The Challenge: 9-inch burger
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March 26- April 1, 2015
Volume 46 Issue 20
Proudly publishing from Oakville, ON since 1971
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Handing over the reins to Frank Pento
Texting and driving: just put down your phone.
Check out Sheridan’s newest winged friends
Sports on P11
Student Life on P6
Illustration on P5
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Battle of the Brushes: A Sheridan first
Disconnecting at the dinner table Craft and Design students come together to better understand the social effects of technology at Food for Thought exhibit
photograph by cole watson
KELSEY LYONS
On Monday, 11 artists from across the college entered Sheridan’s first Battle of the Brushes, a fundraiser for the upcoming Illustration grad show. The three-round competition held at the Marquee, which offered bragging rights and a new drawing tablet, was won by third-year Illustration student Mackenzie Murphy, who said she was ‘incredibly nervous and never expected to win.’
Check out The Sun’s photo gallery from the event only found @ thesheridansun.ca
Opening up about mental health issues RACHEL LEE-THOMAS The power of sharing personal stories helped increase mental health awareness during a forum at Trafalgar Campus last week. Speakers talked openly about their experiences with mental health issues, sharing stories of recovery and the processes involved. “Many students came up to me during the break and stated that they felt inspired by the personal stories,” said
Michaelann George, a Social Service Worker professor at Sheridan. “In the evaluations collected, personal stories were the most highly celebrated component of the forum,” she said. “Both the forum and the talk are designed to give students tools both professionally and personally.” Child and Youth Worker and SSW peer mentors organized the three-hour forum held in B125. Many people were inter-
ested in attending, but due to limited seating only those who were on the list could enter. A line formed of those hoping to get an extra seat. “The forum is for people to be made aware of the stigmas on mental health and how we can overcome them,” peer mentor Hafsa Nadeem explained. The forum began with a fun student-led icebreaker that included drum playing, ball throwing and self-reflection. WELLNESS on page 3
Here’s some food for thought: The world today revolves around technology, creating a disconnection in society. This was the idea behind an exhibit hosted last week at the Trafalgar Campus. The Gallery in Trafalgar’s AA-Wing hosted the Food for Thought exhibit last Thursday, featuring the work of Craft and Design students in the Ceramics, Glass, Furniture, Industrial Design and Textiles programs. The students were put into groups of 10 back in January and were told to consider all food-related topics. “They took this topic and they had the chance to create whatever they wanted,” said Lynne Murray, coordinator of The Gallery. “They stepped out of their comfort zones and they worked together as a team.” Ten projects were displayed in the gallery, consisting of a mixture of videos, sounds, smells and interactive pieces. Jared Lawee, a second-year Furniture Design and Craft student, along with his group members from other sections, needed to come up with an idea. “We’re a group of 10 or so and we needed to accommodate that,” he said. “So we decided to have a communal dinner.” They made plates, cups and cutlery out of textile materials and set them up on a dining table. Lawee’s group called their display A Bird’s Eye View. The group sat down for a meal and recorded the conversations they had throughout. The video that resulted from the meal was projected onto the dining table displayed in the gallery. The creators provided spectators with headphones, allowing them to sit down and
watch the group interact at the table via the recorded video while listening to their taped conversations. “While listening to the recording and watching the video display on the table, you really immerse yourself into this experience,” said Lawee. The group decided conversation should be unscripted. “We didn’t want to script it because it took away from the dinner,” explained Lawee. “It wouldn’t have been natural.” Lawee’s group demonstrated how the sharing of food brings people together. But what happens when those same people bring cellphones to the table? There is always someone texting or “Facebooking” at the table, cutting themselves off from the people they’re sharing a meal with. Weighing in on Texting at the Table is a display that encapsulated this notion. The table was set for two people to sit across from one another with a curtain obstructing one another’s view. There was a slot on both sides of the table for participants to put their phone in, after which the curtain would open and reveal the individual they’re sharing the table with. Michelle Bosveld, a Glass Design student, is one of the students who helped put together the display. “The main idea was having two people having dinner together with a barrier in between,” said Bosveld. When one of the participants picks up a phone, the curtain closes. “I’m picking up my phone and I am disconnecting,” said Bosveld. “This is showing how technology is interrupting our ability to communicate with one another.” SEE PHOTOS on page 7
2 / March 26 - April 1, 2015
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Augmenting the Classroom
Media professors to begin using Oculus Rift in classes Journalism - New Media and Advanced Film and Television programs to explore teaching with virtual reality COLE WATSON
For COLE WATSON’s first-hand account of experiencing the future of virtual reality, read his full report online at
photograph by cole watson
The Journalism New-Media and Advanced Film and Television programs at Sheridan’s Trafalgar campus are looking to create a new genre of story telling through the use of 360-degree view cameras and virtual reality technology. The team of Sherine Mansour, program co-ordinator, Randall Kapuscinski, professor in Journalism New-Media and Advanced Film and Television programs, and Nikolas Clarke, broadcast technologist, purchased a commercial-grade 360-degree-view camera as well as an Oculus Rift headset that they hope to incorporate into their programs curriculums. “We purchased the technology because we want to create immersive journalism and make films,” said Kapuscinski. “It’s a new experience for us to explore ways to make stories more effective and interactive.” Kapuscinski pulled out the camera, which was no larger than a portable recorder, and
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explained that the way it captures footage is by using the two fish-eye lenses on its sides. The camera will record both views at the same time to create a smooth capture and then the footage can be altered using editing software to create effects, as well as interactive elements. “Imagine going to a concert or live event,” said Kapuscinski. “We could use this camera to enhance that experience for others by shooting the event and you would get the feeling of both the band and the audience.” He also explained that coverage of world conflicts and even the New York Times famous interactive story Snowfall could have been made more effective by using drones
equipped with these cameras. In his spare time, Clarke created a 360-degree panorama of the broadcast studio. Viewers are able to click and drag the picture to see all around the room but after editing the footage, Clarke created immersive elements. “When you drag the picture over the TV screens you can notice that the screens play footage,” said Clarke. “And when you pan over to the audio booth, music starts to play.” Spread throughout the picture are also captions to explain what each piece of equip-
ment in the room was. “Right now the technology is a growing niche,” said Kapuscinski. “No one knows the potential or how far we can take it.” The professor explains that VR headsets, such as the Oculus, will not hit a consumer audience through films or stories because the device was originally created for the gaming community and it will be that community that pushes it forward. “Our students have been playing around with the Oculus and even a couple of our graduates, who have started
Chris Coutts tries on the Oculus Rift headset obtained by the Journalism - New Media and the Advanced Film and Television programs.
their own studio, are experimenting with it and using it in their films,” said Kapuscinski. The team is gradually phasing the technology into the curriculum “We are monitoring the field constantly to see how others are using it so we can determine how we can utilize it to its best.”
Student Union welcomes aboard 11 new members JONAH SHINUDA was by visiting one of the voting tables or using Access Sheridan,” Matar said. Matar helped run the election and oversaw every aspect from marketing to nominations to voting.
Overall, the marketing was successful and we were very happy with the results.
photograph by jonah shinuda
Eleven candidates have emerged victorious in the Sheridan Student Union’s election for the 2015-2016 Board of Directors. The election, which ran from March 11 to 13, was held to select students from each Sheridan campus to join the board and represent the SSUI membership. The director position requires meeting with the student population, bringing student feedback to board level, volunteering at Student Union events, and an array of other responsibilities. Sawssan Matar, chief returning officer for Student Union, was pleased with the number of students who voted in the election and made their voices heard. Trafalgar, Hazel McCallion and Davis campuses had 555, 431 and 2,020 votes respectively, for a total of 3,006 student votes across all three campuses. In other words, 17 per cent of the college’s estimated 18,000 full-time students cast ballots. This is up from two years ago, when voter turnout at Davis was 1,563, HMC was 595, and Trafalgar with the lowest at 291 voters. “There was a good turnout, a lot of people stepped up to vote whether it
MELISSA MENDES
Marketing associate for Sheridan’s student union “We were overwhelmed with the results,” she said. “Many students came in to ask about the election and get more information about it. We could tell people were actually reading up on the candidates to make an informed vote, rather than just voting based on their first impressions.” Both Matar and Melissa Mendes, a marketing associate for SSU, believe the success of the election is due to the way it was promoted to the student body. “[The marketing team] sat down and we figured out how we were going to let people know about it,” Mendes said.
“We had posters hung up all over campus and set up a website specifically for the election.” Mendes wanted to make sure that students actually understood what the election was about, so they could be informed on what the board of directors is and the role it plays at Sheridan. Matar believes that setting up a website for the election played a big part in its promotion. “We had the names and pictures of each candidate, as well as a short description about them,” she said. “I think it was very helpful to the students who wanted to quickly get in-
Paulina Lizewski, Katharine Green and Quinn Williams run a voting table in the SCAET Wing at Trafalgar Campus earlier this month.
formation before voting.” Mendes said that the election has taught the SSU more about the effectiveness of good promoting. “Overall, the marketing was successful and we were very happy with the results,” she said. “We’ll be keeping what we’ve learned in mind for next year’s election.”
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March 26 - April 1, 2015
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Wellness Week Roundup
Students get schooled in safe party procedures Participation freebies weren’t the only thing that students took away from Sheridan’s health and counselling services’ Wellness Week. Friday’s Sheridan Parties event encouraged personal safety in a social setting, part of a series of informative events that took place from March 16 to 20 across all campuses. Participants were given a red cup for the duration of the event, which involved activities about pouring a standard-sized drink, sex-related trivia and a sensory-impairment simulation. “The aim of the event is to teach people how to stay safe at a party and still have a good time,” said Marissa Amoroso, senior manager of health and counselling. At the end of the event, participants learned whether their drink had been “roofied” using beads as prop drugs, as well as receiving information on how to get home safely. “It taught me a few lessons about leaving my drink alone,” said Ben Callaghan, who attended the event at Trafalgar’s B-Wing. “I thought the beads were a nice touch.” Students were taught how to pour safe amounts of alcoholic beverages in the first station, before moving on to a game of beer pong involving true-orfalse safe-sex questions at the second station. The final station had students wear vision-impairing beer-goggles
photograph by elise morton
JESSICA ROVEDA
during a game of pin-the-tail on Bruno. “It’s really clever and creative,” said Bachelor of Film and Television student Akil McKenzie, 18. “The activities and prizes at the end made students want to participate, but also willing to learn.” Students were given free condoms, shaving razors and a slice of pizza for participating. In its inaugural year, Wellness Week was a “success” according to Amoroso, who said that each campus saw combined participation of about 160 people per day.
Katie Zazulak, a secondyear Social Service Worker student, educates Becca Hils, a first year Makeup student, about the proper amount of alcohol equaling a shot.
Marissa Amoroso, senior manager of Health and Counselling Services and nurse Jane Rolfe demo glasses that replicate how vision is affected by alcohol.
Mental health forum organizers overwhelmed by successful turnout CONTINUED from page 1 During the ball-throwing exercise, when participants were told to stop, whomever was holding the ball stood up and was asked to read one question, and answer it the best they could. It included thought-provoking questions such as “What’s something you wish you didn’t hear?” and “Who needs to take responsibility?” The auditorium was mostly composed of SSW students looking to get a better understanding of the ways mental health is handled. Many were equipped with
notebook and pen, and actively participated in the talk, asking questions throughout. “It’s a two-year program, but it looks like it’s mostly first years here tonight,” said SSW student Shannon Redhead. “This is a great opportunity for someone like me, because I want to go into the general stream of mental health and addictions. So when I saw this come up on the forum, I jumped at the opportunity.” The night began with a speech by Richard Finch, dean of the Faculty of Applied Health and Community Stud-
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ies. Though he was not able to stay for the entire night, he did express the importance of learning about mental health and said that each person who was willing to talk about it is taking a step in the right direction. SSW peer mentor Jenna Gouveia followed after with a beautiful piece of poetry, detailing how her own issues with mental health have led her to helping others. Speakers for the night included Jessica Cockerill, of Friends & Advocates Peel and coordinator of the Consumer
Survivor Network Initiative, who gave a detailed presentation about how mental health is funded and treated in Ontario. After a break that included dinner and drinks, the forum concluded with a talk by Lisa MacKai, a frontline support worker at Support & Housing-Halton. A question and answer session was also held. Several videos were shown that told the stories of people who have struggled with and overcome mental health problems. “I’m actually attending the
Davis Campus, and luckily I was able to make it out [to the event],” said SSW student Jainusa Kumarasamy. “I was really encouraged by the social action project on mental illness, and it was really beneficial to come out and learn new information tonight.” Upcoming events include a stress management presentation by Dr. Clarisse Chan, a local chiropractor, on April 7 from 6 to 8 p.m., where she will discuss five essentials to managing stress.
The Sheridan Sun is published weekly throughout the school year by students in the Sheridan Journalism Program. The Sun is a member of the Ontario Community Newspapers Association (OCNA).
Mail: Sheridan College, Trafalgar Campus, 1430 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, ON, L6H 2L1; Phone: (905) 845-9430, ext. 8581 Fax: (905) 815-4010 E-mail: sheridan.sun@sheridanc.on.ca
The Sun welcomes the submission of articles, pictures, and letters to the editor - particularly those expressing opinions that differ from those on these pages. Articles and letters should be no more than 250 words.
Print journalism program co-ordinator: Nathan Mallett Supervising instructor: Kathy Muldoon Copy editors: Kevin MacLean, Leslie Butler, Andrew Mitrovica Managing editor: Brittany Preocanin News editor: Cait Carter Production manager: Chris Coutts Layout editors: Jess Roveda, Ryan Sagadore, Alexa Menard, Rebekah Oliviera, Connor Ridley, Kahfeel Buchanan
For advertising rates, contact: Kathy Muldoon, (905) 845-9430 ext. 2403, kathy.muldoon@sheridanc.on.ca Rate cards available.
4 / March 26 - April 1, 2015
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‘I will never live here again’
KEITH CORKUM and ANDREW GOULART speak to residents about their time spent in campus housing, and find out if and when Sheridan plans to make things right. venient residence not a high school field trip where the hotel halls are being monitored by the teachers.” Mika Babineau says she also had “many a problem” during her time in residence. “Before I even started living here this year, for my second year, I kept getting calls about how I was going to be kicked out of residence if I didn’t pay the full amount soon,” said Babineau. “They would not hear my explanation about student loans, and I would continually get e-mails and calls about getting kicked out.” Many of the kitchens in Trafalgar One have often been unusable due to renovations. “I did my grocery run and then I’d see, ‘Oh sorry, kitchen’s closed,’ ” said Johnson. The second floor’s kitchen was still under construction from the beginning of the winter semester until the beginning of March. “We’re in major renovations right now. Overall it’s going to take four years and we’ve already completed year one. Floors 1 and 2 will be done by the end of summer,” said Bernie Dwyer, director of operations for Sheridan’s residences. There have been occasional problems with access to hot water as well. Johnson has since left residence and moved into off-campus housing. “My apartment sink is really good, it’s just like a sink I have at home,” said Johnson. “Whereas with residence, it always felt like it was lukewarm.” Students pay roughly $850 per month to rent a residence room for the school year, and Johnson says he is much happier living in his $450-a-month apartment. “The apartment is way
photograph by andrew goulart
Sheridan might be a top-tier college, but its residence is anything but, according to students. There are many problems in residences located at Trafalgar Campus, operated by Campus Living Centres, from issues with unfinished kitchens, no hot water, and dealing with poor attitudes from staff. “I haven’t heard any complaints from students about anything related to residence life this year,” said Maria Lucido-Bezely, the dean of student services. “When something is working well, we’d love to hear it. When something isn’t working well, we need to know it,” said Lucido-Bezely. “Let’s try and make it better. Let’s get the feedback to the right channels, and let’s have these students learn the whole picture and come up with solutions.” Chris Johnson, a second-year Illustration student, said the people running residence acted like “summer camp supervisors” rather than treating students as adults. Prior to living in residence, Johnson believed the experience would be similar to living in an apartment, without the “childish” rules. “I was very wrong. That’s exactly how it turned out,” said Johnson. “The way the supervisors treated people, they were the biggest problem.” “One of the RAs working there came up and showed me that I forgot to sign out the use of a lockout card,” he said. “He did it with a very condescending tone and it felt like I was being negatively reinforced by a teacher or camp councillor who never wanted me to do it again. I understand their job is stressful but I was paying them to stay in a comfortable, con-
Trafalgar Two’s fifth-floor kitchen lacks countertops for students to prepare food, as well as basic cleaning supplies.
cheaper,” he said. Mikayla Rae, a second-year Child and Youth Care student currently living in residence, has heard of students being locked out of their rooms. “If you don’t pay certain fees by a certain time you will be locked out of your room,” said Rae. “Say you owe them $1,000 because your OSAP came in late. How are you supposed to pay that when you’re locked out of your room?” Babineau said that money had been taken out of her damage deposit without her knowledge. The damage deposit is a set amount of money a student puts aside to cover any damages they may cause to the suite. After the student leaves residence, they are refunded this deposit as long as the student caused no damages. When she asked why she hadn’t been informed they were taking her money, residence staff told her it would be “too hard.” “That way people won’t challenge them. They can just take it and not tell people,” said Babineau. Students have had to pay a slew of extra fees. Johnson, for example, had to pay more than $100 for damages he isn’t entirely sure he was responsi-
Kitchenettes on the first and second floor suites of Trafalgar One are set to finally receive their wallpaper in the summer.
ble for. In one instance, Johnson had to fork out his money because of his roommate’s negligence. He said when his roommate moved out, he left behind his kitchen cutlery. “I took all of his stuff and put it on his bed, and we both got charged,” said Johnson. Johnson said in these situations, residence staff try to keep students from getting their parents involved. “They wanted to talk to the students alone, and they didn’t want the parents involved in the conversation. They’ll say ‘No, we need to let you yourself handle it,’ ” said Johnson. “It’s a sort of ploy like, ‘You’re an adult, but we’re not treating you like an adult. But now we’ll treat you like an adult because we want your money.’ ” After his experience, Johnson has no desire to live in residence again. “I highly recommend that people don’t go there. Funny thing is, they told me to shut up about that one time,” said Johnson. “I was talking to someone I knew in private, and one of the head supervisors told me not to talk about it. That was the last straw. It felt like I was being sent to
photograph by jess roveda
Sheridan’s residences are a vital (and expensive) component of many students’ college experience. But for some, it’s become a nightmare that is impacting more than just their grades.
the principal’s office for a private conversation.” Students can only sign in a guest until 2 a.m., which can be an issue when pub nights can run until 2 a.m. “If I go to pub night with my friends and we come back after that and something goes on, we can’t sign them in,” said Rae. “What do you want them to do? They can’t drive home.” Babineau is unhappy that she has to pay $5 for guests, per night. This is in addition to the guest having to pay $10 for overnight parking on weeknights if they don’t have a parking pass. Bernie Dwyer, director of operations for Sheridan’s residences, says that one of the reasons for the $5 overnight fee is to prevent guests from staying for a long time. “What the $5 does is – we kind of use it as a bit of a deterrent. We want to ensure that this turns into a two bedroom, and not a three or four or five. We try to respect that,” he said. Babineau says she pays a lot of money to stay in residence, and believes she should be able to have someone over to where she lives without paying a fee every time. “I will never live here again,” said Babineau. “My experience has been horrid.” Dwyer urges any students who have issues in residence to speak with him directly. “If there’s a student out there in residence that feels like we’re not listening to them, I really would like to have an opportunity to speak to that student and give them that opportunity,” he said. “I would like to resolve any concern that’s going on out there. I would never want anyone to walk away feeling like they weren’t heard.”
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March 26 - April 1, 2015
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Focus on Illustration
Bird is the word
The Canadian Peregrine Foundation focuses on informing and educating about population recovery and nesting sites for peregrines and other endangered bird species.
Sheridan students welcomed some special guests last Monday. Tracey Simpson, a volunteer with the Canadian Peregrine Foundation, brought along three of her winged friends to the third year illustration drawing class REBEKAH OLIVEIRA
Oscar, the peregrine falcon.
Simpson, who has been with the CPF for 15 years, handles Oscar, a peregrine falcon while third-year Illustration students Zach Cartman, left, and Sarah Ollerhead, right, sketch the falcon.
Highway is a red-tailed hawk. A hawk’s wings are pointed at the end and are designed to be long and rectangular allowing them to soar and glide.
Illustration student Julias Granada sketches Oscar as the peregrine falcon strikes a pose. Simpson explained that by the 1960s the peregrine population had declined drastically because of the insecticide DDT.
Tiguaq is Inuit for ‘adopted son’. He is a snowy owl and came to the CPF from a captive breeding facility in St. Catharines. “It was a long, hard road [with Tiguaq]. Tiguaq wasn’t handled as a young bird which made my job harder,” Simpson said.
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Tell us what you think about Sheridan!
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National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
Your opinion matters. Find the link to the survey in your Sheridan email.
March 10 – April 10, 2015
Can’t find your NSSE email? If you’re having difficulty logging in, please email help@nssesurvey.org or call 1-800-676-0390.
More than half of teachers in Ontario’s colleges and universities are non-full-time/ contract faculty. Help us understand you better to improve education for everyone.
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Questions?
Visit nsse.sheridancollege.ca or your local Student Services Centre. Note: The NSSE survey is open to students in degree programs only.
All information provided is current as of publication and is subject to change; Sheridan Marketing and Brand Strategy, January 2015. ID# 3650
HEQCO is an independent agency of the Government of Ontario.
6 / March 26 - April 1, 2015
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Student Life
Interactive comedy an opening night hit The interactive comedy Game Show had participants cracking up at their own responses on March 21 at Oakville’s Centre for the Performing Arts and left them feeling that they had been part of a real live audience, right down to the applause cues. “You know, there’s not a lot of game shows anymore,” said Mike Ranieri, playing assistant producer and warm-up man Steve Fox during the performance. A brochure says the play tries to combine elements from different live game shows and give participants the impression that they are a part of a live TV show. Andrew Lamb, artistic director of Roseneath Theatre and Theatre Awakening in Toronto, said in a presentation after the performance that the show is so interesting because it’s different every time. The participants and audience add their own flavour to each performance, whether they are trying to be witty or just saying silly things under
pressure. Lamb also enjoys the play because it portrays the inner workings of creating a game show. The performance demonstrated what it is like to advance in the game show business: office pranks, secret affairs and the quick timing of live broadcasting. “There’s the bell. Feign attention ’cause we’re live!” Ranieri told the audience, demonstrating how quick-paced the set of a live game show really needs to be. “It’s wonderful to see all of those twists and turns,” said Lee, adding there are a few surprises for the audience during the show. The first contestant, and winner of an autographed picture of Troy Richards played by Barnaby Clunie and bread from Cobs Bread, had never seen the show before. Eva Touse and Lisa MacMullin, two contestants in the show, also said they had never heard of Game Show before, but were both impressed and surprised by the outcome.
photograph by samantha maich
SAMANTHA MAICH
“Honestly, I think this is the best show I’ve been to because of the interactive part,” MacMullin said. She has also been to Colours at the Centre for Performing Arts but said she is more of a comedy person. “It’s nerve-racking, all those people staring at you. It takes a lot of nerve to get up there in front of everyone,” MacMullin said, adding that she now knows how the actors feel. MacMullin said she has played home trivia for years, but found it surprisingly different than when she was on
Game Show because “you have 10 seconds” to come up with the right answer. Touse said that while participating in the show all she could think was, “I don’t know what to do, what to say.” The entire time she was trying to get the right answers and make it funny at the same time to add to the comic aspect of the performance. Questions ranged from “Which primate lacks pigment in the palms of its hands?” to “By weight, what is the human body’s largest organ?”
Four contestants have 10 seconds to ponder over the questions host Troy Richards, played by Barnaby Clunie, gives them.
Most of the answers would be easy to guess from your couch at home, but it is another story when you are on stage. Two contestants incorrectly guessed the answer to the first question: a gorilla. The answer the cast was looking for was humans.
Students warned about dangers of texting and driving Despite all the recent information about distracted driving, young and old drivers alike can’t seem to resist the urge to text while behind the wheel. The repercussions of texting and driving can be hazardous, yet people ignore the law anyway. “My girlfriend got in an accident last year. The woman was texting and didn’t see her, so she never even tried to hit the brakes,” said first-year Sheridan Welding student Jamal Lindo. “She was knocked unconscious after her head hit the window. She had to stay in a dark room for three months. She lost her job, had to drop out of college and I had to quit my job and move to take care of her.” A year later, Lindo and his girlfriend are still suffering from the impact of the crash. “She still suffers from really bad headaches and horrible anxiety when she’s driving or we’re travelling anywhere,” said Lindo. “We’re lucky, though. She could be dead.” The consequences of texting and driving can be serious. On top of endangering others, people who text while driving may get six demerit points, fined for up to $2,000, a six-month jail sentence and up to a two-year licence suspension.
The aftermath of the accident involving Jamal Lindo’s partner that was caused by texting and driving.
photograph by jamal lindo
COURTNEY BLOK
“The statistics show texting and driv- with it. With everything at the tips of ing has now actually taken over drink- users’ fingers, the temptation is always ing and driving, and is still rising,” said there. Brenda McEwin, vice-chair of Ontario “It is extremely dangerous to text Students Against Impaired Driving, while driving. It is much more dangera group that raises awareness of the ous than talking on the phone while dangers of impaired driving all across driving,” said Lana Trick, a researcher Ontario. “We have at the University to get that message of Guelph DRiVE I believe that SSU should be out so the statistics raising awareness about texting Lab. can come down.” Drivers are putand driving ... it is an important As technology ting themselves issue like all others. has advanced and and others at become a part of risk every time MEGAN RITCHIE people’s everyday they check their Student Union Board Member lives, so have the phones. risks that come “Drivers are 23
times more at risk of collision while texting and driving than when just driving,” said Trick. “To put this in context: It’s estimated that cell phone users are only four times more at risk of collisions when talking on a cellphone and driving. Quadrupling the risk is bad, but 23 times? That is ridiculous.” At Sheridan, there are signs and promotional events provided by the student union reminding students not to drink and drive, but there isn’t as much awareness about distracted driving. “I believe that SSU should be raising awareness about texting and driving due to the fact that it is an important issue,” said student union board member Megan Ritchie. “I think SSU can raise awareness by hosting small challenges and games for people to be aware of the seriousness of texting and driving, or even have a pub night highlighting texting and driving.” It’s not just texting that is dangerous while driving. It’s anything that can distract the driver from their surroundings. “Any kind of distraction in the car is a challenge for drivers,” said Sgt. Chantal Corner, media relations officer with the Halton Regional Police. “People have to take into account [that] when you are in a vehicle, technically it’s an extremely heavy weapon, and that’s what it can be on the road if it’s not used properly.”
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March 26 - April 1, 2015
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Down Right Fight
Rumble in the Marquee KAHFEEL BUCHANAN The crowd roared every time a player was defeated on the main stage, which displayed the championship fights on a projector for spectators. Many of the fighters, such as Ponce, came for the atmosphere rather than just the games. “This is more of a social thing. I like the people. I have made a lot of friends,” said Ponce. Players showed off their creative diversity with their unique nicknames such as Hingle Mccringleberry, Dopeboy and Count Blackula. Ra’id Ismail is the founder of Burning Meter, a website dedicated to the fighting game community. Burning Meter was also one of the tournament’s sponsors. Ismail participates under the alias Mayor of Hamilton. “I play because I love competing,” said Ismail. There were more than 20 different matches happening on various consoles including the Playstation 3, Nintendo GameCube, Wii and Xbox 360. Players had the option of joining a singles tournament or a doubles tournament depending on the game. Super Smash Bros. Melee was one of the tournaments that offered doubles. Entry price was $5 while players paid an extra $10 per tournament. There was also a raffle draw near the end with prizes.
Players took home gift cards, T-shirts, posters and even a Nintendo Amiibo. Some players got to leave with bragging rights such as Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 tournament winner Señor Teemo. Taylor Hanson is the host and co-founder of Down Right Fight. When he began the tournament a year ago, he was shocked by the turnout. “It’s heavy. The surge of people. The amount of hype. People tweeting and posting on Facebook,” he said. Hanson is a former Sheridan Visual Creative Arts program student and currently works at the Marquee. This is the third time Down Right Fight has held a gaming tournament in the Marquee. Down Right Fight was created to help grow a fighting-game community at Sheridan. Hanson’s manager allowed him to get the venue at a good price. The only problem players had this time was with the
Above, Down Right Fight players battle for supremacy at Trafalgar’s Marquee last Friday. Right, Taylor Hanson, event organizer, hypes up the crowd.
speed of the tournament. Daniel Reis is a Super Smash Bros. Melee player with plans of becoming a professional gamer some day. Reis found his inspiration in 2007 while watching Street Fighter combo videos on YouTube. He now frequently attends gaming tournaments, and had mixed feelings about the Marquee event. “It’s a nice venue but it runs slow though,” said Reis. Benjamin Mora-Davison is a high school student that travelled from Milton to Sheridan’s Trafalgar Campus. Mora-Davison enjoyed the tournament but ultimately agreed with Reis. “Running late, but enjoyable,” said Mora-Davison.
photography by photographer name
The Sheridan Marquee looked more like the MGM Grand in Las Vegas last Friday as 125 players competed in the latest Down Right Fight gaming tournament. The games available included Ultra Street Fighter IV, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Guilty Gear Xrd and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. The Coffee Loft was packed with brawlers playing Super Smash Bros. Melee while the Marquee was host to the rest of the games. Players from all over the GTA were welcomed. Players came from places such as Milton, Mississauga, Toronto and Brampton for the chance to be a part of the event. Daniel Ponce was the champion of November’s Down Right Fight Ultra Street Fighter IV tournament. The competition was fierce and Ponce didn’t make the top eight in the tournament. To be the best, you have to practice a lot, he said. “I haven’t been playing much. To get good, you need to invest a lot of time. This is more of a social thing for me now,” said Ponce. More than 60 people came to the event, including casual players or spectators who did not participate in a tournament. Many of these came to enjoy the food, drinks, pool tables and friendly atmosphere.
Hanson seemed to have been caught by surprise by the number of people who attended. “We doubled our numbers from last time,” said Hanson. There were so many players, organizers were forced to cancel some events to accommodate the large turnout. However, affected players were refunded their money in full. This was also the first time the event was live-streamed.
Interactive exhibit encourages participants to think twice about technology’s implications Missed the full story? See PAGE 1 for The Sun’s coverage of this unique event Ceramic Design students Queenie Xu and Jordan Scott try out the texting table at the exhibit.
First-year Furniture student Michael Strong is listening to a dinner conversation while the videotape is projected on to the table.
8 / March 26 - April 1, 2015
@TheSheridanSun
Local Eats
You’ve got to be crazy to take this challenge on Want to be the “burger king”? Forget fast food. Order the “Crazy Scary” burger challenge at Mo’s Family Restaurant instead. It’s an experience you won’t forget. Reading the menu and seeing that Mo’s has an option for practically everyone convinces you that perhaps there’s something else you might want to order. Perhaps you’ll have chicken souvlaki tonight, or veal parmesan with pasta. Maybe just a grilled cheese or even some all-day breakfast will do. But that $25 burger sounds so good. Three homemade patties, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, cheese and peameal bacon – how could you say no? You don’t. And for safety, you bring a partner to join you on your quest to defeat the burger. Our server told us no one had ever ordered the challenge to share before. But it’s something they’re happy to serve. The only change is they won’t offer you the double portion of poutine that usually accompanies the meal. Instead, you get a side dish of fries or salad. Or a double order of poutine, if you’d like to pay. Being a Friday night, Mo’s was busy. The wait was about an hour, but that can be blamed on the fact that we had just ordered a burger with three homemade patties. Mo’s is generally fast on any other day – their Sunday breakfast is especially quick – but the challenge deserves a little more time.
photography by cait carter
CAIT CARTER
Mo’s Family Restaurant at 467 Speers Rd. in Oakville is the home of the “Crazy Scary” burger challenge, below. And boy, did this thing look like a challenge. The nine-inch-tall burger arrived with ketchup, mustard, mayo and relish alongside an order of fries. This burger was a work of art. Cheese melted over the patties while caramelized onions oozed from the tower of a burger. It’s common knowledge that a burger is good when it looks messy, and this champion was no exception. You don’t even want to try digging into this as is. The giant scares your mouth away as you try to approach it from every side. Just do the smart thing, and go at it with a knife and fork. The first thing you’re likely to notice about the burger is
that while the patties are decent, they’re made to test you. The burger is dense, and gets more difficult to eat as you go. But combined together, the bacon, cheese, onions and burger just tastes better and better. The peameal bacon was a perfect choice for this burger, being more akin to ham than bacon. It has a less of a fatty flavour to it. It’s not as crispy as regular bacon, but this burger didn’t need anything crispy. The caramelized onions were a per-
fect add-on, lending an awesomely sweet flavour to what could be an otherwise salty burger. The cheese was standard cheddar, melted and delicious, but the bun was plain. Lettuce and tomato made a visit to the tower, but never really stood out. We threw them on to a side plate to make room for all the delicious goodies Mo had
provided. And even then, we didn’t finish the plate. While the burger wasn’t necessarily the best I’d ever had, it was remarkably good for being something that is meant to scare people. I’d order it again to share with friends, if only just to see their faces as it arrives at the table. It’s a spectacle that you can’t experience twice.
thesheridansun.ca
March 26 - April 1, 2015
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Living with insomnia photograph by vanessa gillis
One in seven Canadians experience sleeping problems at some point in their lives, often caused by something as simple as having electronics in the room or a change in sleeping patterns.
VANESSA GILLIS reports on the troubling trend and how best to cope with it.
Sleep is something most of us take for granted, but for some, it is an endless process of frustration and irritation. Those are the emotions Dean Iamarino experiences when he faces episodes of insomnia. “When lying in bed, normally your mind slowly shuts down and you don’t remember anything after that,” said the 40-year-old father of two. “When I’m going through [an episode], my mind just won’t stop. It’s continuing to think about things and, after a while, I begin to question why I’m thinking about this stuff. I just need to get to sleep.” Dr. Raymond Gottschalk, medical director at Hamilton Sleep Disorders Clinic, says insomnia “is really just dissatisfaction with sleep. It doesn’t just mean that they’re struggling to sleep, it means that they’re struggling with sleep.” He explains there are many different classifications of insomnia. There are those who suffer with initial insomnia, where they have difficulty getting to sleep, those who suffer with sleep maintenance insomnia, where they get to sleep but can’t stay asleep, and those who are afflicted by early morning wakening. Iamarino, who suffers from initial insomnia, says he tries to shut down but he gets frustrated that he’s not falling asleep. The constant thought of falling asleep, he says, prevents him from getting to sleep that much more. “The next nights are the worse ones because you’re laying there questioning if you’re asleep,” he explains. “So it’s all a mind game for a lot of the nights afterwards, and that’s the hard part.” Iamarino describes those nights as an endless cycle of frustration and worry. He agonizes over whether he’ll have trouble falling asleep again, and then his mind can’t stop worrying about when he’s going to fall asleep. “You’re over-thinking things when you shouldn’t be,” he says. “You should be relaxing and falling asleep.” Gottschalk explains that insomnia is like a chain reaction between the chemicals in the brain. There are sleep-pro-
moting and alerting chemicals in the work life as well. Iamarino, a biosolids brain, and many of the electronics that operations coordinator for Halton Rewe have counter our body’s rhythms. gion, says he deals with a lot of reports “We have electronic devices that em- and numbers in his job. anate a lot of light, so it behaves almost “I had difficulty with concentration like a little sunlight and it keeps us and keeping myself focused on things awake,” he says. “There’s usually not a at work,” he says. “It was an issue tryfailure of the sleep promoting [chemi- ing to stay focused during the day.” cals], but it’s more of an overriding of It was at this point Iamarino decided the alerting [chemicals].” to visit his doctor to see if he could get Iamarino says he had his first episode sleeping pills. shortly after Christ“I didn’t want to mas three years ago, rely on them, but which lasted almost it was just so long two months. and I was having Interestingly, when you “The first one was a difficult time look at people [with probably the worst with everything,” one, where it was he explains. “I just insomnia] during the day almost two months … they’re not functioning needed to get some straight that I didn’t sleep.” because some of the sleep,” he recalls. At his most desmemory circuitry is just “I drifted off for a perate, he took the couple of hours, but sleeping pills a few not getting the proper I was never hitting nights, although it rest, so there will be a any deep sleep.” still took some time whole lot of intellectual These sleepless before he was able nights began to afto fall asleep. and cognitive difficulty. fect Iamarino’s perEven though they sonal life, making did help him evenDR. RAYMOND GOTTSCHALK him irritable and tually get to sleep, decreasing his enerIamarino says he Medical director, Hamilton Sleep Disorders Clinic gy and motivation. stopped taking the “I’m normally a pills because he fairly active person. wanted to let his inBut I just didn’t ternal clock get back have the drive or on track naturally. energy to do that,” he says. “I’d get “You don’t want to use drugs to put home from work and I had young kids yourself to sleep if you don’t have to,” who wanted to play, but I would sit says Gottschalk. “The cornerstone of down to do something with them and treatment of insomnia is to educate the I’d be nodding off. My attention span patient and change their behaviours.” was gone.” According to Dr. Sushma Shah, This is very common when people founder and owner of Nature’s Intenare deprived of sleep, according to tion Naturopathic Clinic in Toronto, in Gottschalk. order to treat insomnia, the root of the “Interestingly, when you look at peo- problem must first be addressed. ple [with insomnia] during the day … “I’m a firm believer in the fact that they’re not functioning because some of you are not born with insomnia. It the memory circuitry is just not getting comes as the result of something,” she the proper rest, so there will be a whole says. “With sleeping pills, you just have lot of intellectual and cognitive difficul- to keep taking them so you can sleep, ty,” he explains. but you’re not really determining what Not only did the insomnia affect Ia- the issue really is.” marino’s home life, it also impacted his Both Gottschalk and Shah recom-
mend relaxation techniques, such as meditation, to help patients fall asleep. Through some sessions offered at the health department at his work, Iamarino says he tried some meditation sessions to learn these relaxation techniques. “It kind of helped, but I don’t know if it did a whole lot because, again, I was at a point where my mind kept asking itself, ‘Am I going to sleep tonight?’ ” he remembers. “The meditation wasn’t as effective as I had hoped to stop my mind from racing, but I did try.” Since that first occurrence three years ago, Iamarino says he still experiences insomnia every few months, although now the episodes only last about a couple of weeks, sometimes less. He still doesn’t know what causes his insomnia, but he says it seems to happen when there is a disruption in his schedule. “It started right after Christmas holidays. I had been off work for a week and a half, so with that obviously my schedule had changed,” he says, thinking back to the initial bout of insomnia. This year, Iamarino says he had some tough times with sleep after the Christmas holidays. “I try not to go off my schedule, even on weekends or holidays,” he explains. “I try to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time to try to avoid that.” Despite trying to stay on a regular schedule, Iamarino still has some sleepless night, although he is more optimistic about them now. “The initial time it happened, because it was so long, I was worried it would never go away,” he says. “That [thought] makes you even more stressed because you don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel at that point. I’m less stressed now when it does occur. I think I’ll always have these minor events throughout my life, but I know I can get through it.”
For the full interactive experience of this story, make sure to visit thesheridansun.ca
10 / March 26 - April 1, 2015
@TheSheridanSun
In It To Win It
Sheridan student takes top honour at sales competition
Rachele Benjamin, a post-grad Advertising student, won $5,000 after making it through three rounds in a Sales Talent Agency competition earlier this month.
Advertising Account Management’s Rachele Benjamin began journey to the finals with a pitch about grilled cheese Sheridan Advertising student Rachele Benjamin has won the first annual Great Canadian Sales competition. The competition is put on by the Sales Talent Agency to find college and university students who have potential in the sales industry. The winner receives $5,000, a paid trip to Toronto and a 60-minute meeting with the co-founders of the agency. Benjamin, 24, is a post-graduate Advertising student who entered the competition during a networking night held at the Marquee. The people at the booth were taking 60-second pitches from students. Benjamin thought the contest looked interesting, and entered with
a pitch she hardly remembers about grilled cheese sandwiches. She didn’t have any experience as a salesperson before entering the contest. “I never saw myself as a great salesperson. I never worked in retail before.” The contest sponsor chooses 60 people to go into the semi-finals. In the semi-finals Benjamin made a 60-second pitch about the sponsor company. After this she waited two months to find out she was in the finals. “I was excited during the process as I never really won anything before, or been pushed to the finals of a competition before,” Benjamin said. “It was surreal when I found out.”
photograph by andrew giammarco
ANDREW GIAMMARCO
The final took place at the Toronto offices of Google, which she toured with the other contestants. The final competition required a 10-minute speech in front of a panel of judges made up of high-ranking employees of Google and Facebook. After judges’ deliberations, contestants were taken to a big stage area, where it was
announced that she had won the contest. She gave an acceptance speech in front of everyone. “Everyone at the contest seemed smart and already had success networking. I got the impression it could be anyone,” said Benjamin.” I had already convinced myself that they weren’t going to call my name. It felt weird.”
Benjamin was overwhelmed and surprised about everything at the Google offices. She spent four years at Queen’s University in a psychology undergraduate program and she came to Sheridan to gain applied skills. She is happy she entered the contest. “This went from a spur of a moment thought, to a great opportunity.”
Opinion
Ryersonian controversy just more mainstream media click-bait fodder
JAKE HRIBLJAN
G
lobal News, The National Post and other mainstream news outlets have recently tried to stir controversy over a Ryersonian story about two white Ryerson students being barred from attending an anti-racism event. Julia Knope and Trevor Hewitt, first-year journalism students assigned to cover the event by their professor, were asked on arrival at the meeting whether they had been discriminated against because of their race. After stating they hadn’t, they were asked to leave. The story, which ran with “Racialized Students Collective says students were kicked out for being white” as a headline, was published on The Ryersonian’s website on March 13
and has generated more than 100,000 views. This egregious headline was unsupported with quotes and laughably contradicted by the two students’ own admission that “they were asked to leave because they had never been discriminated against based on their race.” Yet predictably, the mainstream outlets and various internet forums, such as Reddit, turned this in to an issue of racial discrimination. These tropes about “reverse racism” have become a popular motif for media outlets because they ignite strong emotional responses in readers, and ultimately pit two powerless groups against each other, usually the poor versus the poor. But in this instance: student journalists versus racial
minorities. “The National Post basically reports to excite old, white men, so I’m not surprised they would push this story,” said Sheridan Journalism Print program co-ordinator Nathan Mallet. “They’re just throwing red meat to their audience.” And like a pack of hyenas, the lazy computer-chair Liberals and political dinosaurs line up to blow their righteous load as media outlets drink up the sweet juices of views, readership and advertisements. A click-bait story such as this would theoretically be above The Ryersonian, but who knows, maybe those students were having trouble thinking of possible stories between episodes of Teen Mom and Work-
aholics. To its credit, The Ryersonian published a follow-up story of an interview with a constitutional lawyer who confirmed that the Racialized Students Collective was right to ask Knope and Hewitt to leave because they are journalists. “If these people have a right to privacy, which I think they would in these sorts of counselling sessions, essentially they’re going to a safe space,” lawyer Brendan Miller told The Ryersonian. “The media’s right to access to that is overridden by [the students’ right to privacy]. That expectation of privacy is higher than the right of the press to report.” Not surprisingly, this followup story didn’t generate traffic levels anything near the original story’s, not being
Until readers and viewers start to hold media outlets accountable for the content they produce, the market will continue to be overrun with straw men and pseudo-controversial crap.
tweeted once and shared on Facebook only 21 times. The Ryersonian can be forgiven because ultimately they’re just students still learning the trade, but outlets like Global News and The National Post should know better. And they probably do, they just don’t give a shit. Until readers and viewers start to hold media outlets accountable for the content they produce, the market will continue to be overrun with straw men and pseudo-controversial crap. It’s not like they can plead slow news day - Bill C-51, Nestle stealing water and the Middle East are all still hot and relevant. This entertainment journalism might just seem revenue-slutty on the surface, but the true insidious nature is shown in the gradual change in public perceptions, and in this case, what is really to blame for institutional racism. Like Malcolm X said, if you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.
thesheridansun.ca
March 26 - April 1, 2015
READY to
A
fter five long years of rehabilitation and consistency, Dave McAllister, head coach of Sheridan’s men’s volleyball team, handed the reigns over to one of his former star players, Frank Pento. McAllister started at Sheridan in 2010, and brought with him more than two decades of coaching experience. He guided Sheridan back to playoff contention almost right away, reversing the fortune of the team after years of mediocrity. Pento knows all about the legacy McAllister is leaving, having been a big part of that success for three seasons. He hopes to continue that tradition. “Coach McAllister brought a last-place team to second in his first year,” Pento said. “He changed the culture from being unsuccessful to always being competitive.” When asked if he was looking in to coaching at the collegiate level somewhere other than Sheridan, Pento said, “No, I wouldn’t have taken a position like this anywhere else! “I had a great time here and I’ve followed the team the last two years. It’s a new experience for me, but knowing the people here and having played with some of the players, it should make for an easy transition.” McAllister had a hand in choosing his successor. “Dave put my name forward,” Pento said. “He trusted me. We have become good friends and I hope it’s a good fit.” Pento was a very successful high-school athlete at St. Paul’s Catholic Secondary School, where he played soccer, hockey and volleyball. When he joined the Bruins, he focused on volleyball for five years, between 2008 and 2013. “Frank was a confident player and when the team needed someone to make a big play, he was never one to disappoint,” said Josh Butler, former teammate and current star of the Bruins volleyball team. Former teammates never doubted that Pento had the qualities to become a top coach. “Frank was a strong leader on the court and a stronger leader off the court. He would do anything for the team to make sure everyone was hap-
SERVE Frank Pento has some big shoes to fill as the new Bruins’ men’s volleyball coach. The legacy of his predecessor hangs heavy in his mind - especially since he helped contribute to that legacy not too long ago. MICHAEL MELRO reports on the shift in power taking place on Sheridan’s courts and how Pento plans to help the Bruins thrive.
file photograph by david pelosi
Sports
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py with the sport and in life,” Butler said. Pento, 26, is a relatively new face to the coaching game. He graduated from high school in 2007, and from that point on, he was the assistant coach for Craig Vicars at St. Paul’s. As reported in a 2012 story for Sheridan’s Celebrating Success magazine, “Frank was like another coach on the court,” said Vicars. “Some of the things I remember: He’d come [early] before a practice and go on YouTube, showing
me a play that he’d want to try with the team. He would always show up, injured or not. He was always there. He was very reliable.” Pento was a great libero for the Bruins in his time. As a libero, he was tasked with roaming the court and coming up with big digs, keeping the play alive and providing energy. “One thing that I want to improve is the compete level,” Pento said. “Championship teams make big digs and
big blocks when the game is on the line.” Being the defensively minded person he is, Pento feels his team needs to be able to handle adversity and transition from defence to offense better. Following McAllister will be no easy task, but Pento is setting his sights high. “Sheridan has a great tradition of winning in volleyball. We have the most championships in men’s OCAA history and I would love to see this team back on top.”
Frank Pento (pictured in 2012), who is only 26 years old, is taking over the Bruins’ men’s volleyball team from his former coach Dave McAllister. His strong leadership skills on the court make him a natural fit for his new position, says Josh Butler, a star player with men’s volleyball team. “He would do anything for the team to make sure everyone was happy with the sport and in life,” says Butler.
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Mobile Computing (Bachelor of Applied Computer Science) Creatively solve real-world problems using wireless and mobile technology. Study more than one discipline by developing apps, computer infrastructure and networks. Ready to lead the way?
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