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D
EBT& EFICIT
November 2014
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE UNIVERSITY AS THE DEFICIT LOOMS?
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
MENTAL HEALTH BEST STUDY PLACES
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VOL. 32 NO. 3 - NOVEMBER 2014 watchmagazine.ca watcheditors@gmail.com TWITTER @kingswatch
EDITOR’S NOTE King’s, financially, is not in its best shape, there’s no denying it. The school is short on revenue, and has been short for the last two years. With FYP enrolment dropping by roughly one-sixth, a solution seems far away. The Long-Term Financial Strategy Task Force brainstormed many potential pathways for the school to take, which includes increasing enrolment, a review of programs at King’s and salary freezes. But there’s one path we think would affect the whole school – and it’s very worrisome to us as journalism students. The report released by the task force suggested a variety of ways that King’s could merge with other schools - moving more of our administration over to Dal, and making it possible for FYP to work in concert with other programs. It doesn’t say how far this could go. Although the report says that King’s should retain its independence as a school, some professors - like the indomitable Wayne Hankey - see our only hope in joining forces.
question: if King’s does merge with Dal, will we still graduate with “University of King’s College” written on our degrees? This is a great university. We have unique courses, fantastic professors and an unbelievable reputation. For us, as journalism students, whenever we tell other journalists we go to King’s the immediate response seems to be, “What an amazing school.” And when we tell people about our interdisciplinary courses they’re always impressed by its diversity and tight-knit community. If we lose our independence does that mean we will lose our reputation? That’s something that has been going through our minds for a solid month now. The whole school is in trouble. There is no denying that. And while this is a time when faculty, students and administration should be coming together to create solutions that are reasonable for everyone. But at the same time, you can’t help but be a little bit selfish. Everyone thinks their program shouldn’t be cut, shouldn’t be tarnished by a potential merger.
That leaves us with the real
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Be green. Share and recycle this issue.
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF PUBLISHER Nick Holland Rachel Ward Grace Kennedy ONLINE EDITORS TREASURER Sophie Allen-Barron John Sandham Dina Lobo COPY EDITOR Keili Bartlett
CONTRIBUTORS Haleigh Atwood Paisley Conrad Ashley Corbett Colleen Earle Leah Gerber Maxime Gordon John Last Caora McKenna Sean Mott Mitch Mullen @KINGSNEWSHFX
PUBLISHING BOARD Michelle Johnstone Adrian Lee Ocean-Leigh Peters James Pottie Emily Rendell-Watson Fred Vallance-Jones
We welcome your feedback on each issue. Letters to the editors should be signed. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. The Watch is owned and operated by the students of the University of King’s College. o
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But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people not be warned: if the sword comes, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at watchman’s hand. -Ezekiel 33:6
We can’t help it; it’s the nature of a crisis. If the school does decide to merge, we hope King’s will retain its quality. If that is tarnished, we can only cross our fingers it happens after we graduate. - Nick and Grace
the watch IN THIS ISSUE
4 Inside King’s
5 News Bulletin
6 Women for the Wardy
7 Election Fever
8 Mental Health
10 A Financial Crisis
Take a peek inside the pool room
Meg Shields and Clara McCaughey are showing off the women of King’s
What people can do to help stop stigma surrounding mental health
13 Impacting the Law One person actually can make a difference
A look at the brief headlines at King’s
Why Quorum is an all important buzzword at King’s
With revenue falling and deficit rising, will the suggestions be enough
14 Conversations with the Chapel When King’s tightens its belt, will the Chapel be squeezed out?
15 Opinion
16 7 Places to Study in Halifax
18 Library Etiquette
19 Horoscopes
A point-of-view on the environment
Colleen Earle tells you what and what not to do during exam season
Where to go when the library won’t cut it
@KINGSNEWSHFX tells you what next month will be like for you
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INSIDE KING’S
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It used to be a room anyone could use, but by the time 1994 rolled around it was just a money pit. The pool room was a hindrance that was draining the school’s bank account. Pipes were constantly being replaced, Today it’s very different. If you head to the bottom floor of the gym you’ll see a big, open room furnished with modern hardwood floor. It’s currently being used by the Little Ladybug’s Child Care Centre after a fire broke out in St. Andrew’s Church. If you walk down the hall to the men’s changing room, enter the door with the “6” on it and walk down the spirial stair case - well congrats, you are now in the pool room. It should be called the orange room as it has seen its fair share of rust and maintenance. 4 | the watch
Here’s what you’ll find inside the pool room. Heads up - there’s not much anymore.
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A hole in the wall that leads to the bottom of the pool, which is now lined with wood to keep the floor above it from caving.
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The old filtration system that strained and removed unwanted particles such as bacteria or the leftovers from that one kid who always peed in the pool.
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More filtration. And it takes place in a blue container! Cool beans.
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Pipes that once pumped steam into the pool water. Hey, turns out water needs steam.
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The tightest spiral staircase you’ll ever walk down.
NEWS BULLETIN 21 encounters that sculpted a journalist
K
ing’s professor Elaine McCluskey launched her new book titled “Hello Sweetheart” on Oct. 29. It’s the fourth major publication by McCluskey and her third collection of short stories. “I think it brings out the best in all my writing. I think it’s the culmination of everything I’ve been working towards,” she says. Like in many of McCluskey’s previous writings, the stories involve characters wading through their own emotional, and sometimes ridiculous, personal traumas. “People say, ‘Oh, she writes about los-
ers about down-and-outers.’ I do, but I always try to maintain compassion and humanity and you know we’re all the same. We’re all people.” All of the 21 stories in the new collection take place in Nova Scotia. Drawing from her experience of growing up in north-end Dartmouth, McCluskey says exploring Nova Scotia’s urban landscapes is just as important as writing about its rural areas. “When I first started writing there were people who were saying ‘Well, this is actually great, because Nova Scotia has had some amazing writers but a lot of them have only written about rural Nova Scotia,” says McCluskey.
Alchemist gives spellbinding lecture
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racticing alchemist Aaron Cheak was invited from Australia by Kyle Fraser to share some of his knowledge of plant-based alchemy with students on Oct. 23. The public lecture was part of the “Magic, Heresy and Hermeticism” course offered through the History of Science and Technology Programme. Cheak considers the role of alchemy to be inseparable from civilization and an essential step in the development of science. “The basic techniques of fermentation or distillation, the analysis and synthesis of elements and chemicals - these
were all done before science as we know it emerged in a crystallized form,” he says. The practice of alchemy is often seen as straddling both the history of science and religion; it can be looked at through its chemical processes, or it can be explored through its metaphysical views and religious symbolism. Cheak tries to balance between alchemy’s scientific and religious connotations, taking an interdisciplinary approach. “There are many Janus-faced figures who were both scientists and alchemists,” Cheak
By Mitch Mullen
McCluskey began her career as a journalist and now teaches in the King’s journalism department. For her, the experience of writing and researching as a journalist has informed the direction she has taken her fiction. “When I was a journalist I took my notebook, went places, found interesting people, interesting scenes, interesting dialogue and that’s helped me so much,” she says. McCluskey says that she is working on a new novel that she has been writing at the same time as “Hello Sweetheart.” |w
By Haleigh Atwood
says. “For a long time they were overlapping.” Many are not aware that, even today, alchemy is still an ongoing practice. Cheak says that alchemic techniques are constantly in use to produce herbal medicines, such as elixirs, and are constantly applied in the processes of brewing and fermenting. Fraser and Cheak brought a distillation apparatus to class, which slowly removed the ethanol from a vial of store-bought wine throughout the course of the lecture. The concentrated ethanol retained the smell of wine,
demonstrating that the distillation process is usually performed multiple times before an element is successfully purified. Cheak says it was not the practice of alchemy or its scientific processes that drew him to its study, but the ideas of metaphysical consciousness that many alchemists held, specifically those of Renee Schwaller de Lubicz, on whom he wrote his graduate thesis. “I’ve always been into strange stuff and general cultural weirdness,” he said with a shrug. |w
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W
OMEN FOR THE ARDY By Ashley Corbett
Tradition doesn’t just mean old, white men for Meg Shields and Clara McCaughey. Together, with many other King’s students and staff, they’re unveiling the faces and voices of women at King’s. Did you know that the ratio of female to male students at King’s is 63 per cent to 37? Yet there are only a handful of portraits hanging at King’s to reflect the presence of women throughout our history. Meg Shields, a student of early modern studies and classics, began to pick up on this fact over a pitcher of beer in the Wardroom last month. “I was staring at the photo of the Queen, and the wall adjacent to her was totally blank,” she said. “I was surrounded by the KSU president and a bunch of other strong female presences on campus, and then I just started ranting about how it was kind of ridiculous that there isn’t representative portraiture of women on a campus predominantly filled with women.”
Collective, the King’s Students’ Union, King’s faculty, the Campus Safety Officer, the Wardroom Board of Managers and YAS. Clara McCaughey, co-president of YAS, has played a primary role in the project. She has worked alongside members of the society in the archives to create a detailed timeline of the history of women at King’s, locating corresponding images and portraiture when possible. and tradition are so “History important at King’s and so
emphasized all of the time, but this is an aspect of our history that is mainly covered up. - Clara McCaughey
”
Shields passed her phone around the bar, asking people to add to a list of strong women who came to mind. The result was a hefty list.
McCaughey and Shields said this project is an attempt to correct this issue. On November 14, they will unveil a wall of portraits in the Wardroom that will illustrate the role of women from our university’s past and present.
Word got around campus, and fast. The next day Shields was approached by a multitude of students and societies, including the Young Alexandria Society (YAS).
YAS has extended the project further to create a lecture series, which is intended to recognize the role women played in the disciplines studied at King’s.
Shields’ discussion is now a wide-scale project intending to integrate depictions of notable women throughout the university’s history. The project’s team includes the Alex Hall president, the Feminist
Last month Eli Diamond, professor of Classics at Dalhousie, spoke about the presence of women in the Ancient World. The next lecture is set for Nov. 26, when Jannette Vusich will address the question, “Did
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women have a Renaissance?”
Photos: Ashley Corbett
McCaughey and Shields said they aim to be as inclusive as possible so that all students feel comfortable engaging in these topics. “I think it is an issue that is really starting to take hold, and I think the students have a big part in that,” McCaughey said. “We’re living in such a time of change and a time when anyone can take action.” |w
Election Fever √
DIDYOUVOTE?
By Sean Mott
Three elections in one semester alone - why quorum is important and what students think about it
T
he usual phrases outside of Prince Hall were resurrected in the fall. The basic request: “Come vote for a representative.” The compliment: “Hey, you’re cool – come vote.” But the most common phrase is also the most revealing: “Come vote so we can reach quorum.” Quorum is the all-important buzzword for King’s student politics. We are always told how crucial it is to reach it every year. And last year, we saw what happens when we fail to get the minimum number: a total restart of the voting process, consuming more time and resources. With three separate elections this fall, chief returning officer Emma Morris feels that there may have been some voter fatigue. “It’s hard to get people excited about voting again and again,” says Morris. In the recent election for arts, science and other representatives, 295 King’s students (26 per cent of the total population) came out to vote. With quorum set at 25 per cent, King’s came in just above the minimum. “It’s high to have 25 per cent quorum,” says KSU president Michaela Sam, noting how Dalhousie only requires 10 per cent of its student body to vote. Sam also says that, aside from last year, quorum has always been reached during her time at King’s, fluctuating between 25 and 30 per cent. Morris is well aware of the difficulties involved in reaching those numbers. “It has been roughly the same (each year),” Morris says. “It’s always a struggle to get quorum.” “It’s a busy time,” she adds, saying that most students are occupied with papers and midterm exams during the elections period.
Sam agrees. “Our students are so engaged (in other activities) it’s difficult to participate (in elections),” she says. “There is always room to improve.” But what do the students say about their votes? John Cavan, a fourth-year student and the Chair of Bays, sees voting as crucial for the KSU and students. “I am familiar with how council works,” he says. “A well-elected representative can do a lot. A poor representative can make things difficult.” Nate Windsor, a third-year science student, encourages student to vote, even if they disagree with the candidates. “You have a duty to the system,” he says. “You should do a protest vote.” Andrew Carlisle, a third-year science student, didn’t vote and feels that the process lacks purpose. “I feel that the KSU doesn’t impact my student life and I don’t know what I’m voting for,” he says. It’s people like Carlisle that have the KSU and elections committee interested in engaging the non-voting population. However, Sam notes that the KSU should not try to sway the committee into making any additions or changes to the election process. “It would be out of place for the executive to influence the elections committee,” she says. “They’re supposed to be a neutral body.” Morris says that the elections committee raises awareness through announcements, social media and posters, but she also acknowledges that there may be room for improvement. “We’re (currently) looking at the elections process,” she says. “I’m open to suggestions.” So that’s the quorum situation at King’s. Only one question remains: Did you vote? |w
With a 25 per cent quorum as our minumum, where did these last three elections fall? By-election for External VP:
302 votes*
By-election for BOG rep:
302 votes
Total voter turnout: 28.1 per cent ............................
Election for First-Year rep: 138 votes Election for Arts rep: 232 votes Election for Science rep: 32 votes Election for Member-at-Large: 295 votes Total voter turnout: 26 per cent ............................
Journalism rep election: 53 votes Total voter turnout: 28 percent
*Voter numbers and percentages taken from the unofficial results on the KSU facebook page
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Committing to making a change By Nick Holland, Sophie Allen-Barron and Dina Lobo 8 | the watch
Photo: Nick Holland
E
that anymore – we say died by sui- they rationalize things.” cide because we realize that’s a loaded term,” he says. All of this makes someone with a mental illness feel hopeless. “They Up until 1972, suicide was illegal in feel there is no possibility of change Canada. If someone took their own and they are so engulfed in shadows So what should people do to get rid life, they had committed a crime; and darkness that living is harder of it? That was the discussion at this hence the term “committing sui- than dying,” he says. year’s Joseph Howe Symposium. cide.” “If someone is afraid of seeking One place to start is with talking, Picard’s choice of words is crucial. help… the only rational fear I can says Dr. David Pilon, a psycholo- A regular columnist for a major na- understand is that someone is afraid gist and program leader at Capi- tional newspaper, he plays a larger of change,” Pilon says. tal Health. He says stigma exists in part than most in influencing not mental illness because many people only the rhetoric of mental health “I don’t think people fully underdon’t understand it. reporting, but the way it’s addressed stand what the process of change in everyday life. and treatment might entail.” “I don’t know if that’s society doing something wrong or just collective- Despite his years on the health beat, Nonetheless, Pilon, Picard and Canly we’re not doing enough thought- Picard hasn’t seen stigma break ning all agree things have drastically ful dialoguing, information seeking down evenly nationwide. He names changed. and checking in with each other,” he Atlantic Canada and Northern said. Canada as places where he finds it Canning says he’s seen changes in more difficult to write mental health the way Halifax treats its patients Glen Canning agrees. He’s the father stories. He finds himself having to due to mental health awareness after of Rehtaeh Parsons, who died by change his approach to suit more his daughter’s death. “Now you’re suicide in April 2013. conservative attitudes. treated individually, not ‘what program can we stick you in?’” Canning believes if the language “Everybody knows everybody’s around mental illness is to change, business,” says Picard of small com- But there’s one thing Canning is cerpeople must recognize and see men- munities. tain about regarding his daughter’s tal illness as a struggle first and then suicide. show compassion. He says it would “I think you have to do more rebe hard to do since misunderstand- search, you have to be more con- He says his daughter never wanted ings are so deeply ingrained in so- scious of the impact it’ll have on to end her life and she planned a lot ciety. people. I think we’re careful when for her future before she died. we write about these issues all the André Picard has been a reporter time, but maybe just a little bit of “It was a decision that happened in at the Globe and Mail since 1987, extra care of how it will impact the her mind that was beyond her conwhere he currently works as a health family (is needed).” trol, and beyond her capability to columnist. Over 25 years of experistop.” |w ence in journalism has given Picard Pilon says most people who cona sense of language’s capacity to template suicide, attempt suicide or evolve, even within one paper. die by suicide are very ill. mbarrassment, disgrace and fear. The stigma that surrounds mental health is real and it’s not going away anytime soon.
“There have been big changes. I use the example of ‘committing suicide’. At my paper, we don’t use
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Where are we now?
KING’$ $ COMES UP
$HORT By Haleigh Atwood
When a university faces a $1.1 million deficit and $5 million in debt, what measures should be taken? For King’s, the fix won’t be all that simple and the school could lose its independent status. There’s no guarantee the deficit and debt will lead King’s to this end, but it’s something that has caused a concern, or in some cases, plenty of excitement. One professor who likes the sound of that idea is Wayne Hankey. In an email to the Watch, Hankey said, “I do not believe that we can afford both our academic programs and the marks of institutional independence.” He declined requests for an in-person interview. He wrote a response to the task force report, released in October, saying it’s overambitious to depend mainly on recruitment techniques and a rise in enrolment to counteract the deficit. Hankey said a merger with Dalhousie is
Salary Freeze According to the report, salaries and benefits for both professors and administration make up roughly half of the 2014-15 budget. The report says that salaries and benefits increased 77 per cent over the last 10 years, while revenue only increased 59 per cent. In order to achieve financial
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not only the most profitable choice for King’s, but it’s inevitable.
Although revenue has increased by $6,400,000 in the last 10 years, expenses have jumped $7,098,000. However, the average increase of expenses was 4.5 per cent, while the average increase for revenue was only 4.1. The debt is now nearly $5 million, and will increase if the deficit continues.
Expenses over Revenue from 2005 to 2014*
Many people are hesitant to agree and think a merger is not in the school’s best interest, but most admit it is something that must be considered. Right now, the college is facing a hefty deficit and debt because of low enrolment, cuts to government funding and overdue campus maintenance. All of these problems have been accumulating year to year, and if they aren’t addressed, the university could see itself another $1 million in the red for next year.
*excluding the increase or decrease of the fair value of endowment investments
Longterm Debt from 2008 to 2014
The university has also lost $2 million in revenue over the past two years. The bursar’s office has paid off $30,000 and plans to strike out another $100,000 by hiring fewer FYP faculty due to decreased enrolment. The anticipated sale of the dean’s old residence will hack off another $475,000, but the school is still $500,000 short.
stability, the task force committee says salaries and benefits need to become more in line with revenue inRevenue and Salary Increases Over the Last 10 Years
creases. Ideally, this freeze would be on a universal, voluntary, one-year basis, and if implemented, could save up to $340,000. However, King’s operates under a salary-parity agreement with Dalhousie. Although a one-year salary freeze would not distrub the existing agreement, the report says it would begin discussions with Dalhousie on this issue. This indicates that a temporary freeze could eventually lead to a salary disparity based on revenue.
To combat this immediate shortage, and explore options for long-term sustainability, the university appointed the Longterm Financial Strategy Task Force. This committee, made up of staff and faculty, as well as students and members of the Board of Governors, met multiple times over the summer to create a report that outlines recommendations for counteracting the deficit. Some of these recommendations require a long-term approach, such as a heavy focus on recruitment and retention, while other recommendations are short-term approaches, such as a one-year faculty salary freeze.
year, which is about 100 more students than we have this year. The report said every time FYP loses one per cent of students, it’s a loss of $100,000 for the school. Those new students could potentially give the university about $2.5 million in revenue. In order to make this increased recruitment possible, the report said “every faculty member, student and staff member at King’s must see themselves are responsible for recruitment and retention of students.”
New and Returning Students Over the Past Two Years
Journalism professor Stephen Kimber has formed a faculty working group with fellow colleagues to look at other shortterm options instead of a salary freeze. “(It) creates all kinds of complications because they’re saying it’s voluntary, it’s universal, and it’s temporary, but when we looked at it none of those things are true,” Kimber says. One of the options the working group explored is taking a draw of five per cent from the school’s endowment, instead of the annual four per cent we now take. The difference between four per cent and five per cent at King’s is about $300,000, which is the same amount the task force is looking for from the salary freeze.
What this means for students According to the report the long-term approach will hold recruiting and retention strategies as top priority. It plans on a student population of around 1,200 for the 2015-16 academic
It also said it’s discussing the decision to move some administrative duties of the registrar’s office to Dalhousie – a suggestion that will allow that office to focus more on retention and recruitment, said the task force. However, some people are opposed to this attention on retention and recruitment, saying it makes students into merely a source of revenue.
PROGRAM OPTIONS
Here are some examples:
Part of increasing enrolment and retention is a reevaluation of King’s programs. The report says this should not only look at whether programs are financially sustainable, but also how the school can modify or add programs to increase enrolment.
FYP
The focus, according to the report, should be on programs King’s can implement on its own; this means looking beyond the Dalhousie partnership. It also indicates the school should look at programs that are cheap and quick to implement. It also suggests looking into programs that are unregulated, such as diplomas.
Distance FYP Mature-Student FYP FYP targeted at business or engineering programs outside of Dalhousie FYP for non-western thought GAP-year program, combining an introductory humanities curriculum, studying and writing for university, assistance with university applications, and a semester of learning-related travel
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JOURNALISM
More diploma and certificate programs Training programs for business executives Non-FYP journalism option More photojournalism courses Expand the summer “Data School” Offer online courses to mid-career journalists
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NEW MARKETS School of Sacred Music
FYP-related travel programs New “premium” business model (like the Ivey School of Business)
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The KSU‘s Take “I think that it’s a very important time for the college,” KSU president Michaela Sam says. In addition to setting up an email account where students can get information about the task force report (report@ksu. ca) the KSU is holding meetings where students can discuss the report and its recommendations. One of these meetings was the Sept. 28 council meeting. Before the final draft of the report was distributed, president George Cooper and bursar Jim Fitzpatrick met with the KSU to officially inform them of both the deficit and the possible solutions proposed by the task force. The KSU urged students to attend this council meeting. The concern expressed in the meeting’s minutes was that further pressure would be placed on students, which could result in an increase of future tuition fees. Council asked whether Cooper and Fitzpatrick would join the students in advocating for further government funding, to which they did not give a definite answer. While an increase in tuition fees was not discussed during council, Fitzpatrick now says an increase is inevitable and students should expect fees to go up within the 2015-2016 year.
A DALHOUSIE/KING’S MERGE? According to the task force report, King’s and Dalhousie are currently discussing whether it is feasible to move many “back office” functions of the registrar’s office over to Dal. The purpose, it says, is to free up the staff to work on recruitment, advising and retention. It does not specify what these “back office” functions are. The report also suggests that the Board look at other functions, like those in the registrar’s office, that could move to Dalhousie in order to save money without “sacrificing essential services.” “It is acknowledged that there is a point beyond which we could not go if King’s is to remain independent in spirit and in fact,” the report states. “The potential incremental cost of any such outsourcing will need to be well understood and carefully balanced against the offsetting benefits.”
Government Grants
King’s is the runt of the government litter, according to the report. While other Nova Scotian universities get an average of about 48 per cent of their operating income from government grants, King’s only recieves roughly 36 per cent.
“While I’d love to say no, I don’t see any other option,” he says. “Given our financial situation we will most certainly join with every other Canadian university this coming year to increase our tuition fees. There’s no question, it’s just a matter of how much.”
What’s Next? King’s professor Elizabeth Edwards is a sitting member of the budget committee and was nominated as a faculty representative for the task force. “My main aim at the moment (would be) that we not fall into division because I think there are serious problems here,” she said. “I think it’s true that faculty, staff and students need to know what the other is thinking
Discussions are already underway with the provincial government for immediate and long-term support, however, these are not developed enough to be an immediate fix. The report says that Cooper “should take the lead in government relations,” and suggests that requests to government should include:
“Our current problems are going to need our whole college to be involved in the solution.”
- An $860,000 grant or loan for an energy refit
The Board of Governors is currently adjourned to discuss the report with constituents and stakeholders.
- Assistance with deferred maintenance
They will meet again on Dec. 11. Board meetings are closed to all, except members. |w
- Further differentiation within the Nova Scotia university system through support for expanded interdisciplinary humanities programmes and support for recruitment and retention, particularly outside of NovaScotia in Canada as well as internationally.
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- Funding for faculty renewal through retirement buyouts
- consent for selected tuition resets
IMPACTING THE LAW
By Sophie Allen-Barron
O
ur generation is in a tricky spot. The children of hippies, the rhetoric of our days is a confusing combination of “be-the-change” optimism and “what-good-could-I-do” gloom, with a sprinkle of anti-establishment frustration. No wonder it’s disheartening when what attempts at change we do make meet the brick wall called bureaucracy. There aren’t enough youth conference t-shirts in all the world to soften that blow. Take comfort! One King’s student is on her way to overcoming that hurdle. Earlier this year Jessica Durling collected hundreds of signatures in a petition urging the provincial government to change the Vital Statistics Act. The petition supports people’s right to change the sex on official identification documents although they may be unwilling or unable to undergo sex reassignment surgery. While the legislation has yet to pass, Service Nova Scotia minister Mark Furey announced voting on the bill would happen in the spring. “Gender identity has nothing to do with biology and has everything to do with experience,” he said in a ministerial statement Oct. 24. “Some people do not identify with any, or all, of the aspects of gender that are assigned to their biological sex.” Durling was buoyed by Furey’s announcement. “I’ve seen a lot of support for (the proposed amendment) at the house of assembly on Friday which was good,” she said. “We’ll just have to wait and see on how it turns out.” Durling said she had the most success collecting signatures at organized events, like the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. Durling spoke at the rally last year. Her activist work has garnered her some accolades recently. The Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project named her the “Rising Star” for 2014. “I was honoured to get an award with amazing heroes, leaders and fellow activists from the Halifax and Nova Scotia community,” said Durling. Fellow award recipients included Scott Jones, who made headlines after he was the victim of a brutal stabbing that left him paralyzed, and Leighann Wichman, the late executive director of the Youth Project. Despite her recent successes, Durling knows it isn’t over yet. The proposed change still has to make its way through the legislature. What’s the next challenge?
Photo: Sophie Allen-Barron
“We’ll just have to wait and see,” she said with a shrug. |w
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Conversations with the Chapel
By Leah Gerber
When King’s tightens its belt, will the chapel be squeezed out?
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Early Modern Studies and German Language. He says like most students, he had the big questions “everyone probably asks them self at some point.” Like “how do you be in this place called earth?” In his third year, Barton met people at the chapel willing to fully engage with these subjects, and who challenged him to become “more fully myself and who I actually am.”
udget cuts loom at the University of King’s College. Even so, Father Gary Thorne, the university chaplain, smiles at everyone he crosses during the day; small moments of calm in the midst of a financial storm. For it is a storm. The King’s Financial Task Force reports a $1.1 million shortfall this year, and states $500,000 is still needed in extra revenues or savings in 2014/2015. The chaplain’s demeanour is calm, but how will the chapel fair during the tough decisions ahead? Is it a foundational tradition that will continue to uphold the school, or has the time come to let go?
Barton is not the only student to seek and find community in the chapel. Natasha Conde, chapel co-ordinator, says each year approximately 275 first year students participate in a chapelsponsored program like a hike, retreat, potluck, free concert or volunteer opportunity.
The Atlantic School of Theology took over the instruction of Anglican priests at King’s in 1971. At that point the chapel took on a new identity formed by the intellectual community of the Foundation Year Program. Thorne says, “what was established had the same sort of universal character that was for all people, at all times.” In 2009 the Diocesan council rated university chaplaincy as a low-priority for funding, and in 2011 stopped paying Thorne’s salary. King’s took on that cost to maintain the chaplaincy position. The chapel provides the space and activities that put philosophy into practice and in doing so creates community on campus. “I know some students who build tremendous friendships through that community,” says Nick Hatt, dean of students. “I would say that’s probably the biggest gift that the chapel makes for students on a regular basis.”
George Cooper, the university president, says that examined from a purely fiscal standpoint, the chapel’s choir draws a lot of attention to the university. “We don’t believe (the choir) costs money at all,” he says. “In fact, it’s at the very worst revenue neutral, but we think it’s actually more than that.”
Community isn’t just a nice word, it’s part of the King’s mandate. In the 1993 governing document “The Role of the University,” the college charges itself not only to teach the culmination of Western thought, but also to “stimulate concentrated reflection upon it,” and stresses the importance of “community and active participation, which has always been a great strength of the College.” Take Will Barton for example. He graduated in 2013 with a degree in
According to Cooper, the choir has a net cost of $60,000, and maintains a group of about 20 dedicated students, so the school’s commitment level to the chapel is strong. Not much is sacred during budget cuts however, and nothing is off the chopping block. But the chaplain says he isn’t worried. Thorne says the chapel is used to facing pressure. In fact, he doesn’t mind it. “I think the chapel always should have to give an account of itself,” he says with a smile, “and I think that’s a good thing.” |w
Photo: Leah Gerber 14 | the watch
A view on our current environment Elizabeth May was in town last month to promote her new book at King’s and to give a lecture at Dalhousie.
H
er visit was none too soon, as the environmental situation in Canada grows more and more dire by the day. The number of protected bodies of water in Canada has been slashed significantly, the climate policy is non-existent and the threat of destruction of ecosystems is ever-present. There is an urgent need for action to be taken at a federal level to get Canada back on track in terms of sustainable development and environmental support. Elizabeth May says the degradation of environmental policies and the current government are intrinsically linked. She says, “For Canadians, the most important thing to do is replace Stephen Harper. We need a government committed to real climate action. We’re climate villains gone rogue, so it’ll take a lot of work.” Despite widespread public protests to pipeline projects like Kinder Morgan and Energy East, the federal government has demonstrated interest in supporting them. In the case of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines, British Columbia’s Liberal government expressed official opposition, while the federal government has gone ahead and approved the plans. This demonstrates, at a federal level, the interest of communities is secondary to economic gain. Energy East is the largest pipeline proposal to date in Canada, and would produce the same about carbon output as seven million cars. It would cross six provinces, disrupting countless ecosystems, waterways and communities. In addition, the National Energy Board is disregarding climate change as a possible impact of the project. The impacts of the construction would be catastrophic,
as there is a glaring lack of any regulations on Canada’s oil and gas industry. In regards to a federal level green plan, May says, “Harper has destroyed all climate policy. He has taken apart most environmental laws, so no, we don’t have a green plan.” Indeed, the current Conservative party government lead by Harper has made sizeable budgets cuts to Environment Canada. This severely impedes their ability to function as they have in the past, forcing cuts to important regulation programs and fire a significant number of the research staff. Communication between publicly funded scientists has also been monitored heavily, as they must go through departmental communications officers as opposed to directly sending scientific information to their colleagues. This restriction makes it significantly harder for climate experts to show their findings to other scientists, as well as makes it nearly impossible to share new discoveries with the public. King’s also lacks any sort of standardized environmental policy. While facilities decisions are made with sustainability in mind, something more is necessary to enact lasting and binding change. Without enforced rules, it’s difficult to ensure that sustainable standards will be met. Recalling her own experiences as a law student at Dalhousie May says, “It’s a different level of discussion now at universities. I am strongly in favour of and grateful for any students at Dalhousie working on the divestment campaign. It’s very important to get universities and all institutions to divest all their fossil fuels assets, even though we’re making money on them they’re killing the planet.”
By Paisley Conrad
Divestment of university endowments from the fossil fuel industry would send a strong message to both the oil and gas companies and the government. Once it’s shown the public is serious about moving away from unsustainable energy practices, maybe then change will be enacted at a federal level. Information on whether King’s has stakes in the fossil fuel industry is unavailable. Interest in the topic of sustainability is alive and well on campus, however, as a small group of students drove down to New York to walk in the People’s Climate March on Sept. 21. An estimated 400,000 people marched. May herself was one of the participants in the march, alongside United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio. In addition there were approximately 270,000 international participants in 162 countries, including Canada. Halifax’s Climate March brought around 400 locals out to show their solidarity and commitment to climate change. May remains hopeful for the future because “we still have time to make the changes we need to in regards to climate policy. I’m optimistic, because as long as there’s time, and particularly people who care about those issues, if they’re willing to get involved and educate others, and vote. The key elements are to stay involved and drag other people along with you.” If the human race wants any sort of future on this planet, we’ll have to start behaving as if we intend on continuing our lives on Earth. |w
Photo: Nick Holland the watch | 15
Eighth Floor of the LSC (Life Sciences Centre) 1355 Oxford Street
Noisy? Depending on who’s there it could be ) or )))
Out the elevator and on your left there’s a small space with five desks, one table and a few couches, close to the green house.
Thirsty and Hungry? You’ll need to come prepared with snacks and drinks if you plan on staying for a while. Though there is a Tim Horton’s on the second floor of the building, it’s almost always busy.
Here but nowhere else: The floor to ceiling windows gives you the best view of the peninsula.
Sir James Dunn Law Library 6061 University Avenue The Law Library offers the silence of the Killam, without the anxious feeling of thousands of students cramming in one building.
7 STUDY PLACE
Noisy? ) Thirsty and Hungry? There’s nothing offered at the library but the Student Union Building is close enough that you can take a 10-minute study break if needed.
Here but nowhere else: Peaceful quiet with lots of light and big tables. Just Us! 5896 Spring Garden Rd This cafe abides by its slogan saying, “People and the planet before profits.” A member owned co-op close to campus with lots of seating and something for everyone. Here but nowhere else: A huge table that is amazing for group projects, and if you’re lucky you can snag one of the rooms with its own door upstairs.
Noisy? ))) Thirsty? Their iced mocha’s are delish, and the coffee itself is good and reliable. A glass of cold apple cider is as fresh as it gets on warm days. Hungry? Cookies, bagels and samosas, with friendly staff to deliver it to you.
Humani-T Cafe 1451 South Park St. Open mic Tuesdays, great music, incredible homemade gelato and friendly staff. They also offer a 10 per cent discount for students. Here but nowhere else: Open late until 11 p.m. on weeknights.
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Noisy? )))
Thirsty? Try one of their 100 variations of tea. Hungry? With gelato, fresh sandwiches, vegan and gluten free soups, there is something for everyone to eat. They sell fresh bread and desserts as well. Everybody needs a piece of carrot cake to hammer through the last 20 pages of Dante’s Inferno.
ES IN HALIFAX
By Caora McKenna Wired Monk 5147 Morris St. Famous for their organic and Canadian roasted coffee, boasting fresh lunch and breakfast made all day, and an impressive list of hot drinks from the Cowboy to the Lethal Buzz, Wired Monk offers a rich atmosphere that pairs well with FYP readings and Hegel papers. Noisy? ))) Trident Booksellers and Cafe 1256 Hollis St. It feels like sitting at the front window in your living room. Trident pairs a classic cafe with a hand picked second hand book store for a cozy homey feel.
Map hand-drawn by Maxime Gordon Lion & Bright 2534 Agricola St This rustic cafe, eatery and wine bar goes from student’s haven to vibrant night life before the sun is finished setting. Work zones are set up as which are also group work friendly and come with outlets. Here but nowhere else: Full service bar while you study because everyone needs a beer to get through Hegel or fruit fly mutations.
Here but nowhere else: There are shelves of books to flip through, while taking a break, and a sweet spot by the front window where you can see the water if you look close enough.
Thirsty? Try the peach smoothie because people don’t give peaches enough credit. Hungry? They have muffins, banana bread, squares and samosas as well as a lunch and breakfast menu that’s offered all day. Also try their fresh salads, wraps and sandwiches made to order!
Noisy? )) Thirsty? High quality specialty coffee drinks and freshly ground coffee beans, and you get your tea in a pot. Hungry? Try their small selection of scones, muffins and sweet treats.
Noisy? ))))) Thirsty? The Chai Latte is excellent, along with plenty other favourites. Such as hot chocolate, organic apple cider, organic teas, Bulwark’s Cider, Uncle Leo’s Red Ale and North Brewery’s “Saison”. Hungry? Local Source Catering and Bakery next door offers fresh groceries or hand made meals. Hot pies, grilled cheeses, soups and salads and daily lunch specials.
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LIBRARY ETIQUETT With Colleen Earle
It’s getting to that time of year where the handful of students who have been using the library since September are joined by hoards of crammers and last-minute essay writers. Here are some fun tips for our new friends to help to navigate the acceptable behavior for the library:
. . . . . . .
The light switches turn the lights on and off. Turn off the lights after you get your books. Likewise, if you’re going to sit in one of the middle sections in the basement and someone else is already there, ask before you turn on the overhead lights. Ask before you sit at a table where someone else is sitting. It’s only polite.
Try to move your chairs quietly. They’re really effective at breaking concentration. Take your conversation outside the library. I can hear your “quiet” whispers from a mile away. If you want to host a study group, there’s a room you can book upstairs. Don’t eat your food in the library. There are reasons why we have the Annex: wrappers are loud (and you’re actually not allowed to eat in the library).
These are just some tips. There could be more – there probably are more. Use your manners and common sense, and please respect the quiet work space we all value. |w
Photo: Nick Holland
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@KINGSNEWSHFX PRESENTS: MONTHLY HOROSCOPES Just when we thought our favourite mysterious Twitter user had moved on to better things, they suddenly return out of the blue. But this time they’re here to let you know what your future
ARIES
A few weeks ago T-Pain, the king of auto-tune, performed an acoustic set for a radio station. He killed it - and he did it without the use of the effect that made him famous. This month, Aries, you’re going to do something amazing, without your usual gimmick.
GEMINI
Have you ever seen the Jim Carrey movie, “The Truman Show”? Carrey stars as Truman, who doesn’t know he’s been the star of a reality TV soap opera his entire life. Imagine living your entire life without knowing that every event you encounter was orchestrated by a TV production crew. Guess what Gemini? You’re living life like that right now. So, it’s time for you to take control, instead of letting it happen to you. Also, avoid drinking PBR in the Wardroom.
LEO
Sometimes the sky is blue, sometimes it’s grey, sometimes water falls out of it. Like the author of this horoscope, the sky is full of shit. Don’t listen to it. Have a kickass day, whatever the weather. You should do your laundry on Tuesday, though.
LIBRA Bad shit gonna happen. Regular exercise, ameliorated with ice cream binging may help.
SAGITTARIUS
Sagittarius, you heinous man/lady/gender-neutral-beast. Have you thought about your future? What is your bald human torso going to do when it gets cold outside? Have you even thought about getting a new pair of horseshoes? Sag, you need to think about the future.
AQUARIUS
Ever since you were in preschool, Aquarius, you’ve been told to just be yourself. How is that working for you? It obviously isn’t, or you wouldn’t be looking at a horoscope for self help. So, this month, try not being yourself. Do some completely different, off-the-wall stuff. Unless you’re an off-the-wall person, then try being normal. Also, don’t use any of the water fountains in the NAB.
TAURUS
Ayn Rand’s objectivist philosophy lets libertarians believe unrestrained selfishness and not paying taxes is good for their community. This is untrue, but their unflattering belief in a flawed philosophy allows them to do what they want. So this month, Taurus, believe in your own bullshit, even if it’s incorrect. You might be happier because of it.
CANCER
A lot of things happened last month, Cancer. Now it’s time to pull a winter and chill out. You’re overextending yourself. It’s time to do NOTHING. Say “no” to everyone and do nothing. Don’t even watch Netflix or relax, because those are both things to do. OH, and only ascend the A&A staircase on the coburg-side of the stairs.
VIRGO
The leaves changing colour in the fall is breathtakingly beautiful, but guess what Virgo? Those leaves are DYING. No one cares, though, because the leaves will come back in the spring. Maybe you should apply this live and let die mentality to your own life, Virgo. It’s hard to let things go, but seriously, there’s nothing you can do about it.
SCORPIO Average. Everything is so average. You’re at equilibrium right now and trying to alter your place will only bring you closer to the center. You could be angry that life can’t get any better, Scorpio, but you should be happy because it could be much worse.
CAPRICORN
It’s the little things that make the difference. Your bed feels nicer with freshly laundered sheets. The first meal you make after buying groceries is the most delicious. So this month, Capricorn, when you can’t handle the big picture, focus on the little things. The universe tends to unfold as it should.
PISCES
Y’know what Pisces? Just do the work. Get it done. This week you may feel like you’re writing uninspired horoscopes on a deadline. That’s ok - just grind it out.
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