Spring 2016 by The Watch

the watch Spring 2016

A LACKING PRESENCE ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

INTERNET TROLLS FOOD & DRINK REVIEWS

WHO IS THE WATCH?

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EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

ONLINE EDITOR

PUBLISHING BOARD

SOPHIE ALLEN-BARRON NICK HOLLAND

EMMA JONES

ZOË BRIMACOMBE ADRIENNE COLBORNE GRACE KENNEDY AIDAN McNALLY GWENDOLYN MONCRIEFF-GOULD JOHN SANDHAM TERRA TAILLEUR MELINA ZACCARIA

CONTRIBUTORS

PUBLISHER

HANNAH DALEY AVI JACOB ERIN McINTOSH KRISTEN THOMPSON

GRACE KENNEDY

TREASURER JOHN SANDHAM

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

COPY EDITOR

ASHLEY CORBETT

REBECCA HUSSMAN

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EDITORS’ NOTE

Well, this is it. Our last editors’ note (insert sad face emoji here.) We gotta say, you learn a lot when taking over as co-editor of a publication. Hunting for talented writers, meeting deadlines and designing a magazine were something we wanted to become familiar with two years ago. It’s hard to believe the second half of our undergraduate studies is done; it’s hard to believe that’s all coming to an end. Our goal was the improve The Watch in any way we could, whether it was adding different content that attracted readers, creating a design that was stylish yet simple, or having a little fun with some of the stories we did (i.e. beer reviews or the best places in town to grab a coffee.) As an editor, there are so many stories you oversee. Some stories are so serious, you have to gather everything you’ve learned in journalism school and write the story yourself. In the span of two years at King’s, The Watch has reported on a major school deficit, students protesting a tuition increase, students protesting rape culture, the death of a student. In news, anything can come your way. We certainly figured that out quickly while working on this magazine. And we certainly hope we reported those stories properly to inform you about what’s happening on campus. It’s been a blast. Thank you.

Sophie & Nick

‘Print Is Dead’ has become everyone’s first thought when they see a newspaper stand. There seems to be an inescapable feeling of quaintness to the physical news, as if the industry doesn’t realize that they’re producing relics. But the magazine has a place in our modern world. In an age of instant access to everything and information overload, print media is a blast from the past, just not in the way we’re used to thinking. Yes, print is a slower medium in a faster world. Yet, that can be an advantage. When done right, longer articles mean more in-depth coverage. The slower time frame can mean a more complete picture. The art of journalism is a big part of what The Watch means to us and is a concept we hope to explore and develop during our time as editors. Journalism plays a vital role in our community, even as it changes and journalism students are being discouraged from entering the field. In all, The Watch is meant to be a discussion of ideas, a sharing of happenings, and a way to connect King’s students to stories that matter to them. Each month, we’ll be dishing up such stories, and we’d love for you to be a part of the conversation. Together we’ll build another layer of King’s community, and show why print is still breathing after all. We want to express our absolutely joy and excitement to be The Watch’s new Editors-in-Chief and thank you for letting our magazine be a part of your world. Love,

Avi and Morgan o o o o o 02

IN THIS ISSUE: VOL. 33 NO. 6 Cover Photo: Nick Holland/The Watch

ONE KING’S STUDENT SAYS THE SCHOOL NEEDS TO MAKE ITS SITE BETTER — A LOT BETTER

ONE KING’S STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE WITH NASTY INTERNET COMMENTS

BELOW SOCIAL MEDIA STANDARDS

THE PERILS OF PUBLISHING ONLINE

THE PEOPLE YOU ELECTED FOR A POSITION OF POWER

WHAT GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES YOU SHOULD GO FOR

MEET YOUR NEW KSU EXECUTIVES

SNACK ON THESE RATING

THE CHEAPEST BEER IN TOWN IS STRAIGHT OUT OF THE WARDROOM

THE CHANGES HAPPENING INSIDE THE WATCH

REVIEWS ON TAP

PUBLISHER’S YEAR IN REVIEW

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. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people not be warned; if the sword come, 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

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BELOW SOCIAL MEDIA STANDARDS

One King’s student says the school needs to make its site better — a lot better

by Erin McIntosh

When choosing which university you want to spend four years of your life at, how important is its social media presence?

because it’s expensive” she said. “So if I can get an experience of the school from the media as much as possible, that would have made my life so much easier in choosing.”

For Itai Kuwodza, it was all she had.

She says the campus pictures and black and white drawings available on the website don’t help sell the school.

Kuwodza is a first-year student from Harare, Zimbabwe. As an international student, she knew nothing about Halifax. She found the University of King’s College after doing some research on Canadian schools, but thought the school’s image was poorly reflected online. “My main thing with King’s is the website,” she said. “The school website doesn’t really ‘wow’ you. It’s just information. If I was judging on how the school looks, and I was going through websites, I would not pick King’s.”

“I think it’s a disservice to the school. We got here and my mom was like, ‘Wow this place is really nice and they should put it up (on their website),’” Kuwodza said. Zaa Nkweta, the graduate recruitment coordinator at King’s, says the university’s online presence isn’t as big as he would like it to be.

Kuwodza says the website is boring and she thinks King’s can “step that up.”

Currently, six per cent of King’s students are international. Nkweta would like to see that number climb to 25, saying we need “to give our students the best education that they can get for themselves and to allow them to navigate the world.”

She wanted to go to school in the United States, but when her mother heard about school shootings there, Kuwodza had to look elsewhere.

There are two approaches to recruiting students from outside of Canada: looking at the United States and looking outside the United States.

She looked at universities across Canada, but when she got in contact with administration at King’s, her decision was made.

Nkewta will travel to schools in the States based on what they offer and what the schools’ scores are in English and liberal arts. This in-person form of recruitment is done around Canada as well. However, Nkweta says things are more difficult for recruitment outside of North America because he cannot travel there.

“It felt like people really wanted me to come here. People always kept in touch… they replied like that,” she said, snapping her fingers. Kuwodza knew King’s was where she wanted to end up and after emailing back and forth with administration. She had a basic understanding of the King’s experience. “I knew that the school was really small, which was great because I like small universities anyways,” Kuwodza said. “I knew it was very prestigious, and basically that on campus it’s more of a first year kind of vibe, which I thought was really cool.” But Kuwodza was left wondering what the reality of King’s would be. “I can’t come here for an open house until I’ve committed... o o o o o 04

Usually, a student will strike up a conversation with Nkweta by expressing interest in King’s — sometimes via Facebook. From there, Nkweta uses email to offer guidance and answer questions. King’s has a limited social media presence. Given the school’s tight budget and limited resources, recruitment relies on advertisements on Google and Facebook. Nkweta hopes that King’s will find the funds to join larger social media platforms, placing King’s at an international level. “You can’t put all your eggs in the digital,” Nkweta said. “You also have to balance it with standing in front of someone, in their schools, speaking to them face to face.” |w

Itai Kuwodza says Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s should up its social media game Photo: Nick Holland/The Watch

Libby Schofield had her dose of Internet hate Photo: Sophie Allen-Barron/The Watch

THE PERILS OF PUBLISHING ONLINE One King’s student’s experience with nasty Internet comments

by Sophie Allen-Barron

Imagine: you get a Facebook request from someone you don’t know. You don’t recognize the name, or you think you do but aren’t quite sure where you might have met them. You click through to their profile, maybe out of curiosity, or to figure out who they are.

The page downloaded and re-uploaded the video, titling it “Insane Feminist Fears The Patriarchy” and sharing it with their over 40,000 followers. By Schofield’s count, when she saw the post it had over 100,000 views and about 300 comments.

You open their page and the first thing you see is... your face?

“I immediately had this kind of sick feeling in my stomach, because that’s not one of the things I expected to happen,” she says.

It happened to Libby Schofield. She’s a second year English and gender and women’s studies student who’s been writing and publishing creative work for years, both in print and online.

While some of the people who shared the video were sharing it because they liked it, many of the comments were of the sort she had feared.

“All my online experiences have been within these safe communities, of my Facebook friends, and my Twitter followers who are really great people. I’ve never had trolls,” says Schofield.

She scrolled through them and saw people refer to her as a “bitch”, or make disparaging comments about her appearance. She says the most memorable comment was someone hoping she “get stabbed.”

At least, she hadn’t until this February. On Valentine’s Day, Schofield uploaded a video to her Youtube channel called “Get Home Safe”. The text of a poem she wrote appears on screen in time with a recording of her reading it.

She says many of the commenters seemed offended.

The poem was designed as a response to the experience of her male friends’ near automatic response to offer to walk her home. “Get home safe,” it repeats. “Because there’s a chance I won’t/because after dark in this public place I’m already guilty if I walk home alone too late,” the poem says. “It’s never a bad intention,” Schofield says. “Just the fact that it (the narrative of women needing an escort) exists is what bothers me.” Schofield set her two minute, 40-second-long baby out into the world, where it’s since racked up over 1,100 views. In an attempt to avoid unkind messages, she disabled the comments. It wasn’t until about two weeks later, when she got the strange friend request, that she realized how big of an impact the video had. The person she clicked on had shared the video from a Facebook page called Post Tumblr Stress Disorder.

“It was like my expression of feeling unsafe, or sharing the experience of feeling unsafe as a woman was threatening to their masculinity.” Schofield says that while the comments were upsetting, it was that her video was taken and re-uploaded that bothered her. She shared the link on her social media platforms and asked her friends to report it to Facebook. By the end of the month, the post was gone. While the experience was unexpected, Schofield says she’s undeterred. Seeing people aggressively denounce her message has only lit her creative fire. “Reading all these comments like ‘feminism is stupid’ and ‘I hope you die because you told me you feel unsafe and that threatens my masculinity’... I think all those kinds of comments validate what I want to do, which is continue to write and make content that critiques the way society teaches us to think.” |w

07 o o o o o

MEET YOUR NEW KSU EXECUTIVES The people you elected for a position of power

by John Sandham

PRESIDENT - AIDAN M C NALLY

“I’d like to see an increase in KSU-run events. I think that we do a lot of great work and a lot of that work can be very reactionary, depending on the situation. But I think, in line with helping students and empowering students to do the incredible work that happens on campus, there are a lot of hard skills and workshops that we can offer.”

VP, FINANCIAL - ZOË BRIMACOMBE

“One of the main things I’m going to be working on… is fighting the first $500 increase to FYP tuition that’s going to be coming forward this year. That’s one thing I hope to accomplish, is to not let that increase go through.”

VP, EXTERNAL - GINA GRATTAN

“I’d work a lot with issues that are not only super important to talk about on campus, but also issues that are talked about in the community and in society as a whole. Things like bringing a better consent culture to campus, and working with FVP and other students on fighting for the tuition freeze.”

VP, STUDENT LIFE - BRENNAN M C CRACKEN

“One of the things I’d like to change about society training is that I would like to add anti-oppression training to society training because societies are responsible for creating so many different events and spaces here on the King’s campus, and as the KSU oversees all the work that societies do… I’d like to make sure that those events are as safe as they can possibly be, and I don’t want any students to feel that they can’t go to a certain society event because that society isn’t very inclusive.”

VP, COMMUNICATIONS - JULIA-SIMONE RUTGERS

“I want to see an increased sense of unity between the union and its members. I think that there’s lapses in communication between what the union is doing and what the membership sees, knows, and becomes involved in. I want to make the activities of the union better understood and encourage the membership to be active in their school community.”

BOG REPRESENTATIVE - LIAM COMPTON

“I’d really like to see open board meetings. I think that they’re something we’re getting really close to already. In moving towards that, I’d also like to see more people get involved in this kind of thing. And so I really want to engage people in the community so that people are aware of what’s happening and how their input

BOG REPRESENTATIVE - CURRAN M C CONNELL

“I think that the relationship between the board and the student body is not really great right now because as much as the current representatives on the board and the president have been doing a great job for this whole year, they are the only portal through which ordinary students can view what is happening in the board. Regular students can’t just see how the board does its work, and I think that’s critical. I want to see an open board because I think that’s basic to any kind of accountability.”

SNACK ON THESE RATINGS

What grilled cheese sandwiches you should go for in the Galley

by Kristen Thompson

The Classic – 3.5/5

The Dorm – 4/5

The Herbivore – 4/5

The Margarita – 4.5/5

The Davis – 5/5

The Winter Special – 3/5

Don’t be fooled by the name, because this grilled cheese is far from classic. What one would normally consider a classic (cheese + bread) is taken to a whole new level when adding garlic and caramelized onions. I found that the sweetness of the onions really paired well the cheese creating an amazing balance of sweet and savoury. My only problem with this one would be there they really like to load on the onions, which can over power the beauty that is the garlic spread, but if you’re the kind person that really loves your onions, this is the one for you!

This grilled cheese is totally loaded with great veggies that will fool your brain into thinking that you’re eating healthier than you actually are. The sammie is mixed with mushrooms, onions, garlic, tomatoes and a “classic seasonal veg” which make a great option for all of our vegetarian friends out there! Be warned though, this one is a mess, and you will definitely end up with it all over your shirt (or at least I did), I recommend bringing a bib.

This one’s for all my meat lovers out there! If you’re looking for a greasy (in a good way) way to get rid of a hangover, or even just something to fill you up, this is your guy. The Davis is basically the classic with a twist, sausages, which really introduces a whole new level in the Galley-grilled-cheeseworld. I would have to say out of all the options, this one was definitely my favourite, and I’m sorry to all the non-meat eaters out there because you’re truly missing out. Next time you miss a Sodexo meal, or forget to being food to class, run on down and grab one! It’s just too gouda!

o o o o o 10

I’m thinking that the thought behind naming this grilled cheese was the fact that you can only afford these ingredients when living in the dorms (bah bum chh). This beauty is what I would consider to be more of a traditional grilled cheese, with warm and crispy bread and melted and stringy cheese. I felt the like the cheese to bread ratio was perfect on this one, meaning they really like to load on the cheese. I would recommend this as more of an appetizer for a second grilled cheese, as it isn’t very filling at all.

I was very excited for this one due to the fact that I love margarita pizza. I found this one to be very light on the stomach and not too difficult to eat, meaning you could eat two or three before feeling full. I think the basil is what really takes the cake on this one, it makes the sandwich rich and really draws out the flavours of the cheese and the tomatoes.

I’m definitely the kind of person who likes a savoury grilled cheese so I was kind of thrown off by how sweet this one ends up being. When adding apple and sprouts to the mix, it kinds of takes away from the fact that you’re eating a grilled cheese and more feeling like you’re eating some sort of French sandwich. I would consider this to be more of a dessert-grilled cheese that you would eat after finishing up the Davis. |w

Photo: Nick Holland/The Watch

Photo: Avi Jacob/The Watch

REVIEWS ON TAP

The cheapest beer in town is straight out of the Wardroom

by Avi Jacob

The Wardroom, day and night, is a gathering place. King’s students and their guests can meet, chat, read and study. Each and every King’s student knows that the Wardy is the place to go — whether young or old, drinking or not. There is however, one difference between the day and the night in the Wardy. After 8 p.m. (4 p.m. on Fridays), the lights come up behind the bar and the taps start flowing. When you come down those stairs to grab a drink, the choices are just beginning. Seven taps, seven beers. Which one do you choose? Lucky for you, I’m here to help.

Martello Stout

Grab a pint of this while you still can. Garrison’s Martello Stout is seasonal and just like the cold winter air, it will soon be swapped out for a summer IPA. This is a beer that you get for the flavour. It’s rich, dark and wholly filling. In the last few weeks of sweater weather, grab a pint of this and curl up in one of the Wardy’s cozy corners with a good book. It will make you wish winter would last forever.

Fin du Monde

Drinkers beware! From Unibroue in Quebec, this one packs a punch. At nine per cent you’d think La Fin Du Monde would be one strong tasting beer, but one sip and you’ll think the bartender made a mistake. “Um, excuse me. I asked for the one with 9% alcohol content. This is juice.” Therein lies the danger. The Fin Du Mont is sweet with hints of fruit, malt, spice and a whole lot of sugar. If you’re new to beer or even an old hater willing to give it another try, grab a pint of this. Maybe just one though.

Tall Ship

This is classic Garrison. At the end of a long week, when you’re done thinking about school and work, A pitcher of Tall Ship with two or three of your friends will set you sailing smoothly into the weekend. This beer is a safe bet. It’s light refreshing taste won’t disappoint. If you’re looking for something to pass around during early happy hour, this is the one. It’s made for pitchers.

Irish Red

Even if you aren’t originally from Halifax, Garrison’s Irish Red tastes like home. It’s easy to drink; smooth and just a little sweet while still holding on to that classic english inspired bitter feel. While not overpowering in flavour, it’s never bland. If you’ve tried the Tall Ship and want something with a little more personality, the Red might be for you.

PBR

We all know those three letters: P.B.R.. Pabst Blue Ribbon. Pretty Basic Refreshment. Party Bro Requirement. Need I say more? PBR is PBR. This is not to say it doesn’t have its time and place. If you and your whole crew are in the mood to pass around a couple of pitchers throughout the night, PBR is the way to go. It’s light, cold and just the thing for large groups. When you order this one from the tap, there are no surprises with what comes out.

Honey Brown

Beer tap, beer tap on the wall, who’s the smoothest of them all? Sleeman’s Honey Brown is nothing short of a good choice. It’s just an all around nice beer. Watching this one pour out of the tap is almost as enjoyable as drinking it. It’s bright amber colour is a testament to how warm the flavour is. Rich but light, sweet yet dry. Winter, summer or in between, the Honey Brown has got you covered.

Bulwark Cider

There is nothing quite like cider on tap. At the Wardy, the newest addition to the menu is the Bulwark Cider — locally made with Nova Scotian apples. If you’re truly thirsty, this should be your number one choice. I know what you’re thinking: “Cider isn’t beer! It’s sugary and sweet.” To that I say, give the Bulwark a try. It’s not too sweet. It’s cold, crisp and very dry. The apple flavour, while strong, is subtle enough to keep you lifting your pint for another sip. This is the gluten free option on tap. But everyone, gluten free or otherwise, should give it a try on one of those warm spring days to come. |w

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PUBLISHER’S YEAR IN REVIEW The changes happening inside The Watch

by Grace Kennedy The editors at The Watch have a hard job. Month after month they toil over the words and photos that make up each issue of our magazine. They slave over InDesign files and CP Stylebooks. The Watch’s contributors’ also have a hard job. Out of nothing, they must conjure up the words and images that form the framework of our magazine. Without these people, our magazine would not exist. Their hard work is tangible in every glossy cover that is picked up throughout our school.

tion process was ironed out. We also made the constitution grammatically correct, which is important for a journalism publication. You all have rights under our new constitution. Before, our constitution only recognized contributors as having rights. Now, all King’s students can review our finances, vote on constitutional changes and decide whether an executive member was improperly impeached.

But The Watch isn’t only dependent on these people. There must also be documents – boring, detailed documents. When they are working well, they are invisible. When they aren’t, our publication flounders.

We’re more accountable. Under our new constitution, honouraria will be reviewed every two years by an external committee. This includes the executive honouraria and our contributor payments, both of which used to be decided by the treasurer and publisher.

This year, we focused on these documents: fixing ones that had become decrepit over time and creating new ones where none existed.

We will be bringing this constitution to a General Meeting at the end of March. In an exercise of your new voting rights, you will be able to vote on the changes we’ve made.

The Constitution

The Code of Ethics

Over the years, our constitution has become disconnected from our practices. Last year, the separation between practice and policy intensified as the KSU brought forward a document from 2001.

I’ve tried many ways to start this section, but there is no good way to say it: journalism publications need a code of ethics, and we didn’t have one.

This old agreement between The Watch and the KSU outlined how the Publishing Board should work; our constitution had a different view of the Publishing Board. With these two documents in conflict — and neither one proven to be more current — our levy was at a standstill. The resulting struggle extended over the course of the year. We needed a new constitution. This year, with the help of Gwendolyn Moncrieff-Gould and Adrienne Colborne, we were able to make one. Here are some important things you should know about it: It just makes sense. Although we’ve added some new policies, the constitutional overhaul mostly consisted of making the document match our practices. The descriptions of the executive positions include what we actually do; the eleco o o o o 14

Many of our writers are young journalists who are not completely familiar with ethical journalism. Some of our writers are not journalists at all, and have never seen a code of ethics. By creating our own code and making it accessible on our website, we are making sure everyone has the opportunity to do ethical work. By developing our own code of ethics, and not borrowing one from another news organization, we are making sure it is applicable to the challenges faced by our reporters.

Photo: Flickr/Petra Bensted

to get in touch email:

watcheditors@gmail.com