The Charlatan: Volume 54 Issue 1

News

3 November 2024 News Editors: Maia Tustonic & Cassandra Bellefeuille | news.charlatan@gmail.com

Carleton researcher to study EDI policies at Ottawa universities

MAIA TUSTONIC Carleton University researcher Manjeet Birk will study equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policies at Ottawa universities after receiving a federal Insight Development research grant.

Birk said she was “elated” to see an institutional commitment to her project, which seeks to understand how EDI policies function on university campuses and serve communities of colour.

Throughout her time in academia, Birk said she has seen EDI policies implemented differently at post-secondary institutions across Canada. She developed the idea for her research project after Carleton launched its fiveyear EDI action plan in 2021.

“I was really inspired by that moment to think, ‘OK, we have this great document. How does it actually get implemented and what differences does it actually make in the lives of people who are experiencing it on campus?’”

Birk said.

Through the Insight Development grant, Birk’s project received just under $63,000 in funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

The money will fund data collection, student researchers and travel to conferences to present the research, Birk said.

Her project, named “EDI or Bust?” is still in its early stages. Currently, Birk is working toward the best way to gather information about EDI policies and track progress.

Birk said she originally wanted to conduct interview-based research, but will now pivot after experiencing challenges in contacting EDI-involved staff on campuses. The small number of people conducting EDI work and budgetary crises at universities often place EDI initiatives on the “back burner,” Birk said, creating obstacles for EDI research. EDI in universities also depends on the “ebb and flow” of public attention and the political

A federal grant will support Carleton assistant professor Manjeet Birk’s study of the implementation of EDI policies in Ottawa universities. [Photo provided by Manjeet Birk]

climate, according to Carleton law professor Rebbeca Bromwich.

Bromwich said equity action should have strategic and long-term plans, so it is not “swept away by whatever ends up being in the news cycle at any particular time.” She pointed to current changes in public discourse around immigration and international students as an example of political climates leading to more exclusionary rhetoric.

EDI is currently in an “ebb” period of budget decreases after reaching a high in 2020, Bromwich said. However, she said EDI action in universities remains crucial and post-secondary spaces have an “additional layer of duty” as educational institutions.

“There’s the explicit and the implicit curriculum,” Bromwich said.

“Whatever people see modeled in a post-secondary context is what’s normalized to them.”

Universities can also be a “window or a bottleneck” for diversity within workplaces, Bromwich added. If university student bodies aren’t diverse, she said workplaces will struggle to hire diversely.

Julien Doris, a research administrator at the Université du Québec en

Outaouais, said effective EDI policies remove barriers to employment access, advance careers and improve the lives of people belonging to minority groups.

Different universities can have different internal EDI policies, he said, but the philosophy behind equity action plans is the same.

“It’s not only access to employment, it’s how to improve the quality of the workplace,” Doris said.

Birk said that while commitments to EDI by individual faculty members are “impressive,” EDI policies often simply serve the interests of universities as white settler supremacist institutions.

“The crux of it is, we have so many commitments,” Birk said. “But are the lives of the people on campus actually changing? I don’t know. It remains to be seen.”

In the end, Birk said she hopes her research will have a “tangible difference” in the way that racialized and Indigenous faculty, students and staff engage on campus.

“Ultimately, I am less committed to the policies themselves and more committed to the people.”

charlatannews

November 2024

Campus Master Plan to revitalize Carleton with five ‘big moves’ CASSANDRA BELLEFEUILLE Carleton University’s Campus Master Plan Update (CMP) outlines long-term initiatives designed to transform campus.

The plan focuses on five “big moves,” which are initiatives aiming to improve the overall student and campus experience.

These include improved natural landscapes, pedestrian pathways, flexible street design, expanded tunnel systems and building developments.

“The 2023 CMP reflects feedback from more than 1,000 faculty, staff and students,” wrote Steven Reid, Carleton University’s spokesperson, in an email. The plan is reviewed every five years and is approved by the Board of Governors.

Amani Hamzeh, a former architectural studies and urbanism student at Carleton, said she thinks Carleton has one of the best designed campuses from an urban design perspective.

“There’s definitely the space to develop more on campus,” Hamzeh said. “They should try to use up all the space they have.”

The plan outlines 28 potential new buildings across campus and one planned building, Rideau House, set to open fall 2025.

These new buildings include an enclosed glass-ceiling atrium in the Mackenzie Building, a mixed-use transit hub, parking lots and new residence buildings.

The plan aims to develop new buildings and greenspace in every corner of Carleton’s campus, including the surrounding area by Athletics and Alumni Hall.

“I feel like them expanding and going up to Alumni Hall is great, especially if they’re doing more educational buildings,” Hamzeh said.

The plan also proposes a four-kilometre Green Ribbon trail weaving around the borders of campus to improve recreational opportunity, strengthen landscape integration and create social spaces.

“It’s clear Carleton is promoting a healthy lifestyle where students can go for a walk in nature during exam season or sit in the quad during thesummer,” said Hamzeh. “But for the winter, they need to balance between indoor and outdoor spaces.”

Carleton has constructed several new buildings over the last couple of years, including the Nicol Building, Lennox and Addington House, the Health Science Building and the

4 ARISE building.

“We are so limited with where to go to study or gather,” said Hana Abdelwahab, a third-year architectural studies and design student.

“Whether you’re in a group or on your own, I feel like we need more spaces for students to just be,” Abdelwahab said.

Also outlined is a transportation framework to address congestion and road network inefficiencies.

“I like that on Carleton’s campus, you feel like you’re in a smaller city,” Hamzeh said. “But the road systems are complicated, and they keep changing and developing, making it hard for everyone to navigate.”

The university is looking to convert Campus Avenue into a flexible street to allow cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles alike to share the space, limiting buses in the area.

Library Road would be converted to a pedestrian priority street, restricting general vehicle traffic.

The plan is also proposing tunnel improvements and expansions to “humanize” the tunnel system.

These include incorporating brighter colours and materials to the tunnel system, introducing natural light through skylights and widening the tunnel pathways.

Master plan enhancements to outdoor spaces and buildings will occur in multiple phases over several years with no confirmed timeline.

“This is going to be a hefty project, especially when they’re taking a whole parking lot and redeveloping it,” Hamzeh said. “I’m very excited to see where this goes.”

Graphics by Alisha Velji

Culture & Community

5 November 2024 C&C Editor: Sadeen Mohsen | culture.charlatan@gmail.com

Pollinator garden project promotes biodiversity, builds community MARISSA MEILLEUR Carleton students are working alongside Ottawa community organizations to increase awareness and accessibility of pollinator gardens as a tool for environmental sustainability.

Now in its fourth consecutive year, the semester-long project is a collaboration between Carleton’s sociology and anthropology department and Community Associations for Environmental Sustainability (CAFES) Ottawa.

Through this partnership, 59 Carleton students in a second-year community engagement course are paired with community representatives from Bel Air, Centretown, the Glebe, Hintonburg, Overbrook and Westboro.

Erica Shardlow, the trees and greenspace co-ordinator at CAFES, said pollinator gardening — which involves planting native species rather than non-native species — plays an important in local sustainability efforts.

“Pollinator gardening is such a powerful way of promoting biodiversity in our neighbourhoods and helping to reverse the decline of our pollinators like bees, butterflies, other insects as well as birds,” she said.

Shardlow added that few people know about the benefits of pollinator gardens. As part of the course, students are now taking what they’ve learned to spread awareness through educational outreach projects, she said.

Some of these projects include high school presentations, informational signage and pamphlets, and interactive garden maps. Other projects take existing literature or signage on pollinator gardens and include additional languages to increase accessibility.

Nishtha Hurrydass, a second-year sociology student in the course, led a planting event in front of Westboro’s MEC outdoors store on Nov. 2 as part of her project. More than 30 attendees were provided with pollinator

Students learn about pollinator gardens and their benefits on a tour of Fletcher Wildlife Garden on Sept. 13, 2024. [Photo by Erica Shardlow]

-friendly plants and were invited to plant and drink hot chocolate. They also had the chance to ask questions to community speakers, including city councillor Jeff Leiper.

“My goal for the planting event is to show people that it’s not difficult to grow their own pollinator garden in their own backyard or front yard, in any space they have,” Hurrydass said.

The teaching team also evaluates the process and long-term impact of how the course has “affected [students] in terms of their knowledge and ability to engage in the community,” Jamieson said.

Phillip Primeau, the course instructor, said a lot of their students’ learning happened during a visit to Fletcher Wildlife Garden in the second week of the course. Over the last “This is a moment where we can 30 years, they said the garden went from an unusable space to now being be empowered to do “full of ecological diversity.” something.”

This visit was “transformative” for some students, Primeau said, and - Phillip Primeau provided a unique opportunity for Hurrydass added that the “comthose who may not have had access to munity communication” in reaching a garden before. out to potential event speakers and Jamieson added they have been community representatives was a “very impressed” by the students’ rewarding part of her project. ability to make an impact thus far.

Gabriel Jamieson, the course’s “This is a moment where we can teaching assistant, said that while be empowered to do something,” final products and community impacts Primeau said. “It may seem small, are important, they’re not the only but every little action, when it comes measure of success in a community to climate action, can result in a big engagement course. benefit.”

charlatanculture&community

November 2024

6

Q&A: Carleton researcher explores inclusive and community-based long-term care -ing lots. Instead, it was a part of the community, built into the community.

TC: Why is a community-centric approach important?

SB: Making long-term care a part of our community is really treating older people not with ageism and ableism, but treating them for who they are, as important citizens and members of our community.

Second of all, this actually fights the fears people have about getting older and end of life. We don’t know much about it. Why? Because we’re never around it.

TC: How does it benefit those in long-term care?

Graphic by Alisha Velji

GRACE MARTIN For years, Susan Braedley, a researcher at Carleton University’s School of Social Work, has been looking into different ways to imagine how long-term care can be provided in Canada.

She has travelled to countries including Norway, Denmark and Australia to study the benefits of non-traditional housing models of care. Through her research, Braedley wants to see long-term care homes serve the people that rely on them by creating a well-integrated and comfortable environment.

The Charlatan spoke to Braedley to learn more about her research and how she’s re-envisioning Canada’s long-term care facilities.

SB: In the places where I’ve seen the community flowing, people are healthier. They have something to look forward to. They feel valued.

They have lots of visitors. I think their quality of life is improved.

care experience conditions that offer them dignity and respect. At the same time, we think the workers, both the families who care TC: How can we implement these and the volunteers who care, and those who do the paid work, should community-centric models into our society? enjoy conditions that offer them dignity and respect.

SB: There was an ideological idea TC: Which models that you have that if people want to make a profit, they’re going to create efficiencies explored stood out to you? that will improve quality. Well, you SB: There’s a long-term care home know what? It just doesn’t work with care. It takes time. It is hugely labour in Denmark that’s located in a intensive. wonderful community setting in I think we need to get the profit Copenhagen. It’s a place where out of long-term care. A lot of councommunity members go every week for various activities. In Nor- tries put more money into long-term care homes than Canada does. Canada way, we went to a home that was is sort of in the middle of the high-inco-located with a shopping mall come countries. Given that our gross and the local swimming pool. We would see people come to the long- domestic product is higher than other The Charlatan (TC): What is the term care home, pick up grandma, countries, it would seem to me that purpose of reimagining care in take her over to the pool to watch we can afford to pay more for longCanada? the kiddies in the swimming pool. term care as a country, but political will can prevent that.

It wasn’t set aside in a big park Susan Braedley (SB): Our work down by the water or somewhere This interview has been edited for aims to ensure that older people out of town. It wasn’t a big, tall who are in late life and need 24/7 building that was isolated by park- length and clarity.

Features

7 November 2024 Features Editor: Kyra Vellinga | features.charlatan@gmail.com

‘The world was never built for me’: Carleton washroom accessibility is lacking, student researchers find

Jay Baldwin sits by their favourite spot next to the Ottawa River on Oct. 7, 2024. [Photo by Grace Huntley/The Charlatan]

GRACE HUNTLEY Last winter, a third-year Carleton University Disability Studies: Policy and Activism class conducted an extensive audit of Carleton’s washroom accessibility and created an interactive map based on their findings.

The students’ research found that only six buildings on Carleton’s campus are fully com-

pliant with the Accessibility for to make 50 per cent of camOntarians with Disabilities Act pus washrooms accessible, the (AODA) standards. students produced 12 calls to Even fewer campus washrooms action for the university’s admeet the student researchers’ ministration to consider in future higher standards for accessibility, washroom design. Students are which include audio and visual also calling on administration fire alarms, adult changing tables to expand the attendant services and wash basins for prayer. program, which provides students In light of Carleton’s goal with personal living care.

November 2024

STUDENT RESEARCH

charlatanfeatures

8

available.

Additionally, the provincial Sharma and the rest of the buildingcode only applies to new Fady Shanouda, a critical dis- scaling team then processed this buildings or substantial renovaability scholar, taught the Disabil- data by placing each building on a tions, not existing buildings. As a ity Studies: Policy and Activism five-point scale. result, many buildings on campus class and decided on the research No buildings on Carleton’s aren’t required to meet the code. topic. The students undertook the campus were rated five out of In a statement to the Charlarest of the research decisions, five, meaning no building on tan, the university media relascope, methods and data colleccampus meets the optimal stantions officer wrote, “Carleton is tion. dards of washroom accessibility committed to ensuring that all The class collectively audited as defined by the student research new buildings meet or exceed 330 washrooms across 13 buildteam.

[AODA] standards for accessible ings. To assess each washroom’s Additionally, only six buildwashrooms and that washrooms accessibility, they measured evings on campus meet the lower in existing buildings are being erything from door widths to hand threshold of AODA standards. updated/upgraded to meet estabdryer heights.

The AODA standards include lished standards in a timeframe “It’s also shameful of the elements such as minimum door that aligns with current fiscal university that it hasn’t done width (86 cm), grab bars and responsibilities.” more previously,” Shanouda said.

Other data collected by the “Now, of course, that this is done student researchers found that 65 right, the university has asked for per cent of washrooms on campus “It’s also shameful of it to be part of its mapping.” lack automatic door openers and the university that it When asked by the Charlatan 70 per cent do not have tactile or to respond to this criticism, the braille signage. hasn’t done more university media relations officer After assessing each washpreviously ... Now, of did not provide an answer, instead room, the students’ calls to action writing, “the university adminsent to the administration incourse, that this is istration actively works with the clude installing more grab bars, done right, the Carleton University Students’ height-adjustable fixtures, proper Association and the Graduate ventilation and automatic door university has asked for Students’ Association to support openers. it to be part of its accessibility upgrades on campus They also reflect the intersecmapping.” through the Dedicated Access tional approach to the research, Fund.” including a call for more genShanouda said he refused to der-inclusive washrooms and - Fady Shanouda share the students’ data directly changing tables. with the university, instead opting When asked by the Charlatan to allow the university to share if Carleton’s administration is a link to the student’s work on automatic doors. aware of these calls to action and its website to ensure the students AODA, which sets the stanintends to address the calls, the received the proper credit. dards for accessibility in Ontario, university media relations officer “They can’t just appropriate it, is “very weak” because it is rarely did not provide a response. without paying the students, with- enforced, Shanouda said. Advoout acknowledging that it’s 100 cates point to a lack of provincial ATTENDANT SERVICES per cent student work,” he said. auditing and mechanisms for LACKING Fourth-year public policy stu- reporting AODA violations as dent Sonika Sharma was part of contributing factors to enforceCarleton and Algonquin Colthe project’s research and scaling ment issues. lege offer attendant services team.

Shanouda said the Ontario programs which provide stuThe team designed a scale to building code, which is enforced dents with personal care services audit the accessibility of each at Carleton, includes some asfor daily living. These services washroom. The scale included pects of the AODA guidelines but include helping students dress, elements such as whether the is still limited in its scope. That’s use the washroom and exercise washroom could be found on a especially true when compared to personal hygiene. map, if the doors were 86 cm the students’ broader understandJay Baldwin, a fourth-year wide (the minimum accessibility ing of accessibility, such as acces- women and gender studies stustandard set by the AODA), if the sibility for people with cognitive dent, was one of the team leaders sinks were of variable height and impairments or people who need in the disability studies class. if free menstrual products were assistance in the washroom.

Baldwin uses attendant

charlatanfeatures

services to go to the washroom in their Leeds House residence room.

Baldwin wears adult incontinence briefs when they leave residence because they often cannot make it to the washroom in time when rotating between academic buildings for classes and their residence building.

“This is my ceiling lift,” Baldwin said as they showed the Charlatan around their accessible room in residence.

“And these are my supplies [incontinence briefs] that I wear every day when I go to classes, just so I don’t piss myself having to wait for someone to help me go to the bathroom.”

However, Baldwin said using

“Even though it’s an accessible room, it wasn’t made with me in mind. It wasn’t made with people who have different mobility aid sizes in mind.”

- Jay Baldwin incontinence briefs places them at higher risk for urinary tract infections. With accessible washrooms across campus and if attendant services went beyond the residence buildings, they said they could wear the briefs less often.

An accessible washroom for Baldwin includes a sink their wheelchair can fit under, a ceiling lift, a commode, an adult-size change table and someone to assist them. None of the campus washrooms outside of residence contain any of these features.

Sinks in most washrooms are too low to the ground for Baldwin to comfortably fit under when washing their hands. To accommodate, they bring hand sanitizer

9 November 2024

with them everywhere they go.

Even their residence room sink is barely high enough for them to wash their hands, they said.

“Even though it’s an accessible room, it wasn’t made with me in mind. It wasn’t made with people who have different mobility aid sizes in mind,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin also said that Carleton’s attendant services are underfunded and understaffed. The program is currently funded by the Ontario Ministries of Health and Long Term Care.

Kiara McGivern, a third-year human rights and social justice student, is a member of CU Care Act — a Carleton grassroots organization advocating for accessibility on campus.

McGivern also relies on attendant services, and said they can only use the washroom in residence. Because of this, they schedule their classes so that they are not away from residence for too long.

When they have to be away for a longer time, for example, during exams, they said they reduce their fluid and food intake to avoid needing to use the washroom.

McGivern said attendant services is an important service for accessibility and CU Care Act is advocating for the service to extend to other campuses across Canada.

“For so long we have been kind of cast to the side and excluded from higher education,” McGivern said.

Graphic provided by Carleton Disability “CU Care Act aims to make Studies: Policy and Activism class higher education more accessible to everybody, not just students than” and scared for the future if who have access to Carleton Uni- the status quo continues. versity, because attendant services “It makes me feel everything I is a great program and it deserves already feel just moving through to be expanded.” the entire world as a disabled, According to the universiBlack, queer, non-binary person ty’s statement to the Charlatan, with a spicy brain and body,” they “Attendant Services has made said. positive changes over the past few “The world was never built for years to ensure effective staffing me,” they added. “I’m not gonna patterns for the program.” pretend like it is, because I don’t Baldwin said the lack of wash- owe anyone the toxic positivity room accessibility at Carleton that they think disabled people need washroomsmakes them feel “less to give them.”

November 2024

charlatanfeatures

Washroom Accessibility Ratings by Building 1

2

3

4

Architecture Building

Azrieli Pavilion

Canal Building

Carleton Technology & Training Centre

Field House

Herzberg Building

Loeb Building

MacOdrum Library

Nicol Building

Nesbitt Biology Building

Pigiarvik (formerly Robinson Hall)

Social Science Research Building

Steacie Building

Teraanga Commons

Visualization and Simulation Building

5

2 2 1 3 1 2 3 4 4 2 2 1 2 2 2

2

Alumni Hall

3

Athletics Building

2

Azrieli Theatre

2 Carleton Ice House 1

Dunton Tower

2

Health Sciences Building

1

Human-Computer Interaction Building

1

Mackenzie Building

3

Minto Center for Advanced Studies in Engineering

1 Nideyinan (formerly UC) 2

Paterson Hall

2

Richcraft Hall

2

Southam Hall

1

St Patrick Building

2

Tory Building

1

2

3

4

5

Graphic provided by Carleton Disability Studies: Policy and Activism class

10

‘SHIT POLITICS’ Baldwin also highlighted the intersectional elements of accessibility, stating a one-size-fitsall approach to accessible spaces will not be effective.

They noted people with larger bodies, people with visual or auditory disabilities, gender-diverse people and people who need washbasins for prayer have diverse sets of needs when it comes to an accessible washroom.

“Everyone has [access needs]. Going to the bathroom and doing a human thing should not be something that’s so stigmatized and should not be something with so much red tape,” they said.

As a non-binary person, Baldwin said they feel conflicted about using gender-neutral washrooms to wash their hands in public. Because they often need help in the washroom, they said they don’t want to take up space in the few gender-neutral washrooms available on campus.

“Doing a human thing should not be something that’s so stigmatized.”

- Jay Baldwin “I’m not a shitty person, even though things around me are shitty. Pooping and peeing and doing normal things you’re supposed to do as a human being is politicized to the point where it makes you feel shitty about yourself,” they said.

To make washrooms more accessible, Baldwin said the most important thing is consultation.

They said Carleton should ask everyone, not just disabled people, what they need and want from a washroom, and take that into consideration in the designs.

Shanouda refers to the politics of washrooms as “shit politics.”

“To make specific reference to shit and piss as a political action or process, and one that’s more politicized for one group over the other, is very important,” he said. “I think people take for granted access to spaces to defecate and relieve themselves and do all the other types of things that we do.”

He said one of the reasons he chose this topic for his students’ research is to acknowledge the pain associated with washroom accessibility.

“Regardless of embodiment, all of us have experienced the feeling of needing a bathroom and not being able to use it. We understand the pain associated with that,” he said. “There’s something about auditing the university and demonstrating how disabled people come across that pain more regularly.”

12 November 2024 Sports Editor: David Cummings | sports.charlatan@gmail.com

Sports

NATIONAL CHAMPS: Ravens baseball team prove their chops against Canada’s best RYAN CLARK & DAVID CUMMINGS

The Carleton Ravens non-varsity baseball team captures the national championship. [Photo provided by Ravens Baseball via Dan Inglis Photography]

At the top of the seventh inning, Carleton Ravens first baseman Owen Constantineau stepped up to the plate with the championship on the line.

The Carleton Ravens baseball team was tied 3-3 with the Guelph Gryphons and had already collected two outs in the last inning of the 2024 Canadian National University Baseball Championship final.

The Ravens had centre-fielder Andrew Sahadeo in scoring position on second base, but if Constantineau struck out, the Gryphons would only need one run in the bottom of the inning to secure the championship.

“I don’t usually hear much when I’m at the plate, I’m in my zone,” Constantineau said. “And once I get in that zone, it’s pretty tough to get me out of it.”

Constantineau, the eventual tournament MVP, fired a line drive into left field, sending Sahadeo in for a run to give the Ravens the lead when it mattered most.

“I haven’t seen a baseball player in a weekend that locked in,” Ravens head coach Daylon Courchene said of Constantineau.

With momentum in their favour, the

Ravens never looked back. They scored four runs in the final frame to earn a 7-4 victory and the national championship.

The national championship in Kitchener and Guelph, Ont., brought together some of the top baseball programs in the country.

Following years of contention and a dominant 2024 season with a 22-8 record, the Ravens were finally national champions. All the while, they competed as the only non-varsity team in the tournament.

“I knew something big was about to happen.”

- Owen Constantineau “We are a club team oftentimes competing against fully funded varsity programs,” Ravens baseball general manager George Rigakos said.

Playing without the financial support that varsity status provides, players pay lofty team fees and miss out on luxuries like team trainers. Although this did not

deter them, the Ravens were under pressure from the start of the tournament as they lost to their eventual championship opponents, the Gryphons, in their first game of the tournament.

“We knew Guelph was going to be probably the best team in the tournament other than us, so losing to them 2-1 wasn’t like a backbreaker,” Rigakos said. “We just knew that we had to win our next two games.”

The Ravens dismantled Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières by a 7-3 score on Oct. 18.

In a tight matchup that same day against the University of New Brunswick Reds, the Ravens desperately needed a win to move on to the semifinals.

With a one-run lead and two outs in the fifth inning against UNB, the Ravens called on reliever Jackson Hurst to shut the door. He recorded four strikeouts in two-and-a-third innings to punch Carleton’s ticket to the semifinal.

Pitching was consistently a huge factor in the Ravens’ success throughout the tournament. Their pitchers were awarded player of the game honours in three games where they faced elimination.

Ravens starter Jack Novak continued the team’s pitching dominance in the semifinal and tossed a complete game against the Acadia Axemen on Oct. 19.

Perhaps the gutsiest performance of the tournament came from starting pitcher Nathan Van Putten, who turned in a quality start in the final against Guelph.

Van Putten went head-to-head with Gryphons pitcher Ryan Cooper for six innings, each allowing only three runs.

With the game tied, each team brought in closers to shut the opposing lineups down. The Gryphons’ closer forced two Ravens outs in the seventh, pushing the Ravens to the brink.

That was, until Constantineau took the plate.

“As soon as I got on deck, I was just waiting to get up there,” Constantineau said.

“I knew something big was about to happen.”

charlatansports charlatan sports

Allie Lehmann looks on during a game with the Fribourg-Gotteron Ladies in Switzerland. [Photo provided by Allie Lehmann]

From farm to rink: Former Raven Allie Lehmann Looks to make hay in the PWHL

Ottawa Charge training camp this month, Lehmann has an opportunity to make hockey her sole career focus.

“I hope it’s not a distant dream,” she said. “I could be professional, fully focused on hockey.”

JANSON DUENCH It would mean a In Fribourg, Switzerland, Allie shift from her current day-to-day life.

Lehmann has been living something of “Right now, a few days a week, a double life. By day, she works as a I’ll go work in a dairy barn and shovel part-time farmhand at a dairy farm in shit,” she chuckled in early October.

Bösingen, just outside of Fribourg. By “And I’m like, ‘Man, in a month, I night, the 24-year-old stops pucks for could be playing professional hockey.’ the Swiss Women’s Hockey League’s That’s pretty wild.”

Fribourg-Gottéren Ladies.

Lehmann played for the Carleton But she said her dual existence may Ravens women’s hockey team during not be a sustainable one. the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. With “In Switzerland, especially if dual Swiss and Canadian citizenship, you want a real career job, you have she moved to Switzerland in 2020, to work full-time. You can’t work where she’s playing her fifth season. part-time,” she said from her home in On top of that, she’s participated in Fribourg. two world championships for the Swiss But with an invite to the PWHL’s national team.

A call from an old teammate’s fiancé altered everything — Lehmann was informed Ottawa Charge general manager Mike Hirshfeld could offer her a tryout, which was made official Oct. 11 when the team’s training camp roster was released.

Ever since then, she’s been in frequent contact with the Charge’s strength coach, dietitian and goalie coach Pierre Groulx.

“This organization seems really top class,” Lehmann said. “They want all their players to succeed, and it’s really awesome to see.”

Ottawa is loaded with goaltending talent this season, including Canadian and American national team goalies Emerance Maschmeyer and Gwyneth Philips. Along with Logan Angers, these three goalies have all secured contracts for the upcoming season.

But Groulx maintained that nobody’s spot is guaranteed. Ottawa failed to secure a playoff position in its inaugural season, and the lack of dependable goaltending behind Maschmeyer was a pressing issue.

November 2024 “We need goaltending depth, and we need the goaltending to help us win games,” Groulx said. “So they will all battle for ice time, and they will all try to show us who deserves to play.

“If Allie shows that she has what it takes to play at the PWHL level, she definitely has a chance to make the team.”

Philips, who’s coming from Northeastern University with the highest save percentage in NCAA history, said she’s excited to compete with Lehmann. Both goalies are 24, so despite their resumé differences, they come in with similar years of experience.

“They’ve both been very receptive to what it takes to be at the pro level,” Groulx said.

Philips said the Charge have been holding optional calls to go over hockey systems, and Lehmann has been eager to learn.

“She’s pretty dialed, so I’m really excited to get to meet her and skate with her,” Philips said. “[Switzerland has] had some pretty good goalies come through, so I’m pretty confident she’ll be able to hold her own.”

No matter what happens, Lehmann’s former Carleton teammate Justina Beard will be proud.

“Her dedication to the sport and passion for the sport was just next level,” said Beard, the Ravens’ current captain. “I knew she would always do something with it.”

Beard said it’s inspiring for the Ravens to witness a Canadian university athlete competing at the sport’s highest level.

“It just proves how good our leagues are that we play in, and I think it’s bringing our game to the next level.”

At the same time, Lehmann isn’t shying away from her other passion: farming. Lehmann’s parents own a 2,000-acre grain farm in Cecil Lake, B.C. It’s her home in the summers when she’s not chasing her hockey dreams or dairy farming in Switzerland.

“I really like farming with my dad, doing the spring planting season, because if I’m there, the two of us can get it all done pretty easy, no problems,” she said.

Lehmann graduated from Carleton with a neuroscience and mental health

charlatansports charlatan

14

Allie Lehmann hangs out on farm equipment at her family farm in Cecil Lake, B.C. [Photo provided by Allie Lehmann]

degree, but after working as a lab technician for Johnson & Johnson in Bern, Lehmann said she realized she wanted something more hands on.

“I’m in a career transition outside of hockey,” she said. “[Working at Johnson & Johnson] was a pretty cool job, so that was kind of using my degree, but I’ve learned now that I really enjoy farming.”

Since leaving Johnson & Johnson in March, Lehmann returned to her family’s farm before becoming a farmhand in Switzerland. Her family farm produced milk, which helped with the transition across the ocean. It also stoked her interest in farming after her

hockey career concludes.

“It seems like over the years I’ve really been more drawn to that,” she said. “I wrote my bachelor’s thesis and now it’s just a little icon on my computer. It’s all that work for nothing. As a farmer, you plant your crop, you see that you planted it, you watch it grow, or not.”

Whether she also gets to see her work flourish in the PWHL remains to be seen, but now is the time to put herself out there.

“You only have so many years to really pursue that as a career,” she said.

“I have a chance to make it, that’s the big thing.”

Arts

15 November 2024 Arts Editor: Bianca McKeown | arts.charlatan@gmail.com

‘Tap-tap device’ makes non-verbal cues accessible for blind and low-vision musicians BIANCA MCKEOWN

It’s often said that orchestra musi“Knowing when to start, knowing Sakas said device uses varied decians function on a sixth sense, knowwhen to bow [or] knowing when to pending on the musician’s skill level. ing when to play louder or softer with stand up and acknowledge people in the Many amateur musicians used the the rest of the group. crowd, [blind and low-vision musicians] device to fix bad habits, while more However, one way musicians would rely on other folks around them proficient musicians used it to elevate achieve this is by relying on quick to tap them on their shoulder,” he said. their performance. signals from a conductor which are The tap-tap device is wireless and “[A violinist] and her teacher found often visual and non-verbal, making instantaneously sends and receives an innovative way to use the device to it challenging for blind or low-vision vibration signals between two users. It’s remind her of dynamic markings, when musicians to follow along. activated by a button pressed with a tap she was slowing down or tempo “How is someone with vision fluctuations,” Sakas said. loss supposed to step into the “Rather than shouting above the environment where people are music or interrupting the music, signaling each other with may[the teacher] could just signal be, a raise of an eyebrow or just her with a little code.” a little nod?” asked Dalia Sakas, Crispin said there’s only director of music studies at the ever been two options for blind Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenmusicians to learn music: learnberg Music School (FMDG) for ing by Braille music notations, blind and low-vision musicians or by ear. The tap-tap device in New York City. provides an alternative.

“In the case of someone with “There’s never, as far as vision loss, that should be a I know up to this point, been tactile signal, or something that research or products geared tocould be felt,” she said. ward a middle ground or toward “In the case of someone with an alternative way to learn,” vision loss, that should be a he said. “In a lot of ways, it’s tactile signal, or something that uncharted territory.” could be felt,” she said.

The device is currently a Carleton PhD candidate prototype, but Sakas said she’s Leon Lu targeted this need for excited for how it can be refined accessible, non-verbal communi- A person wears Leon Lu’s tap-tap device showing how the and used in large musical setcation through a wearable device device fits around the ankle and sends signals in real time. tings with multiple musicians in strapped to a musician’s ankle. the future.

[Photo provided by Leon Lu] The project, coined the tap“The first level of tap device, stemmed from his conof the heel. experimentation was there, so now it versations with blind and low-vision Chase Crispin, a blind music teacher needs to go to the next level,” Sakas musicians about the barriers to learning who was consulted for the project, said said. music. the pattern-based signal is similar to The device even has potential uses Morse code, but can be adapted to fit outside of music. Lu said he plans to individual musicians’ needs. upgrade the device to help deafblind “[A] person can say, ‘I want two researcher Caroline Pakėnaitė commu“How is someone with vision quick vibrations to tell me to play nicate non-verbally with her guide to loss supposed to step into quieter.’ Or somebody else would say, summit Mount Everest. Lu also said the environment where ‘I want one long vibration to mean, take he plans to make the project publicly people are signaling each a breath,’” Crispin said. “There’s no available, so anyone can build their own other with maybe, a raise fixed-use case.” tap-tap device. of an eyebrow or just a After creating the device with “There’s a lot that’s communicated little nod?”

Carleton students Aino Eze-Anyannonverbally through visuals, it’s not just wu and Rodolfo Cossovich, Lu gave music,” Crispin said. “We don’t know - Dalia Sakas FMDG students and teachers free reign [all] the ways it can be used, and that’s of the device for eight weeks of testing. a good thing.”

November 2024

charlatanarts

16

work, the better it is to decolonize,” they said.

The three-hour workshop was divided into two parts. In the first portion, attendees started by talking about microaggressions. In the second part, attendees participated in exercises to practice the “five Ds” of bystander intervention: direct, delegate, delay, distract and document.

One of the workshop exercises is called “slow-motion commentary.” It consists of one person miming an action that represents the microaggression in slow motion, like putting in a new light bulb, while the remaining people watch and describe Conductor of the “Practicing Disrupting Racism” workshop, Velvet Wells, smiles and stands outside what they see. the Arts Court on Oct. 23, 2024. [Photo by Ana Maria Cadena/The Charlatan] “The point is to help people have something to focus on,” Wells said. “To get used to documenting what they are seeing happening right in front of them.”

Costales said she wants to attend future sessions to learn and practice improv elements in her life.

ANA MARIA CADENA “Growing up as a person of colour, I think my way of dealing with microagUsing improv exercises and she could have done. gressions…

I would laugh about it,” she techniques, Velvet Wells and Hing“I’m a very visual person, so if I man Leung are re-imagining how to see something happen and if I practice said. “As I’ve become an adult, I’ve been disrupt racism in their daily lives. it, it’s easier to do than when I don’t more serious, and been like, ‘Oh no, that’s actually fucked up.’ But sometimes you Wells, an award-winning comedi- have that in my back pocket,” Coscan’t say that.” an, creative producer and musician, tales said.

Leung said led workshops at The Grove on Oct. The project started a few years ago 19 and Nov. 9 titled “Practicing Dis- when Leung approached Wells about the workshop is a success if people rupting Racism.” developing an improv workshop to “This is a practical workshop to help people react during uncomfort- leave knowing at least one thing disrupt racism through practicing the able situations. they could do bystander intervention, [and] through Wells led a pilot session called acknowledging and countering “Use improv to disrupt anti-Black rac- during an uncommicroaggresism” on Oct. 19. But they rebranded fortable situation. sions,” they the workshop because its name led to In the future, Leung said they plan to said. incorrect assumptions that it was only host shorter and more intimate sessions Wells said for Black people. focusing on responses to specific scenarithe improv “The reason I worked with my os and types of harassment. workshop community first was because we’re Wells added they plan to pitch the offers somethe ones who are impacted by it the workshop to organizations, schools, -thing that others don’t — a chance to most,” Wells said. “And society says, corporations and community spaces, and practice what they teach.

‘Suck it up.’” adapt it to fit people’s specific needs.

“We’re trying to get people to Now, with a more universal Even amid plans of expansion, Wells practice what it feels like to disrupt approach, everyone is encouraged said the workshop will always work racism,” said Leung, co-owner of The to attend, whether or not they have toward one ultimate goal: encouraging the Grove, an arts space for queer and experienced racism. Wells said the community to take care of one another.

BIPOC artists and allies. more people learn and look out for “If you empower somebody, then their MJ Costales, an Ottawa-based one another, the less these situations esteem grows, and if their esteem grows, felt artist, said when witnessing past will escalate. they’re more likely to be brave, to be instances of racism, she froze in the “We live in a racist society, so the courageous. Not just for themselves, but moment and only later realized what more people you have engaged in the for others,” they said.

Ottawa artists offer ways to practice disrupting racism through improv

Graphics by Alisha Velji

Opinions

17 November 2024 Opinions Editor: Elissa Mendes | oped.charlatan@gmail.com

Two years ago, did you know what ChatGPT was? Now, it’s hard to ignore.

In the coming years, it’s troubling to think how AI will become even more prevalent.

To boot, schools should encourage open discussions on fiery topics plaguing the media landscape. Students need a space where they can engage with more than one perspective, ask questions and arrive at conclusions based on evidence — not just ideology. This approach would encourage a culture of scepticism — an important characteristic for a productive society — that would ultimately disarm information that isn’t backed by facts.

In the age of algorithms tailored to a user’s views and interests, this multi-perspective, academic environment is crucial. Social media doesn’t typically feature positive or productive discussions, especially within echo chambers that only tend to reinforce one side of the story.

Graphic by Alisha Velji Outside of lecture halls and classrooms, awareness campaigns could also play a large role in preventing the spread of false information. Civic institutions, like Ottawa’s municipal government and the government of Ontario, coupled with media organizations, are in an important position to kickstart campaigns on how DANIEL FRASER to identify misinformation, as well as to direct citizens to trusted and legitimate The fast rise of disinformation and education. Schools and universities sources. misinformation has become a massive are in a great position to shape the These campaigns could use social issue in today’s media landscape. next generation’s ability to discern media, public service announcements, False narratives — often politically truth from fiction. charged — spread like wildfire across In an age where information and and even public workshops to spread awareness about the rise in disinformasocial media, influencing public opin- misinformation is so easily accestion while teaching people how to catch ion and even undermining democratic sible online, it is critical to include falsities. processes. media literacy as a fundamental Mandatory education may sound The growing use of AI tools to part of university and high school intense, but consider what’s at stake. generate news, create deepfakes and curricula.

Disinformation can destabilize societies even impersonate public figures is High school years are a crucial by erasing trust in institutions, manipucreating a dystopian reality. As this time for students to develop their lating elections and spreading dangerous technology becomes more advanced, opinions and perceptions on the ideologies. the ability to tell what’s real and world. A focus on media literacy Right-wing disinformation in particwhat’s fake won’t be a luxury — it’ll would certainly render young people ular has proven to be highly effective at be a necessity. with the tools and curiosity to be exploiting peoples’ deepest fears while Enter educational and civic institu- better informed. simultaneously stoking divisions. It’s a tions to save the day.

Media literacy should not be an major factor in why our world is more By ushering in critical thinking, elective, but a required course. In divided than ever. media literacy and civic responsibility, this course, students would learn to Proper education and awareness institutions such as schools and local critically examine sources, check for would give people the skills to detect governments must become a critical biases and develop the skills necthese divisive tactics before they can line of defence against the spread of essary to evaluate information they influence opinions. falsehoods. consume.

Educational and civic institutions hold It’s fair to question how to realA mandatory course in university a massive responsibility in creating a istically achieve these goals. Should could then serve as a more in-depth better-informed public. Placing a greater we implement required media courses follow up as students enter into emphasis on fostering media literacy and specifically designed to help people society. distinguish between fact and fiction?

Fake videos, photos and even au- promoting critical thinking are important Particularly as AI-generated content dio clips can appear remarkably real. first steps.

By putting a plan like this into action, becomes harder to differentiate from As AI and deepfakes become more genuine news? advanced and widely accessible, the society could save itself from the clearly damaging effects of disinformation and One of the most effective ways to need for media literacy education the emergence of razor-sharp AI. combat disinformation is through becomes even more urgent.

Opinion: Educational institutions can prevent the spread of disinformation. Here’s how

November 2024

charlatanopinions

18

How to connect with the Earth as a Carleton student MIRIAM VISSER accessed through the Nesbitt Lobby This past summer, I was lucky with wooded walking trails and enough to work at Rideau River barbeque pits for a picnic. Follow are open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Provincial Park, just outside of the Rideau River through Vincent If you are looking to get your Ottawa. I spent every day in nature, Massey Park to arrive at Hog’s surrounded by trees and wildlife.

Back Park, a series of artificial yet hands dirty, Kitigànensag, meaning I showed up to Carleton in serene waterfalls created during the “Little Gardens,” is a student-led community garden created by September full of excitement for construction of the Rideau Canal.

Carleton’s Graduate Students’ Assowhat was to come. The first couThe Rideau Canal is a UNEciation. Located north of the Leeds ple of weeks were amazing, but SCO World Heritage Site and is Building beside parking lot P6, the as the semester picked up, things only steps away from Carleton’s garden allows students, faculty and have started to feel overwhelming. residence buildings. In the winstaff to grow and harvest their own Assignments are piling up, the busy ter (weather permitting) it will plots. campus is overstimulating and I transform into the world’s largest And hopefully, if I’ve convinced always feel like I need a break. skating rink that can take you all you of the importance of touching The nature surrounding Carthe way downtown. grass and you want to go even furleton’s campus has been an escape, Cross the canal locks across bringing me back to the peace I felt from the Canal Building, and you’ll ther, become a member of the Parks Canada Outdoors Club of Carleton. this past summer. find yourself in Fletcher Wildlife We all know that nature helps Garden. The garden aims to restore They regularly organize hiking and camping trips throughout the year. us mentally, physically, and emowildlife-friendly habitats in our It’s easy for me to get lost in tionally. Studies show more time neighbourhood, emphasizing the the never-ending to-dos of being spent in nature is linked to lowered use of plants native to the Ottawa a university student. But the naheart rate and blood pressure, better region. It is a perfect escape from ture around Carleton has reminded mental health and an improved abil- the bustle of city life. me to slow down, pause and look ity to focus. Nature has the unique In addition, Carleton’s H.H.J. around. I hope it can do the same effect of slowing us down.

Nesbitt Biology Building is home for you.

In our urban environments, we to one of the best greenhouses in So please, get up, take a break, are bombarded with noise, artificial Canada, as touted on its website. and go touch some grass. lights and constant stimulation, lea- The two display greenhouses -ding to heightened anxiety and mental fatigue. In contrast, nature offers respite, sanctuary and peace.

By increasing our immersion with nature, we develop a deep appreciation for the environment, which fosters a sense of responsibility toward protecting it.

If people no longer value nature or see its relevance in their lives, how will they be willing to properly invest in its protection?

Now, you don’t need to go deep into the wild to reap the benefits of nature.

You can do it right here as a busy student at Carleton.

Here are some suggestions: Walk across the new pedestrian bridge and you’ll find Vincent Massey Park, a Carleton is home to one of the best greenhouses in Canada. [Photo by Murray Oliver/The Charlatan] 28.9-hectare public park

Photos

19 November 2024 Photos Editor: Murray Oliver | photo.charlatan@gmail.com

Carl footbael ton Ravens in nail- l falls 36-34 b the iter again MaraudMcMaster st Park iners at TAAG Sept. 2Ottawa on 1, 2024 .

[Photo

by Mur ray Olive Charlar/The tan]

Student advocates gather at Carleton University’s academic quad to demand accountability from the administration on Sept. 12, 2024.

[Photo by Murray Oliver/The Charlatan]

Ravens Carletoann running freshmKeyshawn back ) is tackled Reid (2r2ee uOttawa by th ders at the defen ame at TD Panda G Place in ct. 6, on O Ottawa2024 y y Murra [Photo vber/The Oli an] Charlat

November 2024

charlatanphotos

20

students Carletoenr for the gath f the flags o w lo erinfgmast during l to ha relton’s Ca Day brance N m e m ov. e R ny on Ceremo, 2024.

11 y y Murra b o t o h P [ he Oliver/Ttan] a l r Cha

Carl B e ne t o n w i d Hu e cele ckabonreceiver brate e (8 t s hi 5) Fredouchdow on O erik H n wits h ac ct Carl. 6, 2024hey (89) touc eton’s . It w as h t Panddown athird a ga the me.

[Pho to by Mu Oli Chaver/The rray rlata n]

Following the arrest of a community member, protesters continued marching for the Palestinian cause at Carleton University on Sept.

12, 2024.

[Photo by Murray Oliver/The Charlatan]

Podcast

21 November 2024 Podcast Hosts: Abyssinia Abebe & Justin Ball | host.charlatan@gmail.com

From rural Africa to Carleton University: How community radio keeps locales current ABYSSINIA ABEBE & JUSTIN BALL In Lenekuy, Mali, Paul Yaya Traoré found himself grappling with the decision to marry off his daughter.

In a community where girls often left school by Grade 9 for early marriages, Traoré’s perspective shifted after listening to a Farm Radio program that challenged the norm in young girls’ educations.

Stephanie Coucopoulos heard this story shortly after completing her master’s degree in education, which struck an interest in access to education for marginalized communities.

Inspired by Farm Radio’s story, she knew she wanted to get involved.

Farm Radio is a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to using community radio to reach rural parts of Africa in ways print media cannot.

But rural farmers in Africa aren’t the only ones who benefit from local radio. Within the Ottawa community, Carleton University’s CKCU-FM, is an independent community-owned and operated radio station that has been telling homegrown stories since 1975.

From communities across Africa to Carleton’s campus, the invisible waves of community radio unite local voices with local ears.

Coucopoulos, now radio resources co-ordinator at Farm Radio, emphasized radio’s unique role as an accessible medium that reaches millions.

“It doesn’t require internet or electricity, making it a reliable source of information for those communities,” she said.

Community radio is thriving across Africa, reaching approximately 45 million rural listeners in 54 languages. With such a large audience, Farm Radio can address topics including art, agriculture, health, gender equality and climate change.

Graphic by Alisha Velji

With many young journalists fears. wanting to help reach these rural com“There’s something about the [humunities on air, Carleton’s School of man] voice … It’s a bit more intimate, Journalism and Communication offers something that maybe they can trust international internship opportunities more,” Harewood said. with Farm Radio.

According to Anne-Marie BrugAdrian Harewood, a Carleton ger, CKCU’s interim station director, journalism associate professor, hosted hearing a local, familiar voice on the a live podcast at Cooperation Canada’s air is a big part of community radio’s “The Future is Informed” event on Oct. success.

10. Harewood discussed the power of “As a community radio, we are able community radio to foster communito be involved with local businesses, ty change, adding that it can address local news stations, local artists and community needs in ways mainstream our volunteers,” Brugger said. “It’s media does not. everyone coming together for a com“Community radio provides munity effort.” marginalized communities, that are Entering its 50th year, CKCU has often left out of conversations, with a managed to stay on air as an advertiseplatform to tell their stories, to assert ment-free station thanks to a $8.74 per themselves and to contribute to wider term Carleton student levy, year-round conversations,” Harewood said. donations and its annual funding drive.

While radio is an important global For CKCU and community radio, daily resource, Harewood added that keeping funding local is as important it can be especially important for rural as keeping the content local. communities facing dire circumstances.

“Our funding drive helps us connect “[Radio] can provide life-saving with our listeners and when we meet information in moments of crisis,” he our goals, that means there are still a said, referring to the critical role local lot of listeners out there,” Brugger said. radio played during the Ebola crisis in According to Harewood, commuSierra Leone. nity radio adjusts to community needs During that time, he said communi- in ways mainstream media might not, ties relied on radio to obtain, “survival creating a unique space where commuinformation on how to deal with [the] nity members actively participate in the killer disease.” station’s survival and direction.

In Western communities, radio “Community radio provides fights an entirely different battle: the communities that are left out of the public’s eroding distrust in journalism. conversation with a platform,” he said.

But Harewood said radio is a medium “It enables them to tell their story, and uniquely positioned to mitigate those contribute to a wider conversation.”