Friday, September 5, 2014

Mustangs Fall Sports Preview >> Flip to page 15 for a look at the ‘Stangs upcoming season.

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TODAY high 30 low 19

Anticipating weather siren since 1906

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

Western creeper warning

WESTERN UNIVERSITY • CANADA’S ONLY DAILY STUDENT NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED 1906

TOMORROW high 21 low 11 VOLUME 108, ISSUE 4

>> O-WEEK

Kevin Hurren NEWS EDITOR-AT-LARGE @KevinAtGazette A Western student was scared from her bedroom Monday night after looking out the window and seeing a camera looking back at her.

According to a Facebook post from the student, she then ran to a neighbouring home on Regent Street to call the police.

Though the student referenced a grey or silver Ford Ranger on the scene, police were unable to locate anyone in relation to the incident.

“With students returning or new students starting to move into the city, we encourage everyone to close all window coverings at night and to be vigilant of suspicious activity,” said constable Ken Steeves, communications officer for the London Police Service.

Steeves advises that when students do notice something like this happening, they can call London Police at 519-661-5670 or use the 911 emergency line.

It’s unknown if this incident has any connection to similar reports from last year of a man recording students in the Broughdale and University Crescent area.

Inside Who are the first-years • P3 Fanshawe Kingsmill’s deal • P4 Who’s who • P8-9 Arts & Life • P10-12 Opinions • P13-14 Sports • P15-16

Main photo courtesy of Mark Allison. Others by Taylor Lasota • GAZETTE

SCENES FROM O-WEEK. Clockwise from left: Engineering sophs struggle to pull a fire truck on Oxford Drive, outside the Social Science Building yesterday afternoon. Breakdown, a soph in Essex Hall, was captured in the UCC on her way to a top-secret soph meeting. A sign welcomes students to USC Day on Concrete Beach, where students were accosted by USC organizations and > SEE TUESDAY ISSUE FOR MORE PHOTOS services, including one booth staffed by a particularly enthusiastic Gazette editor.

USC funds voter campaign Iain Boekhoff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @IainAtGazette The University Students’ Council approved $10,000 in funding at their summer meeting for a municipal “get out the vote” campaign.

Vice-president external, Jen Carter, introduced the motion for the budget amendment. She outlined a plan where students would be able to use their bus pass for identification to vote in this fall’s municipal elections.

Carter recommended the bus pass option because it reached more students and would be more

effective in getting students to vote this fall. Council agreed and unanimously approved an additional $10,000 to the external portfolio’s budget.

The plan has actually since become cost neutral, according to Carter, because the USC was able to draw in money from several different budget lines for this initiative.

Carter stressed that getting students to vote will improve the amount of access and influence student advocates will have within the city. Having councillors who were elected by students means that students’ needs will be looked at with greater attention.

SUMMER OF LOV E P I Z ZA

“It’s important that students vote so that I can go and advocate on behalf of them to the city,” Carter said. “I can be as good at my job as possible, but unfortunately if I’m not supported by my students, we’re not going to be successful in the city in terms of advocacy.”

Getting students to sign up this past week to get their local address on their bus pass was hindered by the sheer number of people in line in the UCC, so much so that the building had to be shut down for a period on Monday afternoon. The additional computers earmarked for the campaign had to be used for bus pass distribution. Carter said she

instead had volunteers spread the word about the election to those in line.

Carter was also involved in launching westernvotes.ca, a website created in cooperation with the registrar’s office so students can print out proof of local address that would be accepted by the city.

She further confirmed there will be a mayoral debate on campus on October 15, one day before advance polls open at Western.

The municipal elections are on October 27, 2014.

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thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

Caught on Camera

CROSSWORD By Eugene Sheffer Kelly Samuel • GAZETTE

A REAL CULTURE CHALK. Western’s student body is diverse and multi-faceted – this lovely interactive chalkboard allowed students to show exactly where in the world they originated. This stand, run by the University Students’ Council, was one of many activities set up along Concrete Beach to welcome frosh.

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Solution to puzzle on page 9

News Briefs

USC executive research trip cancelled

The University Students’ Council has replaced their collective annual research trip with individual projects this year.

“We decided that a more effective use of our external research dollars that were budgeted by council would be done by us individually picking our own external research to be done,” said USC president Matt Helfand.

In previous years, the USC executive team has travelled to schools in the United States to compare student programming. Those trips were criticized for spending and some questioned the benefit to students of the trips. Last year’s trip cost $7,000 and previous years cot even more.

This year the USC will use the money budgeted for the trip to fund individual research projects.

The plan to scrap the trip was initially one of Helfand’s campaign promises.

“I do believe that it fulfills the mandate of council and council passed a budget that says ‘this much money should be allocated for external research,’” Helfand commented.

“We believe that this doesn’t tie us to go on a trip all together. What it does is that it tells us they want their executive to learn and do some sort of external research. So we decided that individually tailoring it to positions would be more effective than us all going to one place.”

One of the ways the money is being used is to visit conferences such as the Canadian Organization of Campus Activities and National Association for Campus Activities, attended by Sam Kilgour, vice-president student events.

• Katie Lear

Prepare to take cover every Friday at noon

The weather siren system at Western will be tested every Friday at noon for the rest of the school year.

The new sirens became operational within the past month and are designed to sound an alarm one could hear in approximately eight kilometers in all directions. The alarm would be activated if severe weather patterns were reported. The alarm covers all of campus and most off-campus student housing.

“It varies with weather conditions,” said Keith Marnoch, director of Media and Community Relations at Western. “But it has been heard as far north as Masonville and as far south as Oxford.”

Campus Police monitors the system and will look for weather such as tornadoes and lightning storms.

They hope the tests will normalize the siren and familiarize students with protocols to follow whens hearing it any other time.

The initiative was sparked by the devastating tornado that hit Goderich in 2011. The area between Windsor and London is known as tornado valley and the warning system is a precautionary measure against the upwards of 70 tornados that touch down in populated areas of Canada each year.

The main season of danger is in the warmer months of summer, ranging from May to September.

Both Queen’s and McMaster Universities have installed similar warning systems.

“Students are advised to run as far into campus buildings as possible during a warning,” Marnoch said.

• Soheil Milani

Editor’s Note In addition to stories from the summer and new content, this issue contains some pages from The Gazette’s Frosh Issue, published on August 19, 2014. The Gazette issued an apology for some content in the Frosh Issue and it was removed from stands on August 27 after backlash to articles that appeared in the issue.

westerngazette.ca

Letters to the editor concerning the articles in the Frosh Issue appear in the Opinions section of this issue.

The Cryptoquip is a substitution cipher in which one letter stands for another. If you think that X equals O, it will equal O throughout the puzzle. Single letters, short words and words using an apostrophe give you clues to locating vowels. Solution is by trial and error. © 2002 by Kings Features Syndicate, Inc.

•3

thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

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

Which Game of Thrones Character Is Your Faculty?

Arts and Humanities: Sansa Stark

Music: Oberyn Martell

Education: Maragarey Tyrell

Engineering: Jon Snow

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

Health Sciences: Khal Drogo

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

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

School starts and so your watch begins.

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

Information and Media Studies: Varys

Law: Littlefinger

Ivey Business School: Joffrey Baratheon

Medicine and Dentistry: Arya Stark

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Science: Melisandre

Social Science: Robb Stark

Huron: Tyrion Lannister

King’s: Daenerys Targaryean

Brescia: Oleanna Tyrell

You wield the powers of universe.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Article: Brent Holmes • Graphics: Jennifer Feldman • GAZETTE

Coming soon...

yourlondoncalling.ca Welcome students. Explore your London.

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thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

Fanshawe College finally gets the dough Francis Siebert INTERROBANG

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FANSHAWE — City council approved a motion on September 2 to grant Fanshawe College $9 million over 10 years to buy and redesign the downtown Kingsmill building as part of a plan to bring more students to London’s core.

The motion was passed with a vote of 8 to 7.

“We’re thrilled with city council’s decision,” said Fanshawe spokesperson Elaine Gamble. “We’re really looking forward to moving forward with the project that’s going to see 2,000 students downtown.”

City councillor Denise Brown cast the decision-making swing vote.

“It’s not a flip-flop,” Brown said about her change of vote. “It’s having had the opportunity to do the research, to speak to constituents, to involve the business community and to make the right decisions.”

She also said that councillor and mayoral candidate Matt Brown’s two amendments to the motion made her decision to vote in favour of giving Fanshawe the money easier. Brown’s amendments include “head tax” and giving the city leftover savings.

City council approved the two amendments.

“I am extraordinarily pleased,” mayor Joni Baechler said, who voted in favour of the motion. “We’ve got an excited project in the downtown, and I think this will just spur economic development in the core like nothing we have seen.”

Councillor Joe Swan, who voted against the motion, held a press conference the week before, pointing out to a few available buildings downtown that were cheaper than

Concept Renderings • Courtesy of Fanshawe College

Kingsmill.

That same day, Swan met with Fanshawe President Peter Devlin, asking that the college “temporarily withdraw” its offer to buy Kingsmill.

In a media statement released after the meeting, the college explained that it had spent a “significant amount of time” looking at downtown sites with the help of thirdparty consultants. Kingsmill was the option that best met the college’s needs, the letter said. Devlin rejected Swan’s proposal.

Swan said at city hall on September 2 that he supported bringing Fanshawe to downtown London but that he thinks the province should help the college fund the project, not local taxpayers.

Council members who voted in favour of the motion said helping Fanshawe buy the Kingsmill building was not only about funding education but also about helping revitalizing the downtown area.

Voting no would be going back to ‘sleepy town London,’ Baechler said.

Fanshawe’s plan is to expand the digital and performance arts program currently located at its downtown campus into the Kingsmill building. The college said it also plans to add three stories to the building and move the School of Tourism and Hospitality there.

Devlin said in a letter addressed to the mayor in June that the plan is “the single largest capital investment” the college will ever make.

Fanshawe revealed its plan back in June, asking the city $10 million over 10 years but the motion didn’t pass.

A new request for the city to give Fanshawe $9 million over 10 years instead of $10 million was approved, and the motion was passed on September 2 when it was presented to city council.

“I’m pretty happy,” Baechler said about council’s approval to give Fanshawe the money.

“I think it is a very great day in the city of London.”

>> Q&A

Mercer receives honorary degree On Friday, June 13, Western University held its 303rd convocation. The Gazette interviewed Rick Mercer before he was awarded an honourary doctorate in law during the morning ceremony.

The Gazette: This is your 8th honourary doctorate, do you ever get sick of receiving these things?

Rick Mercer: Absolutely not!

It’s one of the most amazing things that has ever happened to me, I find [students and graduates] incredibly impressive. It’s not a road I went down and it’s always been a regret of mine that I never went down that road. But at the same time I don’t know if I would have been capable of going down that road so it’s always been one of my regrets in life…

On your show, you’ve done a number of segments featuring Western.

What’s your impression of the university? What do you feel when you come here?

Well I have a couple of impressions. One is some of the smartest people I know have happened to go to Western and that’s all I really knew about Western when I first started hearing about it […] and then I visited the school and I just had a really good time. I remember the segment everything from being in the wind

tunnel to being at the dental school to being with the cheerleaders and just being welcomed and I had a really good time so I only have positive emotions about the place.

As you were alluding to obviously there was a point when you were in the shoes of the graduates here when you were entering the real world, you were thinking about your career. What’s your advice for people, young people at that stage in their life when there’s that kind of uncertainty?

Well I would imagine there’s a lot of uncertainty, it’s hard for me to draw parallels because I went into show business — which I would never suggest that anyone do. But certainly, part of embarking on a career in show business — and I’ve been very lucky — is you have to accept that there’s going to be uncertainty. There is no job stability in the traditional sense and I think that there are some parallels to people today. They used to say my generation was the one that was going to have five careers instead of one and now I can only imagine how many careers your generation is expected to have. But I think that it’s a very exciting time and I think you just have to own that…

• more Q&A online

thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

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thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

city of the forest >> CITY OF LONDON

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

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

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

Mike Laine • GAZETTE

Raising the bar Olivia Zollino NEWS EDITOR

olivia@westerngazette.ca

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

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

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

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imports like Guinness and Kilkenny.

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

Jim Bob Ray’s 585 Richmond St. A favourite among the younger crowd, JBR’s will have you waiting in line for hours (seriously) to listen to remixes of top 40. Flaunting a cabin theme, the red-stained patio is impossible to miss across from Victoria Park. Their drink specials are in your wallet’s favor, including $2.50 Jager Bombs on Fridays, which will help take your mind off the stench wafting from the packed dance floor. Skip the food and just order street meat from the vendor parked outside.

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

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

•7

thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Iain Boekhoff • GAZETTE

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

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

8 •

thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

Western Administration >> WHO’S WHO

Who runs this place anyways?

DR. AMIT CHAKMA President and Vice-Chancellor

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

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

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

KELLY COLE Vice-President External

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

DR. JANICE DEAKIN Provost and VicePresident Academic

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

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

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

DR. JOHN CAPONE Vice-President Research

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

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

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

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

>> ASSOCIATE VICE-PRESIDENT STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Focus on students Amy O’Kruk NEWS EDITOR

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

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

Dr. Angie Mandich was chosen exists.”

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

Dr. Angie Mandich more opportunities for students.

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

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

•9

thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

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

Who thinks they run this place?

Protector of the Realm

Master of Coin

MATT HELFAND President

ANDREW LALKA Vice-President Finance

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

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

The King’s Hand

Knight of the Gate

EMILY ADDISON Vice-President Internal

EMERSON TITHECOTT Vice-President Communications

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

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

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

Alchemist

Queen-Beyond-the-Wall

SAM KILGOUR Vice-President Student Events

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

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

• Amy O’Kruk

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

USC Governance Structure

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FOR SALE ATTENTION STUDENTS: COMPUTER desk $50, student desk with chair $50. Large dresser $50, Dropleaf tables $20 & up, cedar chest $75, deck chairs with covers, bedframes, odd chairs, Trembley’s Antiques, 3510 Col. Talbot Rd. London. 519-652-3035

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

For solution, turn to page 2

ANNOUNCEMENTS HAPKIDO: TRADITIONAL KOREAN Martial Arts, The Huron Hapkido Society meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00PM-9:30PM, Huron University College Dining Hall (Huron Room) Visit us at “UWO Hapkido” on Facebook for more info.

Council:

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

Board

of

Directors:

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

Standing

Committees:

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

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

Faculty Council: While

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

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

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10 •

thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

arts&life Got that Maritime madness Monomyth channels robots and Frisbees

Steve Louie

MONO MEANS ONE. Psychedelic rockers, Monomyth, will be playing London at the Out of Sound mansion on September 9. Front man Josh Salter promises to light the room up with candles to create an intimate setting for their upcoming show.

Conrad Floryan ARTS AND LIFE EDITOR @ConradAtGazette

Jennafer Freeman • GAZETTE

Soph Name: 3M Year: 3rd Program: Civil Engineering Sporting a unique haircut and covies, third-year engineering soph 3M is not afraid to stand out during O-week.

To attract attention for O-week and Shinerama, 3M shaved half of his head and half of his beard to create a truly outrageous look.

Not only does his outrageous haircut make him stand out, his covies also add to his look.

Everyone on the engineering soph team has a pair of covies, which they wear through-

out O-week. 3M describes his covies as a particularly important item, due to the memories they’ve captured. His covies are covered in different drawings and writing, some of which were created by his frosh and others which were inspired by other sophs on the team.

Each drawing was inspired by a particular person or event, giving the covies personal significance.

3M also admitted that it’s an engineering tradition to never wash their covies — it’s hard to imagine what they will look — or smell — like next O-week.

— Jennafer Freeman

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It’s not that far a trip from Halifax to Saturn. The journey from the Dartmouth waterfront to the cutting edge of Canada’s music industry is even more manageable, as demonstrated by Monomyth, Halifax’s psych-pop wizards.

“We’re the best band in Canada,” proclaims Josh Salter, vocalist, guitarist, bassist and practicing master pitchman.

Salter splits singing and songwriting duties with Seamus Dalton, Graeme Stewart and drummer Matt Peters. The open band structure promotes a free flow of experimental ideas that has birthed the offbeat yet vintage Saturnalia Regalia!, Monomyth’s debut LP, released this past July.

“It’s like a birthday party except it’s short and sweet,” Salter explains.

“Someone’s probably going to cry at some point during the festivities.”

The merriment kicked off back when Salter and Dalton were humble roommates in Halifax with similar tastes in music. Stewart joined the mix after taking over bass duties for one of Salter’s bands that covered

Not attending the Don Wright Faculty of Music but interested in joining a concert band, jazz band or an orchestra?

Auditions will be held September 3–4 Learn more: music.uwo.ca

classic Canadian rock songs.

“Stewart’s a huge Rush fan,” Salter says. “I knew he’d be good at playing music because people who really enjoy Rush are technically proficient virtuosos, which happened to be the case with him.”

These days the boys are in the midst of an extensive East coast tour with Nap Eyes.

“It’s been great. Been staying in hotels. Trying not to wreck them,” Salter illustrates.

They touch down in the Forest City this Tuesday at the Out of Sound Mansion. Salter has a rich history with London and he is excited to be back.

Monomyth’s future is looking hopeful all around. Halifax is a hot bed for talented bands and Monomyth’s sweet harmonies and narcotic production distinguish them as crew to look for. Although the quartet has the markings of a band on the verge of blowing up, Salter remains modest and practical looking forward.

“I hope if we’re going to blow up that someone makes sure we don’t detonate too close to our families,” Salter says. “I’m not exactly sure what the future holds but it’s probably something to do with robots

and technology. Maybe our songs are going to be taken over by the Skynet file.”

A bespoke robot stars in the hallucinogenic video for “Patsy,” the gang’s new single. Fans can expect plenty of more new material at their London show, in addition to a riveting multi-sensual experience.

Salter chooses his words wisely, and he only requires a single a word to describe the band’s stage show.

“Pyrotechnics,” he proclaims.

“Honestly, probably just candles. A nice intimate setting.”

The theatricality compliments a rich catalogue of tunes the incorporates far-reaching sounds from 80s post punk, to Phil Spector doo-wop, to whatever androids will be listening to in millennia to come. It’s a tall task synthesizing such a heavy mix and Salter encourages London fans to come contribute to the maritime madness.

“If anyone wants to bring salt and vinegar chips to the show we would greatly appreciate it,” Salter petitions.

Monomyth will be playing Out of Sound Mansion in London on Tuesday, September 9. Out of Sound Mansion is located at 762 Adelaide street North.

• 11

thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

Adventure outside of the classroom Bradley Metlin SPORTS EDITOR @BradAtGazette

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

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

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

Don’t just limit yourself to campus — London is home to many charities that have their Southwestern Ontario bases here.

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

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

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

Emailing the Theatre Western Coordinator and asking to be put

on the newsletter is a good first step. They have musical trips, a fall play and spring musical with opportunities for singers, dancers and musicians.

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

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

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

Mortality and nostalgia Conrad Floryan ARTS & LIFE EDITOR ConradAtGazette

Boyhood Star Rating: 4 stars.

Director: Richard Linklater Starring: Ellar Coltraine, Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette, Marco Perella On paper, Boyhood is not a disturbing film. It earnestly traces the life of Mason Evans, Jr. (Ellar Coltrane), a typical American boy through ages six to eighteen. Innocuous setup notwithstanding, the movie is ultimately unsettling. Why? Because it smells of death. It doesn’t stink, but the perfume is unmistakable. The Grim Reaper himself could have been listed in the acting credits.

Mortality is the crinkled root of nostalgia. Fundamentally, a human being is an instrument designed to perpetuate life and evade death. We seek comfort in the past because it’s further buffered from death than the present. The past is distressing because we know we can never return to that safe haven. Such bittersweet relations with the past characterize nostalgia. Boyhood is a vehicle for nostalgia.

Part of the movie’s emotional resonance stems from the unique filming process. Richard Linklater shot the picture intermittently from 2002 to 2013 using the same actors.

Witnessing 12-years-worth of the young actors blossoming and the adults ageing compressed into 164 minutes underscores how short life. While there are a string of films that have followed fictional and real characters through multiple years, there has never been a movie that compresses such a large chunk of characters’ lives so compactly.

Although following actual people in a documentary style

over the same time-length would have yielded greater poignancy, Linklater’s approach is more ambitious. He has strived to recreate an entire childhood. He succeeds because the film feels like a representative snapshot of childhood in general, not just the arcs of fictional characters. The movie is essentially an anthropological study in human life.

The drama is mostly handled responsibly, but Mason’s alcoholic stepdad Bill (Marco Perella) is a caricature of the stereotypical evil movie stepdad. The film’s loose narrative and mostly natural performances give it a European feel. It’s intriguing how the melodramatic elements underpin the Texas-set feature as a distinctly American work of art.

Storylines like Mason’s mother Olivia (Patricia Arquette) repeatedly divorcing and struggling to relocate the family feel slightly contrived, until one realizes that in 2014 such melodrama is a reality for many families.

Linklater keeps the film naturalistic with simple camera setups and a conventional soundtrack.

While the bare bones approach complements the film’s realism, it also stifles the film. It’s possible to create cinema that’s both lifelike and aesthetically exalted, although

this is a significant challenge met only by rare masterpieces. Linklater does have a few moments, like when Mason’s family change homes and cover murals and height charts on the walls with white paint. These images lyrically capture the myriad of emotions involved in coming of age.

The feature is especially nostalgic since it focuses on childhood, the most cherished chapter of human life, and the epoch that fades away the soonest, never to return again.

Since the film paints such a relatable picture of childhood, the viewing experience is truly emotional.

Coltrane’s delicate manner manages to counter the melancholy because even at 18 he emanates innocence.

He illustrates that ageing is dreaded not just because corporeal death is creeping nearer, but also in that time erodes our youthful joie de vivre and many are practically dead before they ever lay a foot in a coffin.

The awareness of oncoming death is actually beneficial. Boyhood espouses seizing the moment, but often we’re too preoccupied. When you realize that death is around the corner and the current moment could be your last, it compels you to engage in the present.

lot of places to showcase your skill at Western.

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

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

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

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

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

Undergraduate Society (BUGS).

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

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

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

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

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

12 •

thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

Advice from a recent graduate Richard Raycraft MANAGING EDITOR @RichAtGazette

Graduating from university, as I did this past year, is a weird experience.

You have four years of your life to reflect on, including all the regrets, mistakes and missteps, but also the victories, successes and accomplishments. I’ve made mistakes — big ones — but overall I look back fondly on my university experience.

Dwelling on these thoughts relentlessly post-graduation has culminated in a few revelations. It’s hardly sage advice, dear frosh, but take it from a recent graduate who wishes he had done a few things differently over the last four years.

Western is a place of tremendous opportunity, but it’s your responsibility at the end of the day to make the most of it. I invite you to consider the following.

MIX IT UP This is very broad, but it’s the single most important piece of advice I can give you. The first component is academic. If you’re completely committed to a certain area or field, then feel free to delve into it with minimal distraction. But there is a hidden value in a multi-faceted education. The world is changing quickly and versatility is winning out as the single most important virtue one can possess. Different programs require different skills, approaches, methods and intelligences. I took a degree with a major in the humanities — philosophy — and in the social sciences — political science — but looking back I realize

almost all of my courses surrounded essay writing. This is the path many students take, and there’s nothing wrong with it, but I personally wish I had taken more sciences courses or even taken a major or minor in an area that had a more empirical focus. I happen to know a handful of science and engineering students who feel the same way regarding their writing and critical thinking abilities. Often, students of different faculties and departments scoff at the others, and my time here has made me realize how much learning – and enjoyment – is lost as a result.

The second is personal. I have classical liberal leanings, both politically and philosophically. As a consequence I tended to surround myself with people who shared my basic beliefs. This is natural, but consider engaging with people who think differently than you do.

Western is a place of incredible diversity, so take advantage of it!

This goes beyond politics and lifestyle, obviously, and can be applied to whatever it is you are studying or interested in.

GO OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM Community engagement is coming close to becoming a relic of the past.

Think of Western during your time here as a sort of community. There are opportunities to get involved in pretty much anything and, more importantly, there are people and organizations on campus and in the city that need your help!

Education in its broadest sense isn’t all, or even mostly, about taking notes in a lecture hall, and my single best decision here was to volunteer

at the newspaper you’re currently reading.

Your grades may slip, as mine did when the paper started to take up more of my time than class work, but getting active on campus and in the community in a way that’s meaningful to you is an incredibly rewarding experience.

FIND A MENTOR This doesn’t need to be a formal process or anything. If you’re a serious student, you’ll inevitably find at least one of your professors engaging or thoughtful in a way that makes them stand out. If they are able and willing, consider talking to them about the course material, their research or general advice for a student interested in the field. This is also helpful for letters of recommendation, which you will need if you apply to graduate school. Mentors play an important role in a successful life, and your university years are no different.

MEASURE YOUR PROGRESS Some students make disappointingly little progress, even after four years. Avoid this by looking critically at the work you’ve put out and compare it across years, or even semesters. Has your writing improved since first year? Has your knowledge of the subject expanded? You get out of university what you put into it, so make sure you adjust quickly if you feel you’re not putting in enough.

That’s it. Take risks, try new things and learn as much as you possibly can, whatever form that learning might take. I wish you the best of luck.

EVENTS CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 5–14 Western Fair Rides, food and musical acts Tickets are $9 in advance, $14 at the gate Gates open 3 p.m. Monday– Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday 316 Rectory St. SEPTEMBER 6 Shinearama All day Across London SEPTEMBER 6 AND 7 Block Party Kaskade, Martin Garrix and more 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. both days 301 York Street Tickets are $99.50 online SEPTEMBER 8–12 Clubs Week UCC SEPTEMBER 11 Jane Goodall at Western 7 p.m.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fitness for freshmen OUR SERVICES INCLUDE...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jennafer Freeman ARTS & LIFE EDITOR @JennaAtGazette

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

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

The WRC has free fitness classes available to full-time students that run every day throughout the week.

Classes are offered at varying times and days in order to accommodate different schedules.

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

The WRC offers a variety of fitness classes ranging in skill level. The most popular classes include Spin, Cardio Kick Box and Sculpt and Sweat, which all offer a 50-minute workout. There are also more specialized classes such as Ab Attack and Rock Bottom, which are shorter 20-minute workouts that

focus on a specific muscle group.

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

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

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

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

13 •

thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

opinions

The secret of successful journalism is to make your readers so angry they will write half your paper for you.

• C.E.M. Joad

>> LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Western responds to Frosh Week articles RE: “So you want to date a teaching assistant?” Tuesday, August 19, 2014 To the editor: I want to express how disappointed I am with the column, “So you want to date a teaching assistant,” in The Gazette’s August 19 edition.

As with other media, The Gazette has the right to run provocative articles but I find it objectionable that your paper would publish a column promoting the idea that students should attempt to have inappropriate relationships with graduate teaching assistants.

Not only does the spirit of the article run contrary to Western’s efforts to have a workplace and learning environment that is free from sexual harassment, it is disrespectful of the essential contribution graduate teaching assistants make to Western’s academic mission.

Graduate teaching assistants put a great deal of effort into ensuring the content they provide in class is educational, intellectually challenging and engaging. They deserve to be treated professionally and respectfully.

The time is long past when these kinds of articles can be defended as being either satire or humorous. It is my hope that The Gazette leadership will learn from the negative reaction to this particular column and, in future, show more consideration and respect for graduate teaching assistants and others who are dedicated to providing the best educational opportunities for Western students.

• Janice Deakin Provost and vice-president academic Western University

RE: “O-week drinking game,” “Drugs: Advice for your Western experience,” Tuesday, August 19, 2014 To the editor: Welcoming back our frosh students with activities that are both fun and safe is a high priority for the university. After all, this is a time when many of our students are living away from home for the first time.

We are therefore shocked and disappointed that The Gazette would run articles that promote students taking drugs and binge drinking.

Years ago, these kinds of irresponsible articles were written off as attempts at humour, but it has been well documented for some years now that substance abuse is dangerous and can be lethal. It’s no laughing matter that young people under the influences of alcohol and drugs are more susceptible to making bad decisions or putting themselves and others in dangerous positions.

The Gazette has also again totally ignored that increasing numbers of Western students who do not involve themselves in alcohol or drugs for personal or cultural reasons. These students would be hard pressed to find their interests reflected in this year’s frosh edition.

We were equally troubled that the column on drinking suggested that students behave in a sexually inappropriate manner toward students and staff in leadership positions within residences. The content of the article was disrespectful and encourages harassment of people who works so diligently to create a positive experience for our students. They deserved much better from The Gazette.

• Gitta Kulczycki Vice-president resources and operations Western University

Gazette behind in the times RE: “So you want to date a teaching assistant?” Tuesday, August 19, 2014 To the editor: Instead of problematizing the responses to the Frosh Issue, I would like to situate the problem itself.

Perhaps the author who intended the “So you want to date a teaching assistant?” article as a take on “social issues in a more light-hearted, informal way” enjoys the privilege of never having to confront the problem of being aggressively sexually pursued at work, at a place of study — or in the case of TAs – both.

Those who read the piece as nothing but a witty missive may also enjoy this privilege.

On the contrary, being the target of a succession of unwanted sexual advances in the workplace or at school is a too-common reality. Resources such as Bill 168 and funded projects addressing genderbased violence on campuses were rolled out in recent years to support

thegazette

Volume 108, Issue 4 www.westerngazette.ca

Iain Boekhoff Editor-In-Chief Brent Holmes Deputy Editor Richard Raycraft Managing Editor

Contact: www.westerngazette.ca University Community Centre Rm. 263 The University of Western Ontario London, ON, CANADA N6A 3K7 Editorial Offices: (519) 661-3580 Advertising Dept.: (519) 661-3579

The Gazette is owned and published by the University Students’ Council.

campuses and workplaces in preventing incidences.

Those who rehearse old myths confounding harassment with courting have been unable to change with the times. The editing team’s attempt at an apology for publishing “articles [that] may have fallen short for some” suggests that, despite its association with an institution of higher learning, The Gazette is being left behind.

• Nicole Pietsch Coordinator Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres

TA article has connotations

acquiring a university education.

It must be noted that this issue affects only a sub-set of individuals.

Most undergraduate students at Western are extremely considerate and respectful towards their teachers and peers and are primarily interested in becoming well-educated. However, to avoid the impression that such humiliating attempts

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.

It’s Peanut Butter Kelly Time

To submit a letter, go to westerngazette.ca and click on “Contact.”

All articles, letters, photographs, graphics, illustrations and cartoons published in The Gazette, both in the newspaper and online versions, are the property of The Gazette. By submitting any such material to The Gazette for publication, you grant to The Gazette a non-exclusive, world-wide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to publish such material in perpetuity in any media, including but not limited to, The Gazette‘s hard copy and online archives.

Kelly Samuel PHOTO EDITOR @KellyAtGazette Let’s face it – moving away from home for the first time will undoubtedly place you in unexpected situations. Between drugs and binge drinking, you will likely be exposed to testy situations and there will likely be a few sketchy moments here and there.

Sexual harassment and abuse are real issues that will unfortunately present themselves to you, and it’s your job to prepare yourself on how to handle yourself in given situations. Here’s a step-by-step guide to staying safe, creating a positive environment for all students on campus and preventing rape. #1. Don’t Rape.

Here’s a scenario to illustrate this rule — you notice a really attractive girl or guy obliterated and passed out on the floor by themselves at a party. Call them a cab. Try and locate one of their friends.

What you shouldn’t do is anything sexual. If they do not say “yes,” then it’s not okay to proceed with sex of any kind — oral, hand job, even just touching. If they’re not sober enough or for any reason cannot say no, it means no. Consent is crucial, and consent is sexy.

I’m sure many of you have read recently about nail polish, chemically coated straws or stir sticks that can detect date-rape drugs. While these tools were made with good intentions, the root cause obstructing a safe sexual environment lays not with

Gazette Composing & Gazette Advertising Ian Greaves, Manager Maja Anjoli-Bilic

Diana Watson

Gazette Staff 2014-2015 Christine Bonk, Sarah Botelho, Tabitha Chan, Jonathan Dunn, Spencer Fairweather, Conrad Floryan, Sam Frankel, Jennafer Freeman, Janice Fung, Stephanie Grella, Dorothy Kessler, Kevin Heslop, Jenny Jay, Nathan Kanter, Katie Lear, Emory Liu, Haida Liu, Winnie Lu, Cheryl Madliger, Sara Mai Chitty, Soheil Milani, Mackenzie Morrison, Robert Nanni Jr., Amy O’Kruk, Vidhant Pal, Lily Robinson, Morgann Sampson, Alex Seger, Tiffany Shepherd, Hamza Tariq, Tristan Wu, Olivia Zollino

Ph.D. Candidate Western University

Step-by-step guide for rape prevention

RE: “So you want to date a teaching assistant?” Tuesday, August 19, 2014 To the editor: I was disturbed to read The Gazette’s article entitled, “So you want to date a teaching assistant?” Even more troubling is the fact that The Gazette, a well-known university publication, would agree to include what is essentially a guide for students on how to stalk, objectify and sexually harass one’s TA through multiple methods. Since it was published in this year’s Frosh Issue, the advice put forth by the author, regardless of any underlying satire, sets a horrible example for incoming students who are attending university-level classes and tutorials for the first time.

TAs are extremely dedicated and hard-working graduate students who are often also the most vulnerable employees on campus.

Female TAs especially have had to deal with sexual advancements from their students in many instances, placing them in uncompromising positions. Those engaging in such grossly immature tactics should be aware of the consequences of their actions. University regulations are clear in communicating the acceptable relationship between student and TA, which remains on a strictly professional basis.

The fact that many young adults require instructions on how to properly behave in a classroom setting is disconcerting. Greater education is undoubtedly necessary so that students on campus are made aware that their instructors demand the utmost respect if they are to expect the same in return. Otherwise, the degrading treatment of TAs on campus will only spiral into an even worse situation that will take the focus away from learning, which is evidently the primary purpose of

to generate a relationship with one’s TA is permissible, an apology is in order to the many TAs at Western who are understandably not taking the underlying connotation of these words lightly.

• Dana Gold

News Amy O’Kruk Hamza Tariq Katie Lear Olivia Zollino

Sports Bradley Metlin Nathan Kanter Robert Nanni

News-at-large Kevin Hurren

Photography Kelly Samuel Taylor Lasota Winnie Lu

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

preventative detecting measures but with the way that our student body thinks. It’s not up to the victim to prevent himself or herself from being assaulted — it’s up to the student body to be aware of consensual practices and what’s acceptable. While chemical det ection serves obvious benefits, chemically treated nail polishes cannot be created to detect the entire spectrum of date-rape drugs. Most importantly, it completely disregards the most commonly used of all — alcohol.

Another crucial issue concerning these methods of rape prevention is that they exist — for the most part — only for women.

Products like chemically treated nail polish disregard the fact that both men and women are victims of sexual abuse and assault. The long-term solution is educating yourself and others about safe and consensual sex.

There is a huge stigma that surrounds the word rape and sexual assault in general. The prototypical assaulter is someone who is male, mentally ill and a stranger attempting to sexually satisfy themselves however they can, whenever they can. This stereotypical attacker does exist unfortunately, but the reality is that sexual assault happens more often than not by trusted people who do not know where the line is — or perhaps have had the line blurred by alcohol or drugs. That line is consent.

If a sexual act is not consensual, is it not okay. Rape and sexual abuse is not a product of someone dressing sexy, being too drunk, being too high or being too attractive and it cannot be addressed by addressing its symptoms. Simply put, rape and sexual assault of any kind is a decision — a choice. The only way to prevent it is to make the right one: consent is sexy.

Online Megan Devlin

Graphics Jennifer Fldman Illustrations Christopher Miszczak Graphics/Video Mike Laine

• Please recycle this newspaper •

14 •

thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

>> LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

A guide to respecting TAs RE: “So you want to date a teaching assistant?” Tuesday, August 19, 2014 To the editor: As teaching assistants of Western University, we were very alarmed to see The Gazette article, “So you want to date a teaching assistant?”

This article is another example of The Gazette’s poor editorial decision-making and continued participation in rape culture.

In response to this, we have created a guide for students on how to have a professional and respectful working relationship with their TAs: 1. Do your research. No this does not mean stalk and/or harass your TA. Instead, we strongly encourage students to come prepared for tutorial, engage with weekly readings and participate in tutorial.

2. Take full advantage of the oneon-one experience. As your TAs, we are here to help you. We love when students come to our office hours to ask questions.

3. Do not get sexual. Ever! Your TAs are training to become academics and professionals. Sexual harassment is never appropriate in or outside of the classroom and it will not be tolerated.

4. Respect our time. Your TAs are also students with full course loads themselves. If you make a meeting with your TA outside of office hours please show up to that meeting as, often, we are not paid for this time and are only meeting because we care.

5. Make a subject related joke. We like to laugh! We are funny people.

We appreciate a good feminist meme or Butler joke.

6. Know your rights! As a student, you have a broad array of rights. One being the right to a safe and harassment-free learning environment. We have that right, too!

Finally we would like to make a suggestion directed towards The Gazette.

7. Know when to give up! At the end of the day you are a student newspaper, not a how-to guide on how to create a hostile environment for students and staff.

• The Department of Women’s Studies and Feminist Research graduate teaching assistants Western University

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TAs stand against article SOGS points to flaws in the Frosh Issue To the editor: On August 19, The Gazette published the article “So you want to date a teaching assistant?” The article denigrates the work of teaching assistants and reduces them to objects of sexual gratification. It encourages sexual harassment and disregards the importance of campus and workplace safety. While the editorial board of The Gazette has since issued an apology and a complete retraction of the article, the publication of the article and some of the responses to it remain concerning.

Harassment, including sexual harassment, of teaching assistants has been a serious issue at Western.

By running an article that makes light of this, The Gazette and its editor-in-chief have shown a serious disrespect for the people who have been affected by abuse and harassment and for the problems faced by academic workers at the university.

Graduate teaching assistants play a critical role in the education of undergraduate students at Western, particularly in first-year

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are serious about ensuring that campus “remains safe and accessible,” we strongly encourage the editorial board to attend training on sexual harassment in the workplace to understand how the content of the article, and their decision to publish it, created an unsafe work environment for teaching assistants.

The publication of this article in The Gazette is symptomatic of the broader issue of rape culture and sexual violence that continues to affect students on post-secondary campuses across Canada. It is the collective responsibility of everyone at Western to play a part in making our campus safe and free from all forms of harassment and sexual violence.

• Society of Graduate Students Executive Committee

The struggles of TAs should not be made fun of

relationship that is the student-TA relationship — it’s a professional one. As Nanni says, quite belatedly in his article, TAs are there to guide students through the course materials. It’s much more than that, though, since TAs are in fact in a supervisory position and are responsible for marking, quizzing, lab safety and any number of other duties as determined by their contracts. Being distracted from these duties is not only disruptive to other students, but can become dangerous to self and others.

But let’s say, for instance, you do get to liking your TA. Instead of “stalking” them you simply said “hello” at the Spoke and had a pleasant conversation while waiting for your breakfast bagel. Even if you thought for a second there might be a mutual attraction there, it is in everyone’s best interests to assume there isn’t and there never will be. If you actually like your TA as another human being, you won’t ever go down that road.

We are not saying, however, that you aren’t allowed to like your TA. In fact, most TAs enjoy and appreciate a classroom full of students who sincerely and legitimately like to be there, with them. TAs are quite frequently the most personal interaction with the university’s educators that an undergrad will have in their first year, and we wear that honour proudly and with dignity. We merely ask for dignity in return. We are guides, mentors, instructors and for some, your TA may even become a future friend when the class is all said and done.

But if they’ve still got a job to do, bury all those amorous thoughts and treat them as they are: a person who is there to teach you and evaluate you. Anything beyond that is inviting trouble.

Oh, and let it be known that TAs do love a good joke. Just make sure it’s respectful, ok?

• PSAC Local 610 Executive

RE: “So you want to date a teaching assistant?” Tuesday, August 19, 2014

• Listening to Music

• Ballet Fundamentals

courses. For The Gazette to use its Frosh Issue to present TAs to new students as targets of objectification, rather than professional educators, demeans the work of TAs and degrades them as individuals.

The article dismissed the importance of consent. The author claimed, “One of the first steps probably should have been to ensure your TAs sexual preferences match yours.” However, this caution is not given to prevent teaching assistants from unwanted sexual advances, but rather to save the harasser from wasting their time.

The author went on to suggest that students take “full advantage” of the “one-on-one experience” of office hours — this conflates TAs doing their jobs with making themselves sexually available to students.

At best, this article dismissed the seriousness of sexual harassment and at worst, it provided a step-bystep guide for students to carry out sexual harassment.

While their apology is an important first step, if the paper’s editors

To the editor: In Robert Nanni’s allegedly humourous advice to undergrads about how to date your teaching assistant, he has essentially penned a guide on how to sexually harass another human being. The article basically iterates every poor decision you could possibly make in the classroom.

In other words, the only appropriate response to whether or not you should date a TA is simple and unambiguous: you don’t. And for TAs who have actually been “Facebook stalked,” had students who weren’t enrolled in their classes follow them around and been cornered in their offices by students with ulterior motives, there is absolutely nothing funny or lighthearted about this. Harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault are very real phenomena that can and frequently do leave exceedingly harmful effects. Universities across the country continue to struggle with these matters, so please, none of this kind of “humour.”

But let’s not simply leave it at that, since this is a perfect opportunity to explain who TAs are, what they do, and why this kind of thing — even if in jest — is wholly inappropriate.

It begins with the type of

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• 15

thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

sports Rundown >> The men’s soccer team is undefeated through two games as they beat Brock 1–0 on Saturday and tied McMaster 1–1 on Sunday > Freshman Haris Cekic scored the only goal for the Mustangs in both games > The women’s soccer team is now 1–1 in their two games after a 3–1 win against Brock and a 2–1 loss to McMaster.

FILE PHOTO

Long live the kings of sports Nathan Kanter SPORTS EDITOR

@NathanAtGazette

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

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

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

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

Baseball

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

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

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

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

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

Football

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

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

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

Everything came crashing down

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

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

Rowing

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

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

The

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

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

Rugby (Men’s)

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

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

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

Rugby (Women’s)

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

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

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

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

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

Soccer (Men’s)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Soccer (Women’s)

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

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

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

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

Lacrosse (Men’s)

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

Lacrosse (Women’s)

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

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

16 •

thegazette • Friday, September 5, 2014

OUA, Mustangs to fill broadcasting void Nathan Kanter SPORTS EDITOR @NathanAtGazette Rogers Sportsnet announced they will no longer be broadcasting regular season Ontario University Athletics football games this past August. The (giant) media conglomerate, which holds the broadcasting rights for Canadian Interuniversity Sport, has decided that football this season will only include the national semifinals — the Uteck Bowl and Mitchell Bow, and finals, the Vanier Cup. Ontario University Athletics launched OUA.tv this past Labour Day. It’s a webcasting service that will host a number of OUA sports for the upcoming season and beyond.

Twenty member schools across the province will contribute video content for the OUA website, making all games available in one location.

Football and basketball will be the focal point this season, as those sports will stream every single regular season game and playoffs. More sports are planned for next year and beyond in a wider capacity.

For Bryan Crawford, executive director of the OUA, losing a national television audience was not ideal but he feels moving to the web was crucial in solidifying the OUA brand.

“Not being on a traditional cable network like Sportsnet or the Score or TSN is certainly a disappointing development for us,” he said. “[But] being available online where most students are now consuming their media and their content I think is a big step in exposing people to the brand.”

It could also be a big step for Western’s production, MustangsTV. For the past few years, MustangsTV has been a student run production dedicated to webcasting every basketball, hockey and volleyball Mustangs home game. This year it will have more on its plate with the addition of football, which has typically been the most watched sport in the OUA. “If you’re looking for a way to be entrenched in sports and to potentially get a career in sports broadcasting, whether its behind the lens or in front of the lens, we offer a wide variety of positions,” said Dan Durack, the events and video coordinator for Mustang Athletics, which includes a role as executive producer for MustangsTV. “There’s not too many schools that can stream full HD right now with graphics and replays. Everything you see on a local cable company we can do.”

Shannon McGuff was a student volunteer with MustangsTV last year and feels despite the significant time commitment she learned a ton.

“It was a big learning curve,” she said. “Instead of reading about how a production is run, you get your hands dirty while actually using and familiarizing yourself with the equipment.”

Taking on more sports this year means Durack is looking for help .

“We have all the gear, we have the knowledge to share, but sometimes it’s a struggle with not having enough bodies to do a game,” he said. “Essentially the more students we have the better the product.”

Durack feels there’s no reason MustangsTV can’t be as good as one of London’s local cable companies, RogersTV, who have typically broadcast Mustangs football games. Michael DiStefano has first hand experience of Durack’s drive

and vision.

“Dan [Durack] has big aspirations to make it the best broadcast in the nation,” said the third-year MIT student. “He pushes us hard each and every broadcast to do better than our last.”

For now, the move to OUA.tv – which means having all the games in one location — is potentially a step in the right direction, both for OUA sports in general, and for Western.

“For someone who wants to watch OUA sports, we’re making it easier,” said Durack. “Every school is on the same site and you can watch all the sports essentially on one super channel.”

Nathan Kanter • GAZETTE

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2014-08-12 10:49 AM