supplementary characters, but no one is developed enough to draw real emotional pull. Overall it’s just a really disappointing British movie.

I expected better since British film has a history of producing rich material. I really just kept watching to ogle Lucien.

WORTH THE NETFLIX? No, just look up Lucien Laviscount on Instagram and marvel.

WORTH THE CHILL? Yeah, teenage angst and hormones bring up some emotions.

www.westerngazette.ca

8 • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

culture

•

Healthy eating to beat the exam blues GRACE TO NEWS EDITOR @GRACE_KTO Healthy eating habits have many benefits including physical, mental and emotional well-being. Eating well can help students get a good night’s sleep, stay alert in class and feel energized throughout the day.

During the school year, Western students may find it difficult to maintain a healthy diet due to the time-crunch of upcoming assignments, deadlines and exams. With the added stress of finals, some students confess that they have a tendency to indulge in unhealthy snacks and junk food while they study.

Christine Tenk, associate psychology professor at Brescia, explained in an email that eating junk food can act as a coping strategy to distract students from the negative emotions that they are experiencing during these stressful times.

“Foods that are high in sugar or fat cause the release of rewarding chemicals in the brain and thereby improve mood,” Tenk said. “Other foods, such as those associated with positive childhood memories, can be powerfully comforting.”

Conversely, skipping meals to make more time for studying also has negative effects on a student’s overall health and well-being.

Students’ brains work harder when they’re studying. However, Tenk stated that skipping meals can limit the amount of glucose students consume, an important fuel for the brain, which causes students to feel tired during the day.

“While the brain only makes up two per cent of our body weight, even at rest, the brain accounts for 55 per cent of the body’s glucose consumption,” explained Tenk. “Skipping meals may result in inadequate glucose supply for an active brain.”

Tenk recognizes that diet has the ability to affect behaviour. She recommends students

consume more fruits and vegetables because individuals who consume more of them are reported to have fewer mental health issues.

Anne Zok, nutrition manager at Western Hospitality Services, also emphasized the importance of maintaining healthy eating habits in order to keep energy levels up for studying, socializing and other leisure activities.

“If you eat poorly or eat very little under stress, your body may not get enough nutrients,” said Zok in an email. “[But] if the foods you eat when stressed are high in fat, sugar and/or sodium, eating a lot of them may lead to health problems.”

Shanleigh Moraghan, a master’s student in library sciences, said that she eats healthy for the most part, but also admits that she has the occasional cheat meal.

“When I focus on going grocery shopping on a certain day each week, then I can plan things out better,” said Moraghan. “It’s when I start getting sporadic and not thinking ahead that I tend to eat worse.”

Although Moraghan tries to save money on meals, she believes that her health is more important than money. She said that her eating habits worsen during times of emotional distress or when deadlines are near. While studying, Moraghan likes to munch on tortellini, chips, chocolate and ice cream.

Zok advises that students should turn to healthier snack options such as raw vegetables, fresh fruit, whole-grain crackers and low-fat yogurt.

“In general, eat regular and well,” said Zok. “The additives in many foods may make stress worse. Instead, eat as many whole foods that have undergone the least amount of processing and try not to skip meals.”

Although it is important to ensure that the body is getting an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals, Zok warned that supplements

AMY O’KRUK GAZETTE

should not be used as a replacement to food without consulting a healthcare practitioner.

There are many students who keep a healthy diet in mind even while on a budget.

Third-year BMOS student, Marc Watson, said that he considers healthy eating important to mental and physical well-being, especially since he had recently undergone a surgery.

According to Watson, he takes care not to skip meals and packs a lunch and snacks every day that he will be on campus for class or to study.

Watson also keeps his spending at a minimum by preparing meals at home and buying his groceries in bulk.

“I think the time it takes to prepare a healthy meal is worth it,” said Watson. “It gives you a break from all the stress in your life.”

Preparing meals in advance at home is not the only way to eat healthy. Items that are FRESH approved can be found in residences and on-campus eateries. These food items have been approved based on criteria that takes calories, fat, fibre, protein, calcium, iron and other vitamins into consideration.

As students spend more time studying in libraries for their exams, these healthier meal options can be an alternative to at-home meal preparations.

Leaving Weldon Library Dec. 6 th–19 th PICK UP TIMES AT OXFORD DRIVE 12:30am • 1:00am • 1:30am • 2:00am 2:30am • 3:00am • 3:30am • 4:00am THE HOURS OF SERVICE AS FOLLOWS: December 6-16, from 12:30am to 4:00am December 17-19, from 12:30am to 2:00am

A late night Shuttle Service is being provided by the USC offering students a safe way to get home.

Starting December 6 to December 19, Robert Q Shuttle Busses will be departing from Oxford Drive (in front of the UCC Building.)

for complete details visit

WESTERNUSC.CA

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 • 9

opinions

When it comes to discrimination, it’s time to truly talk Hala at Your Girl

HALA GHONAIM OPINIONS EDITOR @HALAGHONAIM To the Toronto student who brought an “Islam for Dummies” book to a house party to giggle at: I’ll happily tutor you myself.

The saga continues: another classic case of student-shaming following racist allegations.

A slew of Ontario universities have been caught up in the latest racial debate following controversial student actions. Although people have pointed a finger at administration to take steps to avoid future racially-motivated actions, I’m calling on the marginalized students to step in. In order to avoid racial allegations, marginalized students need to willingly address the questions of privileged groups regarding race.

A week after the infamous Queen’s University costume party, a group of St. Michael’s College students, affiliated with the University of Toronto, were put on the hot seat through a viral Facebook post.

Two separate videos mocking Muslims included an “Islam for Dummies” reading session and a new Islamophobic take on a classic hip hop song.

The Muslim Students Association at U of T released a statement Sunday condemning the behaviour of campus student leaders who attended the party. The statement highlighted the importance of taking tangible steps to ensure student leaders receive the necessary training to interact with marginalized students.

It’s easy to pass the responsibility onto administration to offer more safe spaces for students through training sessions on race, but the initiative is set to fail. Privileged groups resort to racist actions because they don’t understand the “other.” We need to better understand each other’s cultures, traditions, and practices in order to learn

MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE

how to respect each other.

Sounds simple, right?

Unfortunately, genuine ignorance is often mistaken for offensive bigotry. People are too afraid to ask questions because they’re too afraid to offend. However, shutting down racial stereotypes involves both privileged and marginalized people.

One to ask the questions and one to answer why people can’t use certain terms or wear certain garments.

Marginalized groups need to ensure the understanding of privileged groups in order to smoothly live among a plethora of cultures. It’s not fair, but neither is a white world.

The blurred lines in conversations on race and the misuse of the power of inquiry could take us back to square one. Many people lose sight of the grey areas and struggle with drawing the line with certain sentiments. For example, the line is crossed when a student uses comedy as a crutch for racist renditions on hip hop songs. Appropriate proactive conversations should always start with the foundation of respect and comfort.

With extreme politics comes the division of people being either politically correct and racially insensitive. The two extremes stem from the restrictions that marginalized people have put in place to avoid underlying tones of racism from others. Time and time again, unfortunate actions have proved the extreme approaches wrong.

Racially motivated actions should be shunned, without any expectations or justifications.

However, marginalized groups must avoid immediately casting conversations on race as offensive.

I’m offended by videos mocking my religion, but I’m not offended if the student in the video personally asked me about that “thing” on my head or why I “starve” myself for a month.

Although it’s unfortunate having to live life constantly validating my existence and providing explanations for my identity, it’s the only way to finally tear down walls of separation.

So spare yourself the public embarrassment — free of charge.

COURTESY OF KEVIN HURREN

The Avila administration at the halfway mark

BY GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD Election nominations are now open. Students are signing up to run in the 2017 elections, and by the end of next month we’ll know who the next USC president and vice-president will be.

But before we get too far into electing the next fearless leaders of our student government, it’s important to keep in mind that the current executives still have half a year left in their roles.

At the halfway mark of their term, The Gazette editorial board sat down to discuss the good and the bad of the Avila administration and what we think they should consider for the remainder of their term.

The good The Avila executive team has been one of the most open and approachable ones in recent years. They are fairly popular at council, within the USC staff, with the University administration and with the students that follow USC politics.

The executives have often been vocal and have taken firm stances several times through their term. After council expressed its concerns with how Western handled the Homecoming move in the summer, the executives conveyed students’ concerns to the administration.

When the “Western Lives Matter” incident happened at Reunion Weekend, Avila made a video calling out the insensitive poster and offered support to those who might have been negatively affected.

The USC can also give itself credit for a number of multi-year advocacy points which came to fruition over the past months, including the revamped OSAP structure and the raised federal financial aid repayment threshold for students. The USC has played a big role in setting up and continuing ADVOCAN, an emerging federal student lobby group, which is needed since a number of governments have chosen to leave the controversial Canadian Federation of Students.

It’s also been a year of turmoil within the USC’s full-time staff portfolio. Long-term leaders — most notably the former general manager — left the organization and a new position was created to give more power to the student executives, courtesy of the previous Helpard administration. It didn’t work out too well, however, and the new COO left months into her three-year term.

But the Avila administration has managed to keep the USC functional despite being handed over the reins at a difficult time.

The bad It’s the reality of the job that you won’t be able to achieve most of your platform promises. But keeping that in mind, the Avila administration has yet to make progress on some of their major platform points.

In light of the tragic student loss of life on campus last year, the Team Avila platform advocated for an increased focus on pedestrian safety on campus.

They specifically recommended a pedestrian scramble at the Talbot College and Delaware lights — a welcome suggestion considering the vehicle-heavy traffic on campus. But since being elected, little, if anything, has been heard from the executives pushing Western on pedestrian safety on campus despite continued close shaves for pedestrians and cyclists at campus’s busy intersections.

A major point on the Team Avila and the student programming officer Allie Adamo’s platforms was

event diversity. It was targeted towards getting out of the USC holding EDM concert after EDM concert and offering more tangible and diverse programming to students. There has been some progress here, like alternative programming on Reunion Weekend, but overall there has been a scarcity of high-profile, student-engaging speakers and diverse events hosted by the USC (beyond O-Week) despite having the resources to do so.

Time and again, this administration has also focused more inwards than on students-at-large. “No longer will clubs be made to share space — clubs HQ!” the Avila platform screamed last year. Well, the clubs got kicked out of their space in the summer, which was made exclusive to USC staff, and clubs didn’t end up getting a room of their own until October, in the UCC basement.

Moving forward The good news is there’s still six months to go for this executive team, and many of their plans are in progress. They are definitely popular, but they need to put their political capital to better use, whether it be pushing Western on pedestrian safety or engaging more with students rather than spending time on their internal bureaucratic issues. Surveys, strategic plans and federal advocacy are all buzzwords if at the end of the day on-the-ground, tangible campus issues aren’t being addressed by the student government.

The USC also needs to take a more proactive approach to issues. While their responses to incidents like “Western Lives Matter” was commended by many students, conversations on racism, sexism and other student-facing issues on campus need to be held and facilitated regardless of a trigger incident. This is especially important since during the last elections cycle Avila and Cleary pointed out racism as one of the biggest issues facing Western students.

One of their biggest upcoming challenges is the USC budget and that is often a legacy-defining period for many executives. The USC is in good hands with the former board of directors chair and current secretary-treasurer Isaac Jacobi in charge, but it’ll all come down to how the budget is presented and sold to council and students-at-large.

The USC has also built a good relationship with the city over the years and the executive need to capitalize on these relationships and push for one of the more optimistic points on their platform — restorative justice. Programs like Project LEARN still continue and students were painted as troublemakers by the city police during the Homecoming uproar. It’s time students get more credit for their contributions to the city, and progress on restorative justice programs instead of fines and tickets will be a great way to move forward.

For slates planning on running this election, make sure your platform goals are achievable. It’s not difficult to promise students everything just to win, but be realistic and honest. Look at what the USC can tangibly offer undergrad students at Western.

For example, the three-in-23 exam policy is not the USC’s issue to fix despite being included in every USC platform over the past several years. Look at what issues resonate with students-at-large versus issues which may be amplified for USC insiders.

Address issues students care about, and they’ll inevitably come out to vote.

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.”

www.westerngazette.ca

10 • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

sports

Swim team makes strong strokes to second CHARLIE O’CONNOR CLARKE SPORTS EDITOR @CHARLIEJCLARKE The Western swimming team got their competitive season off to a strong start last weekend at the Ontario University Athletics Fairweather Division Championships in Guelph, with both the men’s and women’s teams finishing second in the overall standings.

The divisional meet allowed Western to get a feel for their major competitors for the championships in the winter season.

The Mustangs ended up with 18 podium finishes in relay and individual events, with the women’s 400-metre freestyle relay team winning Western’s only gold medal of the competition. As well, nine Western swimmers posted times faster than the U Sports Championship qualifying standard, which makes them eligible to compete at the national competition in February.

Matthew Loewen led Western’s results, taking home three silver medals, in the 50-, 100- and 200metre breaststroke.

In addition to tangible success, head coach Paul Midgley was also encouraged by the growth of Western’s rookie swimmers.

“They’re starting to show the benefit of the work they’ve done since September,” he said. “We think they’re going to be able to help us out come February.”

The Mustangs had a quick turnaround from the OUA meet to the Badger Invitational on Saturday at Brock University. They came out on top, winning the team points competition by 316.5 points.

“When we start to put performances on the board I always like to do two meets back to back,” said Midgley. “Say last weekend if they did something and they felt they made a mistake, or there’s an area they can improve on, they don’t need to wait three months to make that change. They can do it right away.”

After competing at Brock, the

Mustangs will have some time off for the exam season. Midgley says that can be a tricky time for the team and he hopes they will not lose the progress they’ve made up to this point.

It’s important that Western’s swimmers come back from the break ready to compete because the winter banner season comes around quickly. The overall OUA championships kick off Feb. 9 in Toronto, followed by the U Sports competition two weeks later in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

The Mustangs are optimistic about this season, hoping to land their first ever top-three team finish at the U Sports championship.

Perennial powerhouse Toronto will be Western’s main rival. U of T has won the past three women’s provincial titles, and the past 13 on the men’s side.

“I did think earlier in the year that we had a chance to take a run at U of T,” said Midgley, “but they’ve got most of their swimmers back and I think we’re just going to fall a little bit short of dethroning them.”

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Eriq Jenkins is the future of the men’s basketball team MIKE DEBOER SPORTS EDITOR @MIKEATGAZETTE Despite the Western Mustangs men’s basketball team’s tough 1–7 start to the 2016–17 season, the program has a bright future with a number of young stars in the making contributing to a team on the rise.

But the rebuilding effort has been centred around Eriq Jenkins. The second-year criminology major at King’s and transfer from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York he has been the go-to scorer and defender through the first half of the Mustangs’ season.

Jenkins grew up in Windsor and played basketball under legendary high school coach Peter Cusumano at Catholic Central High School. Catholic Central, one of the top high school basketball programs in the province with three Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations AAA gold medals, was the perfect stomping ground for Jenkins.

“It was pretty intense playing high school basketball at CCH,” said Jenkins. “Great competition in Windsor all around, people who went on to play Division I ball and overseas and it helped me bring out my game to play in college. It was a great stepping stone.”

Recruited by schools like Brock, Western and York in high school, Jenkins was set to play for his hometown Windsor Lancers program before Le Moyne College, an NCAA Division II school, came calling.

“I just wanted to get away from home, experience the college life,” said Jenkins on his decision to play at Le Moyne. “And then it was a great experience over there just seeing what the competition was like.”

Jenkins enjoyed his time at Le Moyne, a private Jesuit school, but decided to return to Canada due to family issues. He decided on Western so that he was close enough to Windsor for his grandfather to come watch him play. According to Mustangs fourth-year co-captain Eric McDonald, Jenkins has fit perfectly with his new team.

“He’s a great team guy and he fit in with the group right away,” said McDonald. “As an older player on the team it’s pretty cool when you see the younger guys forming good relationships so you know you’re leaving the team in good hands.

When you have good people like [Jenkins] it helps make the team even closer which definitely translates to the court.”

Despite the tough 1–7 start the Mustangs have endured, Jenkins has been consistent on both ends of the court. He has averaged 14.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while establishing himself as the team’s top defender.

According to head coach Brad Campbell, Jenkins will be an important part of the Mustangs program for years to come as the team looks to join the ranks of Ontario’s elite.

“The thing with [Jenkins] is steady improvement as well and I think from a scoring standpoint it’s gonna improve but also some other aspects of his game, like rebounding and defense and leadership, will be a real key for us moving forward,” Campbell said.

McDonald believes it’s Jenkins’ defence that sets him apart. His heart and determination make him

MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE

a great example for his teammates on how to get back and hustle on the defensive end.

“I think he’s been great so far and he’s definitely helped set the tone on the defensive end,” said McDonald.

“He’s usually the first line of defence in our zone and the energy he brings there is a big reason we usually end the game with more steals than the other team. When he’s playing aggressive on ball defence it usually leads to more run outs and easy buckets in transition.”

Jenkins is happy with his choice to return to Canada and is excited for the future of the program. But he expects more from himself if the program is to take that next step.

“I’ve played pretty well,” said Jenkins. “I’m holding myself to a high standard so I think I could play a lot better than I’ve shown so far. Hopefully I can pick it up in the second half of the year.”

The program is in good hands with Jenkins, Shiddo, Farkic, Smart, Alex Otzyv, Dominic Clayton and Tyler Thomson forming a core of future Mustangs standouts. The 1–7 start is less than ideal, but considering how close the Mustangs have been in four of those losses, the feeling around the program is that success will come in time. And with athletes like Jenkins in the program, that sentiment is easy to share.

“The first half of the season hasn’t been that great and we’ve lost a lot of games that we should’ve won,” said Jenkins. “But we’re a really young team, we have Eric [McDonald] in his fifth year and everyone else is young and we’ll be really good in the years to come. Then we have a guy like Tyler [Thompson], who’s hurt right now, and Dom [Clayton] playing so well so we definitely have a great future.”

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 • 11

sports

MUSTANGS MIDYEAR REPORT Sport

Men’s

Women’s

Men’s volleyball: B

Women’s Volleyball: A

Men’s basketball: C+

Women’s basketball: B+

Men’s Hockey: D+

Women’s hockey: C

The volleyball team enters the holiday break on a two-game losing streak, but has a lot to be proud of at this point. With a pair of straightset victories over RMC and Waterloo and a season-opening win over defending OUA silver medallists Ryerson, the Mustangs are in good shape moving forward. The team is an even 3–3, settled in third place in their division behind McMaster and Guelph. Looking to improve on last year’s quarter-final playoff exit, the Mustangs have a lot of work to do in January and February, but there are a lot of positives in the first half of their season.

Women’s volleyball is having a terrific season, going 8–0 in the first half of the season. They are currently the only undefeated team in the West and are one of two undefeated teams in the OUA. After cracking the national top 10 rankings for the first time in years, they’ve continued to climb the rankings and are now sitting in sixth in the nation. There is still some room for improvement, as the team has lost a few sets to teams they didn’t expect to give up sets to. After a dominating game against McMaster, where they defeated the higher ranked team (at the time) in straight sets, the team is looking to extend their undefeated streak into the new year.

A C+ grade might be high for a team that’s 1–7 and on a four game losing streak. The Mustangs are young and inexperienced and the pre-Christmas stretch has been tough for head coach Brad Campbell’s squad.

And with the toughest part of their schedule still on the horizon, games with Ottawa, Carleton, Brock and Queen’s will be daunting tests. The Mustangs season will only get tougher.

With that being said, the foundation of the program is set. This team has been led by its younger players like Eriq Jenkins, Omar Shiddo and Nik Farkic, who have a bright future as Mustangs. And the team could easily be 5–3 with four of their losses coming within six points.

The Mustangs women’s basketball team got off to a hot 6-1 start, establishing themselves as an early favourite in the Ontario University Athletics West Division. But after a 72-51 loss to Ryerson (6-1) and a 70-57 loss to Toronto (4-4) the Mustangs are looking to get back on track after the Christmas break.

The Mustangs have seen excellent production from fourth-year star Mackenzie Puklicz, who ranks second in the OUA with 20.1 points per game, as well as Julia Curran, who has 13.8 points per game and 9.6 rebounds per game. Victoria Heine has also been solid with 11.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. The Mustangs are second in the OUA in shooting with a 41.1 per cent field goal percentage.

Coming off a CIS championship appearance, you wouldn’t expect the hockey team to be barely clinging to a playoff spot in December. They’re 6-9-2, only recently getting back on the horse after a seven-game losing streak, and sit eighth in the OUA West Division. At the winter break last season, the team was 10-7-0, and had established themselves as a solid contender. The Mustangs get a D+ rather than a straight D due to some solid defensive efforts, as well as some bad luck in the offensive zone.

But the offence and special teams will need to step it up if the team has any playoff aspirations.

GRAPHICS BY JORDAN MCGAVIN

Women’s hockey capped off the first half of their season at .500 per cent, with a 5–2–6–1 record. They have had flashes of brilliance in their seven wins this season, one of which was their 3–2 season opening win over Guelph, the reigning OUA champion. However, the Mustangs have looked simply outmatched several times, most notably during their 8–1 manhandling at the hands of Windsor. With their second coaching change in three years, it’s understandable that the Mustangs would have some growing pains. The team is looking to build off the momentum of their last four games where they went 3–1, and is hoping to find some consistency in the second half.

TEXT BY CHARLIE O’CONNOR CLARK, MIKE DEBOER AND CLAIRE PALMER

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