Friday, March 22, 2013 by Western Gazette

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A close shave Study finds genital waxing, shaving increase risk of STI transmission. >> pg. 3

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Friday, March 22, 2013

Volume 106, Issue 89

Charity Ball donation tripled from 2012 Cam Smith News Editor

Courtesy of Amber Garratt

Charity Ball really got rolling this year, collecting $17,956—almost three times as much money as they earned last year. “Charity Ball’s totals have been falling in past years, last year’s donation was around $7,000, and before that it was around $12,000,” Victoria Stone, Charity Ball coordinator, explained. “So, this year our donation is quite a bit higher than what we’ve seen in the last couple of years.” Stone credits the immense success of this year’s event to a potent and diverse marketing campaign, targeting groups not normally associated with Charity Ball. “People’s view of Charity Ball in the past is that it’s just a party for sophs. That’s not very sustainable. You can’t have an event at a place

that holds 2,500 if you’re only going to market at a group of about 800. We really encouraged all students to be able to come this year,” she said. “One thing our committee really focused on was the marketing section that I think had been neglected.” According to Stone, the charity this year’s ball supported, the Wait List Clinic, is quite modest, with an operating budget of only $60,000. This means the donation will represent a huge financial boon to the small charity, which provides support to students who have to endure an extended wait period before they can receive counselling. “It’s a division of the Canadian Mental Health Association, so it’s an opportunity for students to find a volunteer opportunity with them. They become volunteer counsellors for people who are on the waiting

list for counselling services,” she explained. “Here in London, the wait time is nine months. We chose this organization because it’s an opportunity for students to really get involved and make a difference in London’s community.” “This cheque is going to make a big difference for this little organization.” Not only was the money raised extremely high relative to past years, but the attendance at this year’s Charity Ball received a marked increase as well. “This year we were able to welcome the highest attendance record in the past three years,” Erin Uberig, vice-president student events for the University Students’ Council, said. “The USC is extremely proud of the work [Victoria] Stone and the Charity Ball Committee put into this year’s event.”

Hazardous suicides pose risk to first responders Aaron Zaltzman News Editor Amid one tragedy there could lurk another—an unfortunate lesson many emergency responders must learn when encountering a victim of suicide by toxic gas. With a pair of simple household items, like detergent, individuals can create highly toxic, and highly lethal, hydrogen sulfide. While the gas is deadly to the maker, it begs extra concern because of the danger it poses to both first responders and bystanders. “It can be very dangerous to other people,” Steve Van Valkenburg, deputy chief of operations for the Middlesex-London EMS, explained. “In many cases, it’s done in vehicles and is very clearly labelled as poisonous to warn first responders. The amount of gas produced can be very lethal, and kill one within seconds.” The technique, found in high

levels in Japan, has made a select number of appearances in North America. In March 2010, a Florida police officer was hospitalized after inhaling gas from a suicide scene, demonstrating the danger of the method. “This is a new phenomenon for us,” Van Valkenburg explained. “It really hasn’t taken hold here and there’s very few calls.” Indeed, it is hardly a pattern in London, with only a single confirmed case in 2010. However, there is a possibility the Western student who was found dead in his car Monday afternoon, may have utilized a similar method. While the LPS declined to provide details of the death, the police report indicated a hazardous substance was found in the car, and that the London Fire Department had been called in. “If we ever encounter a situation where it is believed a dangerous

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substance has been used, we would back off, contain the area and make sure nobody else gets exposed,” Ken Steeves, media relations officer for the London Police, explained. “We request the fire department for their HazMat team to assist, as well as our disposal unit.” EMTs are also trained to assess the dangers of every situation they’re called to, according to Van Valkenburg. “If the area is labelled as hazardous [by the individual] very clearly, then the EMT knows, but the danger is when somebody does something like this and doesn’t label it.” While caution is definitely the main advice of London’s emergency response, Steeves said the emphasis is on prevention. “We need to be aware of what to do if and when there’s an exposure risk,” Steeves said. “But prior to that, we want to prevent it from occurring in the first place.”

Bill Wang Gazette

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thegazette • Friday, March 22, 2013

Caught on Camera

Andrei Calinescu GAZETTE

SPEAKING UP. Idle No More protesters returned to London’s downtown Thursday afternoon, demonstrating as part of a National Day of Action.

Crossword By Eugene Sheffer

News Briefs

Campus celebrates World Water Day Today, Western wants to impart some wet wisdom for World Water Day. The interdisciplinary event will feature a panel of speakers from a variety of faculties in an attempt to raise awareness about world water usage and preservation. “We’ve worked closely with EnviroWestern to come up with something that basically pieces everything together for people to

have a big view of what’s going on generally with [World Water Day],” Keith Marnoch, director of media and community relations for Western, explained. “I guess it’s just a way to get people to understand that it’s a big issue.” While the United Nations hosts World Water Day annually, this is the first time it is being celebrated at Western. The event will run from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m. in the Mustang Lounge. —Cam Smith

Solution to puzzle on page 7

Your Weekly Horoscope

The week of March 22 – 28 This horoscope is intended for entertainment purposes only.

ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 A mountain of responsibility has put pressure on you. Although you cannot shy away from what has to be done, you can put a smile on your face when tackling your tasks.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 A chance encounter has you rethinking what you want to accomplish in the next few weeks. You are second-guessing all of your plans because of this surprise.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Something special will take place in the next few days A decision you made could have long-term effects. and you will be on hand to experience all of it. Magical You’ll probably find that you have to do some dammoments are to be made with a romantic partner. age control this week to get things back on track. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 You may want to think before you speak when a All indications point to a monumental change in your friend asks for advice. The truth might hurt, so it life. Wait to see what occurs and put big decisions could be wise to keep quiet for the time being. or vacations on hold. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 A stroke of inspiration leads you on a creative journey. Things will calm down toward the end of the week when you have to focus on more tangible things.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 It can be tempting to toss away your responsibilities and simply have fun. But then you will be so backed up it could take quite a while to dig out from under your to-do list.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Someone you know wants to step things up to Just when you need a bit of sunshine, a satisfying another level, but you may not be ready to take that piece of good news arrives. Your spouse or partner kind of plunge. Talk over your feelings in a kind way. plays a significant role in this positive development. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Family has been on your mind lately, and you may A tangled web is forming around you, but with feel it’s best to spend the majority of your free time at quick wit you will manage to steer clear of the home rather than out. Make good use of your time. melee. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS MARCH 24 – Jim Parsons, Actor (40) MARCH 26 – Amy Smart, Actress (37) MARCH 28 – Lady Gaga, Singer (27)

MARCH 25 – Aretha Franklin, Singer (71) MARCH 27 – Pauley Perrette, Actress (44)

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DaleTV under fire Dale Henderson, Ward 9 city councillor, is taking criticism for spending $7,500 of taxpayer money on equipment to produce his own online TV channel, DaleTV. Henderson used taxpayer money to expense the purchase of studioquality video cameras, green screen, studio lights, editing software and hire technical staff to create his online channel. Though Henderson himself described the project as being financed on a “shoestring budget,” other members of council believe this is an inappropriate allocation of public money. Henderson said the online channel was a public benefit for London and would remain so after his tenure. “The excitement now is that we’re going to set up the agenda of items to talk about, and these are factual things. Now, if you want to know the facts, [you can tune in to my channel],” Henderson said. The councillor implied the channel is his way of combatting bad publicity the city has received from mainstream media in the past. The money for the channel came from an extra $7,500 allocated to each councillor to improve communication in his or her ward. He said while other councillors hired secretaries or created posters, he thought DaleTV would be the best way to communicate with his ward. Henderson felt his personal station’s direct link to Londoners would be its selling point. “I think this will change the way they teach political science. This is what you will do now to communicate with people—it’ll be on the Internet—not waiting for someone to chew up what you say and put it out negatively.” Henderson was asked if he felt DaleTV was an appropriate use of taxpayers’ dollars, in light of the criticism it has received. “I’m running gas in my car and that’s paid by taxpayer dollars. We have to go to a conference out in B.C. that may cost a couple grand, and that’s taxpayer dollars. The question is what are we doing with the $7,500 that we’ve been given to communicate with, and are we doing it properly?” Henderson replied. Henderson believed other councillors should jump on board and put out their own channels so as to explain their ideas and platforms to Londoners. —Megan Devlin

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.

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thegazette • Friday, March 22, 2013

Bikini grooming shown to up risk of STIs Kaitlyn Oh Gazette Staff

Bush, muff, pubes—call your pubic hair what you will, many people just want to get rid of it. However, removing pubic hair could be linked to an increase in the number of cases of the sexually transmitted infection molluscum cantagiosum, according to a recent study by Emory University.

Basically, when you shave or wax, you make little cuts in your skin. Then, if you’re having sex with people, it’s just a way for bacteria to get into your skin much more easily. —Josh Poynter

Public health nurse for the Middlesex-London Health Unit

The researchers studied 30 adults who sought treatment for lesions in and around their genitals at a clinic in Nice, France. Of the six women and 24 men studied, 93 per cent removed their

pubic hair by shaving, clipping or waxing. Joshua Poynter, public health nurse with the Middlesex-London Health Unit, confirmed pubic hair removal could lead to increased risk of getting an STI. “It’s something that we’ve thought for a long time, so it’s great to have a study that goes along with that,” he said. Poynter then went on to explain how shaving or waxing could increase risk. “Basically, when you shave or wax, you make little cuts in your skin,” Poynter said. “Then, if you’re having sex with people, it’s just a way for bacteria to get into your skin much more easily.” “Also, if you have [an existing STI] and you cut those lesions while shaving, you can spread them around your body, [making] an existing infection worse by shaving,” he added. Poynter also pointed out any method of hair removal carries risk. “Both waxing and shaving have issues,” he said. “With shaving, you’re cutting the skin. With waxing, you’re putting hot wax on the skin and burning off the top layer.” These findings led to the question of why people are increasingly

Bill Wang Gazette

seeking to remove the hair around their genitalia. “It seems to be one of those cultural aesthetic things,” he said. “Some people say it’s pornography, other people say they have more sensation without the hair.” “There’s really no good reason to do it, or not do it. It’s just one of those things that you either do

or don’t do.” As for other safe sex practices, a fact sheet published by the Toronto Public Health Unit suggests some prevention methods. “For shaving, avoid dull razors and shaving dry, unprepared skin (use soap or shaving gel),” it outlined. “For waxing, avoid wax that is too hot and ensure the wax isn’t

shared from person to person.” Poynter emphasized a 48-hour wait period before any sexual contact as one of the best infection prevention steps. “If you’re shaving or waxing, then you should wait 48 hours before having sex to give the skin a chance to heal and get those top layers back together.”

Research > Cancer

A golden addition to the fight against cancer Iain Boekhoff Gazette Staff

Courtesy of David Litchfield

GO BIG, OR GO HOME. Western biochemistry professor David Litchfield and a team of researchers have been awarded a $200,000 innovation grant for their work on cancer growth research.

Framing

the Experience $6,000+ in prizes

A photography contest sponsored by The Change Foundation, Ontario’s independent healthcare think tank.

A Western researcher has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Canadian Cancer Society for his research in developing a tool to determine the best available treatments for cancer patients. David Litchfeld, a biochemistry professor at Western, is a co-leader of a team of researchers developing a gold-plated microchip layered with sensors to detect the activity of cell molecules often involved in cancer growth. “Ongoing work in our laboratory has been focused on understanding how enzymes, known as protein kinases, promote the growth and survival of cancer cells,” Litchfield explained. “With this new funding from the CCS, we will […] convert our traditional assays into a new format that uses gold-plated chips.” “Our goal is to design ‘chips’ that will enable us to detect the activity of many protein kinases simultaneously—instead of performing individual assays for each protein

kinase, as is our current practice.” Litchfield said there are more than 500 different protein kinases encoded within the human genome and more than 100 known to be involved with various diseases, such as cancer. According to Luba Slatkovska, senior manager of research in the Ontario division of the CCS, the microchip detects the activity of protein kinases which can help determine the behaviour of the tumour, and what treatment is best for this type of cancer. “The protein kinases are often involved in cancer growth, so what we hope is eventually that this tool can be used in patients and it can tell us about their tumours,” Slatkovska said. “Through our own work, we have learned how to detect the activity of several different protein kinases, but typically perform this detection in a conventional laboratory setting using traditional strategies that involved separate reactions for each different protein kinase,” Litchfield said. “This makes the detection of individual kinases relatively slow

What does healthcare experience look like to you? Capture the lived realities, emotions, and stories of patients and caregivers in Ontario today. Who? Post-secondary students in photography, digital imaging and journalism – full-time, part-time or continuing ed.

and costly.” “Ultimately, we want to determine if the ‘chips’ can be used as simple, fast and cost-effective devices for detecting individual protein kinases in individual cancers since this information can guide the selection of the right drug for treatment.” Slatkovska said the innovation grant was started last year for research specifically focused on high-risk, high-reward ideas, unlike most research funding, which is done conservatively for fear the research will come to nothing. “This is a very elegant and completely new way at tackling an old problem, which is how do we get to know these tumours that are inside the body so that we treat them more effectively,” Slatkovska said. “We recognize that [Litchfield’s research had] fantastic innovation, that it really could change the way we understand cancer,” Slatkovska said. Slatkovska added this funding would not be available if it wasn’t for the generous donations from donors across Canada.

Deadline July 1, 2013. Contest opens April 1. Contest details www.changefoundation.ca/ framingtheexperience Contact asunnak@ changefoundation.com

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thegazette • Friday, March 22, 2013

Arts&Life Sumedha Arya Arts & Life Editor If you’re searching for summer jobs online, you may want to change your tactic. According to Jennifer Caron, a career counsellor at the Student Success Centre, only 25 per cent of jobs are posted online. Most opportunities are within the hidden job market—and the best way to access this market is through networking. Unfortunately, Caron says many students may become discouraged due to the dearth of postings online. Caron identifies two key challenges students may face when searching for jobs. Firstly, students may apply for a job and receive a negative response—or a lack of response. Secondly, students may remain unemployed even after trying to access their network. To bypass these deterrents, students need to visualize specific goals and clearly outline to others the skills they hope to gain. “That gives employers a really good idea of how they can share their own network to support a person,” Caron explains. But what if you’re a first-year student who hasn’t had a chance to develop a network in a new city? What if you’re looking to gain experience in a new field and haven’t begun to make connections with those in your discipline of interest? The key to creating a starting network is to talk to anybody who might be receptive. “Make your goals a topic of conversation,” Caron advises. “Bring up the fact that you are looking for a summer job and be specific about the opportunity you are looking for—you never know who is sitting around a table and might be able to help.” Caron further recommends students meet with professors, utilize office hours and connect directly with people in the industries they are interested in as they pursue their degree. LinkedIn and Twitter can also be used as tools for students to build their professional networks. While students have been exposed to ubiquitous warnings to censor their Facebook profiles—some may make the effort to make themselves unsearchable to employers, or assume fictionalized monikers on their social media profiles—they may not realize that a strong online presence can help foster connections with professionals in a variety of industries. “Comment on things that employers have posted,” says Caron, who is a strong advocate of

LinkedIn. “Make it clear what your interests are and what your skills are. It’s a great way for employers to connect with you, and for you to connect with employers.” Besides overestimating the number of job postings online, Caron says students also underestimate their skills, focusing on the talents they don’t possess. However, perhaps surprisingly, Caron tells students who have not had formal experiences in a certain sector not to worry. “Everything counts—from hobbies, to coursework, to extracurricular,” Caron attests. “All experience is valued—that’s why we use the term ‘transferable skills.’” What if you feel you don’t possess transferable skills that might seem attractive to a potential employer? Ben Wise, co-founder of SpringTern, a website that connects individuals with organizations offering unpaid internships, had this very question in mind when creating SpringTern. Wise and his business partner, Ron Lam,—both Western graduates—founded SpringTern to help students overcome the catch-22 of “you can’t get a job without experience but you can’t get experience without a job.” “We both went through that challenge when we were graduating, so we’re familiar with the problem,” Wise says. Since graduating, Wise has worked with many interns and was impressed by the quality of work they demonstrated. This bolstered his confidence in the usefulness of a platform that would help students find experience. “Students are generally thrilled to have a way to connect with organizations in a way that can help them gain some real-world work experience and companies are regularly impressed with the quality of work they get and the results it leads to for their organizations,” Wise notes of his experiences with SpringTern. Natalie Pecile, marketing and public relations coordinator at SpringTern, promotes the very service she is using. She used SpringTern in order to find an opportunity to gain and apply marketing skills. “I’m interested in going into marketing. This opportunity is valuable for me because it’s the first real-world opportunity I’ve had,” Pecile says. SpringTern specifically attracts marketing, PR, web development and social media opportunities on their website. Small businesses post short-term projects, and students can apply for relevant listings. While the work is unpaid, students would be

quoteoftheday To get real work experience, you need a job, and most jobs will require you to have had either real work experience or a graduate degree.

—Donald Norman, cognitive science academic.

completing projects with the objective of building their network and resume. Robert Collins, director of workplace development for the London Economic Development Corporation, also urges students to look toward small and growing organizations, noting 98 per cent of Ontario employers have less than 50 employees. But why stop there? Collins says students— especially those graduating—should consider the prospect of starting their own venture. “We are trying to encourage students to think more entrepreneurially to start their own business,” Collins says. He particularly recommends the Summer Company program, an initiative offered by the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Employment. Through Summer Company, students can apply for funding to start a summer business. This program comes with an additional benefit if students keep with it, they can also get funding toward the end of the summer. Caron and Collins further direct students to resources, such as Western’s career counselling services, Western’s career central website, Western’s Employment Resource Centre, Knighthunter.com and Fanshawe College’s community employment services website, which provide links to Summer Jobs Service information in addition to job postings. However, one lingering question remains— how do you set yourself apart in a competitive job market? Caron again emphasizes the importance of networking. “If you can become more known and not just part of the pool, that’s how you stand out,” she says. Collins’ picture of the successful candidate mirrors Caron’s. “If employers see that you’ve done your homework on the company and have been in touch with them early, they can see your keenness,” Collins says. “It’s better than just relying on your application to tell the story.” Finding employment is hard—no one denies that. Yet seeking career-related experience, nurturing a network in your area of interest and demonstrating to employers you thoroughly understand a role’s requirements can help you successfully find employment that you care about. Avoid generalized inquires inputted into Google’s search engine in favour of specific conversations surrounding an opportunity—it’ll lead to fewer dead-ends. Naira Ahmed Gazette

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thegazette • Friday, March 22, 2013

Public phone calls an unwelcome distraction If you’ve ever been sitting in the library getting more and more angry while the girl next to you is chattering away on her cell phone, you’re not alone. According to a study recently published in the journal PLOS ONE, cell phone conversations are significantly more irritating and distracting than other types of conversations. In the study, university students were asked to complete anagrams while a nearby researcher either talked on her cell phone or had a conversation with another researcher. Oddly enough, the researchers found that students’ performance on the puzzles were generally the same in both settings. However, according to Veronica Galván, the lead author of the study, the cell phone conversation was rated as being significantly more distracting than the in-person conversation. “Participants who overheard the one-sided conversation found the conversation more distracting and annoying. They

also remembered more words from the conversation and were more confident in some of their answers on the surprise memory test,” Galván says. As for why a cell phone conversation would be uniquely intrusive and memorable, Galván outlined three major factors. “Firstly, people reveal personal information in a public setting,” Galván explains. “People typically have personal, not business conversations while they use cell phones in public. Secondly, bystanders who are exposed to these personal conversations may not have much control over the situation, thereby increasing their levels of annoyance and frustration. Thirdly, the conversation interrupts an on-going activity— such as a meeting or meal.” Coleen Dalton, learning skills counsellor at Western, agreed with Galván’s findings. “I believe that cell phone conversations can be highly distracting while studying,” Dalton says. “Students can find themselves distracted by another person’s cell phone conversation and are often curious about the side of the conversation that they can’t hear.”

Caroline Wang GAZETTE

STFU. According to a new study by PLOS ONE, someone talking on the phone is more distracting and annoying than any other type of conversation.

Dalton emphasizes cell phone conversations in libraries could cost students their time, and their marks. “A distraction such as this means the student will spend more time going over the same material in their lectures and text, having to find their ‘place’ in reading materials and re-writing

sentences in assignments,” she notes. “Distractions can also promote ‘surface’ learning, where the student focuses on merely remembering material instead of the comprehension and application.” In order to help counteract these types of distractions, Galván suggests workplaces encourage typical conversations, and

Mental illness sufferers high-risk crime victims Nusaiba Al-Azem Gazette Staff

Mental illness is a growing concern, and new data has linked victims of mental illness to homicide victims. Earlier this month, The British Medical Journal published discoveries concerning people who suffer from mental illness. Researchers assessed homicides and mental disorders in the Swedish adult population between 2001 and 2008. It was found that after controlling for factors such as education level, sex, age, marital status and income, people with a diagnosed mental health illness were five times more likely to be killed by homicide compared to the average person. This news follows Western’s Mental Health Awareness Week, which highlighted the stigma behind mental health illnesses and disorders. Cheryl Forchuk, a nursing professor at Western, gives some insight into the study’s result. “What is true is that people with a mental illness are more likely to be victims of crime,” she says. “And part of it is because they are vulnerable and they can be made targets—if somebody is depressed, they may become more vulnerable to be a victim of crime.”

7th CH 2 MAR

This finding seemed most common for people suffering from substance abuse disorders, something Forchuk warns university students are extremely susceptible to. “There’s a lot more exposure to substances—alcohol and other substances that people may be experimenting with at that age and that has a huge impact on many

Ultimately, in terms of raising awareness, the university alone is not going to be able to solve the problem. We know the issues of stigma and discrimination happen on a worldwide basis. —Cheryl Forchuk

Western nursing professor.

mental illnesses,” she explains. The study showed substance abusers, in particular, were nine times more likely to be victims of homicide. She explains the age of onset for most mental illnesses originate during youth—predominantly during the university age

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demographic. The most effective protective factor in terms of mental health is early intervention. However, a major concern with intervention is the majority of people who suffer mental health illnesses do not seek help. Forchuk emphasizes the importance of breaking the stigma attached to mental health disorders in order to encourage people to seek the help they need. “Ultimately, in terms of raising awareness, the university alone is not going to be able to solve the problem. We know the issues of stigma and discrimination happen on a worldwide basis,” Forchuk stresses. She encourages students to reach out to the available resources on campus, including support groups, art therapy, psychoeducational lectures and counselling, all of which can be found on the Western webpage. “It’s up to individuals, as well, to take up on that,” Forchuk says. “I think we all have an obligation— if we notice people we’re with are struggling, to be open to that, to encourage people to seek help and to be able to speak up about mental illness.” For information about counselling services on campus, or to make an appointment with a counsellor, call 519-661-3771.

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limit phone calls in order to help improve productivity. “In some situations, […] people will need to communicate with co-workers and clients via telephones, [but] it might be a good idea to have some work areas in which typical conversations were promoted, while one-sided phone calls were limited.”

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thegazette • Friday, March 22, 2013

Opinions Job search requires extra mile

The weather may not be any indicator, but summer is on the horizon, and concerns about summer employment are surfacing among students. In the wake of the digital age, most of us turn to the web to search for job postings. However, experts say only about 25 per cent of jobs are, in fact, posted online. While the Internet may be a good place to start, it’s best to be more strategic when job hunting. Following up with potential employers, attending networking events and asking places if they’re hiring can increase your chances of finding work. But what happens when it seems no one is hiring? Summer employment is tricky because it’s shortterm. It’s difficult to find companies who are willing to make the investment in someone who won’t be there past August. This is where summer internships usually step in. Internships are a good way to get experience over the summer and to network. However, often times, these opportunities are unpaid, which is unfeasible for students who rely on summer jobs to make money for school. But in this day and age, sometimes we’d rather do work for free than miss out on a chance to gain experience—especially at a big-name company—that could make us more attractive in the job market. There is only so long we will work for free, though. We are willing to take one or two unpaid internships if they will help us in the long run. In terms of finding employment after graduation, we need to set ourselves apart from our peers. An undergraduate degree and volunteer experience will only get us so far. Having a strong online presence is one way we can advertise ourselves for free. Having a Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn page will allow us to make more connections and have greater access to job prospects, and allow us to showcase our personalities. Shying away from creating online profiles might hinder our chances and could result in missed opportunities. In this competitive job market—no matter which field you’re pursuing—it’s pertinent to go beyond traditional job-hunting tactics. Responding to an online post, or simply submitting our résumés, is not enough anymore. We need to run the extra mile by networking, following up and making our presence and attributes known. —The Gazette Editorial Board

What is wonderful about great literature is that it transforms the man who reads it towards the condition of the man who wrote.

—E.M. Forster, English novelist

Class readings should not be taken lightly Holmes is on the Case

Brent Holmes Arts & Life Editor

We’ve all experienced uncomfortable silences—whether with roommates, friends or that person you fail at hitting on at the club—but among the worst is the awkward silence all students experience when their professor asks a question about the readings for class discussion in the middle of lecture. For a while, it may seem like the normal pause while students are trying to come up with a smart, informed and eloquent answer, but as the seconds turn to minutes, a horrible truth becomes readily apparent—nobody has done the readings. Now, to be completely truthful, I haven’t been a perfect student and there have been weeks when I haven’t done the readings for a class and been one of the students sitting and hoping the professor won’t randomly call on me. But often times, when I am one of these people, it is my own fault. I am not writing to argue people should do their readings because it will make these awkward silences less present, nor am I going to argue that students should be doing readings because it is a good idea to improve their marks. In lectures where class discussion is a part of the marking scheme, as well as a regular occurrence, it is not a matter of whether or not you benefit from doing the readings, but how everyone else benefits.

While there are classes where the discussion is punctuated by people not saying anything, I have also seen classes where students are getting involved in the discussion and the ideas that emerge are interesting and thought-provoking. It is these conversations that can make for an incredible lecture, but it requires people do their readings so they can offer informed and valuable comments. When I was applying to university, everywhere people would tell me, “It’s not about where you go, it’s about the people you meet.” Class discussions are the make-or-break of this statement. Chances are you are not going to meet as many people in lecture as you will in extracurricular university activities, but the people you meet in class are the people who you talk to, or occasionally argue against, in your classroom discussions. We are often trained to think that we—or our parents—are paying for our education and whether we participate in class is our own prerogative. I do not believe this is the case. Everyone else is also paying for their education and when we do not do what is necessary to further our own education, we are not wasting our own money, but everyone’s money. When your classmates don’t do their readings and class discussion is a period of students keeping their heads down, it is a waste of everyone’s education. There is great potential for everyone to develop interesting ideas that enhance student experience and when students don’t do their readings, this opportunity is wasted. Doing readings is not about you doing better in school, it is about everyone doing better from the ideas you bring to class.

weeklypoll On March 13, the University Students’ Council voted against implementing a three-year freeze on student fee increases. Do you agree with their decision? No 64% Yes 29% I’m not sure 7%

Vote on next week’s poll at westerngazette.ca

thegazette

Volume 106, Issue 89 www.westerngazette.ca

Gloria Dickie Editor-In-Chief Nicole Gibillini Deputy Editor Cam Parkes 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.

Editorials are decided by a majority of the editorial board and are written by a member of the editorial board but are not necessarily the expressed opinion of each editorial board member. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USC, The Gazette, its editors or staff. To submit a letter, go to westerngazette.ca and click on “Contact.” All articles, letters, photographs, graphics, illustrations and cartoons published in The Gazette, both in the newspaper and online versions, are the property of The Gazette. By submitting any such material to The Gazette for publication, you grant to The Gazette a non-exclusive, world-wide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to publish such material in perpetuity in any media, including but not limited to, The Gazette‘s hard copy and online archives.

Gazette Composing & Gazette Advertising Ian Greaves, Manager Robert Armstrong

Karen Savino Diana Watson

Gazette Staff 2012-2013

Iain Boekhoff, Danielle Bozinoff, Jaclyn Carbone, Mary Ann Ciosk, David Czosniak, Megan Devlin, Jonathan Dunn, Andrew Evans, Chelsey Gauthier, Ross Hamilton, Danny Huang, Amanda Law, Logan Ly, Jared MacAdam, Sarah Mai Chitty, Sarah Manning, Bradley Metlin, Kaitlyn Oh, John Petrella, Sarah Prince, Chen Rao, Herb Richardson, Nathan Robbins-Kanter, Lily Robinson, Jeremiah Rodriguez, Katie Roseman, Jasleen Sembhi, Nathan TeBokkel, Jacqueline Ting, Caroline Wang, Kate Wilkinson, Zoe Woods, Kartikeya Vishal, Usman Zahid, Mason Zimmer

News Alex Carmona Jesica Hurst Cam Smith Aaron Zaltzman Arts & Life Sumedha Arya Brent Holmes Kevin Hurren Sports Richard Raycraft Jason Sinukoff Ryan Stern Opinions Ryan Hurlbut Associate Kaitlyn McGrath

Dear Life

Your anonymous letters to life. Dear Life, How have the sophs not realized that no one cares? Dear Life, Go home spring! You’re drunk. Dear Life, Why does no one come to the Spoke on Tuesdays to listen to Samurai Night Fever? They are freaking awesome!

Submit your letters to life at www.westerngazette.ca /dearlife. Letter to the Editor

Fearnall forgot soph support To the Editor: Re: Sophs in uproar over change in selection, March 21, 2013 It is absolutely clear the sophing application this year does not reflect what sophing encompasses, but rather what the Orientation Committee wants sophs to think. The application this year has become institutionalized. There was no question asking the applicants what they could bring individually to the program, or the teams they were applying for. Rather, the focus was on how well the applicant knew the cookie-cutter “mission,” “behaviours” and “outcomes” of the orientation program. There were no questions asking the applicants why they were passionate about the program. These soph teams used to be consisted of dedicated individuals who upheld overwhelming pride for Western, the Mustangs, their faculties and their constituencies. However, based on a written application, returning sophs—even those who had previously been on leadership teams—were eliminated. How can one distinguish between applicants who are truly committed to a full-year volunteer position by mere typed words? The interviews, which have been considerably reduced, are an integral part of the selection process. Anyone can put nice words into writing, including Fearnall who claims they “have an obligation to stand up for each and every mistreated student in the past.” Evidently, Fearnall forgot the overwhelming support he received from previous sophs in his presidential campaign. I wonder how many of the people who advocated for him were “unfairly treated by the Orientation Week hiring process” this year? Please list in point form up to 10 of these people. Nicknames will not be accepted. —Eileen Sung Arts and Humanties II

Photography Andrei Calinescu Ritchie Sham Cameron Wilson Graphics Naira Ahmed Mike Laine Illustrations Christopher Miszczak Liwei Zhou Online Julian Uzielli Web Cameron Wilson Video Chris Kay

• Please recycle this newspaper •

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thegazette • Friday, March 22, 2013

Games take a back seat in gambling madness Amateurism lost in the search of the all mighty dollar The Tables Have Sterned Ryan Stern Sports Editor

It’s bracket time! Time for the closet Belmont Bruins fans to strap on their navy and red cardigans and yell cusses at anyone cheering for the Arizona Wildcats. Time for bracketeers to whip out RPIs of the 15th seed in the Midwest bracket and pretend they know what they are talking about. Yes, that’s right, I said pretend! Everyone is an expert this time of year. Whether you are from London, Toronto or the heart of Columbus, Ohio, everyone has their brackets ready and nobody knows what they’re talking about. All this knowledge is fueled by the gambling that ensues

during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Enjoy March Madness for what it is, sheer madness. Enjoy the constant stream of games, enjoy the upset and enjoy amateurism at its best. March Madness should be a showcase for young basketball talent, not a gamblers Christmas. You’re probably thinking one of two things. Either that I am trying to get the cops off of my tail in the illegal gambling ring, or that I’m the fun police themselves trying to encourage people to stop gambling. Thankfully, I am neither. I, too, make a bracket every year and I do cheer for my team, but this year, as has been the case every other year, I will end up watching the finals with no hopes of cashing in. I will watch the finals, not because I care who wins, but because it is an interesting game. When Gordon Hayward hit the back rim against Duke to close out the national championship game a few years back, I was at the edge of my seat in excitement, but not

because I had $1,000 on the line. I believe the game has fallen too much toward the gambling side. The whole point of amateurism is to perform for the love of the game, and thanks in large part to $200 office pools and perfect bracket challenges, the tournament has tilted closer to professionalism. With so much money involved, what’s stopping a booster from coercing a young, broke college kid from throwing a game for a few thousand dollars? I think that college basketball is too far down the path to turn back, but I plead with fans to enjoy the games first, then worry about your gambling needs. Enough sports have fallen victim to gambling scandals, and at this rate it only seems like a matter of time before college basketball’s gambling-steeped culture takes a turn for the worse. So now that your brackets are filled out, don’t mope when Gonzaga gets upset in the sweet 16—enjoy the thrill of the Cinderella.

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LOVING COUPLE WHO has struggled with infertility for a long time, is in need of an angel of African descent to donate some of her eggs so that we can become a family. Serious inquiries...Please email: val@soft-infertility.com. TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID BEING PHISHED Visit banks' websites by typing the URL into the address bar. Phishers use links within emails to direct victims to a fake site. If you suspect an email is bogus, do not follow any embedded links within it.

UPCOMING EVENTS WESTERN ADVENTISTS PRESENT “Taste & See Healthy Living” with Dr. Shon Darcy. Learn simple, practical tips on how to improve mental, physical and spiritual health. March 21, 22 & 23 @ 7 pm nightly in UCC Council Chambers. http://westernadventists.wix.com/club TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID BEING PHISHED Keep a regular check on your accounts Regularly log into your accounts, and check your statements.

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

For solution, turn to page 2

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4 BDRM NEW Red Brick townhouses, apartments and single homes for rent. Features 5 appliances, huge rooms and closets, open concept kitchen/living room, and free parking. Located in great student areas. Call Yan: 519-495-5363.

Christopher Miszczak Gazette

TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID BEING PHISHED Never respond to emails that request personal financial information. Reputable companies don't ask.

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3-6 BDRM HOUSES and town homes for rent. Large, modern units, and close to campus. Everything you could ask for, with 5 appliances, free parking, spacious bedrooms/common rooms and full-time maintenance. Call Sam at 519-495-7661, samm@londonproperty.ca

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ANNOUNCEMENTS MARCH IS NUTRITION Month 2013. Visit www.brescia-shea.ca for some healthy recipes along with some tips and tricks for eating right! Download the eaTipster app to your smartphone for some daily nutrition tips from Dietitians of Canada. Follow @NMBrescia on Twitter for updates on Nutrition Month activities! THE TA AND Post Doc Union’s Foodbank distributes grocery store gift cards of $50-100 to members in need. Stop by the office (1313 Sommerville Hall) or apply at psac610.ca

ORDER YOUR FLOOR WEAR TODAY !

Room 267, U.C.C. purpledoor@uwo.ca

8•

thegazette • Friday, March 22, 2013

Sports

gameday The OUA champion women’s curling team travels to Kamloops, British Columbia for the CIS/CCA Championships this weekend.

Rundown >> This week’s Canadian Interuniversity Sport athlete of the week awards were awarded to Korissa Williams and Tyler Carroll > Williams, the recipient of the female award, was named CIS championship MVP for leading the Windsor Lancers to their third straight Bronze Baby Award > Carroll was named male athlete of the week for being named championship MVP in the New Brunswick Varsity Reds championship run.

Sports Briefs

Women’s curling Western’s women’s curling squad is off to a slow start at the Canada Interuniversity Sport Curling Championships in Kamloops, British Columbia. Day one of the tournament, which took place on Wednesday, March 20, saw the Mustangs fall to the Saint Mary’s Huskies 10–8 and the University of Guelph Gryphons 9–4. The Mustangs lost the first end against the Huskies, finding themselves down two points early. Though they were able to take the second end and two points along with it, the Huskies regained control by scoring four points in the third end. The Mustangs would battle back to tie the game up at seven in the seventh end, but the Huskies would take the game 10–8 by winning the last two ends. Western would go on to face Guelph in the second draw, but went down 4–0 after the first three ends. The Mustangs would manage only four points in the contest, winning the fourth and seven ends as they went on to lose the match 9–4. Nicole Westlund led the way for the Mustangs in both matches. Westlund shot 73 points on 19 shots to curl at 96 per cent in the match against Saint Mary’s. She shot 55 points on 16 shots versus Guelph to curl at 86 per cent. The losses have Western at a 0–2 record to start, placing them

last in the tournament. They will face the McMaster Marauders this afternoon.

Rowing Competing at the Mac 2x4 Erg Relay event on March 9, the Mustangs men’s and women’s rowing teams put up an impressive performance. The annual event takes place in Hamilton, Ontario and is hosted by McMaster University, drawing rowing squads from all across Canada. The Mustangs succeeded in improving on their already impressive performance from last year. The Mustangs got off to a fantastic start, with the men in the junior varsity category winning first place and breaking the event record. The women’s junior varsity team also claimed first place. The lightweight women’s team also broke a record, finishing with the fastest time in event history by almost a whole minute. The men’s crew also claimed first place, finishing just ahead of the Guelph team. Both the men’s and women’s heavyweight teams also claimed first-place titles, putting icing on the cake as Western went on to dominate the event. Following their success at the event, the Mustangs look to dominate in the fast-approaching spring season. —Richard Raycraft

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