Vol 42 issue 8

Bylaw changes

Funding for food

To be or not to be

Juggling odd jobs

Breaking a record

UTMSU board votes to remove VP Part-Time, among other changes.

UTMSU president responds to The Medium’s editorial on the budget.

The Medium sits down with the actors of Hart House’s upcoming play.

UTM alumna returns to discuss the difficulty of finding a job after grad.

Alex Naccarato didn’t let anything stop him from being in the Caber Toss.

Medium News, page 2

Medium Opinion, page 5

Medium Arts, page 8

Medium Features, page 11

Medium Sports, page 15

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11.02.2015

UTMSU proposes bylaw amendments Among changes are the removal of VP part-time affairs from the UTMSU executive committee KASSANDRA HANGDAAN WITH NOTES FROM MARIA IQBAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Along with reviewing the results of the fall 2015 election and passing changes in the union’s bylaws, UTMSU also examined the causes and possible solutions to the deficit incurred at the Blind Duck Pub during their board meeting on Saturday.

UTMSU BYLAW CHANGES The UTMSU board of directors have approved four out of five proposed bylaw changes in their constitution ahead of their annual general meeting on November 12.

A major change to bylaw V was the removal of the VP part-time affairs position from the UTMSU executive effective May 2016.

According to UTMSU president Ebi Agbeyegbe, the move was in consultation with current and past VP part-time affairs and the Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students, which represents part-time students at all three campuses.

The Medium is following up for details on the reasons behind the move.

Of the five bylaw changes proposed, the sole bylaw not voted on proposed

CHRISTY TAM/THE MEDIUM

The board voted to remove the position of UTMSU VP part-time affairs as of May 2016. a change to bylaw II, which defines what constitutes a UTMSU member.

Under this bylaw’s second clause, to terminate UTMSU membership, a member “withdraws, graduates, is suspended or expelled from the University of Toronto”. An amendment to remove the word “graduates” was proposed.

“This bylaw contradicts another bylaw,” said Khogali, explaining the

motive behind the proposed amendment. Currently, UTMSU’s bylaws state that anyone who is registered as a full-time undergrad in a UTM diploma or degree program and has paid the UTMSU membership fee “for the current session” is a UTMSU member.

Asked to clarify, Khogali, said the “contradiction” lies in the fact that under section 1c., the bylaws say that

“membership is valid only for the session paid” yet “members of the Executive Committee during their respective terms in office” are also members, without specifying any course or fee requirement. The ambiguity is in whether a UTMSU exec can still be a member of the union even after graduating.

However, Abdullah Omari, a UTMSU director, argued that a further

clause should be added to address the “vagueness” of bylaw II. According to Omari, removing the word “graduates” from the definition would allow anyone who has graduated from UTM to still have membership rights indefinitely.

The motion was struck down at the meeting, and according to VP university affairs and academics Nour Alideeb, the board moved to add say “Membership to the Union is terminated when a member withdraws, graduates, is suspended or expelled from the University of Toronto or upon graduation from the University, excluding members of the executive committee.”

Other motions passed at the meeting includes bylaw I, which addresses the interpretation of definitions. The board added the definition of the Medical Academy of Medicine to UTMSU’s bylaws and constitution.

Following this addition, the definition of an undergraduate student was further added to provide a distinction between such undergraduates and MAM students.

Motions approved at the board of directors meeting on Saturday must now pass a two-thirds majority at the UTMSU annual general meeting on November 12.

U of T to review fossil fuel investments A rally was held on Thursday night protesting U of T’s current fossil fuel–related investments NICOLE DANESI NEWS EDITOR U of T students, faculty, and community members congregated downtown on Thursday evening to rally against U of T’s current financial investments in fossil fuel companies.

Lobbying efforts calling on U of T to divest fossil fuel investments led U of T to form a presidential advisory committee earlier this year, which is now in the process of reviewing feedback that they have received from the U of T community.

According to Althea BlackburnEvans, a U of T spokesperson, U of T will not reveal how much the university currently has invested in fossil fuel–related financial investments, explaining difficulties in doing so stem from differing definitions of what one would deem to be a fossil fuel company or investment.

Difficulties also stem from pooled funds that the university invests, which, according to Blackburn-Evans, does not allow the university to provide a firm number.

According to second-year stu-

MILAN ILNYCKYJ/PHOTO

Approximately 200 people sttended the rally on Thursday evening. dent Amanda Harvey-Sanchez, who was one of the rally organizers from the group Toronto350, an advocacy group for climate change, approximately 200 people attended the rally held on Thursday evening.

Scheduled specifically to coincide with a Governing Council meeting that also took place that evening, individuals from Toronto350 presented a letter to governors outlining why the university should

divest, in addition to postcards signed by prospective U of T students explaining their interest in attending a university that does not invest in fossil fuel companies.

“If a prestigious university like U

of T were to divest, it would send a very clear message to the industry that we don’t support dirty energy,” said Harvey-Sanchez.

According to Blackburn-Evans, more than 20 submissions were made by the October 14 deadline, which was extended from the original September 30 deadline. Submissions were made following an open call from the presidential advisory committee beginning this past June. The committee is expected to present their recommendations to U of T president Meric Gertler, who is responsible for making the final decision as to the future of the university’s current fossil fuel investments.

Earlier this month, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced its decision to continue making fossil fuel–related investments after the university was called upon by students and the university community to cease doing so.

A decision regarding the future of U of T’s fossil fuel investments is expected to be made by the end of the year.

11.02.2015 THE MEDIUM NEWS

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Flash mob, dancing, Diwali UTM’s Hindu Student Council celebrated Diwali Dhamaka

October 22, 2015, 10:53 a.m.

Mischief A student reported that his two back tires were punctured and his car had been keyed while parked in P4.

October 23, 2015, 8:35 a.m.

Theft under $5,000 An unknown male had returned a wallet to the info booth at the Stu-

dent Centre. Campus Police located the wallet’s owner; however, when it was returned it was noted that a small quantity of cash had been taken.

October 27, 2015 Theft Under $5,000 A sign was stolen from the CCT parking garage. This investigation is continuing.

These reports are those that have been released to The Medium and do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list.

Students can contact the UTM Campus Police at 905 828 5200, Peel Regional Police at 905-453-3311, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

JEANLOUIS REBELLO/THE MEDIUM

Approximately 450 attendees came out to the Diwali Dhamaka celebration.

KARUNA ISRANI This year’s Diwali Dhamaka was an energetic event, with an estimated 450 attendees participating at the Blind Duck on the night of October 23.

Diwali Dhamaka, hosted by UTM’s Hindu Student Council, is held annually in celebration of Diwali, the Hindu “Festival of Lights”.

Around 8 p.m., a trio of hosts including UTM alumna Shreya

Narang started off the show with a string of punchlines and anecdotes before announcing the performers for the night.

Notable dance performances were delivered by the Erindale Punjabi Association and the HSC’s dance group, Fusion. While EPA took a more conventional route, donning traditional Bhangra costumes and playing the sapp (a Punjabi musical instrument), Fusion bopped along to more modern Bollywood chart-toppers.

Other noteworthy dances were

performed by trio Alistair D’Cruz, Isha Thaker, and Mayank Sharma and duo Aziza Islam and Mit Patel. Among singers was Megha Manvi, who performed Pharrell Williams’ “Happy”.

The week prior to the pub night, Fusion organized a flash mob at the Meeting Place in Davis. The group danced to several songs to cheering students in the food court as a way to promote the event.

Diwali continued on page 4

Gertler talks election, UTS, and Boundless campaign Governing Council met on Thursday to hear from Gertler and the university ombudsperson

take our eyes off the ball anytime soon.”

Gertler also addressed the issue

between U of T and the University of Toronto Schools, a high school affiliated with U of T, where U of T requested UTS to relocate by 2021.

After engaging in negotiations for the last two years, it has now been announced, according to Gertler, that “U of T will allow UTS to stay on their current site for at least 50 years”.

Regarding queries about the new federal government’s pledge for infrastructure funding and possibly reconstructing U of T’s building to increase energy efficiency and allow access to mobility-challenged students, the president promised to take actions and make progress in the near future.

Delivering the university ombudsperson report for the last time was Professor Joan Foley, the current university ombudsperson, who will be replaced by Professor Ellen Hodnett.

Regarding motions for Governing Council approval, both the motions for the capital projects relating to St. George’s University College and Croft Chapter House, along with the renovations and expansions to a wing at the New Highland Hall at the University of Toronto Scarborough, received unanimous votes and were approved by the council.

The next Governing Council meeting is scheduled on December 15 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Toronto taxi base fares reduced by $1 as of November 1

Brampton votes against Light Rail Transit proposal

Clinton interrupted by Black Lives Matter protesters in Atlanta

Four arrested following meth lab bust in Brampton

All 244 people on board a Russiabound plane were killed on Saturday following a plane crash in Egypt’s Sini Peninsula. Following the crash, individuals linked to ISIS claimed responsibility. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.

Beginning on November 1, Toronto taxi base fares have been reduced from $4.25 to $3.25. The decision comes into effect after Toronto City Council voted to approve the change earlier this year. The changes come following increasing competition in Toronto by online rideshare company Uber, whose base fare begins at $2.50 for UberX riders.

Brampton City Council has voted against the construction of a light rail transit line through the city’s Main Street. The final 7-4 vote squashed the Brampton portion of the project, which was to be funded by the Ontario government. The total cost of the project, which was originally set to run through Mississauga and Brampton, was $1.6 million.

At an Atlanta campaign stop on Friday, Democratic presidental candidate Hillary Clinton was interrupted by protesters from the organization Black Lives Matter. Protestors shouted “black lives matter” during Clinton’s stop at Atlanta Clark University.

Four people have been arrested following the raid of a Brampton home on Thursday night. Ten surrounding homes were evacuated due to concerns of chemicals present at the site.

The four arrested parties will appear in court this morning.

Source: CNN

Source: CTV News

Source: Brampton Guardian

Source: CNN

Source: Toronto Star

“Our Boundless campaign has raised, as of this week, $1.85 billion towards the $2 billion system, more than six months ahead of schedule.

This comes as a result of the generosity of more than 90 thousand unit donors, and we have successfully engaged 9,200 volunteers in the campaign,” Gertler reported.

According to Gertler, the previous fiscal year shows the largest fundraising result in the history of the university, rising up to $248 million.

“Our goal now is to solidify our grasp on this level of performance and to make it our new baseline.

Before the campaign, our baseline was more like a hundred million;

now it has doubled that,” Gertler said. “There is still a lot of work to do; we have many divisional priorities and academic goals still to be funded, so we are not planning to

Russia-bound plane kills all on board in Egypt crash

GIANG TRAN The U of T Governing Council met on Thursday to discuss federal election results, fundraising campaign goals, and the university ombudsperson’s report, among other items.

U of T president Meric Gertler began his report on Canada’s 42nd federal election, stating that 14 GTA MPs are U of T alumni, with 28 U of T alumni elected on October 19.

Gertler also mentioned Trudeau’s pre-election pledges to increase funding for the arts and said that he would keep a close watch on it.

“Our Boundless campaign has raised, as of this week, $1.85 billion towards the $2 billion system.”

— President Gertler

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THE MEDIUM 11.02.2015

MiWay and UTMSU to collect transit survey

»HOW DO YOU GET TO SCHOOL AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

Talha Mukhtar 2nd year, bio/psych

Brandon Xuereb 2nd year, psych

I take MiWay and it takes me 20 minutes.

I take the TTC and MiWay and it takes an hour and a half.

Alanna Santarossa 3rd year, life sciences

Samina Sushmita 4th year, religion/earth sci

I drive and it takes me 15 minutes.

I come from Scarborough and it takes me 45 minutes.

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

The survey is expected to have between 2,500 and 5,000 students participate.

SIMRAN PATEL UTM students will soon be asked to provide MiWay with information detailing their transit patterns to be used to improve Mississauga’s transit connection to UTM. At UTMSU’s third commission meeting last Tuesday, UTMSU VP internal and services Francesco Otello-DeLuca informed the commission of a meeting the union had with personnel from MiWay.

At the meeting, it was decided that a student survey would be developed for UTM students to collect information as to which routes students are taking to get to and from the campus, the time it takes for them to get to UTM, and where they are commuting from.

Expected to launch the week of November 9, the survey will be distributed by MiWay and UTMSU volunteers around campus, who will aim to have between

2,500 and 5,000 students complete the questionnaire. Data collected will be used by MiWay to better schedule bus timings and routes coming to UTM. According to Otello-DeLuca, MiWay also discussed the idea of possibly connecting the MiWay U-Pass with Brampton transit, an idea MiWay would be willing to explore following the results of the survey.

DJ Lune brings Bollywood to UTM

JEANLOUIS REBELLO/THE MEDIUM

A four-course vegetarian buffet was served at the event.

Diwali continued from page 3 “I think our biggest challenge was living up to people’s expectations.

Since we’re always trying to top our previous efforts, people expect a lot more as the years go on, and that was one of our biggest challenges this year,” said Rachana Sai, VP of HSC. The organizers chose to give this year’s Dhamaka a contemporary flair. In contrast to previous years, the HSC accommodated English performances and arranged for popular English music to be played during the event.

Performances were followed by a four-course vegetarian In-

dian buffet, after which the pub was converted into an open dance floor soundtracked by DJ Lune.

When asked about the best part

“I think our biggest challenge was living up to people’s expectations.”

—Rachana Sai of Diwali Dhamaka 2015, Sai said it was the open dance floor segment. “I absolutely loved seeing so many people enjoy and dance along to Bollywood, even in Canada.”

11.02.2015

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EDITORS

Levy underuse doesn’t make sense

Editor-in-Chief Maria Iqbal editor@themedium.ca

Still looking for answers on why the Food Centre doesn’t use all its funds

MASTHEAD

Managing Editor Maria Cruz managing@themedium.ca News Nicole Danesi news@themedium.ca A&E Kate Cattell-Daniels arts@themedium.ca Features Farah Qaiser features@themedium.ca Sports Eric Hewitson sports@themedium.ca — Photo Mahmoud Sarouji photos@themedium.ca Design Sarah Yassine design@themedium.ca Copy Akshaya Sharma copy@themedium.ca Online & Blog Corey Belford Kimberly Johnson blog@themedium.ca online@themedium.ca ASSOCIATES News Menna Elnaka A&E Hailey Mason Features Mahnoor Ayub Sports TBA

First off, I’d like to thank UTMSU president Ebi Agbeyegbe for his letter this week about views that he feels should be shared with the UTM student body. I’d encourage all of our readers to write to us with any comments or concerns, be it related to our coverage or issues related to the campus in general.

The more views represented in our Opinion section, the more likely we can have meaningful debate.

Now, to address some of Agbeyegbe’s comments: Many of you may be aware of the large amount of coverage given to the UTMSU Food Centre, especially this year, but previously, too.

And one of my main issues with the way that the food centre is run is that it is not given its full levy to use as part of its budget for the year.

For context, the food centre (formerly “food bank”) levy was established after students voted in a 2009 referendum in favour of the new levy “to support the oncampus food bank”. Part of the background of the referendum is

that the food bank used to receive donations from a source in the community, which stopped in the summer of 2008. The referendum also mentioned that “in order to be a sustainable food bank, [the food bank] requires a budget hat will come from the food bank student levy”.

Now, as Agbeyegbe points out,

If food security is such a growing problem as UTMSU makes it out to be, why has the Food Centre not been spending its full levy? when funding is left over from the food centre at the end of the year, it ends up back in UTMSU’s operating budget. If I were a student who voted in the referendum to establish the levy, I wouldn’t be okay with that funding going to other purposes.

Agbeyegbe defends this policy,

saying, “If there is ever a need for extra or new funding for the food centre, the funding is secured from the UTMSU operating budget too.”

Well, I wonder, why the word “if ”? Earlier this year, we published a story called “Food Centre usage increasing” (Sept. 28), which said exactly what it sounds like it did.

In it, we noted that UTMSU VP internal Francesco Otello-DeLuca blamed rising tuition fees and the cost of living as reasons why the food centre was growing in use.

“The increase in usage is also due to rising food prices, especially on campus,” he said. “This directly corresponds to the amount of people we get using the food centre service.”

Also worth noting is that UTMSU has put in many efforts to lobby against Chartwells on campus. Another story published this year called “UTMSU seeks changes to Chartwells contract” (Sept. 14) quoted Agebeyegbe saying “The UTM Food Centre has witnessed a surge in student usage because of the unaffordable food options […]

The university administration has failed to address the growing concern related to food security.”

Well, if food security is such a growing problem on campus, then what other reason does UTMSU need to allocate greater funding to the food centre? (Ebi, this is a genuine question.)

Moving on, I’d like to thank Agbeyegbe for the explanation on the academic societies levy. I’d like to point out that part of his defence for the unused academic society levy is based on the fact that “Any money that is left over is re-invested in academic societies by ASAC”.

So, I ask again: why should food centre funds be treated any differently?

Agbeyegbe has requested us to ask more questions about things that “appear unclear”. So, here they are. I look forward to hearing your answers.

YOURS, MARIA IQBAL

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To contribute, email editor@themedium.ca

Response: “When numbers matter” UTM, I hope you all had a phenomenal week. I know many of you are doing whatever it takes to prepare for the upcoming midterms, tests, quizzes, and exams.

Students just like you through their Students’ Unions have been working hard to organize high-quality events to help you de-stress and enjoy your time at the University of Toronto Mississauga. We hope you enjoyed the events last week—events like Halloween Haunt at Wonderland, the Haunted House at the Student Centre, or Halloween Pub. It was a fun and scary week for all of us.

Unfortunately, I am writing this editorial response to address some serious allegations made on September 14 by our current editor-in-chief in her editorial, “When Numbers Matter”. This article stressed the need to read in between the lines and tasked the readers with paying attention to detail. We could go back and forth as to what should be looked at when it comes to The Medium, but we will not go down that route. I would, however, like to address the points made in the opinion piece about the UTMSU financials and address the misinformation that was presented. I understand that it is an opinion piece; however, many students may misinterpret these opinions as facts. Unfortunately, situations like these can negatively influence students’ perceptions of the union. That is not something we want

because the Students’ Union is here for just that—the students.

For the past couple of years, The Medium has been trying to insinuate that either the UTMSU mismanages the food centre or that UTMSU does not know what it is doing. UTMSU has always been open and transparent with the budget when it comes to the food centre. The food centre is a service funded through a levy that is collected from all UTMSU members, and whenever the money is left over it is returned to the operating budget.

If there is ever a need for extra or new funding for the food centre, the funding is secured from the UTMSU operating budget, too. The food centre is not a separate entity from UTMSU, because it is a service offered through the Students’ Union.

We are always looking for new ways to improve the services that are provided by the UTMSU; therefore, we converted the space from a food bank to a food centre. We created a space that is conducive to learning and raising awareness about food insecurity, building community, and providing access to alternative good food.

The second accusation relates to funding for our 19 academic-based societies. In her editorial, the editorin-chief asks club executives to look at the excess funding from the academic societies budget.

It is important to make the distinction that academic societies are different from clubs because they are recognized and funded through two

different processes. It is also important to note that academic societies were created when UTMSU and the university, through the Office of the VP Academic and Dean, agreed to recognize these academic-based student groups and fund them through a dedicated pool of funds. The entity responsible for recognition and funding is called the Academic Societies Advisory Committee, whose membership consists of “three individuals from the Dean’s Office and three individuals from UTMSU”. The ASAC makes the final recommendations on funding allocations to each academic society. Each year, funding depends on program enrollment and previous spending patterns of each academic society executive team.

The UTMSU collects a certain amount of funds for the academic societies through a dedicated fee and the Dean’s Office matches it. The money is allocated to each academic society, while a portion of the money goes to the short-term funding pool and a long-term funding pool. Any money that is left over is re-invested in academic societies by ASAC. Money may be left over because of poor spending and wherein funding is withheld (obviously at the discretion of the ASAC) or simply because the societies did not use it.

This year we believe that societies will spend more than usual simply because they now have to bear the costs of AV (a minimum of $100 every time they want to use AV equipment when

they rent a lecture hall on campus).

The process of determining funding is explained to academic societies during training and again when we do their audits in January and June; these audits are to ensure that there is no poor spending and that the academic societies are fulfilling their mandates.

The ASAC uses these audits to decide funding allocations.

The Medium was right in that there was mistake in the calculations presented on the page. The way the article was printed made it seem like UTMSU is incapable of doing simple math, but we appreciate the concern and suggestions—the clerical error that was made has since been fixed.

UTMSU would like to ask students to take a look at their newspaper that they also pay a levy to and to look at its operations as well. UTMSU puts itself out there to be criticized and acknowledge that it will happen. However, we would appreciate it if folks at The Medium would ask questions about things that appear unclear before making any such unwarranted accusations in the future.

On behalf of the UTMSU executive, I would like to thank The Medium for their diligence so far, but it’s time for the student-funded newspaper to start paying attention to the decisions made by our administrators because students also deserve an answer to their questions.

Ebi Agbeyegbe President of UTMSU

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THE MEDIUM 11.02.2015

A community of young writers The Totally Unknown Writers Festival helps build a community of aspiring authors on our campus I know it’s been a while since I’ve written an op-ed, but I’m going to pretend my words were insightful enough for you to remember what they were. Approximately two to three weeks ago, I wrote a piece on the crumbling job market and how, as an English and professional writing major, I’ve braced myself for a good decade of living in my mom’s basement before I find a job.

But I also spoke about how important it is to be here and how much I’ve gained at this school.

Namely, the contacts I’ve made in professors or guest speakers whom I was lucky enough to get to know.

The Totally Unknown Writers Festival is something I never even thought to bring up in my last oped, and it’s a good thing, too. For a writer, this event, in my opinion, is important enough to warrant its own piece.

For those of you who don’t know, the festival is hosted by Life Rattle. Life Rattle was created by UTM’s own Guy Allen and Arnie Achtman, who worked together for 25 years to bring their love of storytelling to life. Together, they worked with many others to intro-

duce the Life Rattle radio program, Life Rattle Press, and the festival, as stated on their website. In 1992, Life Rattle staged their first festival, which consisted of local talent getting up on stage to read their pieces out loud to an audience. Since then, Life Rattle has been hosting their annual festival to publish and celebrate local writers.

I went for the first time last year.

I had never heard about it. I had no idea how many of the student readers would later wind up in my writing classes. Right off the bat, my evening went well. It was the first time I saw Laurel Waterman (a professor I had in my first year at university) in years. I’ll always remember my conversation with her because, though she admitted that she couldn’t remember my name right away, she told me that she remembered my talent.

As she went on to greet other students, I saw Robert Price. A year ago, I didn’t really know who Robert was. I didn’t even know he previously worked for the paper, for crying out loud. But he walked up to me, greeted me, and asked if I’d ever been to the festi-

val before. After I told him that I hadn’t, he was kind enough to give me a rundown of how the festival worked. He even set up interviews for me with people associated with Life Rattle and with Shane Driver, the winner of the Arnie Achtman Award that year.

Throughout the night, some great writers got up on stage to read their pieces. I remember some pretty wild stories; for example, there was one from a kid who wore Italian leather shoes to a slaughter house. He described in detail what happens to the animals there, and right before I puked, his story ended. Okay, I wasn’t actually going to be sick, but I was squirming with discomfort in my seat.

Then, at the end of the night, Shane Driver took to the stage. The story he read was taken from his book, Broken, which is currently being studied in my Community and Writing class. He moved me completely. I got the chance to interview him for the paper to learn that he never planned on publishing anything. But encouragement from those around him brought him to the stage that night and now

he’s being studied in classrooms.

It’s here I want to segue into how important I think festivals like this are for young writers. To appreciate your peers and be among some of the best writers in your hometown has such a sense of community. There are tons of us who have stories to tell and platforms like the Totally Unknown Writers Festival grant us the freedom to express them.

There’s not much I can say without being too biased about why being able to express yourself through an art form is so liberating. Drawing on what I said before, it’s UTM that introduced me to this festival and it’s here that I met some of the people whom I associate with now.

Even if I didn’t have enough confidence in myself to read something at the festival, seeing all those writers there that night encouraged me to submit something to Mindwaves, which was the first creative writing piece I submitted in all the years I’ve been here. It was also the first time I got published. I gained this confidence through one night that took place a year ago.

This year, I was summoned into

the Medium office and unfortunately missed the festival. Two girls I know read that night, which just added to the sting of me not being there. But being in my Creative Writing and Communications and Writing classes, I heard more of my peers asking each other if they planned on going when, not too long ago, I had no idea what it even was. Being a part of that community, that community of young writers who all supported each other, was so welcoming. I think a big part of my identity was gained through the Totally Unknown Writers Festival and everyone who was brave enough to read that night. Festivals and events like this are so important for young writers and I’ll be forever grateful that I ever had the chance to attend one.

All that said, I’m signing off before this turns too much into an Oprah episode. Everyone here gets a free op-ed!

Maria Cruz Managing Editor

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11.02.2015

Up close and personal with Hamlet Hart House actors open up about what makes their characters tick and the challenges they face KATE CATTELL-DANIELS A&E EDITOR The last time I sat in the Hart House lobby to interview actors, they were working on a new play, one that’s almost as contemporary as it’s possible to get. Now, though, Dan Mousseau and Sheelagh Daly are facing something completely different—a production of Hamlet, one of the most famous pieces of literature in the English language.

Hamlet also displays some UTM talent—both the director, Paolo Santalucia, and Daly are graduates of UTM’s Theatre and Drama Studies program.

The Medium: How does it feel to be playing Hamlet—such an iconic role—right out of theatre school?

Dan Mousseau: It’s a bit intimidating; I won’t lie. When you have a cast of brilliant actors around you of all different ages and experience levels, it kind of feels like you have to lead the ship a bit. The majority of the play is me speaking—and very, very personally,

CHRISTY TAM/THE MEDIUM

The Prince of Denmark comes to Hart House next week. too. So, having to reach that personal level, while at the same time communicating that to everyone and keeping myself intact physi-

cally and emotionally while doing it, it’s really a strain on the training. And you worry that because you’re right out of theatre school,

everyone is going to be like, “Well, this newbie, let’s see how he does.”

But everyone’s been super supportive and lovely in the cast, which

has meant the world.

TM: What’s Paolo like to work with?

DM: He’s very in tune, because he is also an actor. He works at Soulpepper. He knows how to speak to actors, and the way he talks, and the way he puts these massive concepts, and the way he phrases these different things that Hamlet’s trying to do, or is going through, he has really spoken to me.

TM: And besides playing Hamlet, which I assume is on your actor bucket list, are there any other roles you’d like to play?

DM: Oh boy. Mission Impossible [laughs]. If the Lord of the Rings musical wasn’t such a flop, I’d have loved to have played Aragorn. I really want to play Hosanna [in Hosanna, written by Michel Tremblay]. That’s always been a favourite of mine. Oh, Henry V. [Shakespeare’s] history plays are so fun, and so rarely done.

Hamlet continued on page 10

Star-struck: heroes are born on UTM campus Heroes Reborn shoots on UTM campus, continuing long tradition of U of T sets in film and TV CHRISTOPHER ANTILOPE

Earlier this school year, after taking Professor Chris Koenig-Woodyard’s course in the Graphic Novel, I thought that I would be done talking about superheroes in a classroom setting. Walking with my girlfriend, Sarah, a fourth-year English major, we exchanged curious looks when we saw a rainbow-coloured exterior outside of the library. Little did we know that our school would play host to NBC’s reboot miniseries Heroes Reborn. Looks like I wasn’t done with superheroes after all.

What’s more humbling is that the show didn’t just make use of the library’s exterior, but the entire school. The futuristic Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex was used as Renautas headquarters in Midian, Colorado. Renautas is a global technology organization that is secretly an evil corporation with aspirations to capture and control every person with superhuman abilities.

With some clever editing, nearly every building at UTM was transformed into looking as if it were only one place. The Renautas HQ, with its interior similar to the Instructional Centre, was where a

HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=MEOHIXJIWGK/PHOTO AND MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

The UTM campus gets its fair share of screen time in Heroes Reborn.

Matrix-style shootout happened.

Three “heroes” fought a man and his clones. Downstairs, one of the heroes tried to gain access to the facility’s main entrance, which is actually IB 110—home to Ken Derry’s famous Introduction to the History of Religions class—without the giant lobby desk.

Using the UTM campus is an ide-

al, original choice for any cinematographer if they’re searching for a place that looks like it’s off the beaten track. This is why we saw Tim Kring’s, creator of Heroes, characters roam outside the HMALC and lobby and link to the CCT building.

UTM does not look like any other university in the world, which is why Heroes Reborn was shot there—

for its unique, seemingly cut-offfrom-the-world atmosphere, where no one knows what occurs behind the vast trees that surround it.

Choosing UTM as a place to film a futuristic laboratory for superhumans is perfect because we don’t learn in buildings, but rather within works of art, like the Instructional Centre, Deerfield Hall, and the Ter-

rence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex.

The GTA and Toronto itself have been home to many other films, such as 2016’s Suicide Squad. But if I am going to highlight good comic adaptation films (yeah, DC Comics fans, I went there), then we can talk about Marvel’s The Incredible Hulk (2008), which saw Edward Norton as the titular green monster tear up the St. George campus in a furious rage. Toronto also saw X-Men, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Billy Madison, Hairspray, and The Love Guru— to name only a few—shot here at home. Oddly enough, all the movies featured underdogs who came out on top.

It’s too bad that the rainbow gate used in Heroes Reborn was only used for the show, because it would have made a nice addition to the school’s grounds, looking as unique as that gorgeous stone structure at the front entrance of the school. If any other shows would like to use UTM as a film or TV set, the door is open, I say. Next time, let’s hope to be included in the shots too, rather than have licensed extras roaming in the background, for we are all talented beings belonging to one of the best schools in the world.

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Story time with an edge Totally Unknown Writers Festival showcases UTM talent RIAUD ABDUL

October 25 marked the 22nd annual Totally Unknown Writers Festival hosted at the Rivoli Pool Hall in downtown Toronto. UTM students past and present gathered alongside other aspiring writers to share their writing. Though the event got off to a late start and was short a few readers, this was hardly noticeable as friends and family shuffled in to show their support.

What appeared to be a small room tucked away at the back of the hall was actually much more. Food, drinks, and a small stage made for a casual and relaxed environment. Everyone socialized, and while the attendance might have been lower than in past years, it didn’t weigh on the most important thing: celebrating the writers and their work. Everyone settled in as UTM professor Guy Allen, a pioneer in the style of creative non-fiction and the co-founder of Life Rattle Press, introduced the show.

The night featured stories on a wide variety of subjects, ranging from emotional tales of immigration to fond recollections of the past, humorous encounters, and truly powerful life-changing experiences.

The diversity of the authors’ styles of writing ensured that the event

was never dull and positive energy kept up throughout the evening. The mood in the room felt more like an intimate gathering than a festival, and certainly provided a warm and welcoming environment.

Because of UTM’s professional writing and communication program, UTM students get a leg up when it comes to creative non-fiction. The style taught in PWC is not easy to master—it requires a perfect

The night featured stories on a wide variety of subjects, ranging from emotional tales of immigration to lifechanging experiences. balance of personal subject matter and solid technique.

Former UTM student Gabriel Micelli wowed with his story “Fireworks”. The piece provided a thoughtful recollection of both past and present Canada Days by contrasting both and remembering lost love.

Among the writers was a nervous Aaron Jervis, a current UTM student who admitted that he didn’t know what to expect of the festival. His story “Silver Ladders” was a piece that

has been in the works for years, constantly changing and growing thanks to ongoing edits from his professor.

He said he’s enjoyed the process immensely and expressed that “it’s genuine for me”, which has made writing for him all the more meaningful. He took pride in being able to look at his piece from the perspective of both an author and a reader.

The atmosphere of the event hit a heavier note with Janine Carter’s “Strangers”, a story about strained parental relationships and dealing with the termination of a pregnancy.

She said that at first she was “writing about stupid stuff like parties” but found that drawing from a more emotional well just struck a note with readers and made her writing that much richer.

After a brief intermission, the night wrapped up on a lighter note with stories like Kau Monydhot’s “Binti Kiziwi”. The audience had a good laugh with his story about one of the most frightening experiences teenage boys go through: talking to girls. Then, Caroline Wade put a light-hearted spin on the troubles of substance abuse in her story “Christina”. What impressed me was how stories from the festival all seemed to band together to show what the GTA is all about—diversity and acceptance in the face of the differences people experience on a daily basis.

REWIND LAUREN REEVES There is something deeply ironic about every propaganda film.

Whether or not you agree with its agenda, its bias remains so blinding that the discerning person cannot possibly take it seriously.

In fact, these films often become nothing short of laughable. The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr. West in the Land of the Bolsheviks (1924) is no exception.

Mr. West, an American capitalist on business with the YMCA, arrives in Soviet Moscow in possession of a comical amount of luggage, an American flag, and a cowboy for a bodyguard—the recommendation of a dozen of his colleagues who have seen reliable images of the typical Bolshevik Barbarian in their magazines. He is immediately relieved of one of his bags by a young thief, who in turn loses his spoils to an older gang.

This gang knows the true size of the American purse, and hopes to capitalize on Mr. West’s vacation. Two of the criminals present themselves as former dignitaries, inviting him into their home and telling him lies of the decay of proper civilization in Russia. They clearly hope to gain his trust by playing upon his fears and false assumptions, even

staging mock atrocities in order to raise the stakes (dressed, of course, as his imaginary barbarians). Eventually the police intercede and set everything right. Mr. West radios home and asks his wife to hang Lenin’s poster in his study. The true nature of Bolshevism has been discovered.

The goal of the film is to dismantle western stereotypes of Russian communists using satire, to which I say fair enough. And yet, its audience is limited to only the most stereotypical of westerners— and today, the film is so outdated it almost doesn’t mean anything anymore.

Frankly, the film is hilarious both in its intentional irony and, indeed more so, in that which is ignorant and accidental. Even better than any of that is the acting, or rather overacting. Being in an early silent film, actors are perhaps not quite sure how to communicate without words. As a result, the scenes packed with slapstick humour become indistinguishable from those that are meant to be more serious.

If you are the sort of person who likes sci-fi channel creature features and watches old horror movies for the bad special effects, you would love to spend an hour watching Mr. West.

Dancing alone in spite of stormy weather Blackwood Gallery’s Weather dance performance tackles climate change from a different angle KRISTEN LADAS

Embracing powerful topics through the art of dance is nothing new. Choreographers play around with different themes and subject matters, all trying to convey their thoughts through movement. The artists who portray these themes each have a different take on the dance.

On Friday, the Blackwood Gallery hosted a unique dance performance entitled Weather. Weather is a performance by four dancers of Anandam Dancetheatre choreographed by Brandy Leary, and focuses on the global ecological crisis and how it affects our landscapes and our lives. The solo performances, also called vignettes, embody the different weather patterns.

Leary explains, “Weather is a sitespecific piece and it looks at how large historical processes and unstable economies fall in on themselves. I see it showing up the most in our landscapes and in our bodies. We structured a piece to look at the elemental forces using wind and water. Looking at wind, water, storms, and flooding that affects our landscapes.”

Interestingly, the idea was sparked by an exploration in Iceland during the production of a previous performance titled Glaciology.

“I felt like the glaciers were in pain and I followed my curiosity, which brought me to create Weather,” said Leary.

JEANLOUIS REBELLO/THE MEDIUM

Dancers use their bodies to capture changes in the weather.

Unlike most dance performances, which are usually viewed in a single venue, Weather takes its audience on a journey through various sites on campus—and there’s a twist. Weather’s score is only heard by the audience’s ears—not the performers. Each performance was a solo depicting a different weather element full of intensified and fluid movement. The score is appropriately titled Weather by James Bunton.

Outside the MiST theatre, a male dancer stands silent against the dark wall. The first performance, titled “Endangered Species”, was performed by Michael Caldwell, a dancer and inter-

preter based in Toronto.

“My solo addresses how landscape and the body are affected by colonialism, the environmental decay, and different animals, species, and plants that have been heavily affected by these things,” says Caldwell. His performance was slow and steady. Balance was a main factor playing in the routine as he held himself by his arms with his legs floating in the air. His depiction of endangered species brings out their vulnerability, evoking emotion from the audience.

Leary guided the group to the next site, where Amy Hampton performed “Way of Water”. Hampton portrays the

liquid with fluid and soft lines, using the bar and staircase on the third floor of the Instructional Centre to her advantage. Hampton stretches her entire body, emulating the flow of water in a thunderstorm as she eventually makes her way down the steps using her back instead of her feet.

“This is an exploration of the element of water and how it affects our bodies. The water within our bodies and water as a vessel, water that carries us through history and the travels across water. How water infiltrates many aspects of our lives,” Hampton explains.

Back outside MiST, Louis Laberge-

Cote performs “Shrinking Habitat”.

“It’s a very dramatic section, very contained and pressed down,” he says.

Very dramatic indeed. Laberge-Cote begins on his back and slowly makes his way down the wall outside of the theatre. He sluggishly pushes himself down the wall to meet the ground. He performs with striking movements of his arms and legs, demonstrating the devastation and dwindling future of habitats. When asked about the difficulty of performing without knowledge of timing, he responds, “It’s a bit of a guessing game. This performance is so dramatic, [it’s] hard to keep sense of time.”

The last solo performance took place at the Instructional Centre, this time beginning with Ryan Lee, a graduate of the Ryerson dance program, sitting cross-legged on the edge of the top of the staircase. By imitating meditation positions, Lee performs “Way of Wind”. Lee defies gravity and places his entire mind and body in a trance to complete the performance.

Lee is in tune and highly concentrated, tumbling down the steps, twirling, and suddenly halting and balancing on one leg. Lee demonstrates the most edgy performance of the four.

I enjoyed Weather because it was unique in its presentation and focused on a global issue. Even though each piece was slow and gradual, it seemed like time stopped for a few minutes and I really felt connected to the performers.

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«ARTS

THE MEDIUM 11.02.2015

Find Waldo: the search for the AGM Art Toronto event finds space for international galleries, but struggles to represent the GTA KATE CATTELL-DANIELS A&E EDITOR To be honest, getting into Art Toronto was a bit of a hassle. I show up at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and buy my ticket—$15 for a student—and believe me, if I had to buy it at full price, I’d have turned around and walked out. I get over the price thing, only to be turned away at the escalator because no backpacks are allowed. So I find the coat check, fill my pockets with anything I think could be deemed valuable, and proceed to scrape together another three dollars out of my change purse. Okay, so $18 isn’t that much money, but because of what happens next, it sure starts to feel like it.

After finally scaling the escalator, I pick up a map and take a look at what’s going on here. The layout of the show is impossible to understand; it’s more of a rat maze than an art show. I came here looking for the Art Gallery of Mississauga, hoping they were making a good impression on the Toronto art scene—but they are nowhere to be found in the directory, although they are listed as a “cultural partner”. I figure they must be around somewhere, so I set out, moving up and down the rows because maybe I just can’t read the map properly.

No luck. I do find the Rumi Gallery, though, and applaud them si-

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The rat maze at Art Toronto. Can you find who you’re lookin’ for? lently for sticking it out next to big names from not only Toronto, Calgary, and Montreal, but also Paris and London.

On my meandering journey, I do stumble upon a couple of gems.

Art Mûr, for instance, has on display an installation piece that immediately grabs my attention. An average kitchen table is set on un-

even legs, so it is pitched heavily to one side. A chair set at the table has also lost its balance. On the table, a bowl of milk and cereal spills across onto the table and drips to the floor. I’m not sure what materials artist Katherine Payette used, but the milk still looks wet, and the cereal slightly crunchy. Behind the table, a sculpture of a head-

less child (complete with clothes and dirty bare feet) kneels in such a way that it looks like his head is either tucked between his knees or has been consumed by the floor.

Either way, it’s a disturbing image, bringing a whole new meaning to the saying “Don’t cry over spilled milk.”

Another piece that strikes me

is from the Trepanier Baer Gallery in Calgary. Artist Evan Perry has made a sort of optical illusion sculpture of Jesus after his crucifixion. He lies in an abnormally long, thin box squished into the wall. In my experience, representations of Jesus on the cross usually have a peaceful, cherubic look on their faces, but not this one. He looks positively manic, with his (real?) hair frizzing all over and eyes rolling back in his head. He hasn’t been laid out for others to admire; instead this is a representation that appraoches realism in its representation of death. There’s also a bit of black comedy here, set in motion by this cartoony religious icon stuffed into a wall in an art gallery. But my favourite thing about the piece is that it looks—at least to me—like Jesus is giving us all the finger, even in death, though the hand is draped so casually that it might not be true. But I kind of like to think it is. There’s something in that—this flawless saviour taking his last moments to give all of humanity a great big fuck you.

The long and short of it is that I never found the AGM, not even after asking a very friendly and helpful guide at the information desk to help me. Oh, and they almost couldn’t find my bag at the coat check when I left.

Becoming one with Hamlet Hamlet continued from page 8 TM: What’s your process for playing Hamlet? What do you do to play this part?

DM: I guess my main process would be a big “why?” Why is he doing all this? And once I’ve talked through— usually with the help of Paolo—why [Hamlet is] doing all this, it kind of leads into how he does it, and then from there you kind of have to fill in yourself, I find. Because some roles are very different from the person who is playing them, and that’s when a lot more work has to go into it, or a different kind of work has to go into it. They’re such real people, with thoughts that we have, too, that I have to challenge myself to make it as personal as possible.

TM: Do you relate to Hamlet?

DM: Yeah, in several ways. He’s a lot smarter than I am. He’s like an action super hero with a massive brain. But overthinking things is a big thing I do, and thinking through things, and needing people to help you for support. Not being able to

really sit with yourself on a thought, and being comfortable enough to move forward with it. There’s a reason there are all these massive soliloquies. Hamlet needs to talk to someone. He’s got a big heart.

TM: Sheelagh, what’s it like being a woman in a play that is so dominated by men?

Sheelagh Daly: As an actor it’s interesting on its own, because you’re a woman in a cast almost entirely made up of men, other than Gertrude and a couple of the players. But everyone’s been so wonderful, so that makes it very easy. I think that so much of what Ophelia comes up against still exists in many ways today.

TM: What do you find is the same?

SD: I think although a lot is changing, [the world] is a patriarchy. I was definitely raised with some of those, “Be careful, take care of yourself,” ideas, which is something I could definitely relate to Ophelia about while growing up.

TM: Do you find that there’s a

difference between the way the play treats women and the way the production treats them?

SD: Yes, because there are scenes in Hamlet where Gertrude and Ophelia are really getting torn to shreds and it’s this crazy journey when you’re in that world, but then you come back and you’re surrounded by so many caring people and caring men.

TM: Do you like your characters?

Would you want to be friends with them?

SD: I love Ophelia. I think her capacity for love is something we can all strive for. She’s very real in her fears and in her loss.

DM: You have to love your character. I think being Hamlet’s friend would be so intense and so draining. He’s a very extreme, very passionate character. I live through being Hamlet’s friend.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Hamlet opens at the Hart House Theatre on November 4.

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15 jobs? You’re an average millennial UTM alumna Fermo discusses her transition from university to a career with multiple jobs KASSANDRA HANGDAAN “What am I going to do after university?”

It is possibly the most daunting and nagging question sitting in every student’s mind. For some, contemplating the future of their life is enough to make them go through an existential crisis. But in some ways, that fear is justified. The instability of today’s job market along with the sizeable number of graduates that universities produce each year add to the uncertainty that millennials now face.

Gabriella Fermo, a UTM alumna with a degree in industrial relations and psychology, understands the variability of the job market all too well.

Fermo shared her story of transitioning from university to a career in last week’s Backpack to Briefcase event, titled “Leading with Me”.

Held in the MiST Theatre, the event was attended by a mix of undergraduate and graduate students who had come not only to learn about career opportunities, but also to discover a path to attaining career satisfaction.

For fourth-year biology and psychology student George Chalil, attending the event seemed like a good learning opportunity. “As the years go by, you realize that maybe medical school isn’t always the option, or maybe that there is something other than [medical school] that you can look at,” he says, adding that he hoped the presentation would broaden his horizons and outlook on his future endeavors.

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Fermo realized that she needed a university degree for career advancement and enrolled in UTM. Roman Huts, a first-year computer science student, agrees. “I’m not too sure about what I’m going to do with my degree,” he says, echoing a sentiment that is familiar among most students.

Throughout her career, Fermo has held a variety of positions. Her career story began when she was a recent high school graduate who immediately pursued a career with the Royal Bank of Canada. After three years of working for the company, she noticed that her career advancement remained stagnant. Fermo realized that it was imperative to obtain a university degree. This realization led her to enroll at UTM. In her third year at UTM, Fermo landed a job with Accenture, a global

management company, as a change management consultant. There, she worked with Fortune 500 organizations to help individuals successfully transition and respond to the growing changes in their industry. After spending four years with Accenture, she then moved on to work as a human resource analyst for Russel Metals.

Fermo used these personal retellings to illustrate her point: no matter what you do in life, things will change. More specifically, she said, “For all the pressure and stress that we give ourselves, [our ever-changing career prospects tell] me that maybe we shouldn’t worry so much because it’s bound to change anyway.”

Fermo then referred to a Workop-

olis study that revealed a trend of Canadians—specifically millennials—holding shorter spans of employment. If this trend continues, the study concluded that Canadians are expected to hold up to fifteen jobs in their lifetime. To cope with the constant change that millennials are now facing, Fermo advised the audience to use a research-based model for change management, which involves awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcement—ADKAR—to help individuals achieve specific career results.

Explaining the model, Fermo said that self-awareness is necessary when thinking about a career, because one must have a goal and consider how personal strengths can translate into

an employable skill. Understanding one’s desires are also necessary since our choices are influenced by our personal beliefs and attitudes; in other words, goals alone are not sufficient— one must desire the goal. The ability part of the ADKAR model deals with developing a skill to a level of expertise in order to appeal to employers who are seeking out that skill. Lastly, positive reinforcement serves as an indication that one is pursuing the right path.

Fermo also encouraged students to take online personality tests like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. She argued that while the results of these tests should not be taken too seriously, they do provide a good basis for understanding individual strengths and inclinations.

Among the various resources available on campus, Fermo also encouraged students to visit the Career Centre for more personal advice, noting that she frequently used the resource herself as an undergraduate student.

She also suggested that students visit industry conferences and tradeshows to gain awareness of different career paths and to use the conferences as an opportunity to network.

A Q and A session was held during the final quarter of the event. In response to an audience member’s question on finding a satisfying career, Fermo left the audience with the following piece of advice: “Change what you like to do into something that someone else needs.”

Students help construct Milton townhouse Last weekend, 23 UTM students got their “build” on using chop saws, hammers, and more KAITLYN FERNANDES A safe place to call home—it’s something that many of us take for granted.

On October 24, a group of 23 UTM students visited a Habitat for Humanity site in Milton to take part in the construction of a townhouse. The project was organized through the efforts of Student Life and UTM’s Habitat for Humanity club.

If you’ve never heard of Habitat for Humanity, it is an organization dedicated to providing affordable and safe housing to low-income families. Families who apply to receive a habitat must go through a process of interviews and are selected based on a set of criteria, which includes the type of housing they require as well as their ability to finance their house.

Contrary to how it may look, Habitat homes are not free. The families who occupy them must still pay a mortgage. However, they pay a nointerest, no-profit loan, and virtually

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All students, regardless of their level of experience, were invited to take part. no down payment. The organization has built sites worldwide, but at a local level, its operations depend almost entirely on volunteer efforts and charitable donations from the community.

What I found most enticing about this volunteer project was the hands-

on nature of the work. When working with large non-profit organizations, volunteer work tends to mainly involve fundraising. While bake sales are all well and fine, sometimes it can be hard to feel like you’re making a difference when you can’t see how

your donation has helped someone.

What makes Habitat for Humanity different is that while they accept donations, they rely heavily on volunteer efforts in the construction of their homes. Everyone, from the experienced homebuilder to the novice

Property Brothers fan, is welcome at the site.

When we arrived at the build site, each student received the equipment that they would need for the day, including steel toe boots, a hard hat, and safety goggles. After going over some safety precautions, students split off into groups, with each group tackling a different project for the day.

My group was tasked with building the last section of a wooden wall frame needed to complete a basement wall. My group leader, Allan, explained to us how he started volunteering for Habitat after he had retired from accounting, and how every day at the site he learned something new.

The first thought that hit me when I walked into the unfinished townhouse was the smell. One of my favourite smells is the smell of Home Depot. The smell of lumber in the house felt cozy, warm, and authentic.

Build continued on page 14

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«FEATURES

THE MEDIUM 11.02.2015

This week, The Medium, The Varsity, and The Underground collaborated to carry out a “U of T student exchange” experience. Writers equipped with only an itinerary and a campus map headed to each sister campus and recorded their experiences.

UTSG’s Marian Mendroza headed towards UTM expecting nothing more than a suburb

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MARIAN MENDOZA

PRE-CONCEIVED UTM IDEAS • Small suburban campus—lots of grass • Modern buildings—glass?

• Everyone knows everyone (small student population) • Feels like a high school One hour and 34 minutes—that’s how long it took me to get from the St. George campus to the Mississauga campus via public transit. I was increasingly impatient due to traffic delays and construction, but my frustration disappeared as soon as the bus pulled onto the UTM campus. As a big fan of architecture and landscapes, the first thing I perceived about UTM was the harmonious integration of modern structures and natural settings.

Farah Qaiser, third-year molecular biology specialist and features editor of The Medium, greeted me upon arrival and took me on a brief walk from the bus loop into the Kaneff Centre and through to the Student

Centre.

At UTSG, it’s not uncommon to confidently jaywalk across Queen’s Park with 30 other individuals. At UTM, however, there is simply no need to jaywalk at all; the campus is secluded from urban areas and can be reached by way of a single countryside road. Being in a pedestrianfriendly campus, the buildings are all a short walk away from each other across a series of pedestrian-only pathways. The Student Centre, functioning as the “town hall” of UTM, hosts the UTMSU office, the Medium newspaper, the CFRE Radio station, and various other student organizations. Although small, the Student Centre hosts club booths and the Blind Duck Pub and serves as a relaxing space to hang out with friends— like the ground floor of Sid Smith at UTSG. Qaiser was surprised when I informed her that UTSG is only in the process of developing our own Student Commons.

Dropping off my things at The Medium’s office, I headed over to CFRE

(Canada’s First Radio Erindale) and had the chance to listen to a live taping of The Coastline, a student-run radio show hosted by DJs Jiten and Dylan. The show aims to share experiences and issues that students have faced from high school personality phases to dealing with workloads.

Apart from representing student life at UTM, the radio group’s aim is to showcase a variety of musical genres and to promote student DJs on campus. When I asked the hosts if there is ever a specific topic to their show, the DJs replied that “there are people that have a topic, not us”.

Situated across from the Student Centre is the Blackwood Gallery, an art gallery featuring the works of local, national, and international professional artists. The gallery’s current exhibit, The Pen Moves across the Earth, is a look at humanity’s influence on nature.

Walking back to the Student Centre, I noticed an open storage room, the space for BikeShare, UTM’s bike rental and repair facility. Noting the

small size of their facility, the representative at BikeShare said that there is a high demand for their services, and as a space for students to rent and repair bikes, they hope to expand in the future.

The UTM campus is also situated next to forestry and wildlife.

A nature trail adorns back campus, and runs alongside the Credit River, where people will often go fishing.

The nature trail was notably empty, unfrequented by UTM students but a recommendable place to de-stress and appreciate the quiet of nature.

Accompanied by The Medium’s features editor, I took this as an opportunity to ask about some common myths about UTM. According to Qaiser, the notion that everyone at UTM knows each other is, in fact, true. Apparently, the school is so small that you’ll recognize almost everyone in your year of study. Unlike UTSG, it’s particularly difficult to avoid someone, even if you try; at UTM, you’re bound to run into them.

I visited UTM’s four-floor library to compare it to our own infamous library, Robarts. UTM’s library, much like Robarts, holds a variety of study environments: desks with dividers, group study rooms, and tables with low dividers for when you want to study with friends but, in reality, procrastinate. There’s a “‘Quiet’ Conversation Study Zone” on the third floor, which is actually a space for loud conversations and food, with maybe the occasional studying on the side.

Coming in to UTM, all I really knew was that there were many trees and glass buildings, but the campus proves to hold so much more. The campus design finds success in its balance between nature and modernity and finds positivity in its friendly environment and tight-knit community.

FINAL THOUGHTS Despite its size, UTM is far too lively with student involvement to be compared to a high school.

UTSC’s arts and life editor, Sharine Taylor, headed towards UTSG in search for artwork SHARINE TAYLOR

PRE-CONCEIVED UTSG IDEAS • Overcrowded campus • Hart House would be very busy • Tradition would overtake modern interests Having visited the UTSG campus prior to this trip, I had anticipated a heavy flow of students rushing to get to class. My visits downtown were always on the weekends and were primarily for much needed quiet study time inside Robarts. This being my first occasion venturing down on a weekday, I took the initiative of getting off at Museum station to avoid the potential clash of bodies at the interchange station that is St. George.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” is

one of the classic axioms we are first introduced to in childhood. However, “Don’t judge a campus by its architecture,” would have probably been more fitting in this instance.

Thinking I had cleverly avoided the stream of students, I was still skeptical about what the real difference was between departing the subway at Museum or at St. George station. I was surprised, to say the least, that upon coming out I wasn’t bombarded in the same manner one would be while getting in or out of Union station (being trampled on is unfortunately not in this season).

As such, my first misconception of the campus being heavily saturated with students was disproved. This, of course, is most likely attributed to how much physical space the campus

occupies, ultimately accommodating the many students who attend.

Walking around Queen’s Park, with the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies building and Teefy Hall to my left and cars whizzing by to my right, really put into perspective how University of Toronto’s St. George campus perfectly straddles the line of antiquity and modernity. That being said, it was sort of ironic to read both the name and subject of this study in this contemporary urban space.

I walked further around the perimeter of the park and ended up in the heart of UTSG, the front campus at King’s College Circle. From there, I decided to make my way towards a building whose name I’ve seen listed quite often on my tuition incidental fee breakdown, but which I never re-

ally had the opportunity to utilize: Hart House.

Instantaneously feeling envious of every single St. George student for having immediate access to this space, I decided to head straight inside and see all the going-ons within.

Assuming that it would be overflowing with students, I was initially hesitant to go in, knowing full well I was part walking with purpose and part aimlessly admiring. My second misconception of Hart House being super busy was proved to be not true. Though it wasn’t as packed as I thought, it was still bustling with activity.

What I really wanted to do was see some art installations and knew that the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery was located somewhere close by. Unfortu-

nately, I had arrived just minutes after the doors were closed but decided to remain on my search for artwork.

Here is where my third misconception was dispelled. I was totally convinced that this particular U of T campus would be so rooted in its tradition that it would be void of embracing any millennial interests.

Lining one of the hallways were Instagram-inspired portraits of students who, I believe, were asked if social media can be a catalyst in social change. Their answers were placed as the captions with their photos. I was delighted that students were allowed to express their social views in a manner that creatively translated their URL activity IRL. UTSG continued on page 13

11.02.2015 THE MEDIUM FEATURES» 13

UTM’s Mahnoor Ayub made the two-hour-long commute to the distant UTSC campus

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

MAHNOOR AYUB ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR PRE-CONCEIVED UTSC IDEAS • Impressive architecture • Small campus • Several recreational outlets and engaging student life • Small forested area I can still hear the last few Rocket bus announcements echoing through my mind. With stark clarity, I recall the last one: “This is an express route; the next stop is UTSC.” Looking over my transit instructions one more time, I reassured myself that I must be in the right place.

There could be no other place where people would be sitting casually at the bus stop, sipping their beverages, and having animated conversations about the neuromuscular physiology and locomotor capabilities of hummingbirds. It reminded me of where I was coming from—UTM. After asking for directions and probably being mistaken for a firstyear student, I made my way towards the Student Centre. I soon discovered that the way to the building was an uphill trek on a concrete path.

At the top, there were interconnected pathways leading to differ-

ent buildings that all converged on a common walkway. On my right, I could see all the beauty that autumn had to offer, satisfying the expectations I had when observing UTSC’s famous campus plan. While the contrasting views did seem to form the perfect balance, I was drawn towards the energy radiating from the Student Centre.

I walked in, instantly being tempted by the vast variety of food options available. Resisting the urge to fastforward my schedule to lunch time, I headed up the stairs in the centre of the floor, allowing me a panoramic view of not only the stalls set up for Clubs Week, but also the buildings beyond.

While I expected to be impressed

by UTSC’s architecture, I was surprised by what I felt after completing my exploration of the Student Centre—the strong sense of community present here. (Although upon later conversations, I was met with disagreement from current UTSC students about this, making me realize that self-discontent is essentially what makes our campuses similar.)

I then headed to the Bladen Wing, in search of the Doris McCarthy Gallery. Feeling like a professional for not

getting lost, I was welcomed by Julia Abraham as she was preparing for the “Complex Social Change” exhibition beginning the next day.

The exhibition uses various art forms ranging from videos and photography to text and installations to encourage conversations about complex issues such as politics and feminism. Abraham was enthusiastic as she informed me about how the exhibition is only a component of a much larger ambition for instigating social change—but it can also start conversation about what people don’t want to talk about and what has to be said.

She informed me about the upcoming displays for “the etiquette and anatomy of social change”, and I noted how UTSC’s awareness through the art scene is definitely something to keep up with.

Heading out of the gallery, I walked past corridors filled with students studying on the sides, blissfully unaware of a lost UTM student in their midst. I realized that I was subconsciously searching for a specific place on the campus. I had reverted to the basic instincts of being a U of T student, which gave me the direction that I needed—when in doubt, head to the library.

I sat down on a colorful chair in the open, welcoming common reading room situated in the middle, open to balconies on the upper floors. Although I was drawn towards the “new DVDs” section on the main shelves, the U of T student in me was applauding the corridors upon corridors of silent study spaces and the self-serve course reserves section. Seeing all the numerous spaces filled, however, could only mean one thing: midterms were coming.

Feeling adventurous, I exited through a deserted pathway and found myself facing a daunting concrete tower-like structure.

I hurried around the building looking for the entrance, making my way through the flowery green pathway.

Finally, I discovered that I was standing at the entrance of the humanities wing, an architectural masterpiece designed around massive diagonal staircases.

I sat down peacefully with my lunch in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked what appeared to be meadows and preserved nature sites, but were in fact the athletic fields. The view was enough to motivate me to make the long walk to the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre,

so I headed outside and trekked down Military Trail.

Swiping my TCard through, I was amazed at the beautiful competition and recreational pools. Not only does the centre boast an enormous climbing wall with large centres for indoor soccer, basketball, and leadership development, but it is also a model for providing accessibility.

Feeling elated after sharing the spaces previously occupied by outstanding international athletes, I decided to make my way back to UTM. As I passed by a number of long lineups at Tim Hortons on the way back, I felt like I was at my home campus.

Feeling at ease under the common U of T logo, amidst the anxious midterm and hummingbird physiology conversations, there’s only one thing I can think of as I board the Rocket: when am I coming back?

FINAL THOUGHTS • Both old and new buildings present • Buildings are spread out, but well connected • Not just the athletic centre, but Rex’s Den was also really cool; strong community present • The campus has plenty to offer to nature lovers

The UTSG campus has several historic buildings, but has “kept up with times” too

MASOOMA ALI/PHOTO

UTSG continued from page 12 A walk further down the stairs allowed me to see the diversity in activity that takes place in Hart House: a darkroom for developing photos, study spaces, social spaces, and an intimately lit eatery called Sammy’s Student Exchange.

I imagine that this is probably a campus favourite because it was crowded with students talking amongst one another and enjoying its super cozy atmosphere.

With my own hunger inspired, I was now on a mission to find something to eat. Standing on the steps of Hart House looking out onto the front campus made for a picturesque view as students played sports and talked academics with Convocation Hall and the changing reds, yellows, and oranges of autumn leaves as their backdrop. My thoughts were interrupted by a gust of wind. I walked through the neighborhoods surrounding the campus to see if I could find any interesting spots.

One of the many rather overwhelming benefits of attending UTSG is probably having access to a virtually unlimited amount of food options. Just west of the campus is Kensington Market, home to a plethora of unique specialty shops, a spectrum of spiritual gurus and eateries featuring cuisines from locales all over the globe. Tucked away in a charcoal building on Augusta Avenue, I found Trinity Common bar.

The dimly lit restaurant is made for the perfect after-lecture dinner

spot. I was lured in mainly by the warmth, but also by the aroma that seeped out from the kitchen. There, I had some tasty fried chicken and waffles with collard greens, sweet potatoes, and fresh lemonade on the side.

With my belly full and my heart ever so content, I continued to walk down College until I saw a forest of greenery peeking through a building’s glass window. This building was UTSG’s Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular

Research, and the indoor multilevel bamboo garden was spectacular (and totally Instagram #OOTD worthy). This final stop on my outing to UTSG was the perfect way to wrap up the evening as I snapped photos to add to my VSCO Cam collection.

Though the campus is decorated with its beautiful historic buildings, it has definitely kept up with the times and is far from being as traditional as I had initially speculated.

14

«FEATURES

THE MEDIUM 11.02.2015

Transit woes being heard If you turn the page over, you’ll notice that

a great lunch or dinner.”

there’s a tri-campus piece exploring the

While I’m not a fan of the heavy cheesy

three U of T campuses in this week’s issue.

layers found in lasagna, I certainly can’t

With that intercampus spirit in mind, Sha-

argue with lasagna’s versatility. Several

rine Taylor, arts and life editor of UTSC’s

different meats, vegetables, cheeses, and

publication The Underground, has volun-

sauces can be used in each layer. With in-

teered a recipe for this week’s Blackboard

ventions such as lasagna rolls and lasagna

Special.

cupcakes, it’s clear that the possibilities

For Taylor, the only thing that could po-

are endless.

tentially take precedence over Beyoncé’s

“My mother has mastered making and

entire discography is her homemade lasa-

remixing various cuisines from all over the

gna.

world, but her lasagna recipe, which I’ve

“In the food world, lasagna is really the

now adapted and put my spin on, [will] defi-

all-around dish,” says Taylor. “It has ingre-

nitely have everyone at your next gathering

dients from all four food groups—you can

drunk in l(lasagna)ove,” adds Taylor.

put an entire neighbourhood of cheese in at

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

StudentMoveTO has started surveying the U of T student population regarding their transit worries.

[once]. It’s super delicious and functions as Lasagna

SIDRA WEQAR

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS • ½ green pepper

pasta to the consistency of your liking.

8. While both the ground beef and pasta

• ½ red pepper

are on the stove, empty out ¾ of the

• 2 whole mushrooms

ricotta cheese into a mixing bowl with the

• ½ onion

egg. Add about ¾ of the grated cheese

• 1 pack of ground beef

to the mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.

• Pasta sauce (Taylor prefers Classico’s

9. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Vodka sauce)

10. Once the pasta is ready, grease a

• Ricotta cheese • Pesto sauce (Taylor prefers Classico’s

baking tray.

11. Let the beef cook for 20 minutes

Pesto Di Genova basil sauce)

minimum. At this point, both the pasta

• Lasagna pasta (uncooked)

and beef should be ready. Remove both

• Seasoning (garlic, all-purpose, black pepper, Italian seasoning)

from the heat.

12. Place the first layer of pasta and the first layer of the ricotta, egg, and grated

• 1 egg • ½ a brick of cheese, grated and covered (Taylor prefers Black Diamond’s marble

cheese mix into a dish.

13. Place another layer of pasta and a layer of the ground beef and pasta sauce

cheese)

mix. Alternate until you are at the top of the dish.

METHOD 1. Julienne the onions, mushrooms, and green and red pepper.

2. Season and cover the ground beef.

3. Heat a medium non-stick pan with a teaspoon of vegetable oil on medium heat.

4. Once heated, sauté the julienned vegetables until they’re caramelized.

5. Keep the pan on medium heat and place the seasoned ground beef inside, breaking it down with a spatula.

6. After approximately five minutes of cooking, add the entire pasta sauce

14. Regardless of whether the final layer is the ricotta mixture or the ground beef mixture, top it with one more layer of pasta.

15. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on the final layer of pasta.

16. Cover the lasagna with foil and place it in the middle of the oven rack. Make sure the foil isn’t touching the cheese.

17. After 15 minutes, or when top layer of cheese is golden brown, remove the lasagna from the oven.

bottle. Turn the heat down and let it sim-

18. Let it cool for 20 minutes.

mer while stirring the beef often.

19. Serve immediately.

7. While the beef cooks, boil the lasagna

Have an opinion?

Send a letter to editor@themedium.ca Visit themedium.ca/letters for details.

The current challenges students face in terms of transportation and the commuting service across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area is not a new or unique issue.

StudentMoveTO is a research organization that aims to address existing transportation issues in the GTHA, in collaboration with faculty members and students from the U of T campuses, York University, Ryerson University, and OCAD. Earlier in September, StudentMoveTO organized a symposium at Toronto City Hall with a special invitation to students to voice their concerns on commuting to and from campus.

Matti Siemiatycki, an associate professor for U of T St. George’s Department of Geography and Program in Planning and member of the StudentMoveTO organization, mentioned that one of the most frequent complaints students raised at the symposium was that students “are not nine to fivers”. Students are travelling distances across the region to get to and from campus at times that do not correspond with typical commuter times.

The timings also interfere with students’ abilities to actively participate in on-campus activities or balance their social and work lives.

“The transportation system is not very well set in terms of schedule and fair integration […] [Students] are travelling late into the evening and so the service is not as good or nonexistent and that’s another challenge,” said Siemiatycki, adding that another complaint was cost. “Students are living on a tight budget during the student years and cost is another issue that we heard consistently.”

According to Siemiatycki, the presidents of U of T, York, Ryerson, and OCAD had been discussing key issues regarding the city of Toronto,

and identified transit as a “a key topic where the universities would like to collectively engage with the student body and the city at large”. A committee was formed to head this initiative, which later became known as StudentMoveTO. StudentMoveTO is interested in collecting data on the travelling patterns of all transportation modes, including the transit system, driving, walking, and even biking.

The organization is taking the initiative to capture the needs and concerns of the student body that are absent in existing travel models. Together, the student population across the four universities involved is approximately 185,000. The survey is important for the organization because student voices are minimally integrated in existing data.

Siemiatycki claims that the reason behind this is, “Typically when we look at data that is collected on transportation across the region, it doesn’t really capture people within that [student] age demographic all that well, in part because the surveys are typically landline surveys […] Many students these days do not have a landline, so it’s hard to get in touch with them.”

StudentMoveTO began emailing a travel survey in batches to all members of the U of T student population from September 28 and will continue until December 8. The results are expected to provide a data foundation that can be made public and will be used by agencies such as the TTC or Metrolinx.

Siemiatycki also mentioned the importance of the student body throughout the whole process. Students are expected to use the survey results in their courses or advocacy groups and make policy recommendations regarding the unique challenges they face in transportation, irrespective of the mode of transportation they take.

“We have been working with the

Canadian Federation of Students and they have been very actively involved and very supportive […]. So there has been a strong student voice in this as well and we are hoping that once the survey is done, [students] will use the data as well to learn what is happening in their campus and develop their own policy ideas,” said Siemiatycki According to Siemiatycki, the data is important because student concerns across the different universities vary.

“Students at Ryerson may have very different issues than at UTSC or UTM or York, and we are very aware of that, and part of the reason for collecting data on all of them at once is so that we have a common research instrument that allows you to see these differences between the campuses and then in a very nuanced way, learn what the issues are and how they differ,” he said.

The survey results will allow the team to suggest amendments to policies or provide data to interested parties.

He encourages students across all campuses, including UTM, to take the survey. “What policy makers and what students can use the data for are really dependent on the response rate,” he says.

The process for completing the survey is simple. Students can either wait for an email from the StudentMoveTO team between September and December or log in to the website using their student ID and complete the survey. For UTM students, a UTORid is required to login. The survey asks students to record information on one day of their travelling routine. This will allow the StudentMoveTO team to picture what the different modes and timings of travel are for students.

StudentMoveTO’s goal is to provide a starting point for discussion on the transportation issue across the region with supporting evidence for future policy implications.

The build was a “more hands-on” approach Build continued from page 11 The second thought I had was about how beautiful the house looked. Everything I saw was wooden, since only the bones of the house had been built so far. The walls consisted only of wooden frames, and so all the open space made the house feel huge. When you take away the hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances, a work of craftsmanship remains.

Outside the house, there were two posts. Each post contained a small description about the families who

would be moving into the completed townhouses. The posts also contained messages that thanked the volunteers who were helping to build their homes. Reading the signs, I felt like I was contributing towards the project.

Knowing the name of the person I had helped make my contribution seem significant, even if only a little.

My group leader was very patient with our team and taught each of us how to use tools ranging from a chop saw (a large industrial woodcutter that has a spinning metal blade) to the humble hammer. While some

members of our team were more experienced than others, the entire atmosphere at the site was one of encouragement and teamwork, with everyone contributing something to the project.

I’ll admit that the first time I used the chop saw, I felt intimidated. But with Allan’s guidance, by the end of the day I was chopping like a pro and enjoyed using a tool that once seemed so scary.

At the end of the day, each UTM student received markers to sign the built frames. Volunteer names were littered across the house along with small messages for the new homeowners.

“It was a good experience and I met new people,” says UTM’s Habitat for Humanity’s outreach director and second year criminology student Zaryaab Rauf. “It was something different from some of the other volunteering experiences [that I’ve taken part in]—it was more hands-on.”

According to Rauf, while 23 UTM students attended the build project, there was a waitlist of approximately 60 students. Only a maximum of 25 students could attend due to the limited volunteer opportunities available.

When students were asked what

they would tell other UTM students regarding the event, every answer was overwhelmingly positive. Many volunteers noted that this was one of those volunteer projects in which they felt like they were actually making a difference. From meeting new people to gaining practical life skills, doing fun hands-on work, and finally getting our heads out of the books for a day, there was so much to be gained by volunteering for a Habitat build.

Allan told our group that he’d never had a bad day on the site. As everyone left the site smiling, I believed him.

11.02.2015

»

15

One pound at a time for Naccarato UTM student sets caber toss world record, proving diabetes doesn’t limit athletic potential DANIEL BILYK “Diabetes is the best thing that ever happened to me,” said fourth-year DEM student Alex Naccarato. “I would never have gotten into powerlifting or breaking a world record [without it]. It was like a blessing in disguise.”

At the age of 15, Naccarato was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. From that moment on, the challenge of dealing with diabetes has changed his outlook on life. He thrives on the positivity around him, and as someone who must overcome obstacles every day, believes there’s no use in holding on to negativity.

When diagnosed, Naccarato was overweight and willing to do whatever it took to become healthy again.

“The first step was getting a personal trainer,” he said. “I was 250 pounds and wanted to lift.” He found a gym where his trainer helped him train for heavyweight workouts, where he lost over 50 pounds.

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

Naccarato is an ambassador for the Canadian Diabetes Association.

Naccarato’s positive outlook has had a tremendous impact on his personal and professional life and his friends and clients at work. Many of them enjoy the happy-go-lucky at-

titude that he reflects. “If I have to live with diabetes, so be it. There’s no point in looking down on it if you really can’t do anything about it,” he said. He believes that if you choose

to look only at the negative side of any situation, it will never make any difference, and the only way you can overcome your obstacles is to believe that there is some good that will

come from it.

Naccarato not only trains as a powerlifter but is also a personal trainer with a group of loyal clientele that has become his “gym family”, a group that strives for a healthy, active lifestyle. “People don’t want to get huge, and I want to show them they can powerlift without getting too big,” he said.

His positive outlook on his personal life shines through to his clients and he pushes each of them to do the best they can. “I train people for the same reason I work with diabetics, and as long as I help one person, I’m happy,” he said.

Throughout his personal struggles, Naccarato has learned enough to relate to his clients. For example, he tells them, “Don’t aim to lose 20 pounds because you never will—instead, lose one pound 20 times and see how fast you reach your goals,” he said.

Alex continued on page 16

Varsity Eagles frustrate their competition UTM varsity men’s soccer played three OCAA playoff games, winning one and losing two ERIC HEWITSON SPORTS EDITOR The UTM Varsity Eagles men’s soccer team competed in three OCAA championship soccer games over three days last week. Exhaustion didn’t matter for the young squad competing in their inaugural season. They lost to Algonquin College, who ranks fourth in the country, on Thursday; they beat reigning national champions Sheridan College 4-1 on Friday; and then they lost in penalty kicks to Fleming College 1-0 on Saturday.

The UTM Eagles had a play-off qualifier win last weekend against Mohawk College, which was a confidence boost heading into Thursday’s opening match. Mohawk had been on a five-game win streak before meeting the UTM squad.

The Algonquin Thunder, who reign as the 2014 provincial champions and currently sit fourth best in the country, were taken aback by UTM’s skill level. The teams not only faced each other on the field, but they also battled the swirling winds in Centennial Stadium.

Even though it wasn’t a favorable result for UTM—losing 2-0 to Thunder—the game was a moral victory.

Marco Natoli, 2015 OCAA Rookie of the Year, gave the UTM defense trouble early on. Fans held their

FACEBOOK.COM/UTMATHLETICS/PHOTO

The Eagles finish in sixth place in the OCAA men’s soccer standings. breath as the Eagles’ first-half goaltender, Josh Bowman, stopped a Natoli breakaway opportunity. The sprawling saves put the momentum on UTM’s side.

Eagles head coach Robert Brown was proud of his team’s performance.

“They battled incredibly hard against one of the best teams in the country,” he says. He acknowledges that the team is a year or two away from beating teams like Algonquin but believes that the talent at UTM deserves playing against the best.

There’s something about playing on the road for the Eagles—Brown

believes that they play more hardfought soccer on the road because there are limited distractions and the guys are focused and close together for hours before the match.

On Friday, the Eagles battled hard against the Sheridan Bruins, a team that didn’t look like last year’s dominant national champion squad.

Even though Kojo Awuah was UTM’s player of the game, scoring a goal in the Eagles 4-1 victory, Eagles goalkeeper Jacob Monaco deserves recognition for making a handful of game-changing saves continuously, giving the momentum back to the

Eagles.

Eagles captain Andrew Kim, a fan favourite, fell to the ground in the 48th minute after jumping for a head ball and colliding with a Bruins midfielder. Medical staff examined Kim for precautionary reasons, but he left the field on his own two feet minutes later.

In the 68th minute, Eagles defender Nolan Anderson avenged Kim’s injury and buried a rebound, putting UTM up 2-0 and clearly in the driver’s seat for the rest of the game.

Late in the game, Sheridan’s Ivan Sunjka was unable to control his

emotions, receiving a red card after elbowing Mohammad Golmakani in the 18-yard box. Eagles forward Paul Bialkowski calmly converted the penalty kick, giving his team a 4-0 lead late in the game.

Kim is ecstatic with the team’s playoff success so far. He’s optimistic about this program’s future, claiming they can be “scary good” in the coming years. Kim isn’t a vocal leader on the team; he feels his responsibility lies in his hard-fought style of play on the field.

On Saturday, the Eagles headed back to Etobicoke’s Centennial Stadium for the third consecutive day to take on Fleming College, hoping to solidify fifth place in the 2015 OCAA standings.

The dramatic penalty kick finale included heroic saves by both goaltenders. Fleming keeper Jared Hubble made three consecutive pointblank saves, allowing his team to score on goalkeeper Jacob Monaco in the final penalty round to win the consolation game.

The loss gives UTM a sixth-place finish in OCAA standings.

The Eagles look to build on their 2015 season success, hoping to use their experience and off-season training to make their way up the OCAA standings in 2016.

16

«SPORTS

THE MEDIUM 11.02.2015

UTM student sets record Alex continued from page 15 Over the summer, Naccarato participated in the world record– breaking caber toss at the Fergus Highland Games in Fergus, Ontario, and 69 cabers were flipped simultaneously. “You step out there with this 14-pound log on your shoulder, and you know you have to flip this thing,” he said, adding

“I would have never gotten into powerlifting or breaking a world record [without diabetes]. It’s a blessing in disguise” that the feeling was “totally incredible—it’s something you can’t describe”. Being part of a group of record breakers, Naccarato notes, “They depend on you, and you feel like you have to flip your log to be part of the team.” In the end, they managed to make his dream of being in the Guinness Book of World Records come true. “It was funny, though,” he said. “There were just a bunch of guys in kilts hugging each other.”

Naccarato said he “loves lifting heavy” and will continue to push himself to his personal limits just

to break them. “It’s important to know you can overcome anything and beat it tenfold,” he said. He tries to push that idea to everyone he knows; getting others to live a healthier, stronger lifestyle is a paramount aspect of his life.

Along with Naccarato’s strict training and dietary regiment, he works alongside other diabetics as an Ambassador for the Canadian Diabetes Association, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and Bayer Canada. These companies, like Naccarato, aim to better the lives of diabetics, allowing them to live a normal, healthy lifestyle. Bayer Canada, the company that provides Naccarato with his insulin pump, works with professional athletes, such as rookie NHL athlete Max Domi of the Arizona Coyotes. Through research, they have given people like Naccarato the chance to live freely and train to lift as much as possible. “I can only bench 230 pounds, I think,” Naccarato said.

“But I deadlift 555 pounds. That’s my bread and butter.”

There is no holding Naccarato back from what he wants to accomplish. He loves to lift and he firmly believes everything happens for a reason, but continues to live his life the same way he teaches his clients: “one pound at a time”.

ERIC HEWITSON SPORTS EDITOR STEP-UPS FOR TONED AND EXPLOSIVE LEGS Many students think that they’ll gain leg muscles through heavy back squats; this is true, but it isn’t the most efficient way to achieve all around speed, strength, and stamina. It may be attractive walking around with your biceps popping out of your sleeves, but what happens when you’re at the beach and your lovely lady or man looks down at your legs and laughs?

Step-ups will not only give you the size and tone you desire, but you’ll feel strong and healthy. Just place your foot on a box or bench and push your body up with your knee pointing straight forward or slightly outward, but never inward. This grueling workout, which can be done with or without weights, targets your glutes, quads, and hips. Start off with two minutes of nonstop stepping followed by a one-minute break—do this five times, or more if desired.

Remember, everyone should aim for 10,000 steps a day to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle.

EXTREME PLANKING IS NO GOOD Did you know that George Hood, a 57-year-old former marine, set the world record for longest plank at five hours and 15 minutes? Many people believe that the longer you plank, the more you’re strengthening your core, but this isn’t the case. The longer the plank, the more it becomes an exercise in mental fortitude. Shorter isometric holds can provide higherquality muscular contractions, promote better form, and enhance performance. Try flowing from one plank variation to another in the period of time you would have just done a typical plank. Moving your body into multiple positions for 10 seconds each targets separate core, hip, and shoulder muscles, allowing both your physical and mental muscles to work the entire time. The longest amount of time you should plank between

rest periods is two minutes. Ask a personal trainer in the athletic facilities about all the different plank movements.

CHALLENGE YOUR BORING TREADMILL RUN Are you lacking motivation to jump on the treadmill or find you don’t have the time to increase the length of your run? Well, there are a few tricks that can help combat you from plateauing. First, have you ever tried to increase your tempo? Warm up with five minutes of easy running. Then set the incline at one percent and run at a 7 km/h pace. Increase the speed by 0.4 km/h every minute until you can’t move your legs any longer. Secondly, try the television game—sounds fun, eh? Warm up, then whenever a commercial comes on during a show or game, run two kilometres per minute faster than your warm-up pace until the regular program returns.

Do this until you’re on the floor and ready to crawl into the change room.

UTM hosts Varsity Blues exhibition game ERIC HEWITSON SPORTS EDITOR The U of T Varsity Blues women’s basketball team played the McMaster Marauders on Friday evening for an exhibition game at the RAWC. In their final preseason game of the year, the Blues fell to the Marauders 82-48.

McMaster, who were last year’s central division champs in the OUA, dominated the first quarter, capitalizing on shots especially from forward Andrea Polischuk.

Polischuk was an efficient shooter for the Marauders, sinking many of her shots from the right side in the offensive zone.

U of T had a tough time against McMaster, who capitalized on U of T turnovers, breaking out for easy layup baskets. Third-year point guard Diedre Edwards pushed the ball up the court, trying to find players in blue and white, but the Marauders physically and strategically, throughout defensive play, gave no room or time to the Toronto shooters.

Ken Duncliff, Director of Athletics at UTM, was happy to see the large audience turnout at the RAWC. The Varsity Blues basketball teams play exhibition games here every year to promote their product to campuses other than St George. UTM students have to travel 40 minutes by shuttle bus to make it to a Varsity Blues game, so walking into the RAWC after class to see a game is a great surprise.

UTM isn’t involved in managing the game day productions, but they do accommodate the athletes with private changing rooms, making it seem like a comfortable and genuine home game.

The Varsity Blues men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball teams play their regular season and playoff home games in the oneyear-old Goldring Centre, which holds a $58 million price tag and fits over 2,000 fans. The stateof-the-art facility is arguably the fanciest and most accommodating facility for student athletes in all of Canada.

Third-year guard Rahshida Atkinson led the Blues with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

Rachel Homes scored 25 points for the Marauders while Clare Kenney added 16 points and nine rebounds.

Last year the Blues finished third in the OUA’s East division. The Ryerson Rams, who came in first with a record of 16-3 was six games better than Toronto’s 10-9 record.

Head coach of the Blues Michele Belanger has spent 36 years behind the bench. Belanger has had many successful years representing the Blues; from 1983 to 2002 her women’s team achieved 220 wins and 46 losses. Belanger, one of the most renowned coaches in Canadian women’s basketball history, has been named the OUA Coach of the Year eight times.

The Varsity Blues women look to improve when they open their 2015/16 regular season this Wednesday against the Ryerson Rams at Kerr Hall Gymnasium.

THE MEDIUM WEEKLY SCOREBOARD Varsity Blues Men’s Hockey

Varsity Blues Women’s Field Hockey

Toronto - 2

Toronto - 4

York - 4

Guelph - 3

Varsity Blues Men’s Rugby

Varsity Blues Women’s Basketball

Toronto - 15

Toronto - 48

Toronto - 17

McMaster - 82

UTM Varsity Eagles Men’s Soccer

Varsity Blues Women’s Volleyball

UTM - 0 UTM - 4 UTM - 0

Toronto - 3 Toronto - 3

Algonquin - 2 Sheridan - 1 Fleming - 1

RMC - 1 Queen’s - 1