Tuesday, October 2, 2018

SINCE 1906 TUESDAY OCTOBER 2, 2018 VOLUME 112 ISSUE 6

Western University’s Student Newspaper Broughdale’s Barricades and Banners PG 3

Remembering Megan Scraper PG 9

Purple Fever

LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE

Jane Goodall in London PG 10 Napping on Sundays since 1906

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018 •

• 2

mohammad sharifi

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After a long healing process, survivor of assault, Mohammad Sharifi, is determined to create something good out of a negative experience.

In May 2016, Mohammad was sitting with his thengirlfriend outside the Covent Garden Market in downtown London when two men approached and began verbally assaulting him with racial slurs. Mohammad and his girlfriend attempted to de-escalate the situation, but the two men contiinued, eventually attacking him.

Mohammad ended up in an emergency room with a concussion.

For the past two years, Mohammad has dealt with back problems and psychological trauma as he worked to get compensated for the assault. He had to recount the traumatic experience over and over again during the two-year long application process.

“You have to justify your application, which is understandable, but from a survivor’s point of view, it’s also stressful because you need to prove yourself,” Mohammad says.

The Western University English doctoral student explains he did not feel a sense of resolution upon finally receiving the money. To find closure, Mohammad decided to channel his pain into positive change by donating $6,000 of his compensation funds to charities.

He donated $3,000 to the Cross Cultural Learner Centre in London to support different programs, including the emergency health fund and the housing fund for new refugees. He plans to donate the other $3,000 to charities in his home country of Iran.

“I’m trying to help people who are marginalized, [who] go through a lot of injustice … because I identify with that group,” says Mohammad. “I’m hoping more people do that because I feel that some wounds are communal wounds.… I don’t believe that individual cases that affect individual people should be their individual burden.

They’re not private burdens; they’re burdens for the

society.”

Mohammad received a total of $9,000 from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board. Of this amount, $6,000 is aimed to compensate for his pain and suffering and $3,000 is reimbursement for expenses related to the incident, such as physiotherapy and psychological counselling.

He explains feeling targeted and singled out after the incident.

“Trauma isolates you whether or not you want it to, because … it’s very hard to communicate trauma to other people. It’s hard to sympathize with because you have to feel it first-hand to know what it is like,” says Mohammad.

“I feel that we don’t have enough support [systems] for victims of racially motivated crimes.”

Mohammad notes one of the men who assaulted him paid him only a tenth of the due victim compensation funds, despite Mohammad’s efforts to follow up with the court and probation officer.

“When I first started following up with the legal [aspects] … people said, ‘This is going to be frustrating,’ and they were right,” says Mohammad. “The reason people don’t follow up legally is that it takes so much of your time, so much of your energy [and] even money, that it just leaves you more miserable,… and you rarely get the result that you want.… That’s the common perception.”

Mohammad explains hate crimes are particularly difficult to prove in court, which may further discourage victims of these racially motivated crimes from speaking up. But Mohammad wanted to follow through at all costs.

“A lot of people don’t follow up legally, and it unintentionally becomes a covered up problem in the society,” says Mohammad. “People say, ‘Look, it’s not worth it. Move on.’ And I don’t think it should be like that. I think it’s worth it. You have to fight for justice.”

■■JUDY BASMAJI

Western by the Numbers

10,000 attendees estimated at Purple Fest

SISSI CHEN GAZETTE

250 minimum Fire Protection and Prevention Act charges to Broughdale property owners, tenants and landlords

6 straight wins for Mustangs football over Queen’s

3 •

news

• TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018

Broughdale blockaded and bannered MARTIN ALLEN NEWS EDITOR @MTRALLEN Western students gathered for their third Fake-Homecoming on Broughdale on Saturday in an ever-evolving set of contests with their school and the law.

The data that characterizes FOCO is to be released early this week by the London Police Service: the estimated attendance on Broughdale and nearby; the numbers of arrests, charges and warnings; and the number of hospitalizations across the weekend.

Last year’s FOCO saw 11,000 people and myriad injuries and arrests; Middlesex-London EMS reported more difficulty reaching people who needed help than previous years. This Saturday, they reported 26 people had been hospitalized by 1 p.m. — last year, 37 were hospitalized due to FOCO activities.

Around 11 a.m., one officer said he knew of eight people who had also fallen from roofs. CTV has reported one man was critically injured after jumping from a roof.

Sandasha Bough, media relations officer for the LPS, said the partying spread across

neighbouring streets like Huron, which is one street south of Broughdale.

To address EMS’ concerns, LPS established a blockade of officers at Broughdale’s junction with Audrey Avenue at around 10 a.m., according to a nearby police officer. Bough said this was to allow emergency vehicles to access Broughdale via Audrey Avenue.

A line of officers prohibited people from crossing Audrey from the east side but allowed pedestrians to move from the cul-de-sac end back toward Richmond Street.

This resulted in a throng of partiers jamming into police officers as they tried to cross the street.

While the blockade stood, multiple people tried to jump a nearby fence and were all forcefully apprehended and shoved back toward Richmond by a police officer guarding the area. Around noon, the blockade was lifted and the density of partiers on either side of Audrey evened out.

Donna Yancy and her husband John own a house on the corner of the two avenues. She was standing in her driveway with multiple police officers to ensure people were careful on her property. She

said they’ve owned the home for nearly 20 years and have always had trouble with Homecomings and Fake-Homecomings on Broughdale.

“For the most part, the kids are good. It’s when they get destructive; that’s when it gets brutal,” she said.

Her husband had worked with police to put barriers around the building’s lawn after the blockade caused a buildup of students that overflowed from the street onto their property.

Many Broughdale homes were also decorated with oftentimes obscene banners. More were hung in the morning, but some police officers began to warn residents that they could be in violation of public nuisance by-laws. After this, many were taken down or moved.

One which was removed around 10 a.m. read: “19 to have a drink, 18 to get your bean flicked.” But not all of them were vulgar. Many stoked the Western-Queen’s University rivalry that often flares during Homecoming festivities.

An officer said police wrote down the addresses of houses bearing vulgar signs and there was the potential for follow-up on either Sept. 29 or Sept. 30.

London’s municipal election: Voting lowdown KATRINA MCCALLUM NEWS EDITOR @KATRINAGAZETTE The municipal election is taking place Oct. 22 to elect London’s next mayor and municipal council members.

All students are eligible to vote if they are 18 years or older, a Canadian citizen and own or rent property in London.

Students who are renting in London but hold permanent residence elsewhere in Ontario or Canada, qualify to vote as non-residents.

Students can bring many forms of identification to be eligible to vote, including a valid Ontario ID, a hydro bill, a hospital record or an insurance policy. The University Students’ Council recently began offering a website where students can print proof-of-address letters to prove they are eligible to vote.

On Oct. 4, students can cast

their vote at the advanced poll in Room 78 of the University Community Centre from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Danny Chang, USC vice-president, feels strongly about getting students to vote.

“Our biggest priority going into October is making sure that students are as informed as possible to be able to go and cast their ballot in the city of London,” Chang said.

Chang said the most important student-related issues of the election include Bus Rapid Transit, economic development to promote student opportunities — especially in the summer — and safe, affordable housing.

Student safety is at the crux of this year’s election, whether it be pedestrian, housing or sexual violence.

“We know that students are often a target when it comes to certain crime related instances

in student neighbourhoods, so I think that is a priority for us,” Chang said.

Chang believes that every student should vote.

“It is important to exercise that democratic right to vote because even if it doesn’t affect you today, it affects the next student tomorrow,” Chang said.

The USC helped to organize last night’s Pints & Politics event and is promoting the debate on Oct. 3 that will happen at King’s University College.

Ranked balloting will be occurring for the first time in London.

This year was the first year that Ontario municipalities had the choice to switch to a ranked ballot.

Voting locations will be mailed directly to registered voters.

If in-person voting is not possible, students should contact the elections office to arrange for a mail in ballot.

LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE

BRIEFS WESTERN PROFESSOR AND POET LAUREATE UNVEILS NEW BOOK

English and writing studies professor Tom Cull of Western University unveiled his new book, Bad Animals, at a reading and discussion held at the Oxford Book Shop on Sept. 23 at 1 p.m. The bookstore is located at 262 Piccadilly St., and the event was open to the public.

It was hosted by poet and scholar Tanis MacDonald, who reached out to Cull because Cull is London’s current poet laureate.

The poet laureate is, as Cull puts it, “an ambassador for the arts in the city.”

“I try to help artists of all different genres and forms and practices. Community building is a part of my job as poet laureate, so that is why Tanis thought to reach out,” Cull says.

However, Cull’s time as poet laureate will finish near the year’s end. Cull obtained the position on July 19, 2016, after previous poet laureate and published author Penn Kemp finished her term.

Cull’s book, Bad Animals, is a

collection of over 40 poems spread over 100 pages. He started writing it back in 2012.

“The book represents six years of writing and workshops and editing,” said Cull about the lengthy process of writing the book.

“Writing is rewriting. A collection of poems is a collection of work.”

The poems of Bad Animals were inspired by the London arts community. “I write poetry that’s very much engaged in the local aspects of this area, of London and its surroundings,” explained Cull.

Bad Animals is available for purchase at the Book Store in the University Community Centre basement.

According to Cull, the Oxford Book Shop holds events, such as readings, all the time. But this particular event had not been done before.

“London has a kind of rich, vibrant and dynamic arts community both on and off campus that welcomes the energy, input and participation of Western students,” said Cull.

■■DANICA SKAKAVAC

the

Joanne Goodman lectures

STATES OF FEAR

How the Quest for Security has Eroded Democracy

Elaine Tyler May

Regents Professor of American Studies & History Chair, Department of History, University of Minnesota

TUES. OCT 2

WED.OCT 3

THUR. OCT 4

SEX, WOMEN, AND THE BOMB:

THE QUEST FOR SECURITY:

THE 21ST CENTURY:

Cold War Domesticity

Fear and its Consequences

The Aftermath of September 11, 2001

THE GREAT HALL

Somerville House Rm 3326 2:30 TO 4:00PM history.uwo.ca/about_us/events/goodman_lectures.html

CROSSWORD SOLUTION Solution to puzzle on page 11

SISSI CHEN GAZETTE

news

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018 •

• 4

In a decisive September, USC holds quiet meeting MARTIN ALLEN NEWS EDITOR @MTRALLEN

The USC faced a period of looming student issues peacefully in their September meeting last Wednesday night.

September has been marked by provincial government pushes on school policy and funding, a faculty strike vote and a Fake Homecoming weekend, characterized by street partying, which the university has denounced in the past.

The University Students’ Council’s work as a student government could be impacted by each of these issues. While some were discussed in presentations, they saw no debate by councillors on the floor.

In a press release, the USC said the meeting was an overture to the months ahead.

“The meeting was largely introductory in nature and helped orient councillors with the exciting year ahead,” the release said.

FOCO Since Homecoming’s date was switched in an attempt to curb partying on Broughdale Avenue in 2016, previous USC administrations had been clear they believed the original date should be reinstated. In past meetings, executives voiced this view to councillors. In a meeting last year, council saw two motions specifically about the FOCO date and Broughdale — contributing to the meeting’s six hour duration, which was saturated by debate. One tasked the executive to work with Western University to move the new Homecoming date earlier.

In this meeting, however, neither executives nor councillors addressed this issue; no motions addressing the FOCO issue were raised or passed, and councillors did not discuss the once-controversial date change.

Instead, the executive focused on the USC’s Purple Fest programming, which ran from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. USC president Mitchell

Pratt discussed plans surrounding the booking of popular rapper Lil Uzi Vert, along with prominent supporting acts. He said it would be the biggest university concert in Canada; tickets were sold out online, though The Purple Store had some left. He emphasized the USC’s primary concern was student safety, and this was echoed by his fellow execs.

“We recognized this was a need in our student community and we are providing students with an outlet to enjoy themselves,” he said.

According to Pratt, the concert area would have four to five medics on site, accompanied by student emergency response teams, with parts of University Drive, including the bridge, closed to reroute car traffic. Pratt highlighted shuttles taking students safely off-campus once the concert ended at 5 p.m.

Vice-president Danny Chang discussed a campaign to engage with Broughdale residents, who would become de facto party hosts

as students flocked through their street. He worked with the London Fire Department to remind tenants of their accountability for who was on their property during the festivities.

Social Science councillor, Kieran Lawlor asked the executive to specifically discuss the Broughdale gathering, and they reiterated their focus on safety and their engagement with Broughdale residents.

PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE POLICY Ontario’s new PC government has taken a more frugal stance on post-secondary funding than their Liberal predecessors. In last week’s senate meeting, the body discussed the possibility of up to a 10 per cent cut to post-secondary funding in Ontario.

Council’s meeting on Wednesday began with a presentation from the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, which lobbies the provincial government on behalf of

150,000 students from their member universities.

OUSA told council they engage with every political party, and their priorities have not and will not change.

The PCs also mandated universities to create a policy codifying free speech on campus to their standards, to take effect by January — four months after the announcement. Western is making their policy through an 11 person committee, one of whom is president Pratt.

Despite the animosity that can surround the free speech debate, the council’s dozens of members did not discuss views they want reflected in the policy, nor did they ask the president — their sole representative on the committee — about this issue.

Pratt told council he was working to get more than one USC member represented on the committee. Any additional members would aid the large-scale student body consultation the USC wants to undertake in the four month timeline.

Western study shows small incentives increase activity JUDY BASMAJI NEWS EDITOR @JUDYBASMAJI According to a recent study by researchers from Western University and the University of British Columbia, providing very small financial rewards, such as loyalty points, for personalized goal achievement increases physical activity.

The researchers used the Carrot Rewards wellness app to evaluate changes in daily step counts among 32,000 users. The app awards users with loyalty points for a number of rewards programs such as Aeroplan, Scene, RBC Rewards, Drop, PetroPoints, and More Rewards when they achieve a personalized daily step goal.

The three-month study found that loyalty points equivalent to only 4¢ CDN increased the daily step count by five per cent among all participants and by 21 per cent among physically inactive participants.

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Users who took less than 5,000 average daily steps (around 51 per cent of participants) were categorized as “physically inactive.”

Participants in this group exhibited an average increase of 874 steps per day over the 12-week intervention period.

“We’re giving people literally pennies a day to walk more,” said Marc Mitchell, assistant professor of kinesiology at Western and the lead researcher of the study. “We’ve been able to deliver incentive on a population scale when others haven’t really been able to make that step because the costs of the rewards have usually been prohibitive.…

We’re doing it much more affordably than it’s been done before.”

Mitchell co-founded the Carrot Rewards app in 2015. Funded by the Government of Canada, as well as the provincial governments of British Columbia, Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, the app is currently only available for

residents of these provinces.

The study highlights the importance of such initiatives as a one per cent reduction in the number of “physically inactive” Canadians would lead to annual health savings totalling $2.1 billion.

“Our government is always looking for new ways to promote preventative health … so practically speaking, this can be a tool that governments can use to promote healthy living in their population,” said Mitchell.

The study was published in the eHealth journal JMIR mHealth and uHealth on Sept. 20. Mitchell’s team is currently analyzing the data from a longer-term study that evaluates walking progress among approximately 200,000 participants over a 12-month period.

“We’re looking forward to coming out with those results, hopefully in the next month or so,” he said.

Faculty show 94 per cent favour for strike if necessary MARTIN ALLEN NEWS EDITOR @MTRALLEN On Sept. 27, faculty negotiating for higher pay with Western University voted overwhelmingly to allow their association’s leaders to call a strike if October bargaining fails.

Ninet y-four per cent of member votes authorized the University of Western Ontario Faculty Association’s board of directors to undertake the legal process of calling a strike after negotiations on Oct. 11, 12 and 15.

An independent, provincially appointed arbitrator will supervise the October sessions. If an agreement has not been reached, the arbitrator can file a “no board” report to the Ontario Ministry of Labour; 17 days after such a report

is filed, UWOFA can legally strike.

In an update on their website, UWOFA thanked its members for their vote.

“Your strong expression of support for your negotiating team will empower them to work toward the best contract possible as we enter conciliation in October,” the update said.

Keith Marnoch, Western’s director of media and community relations, offered a statement in response to the vote.

“The vote was not unexpected and is a standard part of the contract-bargaining process,” he said. “Western and faculty have a history of working professionally through contract talks, and we continue to work hard to reach a new agreement at the bargaining table.”

LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE

Western course’s study highlights costs of seniors’ falling NOJOUD AL MALLEES NEWS EDITOR @NOJJJJOUD The Middlesex-London Paramedic Service incurs exorbitant costs from helping fallen seniors get up, according to a recent study whose authors include five students and a professor from Western University.

The study conducted was part of a community-service course offered at Western’s School of Health Studies, “Gerontology in Practice” taught by professor Aleksandra Zecevic. Students work with community partners to address issues facing seniors.

According to the study, paramedics responded to 1,121 “lift-assist calls” from seniors who did not demand further care, requiring 801 hours of their time — equivalent to 33 days of around-the-clock work.

These calls have cost the service about $160,000, which is not covered by provincial funding.

The authors provided several recommendations to decrease the number of lift-assist calls made.

They include: early referrals for fall-prone seniors to home-care services, the abolishment of do-notlift policies, and collaboration with seniors’ facilities to provide education programs regarding lift-assist management.

According to Olivia Kemp, a Western student who co-authored the study, London paramedics sought a solution to this issue before the study was conducted, and were looking to gain the attention of the

public.

With help from Dustin Carter, co-author and superintendent of community paramedicine with the Middlesex-London Paramedic Service, Kemp and her classmates had the opportunity to accompany EMS services to meet with patients and various organizations, including the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). “[The paramedics] were very receptive to our ideas. So I think they were very pleased,” said Kemp.

Due to the study’s substantial findings, the students had the opportunity to continue their work beyond the course, dedicating another year to have the study published.

“It’s important to illustrate the potential of Western students’ contributions to making the lives of older adults in our community better,” says Zecevic, in reference to the “Gerontology in Practice” course.

According to Zecevic, the LHIN has committed to investing in community paramedic services, demonstrating the quantifiable impact the study has had on the London community.

Kemp, who will be attending the University of Waterloo’s doctor of pharmacy program this January, stressed the impact the course had on students, including herself.

“I’ve benefited greatly from this course. It helped me a lot with practical knowledge and applying to professional schools.”

5 •

opinions

• TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018

The #MeToo conversation is far from over Gift of Gab

GABRIELLE DROLET OPINIONS EDITOR @GABRIELLEDROLET Content warning: discussions of sexual violence Conversations about sexual assault and consent seem to come and go in passing phases.

Nearly a year ago, the Harvey Weinstein exposé opened up discussions about sexual violence in the workplace. It paved the way for #MeToo, a movement that took social media by storm. Months later, #TimesUp flooded the red carpet to remind people that the conversation wasn’t over.

And then the conversation waned. Until Christine Blasey Ford came forward to denounce Brett Kavanaugh, sexual violence was no longer prevalent online.

It’s not that victims stopped coming forward or sharing their stories; the world just stopped responding, finding new topics to elevate with new hashtags.

But discussions about sexual violence need to keep happening on university campuses, even when they’re not occurring on a global scale.

Though we’ve addressed sexual violence in the media more in the last year than ever before, the statistics on campus aren’t changing — and evidence shows that they haven’t changed since the 1950s.

Take a moment to think about the women in your life.

Think about your classmates, your coworkers, your friends and your roommates. Think about the amount of women you see when you walk across campus or stand in line at The Spoke.

This year, one in five female university students will be sexually assaulted.

Take a moment to think over that statistic, because it’s staggering.

One in five. 20 per cent. Indigenous women, women of colour, trans* women and queer women are especially at risk, as are women with disabilities. And while women are disproportionately impacted by sexual violence on campus, they aren’t the only victims.

According to Maclean’s 2018 survey, 6.9 per cent of male students

and 46.7 per cent of all LGBTQ2+ students have been sexually assaulted in their lives. About half of those assaults happened while the victims were attending Canadian universities.

It’s not that universities haven’t changed over the past decades. In 2016, Bill 132 mandated that all Ontario universities institute policies that directly deal with sexual assault. So they did — and nothing seemed to happen.

Western’s policy complies with Bill 132, but there’s still a lack of conversation happening around campus. The Maclean’s survey found that 26 per cent of Western students were never taught how to report a sexual assault.

Universities need more than policies. We need tangible change, education and consequences. We need to maintain conversations on sexual violence and start instituting preventative measures.

The University of Windsor and Queen’s University have both instituted Flip the Script, a 12-hour training program that works with female students to teach sexual assault resistance. The intervention-based training is the only program proven to significantly reduce instances of sexual violence on campus. The program takes the stance that assaults are never the victim’s fault and teaches vulnerable people how to resist unwanted sexual advances.

Western needs to follow suit.

Universities should host programs like Flip the Script and provide students with more information about sexual violence. Openly discussing the issue with students and educating them about measures, consequences and statistics is crucial; quietly implementing policies isn’t.

Of course, these conversations aren’t always easy. For victims and survivors, they can often be triggering. Sitting out of exhausting or upsetting dialogue is beyond understandable. But we have a responsibility to be discussing sexual assault on campus whenever we feel comfortable enough to do so.

While we wait for the university to properly address sexual assault, we should be having conversations.

We should speak up if we see something sketchy going on at parties. We should say something if we think a student is taking advantage of another. We should be there for our friends if they come forward.

We should keep the conversation going — because even as hashtags fade out, the issue doesn’t.

COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA

Student unions are integral to university campuses

BY GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD On Sept. 24, the University of Ottawa announced that it would no longer recognize its student union as the official student representative group on campus.

The decision followed a string of allegations against the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa, including accusations of fraud. But while the allegations are serious, disbanding the student union entirely leaves uncertainty for uOttawa students.

After members of the SFUO were accused of misappropriating funds, uOttawa requested a forensic audit of the group in August. From there, university administration withheld the SFUO’s budget before cutting ties with the federation entirely after additional allegations of improper governance, mismanagement, internal conflict and workplace misconduct. The decision will come into effect on Dec. 24, 2018.

At a glance, uOttawa’s decision seems reasonable.

The university had trouble with the SFUO in the past: two years ago, the group fell approximately half a million dollars in debt. With serious allegations surrounding fraud and misconduct, allowing the federation to continue managing millions of dollars in student fees appears dangerous.

But as of right now, there is no immediate plan to replace the SFUO with a new governing student group. That means that some services, like transit passes and student health plans, will be taken over

by the the university itself. However, what comes of other services, such as certain campus restaurants and clubs, remains uncertain. UOttawa states it will maintain the SFUO’s “essential” services, but the specific services this references remains unknown.

It can be easy to forget how much control student unions have on Canadian campuses, but the reality is that undergraduate students benefit from their student unions daily. Whether it’s eating a bagel at The Spoke, looking through pictures from Purple Fest or hanging out in the Peer Support Centre, Western students use services provided through the University Students’ Council. Beyond providing amenities on campus, student unions also allow students to participate in a democratic process that ultimately impacts their university experience.

While uOttawa’s decision is understandable, three months is insufficient time to reallocate all of the SFUO’s amenities and responsibilities. The reality is that student unions play too large a role on campus to be smoothly dismantled in such a short amount of time.

Without a student union, the university risks stripping away services provided to undergraduate students — or, at the very least, the quality of those services. Though it makes sense to look for a temporary solution in light of the allegations against the SFUO, uOttawa needs to form a long-term plan to reinstitute some form of student governance.

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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Why you should care about October’s municipal election Decisions made by London’s City Council impact your everyday life; from snow removal, road work and bike paths, to the LTC and access to jobs in London.

Western University students are a vital part of London — we need to work together and vote in this election to make sure our voices are heard.

So what are our city politicians doing to ensure that better transit is prioritized? What career opportunities exist that allow students to stay in London during the summer?

What are they doing to keep London

safe for students?

In the University Students’ Council’s most recent survey, students considered the bus pass to be the most crucial service that the USC provides. Students in London make up to 50 per cent of the LTC’s ridership, making us a key stakeholder when it comes to transit. But we know that we need better; issues of overcrowding and unreliability consistently come up for students getting to campus. The current Bus Rapid Transit plan is our best bet.

But let’s be clear: BRT is not just good for students — it’s good for everyone

in and around London, and look, the BRT is partially financed through government funding and is well underway. A solid rapid transit plan is good for residents and Western students alike.

When it comes to community safety, we need to do more to make sure students in London feel, and are, safe. The USC launched its Lock Your F***in’ Doors campaign a number of years ago to raise awareness of how student homes are largely targeted for break-ins in the community. Based on findings from the Safe City London initiative, we also

know that many individuals do not feel safe in neighbourhoods largely populated and visited by students.

Lastly, in areas with frequent student traffic, such as the Western Road and Sarnia Road intersection, there is a significant need for attention when it comes to pedestrian safety.

Community safety in a number of regards is vital to Western students living in London.

These are all issues that matter to students and should be priorities for the City of London. The individuals you vote for this month will make decisions that impact you, as well

as other Western students for generations to come. Do your research this municipal election.

Tell your friends and make sure to vote!

UPCOMING ELECTORAL EVENTS: Pints & Politics: Oct. 1 in the Wave @ 6:30 p.m.

Mayoral Candidate Booths: Oct. 2 in the UCC Advance Polls: Oct. 4 in the UCC Basement DANNY CHANG USC VICE-PRESIDENT

feature

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018 •

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E ETT GAZ , E A V S U HAL LLENE I IT K BY , SAM UCY V S TO ER DL PHO H FAIN IS AN N A N O I C N MM LIA

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• TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018

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By Carmen Mallia To describe the day in one or two words would be impossible.

To onlookers, it was absolute mayhem: Fake-Homecoming on Broughdale Avenue saw people of all ages floating around the street in purple-clad waves, among belligerent student parties as far as the eye could see, bringing with them copious amounts of alcohol and the stale odour of cigarette smoke.

But to those involved in Saturday’s festivities, FOCO was a grassroots movement combined with the self-righteous excitement of a child on Christmas morning — even if the day’s activities may have left some glued to their toilets, throwing up the day’s substances well before dusk.

Students, alumni and friends came from hometowns and universities far and wide to spend the wee hours of the morning slinging back hard liquor, jello shots and cold brews, while bumping shoulders with people they hadn’t seen in years.

School spirit was the seedling of Western University’s original Homecoming, which is typically a hybrid celebration of alumni and football pride. FOCO shares that pride, although it’s also marked by animosity towards Western’s administration, who tried to stop the street party in 2016 in an attempt to shed Western’s party reputation.

These attempts didn’t work in the past, and they sure didn’t work on Saturday.

Any way you looked within the crowd on Broughdale, police officers could be seen handing out tickets and warnings, squeezing the life out of beer cans and shoving through the crowds with minimal success, attempting to get people off the street.

Along Richmond Street, near Western’s main gates, intoxicated students were running into oncoming traffic with less coordination than a squirrel running across a roadway.

Drivers seemed frustrated and worried, as some couldn’t seem to move a metre without students running past their vehicles.

“We’ve had multiple people transported to hospital already and charges have been laid,” said Sandasha Bough, media relations officer for the London Police Service, around noon. “We’re still in the process of attempting to clear Broughdale Avenue because we need to get those emergency vehicles through.”

According to Bough, the street gathering even manifested itself outside of Broughdale, pouring onto Audrey Avenue and Huron Street. Finding a wireless connection or phone service was a struggle, making it difficult for students to regroup with their friends.

For Londoner Terry Manzi, it was an ecstatic experience, one he’d never had before. Manzi said FOCO lived up to the illustrious picture that his friends and older Western students had painted.

However, unlike in past years, Manzi had more than one option: he could get a taste of FOCO before heading down to Purple Fest.

“It’s actually been hard today because I have to figure out ‘Do I want to go here,’ ‘do I want to go there?’” says Manzi, who travelled up and down Richmond before arriving at the unsanctioned event, attending parties and sipping on tequila on his way over.

Students could walk around between Broughdale and the Elgin Hall parking lot, if they managed to dodge the police officers and barricades that seemed to be in constant sight. Even at Purple Fest, officers could be seen on police bikes, making it hard for those in the under-19 section to sneak a sip of alcohol or a toke of weed. That said, concertgoers still managed to consume their vices.

Grand inflatable mushrooms, minihuts and even a large kiddie pool were brought forth for Purple Fest. The entire parking lot was transformed into a festival comparable to a downsized Osheaga, with the inflatables acting as the perfect, aesthetically pleasing Instagram backdrop.

Similar to the Montreal festival, there were a number of security guards shoving belligerent people out of the glorified parking lot. While Purple Fest did seem generally coordinated, there were still opportunities for students to sneak past the fence and enter the concert, and some could even hurdle backstage by jumping past the fenced-off gates.

The University Students’ Council somehow managed to deter some students from partying outside of Western’s main gates, alluring them with world-renowned hip-hop artists Lil Uzi Vert, Juice WRLD and Murda Beatz, among a host of other popular names.

Having Lil Uzi perform at Purple Fest was an eccentric sidestep away from the artists that had played the event in years past — the Sheepdogs, the Strumbellas and Arkells — as the USC finally seemed to be bringing in talent that can serve to a wider demographic beyond those who enjoy top-40 or indie music. That said, it was rather paradoxical that a safety-explainer video of Mitchell Pratt telling students to stay hydrated and have fun prior to Uzi’s performance was greeted with middle fingers and boos from the intoxicated crowd, since it was his executive that brought Purple Fest to life.

Uzi — decked out in a green-knitted vest and a wool ski mask to complement his assortment of studded diamond chains — performed songs including “Money Longer,” “New Patek” and “XO Tour Llif3,” which were received rapturously by an audience of manic students.

Rib-shaking bass collisions and surges of half-sung, half-rapped vocals took centre stage during both Lil Uzi and Juice WRLD’s performances, which had a slowed, dazed delivery to them. Students were indulging in every moment of both performances, reciting every word to each song and rambunctiously hopping around in large mosh pits.

Western alumni and house music duo Loud Luxury kept the energetic party alive, performing their chart-topping hit “Body (feat. brando)” among an array of other tracks. JW the Mustang — Western’s furry white-and-purple mascot — even appeared onstage to rage with them, with bass bumping all the way to UC Hill.

The duo mentioned that this concert was a full circle experience for them, having started out in London during their university years, spinning for Charity Ball, the CAISA Fashion Show and trying to open for just about any artist that touched down in the city.

“Just being able to come back after everything that’s happened — after everything that we were doing and all of our travelling — to play to this type of crowd, makes this one of our most important shows,” said Joe Depace, one half of Loud Luxury, who studied criminology and music during his time at Western.

Fort Erie, Ont. record-producer and songwriter, Murda Beatz, played earlier in the day, spinning through some of his Billboard-dominating tracks, including Drake’s “Nice for What” and 6ix9ine’s and Nicki Minaj’s “FEFE.” Raging with his set, Murda’s performance saw the crowd obliterate the barrier between the 19-plus and under-19 sections of the concert, leaving security guards stuck looking for ways to help out students in distress throughout the rest of the concert.

Purple Fest brought with it a number of food trucks and promotional pop-up shops, where students could buy overpriced shawarmas and pizzas, receive free condoms and win coupons for free Uber Eats deliveries.

“It’s a lot of fun. There’s a lot of firstyears though, to be honest. But it’s a good time. Everyone is so intoxicated,” said Jinali Shah, a fourth-year chemical engineering student.

Shah believes that having Purple Fest take place on the same date as FOCO will deter students squeezing into Broughdale in future years.

Partying on the last week end of September is a liberating feeling and judging by the thousands of people that showed up to rage, it isn’t ending anytime soon.

Adding to the list of past FOCOs, this year’s was simply reinvigorated through Purple Fest, evolving into an event that provided people with entertaining, alternative programming in an attempt to disperse students away from Broughdale.

sports

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Why I can’t root for Tiger Woods’ comeback MIKE DEBOER MANAGING EDITOR @MIKEDBOER Tiger mania is back. With his win at the Tour Championship at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club — his first PGA Tour victory since 2013 — the game’s biggest name is back in the winner’s circle.

Since Woods’ well-documented fall from grace — an infidelity scandal, a 2017 arrest and a deteriorating body — golf has been stuck in a state of stagnation marked by poor television ratings and declining participation. For two decades, Woods was arguably the sports’ biggest star, challenging golf’s long-held white, “country club” ethos while dominating the game.

And with his win in the final tournament of the 2018 season against the 30 best players on the PGA Tour, Woods has returned to the game’s centre stage. The scenes from the final round crowds were breathtaking, as thousands of fans followed Woods around the course.

In reality, it seems like golf fans are supposed to be cheering for Woods. I mean, the sport was nearly forgotten in America’s sporting consciousness in his absence. How can you love the game but dislike Woods?

And yet I can’t root for him. I find it nearly impossible to find one redeeming quality about him, other than his talent and the barriers he broke down. I want desperately to join the endless throng of golf fans who ignore his flaws and focus solely on his domination. But with so many classy, admirable characters within the sport, my conscience doesn’t allow me to root for Woods.

Firstly, but certainly not most importantly, is his controversial past. Now, I know people are imperfect and that there are worse things in life than cheating on your wife. But in an age when countless athletes have handled the spotlight with moral and ethical tact — think LeBron James, who has avoided any real controversy despite being a celebrity since childhood — it’s not unreasonable to hope for athletes to exhibit the traits you’d hope to strive for yourself.

Yes, many athletes are unfaithful to their spouses. We accept that. Their sex lives are their business. But it’s tough to pretend like the ugliness isn’t there when the details are everywhere.

People make mistakes, but pathologically engaging in dishonest behaviour is just not something that I find attractive in anyone, let alone someone portrayed as a hero. I don’t hold it against him, because many without his fame and success engage in the same behaviour. But it’s difficult to ignore his mistakes.

Woods also appears void of any engaging personality. It’s hard for me to remember him ever saying anything even remotely interesting. Not that an athlete needs to have a massive personality. But for all those golf fans who fawn over everything he does, he’s remained a fairly bland superstar, particularly considering his place in the pantheon of transformational sports icons. He literally

Tiger Woods is not an underdog. He’s among the most dominant athletes in the history of sports. What was it about him that made so many fans abandon their proclivity to root for the underdog and instead hope for an outcome that seemed predictable – and dare I say boring? changed the game of golf forever. And yet his soundbites are the audio equivalent of a slice of plain white bread.

It’s possible that his popularity could simply be explained by acknowledging his greatness.

Compared with the greatness of others, though, what makes his so special? At one point, the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team won 111 straight games and, outside of some news coverage that day, the country didn’t blink. Mike Trout is the best player in baseball and most of us don’t even know what he looks like. This isn’t even Woods’ fault. It’s just hard to understand why so many people root for him based solely on his on-course greatness.

I refuse to believe that it was solely Woods’ ability to win golf tournaments that made him so much more fascinating than every other successful athlete.

Winning isn’t enough.

I’ve also always been someone who’s rooted for the underdog.

Assuming that we don’t have a personal connection to a team or individual involved in the event, most of us good-hearted folk will default to the one that has a lesser chance of winning. Why is that?

Because sports is an area of life that proves time and again that it’s possible to overcome odds.

This is the entire selling point of March Madness. It’s inspiring. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve teared up after watching someone who I’ve never even heard of achieve something insurmountable. People like feel-good stories because they make us feel good.

Woods is not an underdog.

He’s among the most dominant athletes in the history of sports.

What is it about him that made so many fans abandon their proclivity to root for the underdog and instead hope for an outcome that seemed predictable ­­­­­­­­­­and, dare I say, boring?

I believe it has to do with our occasional tendency toward front-running. And why do sports fans become front-runners?

Because it makes them feel better about themselves.

“If I root for a winner, then I am a winner.” Now it’s not like rooting for Woods makes you a bad person. But it’s odd to scroll through the Old Testament and root for Goliath over that pesky David.

Woods is one of sports’ great Goliaths. He’s earned his right at the top of his sport. But unlike the New York Yankees, Alabama Crimson Tide and Golden State Warriors, he’s has escaped any of the anti-frontrunner sentiment.

What am I missing?

MICHAEL CONLEY Defensive back Daniel Valente, seen here performing a tackling drill during August training camp is one of 34 London natives on the Mustangs roster this season. Aug.16, 2016

Recruiting a key aspect of Mustangs football’s success GREG SIDERIS CONTRIBUTOR @UWOGAZETTE The United Way Red Feather football tournament has just come to an end this past week. This annual two-week event showcases London high school football at TD Stadium, giving Ontario university programs a convenient opportunity to scout players from the London area.

Greg Marshall, head coach of the Mustangs football team, gave some insight into how recruiting has changed since his high school days.

“When I came out of high school, there wasn’t a lot of recruiting back then,” said Marshall. “You know, I was from Guelph, and I was recruited by them, but they weren’t a real strong team at the time.”

“I wanted to go to Western,” Marshall added. “Western had won the Vanier Cup in 1974, ‘76 and ‘77, and I had graduated from high school in ‘77. Western was the team to watch play when they came to Guelph, and we watched them on TV. So it was kind of a little bit more of me recruiting them.”

Marshall was also recruited by Wilfred Laurier University. David “Tuffy” Knight, the Golden Hawks head coach at the time, came to Canada from the U.S. and brought a more aggressive, American style of recruiting north of the border. “[When] Tuffy recruited me, their offence was based around the fullback position. And their fullback of the time, I actually played high school [football] against,” said Marshall. “He was a great player, and he was going into his senior year, and they were ready for someone to fill the role. So I was seriously thinking of going to Laurier.”

It wasn’t until a father-son football banquet that Marshall met the former head coach at Western, Darwin Semotiuk, who then invited Marshall down for a visit.

“After my family and I met Darwin, I could tell he was a special man,” said Marshall. “I think my mom had a pretty good judge of character, and that’s kind of why I decided to go to Western: partly because the program, the school and the reputation. But once I met Darwin, I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s why I want to go there.’ ” Marshall went on to have a successful collegiate career and played three years in the Canadian Football League, but he returned to Western to exchange his helmet for a headset.

Larry Haylor, who took over the

COURTESY OF JING QU / MUSTANGS ATHLETICS 13 members of Western’s 2018 football recruiting class hailed from the London.

Mar 8. 2018

program in Marshall’s first season as an assistant coach, put an adamant focus on recruiting.

“Larry was a good recruiter and taught me a lot of things,” said Marshall. “I think being familiar with London high school football was key because we had a really good team at Catholic Central [High School], so we could recruit those guys. ” Marshall left the Mustangs to take the helm of the McMaster University football program in 1997. It was with the Marauders that Marshall claimed the world of high school recruiting “ramped up.”

According to Marshall, the Hamilton high school system was talented, but it was nothing compared to the quality of London high school football today. Part of what has helped the Mustangs recruit so well is their location in one of the hotbeds of Canadian high school football.

However, Marshall also laments the challenge of keeping these players in London, as many have wanted to leave their hometown for their post-secondary education.

In addition to a healthy local pipeline of players, Marshall also has a lot of coaches to choose from; his offensive and defensive coordinators have all either coached or played in London.

With Marshall’s strong connections to the large London high school football community, there seems to be a small-town feel in local recruiting circles; he knows many of the coaches, parents and players personally, which allows him to get a foot in the door to recruit athletes to Western.

“The student athletes look at a coaching staff that they trust and that they know will look after them and that they have a relationship

already developed with,” said Marshall. “So I guess the good thing about getting older is we’re now recruiting kids of players I coached in high school. So it’s kind of gone full-circle for that.”

Currently, the Mustangs roster includes 34 players from London, 20 of whom are first-year students. The Red Feather tournament has given Marshall an opportunity to scout players, which is made easier since his office backs right on to TD Stadium.

“Especially when games are on Friday, sometimes we can sneak out because what happens is that most of our preparation for the Mustangs is done Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, so when we get into the back end of the week, it’s a little bit easier to pop out and watch,” said Marshall.

Marshall also credits the relationships he’s maintained with high school coaches in London.

“We have that relationship, and we’re able to talk one-on-one with them and say, ‘OK, give us a great player and great kid, and then we can kind of focus on what their grades are like,’ ” said Marshall. “Because as good as an athlete they may be, it’s about being a student first. So can they get into Western? And then we have to help keep them academically eligible once they’re here.”

The Mustangs currently sit at 5–0 on the season with a realistic shot at a second-straight Vanier Cup title.

They’ve been consistent contenders for the better part of Marshall’s 11 seasons as head coach. In the cyclical game that is college football, he knows better than anyone that winning on the recruiting trail leads to winning on the football field.

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• TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018

Kin students host Olympic Dreams event CHARLIE MARSHALL SPORTS EDITOR @CWMARSHALL98 Children from four London elementary schools had a chance to engage in multiple activities at TD Stadium on Sept. 20. The organizers appropriately dubbed the event Olympic Dreams.

The Olympic-themed day attracted almost 200 Grade 5 children, split into eight different groups.

Two Canadian Olympic athletes, Damian Warner and Alex Kopacz, lent their time to speak to the budding athletes.

Damian Warner, a London native, went to school at Sir John A. Macdonald Public School — one of the four elementary schools participating. Interestingly, while in Grade 5, Warner wrote a letter to his older self detailing his desire to become an Olympic athlete.

Warner has certainly lived up to his own expectations. Competing as a decathlete, he has garnered medals in five different international events.

Recently, the Olympian achieved a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic games and a gold

medal at the 2015 Pan American Games held in Toronto.

Alex Kopacz didn’t have to travel far to reach this event, either. The Olympian is currently a student at Western University and competed for the Mustangs track and field team as a shot putter.

However, despite his experience in shot put, it was bobsledding that ultimately won Kopacz’s heart. Competing for the Canadian Olympic team at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic games, the London native took home a gold medal in the two-man event and finished sixth in the four-man event.

Trevor Cook, one of the main organizers of Olympic Dreams, explained that the event, which is run by the Kinesiology Students’ Association, is reminiscent of athletic days that other schools run but with the added benefit of Olympic athlete participation.

“A lot of schools have an athletic day,” explained Cook. “So this is focused on being active, playing games, getting to know the athletes.

I really want them to appreciate the athletes. I hope they take something

NOAH FAINER GAZETTE Olympian Damian Warner was one of the athletes participating in the Olympic Dreams event on Sept. 20, 2018.

from that other than meeting someone famous.”

The organizers established three main goals for the event’s inauguration: make sure the kids have as much fun as possible, appreciate the athletes and their accomplishments, and have enough success to warrant a second iteration next year.

As a side benefit, the organizers hope that the children will take some of the activities back to school with

them.

“We want the kids to know they can have fun,” said Cook. “Maybe take some of these games home with them and play them at recess. A lot of them are things they can organize themselves.”

While the event is organized and run by Western students, it was Warner that sparked the discussion that created the event.

Through a connection with his

agent, Warner made it clear that he wanted to have a chance to give back to the community that raised him.

After the first run at organizing the event, the organizers hope to expand and improve on this year’s incarnation.

“We weren’t quite sure how many kids we can hold,” said Cook. “Almost 200 on the field now, and there’s tons of space, so we want to expand it next year.”

Mustangs mourn and remember the loss of Megan Scraper STEPHANIE ORLANDO SPORTS EDITOR @UWOGAZETTE

U Sports announces new policy for trans* athletes CHARLIE MARSHALL SPORTS EDITOR @CWMARSHALL98 U Sports announced a new policy with respect to trans* athletes.

According to the press release, Canadian university sports will now permit student-athletes to be eligible to compete on the team that corresponds with either their sex assigned at birth or their gender identity, as long as they comply to the Canadian Anti-Doping Program. The policy will take effect immediately.

The newly announced policy will follow the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport’s Creative Inclusive Environments for Trans Participants in Canadian Sport guidelines and will not require student-athletes to undergo hormone therapy in order to compete in the gendered category with which they identify.

The decision comes from the U Sports equity committee, which began working with the CCES in 2016 to create a policy for all trans* student-athletes competing in Canada. The committee also garnered feedback from the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity.

Lisen Moore, chair of the U Sports equity committee and manager of varsity sports, athletics and recreation at McGill University, explained in the press release that the policy is designed to allow more inclusion within U Sports.

“The members of the equity committee were driven to ensure that all students at our Canadian universities have equal opportunities of being selected to varsity

teams regardless of their gender or their gender identity and expression,” said Moore. “We are thrilled by the support of the board on our leading-edge trans* policy, and we are now looking forward to assisting our member institutions with the roll-out and implementation of that policy.”

The newly announced U Sports policy is more inclusive in comparison to the policy in the United States devised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Currently, the NCAA stipulates that a trans* man who has undergone treatment for testosterone may compete on a men’s team but is no longer able to compete on a women’s team.

A trans* woman who has been treated for testosterone suppression medication is allowed to continue competing for a men’s team.

However, if the athlete competes for a women’s team, that team must change its status to a mixed team.

The new U Sports policy dictates that student-athletes are limited to five total years of eligibility and may only compete on sport teams of one gender during a given academic year.

According to Christine Stapleton, Western’s director of sport and recreation services, the policy will help Canada’s universities move forward with inclusive sports approaches.

“We’re just excited that there’s actually policy,” said Stapleton.

“Something that we can use to move forward with our inclusive sports approach. That our trans* athletes can participate in whatever [sport] in the gender they identify with.”

Energetic, full of life, a natural-born leader and an amazing athlete.

Those were only a few qualities used to describe Western field hockey alumna Megan Scraper.

Megan Scraper, known to teammates and coaches as Scrapes, was a member of the Western University field hockey team from 2009 to 2011 after transferring from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. She took on the role as captain at Western and was an extraordinary standout player.

The Western Mustangs community was saddened to receive the news of her tragic passing, on July 3 near Squamish, B.C. Mustangs athletics and the field hockey community did not let this disheartening loss go without tribute. At their home game on Sept. 22, the Western field hockey team came together with several field hockey alumni to remember Megan.

“With Megan passing away this summer, the alumni and myself

thought it would be a great idea to respect Scrapes,” said Mustangs field hockey head coach Jeff Pacheco, who coached Scraper.

“Megan adored field hockey. It was a huge passion she had, it was a big catalyst for a lot of things she did with her life.”

The Mustangs field hockey alumni and the current players all wore matching T-shirts sporting Scrapers’ number nine. The shirts will continue to be worn by the team for the rest of the season.

Scraper was known as a leader with an intense drive to succeed and a desire to win. The Vancouver native led her team to successful seasons during her time at Western, while achieving several personal accolades. During her time as a Mustang, she was named an Ontario University Athletics allstar and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (now U Sports) second-team All-Canadian. Her 2013 season was her most impressive, as she finished third in the OUA scoring with 13 regular season goals.

“To coach her was a true

VIA @WANDERLUST / INSTAGRAM Megan Scraper and her boyfriend, Alexey Lyakh, passed away on July 3, 2018 near Squamish, B.C.

COURTESY OF MUSTANGS ATHLETICS

blessing,” said Pacheco. “Most athletes that come to Western are extremely gifted already, and there’s another level of athlete that comes through every now and again, and Scrapes was definitely that athlete.”

Scraper showed a passion for making the most of every moment of life, both on and off the field. After hanging up her cleats, Megan went on to travel the world and create social media content as a living. A graduate of Western’s media, information and technoculture program, she was successful in everything she did.

“She lived her life to the fullest, any opportunity, any given chance,” said Pacheco.

Megan Scraper was truly special to everyone around her. Her personality and goal-oriented way of life set an example for generations to come.

“Condolences go to the family and everyone around who she touched, because she left an impact on everybody who she touched.” said Pacheco. “She had so much more to give, and she was extremely talented in everything she did, so it was a huge loss, not just for the field hockey community but for anybody that knew her. I wish she was still here.”

Scraper’s memory will live on at Western through the impact she made on the field hockey program and the Western community. Her ambition to succeed and her humble persona will never be forgotten by those who knew her.

culture

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018 •

• 10

Jane Goodall on perseverance

NIYA MATHEW AND SISSI CHEN GAZETTE

Analyzing PC edu policies EMILY TAYLER CULTURE EDITOR @EMTAYLER16 With the recent “fake news” epidemic, it can be hard not to get caught up in buzzwords and soundbites — especially when looking at provincial politics over the past few months. Phrases like “sex-ed” and “snitch line” have been thrown around from all sides of the political spectrum. With conflicting information, it’s difficult to navigate moving forward.

Since his election this past June, Premier Doug Ford has announced the repeal of the 2015 Health and Physical Education curriculum, colloquially known as the sex-ed curriculum. Instead, Ford promises to rewrite the curriculum to be “age appropriate” with the help of parents’ input. He also promises to go “back to basics” by removing the discovery math curriculum, a move he says will raise standardized test scores.

Educators are being told different answers from various sources; the government is telling teachers to follow the repeal, but the teacher’s union is offering legal counsel for any teachers reprimanded for following the repealed curriculum.

George Gadanidis, a Western University professor in the Faculty of Education, emphasizes the importance of focusing on the students and looking past the buzzwords.

Gadanidis teaches university students the tools necessary to teach math to elementary students.

“For the benefit of students, we should avoid labelling things.…

I don’t want to label [ideas] as Doug Ford or the Progressive Conservatives or the Liberals or whatever ideas. I just want to look at them as ideas,” Gadanidis states.

Kathy Hibbert, the director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Research in Curriculum as a Social Practice and the associate dean of Teacher Education in the Faculty of Education, explains that this confusion stems from a lack of consensus among parents.

“The diversity we meet in our classroom is the same diversity — if he truly goes out and talks to multiple parents — [as] what he’s going to find [talking to parents],” she explains. “I’m not certain that he’s been hearing from a broad spectrum of parents, because if he had been, I’m not sure that he would have formulated an opinion around removing the curriculum.”

Since the initial press release, there has been a tidal wave of headlines and updates. Repealing the curriculum, a decision outlined in Ford’s election platform, has

prompted a series of legal actions against the provincial government.

From a legal injunction launched by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario to families of LGBTQ2+ youth filing human rights claims, there have been multiple public cases made since August.

ETFO president Sam Hammond explains the importance of challenging the repeal in a legal court. “[The provincial government] is taking out any reference to samesex marriage [and] LGBTQ issues.

They’re taking out reference to gender identity [and] sexual orientation, and we think it is extremely important that we challenge that in a court,” he explains. “It’s unprecedented and it’s unnecessary in terms of attacks on kids and professional educators in Ontario.”

For the benefit of students, we should avoid labelling things.… I don’t want to label [ideas] as Doug Ford or the Progressive Conservatives or the Liberals or whatever ideas. I just want to look at them as ideas.

GEORGE GADANIDIS WESTERN FACULTY OF EDUCATION PROFESSOR

However, he also clarifies that the legal injunction is not to stop the provincial government from replacing the curriculum, which does fall within the scope of the government’s power. Instead, the legal injunction aims to stop the repeal of the 2015 curriculum until the government finishes the new document, following continued consultation.

In the ongoing curriculum rewrite, the PC government plans to consult parents through an online survey and open telephone lines.

Kayla Iafelice, a spokesperson for Education Minister Lisa Thompson, states that the government is committed to giving parents a voice in their children’s education.

“Our government for the people is currently undergoing unprecedented parental consultation when it comes to school curriculum — including [adding] financial literacy, improving math scores and developing an age-appropriate health and physical education curriculum — and we invite everyone to get involved,” says Iafelice in an email.

However, members of the ETFO believe that this will not be enough

considering the amount of research and consultation that went into the 2015 curriculum.

“One of the things that we are very concerned about is that a new curriculum is not just based on input over the internet from a number of different sources,” Hammond says. “Like in every other instance that there is an actual curriculum writing team, including teachers [and] researchers, there’s fact-based evidence; there are health care organizations as well as government representatives.”

Hibbert echoes this sentiment, explaining that by repealing the document, the curriculum loses “the combined expertise of multiple groups of people, who have looked at not only the particular context of Ontario but also [in the context of] what’s happening in other developed countries of the world with the goal of overall human wellness.”

In response to various school boards and the ETFO speaking out against this repeal, the PC government has opened an anonymous line for parents to report educators they suspect are following the 2015 curriculum or to discuss any general concerns they may have. Ford has promised to take action to reprimand teachers not following the repeal.

The legal injunction launched by the ETFO includes removing this “snitch line”. Educators are unsure how to proceed, considering the potentially invasive nature of the anonymous service.

Hammond states that the “snitch line” is used primarily for “intimidating teachers not to provide students with the information we have said is critical in 2018. It has severely damaged the relationship between our organization and the government and our teacher members and the province and the government.”

Hammond explains that there is already a service available to report teachers; unlike the “snitch line,” however, they don’t accept any anonymous tips, since those cannot be verified.

“The only body in Ontario that can actually legally discipline teachers is the Ontario College of Teachers.

And that body, for example, does not accept anonymous complaints, as Doug Ford is suggesting with his line.”

Although there is no clear path moving forward, Hibbert explains that educators are responsible for their students.

“Educators are quite accustomed to working within difficult political times within education.

It’s unfortunate because … I try to imagine what it would be like if we were spending our energy on doing really good things for students.”

Through her heartfelt dialogue, witty punchlines and unequivocal optimism in humanity, world-class primatologist, ethologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall shared stories from her past with about 1,600 people on Wednesday night during her event, An Evening with Jane Goodall.

Goodall, considered the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees, is best known for over 55 years of study that focused on wild Tanzanian chimpanzees. This led to breakthroughs in the study of animal behaviour and intelligence and challenged the male-dominated, elitist scientific communities of the ‘60s.

“Because the chimps are so like us, [my research allowed] science to come out of that ridiculous little box into which it had hemmed itself. You know, ‘We are so special,’ ‘We are so different,’ ‘We’re totally unique primates.’ That’s just bullshit,” says Goodall.

Rather than observing these animals from afar, Goodall immersed herself in their natural habitat at Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park, giving each chimpanzee a name and recognizing their diverse personalities.

Her fresh angle of observation was one of the reasons she was able to make such a breakthrough in research. Her study proved two things: First, like humans, chimpanzees make and use tools. Second, chimpanzees are omnivores, not vegetarians.

During her speech, she recounted the first time she saw a chimpanzee, named David Greybeard, used a twig as a skewer to extract termites from the ground.

“It was exciting because, back then, scientists had decided that humans, and only humans, used and made tools,” recalls Goodall, smiling.

She was characteristically straightforward and plainspoken during her speech, a humbling quality she’s well known for in her documentary narrations and interviews.

Whether Goodall was talking about chimpanzees, octopi, crows or pigs, her charisma and fascination with animals radiated onto the audience at Centennial Hall.

Even as a little girl, Goodall was passionate about animals, going as far as to name a beloved childhood chimpanzee doll Jubilee. She had obsessed over the thought of going to Africa to study the continents’ animals from an early age.

Goodall praised her mother throughout the night, stating that she had supported her endeavours to travel to Africa and live with wild animals, even when she was told by teachers and classmates that she couldn’t do it because of her gender. Her mother told her that while it might take a lot of effort, she couldn’t give up on her dreams.

That dream finally came true when she was appointed as secretary to

world-renowned Kenyan archaeologist Louis Leakey, who took her under his wing despite her having no formal scientific background nor a degree. Instead, she had the determination to observe chimpanzees with a mind uncluttered by conventional scientific methods.

Although, as noted in her speech, Goodall continued to face adversity from a close-minded scientific world when she entered Cambridge University to get her doctorate in ethology, the study of animal behaviour. Her professors told her she shouldn’t name the chimpanzees or try to define their personalities, calling it “unscientific.” However, once she brought one of her professors to see the chimpanzees for himself, the scientific community started to believe that Goodall’s studious work was actually a scientific fact as opposed to a mythical observation.

These days, the 84-year-old travels the globe 300 days out of the year, raising awareness around climate change, environmental stewardship, habitat restoration and illegal animal trafficking.

Last year, Goodall received an honorary degree from Western University — the highest honour to be bestowed on an individual by the institution — for her renowned contributions to the scientific world.

She also launched conservation projects through the Jane Goodall Institute, founded in 1977, which strives to rescue orphaned chimps, conserve at-risk habitats and raise awareness on a number of endangered species. Goodall has received many awards and accolades throughout her career; she’s an UN Messenger of Peace, and she received the British Academy President’s Medal in 2014.

Amy Timmerman, fourth-year international relations student and volunteer at the event, has been following Goodall’s work with precision for the last eight years.

“I really find it very inspiring and empowering that she was able to make those discoveries and now translate that into a worldwide movement not just to conserve chimpanzees but also to conserve all wildlife, all biodiversity and the environment,” says Timmerman.

Few academics have received such widespread respect and acclaim for their work as Goodall, and judging by the outstanding reaction from Wednesday’s crowd, her flame will always ignite London.

All proceeds from the event went to the Jane Goodall Institute.

CARMEN MALLIA GAZETTE

CARMEN MALLIA CULTURE EDITOR @CARMMALLIA

11 •

culture

• TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018

’90s fashion making a comeback KRISTIN LEE CULTURE EDITOR @KRIIISLEE

PHOTOS BY KRISTIN LEE GAZETTE

It’s fall, or as we like to call it, sweater weather, which means it’s time to revamp your closet with new leather jackets and black boots.

But student budgets are limiting, and without knowing what’s trending, you might end up splurging. So check out these tips to amp up your fashion craze.

Rocking the sideways cap might’ve been left for dead in the early 2000s, but high-waisted jeans, crop tops and all things leather are coming back from the ‘90s. From grungy flannels like those worn by Kurt Cobain to Tupac’s signature bandana look, these fashion statements are revitalizing the ‘90s in the new millennium.

The ’90s fashion-era was centred on two things: class and colour. 30 years ago, simple outfits with statement pieces were the hype. This was a time when an anti-conformist and indifferent approach to fashion was rising. Alternative rock and grunge music helped make the simple punk-rock look popular: dyed

hair, plaid skirts and leather jackets.

Several students at Western University who say they receive fashion inspiration from Instagram models and influencers have been keeping up to date with the latest trends.

“I get inspiration mostly from shows and look books, but I really just wear what I feel comfy in,” says fourth-year media, information and technoculture student Erin Shimkovitz.

Anastasia Jilina, a fourth-year biology student, agrees that ‘90s fashion is making a return.

“I love it so much. It’s definitely in,” says Jilina. “High-waisted jeans, I really love that. The mom-vibe, especially [fashion] looks from Friends; that’s what I wear all the time.”

Fast-forward to 2018 — we’re rocking leather jackets, colourfully tinted sunglasses and hoop earrings. So there’s a good reason to go into your mother’s closet to find some vintage treasure. Trends aren’t dying, especially not from past decades. They’re constantly being recycled with slight modifications.

Fan favourites to grace London Comic Con CARMEN MALLIA CULTURE EDITOR @CARMMALLIA

At the fifth-annual London Comic Con, you can attend a cosplay dance party, catch Captain America casually strutting his shield and watch Loonette the Clown from The Big Comfy Couch signing autographs.

“Whatever you feel like your thing is, we want to embrace everyone’s fandom at this show,” says Jacob Windatt, co-owner of the London Comic Con. Whether you’re craving nostalgia or you just want to dress up as your favourite superhero, there’s something for everyone at the comic character extravaganza.

A big draw for this year’s convention is the actors who will attend, including Lochlyn Munro (Hal Cooper of Riverdale), Daniel Logan (Boba Fett of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones) and James Marsters (Spike of the cult-classic Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

According to Windatt, the threeday event, which will take place Oct. 26 to 28 at London’s Metroland Media Agriplex, will feature a treasure trove of celebrity photo ops,

media and autograph sessions, memorabilia vendors, hard-tofind collectibles and video games, a live wresting match and a cosplay afterparty.

“I think that each year that goes by, you see comic con culture and geek culture grow and expand and diversify,” Windatt says, citing appearances from entertainers outside of the comic book fandom, including the world’s smallest person, Jyoti Amge, two members of Village People and a couple of WWE stars.

Windatt says that last year, fans came from all across the country and beyond, with 13,000 attendees coming from places such as Halifax, Saskatchewan and even London, England.

He’s optimistic that this year’s convention will draw about 15,000 people.

2018 marks the fifth year that the fan-centred show will see pop culture enthusiasts from far and wide embracing science fiction, fantasy, superheroes, droids, wrestling and the paranormal.

“The five-year mark for us is just a testament to London and Southwestern Ontario embracing

this culture, and as long as people want to continue to embrace it, we are going to continue to embrace it,” says Windatt.

Tickets can be purchased online starting at $26.

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UPCOMING EVENTS INTO THE SHADOWS: Western’s Wrongful Conviction Day. Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018 @ 11:00 am – 11:59 pm, McKellar Room, FREE THE HISTORY AND FUTURE OF THE BOOK: An Academic Panel. Wed, Oct 24, 2018, D.B. Weldon Library, FREE

MICHAEL CONLEY GAZETTE Cosplay is a huge part of comic conventions, Sept. 22, 2018.

The platform shoes your mom used to wear with her high school uniform might now be the perfect fashion statement to your fall outfit.

The fact is that these trends from past decades come back. Recycling trends has been happening even before the 19th century. In the 1800s, designers took their fashion inspiration from the previous century, and designers from today’s era have been looking back to find inspiration for new innovations.

Fashion trends are bound to make a reappearance at some point, so why not wear something authentically vintage and keep it around in your closet until that trend comes around again?

Style has gone from denim overalls in the ‘90s to studded bootcut jeans in the early 2000s and now, it’s made a full circle back to denim on denim outfits and coloured lens sunglasses from the ‘90s. These ‘90s classics are back, and you may find fashion inspiration from shows like Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and movies like Clueless. It’s not the ‘90s anymore, but your outfit definitely can be.

TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID BEING PHISHED 1. Never respond to emails that request personal financial information. Reputable companies don’t ask for passwords or account details in an email.

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PUT YOUR SUDOKU SAVVY TO THE TEST! To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.

For solution, turn to page 3

community

12 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018

photo of the day

gazette crossword

CLUES ACROSS 1. Hindu month 5. Fashion accessories 11. Prong 12. Clever 16. Network of nerves 17. Helps the police (abbr.)

18. Russian lake 19. Not allowed into evidence 24. Indicates position 25. Without clothes 26. Geological times 27. Folk singer DiFranco 28. Buddy 29. __ but don’t break 30. Father 31. Cast a shadow over 33. Afghan city 34. Concluding speech 38. Type of creed 39. French Revolution image “The Death of __” 40. Syrian president al-__ 43. Soviet composer 44. Dove into 45. Famed Broadway producer 49. Leavened bread 50. Ruling family House of __ 51. Planet 53. Publicity 54. Manifesting approval 56. Fern genus 58. Larry and Curly’s pal 59. Company officer 60. Expressed loathing for 63. Birthplace of Constantine 64. People from Asia 65. “Hercules” voice Donovan

LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE CLEANUP TIME. The aftermath of a Huron Street party, Sept. 29, 2018.

word search

PAINTERS’ WORD SEARCH ACRYLIC ADHESION ARCHITRAVE BINDER BLISTERING BRUSHES BUCKET BULKHEAD CAULKING CEILING

NITO GAZETTE

COAT CLOTH CUT IN DESIGN DROP DRYING ENAMEL EXTENSION POLE FINISH FLAKING FLAT

•

More than just

THE BEST WESTERN CLOTHING

on campus Greyhound Tickets • LTC Tickets Locker Rental • Event Tickets

For crossword solution, see page 3

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CLUES DOWN 1. Central hall or court 2. Italian city 3. All there 4. Seamstress’s tool 5. Sends after 6. Used in herbal medicine 7. Specific gravity 8. A male 9. Hydroxyls + 2C 10. Trigonometric function 13. Archaic language (abbr.)

14. East African native 15. Satisfy 20. Mother 21. Where innate impulses are processed 22. “Rule, Britannia” composer 23. Not good 27. Swiss river 29. A-Team member Baracus 30. Calendar month 31. Drunk 32. Mercury 33. Concealed 34. Give forth 35. Contradiction in terms 36. Middle Eastern country 37. On the __ 38. Sodium 40. One who attended a school 41. Supporters 42. South Dakota 44. American brewer Adams, Sr. 45. Type of attorney 46. Absence of oxygen 47. Most sheer 48. Human soul, mind or spirit 50. Flies high above 51. University of Dayton 52. Dorm moderator (abbr.)

54. Intestinal pouches 55. Assents to 57. Delaware 61. Robots are a byproduct of this 62. Tantalum