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January 21, 2016
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NEWS
Roadkill themed conference brings writers together at the U of S KEIGHLAGH DONOVAN News Editor
From Jan. 21–23, University of Saskatchewan students, faculty and staff, along with the general public, are invited to take part in a series of events which aim to promote the arts community within Saskatchewan and increase opportunities for writers of all levels and genres. This will be the sixth installment of the Writing North conference, featuring published authors and artists from across the country, including keynote speaker Dave Bidini, Canadian musician, filmmaker and author. This year’s theme is “Roadkill” and will feature presentations surrounding life journeys and road trips, among other generally related topics as interpreted by the authors. The conference will span three days this year, beginning with a fundraiser at The Woods Alehouse for Sage Hill Writing, a local arts company that provides professional development opportunities for writers at all stages of their careers. Jeanette Lynes, director of the master’s of fine arts in writing program at the U of S and member of the English department’s research, scholarly and artistic work committee, speaks to the value of this
type of programming. “There’s a sizable social dimension to Writing North each of the nights; it’s the kind of event where you can just kind of hang out and socialize, and meet authors and other writers,” Lynes said. While the event is a collaboration between sponsors such as the U of S Department of English, the College of Arts and Science and the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild, among others, many students are also playing roles to make the conference a success. According to Lynes, several students in the MFA program are involved this year from social media maintenance and promotion to book table management and general onsite production assistance. “The work behind the
scenes to propagate a culture in the arts is quite considerable and once you have been behind the scenes in organizing arts events, I think you really develop an appreciation for the rigor and energy that people are willing to expend to bring people in the arts together,” Lynes said. The remaining events will be held at Louis’ Loft and include four featured authors: Brad Fraser, nationally-renowned playwright from Vancouver, Donna Kane, successful poet, essayist and short-fiction writer, Saskatoon-born Lee Henderson, a graphic novelist, and dee Hobsbawn-Smith, writer-in-residence at the Saskatoon Public Library. “We always try to have a range of literary genres, every year we usually have a play-
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wright, a poet, a fiction writer, sometimes we have a nonfiction writer. We try to take genre into account, we also try to have a gender balance. We’re always trying to have diversity in our selection,” Lynes said. Tracy Hamon, program manager at the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild and fellow event co-ordinator, has been involved with the conference since its inaugural year in 2010 and believes this is a unique opportunity for the campus community. “It’s beneficial to students — especially the Saturday craft talks [on Jan. 23] — because you are learning from writers that are out there making a living as a professional writer, tips and tricks about writing, the craft of
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writing, about their genre, how they go about getting out there and making their work known, how they create the work and so it is a different sort of thing than just sitting in the classroom and reading a book and learning about the book,” Hamon said. Not only are attendees treated to an experience promoting a community passionate about words and writing, but there will also be free food and refreshments during the reception both nights, which Lynes points out is a bonus for artists and students alike. “I think that conferences like this are an excellent way to link the university to the wider community and collaborations like the one we have with the Saskatchewan Arts Board is really important as well. You get a critical mass of writers and artists, and it creates energy. I think that it’s a way to inspire writers to keep going,” Lynes said. Hamon echoes Lynes, and as a published poet she insists that the conference is only one of several ways young writers can bolster their writing goals and build on that inspiration. “You have to realize that if that’s the path you want to take, then make sure you go to readings, take workshops, it doesn’t matter what genre the workshop is sometimes, you just have to get out there, you have to network, you’ve got to meet people, you’ve got to make yourself into that writer.”
The mission of the Sheaf is to inform and entertain students by addressing those issues that are relevant to life on campus, in the city, or in the province. The newspaper serves as a forum for discussion on a wide range of issues that concern students. Written for students by students, the staff of editors, photographers, and artists collaborate with volunteers as studentjournalists to produce a product with relevance to the university community. With each composition, the Sheaf stays in touch with students on the U of S campus. It provides unique insight to university issues through a student perspective.
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january 21, 2016
NEWS
More than just a place to stay: College Quarter looks to continue expansion EMILY MIGCHELS Students at the University of Saskatchewan can expect to see more development in College Quarter come spring, and along with that process will come new opportunities to have their voices heard and to input ideas. The U of S has been progressing in the development of College Quarter since plans for the space emerged in 2009. Further growth in this area is coming soon, with plans to join with the private sector to provide retail and hotel accommodations, linking campus with the community. The College Quarter Master Plan, released in January 2010, outlines work that has been done in the area as well as what is in store for the future. Plans for College Quarter have won several awards, including the 2011 Canadian Society of Landscape Architects National Honour Award and the Premier’s Award of Merit of the Design Council of Saskatchewan in 2013. Above and beyond these accolades, Judy Yungwirth, director of Corporate Ad-
ministration at the U of S, is confident in the master plan, crediting the production process as a notable contributing factor. “It’s a pretty big document; there was a lot of consultation going into it and it took a long time to create,” Yungwirth said. While the overall collaboration on the project is a significant factor in itself, James Cook, business opportunities manager of Corporate Administration at U of S, believes that students have also played an important role, both in and out of the classroom. According to Cook, over the years student projects have been completed by those studying planning, engineering, as well as environment and sustainability. “The development of the College Quarter Master Plan also included a series of consultations to get student input into the concept, which included the U of S Students’ Union at various stages and also residence students,” Cook said. Plans to move forward in the College Quarter Master Plan include the addition of
a hotel and retail establishments, for which the university is now seeking parties interested in development. “Hopefully you’re going to see a hotel in the spring. We’re working really hard on the plans for a new ice facility and that would be south of the fieldhouse. We’re thinking about establishing our retail village next,” Yungwirth said. A top priority for those involved in the planning process has been the integration of campus within Saskatoon. “It’s the connection between the university and the community, so it should provide a really wide range of uses. It will include student services and recreational facilities; we’re also hoping for some retail opportunities and office space as well as existing residential accommodations. In addition to providing services for students and staff, it also provides for the community. It’s a place where we can come together,” Yungwirth said. Gabe Senecal, vicepresident academic affairs at the USSU, is a fourth-year urban planning student who believes this development is a positive step forward.
“I have been particularly interested in these infrastructure projects. The planning and priorities committee of the university council, which makes a lot of financial and resource decisions at the U of S, had a couple of presentations early in the fall regarding the vision of the general area, which I was very happy to see and happy to give a little bit of feedback to,” Senecal said. Senecal is passionate about the pedestrian-oriented design and believes that its focus on walkways will provide not only convenience for students, but will also play a role in creating a sustainable community within the space. “I’ve advocated strongly for the greenway; I think it’s
a really important thing to keep in mind to create a community in itself in the whole College Quarter area,” Senecal said. Opportunities for student involvement will continue to arise throughout the evolution of College Quarter. Yungwirth encourages students interested in campus recreation to get involved in the process. “We had done consultations before on a recreation plan for this area and we’re probably going to have another round of those in the spring. We want to reconfirm with the campus community through conversations with the students before we take further action.”
Supplied / U of S Corporate Administration
India Student Association celebrates National Youth Day JACK THOMPSON While National Youth Day has been celebrated in India since 1985, for the first time ever on Jan. 15, 2016 the celebration was brought to the University of Saskatchewan, addressing questions of faith and the purpose of human existence. The India Student Association hosted the event in honour of the special day and as a celebration of the Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda. During his lifetime, the monk was an advocate for creating better living conditions for everyone on earth and accepted all forms of faith, not only Hinduism. The event was held in the
Graduate Students' Association Commons on campus and worked to observe Vivekananda’s achievements and ideas. Attendees were treated to two lectures, a discussion period, a song and a screening of one of the monk’s most famous speeches. Arnab Majumdar, ISA cultural secretary and doctoral student of physics at the U of S, speaks to the significance of this type of event. “It's about making the youth aware of our culture and empowering them with knowledge and making them conscious of the role of the ancient scriptures and teachings can actually play in modern life,” Majumdar said. Students were not only exposed to intellectual conver-
Jack Thompson Varun Guar moderated the open discussion on “Mind Over Matter” at National Youth Day.
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sations but were also provided with complimentary refreshments, including samosas. While the event was focused on celebrating the life of Vivekananda, the ISA also demonstrated how society can build on ideas set forth in the past, something that the group promotes year-round. Arnab also wanted to make it clear that the ISA is not a group only for students from India but for all students interested in Indian culture. This group throws several cultural events a year that serve to highlight the diversity and heritage that Indian culture has to offer. Meera Kachroo, doctoral student of religious studies from McGill University, provided the second lecture of the evening. “Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man, and then of course humans, not just man,” Kachroo said. Kachroo broke down the quote, explaining the belief that there is a lofty goal of perfection set out in the world of education. A common goal among university students, according to Kachroo, as ev-
eryone strives to be the best in their field. Kachroo also went on to explain that Vivekananda did not mean to only focus on one's own studies. “With all of his emphasis on focus and concentration, Vivekananda was a harsh critic of only disciplinarian approaches to education. He said that the struggle to obtain outward perfection of knowledge… created nothing more than slaves who were obedient on the outside and completely hollow within,” Kachroo said. With this as a starting point, Kachroo discussed the ideas on education that Vivekananda held, stating that purely focusing on studies could lead to becoming selfish and lonely. Instead, she encourages the idea of university education as more of a character building experience and practice in self-sufficiency. With the event centering around the ideas and teachings of Vivekananda, there was much to cover and as part of the event, a video of the monk’s famous Chicago speech was played. In this speech to the Parliament of the World’s
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Religions in 1893, he not only introduced Hinduism to the world on a large scale, he also spoke on the idea of a world without religious persecution. “Sectarianism, bigotry and it’s horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair," Vivekananda said in the video. He goes on to advocate for the end of "all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.” According to the ISA, these ideas remain relevant within contemporary culture, centuries later. Along with these resonating ideas, Majumdar reminds students that these kind of events hosted by the ISA are for those who wish to learn more about Indian culture, as well as for those who wish to reclaim a culture they may have left behind in order to attend university in Saskatoon.
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NEWS
Psychedelic Circus aims to entertain and enlighten PATTY HAILS In what promises to be a unique, fun and creative evening, the Saskatoon Psychology Students’ Society at the University of Saskatchewan will be hosting its second annual Psychedelic Circus fundraising event on Jan. 23 at Louis’ Pub. The SPSS is putting on its circus-like fundraiser that promises to be much like last year’s event, deemed a success by event organizers Brandon Brown, psychology graduate, and Sarah Nickel, fourth-year psychology major and SPSS president. The objective is to have a fun and artistic gathering where people are free to be themselves. According to the pair, too few opportunities exist to connect in a way that feels authentic. Brown’s idea, with the input of good friend and former U of S engineering student Ryan Cucheran, was to replicate a psychedelic experience minus the drugs. Brown is one of the social directors on the SPSS’s executive committee and spent time on the west coast music festival scene, which inspired his idea for the circus-themed event. “I travelled to the west coast
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and I experienced all the music festivals out west, and I just loved that like, the synchronicity, to use Carl Jung’s idea of a ‘divine coincidence.’ So you can be thinking about something, and then, at a festival like that where everyone’s kind of open to that possibility of something weird happening,” Brown said, referring to this state as a type of “human magic.” The event is open to all U of S students as well as the general public. As for possible benefits, Brown spoke candidly about his history of addiction — he is clean now — and he says research that was conducted in Saskatchewan suggests acid as an effective means of treating addiction. He spoke of the prevalence of substance abuse and addiction among U of S students and he hopes a drug-free psychedelic event might assist people who struggle with such issues. “I was really obsessed with finding a path to curing addiction and I thought I would be really helpful at that with the history of addiction that I had, and going through the west coast psychedelic festival scene was what kind of helped me find new ways of being.” The Psychedelic Circus is exactly what it sounds like: a
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circus that is somewhat experimental and psychedelic without any drugs. The event’s inspiration is virtually limitless. “It’s not just a psychedelic drug. It has to do with also the people that are there and the setting and the culture and the expectation of a religious experience,” Brown said. According to Brown, those factors sometimes culminate in profound inspiring epiphanies, yet the idea’s roots are simple. “It was kind of just trying to bring that west coast psychedelic music festival craziness inside,” he said. Nickel cites the communal
nature of art and the event’s capacity for social engagement as aspects of the festival that she hopes will engender an increasingly cohesive campus community at the U of S. “There’s been a lot of love that’s gone into the event, you know? And lots of passion too,” Nickel said. Nickel describes that love and passion as contagious emotions that are communicable to anyone who becomes involved with the project. “Psychedelic Circus is a place where people can go and… they’ll be accepted as themselves and able to embrace the art,” she said.
The art at Psychedelic Circus is multi-faceted. While some people dress up for the event, Nickel reassures students and attendees alike that they should take the suggestion to do so as merely an option that they themselves have the capacity to define. “It’s not only [a matter of] going to enjoy the art, but almost being a part of it as well.” Proceeds from the event will go in equal parts to the Canadian Mental Health Association, SPSS and a scholarship for psychology students at the U of S. Psychedelic Circus is set to take place at Louis’ Pub Jan. 23 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Mike Tremblay
january 21, 2016
SPORTS
Top 10 sports movies for non-sports-fans ZACH TENNENT
Opinions Editor Whether you’re particularly interested in sports or not, nothing can suck you in like a good sports movie. Even if you couldn’t care less about the sports at hand, these films are sure to entertain. 10. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby: A quick glance at Will Ferrell’s filmography reveals he’s been in a disproportionate number of sports comedies. While they run the gamut from pretty good to terrible — looking at you Semi-Pro — his turn as a Kentucky-fried NASCAR driver remains the gold standard. Sacha Baron Cohen of Borat fame steals the show as Ferrell’s French rival. 9. All the Right Moves: it’s a lesser-known film, but a true gem regardless. A pre-fame Tom Cruise leads as a high school football star in a dead-end steel town trying to use his athletic talents to secure a better future for himself. It certainly has more than its fair share of sentimental and cliché moments, but what genre does clichés better than sports movies?
8. The King of Kong: following a “sport” of a very different breed, this documentary tracks underdog competitive videogamer Steve Wiebe in his quest to dethrone the reigning champ — the malevolent Billy Mitchell — for the world-record high score on the Donkey Kong arcade game. While competitive video-gaming is debatably no sport at all, by Wiebe’s commitment and dedication, you’d never know it. 7. Kingpin: while The Big Lebowski is a decidedly better movie to feature bowling, Kingpin showcases the sport in a superior way. A humiliated ex-champ whose bowling hand has long since been crushed and replaced
with a hook takes a young Amish protégé under his wing. Unconventional to be sure, but funny as hell and the most fun you’ll ever have watching people bowl. 6. Friday Night Lights: the TV series this film inspired is supposed to be even better — I couldn’t tell you first-hand — but the original film undeniably stands on its own feet. Based on the non-fiction book of the same name, it chronicles an environment in which dedication to high school football reigns supreme and feeds an obsession for an entire Texan town. 5. Miracle: it’s practically sacrilege as a Canadian, but I never learned how to skate. Nonethe-
less, the true story of the 1980 American men’s Olympic hockey team taking down the rival Russian team is riveting, thrilling and inspiring in the way only Disney sports movies can be. It’s also worth seeing if only for Kurt Russell’s truly amazing Minnesotan accent. 4. Moneyball: a list like this without a baseball movie wouldn’t be fair, and since Angels in the Outfield is terrible, Moneyball it is. Another true — but still intriguing — story, it follows the manager of the Oakland Athletics as he seeks to turn his pitiful team around by unconventional means. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill act out a smart-as-a-whip
Photo Illustration by Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor
screenplay with ease. 3. Slap Shot: about as Canadian a movie to ever come out of the United States, this comedy about boozing, brawling, foul-mouthed hockey players is sure to strike a chord with those in the Great White North. Paul Newman carries a cast of primarily lesser knowns — including many professional hockey players turned actors. 2. Rocky IV: it would be all too easy for a list like this to comprise almost entirely of Rocky Balboa adventures, but this one sits atop the heap. After seeing his rival-turned-chum Apollo Creed beaten to death in the ring by Soviet superman Ivan Drago, the “Italian Stallion” goes to Russia to defend not only his character, but his country. Chest thumping patriotism abounds in this Cold War classic. 1. Raging Bull: one of the greatest movies of all-time in any genre, director Martin Scorsese’s portrait of real-life boxer Jake LaMotta is electrifying, if not always inspiring — LaMotta is no Rocky Balboa to say the least. What the film lacks in uplift it makes up for in gorgeous cinematography, masterful editing and performances by Robert De Niro — in an Academy Award winning role — and Joe Pesci.
Top ranked Huskies and UBC ready for battle AUSTIN ARVAY Sports Editor
It will be a showdown for first place in women’s hockey on Jan. 22 and 23 when the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds come to Rutherford Rink to take on the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. UBC will enter play with 35 points, while Saskatchewan is hot on their tail with 33. With
only eight games remaining on the schedule, these are crucial points in the standings that the Dogs can’t afford to let slip away. After a disappointing pair of road games that saw the Huskies earn just one of a possible six points versus lastplace Calgary, the team will look to get back in the win column at home. Head coach Steve Kook liked what he saw from his team this past weekend, despite the negative outcomes. “We didn’t play bad, but that’s the way the conference goes. Saturday I actually
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thought we outplayed them and we deserved a better fate. We are in a good spot, we just have to continue doing what we’re doing,” Kook said. These teams have met twice before this season, with UBC sweeping the prior contests. Both matches were extremely competitive, with the Huskies losing a pair of one-goal games — one of which came in doubleovertime. The green and white only managed three goals in the two previous games, so look for them to try and create more offence and utilize their lethal powerplay. UBC won’t make it easy though, as they feature the top goalie in the Canada West. Danielle Dube leads the conference in both save percentage and goals against average, and has suffered just two losses in her nine starts this season. Generating quality scoring chances will be important and was something Kook said would be a deciding factor in the games. “We have to get pressure on the net — and something we
didn’t have a whole lot of this weekend. We have to get offensive chances,” Kook said. “This is a hard place to play and UBC realizes that.” So much of the Dogs’ game is centered on speed, as they feature arguably the fastest line in the entire league — as well as the fastest player in Kaitlin Willoughby. Joining her on the top line is Marley Ervine and Lauren Zary and the combination accounts for three of the team’s top four scorers. Utilizing their team speed has been one of their main points of emphasis this year, and Kook hopes it will continue in the pivotal weekend games. “This year we’ve been really good on big ice and our trademark is being able to use our team speed. We’ve been doing that every weekend and we just have to make sure we do it against UBC too,” said Kook. “They like to pressure a lot, we just have to figure out a way to get past their initial wave of pressure and if we can do that, we’ll get a chance to really use our speed.”
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The other leading scorer is Julia Flinton, who is the league’s highest scoring defenceman with 20 points in 20 games. She uses her outstanding mobility to set up the offensive attack, and is also an excellent defender. Her hard shot from the point has helped her tally 17 assists, which is top in the league. Flinton will need to have a good weekend to not only help the Huskies offence, but also to help keep pucks out of their own net. Between the pipes, the Huskies will turn to Cassidy Hendricks, who has been solid all season. Although her stats have her sixth in the conference in GAA and save percentage, Hendricks has faced the third most shots, and gives the squad a consistent winning effort each and every night. She will need to bring her A-game against the top team in the conference. The Huskies are 7–2 at home this year and that could end up being a big factor in the two games. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. on both Jan. 22 and 23 at Rutherford Rink.
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SPORTS BY AUSTIN ARVAY / SPORTS EDITOR
Women’s basketball remains unbeaten
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HUSKIES 90, PRONGHORNS 44
HUSKIES 91, PRONGHORNS 53 It was another dominant weekend for the number one ranked team in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport, as they hammered Lethbridge on back-to-back nights for yet another sweep, which ran their record to 12–0. On Jan. 16, the Huskies used a solid effort on both ends of the court to cruise to a 91–53 win. The Dogs jumped out to a 24–8 lead after 10 minutes and never looked back. It
was a great team effort, with most of the bench players able to contribute and log some decent minutes. Freshmen guard Sabine Dukate led the way with 21 points and four rebounds to go along with her three assists and five steals. Sascha Litchenwald and Taya Keujer contributed nicely off the bench, chipping in 10 and nine points, respectively. The team is off next week before getting back in action on Jan. 29.
MEN’S BASKETBALL PRONGHORNS 86, HUSKIES 74
HUSKIES 90, PRONGHORNS 89 (OT) After a tough loss at home to open the weekend, the Huskies bounced back nicely on Jan. 16 with a thrilling 90–89 overtime victory, to salvage a split and pick up a much-needed win in the standings. Sitting with a record of 4–8, the Dogs are just one game behind Winnipeg for the seventh and final playoff spot in the Canada West. After a flat first quarter that saw the Huskies down 17–6, they slowly chipped away at the lead before finally taking it back at 73–71, with just
under three minutes to play. A pair of clutch free throws from Lethbridge set up the extra frame — an overtime in which the teams were very evenly matched. California product Shawn Lathan came up huge for the Dogs as he nailed a three-pointer with just 23 seconds to play, to put the Huskies up for good. Lathan led the team with 18 points, while Shane Osayande also had a big night, posting 18 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.
WOMEN’S HOCKEY DINOS 4, HUSKIES 2
DINOS 2, HUSKIES 1 (OT) Looking for revenge after falling 4–2 the previous night, the Huskies put forth a good effort but ultimately fell 2–1 in overtime to pick up just a single point in the standings. It wasn’t the result the Dogs wanted versus last place Calgary, but they can’t be upset with their performance. Calgary opened the scoring midway through the first period on the powerplay, after Brooklyn Haubrich was called for body checking. Although they outshot the Dinos in the game, the Huskies found themselves down
1–0, well into the third period. With just under four minutes to go, Haubrich redeemed herself by tying the game at one apiece, banging home a rebound to force overtime. Goaltender Cassidy Hendricks stopped 18 of the 19 shots she faced in regulation time, but was beat by Sasha Vafina on the only shot fired her way in overtime. Kaitlin Willoughby — who recorded seven shots — and the Huskies threw everything they could at the Calgary goal but Haley Dowling was spectacular, making 31 saves in the win.
MEN’S HOCKEY HUSKIES 4, DINOS 3 (2OT)
HUSKIES 8, DINOS 3 Aiming for the weekend sweep, the Dogs delivered a dominant performance in front of their home fans on Jan. 16, as eight different players scored in the 8–3 victory. It didn’t take long for the Huskies to get on the board, with Kendall McFaull finding the back of the net just 6:44 into the contest. Daylan Gatzke scored his first CIS career goal and stretched the lead to two with time winding down in the
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opening period. Jaimen Yakubowksi also scored his first career goal in the game, using a impressive individual effort to beat the Dinos’ goalie. Andrew Johnson, Kohl Bauml, Jordan Fransoo, Cameron Blair and Parker Thomas were all part of the offensive explosion for the green and white. Jordon Cooke picked up his 15th win between the pipes, making 27 saves in the contest.
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WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL WOLFPACK 3, HUSKIES 2
HUSKIES 3, WOLFPACK 1 In an important weekend series with the Wolfpack — who entered the weekend tied with the Huskies in the standings — the Dogs rebounded nicely on Jan. 16 to earn a split with a 3–1 (25–22, 25–22, 18–25, 26–24) win. After their five set marathon the night before, it was another closely contested match. Using a good gameplan, the Huskies were able to jump out to an early 2–0 lead, battling
hard in the first two sets. The Huskies played sound defence, which allowed them set up the attack. Jennifer Hueser had a game-high 28 digs, while Emmalyn Copping led the team with 17 kills. With eight games to go in the regular season, the Dogs find themselves tied for fifth in the conference. The squad will be back in action on Jan. 22 at home versus Mount Royal.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL WOLFPACK 3, HUSKIES 2
HUSKIES 3, WOLFPACK 1 The Huskies showed some great resiliency and fight in their 3–1 (23–25, 28– 26, 25–18, 25–19) win on the road in Kamloops, B.C. on Jan. 15. After being down one set and on the brink of losing the second, the Dogs rallied back using some great middle defence and rode the momentum to the victory. Robert Graham had a game-high eight blocks and helped the Dogs earn some huge points in the match. Trailing
23–20 in the second, Jordan Nowakowski went on a terrific service run — which included an ace and a kill of his own — to give Saskatchewan a 24–23 edge. Some untimely Wolfpack errors cost them the set and ultimately the match. Nowakowski was a monster in the match, tallying 17 kills and seven digs. The Dogs lost the following night in five sets, but find themselves with a 7–7 record, good for sixth in the CanWest.
CANADA WEST STANDINGS WOMEN’S HOCKEY: W-L-OTW-T UBC 9-6-3-2 Alberta 11-7-0-2 Regina 9-7-3-1 Saskatchewan 8-6-3-3 Manitoba 10-8-0-2 Mount Royal 7-9-3-1 Lethbridge 6-11-2-1 Calgary 4-10-2-4
MEN’S HOCKEY: W-L-T Saskatchewan 17-3 Alberta 13-5-2 Mount Royal 13-5-2 UBC 9-8-3 Manitoba 9-9-2 Calgary 7-9-4 Lethbridge 7-12-1 Regina 5-15
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL: W-L-T Trinity Western 15-1 UBC Okanagan 15-1 Alberta 13-3 UBC 11-3 Saskatchewan 7-9 Thompson Rivers 7-9 Brandon 7-9 Mount Royal 6-8 Calgary 6-10 Winnipeg 6-10 MacEwan 4-10 Manitoba 2-12 Regina 1-15
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL: W-T-L Alberta 16-0 Calgary 13-3 Manitoba 12-2 Winnipeg 11-5 UBC 10-4 Trinity Western 8-8 Saskatchewan 8-8 Mount Royal 7-7 Brandon 5-11 Thompson Rivers 5-11 UBC Okanagan 3-13 MacEwan 1-13 Regina 1-15
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: W-L Saskatchewan 12-0 Alberta 10-1 Regina 9-1 Calgary 9-4 UBC 6-6 Brandon 5-5 Victoria 5-7 Trinity Western 3-7 Winnipeg 2-8 Lethbridge 0-10 Manitoba 0-12
MEN’S BASKETBALL: W-L Calgary 10-3 UBC 9-3 Regina 7-3 Manitoba 8-4 Lethbridge 6-4 Victoria 7-5 Winnipeg 5-5 Alberta 5-6 Saskatchewan 4-8 Brandon 0-10 Trinity Western 0-10
january 21, 2016
CULTURE
Students battle for the best dish in Iron Chef competition
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friday
Supplied / U of S Culinary Services Teams experienced the thrill of competition during last year’s Student Iron Chef Competition.
NAOMI ZUREVINSKI
Editor-in-Chief A dash of friendly student rivalry — served with a large helping of flavour and fun — is up next on the University of Saskatchewan Culinary Services’ menu. The Student Iron Chef Competition is back for its third year, taking place on Jan. 28 at Marquis Culinary Centre on campus. The competition is meant to exhibit culinary talent among students at the U of S, as they face one another to see who can cook their way to a cash prize. Students work in teams of four and each team is paired up with a chef from Marquis Hall to help them with the process. The teams are responsible for creating a menu, and are then expected to prepare their dishes, beginning at 1 p.m. on the day of the competition, and finish in time to serve their creations to customers for dinner in Marquis Hall that evening. According to James McFarland, the assistant director and executive chef for U of S Culinary Services, last year’s first place winners made a pulled pork sandwich and macaroni and cheese, which shows that judges aren’t necessarily looking for complicated dishes. “It’s just as much about presentation — it’s flavour obviously — but you have to look at some of the presentajanuary 21, 2016
tion,” McFarland said. In addition to presentation and flavour, teams are judged based on texture and the nutritional value of the meal — judges look at everything from portion size to the balance of proteins and vegetables. McFarland also notes that the competition is an opportunity for students to prepare some of their favourite and traditional foods. “We’ve had a lot of things from simply pasta dishes to a lot of ethnic food. We find a lot of people that compete are actually international students and they like to prepare some of their national or traditional ethnic dishes,” McFarland said. One team competing this year is Team Noodle Dynasty, made up of U of S students Mark Tan — the team’s head chef — Emmanauel Barker, Connor Moen and Kehan Fu. Their main dishes are Szechuan-style spicy noodles and cumin stir-fried lamb with glazed nuts. Each team member has varying levels of expertise in the kitchen, and they recognize that there may be difficulties once the competition gets underway. In an email to the Sheaf, Fu explained the most challenging aspects of the competition his team will face. The “timing of all the intricate parts. But in all honesty, the real challenge is always hard to visualize until you're in kitchen. Everything before that is just speculation,” he said. Team Noodle Dynasty is also looking forward to serv-
ing their dishes in a competitive environment and being able to see students’ first reactions to tasting their food. There are usually 10 to 12 teams competing for a first prize of $400, with prizes of $200 and $100 awarded to second and third place, respectively. There is also a $100 people’s choice award that is up for grabs. Regardless of the cash prize, McFarland notes that he especially enjoys seeing students’ pride in what they’ve created. “My favourite part of the competition is seeing the teams present, with the amount of pride they come out with, especially if sometimes it is an international dish. Sometimes students get really creative with what they present to the judges — one year [a group] even had a story that went along with it. I think some of the creativity that comes out of the students is my favourite part of it,” he said. Each team must cook enough of their dishes so that it can be served to customers in Marquis Hall, and students, staff and faculty are all invited to come watch and taste the food creations that evening. For McFarland, the Iron Chef Competition is also a chance to work with students and create some campus community. “It’s an opportunity to engage with students on common ground, where food brings everyone together and it’s sort of an opportunity for Culinary Services to be able to provide that and engage with the groups.”
saturday
upcoming events • Dave Bidini and Steph Cameron at the Refinery Arts and Spirit Centre • First day of Winterruption at the Broadway Theatre • Purple Thursday at The Capitol Music Club • Scott Thompson at Louis’ Pub
• AndersonBurko at Village Guitar & Amp Co. • Jonathan Goldstein at the Refinery Arts & Spirit Centre • Last day of Campus Club Week in the Arts Tunnel • Malick with Dagan Harding and A Rancher’s Son at Amigos
• Headstones at O’Brians Jordan Welbourne with Black Vienna and Flowshine at Amigos • Kelly Read at Somewhere Else Pub & Grill • Wenches and Rogues with Conformicide and Small Kitchen Radio at Vangelis
• Modern Space with Boomlag at The Capitol Music Club • Potash Corp Skating Party at the Cameco Meewasin Skating Rink • Walk for Alzheimer’s at the Saskatoon Field House
sunday
• Unheard Sound Series #3 at The Capitol Music Club
monday
• Fu 4 Thought radio show on CFCR 90.5 FM •Toonie Tuesday at Louis’ Pub
tuesday
• Fiddle Feast at The Bassment • Fiddle Wall and Kristan Couture at The Capitol Music Club
wednesday
www.thesheaf.com
∙ the sheaf publishing society 7
FEATURE
Intercultural education:
The Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre, a safe space for student success KEIGHLAGH DONOVAN News Editor
Photos by Caitlin Taylor / Photo Editor
Reclaimed elm trees from the construction site make up wood features throughout the centre.
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∙ www.thesheaf.com
Despite various delays due to inclement weather and intricate design details, the Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre wrapped up construction under the $17 million budget and opened its doors to the University of Saskatchewan community on Jan. 4, 2016. From Feb. 3–5, the university will be hosting a series of ceremonies and open houses to officially welcome students, faculty and staff to embrace the centre and its intercultural purposes. Construction of the centre began on July 2, 2013 and was modeled in commemoration of the late influential elder, Gordon Oakes. Graeme Joseph, team leader of First Nations, Métis and Inuit student success at the U of S, speaks to Oakes’ impact on the community. “Gordon Oakes was a community and spiritual leader and treaty elder from the Nekaneet First Nation, who provided a lot of guidance to people within his own community and right across the province,” Joseph said. “[Oakes] saw the treaty relationship between Indigenous peoples and settlers as a partnership symbolized by a team of two horses working together.” According to its mandate, available online,
the Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre is “grounded in the teachings of collaboration, co-operation, humility, reciprocity and sharing,” and aims to be an intercultural safe place for the entire campus community to engage in Aboriginal student success. The Aboriginal Students’ Centre is the primary occupant within the building, and there are a wide array of spaces designed specifically for student use, including offices for the Indigenous Students’ Council, the Indigenous Graduate Students’ Council, as well as a computer lab, several quiet study spaces and a communal kitchen located on the second floor. Dedicated to Aboriginal students’ academic and personal success, the ASC offers several types of individual, social, cultural and academic supports made available through programs, services and events. Over the course of 2014–15, the ASC hosted over 270 different activities and Joseph is looking forward to making use of the new space. “We have to learn how to live within this building. This is a game changer for us. So what we’ll do is continuity of services, but what it offers us is capacity,” he said. “We want to have the greatest impact on the most Aboriginal students that we possibly can.” The building itself was designed by Douglas Cardinal, a Blackfoot and Métis world-renowned architect. He has designed a number of other buildings including the Museum of Civilization january 21, 2016
FEATURE in Gatineau, Que., the First Nations University of Cana- when you are standing in the centre of this room you da located in Regina and Wanuskewin Heritage Park in are still touching the ground,” Joseph said. The large cylSaskatoon. There are several unique designs character- inder can be seen as students travel through the tunnel istic of Cardinal’s work throughout the centre and the beneath the building. building features a host of culturally significant details. There are also tiles on the outside and throughout the “The building itself is made up of the same tyndall building arranged in the way that a wampum belt would stone that students see across the campus, but its design look. represents a blanket around the building, protecting the “A wampum belt is something that comes from First centre and its occupants from the cold prairie winter Nations’ people from central Canada. It is a physical winds,” Joseph said. representation of treaty. It represents the building as an The common space is a circle and the ceiling is a large intercultural place and in each of the four cardinal direcmedicine wheel, including a skylight, which features tions, those tiles will change colour,” Joseph said. colours selected by the The windows and the Oakes family to again corresponding interior provide protection for beams are coloured a the people inside. The dark blue, representing skylight is shaped as a another element imstar representing a star portant to Indigenous blanket, another concept culture: water. Together, dear to Indigenous culthe skylight and plethtural practices. ora of windows account Graeme Joseph, team leader of First Nations, Métis and “A star blanket is often for the sky, while the Inuit student success used as a gift to show earth, stone and water respect, to acknowledge further contribute to the someone’s contributions or success or to mark import- sense of immersion in the natural elements. ant moments in their life,” Joseph said. Not all of the design concepts were centred around Many of the important teachings that will occur with- aesthetics only, as Joseph reveals that one big issue they in the central space require participants to always be had to consider was the smoke produced during smudgtouching the ground. However, the centre resides above ing ceremonies. the new underground tunnel that connects the Arts “The smoke will rise up through the centre and there Building to the Health Sciences Building. Despite this is a ring around the huge funnel which is actually the potentially problematic detail, builders found a way to HVAC ventilation system. It has vents that release have the earth infused into the design concept. smoke in all four cardinal directions: south, north, east “When they excavated the building, they kept some and west,” Joseph said. of the soil from the excavation, set it aside and created Moreover, the elm trees which originally grew on the this large cylinder and repacked it with the dirt so that construction site were reclaimed and are now featured
“Regardless of their identities, abilities, who they are as people, this is a safe place for everybody.”
within the walls of the facility — the scent of which invigorates the surrounding space, stimulating a sense of the outdoors inside. While the naturalistic elements are incredibly significant to Indigenous culture, the centre recognizes and supports all types of diversity, further demonstrated in the inclusion of the first official gender-neutral washrooms on campus. Joseph admits that he was not a part of the decision making process on the gender-neutral washrooms, since it was approved early on in the planning, but he speaks to the way in which the inclusion of this feature fits into the centre’s founding principles. “Here at the ASC, it’s my management philosophy that all staff who work at our office must receive positive space training. The type of community that we want to have here, is that we want to be welcoming, safe and we want to be inclusive of everything. Regardless of their identities, abilities, who they are as people, this is a safe place for everybody,” Joseph said. While all students are encouraged to frequent the centre and make use of its services, Joseph reinforces the importance of the Aboriginal student focus. “Aboriginal people are playing a much bigger role and participation in this province in all kinds of different ways and education is key to ensure that it’s inclusive. We want students to graduate, so the ASC is going to be very much focused on recruitment, transition, retention and attainment. Making sure people get in and get out.” Despite several advances presented within the Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre and within administrative plans to Indigenize the U of S, there remain several challenges. Joseph reminds students and the broader U of S community of the significance of Aboriginal history to the nation and imparts some perspective moving forward.
The skylight was designed to represent a star blanket.
“When you look at a lot of the issues Aboriginal people face, these are large historical systemic issues, like residential schools, discrimination, racism. Those are things that have had a huge impact on us, but going back to Gordon Oakes’s teachings, although those things have happened, we need to think about how we’re going to relate with one another into the future. The people here have a really interesting saying: ‘We are all treaty people, because the treaties are the foundation of the Canadian constitution,’” Joseph said. Joseph encourages people to review their values and what it means to be Canadian — Canada being an inclusive place for everybody. “If they are going to the U of S, or if they are gojanuary 21, 2016
ing to live in Saskatchewan, just the way the demo- to produce both individual and collective successes. graphics are starting to shift, Aboriginal people are “If we want to be successful, everyone together, going to have a much larger population but also a students should look for educational opportunimuch stronger and louder ties where they can gain a voice at all different types greater and a broader une are all treaty people of tables, whether it be edderstanding of what the because the treaties are ucation, law, healthcare and issues are and what the hisbusiness,” he said. tory has been so that they the foundation of the Moving forward, the Gorcan be a better citizen in anadian constitution don Oakes Red Bear Stuthe future, a better teachdent Centre will promote er, a better lawyer, a better Graeme Joseph intercultural education, and doctor, a nurse. This is it, Joseph insists that non-Aboriginal students must that is what makes Saskatchewan unique, the demobecome increasingly engaged and aware of Aborig- graphics. Let’s take this as another opportunity to inal history to build upon current relationships and work together.”
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∙ the sheaf publishing society 9
CULTURE
Premiere play a first for U of S lecturer EMILY KLATT Staff Writer
David Granger, a University of Saskatchewan sessional lecturer in drama, is no stranger to the world of theatre. For over 15 years, he has worked as a lighting and set designer. However, he is venturing into new territory with the debut of his first play, Shadows of a Dancing Moon. Saskatoon theatre company La Troupe du Jour is presenting the production, which premieres on Jan. 28. The ac-
tion takes place during the Second World War, following the story of a Saskatchewan soldier who becomes a boxer and fights to entertain troops stationed overseas. The heartbreak and triumph of such a turbulent time in history is interwoven throughout the play. For Granger, the story is very personal — his grandfather was the inspiration. “During the Second World War, [my grandpa] had club feet, so he couldn’t partake in military service, but they noticed he was a good-old strong farm boy and wondered if he might be interesting in entertaining the troops as a boxer,”
Caitlin Taylor / Photo Editor Saskatchewan theatre veteran David Granger tells a personal story with his debut play.
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the sheaf publishing society
Granger said. “So he travelled around Europe and battled other [members of the] allied forces.” After growing up hearing his grandfather’s anecdotes about his unique role during the war, Granger was struck with the inspiration to turn it into a play. “I just kind of thought it was an interesting premise to stage as a play — just this whole wartime entertainment kind of scenario where, you know, it’s war. People are in a hard situation and yet there’s still the entertainment factor to balance out that darker side,” Granger said. Granger is primarily a set and lighting designer, but has been involved in every aspect of theatre since childhood. His love of art was evident from an early age. “Sometimes these things just kind of choose you. Even as a kid I acted often and I was always involved in theatre. Later in my high school life, I was painting a lot and diving into the visual arts and when it came time to [choose
∙ www.thesheaf.com
a] university degree, set design just seemed like an interesting combination of both,” Granger said. Writing has proved to be an exciting challenge for Granger. His other artistic pursuits, like music, were very helpful when working on the script for Shadows of a Dancing Moon. “Often, I’d ended up having some drinks with some friends, playing some music and when I’d get home, I’d kind of write along the beat of whatever we were jamming on,” Granger said. As for the actual words of the play, Granger adds that they came very naturally during the creative process, saying the words almost wrote themselves. “On other writing projects I’ve had to do sometimes, it got a little tricky, but this time — especially the dialogue — I had a wonderful ease with dialogue,” Granger said. Regardless of what he’s doing, Granger loves the unique aspects of his career in theatre.
“I really enjoy the fact that every day I have work-wise is always new and different. There’s always new problems and there’s always new solutions to be found. That’s really exciting to me,” Granger said. For U of S students that are interested in pursuing artistic careers, Granger has some words of wisdom to pass along to aspiring writers, actors and designers. “The main advice is that it’s worth a try. Even if in your brain you know it’s not the most financially secure field, it’s still worth a try,” Granger said. “You’ll always have time to turn around in life and go towards something else. If you want to write, write. It’s the only way that you’ll get that desire out. [It’s] the same thing with acting — jump right in and go as hard as you can in that field.” Shadows of a Dancing Moon runs from Jan. 28 to Feb. 7 at Studio 914. For more information, visit ltdj.dreamhosters. com.
january 21, 2016
CULTURE
Master the job market with enthusiasm and effort KEZIA FOURIE With spring convocation just around the corner, many students are starting to plan ahead for summer jobs or looking at their career plans. When entering the job market, there are a few basic strategies that should be kept in mind to make that job search a success. We’ve all heard the saying “a little goes a long way.” It may be a cliché, but it is important for any individual looking for a job or seeking a place in their future career. The little things in this case are enthusiasm, effort and respect. Maureen Bourassa, assistant professor in the department of management and marketing at Edwards School of Business, explained the importance of these qualities in an email to the Sheaf. “People who are excited about their jobs — or their prospective jobs — have a contagious energy, and it makes other people want to be around them and want to work with them,” Bourassa said. Having a positive attitude can also result in a multitude of
doors opening, and who knows where that may lead? However, this does not mean you have to be cheery and upbeat all the time. Instead, your best bet is to be yourself. We’ve all heard that networking is an important part of transitioning into the workforce, and it’s true. “The best networking is authentic networking,” Bourassa said.
This advice is extremely important for those new to the working world. Authentic networking is sincere. Although you may know that the person you are currently talking to has a contact that would be of great benefit to you, don’t jump the gun. As much as they are a resource, they are also a human being — they can tell when they are being used. Instead, give them a reason to want to help you. Show them that you are not only interested in furthering your own agenda. A 2014 Forbes article on networking lists “start networking before you need it” as one of its tips. Authentic networking it just that, and it can happen at anytime and anywhere. Another cliché saying that works in this scenario is “knowledge is power.” Take this to heart while networking and put in the effort to gain this knowledge — pure research is all it takes. Pretend you are an em-
ployer interviewing potential employees. You are down to your last two candidates, A and B, and can’t initially decide between them. Both come with stellar references and wonderful resumés. While reviewing, you realize that candidate B has excellent knowledge of the company and some of its current initiatives. They have definitely done their research on the company and know quite a bit about it — clearly, they care. At this point you feel that
Ashley Britz
candidate B is the one who you would like to hire. Whenever possible, be candidate B. Put some effort into your knowledge and make that final cut. Despite all this, keep in mind that different sectors have different expectations. “Employers are all different — they come from different generations, they use social media in different ways in their own lives and they have different approaches to learning about prospective employees,” Bourassa said. If you are applying for a social media related position, for example, perhaps you want to be active in the social media realm, as this could give your employer a clear idea of where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Some employers may even recruit employees using social media itself. As far as we know, nobody has discovered the “job tree” — we can’t just shake a branch and have our dream job fall into our laps without some hard work and searching. By putting some meaningful enthusiasm and effort into your search, you will be one step closer to your goal.
Friend of Foes acknowledge their Faults on new EP ZACH TENNENT
Opinions Editor It’s a good time to be from Saskatoon, and local band Friends of Foes knows it. With an upcoming EP and western Canadian tour, things are looking up for the prairie indie-rockers. The group’s upcoming EP Faults will be released Feb. 12, with a same-date album release show at the Capitol Music Club kicking off their eight-date western Canadian tour. Formed in January 2013, Friends of Foes have done well for themselves in the last three years. They released their first full-length album in December 2013 and have already toured the country from east to west. While touring is becoming a more common occurrence for the band, lead vocalist Celeste Nicholson, a fourth-year drama major at the University of Saskatchewan, notes that it has its disadvantages. january 21, 2016
“I think on the road is a little bit more stressful because you don’t know people. You don’t know what they’re going to think. You don’t know, at the end, if people are going to enjoy what they heard or if they’re just going to get up and leave,” Nicholson said. On the contrary, Matt Stinn, the group’s guitarist, finds that touring can be a welcome change from local shows. “For me, it’s almost the exact opposite. Being on the road people-wise is easier because I know nobody, so I feel no pressure. But the show situations are completely different,” Stinn said. As Nicholson points out, for a band just entering its fourth year, playing at the Capitol offers a taste of nostalgia. “When we first started, we played at Lydia’s, so it’s like coming home,” Nicholson said, referencing the Capitol’s interior decorating and atmosphere, much of which was salvaged from the nowdemolished Lydia’s Pub in Saskatoon. While all four members of the band, including drummer Keegan Stretch and bassist
Anthony Nickel — a fourthyear education student at the U of S — collaborate to create the group’s unique sound, their prior musical interests are incredibly diverse. “Go down the Warped Tour roster from 2005 and check off every second band and that was my iPod,” Stinn said. As the group’s singer jokes, this is not an affinity all members share. “Those are the moments when I put my headphones on extra loud in the van. The screaming — I just can’t take it. That’s not something that’s nostalgic nor is it entertaining for me,” Nicholson said. “Musical theatre is where it’s at.” Despite varied tastes, they’ve found mutual collaboration has grown easier over time. “We always sum up the band’s writing style as very collaborative,” Stinn said. “It’s about finding a healthy balance while being able to look at your part and hopefully recognize whether or not it’s serving the song properly.” Nicholson recognizes that being in a band has helped her grow as a songwriter.
“When we first started the band, I didn’t even know how to write a song,” Nicholson said. “I used to come in after the song was complete. We’ve gotten together more now as a full band writing.” Regarding the title of Faults — also the title of the album’s first single — Nicholson suggested that while one’s faults may be personal, the themes on the album should be universal for all listeners. “I wrote specifically about myself and my life but it’s to appeal to anybody,” Nicholson said. “It could be personal flaws; it could be other people in your life. It’s trying to look
at your faults from the perspective of someone who has faults themselves.” Lastly, while up-andcoming bands can’t always be choosy about finding opening acts on the road, when it comes to fantasy openers, Nicholson knows exactly who her dream pick would be. “I want Adele. It wouldn’t work musically but I just want to meet her, so I want her to play in front of us.” You can catch Friends of Foes with guests Coldest Night of the Year and ACRONYMS on Friday, Feb. 12 at the Capitol Music Club. For more information, check out friendsoffoes.com.
Supplied / Morgan Carter Saskatoon indie-rock band Friends of Foes is coming home to release their new EP.
www.thesheaf.com ∙ the sheaf publishing society
11
OPINIONS
Our unlivable minimum wage needs to take a hike ZACH TENNENT
Opinions Editor Student finances are a dead horse of an issue, but the recent University of Saskatchewan tuition hike — amidst many other factors — highlights the need for a minimum wage raise in Saskatchewan. It hasn’t been a great week of financial news for Canadians — especially those of us at the U of S. On Jan. 15, the Canadian dollar hit a 13-year low, trading at 68.74 cents American. On a more local note, this
news came on the heels of the U of S’ announcement that tuition for most colleges on campus would be increasing in fall 2016, ranging anywhere from 1.7 to five per cent. In the worst case for students studying veterinary medicine, this raise will amount to a change of about $434 annually, while arts and science students will only see an increase of $164. While it’s rather unlikely that these new expenses will be the ones to break the bank, the hike is yet another reason to reconsider our poverty-level minimum wage in Saskatchewan. Currently, minimum wage in the province sits at $10.50 per hour.
Even the most rudimentary math reveals how insufficient this is. Assuming one worked 40 hours a week for 52 weeks with no time off, a full-time minimum wage job in Saskatchewan would net $21,840 per year before taxes. Living wage for Saskatoon — that is to say, a wage that can actually support a reasonable standard of living with moderate expenses, not just the governmentregulated minimum — has been estimated at $16.77 per hour by the organization Living Wage Canada. This whopping difference of over $6 an hour translates to $13,041.60 per year in a
DECEIVED AND SEIZED A PANEL ON THE REALITIES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Professor Carin Holroyd
Sgt. Maxime St-Fleur
Haidah Amirzadeh
Political Studies, University of Saskatchewan
Montreal Immigration and Passport/Human
Lawyer, Immigration and Refugee Law
12pm (noon)
full-time context. Not many U of S students would be able to attend school full-time in addition to working another full-time job, but subtract an arts and science tuition of $5,954 per year from $21,840 and you get a further view of just how desperate the situation is. Money is on everyone’s minds this time of year, and students — one of society’s poorest demographics — are no exception. Post-holidays, post-textbooks, post-tuition and all of us are probably feeling that tightening sensation in our pocketbooks. Add the fact that many part-time and student jobs start off at minimum wage and it’s clear to see that this is a student’s battle as much as anyone else’s. Minimum wage was last raised in the province on Oct. 1, 2015, and it does increase somewhat regularly. The October increase was the seventh time Saskatchewan has raised the minimum wage since 2007. You’d think we be doing pretty well. However, this doesn’t mean that the issue of underpaid workers is actually being remedied. Look back to the tuition raises at the U of S and consider general issues of inflation. An increase here and there of 20 or 30 cents is but a drop in the bucket when it comes to actually affording
real change. While incremental changes are the best course of action to raise minimum wage without raising the scorn of employers, 30 or so cents a year is barely helping the situation when minimum wage falls so woefully short of the living wage. This is a sticky situation because obviously it would be a strain on small businesses, among other employers, to pony up dollars more per hour to multiple employees, but at the same time, it’s unacceptable that this province ever allowed the minimum wage to lag so far behind and become so unlivable. In June 2015, our neighbours to the west, Alberta, announced plans for a minimum wage of $15 per hour by 2018 despite having the lowest minimum wage in Canada at the time — tied with Saskatchewan, of course. Fifteen dollars an hour is still a couple of years in the making and when it comes, it will still fall short of the $16.77 estimated living wage. Nonetheless, Saskatchewan could learn from such a move and realize that raising the minimum by amounts that will actually be noticed is something worth committing to. Until we have a minimum wage we can actually live on, we as students need to keep pushing this issue.
Monday, Jan. 25, 2016
CPD: 1 Hour
College of Law, 15 Campus Drive Room 150, MLT Lecture Theatre University of Saskatchewan This lecture is free and open to the public.
Courtney Ritchie Minimum wages exist to protect workers, but insufficient minimum wages protect no one.
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january 21, 2016
OPINIONS
DEBATE: FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES
Hannah Komarnicki
Give Greek life a shot at the U of S Greek system a breeding ground for male entitlement CHELSEA POWRIE Culture Editor
The University of Saskatchewan could benefit from the adoption of a Greek sorority and fraternity system. What many U of S students know about fraternities and sororities was absorbed from their portrayal in popular culture — think Old School and Legally Blonde. The problem is, students are left with a glammed-up, sexed-up and messed-up idea about the Greek system that skims over the positive aspects and highlights the frivolous. Starting university can be intimidating. Often, students in first year feel lonely or isolated, and being faced with the task of forming a new friend group from scratch can feel overwhelming. Fraternities and sororities are a ready-made fix for this problem. At universities that have Greek systems, the first month or so of school is pledge time, meaning that the various sororities and fraternities host parties and events in an effort to get students in any year of study involved in their organization. This means that after “welcome week” ends, new students aren't left out to dry — there are still structured, student-friendly parties happening that someone who is friendless and unsure can use to meet people. Even if they don't end up pledging, it can be an opportunity to create a base of friendship. If they do pledge, however, the benefits only continue. The Greek system can be immensely helpful for new students learning the ways of college life. Many fraternities and sororities have a big brother/sister program, in which new pledges are paired with older members for the year to learn the ropes. These relationships can help with everything from class or professor recommendations to the inside scoop on the campus party scene. january 21, 2016
The Greek system also facilitates intramural teams and volunteer projects. It can be daunting to get involved on campus all by yourself. Sororities and fraternities make it easier to have a diverse extracurricular life — in fact, it's often a core requirement of being a member. This is not only beneficial to students during their time at university, but it can help make a resumé stand out from the crowd later in life. That being said, the Greek life's demanding social aspect may seem like a detriment to the reason students are at university — to learn and get a degree. Luckily, fraternities and sororities are filled with people balancing the same type of workload, so there are plenty of other students to turn to for help. The lifestyle also requires students to learn effective time management skills, which everyone knows is a skill students like to claim they learned from their degree. Being in a sorority or fraternity adds credence to that claim. The networking aspect is another benefit of Greek life. If a student can find a member from another chapter of their fraternity or sorority, they can use that as a conversation starter and as an “in” to that person's own network. In competitive job markets everywhere, having that little boost can mean the difference between being employed and being up to date on daytime television. Finally, it's been said many times that the Greek system promotes rape culture. Yes, there certainly are documented cases of rape and sexual assault at fraternity and sorority parties, and that isn't acceptable. However, if the U of S were to adopt the Greek system, it would show that they were unwilling to punish the many for the sins of the few. The majority of students involved with campus chapters at other universities are not felons. In short: U of S students wouldn’t have to be a part of Greek life if they didn't want to be, but for those who did, it would provide a multitude of opportunities.
PATTY HAILS As we debate the issues with the Greek system, please join me in taking a collective sigh of relief that it is not a system with which we have to contend at the University of Saskatchewan. Arguments for fraternities often point to networking opportunities, philanthropic ventures, mentorship, volunteerism and the chance to socialize and attend structured parties in a supportive environment. Additionally, the University of Waterloo chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity put out a public service announcement condemning rape culture in March 2015. While I applaud this, I need to see more evidence to convince me that change is occurring. The merits of Greek life are applicable to privileged heterosexual white males with social status — but what about the majority of us who don’t fit into that cushy box? A number of Canadian universities have adopted this system that favours wealthy, white, heterosexual and entitled men. But what about sororities? While those aren't for men, we must consider who actually benefits from them. Sorority recruitment practices are said to be disempowering for women, who in many cases are simply objectified rather than valued on their merit. Like their fraternal counterparts, sororities in North America have also been heavily criticized in the media for their noted lack of diversity overall. In preparation for this article, I decided to watch The Hunting Ground — a 2015 documentary about the prevalence of sexual assault on college and university campuses in the United States, and those featured institutions’ reticence to address those crimes. Camera crews followed courageous survivors who fought through their own trauma to effect change. In line with the U of S’ own figures, the documentary revealed that 20 per cent of women will be sexually assaulted while attending university. According to The Hunting Ground, it also appears that
a number of fraternities actively encourage sexual assault, providing substances like Everclear to slip in women’s drinks and then dishing about their crimes at weekly meetings. If word gets out, enrollment and financial contributions decrease and survivors of assault are frequently blamed for unduly ruining young men’s lives. Women in the documentary also reveal that the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon, founded at the University of Alabama, has been nicknamed "Sexual Assault Expected." Despite this, the fraternity and others like it are allowed to stay afloat. After Yale University’s Delta Kappa Epsilon chapter stood outside a freshman girls’ dorm chanting, “No means yes! Yes means anal,” in October 2010, student groups eventually lobbied to have it disbanded from that school and the chapter suspended for five years. Thankfully, the U of S has of late been working on a standardized policy regarding sexual assault, and gathering input from the university community. Peer pressure is also a significant problem with Greek life. This is perhaps nowhere more evident than in that party atmosphere referred to in the list of benefits above. A study by Harvard University suggests that students who live in Greek housing are four times more likely to binge drink on a regular basis than other university students. Figures surrounding drug abuse are similar. Students who hope to join sororities and fraternities to achieve that elevated social status often undergo hazing rituals. These involve public humiliation and pressure to engage in acts that are unsafe and sometimes unethical. From a university administrator’s perspective, unsupervised fraternity and sorority housing are a substantial cost-saving measure. Further, Greek system alumni make generous financial contributions to their alma maters, leading university administrators and faculty to turn a blind eye when fraternity membership commits egregious acts. Left unaddressed, these problems fester.
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THROWBACK / DISTRACTIONS
More than enough ways to get rid of blind dates T he S heaf , N ovember 23, 1995 / U
T he S heaf , D ecember 5, 1950 / U
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S A rchives & S pecial C ollections
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S A rchives & S pecial C ollections
At dinner, guard your plate with fork and steak knife, so as to give the impression that you’ll stab anyone, including the waiter, who reaches for it. Collect the salt shakers from all of the tables in the restaurant, and balance them in a tower on your table. Wipe your nose on your date’s sleeve. Twice. Make funny faces at other patrons, and then sneer at their reactions. Repeat every third third word you say say. Read a newspaper or book during the meal. Ignore your date. Stare at your date’s neck and grind your teeth audibly. Recite your dating history. Improvise. Include pets. When ordering, inquire whether the restaurant has any live food. Drool. Eat everything on your plate within 30 seconds of it being put in front of you. Ask people at the neighbouring table for food from their plates. Beg your date to tattoo your name on their derriere. Keep bringing the subject up. Ask your date how much money they have with them. Order for your date. Order something nasty. Communicate in mime the entire evening. Lick your plate. Offer to lick theirs. Slide under the table. Take your plate with you. Hold a debate. Take both sides. Chew with your mouth open. Talk with your mouth full and spray crumbs.
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DISTRACTIONS Fake corrections:
photo of the week
Here at the Sheaf we are always aiming to provide the most factual content we can. Unfortunately, sometimes mistakes and regrettable content can go unnoticed for years. However, it’s never too late to set things straight! Here are some errors that have evaded correction over the years. • In our July 7, 1996 paper, the Sheaf reported that city councilor Don Atchison had proposed a $60,000,000 glass atrium to encase downtown Saskatoon. Our apologies; the atrium was slated to cost $80,000,000. • In the Culture section of our March 14, 1998 edition, the Sheaf called Shakespeare in Love a lock to win Best Picture at that year’s Academy Awards. Shakespeare in Love is not a good movie. We regret the error in judgment. • Somehow the Sheaf managed to consistently spell Saskatchewan with two n’s for the last 103 years without anybody telling us. Thanks a lot, everybody. We know who our real friends are now.
r g a SU
campus chat
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What would you do if you were going to die in 3 hours?
Break as many laws as I could. Austin Thompson
Go to a pub. Kayla Bai
e p C S i and
Submit your photos for photo of the week to photo@thesheaf.com.
ASTRO
Your Saskatoon sky news for Jan. 21 — Feb. 3
It’s official: it’s cold out there. Saskatoon in January is infamous for long stretches of plunging negative temperatures and this year is no exception. One thing that comes hand-in-hand with extra frigid nights, though, is crystal clear skies. When you’re cursing the world, scraping inches of ice off your car in the morning before sunrise or stomping your feet at the bus stop in the evening after classes, take a look up and enjoy your reward for being a prairie dweller.
alert
Saskatoon’s northern latitude and relatively low commercial light pollution make it a perfect urban candidate for viewing the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights. Atoms in Earth’s upper atmosphere become excited by interaction with charged particles from the sun during periods of intense solar activity, causing shifting ethereal lights to dance across the sky. Solar activity is monitored in detail by various satellite systems, so you don’t need to stand around guessing whether the lights will put on a show — if it’s a clear night, head to spaceweather.com and check out their real-time aurora forecast. Late in January and extending into February, look south in the morning to see something that hasn’t happened for over a decade. All five naked-eye planets — the planets in our solar system we can see from Earth without a telescope — will be visible in the sky at the same time. Just as the sky is beginning to brighten, between 8 and 9 a.m., the planets will stretch in an arc from southeast to southwest. Mercury will be tiny in the southeast, next to a very bright Venus — these two planets are the only two who orbit closer to the Sun than Earth. Then, closer to due south will be Saturn, the ringed giant, and past due south will be Mars, distinguishable by a reddish tint. Finally, in the southwest will be Jupiter, the largest planet in our celestial neighbourhood. january 21, 2016
Q: I am in love with my best friend’s brother but I don’t know how to tell my friend. I really want to be able to make this happen with him and I am pretty sure he feels the same. The only thing is that I don’t think my friend would be too happy with that. Should I just tell her or keep my feelings to myself, like I’ve been doing for the past three years? — Irena Sugar: In my experience, keeping things to yourself is usually the way to go! No need to bother other people with your feelings. Just hold it in and I’m sure he’ll still find somebody great!
Go to confession and recieve full communion. Matt Mercier
Eat a lot. Alexandra Belotta
Spice: Three years? Sounds like you’ve already invested, so why not go in it for the long haul? Q: Hey Sugar and Spice! My girlfriend takes “Netflix and Chill” a bit too literally. I don’t mean that all we do is watch Netflix. I mean when we’re getting down and dirty, she refuses to turn the TV off. Apparently Brooklyn Nine-Nine helps her get off. How do I tell her that I would rather not listen to Andy Samberg during my vinegar strokes? — Thomas Sugar: Have you communicated your thoughts to your girlfriend? We learned in elementary school that whenever we needed to talk to someone we should approach the situation with “I” sentences in order to assert yourself in a non-threatening way to the situation. Try something like, “I feel sad when you watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine instead of focusing on me during our love making.” Spice: You lost me when you indicated that listening to Andy Samberg’s nasal rat voice wouldn’t help you climax even harder. Want advice from Sugar and Spice? Submit your questions online at thesheaf.com.
Spend all my money. Donald Goodman
Alice Kuipers
©
UPCOMING EVENTS
Jeremy Britz
Launching Violet and Victor Write the Most Fabulous Fairy Tale Saturday, January 23, 3 pm
••• YAnn mArtel
Launching The High Mountains of Portugal Thursday, January 28, 7 pm
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BACKPAGE
USSU PRESENTS:
QUESTION PERIOD Bring us your comments, concerns, or questions about your student experience.
January 26, 2016
Arts Tunnel 10am to 2pm
WEDNESDAY
WINGS & KARAOKE WINGS $5/1LB
BONE IN OR BONELESS
7PM
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JIM BEAM $5
KARAOKE 9PM
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january 21, 2016